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Luck of the Devil

Summary:

The Pleasures and Jack are dead. Alex is back under the thumb of Blunt and MI6. His new guardian is harsh and hates him and sends him back to Hell - the Brecon Beacons. Wolf is just as mean as ever and Fox's replacement, Falcon is even worse. It is times like this that Alex thinks the whole world is against and that he doesn't have the luck of the devil everyone thinks he does.

-Set after Scorpia Rising but ignoring other stories after that. The timeline is slightly different to account for a slightly younger Alex. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 1: Back to Hell

Chapter Text

“What the hell was that?” The man bellowed in a tone that should never be used on any child never mind one that had suffered such crippling loss as he had.

When the Pleasures had been killed just two weeks after Jack’s death it had been enough to begin a downwards spiral. That was nearly a year ago. Now, he was literally in the middle of Hell. Who had the clever idea of sending him here? Oh, that’s right. Mr Alan Blunt head of MI6.

Alex Rider, despite being just fifteen years old, had never be treated like a true teenager. Even when his Uncle was alive, it seemed that he was supposed to act with the maturity of someone with far more years under their belt. In truth whenever he acted remotely like the child he was he was scolded and told to be better. He had no doubt, however, that his uncle loved and in his own weird way, he had only wanted him to be safe.

The man yelling was called Wolf. That wasn’t his real name though. You didn’t use your real names when you were in the SAS. Everyone had a code name and the man currently yelling had the code name, Wolf. Rather ironically, he was called Cub because Wolf was a lot of things but paternal was not one of them.

He’d been back at the Brecon Beacons for nearly a week now and every day had been a miserable as the last time he had been there. Eagle and Snake were just as apathetic as he had remembered them. Snake had at least taken a little more interest in him than the others but once the medic was satisfied that he was physically fit they'd let him alone. Wolf and Falcon? They were the worse. Falcon was Fox’s replacement. He was about thirty-five and had grey eyes that were the epitome of anger. He was Welsh and made Wolf seem like a teddy bear. The two were as thick as thieves and seemed to take delight in making his life hell.

They had just come back from the gun range. They were all supposed to fire a few shots at the target and Alex had been forced to show his skills. Apparently, the order that he was not allowed to even hold never mind shoot a gun, had not reached the ears of the instructor who made him do fifty press-ups for insubordination. After he had completed the punishment, the instructor looked so angry that Alex had been legitimately scared for his own safety and took hold of the offered gun. Therein, lay the problem. Thanks to the tutelage of SCORPIA, he wasn’t a bad shot. That was actually quite modest. He was a terrific shot. Every shot was on target. That was when the paper targets were just bullseye and not people. In that case, he missed every time. And that was what had gotten Wolf so angry.

“I asked you a question Cub. What the hell was that?!” He bellowed again, this time it was louder, and he stepped forward in a threatening manner. Everything about Wolf seemed threatening though, especially when Falcon was involved.

Alex dropped his gaze submissively. He hoped that by acting like the chastised and moderately scared child he was, he would placate Wolf by giving him the power kick he needed. It didn’t work. As Wolf took another step towards him he took a step back. Alex opened his mouth and tried to respond but found that words failed him.

“Wolf has asked a question kid. It's in your best interests to answer him. He is your Unit leader. Respond.”

He didn’t need to look up to see who had said that. The scything tone of voice was just as a giveaway as the words themselves. Falcon always backed Wolf up when it came to his treatment of Alex.

“I-I-er…” He breathed out. His brain seemed incapable of sending his mouth the message to talk.

“You what?” Snapped Wolf. He could see that Cub was about to bolt but wasn’t going to let that happen. Cub had good reflexes; he would begrudgingly admit that. But Wolf was better, more experienced and in his opinion far superior in every aspect. So, in a few fast and long strides he was within grabbing distance of the blonde. Before Cub had the chance to evaluate the situation, Wolf grabbed hold of his arm with one hand and raised his other.

Alex felt a grip on his arm and knew that it was Wolf. When had he approached him? There was no time to work that out though. Wolf’s grip was bruising tight, and he was raising his other hand. That could only mean…

Alex flinched.

He raised his free hand above his head to defend his head from a blow he honestly thought was going to land.

He closed his eyes.

Nothing happened.

Wolf hadn’t raised his hand to hit him. He raised it to take hold of Alex’s shoulder to stop him from bolting off into the nearby woodlands. He didn’t trust Wolf. He may have saved him at Point Blanc but other than that he hadn’t given him any reason to trust him. So, when Alex had seen him raise his hand he hadn’t thought for a second that Wolf was going to do anything but hurt him. Everything about his body language screamed anger and Alex, who had been hurt too much by an irrationally angry adult had not taken any chances with his safety.

Now he was scared again but for another reason. He wasn’t supposed to dodge. It was different when he was sparring – that was an exercise. This was not an exercise. Wolf was angry at him for messing up at the gun range. That the blow, that thankfully had not actually landed, was a reprimand. A punishment. You didn’t try to dodge those. Agent Mason had taught him that. He had been his guardian since Jack and the Pleasure had died. It hadn’t been great.

“Cub?”

He was suddenly aware of a voice talking to him and he flinched. The grip on his arm was still there but it was lighter. He noted the voice was softer than it was before. Alex opened his eyes and was surprised to see Wolf looking at him in a mixture of concern and surprise.

“S-sorry, sir.” He apologised like he had been taught so many times before.

Wolf had not been expecting that. In all the time he had known Cub, he had never called him sir and he never flinched away from him. Now, he was adjusting his posture so that he was standing stiffly, practically at attention.

“I wasn’t…” For once the leader of K-Unit was lost for words “I wasn’t going to hit you Cub.”

“You were angry, sir,” Cub responded with too far too much blasé for Unit’s liking.

Wolf sighed. That sounded as though Cub had fully expected to be beaten within the inch of his life. The way that he was standing, which suggested he was purposefully trying not to flinch also suggested that he still did.

“I wouldn’t hit you.” Wolf tried again. “I wouldn’t hit a member of my Unit, not like that. Surely, you don’t think I would?”

Alex was suddenly angry. After everything that happened the last time he was here, he had the nerve to say that? Wolf had pushed him over countless times. This visit had been no different. Wolf may never have actually punched him, but he had already shown that he had no qualms about hurting him. He had no right to take the moral high ground and suggest that it was such an outlandish thing for Alex to believe Wolf might hit him.

“You’ve never given me a reason to think otherwise have you?” Alex snapped back. He glared down at the hand still holding his arm. The grip was still light but after the previous roughness he had experienced, it hurt. There would be bruising there tomorrow. Wolf saw his glare and let go of his arm.

Wolf’s expression darkened slightly. He wasn’t angry at Cub but himself. He opened his mouth to apologise and that was when Cub spoke again.

“I’m sorry sir, that was rude.” Alex apologised. It had only been once Wolf let go of his arm and stepped back that he realised that he had just spoken disrespectfully towards a superior. His transgressions were becoming too numerous to count.

“I don’t care about that. It was true.” Wolf waved off the apology but froze when Alex once again, flinched away from him.

“Sorry, sir,” Alex repeated and looked up at Wolf. He turned his head slightly so that Wolf could land the blow he thought he deserved.

“You can stop calling me that Cub. Call me Wolf, not sir. And stop acting like I’m going to hit you because I’m not. You will, however, explain what just happened in there. Where did you learn to shoot like that?”

The question that had started all of this was asked once more. Alex didn’t want to answer it and he wasn’t sure that he was allowed to at any rate. Both Blunt and his guardian had made it clear that he wasn’t supposed to speak of it, and he wouldn’t put it past them to hurt him or one of his friends if he broke that order.

“Classified.” Alex gave his usual response to questions he couldn’t or wouldn’t answer. It seemed to anger Wolf once again. Before his Unit Leader could act and unleash his ire onto Alex, he risked further punishment by leaving without a dismissal.

Surprisingly, it was the Sargent that found him. Alex was sat in one of the many trees of the Brecon Beacons. He had long since learnt how to climb and it was often a skill that came in useful during missions. There wasn’t a mission right now, but he needed the skill, nonetheless. It was peaceful and hidden. Or at least so he thought.

“Cub?” The Sargent shouted seeing the young boy about three quarters the way up a very tall tree. “Get down here! Now!”

The order was harsh and loud. That of course was expected from the Sargent, he was always bellowing orders particularly when it came to Alex. This one, unbeknownst to Alex, was given out of concern for the child’s safety and out of anger born out of instinctual protectiveness over said child. Nonetheless, Alex quickly opened letting going and catching branches, swinging from them, and dropping down from the tree like a monkey. He bent his knees to cushion the blow but landed upright on both feet. He marched up to the Sargent and stood at attention.

“What the hell do you think this is? A playground?” The Sargent bellowed, right in his face.

Alex tried hard not to flinch and almost managed it. Then a piece of spit landed on his face and went right up his nose, so all bets were off. Thankfully, the Sargent either didn’t notice it or decided it wasn’t worth pointing out.

“No sir.”

“Your unit has been searching for you.”

“Sorry, sir.”

The Sargent examined his face for a few minutes. Then he let out a low growl. On the Imaginary Scale of Sargent’s Growls or ISSG for short (Eagle was the one that came up with this and they all secretly loved it even Wolf), the growl was one of the less dangerous ones. It was somewhere between mild annoyance and moderate irritation. It showed by the next order he gave Cub.

“Drop and give me twenty.”

So, for the second time that day, Alex found himself performing press-ups for an adult he had angered. It wasn’t going well for him. The dirt of the forest floor meant he nearly lost his grip, and a few twigs were cutting into the palm of his hands. It stung slightly but he had only been given twenty. He would take push-ups over a beating any day of the week.

“Attention!” The Sargent ordered him when he had finished with the push-ups.

Alex remained silent. The Sargent always made him nervous, and he never liked to be alone with him, but he couldn’t exactly leave. He hadn’t been dismissed yet and anyway; it was clear that the Sargent was not done with him yet.

“You are not here because you are a member of the SAS. You are here because MI6 set you. Why they did is none of my concern. However, when you run off with permission or word to anyone, it is my concern. If you get hurt or get lost it will be my men that will suffer so you will not pull that stunt again or I will make your life a living hell. Is that understood?”

Alex only just managed to stutter out a ‘yes sir’ before he could be reprimanded for failing to give a verbal response.

“At ease.” The Sargent ordered and finally, Alex allowed himself to relax.

There was a couple of seconds of silence before the Sargent spoke again.

“I heard what happened at the gun range. I had to inform Mr Blunt. He is not best pleased. After dinner, you will report to my office. Your guardian wishes to speak with you.”

“Yes, sir,” Alex replied but inside he was tearing himself apart. What was Agent Mason going to do to him? Whatever it was it wasn’t good.

The Sargent debated whether or not he should speak to Cub further. He was a little concerned about him. Then again, MI6 and his superiors had made it perfectly clear. Cub was not one of his men. If anything, he should be called Rider, but the code name had stuck. He would keep an eye on the situation, but he would intervene just yet. Anyway, Cub’s guardian would be here later today so he could speak with the boy.

“I have heard a few complaints about your conduct lately Cub. I hope this visit with Agent Mason will straighten that attitude out before I decide to deal with you myself. I can assure you if that happens, I shall make any punishment Agent Mason gives you seem mild in comparison. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir.”

“Dismissed.”   

Alex practically ran out of the forest clearing to the K-Unit cabin. With any luck, it would be empty. It would be dinner soon, so it seemed unlikely. Alex found he had no appetite. Agent Mason was coming to see him and that never ended well for him. He couldn’t help the fear that he was feeling in the pit of his stomach. That was probably why wasn’t hungry. He didn’t want to attend dinner but to avoid it would raise suspicion. 

Thankfully, Alex wasn’t considered to have the luck of the devil for nothing. The place was empty. So, he took his place on his lower bunk and tried to think about everything that had happened since he first arrived. None of it was good. As he huddled in on himself he considered what the Sargent had said. What complaints had been reported? He wasn’t aware of anything he had done wrong since he arrived – at least nothing worth bringing to the attention of the Sargent, anyhow. What if they continued? Sargent said he would take Alex into his own hand and that it would make Mason’s punishments seem mild. The thought made his mouth run dry. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Alex got off the bed and walked to the bathroom K-unit shared. He would have to wash up before dinner. His hands were filthy and sore, his face was stained with tears and his hair looked like he had been dragged through a hedge backwards. He hadn’t. It was a tree. There were several leaves in his hair, and he removed them before brushing his hair. He needed to look presentable. It wouldn’t do to get in further trouble.

More tears fell into the sink as he contemplated what would be waiting for him later.

Alex felt quite alone.

Chapter 2: Agent Unacceptable

Notes:

WARNING! There is a caning of a teenager in this chapter. I Will put a line break so that you can give it a miss if needed.

Chapter Text

Eagle and Snake weren’t heartless. Sure, they had been rather cold towards Cub when they first met and this time their frosty attitude was no different. That didn’t mean, however, that they didn’t notice – or care – that the youngest member of their unit was in distress. They were both ashamed of themselves. They were meant to be a Unit and they had barely said half a dozen words to Cub. At first, it had been from a dislike of the situation. In what world did a schoolboy join the SAS? They felt that he shouldn’t be there and didn’t want him there. It had come apparent though, that the feeling was very much mutual.

No one knew much about Cub’s home life. It had been assumed that he was the son of a rich man who couldn’t control the teenager and wanted to get rid of him. Now, they weren’t so sure. Cub didn’t act like a spoilt brat. He didn’t speak unless addressed and obeyed every command he was given. Then when Wolf had yelled at him, he had seemed terrified of the Unit leader. Snake and Eagle were both very shocked to see Cub flinch and try to defend himself. Cub thought Wolf was going to hit him. They hadn’t been kind to him, and both of them knew that Wolf had been a little physical with the teenager not enough to warrant a response of this magnitude – surely? The pure unadulterated fear that had appeared on Cub’s face removed all possibility of him being a spoilt rich kid. It spoke volumes about his home life.

Snake and Eagle looked at each other and nodded. They agreed, silently, that starting from now, they would treat Cub with kindness and respect. They wouldn’t mollycoddle him. It wouldn’t help Cub and they suspected it would make the kid hate them even more than he already did. Starting from now, they would treat him like a member of the Unit. The door to the bathroom opened, and they watched as Cub came out of it. He paled slightly when he saw them and then without saying anything, began to walk to the door. He clearly wasn’t in the mood to chat. All right then. Starting from tomorrow they would treat better. Wolf and Falcon may disagree, but he deserved that kindness.

Once Alex was satisfied that his appearance would be considered to be presentable, he made his way to the mess hall. K-unit had arrived by the time he was finished fixing himself but thankfully they didn’t say anything about his disappearance or his refusal to answer questions. Snake eyed him curiously and the look that Eagle sent him could only be described as one of concern. Alex ignored them just like they did to him. A mutual understanding seemed to have been made. Alex would stay out of their way and they would stay out of theirs.

Dinner was a subdued affair. They ate in silence which Alex was thankful for. Agent Mason was not one to waste time on idle chatter and expected him to act in the same regard. When the two were together they only spoke when either had something to say that pertained to MI6 business or when Mason was concerned, when he had displeased him. Alex was reminded of a phrase from Plato, a famous Greek philosopher. His uncle could often be heard quoting it: a wise man speaks because he has something to say, a fool speaks because he has to say something.

“I need to go to the Sargent’s office.” Cub informed the Unit.

“Oh?” Falcon teased. He obviously found the idea that Alex was in trouble quite amusing. “Guess Sarge’s going to tear a strip off you.”

Alex glared at him ferociously. He wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk of Bird Brain’s face, but he didn’t want to get into trouble for assaulting a fellow soldier. Well, Alex would just have to wait until their next hand-to-hand before exacting his revenge.

“I never said the Sargent wanted to see me.” Cub pointed out. He wished it was the Sargent that wanted to see him. He was pretty sure that the Sargent couldn’t hurt him. “My guardian wishes to see me.”

“You have a guardian?” Falcon snorted.

“Obviously, I have a guardian, or I couldn’t very well see him could I?” Cub snapped cheekily. He turned and left his unit before Falcon could form a response. He would surely pay for that later, but it was worth it to see the look of Bird Brain’s face. Alex’s mouth was always getting him into trouble. It also saved him once in a while.

Leaving K-Unit to discuss him, Alex went off in the direction of the office. He could hear Eagle reminding Falcon that he was minor and so, therefore, had to have a guardian. Falcon said something about him being a pompous rich boy but he neither had the inclination nor the time to stay and listen to it. He was told to report as soon as dinner had ended and that was already five minutes ago. If he was in trouble, which of course he was, then he didn’t want to add tardiness to his list of transgressions.

Sargent’s office was far spacious and the few times that Alex had been there he had taken note of the general order of the room. Feng Shui was the Chinese practice that informed people how to set out their rooms. Alex didn’t know much about it. You would expect that he learnt about that term from his Uncle. He didn’t. He learnt it from Animal Crossing. One thing that Alex noted was the distinct lack of personal photos. If the Sargent had a family, he didn’t display pictures of them and instead displayed the numerous accolades and awards from a highly distinguished and decorated career.

He came to the door of the office and rapped his knuckles against it. Then, he stepped back and waited for a response. It didn’t take long.

“Come in,” The voice boomed.

Alex allowed himself to take a breath before opening the door. Agent Mason was a harsh and domineering man. He could tell why he was Blunt’s, right-hand man. He was middle-aged with a grey moustache that very much reminded Alex of a slug. He didn’t have much hair but the hair he did had was black. It was his eyes that unnerved him the most. They were hazel and had perpetually piercing glare fixed in them. This was Agent Antony Mason, Alex’s guardian, and the source of much of his pain over the last year. Alex called him Agent Unacceptable in the privacy of his own mind. It was because he always saying to Alex. He wondered if one day he might have the courage to call him that to his face.

“Rider,” Mason greeted in his usual ruff manner.

“Sir,” Alex greeted standing to attention just like his guardian liked.

“I hear you have been shooting a gun.” The man stated.

“Yes, sir but…”

He was cut off by a harsh slap to the face.

“I did not ask for an explanation boy,” Mason growled.

Alex dropped his eyes to inspect the floor. His cheek was smarting, but he ignored it, the slap had been his fault anyway. He could have kicked himself for speaking without permission. The quicker he accepted this the quicker it would all be over.

“You disobeyed Mr Blunt. It is unacceptable. He had made it quite clear that you are not allowed to fire a gun,” Mason chastised. “I have also heard from the Sargent here that you have been misbehaving.”

Alex hated the way Mason worded things. It made him sound like a naughty child rather than a teenager, though he’d never been that either. He knew better than to argue about that though. The first time he had Mason had nearly broken his nose!

Mason turned to pick up a clipboard situated next to him, grinning when the movement caused Alex to flinch. His eyes scanned the page and he lighted one of the sheets up rather dramatically.

“Yes, I have heard that you have been disobeying orders, showing insubordinate behaviour and generally being very insolent. All of this is unacceptable Rider.”

Had he? He didn’t recall him doing anything that could be construed as such. He followed orders the first time and completed his exercises without complaint. He may have run off earlier and argued with the instructor, but he had reasons for that. He had only done the first because he needed a breather and he had only done the second because he was being ordered to do something that had already been forbidden. Now, he was in trouble for doing that thing when he had been punished for refusing to in the first place. Damned if you, damned if you don’t.

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Alex apologised once it was clear he was allowed to speak.

“I doubt that very much Rider. Do you know what your problem is Rider?”

“No, sir,” Alex answered respectfully though in his head he added though I suppose you’re going to tell me anyway.

“You’re too wilful,” Mason told him. “You need to be taught obedience and that is what I intend to do. You are staying here to learn discipline and you will obey everyone here. I shall inform the Sargent that he has my permission to take you in hand however he sees fit and to report and further misbehaviour to me. You will not be allowed to continue this churlish behaviour.”

 Churlish? When had he ever been churlish? Cheeky, yes, maybe even sometimes annoying but he didn’t think he could ever be described as churlish.

“And now, onto your punishment.” Agent Mason declared. It sent a shiver down Alex’s spine.

Mason turned around and Alex debated making a run for it. No. There would be little point. He wouldn’t get far before Mason caught up with him and then he would be in even more trouble than. So, Alex stayed put. Then when he noticed what Mason had in his hand his mouth went dry.


It was a cane. The sort of one they used to use in school before that frankly barbaric practice was made illegal. And now he was going to be on the receiving end of one. It wasn’t the first time, it wasn’t even the third time, and Alex doubted he it would be the last, but it still filled him with dread.

“Put out your hand,” Mason ordered. “And count aloud.”

Alex obeyed. There was nothing else he could do. Refusal only led to more strokes. So, he put out his left hand. His non-dominant one.

There was a swish and the cane was swung through the air before a loud crack filled the room.

“One, sir.” Alex counted. Almost immediately his hand began to burn with pain.   

Thwack! The cane hit his palm again just above where it landed a second time. A few seconds later and the burning pain began to get worse.

“Two, sir.”

The cane rose again and landed a third time. Alex nearly let out a pained groan but managed to stop himself.

“Three, sir.”

How many was he going to get? Mason never told him. He believed that if Alex knew how long until the ordeal was over, it wouldn’t have the same effect as when he knew how long it would take. That was another thing. Surely the Sargent would need his office back soon? And what if someone overheard what was going on? The cane seemed so loud it seemed impossible for anyone not to hear it. Would they come to rescue him? No. They would just say he deserved it and anyway there wasn’t anyone in hearing distance.  

Three strokes later and Alex let out a cry. He remembered just in time to say “Six, sir.” If he forgot to count then the stroke didn’t count, and he definitely didn’t want to risk that. Alex kept his palm out, but his hand was shaking. Thankfully, Mason seemed to be done. Or so he thought.

“Put out your other hand, Rider,” Mason ordered, and Alex nearly cried when he heard it.

When Mason ordered him to put his hand out he wondered why he hadn’t specified which hand to offer up for punishment. Usually, he made Alex put out his right hand because that was his dominant hand. It was supposedly so he would be reminded whenever he used it which of course, was quite often. Now, it seemed he just going to get further strokes on his other hand. It had never happened before. Alex found that he couldn’t move. He was frozen, in place so where he would usually obey an order he was now stuck with fear.

“I said to put out your other hand Rider!” Mason barked. “Now! Or you will receive a plenty stroke.”

The threat of extra punishment snapped him out of his ravine. Alex’s hand never shot out so quickly. In fact, in doing so, he almost jerked his wrist. Suddenly, his head was snapped to the side and Alex realised he had been in the recipient of another fierce backhand.

“That was making me repeat myself.” Mason snapped. Well, at least he had been told what he had done wrong this time. Sometimes Mason didn’t offer up an explanation for them. If he could work out the connection, maybe he could stop them from happening.

Just like before, Mason made him count the strokes he had been given out loud. Just like before, he had been given six strokes and just like before, he barely managed to get the last words out.

“Twelve, sir.” Alex breathed out with tears falling down his cheeks. Finally, though, Mason put the cane away and glared at him. Alex dropped his gaze just like he was supposed to. He focused on a spot on the Sargent’s rug. He tried to fix his mind on working out what it was as a distraction from the pain.


“For disobeying Mr Blunt, I gave you six strokes. I have you a further six for the litany of offences Sargent Young has reported. I trust that that was enough to straighten out your attitude and to persuade you to change your atrocious behaviour this past week.”

“Yes, sir.”

“When you behave less than impeccably, it reflects badly on Mr Blunt and Special Operations. That is unacceptable. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“So, I shan’t be needed to have this conversation again shall I?”

“No, sir.”

“Good. Mr Blunt will be coming here in person the week after next. If I were you I will ensure that he has a good report. Dismissed.”

Alex turned and left the office. He was tried, he was in pain and he needed to be sick. Once he got to a nearby bush he promptly emptied his stomach, and his dinner made a reappearance. It did not surprise him that it looked remarkably similar to how did before he ate it.

K-Unit were not in the hut when he got there. They were probably joining the other units in the common room before they had to make their way to bed. Alex was thankful for that. It meant he could shove his hands under cold water without anyone banging on the door demanding he hurry up. Once his hands were numb with coldness Alex allowed himself a peek at his palms. On each of them were angry red lines. It was bruised in some places and by tomorrow the marks would be more pronounced. At least they were on the palms of his hands. It would be unlikely that anyone saw them. His face on the other hand…

It actually wasn’t that bad. His checks were smarting and were an angry shade of red. If you reached in you could see the shape of a few fingers but it wasn’t that noticeable. If he went straight to bed and pretended to be asleep when K-Unit returned, they wouldn’t see it. Tomorrow, the marks on his face would be gone. There would be no bruise visible on his body. Well. Actually, amended Alex and he looked down at the blossoming mark on his arm, that wasn’t true. He would have a nasty bruise in the shape of a hand on his arm courtesy of Wolf. Maybe his Unit leader will be guilty enough to not ask him any questions when he saw it. He could live in hope.

Alex yawned and realised he felt dead on his feet. There might not be a reason to pretend he was asleep when the Unit returned. He brushed his teeth, got changed and settled his head down on the pillow. He was asleep in minutes.

Chapter 3: A Nightmare Attended

Chapter Text

The Sargent watched as Cub left his office. He must not have seen him because he didn’t stand to attention. He saw that Cub was crying softly as he headed in the direction of the K-Unit’s bunker. Sighing, he made his way to his office. Just as he got to the door, it swings open, and Agent Mason stepped through it. He was holding a long thin bag, the kind that might hold a fishing rod. Why Agent Mason would be carrying a fishing pole was beyond him.

Sargent Young did not like Agent Mason. He preferred to keep his likes and dislikes to himself though- he was too good a soldier. There was something about him that made him weary around Mason. Maybe it was because he worked for Special Operations (they weren’t the most open of people) or maybe it was his initiation, but he didn’t trust Mason. Still, it could straighten out the Rider boy maybe he was worth the extra hassle he caused. So, no, he didn’t like the agent, but he didn’t have to like the man – just follow orders.

“Agent Mason.” He greeted politely but in a neutral tone, nonetheless.

“Sargent Young, good evening,” Mason replied. “I was meaning to speak with you.”

Sargent Young did not want to speak to Mason. He had a long day and had a lot of paperwork to catch up on. The last thing he needed was to deal with the likes of Agent Mason. The man was as infatuating as Eagle on a sugar rush. But he had his orders.

“Of course. What can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to inform you that Rider was sufficiently dealt with this evening. I have already warned him that further misbehaviour will occur in tougher penalties. He should not bother you or your men again.”

Sargent examined Mason’s expressionless face. He was not giving away any of his true thoughts and feelings. It was to be expected. Everyone knew that ‘six were taught how to put up a front so that no one could read your body language. It was an important skill for a spy a job that meant death if someone could tell you were lying. It was a further reason why he didn’t trust Mason.

“Thank you, Agent.” Young nodded gratefully. That boy had been a thorn in the side of many of them since he first arrived. He kept hearing about behaviour that would get any other soldier binned. Cub thought that since he couldn’t be binned, that gave him a free pass to do whatever he wanted. He was glad that Mason was helping dispel that illusion.

“Should he disprove my theory that he has at least an ounce of common sense and gives you further trouble, please feel free to take him in hand yourself,” Mason advised with a smirk. “I realise you may be worried about a reprimand should you decide to do so. I can assure you, however, that there is no need. If Rider displeases you, he must be punished, and Mr Blunt has agreed that you have full authority to choose whatever that may be.”

That surprised the Sargent. Normally ‘six were very territorial when it came to their agents. The SAS was just the same. If one of his soldiers was insubordinate on a mission that included MI6, he would refuse to allow that soldier to be dealt with by anyone other than the SAS themselves. Yet, here was one agent, acting from the word of Blunt no less, permitting him to do otherwise. Rider was theirs – was he not? Then again when it came to Cub it seemed the lines were blurred.

“That’s very kind of you,” Sargent commented.

“Make no mention of it. I only ask that you keep me in the loop. As his legal guardian, it is my duty to be informed about his behaviour.” Mason waved him off dismissively. “Now, I have lots to do. I’m sure you have to, so I will take my leave. Mr Blunt will be here the week after next. I believe there is something he needs to discuss with Rider. Goodbye.”

Sargent stepped aside and let Mason go. He briefly wondered how long Cub would be at the Brecon Beacons. He had tried countless times to get answers, but it was always the same: classified. The last time he was pulled into the general’s office and given such a bollocking it nearly reduced him to tears. Him. After being threatened with dishonourable discharge he gave up in his quest.

Young sat down at his desk. He needed to concentrate on the mountainous pile of paperwork that was beginning to take over his desk. He had work to do, and he couldn’t do it if his mind was distracted thinking about Cub. So, he pushed all thoughts of the teenager away and took a sip of the coffee he had preferred before setting to work. He knew he was going to need it.

“Hey, Sab!” Alex yelled from his seat at the kitchen table.

There was no response.

“Sab!”

Still nothing.

“Sabina!” He bellowed as loud as he could. A few birds outside hear it and flew away, sacred at the sudden sound.

“I heard you the first time!” Sabina yelled back coming into the kitchen with a sigh. “Honestly Alex, they could hear you in Kansas! I’m not deaf.”

Alex rolled his eyes. Sabina was holding a piece of paper – the exact piece of paper he wanted. They were doing homework or rather Alex was, and Sabina was guiding him having already learnt it last year. It was boring but so normal that Alex enjoyed it. Specifically, they were doing trigonometry. The only problem was they only had one maths – math in America- sheet. Sabina had run off with it when she had gone in search of her ruler and making him wait. She was supposed to be helping him.

“If you’re not deaf, then why didn’t you say anything?” Alex asked humourlessly. He noted the sparkle in Sabina’s eye and realised that she had been doing it on purpose.

“Maybe, you’re the one that’s deaf!” Sabina laughed waving the homework sheet at Alex.

Alex lunged and was soon chasing Sabina around the kitchen for the homework sheet. He wasn’t trying his hardest, of course. If he was, he could have had the sheet in seconds but that might hurt Sab and anyway- it would end the fun.

The scene changed. Gone was the kitchen of the Pleasure’s home. The two of them were in a basement much like the one Cray locked them in a few months ago. It seemed like decades ago, but it wasn’t. This time though, it was worse.

Alex stared down and found that Sabina was in his arms. There was a pool of blood growing from underneath her. Blood was everywhere. In her hair, on his hands, on her face, and down his shirt.

“SABINA!” Alex cried, trying to shake the girl awake, the girl he loved like a sister, the girl that for the first time forever made him feel hopeful. He had just lost Jack. He couldn’t lose her too.

“Al-ex.” She groaned. “So cold.”

“You’re going to be fine. Do you hear me Sabina Pleasure? You are going to OK.”

“Don’t ‘ink so.”

“I’m sorry Sab. Please, don’t leave me.”

“Not your fault. ‘ove ‘ou.”

“I love you too.” Alex sobbed. “Sabina?”

There was no response. Sabina’s eyes had a glossy cover to them. Alex didn’t need to check her pulse to know she was dead. He gently closed her eyes with his hands and pulled Sabina close to him. He hugged her body and let out a waterfall of tears. It mixed with the blood swirled down his face.

He wept, cold and alone for hours, holding onto Sabina and never letting go. He was scared that if he did, she would disappear forever. He had failed again. How would explain to her parents about her death? They would hate him, and they had every right to. Their daughter was dead, and it was all his fault. Just like it was with Jack’s. Just like it was with everyone. He would be better off alone. He didn’t deserve a family. He would only get them hurt.

A hand touched his shoulder.

“Cub!”

Alex was on his feet in a second. He slammed his attacker into a nearby wall, pinning with one arm. He raised his right hand to land a karate chop to the attacker’s neck- just where his windpipe was. If it landed it would knock the air off of the attacker and leave Alex to make a quick getaway. It didn’t land though. Just as he was about to, he realised that the touch had not come from a would-be attacker but Snake. Snake, who was currently looking at him with eyes wide from shock. Snake, whose hands were held out in a sign of peace. Snake, a man Alex had nearly hurt for no reason. Why was he always hurting people?

“I’m SO sorry!” Alex apologised meekly.

He let go of Snake at once and watch guiltily as the man crouched over. He took a step back and stared down at the floor, allowing Snake to get his breath back. The last thing he wanted was to hurt the man or make him scared of him. He may not have been particularly kind to him, but he still didn’t deserve that.

Snake recovered fairly quickly from the ordeal. He hadn’t been hurt as badly as Cub seemed to think he had – he was after all a teenager still. He straightened to his full height. For a minute Cub met his gaze before quickly dropping it. The boy was waiting to be chastised. He was expecting a reprimand for a perfectly reasonable response. Snake looked around the hut. Each member of the Unit had had similar reactions to similar situations. It came with the territory of the job. But why did Cub have that same reaction? He was just a kid!

Eagle was looking glum. It was not like him. The man was an all-day every-day kind of guy. His exhausting happiness which was exacerbated when he had too much sugar – or god forbid coffee- was just part of this personality. Unless the situation required his seriousness, his unrelenting joy started from the minute he woke up to the minute he went to bed. Now though, he was the picture of sadness. Snake knew it was because he hated seeing someone so upset. Eagle was the most empathetic of all four of them and sometimes his emotions landed him in hot water. He had a kind heart and cared so much. Lately, he hadn’t shown in, but Snake knew that would soon change.

Wolf’s face was scrunched into concern. He was a brilliant leader, and the welfare of his unit was always his top priority. He hadn’t affronted Cub that respect yet, treating him as though he were an outsider. However, the previous day had surprised him, and Snake could tell that he had been very rattled by the whole affair. He still didn’t consider Cub to be part of his unit but the concern he had from him was still there. It had just taken a shock for him to realise that. Hopefully, it would cause Wolf to ease up on Cub. He could sometimes be too harsh – hardened by an unforgiving and monstrous world. And while Wolf could never be considered soft (it just wasn’t part of his personality) he did try with the people he cared for.

Falcon was the hardest to read. Snake hadn’t known him long enough to work out the creeks and bode bears of the man’s personality. While Snake was trying to reserve judgement until he had a better idea of what the man was like, it was hard not to dislike him. It may be a front, a wall to protect himself from hurt but Falcon seemed petty and sometimes downright spiteful. He and Wolf got on well though whether this was out of an agreement over Cub or for another reason, he didn’t know. He seemed to be staring at Cub, analysing his behaviour curiously. Under that scrutinising gaze, there was a touch of something Snake realised. Was it – guilt? Yes, that was what it was – guilt. Good. Falcon should feel guilty for how he had been treating Cub; they all should.

Snake glanced back at Cub. His years as a medic treating very stubborn soldiers who refused to admit they were injured meant he was skilled at understanding human behaviour. The way Cub’s shoulders were slumped showed his despair. He was averting his eyes from Snake, concentrating on the wooden floor. That was a sign of submission – Cub was not only ashamed of himself but also scared. Cub was scared of him. Snake wasn’t perfect either. When people got hurt he could be suffocating and flap about like a mother hen. When people didn’t care about themselves he could lash out and snap at them. But for all his faults, Snake didn’t think he could scare one of his fellow soldiers like that. The lines of whichever organisation may be blurred but Snake considered Cub to be just that – a fellow soldier.

“Cub?” Snake asked, “Look at me.”

Alex heard the order but was uncertain if he should follow it. Mason didn’t like it when he disobeyed but he didn’t like when he made eye contact during a punishment. This isn’t Mason. Snake won’t hurt you. The voice in the back of his head told him but Alex wasn’t sure it knew what it was talking about. Then he decided that nothing, but complete compliance would be allowed. Anyway, after he hurt Snake, the man deserved his obedience. So, he looked up, preparing himself for the scathing look he would see in Snake’s eye but was surprised by what he did see there: concern.

“Are you all right?” Snake asked.

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry I hurt you, sir.” Cub responded sorrowfully.

Snake frowned inwardly but was careful not to show it. He knew that right now, after waking up from a nightmare Cub would be his most on edge. A frown could easily be interpreted as a glare and the last thing Snake needed was to send the boy into a panic. Still, though, there was that sir again – this time addressed at him. He could at least partly understand him addressing Wolf that way, the man was their Unit leader after all. Snake, though, was essentially his equal. Why did Cub feel the need to call him sir when he hadn’t the last time he was here? What happened between now and then to make him change quite so dramatically.

“It’s all right Cub, you didn’t hurt me and there’s no need to apologise. You were having a nightmare; your reaction is perfectly justified.” Snake told him first, deciding that that was the most pressing matter. “And don’t call me sir. You’re making feel old kid so it’s Snake – all right?”

“Yes, si-” Cub stopped himself. “Snake.”

Cub seemed to relax a little but looked around the room wearily. His gaze was primarily fixed on Falcon and Wolf as though he expected either of them to object to his presence and reprimand him. Neither of them said anything though, just send him looks that Snake supposed was meant to be comforting. They all had their talents, but comforting looks were neither Falcon’s nor Wolf’s forte.

“Don’t think of calling me, sir, either Cub,” Eagle warned though his tone was light, and Alex could tell there was no malice to it. He was quickly noticing a pattern and took pre-emptive measures to stop it. “The thought of my being a higher-up is enough to make my skin crawl.”

Eagle blanched rather exaggeratively. He raised a hand to his forehead and pretend to faint like a Victorian lady in a film. It almost made Alex laugh. Almost. He wasn’t there yet. Snake rolled his eyes dramatically at Eagle’s behaviour.

“Are you sure you are all right Cub?” Snake asked again, giving him another chance to tell them what was bothering him.

“I’m fine,” Cub repeated which of course meant I’m-not-fine-but-I’m-going-to-pretend-otherwise. It was a very common thing among SAS soldiers.

Eagle straightened up, suddenly very serious. He liked holding a very silly persona but when it came down to it, he could be just as solemn as Wolf. He took his duties very seriously.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He questioned. He had a feeling he knew what the answer would be, but he had to make sure.

“No si- Eagle. I’m fine.” Cub refuted. The last thing he wanted was to talk. What good would that do? Anyway, he didn’t want them to hate him even more. If they knew what he did even Eagle- the mild-tempered of them all would be angry and beat him.

“Well, if you change your mind, we’re here.” Snake put in.

Cub nodded. It was clear he had had enough attention.

“Why don’t you go and get washed up? It’ll be breakfast soon.” Snake suggested.

Thankful for the excuse to leave the room, Alex gave a soft smile and headed towards to bathroom. He couldn’t believe he had had a nightmare in front of all of them. It didn’t matter now though, he needed to put his hands under cold water. They were hurting again.

Alex basked in the relief the cold water gave him. He examined his hands. They were red raw with welts all down his palms. He would have to be more careful in future. If someone saw them, it would generate lots of questions that he didn’t want to answer.

Chapter 4: Apologies

Chapter Text

After washing and getting dressed for the day, Alex followed K-Unit to the mess hall. He purposefully placed himself at the back of the line for food because it was easier to slip away and sit by himself. If he were first, then the other members of his Unit could just follow him and choose the table he selected as their designated eating place. If life was kind to him, the universe would allow him the solitary he so desperately craved. Life was not kind.

“Cub!” Snake called him to once he had been served.

Cub glanced over to the medic. He was smiling at and waving him over to the table the rest of the Unit was sat at. Maybe he could pretend he hadn’t heard? No. Snake was as stubborn as goat with a headache. He would just follow Cub and then he would have to explain why he ignored the medic. So, not seeing any other choice, he walked over to the table and placed his tray down. He sat at the end, a little away from the Unit but not enough to cause extra unwanted attention.

“Do I do that?”

Cub blinked. The question came from Wolf and he wasn’t expecting it. He wasn’t exactly a morning person and Wolf’s moods were legendary amongst the camp. It was well known that you didn’t speak to the K-Unit leader unless he spoke to you. To do anything else could risk a tongue lashing.

“I’m sorry?” Cub inquired not understanding what he was getting at.

Wolf was staring down at his arm and indicted the hand-shaped bruising with his head. Cub rubbed it absent-mindedly. The bruising had developed overnight. The colour, a dark purple, indicated the recentness of the injury. The way that it was more severe around the edges where a few finger marks could be seen, indicated the reason behind it. It was no coincidence, and they all knew that. Still though, more out hope than anything, Wolf asked for confirmation.

“Oh, that,” Cub muttered. He wished he could lie but there was little point. “Err yeah but don’t worry about it.”

Eagle watched as Cub resumed eating seemingly unbothered by the injury Wolf had caused. It worried him. If Wolf had grabbed his arm hard enough to bruise like that, he would at least demand an explanation and an apology. Sometimes, they had a hard time remembering that Cub was a child. When Eagle was Cub’s age, if an adult had left bruises on him, he would have gone to the first authority figure he saw and reported them. Yet, Cub seemed unaffected by the whole affair. It didn’t seem right. The longer Cub was at the SAS the more concerned he grew.

Wolf was having much the same thoughts. When he saw the livid bruising on Cub’s arm he immediately felt angry at whoever had put it there. Then, he realised that he was the culprit. If Wolf wanted to punch the man who hurt Cub, he would have to punch himself. The bruising was in the exact location he had grabbed Cub and the colour of the bruise told him it was too recent to be a coincidence. He felt sick. Cub was irritating and Wolf still thought he had no place in the SAS. But Cub was also a child – a teenager. Children were annoying sometimes: that was their nature. Wolf had a niece and nephew one around Cub’s age and another a few years younger. If someone had put bruises on them he would hunt them down. He wouldn’t care to listen to the reason. You don’t hurt children. And yet he had.

Snake wanted to take Wolf outside and teach him a thing or two about how to treat children. It wouldn’t help Cub though and Snake could tell that his Unit leader was already beating himself up about it. Under Wolf’s rough exterior, he was a nice guy. When he was with this niece and nephew he was like a marshmallow. It didn’t stop the anger he felt at Wolf for hurting Cub. He was their Unit mate and was hurting. True, with some bruise cream and a few days, the physical signs would be gone but that wasn’t the point. The more he considered Cub the more he was getting the impression that his home life left a lot to be desired. He promised himself to keep a close eye on Cub.

Falcon was in two minds about it. At first, he thought that the bruise was a big fuss about nothing. The injury wasn’t serious, and it would be gone within a week. He often felt that sometimes kids needed a firm hand, or they would run riot. Maybe it had been a tad harsh, but Falcon had seen the grip Wolf had on Cub’s arm. It didn’t seem hard. Maybe the kid just bruised easily? He certainly didn’t seem bothered by it. That was what confused him. The blasé way the kid acted towards being injured was not indicative of that spoilt rich kid persona he had assumed Cub had. He would expect him to play out the sympathy for all it was worth before running off to complain to the Sargent about his assault. It wasn’t adding up and Falcon was good at maths.

“I’m sorry.” Wolf apologised abashedly. “I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Cub shrugged. The bruising on his arm was the least of his worries. In fact, he had actually forgotten about it. In the aftermath of being caned, his palms were his greatest concern. They wouldn’t heal for at least a week and even the day after, they still hurt. He would have to sneak some paracetamol or something for the pain when they weren’t looking. If he needed anything stronger he would have to ask for it and that would raise too many questions.

“It’s OK.” He assured Wolf flashing him a smile. “It doesn’t hurt – really.”

Wolf doubted that very much but didn’t call his bluff. Cub’s need to reassure him was concerning to say the very least. It should be the other way round- Wolf reassuring Cub that it would never happen again. Yet, Cub seemed to be just as adamant about reassuring Wolf as Wolf was that he would never hurt the boy again. At least, not like that -training was different though part of Wolf made him feel guilty at that too.

“It’s not OK.” Wolf argued “I’m the Unit leader. I am held to a greater standard than you and as such the situation should never have happened. It will never happen again, that I can assure you.”

“Fine,” Cub grunted signifying an end to the conversation.  

Alex was well aware that he was being moody. In fact, some may even describe it to be petulant, but the pain made him unable to act any differently. Anyway, if he was acting like a sulky teenager it was because he was a sulky teenager. It seemed unfair – all his classmates were allowed to act their ages so why not him? The other members of the Unit were teenagers once and had dealt with the raging hormones that came with it. They should allow him to deal with by being moody just like they had when he was their age. Wolf had talked about being held at a higher standard than the rest of them. Yeah? Well, welcome to his world. That was his life from the moment that plane crashed.

“I know you said you didn’t want to talk about it,” Snake began. Cub sighed. He knew where this conversation was going. “But if you change your mind, we are here for you.”

“How very kind,” Cub responded sarcastically.  

Eagle chuckled. He appreciated Cub’s dry humour although sometimes the boy had trouble realising that there was a time and a place for it. There were some advantages to having a teenager around and Cub’s comedic streak was one of them. He also held a higher tolerance for Eagle’s antics which were a large part of his personality. Eagle often felt he could be more like himself when he was around Cub. The teenager was so accepting of him and yet did not underestimate him as some people did.

“Why are you so sulky this morning?” Falcon questioned rapidly running out of patience for the teen’s mood.

“Maybe because he has to deal with questions like that.” Eagle deadpanned. “Surely even you remember being a teenager Falcon – or did you come out of the womb fully-fledged?”

The vision of Falcon being born as an adult was too much for Cub and he let out a chuckle. He had to agree with Eagle though, the idea of the latest recruit being a child was too hard to envision. A similar snort was heard from Snake.

“Of course, I remember being a teenager. Do you think I was born in a test tube?”

“Maybe.” Eagle agreed.

Falcon really walked into that one. He scowled. Cub edged himself a little further away from him, instinctively catching on to the man’s annoyance. There may have been little heat behind it, but Cub wasn’t comfortable to be around then the man at the best of times. Eagle seemed to realise that Cub was getting uncomfortable again.

“We should be making a move,” Eagle suggested seeing that they were all done with breakfast.

They had a hike that morning. Cub was thankful because it would give him the excuse he needed to be alone. Even after a year of missions and training, Cub still lagged behind the rest of the team. The distance wasn’t as bad as it had been before, but it was still noticeable. In a few years, he would be able to keep up but presently he lacked the physicality the others had. So, if he lagged behind on the hike no questions would be asked. Of course, he would still be yelled at to hurry up but that was better than being forced to initiate conversation. It would also mean that it was less likely that they would spot the state of his hands.

The Unit cleaned away their trays and set off in the direction of the equipment tents. The instructor would meet them there and it would be unwise to keep him waiting. Cub just hoped that whomever they had would not take issue with his existence. Those instructors were few and far between. Just as they were leaving the mess hall, the Sargent came up to them. Each member snapped to attention with well-practised ease.

“K-Unit!” The Sargent boomed. “At ease.”

The Unit slipped into the ordered position. Sargent’s eyes flickered to Cub. When the teenager moved to comply with the order, he noticed bruising on his arm - it was the shape of a hand... That hadn’t been there yesterday. How had he managed to get injured since then? Had he been fighting with one of his men? If that was true it was unacceptable. But no one else seemed injured and it was an unusual place to be injured during a fight.

“What happened to you Cub?” Sargent demanded.  

Wolf held his breath as he waited for Cub to inform him what had happened. Cub had told Sargent what had happened at the Killing House and this was worse. Last time, he had been threatened with being binned should he purposely injure a fellow soldier like that again. He hadn’t listened. He was mere seconds away from being binned- mere seconds from his childhood dream coming crashing down around him. What was worse was that he had no one to blame but himself.

“Sir?” Cub asked as though he had no idea what the Sargent was talking about.

“Your arm.” The Sargent clarified “What happened? Who did that?”

This was it. This was the minute he would be binned.

“Oh. I fell, sir.” Cub explained.

What? Had Wolf heard that correctly? Cub had just lied to Sargent’s face. He had just lied to a superior for him? Why would he do that? He had every reason to tell Sargent the truth. It wasn’t even that great a lie. It was obvious that a fall had not been the cause of the injury. You didn’t need to be a medic to figure that one out. Lying to the Sargent would just get him into trouble. Why would Cub risk being reprimanded to save his skin? He hadn’t earned that loyalty.

“Are you seriously trying to lie to me Cub?” The Sargent bellowed. “I can quite easily see that someone did that to you.”

Cub opened his mouth again and Wolf could tell he was about to deny it further. That wouldn’t go down well. Sargent would not take kindly to being lied to again. Wolf liked to think he led by example. He didn’t expect anything from his Unit that he didn’t expect from himself. Loyalty was one thing he expected, and solidarity was another. He wasn’t about to let Cub get punished when he was just trying to defend him.

“It was me, sir,” Wolf admitted before Cub could dig himself a bigger hole.

“I beg your pardon?” Sargent snapped menacingly.

Wolf knew exactly what it meant. Sarge didn’t give empty threats and he had already spoken to Wolf about his behaviour surrounding Cub. It didn’t matter about his personal feeling towards the boy. Cub was here and MI6 wouldn’t take kindly to his mistreatment. Anyway, Cub was a kid and one staying with the SAS. That meant they had at least some responsibility towards him.

“Yes, sir.” Cub took the words right out his mouth. “Wolf saved me from a nasty head injury.”

“Explain yourself Cub,” Sargent demanded, no longer in the mood for beating about the bush.

“Well, you see sir, I tripped over my feet and I would have banged my head on a tree stump. If had landed on it I would have a nasty concussion. Anyway, Wolf here managed to grab my arm in time. It resulted in a bruise but think you can agree sir that it is better than a concussion. If it hadn’t been for Wolf it would have been a lot worse.”

Wolf didn’t know what surprised him more: the fact that Cub had lied for him again or the fact that he had done it so easily. He had rattled the excuse off with such ease and such conviction that Wolf almost believed it himself. In fact, for a second, Wolf doubted himself and wondered if he had dreamt the day before. Where had Cub learnt to lie so convincingly?

The Sargent examined Cub’s face for any sign that that the teenager was lying. He found though, that his expression was unwavering. Finally, he nodded and looked at Wolf. If Cub relaxed a little once he was no longer under the spotlight no one questioned it.

“Is this true, Wolf?”

Wolf had two options. He could refute Cub’s statement, or he could back it up. If he did the first, he would be binned – there was no question of that. It would also result in Cub being reprimanded for lying to the Sargent twice. If he backed it up, the Sargent would accept the explanation and there would likely be no penalty for either of them. However, if he found out the truth it would be a hundred times worse. But there was no reason he would find out the truth. That made up Wolf’s mind.

“Yes, sir.”

When lying it was best to keep it simple. How Cub managed to come up with a more detailed lie and tell it so skilfully was beyond him. Wolf just filed it away in his mental cabinet marked things that don’t make sense about Cub. That is- everything he knew about the teenager.

“Try and be more attentive in future Cub.” The Sargent scolded but it wasn’t harsh- more amused than anything. “I do not want to have to ring Agent Mason and explain that you are in the medical bay due to your own carelessness.”

“Yes, sir.” Cub obediently agreed. He would take the jab at his pride if it meant that Wolf wouldn’t get in trouble. He didn’t like the guy but that didn’t mean he deserved to be reprimanded for an accident – especially when he was the one at fault, to begin with.

“Cub?!” Wolf exclaimed once the Sargent had left them. The Unit was currently making its way to the Instructor who was tapping his foot impatiently.

“Yes?”

“Why did you lie to the Sargent?” Wolf asked.

“Because I didn’t want you to get in trouble.” Cub explained.

“But..”

“You said you didn’t mean to do it and anyway it was my fault. I kind of deserved it.”

Before Wolf could open his mouth and protest that statement, they had reached the Equipment tent. Soon they would be on a 15-mile hike. They wouldn’t have time to talk about it. After a quick explanation for the delay in their arrival, the Unit set off.

The good thing about hikes is that they give you plenty of thinking time. Wolf thought about Cub. He had literally saved his ass by lying to the Sargent. It made him think. That was the second time the kid had done that. Maybe it was time to start treating him with more respect?

There was something else too- why the hell did Cub think he deserved that bruise? The teenager thought it was all right for Wolf to hurt him. If Wolf had punched him would have been all right with that too? Why was he so blasé about being hurting him? It wasn’t all right. Something was going on with Cub and Wolf was beginning to grow concerned. Cub had shown that he was part of the Unit. Wolf was going to help him. The kid deserved that at least.

Chapter 5: Falcon's Maltesers

Notes:

Hey guys! Just so you know, the title of this chapter is a reference to another book by the genius that is Anthony Horowitz. It's called The Falcon's Malteser. If you have the time and the inclination I suggest you read it because it is pretty good!

Chapter Text

“Where are they?” Falcon demanded, his hands on his hips while he glared at the K-Unit.

“Would you care to elaborate? Where’s who?” Snake asked looking up from the book they were reading.

After their hike and a quick lunch, they had been allowed two hours of downtime. It was an unwritten rule that those precious few hours were treasured and no one ever wasted them. You didn’t cause arguments and yet Falcon seemed set at breaking that rule. His face was pinched in annoyance and the glare he set Snake was potent enough to strip paint.

“Fine! Since as you want to act all innocent, I’ll play along.” Falcon growled. “My sister sent me some Maltesers with my tuck box last week. Where are  they?!”

“Falcon…” Wolf began with his usual authority. The Sargent did not often give them free time it would be a shame to waste it.

 Falcon either did not catch the warning or was too angry to care. He spun around with such vigour the Unit was surprised that he didn’t get dizzy. When he turned back he was holding a wooden crate. He tossed it down, so it landed in the middle of the room. The Unit peered in. it was empty.

“I put them in here and now they are gone! Where are they?!”

Alex felt like it was a bit of a dramatic response to a missing box of Maltesers. At weekends they were allowed into town and Falcon could easily purchase some more. That was only a few days away and if Falcon couldn’t resist his craving until then, Alex was a little concerned about him. He didn’t say anything though. Whenever Falcon went off on one it was best that he remained quiet and still. To do anything else would risk being noticed and that was never a good idea when Falcon was ranting.

“You.”

Oh, well. So much for that tactic. Alex thought as Falcon suddenly zeroed in on him. Now he was about to be accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Again. This was really getting to be beyond a joke. He wished that the ground would open up and swallow him, maybe even find Falcon’s Maltesers while it was at it.

“It was you wasn’t it?” Falcon accused sharpy. “You ate my Maltesers!”

“Now, Falcon.” Snake interrupted before the man could crack out a lampshade. “You don’t have any proof that your Maltesers were stolen much less that Cub took them.”

Cub’s head shot up, surprised at being defended. Normally, the other members would ignore him showing cold indifference to any situation that involved him. He was used to having to do everything for himself. If he was in a life-or-death situation, he got himself out. If he was in trouble, he alone dealt with the consequences.

“He had the means, the motive and the opportunity!” Falcon pointed out.

“All right, Poirot, simmer down.” It was actually Wolf that said that which surprised Cub more than before. “Use those little grey cells.”

Wolf put on a perfect impression on a Belgium accent. Really, Falcon was being a touch dramatic. You would be forgiven for thinking someone had been murdered and not just that Falcon’s favourite sweets had gone walkabout. He sounded very much like he was in a murder mystery show and not in the middle of the Beacon Beacons training for the SAS. 

“He’s a teenager,” Falcon grunted. “They are known to be greedy gobble gannets.”

“Ageist! Leave Cub alone Falcon and give him chance to defend himself.” Eagle shouted back.

This was said with unusual authoritativeness. Normally he left the ordering to Wolf but Cub had grown on him the last few days. After he lied to the Sargent to save Wolf’s sorry backside he had been won over. Cub was part of their unit and his age meant that if anything, his achievements were all the more brilliant. It also meant that Cub needed more protection than the others. He seemed quite vulnerable and Eagle, an only child himself, was beginning to consider Cub as his little brother. He always wanted a little brother, but his parents had barely managed to have one child.

“Go on Cub.” Eagle encouraged.

If he was completely honest, he didn’t think Cub needed to defend himself. It was just a box of Maltesers and while annoying, it wasn’t the end of the world if Cub had eaten. There were a lot bigger troubles in the world than the Falcon’s Maltesers being missing. However, Eagle also knew that Falcon wouldn’t drop the issue until it was at least partly addressed.

“I didn’t take your Maltesers. I promise you.” Cub replied a little shakily.

It was true. Alex had been brought up to respect people’s privacy unless safety required otherwise. Ian and Jack had always been careful to knock on his bedroom door before entering and had expected the same from Alex. He wouldn’t go near another soldier’s bunk and he certainly would rifle through their personal possessions and help himself to a box of Maltesers.

“Well, someone must-have. And we all know you’re good at lying, don’t we, Cub?”

That was a low blow. Yes, the Unit clearly had been surprised when they realised that Alex could lie so efficiently but that had been for Wolf’s benefit. It wasn’t like he had wanted to lie. He hated it. The life of a spy, however unwilling, was not one that meant you could always be truthful. Alex hated lying, particularly to his friends. It seemed so dishonest and yet he knew it was necessary. True, the Unit members were not his friends, but it was of little consequence. He still hated lying to them and felt that Falcon’s comment was unjustified. Wolf apparently agreed.

“That’s unfair Falcon.” Wolf rebuked “You know very well why Cub lied earlier and it wasn’t to save his own skin. Now, calm down. They’re only a box of Maltesers.”

Falcon open his mouth to argue again but didn’t get the catch. Wolf had decided that enough time had been wasted on the subject of Falcon’s damn Maltesers. They didn’t get the chance to relax during the day very often and Wolf wasn’t going to spend another second on this ridiculous argument. So, he rapidly took charge of the situation and showed everyone why he was the leader. Standing in the middle of the room, he radiated authority.

“If someone in the room took Falcon’s Maltesers, I would like them to come forward now. I ask this out of professional courtesy, and I cite the mutual respect we have as Unit-mates.” He ordered sending an appraising glare amongst the group. “If you do so now, nothing more will be said on the matter as long as the culprit provides a replacement. If no one comes forward, I shall have no option but to assume someone else took it. If, however, we find out that it was one of the people standing here they will summit to Unit Justice.”

Unit Justice was an agreement they had formed back when they had been brought together for the first time. Disputes sometimes happened between them, but they were often dealt with internally. Unless it was severe enough to notify the higher-ups, the pledge of loyalty would be kept. In other words – you didn’t grass (snitch) unless the situation required it. When one of the other Unit members wronged another enough to deserve retribution, the Unit themselves handled this. This usually involved the person responsible taking on a majority of the more mundane jobs. It was why when Cub had lied to save Wolf from a reprimand, he had earned his place amongst them.

Wolf waited a few seconds but when no one said anything, he turned to Falcon.

“I’m sorry Falcon. Maybe it was one of the other Units? We’ll go into town at the weekend, and you can get some more Maltesers.”

Falcon glared but didn’t say anything. The decision had been made and while disagreed with it he wouldn’t question Wolf’s authority. He was a soldier after all. He would just have to hope that whoever took his Maltesers *cough* Cub *cough* would be found out.  

“Now that’s over with, can we please get back to enjoying our downtime?” Wolf asked. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to waste it.”

He didn’t wait for a response before sitting back down and resuming the card game he was playing with Eagle before the fiasco started. The question was rhetorical. The rest of the Unit followed suit going back to the activities that they were doing. Alex reassumed drawing an activity he found he had little time for recently but enjoyed, nonetheless. He wasn’t completely unaware of the glares that Falcon kept sending him, but he did his best to ignore them. 

Snake also saw the looks that Falcon kept sending Cub. He didn’t like it. He knew that that Falcon was still salty over the Maltesers. It was somewhat understandable. Privacy was few and far between at the Brecon Beacons so when the mutually agreed privacy was breached it was annoying. However, Falcon had a tendency to keep grudges. It had taken him nearly a month to forgive Snake for forgetting to tell him he needed new injections. Snake had a strong suspicion that a mixture of his annoyance over the missing chocolates and the animosity he held against Cub would cause him to act harshly towards him. Even more harshly already did that is. Snake would have to watch him.

“Err Falcon?” Cub hesitated about ten minutes later.

The room, though silent, grew quieter still. Each member of K-Unit snapped their heads up at the address. Wolf looked over to Cub curiously and wondered if the teenager was about to admit to pinching the Maltesers after all. If he was about to Wolf decided he would show no mercy. He had defended Cub to Falcon and had given him an opportunity to own up. In fact, Cub had directly been given two opportunities to admit the crime- Eagle prompted him to respond to the accession. If he was about to confess now, Wolf would be very angry.

“What? Decided to give way to a guilty conscience?” Falcon hissed.

“N-no, sir.” Cub gulped, fear taking over him. Falcon seemed pleased by the respectful address and the power it gave him. If he wasn’t careful it would go to his head.

“Then what?” Falcon sneered. “And speak clearly!”

Alex flinched. Falcon’s words all too much reminded him of Agent Mason. In fact, Falcon full stop made him think of Mason. The two were very similar in that they had very little tolerance for his existence. Alex tried to remind himself that while Falcon may gladly hit him and say that it was deserved, he wasn’t alone with him. Snake wouldn’t allow him to be hurt if nothing else because it would result in extra work for the medic. He wouldn’t let Falcon hit him. Would he? Then again, Snake had intervened when Wolf grabbed his arm either.  

“Are- are those your Maltesers, sir?” He asked, too scared of Falcon to drop the honorific. “Over there, sir. By your bedstand?”

Alex pointed in the direction of Falcon’s bedside table. He had seen a flash of red and suspected that it was a box. It was wedged between the wall and the table. Alex hadn’t noticed it until a few seconds ago. The angle that he was sat at gave him just the view he needed to spot it. Falcon wouldn’t be able to see it from where he had stood earlier.

The unit looked where Cub was pointing. At first, they didn’t see it. Then Eagle realised what he was looking at. Cub was right! There was the elusive box of Maltesers that had caused so much aggro in the last half hour. No one had admitted to taking them because no one had taken them. It was just some silly mix-up!

Eagle jumped up from his spot on the floor and walked straight over to the bedside table. He leaned over and gently pulled it free. Then he turned around and showed the missing box to the rest of the Unit. They were cries of exasperation. 

“Really Falcon?” Eagle protested. The usual amused tone to his voice was non-existent. He had a good sense of humour but found the situation to be anything but funny. Apart from wasting precious downtime on a non-issue, he had scared Cub.

“Falcon!” Snake complained. “Did you even look before you began accusing everyone?”

“You idiot Falcon!” Wolf chastised irritably. “You just- I can’t even begin.”

Eagle looked over to Cub and offered a reassuring smile. “Well done Cub! You solved the mystery of Falcon’s Missing Maltesers. Maybe we should be calling you Poirot.”

Cub had his eyes glued to the floor meekly. He was clearly unhappy about the unwanted attention. His aversion to any sort of physical or eye contact was concerning. He hadn’t been like that before. Sure, he was quiet and didn’t say much but he never flinched or looked away from them. He had been quiet but only because he had been ignored most of the time. Before he seemed confidant now he seemed scared and unsure of himself.

“I believe you have something to say to Cub – don’t you Falcon?” Snake prompted giving the man in question a pointed look.

Falcon bristled at the thought of apologising to Cub but even he had to admit he had been wrong. The evidence was clear. Cub had not taken his Maltesers. No-one had. Instead, Falcon had misplaced them. He remembered now placing them on the shelf above the bedside table. There wasn’t anyone at the top of his bunk so he could use both the shelf and the table. It was obvious now what had happened. During the night, or maybe during the day, the box had fallen and had wedged behind the table. He had forgotten that he had moved it and jumped to conclusions.

He didn’t like Cub. The SAS was no place for a teenager and the boy reminded him so much about- Falcon stopped himself. There was no point in thinking about that. No good ever came from dwelling on the past. His dislike for Cub was still strong, but Falcon had to admit just this once, he was in the wrong. It didn’t mean he liked or even wanted to apologise to the brat though. If he refused, however, Wolf would likely make him, and the rest of the Unit would be angry at him for failing to do the decent thing.

“I’m sorry I accused you, Cub.” He apologised begrudgingly.

It wasn’t the most heart-felt of apologies and there was no denying the reluctant tone to his voice, but it would have to do. He wasn’t going to say it again or admit he was wrong- that was a step too far. Cub would have to accept it and if he basked in Falcon’s shame it would only prove his notion that Cub was a spoilt brat.

“It’s all right, sir. Mistakes happen.” Cub shrugged.                         

OK. So Cub had accepted his apology. That didn’t mean anything. It didn’t mean he wasn’t a spoilt brat in need of discipline. It didn’t mean that Cub father hadn’t sent him here because he was sick of him. It certainly didn’t mean that Falcon liked him. But maybe it meant he wasn’t as bad as Falcon first pegged him for. Well, only time would tell.

Chapter 6: Hurricane Sargent

Notes:

Kudos to anyone that can comment and tell me the song that is referenced in this chapter. If you need a clue it was written by The Jam. It’s a great song (in my opinion) and I was listening to it as I was writing it. The lyric fitted in nicely so I added it in.

Chapter Text

The next few days passed, thankfully, without incident. Training, practically the exercises that included climbing had been getting progressively more difficult for Alex. It was hard to get a good hold onto the wall at the best of times but with his palms in the state, it was even harder. The pain from having the unwanted pressure on the welts of his hands caused a few tears to spring from his eyes. Thankfully, though, no one had noticed.

When the weekend rolled around, Alex had never been more thankful. It would do him some good, he thought, to leave the Brecon Beacons even if it was only for an afternoon. A visit into town would break down the monotony he experienced daily. Alex decided that even if it meant spending extra time with K-Unit (something he tried to avoid as much as possible) it would be worth it to see the outside world once more. The Brecon Beacons was not designed for a teenager so there was little for a teenager to do. It would be nice to be reprieved from his responsibility for an hour or two. He so seldom got the opportunity to be a teenager. So, Alex was going to make use of the last few years he had of his official childhood.

“Cub! My office! Now!” Sargent bellowed.

The Unit was halfway to a salute before they stopped. The Sargent was already gone, storming past them. Something had clearly angered the Sargent and it seemed that whatever it was, Cub would be the one he would unleash his wrath on. Maybe Cub was connected to the reason behind his sour mood.

Alex had been in a cheerful mood until then. It was the weekend and soon the K Unit would be setting off into town. Now he the Sargent wanted to speak to him, and he didn’t know what he had done. The last time he was there he had been in trouble and Cub had no illusions about what being sent to his office again would mean. Sargent wasn’t one to invite you in for afternoon tea and a cosy chat.

“Oh, crap,” Cub whispered to himself before running off in the direction of Sargent’s office.  

Snake and Eagle exchanged identical worried glances. Their first reaction was to follow Cub and make sure that he was all right. It seemed wrong to leave him in the Lion’s Den without backup. It was like they were abandoning him in his time of need. This was the Sargent, however. They hadn’t been invited to attend the impromptu meeting and barging in would only result in getting themselves, and likely Cub, in further trouble.

Falcon smirked. It seemed that Cub was forever getting into trouble for something. Sargent Young looked simply furious! Falcon thanked his lucky stars that he wasn’t on the receiving end of whatever lecture he was due. He still hadn’t fully made his mind up about Cub yet, but the fact Sargent was always yelling at him for some misdeed or other, was a point against him. Falcon always found that the Sargent was firm but fair. If Cub kept getting reprimanded it was because he deserved it.

Wolf was curious, to say the least. Cub, just like the rest of the Unit had been very busy lately. Surely even he couldn’t find trouble since the last time Sargent spoke to him? He hadn’t noticed Cub doing anything wrong at least nothing worth a reaction on this magnitude. What had happened to unleash Hurricane Sargent onto the Brecon Beacons? Wolf didn’t want to know. He just hoped that Cub wasn’t the cause of it – for tall their sakes.

Alex allowed himself a few seconds before knocking on Sargent’s door. He barely lowed his hand when the door was thrown open and he saw Sargent Young standing there. He glared at Alex before he stepped back wordlessly giving the order to enter. He obeyed and stood in the middle of the room, standing at attention until he was addressed. Beforehand, he thought that Sargent wouldn’t hurt him. Now he wasn’t so sure. Be respectful he warned himself And don’t speak unless he addresses you. Accept your wrongdoing even if you feel there isn’t any. Don’t push him. That would be a lethal mistake.

Sargent watched as the man – no boy he corrected- stood at attention in the middle of this office. He was trying hard to keep still like every other trained soldier in the place. Cub was managing pretty well in that endeavour but there was no denying that slight tremble emanating from the boy. He was scared. Part of Sargent felt a little scornful at that. If he was scared when someone was angry at him how would he manage in the real world? Then another part of him reminded him that Cub was a child. He had no reason to understand the real world just yet and if someone built like he was had yelled at him as he yelled at Cub- he would have been scared too. The reminder that Cub didn’t belong here doing MI6’s bidding caused him to take a little pity on the teenager.

“At ease,” He ordered slightly less venomously before. His tone still held authority, but it wasn’t as dangerous as before. Cub seemed to take note of the change too. A quiet sigh of relief could be heard before the teenager relaxed.

“Do you know why I ordered you to come here, Cub?” Sargent Young asked though judging by the way Cub was looking at him, the teenager was blissfully unaware.

“No, sir,” Cub admitted.

“I am aware that the original plan was that Mr Blunt would be coming to see you the week after next. However, I have been informed that things have changed. I do not know why so do not even try to ask me.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Mr Blunt will be here later this afternoon. You will have to remain at the base this weekend.” The Sargent informed him.

It left a bad taste in Cub’s mouth. If Blunt was coming to the Brecon Beacons earlier than expected it meant one of two things. It could mean that he was displeased with his conduct and decided that he needed to have his own talk with him. It could also mean that Blunt had a mission for him that needed his attention immediately. Neither option was good. If Blunt was angry at him then it wouldn’t end well for him. If Blunt had a mission for him, that equally could land him in hot water. His missions never went according to plan. There was always something that meant he would end up in mortal danger. It was a lose-lose situation like so many of the situations Alex had found himself in in recent years.

“Yes, sir.” Cub agreed.

Sargent examined the teenager’s face. There was something cold in it. His eyes portrayed that of a man who had seen too much cruelty and experienced too much pain. Something was unnerving about seeing that look in one so young. The Cub he had seen before had eyes that held a spark of life and curiosity. There had been a touch of sadness then too, Sargent realised but they had seemed bright. Now, they were dull and hopeless.

“Don’t make me come and find you. Mr Blunt will be here this afternoon. Report here at one o’clock sharp. Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.” Cub nodded before making his way back to the Unit tent.

Alex felt like screaming towards the sky. This was really the limit! He was supposed to be enjoying the weekend. The weather had turned out fine and a visit into the town would make him feel so much better. Now, he would have to stay at the base while everyone else got to go and have fun! It was so unfair. Surely if anyone should be allowed to have some fun it would be the teenager. Alex sighed. Well, at least some good would come out of this. With everyone else away, he would get some well-earned alone time.

Snake immediately caught onto his mood when he stormed into their hut. Cub flounced over to his bunk and nearly bumped his head on the metal bar. Wolf, Falcon and Eagle also quickly noticed his mood or rather the change in it. He had been rather chipper when he had woken up and not even the state of the breakfast had dimmed his mood. This had been the happiest any of them had seen him and it was no doubt because of the weekend. Then, he had been sent to the office and had a scowl that could curdle milk on his face.

“Was it that bad?” Snake asked, pausing in packing his bag to look at Cub.

 Cub didn’t answer though looked as though he wanted to fire Snake from a cannon for talking to him.

“Were you in trouble?” Eagle questioned starting to grow very worried over the change in the teenager’s temperament. If Cub was in trouble, he would go and plead on Sargent’s behalf. He couldn’t imagine that Cub had done anything wrong to earn whatever punishment Sargent gave him to make him act like this. If the Sargent had been in a bad mood and taken it out on Cub, Eagle wouldn’t be happy.

“No, Eagle. I’m not in trouble.” Cub responded At least not yet.

“Then what’s got you so riled up?” Wolf demanded.

“I’m confined to the barracks.” Cub informed them, glumly. “And I was really looking forward to going into town today.”

“I thought you said you weren’t in trouble.” Falcon reminded. “If you’re not in trouble then why can’t you go? And anyway, Sargent looked like he was about to have an aneurysm.”

Cub huffed before getting up from his bunk and picking up his sketchpad. He found drawing to be fairly therapeutic and it might help to calm his mood. He didn’t want to make matters worse by lashing out and giving Sargent a real reason to yell at him. It would doubly be a bad idea considering that Blunt would be here soon. He would not be happy if he heard about any disrespect. Once he had calmed down enough to form a proper response he answered the question Falcon had asked.

“I don’t know why Sargent was so angry this morning, but I have my suspicions. I’m not directly involved, and I haven’t done anything to be confined.” He began eyeing Falcon wearily. He was the biggest threat. “Mr Blunt wants to talk to me. He was supposed to speak to me the week after next, but it seems that the plans have changed.”  

“Mr Blunt?” Falcon sputtered in shock. “As in Alan Blunt? The head of MI6? What does he want with a teenager?”

“Oh, don’t you know?” Eagle exclaimed. “Cub here’s connected with ‘6. No-one knows why though- not even the Sargent.”

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Wolf knew a little more than the rest of the Unit after he had helped Cub back at Point Blanc. He knew that Cub had a deeper connection but didn’t not know the full story. He had assumed he was related to Blunt somehow and had got himself mixed up with the school in the alps. It had been a case of wrong place and wrong time.

“Is this true?” Falcon inquired, directing the question at Wolf who nodded.

“We used to call him double-o-nothing when he first came here.” The leader informed him.

Great! If things couldn’t get any worse, Wolf had brought up an old nickname that Alex had thought he had managed to kick ages ago. That nickname. It had been a cruel nickname considering the danger he had been in. When he returned he had hoped they had forgotten it, but no Wolf just had to bring it back up again!

“Double-o-nothing! That’s priceless!” Falcon laughed. “What does he want to speak to you about?”

Alex just knew that Falcon would have a field-day teasing him about that one. As if the man didn’t have enough ammo to bully him with. Why, o why, did Wolf have to tell him about that? Couldn’t life be kind to him for once?

“I don’t know and even if I did I couldn’t tell you.” Cub refuted. “Now don’t you have an outing to prefer for?”

The remainder of their trip was enough to get Falcon to switch his attention from Cub to packing his bag. It wouldn’t be the end of the subject, but it would postpone it for now. Eagle felt a little guilty leaving Cub on his own while they all went off. It didn’t seem right. Cub was part of their unit. He hadn’t even done anything to get banned from the trip either. MI6 just needed him.

“Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” Eagle asked. “Maybe we should stay behind and make sure you aren’t alone.”

Alex didn’t want that. Eagle had been the kindest to him and he didn’t want to deprive him of his weekend just because Alan Bloody Blunt decided he was needed for something else. Anyway, he would enjoy the tranquillity of solitude. He went to say all of this when Falcon stopped him by answering for him.

“Fat chance!” Falcon objected. “I’ve been waiting for this trip for ages. You stay here if you want Eagle and mollycoddle the kid if you want but I’m not. I’m going.”

“Cub?” Snake asked. “Would you like us to keep you company?”

So now he would be depriving two people of their weekend if he accepted their offer. Yeah. No. That wasn’t going to happen.

“No, you’re all right.”

Eagle and Snake looked at each other. They seemed to be having a silent debate amongst themselves. Cub sighed.

“Honestly, Eagle, Snake. I’m all right. You go into town. I’ll apricate some alone time anyway. Please, go.”

The pair exchanged glances with each other again. For a minute it looked like they were going to refuse but then Eagle nodded, and Snake smiled.

“All right then Cub,” Snake agree lightly. “Is there anything you want us to get you?”

“No, thank you.”

“Are you sure? Because I’m already getting some Lion bars for Lion.” Eagle offered.

“Did Lion ask for those are you just annoying him again?” Snake wondered slightly amused.  “You did the same with the animal bars.”

“What?” Falcon grunted not understanding the joke.

“Eagle thinks it’s funny to buy chocolate for based on code names.” Snake explained with a laugh. “You should have seen him when he found animal bars. I half expected him to offer to Sargent one. He even asked for them to be stocked in the break room.”

“Hey! They are the perfect thing to have here. We all have animal code names.” Eagle yelped as he dodged the sock that Snake chucked at his head.

“Sargent didn’t agree though,” Eagle complained to Cub glumly.

“We’ll see you later Cub. I’ll bring you a surprise back.” Snake sighed shaking his head and his friend’s antics.

“Yeah, bye Cub! I’ll get you a gift too.” Eagle agreed, offering Cub a regretful smile.

Cub waved goodbye to the rest of the Unit. Soon, he was alone again and had a whole day to himself. He decided that he would start by getting a workout done so head went off to find the gym. He hoped it would be empty.

Luckily, everyone else was busy doing other things so it meant that no one else wanted to use the gym that morning. He made a beeline for the punch bag. He hissed as he put on the gloves. It hit the welts of his hands, but he forced himself to ignore the pain. He would have to get used to ignoring pain if he wanted to be a good spy. He didn’t want to be a good spy though. That didn’t matter. He needed to be a good one. He had no choice in his profession and a bad spy was a dead spy. He didn’t want to be dead.

The hours passed as quickly as his luck would allow. Alex felt a strong sense of impending doom as it got closer to one o’clock. He wished that time would freeze. Right now, he was safe. He felt- happy would be a stretch but reasonably positive but that would change when Blunt saw him. The worry over him had over the meeting was enough to destroy his appetite. He forced himself to eat. He would need his energy if he was going to going on a mission.

What did Blunt want?

Chapter 7: A Crocodile Smile

Chapter Text

Mr Alan Blunt greeted Alex with a warning smile. It was a crocodile smile. It reminded Alex of the mission in Kenya, where he ended up clinging onto a petal pole, dangling over a river infested with crocodiles. He had the feeling of Déjà Vu as he faced Blunt just this time the crocodiles were metaphorical.

“Rider.”

Once upon a time, Blunt would have addressed him by his first name. It was a way of showing faux friendliness- a manipulation into doing his bidding. There was no need for that now though. Whatever Blunt wanted he would have to do. Gone were the days where he could argue. There was little need to waste time in pleasantries and Alex was all the more thankful for it.

Alex scowled. This was the man that was responsible for making his life hell. If Blunt had just left him alone and did his job when Stormbreaker happened he would have had a normal life. Jack would still be alive and so would the Pleasures. He would be in school worrying about football and his exam not worrying whether or not he would live to see adulthood.

“Sir,” He tried to say it respectfully, but he couldn’t hide the contempt he had for the man. “What do you want?”

Blunt’s expression darkened and his eyes took over a steely look to them. Alex had fully expected the slap that came. Blunt’s hand rocketed across his check the sound. The sound of the blow rang out, resonating against the walls. It had been expected. If the gruff tone to Alex’s greeting wasn’t considered rude then the pointed question that followed it definitely was. He knew the punishment for disrespect but there was something about Blunt that brought of the worst in him. Even in the year of hell, Mason hadn’t completely wiped out his fiery personality. He remembered when he first met Mason, just after the Pleasures had been killed.

Three coffins were lowered into the ground. The smaller one stabbed at Alex’s heart. Sabina was too young but then, no one was too young to die. She was a normal teenager and yet she hadn’t been spared from the bloodshed. He had wished that he had been the only one that had been kidnapped. The only mercy was that the Pleasures had died shortly after Sabina in much the same manner. They had died without knowing what had happened to their daughter. Alex had not been spared that mercy. He hadn’t had the luxury of ignorance.

“Alex.”

 Alex turned and saw Mr Blunt standing off to the side with several of his armed goons. It was just like when Ian died. That had happened just one year previously. Now, look at him.

“What are you doing here Blunt?” He demanded. Alex knew he wasn’t blameless in the situation. The Pleasure’s death was his fault. He may not have pulled the trigger, but it was responsible for it anyway. He had more or less placed the gun in the murder’s hands. But he wasn’t alone in the blame. Blunt had pulled him unwittingly into this world. He was the reason he was such a high target.

The man beside Blunt bristled. Alex snapped his eyes to him. He didn’t know who the man was. Maybe he was Mrs Jones’ replacement after that disastrous affair. Whoever he was, he didn’t like the way Alex had spoken to the head of Special Operations. Well too bad.

The graveyard was suddenly empty. The priest that had spoken had disappeared as had the several mourners. They were alone. It was just him, Blunt, the man, and a few armed grunts. The situation seemed too similar, and it had him on edge at once. The man looked at Blunt, who nodded. The man didn’t give him any chance to react before seizing hold of Alex’s arm and smashing his fist into his face. It was followed by a sharp slap.

Alex had gotten used to being hit and hurt over the last year. He had been caught several times and thrown in a room with adults that hated his guts. But this was different. He was supposed to be on friendly ground. This was MI6. MI6 wasn’t meant to hurt him- not like that.

“What the hell was that for?” Alex demanded, stumbling and the man suddenly let go of his arm.

The man raised his hand again to strike him once more, but Blunt stopped blocked it. The man stood down almost at once.

“Disrespect.” The man grunted.

Alex was very tempted to swear at the man but decided against it. Contrary to popular belief, he did know where the line was between brave and stupid. Alex was stupid. He was brave.

“This is Agent Mason. He is your guardian now. You have been allowed to get away with too much Rider. This will change. If you were probably disciplined maybe this would never have happened. You certainly would never have dared to deflect to SCORPIA.” Blunt explained.

“I see I am going to have my work cut out for me Rider. The first rule, you will be respectful. You will address me and Mr Blunt as ‘sir’ and you will not give any backtalk. The second rule, you will obey every order. I believe that nothing teaches a person to behave better than physical punishment. If you don’t wish to be hit I suggest you obey. Misbehaviour will not be tolerated. Is that clear?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you!” Alex shouted. He turned away and began walking away. He didn’t get far. Mason overpowered him easily. He tried to struggle away and use his skills in combat against the Agent. It was no use. Mason had him in a chokehold and wasn’t letting go.  

“You have no choice, boy.” Mason hissed. “Co-operation is advised but not required. You will be coming with us either way.”

With that Mason tightened his hold. Soon everything went black, and Alex went limp. Mason waited a few seconds before letting the boy and cucking the boy unceremoniously over his shoulder.

“He’s going to give you a hard time Antony,” Blunt commented.

“Don’t worry, he’ll learn,” Mason replied.

“I never doubted you my friend, but he is very obstinate.”

“I know what you mean. Perhaps it might be a good idea to introduce him to the belt?”

Blunt smiled. “Of course, whatever you think is necessary.”

Mason shoved the unconscious teenager into the car. Rider had been the source of great pain in his friend’s side. He had heard about the missions that the boy had taken part in and would have to admit that. Yet, it seemed the boy was insolent and disobedient. He didn’t seem to realise that he was needed for queen and county. Mason wouldn’t let the boy disparage his duty or his friend. Blunt was an old friend who had earned his loyalty. He would do anything for him. Rider would learn to be obedient and respectful. He would be taught to be the perfect soldier and weapon for the United Kingdom. Mason would see to that.   

Alex was brought back to the room by another slap to his face. Whether it was due to his previous rudeness or due to the fact he spaced out, he wasn’t sure. It didn’t really matter. Alex knew he had to tread carefully. He knew that if he was going on a mission Blunt wouldn’t leave too many visible injuries. It would draw too much attention. It didn’t mean that he wouldn’t hurt him at all. It just meant that they would be restricted to areas hidden by his clothes.

“That was rude Rider.” Blunt scolded. “I would have thought that after the last time you displeased me you would toe the line. Do I need to ring your guardian? Mason is very busy with his own affairs. I can’t imagine he would be happy to have them interrupted to deal with you.”

Blunt looked down at Alex’s hands and gave it a rough shake of his head. It was all the reminder that he needed. They were still hurting even after a few days since the incident. The pain had lessened slightly so that it was more of a dull throbbing when he wasn’t actively touching the welts.

“No, sir. I’m sorry.” Alex apologised ducking his head submissively. “What can I do for you, sir?”

Blunt seemed happy with the response. Alex sighed inwardly. He had managed to delay any further punishment. He hoped he could continue that throughout the conversation. He waited with bated breath as Blunt cleared his throat.

“There is a situation that requires your attention. You will need to come with me. We are going to the Bank.”

Alex had the good sense not to argue. Whatever the mission was, he had no illusion that he had a choice in the matter. If he argued then it would only result in him being beaten to submission. That would make his job harder as it would restrict his moves. It would increase his chances of being killed in the line of duty, enforced though it might be. He doubted Blunt would even care. He would just be disappointed to lose an asset. His death would be covered up just like it was with Jack and the Pleasures. Then, what would there be to stop Blunt from enlisting another child? Nothing. That was the answer. Alex wouldn’t let that happen if he had his way.

The drive between the Brecon Beacons and London normally takes about three hours and 36 minutes. This isn’t that long for people used to long journeys. The UK was quite a small country, so most places were within a day’s travel of the capital. Even then, it nearly took four hours to get to London, usually. Usually being the operative word. What I am about to tell you is Top Secret. If you tell anyone, you’ll soon find yourself being taken away. The people you informed of this secret would shortly disappear thereafter. So, if you can’t keep a secret skip the next two paragraphs.

Underneath Britain, below the underground, there is a network of hidden roads and tunnels. These tunnels are for the use of the secret service. When you need to travel the length and breadth of Britain, the last thing you need is to be caught in traffic. Of course, another disadvantage of public roads is that is used by other drivers. If you have ever experienced that, either as a passenger or a driver, you’ll know that some drivers are idiots. In fact, with some people, it is a wonder how they managed to pass their drivers test. So, to avoid all that, secret roads were built so that government agents could quickly and easily make their way across the country. This meant that a journey that on average, took about three hours and 36 minutes took just under two.

Blunt edged the Bentley on. He eased the car up to sixty and drove down to the entrance that led to the secret road. I can’t tell you where that entrance is. Even I am unaware of this fact. I do know, that if you got too close then your car would end up in a tragic car accident. So, you will have to quell your curiosity.  

All right, it’s safe to read again. I won’t make you sign the Official Secrets Act. Just be careful.

Blunt didn’t say anything to him until they were about three-quarters of the way there. Alex had been only too glad for the silence. If he was being ignored, he wasn’t being hurt. When it came to Blunt and well practically every adult Alex knew, any attention was unwanted attention. He had been taught not to speak unless address but Alex was thankful for that. He had never enjoyed idle chatter at least not with Blunt. Since Mason became his guardian, idle chatter had become a luxury he couldn’t afford.

“I hear from Mason that you have been giving Sargent Young a hard time,” Blunt stated.

That wasn’t good. There were very few ways this conversation could go and none of them resulted in a situation that could end well for him. If Blunt didn’t like his answers, he could very easily pull over and deal with him. With no one else around and little reason to hold back other than the impending assignment, there could be no telling Blunt could do to him. Alex made sure to put on a respectful tone before answering.

“I’m, sorry sir.” Alex apologised glancing down at his palms.

“Mmm. I am sure you are, now. Why must you anger me so? Why do you anger Mason?”

“I’m sorry, sir.” He repeated.

“Yes, you’ve said that before.” Blunt pointed out sternly. “I dislike insubordinate behaviour. I hope that we shall see an improvement in your behaviour.”  

“Yes, sir.” Alex agreed. “Are you going to punish me again, sir?”

He needed to ask the question. His heart was thumping like crazy. Blunt could be just as harsh as Mason, but he was less unpredictable. With Blunt, he could get a warning. He was more likely to be consistent. There were a few seconds before he got an answer. Blunt had obviously spent some time thinking over his options.

“That depends on your behaviour on this mission Rider. At the moment I am willing to allow Mason’s punishment to be the last of it, but I may change my mind.”

A warning and a promise at the same time. Alex was quite sure that Blunt would follow up on that threat if he displeased him. It was so easy to displease Blunt though. He remembered Blunt being annoyed to see that Alex had grown as if he had done it purposefully out of insolence.

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” Alex thanked.

He was not going to voice his worries that he would displease Blunt simply by existing. Not for the first time, he wondered if Blunt had children. He had to be married, at some point at least, because he had a wedding ring. Try as he might though, Alex couldn’t picture the head of Special Operations as a family man. It didn’t fit his cold and stern persona. Maybe he had two sides to him. Maybe his wife (or husband Alex wouldn’t wish to make assumptions) saw a different side to him. Maybe there was a softer side to Alan Blunt. No. He doubted it.

Blunt didn’t say anything else for the rest of the journey. In fact, other than the odd audible intake or outtake of breath he didn’t make any noise. That was just fine with Alex. It allowed him to go back to his own thoughts. Again, he found himself thinking about Mason and his first few weeks in the agent’s tender loving care. The first few weeks had been the worst.

Alex was awoken rather harshly by being dragged off his bed. He landed on the floor with a hard thump. He gave out a pained cry as his back, covered in welts from Mason’s belt, smacked against the wooden floor. The bleariness of sleep was immediately wiped away and he shot to his feet.

Mason was examining him dangerously. Alex felt himself flinch. It had been the first of many flinches that had happened that year.

“It’s time to get up, boy. You have things to do today, Rider and I will not tolerate laziness.”

Alex didn’t say anything. He didn’t trust his tone not to betray him. He wasn’t going to give Mason the satisfaction of hearing how scared he was. Mason may have succeeded in drawing a flinch out of him, but he wasn’t going to give him any other reaction. Mason’s face was pinched in fury. He wasn’t happy with the lack of verbal response.

SLAP.

“When I give you an order you will respond with ‘yes sir’. Do not ignore me.” Mason rebuked harshly.

“Yes, sir,” Alex replied. It felt wrong to submit to Mason’s will. However, pride was something was that got Agents killed. If you wanted to continue to have pride you had to learn to ignore it.

“Go to the kitchen and cook breakfast. I’m not waiting around your hand and foot. Training starts as soon as you have cleaned up and lasts as long as I decide. As always, misbehaviour will be punished.”

That was becoming very clear. His face was bruised and red after his first meeting with Mason. His left cheek had been unmarked but was now red and smarting from the slap. Then there was his back. Alex had no misgivings about Mason’s temperament now. The man had no qualms about hurting him. It would be unwise to anger him.

“Yes, sir.”

“Dismissed.”

Mason left the room leaving Alex to get dressed. He was glad of the cooking lessons that his uncle had made him take. Of course, it had been a part of his training. Everything about his childhood had been a lesson. He was thankful that they had been disguised as games though. He was under no illusion though. Ian wanted him to be prepared. He wanted him to be part of this life. Ian Rider’s nephew, John Rider’s son would be well trained in every area.

Alex was drawn out of his musing at the Bentley pulled up outside the Royal & General Bank. Every time he was here, he ended up in trouble. Blunt walked to the front entrance without checking that Alex was following him. He knew that Alex had no choice and more importantly, Blunt knew Alex knew it too. Just as they were getting towards the door, Alex stopped. This had been the exact spot he was in when he had been shot by SCORPIA. He felt a twinge in his scar, as he remembered it. Alex pictured the pavement stained with his blood.

“Rider?”

The prompt had a dangerous warning to it. If Blunt realised the significance of the spot he was in, he didn’t say anything. If he knew why Alex stopped, didn’t care.

“I’m coming, sir.” He responded.  

Alex followed Blunt to the front door of the bank. At least this time he wouldn’t have to persuade the receptionist to bid him enter. Even now, he was only allowed in the Bank if he was invited. It was just another way of showing him that he didn’t truly belong anywhere. He wasn’t a kid, but he wasn’t an adult. He was in a league of his own. That wasn’t a good thing.  

 

Chapter 8: Mathias Dolby

Chapter Text

Alex was led to Blunt’s office. He was invited to take a seat opposite the desk. Perhaps invited isn’t the right word for it though. That would suggest that he had a choice in the matter which, of course, he didn’t. His cheek wasn’t smarting anymore, but he didn’t want to risk further injury. It was for that reason, and that reason alone, that he didn’t object.

“This mission is rather important. You alone will be able to help us.”

He highly doubted that. That was what they always said. It was always important. It was always simple. And he was always the only one that could help them. He didn’t say this of course. He didn’t dare.

“Of course, sir. What would you like me to do?” Alex asked Blunt.

Blunt gave that awful smile of his the one that was never reflected in his eyes. He unlocked a draw at his desk by using a biometric scanner. The draw hissed and shot open. Blunt pulled out a file marked TOP SECRET.

“Two days ago, we received a message from a secure line. It came from Munich. The message reads DOLBY FOUND. DESTRUCTION IMMINENT. MAY 16TH.”

Blunt handed him the file. Alex glanced at it and read the information that he had been given.

Mathias Dolby, 56. Wanted by Swedish Security Service, CIA, INTERPOL, MI5, AND MI6. Suspected to have stolen dirty bomb purchased on the black market by REDACTED. Message received by UNKNOWN see APPENDIX.

“We need someone to go to Munich and work out if the intel this agent is true. We believe that Dolby will be at the Nymphenburg Palace and will set of the dirty bomb in the grounds.”

Alex nodded. Munich was in Germany and was the capital of the state called Bavaria. He had been at the Palace exactly once before but that had been with Ian.

“May 16th? That’s in a few days.”

“Exactly. It is imperative you stop him.”

A radiological weapon, known to some as a ‘dirty bomb’, would cause untold damage. There would be countless causalities. If the immediate aftereffects were not bad enough, the environmental impacts would last for generations. The half-life of some of those chemicals (the time it takes for radioactive particles to half its value) latest thousands of years. Alex was picturing Hiroshima in the middle of a large, populated area. Millions would die. Alex would have to do something. It didn’t matter what had happened to him and it didn’t matter his personal feelings about Blunt. He had to do something, now before it was too late. If Alex refused to cooperate, Blunt might not send anyone else.

“Do we know who sent it?” Alex asked.

Blunt didn’t say anything for a few minutes. He turned around and picked up a flower.

“This was sent with the message.”

Alex picked the flower up and examined it. Now, he wasn’t exactly knowledgeable when it came to botany. However, the flower was a common one. It was a Tulip. That could only mean…  

“Mrs Jones?” He asked.

“We believe so, yes.”

“But she’s missing, presumed dead,” Alex stated suddenly very excited. “Does this mean we’ve found her?”

It had been a sunny afternoon in California when the phone rang. Alex sighed. Sabina and the Pleasures had gone out golfing. He had refused the invitation deciding that it was important that he tried to catch up on schoolwork. It was hardly surprising how behind he was considering how much schooling he had missed. What was surprising, was how quickly he was managing to catch up.

With everyone else out it would be up to him to answer it. Alex was tempted to let the phone ring out. No. The answer machine wasn’t working and what if it was important? It made for a nice break anyhow. So, he left his room and went to where the phone was kept.

“Pleasure Residence. Alex speaking, how may I help you?” He greeted. It had been the agreed meeting when answering the phone. When he heard who it was, he almost hung up.

“Alex?”

He recognised the voice immediately. This was the man who had once shot him with a tranquilliser. He had never forgiven the man for that. Alex felt perfectly justified in holding a grudge against John Crawley. He hated that man. What the hell did he want? Why couldn’t MI6 leave him ALONE? Mrs Jones said that they would.

“What do you want?” He demanded harshly. If he was being rude he didn’t care. John Crawley could go screw himself as far as Alex was concerned.

“Alex, please, don’t hang up. It’s important.”

Something in Crawley’s tone made him think. The man always seemed cold and unflappable. Yet something was wrong. He seemed panicked. What had gotten Crawley so riled up? Curiosity won out.

“You have exactly ten seconds Mr Crawley. I suggest you start speaking because the time starts now.”

10…9…

“Mrs Jones is missing.”

OK. Crawley had his attention. Mrs Jones was missing? Well, that was definitely something that would cause even the calmest of people to panic. The head of MI6 missing? That was a problem, to say the least.

“Alex?!”

That was when he realised he hadn’t actually said anything. To be fair, Alex wasn’t sure what he could say.

“What happened?” He inquired.

There was no need to waste time on pleasantries. He wanted to get straight to the point. If MI6 thought he was going to get involved they had a nothing thing coming. He’d keep an eye out for Mrs Jones, but he wouldn’t search for her outright. That wasn’t his job. He was just a kid.

“She went on a mission for intel. She doesn’t usually go in the field but this time she said it was too important. I don’t know the details- she wouldn’t tell anyone not even her second in command. That’s me by the way.”

“Congratulations on the promotion,” Alex replied sarcastically. “I don’t know what you want me to do Mr Crawley. I suggest you inform the prime minister. If you think I’m getting involved-”

“I don’t expect that. I just need you to be aware. If you hear from her, ring me personally. And don’t trust anyone else.”

“Why should she contact me?”

“Alex please!” Crawley begged. It was weird. “Just say you will and keep an eye out, please! I’m worried about her. I care about her a lot. I’ve no right to ask anything for you and I’m not asking that you get directly involved. Just please do this. If not for me but for Mrs Jones.”

“I shall do what you ask but I won’t do it for you for Mrs Jones. Let’s get real here: neither of you ever cared for me.” Alex snapped. If Crawley thought that asking him to do it for Mrs Jones would get him to help, he was sorely mistaken. He didn’t owe her anything. He didn’t owe any of them anything.

“Alex-” Mr Crawley tried again. Alex carried on speaking as though the man hadn’t said anything.

“I shall tell you if Mrs Jones contacts me and I will keep an ear to the ground. But I shall do it because it is the right thing to do, and my uncle would want me to help her. That is the only reason. Now, if you excuse me, I have a lot of studying to do. I have a test next week and I have missed a lot of schooling, as I am sure you are aware.”

“Of course, Alex. Thank-you.”

“You can thank me by not contacting me and finding Mrs Jones on your own. Goodbye Mr Crawley.”

Alex rang up before Crawley could say anything further. He hoped Mrs Jones would be all right. He didn’t like the woman, but he hoped she would be all right. She didn’t deserve to be hurt. Not even Mrs Jones deserved death.

He sighed. He had studying to do. It wasn’t his job to hunt for Mrs Jones. He tried to remind himself that as he ascended the stairs and went back to his room. It wasn’t his duty. He was just a kid. He wasn't responsible for finding her. He knew that. But why did he feel so guilty for not helping? If anything happened to Mrs Jones… He couldn’t think about that. He had a test to prepare for.  

Mrs Jones had gone missing in action shortly before he and the Pleasures had been kidnapped. She had been on a mission for information. Alex didn’t know much about that. He hadn’t been allowed to be briefed. She hadn’t been seen or heard from since. Alex didn’t like Mrs Jones. In his mind, she was just as bad as Blunt if not worse. She had the power to stop Blunt from using him and other than objecting now and then she hadn’t done a blessed thing to help him. But that didn’t mean he wished her any ill will. He didn’t want Mrs Jones to be hurt. He had been worried about her since his disappearance.

“We do not know for certain what it means. All we know is that there may be a radiological attack.”

“But it looks like Mrs Jones sent the message. If that’s the case she’s alive and likely in Munich!”

“Now listen, here Rider. Your mission, whether you choose to accept it or not, is to make sure that the dirty bomb is safely retrieved and that Dolby is apprehended. Is that clear?”

Blunt surely couldn’t be suggesting that they leave her? He didn’t like Mrs Jones, but he wasn’t going to abandon her when she had been missing for so long! MI6 had been hunting for her months and they had only just given up the hunt. They had to do something! Didn’t Blunt care for her? Mrs Jones would help him if he was in that position and yet Blunt had no such plan. The feeling was obvious, not mutual.

“But sir…” Alex began to object.

“Is. That. Clear?” Blunt snapped.

“Yes, sir.”

He would just have to keep an eye out for Mrs Jones. He would have to keep an ear out as well. If he was going to Munich, then he could very easily make some inquiries into Mrs Jones’ disappearances. She had sent them that message. She had warned them and would have taken great personal risk while doing it. She deserved to have someone looking for her. She deserved to have someone care enough to at least check. If Blunt couldn’t be bothered to be that person then he, Alex, would just have to be that person.

“Now, onto what you will do. Of course, a teenager will avoid a lot less suspicion. Munich is a very historic area. It would make sense for a schoolboy to visit it. You shall go undercover as a teenager on holiday, studying the history of Munich and the history of the Nymphenburg Palace. All you have to do is to intercept Dolby. It is that simple.”

Alex resisted the urge to scoff. It was never simple. Ever. He had given up on that hope by the third mission. He had learnt that thinking missions were simple would only result in his injury or worse, his death. It would be a mistake to underestimate any mission Blunt sent him on.

“Do you have a picture so that I can identify him, sir?” Alex questioned.

Blunt smiled and passed him a few pictures of the man in question.

Dolby wasn’t what you would call stereotypically handsome. He had heterochromia. In other words, he had two different colour eyes. It was a genetic mutation. His time one eye was blue, and one was brown. His skin was an olive colour and had several scratches and blemishes on it. His most recognisable feature was a scar that spanned underneath his chin to his ear. It was a burn; the puckered skin was very telling. It was a chemical burn.

“He’s a very handsome fellow,” Alex commented dryly.

“To suggest otherwise would be unwise. The last person to insult him was found floating in the Sewers Canal.” Blunt warned.

Alex had expected that. The kind of criminals that he ended up fighting always dealt with insults in a violent and permeant manner. They were always rich too. They wanted to exact revenge of some kind or had some political message they needed to send. Alex was reminded of the last Alexei Sarov and his nuclear bomb back at skeleton key. That time he went undercover with two CIA agents. They had pretended to be his parents and ended up dying in the most gruesome way. He hoped that no one else would be put in danger, but it would raise suspicions if he travelled alone.

“Will, someone be travelling with me, sir?” He asked.

“You see Rider, it's questions like that that remind me you are not totally useless,” Blunt responded. Alex bristled at the backhanded compliment. “Yes, there will be someone travelling with you. It would raise too many questions if a fifteen-year-old is found to be travelling alone.”

Alex adjusted his position so that he could listen to Blunt. He pulled out a notebook and got ready to take some notes. He needed to know about his cover and the cover of whoever was going to accompany him. One mistake would mean his death and the death of his travelling partner. One mistake could mean the bomb exploded and killed millions of people. He hoped everything would go to plan. Blunt seemed to give him an approving look or at least a look that was as close to approving as he was going to get from the man. He would burn the notes when had finished memorising them.

“You will be travelling with one of our very successful agents. He will be there to help you where needed but he, as an adult will carry more suspicion. You will need to do a majority of the investigative work.” Blunt informed him.

“Of course, sir,” Alex nodded. Heaven forbids if an adult actually did the dangerous jobs.

“The usual rules apply. You will be obedient and respectful. He is acting like your father so no one will question it if he punishes you. I have informed him that he may have to act on this.”

A threat. He may be away from Blunt and Mason, but he wouldn’t escape chastisement if the agent decided to. He wouldn’t even need a real reason! He hoped whomever it was would be lenient.

“I believe you have already met the undercover agent. So, he knows you need a firm hand.” Blunt warned him. That didn’t sound good. Someone knocked on the door. “Come in!”

The door opened. Alex recognised him at once. It was Fox- Ben Daniels. Alex smiled. For once he was happy with the choice Blunt had made.  

Chapter 9: Munich

Chapter Text

“Ben!” Alex jumped up excitedly.

“Alex. Long time no see. When I heard that I was going undercover and a teenager’s father I didn’t realise that child was you. I thought you had got out of this business?”

“You know any other teenage spies do you?” Alex pointed out; a single eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Touché.” Ben laughed, he reached down meaning to ruffle Alex’s hair but shooting his hand away as if had been burnt when the boy flinched from him. Ben knew that when he was Alex’s age he wouldn’t want any to ruffle his hair like that. Still, it concerned him.

“Alex?” Ben questioned.

“I’m fine, Ben.” Alex quickly recovered. “I just don’t like people touching my hair. It takes a lot of work to look this good.”

Blunt, who had been tapping his foot impatiently had passed the point of indulgence. He cleared his throat loudly. Both Alex and Ben snapped their attention to Blunt. Alex stiffened slightly.

“When you have quite finished catching up do you think that you could focus your attention on the mission?” Blunt challenged.

“Sorry, sir.” Ben and Alex apologised in unison. Ben sent Alex a brief and curious look. Since when did Alex call Blunt – sir?

“Rider. Agent Daniels is your superior, you will address him as sir. I will not allow for disrespect just because you two know each other. Are we clear?” Blunt scolded.

“Of course, sir.”

Ben was about to argue that Alex did not need to call him sir. The two had worked together on several different occasions. Each time he worked with the teenager he grew more impressed by the skills that he showed. Ben considered Alex his equal. He was just fifteen, but he didn’t mean he was any less important than Ben was. The idea of Alex calling him sir was all too formal. Something had changed between Alex and Blunt. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

They had a very important mission. A Dirty Bomb would be disastrous for the environment and humanity. They didn’t have time to debate protocol or etiquette.

“I believe you have fully briefed Agent Daniels?”

“Yes, sir. What are your orders regarding Mrs Jones?” Ben questioned.

“As I have just been telling Rider, I must be clear. Your priority is Dolby and the bomb. If you come across Mrs Jones, you must of course help her. If there is any intelligence regarding her, you are to contact me personally. However, if investigating her disappearance will put the original mission, you will not engage.”

“Understood, sir.” Ben agreed. He noticed that Alex’s face was pinched in annoyance before he managed to cover it up. It was clear what he thought of those orders. Maybe he was planning to disobey those orders at the first chance he got. Good. Ben thought much the same,  

All hopes of starting his own search for Mrs Jones were dashed when Ben agreed with the orders that Blunt gave him. It was difficult enough to disobey the orders Blunt had given them when we are alone. Now, with Ben watching his every move, it was almost impossible. Alex did not doubt that any detracting from the orders that they had been given would be reported. Ben would tell Blunt if he stepped out of line. In fact, he wouldn’t be surprised if Ben would discipline him himself.

“And you are aware of your duty as Rider’s undercover father? If people get suspicious, it may be pertinent to deal with them. If he steps out of line you will need to reprimand him.”

Ben’s eyebrows rose. He had been told several times that he may need to be seen acting like a father. He had assumed he meant caring for Alex’s welfare. He hadn’t thought that it meant he would be required to discipline the teenager. Why would he need to? And Alex never ‘stepped out of line’. He could be a little sarcastic and sometimes cheeky but that was just a part of the teenager’s charm. Ben found him to be a polite, intelligent, and considerate boy. He wasn’t wilfully disobedient or insolent. He wasn’t a brat despite what Wolf seemed to believe. Why would it be necessary to threaten him?

“Yes, sir. I am aware of my cover.” Ben answered. There was a slight annoyance to his voice but beyond that, his tone was calm and even.

“Rider. You will do exactly what Agent Daniels tells you. You will be respectful. If I hear you have behaved less than impeccably there will be consequences.”  

“Yes, sir.” Alex agreed.

“Good. Now with everyone clear on their duties, it only leaves me to say, good luck.”

With the dismissal clear, the two of them made their way out of the office. Alex found himself falling back automatically behind Ben. He followed the man down a corridor. It didn’t take Alex long to realise where was going. He had been there several times before. It was where Smithers used to work. Alex always visited the department at the start of each assignment. This was where he would get his passport and any other documents either of them may need for the journey.

“I had better keep hold of these for now. Most fathers keep hold of the passports until they are needed for inspection.”

Alex looked at his passport.


Name: Aleck Joseph MacNally

Date of Birth: 10th May 2006

Sex: M

Birth: London


So, he had been given Scottish ancestry but was born in London. It made sense. Ben was a Scottish as a kilt. The fact that he was born in London would account for his lack of a Scottish accent though. Ben led him to a table. He pulled out a few objects and placed them in front of Alex.

“What’s this, sir?”

Ben frowned but ignored the address, to begin with.

“Blunt is still pretty clear that you aren’t allowed any weapons. I will be armed but I don’t like the idea of you being sent into the field without anything to help you. Supposing we got separated? Smithers gave me these to give to you.”

“Mr Smithers, sir?” Alex questioned. “I thought he retired.”

Alex looked around trying to spot the secretly Irish man. The department wasn’t the same without him. It didn’t have the same sort of atmosphere it did when Smithers had worked there. Maybe Alex had missed him? He hadn’t seen him since Cairo. Alex was sad about that. He had missed Smithers. It seemed that he alone had been trustworthy.

“He has but he found out that Blunt was still using you. He wanted to make sure that you had backup. He told me that as long as you are going on missions, he will be there to help you.”

“Good old Smithers,” Alex murmured.

The first object was a bottle of sun cream. It seemed just like any other sun cream but of course, Alex knew better when it involved Smithers. He didn’t pick it up, he wasn’t sure if it would explode or not.

“According to Smithers that sun cream will work like ordinary sun cream if you put it on your skin. When it comes in contact with your saliva, it smokes up just like a smoke bomb. It has a ten-second delay. You could use it as a distraction.”

Alex nodded and turned his attention to a pair of wireless earphones. They looked just like a pair of Apple Airpods. It even came in the little case that Airpods came in.

“These earphones work in two ways,” Ben explained. “Firstly, it works as a transmitter. Simply drop one earphone it will transmit any nearby. You can listen to the other. The other thing it does is translate the conversation. The box will allow you to detect the language it spoke in and translate it to English.”

That was useful. Alex did speak some German, but he was by no means fluent. Anyway, it wasn’t certain that they would speak German. They were over a hundred languages on Earth. At some point he was going to come across a language he didn’t speak. What if they spoke a different branch of German anyway? No. It was very useful that he had a translator.

“And finally,” Ben reached over to a disposable camera. “This camera has x-ray vision and an infrared system.”

Alex was already thinking about how he could use that gadget. It would allow him to check buildings and closed doors. If he needed to check for anyone hiding or traps that may hurt him, the camera would do the job. The fact that it was a camera worked perfectly. After all, it was quite normal for a teenager on holiday to take pictures. Alex blinked when there was a flash.

Ben grinned. “It even takes pictures! Here you are, Alex. Now, I feel a little better. Still, try and keep by my side as much as possible. Make sure you use the Airpods if you need to help.  I forgot to mention that it is directly linked to my secure line.”

“Yes, sir.” Alex agreed.  

“Oh, and I almost left out the most important gadget!” Ben announced handing Alex a box. Inside was an iPhone 7. It wasn’t the latest model, but Alex wasn’t going to turn his nose up at it.

“What does this do sir?” Alex asked.

Ben grinned, obviously amused by the question. Alex wasn’t sure why. It was a perfectly acceptable question in his opinion.

“It’s called a mobile phone, Alex. I would have thought a teenager like you would know what they do!”

Alex did not appreciate the sarcastic response. He bristled against it. He knew, deep down, that Ben wasn’t insulting him, but it still struck a nerve. It annoyed him but he wasn’t going to risk Ben’s ire by making it obvious.

“Of course, sir. I just mean what else does it do?”

“Nothing else. Blunt says you don’t have a phone so happy birthday. It would be very suspicious if a teenager didn’t have a phone in this day and age.”

“Mr Blunt says they are too easily tracked, sir. He won’t let me keep it.”

Blunt didn’t like the idea of his having a phone. He thought that it would give him far too much freedom. God forbid him to actually be treated like a teenager. His phone had been taken from him once he had been taken in by Mason.

“We will cross that bridge when we get to it,” Ben responded unaffected by Alex’s concerns. “It would be useful for this mission anyway, Alex. You can call me with that too.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ben had had quite enough of the formality. It didn’t seem right. Alex wasn’t rude, but he wasn’t this formal, least of all with him. It wasn’t like Alex to be so submissive. Ben didn’t want Alex to be anything but himself.

“Cub.” Fox began softly.

The use of his code name electrified Alex. He snapped to attention. That hadn’t been the reaction he wanted to enlist. He meant it to be comforting, to be something that would calm him down. Now that he thought about it, he should have expected the reaction. His code name had been used by the SAS- a very disciplined environment.

“Yes sir?”

Ben sighed. “At ease, Alex. I didn’t mean to order you to attend. There’s no need for all that.”

“Yes, sir.”

This wasn’t going very well. Ben wished that Alex would relax. He was stood at ease but still held himself stiffly. He could tell that Alex was nervous and even, to Ben’s horror, a good dear of fear in them. What had happened to Alex? Ben felt an overwhelming sense of protectiveness. Alex Rider was not meek and yet he was, trying to avoid eye contact.

“And you don’t have to call me sir.” Ben insisted. “I know Blunt told you that you had to, but I won’t tell him if you won’t. Please stop being so formal with me, calling me Ben is more than adequate.”

Alex was on the fence. If carried on calling Ben sir, he would be disobeying the agent he would be spending a few days with. He would have every authority to punish him for that. If he started calling him Ben, however, then he would disobey Blunt and Mason and they would be just as harsh.

It was a lose-lose situation. Should he disobey Blunt or Ben? Which had the lesser penalty? But what his disrespect wasn’t kept between the two of them? He would have to take that chance. He made up his mind. He would risk later punishment for disobedience. Ben would deal with him there and then he refused to do what the man wanted. At least he had some chance of avoiding a reprimand from Blunt.

“All right but please, just don’t tell Mr Blunt or Agent Mason.” Alex submitted.  

The last thing Ben wanted was to get Alex in trouble. He didn’t agree with the formality Alex had to show- he was just a kid but didn’t want him to face any consequences because Ben asked him to disregard it.

“Of course.” Ben agreed. Then Ben recognised the name Alex had mentioned. “Wait, Agent Mason? You mean Antony Mason?”

“He’s my guardian, sir- er Ben. Do you know him?”

Ben had met Mason three times and each meeting had been as equally unpleasant as the time before. He didn’t like Mason and he was quite sure that the feeling was mutual. Mason seemed to hate everyone besides Blunt. The fact that the two were so chummy was infuriating. They were a match made in heaven. Mason and Blunt were as cool and as calculating as each other. Ben didn’t trust Mason either. Mason was his superior so there was little he could do about his hatred for that agent.

“Yes, Alex. I know him.” Ben confirmed. “Poor you. That man has a stick up him- oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t insult your guardian in front of you.”

Mason may be an arse in his opinion but was still Alex’s guardian. It wouldn’t be fair to insult the man in front of him. Whatever dislike he held against the man did not change that Alex might like him.

“It’s all right.”

That was strange. He seemed unbothered by his obvious dislike for his legal guardian. When he was a teenager, he wouldn’t stand for someone insulting his father in front of him. He was loyal to his family. Alex had much the same morals. He was as loyal as they come once you had earned that loyalty. Did this mean didn’t care about this guardian? Considering what he knew about Mason, it was concerning. Ben could that Mason could be harsh. He hoped he wasn’t being too harsh on Alex. He would have to think more about that later. They had a mission to complete.

Chapter 10: Fury

Chapter Text

It was a little time after four o’clock before the jet touched down at Munich International Airport. Ben and Alex arrived that the villa shortly after that. It had all been arranged by MI6 in connection with the Federal Intelligence Service. When they arrived, there were a few members of staff milling about. Ben told him they were undercover agents, posted by Federal Intelligence as protection. Alex had already gathered that and wondered if they were posted to keep an eye out for Dolby or to spy on MI6. He concluded that it was likely a bit of both.

The villa was spacious enough to be comfortable but wasn’t the largest establishment Alex had been in. The undercover agents did not seem surprised that a teenager was helping MI6. They probably had been warned to expect someone his age to accompany them on this mission. They ignored them mostly. Alex wasn’t sure what their personal feeling about him being involved was as the agents were too well trained to make their opinions clear. He was just fine with that. The sooner he completed the objective the sooner he would be back home. Whatever home was.

“What should we do first?” Alex asked. He wasn’t used to deferring to someone else. Normally, on missions, he did whatever he felt was necessary when it was possible. This time though, he would have Ben to lean back on. It meant he had less freedom, but it also meant that he had someone there to help them in case things went wrong- which of course it would.

“Right now? We eat. Then I suppose we had better go to the Palace.” Ben suggested. “Alex?”

Ben realised that Alex was thinking about something. He had gone a little quiet. Of course, Alex had been a lot quieter than the last time he had met the boy. The silence was beginning to bother him. This was different though. It was a thoughtful silence.

“I was just thinking.”

“About Mrs Jones?” Ben inquired.

Alex blanched. He had thought about Mrs Jones. He was trying to plan when he and how he could make some discrete inquires about her disappearance. They were in the same city she last contacted them from. If anywhere could inform them about what happened to her, Munich could. It made sense to do some investigating. But if Ben had realised what Alex was on his mind, then he would be very angry with him. He would prevent Alex from disobeying orders and might hurt him to do so. Then he would tell on him and Alex would be in a whole heap of trouble.

“Erm, yes, I was just- I’m sorry.” Alex faltered.

Ben waved with off, trying to ignore the pain he felt when Alex flinched again. This kid was too jumpy for his liking. Clearly, the dangerous missions were beginning to take their toll on Alex. It was to be expected. Ben wouldn’t be surprised if he had PTSD.

“Don’t worry about it, Alex. I agree. We must do something about Mrs Jones. We can’t just leave here without making some inquires. Just- be careful.”

Alex nodded. He was surprised that Ben seemed so eager to help Mrs Jones too. He had expected him to be a little annoyed at the orders, but he hadn’t expected the man to actually disobey them. Blunt was Ben’s boss and disobeying him would end up in a stern reprimand. He felt a little guilty at that. Ben had high morals regarding loyalty.

Later that evening, Ben and Alex were in line for the Nymphenburg Palace. The crowds were beginning to lessen as the day tourists went home and those staying at nearby hotels headed back to their rooms. It was May 14th. They had just under 48 hours until the bomb went off.

Alex noticed a door. It was marked PRIVAT or PRIVATE in German. It was quite normal for a public building like this to have a door that wasn’t open to the general public. However, just as he was watching it he noticed someone. Someone who had been the cause of many nightmares.

Alex blinked awake. He wondered what was going on. The last thing he remembered was walking home from school with Sabina. His lanyard, with his school ID connected to it, was still tucked into to side pocket of his jacket. What had happened? Sabina!

He searched the room. He couldn’t see much. It was a basement and what little light generated from a blub above him, was dim. Alex noticed a body, he couldn’t see who it was but whoever it was, they were breathing. He leapt forward, getting a closer look at the person. Alex strained his eyes and gave a sigh of relief. It was Sabina. She was still unconscious but otherwise, she seemed unharmed.

“Sab?” He asked, shaking her awake. “Sab?!”

Sabina’s eyes flickered open at least. Alex let out another sigh of relief. Alex noticed a puncture mark on her neck. Instinctively he reached towards his neck and hissed when he came in contact with his own puncture mark. So, that’s how they had been captured.

Alex snapped his attention to Sabina. She was beginning to become more lucid. He could tell the minute Sabina realised there was something wrong. Her eyes widened in surprise and shock.

“Alex? What’s happened?” Sabina asked than answered her own question. “I mean obviously we’ve been kidnapped. But do you know anything else?”

Alex smiled. Good old Sabina. She seemed all right and was obviously a little shaken from the incident, but she was coping marvellously well considering.

“No. I don’t know any more than you do. I suspect that it is to do with my er previous employment. How though, is anyone’s guess. I just hope-”

The room was filled with light for a few seconds as the door opened. It blinded Sabina and Alex and the two teenagers blinked rapidly to protect their eyes. Alex recovered first. He shot to his feet and pushed a still blinked Sabina behind him. He put an arm behind them protectively.

“If you hurt us…” Alex began to threaten by was cut off by a rough grunt.

“Relax. If you are good and do what we say, there will be no need to hurt anyone.”

It was a man, judging by the voice. He was standing in the shadows, so it was hard to make out his features. It seemed the man didn’t like the lack of light. Maybe he preferred to be able to see the children he kidnapped. He reached up towards the lightbulb and with a towel, he adjusted it. The room filled with light once more. Alex forced himself to recover from the sudden brightness and get a good look at the man.

He was a pale Indian. Alex guessed he must have mixed raced ancestry. He was wearing a Dastar – the headscarf worn by Sikh men. There was an interesting birthmark below his left eye. It looked like a letter ‘m’.

“Who are you?”

“I have many names, but you may call me… Spider.”

“Why do you have eight legs? Or is it because you look like one?”

Spider laughed. It was not a nice laugh. Then he slapped Alex across the face. Urgh. His mouth was always going to run him into trouble.

“You reception proceeds you, Alex Rider. That smart mouth of yours will get you into trouble. I suggest you do not anger me.”

“You know who I am then.”

He could pretend that Spider was wrong. He could try and tell them there had been a mistake. It wouldn’t help him though. He had his ID in his pocket, they could very easily see who he was. If he tried to lie to them they may get angry. That could be dangerous. If it was just him, he would be willing to take more risks. But he wasn’t alone. Sabina was with him. If he angered them too much they may take it out on her. She was his insurance he realised. He would have to do what they said. He had Sabina with him. He had to keep her safe above all else. He wasn’t going to risk her safety, not for all the tea in China.

What was Spider doing here? It couldn’t be a coincidence. Munich was threatened with a terrorist attack and here was the man that had kidnapped him just before Mrs Jones disappeared. Alex didn’t believe in coincidences when it came to espionage but even if he did this was too much of a coincidence to be ignored. He felt a wave of fury overtake him. Spider had been the cause of the Pleasures’ murders. Forget Mrs Jones. This was personal.

“Ben. I’ve got to go. I’ll be back soon!” Alex hissed to Fox urgently.

“Wha-“

Ben didn’t get any further. Alex looked over the door Spider had just gone through only a few seconds ago. Someone else was opening it. He would have about five seconds to get through the door before it closed again.

“Stay here!” Alex snapped when he saw that Ben moved to follow him.

The situation made him forget his manner. He could have kicked himself. He had just ordered his superior officer about and now he was disobeying by running off on his own. He would pay for that later; he just knew it. Ben might be a little more tolerant of his behaviour but even the even-tempered Scott would have his limits.

There was no to worry about the possible repercussions. The ghost was clear. Now was his chance and he may never get another one. Alex dashed forward. No one was looking his way- it was now or never. He reached the steel door and slipped behind it just in time before it closed. He was trapped. His shoulder had bumped against the steel doorframe. He was out of breath. But he was in.

How he just had to find out what Spider was doing here and how he was connected with the Dolby affair. He also needed to see how it was connected with Mrs Jones’ disappearance. And of course, he had to make sure that Spider got his componence. He let Spider go once before he wasn’t going to let him get away again. Not after what he did.

Alex looked around. He was stood in a corridor. Where it led to, he didn’t know. He would have to find out. If he stayed around here then someone would find him eventually. Of course, if it was a security guard or a member of staff, he could pretend that he was a teenager getting up to mischief. He would be brought back to Ben and reprimanded for trespassing. It would scupper his plans to check out the place. He just hoped that they wouldn’t shoot him.

At the end of the corridor, there was a T junction. Directly ahead of his there was another door. Alex tried it but it was locked. He sighed. He wished he had been given the gadget to unlock doors. It would have been very helpful. Maybe he could get hold of a security card? It would be very risky- the chance that he would be spotted was high.

Turning left, he walked down another corridor. There was no sign of Spider. Alex groaned. This was just the limit. He had lost Spider a second time and this time had only been a few seconds behind him. Where had he gone? There were several doors he could have gone through, but it seemed to disappear into thin are like Houdini.

A door clicked.

Alex’s head snapped towards the direction of the sound. Making a decision immediately, he bolted towards the door that had made the noise. It was right at the end. Alex cursed when he saw the door was closed. Then he realised, with a smile, that his luck of the devil was holding out. It was closed, but the green light above told him all he needed to know. It wasn’t locked.

Looking around, to see if anyone was there and finding no one, he reached the door and opened it. He snuck through the doorway and glanced around the room. It seemed like some kind of lab. That was strange. Why would a museum need a lab? A kitchen would make sense but a lab? A lab was suspicious. It coincided with the idea of a terrorist attack.

Alex ducked behind a desk and looked out for Spider. He was stood in front of a centrifuge. There was a woman there too. He had dark skin and black hair. The two clearly knew each other. Spider leant forward and pecked the women on the check. The women leant into the hold. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, so he crept forward. When he was near enough, he dropped one of the earphones. Then, he crept back into the shadows: hidden.

Not for the first time, he had sent his thanks to Smithers. He would never have survived his first mission without him and the gadgets he had created. Mr Smithers was one of the few MI6 employees he actually trusted. The other one was Ben Daniels. Everyone else… well they had made their priorities quite clear, and it wasn’t his welfare.

Alex wondered if he would be allowed to keep the earphones. They would be very useful, partially when he didn’t understand the language people around him spoke. Like this time. Spider and his girlfriend spoke in Swiss German. The language was close enough to standard German that he understood a few words but too different for him to understand whatever he heard. That was where the earphones would come in handy. Suddenly, a LED display appeared. SWISS GERMAN it read. The Swiss authorities were after him too. It would make sense that he spoke it.

“How goes the preparations?” Spider asked the women.

“We are on target.” The women responded irritated. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course, I do my sweet, but we have a lot riding on this. We can’t get compliant. I’ve told you; we need to sure that everything goes according to plan.”

“And I’ve told you that I know what I’m doing. It will be ready in time.” The women snapped.

“Eliana. Please.” Spider pleaded, softer than he ever heard it. “Don’t let us argue.”

“Fine.” The women- Eliana apparently- agreed. “But you can tell that friend of yours that if he wants everything to go to plan he should leave me alone.”

“Dolby isn’t my friend. He isn’t yours either. He’s dangerous. Don’t forget that. I shall see you later my love.”

Alex let Spider get a safe distance away from him before he crept forward and picked up one of the earphones. He learnt a lot, but he needed to get back to Ben before it was too late.

Chapter 11: Trouble

Chapter Text

Alex carefully crept back the way he came, down the corridor and through the unlocked door. He heard someone coming so he quickly ducked into a nearby alcove. He waited a few seconds for the person- a security guard to pass before he continued back on his journey. How he was supposed to get through the locked door, he didn’t know. He would have to think though because the longer he stayed around here the bigger the chance that he would be spotted.

“What do you thinking you are doing here?” A voice demanded in German. Alex spun around in the direction the voice was coming from. The security guard which Alex thought had gone, was standing in front of him, his expression one of complete fury. He inwardly cursed himself for his mistake. Never assume- always check.

“Answer me, boy! What are you doing here?”

Alex could just about understand what the guard was saying but it was a little difficult. He wished his German was better and made a mental note to study it further when he could. He would also learn Mandarin. He needed to know the most widely spoken languages.

“Err, English?” Alex asked, playing the part of a British schoolboy who didn’t understand a word of German.

The guard muttered something to himself. Alex gathered it was about annoying British teenagers who didn’t speak any other languages. He glared at Alex.

“I asked you what you are doing here.” The man repeated in heavily accented English. “What do you think you are doing?”

“I’m sorry I was only exploring. My dad’s taken me here to study history and it’s really boring. I told him that I wanted to-”

It seemed that the guard had had enough. He didn’t want to hear about him complaining and insulting the museum. He didn’t want to know what the teenager wanted to do and he didn’t care if the teenager had been bored or not. The boy wasn’t allowed here and if his bosses saw that they had a security breach they might fire him. The guard grunted and grabbed hold of the boy’s arm.

“Come with me, boy.” He ordered.

“Let go of me!” Alex protested knowing that any teenager would do the same. “Let go of my arm!”

The man ignored his protests and dragged him along the corridor. Alex struggled against his hold, he hoped that he wasn’t going to be taken to Dolby or Spider. He could easily break out of the hold, but a usual teenager wouldn’t. He made up his mind to play along until it was clear where the man was taking me. Alex relaxed slightly when he realised he was being taken to the entrance hall.

“Where are your parents?” The guard demanded.

Oh. Good. It seemed that the security guard was not one of the hired goons that usually found him. He was a normal security guard and would react just like a normal security guard. It wouldn’t be the nicest thing but at least he wouldn’t be shot. He had been worried that he would have been.

“Now, come on kid.” The guard instructed. “You are in a lot of trouble, but you weren’t trying to do any harm. Don’t make this any worse than it already is for you. Help me find your parents.”

“It’s just my dad,” Alex informed him putting on a regretful tone. “Look, he’s going to be mad. Please, don’t tell him!”

“Where are your parents?” The man questioned again.

Alex and pointed into the crowd. The guard grabbed his arm again and walked him over to the group of tourists. When he spotted Ben, who looked like he was beginning to get worried, Alex pointed him out to the guard. He was walked rather harshly, towards Ben. The security guard cleared his throat. Ben turned around. Alex realised that he was discreetly searching the man for any sign of threat.

Ben slipped into his role as a concerned father within seconds. He ran forward, holding Alex’s head in his hands and checking him for injury.

“Aleck, where have you been? You went to the toilet ages ago.” Ben questioned. He turned to the security guard and glared at him.

“What are you doing to my son? Let go of his arm please.” Ben demanded threateningly. He gently pulled on Alex’s arm, eager to get the boy behind him.

The guard let go of the boy’s arm. The last thing he needed was for an angry father to make a complaint about the treatment of his dear sweet child. He believed that parents let children get away with too much these days. His bosses wouldn’t care about that though.

 “I suggest you keep a better eye on your child Mr-” The guard paused and looked at Ben, clearly asking for his name.

“MacNally. Lachlan MacNally.” Ben told the man his code name.

“I caught your son in a restricted area, Mr MacNally. He was trespassing.” The guard explained, curtly.

Ben shot Alex a concerned look. Alex nodded his head slightly so that Ben knew he was all right and then Ben’s expression turned to anger. He took hold of Alex’s arm and pulled him towards him. He pointed a finger at him, wagging it in an admonishing gesture.

“Aleck Joseph MacNally! That was very naughty of you running off like that and going where you shouldn’t. I’ve got a good mind to take you across my knee right here and now!” Ben scolded him, harshly. Alex froze at the threat. Was Ben serious? “You apologise, this incident, young man!”

Ben carried of the angry parent very well Alex thought. He could well believe, if he overheard this, that he was being scolded by his father. In fact, Alex almost believed he was actually in trouble. Then again, he did run off...

Alex turned over to the guard.

“Sorry, mister.” He apologised.

The security guard scowled at him. Well, Alex supposed that was deserved. If he was a security guard he would be annoyed if a teenager had got past a locked door and trespassed on private property.

“I trust he will be punished appropriately.” The security guard grunted, looking at Ben with confirmation.

Ben nodded. “Oh, you can be sure of that. The hiding I’m going to give him when we get back will make sure he never does this again. Look, you aren’t going to press charges, are you? And I’ve no right to ask it, but please don’t ban him. He needs to come here for a school project.”

The guard seemed pleased at that response. “Well, as long as he’s punished for it, I’m willing to put this down to childhood misadventure. Just make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

“Of course, thank you so much. This will never happen again.” Ben shot Alex a look. “I’m sorry my son caused all this trouble. I didn’t raise him to do this kind of thing. He’ll not sit for a week after I’m finished with him! Come along Aleck!”

“I’m sorry dad!” Alex apologised for the benefit of their cover.

“Oh, believe me, you will be!” Ben snapped back, playing the part he required perfectly.

Ben pulled him away from the line and out of the Palace. Alex gulped. Ben seemed very angry. Was Ben actually angry at him? Would he be punished for running off earlier? Once they were out of eyeshot of anyone though, Ben released his arm.   

Once they reached the car, Ben let out a sigh of relief. He reached a hand down to Alex’s shoulder but the boy, once again, flinched. It was like he was expecting to be reprimanded. Maybe his acting had been too believable.

“Are you all right? Where did you go?” Ben asked. He had been almost frantic when Alex disappeared. He assumed that Alex had noticed something that he needed to check out. Ben had ended trusting Alex to protect himself. The boy had good instincts and could hold his own. Logically, he knew that Alex would be all right but that didn’t stop him panicking.  

Alex briefly explained what had happened. When he got to the bit about overhearing the conversation, Ben smiled.

“I see. Well. That sort of changes things doesn’t it? I had better get on to Blunt about this. Good work Alex!”

Alex dropped his gaze. Wasn’t Ben angry at him? That threat of a spanking was still in his mind. It sounded real and he did disobey orders so it would be justified. If this were Mason he would have already peppered his backside with a few swats in public just to make it seem believable. Then once they were alone he would get the belt.

“Alex? Are you all right?” Ben asked. The boy seemed scared. Of him Ben realised. Alex was scared of him. He hadn’t been acting when he acted the chastised child earlier.  

“Are you angry with me?”

“No. I was concerned, and I would have preferred going after you, but I knew it would have been worse if I got caught snooping around. You can play it off as being a curious teenager. I cannot. Why?”

“You were pretty angry. It was realistic.” Alex explained. “So, does that mean you’re not going to spank me?”

Ben’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You believed that? God no. I would never... I just said that because if the security guard thought you were getting a severe punishment he’s less likely to push the issue. I don’t believe in corporal punishment.”

Why had Alex expected that? Was that he kept flinching? Did he keep thinking that Ben was going to hit him? What had his guardian done to make him think that? Ben had a hundred questions running through his head. He wasn’t going to get any answers tonight though.

“Oh, good.” Alex breathed out.

He wished Ben was his guardian if that was the case. He would much rather Ben deal with him when he broke the rules. Still, the scolding that he had given him had been enough to reduce Alex to tears. It was as though Ben was really angry at him or any rate disappointed. Ben was a good actor, but he never wanted to make him scold him like that!

“I thought MI6 was sent to apprehend Spider.”

“Well, obviously they were unsuccessful.”

“Ben, what are we going to do about Spider?” Alex asked, changing the subject. He needed to know what the next plan of action was. Just like Ben had said, the fact that he had spotted Spider changed matters. Alex suspected that the way that it changed matters was different depending on whom you asked.

“Are you sure that man you saw was Spider?”

“Of course! I’ll never forget that face.” Alex asserted. He shuddered at the reminder of the nightmares had had. “He’s the guy that killed Sabina and kidnapped me. He was responsible for killing the Pleasures too though I don’t know if it was directly or indirectly.”

Ben sighed. It seemed that at every turn a new piece of important information was thrown their way. A simple mission was turning out to be very complicated. Now, with the addition of Spider or whatever his real name was, it was even more so. It was more than that. It was dangerous: dangerous for Alex. Ben glanced down at the young teenager. If things got too risky he would have to send Alex back to England. He couldn’t, wouldn’t put the boy’s safety at risk, no matter what Blunt said. If the threat against Alex got any worse, he would put the boy on the next plane out of here, orders and consequences are damned!

“I don’t like this. If you are right and you did see Spider, and I must confess I and quite prepared to believe that you did, it changes matters. It’s getting too dangerous for you Alex. That man already kidnapped you once, I’m not going to let him do anything else to you.”

“Nothing will happen to me,” Alex promised.

Ben raised an eyebrow. Alex spent too much time reassuring everyone else. He spent too much trying to please adults. The more time he spent with the kid the longer, the more concerned he got.

“I certainly hope you’re right,” Ben admitted. If anything happened to Alex he would never forgive himself. That kid. He just meant so much to him. “I’ve read the file on your kidnapping, but it was mostly blacked out. However, based on what I did read, Spider is a very shroud character. I shouldn’t underestimate him.”

“That would be the last thing I should do.” Alex agreed. He looked out the window for a bit before continuing. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

Ben sighed again. He should have realised that Alex would notice that he dodged the question. The teenager was very astute.

“I don’t know Alex.” He answered, ruefully. “Right now, we need to find that bomb. Spider, well, he’s dangerous no doubt and that woman he spoke to is probably dangerous too. We will need to capture him. I shall inform Blunt and see what he thinks.”

“I think we should go after him.”

“No.”

“But-”

“I don’t think it is a good idea. I know that you have a personal connection to Spider and an investment in apprehending him but it’s too dangerous. Honestly, I want to send you home now that Spider is in the picture. Please do not approach him just yet.”

“Yes, sir,” Alex replied obediently. Ben had told him not to call him sir but respect had been hammered into him in the last year, especially when he was given orders. This seemed like one of those times.

“Alex. I’m not your superior no matter what Blunt says but I am your partner and an adult, Your wellbeing is my priority and while I can’t do much about you being involved, I can make sure you don’t take any unnecessary risks. Please promise you won’t do anything rash.”

The car pulled up at the Villa. Ben looked at Alex, waiting for his response. The teenager soon gave it, albeit begrudgingly.

“All right, Ben. I promise.”

After they got back to the Villa, the two ate quickly. It was getting late, and they would need to be up early in the morning. They were running out of time and the whole issue with Spider had taken a lot of it up. Alex went straight into a dreamless sleep.

That morning, Alex awoke early and dressed in record time. He thought about what had learnt. Ben was right. With Spider thrown in the mix, it made everything even more dangerous. That didn’t frighten Alex. He was too used to these sorts of situations by now. But if anything happened to Ben- speaking of which where was he? The realisation struck him like a train. The Villa was empty. Ben was gone!

Chapter 12: Curse of The Devil

Chapter Text

Alex was alert at once. He went straight to Ben’s room and found it empty. It wasn’t just empty. It was void of all activity. The bed didn’t look like it had been slept in. He had the presence of mind to take a picture of the room, knowing it may come in useful. He then scanned the room with the x-ray feature of the camera and found nothing out of ordinary. Once he had finished making a mental note of the state of the room, he shut the door and went downstairs.

Two of the undercover agents were in the kitchen when he entered it. They didn’t even look up when they heard his entrance. Alex scowled. He was didn’t like the cold and apathetic agents who seemed to care little about the current mission and the significance of the threat behind it. Alex strode purposefully towards them, taking note of their surprised expression.

“Have any of you seen Agent Daniels?” He asked.

The agents looked at each other before ignoring him and going back to their breakfast. It was meant as a dismissal, Alex had been a subordinate long enough to know that, but he ignored it. He ignored the fear that was creeping up.

 “Hey!” He got their attention by striking the wooden table, regretting it when pain exploded across his palm. His welts hadn’t healed. “It’s important! Zuhören!”

Alex used the German word for ‘listen’ to stress the importance of their undivided attention. It worked. Whether it was their training or the urgency in his voice that made them listen, Alex didn’t know and neither did he care.

“Have you seen Agent Daniels?” He asked again.

The woman was the one that answered him. “No.”

“There we are, that wasn’t hard now was it?” Alex chastised. “He’s gone. Have you heard from him? Do you have any idea where he might be?”

The agents fell silent again. They hadn’t apricated been given the third degree by a teenager and they certainly didn’t like being interrogated by him. Alex was beginning to lose his temper.  

“Antworten Sie mir!” He commanded in German again, answer me. He smacked his hand against the table ignoring the burning pain it caused.

“We haven’t heard anything from him.” The man answered.

“Then that was the answer! Alex snapped angrily at the time they wasted.

“Maybe he went for a walk.” The women suggested, unbothered by the disappearance of Ben. It angered Alex even more.

“Thanks for nothing,” Alex growled before storming out of the kitchen. If Blunt or Mason were here they’d have slapped him for disrespect. He would no doubt that word would be sent reporting his insolence. He would pay for it, that he was certain. However, the worry he felt for Ben and his instincts honed by years of training, Alex found that for once, he didn’t care.

After leaving the kitchen, he looked around the villa. There were no signs of a struggle, but Alex doubted that if Ben left it was entire of his own volition as there he hadn’t left a note. He felt quite sure that if Ben went out of a walk as the Agent suggested, he would have left one. But if he had been abducted then in the villa then why hadn’t he woken up? Why hadn’t he be taken? No. Something was very wrong and if the agents weren’t going to help, then he would have to help Ben himself.

Making up his mind, Alex took some money from a draw. He made with a way to the main road and hailed a taxi. He was thankful that the driver spoke English, but he made himself speak in German to get the practice. After arriving in the town centre nearby the palace, he paid the driver and set off in the crowded market. He would start at the palace, if he couldn’t find Ben he would have to deal with the bomb himself.

The palace was just starting to get busy, but it didn’t take long for him to get to the front of the queue. He paid for his ticket and was soon lost in the crowd of tourists. Now he was among the nameless, faceless, crowd and he could use that to his advantage. Alex moved with the crowd, playing the part of the interested tourist. Then, when no one was looking, he cut away from the group.

He found the locked door he had got through again and that’s where he found it. It was a piece of paper- no Alex realised. It was a napkin. He picked it up. If anyone said anything he could just say he found some rubbish and wanted to put it in the bin. Alex uncrunched it.

There was a rough drawing on the napkin. It had been written in blue biro. It was a fox. So, it was a message. Ben had been here and had dropped the napkin, knowing that Alex would wake to discover him missing. Ben knew that Alex would follow after him. He hadn’t had the time to leave a more detailed message, so it was clear that was in some kind of danger. He needed help.

Alex looked around. There was no one there. He needed to get in, but it was locked- so what should he do? Then it came to him. It was risky but there was no other option. The Palace had a good fire alarm system. As it was open to the public, it needed to be in working order. When one of the alarms got set off, it would automatically unlock every door. In their haste to make everyone safe, they had risked security. Alex only had to trigger an alarm to do so. Luckily he had a smoke bomb then.

Pleased with his plan, he moved over to a fire alarm. It wasn’t the nearest one, that might attract too much attention. He squirted a good amount of the sun-cream on the floor and salivated. It was a bit disgusting, spitting on the cream like that but it was necessary. He didn’t know how much it required but once it was wet, he advanced towards a bookcase selling postcards and ducked behind it. He waited.

His patience was quickly rewarded. Smoke started billowing from the ground, twisting, and reaching the spoke alarm at an alarming rate – no pun intended. A shrill emanated all around him and causing quite a din. The lead security guard snapped into action at once. He began barking orders in a mixture of German and English, directing everyone to the fire exits. The panic that it caused was the perfect direction and no one noticed that he slipped through the same door he had before.

Alex’s sharp eyes spotted scuff marks down the corridor. He hadn’t gone down this one before, but he knew that the marks hadn’t been there before. That meant they had been made recently and by someone struggling- someone had been dragged down here. Alex was sure that it was Ben. Who else could it be?

He sped down the corridor, following the scruff marks like a trail of breadcrumbs in a fairy tale. Alex came to a fork in the corridor, but the marks didn’t continue down the second corridor. The scuff marks came to an abrupt stop, right at the skirting board connected to a door.

Alex looked around. He ducked when he saw someone walk by a window and open another door that led to an office. Thinking quickly, he chucked on his earphones through the door. It clattered against the wall and fell, hidden behind the hinges of the door. No one heard it though. He turned back to the door the scuff marks led to. He opened it.

And was promptly pulled inside and shoved into a wall. In the few seconds, it took to overcome his surprise, a hard punch landed in the middle of his face. Alex threw his hands up, taking on a fighting stance. He was about to defend himself, about to engage in combat with his attacker and deflect further blows when a gasp of surprise made him reassess the threat. No further blows had landed and when Alex saw who it was, he relaxed though the pain in his check was getting worse. Great. Another bruise to add to the collection. It didn’t matter though because in front of him was the man he had been looking for. Ben Daniels had a similar black eye and seemed tired. He looked regretful. But he seemed all right considering.  

“Ben!” He cried, accepting the warmth of Ben’s embrace.

Ben hadn’t thought before he charged at the person who opened the door to his prison. He yanked them inside and propelled them into a wall. It was only after his fist started its trajectory that he realised that it was Alex. He tried to change the direction of the punch, but it was too late. It landed in the place he aimed for: between Alex’s nose and eye socket, hitting the zygomatic and maxilla (the bones directly below the eye) with enough force to leave an immediate bruise. He let out a surprised gasp. The guilt he felt for hurting the boy he swore to protect knocked the air out of him.

“Alex! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Ben apologised. Alex seemed unbothered by the punch and that was what worried him. He never seemed bothered when he was hit. It didn’t mean anything good.

“It’s all right, Ben but if this is the way you meet an old friend, I hate to see how you met an old enemy,” Alex reassured.

“But…”

“I think we have more pressing matters to deal with.” Alex pointed out, risking further punishment for interrupting. “Shh. Listen here, I dropped one of the earphones in the office nearby.”

Alex held up the earphone so that both of them could listen to them. The case indicated that the language being spoken was Swiss German. Alex recognised Spider. His voice still sent a shiver down his spine.

“Well?” Spider asked.

“It was a false alarm, sir.” A voice reported. Alex recognised it too. It was the guard that caught him snooping earlier.

“Of course, it was.” Spider said to himself. “Thank you, Bernhagen. Assemble the team at once. And close the museum, just to be on the safe side.”

“Yes, sir,” Bernhagen replied. The sound of him retreating could be heard as his footsteps got quieter.

Another man spoke. Alex didn’t recognise it. Ben did though. The urgency could be seen in his eyes. ‘Dolby’ he mouthed. The transmitter was one way, but he reminded silent anyway – more out of instinct than anything.

“Is it done?” Dolby asked. His tone was harsh and angry though Alex suspected that it was always like that.

“Yes. I told you I would do my job.” A woman – Eliana- snapped back. “Stop doubting me, Dolby. You…”

“Eliana.” Spider’s voice was nothing short of a warning. He turned to Dolby. “What shall we do with our friend?”

Obviously by ‘out friend’ they meant Ben. Alex bristled when he heard them mention him. Having his suspicions that Ben had been kidnapped by Spider, was not something he wanted.

“Leave him. He’ll be the perfect bait for the boy. Once two are them are together, shoot them.” Dolby ordered. It was clear that he was the one in charge.

They were interrupted by a door opening. The sound of different footsteps carried by their owners’ unique gaits filled the room before they came to a stop.

“You wanted to see us, sir,” Bernhagen spoke for the group.

“Yes, I did. You see, Bernhagen, I wanted witnesses.” Spider explained. “I see you are confused. I want them to see how I deal with incompetence. Why didn’t you tell me about the boy that broke in?”

“Sir, I’m sorry.” Bernhagen apologised. “I just didn’t think it was necessary. It was just a troublesome teenager getting up to mischief because he was bored. I told his father and he yelled at his son. I don’t think the boy will be sitting very comfortably tonight or for the foreseeable future if you see what I mean.”

“It doesn’t matter. You should have told me.” Spider snapped.

“Relax-” Bernhagen began to complain but he never finished his sentence. A gunshot ran out followed by several gasps. Then a low thud. Alex didn’t need to be there to know what happened.

“Does anyone else want to tell me to ‘relax’?” Spider asked. “I didn’t think so. Let this be a lesson. If anyone acts suspiciously or if they are caught snooping around, they are to be captured and brought straight to me. It doesn’t matter how harmless they seem or how old, you will bring them here. Anyone going against these consequences will face much the same consequences as Bernhagen here. Is that clear?”

There was a chorus of ‘yes sirs’. Alex wasn’t surprised.

“Dismissed.”

The sound of footsteps leaving the room could be heard again before a door slammed shut.

“Now, that’s sorted, let’s get back to the plan.” Spider suggested. “I think-”

He was interrupted by Dolby’s voice. It was louder than before. That wasn’t good.

“Just a minute, Spider.” Alex winced as the voice got even louder.

“What’s that?” Eliana’s voice was very quiet in comparison and Alex had to strain to hear it.

“It’s an earphone. But I think…” Dolby trailed off. “Someone has been listening in.”

In the distance, Alex heard Spider give a yell of anger, but it was largely drowned out. When Dolby spoke again, it was in English. He must have some idea of the person he was speaking to or at least whom they represented.

“To the eavesdropper listening on the other side, I hope we’ve given you a show. I hope you heard my friend shoot Bernhagen. His first name is Emmerich, by the way, and he made one mistake. Imagine what I’ll do to you.”

That was the last thing they heard before the sound of static filled the room. Alex pictured Dolby dropping the earphone on the ground before crushing it under his foot. Their cover was blown. Dolby knew that there were British agents in Munich. They knew what they were doing there too, and Alex was sure that Spider had told him about MI6 and the teenage spy. They would soon be here to speak to Ben and when they found him… Spider might finish the job.

Thinking of Spider, made him realise something. What about Mrs Jones? Other than seeing Spider, there had been no information regarding her disappearance. Alex sighed. Then in a sudden burst of anger, he threw the remaining earphone against the door. It didn’t break but that didn’t matter anyway. Why was it that he never managed to keep old of a gadget? Luck of the Devil? Curse of the Devil more like!

Chapter 13: Bombs Away

Notes:

I'm not completely happy with this mission but I wanted to have one. I'm not that great at that kind of thing. I also wanted the mission to be quick pacing. I hope it is alright! Oh and I nearly forgot. Thank you to all those that have commented! It really makes me happy. I keep meaning to give my thanks but I keep forgetting. That seemed rude. So THANK-YOU! I am very grateful! When I posted the first chapter, I didn't imagine that anyone would read and enjoy it much less actually comment!

Chapter Text

Dolby was the one that came to see them. Ben pushed Alex behind him when the door opened. At once, Alex could tell why MI6 were so eager to capture him. The reports about Dolby had not been greatly exaggerated. It was clear that the man was a formidable character. Alex could quite believe that he could be responsible for a bomb going off resulting in mass murder.

“Agent Daniels.” Dolby greeted. “Or do you prefer Lachlan MacNally? And this must be your ‘son’ Aleck MacNally alias – Alex Rider.”

Dolby punctuated ‘son’ with air quotes. Alex noted he had a Swiss lilt to his tone. Dolby is wanted by the Swiss Intelligence. He likely originated from there. Alex thought to himself. Ben knew that the jig was up. They had already guessed his true identity and sheer stubbornness would just get them killed. He couldn’t risk Alex. He had already been hurt too much for Ben’s liking.

“You see, the thing is, you have seen and heard far too much. Now that the two of you of in the same place, I may as well dispose of you.”

Dolby pulled out a gun. His finger was on the trigger. A shot rang out, hitting Ben in his arm. It wasn’t a life-threatening injury but enough to incapacitate him.

“I would kill you straight away but then you would miss the show.” Dolby goaded.

A second later, Alex felt the cold harshness of metal at the base of his skull. Ben froze for a second before he recovered. His injury was forgotten. He put his hand up in a gesture of surrender. He wasn’t going to try anything- not with Alex being held at gunpoint.

The click of the safety catch being taken off again made Ben flinch. To his surprise, Alex remained fairly calm. He could see the fear in his eyes, but it didn’t carry to his body language. Then, he closed his eyes as if accepting death before another shot rang out. Alex fell to the floor…

Alex closed his eyes. Maybe, this was it. This was how his life would end. A shot rang out and Alex found himself falling to the floor. His face exploded in pain as it smacked against the ground. That was strange. If he was dead, he wouldn’t feel anything. So, the logical conclusion was that he was still alive. But the shot… Alex found his answer. He felt warm wetness trickling down the back of his head. Dolby’s was lying on top of him, lifelessly, his arms pinning him in place. Someone had shot him but who?

Before the feeling of grief could overwhelm Ben, he noticed that Dolby was lying still. The bullet had hit Matthias Dolby and now the man was dead. Who had fired the shot? Ben didn’t wait for the answer. Just because they killed Dolby didn’t mean they were friendly. He pushed Dolby’s body aside and pulled Alex up by his arm.

“Are you all right, Alex?” Ben asked.

“I’m fine Ben but what about you? You’re the one that got shot!”

Ben hissed at the reminder. Alex ripped up a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around his wound in a tight tourniquet. It wasn’t serious. The bullet was a through and through and he would need medical attention, but it wasn’t urgent. What was urgent was discovering who shot Dolby and determining their threat.

Footsteps stopped their musing. Someone was coming. Alex felt himself being pushed behind Ben protectively. He wanted to protest that because Ben was already injured after all and extra injury could have put his life at risk. However, he had already taken a few risks with his conduct on this case, and he didn’t think that Ben’s tolerance for him would last much longer practically now he was injured. He said that he was against corporal punishment but didn’t want to risk it.

A woman came in. Alex recognised her as the woman that Spider called Eliana. Why would she kill Dolby? After overhearing her, he got the impression that Eliana didn’t like Dolby, but it was also clear he was needed for whatever plan the three of them were involved in. Why would she risk blowing the operation by killing him? The obvious answer was that he was about to shot him. That brought up another question. Why would she care about him? It didn’t make sense.

Ben seemed to agree with his assessment of the case because the grip on Alex’s arm tightened but not painfully so. Coincidentally, Ben’s hold was in the same place that Wolf had grabbed his arm only a few days earlier. The difference in the two holds was striking. Where Wolf’s hold had been harsh and rough, Ben’s hold had been firm and protective but gentle. Where Wolf’s hold had been painful, Ben’s hold had been comforting. Where he had been scared of Wolf and concerned that he would hurt him, Alex had been completely at ease with Ben and was confident in the knowledge that he would protect him not hurt him.

“You can relax, you are in no danger,” Eliana reassured. At once Alex spotted that her accent had changed. Before it had been a thick Swiss accent but now she spoke in an American accent. It was North-western if Alex wasn’t mistaken.

“Who are you?” Ben demanded, not realising his hold on Alex’s arm.

“Parson is the name. Special Agent Eliza Parson- CIA.” Eliana- no Eliza informed them. She got out her badge and held it up for Ben to inspect.

Ben took the badge. It could be fake of course but his instincts told him that that wasn’t the case. He had little choice but to believe the women. They had little time to debate it. Time was running out. He had to risk it. He realised the grip on Alex’s arm. He still stood in between them – he wasn’t going to take unnecessary risks, not with Alex standing right there.

“We need to stop that bomb,” Eliza stated. He pressed a gun into Ben’s hand. “Spider won’t away for too long.”

Alex noted the change in Eliza’s tone. Before she had spoken his name with affection and the fondness for the man had been clear. Now it was harsh, and disdain dripped from his tone. A sneer appeared on her face. Eliza was a good actor. Beforehand Alex would have been certain that she loved Spider but now he was surprised she hadn’t killed Spider just yet.

Eliza looked over to Alex. She frowned at him and he realised that she didn’t know why he was there. It was to be expected. MI6 didn’t exactly make the knowledge about their teenage spy public. Byrne knew of course but just because the Director of the CIA knew didn’t mean Agent Parson did.

“What’s the kid doing here?” She asked.

“I’m afraid that’s classified. Your director knows all about it.” Ben explained.

“You know the director?” Eliza questioned.

“Not personally,” Ben admitted. He indicated Alex. “My friend here has met him a few times. He stays with me. Will that be a problem?”

“No, as long as he doesn’t get in the way.” Eliza agreed. It wasn’t important right now.

“He isn’t helpless, don’t underestimate him,” Ben growled disliking how Eliza dismissed him.

Eliza looked over to Alex. He didn’t look like much and she much prefers if the boy wasn’t here. What he was doing on an MI6 mission was beyond her. She wasn’t paid to ask questions about that though. She gave him a sharp look though.

“What’s your name, kid?” Eliza demanded.

“Alex Rider, ma’am.” He answered politely. It was a lot safer to be respectful – he didn’t know what might get back to Mason and Blunt.

“Well, Alex Rider, you will do exactly what I say when I say it. Don’t get in my way and we’ll be just fine. I don’t need you getting yourself killed. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Alex agreed, not letting on that the dismissal of his abilities annoyed him. It wasn’t his place.

“Don’t cause me any extra trouble or you’ll regret it. Clear?”

Alex paled slightly at the threat. Would she hit him too? She wasn’t MI6, she wasn’t even British, but it seemed everyone else was allowed to strike him- why wouldn’t she be allowed to?

“Yes ma’am.” He whispered nervously.

“Don’t speak to him like that.” Ben snapped. “He’s not your subordinate. Now, let’s get this bomb sorted.”

Something just occurred to Alex. This woman was the one that made the bomb – or at least something that Dolby had been interested in. If she was CIA why would she do that? Unless…

“Just a second, Ben.” Alex interrupted. “You the one that made the bomb. Why should trust you if you did that?”

That angered Parson. How dare this jumped-up little teenager question her integrity? She would teach him to disrespect her!

“I didn’t make the bomb.” She huffed. “You overheard me talking about me creating the vaccine for it. I created an antidote as a failsafe. The bomb’s still real.”

“But how do we know that? This may be a trap. You might be a triple agent for all we know.”

“Are you suggesting I’m a terrorist?” Agent Parson snarled, advancing towards him threateningly.

“N-no, ma’am.” Alex stuttered, stepping backwards eager to get any from the angry agent. Please don’t hit me! He begged silently.

“Leave him alone,” Ben ordered. “It is a perfectly valid question. I won’t lie, I don’t trust you. If you lay a finger on him you’ll have me to answer to.

“I wasn’t going to! Do you think I get off on hurting kids?” Eliza demanded. He didn’t like the kid or his questioning, but she wouldn’t hit him. Yell at and intimidate yet, but physically harm? No way!”

“I don’t know, you might.”

“Why how dare you…”

They didn’t have time for this. Alex knew that yelling at the two agents would only add to the list of his misdeeds, but the threat of the bomb was real. There was a cure but that wouldn’t help everyone. People would still die if they didn’t get on with the mission. He might get slapped for disrespect- or worse- but he would have to take that risk.

“STOP!” Alex yelled, getting their attention at once. He flinched at it. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have time for this.”

They didn’t scold or hit him, so Alex presumed that they realised the urgency of the situation. The three of them made their way to the lab. It was a lot easier now that they had someone working undercover with them. When they got to a locked door, Eliza unlocked it by scanning her palm print.

“The bomb is this way. We need to find a way to disarm it.” Eliza informed them.

Ben and Alex allowed themselves to be guided by Eliza. Ben was still alert, holding the gun Eliza had given him and keeping Alex behind him as they walked. He only had Eliza’s word going in the right place. He only had Eliza’s word for it that the gun worked at all. But with time running out and Ben’s gun at the bottom of the Badenburger See, he didn’t have much choice.

Eliza took them to a room at the back of the lab- a store cupboard. In the middle of the room was a very dangerous object. It was the dirty bomb- the very thing they had all been looking for. Once the adrenaline had worn off, the three of them would likely be very scared at being so near something that could cause some much discretion and that would obliterate them within a fraction of a millisecond should it be detonated.

“How do we defuse it?” Ben asked. “YouTube is very helpful, but I can’t imagine it would tell us that. You seem science-y. What would you do?”

“I may be able to, but I’ll need to see inside it. I don’t have any schematics and without that, it would be too risky.”

“You mean…”

“Quiet boy, the adults are talking.”

“Let him speak!” Ben scolded harshly. “And if you keep talking to him like that, I’ll complain to Byrne himself. He is very fond of Alex.”

“Fine.” Eliza agreed begrudgingly. “What is it?”

“I was just about to ask, ma’am, if taking an x-ray of it would be sufficient.”

“It would but, unfortunately, moving the bomb would be too dangerous and I do not have a portable x-ray.”

 “I do ma’am,” Alex informed her, pulling his camera from his bag.

“That’s a camera.”

“It’s a gadget ma’am. It takes x-ray pictures.” He explained before snapping a picture of the bomb.”

A few seconds later, a picture of the bomb’s internal mechanism appeared on the display. Alex pressed a button and shortly after the photo was generated. He handed it to Eliza who took it sceptically.

“Will that do, ma’am?” Alex asked.

“Yes! That’ll do!” Eliza replied excitedly.

“Pig,” Ben added. He couldn’t resist. It was too good an opportunity to miss.

“What?” Eliza demanded, thinking that Ben was insulting her.

“Have you not seen Babe?” Ben asked slightly amused at his joke. He referenced the last line of the film.

“Now’s not the time for jokes.” She reminded.

“Does this help?” Ben asked, getting serious.

“Yes, it does.”

Ben smiled like a proud parent and clapped Alex on the shoulder ignoring the flinch that it caused. He would show Parsons not to under-rate him! People often grew impressed when they saw him in action.

“Good thinking Alex.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Ben shot Alex a curious look. When the teenager indicated Parson, he understood. He had to act as a respectful subordinate while there were witnesses.

“We need some smoke,” Eliza informed them after studying the photo. “But not something that will get hot. Fire would set it off. Smoke will interrupt the connectors. But how?”

“I can help with that too, ma’am,” Alex told her. “Where does the smoke need to be?”

Eliza frowned. Then she pointed to the exposed wires. “Right there. What do you think you are doing?”

Eliza’s hand shot forward as Alex began squirting the rest of the sun cream over the wires. Ben grabbed her hands.

“Just, wait.” He instructed, sharply.   

Alex spat on the sun cream. He pulled Ben and Eliza back so that the smoke wouldn’t go in their faces. Shortly after, smoke began filling the gaps in the bomb. The lights flickered out. They were safe; the bomb was defused. They had saved millions of lives.

But there was something else. The mission was officially accomplished but they weren’t finished yet. Alex was certain that Munich would be vital in discovering Mrs Jones’ location and he wasn’t going to leave Germany without at least checking. His spy senses were tingling. The bomb had been defused but the threat wasn’t over, yet.   

Chapter 14: A Dying Declaration

Notes:

Hello everyone! Again, thank you for all the reviews. The quote the doctor said was from the poem The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson. This was one of the poems I studied for my GCSEs. This chapter is the last we will hear of Fox/Ben for now but don’t worry! He’ll be back! Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Text

Eliza, Ben, and Alex let out simultaneous sighs of relief. They left the store cupboard, smiling to themselves. Just a few minutes ago they were faced with a radioactive explosion that would decimate the local area and causing the death of millions both in the near and distant future.

"I'm sorry I doubted you, Alex." Eliza apologised.

"That's all-right ma'am." He responded. People often underestimated him because of his age. It was helpful when those that underestimated meant him harm but when they were working with him it just made his job a lot harder.

"That woman was right about you. You are very inventive."

"Thank you, ma'am." Alex smiled. Wait a second. "But what women ma'am?"

Eliza stopped in her tracks. She looked around as if she were searching it for something – or someone. Alex wasn't stupid. Whoever had spoken to Eliza had known enough about him to know that he worked with MI6. There was only one person she could think of.

"Eliana?" The three of them snapped to the voice that sounded suddenly. It was Spider. He looked hurt and then his expression morphed into anger. It seemed that the penny had dropped.

"Eliza." The woman correctly, not hiding the pure hatred she had for the man. "CIA. You're under arrest."

She didn't see the gun until it was too late. She advanced towards him, ready to take Spider into custody. Her superiors would be happy. They had been after this young man for a while now. She never got that chance. Spider shot her, right in the gut. He aimed for her again. This time towards her skull.

Ben jumped into action at once. His gun was trained on Spider in a split second. He didn't hesitate for a second before his finger pressed down sharply on the trigger. The gunshot was deafening. Spider slumped to the floor – dead. Good. He deserved that much for hurting Alex and killing the family he had created after Cairo. And now, he had shot Eliza. Ben was still pretty indifferent to her, but she had risked her life to help them. She didn't deserve death.

Alex crumpled to the floor next to Eliza. He hadn't known her long enough to be close to her, but he couldn't feel anything but sadness and self-hatred. Why did people keep getting hurt when around him?

"You're going to be all right." Alex soothed though he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Eliza or himself.

"I have – urgh- a message. From Mrs Jo-nes." Eliza breathed out. They all knew it was pointless. She had mere seconds left before she bled out. It took the last of her energy to talk but it was important that said what she needed.

"Mrs Jones? Where is she?" Alex demanded urgently. He knew that Munich was the key to the whole mystery. It didn't pass Alex by that this wasn't the first time someone was dying before him. It wasn't the last time he heard someone's last words. It wouldn't be the last – would it?

"She's no' here. She's -argh- been taken - to uggh - the Isle of Man." Eliza explained.

"Shh." Alex hushed her. "Everything's going to be all right."

He squeezed Eliza's arm as she let out her last breaths. It wouldn't be long now. Alex would stay with her. No one deserved to die alone at least- not like this. Her eyes fluttered closed, and her breath began to lessen. A few seconds later, she was still. Alex had been around death enough to know that it was all over. He could start CPR but there was no point. There was nothing anyone could do anymore. Alex wondered about her family. They would never truly know the sacrifice she made.

Alex jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun his head around to see Ben's grave and sad face. His eyes were tired and twisted slightly in pain. Of course! Ben had been shot. He needed medical attention and he couldn't do that here. He didn't want to leave Eliza but there wasn't anything he could do for her now. Ben was his priority.

"Are you all right?" Ben asked.

Alex nodded sadly.

"I should be asking you that question." He pointed out, indicating the injury to Ben's arm. "You need medical attention."

"Come on, let's get out of here," Ben suggested. "I had better call in the calvary. We need to tell the CIA that one of their agents has been killed in the line of duty."

A medivac was going to meet them at the Villa. On the way back, in their car, Alex turned his thoughts back to the message that Agent Parson had given to him. It sounded like they should be taking their search to the Irish Sea. But then if Mrs Jones had been taken there why hadn't they heard from here? It seemed unlikely that the missing ex-head to MI6 would be taken to a British Crown Dependency without anyone knowing. Then again, she had only been in Munich a few days ago – maybe she had only just arrived?

"You're thinking about what she said." Ben's voice broke his musing.

"She said she's been taken to the Isle of Man." Alex reminded. "What are we going to do?"

Ben sighed. "What can we do? It was different when it sounded like she was here, It would have been easier to come up with an excuse to stay. We can't just rush off to the Isle of Man at a moment's notice and without a real reason."

"So, where aren't going to check on it? We can't just leave her!" Alex protested.

"Hang on a second and wait. I'm not suggesting that we don't do anything. I'll tell Blunt and make some discrete inquires about it. It's easier for me to do that- they don't have a constant watch over me. I'm not going to abandon her. No man left behind means something to me. I may no longer be in the SAS but believe me, the SAS is a part of me."

"That… makes sense." Alex agreed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have suggested that you would do anything other than the honourable thing."

"You're used to doing things on your own." Ben pointed out. "I get that. There's no need to apologise but please remember that whatever you need, I'll be there. You aren't alone. You have me and you always will."

"Thank you, sir-" Alex stopped before correcting himself. "Ben."

Ben wasn't like the other agents at MI6. He had always helped him and always tried to protect him. He had saved his life countless times. If anyone had earned his trust that it was Ben. Maybe he could begin to rely on people once more. No. Ben might not necessarily hurt him, but he might get hurt himself. Everyone who cared about him and got close to him ended up dead. His uncle, Jack, The Pleasures- even his parents were killed shortly after he was born. That wasn't a coincidence. Even if Ben did survive the Alex Rider Curse, he didn't know him very well. Alex knew he could be difficult and defiant, but Ben didn't. When he found that out… he would hurt and punish him too. It was just what he deserved.

"How are you?" Ben questioned again.

"I'm not the one that got shot." Alex reminded.

"I'm not asking in a physical sense, though I am worried about that black eye. I mean are you all right mentally? You saw someone get shot and die – three times. The man that kidnapped and killed the Pleasures made a reappearance and we've just thwarted a plan that, if it had been successful, would have killed millions. That's a lot to go through. You've had a very trying time in the last few days."

Alex shrugged. "I guess. I'm just glad it's all over. At least- this mission. We've still got to find Mrs Jones."

"We will," Ben assured him. "I have a good feeling about this. The Isle of Man- it's a good lead."

That reminded Alex of something. He first heard about Mrs Jones' disappearance a year ago from John Crawley. Alex could abide the man but his loyalty -and feelings- towards Mrs Jones were unwavering and undeniable. He asked Alex to contact him if she contacted him. She had- albeit indirectly. Crawley loved Mrs Jones- Alex was sure about that. It meant that he was trustworthy when it came to the investigation. If it were any other situation, Alex wouldn't trust him as far as he could throw him. But when it came to Mrs Jones, it was clear that Crawley wanted her to be found safe. Alex didn't trust Blunt to follow up the lead with any gusto. Crawley however… Alex would contact him and pass the information on directly. If it was left to Blunt, Mrs Jones would never be found. He didn't like the woman, but she didn't deserve that.

Twenty minutes later, Alex was waiting in the foyer of the Villa. There had been a buzz of activity as the undercovers left to report to their respective superiors. Two of the agents stopped in the hallway and glared at Alex. They were the ones he shouted at earlier, he realised. They weren't happy with that. Well. It was needed. They had been pretty useless.

"Alex," Ben called. "It's the time!"

Alex gave one last look at the Villa. He hadn't been there long enough to appreciate the architecture or to look upon the building with any type of fondness. He wasn't sorry to leave it. In fact, he wasn't sorry to leave Munich at all. What was it with missions destroying his love for cities? Alex almost laughed. He was well travelled but not out of choice and certainly not out of enjoyment.

"Alex?" Ben asked concerned.

"I'm coming, sir, I'm sorry," Alex told him. It didn't hurt to be respectful when there were so many people around. The walls had ears- especially when MI6 was involved.

The doctor on the medivac quickly looked over Ben. He declared that his injury wasn't serious- just like Alex suggested. The tourniquet has stopped him from losing too much blood. He was soon fitted with a sling. He would be out of action for a few weeks at least. It was good news. It meant that it was easier for him to follow the Isle of Man lead.

"What about Alex?" Ben asked once the doctor had finished looking him over. He gladly took the painkiller that he had been offered.

He knew that Alex's injury wasn't dangerous. He knew that his own condition was more serious. A black eye- while painful- would not kill Alex. At worse, he could expect a mild concussion. That didn't stop him from feeling worried or prevent the guilt. He was the one that was responsible for that pain. It had been an accident still- but Ben still hated himself for it.

The doctor shrugged his shoulders. "I've already been given my orders about the boy. Unless it is serious, I am to leave it to his personal doctor."

"But why…" Ben began. He was about to question why a doctor who had made an oath to do no harm, would be willing to prevent medical treatment to a minor. He was interrupted sharply by the doctor.

"Mine is not to reason why, mine is but to do and die." The doctor quoted. "I imagine Rider's guardian wants to check the boy's all right himself particularly when his personal doctor will know his medical history. However, it is not my duty to ask questions."

That made sense, Ben supposed. It wasn't what he would do if he was Alex's guardian. He would demand that the boy receive a check-up before the doctor did anything else. If it wasn't serious how would the doctor know if he didn't check? He didn't see Alex get hurt other than that punch but that didn't mean it didn't happen. If he were Alex's guardian- Ben stopped himself. He wasn't Alex's guardian and there was no use thinking otherwise. It didn't matter what Ben wanted. Alex was more important.

Alex got some sleep as they flew home. It wasn't comfortable and his hands were bothering him again – he regretted hitting them against that wooden table. However, since his uncle's death, he had learnt to get sleep where he could and developed the ability to sleep anywhere. Alex laughed as he considered that. He imagined himself a card in a trading card game. Alex Rider – special ability: sleeping anywhere.

Ben and Alex were taken straight to the Bank. When they got there, Ben was ushered away by an agent that Alex didn't recognise. He was going to the medical bay Alex realised. There he would be checked over once more and his medical needs would be logged onto the system. Then he would be required to write a report into what caused the injury. It was the standard protocol for MI6 agents that got injured. Well, agents other than him.

"Alex!" Someone called him.

Alex turned around and saw the same person that he needed to talk to. It seemed he was waiting for him. Crawley must have found out about the message sent from Munich and now that he had returned he was going to ambush him for information.

"Mr Crawley." Alex greeted politely. He was in the confines of the Bank. He couldn't risk being anything other than respectful. "How can I help you, sir?"

It was a striking contrast to how he spoke to Crawley the last time. Before he hadn't hidden his contempt for the man. Now, he acted like he saw pleased to see him. But then before he wouldn't have been smacked for it. Now, he would be lucky if that was all he got off with.

"Did you hear from Mrs Jones?" He questioned, urgently. If he was surprised by his change in attitude he didn't comment on it.

"Not directly, sir," Alex informed him. He looked around.

Crawley seemed to realise what he was worried about the walls had ears especially when MI6 was involved. He suddenly grabbed hold of Alex's arm.

"Now there's no need to be rude! Come with me, Rider. You need to be taught respect!" Crawley snarled, pulling Alex along the corridor. To anyone that saw them, they would assume he was a junior agent being reprimanded. He took him to his office. Once they were safely inside, he let go of Alex's arm.

"You can talk quite a safety now," Crawley reassured him.

The man's loyalty was the only reason Alex believed him. So, he told Crawley everything he knew. Crawley nodded to himself- no doubt deciding to go to the Isle of Man at his first convivence.

"Thank you, Alex." Crawley patted him on the arm. The teenager flinched at the unwanted touch.

"You're welcome, sir."

"Now, I had better take you to see Agent Mason. You need to debrief with him." Crawley clapped his hands together. "Oh, and by the way, he seemed a little… angry. I don't know what's got him upset but if you can make him feel better please do. He's already reduced several juniors to tears."

That wasn't good. An angry Mason was a dangerous Mason and now he was going to be left alone with him. Still, at least he managed to pass the message onto Crawley. Now with Ben and Crawley on the case, Alex was beginning to feel a little more hopeful. Don't worry Mrs Jones. He thought. We're coming. We're coming.

Chapter 15: The Debrief

Notes:

WARNING! This chapter contains the belting of a teenager. I shall place a line break if you want to skip this section. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Text

Crawley led Alex to Mason’s office. This was located in a separate wing to the main activity of the bank. His office was part of an annexe, connected to the main building by a staircase and an adjoining corridor. The annexe was where Mason lived and was complete with its own kitchen, dining room, bathroom, sitting room and library. On the first floor (second, if you aren’t British) were two bedrooms each with its own en-suite. The largest belonged to Mason and the smallest one was where Alex slept on the days that Mason decided he should live there.

As he was led to the first door, Alex began to feel nervous. This place had never felt like home to him. Crawley knocked on the front door and as the pair waited for a response, Alex emotions were elevated from nervous to scared. Then, as the door swung open in a way that suggested the person behind it was angry, his face grew pale.

“I thought I told you…” Mason began before seeing who was with his charge. “Oh, Mr Crawley, I didn’t see you there. Rider didn’t give you any trouble did he?”

Crawley smiled and clapped Alex on the back. He didn’t seem to care that Alex actively tried to escape his touch. Alex really wished he would stop clapping him on the shoulder or back or anywhere else for that matter. They weren’t friends.  

“No. He was a credit to you. I’m sorry we were such a long time. I wanted to catch up with young Alex.”

“Oh, really?” Mason asked, feigning interest. Alex heard the warning at once though: if you have said anything… Even though he hadn’t mentioned anything about Mason, he still felt scared at the threat.

“Yes, he seems very happy in your guardianship, Mason. You’ve done a terrific job.” Crawley did not seem to register to a warning tone unlaying his voice, but Alex was glad he had complimented Mason despite that.

“Thank-you. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to talk with my charge.”

“Of course. Good-bye Alex.”

It was well known among the Bank that Mason’s home was his sanctuary. You didn’t enter it without a mission and you certainly didn’t outstay your welcome. To do so otherwise would result in incurring his ire and Blunt’s annoyance both of which was something they were all keen to avoid. So, Crawley didn’t do anything more than give a smile and a short wave.

“Goodbye, sir.”

Once Crawley was gone, Mason yanked on Alex’s arm and pulled him inside. With the door closed, and the need to the façade of being a loving guardian no longer needed, Mason’s face morphed into pure contempt. His hand shot out striking Alex across the face, right in the same spot as his black eye. He let out a pained groan as his face as the dull throbbing pain that had just eased of lit up again. Mason gave no explanation for the slap, leaving Alex to wonder what he’d done wrong this time.

“Come.”

The order was short, sharp and to the point. Alex made his legs obey the command knowing that it was best to obey completely whenever Mason got like this. A year ago, Alex would have been tempted to ask if he got out of the wrong side of his bed but now he didn’t dare mention anything about his guardian’s foul mood.

Once they got to Mason’s office, he was pushed into a chair opposite the desk. Alex noted a belt curled around itself on the corner of it. His mouth felt dry as he realised just how this conversation was going to go. Still, it was better than the cane. He didn’t think that his palms could take any further pain.

“Do you have the phone that Agent Daniels gave you?” Mason questioned though he already knew the answer. A test of obedience and honesty, then, one he would have to pass.

Alex resisted the urge to sigh knowing that Mason would class it as insubordinate behaviour. He knew that he wouldn’t be allowed to keep it, but he had hoped anyway. At this stage, he clung to anything that made him feel like a normal teenager. The phone had quickly become his most prized possession.

“Yes, sir.” He answered but made no move to hand it over. He knew that Mason would just order him to anyway, but he wanted to hold onto the precious few seconds he had it in his possession.

“Hand it over, Rider.”  

Alex reached into his pocket. He stared down at his feet as he reached across the desk and put in his guardian’s hand. Then he watched as Mason placed it in his draw, locking it with the biometric scanner that was standard across the bank.

“Agent Daniels should never have given you that without my or Mr Blunt’s express permission.” Mason scolded as though it were Alex’s fault Ben had given him a gift.

“I’m sorry, sir.” He apologised. “I did try to tell Agent Daniels that, sir.”

“I know you did Rider and that’s why I’m not punishing you for it,” Mason explained. “I’m not unreasonable.”

Alex’s eyes flickered the belt. Mason saw what he was looking at and answered the unasked question.

“That, Rider, is for something else which we will get to a minute. I said I’m not unreasonable but I’m not soft either.”

Having his suspicions confirmed did not help to elevate the fear that was rapidly growing inside of him. He was the reason for Mason’s anger he was sure of that now. He felt a little guilty. Crawley told him that Mason had already reduced several junior agents to tears. If he was the reason why Mason was so angry, that was his fault. He would have to find them and apologised.

“Now that’s over with, we need to talk about the mission. Report.” Mason barked, giving him a warning glare.

Alex took a deep breath before starting at the beginning and telling Mason everything that happened in Munich. He didn’t dare risk being caught in a lie, so he told Mason pretty much everything that happened. He left out the bit about the message that Eliza had given though. The only other people that knew about that were Ben and Crawley and he was safe in the knowledge that they would keep that part to themselves. Telling Mason about the message was a sure-fire way to stop any investigations. He didn’t trust the man to do anything about it. He had never been eager to find Mrs Jones in the first place.  

“I suppose you did a reasonable job.” Mason declared.  

“Thank you, sir,” Alex replied knowing that it was going to be a near a compliant as he was going to get.  

“But we haven’t quite finished yet. I am disappointed in you Rider.”  

“Sir?” 

“I heard have heard complaints about you from Agents Müller and Schmidt. They said you were very rude to them.” 

“I don’t know an Agent Müller or an Agent Schmidt, sir.”  

SLAP! The smack came just like all the others: hard and out of nowhere. It left his cheek smarting. Judging by what he had just told Mason, the agent didn’t believe him when he told them he didn’t know the aforementioned people.  

“You obviously do because they complained about you. They tell me that you ordered them to answer your questions and demanded they tell you about Agent Daniels. I understand you lost him and rather than do your job and find him, you decided to be insolent. Are you telling me that they are lying?”  

Oh. That is whom he was speaking about, so, their names were Müller and Schmidt.  

“No, sir. They’re telling the truth.”  

“And not only that but you disobeyed orders. You were told not to go running off making your own inquiries. Agent Daniels ordered you to stay with him. You disregarded both of these orders. That was unacceptable.” 

“I’m sorry, sir.” 

“You know, Rider, it’s sheer beggar belief that you’ve survived this long.” Mason snarled. “Spies are supposed to be smart, and you are clearly too stupid to heed my warning. I would have thought that after the last time you break my rules you would have toed the line. Yet it appears not. You were disrespectful and disobedient. It’s completely unacceptable.”

“I’m sorry, sir. Please I didn’t mean-” 

“I’m not interested in your pleading Rider. Your behaviour was unacceptable, and you will be punished accordingly. Obviously, the lessen hasn’t been beaten into you yet. I will not tolerate disrespect and disobedience.” 

Alex wanted to argue that yes, he had been quite clear last time and that he didn’t need further punishment. His disobedience had been necessary and his rudeness towards those agents had been a bio-product of his worry for Ben. He wanted to argue that they weren’t taking him seriously and he needed to get their attention. If he hadn’t… well, Alex didn’t want to think about that. He wanted to try to explain that he hadn’t meant to be rude but his temper had got the better of him. He wanted to beg and plead but that hadn’t worked. He wanted to but he couldn’t. Any explanation would fall on death ears. Any further pleading would just seek to anger Mason even more.

“No, sir.” He agreed quietly, his throat going sore with sadness.

“Then you know what to expect.”  

“Yes, sir.”  

And he did. He had been with Mason a year. A year was plenty of time to know how Mason would punish him. Even if he hadn’t placed the belt in Alex’s view, taunting him, he would know. What else would he do? Ian used to ground him if Alex was bad. That wouldn’t work though. He had nowhere to go and no one to speak to. He didn’t have anything he could confiscate either. Corporal punishment was the only option as far as Mason was concerned.


“Take your shirt off and lay over the sofa, Rider. I believe it is time you were reacquainted with the belt.”  

Alex did what he was told. Being mindful of his black eye, he laid over the sofa, angling himself perfectly as he waited for the punishment to start. Mason didn’t make him wait too long. The whistle of the belt could be heard as it flew the air. It hit his back and a second later, the familiar burning pain could be felt.  

The belt whistled again before hitting his back just under his shoulder blade. This time the buckle hit him too and Alex winched as the hard metal left a bruise.  

Crack! Again, the buckle hit him, his time on his upper arm.  

Mason let down a flurry of blows. Alex let out a low whimper. He tried not to make too much noise and he didn’t want to give Mason the satisfaction. But when the buckle hit him a third time, couldn’t help but let off a yelp of pain.  

Mason stopped and for a second, Alex thought it was over but it wasn’t. He heard Mason adjust the hold on the belt- so that buckle nestled in the man’s palm, Alex realised. The punishment wasn’t over yet but at least the buckle wouldn’t hit him again. Well, that was something. 

The blows kept landing, vicious licks all across his back. Mason thankfully kept to the upper part of his back, making sure that his kidneys escape the punishment. They wouldn’t want to put him out of action for long. Alex scrunched his eyes tightly, determined not to let any tears slip. 

Crack! Alex let out another cry of pain. A few seconds later another. Crack! It was a particularly vicious blow and made his eyes sting. Crack! A third, in the same place and his eyes, blinked with tears. Crack! A fourth and final one broke the dam, and a flood of tears ran down his face. The streams of tears felt warm against his cheeks.  

It was finally over. Alex barely registered the sound of the belt clattering on the desk. He didn’t hear Mason order him to get up. The next thing he knew, a rough hand was pulling him up.  


“I said get up, Rider!” Mason ordered.  

He raised his hand and Alex flinched, fully expecting a slap to the face for his failure to comply. He wouldn’t put it past Mason to punish him for that. He didn’t though - just chucked him his shirt. Alex just managed to catch it. 

It was a test, Alex realised. He hadn’t been told to put his shirt on yet and to do so without being prompted would be classed as insolence in Mason’s book. So, as much as he wanted the protection of the cotton, he instead looked at Mason: a silent request for permission.  

“Put your shirt on Rider,” Mason ordered.  

“Yes, sir,” Alex replied and threw the shirt over his head.  

He did so quickly for three reasons. One, he was eager for the little protection it provided, two he was beginning to get cold and three, he wanted his face covered as for as little time as possible. It was a vulnerable position as you couldn’t see a threat approaching. Mason was definitely a threat, particularly when he wanted to be.  

That was when the head of Special Operations walked in. Alex flinched as he heard the door click shut. Blunt looked appraisingly at him before turning to Mason. Alex didn’t like it when Blunt and Mason were in the same room. It meant he was outnumbered. Alex never liked to be outnumbered. It was too risky. The threat to his well-being had just doubled. It didn’t help that the closed-door was behind both of them meaning his only way out- his only escape- was blocked.  

“Mason, how are you, my friend?” Blunt asked. 

“I’m well, old boy. I can’t grumble at all.”  

Alex always thought it was weird to hear the two adults speak so friendly even if it was to each other. He was too used to hearing harsh tones and being smacked by them to get used to apparent niceness.  

Blunt and Mason shook hands. Alex just waited until he was addressed. He just hoped it would be soon. He wanted to get this over with. As if he were reading his mind, which Alex wouldn’t put it past him, Blunt’s attention snapped to him. 

“I believe I told you that your behaviour on this mission would help me decide if I should punish you further for your previous misdeeds.”  

Alex gulped. He had forgotten about that. Was he going to be punished again? He’d only just got one belting surely he wasn’t going to another?  

Alex didn’t speak. It wasn’t necessary- yet. 

“Luckily for you, Agent Mason is your guardian and therefore I left the extra punishment to him.”  

Oh. Good- he’d already had it then.  

“Thank you, sir.” 

Blunt turned back to Mason. “He has been punished to an appropriate standard hasn’t he?”  

“Of course, Alan. You know that I will never be too soft on him. He doesn’t deserve it.” Mason assured. “I’ve belted him and given him a few licks with the buckle.” 

Blunt smiled approvingly. Yes. He smiled. It was never good when Blunt smiled.  

“I never doubted you but still, I’m pleased to hear it. Have you told Rider yet?” 

“No. I thought you might want to.” Mason answered.  

Wait. What was this? Tell him what? He didn’t like the sound of that! 

“You will be going back to the Brecon Beacons today,” Blunt informed him. Well, that didn’t seem so bad so why- “And Agent Mason will be joining you to ensure you behave yourself.”  

Crap.  

Blunt looked at Mason and nodded. 

“Dismissed, Rider,” Mason ordered.  

Alex left the office and went straight to his room. Great. Life couldn’t get any better, could it? His back hurt a lot. It would be a while before he could put any pressure on it. Changing would be a nightmare. And now, Mason would be in at the Brecon Beacons ready to punish him for every offence.  

Still, it was worth it. If he hadn’t disobeyed orders then Ben might not be alive. Yes. His back throbbed painfully and the closeness of Mason meant further pain and punishment but at least it meant that Ben was alive. His pain was worth it. He would gladly take a hundred beatings if it meant Ben was alive and unharmed. The man deserved that at least.  

Chapter 16: Y Llwybr i Uffern

Notes:

Hello again! I made a reference to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde- I studied it for my GCSEs. Oh and the thing Jackal said is something my dad says. People have commented that they think I am portraying the mental effects of abuse pretty well. I am glad as I think that's often overlooked. I don't have any personal experience with this so I have only based it on my own research. I'm glad you think I am doing a good job.

Chapter Text

The drive back to the Brecon Beacons was tumultuous, to say the least. They didn’t set off until the following morning, but Alex’s back was still painful. He kept shuffling about trying to find a comfortable position or one that was as least painful as possible at any rate. Mason tolerated this for about five minutes before he threatened to pull the car over and give Alex something else to cry about if he didn’t sit still. Mason wasn’t one to make empty threats so for the journey Alex tried to stay as still as possible. This caused his legs to cramp up, but he forced himself to ignore it.

Finally, he had an excuse to move about. The car drove down the road to the Brecon Beacons and after having their IDs checked by the security guard, Mason parked it. The two got out and walked along the path leading to the base. The Path to Hell thought Alex or Y Llwybr I Uffern if you wanted to say it in Welsh.

“Remember what Mr Blunt said, Rider,” Mason warned.

“Yes, sir. I’ll behave, sir.” Alex promised.

Blunt had warned him that any misbehaviour would reach Mason’s ears very easily and would be punished harshly. He wondered what K-unit would think about Mason. He imagined that Falcon and Wolf would get along with him like a house on fire. They seemed to agree with Mason’s assessment that he was a teenage tearaway that could benefit from a firm hand and harsh discipline. Wolf might not have hit him that day, but he suspected that he would like to and that it was only fear of being binned that stopped him from striking Alex. Falcon too gave off a harsh aura and Alex highly suspected that he too would take great pleasure in discovering how strict Mason was.

“You see to that that you do, boy,” Mason warned, coolly. “Just because there are people about doesn’t mean I won’t smack you if you are impertinent. It just means I’ll be more careful. I don’t want people to get the wrong impression.”

“No, we wouldn’t want that now would we?” Alex dryly grunted but thankfully Mason didn’t hear him. He mentally marked that as a win.

The first place that they went to was the Sargent’s office. Sargent Young glanced briefly at Alex with an unwavering eye. He looked- concerned? That was unusual. Alex realised that his eyes lingered on his black eye for a few seconds. He probably looked in a bit of a state. Then the Sargent turned back to Mason and led him to his office. Alex went to follow him, but Mason blocked his path and pointed to a chair. Alex sat in it and was left alone in the corridor outside Sargent Young’s office. Feeling very much like a student told to sit outside the headmaster’s office, Alex waited until the two had finished discussing whatever topic they felt needed to be kept away from prying eyes – or ears.

“Cub?”

Alex jumped at the address. It was Jackal, the leader of F-Unit. The two hadn’t spoken much during the visits he had been to the Brecon Beacons. The interactions that they did have were short but pleasant. He hadn’t been cruel or indifferent but at the same time seemed awkward around him. He had watched him spar with K-unit and had seemed impressed by his abilities although he didn’t appear to like the fact he was there. That wasn’t unusual – plenty of the SAS men disliked him being there but it was different with Jackal. It was as if he was concerned for him not against his general existence.

“Good morning, sir.” Cub greeted jumping to his feet. He had been taught that addressing a superior while being sat down was disrespectful. Jackal was the head of his unit, so he was definitely his superior. Anyway, according to Mason, everyone was his superior because he was a kid.

Meeting Cub outside the Sargent’s office was unexpected, the way he addressed Jackal was even more so. Cub acted like Jackal was a high-ranking officer or at least his superior. He supposed that technically he was, Jackal was a unit leader after all, but he didn’t expect the formality from his own unit let alone one from another. Anyway, with Cub, it was a special case. He was just a kid wasn’t he? Jackal didn’t like that Cub was at the Brecon Beacons but not for the same reasons as his fellow soldiers. His concern was for Cub’s welfare. No child should have to go through the harshness of the SAS. But just because he didn’t agree with the fact Cub was here didn’t mean he would take that out on the child. That was anti-productive.

“What happened to you, Cub?” Jackal asked, touching his own eye. “Who did that?”

Cub had nearly forgotten the black eye. The pain from his back had caused his brain to forget the gentle throbbing from his face. Now he was reminded of it, the sensation returned.

“Oh, it was an accident. I saved an agent, but they didn’t recognise me until it was too late.”

“But why did you need to do that? And where did you go? I thought you were staying here.”

“Erm. I’m terribly sorry, sir, but that’s classified.” Cub apologised ruefully. “I’m really sorry, sir!”

“Hey! It’s all right. If you can’t say then you can’t say.” Jackal interrupted seeing that the teenager was getting pretty upset and worried.

The last thing was wanted was to trigger a panic attack. He knew that Wolf hated it when the boy refused to tell him things. Jackal thought that it was pretty petty of the man. Wolf knew about the Official Secrets Act; he knew that there were certain things he wasn’t cleared to know about and yet he acted like Cub’s secretiveness was personal. It wasn’t. It was just duty. Teenagers shouldn’t have a duty, Jackal thought, but that didn’t change the fact that Cub did. And as he did have one, there wasn’t much anyone could but accept that there were some things that Cub couldn’t talk about. Jackal did. Why didn’t everyone else? Because, Edward, his heard his father say most people are of below-average intelligence.

“Thank you, sir.” Cub breathed out, purposefully avoiding the man’s gaze. “And I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologise, Cub.” Jackal comforted softly. He had a soft spot for the kid. He was the same age as his nephew and looked like Charlie too. God he loved Charlie. “The name’s Edward Hyde by the way.”

Cub’s head shot up at the sound of Jackal’s name. It was unusual for anyone at the Brecon Beacons to tell people their real names unless there had been a strong friendship between them. In fact, normally that knowledge was restricted to the soldier’s unit. That wasn’t why he looked up so quickly, however. Jackal’s name was Edward Hyde? Clearly whoever gave him his code name had a sense of humour.

“Edward Hyde, sir?” Cub asked.

Jackal knew exactly what Cub was thinking. “Yes. My old unit leader had a sense of humour and was a fan of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He thought it was hilarious that my parents named me after the evil character from the book. It was an accident though. Edward was a family name, but everyone called me Eddy.”

Cub wondered if he should tell Jackal his name. He supposed he should. It was only fair that he returned the favour, but it didn’t feel right. He was used to keeping things to himself. When he was Cub he was protected by the anonymity it the code name gave him. If he told people his real name then he would lose that. It would be easier for them to find out things about. Francis Bacon said knowledge is power. When he thought about that quote, Alex often added something to the end of it. Knowledge is power and power is dangerous.

He was saved from his dilemma by the sound of the office door opening. Sargent Young and Agent Mason entered the hallway. Both Jackal and Cub stood to attention at the appearance of their superiors. Cub stiffened when he felt Mason’s eyes on him. He had learnt, over the last year, that having Mason’s attention on him was never a good thing.

Not for the first time, Jackal realised that Cub was too much like a soldier for his liking. Teenagers shouldn’t know to stand to attention and how to act like an obedient soldier. Cub was a child soldier. Jackal hated that his country had turned a teenager into one. But what could he do? How could he recuse Cub? There wasn’t much he could do except try and protect Cub as much as he could. He thought about Charlie. If his nephew was in Cub’s shoes, he would want someone to help him. He would do the same for Cub or whatever his real name was.

“Jackal.” The Sargent greeted though it was clear that he was questioning the man’s presence.

“Good morning, sir,” Jackal responded.

He addressed the Sargent in much the same way Cub had greeted him. The difference was though that Jackal was an adult and chosen to bear this duty. Cub was a child even if had chosen this path, which Jackal doubted anyway, he wasn’t old enough to make that decision. The age of consent was 16 in the UK. He didn’t know how old Cub was, but he didn’t seem that old.

“Why are you here Jackal?” The Sargent asked, not unkindly. He may seem like a hard man, but his men were important to him. If one had decided to come and see him, it was because they needed to discuss something important with him. He hoped that no one was hurt.

“It’s about next week, Sargent,” Jackal reported. “But if you are busy, I can come back later. It isn’t too pressing that it can’t wait.”

“No, that’s fine, Jackal, I’ve just finished, come in.”

Jackal wondered whom the man standing next to Cub was. He didn’t look very welcoming or that happy to be at the Brecon Beacons. Cub didn’t seem very happy to be near the man either. Whoever it was, Jackal took an incident dislike to him. There was something about the man that set him on edge. It wasn’t his job to ask questions though. The Sargent hadn’t introduced him, and the man hadn’t even registered his presence. If he was supposed to know who the man was he would have been told. He hadn’t so he assumed it wasn’t any of his business. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to keep an eye out on him. You could never be too careful.

Watching Cub and the mysterious man go, Jackal turned and followed the Sargent into his office. He had a protective feeling towards Cub that Jackal supposed was due to Cub’s young age and the fact that he had a nephew. He closed the office door. The sound of it clicking in its strike plate stopped Jackal’s musing. He pulled all thoughts about Cub out from his mind and focused on the reason he wanted to talk to the Sargent about.

“Take a seat, Jackal and tell me what you want to talk to me about regarding next week.”

Next week, L-unit were going on a barging holiday Llangollen Canal with K-unit. It was meant as a unit building exercise. The units needed to work well together. Sometimes they needed to work with other units when they were given assignments and as such, it was required that they had a good relationship. So, each month two units were sent on holiday together for a week. This month was the turn of L-unit and K-unit.

“I wanted to ask you about Cub. Will he be joining us? I know he’s with K-unit but not officially. We’re all of the impression Cub should join us, but I wanted to check with you.”

“Cub may join you, providing that he behaves between now and then, of course. You will be responsible for him. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I will need to speak with his guardian first though, but I see no reason for him not to give his permission. It will be a good chance for him to establish a rapport with you. Perhaps once he has done yet he will be less… insolent.”

Jackal frowned. He heard that the Cub had got into a lot of trouble with the Sargent since he first arrived that the Brecon Beacons. Privately, he thought that Sargent’s expectations of Cub were too high. The kid was a teenager, after all, rebellions were expected – it was a normal part of development. Anyway, compared to Charlie, Cub’s ‘rebellion’ was pretty mild. In fact, he didn’t think any of Cub’s behaviour could be described as a rebellion. He didn’t act like a typical teenager. He was pretty well behaved in fact. In his opinion, Sargent should cut Cub some slack. It wasn’t fair that Cub was held to a higher standard than every other teenager. Then again, nothing about Cub’s situation was fair.

“I don’t think Cub is insolent, sir.” Jackal disagreed, calmly.

The Sargent didn’t mind people giving their opinions providing they did it respectfully and knew that there was a time and a place. He wasn’t so arrogant that he believed he could never be wrong. He encouraged his soldiers to share their opinions. It generated conversation and allowed problems to be solved. As long as his soldiers knew when to keep their mouths shut, he had no issue with someone giving their view and openly disagreeing with him.

“Oh?” The Sargent prompted, interested.

“No. I think he’s just misunderstood.” Jackal shared.

He had some experience with teenagers unlike most of the people at the Brecon Beacons. He didn’t know much about the Sargent’s personal life (the man was very private) but Jackal didn’t think he had any children or any relatives Cub’s age. It wasn’t just the lack of personal photos in the office that told him that, but the way Sargent reacted to Cub. Someone with experience with children would be more tolerant, Jackal felt. He didn’t though, so Sargent’s experience with teenagers would be limited to his own. That had been a while ago though. Jackal expected that he, and many others, had forgotten what it was like to be a teenager. Perhaps if they did they would be more lenient.  

“Mmm.” The Sargent considered. “Was there anything else you needed Jackal?”

“No, sir.”

“Dismissed, then.”

Jackal saluted him and when it was returned, he turned and left the office. The Sargent watched him go. He thought about what the Jackal had said. The man certainly had a way of making thought-provoking statements. He still thought that Cub was too insolent, but Jackal might have a point. Maybe he had been wrong about Cub maybe he had been too hard? But then Cub wasn’t a usual case. If he went easy on Cub, it would only do more harm than good. No. He wouldn’t mollycoddle Cub. He would just have to learn.

Chapter 17: Paved with Good Intentions

Notes:

I'm pretty proud of this chapter! Someone asked me how old Alex is. He has just turned 15. I think that his birthday will be in May which is the month that this is set in. I am making this up as I go along so I don't know how long it is and I also don't have any details planned out. If there are inconsistencies I, therefore, apologise. Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming!

Chapter Text

Alex found that it was hard to concentrate. He spent every waking minute thinking about Eliza’s dying declaration. Whenever he had free time, he was in the library trying to find out as much as he could about the Isle of Man. It had 84,584 inhabitants according to the last count. It was 572 km2 and was a self-governed crown dependency. It was a popular holiday destination, famed for its rugged coastline, beautiful scenery, and abundant wildlife.  He could definitely understand why someone would pick the island as a hideout. The locals were used to people coming and going especially at the height of the season. It wouldn’t raise suspicions to have mysterious women just appear one day with little word to anyone else.

It was because he couldn’t concentrate that he was in his current predicament. His instructions had yelled at him constantly for not paying attention and had threatened him with all kinds of unpleasant chores if he didn’t shape up. He couldn’t help it though. After a year, it finally looked like they were going to find Mrs Jones. He didn’t know where she went, who took her or why. It seemed like they were finally going to get some answers. Hopefully, she was unharmed though Alex was under no illusion. Being in captivity for a year wouldn’t have been pleasant. Despite himself, Alex was worried about her so excuse him if he didn’t put his full attention on his training or think that listening to lectures was more important than rescuing Mrs Jones.

In hindsight, it might have been a better idea to pay some attention. If he had he probably wouldn’t be in the position he was- lying on top of Falcon the two of them in a muddy pile. He was on the climbing wall. The unit was completing the assault course and he hadn’t been fully concentrating on where to put his hands. His palms were hurting after gripping the hard wood and fake rocks. It had been like sandpaper. A mixture of the pain and his lack of concentration resulting in him completely missing the next rock. When they let go of one rock without a proper grasp of another, gravity took over. Cub reached out the grab the nearest thing but unfortunately for him and for his angry unit-mate too, that had been Falcon. Not expecting the sudden contact, Falcon’s hand slipped. He landed in a puddle of mud headfirst and was joined shortly after by Cub who fell on his back with a thump.

“CUB!”

Cub was up and standing at attention as quickly as he could manage. He ignored the slight twinge in his muscles and the fact that he was only slightly less muddy than Falcon. Falcon, who hated Cub on the best days and despised him on the worse. Falcon, who was grabbing his back to smooth the pain. Falcon, who looked like he wanted to kill him. And yet it wasn’t Falcon that yelled his code name. Oh no. It was even worse. It was the Sargent. He had seen what had happened and had assumed he had done it quite deliberately. Now he was advancing toward him and Cub had to stop himself from flinching. Sargent wouldn’t hit him would he? Falcon already looked like he was going to.

“My office! NOW!” Sargent bellowed right in his face. He raised his hand to point in the direction of his office. Cub felt sure he was going to hit him. His arms moved without his permission and covered his face.

“Yes, sir! I’m sorry, sir!” Cub apologised before running away from the angry man.

If he looked back he would have seen Sargent’s face morph from anger to confusion before back to anger again. Sargent Young hadn’t expected Cub to react like that. Yes, he was angry and quite right too- Cub had sabotaged his unit-mate and hadn’t even done it well. He was angry at Cub’s ineptitude and lack of solidarity. He was going to tear him a new one, but he wouldn’t have hit him. Cub knew that wasn’t allowed and that he wasn’t the sort of man to go round smacking the daylights out of teenagers. He did know that right? Of course, he did. Cub was just being dramatic in the hope of leniency.

“Err Sargent?”

Sargent Young turned to face Snake. He had just finished looking over Falcon. When he saw his unit-mates fall to the ground he had gone straight over to make sure they were all right. He meant to check out Cub too. He had a black eye and Snake was mindful about head injuries.

“What is it Snake?” He asked tiredly. He wasn’t in the mood for conversation, but Snake was their medic. If Falcon needed medical attention then ignoring him would be a dereliction of his duty.

“Falcon’s fine but I imagine that he’ll need a hot shower.” Snake reported. If he was honest they could all use a hot shower but Falcon especially. It would not take look for the mud to dry in the warm May sunshine and then it would get pretty sore. His shirt now caked with mud would no doubt make him uncomfortable too.

“Yes.” Sargent agreed, sighing. “Falcon, go and get washed up. That’s the end to training for now- everyone takes an early lunch.”

The Unit looked at each other. Falcon couldn’t care less about Cub at the minute. He wanted a hot shower more than anything at that moment. Yes, Cub was muddy too, but he was the reason they were in this spot, to begin with. The other three were on different parts of the caring spectrum. Eagle and Snake were the most worried. Wolf was a little worried to and surprisingly, it was him that voiced their concerns.

“What about Cub, sir?”

Sargent misunderstood what Wolf meant. He assumed that he was asking what he should do to Cub for his mistake. Wolf hadn’t gained a reputation for being a strict unit leader for nothing. Practically when it came to Cub, Wolf had a high standard for his Unit and woe betide anyone that failed to meet them! It was therefore not unexpected that the Sargent misunderstood the meaning behind Wolf’s questioning. Wolf actually surprised himself when he realised he was asking about Cub’s welfare not how he should be punished.

“I will deal with Cub, Wolf.” The Sargent warned before turning to Snake. “I imagine his guardian will want to make sure he’s all right too.”

It had been the second time that Cub’s guardian had been mentioned. None of the Unit members had actually met them. According to Jackal, he had seen Cub arrived two days ago and shortly after the two had talked an unknown man had appeared and walked Cub away. After conversing with K-Unit, (minus Cub as he was in the library) they had concluded that he was Cub’s guardian. They weren’t sure though.

“I don’t think he meant to pull Falcon off, sir. He’s not be concentrating.” Snake spoke up, still worrying about their youngest. “I think he has had something on his mind.”

“Thank you, Snake.” The Sargent replied though there was a slightly sarcastic tone to his voice. “Dismissed.”

It’s true what they say. The path to hell is paved with good intentions. Snake had

 only been trying to help Cub by pointing out his lack of concentration. The teenager had just come back from whatever ‘6 wanted with him. Maybe something had happened that Cub couldn’t stop thinking about. He thought that by mentioning it to the Sargent, he would go easier on Cub. Yeah. Fat chance of that happening.

Cub couldn’t believe his stupidity. He had only been here two days and he had already been sent to Sargent’s office. That was a new record. Usually, it managed to go a week without the Sargent pulling him into his office for another ‘cosy chat’. This time was a lot worse though. Agent Mason was here, and he would no doubt hear about what had happened that morning. He hadn’t meant to push Falcon or fall into the mud. His muscles just seemed to seize up. His hands were just beginning to heal too! His back was still painful and his fall hadn’t exactly helped it. He wished he had managed to turn himself when he fell but there hadn’t been time.

As he waited for the Sargent to come and rip him to shreds, Cub wished he had been allowed to shower first. The mud was beginning to dry and crack which made his skin itch. Still, at least he wasn’t getting any on Sargent’s floor. That would lead to truly dire consequences. He felt sick with nerves. Sargent had never hit him before but then he never seemed him this angry before either. Maybe that was why he was being sent to his office so that he could smack him one without anyone seeing? If that was what he had planned then he would have to take it like a man. He had grown used to feeling the sting of a backhand. Maybe if he saw how well he could take his punishments then Sargent would start liking him?

He dreaded to think what would happen when Mason found out. He had already recently belted him for the Munich Fiasco. Normally he didn’t use the same implement twice so close together. He hoped that Mason would stick to that rule that would rapidly reduce his range of motion and would make him less useful. He had to be useful. The thought of him no longer serving a purpose frightened him more than anything. If he stopped being useful or him Blunt or Mason decided he was more trouble then who knew what they would do? It wouldn’t be anything good. That was why he had to be useful. If he wasn’t… Well, it was like his life depended on it.

Cub jumped when he heard the door being roughly thrown open. The Sargent’s eyes glinting with fury. He pictured little flames in them like in the cartoons he watched, or the games had played when he was a kid. That was when life was so much simpler and so much nicer, back when his childhood ignorance shielded him from the harshness of reality. But this wasn’t a cartoon or a video game. It was real life and real life was much scarer. There wasn’t any off button and there was no restart. He couldn’t pause or use cheats if it got too scary or too difficult. This was life and the consequences of it were very real.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you Cub, but it stops now! I have heard from your instructors that you have been away with the fairies since you got back.” The Sargent shouted.

Cub wanted to point out that if someone he knew had disappeared for a year and someone who died recently had used their last words to give him a clue then the Sargent would be ‘away with the fairies too! He didn’t though. He hadn’t been directed to speak yet and anyway the fewer people that knew about Eliza’s message the better. The Sargent couldn’t be trusted. He was by the book. He followed orders and didn’t question them. If he found out about the secret he, Ben and Crawley shared he would pass that information onto Blunt. Something told them that if he wanted to find Mrs Jones the last thing they should do is talk to –

BANG!

Cub flinched, instinctively placing his arms above his head. When he lowered them, he realised that the Sargent was holding a meter stick. He froze. Would the Sargent hit him with that? But once Cub looked at him the Sargent placed it back behind his desk, leaning it against the wall. He had only used it to hit his desk hoping that the sound would make him focus.

“You see that is what I am talking about!” The Sargent snapped though a little less venomously than before. “You need to pay attention. You’re no use to anyone with you don’t!”

Alex’s mouth ran dry. Unknowest to him, the Sargent had preyed upon worst fear. It feared him more than SCORPIA did, more than the beating he would surely get from Mason. It even feared him more than his fear that Jack and The Pleasures hated him. As much as them hating and blaming him scared him, they were dead...

“I’m sorry, sir.” Cub apologised quickly to show he was listening.

He still had nightmares about The Pleasure and Jack even a year after their deaths. Alex knew that his nightmares were not premonitions from the grave. He knew, to some degree, at any rate, that his nightmare where they spat hurtful things at him was rooted in his own mind and guilt. They were dead and couldn’t hurt him - physically at any rate. They couldn’t hurt him. But Mason and Blunt? They could. They could hurt him very badly. If they thought he wasn’t useful, whatever they would do to him would make his beating seem like a gentle massage. They couldn’t find him useless. They just couldn’t.

“It’s not good enough Cub. If you don’t pay attention when you are out in the field, you will either get yourself or your unit-mates killed. You do not want to know what that kind of guilt feels like. You do not want to be responsible for the deaths of your friends, trust me on that one Cub.”

“Yes, sir.” Cub agreed pitifully.

He didn’t have to trust The Sargent. He didn’t have to believe him. Alex knew what carrying that guilt was like. He knew what that bearing that burden did to you. He felt like Atlas- carrying the world on his shoulders. Sometimes he felt like was being pushed into the ground, crushing under the self-hatred and bone-shattering guilt. Other times, he awoke, and his heart felt so heavy it was like it was sinking to his feet. On the few nights that he did get to sleep, he was interrupted by vivid nightmares. During the day he replayed the scene of their deaths like a cheap DVD stuck on repeat. There were days when he couldn’t get out of bed. His limbs were so heavy and so tired it was like they didn’t belong to him. Yes, he knew what that guilt felt like. He suspected he knew it better than the Sargent because they hadn’t just been his only friends; they had been his only family.

“You do not understand that burden Cub. Let’s hope you never get to.”

But he did understand. He understood better than anyone. He may know that those nightmares were messages from Jack and The Pleasures. He might know that their possible hatred and blame for him couldn’t hurt him physically, but the mental and emotional pain was just as hurtful and just as important. He might even know that they wouldn’t hate him. But that didn’t mean he believed. Logically he knew that was all true, but logic meant nothing when your heart was torn to shreds.

Alex wanted to yell at the Sargent. He wanted to yell that he understood perfectly. He still awoke in cold sweats. He still felt that stabbing pain like someone had taken a dagger to his heart. He wanted to yell and release all that emotional pain and hurt. There were days when he wanted to shout into the sky just to release all that angst. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t yell at the Sargent. That would be too distressful. He couldn’t tell him he understood either. That was classified. So instead of yelling and explaining and making himself feel that so much better, he just nodded sadly. He took on the façade of a chastised child who knew nothing of the true horrors of life.

“Yes, sir.” He agreed again. It wasn’t what he wanted to say. It wasn’t enough: it wasn’t nearly enough to ease that pain or soothe the wounds that the Sargent had careless ripped open again. But it was all he could say. He didn’t have the luxury of truth and comfort. Mason and Blunt made sure of that. Alex never hated them more than he did at that moment.

Sargent, thankfully, seemed to believe that Cub had got the message. He stopped dispensing the supercilious warnings. It meant that he was going to move onto his punishment but whatever it was, Cub would gladly take it over further discussions about guilt. It reminded him too much about his own and about Jack and The Pleasures and how everyone around him got hurt. He would have nightmares tonight. He just knew it.

“See that you pay attention in future then Cub.” The Sargent warned. “Your guardian gave me full permission to correct you as I see fit.”

Cub froze up again. His guilt over their deaths suddenly evaporated and was replaced with fear over being beaten. It was bad enough when Cub thought that Sargent was allowed to hit him and now he had that permission, his fear over being punished only increased. But the Sargent made no move for his meter stick and didn’t order him to bend over.

“Until you go on holiday you will be on cleaning duty. If there’s anything that needs cleaning you will do it. If your behaviour worsens between now and then you won’t be going on that trip. Do you hear me Cub?”

“Yes, sir.” Cub replied obediently. A week’s cleaning duty? That wasn’t so bad.

“Good. Now get out of my sight and go and get in the shower.” The Sargent ordered. “Then go to Agent’s Mason’s office. He has asked to see you. I don’t think he’s best pleased. Dismissed.”

Alex made his way to the showers, despondently. He hoped there was no one there. They would see his scars. He tried not to think about Mason and what he was going to do to him. Thankfully there wasn’t anyone there. He picked up some of his clothes so that he could get changed away from prying eyes. The fact was a teenager worked well from him- they assumed he was just shy. Alex peeled of his mud crusted clothes and stepped into the shower. He allowed the hot water to flow down him. He basked in the comfort of it – not even paying attention to the way it stung his back. With another talk with Mason on the horizon, he was going to make the most of the comfort of the shower.  

Chapter 18: An Enigma Wrapped in a Mystery

Notes:

I made some fanart for this chapter. I have created Ben's letter. If you are reading this on fanfiction you'll need to go to my Ao3 to see it. It's under the same user name. I don't know why I decided to give Ben dyslexia - possibly to be a bit more inclusive? Anyway, I have no personal experience of dyslexia so I write passed on research I have done over the course of my degree. Not everyone with dyslexia is the same and their needs are different. I, therefore, make a disclaimer that Ben is not meant as a blanket representation of dyslexia. If you have dyslexia and would like to comment on your experiences then please do.

Chapter Text

Alex left Mason’s office with tears in his eyes. His guardian had given him four strokes of the cane for being incompetent and not paying attention. Still, there had been something oddly suspicious about the whole affair. The punishment had hurt yes- and he wasn’t exactly pleased to have new welts across his palms, but it had been pretty mild in comparison to his previous experiences. It was almost like Mason was being- kind would be an exaggeration- more tolerant. Alex didn’t understand it. He didn’t like it when he didn’t understand, and Mason’s apparent tolerance made him suspicious, to say the least.

He pushed the thoughts of Mason out of his mind as he approached his unit who were already tucking into their lunch. Cub filled his plate with his portion before joining them. He glanced at Falcon wearily. He was scowled venomously at him. Cub only just managed to stop himself recoiling at it and saving his lunch on the floor.

“Falcon, I’m awfully sorry about today. It was an accident, I swear.” Cub apologised.

“An accident?!” Falcon snarled. “A likely story. Well, even it was an accident you need to pay attention. Inattentiveness will only result in unnecessary deaths.”

Cub gritted his teeth at that. He had already had the condescending lecture about the pain of guilt and death from the Sargent. The last thing he needed was to hear it from Falcon too. In fact, he didn’t need to hear it at all. He couldn’t argue though. Mason might have gone easy on him (for an unknown reason too) but he doubted he would be quite so lenient a second time.

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir.” Cub replied in a tone just clear enough to be considered respectful.

Snake looked across to Cub and examined his face. His eyes were slightly red, and his despairing manner had only come on since their training sessions. Cub was a teenager – there would be times when he was moody or even rude, but he had been all right until he had spoken to his guardian. Had Cub been crying? Was it just hormones or had something else happened? Snake and Eagle were both beginning to grow very concerned about the way Cub spoke to them. Falcon seemed quite happy with the respectful address. Snake would pull the man aside and remind Falcon that he wasn’t Cub’s superior and to stop treating him like a subordinate.

The next day, at breakfast, Adder from F-unit came over to their table. He was the post monitor that week. He handed Cub a very interesting looking envelope which the teenager accepted with a respectful “thank-you, sir” before he placed the envelope. It was an unspoken rule at the Brecon Beacons that you didn’t touch someone else’s post without their express permission. It was a rule held in high regard and breaking it could result in the highest consequences of Unit Justice. So, when Cub placed the envelope to one side, barely glancing at it, not even Falcon commented. If Cub wanted to read that letter in private that was his business.

They were curious of course – that was human nature. Cub didn’t get many letters but when he did it was always the same. He would take the envelope and place it beside his plate barely giving it a second glance. They supposed it was probably one of his friends or maybe some extended family member checking to make sure that the big mean SAS men weren’t making his life too hellish. It didn’t really matter, and they agreed not to discuss it in detail: Eagle and Snake respected Cub’s privacy. Falcon and Wolf just didn’t care.

As soon as he was finished with his meal Alex ran back to the privacy of his own bed. He had about fifteen minutes before he needed to report for cleaning duty and that left just enough time for him to read his letter. He knew at once who had written. He would recognise that untidy scrawl from anywhere. Ben had dyslexia and as a result, his handwriting wasn’t the neatest. There were a few crossings out too where Ben had noticed he had made some spelling mistakes, but Alex didn’t mind. He was just happy that Ben had written to him. Ben also used yellow paper to write on because it was easier for him. Anyway, his dyslexia were part of what made Ben who he was. Alex wouldn’t wish to change that for the world and he would fight anyone who even made the slightest backward comment about it.

Hello Cub,

I hope that you are well and that the last mission didn’t tire you out too much, I know it did me! Man, that was a tough one. I trust you are trying to stay out of trouble and that they’re all treating you well.

Anyway, I’m on holiday now, thank god. I hope to find a nice woman to go out with. No such luck so far. I did keep trying but they just aren’t interested. My wingman is getting pretty worried about it. He’s beginning to think I’m a hopeless case. Let me know if you hear of any candidates. I will let you know if I hear of everything. Keep safe and don’t worry about me. There’s plenty of fish in the sea and I’m sure I’ll find the one – whoever she may be!

Don’t forget to eat well and wash behind the ears. Write soon and tell me how you are!

B.D.

 

Alex smiled to himself. He worked out the hidden message behind his letter very quickly. If anyone read it they would assume it was just a friend of his writing to tell him about how he was trying and failing at the dating scene. He knew though that Ben was telling him that he and Crawley were at the Isle of Man and had not found Mrs Jones yet. There was still time though. There were numerous places Mrs Jones could be being held and it would have been suspicious if they had found her so easily after all this time.

He re-read the letter checking that he hadn’t missed anything important before he picked up a Bible he kept down the side of his bed. He wasn’t religious but it was a book most people would leave alone. If they looked side they would have realised that it wasn’t a real Bible. Inside of it was a safe. Alex knew that about the rule regarding personal mail and didn’t think anyone would look at it, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He placed the letter in the safe before replacing the Bible in the same place it was before. Then he went to go and report for cleaning duty. Now that he had heard from Ben, even if it was to report they had no leads, he could concentrate more.

An hour later Alex was hard at work scrubbing the floor. He usually didn’t mind cleaning. Sure, it was boring and there were definitely a few things that he could think of to better occupy his time. But it was better than the punishments Mason handed out to him and it was almost therapeutic. So, no, he usually didn’t mind cleaning. However, his hands were stinging. The soap ran into the cuts and welts, custody of Mason and the fiction from the scrubbing brush didn’t help matters. At last, he was finished. Alex sighed and placed the brush back in his bucket. He picked up the towel and dried his hand eager to stop the irritation the soap had caused. Then he sat back and observed his handy work: satisfied at a job well done.

That had been when Snake had decided to make a shortcut to the Unit huts and walk across the mess hall. This had just been after traipsing through a muddy field. His boot was filthy, but he was in such a rush to win the race between him and Eagle that he had forgotten that. He didn’t notice the slight slippiness to the wet floor, nor did he notice Cub, kneeling with a towel in his hand and a satisfied smile on his face. He made it halfway across before an indigent yell made him stop.

“Snake! You complete arse!” Alex complained, loudly. Usually, he would not say anything but that was an hour’s worth of work undone in seconds. His anger over the situation made him forget himself and his usual snarky attitude returned. “I’ve just washed that floor!” 

Snake looked back the way he came. All along the mess hall tiles were dirty footprints leading to the culprit- him. Oh. Cub had been put on clean-up duty by the Sargent due to that mess with Falcon the other day. Snake had been so eager to beat Eagle and win his Crunchie bar that he had he had forgotten about it. His boots had been caked in mud and glass though now they were a lot cleaner. Predictably, that was because it had transferred the tiles. Cub had been scrubbing the floor for an hour now, so it was understandable that he was more than a little upset. Snake, though, was also happy to see some of the real Cub back. 

“My bad,” Snake apologised sincerely. “Sarge still giving you are a hard time?”  

Cub shrugged his shoulders. “He hates me.”

Snake sighed. He could see why Cub thought that. The Sargent was harsh and strict discipline had been ingrained in him from his own superiors. He wasn’t used to teenagers and Snake suspected that he wasn’t trying to make Cub’s life hell for personal reasons. He was just too used to adults. It didn’t make Sargent; right and nor did it trivialise Cub’s insecurities. It just meant that it was more complicated. 

“He doesn’t hate you Cub. He just doesn’t understand you, that’s all.”  

 “That’s me: an enigma wrapped in a puzzle wrapped in a mystery. Well, whatever the reason, I wish he’d lighten up.” He sent a scathing glare Snake’s way. “Almost as much as I wish that assess like you didn’t walk all over my nice clean floor!”  

Snake was about to offer up another apology when suddenly Cub was being pulled into a standing position by a man he did not recognise. The grip didn’t look at all gentle and the slight wince that Cub let out showed that. Whoever it was, he seemed angry and the flash of fear that appeared on Cub’s face did nothing to soothe his fears. The teenager seemed to know who it was, though. Could this be the mysterious man Jackal mentioned?

 “What did I hear you just say to your superior boy?” The man growled.  

So that was what the man was angry at. Well, it made sense if he believed that Snake was his superior. He wasn’t though and he was so glad to hear that Cub got some of his snarky attitudes that he wouldn’t have minded either way. It was just a part of the boy’s personality though lately, it seemed that had changed. It wasn’t necessarily worrying- people did change especially when they went through puberty - but for someone’s personality to change this much sent off alarm bells in his head.   

“Hey, it’s all right” Snake intervened, not wanting his friend to get into any more trouble. He had got enough trouble with the Sargent and that hadn’t been exactly earned either. “It’s just banter! I am just Snake! I’m not Cub’s superior – not really.”  

The man turned to face Snake. He offered him a smile- if one could call it that as it looked more like a sneer. It didn’t have quite the effect it had on Snake as the man seemed to think.

“Well, Snake. I am Agent Mason – Rider’s guardian. I shall decide what is all right and what isn’t.” The man snapped. “And I have decided that the way he addressed you just now was not acceptable. You are an adult. He is a mere child. That alone means you are superior.”  

“It doesn’t work like that here.” Snake shook his head; the man had described Cub as a ‘child’ as though being a child was something wrong. He disliked that. Just because Cub was a teenager didn’t make him inferior. If anything, it meant he deserved more respect not less.

“It does for him.” Mason refuted. “Rider, apologise. Now.”  

“I’m sorry, sir.” Cub apologised at once. He hoped Mason wouldn’t punish him too harshly in front of Snake. It would be too embarrassing for words. 

Snake was beginning to realise what had been the cause of Cub’s change in behaviour. It was Mason. The man was strict – extremely so. Mason pulled Cub about a quarter of a turn to the side and grabbed hold of the boy’s arm securely in place. Snake realised what was going to happen a fraction too late to stop it. 

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

A dozen swats landed before Snake could even begin to object. Mason hissed something in the boy’s ear before, letting him go. Cub didn’t move or speak. He just stood there; his eyes glued to the floor wishing he was somewhere – anywhere but here. It could have been worse, a lot worse, but the embarrassment of having Snake see him having his bottom smacked as a naughty child hurt more than anything. He hoped Snake wouldn’t laugh at him.   

“That was unnecessary!” Objected Snake. Really there hadn’t been any need to punish him much less smack him. Yes, Cub had been a little snarky, but it was just banter. Snake gave as good as he got, and this was just who Cub was. He knew when the time and the place called for him to temper that attuite. It would be like trying to change Eagle’s sense of humour. It wasn’t right.

“I shall decide that. Rider is my charge after all.” Mason replied. “Boy!”  

Cub seemed unaffected by the smacks, but Snake doubted that he would say anything even if he was. As it happens, he simply snapped his head to face Mason unblinking at the harsh address. 

“Yes, sir?” Cub answered. 

“Drop and give me twenty.”  

Without any complaint, Cub proceeded to comply. Snake suspected that he was not in the position to object. Mason was his guardian and was in charge of Cub’s discipline. If he were disobedient it would lead to further reprimand. Snake has no such worry. He was SAS and while MI6 outranked him, he still was not under the full purview of their command.  

“You’ve already smacked him and now you’re making him do push-ups?” Snake demanded ludicrously. “Surely smacking him was punishment enough? He didn’t even deserve that!” 

“When I want to ask for your advice, believe me, I will ask for it.” Mason declared.  

Mason turned back to Cub who was finishing his push-ups.

“What have you learnt?” He questioned.  

“Not to be disrespectful, sir,” Cub answered.  

“And will I overhear you insulating your superiors again Rider?”  

“No, sir.” 

“Good. Now, I suggest you clean this floor up.” 

Mason left after that. Snake was immediately at Cub’s side.  

“Are you all right?” 

“Fine,” Cub grumbled before kneeling. He was annoyed, a little at Snake but mainly at himself. If he had managed to restrain himself then he has been spanked for disrespect. The threat that Mason had hissed in his ear made him shudder. He’d threatened to take the cane to his backside if he didn’t shape up. He hoped that he would avoid that.   

He picked the brush up and began scrubbing. Snake thought for a second before getting another brush and kneeling beside him. He would help Cub clean the floor. It was his fault it was dirty again.

“Is he always like that?” Snake asked after a few minutes.

“Not always, sir. He punishes me when I misbehave.”

“Does he always smack you?”

“Actions have consequences, sir but no he doesn’t always smack me,” Cub answered softly. It was true enough. Sometimes he was backhanded or belted or caned. It wasn’t what Snake meant but it was what he had said. Say what you mean and mean what you say It was another thing his uncle had said to him when he was younger. It was a rule he tried to live his life by though that was getting increasingly difficult.

“I don’t like it.” Snake commented after some time.

“I’m not too fond of it myself, sir.”

“You can call me Snake.” The man reminded smiling both at the teenager’s response but also to put him at ease.

“If it’s all the same to you, sir, I stick with the honorific.” Cub shook his head. With Mason nearby, it was better to be safe than sorry. He didn’t want to get the cane again- it hurt more the way Mason had threatened. He also really wanted to go on that trip next week. Mason had surprisingly allowed it. It would be the first respite he had had in a while and he wasn’t going to give his guardian – or the Sargent for that matter- a reason to forbid him from the trip.  

Snake knew that some parents used spanking as a punishment. Heck, when he was a kid he had more of his fair share of smacks. His parents weren’t abusive (though personally, Snake disagreed with any type of physical punishment), but he definitely had his bottom swatted over the years. This however seemed different. His Snaky senses were tingling. He was beginning to be very glad that they were going away. A week barding in the beautiful Welsh countryside might do Cub a lot of good. It would give him chance to act like a teenager – especially if that Mason didn’t come with them.

“Are you looking forward to next week? Llangollen is a beautiful place.”

“Oh, yes, sir!” Cub replied eagerly, perking up at once. “I just hope I don’t anger the Sargent.”

“Don’t worry Cub.” Snake replied deciding to nit push the issue of the honorific. “I’ll take the fall if you do.”

The smile that appeared on Cub’s face had been worth the risk of that promise. He knew that Cub wouldn’t abuse their deal but still, he was a teenager- the temptation of pranking Wolf must have been strong. But he knew at once it had been the right thing to do because the boy’s smile reached his eyes which twinkled its delight. It occurred to him that it had been too long since the boy smiled like that. Come hell or high water, he was going to make sure Cub got to Llangollen!

Chapter 19: Snake’s Concerns

Chapter Text

The fact that Agent Mason smacked Cub in front of him did not sit right with Snake. Sure, some parents did that, but it was becoming less accepted especially in the Western world. It was just the smacking that concerned it but Cub’s reaction to it. He didn’t yelp out or even looked surprised. His expression was one of mild discomfort at most. It was as though it had been expected. Cub said Mason didn’t smack him all the time, but it was clearly a common enough occurrence for Cub to be unbothered by the punishment and the sharp reprimand that accompanied it. Mason was strict, there was no dying that. But was it more than that?

“You’re very quiet this morning, Snake,” Eagle commented shovelling a spoonful of cornflakes into his mouth. Snake grimaced his table manners but didn’t comment on it.

“I know Eagle but just because I don’t talk a hundred to the dozen first thing in the morning doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong.” He pointed out instead.

“I never suggested that there was anything wrong, but it is interesting that you should jump to that conclusion,” Eagle replied. “Besides you are thoughtfully quiet not early quiet.”

Snake did not ask whom Eagle could distinguish between two different types of quiet nor did he ask how he knew which one related to Snake. Eagle might be a bit of a joker, but he cared deeply about his teammates and had learnt how to recognise certain mannerisms about their behaviour and what it meant for their mood.

“I’m worried about Cub.” Snake admitted.

Eagle perked up at the mention of their youngest team member. He was currently cleaning out an old shed at the request of the Sargent. He had finished his breakfast faster than the others and had headed straight there in order to score some brownie points in his favour. Eagle too had been worried about Cub. There was something not right about him and while Eagle didn’t know Cub well enough to read him as well as the others, he knew that something had been bothering the kid.  

“Why?” The question came from Wolf. He had noticed a few things about Cub’s behaviour that while not exactly concerning in his opinion, was certainly interesting.

Snake debated whether he should share what he saw. It might be embarrassing for Cub and while the teenager hadn’t exactly asked him to keep it a secret, he suspected that the last thing he wanted was for everyone to know. But if he was right then it wasn’t the kind of thing he could, in good consciousness, keep hidden. They were Cub’s unit though they hadn’t acted like it thus far, Snake was ashamed to admit that. However, now he had a chance to make up with it.

“I think Cub’s being abused.” Snake hesitated.

The statement caused a chilly silence to fall over the Unit. Falcon who had, up until this moment, given very little of his attention to the conversation was at once alert to it. He had kept one ear open in case the conversation turned to something more important. And it had, just not in the way he expected. He didn’t like Cub and he knew that he made no secret of it. He often thought that the kid deserved to be taken down a peg or two. The fact that ‘6 liked him and used him made him angry. But as much as he disliked the kid, he wouldn’t let him be abused. No kid deserved that. Cub reminded him too much of- Falcon sharply reprimanded himself again. He needed to stop thinking about him and leave the past just that- the past.

“What gives you that impression?” Falcon asked.

“I meant his guardian yesterday. His name is Agent Mason by the way. He’s strict.” Snake began. Then he sighed to himself and rubbed his forehead. He could feel a headache coming on. His unit mates looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate. He did so, explaining exactly what had happened.

“Well?” Snake asked once he was done.  

Eagle was angry. He didn’t think it was right for an adult to hit a kid. The difference in their sizes was striking. He didn’t even like doing hand-to-hand with Cub and tried putting it off as much as possible. It didn’t seem right but at least they were teaching Cub how to defend himself. But what Snake had described wasn’t like that. It was meant to teach him obedience and respect, but he just thought all it did was teach Cub to fear his guardian. His parents had never raised a hand to him he was a respectful member of society the world could rely on. He was in the SAS. Obviously, his parents had done something right and without the use of physical punishment. It wasn’t necessary, Eagle believed it and anyone that used it did and disservice to their kids. He didn’t think any kid deserved to be smacked. It was abuse in his opinion. Some of it was more severe and he didn’t think that every parent that ever smacked their kid should have their kids taken away- just have parenting classes. Those that left marks should be thrown in prison. It wasn’t just the fact that Agent Mason had smacked Cub but the fact he had so casually done it in front of Snake. It was harsh enough to hit him without adding to the embarrassment. If Agent Mason was willing to do that in front of witnesses, then what was he willing to do behind closed doors?

Wolf was calm. He didn’t think that a few smacks would do Cub any harm. His parents had spanked him as a kid, and it didn’t do him any harm. It taught him respect and that actions had consequences. Parents today were often too lax in discipline. They thought that the slightest slap or harsh word was abuse. It wasn’t. It was just discipline which is what a lot of kids needed. It had obviously worked too- Cub was more respectful. He didn’t think that just because Agent Mason had decided that Cub needed a spanking that he was abusing the boy. He believed that Snake was overreacting. He didn’t blame him for that- he knew that the idea of corporal punishment was controversial, to say the least. Snake was also their medic so he had seen a lot of injuries over the years and how they could impact a person. It was understandable his reaction to seeing someone purposefully hurt their kid however mild that hurt had been. Of course, it could be taken too far. They were a line between abuse and punishment. The line was thin, and some parents could accidentally cross it. But a few smacks delivered by hand to a clothed bottom had not crossed that line. Using implements and leaving marks could have been considered abuse but what Snake had seen was no more than strict discipline.

Falcon was relieved. When Snake had mentioned abuse, he had assumed the man meant Cub being beaten by a belt or something. Then it turned out that all it had been was a dozen swats to his backside. That could hardly be considered abuse in his opinion. Like Wolf, he had been spanked as a kid and like Wolf, he was no problem with it. In fact, he believed that a good, smacked bottom would do a naughty child a lot of good. It was sometimes necessary to give children strict discipline and a firm hand if they stepped out of line. How else would they learn the true impact on their actions? A spanking was a good deterrent for poor behaviour- the threat of a sore bottom certainly stopped him as a kid! He wasn’t a fool though. He knew that some parents took it too far. He had seen it before. Parents at their wits end beating the daylights out of their kid in the hope that it would help and then being angry when it didn’t. He wasn’t heartless- in those incidences, it was abuse and was unacceptable. No parents should leave bruises or lasting damage and if they did it was abuse. But the smacks that Cub had got? For speaking very disrespectfully to an adult- didn’t seem severe. They wouldn’t have left any damage and Falcon would be surprised if it was still hurting today. That had just been good old fashioned – and well deserved- discipline.

“I can’t believe he did that,” Eagle growled quietly. “Why on earth would anyone hit a kid?”

“To teach them to be productive members of society, Eagle,” Wolf answered.

“You don’t need to hit them to do that.” Snake argued.

Wolf shrugged. He wasn’t necessary all the time, he would admit that. But he did think that spanking had its place in a loving household.

“It helps,” Wolf argued. “A spanking now and then won’t hurt him. It didn’t do me any harm!”

Snake scowled. Wolf had his own problems. He could be too strict and harsh. It didn’t mean that it was due to his parents spanking him, but it was a possibility. And the fact that it wouldn’t hurt him was wrong too. There was a wealth of research that suggested otherwise!

“That’s a better of opinion.”

“I agree with Wolf.” Falcon shared. “A few smacks aren’t a reason to accuse someone of abuse. You’ll do Cub more harm than good. Anyway, if he knew what he would get for being disrespectful he should have done it.”

That last comment just showed Falcon how little he knew about Cub. It would have been different if he had said to the Sargent – he was their superior. But Cub wouldn’t do that because wasn’t disrespectful.  

“He wasn’t being disrespectful- he was being Cub.” Snake replied.

“Of course, you’d agree with Agent Mason, Falcon! I bet you’d like to smack him around yourself!” Eagle accused his usually mild tone was barbed. He sent a piercing glare Falcon’s way.

“That was uncalled for Eagle.” Falcon snapped back. “I would never hit him- he’s not my kid- and nor would I want him to be abused. I’m just saying that if his guardian gives him a mild spanking for misbehaviour, I’m not going to interfere and accuse him of abuse. If you’re wrong it’ll hurt him.”

Eagle looked a little abashed. He apologised softly. Falcon was sometimes a bit harsh, but he wouldn’t want Cub harmed. He was a good man underneath his harsh exterior and Eagle knew that once Cub won him over (that was inevitable, he was a good kid) Falcon would ease up on the teenager and treat him with his respect. He would never want a child to be abused either and Eagle felt a little guilty for suggesting it.

“And if I’m right, I’ll have stopped him from being hurt.” Snake countered.

“Have you spoke it him about it?” Wolf questioned.

“A bit. He says Mason doesn’t smack him all the time.”

“Well, there you are then!” Wolf declared. “And unless he actually brings it up or you have actual proof Mason’s taking it too far- don’t anyone ask him. He’s probably really embarrassed. I know I was when my parents spanked me in front of people.”

“Just leave it for now Snake, yeah?” Falcon suggested. “Cub’s already told you he doesn’t do it all the time and you’ll just disrupt his consistency if you go stirring the pot unnecessarily. Children need that consistency just like they need boundaries and discipline.”

“Fine.” Snake grunted though he decided that he was going to do his own investigations anyway.

“Good. Now let’s get to the training grounds. Cub will be waiting for us by now!”

The Unit stood up and began making their way to the training ground. Wolf and Falcon led the group- now discussing shooting tactics. They had decided that the conversation concerning Cub had come to end. They concluded that there had been nothing wrong with what Mason had done as he had acted well within his own rights as Cub’s guardian. It might have been a bit harsh, smacking him in front of Snake but if misbehaved in public he deserved to be punished in public. Anyway, his guardian would no doubt have a talk with him in private and offer any comfort as needed.

Snake and Eagle hung back. Unlike Falcon and Wolf, they did not think the conversation was over. Neither of them liked the fact that Wolf and Falcon dismissed what had happened to Cub so easily. True, some people thought that giving your kid a smacking for being naughty was all right, but some people thought racism was all right too. That didn’t make it so. Nor did it mean they were happy with leaving the subject be. If an adult hit an adult it was assault. If a person hit an animal it was abuse. And yet, according to Wolf and Falcon, if an adult hit a kid it was discipline?

“I don’t like this, Elliot. I don’t like it at all.” Snake used Eagle’s first name to indicate just how serious he was.

“Neither do I, Seb.” Eagle agreed, using Snake’s first name to equal his seriousness. “I’ve half a mind to go and yell at Mason.”

“We mustn’t do that, El.” Snake shook his head adamantly. He had taken a course in child protection when he had trained to be a doctor.

“And why the hell not Sebastian?” Eagle seethed. He didn’t mean to snap quite so severely. He was angry with Mason and worried for Cub not mad at his best friend.

“Because” Snake explained carefully. “He may get angry and take it out on Cub. If you suspect abuse you don’t confront the abuser- that could lead to them panicking and hiding their tracks. It gives them a warning.”

“So, what do we do?!” Eagle demanded.

“Well normally I would report it to social services and let them investigate but with ‘6 involved it is more complicated. They could just cover it up and make Cub disappear.”

“I asked what we will do not what you normally do!” Eagle snapped.

A few soldiers nearby heard Eagle shout and turned in their direction. It was not normal for Eagle to shout like that. He sounded angry and he had gained a reputation for being the mildest mannered of the soldiers at the Brecon Beacons. Yet here he was, yelling at his best friend. What has that all about?

Snake saw the looks that they had been sent and shallowed. They were beginning to attract too much attention. The more people that heard about this the bigger the chance that it would hit Mason’s ears. He sent Eagle an admonishing look.

“Calm down, El, I’m getting to that. In a few days, we’re going to Llangollen. Mason can’t come. That will give us plenty of time to check that everything’s all right with him. I’m a medic so I can think of an excuse to get everyone examined. If he’s got any injuries, we’ll see them.”

“And if he refuses?” Eagled questioned. Cub was stubborn at the best of times – getting him to submit to an examination would be no mean feat. Since Cub was also a minor it felt doubly wrong to make him take off his clothes.

“That will only raise our suspicions. But if needed, we can arrange for an accident with a bucket of water.”

Eagle nodded. He was the master of pranks and no one would bat an eyelid if there had been a little bucket incident while they were away. Oh, he would pay for it- but it wouldn’t seem suspicious.

“Come on, you two! Quit welding!” Wolf barked from across the training ground. “What are you two talking about? The weather?”

“Absolutely!” Eagle shouted back. “Snake was just saying he thinks it’s going to turn chilly again!”

“I’ll turn chilly again if you don’t get a bloody move on! We’re training not taking a leisurely stroll!” Wolf bellowed beginning to get irritated.

Snake and Eagle noticed how Cub, standing next to Wolf, flinched at the Unit leader’s yell. As they broke into a run to join the rest of their unit they had never been as certain about their suspicions as they were then. Thank god Llangollen was only a few days away.

Chapter 20: Llangollen

Summary:

I got the idea for the reveal at the end of this chapter from Paul Temple and The Lawrence Affair- a Radio Series. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter Text

Alex Rider lay back with a smile on his face. Not even Eagle’s very irritating rendition of ‘a hundred and fifty-five green bottles standing on a wall’ could dim his bright mood. Mason had allowed him to go to Llangollen and hadn’t even followed through with his threat about the cane. He hadn’t expected either thing to happen.

The coach ride was about 2 ½ hours long. He didn’t mind long journeys. He was used to travelling to every corner of the globe. He’d been to Africa and even Australia – 2 and half hours was nothing compared to that. He also found that he was slightly nervous. He didn’t know much about F-unit unit. Adults didn’t have a very good track record of being kind to him. Those that had been kind to him either ended up dead or had very little interaction with him. He didn’t know what the unit members would be like or how they would treat him. Would they find him insolent and hit him? His own Unit never had but F-unit might. Still, it was worth it for the break. He looked over the coach and thought about each member of F-unit.

There was Jackal. He was the leader of F-unit and their sharpshooter. He had ginger hair and green eyes. He had a northern accent having originated from Sheffield. Cub thought it was pretty kind. He was very friendly and incredibly chatty. He seemed almost parental. But he still didn’t trust him. After everything he had gone through he didn’t have that luxury. And anyway, if Jackal acted like a parent that that might mean he’d hit him if he thought he misbehaved. That’s what parental figures had done to him- since Jack and the Pleasures anyway.

Adder, the one that gave him Ben’s letter was a man of very few words. The few times that he did speak though, everyone listened. He had a way with words and was never arrived to share his pearls of wisdom when it was needed or asked for. He was Greek with olive coloured skin and was the team’s tactician. Cub didn’t know what to make of him. His quietness often unnerved him because he didn’t know what the man was thinking. He never knew if he angered the man and that was dangerous. When he knew when he angered them, he could better protect himself.

Bear was their hand-to-hand and language specialist. He was the scariest. He was very muscley and strong looking. He was very intimidating. Cub was very wary around him. He reminded him too much of Mason- they had the same North London accent and the same grey eyes. He was stronger though- much stronger. If he decided that Cub deserved a slap or a punch, not only would he be pretty powerless to stop it (he was good, but Bear was better) it would hurt a lot more. He would have to watch his step around the man. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally anger the man. He might report back to Mason and that would never be good.

Lion completed the unit. He was their medic. The man appeared pretty grumpy at first but was actually pretty funny. His sense of humour was the nearest to Cub’s – dry and sarcastic. He got on pretty well with Eagle though their humour was different vastly. Eagle was far more energetic as well. The combination worked well though. Eagle made Lion seem less grumpy and Lion calmed Eagle down when he got too excited. Cub liked Lion. He seemed very calm. When they stopped for a loo break, he left his phone on his seat. Cub had spotted it and had picked it up. However, when he’d gone to hand it to Lion, he had let go before the man had had a proper hold of it and he’d watched with horror as it smashed on the floor. Cub had expected a scolding and a slap at least but Lion had just said ‘these things happen’ and muttered about getting a new phone.

They arrived at Llangollen shortly after lunchtime. The barge was beautiful with a red roof and a gorgeous carving of a Sparrow on it. The carving gave the Barge its name: Sparrow’s Rest­. There were two bedrooms and to get to know each other, the units mixed. Bear, Wolf, Cub and Adder in one room and Lion, Eagle, Jackal, Snake and Falcon in another. After three days, they would change around so that they could spend more time and get to know each other.

The first thing they did was unpack. They didn’t bring much- just enough clothes to last the week. Their rooms weren’t very big either, but they wouldn’t be spending much time in them. Once Cub was finished, he went to join the rest of the group. They had planned on going on a walk before dinner. However, just as he stepped through the doorway to go into the dining room, Wolf walked in front of him,

“Wait a minute Cub,” Wolf ordered a little sharper than necessary.

“Sir?” Cub asked. At Wolf’s raised eyebrow he corrected himself. “Wolf. What is it?”

“I just need to lay down the ground rules. Or rather ground rule.”

“I’m not a kid,” Cub grumbled but Wolf’s sharp ears caught it.

“You are a kid.” Wolf snapped, not in the mood, particularly after a long journey of Eagle’s terrible singing. “And that’s why you have a guardian. Now on to the rule-”

“I don’t need rules!” Cub shouted suddenly angry. He was a kid when it suited them and an adult when they needed him. If he was thinking straight he wouldn’t have shouted at Wolf but he was tired and he was fed up with things not being fair.

“That’s enough Cub.” Wolf rebooked harshly. “Mason told me you would behave. Do I need to phone him and tell him that you’re disgracing him?”

The threat made Cub’s blood run cold. If Mason found out he’s raised his voice to Wolf he’d be in big trouble. He was already skating on thin ice with everything that had happened lately. Since Mason had begun his stay at the Brecon Beacons he’d been in trouble nearly every day.

Wolf felt a little bad when he was how pale Cub had become. He knew his guardian was strict. He didn’t mean to snap at him. He was just grumpy after his long journey. He wouldn’t apologise though. He didn’t have the time nor the inclination to do that. Anyway, it seemed to have the desired effect because Cub looked to the floor and nodded in submission.

“No, I’m sorry.” Cub apologised. “What rule is this?”

“You aren’t allowed to go anywhere like unattended,” Wolf told him. “Agent Mason is worried you might injure yourself or something.”

Seriously?! Mason wasn’t going to allow him to go anywhere by himself? He had been all across the globe getting to scrapes that were far more dangerous than a week’s barging holiday with a group of SAS soldiers. He had been responsible for the lives of thousands, completed missions that nearly gotten him killed and he’s been felt alone with the world’s most dangerous criminals. If he was allowed to do that without adult supervision then surely he would be allowed to off on his own while they were in the beautiful Welsh countryside?

Alex sighed to himself. He should have foreseen this. Mason would never agree to allow him to do something he wanted unless there was a stipulation. It was too nice of Mason to just allow him a week off. They would have to be something that Mason could control – something that he could do to prevent his enjoyment. He would just have to accept it – wouldn’t he? It wasn’t like he could do anything about it and at least he had been allowed to go. There was no use snapping at Wolf either. It wasn’t the man’s fault. His unit leader had just been the messenger. So as much as he wanted to yell at him, it would only land him in further trouble.

“All right. May I go on the walk now?” Cub asked.

“Yes, just do what you’re told,” Wolf replied. “And no running off!”

While Cub, Falcon, Lion and Eagle went on the walk the rest of the group stayed on the Barge. They watched as Wolf prepared the dinner. It was just a quick meal – Spaghetti Bolognese. While he was preparing it, Bear commented on how excited Cub seemed to be.

“It was nice to see the Cub have a smile on his face for once.” Bear stated. “He usually seems so despondent. I know I don’t know him that well, but I’m pleased that he seems to be enjoying himself thus far.”

There were a few nods at this. It wasn’t exactly difficult to spot Cub’s mood. He got quite a lot of attention and his age separated him from the rest of the Brecon Beacons in more ways than one. However, no one knew him that well. Even his Unit seemed to struggle to understand him. Cub was pretty private and didn’t like to talk to anyone unless he had to. F-Unit were very interested in their youngest recruit and hoped that the holiday would give them ample time to learn about the teenager and why the hell he was with them in the first place.

“He didn’t seem so happy when Wolf told him he wasn’t allowed anywhere alone,” Jackal commented.

“Well, I can understand that.” Snake replied sipping his lemonade. “Did you like having constant supervision when you were a teenager? I can’t imagine that Cub’s going to be happy with it.”

“Cub will do what he’s told if he knows what’s good for him.” Wolf snapped. He had been ignoring the conversation up till that point as he was too focused on the dinner.

“That’s a bit harsh don’t you think, Wolf?” Adder questioned with a frown. This was one of the few times where he decided to speak up. The was meant to be a holiday and it didn’t seem fair to a teenager to be so strict with him,

“You wouldn’t think that if it was your ass on the line. If Cub runs off and gets hurt or something I’ll be the one answering to his guardian.” Wolf argued, chopping an onion with more force than was strictly required.  

“Something tells me that if anyone will get in trouble for that it would be Cub. His guardian’s strict with him too strict if you ask me.” Snake grunted remembering what he had seen.

“Not this again- I thought we agreed,” Wolf growled though they hadn’t actually. “There’s nothing wrong with smacking as punishment. Corporal punishment is sometimes necessary.”

“That’s what I used to think then Masie was born.” Bear shared. “The minute I stared into those brown eyes I knew I could never smack her.”

Masie was Bear’s daughter. She was twelve years old and the pride of his life. She was a polite and energetic kid. He’d always thought that physical punishment would be something he’d use when he was a parent. But then the second his daughter had been born and he’d held her for the first time- his heart melted.

“And now? Is she a terror?” Wolf demanded expecting it to be so.

“Nothing of the sort! Masie’s the sweetest thing. I never spoiled her!” Bear answered defensively. He sent a warning glare Wolf’s way.  

“Well, I still think there’s nothing wrong with a spanking.” Wolf declared. “It never did anyone any harm.”

That is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard.” Jackal retorted. “There’s a plethora of research that shows that it does a lot of harm. What are you two going on about anyway? Did something happen?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Wolf answered before Snake could say anymore. He could see that the other disagreed with him and the last thing he wanted was to start an argument. “Let’s change the subject.”

The fresh air did wonders for Cub’s mood and appetite. He was still upset or rather annoyed at the restriction to his freedom, but he wasn’t going to let that ruin his holiday. He had planned to take a few walks by himself – maybe into town where he could contact Ben. He thought that a week away would be the perfect opportunity to do his research into Mrs Jones’ disappearance but it now that it was apparent he couldn’t go anywhere alone, that was too much of a risk. It didn’t matter anyway. Ben was in a better position to find her anyway. The Isle of Man was too far away, and it wasn’t like he could type ‘Where is Mrs Jones?’ into Google. Ben had their address. If he found out any news he would send word at once. Perhaps he should take this week to be a kid for a bit? He wouldn’t get another chance like this for ages.

That evening, the group played cards. There had been a bit of debate as to whether Cub should take part in the gambling aspect but in the end, he had been allowed. They weren’t using money after all – just seashells. Cub managed to win a few hands before Wolf declared that it was time for his bedtime. He refused to admit that this was because Cub was winning but the fact that Cub had beat him three times in a row was no coincidence. Deciding that he was tried anyway and not wanting to incur anyone’s wrath for arguing, he’d gone to bed without any complaint.

“Rider!” A Voice yelled.

Alex flinched. Mason was yelling his name. He’s lived with the Agent for two months now and he had already learnt that the man never wanted to speak to him for a good reason. There could be two reasons for Mason calling him. Either he was in trouble, (this could be for a valid reason or one Mason just made up) or he was wanted on a mission.

“Yes, sir?” He answered respectfully knowing the price of being anything but.

“You are going to China,” Mason told him. “You’ll be debriefed on the plane. I will be accompanying you this time. As your father.”

“Sir…”

“What is it Rider?”

“Did you hear anything about Mrs Jones yet?” Alex asked him. Mason knew Mrs Jones was missing- of course, he did. Everyone at MI6 knew about it. The only thing was he seemed to be the only person (other than Crawley) that cared about it. It was as if Mrs Jones had never even existed. After everything he had given to this country, Alex felt she deserved at least some help.

Mason was suddenly furious. He grabbed hold of Alex by the scruff on the neck and slammed him into a nearby wall. Alex was dazed at once. But it wasn’t over yet. Mason let him go for a second before his hands clamped around Alex’s neck. He left his hands getting tighter and tighter. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. Alex clawed at the hands desperately trying to get rid of the grip Mason had around his neck. He could feel himself getting weaker. Black spots starting appearing. Just before darkness set in Mason let go. Alex coughed and spluttered desperate to fill his lungs with oxygen. It hurt his throat so much.

“Don’t mention that name again. Understand?”

“Yessir.” Alex coughed.

“We have a plane to catch.” Mason reminded before turning away from him and going down the corridor as if he hadn’t just tried to choke him.

After that Alex never mentioned Mrs Jones again.

Cub awoke and head straight to the bathroom. He needed to be reassured that he was all right. The mirror reassured him that his nightmare had just been that -a nightmare. He didn’t have the finger-shaped bruises that one got when one was strangled.

He had forgotten about what Mason had done. It sounded bad but it was true. Over the past year and a half, he had been hurt that much by Mason that the attacks on him had sort of merged together. But now that he had dreamt about it he wondered – what did it mean? Mason had been very angry when he had mentioned Mrs Jones’ name. Why? He was suddenly very glad that he hadn’t spoken to anyone about Eliza’ message.

Alex was still thinking about his nightmare later that morning. They had all gone out to go for another walk and decided to have a picnic on the top of a hill, not far from their barge. There were other barges too and the group took delight in discovering the names of them. The was lots of wildlife too and both Cub and Eagle decided to take a pair of binoculars so they could look for various birds that lived near the river.

Fortunately, it seemed he had managed to stay pretty silent throughout his nightmare. He could do that sometimes because he feared he'd be punished for making too much noise. Mason sometimes did that: smack him awake and yell at him. He was glad though. He didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. He could just imagine Eagle and Snake flapping around him and demanding answers. Falcon might laugh at him. OK, that might be a bit harsh, but Falcon hadn’t given him reason to think otherwise – had he?

It was quite a long walk and the fresh air was pleasant, but Alex still couldn’t get his nightmare out of his mind. He was certain that it was important. But how? And why? Was Mason in some way connected to Mrs Jones disappearing?

Alex panted as he came to a stop. They’d finally reached the top of the hill! You could see for miles! It was a clear day and his binoculars allowed him even better views. He could even see the name of that barge-

“Oh my god!” Alex gasped quietly as he took it in. The barge he was looking at was really beautiful. It was blue and had paintings of Dolphins done by hand. But that wasn’t what made him gasp. Oh no. It was the name of the barge. It was written on the side in golden paint glistening in the sunshine.

The Isle of Man.

Chapter 21: Trouble Ahead, Trouble Behind, Trouble Everywhere

Chapter Text

The Isle of Man.

The Isle of Man.

The Isle of Man.

He read the name of the boat. Then read it again. And re-read it. It was no mistake. The barge was defiantly called The Isle of Man. According to Eliza, Mrs Jones had been taken to The Isle of Man. They assumed, not unnaturally, that it had referred to the actual island. But Ben and Crawley had searched it and had found nothing. What if she had been talking about a boat and had died before she could explain? He had a feeling there may be trouble ahead. In fact, he suspected there was trouble ahead, trouble behind, trouble everywhere.

Was Mrs Jones on that barge? It wasn’t far and Eagle wasn’t watching him. He could go and explore and be back before anyone noticed. It was too much of a coincidence to ignore. He had to check it out. But how could he explain to Eagle? The man would want to come with him. Alex couldn’t allow that. If whoever took Mrs Jones was on that barge then he couldn’t put Eagle at risk like that. These were dangerous people- just look at what happened with Spider and Malthas Dolby.

He looked across at Eagle. The man was staring at a flock of birds, facing west, away from the direction he wanted to go in. The others were going back to the barge. Now was his chance. His mind made up, he took off before a proper plan could be formulated in his brain, He would just have to improvise and hope that his Luck of The Devil was on his side.

Alex took off running before anyone could stop him. He got halfway down before he was pulled backwards by someone. He immediately went on the defensive. Eagle managed to stop the punch before it landed.

“Cub? What’s going on?!” Eagle demanded. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost! It’s not like you to just disobey a rule like that!”

“Eagle… Call…Fox.” Cub panted, catching his breath. “Isle of Man…barge…Mrs Jones...”

“Cub? What are you on about-”

Before Eagle could ask Cub any further questions, the teenager kicked his feet out from under him. His face smashed into the grass and suddenly he was rolling. Flashes of green and blue appeared in front of his eyes. When he recovered, Cub was gone. Great. Wolf would be pissed when he found out he’d lost Cub. Ow. His head heard and he felt a sticky warmness dripping down his forehead. So, he was bleeding too- just brilliant.

Even though he was responsible for his current condition Eagle couldn’t bring himself to blame or be angry at Cub. He wouldn’t have hurt him or reacted the way that he did if there wasn’t a good reason for it. Cub seemed panicked, excited, and confused all at once. And was that he asked Eagle to do? Call Fox? But Fox got binned ages ago. And tell him about something about a barge? Related to Mrs Jones and The Isle of Man? Eagle hoped that Fox would know what Cub was talking about because he certainly didn’t!

Whatever was going on with Cub, Eagle hoped he was all right. He couldn’t help but be worried about him. There was some very worrying about the whole situation. His and Snake suspicions about Mason were bad enough. When he considered Cub’s latest behaviour it was even more worrying. Eagle sighed. He was feeling a lot better now. Now it was time to go back and speak with everyone else. He had a feeling that Cub would need their help.

As Eagle was running back to speak with the others, Alex was trying to push his feeling of guilt down. He hadn’t wanted to hurt Eagle but if hadn’t have kicked him then he might have followed him. And if he followed him he might get tangled up in the web of Mrs Jones and possibly Mason. That would be too dangerous. It could get Eagle mixed up with some pretty terrible people and he didn’t deserve that. It wasn’t Eagle’s duty to do anything about Mrs Jones but it was his. He would have to do this alone and hope they got a message.

Back at The Boat House…

“What do you mean he’s gone?!” Wolf barked, fiercely. Glaring at Eagle. At the first chance, he had got Cub had runoff. Even after he had warned him about that the previous day! He was so angry at him! The Sargent would have their asses for this! When he got his hands on that brat…

“OW!” Eagle hissed as Snake dabbed antiseptic into his head wound. He squirmed away from Snake’s hold. “That hurts!”

“Keep still!” Snake scolded and attacked him with the cloth once more. Eagle was the worse when he was injured. He was worse than Cub and he was a teenager!

 “What do you mean he’s gone?!” Wolf growled again. Eagle hadn’t answered him yet and it only served to anger him further.  

“Ow!” Eagle hissed again. “I heard you the first time! I just what it was pretty self-explanatory. He’s gone.”

“What exactly did Cub say?” Lion asked.

Eagle sighed and told them. When he got back to the boathouse he was ambushed by Snake who forced him into a chair. He’d seen the dried blood down his face with bits of grass stuck in his hair and immediately set about cleaning him up. He hadn’t managed to get out more than “Cub’s gone!” before the group had descended on him. 

“Fox?” Falcon asked. “Isn’t that whom I replaced? Why would Cub want us to contact him?”

“And what about the other messages? What do they mean?” Bear questioned.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Wolf growled, digging his phone out from his pocket. He wasn’t in constant contact with Fox, but he did have the man’s number still. He just hoped that Fox hadn’t changed it and that the man would take his call, He also hoped that Fox would be able to shed some light on Cub’s behaviour. It was concerning. Not that he was concerned about Cub. Oh no. Wolf was just worried that it would come back to bite him. Yes, that was it.

“Wolf?” Fox greeted in a confused tone. He shrugged at Crawley who had asked him why his old Unit leader had called him. He had no clue, but it had better be important. They had been searching The Isle of Man for days now and neither he nor Crawley had found a sign of Mrs Jones. They were beginning to get worried. What if this had been a trap.

“Cub told me to call you.” Wolf began.

At the mention of Alex, Ben’s blood ran cold. There was something in Wolf’s voice that told him something was wrong. Ben hoped to goodness that the teenager was all right. If something had happened to that kid well, Ben didn’t even want to think about that.

“Cub? Is he OK?” Ben demanded urgently. He would normally have told Wolf to ring him back later. He needed to search for Mrs Jones, but Mrs Jones could wait for now. That might sound heartless but if his Cub was in danger then he’d fly straight there and abandon the hunt for Mrs Jones.

“He’s gone. He ran away from Eagle. We’re in Llangollen.” Wolf explained.

“Put Eagle on. NOW!” Ben ordered fiercely. Cub wasn’t there and Eagle had been the last person he spoke to. He would have the answers that Ben needed. 

Wolf registered the urgency in Fox’s voice. It was weird to hear such authority from a man who used to be below him in terms of rank. However, now, it was there just as authoritative as Sargent Young’s voice was. Hearing it caused Wolf’s instincts as a soldier took over. Suddenly he wasn’t talking to a former team-mate but a superior and he obeyed him at once.  

“What happened?” Ben snapped once the muffling caused by a phone exchanging hands stopped.

Eagle felt himself stiffen at the voice. He was standing to attention now and rather than speaking to an old friend he was reporting to a superior officer. He didn’t know Fox could speak like that. What had happened to make his friend become such an authority? He wondered it of course, but he didn’t question it out loud. He was a soldier and Fox was giving him an order.  He felt obliged to obey.

“I don’t really know! One minute he was standing next to me the next he’s charging down a hill. When I got to him he said someone about a barge called The Isle of Man, mentioned a Mrs Jones and told us to call you.”

“And you let him go? You didn’t run after him?!” Ben roared.

Eagle flinched and had to stop himself responding with a ‘sorry, sir’ liked he had been trained to. Fox didn’t want apologises he wanted explanation and action. If Eagle didn’t give them to him then Fox might not be held accountable for his actions.

“He kicked me over! When I recovered he was nowhere to be seen. I looked of course-” Eagle stopped himself. If he was right then Cub was in danger. He took a breath and used Fox’s real name to stabilise the man. “Listen, Ben, we haven’t got time to play to blame game. Is Cub in danger?”

“You’re sure he said, ‘The Isle of Man ‘ and ‘Mrs Jones’?” Ben asked seeing that Eagle was right. He knew that Eagle had heard correctly- it was too much of a coincidence otherwise. 

“There’s no doubt about it,” Eagle promised.

“I’m on my way! Go and look for that barge, Elliot, please.” Ben begged. Just like that the authoritative tone was gone and was replaced by a pleading one. He was no longer a superior officer but a friend asking for a much-needed favour. “AL- Cub’s in danger- probably fatal. Go after him. Find him. Keep him safe, Seb, please.”

“All right. Keep in contact. We’ll find him.” Eagle responded. Then he added in a hesitant voice: “And Ben?”

“Yeah?”

“When this is over, we need to chat.”

“Yes.” Ben agreed sadly. “I think we do.”

Ben hung up and closed his eyes. Then he pulled Crawley along with him.

“We’ve got to go! I’ll explain on the way!”

The two SAS units were ready and mobilised in a few short minutes. They had meant to be on holiday. It was meant to be a relaxing week away. They had expected that the biggest piece of drama would be about them arguing over the washing up or if someone twisted an ankle on a walk. They had not expected to have to run after a fifteen-year-old. So, they hadn’t taken a lot of gear with them. They had a few things- some daggers and the odd gun because they were too well trained to not carrying anything. They were still pretty ill-prepared but what they lacked in artillery they would make up for in teamwork, brains, and brawn. They would likely outnumber the enemy but even, so it was dangerous. That didn’t matter though: one of their own was in danger.

“I hope Cub’s alight,” Jackal admitted softly. It was pretty reckless of Cub to go off on his own but pointing that out wouldn’t have been helpful. “Kid’s grown on me.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Falcon agreed surprisingly. Then he glared at the other soldier’s reaction to that.  “What?!”

“Nothing, just thought you been pissed at him.” Snake explained for them.

“Yeah, I mean, you hate the kid.” Eagle pointed out. He had had enough of the way Falcon treated Cub. Maybe if they had all been more welcoming then Cub would have shared whatever it was that was on his mind. Something had made the teenager charge off – something that Fox was involved in too. They didn’t know enough and that had put Cub at risk.

“I don’t hate the kid!” Falcon objected. “I just-”

“Just what?” Eagle demanded when Falcon cut himself off.

Falcon shook his head. He didn’t hate Cub it was just very complicated that was all. True, he wasn’t the teenager’s biggest fan, but he had his own reasons for that. It didn’t mean he wanted Cub to come to any harm. He was just a kid at the end of the day and Falcon was starting to regret being so harsh with him.

“Nothing. It’s not important. This is the hill you and Cub were on.” Falcon changed the subject. “Can you see a barge?”

“Not one called The Isle of Man,” Eagle admitted. He knew what Falcon had been trying to but let him. Finding Cub was a priority. “But I think I know which one Cub was talking about because there is one less than before.”

“So, it’s gone?” Lion asked with a frown.

“Yes. And something tells me Cub’s gone with it.” Eagle replied. He cursed himself silently for about the 50th time. This was bad news. Cub had run off in a flap when he saw that barge. Something about it had obviously panicked him and he even felt it necessary to incapacitate him temporarily. The barge was important – dangerously so if Fox was to be believed. And now it was gone with Cub onboard.

“This isn’t your fault.” Adder comforted placing a cooling hand on Eagle shoulder. If it had been anyone else, Eagle would have shrugged it off. But Adder had a way of calming even the most hepped up of people. He’d even managed to calm Sargent down a few times and that was a big achievement in himself.

“Thanks,” Eagle replied and offered a grateful smile- small though it was. He would feel better when Cub was back with them safely. He would never take that kid for granted again or be as cold as he had when he first meant. He would treat Cub like a little brother. The kid would hate it, but Cub needed it. He didn’t seem to get much positive attention. Eagle would change that.

I promise to be a better unit mate. Eagle said to himself. He wasn’t one for praying usually but if there was a god up there, then he would talk to it. If – no when- Cub comes back, I’ll be a lot warmer. I’ll treat him like the brother I never had. Just make sure he’s all right. Please don’t take him away.

Adder clapped him on the shoulder, and it brought Eagle back to the present moment. Cub couldn’t have gotten far- he’s barely been gone twenty minutes. But Eagle knew that in their line of duty, life could change in an instant. A person could be alive, fine, and dandy one second and dead – or a lifeless husk in the next. Cub could be traumatised forever in a few short seconds. Five minutes could be enough time to change a life. Twenty was ample.

Chapter 22: The Welsh Witness

Chapter Text

Alex saw Eagle get up from the ground, slightly dazed. He was already feeling guilty and then he saw how Eagle had been affected by the sudden meeting with the side of a hill. He must have hit his head on a rock or something because there was a red liquid dripping down it. Alex winced. If Eagle had hit his temple he would have been killed. He wished that it hadn’t been necessary but if Eagle had followed him then it would put the young man at risk, and he couldn’t do that.

He watched as Eagle went back up the hill. He would have about twenty minutes or so before they all came looking for him. If he used those twenty minutes wisely, he could find out a lot about the Isle of Man. Ben would be angry at him for disobeying and assaulting his superiors, but he had asked them to pass on a message so hopefully, he would understand why he saw fit to disobey. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad once he saw the barge.

A sense of excitement began to emanate from the pits of his stomach. He edged closer to the barge now. Now that it was in front of him, he was beginning to doubt himself. What if it had just been a coincidence and the message he sent with Eagle made Ben and Mr Crawley abandon their hunt for nothing? The carving of the dolphin was exquisitely done. Even from this distance and with an untrained eye, Alex could recognise expert craftsmanship. It seemed like an ordinary barge. That was to be expected. If you wanted to keep some imprisoned on a boat you made sure that the barge didn’t look out of place. The carving was the only really recognisable feature – apart from the name but one would only take note of that if one had a reason. Every other barge had animal carvings too so the dolphin didn’t make it stand out. Alex thought back to The Sparrow’s Rest with the sparrow carving on top.

A sudden spluttering made Alex jump. He realised with horror that it was the sound of a small barge engine kicking into life. And not just any engine – the one from The Isle of Man. It was beginning to set off down the river. There was no time to curse or think of a better plan. He had a mere second to act and act Alex did. He charged forward, remembering what he had learnt about momentum. The barge was beginning to pick up speed and Alex made his legs go faster. Finally, he reached the edge. There was no going back now. He didn’t have time to hesitate. One wrong move, a fraction of a second off and he would be in the canal- probably injured.

He leapt from the edge of the canal, propelling his arms and legs forward as if grabbing the air and using it to pull him along. His feet smashed into the floor of the barge and he rolled over, saving his body from being badly injured. He had timed it perfectly. A second earlier and he would have been impaled on a nearby fishing hook. A second later and he would have been trapped between the edge of the barge and the canal. Alex let out a few pants of relief. He had made it. Someone might have heard him but so far no one had come out to investigate. He was on board the Isle of Man and was one step closer to finding out what it was all about.

A few minutes ago…

Carwyn Beynon had seen a lot of things in the eighty-eight years he had lived. He had seen war and suffered much tragic loss. He had seen the world nearly end countless times through a world war and nuclear threats. He had experienced the capitalist v communism rage that covered the world in a blanket of fear. He’d seen the great powers of the world make great strides towards a better future and had seen them make the most devastating mistakes. Yes. In eighty-eight years, he had seen a lot and been through even more. He had been a mere child when the Second World War began and had still been a child when it ended. He never felt like a child after that though – his father never came back the same and he had to look after his sisters. The, then 12-year-old, Carwyn had to grow up fast. So, yes, Carwyn had seen a lot in his lifetime. And yet he was still surprised when he saw a teenager jump across from the edge of the canal onto a barge.

Now, Carwyn had a rule. He didn’t get mixed up in affairs that didn’t concern him. He had learnt too much about other people’s lives and taken too much responsibility far too early to invest further into the affairs of strangers. But this was different. This was a teenager. A child. Carwyn was a grandfather and wouldn’t want them jumping across canals as though they were stunt doubles in a spy film. He didn’t think children were undisciplined like many of his friends did. No. He just thought that people had learnt to be more tolerant and that back when he was a kid, adults had expected far too much. He, therefore, didn’t think the boy had jumped because he was looking for mischief. Anyway, the boy looked panicked. He seemed scared too. Something told him that if the boy was willing to risk injury then there had to be a good reason for it.

Carwyn watched as the barge made its way down the river. He couldn’t have made the jump the boy did. He reminded Carwyn of some of the younger recruits back when he was still enlisted. That was ridiculous though. The boy wasn’t old enough to join the army- he looked about 14 – 15 at most! Carwyn had been interested in the Isle of Man. He thought it was a strange name considering they were in Wales, but he didn’t think much of it. It had arrived three weeks ago but again, that didn’t mean anything either. Llangollen was well known for its barging holidays. No, what was weird was that in the three weeks it had been here, Carwyn didn’t see anyone and until just a second ago- it hadn’t moved.

Something was wrong. His instincts left over for a lifetime of bad news and military service told him that. Making a decision, Carwyn abandoned the ropes he had been untying from his own barge and walked across the wooden planking that led to the pathway to the village. He would make some discrete inquires. The boy had to have come with someone, and they were either worried for them or were the ones the boy was scared of and he’d jumped onto the barge as a means of escape. He had to find out which but either way he needed help. The Dockmaster would know some who the boy came with. He kept comprehensive records about who stayed in which barge. He would be able to find out more about the owner of The Isle of Man too. Carwyn smiled to himself. Bleddyn – the Dockmaster- was an old friend of his and would gladly tell him whatever he wanted to know. It just might cost him a beer.  

Back on the Isle of Man…

Alex’s limbs ached. He had made it onto the Isle of Man, but his muscles twitched in pain, complaining about the rough treatment. He pushed it away easily, remembering the techniques Ian taught him to manage pain. Alex forced himself to hide behind a barrel. That way, if anyone did come to investigate, they wouldn’t see him – not immediately at any rate. Besides, he needed the rest. His back was hurting him, and his palms weren’t faring much better. When he realised that it wouldn’t be long until Mason found out what he had done the almost gave out a cry. His back reminded him that he would soon feel the belt across it again. Either that or he’d get the cane across his backside. Still, he was here now and there was nothing he could do about that. He just hoped he found Mrs Jones and worked out what all this was about. At least then it would be worth it.

After a few minutes, Alex had accepted that no one was coming to check on him. He hadn’t heard voices or the tell-tale sounds of footsteps running. It was probably safe to assume that he hadn’t made as much noise and he thought he had. Anyway, he couldn’t stay behind the barrel all night. Someone would come eventually, and it wasn’t the best hiding spot. He wasn’t going to find Mrs Jones staying like this and he was beginning to get cramp. It was time to get moving.

Peeking behind the barrel once more to check that no one was there, he came out from behind the barrel. Then he headed to the door that would lead below deck. This was the most dangerous bit. He didn’t know where anyone was. There were obviously people on board – the barge was being driven by someone after all. Supposing they were all sat in front of the door? Alex placed his face on the door and blinked as he tried to see through the crack. He couldn’t see much- the crack wasn’t that big but as far as he could tell, the ghost was clear. Alex breathed slowly. He decided to take a chance on it and edged the door open.

He let out a quiet sigh of relief: too scared to make much noise. As he had expected, the room was empty. It looked different to his own barge. The Sparrow’s Rest had a charming living room and dining when you first walked in. It was largely wooden with more sparrow carvings. There were cushioned seats and tables too. This room had a more modern feel to it and was more metallic. It didn’t look anything like the traditional barge. It was like more like a house. It must have cost millions and that was what put Alex on edge. In his experience money led to trouble. The one that everyone he faced off against had in common, besides a hatred for him, was that their love of money. It didn’t mean everyone rich was evil of course, but it certainly made him more suspicious.  

Alex decided to investigate further. He came this far he might as well look closer. He examined the room with an expert eye wishing to goodness that he had been allowed to keep that camera from the last mission. However, when he got back he had been made to hand over his gadgets. He didn’t want to because he thought they could come in handy, but Mason had just belted him, so he was in a pretty obedient mood. How he wished he had those gadgets now! They would come in use but all he had was the clothes on his back and the binoculars. You also have your brain Ian reminded him And sometimes that’s all the weapon you need. Said the guy who had a gun – the dead guy who had a gun.

He walked towards another door and reached out to the doorknob. He gave it a jiggle but found that, rather infuriatingly, it was locked. A locked door was always very interesting. It told someone I don’t want you to go in here. Alex thought that locks doors just highlighted there was something important behind it. If he could find something to pick that lock then he would be in business. Luckily he was on a barge designed to act as a house – there had to be something suitable. A tear appeared in his eyes as he was reminded of his uncle.

“Pick a lock, any lock.” Ian Rider instructed his seven-year-old nephew.

Alex Rider let out an exaggerated groan. He usually liked these games he played with his uncle, but he didn’t want to play them now. Tom wanted to play with his new football and had invited Alex to play football with him at the park. Tom’s parents would take them for ice cream after too! He didn’t want to play Ian’s stupid game. He wanted to play at the park and have ice cream! It was one of the few weekends that actually came with some nice weather.

“Alex. Choose a lock.” Ian repeated a slight frown on his face. That was his ‘do-want-I-say’ frown and normally Alex would have listened to the warning in it. This time he didn’t.

“I DON’T WANT TO! I WANT TO PLAY WITH TOM!” Alex shouted pushing the locks of the table so that they clattered on the floor with a bang. He had been doing extra sessions to help him learn karate. He wasn’t exactly hurt – Ian would never hurt him. He was lonely and grumpy though. He didn’t know it then, but he was just grouchy at being kept inside on a sunny weekend. He was a seven-year-old! He had lots of energy and wanted to burn it outside with his friend!

“Alexander Rider!” Ian snapped sharply. It made Alex freeze. That was usually the voice that preceded him being sent to his room or to the naughty step. “Stop this nonsense at once. This childish behaviour is below you. I have already told you that you aren’t going out with Tom this weekend because of your recent performance at karate. If you aren’t going to try you won’t go out and play. Be better.”

Alex opened his mouth to argue again but Ian crouched down to his level and took hold of his arms gently. The sudden change in uncle’s behaviour made him stop mid-argument. He was about to say that he had tried his hardest at karate but that the other kids were much bigger than him. Ian gave him a fond look. It startled him. He had been expecting a firm telling off, but Ian was speaking calmly to him. The change had been instantaneous. Maybe Ian felt a little guilty for yelling?

“I want you to do well in karate. Your instructor tells me you are struggling, and I thought we could take some time away from our extra sessions by having some fun together. You can play with Tom on Monday and I’ll even ask his parents if I can take you out for pizza as well as ice cream to make up for it. All right?”

Alex felt very guilty. His uncle had been trying to be nice. He had given him extra karate sessions to help him catch up and he had been very patient with him. Then he had decided to give Alex a break. Ian had only wanted to spend time with him and play with him. His uncle didn’t get to do it too often – he was away a lot with his bank. That was why he was getting a new nanny. Ian had only been trying to make him feel better after his useless performance by giving him a break from training. And he had thrown it back in his face. His parents would be very disappointed in him.

“I’m sorry Ian.” Alex apologised. “I didn’t mean to be naughty.”

“I know you didn’t, Alex. It’s all right.” Ian replied squeezing his shoulder gently. “Now pick up these locks and choose one. I’m going to teach you how to pick a lock.”

“OK, Ian. Thank you!” Alex agreed, picking the locks up and choosing the last one. He handed it to his uncle. He didn’t want to get in further trouble, so he did what he had been asked.

“Good choice, Alex!” Ian complimented ruffling his hair the way he did when he was a good boy and did what his uncle wanted. Alex loved it when he did that it made him feel so loved. He felt very bad for being naughty again by not listening to his uncle again. He would be good in the future because it meant Ian would love him more and ruffle his hair affectionately. Tom would be disappointed, but he would understand. His parents loved him too.

“Thank you!” Alex grinned following Ian to the table.

He had been expecting to be sent to his room for another chat about how he was being naughty and that it upset his parents when he didn’t listen. They wanted him to learn these things and spend time with his uncle. Ian never hit him though not even when he was very naughty. At school, they had an assembly and were told that it was wrong for someone to hit a child. The teachers said you should tell someone if anyone did. It was called abuse. Alex was very glad Ian never hit him because he didn’t want to live in Care. One of his favourite shows that he watched on the television was based in a Children’s home and they were always trying to leave.

“Now, watch me. I’m going to explain what I’m going to do and then you can have a go.” Ian told him. “And Alex?”

“Yeah, Ian?”

“There’s a bar of chocolate in it for you if you can get it down enough!” Ian promised with a smile. “If you can get it to five minutes before dinner time I’ll take you to the big, sweet shop and you can pick any treat you want!”

“Five minutes?” Alex asked. It seemed very difficult, he hoped he could get it down to five minutes. The big, sweet shop was a rare street. They sold the biggest and best treats in all of London. It was a good incentive, but the punishment was much worse: Ian’s disappointment. He wanted that chocolate bar, but he wanted his uncle’s approval above all else.

“Five minutes.” Ian agreed.

“Easy!” Alex declared though he thought it would be anything but. He didn’t want to let on to his uncle that he was worried that it would be too hard. Ian didn’t like whining and he didn’t want his uncle to be disappointed in him.

Alex was glad of those lessons now. He knew they weren’t games now though. Back then he was a kid and didn’t understand what his Uncle was doing for him. He did understand now, and he felt ashamed of his past behaviour. He had been really ungrateful. If it hadn’t been for his uncle he wouldn’t know what to do in his current position. But as his uncle had trained him (and even been kind enough to make it fun) he knew what he needed to look for. He was concentrating so hard on finding it that he didn’t notice the man creep up behind him until it was too late, and everything went black.  

Chapter 23: Old Friends

Chapter Text

Alex had lost count of the number of times he awoke in an unknown room after being knocked out. It was becoming a running gag though it wasn’t the slightest bit funny. He didn’t know how many times the average spy got knocked out, but he doubted it was as much as this.

Now that Alex recovered from confusion and being dazed, he could better observe the room. The room wasn’t like the last room he had awoken in after being ambushed. That room had been a bare and cold basement. He would never forget it, the room where Sabina spent her last minutes would be forever etched in his memory. This room was more like a bedroom. Two single beds were pushed up against the wall. A double wardrobe covered the only window, but the lamb shade lit the room well.

The door was suddenly thrown open. Someone was pushed into the room rather violently before the room was slammed shut again. Alex instinctively drew in on himself, trying to hide behind the bed behind him. He didn’t know who the person was. He didn’t even know if it was a man or a woman. It didn’t matter. Either of them could be dangerous and until he could be sure of who the person was and if they meant him any harm, he couldn’t risk drawing attention to himself. He hadn’t been noticed just yet. Perhaps if he managed to remain unnoticed the person would leave soon, and he’d be alone once more?

“Alex?”

Well, that went that tactic. He’d been spotted. Wait. He hadn’t just be noticed – he had been recognised. And that voice. It was feminine and very familiar. Alex’s head shot up when he felt movement towards him. When he saw who it was he gasped. There, right in front of him, looking at him and appraising him with a concerned glance was the women she, Ben and Crawley had been searching for.

“Mrs Jones?”

She looked different. If it hadn’t been for her voice Alex didn’t think he would be able to recognise her. Her hair, previously in a bob, was not tangled and shoulder length. It was no longer black but instead a bleached blonde. There were several bruises on her face. The red smudges, where her skin had sunk into her skull, indicated a lack of sleep. She looked pale- nearly grey. In short, Mrs Jones did not look well at all.

Alex flinched when Mrs Jones launched herself at him. Mason had taught him to expect a backhand or a punch whenever someone moved towards him so when Mrs Jones moved suddenly towards him, he felt sure she was about to hit him. He had, after all, abandoned Mrs Jones for a year. She had every right be lash out and unleash her anger on him. But she didn’t. She stroked his cheek and he flinched at her fingers stroked over his healing bruise.

“I’m sorry,” Alex apologised. “I’m really sorry.”

Now that Mrs Jones was stood in front of him he couldn’t stop the waves of guilt that overcame him. It was clear that Mrs Jones had been through a lot and when Crawley had phoned him to inform him of her disappearance had he offered his help? Had he promised Crawley to do this best and investigate? No. He had reluctantly agreed to phone him if he heard from her and told Crawley to sort it himself. He had left her. He had abandoned her. It was his fault she was like this.

“What are you apologising for?” Mrs Jones asked, curiously.

“Not trying to find you sooner, ma’am,” Alex responded, too scared and respect being ingrained in him too much to drop its use.

“There’s no need to apologise for that, Alex.” Mrs Jones scolded gently. She ignored the honorific putting it down to the stress of the moment. “You’re a child. It isn’t your job. But… why are you here? Are you back with MI6?”

Mrs Jones hoped not. When she had been taken she had hoped that it meant that Alex could continue to live in America with the Pleasures. She had taken it for granted that MI6 would continue to leave the child alone because the last thing she had done as its head was to retire the teenager that never should have worked with them in the first place.  

“Yes, ma’am,” Alex confirmed politely. “But I’m not here on a mission, ma’am. I’m here on holiday with the SAS.”

Mrs Jones frowned. Alex was being far too polite for her liking. It wasn’t like him to act like that. He wasn’t rude by any means but her previous interactions with him had been far less formal. He was acting like a junior agent speaking the head of MI6. Alex wasn’t a junior agent. He was a teenager.

“Why are you doing that?” She questioned.

“Doing what, ma’am?” Alex asked his brow furrowed in confusion.

That.” Mrs Jones indicated the teenager with her head. “Calling me ma’am. You never did before.”

“I was too impertinent before. You are my superior and thus ma’am is the correct way to address you.”

The way that Alex had said it implied that he was parroting words spoken to him like a broken record. Mrs Jones didn’t know what had happened to Alex in the almost year and a half that she had been gone. She had worried about him of course but had been content with the idea that the teenager had been in the care of The Pleasures. It was obviously not the case. Edward Pleasure would never allow Alex to get involved with MI6 again. The change in the teenager’s behaviour also indicated that whatever had happened with the period since she had last seen him, it wasn’t pleasant.

“What about The Pleasures?” Mrs Jones asked, fearing that she already knew the answer.

“Dead,” Alex replied. Then, almost as an afterthought, he added “Ma’am.”

“You don’t need to call me that.” Mrs Jones replied. “And I’m sorry, about The Pleasures I mean. They didn’t deserve that. Neither did you.”

“I didn’t die.” Alex pointed out.

“But that didn’t mean you didn’t go through a lot. You lost your family again.” Mrs Jones reminded him. “You have been through a lot, haven’t you? Far too much.”

Alex shrugged. He was alive. Most people hadn’t been so lucky. Death followed him like an unwelcome shadow. The grief cloaked him and those that he cared about. He had been through more than the average teenager; he knew that much. But he hadn’t ever been an average teenager. He had been just a few months from 14 when his uncle died and since then he’d felt more like an adult than anything.

“What happened to you?” Alex interrogated. It was a question that he had asked himself over and over again. No one really knew what had happened to Mrs Jones. Of course, they all knew that head of MI6 had disappeared and was presumed dead but other than that, it was a mystery. For the first few months, it had been the only topic of conversation. But after nearly 18 months, the topic had decreased in popularity. Alex felt ashamed. Surely the disappearance of one of their own should still be a hotly debated topic? Instead, people talked about successful missions and stunts that Alex highly doubted actually occurred.

“That’s a long story.” Mrs Jones muttered.

Alex indicated the empty room with a wave. Since the door had been opened, there hadn’t been any movement either heard or felt. Clearly, their hosts wanted them to talk. They had left them alone presently and while he didn’t know how long that would last, it wasn’t like there was much else for them to do.

“We’ve got time.” He pointed out.

Mrs Jones sighed. She supposed that Alex deserved an explanation Whether he had meant to find her or not, he had. The teenager had been through a lot. She had to admit that regretfully, that she had put him through a lot. If anyone deserved to know what had happened and how she had got mixed up, it was Alex.

“All right, then. It all started shortly after you went to live with The Pleasures…”

Mrs Jones placed Alex’s file in her private filing cabinet and locked it. That boy had been through far too much in too short a time. He had lost his parents and his uncle thanks to MI6 and now he had lost his guardian. Jack had died a terrible death in Cairo, miles from home and for no good reason. Alex shouldn’t have even been in Cairo, but he had been tricked and MI6 had let him take the fall. He had watched as the woman he thought of as a sister, had been killed and still managed to foil the plot that SCORPIA planned. Now though, he was living in America. He would have the chance to be a kid at least.

The head of MI6 left the bank and headed back to her flat. She had moved since the last time – it was too much of a risk to have her address known as that. Just as she was getting out of her car, a man came up to her. Mrs Jones did not recognise the man and it set her on edge A woman was following him and Mrs Jones realised that she too, was unknown to her.

“Mrs Jones?” The man asked.

The first thing Mrs Jones noticed was the German accent the man spoke in.

“We need to talk to you as a matter of national security.” The women added. She too spoke in a German accent.

Mrs Jones wasn’t stupid. You didn’t get to be the head of MI6 without having a clear head on your shoulders. You also didn’t get to be the head without making a few enemies. The success of a spy’s career was measured by the number of enemies that you had. Those that had none had not done anything worthwhile. Mrs Jones definitely had her fair share of enemies. Just because she didn’t know these people didn’t mean they weren’t enemies of hers or that they weren’t working for someone who was.

The pair seemed to realise that she was on edge because they showed her their IDs. They worked for the BND or The Bundesnachrichtendienst. It was the German intelligence agency. It was still strange though, that they should approach her away from the Bank. Mrs Jones observed them for a few seconds.

“Make an appointment at the Bank.” She informed him. “My secretary will be happy to help you.”

Mrs Jones stepped around them meaning to get into her car and drive away. She needed to make sure that these agents were whom they said they were. She didn’t want them to see her getting into her flat- that would be too dangerous. It would mean that they could return when she wasn’t there and ambush her. She didn’t get that far. 

Just as she was about to open her car door, the man stepped in front of her and leant on her car door. Mrs Jones scowled at him. It was the scowl that she used on impertinent junior agents and usually intimidated them into obeying her. It did not affect the German agents who instead took hold of her arm. The female agent opened the back door to her car and pushed her inside. The male agent took her place in the driving seat.

“What do you think you’re doing!?” She demanded. “I told you to make an appointment.”

“And we told you,” The man snarled. “That it involves a matter of national security.”

“Fine. What is this threat against Britain that can’t wait until it is gone to the proper channels?” Mrs Jones snapped. “This had better be good- no it had better be brilliant- or I will speak with your superiors!”

“We never said it was Britain’s national security.” The women pointed out. That was the last thing that Mrs Jones remembered before she felt the sharp jab of a hypodermic needle. It didn’t take long before it had its effect. She suddenly became hot, and everything started to spin…

“I don’t know where I was when I woke up, but I kept being moved.” Mrs Jones explained. “Since then, I’ve been here there and everywhere. I overhead a plot for a radiological attack though and that’s the only time I knew where I was.”

“Munich. You sent a message about Mathias Dolby.” Alex commented.

The head of MI6 looked at Alex in surprise. It annoyed Alex because he felt that she should have guessed what would have happened when she disappeared. The idea that MI6 would leave him alone once she had disappeared was a naïve one. To him, it would have been obvious that he works for them and if he worked for them, it wasn’t a hard leap to make that he would know about the message.

“Yes!” Mrs Jones nodded. “But how did you know

“I was the one they sent to investigate. I found a man called Spider. He’s the one that kidnapped me and The Pleasures.”

Mrs Jones looked guilty. When she had sent that message, she had only been thinking about the millions of lives that had been at risk. Now that she knew that Blunt was still forcing Alex to work for them it seemed obvious that he would use him. It was just the kind of mission that Blunt would force on Alex: dangerous and time sensitive.  

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to get mixed up in this. I thought they’d send an actual adult.” Mrs Jones muttered. “You said that you saw someone called Spider. He wouldn’t happen to be a rather pale Indian with an oddly shaped birthmark?”

“Yes. Do you know him?”

Mrs Jones rubbed her forehead. Sometimes she hated it when she was right. She had been expecting it shortly after she had first been taken. Now that it had been confirmed that he was connected not only to the plan to blow up Munich, but Alex’s own ordeal things got worse.

“His real name is Octavin Patel. I was investigating him before I got kidnapped. It was suspected that he was being passed confidential information.” Mrs Jones explained. “What happened to him and Mathias Dolby?”

Octavian Patel. The name had not suited him. It was probably why the man changed it. Spider suited him a lot better than Octavian. It amused Alex that the man should pick a name of an animal that had eight legs when Octavian meant ‘8th’ in Latin.

“They’re both dead. And a woman who working undercover. She told me about the barge, but we thought she was talking about the actual island.”

“We?”

“Agent Daniels, Mr Crawley and I.” Alex told her.

“Mr Crawley?”

“Yes. He didn’t let anyone forget about you. He never gave up looking for you.”

“Oh.” Mrs Jones blushed slightly, and Alex gave a knowing smile. It seemed like Crawley’s feelings were mutual. The two of them were smitten with each other- that much was clear. Alex wondered if this affair would allow them to admit it to themselves and to each other.

“They’re coming you know. I sent a message to them.” Alex promised.

Mrs Jones wanted to ask about Crawley and how he had been. She had been worried about him and missed the man terribly. It was strange. Before, she had thought it rather irritating but now that he had heard about Crawley’s commitment to her search she had changed her idea of him. And since she had been gone she realised just how much she cared for the man. Just as she was about to though, the door opened again. Mrs Jones jumped in front of Alex.

The two German Agents walked in. Alex’s jaw hit the floor. He remembered those agents. They had spoken to Mason and got him in trouble. Their names were called Agent Müller and Agent Schmidt though he didn’t know which one was which. Things were getting curiouser and curiouser. What exactly did all this mean? Alex hated coincidences and here was another one. Whatever it meant, it wasn’t good.

Chapter 24: New Enemies

Summary:

This chapter is a bit longer than the others. Sorry if that bothers you!

Chapter Text

Back at Llangollen…

“Let’s go to the Dockmaster,” Jackal suggested watching Lion rubbing Eagle’s shoulders comfortingly. “He might be able to tell us about The Isle of Man and hopefully by the time Fox comes we’ll have something to tell him.”

Wolf nodded. It was a good idea and at least gave them somewhere to start. They had seen the Dockmaster when they first arrived and if the papers he and Jackal had to fill out were anything to go by, the man’s records would be extensive and well kept. So the two units walked into the village and to the Dockmaster’s office.

It was decided that Jackal and Wolf would be the ones to approach the Dockmaster. They were the unit heads, and it might be a bit intimidating if eight SAS soldiers came barrelling into the office.

When they got an old man was speaking to the Dockmaster. He was looking in a large book and was muttering to himself. Jackal cursed their bad luck. He really wanted to see the Dockmaster alone, but he couldn’t exactly tell the man to get lost. This wasn’t an official operation. Wolf hoped they would find the kid before too long. They would have to contact the Sargent and Cub’s guardian soon. He just couldn’t wait for that conversation.

“I’m telling you Carwyn, kids have no respect these days! When you do find out whom that kid belongs to I’ll hope his parents would give them what for!”

“And I’m telling you, Bleddyn, that something scared that boy. I’m worried about him! I’m not looking to get into trouble.”

“Well, I would if were me. My Pa would have clouted me something good I had leapt over that barge!”

Jackal and Wolf looked at each other. That sounded exactly like that kind of thing a Cub would do. And that man – Carwyn- talked about a scared boy. According to Eagle, Cub had looked like he had seen a ghost before he had charged off.

“Excuse me,” Wolf interrupted.

Carwyn ignored him, assuming that Wolf wanted to speak to Bleddyn and continued flipping through the book.

“How can I help you, sir?” Bleddyn asked. My, he was popular today.

“Two things, actually.” Jackal. “Excuse me Mr…”

Carwyn realised he was being addressed and turned around, irritably. Couldn’t they see he was doing something? Still, his mother had taught him respect and would be turning in her grave if he wasn’t polite.

“I’m Carwyn Beynon.” He introduced. “I’m afraid I’m rather busy. My friend should help you with any inquires. He is the Dockmaster.”

This was said rather pointily. It was polite but the slight passive-aggressive undertone to it implied the man did not wish to engage in further conversation. If they were honest neither Wolf nor Jackal wanted to either.

“I realise that Mr Beynon.” Jackal began. He was the more patient of the two and sent Wolf a warning look. “But I overheard your remark about a boy jumping across a barge. This boy, he would happen to be about 14, maybe, 15, with blonde hair and blue eyes? Was he perhaps wearing a blue hoodie and grey jeans?”

Carwyn slammed the book shut in surprise before turning around swiftly. He studied the men in front of him. One was black with short back hair and the other was pale and had ginger hair with green eyes. The first man seemed rather angry and the second just looked worried. Carwyn glared at the black man a little more fiercely. He decided that if the boy had been scared of anyone it was him. He looked rather fearsome but Carwyn had faced far tougher enemies than to be affected by it.  

“Do you know the boy?”

“He’s my nephew,” Jackal answered. “He’s called Cub. Well actually he’s name is Alex, but we all call him Cub.”

They had found out the kid’s name when they had signed in. They had to put something down and his name was already on the papers anyway. Out of respect to Cub though, they hadn’t mentioned it. They wanted him to tell them his name himself.

“I see,” Carwyn stated. “And is this your partner?”

Jackal opened his mouth. He must have looked slightly annoyed because Mr Beynon raised his hands in sign-on peace.

“I mean no disrespect. I may be old, but I am opened minded.” Carwyn assured him. He didn’t care about the sexuality of strangers. “I am merely trying to get a better idea of the picture.”

“We’re not together,” Jackal answered. “I’m here with a few of my army buddies. Alex’s mother, my sister, noticed that he wasn’t doing too well. He’s been through a lot this year, you see. We agreed to take him on holiday with us, but he got scared at something and ran off. We came here to see if anyone might have seen him.”

The secret to a good lie is to get as close to the truth as possible and this is what Jackal had done. He had seen that Cub was struggling lately and while he didn’t know what he had been through since he has last seen the teenager, it had clearly been something big.

“I hope you’re going to discipline him when you find him again.” Bleddyn Hughes spoke. “My Pa would have taken the strap to my hide for what he did.”

“Yes, thank you Bleddyn, we all know how you feel on this matter.” Carwyn declared. “The boy was scared. That’s why I’m here, to find out why. Since he was running I’m not sure if I should be helping you.”

“Are you implying that we’re the reason he ran away? That Cub was scared of us?”

“I’m not implying anything. I’m full-on suggesting it!” Carwyn snapped back. “You seem very angry. Have you ever taken that anger out on Cub?”

If Carwyn had been a teenager he would have punctuated Cub with air quotes. But he wasn’t he was a senior citizen, and he did not do such childish things.

“How dare you?!” Wolf growled, stepping towards threateningly and proving Carwyn’s point. Carwyn was in no mood to be threatened and stepped toward too. Bleddyn and Jackal gave each other a look before jumping into action. Each took their hold of their friend’s shoulder before an all-out brawl could be started.

“OK, time out!” Jackal ordered feeling very much like a teacher. “Let’s start again. I’m Edward, this is James, but we call each other Wolf and Jackal.”

Wolf shot him a look. He knew why. This was against protocol and could get them binned. It might even get them thrown in jail for breaking the Official Secrets Act. Jackal sent him a look in return. Cub was in danger. Screw protocol.

It had an immediate calming effect on Carwyn. He recognised what the nickname was in that it wasn’t a nickname at all. It was a code name.

“We’re SAS,” Jackal explained showing the man the pin that indicated that he was telling the truth. After a sharp and reproving look from Jackal Wolf showed him his.

“SAS?” Carwyn asked, impressed. He had a strong sense of duty thanks to going up in the second half of the twentieth century.

“Yes,” Jackal answered. “We weren’t here on business – just a team-building holiday. But Cub, my nephew, ran away. We think we may have seen someone that tried to hurt him previously. He may be in the hand of an old enemy. If that’s true…”

“He’s in terrible danger.” Carwyn finished. “You don’t have to explain to me. I understand, solider. No man left behind- especially if that man is kid accidentally caught up in this.”

“So, you’ll help us?” Wolf asked.

“Yes.” Carwyn agreed. He still didn’t like Wolf. He had a wave of fierce anger about him but Carwyn could well see the qualities in him required to be a good leader. However, that temper could land the man in hot water. It certainly did him a few times.

“Bleddyn, tell us what you can about the Isle of Man and don’t leave anything out!” Carwyn ordered turned to his friend who hadn’t recovered from the revel just yet.

“But the beer…” Bleddyn began. He had not yet understood the seriousness of the situation just yet, but he was about to.

“Never mind the beer!” Carwyn barked, oozing authority. He had reached the rank of Major in the army and knew how to give orders. “We’ve got a man stuck behind enemy lines. Jump to it, Captain Hughes! That’s an order!”

“Yes, sir!” Hughes agreed. Once a soldier, always a soldier. He picked up the book with all the information he had on the barge. This was beginning to be the most interesting week he had in a long time!

Onboard The Isle of Man…

“Agent Müller and Agent Schmidt, I presume.” Alex greeted. “Though I do not know which one is which.”

The man stood forward first. His steely eyes reminded Alex far too much about Mason. He reached out a hand and grabbed him by his arm. Alex flinched but the man didn’t hurt him, just pulled him to his feet. He’d fallen back in surprise when he saw whom it was and had not pulled himself to a standing position.

“It is polite to stand when a superior enters a room, boy.” The man scolded sharply.

It wouldn’t have been helpful to point out that technically, the man wasn’t his superior and that his real superior had taken no issue with the fact he was on the floor. He was brave and sometimes used his smart mouth to exploit his captor’s mistakes, but he didn’t have a death wish.

“Sorry, sir.” Alex apologised respectfully. If he acted obedient and respectful they wouldn’t hurt him and maybe he could learn more about the situation. The more he knew about it the better the chance he had of getting out alive. It was when he didn’t expect something that he had little control over its effects.

“To answer your question, boy, my name is Klaus Müller, and this is my associate Gerda Schmidt. You will, of course, address us as ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am’. I do not want to have to spend energy punishing you but if it is required then I will. I wish I could say that it was a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Alex Rider, but we both know that would be a lie.”

“Alex?” Mrs Jones spoke for the first time since the two agents came in. These were the two that kidnapped her, and Alex seemed to know who they were.

“They were in Munich,” Alex told her. “They were undercover agents. I thought they were just incompetent because they did a fat lot of good. Turns out they were really traitors.”

Müller backhanded him across the face. The man hit him again and grabbed his chin, forcing the teenager to look at him. The slaps had been expected and now that his cheek was throbbing angrily, Alex wished they hadn’t spoken. He had to be angry though. These agents were traitors and while that didn’t necessarily bother him (treason was a grey area) what did bother him was the fact that Ben had got needlessly caught up in it. He had almost been killed because of these agents. And they’d got him in trouble with Mason! If they hadn’t have told him then he wouldn’t have been belted. No, Rider. A voice that sounded like Mason scolded him harshly. You only have yourself to blame for that. If you hadn’t disobeyed or been disrespectful then you wouldn’t have been belted.

“Leave him alone,” Mrs Jones ordered. “If you want to beat on someone, beat on me.”

Müller stepped towards her threateningly. It looked like it was going to follow her suggestion but before he could get close enough to act on it, Schmidt stepped forward and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. She said someone to him, but it was in a hushed tone so neither Mrs Jones nor Alex could make it out. Whatever it was though, it made him step behind Schmidt.

“You need to be careful, boy,” Schmidt advised. “I’d like nothing more than to give you what you so richly deserve and if you don’t start acting respectfully, I may just follow that urge.”

“Yes, ma’am. Sorry, ma’am.” Alex apologised going back to the role of an obedient soldier. He couldn’t risk making them too angry. Apart from the fact that they might refuse to tell him anything, they might unleash their full wrath upon him and beat the crap out of him. If that happened he couldn’t defend Mrs Jones and she had already been through enough to be left defenceless.

“That’s better,” Schmidt approved. “Now, tell me, have to worked it all out yet?”

Alex remained silent as he thought through everything. Schmidt, not happy with the fact that was being ignored, hit him upside the head.

“You haven’t have you?” She goaded gleefully. “You don’t know. You don’t know.”

The sing-song voice made it very tempting to ask how old the woman was, but Alex didn’t want to be hit again. He had been hit plenty of times in the last year and a half. He wasn’t going to give the woman further satisfaction by giving her cause to hurt him again.

“Actually, ma’am, I am beginning to piece it together,” Alex corrected. “And I’m sorry for not answering the first time, ma’am. I was merely thinking.”

“You’re beginning to piece it together?” The women’s German accent grew stronger. “These English phrases. You know what this is about?”

Schmidt’s look of confusion was almost funny. She wrinkled her nose as if there were a bad smell and for a second she even went cross-eyed. Alex doubted that she would see the funny side if he began laughing so he bit his tongue until his laughter subsided.  

“Not fully, ma’am,” Alex admitted. “But I know that Munich was a rose to get to the city. The bomb threat- it was the perfect thing. Just the sort of mission ‘6 would sent me on.”

Schmidt shook her head and tutted. Alex felt like a student in school being scolded by a teacher. It only highlighted how different this situation was. His classmates would get scolded for not paying attention and doing the homework. He got scolded for not making the connections in some nutter’s plan for world domination.

“Correction, if you please. The bomb was real. You saved millions of lives with that one by the way- quite an achievement.” Schmidt paused and Alex realised why.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Schmidt smiled and Alex sighed with relief at it. It seemed he had passed yet another unknown test. Alex was beginning to see daylight now. There were a few things that he wasn’t that sure on, but he had the basic idea outlined in his head.

“No, there really was a radiological attack planned. But do you really think Tulip that we didn’t know you sent that message?”

“It was a trap.” Mrs Jones realised. Alex too would have guessed much the same thing. He had thought there had been too many coincidences for his liking but in his haste to find Mrs Jones he had ignored it. Never ignore a coincidence Alex His uncle’s voice reminded him in his usual disappointed tone The universe is rarely so lazy.

“Well, yes and no,” Müller answered, this time. “Yes, there was a bomb we wanted you to defuse – call it a test but no, we didn’t let you get away so easily. You were supposed to see all that equipment. You were supposed to try and recuse your friend and you were supposed to get Eliana’s message.”

“You mean, you knew that..”

“That she was an undercover agent, yes,” Müller confirmed. “Unfortunately, we didn’t account for Spider becoming so invested in that young woman. Luckily she gave you the message in time and even managed to confuse you and your associates.”

Alex had stopped being so surprised at the callousness at the loss of another innocent life. They had been prepared to set off a bomb and murder millions of people. One CIA agent wouldn’t matter to them. It was just collateral damage to them. Not to Alex though. He promised himself that he would never forget her. He was going to start writing the names of people who died to help him. There were so many now but he hadn’t forgotten any of them.

“Whose ‘we’, sir?” Alex questioned. “I haven’t pieced it all together just yet, but someone’s forming a nucleus of a new organisation – much like SCORPIA. The person in charge, the man behind the curtain if you were, orchestrated all this. Why, sir?”

It wasn’t quite safe enough to be cheeky just yet. He needed more answered and it seemed that they were happy to give them as long as he remained respectful. When things were less dangerous he could risk injury by getting them angry. It would cause them to make mistakes. But If they beat him too badly then Mrs Jones would be left undefended. He needed to buy his time.

“Why else, boy?”

“Money,” Alex answered immediately. It was also money. Love for money was the root of all evil it was a Bible verse, but Alex wasn’t sure where it was from. He didn’t agree. It wasn’t the root of all evil but certainly helped pay for it.

“Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner!”

Alex ignored it. He wanted to ask a question that had been bugging him for a while now. Clearly, this wasn’t a quickly thought operation by a few madmen with their eyes on a fortune. If it hadn’t been for the lack of scorpion tattoos he would have assumed it was a SCORPIA operation. True, he had been told that SCORPIA had been disbanded but he never believed that.  

“Who is the man in charge? It can’t have been Dolby he’s dead. And Spider – or Octavian Patel as I have since been informed - was clearly working under Dolby’s instructions.”

“That is the sixty-million-dollar question.”

“Mason?” Alex asked.

Müller hit him again. The man snarled and Alex wasn’t sure what had got him so riled up.

“That’s Agent Mason to you.” He seethed. “But no, it's not Agent Mason. It’s someone else- someone you haven’t met yet.”

“And who is that then?” It was Mrs Jones who had asked the question. Mason why did that name sound so familiar to her? Whoever it was, Alex knew him. This Agent Mason was obviously mixed up in this affair somehow even if he wasn’t the man in charge.

“Someone neither of you have met yet.” Müller snarled. “But enough questions for now.”

Schmidt clapped her hands and the door swung open. Two men came in, carrying a barrel. It was the barrel that Alex had hidden behind when he first came aboard. Why would they have that? And why were they carrying it with such care? It didn’t have anything in it except maybe bits of old rope. Something told Alex that it wasn’t a normal barrel.

“You know, Rider, you shouldn’t have hidden behind this barrel.” Müller tutted. “Now it has your fingerprints all over it.”

The realisation hit him like a freight train. This would be the second time someone was going to frame him for a serious crime. Was that a record? Did these things usually happen to MI6 agents or was he just a special variety?

“You said that bomb was a test,” Alex stated. “It was a test of my skills.”

“I have to say, I’m impressed Rider. I’m not sure many would be able to work it out so quickly. It was true what I heard. You are a shrewd individual aren’t you?” Schmidt complimented.   

“You are right, of course. There is not a barrel but a bomb and once it explodes, you will be the prime suspect in the assassination of Tulip Jones. You’ve already tried to kill her once.”

“Please, sir! You don’t need to do this!” Alex pleaded. He knew it would be no use, but he had to try something! Mrs Jones looked at him helplessly. She had that look in her eye. The look he hated. He’s seen it in so many. Jack, The Pleasures, Eliza, even Yassen Gregorovich. It was the look people had when they accepted their fate: when they accepted they were going to die.

“Oh, I really think I do!” Müller refuted, smiling. He took great delight in causing the great spy to plead.

“But why? What possible reason could you have to plan all this?” Mrs Jones asked. She had accepted what was going to happen, but she didn’t want her last few moments to be in ignorance. She wanted to know why she must die even if she knew she couldn’t stop it.

“Like I said earlier, Mrs Jones, money. A teenage spy is a profitable one. Many governments would pay good money to use that asset. So, if a company owns the rights to him, they would become billionaires. This way, you have no choice but to do what we say- it is ever that or prison. Either way, it's money for us!”

“But Alex is a child,” Mrs Jones pointed out. Her life may be over, but Alex’s had only just begun. He didn’t deserve this. “That’s why I retried him!”

“And that’s why you have to go. If the one person that tried to help the teenage spy was in turn murdered by him – no one else would bat an eyelid if we continued to use him! No one would stand in our way. Fame and fortune would be ours.” Schmidt answered.

“And now, it’s time,” Müller informed him. “Take our honoured guest to his quarters. We don’t want him to get killed in the crossfire, do we? It will be affected in our price and we want to get our deposit back.”

Alex tried hard to pull away from the Müller and Schmidt’s armed goons, but it was no use. He was outnumbered. They had a gun to his side. It wouldn’t kill him if they shot him, but it would certainty incapacitate him. If they shot him he would be useless. He couldn’t be useless. Mrs Jones needed him. Fighting further against them would just use up energy. He heard Mrs Jones’s shout out to him. She said it would be all right. She told if him she would be fine. She told him he was going to be OK. She didn’t believe it and neither did Alex. As he was pulled away and out of earshot, Alex began to sob. He had failed. He had found Mrs Jones but had sighed her death warrant. She was going to die. Alex would be beaten and imprisoned, forced to work for MI6 forevermore and there was nothing he could do about it.  

Chapter 25: Behind Enemy Lines

Notes:

Hello! I think I might have either 5 or 10 more chapters left. Maybe more - let's see!

Chapter Text

Llangollen…

F-unit and K-unit were surrounded by maps. Carwyn and Bleddyn were helping them formulate a plan. It had been a while since either of them had been engaged in an operation, but their skills hadn’t been forgotten. It was like riding a bike.

Bleddyn had informed them that The Isle of Man had arrived in Llangollen three weeks previous. A German couple, a man and a woman had filled out the paperwork. Jackal was reading the papers while Wolf went and informed the Sargent about Cub’s disappearance. According to the papers, the two Germans Bleddyn referred to called themselves Mr and Mrs Goldstein. Jackal was almost certain it was an alias. Neither Mr nor Mrs Goldstein owned the barge. The owner was someone person called Nathan Lawray.

“What the hell happened?” A voice shouted.

Everyone turned around to see Fox standing in front of a rather grave-looking Wolf. The latter looked thoroughly chewed out though whether it was due to Fox or the Sargent was anyone’s guess. It was likely some kind of combination of the two because Fox, who normally was quite mild-mannered looked absolutely furious.

“Fox!” Greeted Jackal after being silently nominated as the spokesperson for the group. “You made it in good time!”

They hadn’t expected Fox for another few hours at least. The Isle of Man was about 6 hours away and Cub had only been missing for two.

“Helicopter,” Fox explained sharply. “Now answer the question: what the hell happened?”#

Fox was brought quickly up to speed. He shot grateful glances towards Carwyn and Bleddyn who both seemed to be glad they weren’t on the receiving end of his tirades.

“Thank you, Major Beynon and Captain Hughes. I appreciate your help in finding my Cub.”

The units looked at each other at that my cub what did Fox mean by that? Since when was Cub his? Fox snapped back the other SAS soldiers and they were suddenly wishing that Fox hadn’t noticed them again.

“Cub was meant to be under your protection.” He reminded them, sounding once more like a commanding officer. “If anything happens to him – if there is one hair out of place on that boy – I shall hold you personally responsible. Believe me, you do not want to face my wrath. It would not do your careers any good.”

“Er, Fox?” Eagle asked bravely. He was a lot more nervous than the others because he had been there when Cub ran off.

“Don’t think I haven’t gone anything to say to you Eagle.” Fox began fiercely “But at the moment I want to focus on finding my kid. Once he’s back home and I am convinced he is safe you can talk to me. If it's not connected to that do not attempt to engage me in conversation. I do not wish to say something I will later on regret.”

Ben knew he was being a bit harsh. It wasn’t necessarily Eagle’s fault. He knew from experience that Alex could be perilously independent and stubborn sometimes. There had been times when he himself, had failed to protect Alex because the boy ran headfirst into danger without much thought of his safety. It was no doubt due to the fact that his safety had been disregarded so many times by so many adults that he now no longer thought of it as important. Ben aimed to change that once this was all over. So, yes, Ben was aware he was being a bit harsh, blaming Eagle but right now he was too worried about Alex to do much about it. He didn’t want to say or do something he couldn’t later take back so until he had a grip on his worry and his protective anger, he would distance himself from Eagle.

“You’re the boy’s father, I presume,” Carwyn commented. He could see it in the man’s eyes. That worry he felt was one only a father had over their child. Carwyn recognised it. He had had that look in his own eyes. The man didn’t look like the boy though. Maybe he took after his mother or maybe he wasn’t his biological son. Families came in all shapes and sizes but there was no mistaking the fatherly concern in the man’s eyes. This was the boy’s father all right.

Alex or Cub.” Fox corrected. “Not boy. But yes. I’m his father.”

Wolf hid his surprise. Fox had lied pretty convincingly. He couldn’t be Cub’s father – could he? And yet he acted like it. There was no denying that fierce anger that emitted from him. This was how a parent acted when their child was in danger. Fox’s concerns were only for Cub. He’d flown straight from his holiday when he’d heard that there had been even the slightest chance he was in danger.

“Fox, we think that Cub was heading towards The Isle of Man. Not the island though- it’s a barge.” Jackal explained. “According to these records, it was rented by a German couple and had been here for three weeks.”

“Not the German couple though,” Bleddyn added. “They arrived a week after it first came here. I never saw the man who drove it again. He was the owner though. He called himself Nathan Lawray.”

Ben’s head shot up in surprise when he heard the nationality of the couple. It couldn’t be a coincidence that they came from the same country that both he and Cub had completed a mission in? Connections to the same country they had been given their biggest lead into Mrs Jones’ disappearance kept popping up and he didn’t like it.

“I was just in Germany on a mission for MI6,” Ben informed them. “It’s classified so don’t even bother trying to ask me about it. I am worried that the barge may be connected to that in some way. Its name is linked to a previous investigation.”

“One your teenage son was a part of?” Carwyn asked, reprovingly.

“It's complicated but yes, Cub got unwittingly mixed up in it. We need to find that barge.” Fox reminded them. Carwyn noticed how the other SAS soldiers seemed to fall into the man- Fox’s- command and follow his orders. He acted like a superior officer and thus they treated him like one.

“You’re MI6.” Lion commented.

“Yes. I didn’t get binned I got recruited. I’m Agent Daniels now, but Ben is fine. We don’t have time for this. I will explain what I can, when, and only when, Cub is brought back to me. We have to find that barge before it’s too late.”

That was the end of the discussion. They could talk about the revelations later, but it wasn’t important. What was important was recusing Cub and ensuring he was safe. Wolf was annoyed with the whole affair. Annoyed with Cub for running off and causing all this trouble, annoyed with Fox- no Ben- for joining MI6, annoyed with the Sargent for chewing him out and annoyed with himself for not caring about Cub enough to notice his distress.

Falcon was having much the same thoughts. Cub had run off because he had got caught in some dangerous affair and he hadn’t considered mentioning it to his unit-mates. Maybe if he had he wouldn’t be lost and in danger. He hoped he didn’t end up like Samuel. He couldn’t go through that again. Perhaps he should have been nicer to Cub. Maybe the kid would have confided in them.

“Well, it was heading West,” Carwyn informed him, focused on their objective. “I have got the word out and a few of my pals are looking out for it but so far we’ve had no such word.”

Adder wrinkled his nose. That didn’t make any sense. Unless Carwyn’s friends were extremely unobservant (which Adder doubted based on his assessment of the man) then he would have thought someone would have seen it. It wasn’t like it was invisible!   

“But the canal just goes straight ahead, you can’t go anywhere else.” Adder reminded them. “It can’t just disappear into thin air! Unless… it can. Major Beynon! You know these canals pretty well don’t you sir?”

Carwyn smiled at the formal address. Some things never changed in the army and respect for superiors was one of them. The fact that he was a civie now would make little difference to many of the current soldiers. It seemed this man, a rather quiet one compared to the rest of his unit, was no exception.

“Like the palm of my hand. I’ve spent my whole life here, Bleddyn too. And please, call me Carwyn. I left the army long ago.”

“Well, Carwyn,” Adder emphasised the man’s name. “Are there any abandoned routes the barge might be able to hind in? The sort of thing that wouldn’t be shown on a modern map such as this?”

Carwyn thought for a second before he smacked his face. He hissed beratingly to himself and Snake was slightly concerned that the man had given himself a concussion. He was just about to inquire about this welfare when the man answered Adder’s question.  

“By George!” He yelled excitedly smacking himself upside the head. “Of course. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it before. Curse my old brain. Do forgive me.”

“Yes, of course, but what is it?” Ben asked impatiently. He didn’t care that the man hadn’t thought about it before he wanted to know now. Further delay just decreased the chances of finding Cub alive and unharmed. It was a race against time. Ben never liked those but he hated it now that it involved Alex’s safety.

“There’s a water passage. It goes under a tunnel. It’s abandoned now but you can still use it if you know how.” Carwyn told Ben. Bleddyn starting nodding along too. Now that Carwyn had mentioned it he knew exactly where his friend meant. They used to sneak off there when they were children – thought they weren’t meant to!

“And how much do you want to bet that these people know how?”

“Exactly, Agent Daniels.”

“Where exactly is this passage?” Ben demanded urgently.

He was acutely aware that he wasn’t being polite. His mother would scold him but there was a time and a place for civility and while it may be later they did not have enough of the former.

Carwyn however, seemed unperturbed and Ben’s lack of politeness. He understood that his priority was getting answers quickly and acting on those answers. He had thick skin- he had to after growing up in the latter half of the twentieth century. A bit of briskness didn’t affect him especially when a child was in danger.   

“Here.” Carwyn pointed to a spot on the map. “Come on, we’ll take my car. I’ll get you as close to it as possible and show you the rest of the way.”

“No,” Ben argued with a firm shake of his head. “Just tell us where it is, you stay here. You are a civilian.”

He couldn’t let Carwyn come with them. Apart from the fact that Carwyn wasn’t actually in the army anymore – this wasn’t even an official operation. He had already broken enough rules and while he would break plenty more to ensure Alex was safe, involving Carwyn might be a step too far. It might not be just him in the firing line but Wolf and Jackal too. Anyway, if Carwyn got hurt he would never forgive himself. He couldn’t protect Alex to the best of his ability if he had to worry about Carwyn all the time. Ben would not put civilians at risk.

“Yes, technically but I’m not helpless. I’ll take my hunting rifle if it eases your mind – I have a licence.” Carwyn argued. He was more than capable of looking after himself. A lifetime of military service didn’t just leave you once you were discharged. “Look, like you said, we don’t have time. Your kid is in danger and you don’t know the layout of the land as well as I do! This water-way- it's not easy to find. You haven’t any hope of finding it if you don’t know it's there!”

“I think he’s right Ben.” Wolf nudged.

Ben sighed. Carwyn was right about one thing: they didn’t have time to debate it. If he wanted to come with them, then he couldn’t stop him. They would need his knowledge. Anyway, he was once a Major in the army – he had more experience than Ben did so clearly he knew what he was doing. Ben suspected that if they left without him he would just follow them. Fine. If Carwyn wanted to risk his life who was he to stop him? Ben certainly wouldn’t, not if it would help Alex!

“All right, fine. F-unit – you stay here with Bleddyn and inform the Sargent what is going on. If you hadn’t heard from us in an hour sound the alarm. K-Unit let’s go and remember your training. Our prime objective is to recover Cub, but we may find another ally on board. Her name is Mrs Jones, and he is the head of MI6. Oh, and at the end of this, everyone is signing the Official Secrets Act. Let’s move out.”

Orders were given and carried out. Each man moved to complete their role. First K-unit would descend and then if needed, F-unit would join them. This means that the team that best knew Alex would rescue him but that another team would be on standby. It was better not to put your eggs in one basket. F-unit understood that, but it still didn’t make the order amenable. They would have to talk with Sargent Young and Agent Mason. Two were a fearsome pair and nobody envied them.

The Isle of Man…

Accordingly, to Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Obviously, Einstein never ended in a steel cage on a barge set to explode or he wouldn’t have been so quick to discount the method of repetition. Five times, now, Alex had tried to kick open to the metal cage and five times he had failed. But at the minute he was desperate, and disparity can work in your favour providing you challenge it correctly.

OK, so kicking the metal door clearly wasn’t going to work. So, he was insane. Well, considering he was about to be blown up and framed again for a serious crime he didn’t commit, Alex felt he had earned that right. He kicked the door a second time and was not at all surprised when it reminded firmly in place.

There had to be something he could do. Kicking the door was only wasting energy and it was starting to hurt his legs. He wished he had his gadgets with him, but he only had his Binoculars and those had already been taken. It wasn’t a massive loss – it wasn’t like he could go many birds watching in here. It was dark and- OW!

Alex hissed in pain and he pulled his hand instinctively towards his chest. At first, he thought the pain was coming from his palm. They were hurting a lot recently and his welts after his most recent caning had cut open when he landed. But it wasn’t his palms this time. The new stinging sensation was coming from the back of his hand near his knuckles. Alex sucked on it trying to think of a plan when a metallic taste entered his mouth.

It gave him an idea.    

He had cut his hand on something. It wasn’t serious and had already dried. He wouldn’t need a plaster and he had already had his tetanus booster. If he hadn’t he would need one because the thing he cut himself on was a rusty nail and that is what would give him his way out.

When he was a kid Ian use to play blind man’s bluff with him. However, his uncle would also create elaborate ‘levels’ where he would have to complete a puzzle using touch alone. One of these levels included unscrewing blots from his construction kit to open a door and get a prize. He didn’t think much of it at the time and of course, there had been times when he had been ungrateful and naughty by refusing to take part. Now, he realised they had been important lessons and Alex was very glad of them.  

Using touch and what little he could see, he unscrewed the nail that had scrapped him. It came out easily and now that he had it he could use it as his tool – a makeshift screwdriver. It wasn’t the perfect plan. The screw wasn’t the right shape, and it was hard to find the head of the other screws without much light. But thanks to Ian and his training, Alex was doing quite well. He found the screws and with a steady hand after years of playing those steady hand games where you had to beat the buzzer, he managed to undo them one by one.

Once he had done enough screws, he placed them in his pocket in case he needed them later. Then he laid on his back, wincing as the welts on them met the cold metal. Alex pulled his legs in and with all his might, smashed his feet into the cage door. This time, it worked, and the door shot open. He was free! Now to save Mrs Jones.

But that’s when there was the sound of a large explosion. Alex didn’t know that a sound could sound so impossibly loud and be so painstakingly quiet at the same time, but it did. That was the only way he could describe it.

Chapter 26: Suspicions

Chapter Text

“How much further is it?” Ben asked, looking at his watch. It had been nearly three hours since Alex had last been seen and he knew that was ample time for him to be injured or worse. True, Alex was remarkably capable and could hold his own amongst the toughest of adversaries. Logically, Ben knew that Alex wasn’t helpless, but logic did little to help improve the anxiousness filling inside of him.

“Not much further, just like the last time, you asked,” Carwyn replied a little irritated at the constant request for updates. Agent Daniels reminded him of his grandchildren during long journeys. They, too, kept asking Are we nearly there yet?

“I’m sorry,” Ben apologised, slightly abashed. “I know I’m being irritating. I just want to find Alex. He’s intelligent and remarkably resourceful and I know he’ll probably be all right but…”

“But he’s your kid and you are going out of your mind in worry,” Carwyn finished. “Don’t worry, I get it. I bet Alex’s mother is going out of her mind too. Have you told her?”

“Alex’s mother is dead,” Ben informed him, unaware of what Jackal had already told him.

Carwyn stopped. He turned suspiciously towards Ben and rose a single eyebrow. Ben noticed the suspicion and matched Carwyn’s expression. He made a hand gesture that silently asked Carwyn what the problem was.

“I thought Alex’s mother sent him here because he went through a lot. Isn’t he Jackal’s nephew?” The man asked. He supposed that he should have expected the lack of consistency. This was the SAS and MI6 after all they weren’t exactly known for information sharing.

“No,” Ben refuted, deciding that it was best, to tell the truth. “He’s not. Jackal just told you that because he didn’t know what he was allowed to say.”

Carwyn kept looking at Ben, giving him an appraising look. Then he looked over to K-unit, evaluating them in turn. He was a rather shrewd character and managed to make the link quite easily. Agent Daniels sure acted like a father, but he wasn’t one. At least not officially.    

“He’s not your kid.” It was a statement of fact and not a question because Carwyn was quite sure that his observation was correct.  

“Not biologically,” Ben admitted.

That got Carwyn’s attention. The kid, Cub or Alex depending on whom you asked, was not Agent Daniels’ biological son but the connection between them was undeniable. Families came in different shapes and sizes these days and just because they weren’t related didn’t mean the boy wasn’t his kid. But if he wasn’t their kid then why was he there?

“Why is a teenager caught up with MI6 and the SAS?”

“It’s classified. I can tell you he spent some time at the Brecon Beacons but that’s it,” Ben answered. He wanted Carwyn to be aware of the true situation – the more that he knew the more he could help. Maybe having someone aware of Alex’s placement on the SAS could be useful. Ben couldn’t tell Carwyn directly, but if Carwyn were to make that conclusion on his own- well that was just too bad.

Cub was a strange nickname. It was like the codenames that the SAS used- animal code names. Carwyn realised, quite suddenly, that it wasn’t a nickname. It was a code name. Cub, or Alex or whatever his name was – was part of the SAS. A boy that wasn’t old enough to enlist. If he was at the Brecon Beacons before that meant that he was there for…

“Training?!” Carwyn questioned ludicrously.

A teenager- training with the SAS?! This was just too much. This violated several articles of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It went against several international laws, including their own. This kid, who looked scared and hurt, had been running away from something. What if he had been running away from these men who forced him into being a child soldier?

Carwyn stepped in front of Agent Daniels and placed a hand on the man’s chest. He knew that he couldn’t take all five men on his own, but he would try. He had a gun and if needed he would escape and call reinforcements. He knew the layout of the land. The men did not. He would protect the boy if needed. He wouldn’t let these men hurt him.

“If you mean this boy any harm, I don’t care who you are or what your duty is, I’ll stand in your way.” He warned. His voice was quiet and calm, but it was by no means less threatening. He had been a Major in the army during a time of great uncertainty. He knew how to deliver a threat. It sent a shiver down the spines of the K-unit.

“Cub is in no danger from us, Major,” Falcon reassured. “But Agent Daniels has already mentioned it’s classified and I’m afraid he’s right.”

It seemed to calm Carwyn down slightly but not enough to move aside. True, they could just force him out of the way, but it wouldn’t help. Like it or not, they needed the man’s guidance and anyway the high-ups would not take kindly to them assaulting a civilian especially if that civilian was a decorated military officer.

“I meant what I said earlier, Major. Alex isn’t my son biologically, but I care for him like I would my own. I wouldn’t let anyone hurt him not even these idiots.”

Carwyn studied Ben’s face for a few minutes with narrowed eyes. Before he could decide whether or not he could trust the man or whether or not have believed him, Falcon gave a squawk of protest. He did not like the implication in Ben’s last statement.  

“Hey!” Falcon snapped. “We wouldn’t hurt Cub.”

Fox shot his head to the side to face Falcon. He sent the man such a scathing look that it could have turned flesh into stone like the medusa. Falcon took a step backwards surprised and slightly terrified (not that he would admit it) at the sudden furiousness being aimed towards him. Fox was petrifying!

“Don’t think I don’t know about how you’ve been treating Cub. I can read people well, Falcon.” Ben snapped back. “And I know you’ve not been kind to him.”

Falcon gulped. He definitely hadn’t been treating Cub very well. He supposed that when Fox found Cub, which he was certain was going to happen, he would tell him everything. He wasn’t looking forward to finding out what the man would do to him. For once, though, he had to admit that there was no one else to blame except from himself.

“I’ll admit I may not have been entirely welcoming, but I didn’t hurt him, not physically. He’s just a kid.”

“That had better be true, Falcon,” Ben warned. He intensified his glare and Falcon suddenly felt the need to run. He wanted to point out that hurt was hurt whether it was physical or emotional and that if Falcon had caused the latter it was such as serious as the former. Wolf, however, had other ideas.

“Look, Agent Daniels, calm down,” Wolf ordered, stressing Fox’s title. ”We haven’t hurt him. There’s no need to attack us.”

Ben turned his fury onto Wolf. Falcon felt relieved. He also felt a little sorry for his Unit leader. Falcon may have been unfriendly towards Cub, but he hadn’t caused him any physical harm. Wolf, however, had caused physical harm. He had left bruises on Cub from that time he had grabbed Cub. It wasn’t serious and it hadn’t been intentional, but something told Falcon that wouldn’t count for much with Agent Daniels.

“You forget, Wolf, that I was there the first time he arrived at the Brecon Beacons. I saw how you treated him. Two words: Killing House.” Ben reminded him.

Wolf bulked at that. He didn’t know that Fox was aware of that. He hadn’t told anyone what he had done. The Sargent wouldn’t have told anyone either- he wasn’t one to share details of other people’s reprimands. Cub must have snitched on him to Fox. It was probably some play for sympathy. Cub’s way of picturing him as the Big Bad Wolf. That made Cub red riding hood- a rather funny idea. He couldn’t bring himself to laugh though. There was a time and a place for that and now, was neither the time nor the place.

“How did you know about that? Did Cub tell you?”

“No, Wolf and nor did he tell Sargent Young.” Ben retorted, fully prepared to unleash his fury on the Unit leader right there and then. He sneered at the man.  “For someone who is supposed to be very observant, you were remarkable stupid. You forgot that there were security cameras inside.”

“He didn’t tell on me?” Wolf asked, softly. Part of the reason he had been so hard on Cub was because of his assumption that he was a spoilt brat that had tattled on him. He wanted to teach Cub about unity. But according to Agent Daniels, Cub had already learnt that. He should have known. After all, he hadn’t told the Sargent about the time he’d lost his temper with Cub and hurt him.

Ben knew what was going through Wolf’s head. He was surprised at the revelation that Alex had never told on him. Wolf made his assumptions about Cub within seconds of first meeting him and he hadn’t changed them despite all the evidence to the contrary. Wolf was stubborn and had a temper. He could be a good leader but sometimes his shortcomings prevented him from being a brilliant one.  

 “Cub is loyal. He wouldn’t tell on you even if you hurt him. But if I have heard you have hurt him, I’ll make you wish you were never born. Is that quite clear?”

Wolf was suddenly reminded of the time he’d grabbed Cub’s arm. The next day there were vicious bruises on the boy’s arm, the shape of his hand. He felt terribly guilty when he had seen them. He also remembered how Cub had flinched, like he expected a blow. He didn’t realise how scared Cub had become of him but since as though he had left bruises, it was probably justified at least just a little bit. If Fox found out about those bruises…

“Crystal,” Wolf agreed, slightly scared. It was unusual for him. He usually found himself to be pretty brave but there was something about the way Fox had threatened him, something about that protective anger that set him on edge. Perhaps it was because he knew that Fox would not forgive him for hurting Cub. Frankly neither could he.  

“Major Beynon,” Fox turned to Carwyn and flashed a hopeful smile. “Have I convinced you that I mean Alex no harm? At least enough for you to continue to show me where this waterway is?”

Carwyn considered Agent Daniels. Perhaps it was the way he had threatened the other SAS soldiers mixed with the fatherly concern that was evident in his eyes, but Carwyn found that he believed the man. He would still be on his guard and when they found the boy he would try to get him on his own. Then he would check with the boy himself and offer him his help. If needed he would help the kid get somewhere safe. But for now, he would help the group.

“Yes,” He answered. “I believe you. But I’m still keeping my eye on you lot and if I think you’re hurting him, I’ll stop you. That is a promise.”

“Thank you, Major. Now please, we’ve wasted enough time.” Ben thanked.

Carwyn stepped aside and began leading the group towards the waterway. He hoped that he was right about them and that they weren’t going to do the boy any harm. There wasn’t much he could do about it though. The kid needed to be found either way. His instincts told him that everything was all right, but he still felt a duty towards the boy. He was a grandfather and a father. The thought that a child might be in danger filled him with dread. He just hoped he wasn’t putting him in further danger by bringing these men to him.

Dockmaster’s office

Meanwhile, F-unit was speaking with the Sargent through video chat. They had not been looking forward to this but it had been necessary. They were, after all, missing a soldier and not just any soldier – a minor whose guardian was high up in MI6. This wasn’t good.  

“Could someone explain very simply and immediately exactly what is going on?” Sargent Young’s voice boomed. “I have heard that from Wolf that Cub went AWOL. Someone had better start explaining. Now.”

“We don’t exactly know what happened, sir,” Jackal informed him. “Agent Daniels knows more than us but what we do know is that something scared him, and he ran off because of a connection to a previous case he had involved him.”

“I see,” Sargent Young replied. “Are you of the opinion that he trying to stir up trouble?”

Cub wasn’t one for outright mischief. He was quite mature for his age – too mature. He never intended to get into trouble but often found himself being scolded and punished. The Sargent mistook his behaviour for insolence when really it was just a teenager trying to adapt to an adult situation without much regard to his own feelings. Jackal realised that he was one of the few people who understood this and gave thanks to his experience with teenagers for that.

“No, sir,” Jackal answered. “According to Eagle, he seemed quite perturbed. I think he had a very good reason for doing what he did.”

Sargent Young hummed to himself thoughtfully. He had to admit that he agreed with Jackal. He knew that he had been hard on Cub and that the teenager could often be insolent but didn’t think that he would stretch to outright disobedience of this magnitude. He didn’t think Cub would dare. It seemed that since Agent Mason was nearby he was more likely to behave. It seemed like Cub’s guardian was finally cracking down on his attitude. Sargent Young was glad of that.

“For his sake, I hope that is true. His guardian is on the way and he didn’t seem very happy to hear about what happened.” Sargent Young shared. He wouldn’t like to be in Cub’s shoes if he had run off without a spectacularly good reason. Agent Mason wouldn’t let any misbehaviour or disrespect slide and would be sure to make his displeasure clear.

“Will Cub be in lots of trouble?” Bear asked. He liked the kid and certainly didn’t want him to be in any trouble. Sargent Young could be very fierce when you had done something wrong. Bear didn’t think that Cub had done anything worth having Sargent’s wrath unleashed on him particularly when had already faced it a few times.

“If he ran off out of mischief then yes. I’ll imagine that his guardian will be very angry at him and punish him accordingly. And if he’s done this out of sheer naughtiness then his guardian isn’t the one the only that he will have to worry about.”

F-unit felt sorry for Cub. If he hadn’t run off because he was scared then he would soon be faced with the wrath of Sargent Young. That was something they wouldn’t wish on their own worst enemy. If Cub had run off because he was scared it meant he was in danger. Either way, the teenager was in between a rock and hard place. They hoped that Cub would make it out of the situation unscathed.

“And if this was out of duty?” Bear questioned.

“Then I see no reason to scold him. Either way, K-unit had better find him. I hope that Cub’s all right though. Apart from the fact that this won’t look good on us, I wouldn’t want him to get hurt.”

It was surprising to hear Sargent Young speak with such sentimentality. He wasn’t one that usually let on about how he cared for his soldiers. Cub was under his command though not officially. The teenager was at the Brecon Beacons and while he wasn’t a fully-fledged member of the SAS, the Sargent felt at least some reasonability towards him. He still thought that was insolent, but he would never wish him any harm.  

“Sir, you said his guardian is coming,” Adder reminded him.  

“I did. Why, Adder?”

“Who is his is guardian, sir?”

“Agent Mason. He’s Mr Blunt’s second in command so if anything happens to him, MI6 will have our heads.”

Adder had heard a bit about Agent Mason from K-unit though he hadn’t actually met him. From what he heard the man was a formidable character. The Sargent seemed to respect him but judging by the way he scowled slightly when he mentioned Agent Mason’s name, he didn’t like the man. Adder was no fool though. He was aware that his superior was worried – not just about Cub’s welfare but for their own careers. He didn’t imagine Mr Blunt would be very happy if the ward of his right-hand man was harmed while under their care.  

“Keep in contact and if you’ve not heard from them in half an hour- storm the Bastille,” Sargent Young ordered, deciding that they had spent enough time discussing the matter. He had things to do just, and F-unit had their own duties. Mr Blunt would be contacting him soon no doubt to demand an explanation.

“Yes, sir!” F-unit barked in unison.

“Dismissed,” Sargent replied out of habit. No one commented on the fact that he dismissed them over video chat. He ended the call and the tablet screen when black.

Back in the Brecon Beacons, Sargent Young leaned back in his chair and sighed. He rubbed his face trying to ease the headache that was beginning to form. This was supposed to be a very uneventful week. The monthly holiday aimed to build ties between units. The week was supposed to be very peaceful. It was not supposed to include teenagers running off and possibilities of danger. Why did this have to happen? And of course, K-unit would be involved. K-unit had been the cause of several grey hairs even before Cub had joined them. Now that Cub was in the unit the number of grey hairs he had increased. There was no denying the correlation between Cub’s presence and his grey hairs. That kid was a trouble magnet if ever there was one!

Chapter 27: Explosive Attitudes

Notes:

Hello everyone! Apologies for not updating the last two days. I'm afraid I was ill. I had a migraine and needed to sleep. But I'm alright now! Please enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Text

As soon as they found the abandoned waterway, Ben understood why it had been chosen as a hideout. The tunnel’s entrance was rusted over with aged metal and there was a tangle of overgrown weeds and brambles that made it look like it had been left unused for centuries. However, flakes of rust and a few flattened branches told them that someone had gone through that way recently.

“Someone’s been through here, not too long ago,” Carwyn stated pointing out the flattened thorns and hedgerows.

“Can you give me a hand with this lever, Major?” Ben asked tugging on a rusted metal prong that that would control the gates.

Carwyn nodded at immediately applied his strength to the lever. With their combined force of both men, the lever gave little resistance and despite its rustiness, gave way. Two felt it collapse under their strength and soon afterwards they heard the lock open with a satisfying clunk.

The group turned on their torches as they walked through the tunnel. Finally, right at the end of the waterway, where it turned off into a separate junction was the Isle of Man. It was suited next to a grassy embankment but thanks to half dilapidated stone arch, it would be largely hidden from view. As soon as Ben saw it, he rushed forward eager to check that firstly Alex was all right but secondly that Mrs Jones was onboard and unharmed. He was prevented from doing so by a hard grip on his arm pulling him back. Ben snapped his head to see who dared to stop him from rescuing the boy he thought of as a son. It was Wolf.

Before Ben could curse the man out or deliver any number of threats that were lying on his tongue, Wolf spoke in a wise and authoritative voice.

“I know you want to run off and save him,” He began, tightening his grip when Ben tried to escape it. “But we can’t go running in without a plan. You know this, Fox. Think about it.”

Ben scowled at Wolf but Carwyn’s little nod made him pause for a minute. He thought about what Wolf was saying. They were about to approach an unknown enemy who may or may not be expecting them. That meant there could be anything on the barge that could be a danger not just to themselves, but to Alex, Mrs Jones, and anyone else lucky enough to be close by. Ben shut his eyes and nodded in agreement. He could see that Wolf was right. Rushing in wouldn’t help anyone. They needed a plan, and fast.

“Snake and Wolf, come with me onto the barge,” Ben ordered. He handed everyone their own walkie talkie taken from the Dockmaster’s office.

It made sense that Snake came with him. He was the medic and if anyone needed any medical attention that he would be able to provide it. Ben hoped that no one would need it- especially not Alex but as the saying goes, it was better to have and not need than need to and not have. Wolf was a sensible choice too. Ben knew that Alex didn’t like Wolf and that the feeling was mutual. He wasn’t the best choice for comforting Alex if was needed however he had already shown him that he was able to calm Ben down and keep him from making rash decisions. That was important and if it helped Alex, Ben was all for it. Wolf was a good tactician himself. He would be a great asset once they were on the barge. The dislike for him didn’t matter.

“Falcon, Eagle, Major Beynon, stay here,” Ben ordered, turning to the second half of the group.  

“If anyone leaves the barge, keep them in custody. Stay in touch with us. We will call if you need backup. Major, are you quite sure that you are all right to help us with this? You can go back to the village.”

Carwyn nodded eagerly. He was too invested in this affair to give it up now. This had been the most exciting thing that happened to him in years. Anyway, he needed to know what was going on with that boy. If the child was being held against his will and forced into labour by MI6, then he needed to do something about that. If a child was in danger then the last thing he should do would be to go back to the village and let those he was in danger from going about their merry way. If this Alex or Cub or whatever he calls himself needed help then help is exactly what he would give him. He wouldn’t let a child be put in danger or his name wasn’t Major Carwyn Dafydd Beynon.

“Yes, of course. I’m not dead yet!” Carwyn replied confidently.

It may have been a while since he was an active member of the military, but he was by no means helpless. He could hold his own against many high-powered thugs. He doubted that many could overpower him particularly if he had people staying behind with him.

“All right. Falcon, Eagle, look after him.” Ben ordered sharply, giving them a warning look. “If Major Beynon comes to any harm you will be held responsible. Understand?”

“Yes, Agent Daniels.” Falcon and Eagle agreed in unison. For Eagle, it was a little strange for him to address Fox in such a manner, but he gave little resistance to it. Fox simply oozed authority and right now he wasn’t an old friend and an ex-member of his unit, but commanding officer.

“No need for all that. I can take care of myself.” Carwyn shook his head. He found little need for the threat Agent Daniels issued. If he did get injured it would be due to his incompetence and not due to either Falcon or Eagle.

“Mmm,” Ben grunted uncommittedly not giving his opinion on that statement. He didn’t want Carwyn to be part of this at all, but he doubted that he would be able to change his mind. They didn’t have time for that. “Remember what I said. Come on, Snake, Wolf, Cub needs us.”

Ben had good reason for choosing who stayed behind and who went on board the barge. They needed to ensure someone was waiting in case anyone escaped. It made more sense than the remainder of the group were the ones that did so. Falcon wasn’t exactly on team Cub and ben was worried he might scare Alex particularly if he had just been through a lot. There was no way he was going to let Carwyn onto the barge, he let him get into even danger by taking them with him. Military or career or not, Carwyn was a civilian. That left Eagle and since there needed to be another soldier protecting Carwyn, it made sense to leave him behind. Anyway, Eagle was a good hand-to-hand fighter.

“When we on the barge, we’ll clear it room by room. You know what Cub look like; he is the priority. If you find him, please, protect him with your life.” Ben instructed. “This is a picture of Mrs Jones, she went missing a year ago and is, or was, the head of MI6. If you see her protect her too.”

Ben held up a picture of Mrs Jones and let each person study it, even the team that would stay behind. They needed to know whom to look out for and if whoever kidnapped Mrs Jones tried to smuggle her away, they needed to know that she was friendly and that she needed to be protected too.

“Does that sound like a good enough plan to you?” Ben asked Wolf, not unkindly. He wasn’t being sarcastic, he genuinely Wolf’s opinion on the plan. He was well aware that Alex’s disappearance was on his mind and he didn’t want to let it affect his duty. Wolf wouldn’t allow him to lose his head.

“Yes,” Wolf agreed. “Now let’s get on with it. We don’t know what might be happening on that barge. Let’s save Cub and Mrs Jones. Everything’s going to be all right, Fox.”

“I hope, you’re right, I sincerely hope you’re right,” Ben muttered.

The group moved rather swiftly and silently onto the barge. They acted like the well-trained unit they had been previously, moving with skilled movements. The slight tapping of their footsteps against the wooden deck was the only sound that could be heard from the group and was the only sign that they were there.

Ben singled towards the door and Wolf nodded. After counting down with his fingers, they advanced towards it and gently opened it. They headed down the stairs and into the modern sitting room that Alex had been in only a few hours earlier. There was little sign on the teenager though and Ben knew that it had been there, he must have been taken into a separate room by someone.

“This way,” Ben whispered spotting a locked door. He didn’t know it, but it was the one that Alex has been trying to unlock when he was knocked out. He pulled out a lockpick set and had it unlocked in seconds.

Wolf opened the door and the three of them crept inside. That’s when they saw her. Ben could hardly believe it. After all this time, he hadn’t expected to find her. He knew that she sent that message from Munich but hadn’t expected to find her at all – let alone alive. But there was no denying it. There was Mrs Jones, looking ill and as though as if she had been through a devil of time but alive all the same.

“Mrs Jones!” Ben whispered, excitedly. “What on earth happened? Where’s Alex?”

“Later!” She snapped, grabbing hold of Ben’s arms, and holding them in a tight grip. She pointed to the barrel. “That’s a bomb! Get rid of it!”

Ben realised the urgency both in her voice and in her eyes. The thoughts of Alex vanished out of his head for a second. He would feel guilty about that later, but he needed to ensure there were all safe. Dealing with the bomb was the most pressing issue. If it exploded it would no doubt kill them all. Ben, Snake and Wolf all immediately jumped into action. They grabbed hold of the barrel and after checking that coast was clear for a few seconds, threw it out of a nearby window. It seemed they had acted just in time because it exploded after a few seconds.

The group outside watched in horror as they felt and heard the explosion. It landed just on the embankment but had enough power to destroy the stone archway. Debris and rubble fell from the archway and scattered across the embankment. Mud and grass were scattered everywhere. It had completed destroyed the weeds and brambles. What previously looked like an overgrown garden was now a completely decimated embankment. If that bomb had been on board when Cub was on the barge, it would have killed or at the very least, injured him. It had been a close call. Cub was on that barge; he was certain of that. He had come so close to death.

Falcon felt so guilty. He had nearly seen Cub being blown apart. He hadn’t been very nice to Cub, had he? Now that Falcon had come so close to Cub dying that it had been made clear to him how much of an arse he had been to him. He promised himself that once he saw Cub again, he would apologise and treat him with more respect in future.

“Good, god,” Carwyn exclaimed, recovering the quickest and saying what they were all thinking. “I hope no one got caught in that.”

“Me too,” Eagle muttered. “But I think it’s just exploded that archway.”

“Mmm.” Carwyn agreed. “It’s certainly not improved the embankment. I don’t think the local children are going to be sneaking off here in future. If it wasn’t derelict before, it certainly is now. Falcon, I say, man, you look terrible. Do you need to sit down?”

Eagle turned to Falcon and saw that Carwyn was correct. He looked terribly pale, like he was about to collapse any minute. Eagle wasn’t the biggest fan of Falcon due to the way he had treated Cub but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t concerned for him. His own personal feelings towards Falcon mattered very little, he was still a part of his unit and as such Eagle still had concern over his welfare.

“Major Beynon is correct you look quite ill. I think you should sit down.” Eagle mentioned moving his hand so that they took Falcon by the arms lest the man should faint. He really did look like he might just do that!

“No, I’m fine,” Falcon reassured him. He took a few deep breaths and sure enough, he began to look a lot better, the colour began to reappear in his cheeks. “It’s just, if Cub was on there when that thing exploded…”

He trailed off. The other two stiffened, immediately understanding what had frightened Falcon so much. Eagle rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. He knew that Falcon didn’t like Cub and might not be averse to smacking the kid, but Eagle knew that he was a good man and would never want Cub to come to any severe harm. He certainly wouldn’t want Cub to be killed. Eagle knew that if Cub was onboard that barge and everyone sign pointed to the fact that it was, then he had come extremely close to being killed. Far too close for Eagle’s liking.

“I know, but as I said, I don’t think anyone got caught up in it. The only damage that it caused was to the embankment and that stone archway. I’m sure Cub will be all right.”

“I hope so. I would never forgive myself.” Falcon admitted sadly. “I know I have never been exactly kind to Cub, but I wouldn’t want him to get badly hurt like this.”

“I know, Falcon, I know. I’m sure everything will be all right. I have a feeling that everything will turn up OK.”

“I wished I shared your optimism,” Falcon lamented. “But I’ve been in this position before with- it doesn’t matter.”

“Falcon?”

“I said it doesn’t matter!” Falcon snapped his sadness suddenly done and replaced with anger.

“All right! All right!” Eagle replied throwing his hand in a placating gesture. “Have it your way. But know that you part of my unit. You can always talk to me.”

“I will talk to you but not yet. Cub deserves to be the first one to hear this from me.” Falcon replied, switching back to his despondent tone. “Then I give you guys an explanation.”

“An explanation as to why you’ve been a complete arse to Cub?”

Eagle expected Falcon to snap at him again. He fully expected him to become defensive and Eagle was fully prepared to defend himself from a verbal attack from the man. He was therefore surprised when he found that he didn’t need to. Instead of standing in a defensive stance and glaring at Eagle, Falcon shrugged his shoulders and look towards the ground. He nodded sadly.

“Yeah, that,” Falcon mumbled.

“Well, the explanation had better be good. Agent Daniels looked like he wanted to rip your head off and I have to say, Falcon, that I am rather in agreement with him.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Falcon apologised, raising his eyes to meet Eagle’s eye. He was surprised when it instead of seeing scathing anger or hatred he instead saw pity. It seemed that Eagle wasn’t completely angry with him.  

“I’m not the one you need to appease, Falcon.” Eagle reminded.

“No. I know.” Falcon whispered, sadly. He knew that it wasn’t just Cub that Eagle was referring to, though the teenager was the priority in that sense. Agent Daniels seemed very protective of Cub. It was like how he had felt about Samuel. If someone had treated Samuel the way he treated Cub, would be angry too. He fully expected Agent Daniels to unleash that protective anger on him. It was only fair. He had to bear to consequences of his actions. He had no one to blame but himself. Especially not Cub. He was just a kid. Falcon saw that now.

“You aren’t like a normal SAS unit are you?” Carwyn asked with a raised eyebrow. He was pretty sure that if the boy was in danger, it wasn’t from the men before him or the ones on the barge. He didn’t know why there was a teenager mixed with SAS and MI6 and he doubted the reason was anything good, but something told him that the men wouldn’t cause direct harm to the teenager they called Alex or Cub. That same intuition also told that they weren’t the standard SAS unit.

“Classified.” Eagle and Falcon replied in unison.

“Classified my arse.” Carwyn chuckled. “Classified my arse.”  

Ben watched as they threw the barrel out the window, thankful that they had arrived in time. The explosion would have been enough the kill them had it occurred on the barge. There was still no sign of Alex though. The explosion wouldn’t have been big enough to destroy the whole barge. It was unlikely that Alex was the target of the bomb but that didn’t fill Ben with confidence. If he didn’t need Alex then why did they need him? What was this all about? And where was Alex? Ben hoped he was all right. There was one person that knew about Alex.

Ben turned sharply to Mrs Jones. He knew that she had been through a lot. A year of being held captive would not be a fun experience. Now, she had nearly been exploded by a bomb. It would be perfectly understandable that she would be on edge, to say the least. Mrs Jones definitely needed medical attention – likely more than what Snake could give her, but he needed to found out where Alex was and what happened to him.

“Mrs Jones, where’s Alex?” He demanded.

“They took him, I don’t know where. He’s on the barge though.”

“What happened, ma’am?” Wolf questioned, softly.

“I’ll explain later, but please, find Alex. They must have heard that explosion and they might try and hurt him. Go. Find him.” Mrs Jones ordered. She was by no means in good shape, but she could wait. Alex might be in terrible danger.

“Of course, Wolf, you stay with Mrs Jones, take her outside,” Ben ordered. “Snake you come with me. Alex might need medical attention.”  

Ben left the room without giving Wolf or Snake a chance to reply to his command. He needed to find Alex and he wasn’t going to let anyone get in his way. Ben knew that Mrs Jones was right. Whoever took Mrs Jones would have noticed that their plan, whatever that may be, hadn’t worked. As such, they would be very angry. Anger was a dangerous emotion. It caused you to act without thinking. When you let that anger spread throughout like a plague and overtake you, it could cause great violence to be unleashed on whoever was nearby. That meant Alex. Ben never wanted anyone to hurt Alex. He hated it when he was in pain or sad.

“Fox, everything will be all right,” Snake reassured. “I’m sure we’ll find Cub unharmed.”

“We’d better. If we don’t I’ll tear the world apart.” Ben threatened evenly. The low tone to his voice sent a shiver down Snake’s spine. He was quite certain that Fox could be very dangerous to anyone that threatened to hurt Cub. He was suddenly very concerned for his best friend. Eagle had been the last person to see Cub and Snake was pretty sure that Fox blamed him.

“You know that Eagle isn’t the blame, Fox.” Snake, ever the voice of reason, pointed out.

“I know.” Ben sighed. Now that he had time to think about it had calmed down in regards to where Eagle had been involved. “I was just angry before. I don’t blame him. I know what Cub’s like when he gets an idea in his head.”

“Fox.” Snake spoke as the two of them moved down a corridor. They kept an eye out for anyone coming but no one did. There was no sign of anyone and that was- unusual- to say the least.

“Yes, Snake?”

“Why is Cub mixed with MI6? You said that you were in Germany recently. Cub was mysteriously taken away from the Brecon Beacons. He was in Germany too – wasn’t he?”

Ben sighed. He had been expecting that line of questioning but was irritated that Snake had chosen that exact moment to bring it up. Now was not to ask questions that involved classified answers. Well, actually, there was never a time for that but there couldn’t be a worse time to ask that question.

“It’s classified Snake. If you don’t already know, then I can’t tell you.” Ben replied adding the second part of his speech after a few seconds as though Snake didn’t know the meaning of Classified.

“Fox…”

“I can’t tell you! Look, please, just help me find Cub. I care about him. I want to tell you everything, but I can’t. If I tell you, it may be Cub that pays the consequences. So please Eagle, just drop it and help me find him. Please.”

“All right, Fox.” Snake agreed.

That was the end of the affair as far as either Snake or Fox were concerned. They needed to find out what this was all about, find whoever abducted Mrs Jones, most importantly, they needed to find Cub. Snake just hoped that they would find him – and unharmed. Not only would it pain him to see Cub hurt, but it would also completely destroy Fox. It may have been a while since they were officially unit-mates but once you were in the SAS you were always part of the SAS. If Fox lost Cub, Snake knew that he would be destroyed, and he never wanted Fox to experience that pain. They had to find Cub. They wouldn’t be the same again. The death of a child was something you never got over and Cub seemed just like Fox’s child.

Chapter 28: Red of Mist Rage

Summary:

My knowledge of military radio conversation comes purely from watching the SEAL team. This, however, is an American show and so, if it is accurate, would be based on the American Navy and not the SAS. I have still used it in the hopes that we wouldn't be too different. It would make sense wouldn't it - for British military radio slang to be similar? I hope so anyway! This chapter is a bit later in the day because I decided to go for a nap- and woke up 4 hours later. Oops. Enjoy!

Chapter Text

Ben and Snake advanced slowly to a door at the end of a narrow corridor. With well-practised ease, they opened it and entered the room. When Ben saw who was in the room, he let out an audible sigh of relief. It was Alex. His face was bruised and slightly banged up but on the whole, he appeared relatively unharmed. Ben had had visions of seeing a bloody and pale Alex lying lifelessly on the group. After that explosion, his worry for the teenager increased exponentially.  

“Alex!” He cried, rushing forward, meaning to place the boy in the warm embrace of a hug. When he saw the boy flinched though, and take a step back, Ben decided to stop himself. He tried not to take it personally but the sight of Alex edging away from him in a mixture of fear and apprehension was too much for him.

Snake raised his walkie talkie and pressed the button beside it. It crackled into life.

“Wolf K this is Snake K.”

“Snake K, this is Wolf, K reading you Lima Charlie. (loud and clear)”

“We have Cub K, he appears unharmed.”

“Snake K, say again your last.”

“We have Cub K, he appears unharmed.”

“That’s a good copy Snake, K. You have Cub K, and he appears unharmed.”

“Affirmative. We will make our way back to you momentarily.”

“Roger that.”

The loud but quiet explosion had caused Alex to freeze in both fear and regret. Time seemed to run at a standstill. It seemed like a lifetime passed before the door opened though, in reality, it was likely only ten minutes or so. The sound of the door opening snapped Alex back to reality. He needed to focus now. If he played his cards right, he could use the distraction in his favour and escape. He had nowhere to go, true but he would figure it out. It was better than being in jail, forced to complete dangerous missions for someone else’s piggy bank.

He righted himself, forcing his posture to take on a defensive stance. Then the door opened fully, flapping slightly as it hit the wooden frame and Alex stopped. Ben was both the last person he expected to see and the person he the gladdest to see. Snake was there too, starting him in concerning relief. So, it seemed that Ben had got his message, not only that but he had believed him and thought that the threat towards Mrs Jones was big enough to warrant a sudden trip over here. Alex was glad that Ben had taken the risk to believe him. He came to Llangollen purely on his say so. Mrs Jones must be very important to him to abandon his ‘holiday’.

Ben cried out his name and advanced towards him. Alex winced inwardly, Ben’s Scottish accent was really thick now and he only did that when he was really angry. Ben was cross with him wasn’t he? He was angry at him for being bad and disobeying. He had assaulted Eagle too. Ben was very angry with him and would punish him harshly. He was definitely going to hit him now. Alex recoiled and took a step back. Oh, dear. He shouldn’t have done that. Ben would now be even angrier. He was trying to get out of his punishment and that was always a bad idea. He had already disobeyed Ben when it came to Mrs Jones and now he was being even more insolent by trying to escape chastisement.

That was when Alex remembered. He was ashamed of himself for not thinking about it sooner. He was so stupid and selfish! He was being happy that Ben had come to investigate his claims and not once had Alex prompted the man to look for Mrs Jones. There was an explosion too! She could be badly hurt and here he was thinking about himself. No wonder Mason had to punish him so much.

“Mrs Jones!” Alex yelled, deciding that her life was more important than the risk of further punishment. “Please sirs, you have to save her! She was here and there was an explosion and-”

“It’s all right Cub,” Snake reassured cutting the boy’s rambling. “We have Mrs Jones. She’s safe, we got to her in time.”

Alex turned to Snake with hopeful eyes. Was this one of those times where an adult decided to lie to him because they thought he ‘couldn’t handle it’? No. Snake looked like he was telling the truth and in any case, it would be easy to find out otherwise if that was the case. He was glad. At least his disobedience had achieved something. Maybe Mason would take that into account when he was dealing with him and be less harsh? Oh, who was he kidding? There was no chance that he would ever receive mercy from Mason. The man was many things, but the understanding was not one of them.

“You did, sir?” He questioned, just to ensure that he hadn’t misheard the medic. He directed the question at Snake, but it was Ben who answered. Alex had almost forgotten the man was there though he wasn’t sure why.  

“Yes, we did. She’s all right. Wolf and the rest of K-unit are with her outside.” Ben explained. “Which is where we should take you. Is there anyone else on board?”

Oh. Yes. He was forgetting about those two. Now that the crisis had been averted and the imminent threat of a bomb was no longer looming, it was all coming back to him. The adrenaline that surged through his body at the sound of the explosion had caused him to forget the finer aspects of the affair. Now that had eased off, it was all suddenly dawning on him.  

“Agents Schmidt and Müller, sir,” Alex informed him. That was the first thing that Ben needed to know.

“I seem to know those names,” Ben commented hesitantly. Of course, Müller and Schmidt were both very common names but still, somewhere in the distant fog of his memory, a bell was ringing. He ignored Alex’s use of that blasted honorific which sounded completely wrong coming from the boy as he tried to recall where he had heard the name before.

“You ought to, sir, they were with us in German.” Alex reminded him, helpfully. “But I think they’re long gone by now. There’s a lot you need to be aware of, sir. But I’m afraid we can’t talk here, sir. Might I suggest we arrange for a place for me to be debriefed, sir?”

Ben realised that Alex was right. There had clearly been a lot that he had missed, and Ben was eager to find out the details. But they couldn’t do that here. He supposed it must be somehow connected to the Munich affair. Once Alex had told him where he heard the name from he realised that he was right, at once. He had read those names of the roster that Agent Mason had given him before they’d left for Germany. He had spoken barely a dozen words to them and was very curious to find out how they fit into the picture. The plot thickens as they say.

“Of course.” Ben agreed before casting a concerned glance towards the teenager he had learnt to care so much for. “And Alex?”

“Yes, sir?” Alex asked, standing at attention.

Ben sighed. The fact that Alex again referred to him as sir and stood stiffly at attention, made him worried. It only showed Ben how deeply this business with Mrs Jones and the bomb had affected him. He was being too formal again. Now was definitely the time to comment on that. Ben wanted to nip it in the bud before Alex began to think Ben wanted him to address him in that fashion.

“It’s Ben, not sir remember?” He prompted, gently.

Alex cursed himself for forgetting. Ben didn’t like being called sir he should have remembered. He was just scared of getting in further trouble with him and so decided to don the respectful address as a means of protection. It normally worked with Mason. If he spoke respectfully and showed that he was submissive, sometimes Mason would be more lenient. He would give him fewer lashes with the belt or cane if he was respectful enough. But with Ben that wasn’t the case. Would the use of the honorific have the opposite effect on Ben? Would he be punished more for using it? Ben said that he didn’t believe in corporal punishment, but Alex knew from experience that adults often lied to him, particularly if it suited them. Maybe Ben had changed his mind and would hit him after all? It wouldn’t be the first time that an adult he trusted lied or hurt him, after all.

“Yes, si- Ben.” He replied deciding it was better to go along with Ben’s wishes for now. Mason might punish him for addressing his superior by his first name by maybe if he was good enough, just maybe, neither Ben nor Snake would tell him.

“Cub?” Snake’s voice made Alex recoil slightly. He hadn’t been expecting the man to speak and the size of the room caused the voice to sound very close to him. It unsettled him.

“Sir?”

“Snake.”

It appeared that Snake too had a dislike for being addressed as sir. He didn’t let Alex address him that way before and he wasn’t now. Alex had expected that he would want him to address him respectfully after all the trouble he had put the soldiers through.

Surely Snake would be angry with him? He was Eagle’s best friend after all, and Alex had assaulted him. But Snake didn’t look angry. He hadn’t yanked on his arm or punched him which is what he had expected. Maybe he was waiting for Eagle to enact his revenge first? Alex was beginning to think that there was something in the air or water that was making everyone act so strangely. In fact, it was only Falcon that seemed to be acting normally. Even Wolf was acting nicer to him! Both Eagle and Snake had been friendly in the last few days almost making a point of including him.

F-unit were acting were weird too! No one of them shouted at him or hit him for being too slow or being disrespectful though there had been incidences when he would have deserved it. He had broken Lion’s phone and he’d not be backhanded for carelessness. F-unit treated him kindly. There wasn’t even that cool indifference that he had grown to expect. No. They treated him like he belonged, like he was worth their time of day which was strange because he knew that he wasn’t. Out of all of them, Falcon was the only one acting normally. He still acted harshly towards him and expected to be addressed as sir. But even then, Falcon was still kinder than he expected. He had raised a hand to him yet.

“Snake, then.” Alex agreed.

“Are you injured?”

Well, technically, yes. His face was a bruise, say nothing on the welts across his palms and his back. The bruises would heal though and would not require any medical attention above an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables at a pinch. Since it was his fault he and Mrs Jones were in this mess, he wasn’t sure that he even deserved that. It was the same with his welts. They were punishments and as such he did not deserve any medical treatment.  

“Not badly.” He replied half-honestly.

The remainder of his welts made him think of someone he’d rather forget existed. Agent Mason. Alex wasn’t sure exactly how long he had been missing but it was long enough for Ben to be called upon and arrive in Llangollen. If enough time had passed for that to have happened then surely enough time had passed for them to connect Mason. That was not good.

“Snake?” He asked hesitantly.  

“Yes, Cub?”

“Do you know if the Sargent has contacted my guardian yet?”

Snake raised an eyebrow. He had a feeling he knew exactly what was going through his mind. Cub was not concerned over the worry he had caused. The last few hours had been hectic, to say the least, but he had not forgotten what he had witnessed, nor had he forgotten the suspicions both he and Eagle had. Now he had the perfect reason to check him over, he could put the plan they had created into action. He would protect him from Agent Mason if it was the last thing he did.   

“I believe he has, yes.” Snake answered, honestly. He saw no reason to lie to the lad. It wouldn’t help in and in any case, Cub would find out about that when they got back to the village.

“Oh, hell.”

It was said quietly, so quietly that both Snake and Ben had to strain their ears to hear it. Even then, they thought that had misheard it. Ben became concerned, even more, concerned than he was before and that’s saying something. Cub had suddenly grown very pale, as if he were about to pass out. What had been said or done to provoke such a reaction?  

“What’s the matter?” Ben asked though he had a suspicion that it was connected to Agent Mason. That had been the last thing that had been talked about before Alex got like this. It was worrying, to say the least. No child should have that reaction when their guardian was merely mentioned. The cogs were beginning to turn in Ben’s head, and they didn’t mean anything good.

“Nothing much, it’s just, well, I’m going to be in big trouble,” Cub grumbled.

Snake sighed. He understood why the teenager was feeling so worried. If had Agent Mason to contend with he would be worried too. Even if he wasn’t abusive the man was still strict and would take an extremely dim view on Cub running off even if it was for the greater good.  

“I’m sure he’ll understand.” Snake tried to reassure the teenager but even as he said them he didn’t fully believe it.

“You clearly don’t know Agent Mason,” Cub muttered morosely.

But Snake did know him. Not as well as Cub did of course but after he’d witnessed the spanking he’d given Cub, he knew that enough to know that Agent Mason was at the very least a strict guardian who believed the boy needed a firm hand and at the very worst, was an abusive asshole that would beat Cub within an inch of his life for his actions. Well, Snake wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Let’s get out of here, Cub, Fox,” Snake suggested.

Little good would come out of staying here and once they were in the village; Snake could try and persuade him to submit to an examination. He could even talk with him and gently question him about his fears. He would also have to tell Fox about his concerns. He seemed like he cared a lot about Cub and wouldn’t take a threat or allegation like this lightly. Fox was also Agent Daniels- part of MI6. He was in a good position to help Cub if Snake turned out to be right. Fox would be better placed to handle the cruel and dastardly deputy head of Special operations.

“Good idea, Snake. When we get back to the village, would you give Cub a once over?” Ben requested.

“Of, course, I was going to suggest it myself, anyway.”

Alex did not like the sound of that. If Snake did an examination they would see his back and his palms. They would find out about the punishments that Mason doled out to him on a regular basis and would think that he deserved everything he got. They would stop being nice to him and go back to way things were beforehand!

“I’m fine!” Alex protested trying to avoid the exam where possible. It occurred to him that other teenagers tried to get of exams too – just a different kind of exam. This was the closest be had been to being a normal teenager.

“I’m sure you are Cub and if that’s the case then my examination won’t take long will it?” Snake pointed out. He was very used to soldiers trying to get out of physicals.

“Please, Al- just let Snake look at you when we’re there. For me?” Ben pleaded. He needed to know the kid was alright. He needed to.

“All right, fine but I’m not going to the hospital.” Alex gave in. He wanted to get off that barge and standing around arguing would just make matters worse.

“If my medical judgment agrees that a visit is not necessary then of course.” Snake agreed.

Alex realised that he wasn’t going to win this battle and decided to remain silent. He couldn’t be too argumentative. He had already been impertinent enough to warrant some sort of punishment there was no sense in trying to add to that. He would just have to try and think of a way to avoid it when he got to the village.  

“Come on, they’ll be wondering where we’ve got to.” Ben reminded them. He saw that Alex was not happy about the prospect of a medical examination, but he pressed down his feelings of guilt. It was important.

“Mmm. I’m pretty sure our Welsh friend would like to speak with you, Cub and check that we haven’t abducted you or something.” Snake commented dryly as he and Fox made their way out.

“Our Welsh friend?” Cub questioned extremely confused.

Snake realised that Cub hadn’t actually met Carwyn yet and as such he would have no idea who the man was. He suspected that Cub would like the man. Snake did too but he had a certain respect for the Welsh Major which meant that his relationship was different with man. However, Carwyn would likely be very grandfatherly towards Cub. He certainly seemed worried about his welfare and he hadn’t even met the teen.

“Oh yeah, you’ve not met Major Carwyn Beynon. I have a shrewd suspicion that you’d like him.” Snake acknowledged excitedly.

Alex wasn’t really listening as something had caught his eye. It was a small white rectangle shape. He had noticed it before but now he had. It contrasted against the oak panelling of the floor. It was in an unusual place like it had been dropped there by someone. Intrigued, Alex walked towards instead of following Ben and Snake out of the room. He crouched down in front of it and when he picked it up, he realised it was. It was a USB stick. He flipped it over, examining it for any indication that might tell him whom it belonged to.

Snake and Fox had stopped when they realised that Cub wasn’t following them anymore. They had expected Cub to be just as eager as them, if not more so, to get off the barge. However, he dithered about, staying in the room. No. Snake corrected himself. He didn’t dither – he investigated something. Something had caught the teenager’s eye and he went to look at it further. Now he was crouched down, holding something in his hand. Snake couldn’t see what it was, but it looked small and white. Whatever it was, Cub was interested in it.

“What’s that?” Snake asked.

“It’s a USB stick,” Cub answered standing up and turning to face the two of them. He was looking at it quite intently. “It must have been dropped by someone.”

Ben advanced toward, as it suddenly dawned on him that it might have been booby-trapped. If that was the case, he needed to get it out of Alex’s palm as quickly as possible. So, he broke into a run although there was little distance between the two of them and snatched the USB from Alex’s hand. That’s when something happened that made Ben’s blood run cold.

Oh, the USB stick didn’t explode. He’d chucked that down the corridor and nothing had happened. No. Something else happened, something much worse.

Alex gave a wail of pain. He pulled his palm towards him and held it against his chest, rocking it protectively. When Ben turned to face Alex, he saw with absolute horror on his face, that tears were welling in them. They were spilling down his face, his eyes shut tightly, and he sobbed silently to himself.

He hadn’t hurt him, had he? He’d only pulled the USB from his grasp. Were his nails sharper than he realised? Had he cut Alex’s palm?

“Alex?” Ben asked softly only a hint of panic seeping through his tone.

Alex did not reply which extended his worry. It was clear that the boy was in a great deal of pain because Alex always responded when Ben spoke to him. It was usual to see the boy cry too though Ben was certain that he did. Something was very wrong with Alex’s hand. He had clearly hurt it somehow.

Normally Ben would not touch Alex without his permission. He believed it was a great mistake to do that to anyone though many thought it all right. However, seeing the child in such pain made him abandon his rule. He needed to find out the cause of Alex’s distress. So, he shot his hand forward, grabbed Alex’s hand in a firm but gentle grip and pulled it towards him. He was mindful of the boy’s pain and so while the grip was firm it was tender too.

Alex realised what Ben was doing. He tried to struggle against Ben’s hold, but it was no use. It hurt more when he struggled. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palm so tightly that his welts started bleeding even more. When Ben had taken the USB out of his hand, his nails scraped against them, breaking the skin. He knew it was an accident but that didn’t stop the howl of pain. Tears appeared in his eyes, streaming down his face like a waterfall. Now Ben would want to know what had caused such a reaction. Now he would find out how naughty he was and how he didn’t deserve Ben’s kindness. He wouldn’t like Alex anymore. He would be very angry at him for being so insolent. He could take the beatings, but he couldn’t take Ben’s hate. Maybe everyone was right. He was weak and now Ben would find out.

Ben sighed to himself. Alex had scrunched his fists up and clearly; it was causing him further pain to do so. Whatever had happened to his palms, it was quite clearly something he didn’t want Ben to see. Normally Ben would respect his wish for privacy, but this thing was causing him pain and distress. That meant Ben needed to know about it. Only then could he help. So, Ben placed his thumb under Alex’s fingers and placed rested his own fingers above Alex’s, Then he forced the fingers open. He hoped he didn’t cause Alex too much pain doing to – the slight wince told him that he had caused at least some- but it was necessary.

Now Alex’s fingers were no longer blocking his palm, Ben could examine in. He glanced down on it expecting to see some burn – maybe from a rope. That was not was he saw. He was not prepared to see what he did see, and it filled him with rage. Across Alex’s palms very several red welts in the shape of a line. They were bleeding slightly. In some places, he could see a few bruises and Ben knew that Alex’s other palm would show similar damage. A red mist of rage descended upon him.

“What the hell?!” He seethed.

Chapter 29: A Misunderstanding

Chapter Text

Ben’s eyes grew dark with anger. Someone had hurt Alex. His cub had been beaten, hard enough to cause painful welts across his palms. When had this happened? They looked a few days old at least though there were several older ones behind them. How long had his cub been going around with these injuries?

“Who did this?” He demanded fiercely.

Alex dropped his gaze, staring at his feet in shame. He did not answer Ben’s question. Snake came over to see what the fuss was about and peered over Ben’s shoulders. He caught a glance of Alex’s raw and painful palm which Ben was still holding outwards. With a hissing intake of breath, Snake also began to feel a red mist descending over him.

Ben opened his mouth to ask the question again, but he was cut off by the crackling of the radio. The three of them jumped, completely forgetting about the rest of the Unit who were waiting for them outside. Alex used the momentary distraction to pull his hand away from Ben and shielded it from further inspection. Saved by the bell thought Alex or rather saved by walkie talkie.

“Come in Snake, K, Come in Snake, K, this is Wolf, K, this is Wolf, K.”

“You have Snake K, go ahead, Wolf, K.”

“What the hell is happening Snake K? Sitrep!”

“Sorry, Wolf, K, we are on the way, we had a brief distraction – nothing major. We’ve found a USB stick. Cub’s a little more injured than we expected.”

“Is it life-threatening?”

“Negative.”  

“Good. Do you know anything about this USB stick?”

“Negative.”

“Roger that. Get back here, Snake, K and don’t go radio silent again.”

“Wilco.”

“I suppose we had better get back to them,” Ben suggested wearily. He sighed and looked back at Alex who was still clutching his palm. “But we have not finished this conversation, Alex. Understood?”

Alex nodded softly. He should have expected that Ben would not drop the issue quite so easily. He would want to know what he had done to make Mason punish him and he would be even angrier when he found out how bad he had been. Still, at least Ben hadn’t made a move to grab his hands again. Maybe if he answered the questions respectfully enough and to Ben’s satisfaction, he wouldn’t make him sit through a medical exam. If he did force him then he would see his back and then Ben really would find out how insolent he was. Once he found that out he wouldn’t want to be around him anymore.

“Yes, sir,” Alex agreed.

“Alex…”

Oh yeah. Ben didn’t like that address. Just great. Why did he keep messing things up like this? Why couldn’t he remember that Ben didn’t want Alex to call him sir? Things were steadily going from bad to worse and there was no one that Alex could blame for that but himself. He hoped that Ben wouldn’t be too angry at him for forgetting. He had heard the man’s tone. He knew that he was furious, and Alex didn’t want to earn Ben’s ire anymore than he obviously already had.

“I mean Ben! Yes, Ben! I’m sorry!” He blurted out his apology.

Ben frowned. He hadn’t meant to make Alex feel scared to not call him Ben. Yes, he preferred being called Ben and he certainly didn’t like being addressed as sir when it came from Alex- it didn’t seem right. But it wasn’t like he was going to yell at him when Alex forgot to call him Ben. He wouldn’t punish him for calling him, sir. That was just ridiculous. Alex was starting to hyperventilate, and Ben was immediately at his side trying to calm him down.   

“Hey, it’s all right, Al, just take a breath all right?” Ben encouraged him. His hand moved instructively to start rubbing the boy’s back, but he held himself back. It was clear to him that Alex was rather weary when it came to being touched, and Ben wasn’t going to escalate the situation by touching him if it wasn’t what he wanted.

Alex obeyed, taking a few deep breaths. It had its desired effect and the panic attack that had threatened to occur had thankfully, been prevented. He was glad. The last thing he needed was to have a panic attack in front of Snake and Ben. That would confirm their suspicions that he was weak. They would go back and tell everyone else back at the Brecon Beacons and they would all laugh at how a pathetic loser he was. Mason would go ballistic at the thought of him public disgracing MI6.

“That’s better.” Ben smiled, actively trying not to appear angry. Anger wasn’t what Alex needed right now.  “Come on before Wolf sends out a search party.”

The three of them walked out the barge. Alex had been right when he had said that the German Agents were long gone but they weren’t going to take any chances. They would no doubt return and when they did it would be with reinforcements. The sooner they left the better. The explosion would have caused a great deal of attention and it wouldn’t be long before half of Wales arrived in Llangollen.

When they got outside, the rest of the K-unit ran up to Cub. They were eager to see for themselves that their youngest member was all right. He was soon surrounded by the joyful greetings of the unit. They noticed how Cub shrunk in on himself, how he stared at the ground as if he were willing it to open up and swallow him. They took a step back, wordlessly agreeing to give to boy some space.

“Mrs Jones!” Alex cried, once the group had dispersed. “How are you?”

Ben rolled his eyes. Of course, the first thing Alex would do when they were off the barge and relatively safe would be to ask over the ex-head of Special Operations. When he had been rescued the first thing had said was to implore Ben to save her despite being in danger himself. This kid. He never ceased to amaze him. His heart was so big, and he was such a good person. How anyone could hurt him was a mystery that Ben could never solve.

“I’m fine,” Mrs Jones replied thought that was clearly a lie. “At least, I think I’ll live. But what about you, Alex? They didn’t hurt you did they?”

“No more than unusual,” Alex shrugged. He did not need any help. It wasn’t like he’d been beaten. “I can take a few slaps.”

It was little more than that though, Ben thought. It reminded him that they needed to get back to the village. He didn’t like the look of Alex’s palms and his face – well it wasn’t serious but any injury on Alex should be taken seriously in Ben’s opinion. He didn’t like the way had waved off being hit like that. He always did though and that’s what worried him. I can take a few slaps. He was a kid! He shouldn’t ‘take’ anything. This week was the last straw. He was going to try and get Alex out of this life once and for all.

Carwyn was observing the scene and coming up with much the same conclusions as Ben. No more than usual the boy had said I can take a few slaps he had said. This child had come from a barge with a bomb on it, with bruises across his face and waved it off as nothing. Even with what he had grown up with, if when he was the young lad’s age, had gone through that, he wouldn’t be in floods of tears. He would be terrified. And yet Alex seemed completely unaffected. He shouldn’t have that reaction. A child shouldn’t wave of being slapped around by an adult quite so easily. He certainly shouldn’t face a bomb threat with the calmness of a well-trained soldier. It was unnerving, to say the least. Carwyn was decided. This kid needed his help, and he would give him it.  

“Let’s get back to Village,” Ben ordered. “I don’t know about you guys, but I could use a drink.”

The mutterings of agreement at that. Wolf phoned F-unit to inform them that they had located Cub and while he had not yet had a physical, he didn’t seem too badly injured. With promises from Jackal to relay the message to the Sargent, and their good wishes given, F-unit hung up. They would wait for them at the Dockmaster’s office. Bleddyn Hughes actually lived nearby, the office had a door that led to his private quarters. He had already given his permission for his room to be used as a medical exam room when the group arrived. He had also been a medic in the army and had ample equipment for emergencies. They were pretty sure that an explosion on a barge counted as an emergency.

It didn’t take long to reach Carwyn’s car. It had nine seats so there was enough space for everyone to fit in. Carwyn noticed how the soldiers instinctively put Cub in the middle so that he was better protected. They were clearly protective of the young lad so Carwyn didn’t think he was necessarily in danger from them. However, there was something that wasn’t right about the situation. The boy was acting like a soldier. If had trained with the SAS like a cadet, it wouldn’t explain how he’d reacted to the situation he was in. He was well trained so clearly, this wasn’t a new arrangement. That wasn’t good.

“I don’t think we’ve met yet,” Carwyn greeted the boy. He held his hand out. “Carwyn Beynon.”

The boy took his hand hesitantly and gave it a shake. Carwyn frowned slightly. Not at the less than enthusiastic handshake- that didn’t bother him. No, it was the slight wince of pain the boy gave out. He gave a slight glance at Agent Daniels but relaxed when no one commented on it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” The boy replied respectfully. “I’m Cub.”

Cub he remarked not Alex and yet Alex was his real name. Did he feel more comfortable with the codename? Well, until he said otherwise, Carwyn would refer to him as Cub. That was how he had been introduced and that was how Carwyn would address him.

“Major Beynon played a big part in rescuing you and Mrs Jones,” Wolf informed him.

Mrs Jones raised an eyebrow. Major? Mmm. Well, active or not, this man had helped recuse her and Alex and as such he had her eternal gratitude. She would look him up when she got back to work. In fact, she would get Crawley to get started on that as soon as possible. She smiled when she thought of him. That man had been so loyal to her. She couldn’t wait to see her again.

Cub’s reaction to hearing Carwyn’s rank was different to Mrs Jones. While she was interested, he was scared. This man was a Major that was a very high rank in the army. He had addressed him as sir thank god, so he hadn’t completely lost all sense of propriety. Still, he hadn’t stood to attention when he had first walked up to the man. He couldn’t do that now though, they were driving. To make up for his rudeness, he immediately shot his hand to head into a firm salute, looking directly into the rear-view mirror.

“Sir!” He greeted. “I’m sorry for my rudeness, sir!”

Definitely, like a soldier, Carwyn thought. He sent a scowl at Wolf for informing Cub that of his rank. He hadn’t introduced himself as Major Beynon for a reason and it was to avoid this kind of reaction.

“At, ease Cub. There’s no need for that,” Carwyn reassured him. “I’m out of the army now. Just call me Carwyn.”

“You want me to call you by your name, sir? That would be impertinent!” Cub questioned ludicrously. Carwyn was about to comment on that when Cub spoke again. “But so is questioning an order, of a superior officer. I’m sorry, sir, it won’t happen again.”

“Honestly, Cub, it’s fine,” Carwyn replied gently, using the voice that he used to speak with his grandchildren. Blimey, he thought to himself they have you well trained. What did they do to you?

Silence fell over the group again. Carwyn was glad of it because it gave him time to think. Cub acted like an obedient soldier. His actions would still be annoying if he were an adult, they would be normal and expected. However, Cub was not an adult. He was a teenage boy and while Carwyn did think that children should be polite and respectful he did not want or think that any child should show such formality and rigidity. It didn’t seem to mean anything good.

When they got back to the village, Carwyn noticed that Cub kept casting glances towards Eagle. A few times, Eagle would catch the boy looking at him and Cub instantly dropped his gaze. He was preparing himself for a reprimand, Carwyn realised. But there was something else to it. Cub was scared of Eagle’s reprimand. He was terrified of what Eagle would do to him. That was more than a soldier expecting a reprimand from a superior officer. He seemed more like a child than fearing punishment. The fact he switched between acting like a soldier to a child only consolidated Carwyn’s fears of the Cub’s situation. Carwyn decided he wouldn’t allow Eagle to punish him. Not if the fear of it caused that reaction.

Eagle was well aware that Cub kept staring at him just as he was aware of the reason. He was expecting some kind of reprimand for what happened on the hill. No doubt he was expecting a harsh verbal reprimand and, if what Snake had witnessed was anything to go by, a physical one too. Well, that wasn’t going to happen.

“Hey, Fox, Snake, would you mind I if speak with Cub before you look him over?” Eagle asked, approaching the pair. “I won’t keep him long; I just want to make sure that he knows he’s not in trouble. He’s scared enough as it is.”

Snake and Fox looked at each other for a few minutes. A few minutes wouldn’t hurt they supposed. And if made Cub feel more at ease then they were all for it. A medical exam was harsh enough without adding apprehension over a reprimand into the mix.

“All right,” Fox spoke for them. “Five minutes, then I’m coming looking for you.”

Eagle smiled. He was glad. He needed to reassure Cub that he wasn’t mad and that he wasn’t going to face any reprimand from him. He didn’t fully understand why Cub did want he did but he trusted Cub. Anyway, Eagle wasn’t stupid. It involved the EX-head of MI6. It had to be important.

Carwyn knew that if Eagle was going to reprimand Cub at any point, it would be now. He couldn’t exactly accuse Eagle of any wrongdoing and he didn’t have any excuse to be in the room when they talked but he still wanted to try and protect him. Carwyn shot Bleddyn a look which is friend correctly interpreted.

“You can use my office, if you like,” Bleddyn offered slightly gruffly. “Carwyn can stand guard and make sure no one interrupts you. I have things to do.”

“Oh,” Eagle replied slightly surprised by the offer. “Thanks!”

Carwyn silently congratulated Bleddyn and his fast thinking. The office walls were not thick, and you could easily overhear any conversation heard inside. He did not usually eavesdrop on people’s conversations, he thought it was quite rude. Sometimes, however, like now, it was necessary. If Carwyn heard Eagle reprimanding Cub he could easily intervene.

Cub followed Eagle despondently. He kept his eyes at the floor and two of them entered the Dockmaster’s office. He did not see Major Beynon send him a hopeful smile but even if he had, it wouldn’t have helped. Eagle was going to yell at him for assaulting him. He just hoped that the Major wouldn’t join in.

Eagle shut the door behind them and made a beeline to the sofa. He sat down on it and looked across at Cub. Maye if he spoke within an informal setting like this, it would help make him feel more at ease.   

“Come here, Cub,” Eagle ordered patting the seat next to him.

Cub sighed. He had been waiting for this. Of course, he didn’t want a smacking, but he had earned it. The ruler would hurt. It was a metal one and was just next to Eagle’s hand. No doubt that Eagle wanted to use that on him. It was only fair.

“I’m sorry, sir.” He apologised. Then he walked up to Eagle so that his knees were touching Eagle’s and placed himself over the man’s lap.

“Woah!” Eagle yelped in surprise when Cub leant himself across his lap readying himself for a spanking. “What are you doing?!”

Eagle pushed Cub off his knee gently. “Cub, I’m not going to spank you!”

“You’re not, sir?” Cub asked, oddly not reassured.

“Of course not!” Eagle protested extremely distressed even at the thought of raising a hand against the boy.

“But the ruler…”

Eagle turned to where Cub was pointing. On the desk near him was a metal ruler. A. Metal. Ruler. Why the hell would Cub think that that would be used to hit him? Rulers were for measuring and drawing straight lines they were not for hitting, least of all hitting children. Eagle went white and the very suggestion of hitting any child with a metal ruler least of all one he cared for like he cared for Cub.

“A ruler is not an implement for punishment Cub. It concerns me that you would think otherwise. I wouldn’t hit you- ever.” Eagle told him firmly. “ Anyway, I didn’t pull you aside you punish or yell at you. I just wanted to make sure you knew you weren’t in any trouble.”

“Oh, sorry, sir.” Cub apologised, feeling a little embarrassed for assuming that Eagle would bother punishing him. Of course, he would leave him to Mason.

“Cub, you can call me Eagle.” The man reminded gently “I want you to repeat after me: I am not in trouble.”

“I am not in trouble.” He repeated, obediently Cub did not see where Eagle was going with all this but knew that it was better to be compliant. If he was lucky there would be an explanation for the order.

“You are not in trouble.” Eagle agreed, firmly.

“You are not in trouble.” Cub repeated again, not quite sure why he wanted him to say that Eagle wasn’t in trouble. Maybe he was worried Mason would give him trouble? He had seen parents and guardians get angry with other adults when their children were put in harm’s way. Jack had, Ian not so much but that was just because he used to it. But Eagle didn’t need to worry about that because Mason hated him anyway.

“No, no, Cub you didn’t have to repeat that.” Eagle chuckled amused at the mix up.

So that was another thing that he had gotten wrong. This wasn’t going very well.  

“Oh. I’m sorry Eagle.”

Eagle shook his head. He was aware that Cub apologised too much for things that really weren’t his fault. He knew British people had a stereotype for apologising too much but this just took the biscuit!

“You know, Cub, you apologise too much,” Eagle observed. “I think you should go to Snake now; he’ll want to check you over. And once you have done that, you can come and talk to and tell me why you thought I was going to spank you.”

Eagle left and Alex went to go and face the music with Snake and Ben. He scrunched his face up in a frown. He was looking forward to that conversation almost as much as he was looking forward to his medical exam. In other words, he dreaded both of them. Still, at least Eagle hadn’t smacked him. Alex was kicking himself for assuming that was what Eagle wanted from him. Now he too would want to know why. It was another person that would hate him. Soon everyone would know how bad he was. He just wished Ben had never seen his hands.

And then there was Mason. It wouldn’t be long until he was here. In fact, he should have already arrived. He wondered what was taking the man so long though he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The longer he could postpone Mason’s arrival and the beating that would surely follow after it, the better.

Alex knocked on the door and waited for the reply. Soon Ben would hate him. He sighed. He’d rather face Mason any day.

Chapter 30: Face the Music

Summary:

There is some swearing in this chapter. I think Ben is pretty justified.

Chapter Text

“Come in!” Ben’s familiar tone bid him enter. Alex winced as turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

The room was really Bleddyn’s opened planned dining and sitting room. Along one side were sliding doors that opened out into the kitchen, where could pass dishes and food from. They were open now, but there wasn’t any food spread out on the kitchen counters, medical equipment was instead arranged neatly across it.

“Oh good, Cub, I was about to go and start looking for you,” Snake greeted him with a smile. Now take a seat on the bench, please.”

“Yes, sir,” Cub responded really not looking forward to this. Maybe he could distract them? No. It would be no use. If he tried to it would only raise their suspicions. He would be good and did what they said. If he were compliant maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t hate him too much or ask too many questions. 

Snake sighed at the formal address but choose not to comment on it. We waited until Cub was sat on the little cushioned bench underneath a window. The blinds, a duck egg blue, were drawn for privacy. Snake picked up a stool and placed it in front of Cub before sitting on it. Ben waited a few seconds before nodding and pulling up a chair for himself.

“First things first, I noticed you’ve touched the back on your head a few times. Have you hit it at any point?” Snake questioned. Being a medic required that he was observant though was disappointed in himself for not realising what Cub’s behaviour had meant before. The signs had all been there and yet he had not noticed them before.

Cub shouldn’t have been surprised that Snake noticed the issue he was having with his head, but he was. There bump that had formed since he had been knocked out, while not exactly painful was, certainly uncomfortable.

“Yes, sir. They knocked me out when I first got on the barge.” Cub admitted.

“Well, why did you say so before?” Snake demanded irritation seeping through his tone. When Cub recoiled at it, Snake softened his tone to a gentle rebuke. “Head injuries are not to messed about with, Cub, you know that.”

Cub nodded quietly. He did know that. Of course, he did. Ian had told him plenty of times when he was a kid and he’d bumped his head. Then when he’d grown up he had been told by his instructors during long and arduous medical lectures the finer points surrounding head injuries. He knew the seriousness of concussions. And yet it still hadn’t occurred to him to mention it. It just didn’t seem important at the time. Now Snake was angry at him because he had could have stopped being useful due to his own carelessness.

“I’m sorry, sir. I just thought we had more pressing matters to deal with.” He explained with a slight shrug of his shoulder.

That seemed to be the entirely wrong thing to say. Ben didn’t like his answer, he could tell by the grunt that he gave but when he plucked up the courage to look him in the eye it wasn’t anger he could see but sadness. That was unexpected? Why would his answer made him feel sad? Alex felt guilty. He didn’t want to make Ben sad.

“If you are injured that is a pressing matter.” Ben scolded gently.

Alex averted his gaze again. He didn’t know why but Ben’s gentle scolding had a bigger impact on him than Mason’s beating or Blunt’s backhands. It made him bad for hiding his injury. He didn’t know how Ben had done that. He hadn’t raised his voice or threatened him with punishment and yet, Alex still felt guilty over it. It reminded him of how Jack used to scold him when he’d been a bit too reckless or when Sabina tutted at him when he didn’t take care of himself. It was even more frightening than the thought of what Mason might do to him. He couldn’t be getting close to Ben, could he? That would end in tears. His tears. Over Ben’s death. He would not risk Ben being touched by the Alex Rider Curse.

“Turn around, Cub and let me look at that bump,” Snake ordered in his no-nonsense I-am-a-medic-and-you-will-obey-me voice.

Cub, to his credit, did not give much resistance. He swung his legs across the bench so that he was facing the window and allowed Snake to tilt his head in order to get a better view. Snake dabbed it with an alcohol wipe, apologising when Cub let out a hiss of pain. It didn’t need a dressing, but Snake placed one on anyway just to be sure.

“Well done, Cub.” Snake patted the boy’s arm and smiled when for once he didn’t flinch. “I’m nearly done with this part. Can you look at me? I need to flash a light in your eyes.”

“To check that my pupils are round, equal and reactive.” Cub stated though he wasn’t sure why. He knew that Snake was aware of that and he was sure Ben did too.

Snake smiled. It was sometimes easy to forget that Cub was a child because he merged quite well into their little world. It wasn’t necessarily a good thing though. One thing was sure was that Cub was extremely intelligent and if it suited him, he could easily get into the world’s top universities. He might need some extra tuition to help him catch up in areas he missed but that didn’t say anything against his intelligence.

“Sounds like someone’s being listening to Dr Western’s lectures.” Snake commented, brightly. He smiled at Cub to show that he was impressed.

“They’re important.” Cub pointed.

While the lectures were hard to understand at times, they were incredibly important. There may be times when he was on a mission where he came across an injured civilian, ally or team member. If he ever came across a situation like those, Alex wanted to ensure that he knew just what to do. He might be the only person available, and those people would be relying on him to save them. He could fail them. He could not have more deaths on his conscience.

“They are. But he sends so many people to sleep in those lectures that I’m surprised he’s not an anaesthetist. Now look directly ahead and don’t move your head.”

Alex obeyed and tried to avoid blinking too much while his eyes grew accustomed to the light. After a few minutes, Snake moved the torch away from his eyes and nodded.

“Your pupils are round, equal and reactive. I’m happy with your reflexes and you don’t appear to be suffering any serious complications. I suspect you have a headache though. I’ll get you an Ibuprofen for that. I’ll also like to get you a cold compress for that cheek.” Snake evaluated.

“But he’s all right?” Ben questioned.

“As far as his head injury is concerned, yet.” Snake confirmed, confidently. “Can I see your hands now?”

As soon as he heard that, Cub pulled his palms towards him. He had been trying to put this off as much as possible but there was no use preventing the inevitable. It would only seek to anger them further and he was eager to avoid any additional confrontation. There was no sense in giving the oppression ammunition, as they say in the films.

“Cub?” Snake prompted. “I promise I will try and be gentle.”

That wasn’t what he had been worried about, but Cub nodded as if it were. Slowly put his hands out palm up, showing them to Snake. He waited for Snake’s reaction with a shallowed breath. When it came, it wasn’t what he had expected.

“Oh, Cub.” Snake comforted sadly as he peered down at the boy’s palms.

He hadn’t gotten a good look at them when he had looked over Fox’s shoulder. What he had seen had been enough to anger him. Now that he took in the full damage on them he felt extremely sympathetic. How Cub had managed to go this long without showing any outward signs of pain was beyond him. When had this happened? And who had done this to him? Snake had a feeling he already knew the answer to that.

Snake gave Fox a short look. He knew that man wanted to confront Cub and would soon demand to know who had dared hurt him but that wasn’t what Cub needed right now. Fox interpreted Snake’s look and nodded. He was still determined to find out what had happened, but the questioning could wait. At least until Snake provided medical treatment. It was clear that Cub’s palms were hurting him and he making sure that was dealt with along with any other injuries they didn’t know about yet.

“What were you hit with?” Snake asked gently. Questions about the culprit could wait but Snake needed to know had caused the damage. It was a switch, cut from a tree, then he might have to deal with reactions to poison.

“A cane.” Cub informed resigned. He stared down at his feet, not daring to see what he might find in their eyes.

Snake gasped. A cane? He thought it might have been a switch or ruler maybe, but a cane? In British state schools, corporal punishment was abolished in 1984. It was still legal in public schools until 1998 (England) 2000 (Scotland) 2003 (Northern Island). Snake was glad of the legislation and had been surprised that it hadn’t been implemented earlier. He never expected to hear of anyone being caned though he knew it was common practice in other countries. It was barbaric in his opinion. He didn’t care how had done this to Cub. They would pay.

Cub baulked away from the touch when Snake went to take hold of his hand. Snake caught one hand and held it in a light hold.

“Let me?” Snake asked

He raised a bundle of bandages to show that he had no ill intent. Eventually, Cub nodded, and Snake resumed his movements. He gently rubbed the welts with cold cream. Cub flinched instinctually at that but found that the cream didn’t string or cause pain, it was actually quite soothing. Once he was finished he began wrapping his hands with bandages.

“Cub?” Snake asked settling his medical bag next to him but not putting it away completely. He had a feeling he would need it again shortly.

“Yes, sir?” Cub answered, straightening his back.

Snake sighed. That hadn’t been the reaction that he had wanted to enlist in the boy. When would Cub realise that he didn’t need to be so formal? He supposed that the SAS was not the sort of environment to teach Cub that he didn’t need to address them all as ‘sir’ but that wasn’t the point. Cub should feel at ease with them and yet he just seemed scared of them all.  

“It’s Snake, remember?” Snake told him gently. He made sure to keep his tone even so that that Cub knew that he wasn’t in trouble. He didn’t use to think he needed reassurance, but Cub had changed so dramatically. He was a husk of that snarky teenager he’d trained with. Snake knew that a behaviour change was a major red flag that indicated abuse.  

“Sorry, Snake.” Cub apologised. Snake decided to not press the apology. Now was not the time to ask Cub why he apologised so much. It would be a hindrance rather than helping them.

“Are you injured anywhere else?” He asked.

Alex didn’t answer. He dropped his hands by his side and stared down at the carpet. Ben noticed the lack of reaction and it concerned him. The teenager didn’t ignore questions that were put to him. He would consider it to be rude. Even if an enemy asked a question, he would give some sort of snarky response. If he wasn’t answering he was truly afraid.

“Alex?” Ben prompted. He had been, until that point, content with staying silent. Snake seemed to be making headway and Alex had allowed the medic to heal his welts. Now, though, Alex seemed to go back in his shell.  

Alex didn’t say anything for a bit. Ben was just about to prompt him again when he finally spoke. His voice barely seemed to belong to him. It was quiet and Ben barely managed to make out what he had said.

“You’re going to be mad.” He whispered. Never, in all the time that Ben or Snake knew him, had he sound more like a child. But he was a child. And yet it was unnerving coming from him because he didn’t just sound like any child but a scared child, one that they might recuse during an operation.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Snake decided though he said this to himself. He spoke a little louder and added: “Cub, where are you injured?”

Alex knew the game was up. Snake and Ben knew that he was hurt elsewhere and if he didn’t tell them they would merely force him to strip. He didn’t want that but what he wanted never mattered before why would it matter now?

“My back,” Alex answered begrudgingly.  

“Show us, please.” Snake ordered.

Snake had ordered him in a soft, gentle tone but that didn’t matter. He had ordered him, and Cub knew he had to respond. It didn’t matter how gentle Snake was being or how tolerant they had been so far for his insolence. Orders were orders and orders were followed. He had no choice but to comply but then when had he ever had a choice? Never.

Slowly, he lifted his shirt and hoodie, hissing like he always did when the cotton came in contact with his back. He made sure that his torso was covered before he turned. They had already seen those scars, but he still didn’t like them to see it. He placed them on the side of the bench and turned around dejectedly. He took a deep breath as he waited, for the second time in the same day, for the explosion to occur. This one would be of anger and hatred aimed at him. He knew he couldn’t put it off any longer. He hoped he wouldn’t have to wait too long. The waiting was always the worse. Once it had started he knew what to expect.

Ben took a breath. He was well aware that what he might see might be bad – Alex’s response to that had told him that. He didn’t lose it often but when it came to those he cared about it that Scottish fieriness that flew through his blood roared viscously. So, he pre-emptively took measures to keep his temper. It didn’t work.

When he saw Alex’s back and what had been covered by his clothes, Ben saw red. All across the boy’s back were welts much like the ones across his palms. These ones were thicker. Criss-crossing across his back were various thick and angry red lines. They were bruises in some places and with horror, Ben noticed a few of them were abrasions and bruises in the shape of a buckle. He knew at once what had caused such scars. A belt. Someone had not only beaten Alex with a cane but with a belt too. And judging by how some of the scars were white with age, it hadn’t been the first time.

“Bloody bastard! I’ll kill him! What the shitting hell happened? Who the fuck did this?!” Ben bellowed.

Snake was equally as angry. Actually, Ben was probably slightly angrier, but it was a narrow margin and that was only because he clearly cared about the kid a parent would care for a kid. The fact that Cub had been caned had been bad enough. Now it was obvious that he had been belted too, just as it was obvious that this was a regular occurrence. Snake knew who had done it. He had seen him smack Cub in front of him for goodness sakes. He remembered the conversation he had with the unit after. Wolf and Falcon believed in physical punishment they would surely agree that this was not punishment. It was abuse as plain as day.

“I’m sorry sir, I mean Ben, I didn’t mean to –” He began but he was quickly cut off by Ben’s fierce questioning.

Ben had been planning to remain calm but once look at Alex’s back and that idea was thrown out of the window. If he had a cool head he would have realised that his anger was only scaring Alex. It wasn’t helpful to the situation and on any other occasion, Ben would have noticed that. But this time was too angry at the thought of someone hurting Alex to notice he was hurting him too. How ironic.

“Who did this Alexander?!” Ben roared.

Cub flinched at the sound of his full name. It was only ever used when he was really in trouble. Ian would usually scold him harshly after using his full name and would send him to his room with his ears ringing. Sometimes he’d come up after and tell him he was being naughty and that no one wanted a naughty child. He’d say that his parents would be disappointed in him. Did Ben agree with him?

Snake saw Cub’s reaction to Fox’s anger and decided to intervene. He placed himself between Fox and Cub. He knew that the man wouldn’t lash out physically, but his theory was that Fox’s vision of Cub’s back was blocked, it might help him get a hold on his anger. While Snake could fully understand Fox’s reaction (he was steaming himself) it wasn’t helping anyone least of all Cub.

“Fox, calm down.” Snake tried.

Fox just sent a dirty glare at Snake and snarled. It was the kind of glare a superior officer unleashed on an unruly subordinate. Snake almost faltered upon seeing it but he pressed on, for Cub’s sake.

“Calm, down Agent Daniels.” Snake ordered icily. “I understand that you are angry too, believe me, I am too. But if you cannot keep a hold of yourself I’m going to have to ask you to leave. You are scaring Alex.”

Hearing Cub’s real name from Snake brought Ben back to earth with a bump. A cold wash fell over him and he realised the truth in Snake’s assessment. He had done the very thing he swore he wouldn’t. Alex would never tell him anything now. He’d confirmed his fears. He had expected Ben to shout at him and he had done just that. Of course, he was angry. Someone had beaten his kid. But he wasn’t angry at Alex, but he hadn’t done made that clear. He never wanted Alex to be scared of him.

“Thank you, Sebastian.” Ben thanked him gratefully. “I needed that.”

“You are welcome Benjamin,” Snake replied continuing the use of their first names. At that moment a silent agreement was struck. They would do whatever they needed to help Alex even it meant bashing a few of their own heads together. That kid needed love. Of course, every child did but Alex seemed to need it more than any other.

Ben turned to Alex but didn’t say anything. First, Snake would do what we could for him. Then once he showed Alex that was calm once more, he would ask him who had beaten him. This time he would get a better handle on his anger. He would save his temper. That way he could unleash utter hell on whoever dared hurt his kid. They would pay.

Chapter 31: Fox's Cub

Summary:

Hello! Sorry I didn't update yesterday - I had another bad headache.

Chapter Text

Once Snake had cleaned up Alex’s back the best he could, Ben found that he was calm enough to address the matter without blowing up. What his Cub needed right now were kindness and tender loving care. It would do no one any good to explode just like he had previously. Of course, he was still extremely angry – someone had hurt his cub. But taking his anger out on Alex would be counterproductive and above anything would be unfair.

“Alex?” Ben asked softly once Snake stepped away from the teenager. Alex was now holding an icepack against his face. The welts on his back had been given much the same treatment as his hands. There was little that Snake could do to help him. Time would be the best healer for his physical wounds.

Alex didn’t say anything but looked up slightly to show that he had heard him. Ben flashed him a smile, but the teenager ducked his head before he could see it. Snake and Ben shared a concerned look and they decided that it would be best to hit the subject head-on. Any further delay would hinder rather than aid them.

“Who did this to you, Alex?” Ben questioned.

Snake watched as Cub sighed quietly to himself. He knew who had hurt him but they both needed Cub to confirm it. They needed to hear it for Cub himself. The boy hadn’t answered them yet just though Snake was certain that he had heard the question. When it became clear that he wasn’t going to answer them without any further verbal prompts, Snake spoke.

“Cub?” He prompted softly.

Cub drew in on himself even further if possible. He gulped. Then finally he raised his head. Snake saw that his eyes were red. He had been silently crying to himself. Snake wondered when he had started to cry and how he had learnt to do it so silently. It was as if he had been trained to deliberately hide any sign of distress.

“It was Agent Mason, sir.” Cub informed him, confirming his suspicions.

“I see,” Ben commented calmly though inside the fire of fury he left earlier was being relit.

He should have known. Agent Mason was Alex’s guardian and he clearly didn’t like him. Ben thought he was strict when he had first seen them interact but now it was clear it was more than that. Alex’s recent behaviour made sense. He kept flinching because he thought Ben would hit him. He hadn’t been able to tell that Ben was acting when he had pretended to scold him in Munich because that was what he had grown to expect.

“It was my punishment. I was disobedient and disrespectful. I’m sorry, sirs, I know I was bad and that I deserved it. Agent Mason only ever hits me when I deserve it.” Alex explained sadly.

Alex ducked his head once more and waited for Ben to shout at him for being too insolent. He waited for Snake to agree and confirm how bad he was. It wouldn’t be long before Ben began yelling at him and declaring how he hated him. He was certain that Ben would wish that he had never met him. He wasn’t worth the bother and once Ben realised that he would be angry at Alex for deceiving him. He might hit him or worse – declare that he never wanted to see him again.

“No, Alex!” Ben refuted firmly. “You did not deserve that. He shouldn’t have done that.”

Alex’s head shot up in surprise. Why hadn’t Ben yelled at him? He was angry before. Maybe he didn’t understand why Mason needed to punish him? That must be it. He hadn’t explained it well enough. It would make sense why he didn’t blame Alex just yet. He had made it seem like he hadn’t done anything to deserve the beatings that Mason gave him.

“I disrespected my superiors and I disobeyed orders,” He informed Ben. He turned to Snake to get the man’s point of view. He’d seen Mason give him a smacking and knew why. “You saw that sir, didn’t you? You saw Agent Mason smack me for disrespecting you.”

Ben shot Snake a glare so fierce that it made the man shake slightly. He’d actually seen Mason abuse his Cub and hadn’t done anything to protect him. If he had seen someone raise a hand to Alex he would have punched them. He wouldn’t let anyone hurt his Cub. He stepped towards Snake, taking some satisfaction from the flinch it caused. Ben was aware that if he shouted at Snake, which is what he wanted, it would only scare Cub. So, he kept his tone low but nonetheless dangerous.    

“You knew?! You saw him hit my Cub and you didn’t do anything?” He hissed, venomously.

Snake took a deep breath before facing Fox. He was blaming himself likely a such if not more than Fox himself. However, he felt that both Fox and Cub but especially the latter deserved an explanation. He hadn’t completely ignored his suspicions, but Snake still felt like he hadn’t done enough.  

“I saw him spank Cub, yes,” Snake admitted, sighing as he recalled the incident. “It was only a dozen or so swats but Eagle and I disliked that. We were trying to help him. We wanted to try and find out what was going on and we were going to use this week to try and confirm our suspicions that Cub was being abused.”

Cub shook his head vigorously. He at first he was opposed to the implication that Snake had told the unit about the smacking, but he hadn’t dare interrupt. Then when Snake went on to suggest he was being abused he had to correct them. Mason was strict, yes, and it hurt when he punished him but then it was supposed to. That’s why it was a punishment. He wasn’t abused. He deserved everything he got.

“Abused, sir? I’m not being abused, sir!” He objected loudly.

Snake gave Cub a serious look and shook his head. The loudness of Cub’s protesting only showed how he fully believed what he said. It was to be expected. When you were constantly told that you deserved such mistreatment you began to believe it. Snake wasn’t sure how long Alex had been under the guardship of Mason, but it was obviously long enough to have a deep psychological impact on the boy. His physical scars might heal but the mental scars would remain for years.

“It’s Snake, remember. You said that Agent Mason doesn’t always smack you. Does that mean he uses the cane and the belt frequently?” Snake questioned.  

“Well, yes Snake, he does,” Cub responded slightly confused. It was obvious that he didn’t understand where Snake was going with his line of questioning and that alone was upsetting enough.

“And yet you do not see how that is abuse?” He asked.

“It’s not abuse!” Cub yelled. He blushed when he realised that he had raised his voice to a superior. He paused before he resumed speaking in a quieter but certain voice. “I am not being abused.”

“Then what do you call it?” Snake demanded with a frown. There was no other way to describe what Mason did to him. Leaving welts in such a fashion on anyone would be abuse. The fact that Cub was a mere child just made

“Punishment, sir!” Cub replied glaring at Snake. Why was Snake making him say it again? “I deserved it for being insolent. Agent Mason is only trying to make me a better agent and anyway he’s my guardian. He has to discipline me. That’s his job.”

Ben had heard enough. He didn’t like hearing Alex talk about how he felt his abuse was deserved. Mason had clearly beaten that belief into him, and he was not going to let it slide. He would ensure that Mason got his componence, Ben would see to that but more important than ensuing vengeance was dealt with was ensuring Alex realised that Mason’s actions were abuse. It would take a long time for Alex to understand and believe that Mason was wrong, and he never deserved such treatment. Now, would be as good a time as any to start telling him that.

“Alex, stop,” Ben commanded but his voice was kind rather than demanding. “I doubt that you were really disobedient or disrespectful. I’ve always found you to be a polite, kind and very nice young man.”

“Me too, Cub,” Snake agreed.

Snake always thought that Cub was not only an extremely polite young man but was also a very intelligent and mature one. He had adapted to the environment of the SAS very easily. Oh, Falcon, Wolf and even the Sargent seemed to believe that Cub was insolent when really it was their expectations that were unrealistic. Cub snapped his eyes to Snake’s. As if he had been reading Snake’s mind, he mentioned the very man Snake had been thinking of.

“But the Sargent…” Cub trailed off. The Sargent was always getting at him, yelling, and punishing him for his insolence. Snake knew that. He knew that he was bad, and that Sargent Young often needed to reprimand him.

“The Sargent has a stick up his arse.” Snake commented dryly. He nodded when Cub looked at him in surprise, confirming that Cub had heard him correctly. He had insulted his superior. While Snake wouldn’t say it to Sargent Young’s face he had no qualms saying it in front of Cub and Fox.

Fox sniggered at the insult. In his opinion, it was a very accurate assessment of Sargent Young. There was no doubt that the Sargent cared about his men and considered their welfare to be of the utmost importance but Young had little tolerance for what he considered insolence. And when he had considered someone insolence it took a lot to change his mind. He remembered when he was in the SAS that the Sargent came to a similar conclusion about Hawk a member of S-unit. He had eventually changed his mind about him but not before the young man had spent hours on punishment duty.

Snake raised his eyebrows at Fox before continuing. “He has too high expectations and the times he has reprimanded you have been due to misunderstandings on his part rather than insolence on yours.”

“And anyway, even if you had been the most disrespectful, disobedient child known to man it still wouldn’t have justified Mason beating you,” Ben added confidently. If Alex had earned a reprimand then a lecture and a few lines would have been more than sufficient.    

“Exactly,” Snaked nodded. “Ben’s right, Cub. It doesn’t matter what you did, Mason shouldn’t have hit you, not with his hand and certainly not with a belt or a cane. It’s abuse.”

Alex wrinkled his nose at that. Mason told him, fairly early on, that some people thought that slapping a kid like him was abuse. He remembered Mason telling him that these people were ‘pansies’ who raised brats. It was part of the reason why he was so insolent- because Ian never smacked him, and Jack never did either.

“A smacking is a punishment and not abuse.” He pointed out, sharply.

“Maybe if Mason had limited his punishment to the swats I saw him give you, he could argue that.” Snake replied though he personally disagreed with that. “But to leave welts like the ones he left against your palms and your back can only be abuse. It’s not acceptable for him to do that.”

Alex recoiled at the wording. Mason always talked about him his behaviour being unacceptable and to hear the adjective be applied to his guardian’s behaviour rather than his own was just strange. When he heard the word, therefore, it just brought him back to those sessions with him.

“Alex?” Ben questioned, wondering what had caused such a reaction.

“That’s just what Agent Mason said to be when he was displeased with my behaviour,” Alex explained before putting on a perfect intimation of Mason. “This is completely unacceptable; Mr Rider and you will be punished for it. So, you see, it was just punishment, that’s all it was punishment.”

“I’m not saying you should never be punished,” Ben began. Alex was still a child after all and like all children he needed discipline. “But the way that Mason punished you was far too harsh. It is against the law to leave lasting damage when using physical punishment. What Mason did to you was against the law. It was abuse, nothing more. It does not matter if you misbehaved and deserved a punishment, what he did was still abuse.”

“So, you don’t hate me for being insolent?”

“Of course not! I could never hate you, Al, ever – even if you were an insolent brat. But like I have already stated, I do not think that you are insolent.” Ben reassured with firmly.

Alex smiled. He couldn’t help it. He had been scared that Ben would hate him, but Ben told him that could never be the case. Ben never lied to him. He even thought that Alex wasn’t an insolent brat even after everything he had done. Mason always said he was and that his punishments were deserved but he had grown used to telling him that. There was something about Ben though that meant that if he had agreed with Mason, it would hurt him a lot more.

Oh crap. He had forgotten about Mason. How could he forget? He was probably absolutely furious with him. Mason would be here soon and when he got his hand on him, the punishment he delivered would be severe and unforgiving. He hated the cane. It hurt worse than the belt and the strokes hurt more when it hit his bottom. He was under no illusions. Mason had threatened it once and his guardian never made empty threats. He would get the cane on his backside.

“Cub?” Snake asked, seeing that the teenager had suddenly grown pale.

“Agent Mason will be here soon,” Cub stated. “He’ll cane my backside; I know he will.”

Ben’s eyes darkened. He would not let Mason cane him. If it came to that he would never let him raise a hand to his Cub or even come within a mile of him. Yes, Mason would arrive soon, and he did he would be met by a fist or two. Or thee. It would be the very least that bastard deserved.

“Mason will not touch you. He will not hurt you again. I will see that. I will not let anyone hurt my Cub again.” Ben promised. If needs be he would stand in between Mason and his cub. He would get Alex away from Mason if it was the last thing he did. They were lucky, he supposed, that they had just recused Mrs Jones. Now that she was found she would be reinstated as the head of MI6 and she owed them a favour. That would be very useful.

“We won’t let him hurt you either. Our unit will protect you. F-unit will too,” Snake promised without hesitation. “And I know that F-unit will do so too. They’ll not let Mason hurt you.”

Snake knew that he was right. Even Wolf and Falcon who believed that a few smacks were a necessity when disciplining a child, couldn’t agree with such treatment. They would protect Cub. It was clear that they disliked the boy, but they were good men at heart. They wouldn’t let their unit-mate be hurt and failing that, they wouldn’t let a child be subjected to further abuse. Wolf took an extremely dim view of those that hurt the child -being an uncle himself. Falcon equally, would not condone child abuse even if the child in question was one he clearly disliked.

“I think we had better tell them what we’ve learnt,” Ben suggested, though to Alex’s surprise it was directed to him and not to Snake. Adults usually made decisions about him without consulting him. “That way they can help us protect you.”

“Whatever you want, sir.” Alex shrugged.

Ben sighed. It would take a lot to get Alex to stop addressing him as sir. It made sense he supposed and was something that he could deal with later. It was more important to ensure that he was safe from Mason. That became before anything else. For now, Ben would gently remind him that the honorific was unnecessary. He also needed to address Alex’s need to keep him happy. He wanted Alex to agree to what he wanted because he was comfortable with it not for any other reason.  

“It’s Ben, remember?” Ben corrected gently. “And while I would much rather you agree to it because of what you want, I do think it’s necessary.”

Frankly, Alex would rather no one else found out. It was bad enough that Snake and Ben did, but he wasn’t about to argue. Ben had been nice enough to not hate him for his misbehaviour and had even gone as far as to promise to protect him. There was no way he was going to risk Ben changing his mind on that. He would not make Ben mad at him, not after everything he had done for him. Ben earned his obedience more than Mason had, and it would be very disrespectful to argue with him. He would not disrespect Ben. It wasn’t that he feared what Ben would do to him if he did. It was something else. Something Alex couldn’t explain.

“All right, Ben, whatever you think is necessary.” He agreed.

Ben sighed but accepted the response. While it was clear that Alex didn’t fully agree with the idea, the other soldiers needed to found out what was happening to him. Sargent Young would have to find out too. No doubt the man would feel guilty for not noticing and being too hard on the teenager. Ben was not at all sympathetic. He deserved to feel guilty. In fact, in his opinion, the Sargent deserved a lot more. He would have a few choice words for the Sargent when he saw him. The fact that Sargent Young had not actually caused physical harm towards his Cub, as far as he was aware, would be the only thing stopping him from punching the man as soon as he saw him.

“Snake, could you gather everyone together? And tell Major Beynon and Captain Hughes that we won’t be too long unless…” Ben trailed off and he considered something.

“Fox?”

Ben ignored him and turned to Alex. He had a feeling that Alex would agree to whatever he suggested but he still felt that it was necessary to ask. Having outside help may be just what they needed and men like Carwyn and Bleddyn always had favours and friends in high places. That might just be what they needed to keep Alex safe and to implement the plan that Ben had in mind.

“Alex, I’m going to suggest something, and it is important that you realise that you can say no if you wish. I will not hold it against you. Whatever you decide is what we will go with, all right?” Ben waited for Alex to respond and at the teenager’s nod, he continued. “What do you say about Carwyn and his friend Bleddyn sitting in on our conversation about the way Mason has been treating you?”

Alex considered that. Carwyn seemed like a nice old man and Bleddyn seemed indifferent. He was used to the indifference of course but the two were still relative strangers. He wasn’t sure if he liked two strangers getting involved in his affairs. He didn’t even like the idea of K and F units getting involved and Alex knew them better than he did the two Welshmen. But ben thought it was necessary. He must have done, or he wouldn’t have asked. He trusted Ben. That gave him his answer.

“OK, Ben, they can listen in,” Alex answered.

“You’re not just saying that because you think it's what I want to hear?” Ben questioned with a raised eyebrow. He suspected that Alex was used to giving the answer that the person questioning him wanted to hear.

“No, sir I mean Ben. I’m saying it because I trust you. If you think it’s a good idea, then I’ll do it.” Alex explained, honestly.

“Good.” Ben smiled before turning to the medic. “Snake, if you could tell everyone to come in?”

“Of course, Fox.” Snake agreed. He turned and left, leaving to do Ben’s bidding.

While he waited for the group to make an appearance, Ben considered what Alex had said. I trust you. The words made him feel so warm. He knew that trust was hard for Alex to give and for Alex to not only give him his but to admit it to his face was the ultimate compliment. It was his greatest wish for Alex to feel that way with him. Now that he had his Cub’s trust, Fox would move heaven and earth to keep it. He would live up to it. He would save his Cub and would never let anyone hurt him again be it Agent Mason or Mr Blunt or even a school bully. He would protect his Cub until his last breath. That was a promise, and he would die before he broke it.

Chapter 32: Justice is Served

Summary:

Hello! There should be 40 chapters for this fanfiction. This one has some bad language.

Chapter Text

It didn’t take long for the group to assemble in Bleddyn’s front room. They hadn’t gone far, and they were all feeling rather worried about Cub. The rest of the K-unit were the first people to arrive. Eagle headed straight for Cub, ignoring the flinch that it caused and sat down next to him. Soon everyone was gathered.

“What’s this about?” Carwyn questioned suspiciously. He glanced over to Cub who was trying his hardest not to be noticed. The boy seemed extremely nervous and Carwyn’s paternal instincts were going crazy. He wanted nothing more than to comfort the boy, but he suspected that any physical contact would make the situation worse instead of better.

“We have recently been made aware of certain facts surrounding Cub that is a cause of great concern,” Ben informed them. “We shall need your help in order to help him and while I cannot order you to give your assistance, I am sure that once I explain the situation you will all give it freely.”

The group exchanged looks with each other. That sounded very interesting. K-unit, in particular, considered what Fox had said. Cub was one of their own. He was part of their unit. If he needed help, then they would give it easily. F-unit agreed with this. Cub wasn’t part of their unit but was part of the SAS. They were no doubt about it. If Cub needed help, they would give it. Bleddyn and Carwyn were equally eager to help. It was their duty as adults to assist a child in need and no child seemed to need their help more than Cub.

“Well? Don’t keep us in suspense Agent Daniels,” Wolf instructed, nominating himself as the spokesperson for the group. “Tell us what this is all about.”

Ben looked over to Alex and tilted his head in a silent request for permission. After a few seconds, the teenager caught the look that Ben was sending him and gave a little nod. Then he ducked his head once more eager to avoid as much attention directed at him as possible. Ben understood and switched his attention back to the group. Of course, once he revealed what he knew, the teenager would have a great amount of attention.

“Agent Mason has been physically abusing Cub,” He relieved. His face was pinched into a serious expression to remove any suggestion that he was joking. “He’s beaten him with a cane and a belt on at least two separate occasions.”

Several things happened at once. Carwyn and Bleddyn looked at each other before letting out a string of Welsh expletives crude enough to make the toughest of sailors blush. Wolf went pale but his eyes darkened with undefeated rage. Falcon sat down, suddenly feeling dizzy. Eagle edged a little closer to Cub and placed a steady hand on the boy’s shoulder. Adder and Bear started demanding answers for Ben and Snake. Lion advanced towards Snake and started questioning him on Cub’s welfare and inquired as to whether or not a visit to the hospital. Jackal went red and almost punched the wall beside him, stopping himself just in time to avoid causing damage to another man’s property. He had seen Mason once before and had been worried ever since. He knew something was right about that man but he never, in his wildest dreams, thought that it was something as bad as this.

The volume in the room quieted for a few seconds before it was brought back up. Those that hadn’t asked questions were now hurling them at Snake and Ben. Carwyn looked over to Cub who was covering his ears while he stared at the floor. He reached over to a nearby peg where Bleddyn kept a whistle. He brought it up to his lips and blew. A shrill whistle emanated from it and the room fell silent immediately. Everyone stopped in their tracks and turned towards the noise.

“Now that we have your attention, do you think we could act like adults and not like children in a playground?” Carwyn demanded sharply. He waited for everyone to give a curt nod before continuing. “Good. Agent Daniels, I am sure you understand that we all have questions.”

“Of course,” Ben nodded at Carwyn, extremely glad that the Welshman had the initiative to take the situation into his own mind. The room was getting dreadfully quiet.  

“Might I suggest that we ask them one at a time? Won’t that be a good idea?” Carwyn suggested resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Carwyn Beynon did not roll his eyes even when he was in the presence of the most irritating of people.  

“That’s always a good idea.” Ben agreed with a heavy sigh.

Before they could, agree on the order for asking questions, Carwyn was speaking again. No one tried to object, Carwyn had an air of authority about it that only came to form a lifetime of military service. You didn’t just lose that authority because you were no longer an active member. So, Carwyn continued asking the question that both he and Bleddyn were eager to know the answer to.

“First who is this Agent Mason and if you say classified, I will not be held acceptable for my actions,” Carwyn asked. The threat was delivered in an even tone and with a penetrating glare etched on his face.

Ben did not know what exactly the threat entailed, and he didn’t have any intention of finding out. It wasn’t like he would be breaking any laws by informing them who Agent Mason was. It was sometimes hard to tell when one crossed the line into the classified territory.

“He is the deputy of MI6 and Blunt’s right-hand man,” Ben explained caring little about what was considered classified at the moment. “He is also Cub’s guardian and has been abusing him.”

Ben sneered, making it very clear what he thought of Mason. He never liked that man. He always thought he was too uptight but now that he had discovered what he had done to Alex, that dislike had changed to pure disdain. He’d like to knock that stupid moustache off his face. In fact, he’d like the knock a few things of Mason’s face. It was no less than what he deserved.

“The bastard,” Carwyn swore. The was a very special place in hell for those that hurt children and Carwyn wanted to personally ensure Mason settled very nicely into his. “And I trust that the son of a bitch will be here soon?”

“Yes,” Ben admitted. Actually, Mason should have already arrived.

“Then the most important thing is ensuring that Cub is safe from him.” Adder commented, understanding what Carwyn was getting at. Sorting out what happened to Mason could wait, if the man was coming to Llangollen they could easily talk with him. Firstly, they need a plan to stop him from coming near Cub.

Cub looked up in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting them to care about him or bother talking about stopping Mason from punishing him. Surely they would agree with it? Didn’t they think he was an insolent brat who needed a firm hand? If anything, what had happened on the hill and the barge should have confirmed their expectations. They should be happy that he was going to be punished.

“Well, no fear about that!” Falcon declared rubbing his hands together gleefully. Cub sent a curious look at his back. He expected Falcon more than anyone to want him to be punished. “We’ll show him what happens to people to abuse children and hurt our people!”

“Too right!” Someone yelled.

There was a muttering of agreement from the group. They excitedly exchanged plots of revenge. Fox smiled to himself, happy that so many people were eager to help him. He expected it, of course, they were good men and not many would object to protecting a child from an abusive guardian particularly when that child was Cub. Even Wolf and Falcon who disliked Cub for a reason Fox couldn’t fathom were angry at hearing what Mason had done. Fox knew that Cub hadn’t expected but Fox knew that even they couldn’t condone child abuse.   

“Is anyone against helping Cub?” Fox asked. No one was, of course, not now they knew what Mason had done. “Good. Now, listen carefully, here is what we’ll do…”

Agent Mason was in a foul mood. That wasn’t exactly unusual as Agent Mason was irritable on the best of days and completely unbearable on the worse. When it involved Alex Rider, he seemed to be in a perpetual state of mindless fury. It inevitably meant something bad for his ward and this instance was by no means an exception.

For once the reason for Mason’s foul mood was not solely due to that insolent brat of award of his. Rider was the main reason for it however and when Mason got his hands on him he would be merciless in delivering the thrashing that he so richly deserved. He had been too lenient. Well, he wouldn’t make that mistake again. If he hadn’t maybe he wouldn’t be in this situation now. That mistake was Rider’s fault of course.

The problem was that Mason made a deal with the devil. His friend had needed help and he had been only too happy to oblige. However, in order to give Alan what he wanted, Mason needed the devil’s help. Now, he was unable to offer his payment. The devil did not like people who didn’t pay their dues and didn’t care for the reason behind it. His life was in danger and it was Rider’s fault.

It was going so well. Rider did what Mason expected. He’d been beaten enough to obey orders like his life depended on it (because to a degree it did) and had gone to Llangollen just like he had planned. But then Rider had to interfere. He had to play the hero. Well, Mason would teach him what happened to the boys who intervened.

When Sargent Young had told him, what had happened he realised his plan had gone wrong. He needed to get to Llangollen as quickly as possible. He knew that if he found Rider before anyone else, he could still swing it his way. But time was against him. The SAS were closer than him. Then he was delayed further as Murphy’s law was in full effect. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. His car had broken down as had the helicopter that would have shortened his journey time. That was the other reason for his foul mood. By the time he had arrived in Llangollen, it was too late. The boy had already been rescued and was no doubt spinning his own tail about what had happened.  

Mason growled as he parked his car. He ignored the man who came up to him and began protesting about the location he’d left his vehicle. If they didn’t want people parking willy-nilly then they should have built places people could park in. Anyway, if being the deputy head of MI6 didn’t mean he could park wherever he pleased, he didn’t care. He was fuming now and would unleash his ire on Rider or rather his backside. He was glad he had had the foresight to bring the cane. He was going to make Rider wish he hadn’t gone against him. He would never dare defy him after the beating Mason was going to give him.

Mason was in such a state of fury and was imagining the punishment he’d give his ward, that he didn’t see Agent Daniels until he was starting in front of him. He frowned. He wasn’t happy that Daniels was here. He was supposed to be on holiday. Mason wasn’t sure where the agent went, and Mason hadn’t taken the trouble to find out. However, the last he heard of Daniels, he was in Perth or somewhere. Why the hell was in Wales? Was he a part of the team that recused Rider? Well, Mason would teach him to disobey orders and act without the required authority.

“Agent Daniels,” Mason greeted harshly. He noted two old men, standing off to the side but Mason ignored them. They weren’t important.

“Mason.” Ben retorted impertinently.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Perth or somewhere?” Mason demanded, starting at Ben suspiciously.

Mason did not like the sudden appearance of the agent. It was not a coincidence, that Mason was certain. He knew what answers Llangollen held and how Rider was connected to it. Someone must have told him. But how? He was so careful! And why would he come here for Rider? Why would he care about that brat?

“I could ask, you the same question but I don’t care.” Ben spat at him, viscously. He was extremely pleased to see Mason take a step backwards. He faltered for a few seconds before he recovered. It may have just been a few seconds, but they were still just as satisfying.   

“Watch your tone, Daniels. I am your superior.” Mason snapped his tone full of anger and hatred.

There would have been a time that that tone would have had an effect on him. But not now. Not after everything he had done. Not after what he had done to Alex, his Cub. Mason was the reason Alex was so scared. Mason was the reason why he flinched at every sudden move and why was so meek. Superior his ass. Mason did not deserve to be considered as such and Ben would show him that.  

“Tell that to my fist!” Ben growled.

Ensuing he put his whole weight behind it he sent his fist crashing into Mason’s face. Blood suddenly dripped down Mason’s face and Ben smiled at the sight of it. Before Mason could recover from being dazed, Ben sent his other fist into Mason’s face with equal force and the previous blow. A satisfying crack sounded before Mason gave a wail of pain.

“Agent Daniels! What is the meaning of this, I demand—”

But Ben was not done yet. He was not nearly done. He shoved Mason into a wall and pinned him against it. He clamped his hand around Mason’s throat and squeezed tightly.

“How dare you! How dare you hurt my kid. How dare you hurt Alex!” He roared; his Scottish protective rage was bubbling under his skin. The consequences of hurting Alex would be great and explosive. He would ensure that Mason got his componence.

“Deserved…” Mason tried to say but it was too hard. Ben got the gist of what it was he trying to say though and it only infuriated him further. Did Mason have any sense?

“He’s just a kid – a child. He never deserves to be hurt!” Ben growled again. “You however definitely do! I think it’s time someone punished you for a change!”

Ben let go of Mason’s throat and the man spluttered but that was all he had to chance to do before he was thrown to the ground and pinned down. Mason was no match for Ben. The Scot was younger, stronger and a hell of a lot madder than Blunt’s sidekick. He was about to feel the full range of protective father. No one hurt his Cub and got away with it.  

Before Ben could beat Mason to death, which is where he was heading, Bleddyn and Carwyn advanced forward to implement their stage of the plan. The other soldiers followed for ‘back-up’. Mason may be a fool, but he wasn’t suicidal. A fight against one pissed off SAS soldier was bad enough one against 9 of them would be hopeless. So, he gave very little protest as Carwyn and Bleddyn tied him up with rope.

Together, they carried him to a cupboard and threw him in there none too gently. Mason let out a rather undignified squawk. Then they patted Ben on the shoulder and left him alone with the Agent.

“You hurt Alex,” Ben stated. His voice was deadly and yet it was only just above a whisper.

Mason wrinkled his nose at that statement. So, what he hurt Rider? The boy needed a firm hand. He needed to be taught his place. He needed to learn that he wasn’t good for anything other than being Mason’s tool. He was too impudent and needed plenty of harsh beatings and hard smacks to teach him how to behave appropriately. If Mason was smart he would keep these thoughts to himself. Mason was not smart.

“Rider is an insolent brat who needs discipline.” Mason declared with far too much confidence for a man in his position.

Ben backhanded hard across the face. He wanted to do a lot more. He wanted to do everything to Mason that he did to Alex. He wanted to beat him bloody and have him beg for mercy only to refuse it. But it wouldn’t help. Alex’s needs eclipsed his wants and right now he needed Mason to live to face justice. He needed that security and Ben didn’t want to scare him. If he hurt Mason too badly, it might just have that effect.

“Alex is a brilliant, intelligent, considerate young man and anyone who knows him has a great privilege,” Ben corrected. “Anyone who has legal guardianship has the highest honour. I myself would be chuffed to bits to have him in my care. I would do anything to have a child-like Alex and in fact, I already consider him to be my son.”

Ben believed that. He was most sincere when he spoke to Mason. If the bastard couldn’t see what a brilliant child and caring, intelligent person Alex was then it was his loss. If he couldn’t see Alex’s good qualities and loving personality then Mason needed his head examined. Ben couldn’t understand how anyone could fail to see, what a special child Alex was. To him, it was a plain as day. Alex Rider was a good kid, one of the best. He could never deserve what Mason did to him. It was not in his nature to be so wicked. Ben was certain of that.  

“He’ll get you killed. He’s cursed. He causes the deaths of anyone close to him.” Mason snarled, clearly not smart enough to quit while he was ahead.

Ben backhanded him once more. The slap was landed with such ferociousness that it cut Mason’s lip and sent his forehead smashing into the wall. Ben could never hurt Alex and couldn’t see how anyone could hurt him either. He was incapable of delivering such violence to his Cub but delivering it to someone who had hurt him? That was easy. Satisfying at least.

It was true that many people that Alex cared for had been killed. It was true he had lost a lot. But that wasn’t his fault. He was a child and had been used by his government, exploited since the murder of his uncle and, Ben suspected, before that too. It wasn’t his fault. It could never have been his fault. He should have never been in that position. No. The responsibility of their deaths laid with those that murdered them, not a teenage boy caught in an impossible situation.

“Alex Rider had suffered great tragedy in his life,” He amended. “And as such, he needs more love, not less. It is because of that, and because his needs are more important than my wishes, that I am not going to kill you. However, I still suggest you shut up because if you don’t I may convince myself that your death is what Alex needs.”

That wasn’t the case, but Ben wasn’t about to let Mason know that. After what he put Alex through he deserved to fear for his life. Let him feel that pain. Let’s see how Mason did when the tables were turned on him. Ben would bet anything he couldn’t deal with as much as his Cub could. Ben was proud of that.

“And anyway,” He continued venomously before Mason could blurt out any more of his nonsense. “I was part of the SAS. I know how to prolong suffering without bringing about death. I have experienced it myself.”

Mason looked scared and Ben enjoyed every second the expression spread across the bastard’s face. Then Mason realised that he was showing his fear and morphed his face so as to not show it quite so clearly. Still desperate to show his non-existing bravado, he snarled. Well, he tried to snarl, it came out as more of a grunt than a snarl and Ben was not intimidated in the least.   

“This is outrageous! I am Rider’s guardian—” Mason began, about to launch into a tirade about his complete superiorness over Ben and his right to treat Alex the way he wanted. Ben did not let him.

“No, you lost that privilege long ago.” He cut off, harshly. Mason didn’t deserve to call himself Alex’s guardian. He lost that privilege when he began abusing his Cub.  

“What I did was corporal punishment—” Mason defended.

Ben had had enough. He didn’t want to listen to his tirade against Alex and hear him disparage the boy’s character. He didn’t want to listen to Mason spiel drivel nor did he care to hear him try and justify his abuse. Nothing he could say could justify what he did. So, Ben cut him off this time with a sharp kick to the balls. Mason cringed immediately and winced in pain.

“What you did was,” Ben paused and looked at him gleefully deciding to use Mason’s words against him. “Unacceptable. And you will be punished for it.”

With that, Ben threw one last punch at his face. Then he shoved Mason further into the cupboard and locked the door. Ben brushed his hands together, very pleased with himself. He paused at the sink to wash his hands, cleaning them from Mason’s dried blood and any sign that he had been in a physical confrontation. Once done he dried his hands and went off in search of his Cub. He would ensure he was safe before doing anything else. Stage One of Operation Help Alex was complete.

Chapter 33: Operation Help Alex

Chapter Text

With Mason safely in the cupboard, Ben went to stay with Alex. He wanted to stay with the teenager as much as he could to try and make up for his failure to protect him. Alex would need a lot of love and care and Ben was only too happy to oblige. It should have been that way, to begin with. If Ben’s plan went smoothly then he would have plenty of time to make up for the missed time. Ben would make sure his Cub was all right again, no matter how long it would take. Alex had spoken since the group had found out. But that didn’t matter. Alex didn’t need to say anything, for now, Ben would do all the talking.

While Fox was seeing to Cub this, Wolf and Jackal spoke to the Sargent. They needed to bring Mason into custody preferably before Blunt found out about the trouble his right-hand man was in. They weren’t naïve enough to believe that Blunt wouldn’t find out at all. The head of MI6 had fingers in too many pies and ears to too many doors for that kind of naivety. However, if they could delay the passing of that information long enough to bring Mason into their custody, there wouldn’t be much that Blunt could do. MI6 had power, yes, but even they couldn’t prevent one of their agents from being brought up on charges of child abuse, particularly when the SAS were the ones that arrested them.

“Wolf, Jackal – report!” Sargent Young ordered sharply once the video chat connected.

Jackal was chosen as the spokesperson for the two-unit leaders. Wolf was still steaming with rage and he didn’t trust himself not to speak impertinently to his Sargent. Jackal knew his fellow soldier enough to realise this and so spoke clearly and respectfully.   

“We have saved Cub and have rescued Mrs Jones the previous head of MI6 who went missing,” Jackal reported, giving a quick and accurate summary of the recent events.

The Sargent had expected several things but to hear that the missing ex-head of MI6 had never even passed his mind. Cub clearly had spotted something, a clue if you like, that meant the teenager had solved a year-long mystery. His estimation of Cub went up dramatically.  

“Great Scot!” The Sargent exclaimed in surprise. “Is that why Cub ran off? I’m afraid I misjudged him.”

Wolf sneered. He was angry. Angry at Mason hurting Cub, angry at himself for not seeing it and angry at Sargent Young for being too hard on an abused teenager. He’d had enough. If the Sargent had been a little more tolerant about Cub’s behaviour then maybe the teenager wouldn’t believe that he deserved Mason’s treatment as much as he did. He blamed himself, of course, but he also blamed the Sargent, and it was the Sargent that he would explode at. Superior or not.

“Yes, well that’s not the only thing that we misjudged!” Wolf snapped, his eyes glowing with fury. He felt Jackal elbow him in the side in a warning. Wolf knew exactly what the man was trying to do but at the moment Wolf did not care about his career.

“Explain Wolf and watch your tone!” The Sargent scolded with a fierce scowl on his face.

If Wolf was thinking clearly he would have to listen to the warning he was given and corrected his tone. But being scolded for being disrespectful only made him angrier. In the back of his mind, he knew that he was putting his foot in it, but he refused to listen to it. Cub had been beaten to hell and back and here Sargent was lecturing on his conduct.   

“Tone, sir?” Wolf asked before snorting. “There are more important things than tone!”

“Wolf!” Jackal warned sharply.

He shot Wolf a look stopping the man from speaking further before he put his career on the line. He could understand Wolf’s anger, but the man wouldn’t thank anyone or do anyone else any good if he got himself binned. He decided to try and save Wolf from that fate by addressing his superior and informing him, respectfully, of the situation.

“Please forgive us, sir, emotions are running high. We have just discovered that Agent Mason has been abusing Cub.”

Sargent who had been ready to bin Wolf there and then, snapped his attention to Jackal. He knew that Jackal was the more even headed of the two and was a better choice when attempting to get any kind of explanation out of them. He would deal with Wolf’s impertinence later, and if what Jackal had informed him was true, he would look on it with more leniency than he would otherwise.

“What? Is this some kind of joke Jackal?”

“I would not joke about a thing like this, sir. Agent Mason has been beating Cub as punishment,” Jackal spat the word Agent as if it were a swear word. Then, as if he expected the Sargent to question his wording, he added: “And please sir, understand that when I say he’s been beating the boy, it is by no means an exaggeration. Cub’s got some terrible welts across his back and palms. Snake says he’ll have those scars for life.”

“Abused, are we sure?” Sargent questioned rhetorically.

The Sargent had not been expecting a response, he was merely trying to sort of his thoughts. If Cub was left with welts then he had been abused. That was beyond any kind of punishment and while he privately thought that a good old fashioned smacked bottom was a good deterrent for poor behaviour, it was clear that what Cub suffered was far too severe to be justified by misbehaviour. He’d often believed that Cub could do with a spanking or two but refused to give him one. It went beyond his rights as the boy’s superior and would be inappropriate.

“Unless you are suggesting a child deserves to be beaten with a cane and belt then yes we are sure, sir,” Wolf growled.

Sargent Young unleashed his most steely glare on Wolf. While he could understand Wolf’s anger he would not stand for such disrespect. He had been far more lenient than he wanted but he was quickly losing his patience. He would have to rein Wolf in. He expected his soldiers to conduct themselves correctly and follow their code. Detachment from the rules and the system resulted in chaos and chaos was never helpful, least of all in a situation like this.  

“Be careful soldier!” The Sargent rebuked sharply and fixed him with an icy glare. “I did not mean it that way. I understand this information may be distressing so I have a little more tolerance for insolence, but you are rapidly running out of that leniency. Keep a civil tongue in your head Wolf or you’ll be on punishment duty for the foreseeable future. And the only thing keeping me from binning you is because I, myself, and angry at this revelation. Is that perfectly clear?”

Wolf ducked his head submissively, thoroughly chastised. The threat had snapped him out of his ire and while he was still angry, he managed to calm himself enough to realise that being impatient wouldn’t help anyone certainly not Cub and definitely not him. Wolf was ashamed of himself. He was usually very respectful when it came to addressing superiors. He was often considered a teacher’s pet for his strident following of the rules. He blushed with shame. When he spoke again his tone was a lot more respectful.

“Yes, sir. I apologise, sir.” Wolf replied contritely.

The Sargent nodded, seemingly accepting Wolf’s apologies. He made a mental note to discuss it further with the soldier when they returned. Wolf was a good leader but often his temper caused him to act or speak irrationally. He’d never spoken that way to him before and it had been the final straw. Wolf would have to overcome his temper or lose his position as unit leader. If that was the case then Snake may have to take up that role.

After a few seconds, Jackal looked between Wolf and Sargent Young cautiously. He did not want to interrupt his superior officer, but it seemed like the Sargent was done reprimanding Wolf. He waited a few more seconds before he spoke hesitantly.

“What shall we do, sir?” He asked. When the Sargent did not rebuke him for interrupting him, he spoke more confidentially. “If Blunt finds out about this I fear that he may try and prevent us arresting Mason. He might try and deal with Fox I mean Agent Daniels. He had a little discussion with the man.”

“What’s his condition, Jackal?” Sargent Young questioned urgently.

If Mason was badly injured he wouldn’t be complaining the man deserved it for abusing a child. It would however make everything more complicated. One thing that the Sargent had learnt in his years of military service was that no good ever came from making a situation more complicated than it needed to be.   

“He’ll live but he is a little bloody,” Jackal answered hoping that Fox wouldn’t face any repercussions for delivering what they all felt was well deserved.

“Good.” Sargent Young declared but it was so quiet that it could have been misheard. “Now, arrest him. I don’t give a damn what Mr Blunt says, he can’t protect a child abuser and If he tries I’ll inform the Prime Minister. He’s a father too so he’ll take a dim view of it.”

“Yes, sir.” Jackal and Wolf confirmed. They were both pleased that their superior officer seemed as eager as they were to ensure that Mason got what was coming to him. They hadn’t exactly doubted him, at his heart he was a good man, but they had been concerned that he’d reprimand them for not following proper procedure.

“Wolf?” The Sargent barked.

“Yes sir?” Wolf asked sightly nervously. He was concerned that the Sargent would discuss his previous insolence further and while he had to admit it would be expected and even deserved, that didn’t mean he was looking forward to it. But it seemed that Sargent was satisfied at leaving his reprimand and that, at least for now.  

“Keep me updated on Cub’s condition. Give Agent Daniels my regards and tell him that once Cub is settled I shall like to speak with both of them.” The Sargent ordered. He felt a little guilty about his own treatment of Cub and if there was anything the teenager needed, the Sargent wanted to know so that he could ensure that he got it. He just hoped the kid would be OK

“Yes, sir!” Wolf agreed respectfully.

“Dismissed!” The Sargent replied gruffly, swiftly ending the video chat.

Back at the Brecon Beacons, Sargent Young held his head in his hands and rubbed his face. He hadn’t treated Cub very well. He had thought that Cub was a troublesome and insolent teenager and that the reports of his misbehaviour only confirmed his suspicions. Now though, it was obvious that they were simple misunderstandings. What he had perceived as insolence was really an abused teenager trying to adapt to an unwelcoming environment. He’d respected Mason’s strictness but now he couldn’t hate him more for it. He didn’t punish Cub. He beat him.

Sargent Young remembered when Mason had given him full authority over Cub’s punishments. He’d assumed he meant assigning chores and hours of mess-duty. He hadn’t considered that he meant physical punishment. While he had often thought that Cub needed a good smack to straighten him out would have never actually done it. And now? Now he no longer thought that Cub deserved even that. That kind of thing was meant to be frowned upon. Corporal punishment was banned in the military any way and Cub was part of the SAS, whether it was right or not. Sargent Young would never raise a hand to his men and Cub was one of his men – or boy. He sighed. Cub was a kid and yet he would forevermore be one of his men.

Ben Daniels watched as Alex slept peacefully. He looked so much younger and vulnerable when he slept especially now that he was dressed in a gown and tucked under the pristine sheets of a hospital bed. After Wolf and Jackal had arrested Mason, the rest of the SAS had taken him away. Snake had then decided that it would be prudent to take Cub and Mrs Jones to the nearby military hospital just to be on the safe side. Ben had readily agreed and had actually been about to suggest it himself. So that’s how Ben came to be sitting at Alex’s beside as the boy slept having being administered a light sedative by a red-faced but kindly Matron.

He heard a noise coming from Alex’s bed and immediately his attention was on the bundle tucked snuggly in it. The sedative was a light one even for a teenager and Alex’s doctors were concerned that it might have some adverse effects on him. It was still a little too soon for Alex to wake up though and Ben relaxed when he saw that Alex adjusted his position but didn’t wake up. Ben was glad. The boy needed to sleep and according to his old unit-mates, he had been suffering from nightmares. The doctors said that Alex would be all right -physically at least but that he needed some rest before they were happy to discharge him. Bn didn’t mind. He was quite happy to listen to the doctor’s instructions. He had been there when Alex had fallen asleep, and he would be there when Alex awoke. His boy needed him.

A few hours later, Alex stirred slightly. Ben leapt from his chair and ran over to his side. He didn’t touch the boy, knowing that he would be nervous about physical contact, particularly when he woke up. Gradually, Alex sat up in his head and rubbed the flakes of sleep from his eyes. He sensed Ben’s presence at once and he flung his arms up protectively. He gave Ben a harsh shove and the man stumbled slightly. Alex’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw who it was. He looked embarrassed at his reaction and bit his lip guiltily. Ben knew he felt mortified at the thought of pushing him. There was no need, of course. Ben didn’t blame him.

Alex was ashamed of himself. He’d shoved the man who’d tried to help him. When he woke up and sense the presence of another man he hadn’t bothered to check who it was before he launched into his attack. He’d just assumed that it was an unknown threat. He’d hurt Ben! He’d surely hate him now. Alex ducked his head and waited for the reprimand and harsh backhand. He’d deserved it for stopping Mason from punishing him and protecting him from the man’s wrath. He’d even had Mason arrested and this was how he thanked him!

“I’m sorry, sir!” He apologised regretfully.

“Make no mention of it, Al. It wasn’t your fault you reacted that way. And it’s Ben, remember?” Ben corrected softly.

“Yes, Ben.” Alex agreed.

Ben pressed the call button so that the doctors were aware that Alex had awoken. They soon arrived and gave Alex another examination. Ben listened to them assess Alex and reassure them both that with time and rest, the teenager would be physically fine. Whether he would be all right mentally remained to be seen. He could do with some therapy but that could wait until Alex was more settled. They had more important things to sort out first. Phase Two of Operation Help Alex, for instance.

“Ben?” Alex asked hesitantly once the doctors had left.

“Yes?” Ben prompted, softly. Alex wasn’t used to asking for things and Ben was eager to encourage whenever the teenager tried to request something.

“Can we see Mrs Jones?” Alex questioned.

Ben sighed. He was in two minds. While he didn’t want Alex to be discouraged by refusing his wish, Ben wasn’t sure that seeing Mrs Jones would do him any good. He needed to rest and going off to see another patient was not conclusive to rest. But if Alex was concerned about Mrs Jones he wouldn’t be able to rest anyway. If the visit eased his concerns it would do him good but equally, it made them worse – it would have the opposite effect. Then, again, did need to see Mrs Jones at some point and if it was at Alex’s suggestion then the visit – and the subjects that would need to be discovered might be easier on him.

Alex realised that Ben was having an internal dilemma. He wasn’t supposed to ask for things and he certainly wasn’t supposed to speak out on tone. If he did ask for something he was supposed to wait respectfully for his reply. But he needed to see Mrs Jones. He needed to check that she was all right. So, risking punishment from Ben, he spoke once more.

“Please, sir!” He begged, using the honorific too scared to use Ben’s name. “Please let me see her! I’ll do anything! You can wallop me for my cheek but please let me see her!”

“I shall not wallop you! Never!” Ben refuted. Hearing the urgency in Alex’s response made up his mind. “All right, Alex, we’ll go and see her, but you must sit in a wheelchair.”

Ben had expected Alex to argue. He probably would have when he was Alex’s age. He had been prepared to defend his choice and stick to his word but there had been no need of it. Alex had been abused. A few seconds ago, he offered to let Ben clout to him because he learnt to expect it. He had been beaten into submission of course he hadn’t argued.

“Yes, sir!” Alex replied respectfully. All he had to do was sit in a wheelchair and he wasn’t getting walloped? Well, that was a choice easy to make!

Ben decided not to correct Alex again. He didn’t like it, but he had a feeling that the content correction would only seek to make Alex more nervous around him. Maybe he would start expecting some sort of punishment for forgetting to address him by his name. Ben would never punish him for that, and he would certainly never raise a hand to him.

Alex allowed himself to be placed in a wheelchair and wheeled down the corridor to Mrs Jones’ room. Upon reaching it, they saw that Mrs Jones was sat up and doing a crossword. After a quick injury to her condition, both Ben and Alex were relieved to find out that other than being dehydrated and suffering a vitamin deficiency, Mrs Jones was all right.

“Alex! I’m so glad you’re all right.” Mrs Jones said when she saw her young visitor.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Mrs Jones frowned. He understood, now, why Alex’s behaviour had changed so drastically. Mason had been abusing. It was funny. She had never met the man but as soon as Alex mentioned him she distrusted him. His name was familiar somehow, but she couldn’t think how.

“I heard what happened with Mason. Don’t worry about him, Alec, he’ll not hurt you again. I will see to that.” She assured him. She hadn’t been able to protect him before but now that would change. She would do what was needed.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Alex thanked her respectfully. “I am glad you are all right too, ma’am.”

“No need for all that,” Mrs Jones shook her head. “You more than anyone earned to right to call me Tulip.”

It was clear that Alex was not going to call her Tulip any time soon. It was a mixture of fear beaten into him by Mason and a dislike of the women that stopped him from addressing her by her name. He’d been conditioned to address superiors respectfully and now considered all adults to be his superiors. His response was, therefore, not in the least bit surprising.

“Yes, ma’am.” He murmured not daring to address the women by name. That would be insolent, and insolence was unacceptable.

“You owe Alex a great dept.” Ben declared, sharply; unlike Alex, he did not care that he was addressing a superior. “And if you have any degree of decency you’ll repay that debt by doing Alex two favours.”

“Of course, I’ll do anything.” Mrs Jones answered. She spoke with such resonance that Ben believed her at once and almost regrated speaking so harshly – almost.

“One. You will no longer use Alex. He is a teenager, not an agent. He will not be used by you or Blunt or anyone else any further! Is that clear?” Ben demanded. This was one thing he would not budge on. He dared Mrs Jones to argue by fixing her with a stony glare. It was unnecessary.

“Yes. I’ll make sure of it!” Mrs Jones promised. She was going to that anyway. Alex deserved to be a teenager and not a tool for someone’s gain. “What is the second thing?”

“You will get Alex away from Mason and arrange for a new guardian,” Ben ordered.

Mrs Jones looked at Ben in surprise. No surprise what requested – no she had expected that much. What surprised her is the way Ben requested it. His voice held such authority that Mrs Jones realised that it wasn’t a request. It was an order from a high-ranking officer. Mmm. Interesting. When did Ben develop such an air of authority?

“Done.” She agreed and made no mention of her surprise regarding Ben’s manner. “Who shall be his new guardian?”

Ben looked down at Alex for a few seconds. He guessed he should have spoken with the boy before starting this conversation. He had a proposal but that was all it was – a proposal. He wanted to demand it but after everything that happened to Alex, he deserved a say in what happened to him. Alex needed that freedom. Ben had his own plan, but he could not and would not force him to go along with it.

“That hasn’t been decided, just yet,” Ben admitted. “If you give us a second.”

Before Mrs Jones could respond, Ben wheeled Alex off to a nearby alcove and kept his voice low. He would take this time to speak with Alex and ask his opinion. He would see to it that Alex got to a say in his own life for once.  

“Do you understand what happened?” He began, to ensure that Alex had followed the flow of the conversation. Ben felt sure he had but it was better to check. His father had always told them to assume is to make an ass out of you and me.

“I think so, sir. Mrs Jones says she’s going to remove me from Mason’s guardianship and make sure I don’t have to work for MI6.” Alex replied slightly hesitantly as if he was worried it had been a trick question.

“Yes,” Ben confirmed with a nod of his head.

“So, what happens to me now?” Alex questioned, concern flurrying his expression.

“Well, there’s two options.” Ben began and took a breath. Here goes nothing. “I’m going to tell you them and you can choose which one you prefer.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ben took another breath. He felt really nervous. He wanted to do what was best for Alex but what if that wasn’t him? What if it was best that Alex never saw him again? Hell, what if Alex didn’t want to see him again? It would be hard, but he would do it. If that was what was best.

“Option One, we arrange for you to be taken into the care of the local authority. Mrs Jones and I will ensure that you are placed with good people. I will, personally, check up on you and keep in contact to see how you are doing and making sure you are well treated. Your new guardians will have to accept these terms or will not be given guardianship over you.”

Alex didn’t like that option. Ben and Mrs Jones might be able to find someone who cared for him, but they would still be strangers. He didn’t think he liked the idea of living with strangers who didn’t know a damn thing about him. They would think he was a helpless and abused child. He was not a helpless and abused child. Mason had been strict, and he was glad to see to the back of him, but he did not want to be treated like a victim. That was not him.

“What’s the second option?” Alex questioned when it was clear that Ben was waiting for him to consider the first choice.

“Before I tell you the second option I want you to choose what is best for you. I shall not be offended.”

Alex didn’t understand why Ben had prefaced the second option with that. Why was Ben worried about that? Surely he would be gone soon? Alex was no longer part of MI6 he wouldn’t see Ben again is that what Ben was worried about? Did he worry that Alex hated him for not wanting him around? Alex understood! He could never hate Ben. Still, he had been asked a question and thus required a verbal response.

“Yes, sir.” He answered in a confused tone.

Ben took another deep breath. This was it. It was now or never. He wouldn’t blame Alex or be offended if he refused him, but he did so hope that he wouldn’t. It would be like a dagger to his heart, but he would accept but Alex was the priority here and always would be.

“The second option is this: I will become your guardian. You will come and live with me and I shall be the one who looks after you.”

What? Alex hadn’t been expecting that! Did Ben want him? He wanted Alex to come and live with him? But why? Why would someone like Ben want someone like him? For Alex, it was a brainer. The first option wasn’t pleasant. The strangers wouldn’t know what he had archived and would treat him like a helpless invalid. And no matter how hard Mrs Jones and Ben checked, nothing was guaranteed in life. They might be worse than Mason. Just perish the thought.

Ben knew he was useless. At least Alex hoped that he did. Ben hadn’t walloped him earlier. In fact, he hadn’t smacked him once though Alex knew he’d earned a good beating on more than one occasion. Alex knew what the answer was immediate. He would prove to Ben that he was worthy of his approval. He would show him that he would be obedient and wouldn’t be a burden. He wouldn’t have to clout him often.

The answer was obvious. The thought of staying with Ben filled him with glee even if it meant he’d wallop him when he crossed the line. He liked Ben. He was nice to him even when he had been that insolent brat back when they first bet. He saved his life on missions even though he’s been very bad back then. He was better behaved now but, still, his patience for his behaviour meant a lot. He trusted Ben.

“The second option please!” Alex replied eagerly.

Ben’s heart leapt. Alex wanted him! He wanted Ben to be his guardian. He trusted him with that. His Cub wanted to live with him, and Ben couldn’t be happier! But wait! What if he was just saying that because he didn’t want to hurt Ben’s feelings? Ben wouldn’t put it past his Cub to do that. He was a good kid with a heart of gold. No. Ben needed to make sure. He couldn’t let his own feelings get in the way of Alex’s needs.

“Are you sure? You aren’t just saying that because I am the one suggesting it? You don’t have to choose right, now you can have time to think it over.”

“No, sir. I want to live with you.” Alex assured him and Ben smiled. Not even the teenager’s repeated use of the word sir could stop him from feeling as warm as he did in the present moment. He walked back over to Mrs Jones, wheeling Alex back over to her as he did so.

“Mrs Jones. It has been decided who will be Alex’s new guardian.” Ben informed her.

“OK. Who?” Mrs Jones inquired. She suspected that she knew who Alex’s new guardian would be. If her suspicions her correct then he agreed fully with the proposition.

“Me.” Ben declared confidently with a smile on his face. Alex was going to be his ward. It was most exciting!

Mrs Jones chuckled to herself and beamed. She wasn’t losing her touch. She had been correct in guessing who Alex’s new guardian was. She was glad that Ben had put himself forward. Anyone with half a brain could realise that Ben cared for Alex and equally that Alex cared for Ben. The two were very good for each other and Mrs Jones did not doubt that in Ben’s hands Alex would be all right once again.  

“What?” Ben asked. He wanted to know what Mrs Jones found amusing. Did she think that Ben would be an unfit guardian? He hoped not!

“Oh, nothing. I just expected that.” Mrs Jones smiled. “Of course, your wish shall be granted.”

Just then there was a knock on the door. It was Crawley. The man saw Alex and Ben but ignored them and headed straight to Mrs Jones.

“Oh. Tulip!” He cried, happily. “Darling! You are all right!”

Crawley approached her with un-Crawley like friendliness and vigour. The smile plastered across his face looked so out of place on Crawley’s features that Alex gave it a double-take. He never expected Crawley to look like that. The man was usually quite serious and seeing him almost dance with joy was surprising.  

“John!” Mrs Jones cried equally happy. “Am I glad to see you!”

Mr Crawley and Mrs Jones hugged. Ben suddenly felt like they were encroaching on an extremely private and intimate moment. He put his foot under the break of the wheelchair and flicked it upwards. Then he learnt down towards Alex and put his head near his ear. He spoke in a quiet tone.   

“I think that’s our cue, Alex.” Ben declared a knowing smile on his face.

Alex nodded. He too felt rather uncomfortable at watching Mrs Jones and Mr Crawley be reunited. It was clear the two loved each other and it seemed the two of them had suddenly realised that too. It was amazing what being kidnapped and being missing for a year made things clearer for all parties concerned.

“Of course, sir,” He agreed politely. Even if he didn’t agree with Ben, he wasn’t going to argue with him. He didn’t want Ben to change his mind and decide that he was more trouble than he was worth. He had to be a good boy or Ben might decide to kick him out and leave him to the mercy of foster care. It wouldn’t be the first time an adult abandoned him, after all.

Ben frowned at the address but didn’t say anything. He took Alex back to his room. There would be ample time to help Alex and get him to be more comfortable with him. Ben was glad that Alex agreed to be his ward. It tickled him pink to think he’d earned that privilege. The warm feeling that it caused was something he never wanted to go away. He would do whatever ever he could to live up to those expectations. Phase Two of Operation Help Alex was complete.  

Chapter 34: Epitome's Discovery

Chapter Text

Back in London, a man was working on a USB. It was encrypted but that did not trouble him. He was well skilled and was once one of the most notorious hackers. His code name had been Epitome and at one time had been responsible for hacking into some of Britain’s most secure networks. Now though, he worked for the British government and it was thanks to him that many of the world’s most wanted and dangerous criminals were brought to justice. Epitome’s real name was Arlo Quintin and for those who knew him enough to know this, would know that he was a dangerous man if they ever crossed him.

Arlo did not trust many people. He had learnt that it was human nature to be selfish. Threats and ulterior motives had paved his path to MI6 and did not fully trust the organisation. He had long since given up sorting the ‘bad’ from the good side. In reality, his job was a spectrum of grey. No. Arlo was not naïve enough to believe that working on the side of the government meant he was on the side of the light. It did however mean that he was reasonably safe and had a chance to do a lot of good even if he had to go beyond the call of duty.

There was one man that Arlo did trust completely. The man had saved his life on no less than fifteen separate occasions and had been the reason he’d avoided spending the rest of his life in a black hole in some unknown location. He’d been too arrogant and made a mistake that would have cost him not only his freedom but his livelihood. Crawley has swopped in and saved in. He’d been sceptical of the agreement and the man at first, but he had agreed simply because he hadn’t had much choice. As the years passed, it had turned out to be the best choice he could have made. He owed Crawley a life debt and would help him however he could providing it didn’t go against his own morals. That was why he was the one trying to decrypt the USB stick. He was well skilled and just like Arlo trusted Crawley, he trusted Arlo.

Arlo sipped his drink. His favourite drink was Dr Pepper, and his office bin was full of crushed cans. He had a well-stocked fridge which was locked by a biometric scanner. If he was asked it was to ensure that no one tampered with his drinks – it wouldn’t do it the MI6’s most important technical analyst was poisoned. The real reason was so that no one drank them. He’d caught one of the other analysts drinking one of his cans once and his superior did not think the theft was important enough to do anything about. Arlo cracked his knuckles; he was nearly done.

A little while later, Arlo clapped his hands in accomplishment. It had taken him a little longer than he had expected. Whoever encrypted it knew what they were doing but he still had been no match for Arlo! The man smiled to himself, but the smirk was wiped off his face when he began reading the contents. This was not good. This would change everything. It could threaten MI6 and even the security of the county he had sworn to protect. Arlo always knew that man couldn’t be trusted. People laughed at him and said he was paranoid. Well, they wouldn’t be laughing now – would they?

Arlo was smart. He knew he had to protect this information. He didn’t have any reason to suspect he was in danger, but it would be stupid to take any chances. Making sure that his office was protected from eavesdroppers and that his door was locked, Arlo sent an encrypted email to Crawley, attaching the contents of the USB stick. Crawley would be able to decrypt it. Arlo had created some software that meant only the two of them could de-code correspondence between them. Once it was sent he reached towards his phone (a secure line, of course) and dialled the number.

“Crawley.” His voice sounded.

Arlo noticed that Crawley’s voice was urgent. He’d answered on the first ring, so he had clearly been waiting for his call. He frowned; the matter was urgent – yes but it did not mean they could lose all sense of procedure.

“John, this is Arlo. What does the key unlock?” He asked. If Crawley wasn’t going to ask the coded question then he would.

“The Hanging Garden of Babylon.” Came the clipped reply.

“I have sent you the contents of that USB stick. Have you got it?” Arlo questioned.

“One second.” There was a second a few tapping of keys and Arlo waited for Crawley to read it. It didn’t take him long to skim the de-crypt USB. “Arlo, is this credible?”

“Yes. That is my professional opinion.”

“In which case, we have a problem,” Crawley stated. He trusted Arlo’s judgement, if he considered the information in front of him was credible then he believed it. But that didn’t change matters.

“That,” He Arlo declared dramatically. “Is the understatement of the century. What are we to do?”

The was a brief silence as Crawley considered this. Arlo began tapping his fingers against his desk impatiently. He was tingling with excitement and wanted to get to work sorting out their ‘problem’ perhaps it was why Crawley was the one that was in charge of their relationship.

“First I will talk to Tuli- Mrs Jones.” Crawley decided. “You will stay there and wait for my instructions. Don’t draw attention to yourself and for heaven’s sake don’t tell anyone, anything. Report only to me.”

He didn’t like that. Leaving John to sort this out? He could be in great danger and anyway he’d been betrayed too! He wanted to help deal with the man who had betrayed him! No one doubled crossed Arlo Quintin and got away with it. He would show the bastard why he was considered a dangerous man all right. He would make the man regret crossing them all.

“John, I really think…” Arlo began.

“Please, Arlo, do as I say. This is a dangerous game, and I don’t want you to get too far involved. It’s too risky. I will call you just, be careful and wait for my instructions. Please.”

Arlo scowled. He didn’t like it, but he trusted Crawley. If John wanted him to leave matters to him until he had a better handle on the situation then that is what he would do. It wasn’t what he wanted, but he would do it. Maybe, he could take out his own revenge later. He was very good at delivering revenge.

“All right, John. However, you want to play it. Take care of yourself and remember…” Arlo trailed off and waited for John to complete the phrase. It was a little tradition they had between them.

“The wind blows the hardest when there’s a storm.” Crawley finished and hung up.  

Crawley sat back in his chair. The office he had been temporarily given by the hospital’s matron was secure thanks to it being a military hospital. He sighed to himself before pocketing the USB stick he had transferred the information onto before he went off in search of Mrs Jones’ room. Ideally, he would wait until the woman was recovered but this couldn’t wait. Still, at least the hospital rooms were well protected. It would mean they could discuss matters without the threat of being overheard. Thankfully, Tulip would be discharged soon. She would have to live with him for the time being at any rate. John smiled at that. Tulip in would know what to do. She was clever. He didn’t understand why he hadn’t seen how special she was before. He was stupid he supposed, but no longer. Tulip was a very special woman.

Ben closed with his book with a sigh. Alex was asleep again and despite Matron’s attempts to get him to go back to the hotel room he’d booked himself into, if only for an hour or two to freshen up, he had refused to leave his Cub. The book wasn’t really a good one and Ben hadn’t really been reading it. It had come from the waiting room and Ben had picked it up to occupy his mind while his charge slept. He’d tried for three-quarters of an hour before he gave it up as a bad job and replaced the book on a nearby table. He stood and went off to the en-suite bathroom to go to the toilet. He was just washing his hands when his secure line rang. The sound of the taps drowned it out and he had to turn them off to hear it clearly.

Ben cursed quietly. His orders had been clear – he was not be disturbed. He was supposed to be off duty. Unfortunately, as Ben knew, there was no such thing as off-duty when it came to MI6. One only achieved tranquillity when one retired and even it wasn’t guaranteed for life. Still, considering the situation Ben would have liked to have thought he would be left alone at least until Alex was discharged. Thinking of Alex, Ben hoped that the phone hadn’t woken him up though since Ben had to turn the taps off to hear it, he doubted it.  Ducking his head around the bathroom door to check that Alex was asleep and finding that he was still peaceful, answered the phone. He wondered what the hell it was all about.

“This had better be important!” He answered the phone, gruffly.

“Believe me, it is.” Came the amused voice of Mrs Jones. Ben blushed slightly feeling a little guilty at his greeting.

“Mrs Jones, I’m sorry.” Ben apologised, realising that it must have been important for Mrs Jones to contact him directly.

“I understand. Now, take the chip off your shoulder and listen to what I have to say.” Mrs Jones rebuked softly. Then, after asking the security question and getting the appropriate response, spun a very interesting tale.

As Mrs Jones explained what it was all about, Ben kept an eye on Alex, watching him sleep. He kept his voice low but as it was a fairly one-sided conversation there wasn’t much chance of waking the slumbering child. The more he heard about it the more he felt a mixture of worry and happiness for him. At last, Mrs Jones had finished explaining and Ben hung up. The whole conversation hadn’t taken more than a few minutes but seemed longer. Luckily, the situation that Mrs Jones reported did not require his intervention but considering whom it involved, she had felt it pertinent to update him personally. Ben agreed with her and once Alex awoke he’d inform him too. He deserved more to know about it more than anyone.

It had been around lunchtime before Alex awoke. A tray had been brought in by a nurse. He was called Adrian but insisted, for some reason unknown to either Ben or Alex but also much their united amusement to be called ‘Dash’. Ben suspected that there was some tale behind the peculiar nickname but neither he nor Alex felt it was appropriate to ask.

Lunch was fresh peppered salmon filet, buttered new potatoes and steamed mixed vegetables. There was treacle tart and custard for pudding and apple juice to wash it all down. Ben had to admit it looked tasty. Alex had welcomed the meal readily and with the eagerness of a teenager with a healthy appetite. Ben was pleased to see it. He had been worried that after everything Alex had been through, he wouldn’t eat much. The day before he’d pushed the food around his plate with his fork and hadn’t eaten much. This time though, he perked up at the sight of his food tray and smiled as it was placed down in front of him.

Alex looked down at the meal before looking up at Ben as if waiting for permission. Ben gave it though of course, it wasn’t necessary, and Alex promptly began shovelling the food into his mouth with such a speed that his movements merged together. It was hard to tell if he was eating his meal or really inhaling it. Scared that the boy would choke, he stepped forward and placed a hand on top of his. Alex ducked his head, waiting to be chastised but Ben merely advised that he slowed down. Alex nodded and once Ben stepped away, resumed eating – this time at a much more reasonable pace.  

“Well,” Ben declared when Alex had finished. “You polished that off. I take you were hungry?”

“Yes, sir,” Alex answered. “I’m sorry for my previous table manners, sir.”

“You don’t have to apologise, Alex. I was just concerned that you might choke. You eating so quickly. And remember, you can call me Ben.

“Sorry, Ben,” Alex whispered, to use to apologising for everything to break the habit. “Sometimes Agent Mason would take my food away as punishment if I upset him, so I learnt to eat quickly.”

“Well, you don’t need to worry about that. I shall never do that. You can always eat as much as you need,” Ben reassured gently though inside he was both angry and pleased. Angry at Mason for treated Alex so badly and pleased because Alex had felt it comfortable enough to share something with him.  

“Thank you, sir, er Ben!” Alex beamed.

Ben frowned, not at Alex’s use of the word sir but at Alex’s manner of speaking. He did not like how grateful Alex seemed for his reassurance. One would be forgiven for thinking he’d been granted his greatest wish and not that he had informed that his basic needs of life would be met. It could wait. Ben needed to talk to Alex and inform him about Mrs Jones’ message.

“Alex, I need to talk to you,” Ben told the boy once his tray had been taken away.

Alex looked at him in panic and Ben realised that he thought he was in trouble. He cursed Blunt for the thousandth time. He shouldn’t assume that he was in trouble just because Ben needed to speak with him, and he certainly shouldn’t look that scared at the mere thought of a discussion. Before Alex would collapse into a flurry of apologises for a non-exciting offence thus upsetting himself further, Ben spoke again, softly.

“Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. I’m not telling you off or anything.”

“H-h-have you c-c-changed your m-m-mind, sir?” Alex asked hesitantly and giving Ben a hopeful look.

“Changed my mind?” Ben questioned before realisation dawned on him. “Oh god no. No, Alex. I’m not going to change my mind, Alex, I promise you! Have you?”

Alex shook his head vigorously. Changed his mind? Of course, he hadn’t changed his mind! He had first assumed that he was in trouble and that Ben was going to punish him. He wasn’t sure how though. There weren’t any implements to hit him with and they were not wearing belts. That left Ben’s hand, but he said he wouldn’t smack him. Then when Ben said he wasn’t in trouble, a new horror dawned on him. Now Alex was confused. If Ben wasn’t going to yell at and punish him and he wasn’t about to abandon him, what possible reason could Ben have to speak to him? Mason only spoke with him when he needed to deal with his behaviour or to give him orders. Was that it? Was Ben going to give him orders? If so, Alex would have to listen politely and agree. After all, It was unacceptable to be disobedient and disrespectful.

“I’ve been speaking with Mrs Jones; don’t worry she’s not enlisting you. I wouldn’t let her if she tried,” Ben stopped just long enough to give Alex a reassuring glance, having guessed the boy would leap to that conclusion. “It’s about that USB stick, you know the one that you found on that barge.

“Yes, sir.” Alex affirmed, “I mean, Ben.”

Actually, he had forgotten all about the USB stick. With everything that had happened since then, his discovery hadn’t been on his mind. Now that he had been reminded of its existence, he kicked himself for forgetting about it. Ben had picked it up before they’d had left the barge and he’d in turn, given it to Mrs Jones though Alex hadn’t known that.

“I gave it to Mrs Jones, and she set Crawley off to work on it. A young chap, I don’t know his name, but he’s a technical analyst for MI6 and is Crawley’s most trusted man. Anyway, it turns out that that USB stick was quite fruitful in the question for information.” Ben informed him. He stopped and considered Alex. He needed to know this but was worried that the news might distress him.

“Please, sir, what was on the USB stick?” Alex questioned urgently and Ben decided not to correct his address.

“Evidence,” Ben answered, edging slightly closer to Alex impressing both the need for discretion and his eagerness to protect the boy. “Evidence that links Agent Mason to the leak Mrs Jones had previously investigated.”

“The leak? The one that passed confidential information to Octavian Patel?” Alex asked with a curious expression on his face.

“Yes! How did you know about that?” Ben asked, not expecting Alex to have that information.

“I didn’t know, I just guessed,” Alex explained, with a slight shrug. He wasn’t quite so sure when he’d asked the question but now he saw he was right. “Back when we were on the barge, Mrs Jones mentioned that she suspected he was being passed confidential information.”

Ben smiled. Alex never ceased to amaze him. He was as sharp as they came. Alex had been through a lot since the off-handed comment Mrs Jones had made and yet as soon as Ben had mentioned it, his brain had immediately made the connection. He would be a good detective.

“Well, she was right. Whether Mason was linked to her disappearance is unclear, at least from an evidence point of view. If only Octavian was still alive, we could get him to talk.” Ben paused. “You know that he was also called Spider?”

“Mrs Jones told me.” Alex nodded. “And I’m pretty sure Mason is connected though I don’t think he’s the man behind it all, sir. Those agents, tell told me we haven’t meant the main man.”

“So, I hear,” Ben agreed. “We haven’t got Agents Müller and Schmidt, but they won’t be able to stay hidden for long. We’ll get them and when we do, I’d like to have a word with them.”

“Why, sir? Do you think they can connect Agent Mason to them?”

Ben thought about that. While it was true that the German agents might be able to tell them how Mason was connected to their ploy, that wasn’t why he wanted to speak with them. As a matter of fact, it hadn’t even occurred to him that they might be useful in terms of gaining information.  

“I’m not sure, but that’s not why I want to talk with them. They slapped and hurt you.” Ben replied. “They have to pay for that.”

Alex was a little surprised at this. They’d only slapped him. He hadn’t been hurt that badly. Ben was acting like slapping him was a cardinal offence. But it wasn’t like they were the only ones that did that. Lots of people smacked him. He tried to be good, but he often needed to be punished. Even Blunt had backhanded him a few times. Would Ben go after him too? Alex doubted he could take on the head of MI6.

“Are you going to talk with everyone who punished me, sir?” Alex questioned lusciously.

That list was endless. Ben would go after all of them? Why? He had been bad and when you were bad you got punished. Now that Ben was his guardian Ben would have done that too though he wasn’t looking forward to being punished by Ben. He’d managed to escape it thus far.  

“I’m going to talk with whoever hurt you.” Ben corrected.

“There’s a big list.” Alex pointed out. And it was. Even he couldn’t tell Ben all the people that had hurt him. Most of them were dead though.

Alex hoped Ben wasn’t serious about ‘talking’ with whoever hurt him. He thought of Wolf and the time he’d grabbed his arm. The man had left a bruise that had now healed. Wolf had been very apologetic which he’d found unnecessary. It has been his own fault for being insolent and had been lucky his punishment hadn’t been worse. Hopefully Ben would understand it had been a well-earnt punishment. If not. Well, Alex wouldn’t like to be in Wolf shoes when Ben found out.

“Too big,” Ben murmured to himself. He had a sad look in his eye as he considered just how much he had been hurt. What was worse was that Alex seemed to fully believe that he had deserved it. If Ben ever agreed with corporal punishment, Alex’s case would surely change his mind. The temperature in the room went down a notch and Ben realised he hadn’t got the most important part of the conversation.   

Ben cleared his throat and spoke again. “Mrs Jones sends her regards and her congratulations. With the evidence behind his abuse of you and the USB that you discovered, there is plenty of evidence to have him sent to prison. Mason will be charged with child abuse and treason. He’ll be lucky to see the light of day.”

“Oh,” Alex mumbled, not quite sure what to say.

He felt a little guilty. If he hadn’t been an insolent brat then Agent Mason wouldn’t have needed to be quite strict. When he considered his behaviour at the graveyard he was ashamed. He’d deserved that slap and the belting that followed it. He should have been more respectful. Grief did not excuse insolence nothing excused insolence.

“It’s no less than what he deserves.” Ben asserted, guessing what the boy was thinking. “I may be able to forgive treason – sometimes it necessary to do what’s right. But child abuse? I cannot condone that practically when that child is you, Alex.”

Alex did not correct Ben. The man seemed angry when he tried to get him to understand that he wasn’t abused. He was happy though. Mason would be sent to prison. He would not try and step in the way of this. Yes, it was true Mason was innocent of child abuse- he was just strict, but he had commit treason. Trying to get people to understand that he had earned the punishment he had given Alex, may cause Mason to get off his charges of treason. Still, he was glad that Mason would be gone.

Ben wouldn’t be as strict as Mason. He said that he wouldn’t hit him, but once Ben was the official guardian that would change. Alex would anger him at some point. He tried not to cross the line, but he always did. And that was when whomever he angered would smack him. He did not doubt that once Ben realised how bad and insolent he was, he would change his stance regarding corporal punishment. Still, a spanking or a backhand was better than a belt and Alex didn’t think that Ben would belt him unless he was really bad.

“He’s going to prison? He’s gone, sir?” Alex questioned, biting his lip in nervousness.

“He’s gone, Alex. He won’t hurt you again.” Ben reassured. Then, answering Alex’s unspoken question and insecurity, he added with a certain and confident tone: “You’re safe.”

I’ll believe that when I see it. Alex thought. Yes, he trusted Ben. He trusted him more than he trusted anyone else. But Alex had learnt long ago that trust sometimes did not play into it. Sometimes there were things that were beyond anyone’s control. This was one such occasion. Alex just hoped that his Luck of the Devil would not abandon him like it sometimes did.

Chapter 35: Moving In

Chapter Text

Alex was discharged from the hospital the following morning. Mrs Jones told Ben that she had transferred Alex’s legal guardianship to him. Once he has signed the required documents and dealt with Alex’s doctors, the two were free to leave the hospital and go home. So, Ben led Alex to his car and began the drive back to their residence.

Ben lived in Chelsea, not far from where Alex used to live with his uncle. The car stopped outside it when the traffic lights turned red. The teenager glanced at his old home. He had been left abandoned since Jack’s death and the For Sale sign that hung outside filled him with rage. The house was not theirs to sell. After his uncle’s death, the deeds to the house had been left to him. Of course, he was not yet a legal adult and would not fully inherit the house until his 18th birthday. That did not mean they were allowed to sell it on his behalf.

“You aren’t 18 and until then you do not legally own it,” Ben explained. “However, the house will remain in holding until your 18th birthday. As your legal guardian, I am responsible for the property.”

“Yes, sir.” Alex agreed.

He didn’t want the house to be sold but he didn’t want to live in it. But it wasn’t up to him. As his guardian, Ben could do whatever he pleased. He had full power over him and while he didn’t think Ben would be as strict as Mason, he still felt a little uneasy at the prospect of someone having that power over him, even when he trusted that person.  

Ben frowned. Since it had been decided that he was going to be Alex’s new guardian, and in particular since it had been officially announced, Alex had been on edge. He kept addressing Ben as sir and the little progress he had made on the score seemed to have been reset. And now, he had accepted Ben’s control too easily. He would have expected him to protest but he didn’t. Ben realised that Alex was worried and even scared, that he would anger him if he didn’t fully comply with everything he had said.

“The law is still on your side though.” Ben reminded him. He did not know much about this but had been told enough to guarantee that. “You are to be consulted when it comes to decisions made about the property and I, of course, will not do anything without your permission. I’m not sure what your exact rights are so we will start looking for a lawyer. We’ll find someone right for you.”

Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last time, Ben felt angry at MI6 and their treatment over Alex. He should have been consulted before anything happened to that house. It was left to him and although he was a minor, it was not right from both a moral and legal standpoint, to take control of the house without considering him. Alex had been nearly 14 when his uncle died. That was old enough to be consulted at least and certainly if he had been considered old enough to complete dangerous missions for his country.

Alex's eyes flashed to the For Sale sign again. Ben knew at once what was on his mind and took his eyes off the road just long enough to give him a reassuring smile. A few seconds later, the lights changed, and Ben adjusted his gears to account for it before edging the car forward.

“I know what you’re thinking. If I won’t do anything with consulting you then why is the house being sold? Do not worry. That’s not my doing and unless you say otherwise that sign will be coming down this afternoon.” Ben explained.

“Thank you, sir!” Alex replied respectfully.

Again, Ben exceeded his expectations. He felt a little guilty at assuming that Ben would sell his house without his permission. Ben was a good person. Ben seemed to want to do right by him and Alex briefly wondered if Ben was lulling him into a full sense of security. Once his shields were down, Ben might strike. That would cause to most destruction. He couldn’t be too trusting – not just yet. He remembered a lesson from his uncle a few years ago. He had been 8 years old.

“Are you lost, sweetie?” A friendly and feminine voice asked him.

Alex looked in the direction that it came from. His uncle had taken him to town and had decided to play hide and seek. Ian would be around somewhere, and he had to try and find him. He liked playing hide and seek, but he wasn’t liking this game. The rules had been clear – don’t talk to strangers. But at school, they had taught him to find a policeman if he was lost. Jack told him that, failing that, he should find a woman with kids and ask for help. Oh, Jack. He missed her. She was on holiday with her sister in France though and wouldn’t be back until next week. The person he had spoken to him had been a woman and she had two children with her – one in a pram. Maybe it was all right to ask for help?

“I’m lost. I can’t find my uncle Ian.” Alex explained, slightly scared. He resented being called ‘sweetie’ but didn’t say anything about it. He didn’t want to be rude.

“Oh dear, well come, stay with me and we’ll find a policeman. There’s usually one near the park.” The women suggested. She guided him to stand next to the pram.

They began walking towards the park and Alex hoped that Ian wouldn’t be in trouble for getting him getting lost. Just as they started heading down the path a shout made Alex turned around. He saw his uncle coming running towards him and he looked very angry. Oh, dear.

“Alexander!” Ian snapped.

Oh, dear. He was in lots of trouble. Maybe, Ian would shout at him. He did when got like that. Alex didn’t like it when Ian shouted at him. It hurt his feeling and made him cry. Ian didn’t like it when he cried after being told off. His uncle would only scold him further and be disappointed that he didn’t listen to his lessons regarding emotions. If he showed someone that something bothered him they could hurt him even more.

“Ian!” Alex greeted, his relief over being found meaning that didn’t show his fear.

The woman realised that the two knew each other and left with her children. She gave his uncle a disapproving look though Alex wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because Ian snapped at him. But he’d been naughty! Ian took hold of his arm and pulled him away. His grip wasn’t harsh, but he walked quickly, and Alex had to run to keep up. When they got home, Ian turned to him.

“Go to your room, Alex. I told you not to speak to anyone and you disobeyed me! I am very disappointed.”

Alex trudged up the stairs. He hated disappointing his Uncle and being sent to his room. He didn’t want to make Ian angry at him but had. A few hours later, his uncle came to see him, and Alex flung himself at Ian.

“I’m sorry I disappointed you and that I was naughty.” Alex sobbed.

Ian patted his head and stroked his back. After hugging him for a few seconds, he crouched down to Alex’s eye level and looked at his nephew. His expression wasn’t angry and he

“I’m am sorry I shouted at you, Alex.” Ian began. “I was just worried because you ignored my safety rules. You can’t trust a stranger like that. You must never trust someone too much.”

“But I trust you, Ian!”

“And I am glad. But you can’t trust everyone in this world. Sometimes people look innocent, but they may harm you. You don’t have to worry when I’m there, I can protect you if anyone tries to hurt you.”

Alex nodded. He understood. They told him about stranger danger at school. Ian seemed to be more worried about strangers than most but maybe that was because his parents died, and Ian knew that sometimes bad things happened to very good people? Alex promised Ian that he would do better, and he was allowed to join his uncle watching a movie. Ian only wanted him to be safe. He would do better. Disappointing Ian hurt his heart.

Ben frowned. Alex seemed to have zoned out on him. “Are you all right, Alex?”

“Yes, sir.”

Ben sighed. He hated it when Alex called him sir it made him feel too formal. He hated formality when it came to those who should consider themselves familiar with him.

“Alex, remember what I said about what you can call me?” Ben questioned.

Oh, right Alex thought. He was supposed to call him Ben. He’d assumed that it had changed now that Ben was his legal guardian. It was meant to be the respectful thing to do. Ben was in charge now. Before they had been partners. They were no longer equals. Calling Ben sir was safe. It meant he wouldn’t be punished for being disrespectful.

“You said I could call you Ben,” Alex replied.

“Yes. That hasn’t changed,” Ben informed him with a smile “Now, do you know what you want to do with the house?”

Alex didn’t want to live there. He didn’t want to live there either though. He couldn’t bear it. Those rooms brought back too many memories. It wasn’t that they were all bad. No. It was that some of them were happy and it reminded him of what he lost. He would never hear Jack’s laugh or eat her quick meals. He’d never see her smile again. Jack had been like a big sister and he was never going to see her again. He didn’t need to be in that house – a constant reminder of his failure.

“I don’t want to sell it yet.” Alex decided after a moment. The house could remain empty, but it couldn’t bear selling it. He wasn’t ready to let go of it just yet. He couldn’t bear the thought of having strangers living there, sitting at the breakfast table, or sleeping in Jack’s room.

“I’ll get on that straight away. Do you want to take anything from the house? From your bedroom perhaps?” Ben offered.

“Yes, please.” Alex agreed eagerly.

He had a great many things in his room, and he wanted to have them again. His belongings weren’t worth much in terms of monetary value but when it came down to sentimental value, it was priceless.

“All right, I shall take you over there tomorrow morning. I have plenty of empty boxes.” Ben promised.

 The next day, Alex stood in his new bedroom. It was fairly spacious and had a good-sized window overlooking a park. He had his own bathroom too. Unlike his room at Mason’s flat, his room was light and welcoming. His walls were painted a light blue and his soft carpet was a light grey.  

Ben had helped him move in and had allowed Alex free rein to decide where things went. His large teddy bear named ‘Teddy’ because he was two when he got it- sat on his pillow. He had a Chelsea football club flag pinned to one wall and a matching rug fit snuggly under his oak desk.  

His desk. Alex loved it. He had plenty of stationery arranged neatly in compartmented containers. He had a white lamp in the corner and shelves with various books above it. And in front of his white office desk was a brand-new laptop. It had been a surprise; Ben had said to welcome him home. Home. Alex wasn’t sure he was hope again just yet, but he appreciated the gesture. Ben had said they go shopping tomorrow too to pick up anything else they needed. He was getting a phone too. Alex remembered the one Ben had previously given him. It hadn’t had a chance to use it properly before it has been confiscated. It was properly smashed now. Alex hoped Ben wasn’t angry over that. 

A knock on the door brought him out of his musings. Ben apparently considered privacy to be important too. Mason just walked him whenever he pleased. Another knock sounded and Alex realised he hadn’t actually responded to it yet.  

“Come in!” He called.  

Ben clicked the door open and poked his head around the door. He flashed him a smile. It made him feel a little less nervous.  

“Is everything to your liking?” He asked gently.  

 “Yes, thank you,” Alex replied politely.  

“I was wondering if we could have a talk.”  

 Alex was one edge immediately. Had he done something wrong? He replayed his mind through the last things he had done and came up blank. Nothing leapt out on him as an action requiring punishment. But what if Ben disagreed? 

“Have I done something to displease you, sir?” He asked deciding that the respectful route was the best option.  

Ben gave him a sad look and shook his head. “No.  You’re not in trouble and you don’t have to call me, sir.

Ben went to his bed and indicated it slightly. Alex nodded his head and the man sat down. He wasn’t sure why Ben was asking to sit down- it was his house after all but maybe that was because he expected Alex to ask before he sat down too. He made a mental note of that so as not to disobey the new rule.  

“I wanted to discuss with you what living with me means,” Ben explained. “That is the rules and expectations.” 

Alex nodded. He understood now. Be. wanted to lay down the law. Of course, he did. Who would want an unruly teenager? Ben had brought him into his home. He didn’t have to, and he didn’t have to stick by that choice. He could change his mind any minute and Alex would be at the mercy of foster care. He would have to be good and that meant giving him undivided attention, so he didn’t accidentally break any rules.  

“OK, so what’s first?” Ben asked him. 

Alex frowned. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. Ben was meant to tell him what the rules were. He was a child and Ben was his superior - an adult. Alex had to obey without question. Why was Ben asking him? Did he have to guess the rules? Would he be punished if he was wrong? 

“I’m sorry, Ben.” He admitted “I don’t know. But if you tell me I will listen. I’ll be good I promise. I won’t burden you with my misbehaviour.” 

Alex ducked his head and waited for the chastisement. He waited for Ben to yell at him and order him to bend over or lie across the bed and start belting him. He waited for Ben to cover over and backhand him or at very least grab his arm harshly. But Ben did none of those things. 

“OK two things. One, you could never be a burden not even if you do misbehave which I doubt will happen often. Two, I’m sorry I wasn’t clear enough but when I said discussion I meant the two of us will talk together and come up with the rules. There are some things I will need to put my foot down with but with most things, I think  it will be best to come to an agreement together.” 

Alex looked at Ben in shock. Ask him? Agree together? Ben wanted to know what he felt? What his opinion was? But he was Alex. His opinion didn’t matter. He obeyed orders and accept punishments nothing more.  

“You mean, you want to know my opinion?” Alex question. “But rules are orders. You aren’t supposed to question orders or get say in them.”  

 “I have my own ideas on child-rearing. People might say it ‘newfound stuff’, but I’ve always felt it right. You are a child, yes, and you will be one until you are 18, but you are not a young child. You are a teenager and a mature one at that. Asking your opinion is only right and seeing as though we are living together it is only we fair we both talk about the rules and expectations.” Ben told him.  

 He believed that while children needed boundaries, there was no reason why, once they were mature enough, they shouldn’t have a say in those boundaries - within reason of course. If they created the rules together, they were much more likely to stick with them.  

“I always want to you know that the expectations are not just about what I expect from you but what you can expect from me. Why don’t we start there?” Ben added after a moment. 

This one was a bit more important considering that Alex had been abused. He’d read a few books regarding parenting a previously abused child and they had said that it was important that he made sure the child could expect certain things from him. These things were things a child should expect from a guardian, to begin with, but abused children would need extra security.  

 “Do you mean like…” Alex trailed off. He was going to ask about expecting Ben to never punish him physically, but he knew that would be too much to ask.  

“Go on.” Ben encouraged him.  

No. Alex could not ask Ben to never use corporal punishment. He would deserve it at some point, and it would be unfair to him to trap him into a promise he wouldn’t be able to keep. 

“You won’t take away my food when I’m eating it even when I’ve not cooked it?” Alex questioned.  

“Never!” Ben assured. “You can expect from me that I will always ensure your needs are met. I will not withhold food as a punishment. Nor will I make you cook all the meals. If you want to cook that’s different but otherwise, you can expect that I will be responsible for preparing meals.”  

 “All my needs?” Alex questions sceptically. Mason prioritised MI6’s needs over his.  

 “Yes, Alex all. Medical, educational, health. You can expect that I will do what I can to meet your holistic needs.” Ben confirmed. “I was thinking we could discuss what to do in regards to your education tomorrow.” 

“Do I get a say in that too, Ben?” Alex asked managing to stop himself from addressing him as sir.  

“Of course. That’s another thing you can expect. I will also ask for your input regarding matters that concern you. Now, that doesn’t mean you’ll always get your way, of course. There will be things that I need to put my foot down and veto. I don’t do that to control you though and when those things come up, I will try and explain why I made my decision.”  

“I understand, Ben. Thank-you.” Alex replied. “Thank-you. You have no idea what this means to me.” 

“It is important your boundaries are respected, and you can always expect that from me.” Ben paused and gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s all right to tell someone not to do something that makes you uncomfortable and that includes me. Never worry about offending me. If I do something that disrespects those boundaries tell me. I won’t try to, but everyone makes mistakes.”

“Thank you, Ben.” Alex acknowledged, gratefully.

He was surprised. Usually what he wanted didn’t matter. The thought of Mason changing his behaviour because Alex felt uncomfortable was too strange for words. If he’s complained he got punished and if his reason was that he didn’t like it, he would have been reprimanded for insolence.

“I have a few expectations for you too, Alex,” Ben admitted. He was going to be Alex’s guardian. The boy would look at him for comfort and guidance.  

“Of course, Ben.” Alex agreed readily. After everything Ben said could he could expect to form him, it was only fair Alex listened to what he wanted from him. 

“My first and most important expectation is that you try and keep yourself safe.” Ben gave him a solemn look and Alex did not doubt the seriousness of his words. Why his safety seemed more important than his obedience was beyond him. Maybe it was just one of Ben’s quirks. “This means telling me if you are hurt or ill and avoiding situations that might endanger your life. I care about you and want you to be healthy. If you are ill or hurt, I want to help. I can’t help if you try and keep it from me. All right?” 

Alex nodded. Then kicked himself. Mason hated it when he didn’t give a verbal response, he said he was disrespectful. Ben would disagree with him and would punish him for it.

“Yes, sir.” He acquiesced, firmly. He waited for the reproval from Ben for the lack of verbal response, to begin with.

“My second expectation is to tell me the truth. You can equally expect this from me but there may be times when I cannot tell you something and when that happens I shall say so. I’m not saying you have to tell me everything but please, do not lie when I ask you a question. If there is something you don’t wish to share then you can say so. However, if you hide something that might be dangerous there will be consequences.” 

“I’ll try to Ben,” Alex assured him. 

He never wanted to disappoint Ben or anger him. He didn’t know what the consequences would be, but he hoped it didn’t involve anything physical. Flashes of being placed across Ben’s knee and smacked harshly flashed through his brain. Alex shook them away.

“That all I ask. My last expectation is that you try to follow the rules as best you can. You will, of course, make mistakes we all do. But once we have agreed on the rules I expect you to stick to them just like you can expect me to stick to mine.”  

“Yes, Ben.” Alex nodded. “What are the rules?”  

He hoped they wouldn’t be too bad, and that Ben might have more tolerance for his misbehaviour. Mason always punished him harshly whenever he displeased him and half the time, Alex wasn’t sure what exactly he had done to earn the slaps Mason or Blunt gave him.

“Firstly, and most importantly. You will not put yourself in active danger. This, I think, will be the hardest because you are so used to doing it. It isn’t your fault, and it might take a while to break that habit. When you are out keep your phone on you.  As this is my most important rule, it is not up for negotiation. Is that clear?” 

“Yes, sir er Ben.” Alex corrected himself.

Ben nodded. Glad that that was done with. He hated being serious, but he needed to be stern in some areas. When it came to Alex’s safety and welfare, there could be no discussion. He suspected that there would a few times when Alex’s forgot about it though.

“Good. Now that’s over with, let’s discuss curfew. What sort of time do you think is appropriate for you to be back home by?” 

“11?” Alex guessed after a few seconds. He had no clue really. He never had a curfew but usually when he was out doing missions he was back in his room by that time.  

Ben scrunched his nose. 11 was too late in his opinion. That was when pubs tended to start closing and he wasn’t sure he liked the idea of Alex being around when a load of drunk people roamed the streets.  

“I was thinking more like 10, Alex,” Ben commented. “So why don’t we cut it the middle and say 10:30 on a weekend? 9 o’clock on weekdays though. I don’t want you to be too tired while you do schoolwork. Agreed?” 

“Agreed,” Alex confirmed. He had no idea if that was a usual curfew or a strict curfew, but it would suit him just fine. Other than Tom, whom he’d not seen in a year and a half, he didn’t have anything friends.  

“The next thing is regarding being polite.” 

Alex knew all about that. If Mason had taught him anything, it was how to behave and be respectful. Mason despised insolence and while Ben disliked being addressed as Sir Alex knew he would agree on this. This was at least familiar to him. Ben didn’t have to worry. Alex wouldn’t give him any cheek. Mason had always told him that check, and lip gets to a smack to your check and a busted lip.

“I won’t be rude, Ben. I’ll address adults respectfully.” 

Ben nodded. Of course, he wanted Alex to be polite and respectful that was just something any good parent taught their child. He wasn’t worried- if anything he was too respectful. He did, however, want to teach Alex to be polite without acting as though he were inferior. He wanted Alex to be polite but assertive.

 “That’s good. But what I mean is that you don’t need to address people as ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am’ mister or misses so-and-so is more than adequate. And while I like your sarcasm be aware that some may not. However, you need not worry. I won’t let anyone hurt you even if they do take your humour the wrong way.” 

“Yes, sir er Ben.” Alex agreed, obediently. It was hard not to address Ben as Sir when he gave him orders. It was too ingrained in him. Ben did not comment on it, though, and that Alex appreciated.

“I think that’s it for now.” Ben tapped his lip in thought. “I can’t think of any more rules but if I decide there is a new rule that needs to be discussed I shall inform you.”

“Ben? What happens if i—” Alex cut himself off. And closed his eyes quietly. He needed to be careful how he worded this. If Ben took it the wrong well and thought he was planning on being naughty, it would inevitably result in something bad for him. Equally, if he thought he was trying to tell Ben how to discipline him – well Ben might be pretty tolerant to his impertinence but he like his authority being undermined.

“Alex?” Ben prompted.  

“What happens if I break the rules?” Alex questioned. “Not that I’m planning on it!” He was quick to add. “I’ll be good. It’s just sometimes, I forget and I’m bad.” 

“You were never bad. But yes, I’m aware you might make a mistake and break the rules. We all make mistakes, even me.” Ben reassured. “And if you break a rule, we will discuss it. Not everything will deserve punishment but in the event that I feel punishment is needed, I will tell you why. A punishment will normally consist of being grounded. This is where you will not be allowed to leave the house. I may also assign lines or give you an essay to write depending on what you do.” 

“OK.” Alex gulped. That didn’t sound so bad. Ben had mentioned spanking or any other form of corporal punishment yet though.  

“I will never hit you,” Ben told if as though he had been reading his mind. “I will never, spank, slap, beat, wallop, clout or smack you. I will not use any form of corporal punishment on you or whatever other word you have for it. Of that, you can be absolutely certain.” 

“Never?” Alex questioned not quite believing it.  

“Never.” Ben agreed. “I meant what I said in Munich. I am against corporal punishment. I do not believe it teaches a child anything other than violence against them is justified. This is one thing you can expect from me. I will not implement corporal punishment. Punishments are meant to guide you not hurt you.”  

“I thought…” Alex trailed off. It didn’t matter what he thought. Bringing up what he had thought wouldn’t do any good. Either Ben would confirm them, thus making him feel scared or Ben would refute it. If it was the second one, Ben might be offended, and Alex never wanted that. He might not hit him for it, but the thought of insulting Ben would be more painful than any smack or beating he could give him. 

“What?” Ben encouraged.

Alex ducked his head. He should have known Ben wouldn’t let him drop it. He would want to hear what his concerns were. And he already said he wouldn’t lie to him – he couldn’t break that promise this early. It was only the first real night. Yesterday didn’t count. Now he had moved his things in Ben’s house and the room he had been given, it was more official.

“I thought that now I was your ward you’d start smacking me when I was bad or when I angered you because you’re allowed now. Before you were my superior and now you’re my guardian. Legal guardians can punish you however they want.”

Ben baulked at that. Is that really what Alex thought? Did he really think that guardians could do whatever they pleased? Ben supposed it made sense really, considering what Mason did to him. Still, it didn’t make him feel any better. He considered it sadly. He never wanted Alex to fear him, but he knew it would be a while before he fully believed Ben when he said he would never raise a hand to him. Actions speak louder than words his father’s voice reminded him.   

“Oh, a chuilein, no,” Ben reassured him, the endearment rolling off his tongue without thinking. “That’s not the case. And guardians cannot do whatever they want. There are laws protecting children. I shall give you some information on that.” 

“A chuilein?” Alex asked.  

“It’s a Scottish term of endearment. It means my laddie. It’s what my dad called me. Why do you not like it?” Ben asked, worried that he had overstepped his mark.

Alex thought about it. No – he realised – he didn’t dislike it. It sparked something. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it sparked a feeling of something – something Alex couldn’t name. The only thing he did know was that it was something good.

“I do. It feels…” Alex answered hesitantly. “It feels right.” 

Ben nodded. He reached out to pat Alex on the shoulder, but the boy flinched away from him. He stepped forward slightly and Alex raised his hands to block a blow. A few seconds later, he unclenched his muscles and dropped his arms and placed them by his side.

Alex ducked his head again as if expecting chastisement though, for what, Ben didn’t exactly know. He looked so despondent that it really made Ben feel upset. Something starting firing within and Ben itched to make him feel better.

“Alex?” Ben questioned slightly concerned.

“I’m sorry, sir! I’m so sorry!” Alex apologised sheepishly.

Alex was thoroughly ashamed of himself. Hadn’t Ben just told him wouldn’t hit him? And yet all it had taken was Ben to raise a hand near him then step towards him and he had flinched. He had flinched, like a scared coward rather than standing tall. Ben would be angry or worse- insulted. A quick glance towards Ben’s countenance told him he was right.

Ben was upset. He hated that Alex had flinched from him, but Ben knew it was neither his fault just as it wasn’t Alex’s. It was Mason’s fault that he had had that reaction. He had made the teenager expect physical blows whenever everyone moved near him. It would take time for him to forget that instinct.

“I’m not angry at you Alex,” Ben informed him with such certainty that Alex had no choice but to believe him. “But what are you apologising for?”

“For flinching, sir,” Alex answered. “I’m sorry, Ben, I know that you said you wouldn’t hit me.”

“But you do not fully believe me yet.” Ben finished saying the unspoken part of Alex’s response. And there was that blasted sir again. Ben knew he needed to get his Cub a therapist. He needed help to deal with his trauma and maybe they could help Ben help him.

“No. I’m sorry.” Alex admitted, ducking his head ashamed of himself once more.

“It’s all right a chuilein, there’s no need to apologise,” Ben whispered comfortingly. “It’s not your fault you had that reaction. And one day, you won’t.”

Alex hoped that Ben was right. He hated flinching whenever anyone moved near him. He didn’t want to be weak but that was what he was being. It wasn’t like whenever anyone moved near him they would deck him. And if they did, it wasn’t like he couldn’t take being hit and it would have been deserved, anyhow. He had to stop being weak. Ben might think he was useless. That was something he hoped Ben would never consider. Being useless was dangerous. Even Ben would hate him if he stopped being useless.

Chapter 36: Falcon Explains

Summary:

WARNING: This chapter contains mention of a school shooting. There's nothing graphic but it is mentioned. I will leave a page break so that you can skip past it.

Please be aware that I am going back to University on Sunday and as such might not update until Monday.

Chapter Text

“Alex, this is important – did anyone at the Brecon Beacons hurt you? I remember how Wolf treated when I was last there.”

Alex looked up from his breakfast: a bowl of porridge with golden syrup on the top, a banana, and a glass of ice-cold milk. He gave Ben a curious look. He had not been expecting the question and really couldn’t imagine why Ben had suddenly thought to ask this. He hadn’t given any indication that anyone had hurt him. In fact, the Brecon Beacons and not been mentioned by either of them since the guardianship began. Still, Ben must have a reason and remembering the conversation that they had previously, Alex saw no reason to lie.

“Well, technically, yes,” Alex answered.

Ben raised an eyebrow at his response. He felt his protective anger begin to burn at the affirmative reply but the way the answer had been formed made him curious too. He hadn’t been expecting an answer at all never mind one worded in such a manner. It didn’t make much sense.

Technically?” Ben drawled out. “What does that mean?”

Alex finished the last of his porridge reached a hand towards the banana. He opened it and took a few bites before he answered.

“Wolf grabbed my arm once,” Alex informed him. “I was being insolent, and he lost his temper.”

“I see,” Ben commented but he didn’t. He waved his hand in a gesture which encouraged Alex to elaborate.

“It wasn’t serious though!” Alex exclaimed, eager to reassure that Ben and protect Wolf from the unnecessary wrath. “It only left a bruise and when Wolf saw them he was terribly apologetic. I told him it wasn’t necessary, of course, it was a punishment after all, but he disagreed. I think he was worried that Mason would have told him off or something, but he didn’t need to worry about it. Mason would have said I deserved it and probably punished me himself as well.”

Ben frowned for a few seconds before he changed his expression to a more neutral one. He realised that he was frowning a lot and didn’t want Alex to get the wrong impression. It was hard not to frown when Alex spoke about people hurting him with so much blasé. Then there was Alex’s very warped sense of logic when regarding his treatment.

“I think he was apologetic because he hurt a child and should have been.” Ben corrected, gently. While he was still angry at Wolf for leaves bruises on his Cub, the fact that he had apologised improved his opinion, if only slightly. “He shouldn’t have lost his temper and grabbed your arm like that. Wolf needs to learn to keep a lid on his temper.”

Alex shook his head. He clearly wasn’t making himself clear enough. He didn’t want Ben to go talk with Wolf. The Unit leader had been well within his rights to grab his arm and leave bruises on him. Even then, he had apologised for it. Ben might not agree with corporal punishment, but he had to understand that not everyone agreed with him. It wasn’t like Wolf had left lasting damaging which according to Ben and Snake, was unacceptable. It wasn’t a big deal, and he didn’t want Ben to make a mountain out of a molehill. It wouldn’t do any good.

“I shouldn’t have been insolent,” Alex replied, reminding Ben of the offence he had committed. “I attempted to run away before he’d given me a dismissal. Then later, I actually did but The Sargent punished me that when he found me.”

Ben placed his mug of coffee in the sink and stiffened at the revelation. He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that. He didn’t outright think that the Sargent had hit him. But when it came to Alex, punishment usually meant some physical. The Sargent was as strict as Mason was and hadn’t been very lenient when Ben had been there, particularly when it concerned Alex. For Sargent Young’s sake though, he hoped he hadn’t retorted to corporal punishment. 

“Punished, you? How?” Ben demanded.

Alex resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Apart from it being insolent, it was childish, and Alex Rider was not childish. Ben’s concern was unnecessary. He knew what Ben was thinking of, but he didn’t need to worry.

“Like the Sargent usually does, Ben, He didn’t hit me or anything, just made me do push-ups.” 

“You’d tell me otherwise, wouldn’t you?” Ben questioned, sharply.

Alex flinched at Ben’s tone and the man’s grave countenance. He didn’t want Ben to think he was lying about it – that would result in punishment and it was far too early in their guardianship to test Ben.

“Y-yes, sir.  I mean Ben.” Alex agreed slightly startled by the sudden solemness that overtook him. “But he didn’t punish me physically. He usually just yelled a lot. I don’t think the Sargent likes me too much. I was usually in trouble with him, but he never hit me. Not even when I was really bad and accidentally pushed Falcon off the climbing wall.”

“What? Can you tell me about that?” Ben asked, softening his tone when he realised the impact it had had on the boy.

So, Alex told him. He felt a little awkward just sitting there and he told Ben about how strict the Sargent had been. Deciding that it would be better he kept his hands occupied, he busied himself with cleaning up his now finished breakfast. Ben didn’t comment on the tactic, thankfully. Furthermore, much to Alex’s surprise and pleasure, Ben didn’t chastise him for the many offences he had committed either.

“Ben?” Alex inquired once he had finished telling his story. “Why did you ask?”

“I need to go and speak with the Sargent and I needed to check that no one had mistreated you because you’ll be coming with me,” Ben told him. “I can’t leave you alone not so soon after everything that’s happened.”

Alex wanted to argue that he didn’t need to be with Ben 24/7 and that if the man popped over to Wales, he could no doubt look after himself. However, he doubted Ben would see it that way and he had already decided that Alex had to go with him. Arguing with the man would not be appropriate. Arguing with a superior or your guardian was one of the worst sins you could commit. Alex remembered the one and only time had argued with Mason. He’d had been beaten bloody for that and he never dared to argue after that.

“Why do you—” Alex broke off when he realised what he was going to ask. It wasn’t his business because Ben needed to speak with the Sargent.

“I need to speak with The Sargent to discuss what is going to happen now that I am your guardian. You won’t be part of the SAS unless you freely decide once you are old and well enough to make that choice.” Ben informed him. “We shall be going to see them tomorrow.”

Alex was not looking forward to going back to the Brecon Beacons. But he could do little but mutter his agreement. Ben was in charge, after all, and he didn’t want to give his new guardian the impression that he would be anything less than compliant. It was too early to rock to the boat.

The next day, he and Ben drove back down to Wales, much to his dismay. Alex did not share his feelings with his guardian. He was too scared at the idea of burdening Ben with his misbehaviour to disagree with him. It was why he agreed too easily to the thought of a private tutor when really the thought of having one filled him with dread. Mason organised a private tutor once and it hadn’t been a very good experience.

Alex shuddered when he remembered the man. Mr Davenport was from Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama that is, not the city in West Midlands. He was an impatient man who ruled his classroom with an iron fist and took great delight in viciously cracking his knuckles with his metal ruler whenever he gave the wrong answer. Wrong answers were not the only thing that earned his knuckles or palms a whacking with that blasted ruler, lateness, impertinence, and general stupidity resulted in the same punishment. In fact, Alex couldn’t breathe without feeling the stinging slap of a ruler and by the time the teacher left, Alex came to the conclusion he just liked hurting him. He spent nearly a year under the tutelage of Mr Davenport before the man had disappeared without explanation. The man hadn’t been replaced and Alex had been glad to see the back of him. He just hoped the new tutor would not have the same teaching methods as Mr Davenport.

“Alex?!”

The teenager recoiled at the sound of his guardian’s urgent voice. His thoughts of Mr Davenport vanished from his head. Alex looked over to Ben and smiled sheepishly as he realised that Ben had been trying to get his attention for a while now. He blushed slightly; Ben must have said his name a few times for him to yell it such alarm.

“Sorry, Ben. What did you say?” Alex asked.

Ben looked at Alex and scanned his face for any sign of distress. He didn’t know what had got the boy so distracted or what had occupied his mind so fully that he had not registered his attempts to gain his attention. Alex had not offered up an explanation for his inattention and Ben assumed that whatever he had been considering, he didn’t wish to share it. He wasn’t entirely content with his but decided to allow Alex some privacy and answer the boy’s question.

“We’ve arrived.” Ben pointed out.

Alex looked out the window in shock and saw that Ben was correct. They had already passed the checkpoint and the car was parked in front of the path leading to the site’s entrance. Had he really been that deep in contemplation that he hadn’t been able to spot the obvious? He was ashamed of himself for allowing his mind to wander so badly. What if they had been attacked?

“Oh, right,” Alex murmured abashedly.

Ben smiled to himself and stepped out of the car. He threw his head over his shoulder to check that Alex was following him and once he noted that the teenager trailed after him dutifully, he headed straight to Sargent’s office. Once the two of them arrived, Ben turned to Alex.

“Would you like to come in with me or would you like to wait outside?”

For Alex, it wasn’t even a question. He knew that Ben would be in the room with him but the thought of being in a room with the Sargent any more than was required was not a pleasant one. The man reminded him too much of Mason although the Sargent never actually raised a hand to him. He suspected that most of the men at the Brecon Beacons would agree with him. It was best to avoid conversations with the Sargent, much like it was best to avoid conversations with an inauspicious headteacher – Mr Bray for instance.

“I’ll stay outside, please.” Alex decided without much thought. Now that he had given his answer he also realised that this would mean he could avoid any awkward conversations about him. He did so hate it when people talked about him like he wasn’t there.

Ben nodded his assent and pointed to some nearby chairs. Alex went over to them and sat down on one, adjusting himself until he was comfortable. He watched as Ben knocked on the Sargent’s door and after the familiar bid to enter came, he disappeared inside.

Alex wished he had had the presence of mind to bring a book or something to occupy his mind. He didn’t know how long Ben was going to take. He lifted his head and decided to make do with counting to squares on the ceiling. He hoped Ben wouldn’t take too long but it wasn’t like he could complain, after all, he had made the choice to wait outside. He had counted twenty-seven tiles before a familiar voice called to him.

“Cub!” Falcon called, letting out a few pants of breath. “I—I thought it was y—you.” 

Alex jumped. He leapt to his feet and stood at attention.

“Sir!” He greeted, taking note of Falcon’s appearance. The man’s face was slightly red, and he let out a few deep breaths. It was clear he had been running, running to meet him if his greeting was anything to go by. Attention was bad by gaining Falcon’s attention was even worse, particularly if the man had run in order to catch up to him.

“No need for the formality, Cub. Call me Falcon or even better call me Barnaby.” Falcon corrected.

Cub remained standing at attention and Falcon frowned. He supposed he didn’t expect Cub to relax around him, not after the way he treated him. The fear that spread across Cub’s features indicated his distrust and the deep-seated guilt welled up inside of him. He didn’t like that he was the reason the teenager was scared. The idea that a child was scared of him did not sit right for him.

“At ease, Cub. Please, relax and sit down.” Falcon implored him.

Cub obeyed at once but did not speak. After a few seconds, Falcon sighed and picked up a chair. He placed it down in front of Cub before sitting down on it. He leant forwards but halted his movements when Cub recoiled, raising his hands as though expecting a blow. Falcon comprehended with a shocking realisation, that the boy had expected a blow. How he’d managed to miss the clear signs of abuse was beyond him, but he was angry both at himself and Mason for instilling such a reaction.

“I won’t hurt you,” Falcon promised him, his voice softer than he had ever heard it. “And I’m sorry I ever gave the impression that I would.”

“It’s alright, sir.” Cub replied.

Falcon did not correct the address. It was clear that Cub was uncomfortable with the idea of dropping the honorific.

“It’s not but thank you for saying so anyway,” Falcon answered. “I’ve not treated you very well, have I? I’m sorry. There’s no excuse for it but I feel as though I owe you an explanation. I don’t expect you to believe or even forgive me, but I can assure you it wasn’t personal. If you care to listen to me, and I quite understand if you tell me to bugger off, I will give you that explanation.”

“I’m listening, sir.” Cub acquiesced.

Falcon nodded and dug into his pocket. He brought something out of it and passed it to Cub who took it acceptingly. It was a photo, slightly wrinkled but obviously cherished. Cub handed it carefully and peered down at it curiously. A young teenager, perhaps a little older than him, smiled back up at him. He had sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, a hooked nose, and a loving smile. He looked, Cub realised, a little like him. Cub looked at Falcon for an explanation.

“My brother,” Falcon explained, sadly. Cub realised at once what was wrong. The tone was familiar to him. It was the tone someone used when they spoke of a deceased relative.

“My condolences.” Cub replied, solemnly and passed the precious photo back to him.

“Thank you.” Falcon acknowledged, in surprise. His estimation of Cub grew dramatically as he realised the teenager had come to the correct conclusion so quickly. “His name was Samuel. Sammy, I called him. My mother died when I was 7. Father moved to America and remarried later on in life. Sammy was born two years later. He was a surprise but the best surprise. He was such a sweet, clever boy.”

Cub didn’t know what to say so opted to remain silent. There was no need to comment, but when a tear dropped from Falcon’s eye he leapt into action immediately. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a packet of tissues. He passed the packet to Falcon and patted the man’s hand empathetically. He was understood what it was like to lose someone you loved so much it hurt.

Falcon accepted the tissues and the comforting gesture with a grateful nod. Inside his heart swell, the gesture was small but so thoughtful that he didn’t know how he could have considered Cub to be an insolent brat. He reminded him of Sammy, both in appearance and manner.


“He was brave too. Too brave. I guess our family had an impact on him. We’re all members of the military.” Falcon told him, dabbing his eyes. “He was in a school shooting and yet despite the fact he was just a kid, his mind wasn’t on his own safety. He saved 23 of his classmates before that bastard shot him. He died a hero’s death. He was only 16. This was just before I joined them here.”


“And when I came back you were reminded of your brother.”

“Yes,” Falcon admitted. “You look like him and now I see that you acted like him too. I didn’t understand why a teenager was in the SAS and I was reminded of the dangerous situation my brother was placed in. I was angry. Angry at the American Government for their lack of gun control, angry and myself for not being there, angry at the whole world, I expect. Then I saw another teenager in a possibly dangerous situation, and I wasn’t being told anything. I was angry all over again, at our government and at you, for things you could not help. You reminded me of my dear Sammy and the pain that came with it. It wasn’t your fault, but I took my anger and grief out on you. For that, you have my most profuse apologies.”

Cub understood. Grief was a strange emotion. It could make you act most irrationally. He understood that. When Jack died, he was angry and often took that anger out the Pleasures before they died. He regretted his actions and apologised but they hadn’t held his actions against him once. It would be hypocritical of him to admonish Falcon for having the same reaction as himself.

“It’s alright, Falcon. I forgive you. It’s not like you smacked me about.” Cub reassured him.

“That doesn’t make it right. I may have never raised a hand to you, but I still hurt you. Sammy would be ashamed of me.” Falcon shook his head sadly and put on an American accent. “Barnie he’d say don’t be a prat. Would you like it if some treated me like that? If he knew how I treated you he’d been so ashamed. He’d hate me.”

“No!” Cub refuted that statement adamantly. “I never knew him of course but I don’t think that he would.”

Falcon looked at him hopefully and Cub nodded his head confidently.

“You took that picture, didn’t you?” Cub asked.

Falcon scrunched his brow thoughtfully before nodding his head.

“I thought so,” Cub commented. “And while I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I can see the look in his eyes. He looks at you with loving admiration. He could not hate you; it was obvious that loved you.”

“You think so?”

“I do. I’ve learnt to identify body language.” Cub answered. “He still has that sparkle in his eye, the sparkle one has when one is happy. It is clear to me that he was well-loved. I’m sorry this happened to him.”

Cub left a little envious. He knew that was ridiculous. Samuel was dead and he was alive. He couldn’t help it though; it was clear he had – and still was- well-loved. The sad proudness in Falcon’s eyes showed that. He longed for that kind of love, the love that remained long after death. No one loved him like that and if he died he doubted there would be anyone that would grieve him the way Falcon grieved his brother.

“Me, too,” Falcon answered. “Though I blame myself. You were right. He admired me. Perhaps if he didn't he wouldn’t have been a hero.”

“That’s not what I meant, Falcon, I’m sorry.” Cub apologised again. “Kids are supposed to admire their older brothers. The fault of his death resides with the shooter.”

“Yeah.” Falcon agreed but it didn’t sound like he believed it. “Thank you Cub, for being so understanding.”

“You are welcome.”

Falcon passed the packet of tissues back to Cub. The teenager shook his head and gently pushed the man’s hand backwards.

“Keep them,” Cub suggested. “You never know when you might need them. I have more anyway.”

Falcon chuckled and placed the packet back in his pocket. “You remind me of my grandmama. She always lectured us about having a handkerchief with us even though we all told her that it was old fashioned. In the end, she settled on having issues with us.”

“I don’t have a grandmother. My grandparents died before I was born.” Cub explained. “I always wondered if they were accurately portrayed in films. Do they really pinch your cheeks?”

“Well, mine did,” Falcon admitted. “And cleaned speck of dirt off. I hated that and told her to get her paws off. Father was not happy and spanked me in front of her. I always let her do it after that.”

“Your father hit you?!” Cub exclaimed in panic.

Falcon blushed slightly. He hadn’t been thinking when he had told Cub that. The boy had been abused of course he would jump to the worse conclusions.

“He spanked me,” Falcon corrected. “That’s different to hitting. He simply tucked me under his arm and smacked my bottom a few times. It hurt but not badly and the pain was gone by the time I sat down for dinner. He didn’t abuse me. What Mason did wasn’t acceptable, what my father did was a measured and controlled punishment for my cheek.”

“Ben says he doesn’t agree with corporal punishment,” Cub admitted.

“I’m glad.” Falcon shared. “It’s not right for everyone- both parent and child.”

Falcon still believed that corporal punishment – when controlled like the spankings his father had administered – could be effective. However, he acknowledged that for some people, it wasn’t right and knew that it was a taboo subject. He also knew that for children liked Cub- he had been abused – it would do more harm than good.

The door to the Sargent’s office opened and Ben stepped through it. When he saw Falcon sat in front of Alex he looked at the man suspiciously. He had heard from Snake about how Falcon had treated him, and he didn’t like the idea of leaving them alone together. Falcon snapped up when he saw Eagle.

“Eagle, how do you do?” Falcon greeted.

Ben ignored him. He looked at Alex, who was now standing and facing him. He didn’t look upset or scared and Ben could see no signs that he had been hurt by Falcon. He knew, though, that the boy was remarkably good at hiding his pain and distress.

“Al—Cub?” Ben asked stopping himself from using Alex’s name. He knew that Falcon already knew his name but wasn’t sure that his ward wanted Falcon to use his name and as such he used his codename.

“I’m fine, Ben,” Alex informed him. “We’ve made up. Falcon and I are alright now.”

“I apologised,” Falcon added. “I explained to him why I acted the way I did.”

“Mmm,” Ben grunted noncommittedly. “Well, we’re done here so we’ll be taking our leave. Goodbye, Falcon.”

Alex waved goodbye to Falcon before following Ben across the base. They were just passing the lake when Ben stopped in his tracks. Alex nearly ran into him.

“Ben?” Alex asked, worriedly. He looked over to see what Ben was looking at but just saw K-unit.

“One second,” Ben told him before running up to K-unit.

Alex thought for a second before running off after him. He exchanged curious glances at the unit once they noticed him. Ben was rapidly advancing on Wolf and Alex hoped he was not about to do what he thought he was.

Ben seized hold of Wolf’s arm and wrenched it behind his back. He tightened his grip so that it would leave a hand-shaped bruise on the man’s arm much like the one the unit leader had left on Alex. He pushed Wolf toward the lake and stopped just short of the bank. He was aware of the rest of the unit watching him in concern, preparing to intervene if things good too violent. Ben ignored them.

“Fox?” Wolf yelped, struggling against the hold. “OW! Let go on my arm! You’re hurting me.”

“I’m aware,” Ben commented gruffly. “I’m hurting you just like you hurt my Cub.” 

Wolf stopped struggling. He supposed he deserved this for hurting Cub. It wasn’t like Fox was hurting him seriously. Still, the lake was dangerously close and while he was a strong swimmer he didn’t fancy taking a dip in the ice-cold water, particularly on a cold and overcast day like this.

“I’m sorry!” Wolf apologised. “I—argh—won’t do it again.”

“You had better not.” Ben threatened, in a low hiss near his ear. “Because If you EVER and I mean EVER lay a hand on my Cub, or any other child for that matter but especially Cub, I shall throw you into that lake. Are we clear?”

“Ow!” Wolf winched as Ben tugged on his arm harder. “Yes—uggh—I understand! I won’t lay a hand on him or another kid again!”

“Good.” Ben declared. He kept Wolf in that hold for a few seconds more before he realised him. Then he turned the face the unit. “Let that be a lesson. No one hurts my Cub and gets away with it.”

K-unit nodded in understanding and Ben walked away. Alex followed him feeling embarrassed but strangely pleased at what had happened. Ben had threatened Wolf who had only left a few bruises. Maybe he had someone who cared for him after all. Maybe.

Chapter 37: To be Loved

Summary:

Hello! I am back again - I moved back to university on Saturday and my first lecture is next week. So I should get this fanfiction finished by then. Just wanted to ask if anyone is still reading and enjoying this fanfiction? It had been a while since I have had reviews and I just wanted to check. I'm still going to post chapters until I have finished but I just wanted to know!

Chapter Text

The days passed without much happening. Alex was still fairly wary around Ben now that the man was in charge of him, but it was better than when he first moved in. He still called Ben ‘sir’ much to his guardian’s chagrin, but it was less frequent than it had been before, so Ben decided to cut his losses and accept that the improvement, while mild, was still better than nothing.

Ben and Alex spent most of their time indoors going out mainly just for shopping and the occasional bit of exercise. It was hard to tell whether this was because the living arrangement was still fairly new, or if it was due to the weather, which, much like Britain’s usual summers, left a lot to be desired. Rain slashed at the windows with unforgiving harshness and the wind blew just as mercilessly. The brief pauses between the downpours were not enough to consider trips outside and those unlucky to be caught in them ducked under shop doorways looking for a reprieve from the miserable conditions. Occasionally there was a flash of lightning followed by a rumble of thunder, signifying that summer, in terms of weather and not the calendar, was well and truly over.

“Four days it’s been like this!” Ben complained as he peeked out of the kitchen blinds one morning. He muttered something about the British summer, but it was drowned out by the sound of something hard pattering against the pavement: hailstones.

“Mmm,” Alex grunted non-committedly and sipped his tea.

His opinion about the weather was neither here nor there and he didn’t quite understand the need to discuss it. Yes, it was wet and cold and frankly, no one with any sense would want to be caught out in it but it wasn’t like talking about it would change it. He didn’t want to go out anyway, so the weather was quite welcome to stay. It gave him the excuse he needed to stay indoors and be delightfully unsocial to anyone other than Ben.

Ben cocked an eyebrow at his charge. The teenager seemed quite happy to stay indoors. Of course, he knew the stereotype about teenagers preferring to stay indoors even when the weather was the best the country had seen in years, but Alex had always been different. Stereotypes were, after all, just stereotypes and Alex had always been very energetic. To see the teenager being quite content to be stuck inside did not seem usual.

“Maybe we should go out. Just so we can get some fresh air.” Ben suggested.

Alex’s head shot up and looked at Ben as if he had grown two heads. He understood why of course. It was raining cats and dogs outside and if it picked up anymore, it would start raining horses and cows too. It had just finished hail stoning and the wind whistled as it whipped through the tree branches. It was the kind of wind that actually hurt when it hit against your face. No one with any sense would willingly go outside.

“It’s really bad out.” Alex pointed out uncertainly. “There’s a shower upstairs, no need to go outside.”

The tone in Alex’s voice did not match the humour in his response. He looked at Ben cautiously, trying to gauge his response. He opened his mouth, and Ben just knew he was about to apologise. Ben smiled and chuckled to show that he wasn’t angry. When Alex relaxed slightly, was relieved.

“My dad said there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” Ben declared.

“Tell that to people caught in a hurricane or a tornado,” Alex muttered finishing the last of his tea and placing it in the sink.

“Touché,” Ben admitted. “But I still think we should go for a walk.”

“Maybe once the weather isn’t quite so…” Alex trailed off, trying to think of the right word. “Crap?”

Ben chuckled again. He could think of several other words for it than ‘crap’ ones that were also of the four-letter variety, but he didn’t think that encouraging swearing was a good parenting technique. Still, Alex had a point. They needed to get out more, but they should probably at least wait until the weather was alright again. Ben just hoped it wouldn’t take long.

The weather stayed horrid throughout the day, so Ben and Alex spent it watching movies and drinking hot chocolate. It might be strange to drink hot chocolate when it was summer, but it was cold and wet – hot chocolate weather as Ben quickly dubbed it. It was during this time that Ben thought about what still needed to be done.

They hadn’t gone shopping yet – the weather and the laziness of the pair having delayed it. Ben decided that if the weather wasn’t better by the next day, he would have to shop online. He tried to avoid this, as he preferred to shop in person particularly when it involved clothes shopping but when it concerned Alex he was willing to make an exception. They needed food, clothes, and stationery. It would be a big shop, but Alex needed it and was worth every penny.

Alex’s tutor would be starting soon. It was July, schools had just a few weeks left in the year but Ben thought having a tutor for the summer holidays might help Alex should he decided to go back to school in the new year. Ben had a feeling that Alex wasn’t happy about the prospect of the tutor or going to school again, but he had been firm. Alex needed education and while he had been behind beforehand, Ben was quite sure that with some extra tuition he would catch up. His Cub was smart, and his education had been hampered only by his lack of attendance – thanks to MI6 rather than a lack of ability.

He also still needed to have a conversation with his Cub about therapy. He was really looking forward to that conversation. He had been delaying it even though he knew it was the best thing for Alex and that they needed to at least talk about it. He justified his decision to delay it by deciding it was best to wait until Alex had settled in a bit more. No doubt Alex would fight and argue about the topic as much as he could be this would be another topic he would remain firm on. There was no shame in needing help especially when he had been through everything he had. Ben knew of course that there was still a stigma against mental health, but he hoped that Alex wouldn’t think that Ben would think less of him because of his need for therapy.

After a dinner of lasagne and boiled vegetables, Alex trudged up to his room. He did not accept Ben’s offer of playing a board game, deciding that he would rather spend his evening alone. So, he went up to his room, played and began playing on his computer for a bit. He saw a game being advertise and decided to download the demo version. It was called World of Warcraft and Alex had to admit it was pretty fun. He played the game until it got dark out. The rain seemed to have stopped by then and even the penetrating wind died down until it was a gentle breeze. By this time, of course, it was too late to suggest a walk. Ben would no doubt be hoping that the weather continued throughout the night and carried on into the following morning, but Alex didn’t.

Ben came in to check on him and commented on the weather. Just liked Alex expected him to, he shared his wish that the weather would either improve or stay the same. Alex didn’t dignify this with a comment. Thankfully, his guardian just assumed he was tired and wished him good night. Alex returned the gesture but kept a close eye on Ben. He waited until his guardian left before closing his eyes. He instinctively faced the door as he slept, it was a habit he picked up long ago and was not something he could give up just because he was beginning to feel at ease. It was still a while until sleep finally came to him, though came it did.

Alex stretched as he awoke. The sunlight filled his bedroom. That was strange, he swore he closed his curtains, and they were back out ones. Obviously, the weather had improved too. But then he noticed something. His room – it wasn’t his. Well, it was, but not his current room. This was the room he had in his old house. How had he got here? Why was he here?

He got out of bed. He wouldn’t get any answers here, he would probably have to make his way downstairs to discover quite why – and how – he got back at the old house. His stuff was in his room too and a quick look in his draws told him his clothes were also there. Alex got changed quickly and he was just heading to his door when he heard a shout. It made him jump because it was shockingly familiar.

“Alex!?” Yelled the voice “Are you up yet? You’re meeting Tom at the park today remember?”

The voice had an American accent, and it didn’t take long for him to recognise it. It was Jack! But – how? Jack was dead. She died in Cairo. How was she alive? Alex recovered from his surprise and bolted to the door. He threw it open with as much force as he could, ignoring the sound that it caused when it banged against the door.

He thundered down the stairs like a herd of elephants and jumped down the last two just like he had done when he was a kid. It was something that both Jack and Ian scolded him for – Jack because he might hurt himself and Ian because it was ‘loud’ and ‘unseemly’. But Alex didn’t care about that right now. Jack was alive and everything was going to be fine again.

He charged into the kitchen, banging his arm against to door frame but ignoring the pain and stared at the sight that greeted him. There was Jack, her red hair tied in its usual messiness, standing by the stove frying bacon. The women turned at the sound of his undignified entrance. Jack placed the bacon on a plate next to some scrambled eggs and toast before carrying it to the table. Alex gawped at her.

“Really Alex,” She shook her head at him. “I’ve told you before there’s no need to crash down those stairs like a herd of elephants. And what have I said about jumping the last two steps?”

“S-sorry, Jack.” Alex apologised and sat down to eat his breakfast. He kept staring at Jack though as if he thought that looking away would cause him to disappear.

“Are you alright Alex?” Jack asked, concern lacing both her features and her voice. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

The joke was too accurate to be funny and instead, Alex just shook his head slowly. The door to the kitchen and a girl, a little older than stepped into the room. She was followed by a man a woman. When Alex saw who they were, he jumped out of his seat. The Pleasures! But they were dead too! Alex backed away, both in surprise and fear. He bolted around the table to get away from the group and came colliding into Jack who let out a shriek of pain and anguish.

“Alex!” Jack’s voice was cold, colder than he had ever heard it. He turned to face her as saw that she was glaring at him with such hatred that it made Alex feel physically sick. Jack never looked at him like that. She never spoke to him like that. Never, not even when he exploded that egg in the microwave or when he had been really naughty had she ever looked and spoke to him which was such loathing as she had just done.

“Jack. I’m sorry!” He apologised. He had just been surprised by the sight of the Pleasures; he hadn’t meant to hurt her. “I’m really sorry I didn’t—”

Jack grabbed his arm with one hand and rose the other, high in the sky. A few seconds later it came crashing down and suddenly his cheek erupted in pain as her palm smacked across it. The force of the blow split his lip and Alex looked up at her in a look of pure betrayal. Jack never hit him. Even when she had first been hired by Ian and he had been determined to be as naughty as possible to get her to leave. She never raised a hand to him, and yet she had now.

“What exactly are you apologising for boy?” She demanded harshly. “Knocking into me or getting me blown up?”

Oh. So, he had got her killed and now Jack was here to punish him for it. He supposed then that the slap she had given him was the least he deserved. A tear leaked from his eye, but he was certain it wasn’t from physical pain. His cheek throbbed but it wasn’t the worst punishment he had had – by far.

“I didn’t mean to get you killed Jack! I didn’t know that car had a bomb on it! I SWEAR I didn’t.” Alex begged. He leant forward to touch Jack’s arm, hoping that physical contact would help her forgive him. But Jack turned away. And that hurt more than the slap had.

“And what about us?” A sad voice asked.

Alex turned around to face Sabina. He had forgotten they were there, but they were. They seemed just as angry as Jack did. Her parents were glaring at him ferociously and without remorse. Sabina looked just as hateful there was something else in her eyes, something that stabbed his heart – betrayal.

“You killed us.” Edward Pleasure accused. “You killed my wife and my little girl. I trusted you with my little girl. I brought you into my home and you got us killed.”

“You practically murdered us yourself!” Elizabeth Pleasure agreed. “It’s all your fault! You are the one that killed us all!”

Alex shook his head. He didn’t mean for them to die! He didn’t mean for them all to die! He hadn’t meant to betray them. The Pleasures had been nice to him! He wouldn’t wish them harm!

“No, please, I didn’t mean it!” Alex begged, trying to get them to understand, trying to get them to stop hating him.

Sabina looked away, tears in her eyes. For a hopeful minute, he thought that she was going to forgive him, but she didn’t. When she looked back her eyes were full of malice and her nose was scrunched up the way it did when he looked at someone she hated.

“I wish I never met you! I wish I was never a ball-girl at Wimbledon. You killed me and my parents! I should have known you were bad news when you almost got my father killed!”

Alex had forgotten about that. Edward had been so kind as to forgive him and even took him in after Jack had died. How did Alex repay them? He got them killed. Just like he got Jack killed just like he got everyone who cared about him killed.

“And now,” Edward Pleasure growled. “You must be punished.”

Mr Pleasure pulled something from behind his back. It was a belt. Alex didn’t need any prompting before he turned to run away. But he didn’t get anywhere. A hand stopped him from moving. It was Jack and she raised the saucepan. It smashed against his head and he crumpled to the floor.

The belt whistled and it flew through the air and kept hitting his back.

“Murderer!” The four of them yelled.

Suddenly the door to the kitchen opened. It was Ian! He would save him! He was against corporal punishment too. One time, when Alex was a kid, he had seen a boy ran across the run. When the boy’s father caught up with him, he had smacked the kid on the bottom a few times. Ian had muttered about ‘unnecessary’ and ‘against corporal punishment’. At the time he had wondered how Ian knew the father was a corporal but now Alex knew what he meant. He would stop them from hurting him! But Ian just shook his head and glared.

“I am so disappointed Alexander. Maybe if I had smacked you myself this would never have happened.” He looked towards Edward Pleasure. “Don’t stop Eddy he needs proper punishment, after all, he got me killed too.”

Then his parents arrived, looking at him with the same hatred the others had. They hated him too. But he was just a baby when they died. Surely they wouldn’t blame him for their deaths? Oh, who was he kidding? Of course, it was his fault. It always was his fault. Alex Rider may have the luck of the devil, but he also had the curse of the devil. Anyone that cared for him Succumbed to the Alex Rider curse eventually. His parents nodded at Edward Pleasure.

“And us. Punish him.” They said, harshly.

“Alex!”

Alex looked around to see where the new voice was coming from. It sounded familiar and even comforting. But he couldn’t see where it was coming from.

“Alex!”

There it was again. Where was it coming from? Why did it sound so panicked? Why did it care for him?

“A Chuilein, please! It’s alright!”

Alex tried hard to place the voice, but he couldn’t. The flurry of blows was too much, and darkness began to descend. Whoever it was crazy. It wasn’t alright. It was far from alright. He a murderer and he was getting punished for it.

“A Chuilein, my Cub it’s alright, you are safe now!”

Suddenly Alex was back in his bedroom. His current bedroom. Jack, the Pleasures, Ian and his parents were nowhere to be seen. Ben was the only one there, sitting on the side of his head and looking very relieved. It had been his voice that was calling him, and Alex felt stupid for not realising that it was a nightmare sooner.

Then something occurred to him. He had woken Ben up! Alex looked at the alarm clock and saw that it was 2:32. This was bad. This was very bad. He had woken Ben up with his nightmare. Mason hated it when he disturbed him because he was too weak not to have nightmares. Ben would be too. He was sure to hit him now!

“I’m sorry sir!” He apologised before Ben could yell at him. “So sorry! Please don’t hit me, sir! I’ll be good!”

Ben’s expression changed from relieved to concerned again. He wondered how long it would take for Alex to realise that he would never hit him. It seemed Mason had used every excuse to batter him. Who punished, let alone hit, someone because they had a nightmare? It wasn’t something they could help and hitting a child who had a nightmare would only increase those nightmares. It would not help them in any way though, Ben realised, Mason hadn’t cared about helping Alex. No-one had. Well, that would change.  

“Woah, Woah, steady on A Chuilein. I’m not going to hit you! I’m not mad and you don’t have to call me sir.” Ben comforted. “Everything’s alright, Alex. I’m not going hurt you or punish you in any way.”

Alex blinked at him and examined Ben’s face. He was trying to determine if Ben was telling the truth. Mason and Blunt sometimes did that – tell him he wasn’t going to be punished and then smack later anyway. They said it was training – he had to learn not to believe everyone and if he did then he deserved to be smacked as punishment for his naivety.

“But I woke you up.” Alex pointed out, as though it were the worse crime in the world. “I didn’t mean to, but I did!”

Ben reached out to comfort him, but Alex pulled away. He sighed inwardly. His need to provide physical comfort was overwhelming but Alex didn’t want it. He would have to find a way to comfort him without getting too close. It might throw Alex into a panic and that was something he didn’t want. He hoped that his words would be enough comfort.  

“Shhh.” Ben hushed him. “Of course, you didn’t mean to! You had a nightmare, that’s all. It’s not your fault and I would never punish you for that.”

Alex still stared at him and Ben knew it hadn’t quite sunk in yet. But that was alright – with a bit of time and plenty of love and patience, Alex would believe him. He would fully believe Ben when he said he wasn’t going to be punished or that he would never strike him.

“But-but-but.” Alex stuttered, not believing that he wasn’t about to be punished for having a nightmare and waking this guardian up.

Ben got up from the bed. He decided not to comment on Alex’s flinched and instead headed towards the bedroom door. He opened it gently before he turned to Alex. He smiled at his Cub and Alex just gave him the cutest confused looked that he had ever seen.

“Come on. Let’s go downstairs. I will fix you a cup of Horlicks. That always helps me when I have nightmares.”

Alex obeyed. Ben wasn’t sure if this was because the offer of a hot drink was a welcoming one or if it was because obedience was too deeply ingrained in him to do otherwise. Either way, it ended up with the same result and while Ben was uncomfortable with the idea of Alex agreeing just to placate him, Ben knew that a hot drink might help calm him.

“You have nightmares, sir -er Ben?” Alex questioned, softly, hoping that Ben wouldn’t take offence to the question. Mason didn’t like it when he asked questions though he sometimes allowed it. This meant that he was never sure if he would get an answer to his question or slap and punch instead.

“I do. As do the rest of the K-unit, every MI6 agent I worked with and anyone who’s seen the things we have. It’s normal and nothing to be ashamed of.”

A few minutes later, they were sat at the table drinking cups of Horlicks. Alex never had Horlicks before but had seen it advertised in the shops before. He liked the hot milkiness and had to admit that it did calm him down. The sheer fear he had felt previously was gone.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ben asked as they drank.

Alex thought about it for a second. Ben wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t want him to tell him. So, after a few more sips of his milky drink, he began to tell Ben what it had all been about. He was glad of it too because such to his surprise, he actually felt a lot better to get it all out. Sure, Ben might say it had been deserved but it still felt like a weight on his shoulders. Anyway, he’d rather Ben discovers it now rather than later. He would be angry at being deceived. He waited for Ben to hit him and tell him he had to leave but it seemed his fears were unfounded.

“Alex, you weren’t to blame for what happened,” Ben reassured him. “And Jack, The Pleasure, Ian, your parents, none of them would blame you. It wasn’t your fault. You were a kid. In fact, you’re still a kid. You should never have been put in that position in the first place.”

To hear it said allowed with such confidence was something that Alex never expected but nonetheless needed. Alex picked up their mugs and took them to the sink. He washed and dried them before placing them in a cupboard.

Ben followed his Cub to the sink, knowing that Alex liked to keep his hand busy while he thought about something. It would take a while for Alex to fully believe and agree with Ben’s assessment but that didn’t matter. He would keep reassuring Alex because it was the truth. He wasn’t the blame for those deaths and his family would never have blamed him for it.

“Alex?” Ben asked softly and waited for the boy to look at him. “You have been through a lot- far too much for an adult let alone a kid. It’s alright to need help. Just like the physical scars, your mental scars have to heal too.”

“I know, Ben.”

Ben realised that talking further about therapy wouldn’t help. There was a time and a place for that discussion, and it wasn’t here, and it certainly wasn’t now.

“Everything’s going to be alright A Chuilein.” He promised softly. “It will take a while, but I will be there, every step of the way.”

Ben opened his arms: an invite for physical affection. He wasn’t about to hug the kid without his permission not when he had already been told if that his body was his own and someone should only touch him without his permission his safety required it. He had told Alex that it was important his boundaries were respected and would only believe it if he, Ben, made a point of respecting his. Start as you mean to go on the wise voice of Patrick Daniels sounded in his head. His dad had been a loving and wise man that impressed the importance of respect and a sense of love on his children. Ben knew that he would take many lessons from being a father from his own dad. He only wished he would be as good to Alex as his parents had been to him.

He was also aware of Alex’s wariness. It made perfect sense. Over the last year and a half, Mason and Blunt had completely changed his perception of what physical contact meant. With them, it had meant pain and danger. Ben was itching to change that, but it would take time. Rushing in and forcing hugs on his kid would make him feel better but it wouldn’t help Alex and it was Alex that mattered. Alex needn’t believe that what he wanted mattered. He needed to know, without any doubt, that Ben would never disrespect or let anyone else disrespect his boundaries. So, while he was technically initiating the contact he was allowing Alex to choose if he continued it.

Ben reached out towards him and at first Alex flinched. Then he felt silly. Of course, Ben wouldn’t hit him. Instead, he had reached out in a silent offer of affection. He had noted the way that he stopped himself from hugging him but still offered it gladly. It was as if he was making a point. He would give all the hugs and affection he wanted but only if he wanted. It is important your boundaries are respected. It’s alright to tell someone not to do something that makes you uncomfortable and that includes me. Never worry about offending me. If I do something that disrespects those boundaries tell me. I won’t try to, but everyone makes mistakes. He remembered what Ben had said that first night when they were laying out the rules. 

Alex surprised himself. He leant into the touch and allowed Ben’s warm embrace to envelope. It was comforting and nice. In Ben’s arms, he felt safe and protective from the horrors the world could inflict on him. It had been ages since anyone hugged him. It had been ages since he had experienced true affection. It had been ages since a touch had been comforting instead of painful. The only time Blunt or Mason ever touched him was when he was hurting him. He had connected physical contact with pain for too long that he had forgotten what it was like for it to feel so good, so warm and so very comforting. He had forgotten what it was like to be hugged and cherished. The last time had been with The Pleasures and Jack. Jack’s hugs were so lovely. He feared he would never experience affection like that again. Yet here Ben was proving he was wrong. He would be loved again.

Chapter 38: The Tutor

Chapter Text

Much against Alex’s behest, the weather did pick up. The next day he and Ben went to the nearest shopping centre to get everything they would need for the coming weeks. This included a very large, and in Alex’s opinion very unnecessary, stationery haul ready for when his tutor would arrive. Alex had never seen so many notebooks, exercise books, pens, pencils, and various other classroom equipment in his life. He was quite sure that he didn’t need a whiteboard – let alone two but Ben had chucked them in the trolley anyway. Alex didn’t dare look at the total cost of their trip to the shopping centre. Ben, who had seen him give apprehensive looks towards to cashier, had assured him that they were well within budget and that he didn’t mind spending money on him. Alex was not reassured but didn’t want to start an argument in the middle of Staples so just nodded.

It was Sunday night. Tomorrow his tutor would be arriving. Ben allowed him to have a say in most things, but this was one subject he had put his foot down on. It reminded Alex that no matter how many choices Ben gave him, at the end of the day, he was in charge and what he said goes. To be fair to the Scot, he had given him much more choice than most would give their wards, but it still reminded Alex that Ben was an adult. He didn’t have a good experience with adults especially ones that had authority over him and while Ben frequently reassured him that he never hit him, physical punishment for arguing was still a major concern. It was because of this reason, and because he didn’t want Ben to start thinking he was more trouble than he was worth, that did not share his complaints when it came to his tutor.

Monday morning brought a new challenge. Alex was up early and had made short work of the breakfast Ben made for him. He was waiting in the room Ben had set up as his classroom and that’s when the real problems for him arose. After Mr Davenport, Alex felt apprehensive, to say the least. He didn’t know how he was to act around the new tutor. Mr Davenport had been strict and old fashioned. Alex had been made to address him as ‘sir’ and to stand when he was addressed or when the tutor entered the room. He was used to that of course; Mason never would have let him be disrespectful. He also expected Alex to just know things and not just in terms of academics. No. Mr Davenport seemed to have expected him to read his mind. Much of the detentions he had been given was for failing to predict the man’s whims. He hoped that this tutor wouldn’t be the same.

Alex glanced at the clock. It was 9:25. The tutor would be here at half-past and Alex wondered if they would have the same stridency for timekeeping as Mr Davenport. If Alex had arrived any later than five minutes early he would have been punished harshly, no matter the reason. Sometimes it hadn’t been his fault, he had been waylaid by Mason a few times explaining this to Mr Davenport only earned him extra whacks of the ruler. The sound of the front doorbell brought him out of his musings. Alex could hear the low hum of conversation which got louder as they approached the classroom door. A few seconds later it opened, and Alex took a few breaths. He rose, deciding that in regards to respect it was better to be safe than sorry.

Ben was the first to enter and was quickly followed by another man. Alex glanced at him cautiously, trying to appraise him. He was a little shorter than Ben, had ginger spikey hair and green eyes. He wore thin metal glasses which were tied around his neck by a matching silver chain. He didn’t look very dangerous, but Alex knew that looks could be deceiving. One only had to look a Damien Cray or Desmond McCain to know that.

“This is Alex,” Ben introduced beaming as he indicated the teenager with a wave of his hand. “Alex, this is Stanley Griffiths.”

Alex stood at attention, making an active effort to not appear disrespectful. Mr Griffiths looked surprised at this and turned to Ben for an explanation. He didn’t get one, but Ben nodded his head softly at the man indicating that everything was alright.

“Pleased to meet you, sir.” Alex greeted once Mr Griffiths turned his attention back on Alex.

Ben dithered in the doorway, unsure whether he should stay or go. He was reminded of the song Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash according to that song if he went there would be trouble, but he stayed there will be double. Ben guessed that it would mean it was better that he went but it probably wasn’t a good idea to make his decision based on a song even if it was a good one. It was better that he took his cue from Alex rather than The Clash.

“Alex, do you want me to stay or go?” Ben asked.

“You can go, sir,” Alex replied respectfully, afraid of making the wrong impression. “We’re alright here.”

While Alex felt safer when Ben was around, he did not want to risk offending his tutor if he asked his guardian to stay. He felt quite sure that Mr Griffiths would much rather they were alone when he taught him, and Alex wasn’t about to risk angering the man over something as simple as Ben’s presence. Besides, Alex knew that he wouldn’t do very well. He was pretty stupid – his previous exams and test papers showed that. The last thing he wanted was for Ben to realise how behind he was. So, as much as his insides were screaming for Ben’s presence he pushed it down. He could not risk Ben’s disappointment or Mr Griffiths’ ire.

Ben stayed for a few seconds. He opened his mouth but closed it again quickly without comment. He gave one last look between them both and left. The door clicked into place and the sound of it made Alex jump. It wasn’t that the sound was unexpected but that it signified that he was now trapped. He was now alone with a tutor. His last tutor was forever snapping at him or whacking him with a metal ruler.

Mr Joseph Griffiths looked around the room with a smile. It had been set up much like a small classroom with materials for both teaching and learning. His student was standing nervously, his head ducked, and his shoulder slumped. Joseph was used to apprehensive and reluctant students. He had been a teacher in a secondary school for fifteen years before he decided to turn to private tuition. Most of his students were one that had great potential but needed extra help. Often they resented the idea of a tutor or felt stupid for needing one. So, he was used to nervous students. This was different though. Alex was more than nervous – he was scared and not just at the thought of having extra work to do. Mr Daniels had confined only briefly in him; He knew that Alex had been physically abused by his last guardian and would be wary around him but wasn’t clued in on the details.

“Would you prefer that I call you Alex or Mr Rider?” His tutor asked.

Alex brow furrowed. He hadn’t been expecting that question. He thought that Mr Griffiths would lay down the law, warn him about being stupid, late, or insolent. He had been waiting for numerous questions about his schooling and why his old teachers thought he was a hopeless case. He had not to be expected to be asked how he liked to be called.

“Alex, please, sir.” He answered. The thought of anyone calling him Rider like Mason, Blunt and Davenport had was too much. It brought back too many memories.

“So, Alex, you are fifteen. Your GCSEs are next year.” Mr Griffiths stated. He remembered what subjects the boy had chosen. His school had decided to get their students to pick their GCSEs at the end of Year 8. He had chosen History, triple science, Spanish, Mandarin and Geography. He wondered what made the boy decide to take these options, though perhaps he took Spanish because he was already fluent in judging by his last reports from his school and his last tutor.

“Yes, sir,” Alex confirmed. Options Evening seemed so long ago now even though it had only been a couple of years ago. Ian had come with him and approved of his choices. That had been before he knew about MI6 before his life had been thrown apart. Alex ached to go back to those days but short of stealing a time-travelling police box, there was little he could do about that.

“Please don’t call me sir. I find it creates a barrier. Mr Griffiths will do if you insist on formality.”

Alex wondered if this was a trap. Mr Griffiths seemed alright so far, but he wasn’t sure if this was part of some mind game he was playing. Experience told him that it was always a possibility and to never take what someone said at face value. Just because they said it was alright to do one thing did not mean that they expected you to do another. Alex had found this out like he had found out many of life’s facts: through the hard way.

“Yes, Mr Griffiths,” Alex replied deciding that complete obedience was better than risking being punished for insolence.

Mr Griffiths resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It seemed his new student would only give him monosyllabic answers. He would have to ask a few open-ended questions to encourage openness. He sat down and gestured for Alex to sit next to him. He did so immediately as if worried that delaying for even a second, would result in a reprimand. Still, at least it is better than having a surly teenager who was determined to disobey your every order and refuse your every request.

A few hours later and Mr Griffiths was beginning to grow frustrated. It was something he was quite used to feeling. A majority of the kids he tutored did not want him there any more than they wanted to. It was understanding, of course, most children would prefer to do something more interesting than algebra or Puck's soliloquy. This was different though. Alex did speak unless he was addressed and the first few times he asked him questions, the boy would jump to his feet like a jack in the box. He carried on doing this until he had told the boy that it was unnecessary.

It was when they got to maths that the real troubles started brewing. He was trying to teach Alex trigonometry and it wasn’t going well. It was clear that the boy had missed a lot. The gaps in his knowledge were concerning, to say the least, but Mr Griffiths was sure that it wasn’t due to a lack of ability. Still, he persisted.

“Frist of all, can you come here and point to the hypotenuse?” Mr Griffiths.

Alex obeyed. He stood in front of the whiteboard. He had a one in three chance of getting it right. The word hypotenuse rang a distant sound in the foggy mists of his brain. In all honesty, he was wondering why he needed to know this. He had been on other 20 missions and never did the hypotenuse of a triangle come up. Were they expecting him to be kidnapped by a crazy mathematician who would only let him leave once he answered his questions from the GCSE maths syllabus correctly? Actually, to be fair that did sound like something that would happen to him. It didn’t change his opinion that there was little point in knowing this stuff. If schools were supposed to prepare you for life they should teach you about taxes. Well, that and how to escape from a psychopathic killer intend on well, killing you. Sadly, subterfuge and survival were not a GCSE option. It was as he would be getting 9s.

“Alex?” Mr Griffiths prompted when he didn’t answer.

Right. He was supposed to be trying to identify the hypotenuse not criticising the British education system. He sighed and jabbed a finger towards the sides. He had no clue if he was right or not, but he hoped so. Wrong answers were about as bad as being disrespectful. Mason didn’t suffer fools gladly and Mr Davenport felt that stupidity was the eighth deadliest sin.

“Is that the hypotenuse?” Alex questioned.

He looked at Mr Griffiths. The man shook his head. Oh great. He had gotten it wrong. Now, what would his punishment be? Mr Davenport would have already seized his hand or told him to keep it out as he hurled questions at him.

Mr Griffiths turned around and picked up a wooden ruler. It was about 45 cm long and made of hard cherry wood. Alex gulped at the sight of it. It would hurt. The only saving grace was that it wasn’t metal like Mr Davenports’. That thing was lethal. Mr Griffiths was bringing the ruler closer to him.

“Rider!” Mr Davenport bellowed.

Alex rose from to his feet, quaking slightly. He had so far managed to escape the ruler but now he was being tested on the Boom in America. He knew little about this subject, in fact, he didn’t know much of anything. The last time he had been in school, he was in America and they had been covering the American Civil War much to his classmates' amusement.

“Yes, sir?”

“In what year was the Wall Street Crash?”

Alex let out a sigh of relief. This was something he did know if only because he had recently watched a film set in the same year.

“1929, sir,” Alex responded.

Mr Davenport sneered at him nastily, clearly unhappy with the fact he had given the right answer.

“What did the Fordney-McCumber Act do?” Mr Davenport demanded.

Crap. Alex tried to think. He searched his brain for an answer but all he could think of was a load of cucumbers. Curse McCumber’s name couldn’t it be something that didn’t cause his brain to think of the green vegetables. And now he was hungry and had developed a craving for cream cheese cucumber sandwiches. What if he wrote about sandwiches in his exam? The marker would think he was crazy.

CRACK!

The familiar burning pain of the ruler whacking against his palm made itself known. His palm pickled and felt hot. Mr Davenport was not a patient man and he detested it when Alex took too long to respond to him.

“Answer me, Rider!” Mr Davenport ordered.

“I don’t know, sir.” He admitted.

A gleeful smile appeared on Mr Davenport’s face before the man changed into a venomous sneer.

“You don’t know?” Mr Davenport questioned. “You really are a complete moron aren’t you Rider?”

“Yes, sir.” Alex agreed, knowing it was what the man wanted. His eyes prickled and the back of the throat felt saw. A steady flow of tears threatened to fall but he had to calm down. Crying would only make Mr Davenport angrier and then he would be merciless in his bullying.

“Hand. Now.”

A shaky hand made its way out. After four sharp whacks, his punishment was over, and Mr Davenport pushed him into a chair. He dropped a heavy textbook in front of Alex narrowly missing his face.  

“Find the answer in that book. You have ten minutes. If you do not have the right answer you will be in detention tonight.” Mr Davenport ordered.

Alex reached out to the textbook. He was just opening the book when the ruler came crashing down across his knuckles. It was only then that he realised his mistake.

“Pay attention!” Mr Davenport. “Did I say you could start?”

“No, sir,” Alex answered. “I’m sorry, sir.”

Mr Davenport cracked the ruler across his knuckles once more. It broke his skin this time as the sharp edges cut into it. It bled slightly but Mr Davenport didn’t look guilty. If anything, he looked pleased.

“For your impertinence, I am taking half your time away.” Mr Davenport told him. “You know have five minutes.”

This time Alex just looked at Mr Davenport and waited for the permission. The man kept him waiting for a few minutes. Briefly, Alex wondered if this would cut into his allotted five minutes. He hoped not.

“You may begin. Five minutes.” Mr Davenport ordered him.

“Thank you, sir,” Alex replied both for the permission and the tutor’s kindness in allowing him the full five minutes. He just hoped it would be enough. Now, onto the Fordney-McCumber Act. Please he thought to himself for the love of God, don’t think of cucumber sandwiches. Alex began his task and hoped that he would succeed. The prize for failure was too big.

“Alex?” Mr Griffiths asked. He had picked up his ruler in order to show Alex what the hypotenuse was. As it was the longest side, and the one opposite the right angle, it was easier to show Alex by measuring it for him. However, when the teenager had caught slight of the ruler he grew very pale and started sweating. A washed-over look came over him and any attempt to get Alex’s attention had been unsuccessful.

Suddenly, Alex’s eyes snapped to him then his gaze dropped and focus on the ruler in his hands. He was watching it intently and whenever he waved it about, he followed it with his eyes.

“Please, sir!” Alex cried suddenly. “I didn’t mean to get the wrong answer! Please don’t whack me!”

Whack him? What?! Why would he whack Alex? Mr Griffiths shook his head. A more important question was: why did Alex think he was going to be whacked with a ruler for giving the wrong answer? If Alex never got the wrong answer then he wouldn’t need tutoring! He was learning – mistakes were allowed and expected!

“Alex…” He raised a hand and went to place it on the boy’s shoulder. That, he realised, was the worst thing he could do because the boy flinched violently. Then he shot around the desk and bolted to the door. He pulled on the doorknob and shot through it as if the bats of hell were chasing after him.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. If Alex wasn’t running he would probably smack himself a few times. He’d run from a punishment. He was really in for it now. Mr Griffiths had gone to slap him for his inattentiveness, and he ran away. He shot past Ben, ignoring him as the man called his name. His legs were running without much discussion with his brain. They took him to his bathroom where he locked the door.

Ben had several questions but first, he needed to check that Alex was alright. He followed the boy. Normally he would have knocked on the bedroom door, but it was thrown wide open. Ben got to the bathroom door a few seconds before he heard it lock.

“Alex, A Chuilein?” He asked softly. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m sorry, sir, I was bad.” Alex's voice came from behind the door, and it sounded so much younger than it ever had before.

“A Chuilein, what happened?” Ben questioned. “And please, remember you can call me Ben.”

But Alex didn’t say anything after that. He knocked to say that he wasn’t in danger and Ben eventually decided to leave the boy alone and wait until he was ready to speak. He trusted him when he said he wasn’t hurt or in danger and there wasn’t really anything in the bathroom that could cause him harm. So, Ben went off in search of Mr Griffiths hoping that the man hadn’t hurt his Cub.

Mr Griffiths was waiting for Mr Daniels to come down to speak to him. He had a few questions for the man too. But he suspected that the man was just as clueless as him, at least in regards to what in particular had set the boy off.

“What happened?” Ben demanded as soon as he saw Mr Griffiths. He raised a suspecting eyebrow at him. “If you have hurt him…”

The threat did not need completing. Mr Griffiths felt sure that if he had hurt Alex he wouldn’t be around for much longer. The man oozed a protective and dangerous aura. The tutor tried to remind himself that he had not hurt the boy – at least not physical nor intentionally and therefore was not in any danger.

Ben listened as Mr Griffiths told him what had happened. Alex thought he would be hit if he got an answer wrong? Well, that explained why he had been so jumpy and worried about having a tutor. He was scared that said tutor would abuse him. It seemed he still didn’t feel safe.

“You said he was abused.” Mr Griffiths stated. “Did this tutor abuse him too?”

“He’s never spoken about it,” Ben admitted. “But judging by his reaction I think it’s a possibility.”

Mr Griffiths sighed. He could understand Mr Daniels’ need to meet Alex’s educational needs, but it might not be the priority right now. If they decided to keep with the tutoring he would, of course, help wherever he could but it was clear that Alex needed help above and beyond what either of them could offer him. Alex didn’t trust him and until he did, there wouldn’t be much learning going on.

“I understand you don’t want Alex to fall behind, but have you considered that education just isn’t a priority right now?” Mr Griffiths suggested.

Ben looked at Mr Griffiths curiously. Education, not a priority? A child’s education was extremely important! The last person he expected to hear this from was a tutor who had spent fifteen years of his life teaching in a school. Surely he would encourage getting Alex back into an educational routine as soon as possible.

“I know!” Mr Griffiths chuckled, seeing what the other man was thinking. “You’d think someone like is would encourage getting back to education quickly and I’m not suggesting a complete stop to his education. However, I’ve studied psychology at university. There’s a theory called Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs which basically orders the importance of certain needs. It is argued that unless these needs are met a child cannot reach their full potential and that learning is incredibly difficult.”

“Go on,” Ben instructed, intrigued. He made a mental note to look it up on Google later on.

“The first is your physiological needs, you know, food, water, warmth and rest. You’re already meeting these but if he’s been deprived of that before it might take him a while to recover from the effects of that.”

Ben nodded and remembered how Alex told him that sometimes Mason would take away his food before he finished it.

“The next step is where I feel Alex is lacking and it is the second most important one.” Mr Griffiths explained.

“Well, what are they?” Ben demanded. Why hadn’t anyone told him this before? He needed to know where he was lacking so that he could help Alex and meet his needs.

“Safety needs.” Mr Griffiths told him. “No hang on – before you start complaining, I’m not saying Alex isn’t safe, it’s clear you love him and would fight to the end of the earth to keep himself. Unfortunately, he has been abused and doing that time he was not safe. Alex grew to expect violence. He might not feel fully safe with you yet because his brain remembers all the times he wasn’t. Until he does he feel safe he won’t meet his other needs, let alone learn anything else.”

“So, the priority is meeting the other steps?” Ben asked.

“In my opinion but I’m not a psychologist. I’d advise you to get him a therapist and get some professionals to advise. Call me and let me know what you decided.”

“You’ve given me a lot to think about,” Ben admitted. “Thank you.”

He showed Mr Griffiths out. As he waited for Alex to come out of the bathroom he looked at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and made notes on it. It was interesting stuff and Ben decided to print a picture of a pyramid. He would stick it on his wall so that it would be the first thing he saw in the morning and the last thing he saw at night. Maybe he had pushed Alex too far too soon. He didn’t know how long it would take for Alex to come out but when he did he would talk to him. He would also do some research to find out what educational options were available to him. Ben was determined to do what was right for Alex whatever that may be.

Chapter 39: Not Pandora's Box

Summary:

Please allow me some creative licence. I don't have any experience with therapy or and while I have researched the correct terms I am not certain that I am correct. I also don't really know how real sessions would be like so I have based it from television shows and films.

Chapter Text

When Alex did come out of the bathroom they talked for a while. Ben listened, trying hard to keep himself calm, as the teenager explained what had got him so upset and how his last tutor Mr Davenport, was just as abusive as Mason. When he was done Ben promised him that he would allow anyone to harm him and that anyone that came in contact with him would be thoroughly vetted. It seemed to have some difference, but Mr Griffiths’ words of advice and his own research told him that it may take a while for Alex to fully trust him. That’s when Ben approached the subject of a therapist and just like he expected, Alex was adamantly against it.

“I’m fine!” Alex yelled. Ben had been surprised. It was the first time Alex had shown such an outburst of emotion. Until now, he had always spoken calmly and without any hint of anger. In all honesty, Ben was glad of it. Alex always agreed with him and one the worse days all he could get out of the teenager was yes sir, no sir and I’m sorry, sir.

“You’re not fine, Alex and you haven’t been in a long time.” Ben refuted confidently “But that’s alright. You’re not expected to be fine after all you have been through. You were abused for a year and a half, not to mention exploited a year before that. It’s alright to need help to process that trauma.”

“I’m not a victim.” Alex declared. “I’m not!”

“Then what are you?” Ben asked, not unkindly. “If you don’t want to be considered a victim then what do you want to be considered as?”

“I-I don’t know,” Alex admitted. “But I’m not weak! I promise you I’m not weak or useless.”

“Of course, you’re not!” Ben agreed. “You are one of the strongest people I know but that doesn’t mean you don’t need help. Seeing a therapist has nothing to do with how strong you are. And as for being useful – you’ll always be an important part of my life, Alex. I love you and that will never change.”

Alex froze. It had been a long time since he heard those words before. Jack had said it every day. Ian not so much. It wasn’t that his uncle didn’t love him, Alex was quite certain that he did but he rarely spoke those words out aloud. In fact, Alex could count on his hands the number of times Ian had said those words. Ian Rider just wasn’t one for gestures of love, though he had shown it in other ways. Now that Ben had spoken those words and with so much certainty, it made everything seem so real. Alex was beginning to hope that he would get back what he had previously lost. Maybe he could trust Ben some more. He got him away from Mason and his harsh punishments. He had been right about so many things before when there two were on missions, maybe he was right about this too.

“Look, how about you just give it a try?” Ben suggested. “If it doesn’t work we can try something else. It might take time to see any results, but could you at least just try it out?”

Alex sighed. He supposed there wasn’t any harm in giving it a shot. He didn’t need to tell anyone – not that there was anyone to tell. Well actually, there was Tom. He wanted to see his friend. He hoped that Tom wouldn’t be too upset with him. He was currently in Spain with his brother Jerry and wouldn’t be back for a few weeks. He wondered what Tom would make of him going to therapy. Alex knew that he had seen a therapist for a while during his parent’s divorce. That had been before Jack died and according to his best friend it wasn’t as bad as he thought, which was high praise indeed coming from Tom. If his Tom could do therapy then he guessed he could too.

“Alright, fine.” Alex conceded reluctantly. “But I’m not going act like I’m enjoying myself.”

A few days later Alex was sat in the waiting room, debating whether he should make a quick getaway and if it had really been such a good idea to agree with Ben’s proposal. The walls were painted a light blue and Alex suspected it had been chosen on purpose. Blue was meant to be a calming colour after all. There was also a fish tank with various tropical fish. That too was supposed to be calming he supposed. For Alex, it just reminded him of Skeleton Key and the CIA agents that had been killed.

Ben was watching him curiously. He had brought a book with him, but it reminded him on the chair next to him, closed and a bookmark on the top. His guardian had promised him that the therapist Doctor Alice Campbell, was one of the best child psychologists around. Mrs Jones had thoroughly approved of Alex seeing her and had personally visited the doctor to check her out. Satisfied that Dr Campbell could help, Mrs Jones made her sign the Official Secrets Act. That meant he could tell her everything.

Alex had been surprised when Ben told him that he could talk about all his missions. MI6 didn’t exactly have a reputation for openness. A lot had happened since he had last seen anyone from Special Operations. When the prime minister found out everything, he had forced Blunt back into retirement. He narrowly missed charges of child abuse of treason himself. Mason had been taken away to a black site. Neither Ben nor Alex knew where just that he would remain there for the rest of his life. There would be a trial of course but no one would know about it. There was enough evidence to secure a conviction without the need for Alex’s testimony. The trail would take place at another black site. It wasn’t like they could use the Old Bailey. It would attract too much attention and the prime minister wanted it sorted with as little scandal as possible. Considering this would mean Alex’s story and identity would remain hidden, it was something they were both pleased for. As for Mrs Jones, she would be the new head of MI6 and would make the decision on who would be her deputy on Mason was officially in prison. Alex suspected that it would be Crawley.

“Alex Rider!”

Alex groaned. His window for a quick getaway was now closed. He got to his feet and began walking to the office. Ben got up to follow him, but Alex stopped him with a quick shake of his head. He was supposed to go in alone but as this was his first time, Ben could attend the session if he wanted. He didn’t want to. Ben sat down again, and Alex continued his way back to the office, dreading what was about to happen. He tried to remind himself that he had been through worse. He had been nearly drowned multiple times; he could deal with an hour in a therapist’s office.

Unlike many of the things he had been through, his session with Dr ‘Call me Alice’ Campbell had not been as bad as he was expecting. Usually, his expectations either met reality or the reality was worse than his expectations. Alice had begun by telling him about herself. She was 45, from Redding and liked reading and swimming. Her parents called her Alice because her mum loved Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. This Alex had already deduced (there was an old copy of the book on her bookshelf and a cushion that had a picture of the mad hatter) but he didn’t tell the doctor this. She had gone to Oxford (again he already worked this out – her degree was proudly displayed after all). When she had finished talking about herself, Alex informed her that in no uncertain terms would he talk about himself. Alice just shrugged and told him he didn’t need to say anything. They could sit in silence or play cards if they liked. So that’s what they did.

“You’re pretty good at this!” Alice commented.

“I played it a lot as a kid,” Alex explained. “Ian taught me. It’s mainly just understanding body language and facial expression.”  

“Ian. That’s your uncle right?” She asked. Once Alex nodded he continued. “Did he teach you a lot of stuff?”

Alex put his card on the table: facedown. He folded his arms and shot Alice a warning look. Did she think he was stupid? He was not going to be manipulated that easily. He’d already told her enough when he said Ian taught him to play cards.

“I know what you are doing and it's not going to work.” Alex snapped.

“I was only asking; you don’t have to answer.” Alice reminded him.

“Oh, so we’re just going to sit here and play cards are we?” Alex demanded harshly.

It suddenly occurred to him that he was being rude – to an adult. Yes, this was an annoying adult who was trying to help him when he didn’t need or want it, but it was still an adult. While he still had moments of fear that were becoming less frequent, he still experienced them at times. This was one such time. Mason would have smacked him good for talking like that and Ben had told him he was meant to be polite. If Alice spoke to him and told him he was being rude and insolent his guardian might punish him too. He was about to apologise when Alice replied.

“If that’s what you want to do, then yes. I was just interested to know what else your uncle taught him. He seems like a clever man.”

“He was.” Alex agreed, smiling softly when he thought of Ian. “And I’m sorry, it’s just, I don’t like talking about him.”

“Well, that’s understandable,” Alice told him. “But I think that talking about him might help you.”

Alex didn’t say anything. They played a few hands before he eventually responded.

“He taught me lots of things, how to pick locks, how to follow someone without beginning detected, how to use your other senses in the dark,” Alex said. He wasn’t sure why he was telling her this. He could resist interrogation, he could stay tight-lipped even under torture and yet, he was talking without any of that. He was ashamed of himself. If he could resist interrogation a session with a child psychiatrist should be no trouble whatsoever.

“Those sound-like useful skills,” Alice answered. “Did your friends get taught those kinds of things?”

That was enough. He had already said far too much – told this woman, a person he had never met before today, far more than he had told anyone else. Even Jack, who had known about some of the strange things Ian had taught him. He had gone into the office adamant that he wasn’t going to say anything, and he had been wrong. He had no clue how Alice had made him talk. He would have suspected that she’d drugged him, but he hadn’t eaten anything or accepted the offer for a drink. It didn’t matter. He was done talking.

“I’m not saying anymore, I’ve said enough.” Alex decided.

“And I won’t make you,” Alice replied.

True to his word, Alex didn’t say anything else and true to hers, Alice didn’t try. They were nearly at the end of their session anyway. After a couple more hands of cards, the hour they had was up. Alex left the office and followed Alice to the consultation room. This was where friends and family could wait while the child was in with a physiologist. After the session, they could ask questions all while maintaining confidentiality. Alex left under the guise of going to the toilet. Really he just wanted to see what Alice would tell Ben. She didn’t tell him much, just reminded him that this was their first session and that Rome wasn’t built in a day.

That night over a take-away, Ben and Alex talked. They had a few things they needed to discuss. Firstly, they needed to talk about Alex’s tutoring. By law, Alex needed to be educated but they could apply for a medical exemption. Since it was nearly the end of the academic year, there was little point in worrying about the legal aspect of Alex’s education. There were just two weeks left before school ended after all.

“I have a proposal,” Ben announced. “It is completely up to you. You are already seeing Alice twice a week. I thought maybe two more days could be used to do a bit of schoolwork. I know that you have concerns regarding a tutor but how about I tutor you until you feel more comfortable? It’s not a long-term solution, I know and my dyslexia makes some subjects harder.”

Alex thought about it, he really did. He was still worried that Ben would think that he was stupid for not knowing enough but in the end, he decided that it was better than nothing. When she heard about the arrangement she agreed that it would do for now but warned against Alex being completely dependent on him. As she advised Ben, Alex needed to start trusting over adults and that wouldn’t happen if he only interacted with Ben. It wasn’t a big issue – definitely something that could wait but if Alex was to truly recover he needed to have a level of trust and that meant interacting with other people. It was likely that his mistrust in people would last a lifetime but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be improved.

Ben was becoming quite the notetaker. He listened to Alice and made a note of her suggestions on how he could help Alex. He spent time researching parenting an abused child and even listened to audiobooks on phycological theorists. He never more appreciated audiobooks and was grateful that a majority of the books he wanted to read had them. It wasn’t that he couldn’t read at all it was just that his dyslexia often made it difficult and made him extra tired.

Just like Alice suggested, he was gradually introducing Alex to different people. After a few weeks, Mr Griffiths returned to help Alex with his tutoring. This time, it was just English and Mandarin. The first because Ben knew the man would help Alex more and the second because he was nearly fluent in it anyway. Ben stayed in the room during his sessions now that Alex was reassured that Ben didn’t think he was stupid and while he was still a little wary of Mr Griffiths, he was slowly beginning to feel more at ease. There were still a few panic attacks but Alice had reassured Ben that all progress was good progress, even if it seemed gradual.

One morning, when Alex came into the office, he was greeted by the sight of a locked chest. He gave it several intrigued glances and when Alice didn’t even acknowledge its presence, his curiosity became too much for him and he asked her what it was all about.

“Oh that,” Alice answered as if she had only just noticed the chest. “It’s locked. I remembered what you said about being able to pick locks and I wondered how good you were at that.”

Alex snorted. What this another tactic of hers to get him to start talking? This was their fifth session and so far he had not shared much more than he had in that first session. He had put some pretty solid walls.

“I’m pretty good.” He commented. Ian had taught him to pick locks for years now. It was a very useful skill for anyone- not just spies. It was also a very suspicious skill and you had to be careful who you showed it off to. Sometimes it raised questions you didn’t want to answer.

“How about you try and I time you?” Alice offered, pulling out her phone.

She placed it on the table before rolling out a lock pick set next to it. Alex raised an eyebrow. Phones were usually not allowed out during the session though clearly this time she made an exception. Still, while he was interested he was not going to give in quite so easily. He looked over at the chest again and squinted at it. It was small, wooden, and very intriguing

“What’s inside the chest?” Alex asked, ignoring her offer completely.

“Why don’t you open it and see?” Alice suggested.

Alex scowled. He hated it when people answered his question with a question. And yes, he was well aware he had done it first but he didn’t care. Still, that chest did look interesting and he was pretty excited to find out what was inside it. Damn. He had to admit, he wanted to break open that chest and to offer of being timed reminded him of fun times with his uncle. Screw it. It was a chest not Pandora’s bloody box. It wasn’t like he had to answer any questions once he opened it!

“Fine, time me,” Alex ordered picked up the lock pick set that Alice had placed on the table.

He advanced towards the chest and sat crossed legged in front of the padlock. He lifted it and inspected it for a moment or two with one eye shut. He always did this before he started. Sometimes if he recognised the type of lock he would know immediately how to start unlocking it. Once that was identified the rest was muscle memory. This lock, however, was different. He had never worked on one before and that meant he would have to try it the hard way. Alex was pleased. He was glad to have a bit of a challenge. It wasn’t fun if it was easy. Alice had picked well. This would be harder than he first had anticipated. He set to work.

Alex gave a triumphant yell when the padlock clicked open. He unhooked it and set the padlock to one side. He was about to open it when he remembered that he wasn’t alone and that person with him had been timing him. He glanced over to Alice who was putting her phone away again.

“57 seconds,” Alice informed him. “That was pretty impressive.”

Was it? He wasn’t sure if Ian would agree. He had pretty high standards- one had to when one worked for Special Operations. 57 seconds wasn’t the quickest he had picked a lock but neither was it the slowest. It had been a fairly difficult lock and unknown one too so maybe, just maybe, if Ian was here he would be pretty happy with that. But that didn’t matter right now. He wanted to know what was inside the chest. So, he flicked the latch, pulled the lid open and peered inside.

Alex laughed. He couldn’t help it, but he laughed. He hadn’t laughed in a while but the ridiculousness of what the chest contained was too funny for words. His ‘treasure’ was a packet of golden chocolate coins, a pirate hat, an eye patch, and a little toy parrot which bizarrely enough, according to its label was called Jasper.

“Jasper.” Alex read aloud. “Shouldn’t he be a ghost? Oh, wait no that’s Casper I’m thinking of. Very funny Doc, I didn’t have you pegged as a comedian.”

Alice chuckled. She didn’t quite know why the parrot was called Jasper either then again, she was a child psychiatrist and not a toymaker. She still felt that Beaky would have been a better name but maybe that was why she wasn’t in the toy business. At least Jasper was more original.

“Oh really?” Alice smiled. “Do I not strike you as the fun type?”

Alex did not dignify that with a response. He closed the lid and placed his ‘treasure’ on top of the chest. Now that he had opened it he was expecting Alice to ask him a load of questions. While it had been fun picking the padlock and looking at what was inside, he didn’t want to talk about it. Alice seemed to have a knack at getting to him change his mind though and sometimes she even made him want to talk to him.

“57 seconds.” He muttered. He tried to think about what Ian would say about that. He could be so demanding but when Alex succeeded, Ian was so happy. He remembered when he first managed to pick a lock without any assistance from his uncle. He had been eight years old. Beforehand, Ian would have to give him verbal prompts and helpful tips.

Success! The smile that appeared on Alex’s face was so big it hurt. The padlock opened with a satisfying click. Alex almost dropped it in surprise but managed to reaffirm his hold on it. This wasn’t the first time he had managed to open a lock by picking it but it was the first time he had done so without any assistance from Ian. Alex turned to face his uncle and when he saw the look on Ian’s face his smile grew wider although it hadn’t seemed possible.

“Way to go Alex!” Ian congratulated him. He picked his nephew up and swung him around: something that only happened when Ian was in a very good mood. “Well done!”

“Whee!” Alex cried, laughing as he spun through the air. “I did it!”

“You did it!” Ian agreed and placed him back on the ground. “And I am so proud of you!”

Alex hugged his uncle. He was simply bouncing with excitement and joy. Ian said he was proud of him! It made him feel so happy to hear that! His stomach ached but not in a bad way. It wasn’t like when he was sick and had to go and see the doctor – this was a good ache. He didn’t know that a stomachache could feel good but it did!

“Let’s go to the ice-cream parlour!” Ian yelled. “As a reward for cracking that lock and winning the game, I’ll buy you the largest Ice-cream Sundae they do!”

“With extra hundreds-and-thousands?” Alex asked.

“Whatever you want!” Ian nodded.

Alex looked at his uncle in complete amazement. Usually, Ian was pretty strict when it came to sweet treats. Big Ice-cream Sundaes were usually reserved for birthdays and his birthday wasn’t for years and years! Ian must be very pleased with him to break his own rule on that especially if he was even allowing him to have extra hundreds-and-thousands. Wow! Alex would have to make Ian this proud more often if it made his uncle this happy.

“What’s all this yelling about?” A voice asked.

Alex and Ian turned around. The former jumped while the latter did not react. Alex wasn’t surprised. No one could make his uncle jump. He and Tom had tried very hard but eventually, they gave up. Ian always seemed to know when someone was there. Tom asked him how his uncle did that. He said he didn’t know but really he did. His uncle had superpowers and like spiderman, he had very good senses. This was a secret though so hadn’t told anyone – not even his best friend. He told Tom everything else but he couldn’t tell him this. It was clear Ian was training him to be his loyal sidekick – like Robin to Batman. That meant he couldn’t tell anyone about his uncle’s special powers. Not even Jack – who was the one that had just entered the kitchen. His uncle already knew that of course- his uncle knew everything. That’s why he was a superhero when he wasn’t working at the bank, of course – even superheroes had to pay their bills.

“Jack!”

Alex ran to meet the red-haired woman. He had been very hesitant with her at first and had behaved very badly with her when she first arrived in order to make her leave. She hadn’t left though and all his behaviour earned him was time on the naughty step. He had told Ian he was too old for it. He was a big of 7 then and now he was even bigger! Ian said that if he didn’t want to sit on the step he should behave. He hated being put on the naughty step It was sooo boring. Eventually, he warmed to her and now he couldn’t bear the thought of the American leaving their lives. He hugged her warmly and she stroked his hair the way that he really liked.

“We’re going to the ice-cream parlour!” Alex informed her.

Jack raised an eyebrow at Ian as she put the shopping away. She knew about Ian’s rules regarding healthy eating so it was surprising to hear the proclamation. Alex was a spoilt brat (she had been expecting one and had pleased once Alex showed his true self) so if he said he was going to the ice-cream parlour, it was because his uncle told him so.

“Oh really?” She asked.

“Yeah, Alex managed to pick a padlock today without any help. I thought I could take him there as treat. He’s earnt it.” Ian explained slightly sheepishly. Something about Jack made him feel like he had to explain and justify his decisions regarding Alex.

Jack gave her employer a pointed look. She was extremely interested to know why Ian felt the need to teach an eight-year-old such a skill. She had long since learnt that Ian Rider was not the usual parent and that Alex Rider was not the usual child. She loved Alex either way and while she disagreed with some of the skills he had been taught, she wasn’t going intervene and unless Alex was put at risk. It seemed the boy enjoyed spending time with his uncle anyway.

“Are you coming Jack?” Alex asked, bouncing on the heels of his toes. “Oh, please say you will!”

Well, who could deny him when he asked like that? Jack smiled. Alex was sometimes too mature for his age but sometimes he acted his age and Jack was only too happy to encourage him. He was too cute. If he wanted her to come with them to the ice-cream parlour she would. She would not let her misgivings get in the way of that excitement only a child was capable of. It wasn’t his fault his uncle was a little unusual and controversial in his teaching.

“Of course, I will come with you!” Jack answered and the look on Alex’s face told him that it had been the right choice. “Just let me put away my shopping. Go and put your coat on, it might get cold later.”

Alex sped off, for once not arguing that wearing a coat was not necessary. Once he was out of the room, Jack turned to Ian.

“I know exactly what you’re going to say.” Ian declared.

Jack rose her eyebrows at him again. Ian opened his mouth again, no doubt to defend his decisions to teach his wight-year-old nephew how to pick a lock.

“Not now!” She commanded, indicating the sound of Alex thundering down the stairs. “Don’t ruin this for him. He looks up to you. He is so excited to spend time with you. I’m not going to let anything stop that.”

Ian nodded his assent. He was about to thank her when Alex arrived. Jack nodded at him. They could talk later. And boy were they going to talk. Jack wanted to know exactly what was going through Ian’s head when he decided to teach Alex how to pick locks. For now, though, she would have fun with Alex as the boy enjoyed his treat. Jack loved it when Alex was happy, she just hoped it happened more often.

“Alex?” Alice prompted.

“I’m fine,” Alex informed her, well aware that people often grew concerned when he was pulled into a memory.

“What were you thinking of?” She asked.

Alex sighed. He had been expecting this. Still, it was a good memory. So many of the flashbacks he had had were bad. This was just brought a smile to his face. Ian had brought him the largest ice-cream sundae the parlours had. It had been so big that Jack had to help him finish it. He felt sick that night though, thankfully, he hadn’t thrown up. It was worth it though. He basked his uncle’s approval and the pride on Ian’s face was sweeter than the ice-cream sundae with extra hundreds-and-thousands. Yes. It had been a good memory indeed and frankly; he didn’t mind sharing it.

“I was thinking about the time I managed to pick a padlock. Ian was so happy and proud of me. He even took me to the ice-cream parlour.” Alex told her.

“Was that a current occurrence?” Alice questioned.

“Which one?” Alex shrugged. “Him being proud or taking me to get ice cream?”

“Both,” Alice answered. She had deliberately wondered the question vaguely.

“Ian was pretty strict when he came to healthy eating so no, going to get ice cream wasn’t a common thing,” Alex answered. “I think Ian was proud quite often.”

“But you aren’t sure?”

Alex shrugged. Ian just wasn’t an overly emotional or affectionate person. He wasn’t prone to outbursts of pride but it did happen. The few times he did, were the best times of his life. Alice was right though. He wasn’t sure that he made his uncle proud often. He just hoped that he would be proud of him if he saw him now. But he wasn’t going to tell Alice that. There were limits to his talkativeness, after all.

Alice decided not to press for an answer. Part of being a child psychiatrist was knowing when to pick your battles. This was one such occasion was pushing for an answer would do more harm than good.

“How old were you when this happened?” Alice asked him.

“Eight,” He answered.

Alice stopped twiddling the pen in her hands. She knew that Alex’s uncle had worked for MI6 and that when he had died he had started working for them too – despite being just 13. In order for him to be as successful as the intel suggested he was, he had to have been trained when he was young. She just didn’t expect it to be that young.

“That’s pretty young.”

Alex rolled his eyes. Everyone always thought he was too young. Yes, eight years old was quite young but it wasn’t like he was going on active missions. Alice was probably questioning Ian’s parenting right about now. He didn’t care. Ian was great and he liked learning the skills his uncle taught him.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Alex grunted.

“What am I thinking?”

“You’re thinking that Ian taught me a lot of things that a normal kid never did and that he was wrong to do so.”

Alice rose her eyebrows. Oh, right. He wasn’t supposed to use words like ‘normal’ in that context. According to the doctor, it harboured a toxic idea about mental health and was unconstructive.

“Firstly, please don’t use the word normal like that.” Alice reminded gently. “And secondly, if you said it, then you must have considered that at some point.”

Well, that was true. But only briefly! Ian loved him and had only wanted what was best for him – right? He wanted Alex to be prepared for when he became a spy. Ian knew that one day he would be killed and that Blunt would use him. He only wanted him to be prepared for every eventually.

“Ian loved me. He was trying to prepare me.”

“Preparing you for what?” Alice asked him, gently.

“Being a spy,” Alex told her. “Ian was a good uncle.”

“That doesn’t mean he never made any mistakes. We all make mistakes.” Alice replied. “And maybe Ian had the best of intentions but that doesn’t change the fact he put a lot of pressure on you. You were a little boy.”

“I enjoyed those lessons though. I had fun!”

“I’m glad,” Alice commented. “But that doesn’t mean it was alright to train you. I want you to think about that until our next session. That’s all we have time for today. Well-done Alex. You made good progress today.”

Alex headed towards to door. He turned when Alice called out to him.

“Aren’t you going to take your treasure?”

Alex smiled. He picked them up ignoring the little voice that told him that he was too young for such things. He would never admit it but he actually had fun today. He did feel a little better talking to Alice but she couldn’t help but think about what she had told him. Maybe he could ask Ben’s opinion. He was an MI6 agent. He would understand the skills one needed when one was a spy.

Chapter 40: Finally, Home

Notes:

Well! After 135,000 words (not including author notes) 270 pages on word and 45 days I'm finally done. I feel quite proud considering that Nightshade only had 101,088 words. When I started this fanfiction I did not plan for it to be bigger than the book! Thank you for your lovely comments and reviews. For anyone that read, liked or reviewed the story - thank you so much. It was you that made me want to keep writing and do a bigger fanfiction than I planned. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! For now, this is Gotta_Love_a_Story signing out!

Chapter Text

Ben agreed with Alice’s assessment. When Alex told him that she had suggested that Ian’s actions, however well-intended were wrong. In Ben’s opinion, Ian shouldn’t have taught him what he did. He could understand be worried about your kid and the need to make sure that they were well equipped to face the world, Ian Rider had taken that too far.

“There was no need to teach you everything that he did,” Ben told him. “And there was certainly no need to teach it to you as young as he did.”

Alex shook his head. He thought Ben would understand. He needed to learn the skills he had been taught. They were the only reason he had survived his missions because of what Ian had taught him. It was thanks to this, Smither’s inventions and his Luck of the Devil that caused him to be as successful as he was. His uncle knew what Blunt would do and needed to make sure he was prepared. Ian didn’t want him to be killed while being used by Blunt and if it hadn’t been for his uncle, that would have been exactly what would have happened. If it hadn’t been for his uncle, he would never have escaped that field in Cornwall.

“Ian was good to me.” Alex refuted.

Ben raised an eyebrow at him. Alex correctly deduced what the look meant and quickly launched into several tales about his uncle. He told him about the lockpicking lessons he had and how happy Ian had been when he succeeded. Ben had to understand that Ian loved him and wanted him to survive in the harsh world that they all knew existed. Ian hadn’t been perfect and yes, sometimes Alex didn’t want to spend time learning the things that he did.

“But I was a kid then!” Alex reminded him. “All kids get annoyed and tried! They all dislike their work and chores at some point.”

Ben reached out slowly,  and when Alex didn’t flinch or seem to be against the touch, patted the boy on the shoulder. He knew that Alex admired his uncle and loved him like any child should love their caregiver. When Ian had been killed, and everything surrounding his career came to light, those memories protected Alex from facing the reality of the situation. He didn’t want to think that his uncle, someone he had looked up to since he was young, hadn’t been a very good guardian.

 “Alex, what I’m about to tell you will probably come as something of a shock,” Ben warned him.

Alex titled his head and tried to figure out what he meant by that. After a few seconds, he nodded at Ben and waved at him gently. He was interested to hear what Ben was going to tell him. Ben stared at him for a few minutes as though scanning his face and trying to decide if it was safe to continue. His guardian nodded softly.

“Your uncle wasn’t a very good guardian. He abused you.” Ben informed him, gently.

Alex growled. Ian never abused him! He had high standards at times and may have taught him things usually children did learn. Sometimes he may have put him in dangerous situations and played less than safe games with him, but he was never in any real danger. It wasn’t like he could remove all risk from life! Ian was a controversial guardian but he was a good one! He certainly wasn’t abusive.

“Abusive?!” Alex cried incredulously. “Ian never hit me!”

It was true. When Ian punished him, it was through time-out when he was younger and through grounding him when he got older. He never hit him – not even a swat or a smack. There had been times, looking back on it, when it would have been deserved but Ian had never raised a hand to him. Ben was against corporal punishment as had Ian. He surely couldn’t think Ian was abusive! He had never hit him or harmed him in any way. When did Ben get the impression that Ian hit him? That wasn’t true! Ian shouted sometimes and sent him to his room when he disappointed him. But he never beat him. Ian was not abusive.

Ben sighed. He had been expecting this reaction. The fact that Alex set the bar for a ‘good guardian’ as someone that didn’t hit him was telling. The fact that Alex thought that Ian’s treatment and teaching were alright because it never involved physical violence was just as telling. It was a common misconception that abuse involved physical blows but Ben knew different. Ian might not have been bad as Mason or Blunt and true, some might argue that to call what Ian abuse was a bit of a stretch. But Ben disagreed.

“I am glad he never hit you,” Ben admitted. “But just because he never delt you a physical blow did not mean what he did wasn’t abuse. He purposefully put you in dangerous situations. He played on your feelings for your parents in order to get you to do what he wanted. He wasn’t physically abusive but he wasn’t emotional abusive and that was just as bad.”

Alex knew that there were different types of abuse. It could be argued that a lot of what Mason could be considered as physical abuse but Alex still felt that he deserved most of it. Sexual abuse could not be argued – no one had ever touched him that way not even Mason went that far. Emotional abuse was just as preposterous. Ian never insulted him. Yes sometimes he reminded him of her obligation to his parents but that was only when he was being defiant. All children were punished and scolded when they refused to listen to their parents. Ian had only been doing that and ensuring that he learnt the skills he needed to survive. He wasn’t emotionally abusive.

“Emotional abuse?!” Alex objected. “Ian never insulted or belittled me.”

Ben guided Alex to the sofa. This conversation was better had while they sat down on a  comfortable chair. Alex has some very warped ideas regarding the way he was treated. He did not seem to understand that it wasn’t acceptable to be put in danger or be emotionally manipulated into missing activities any healthy child should engage him. It would take a long time for Alex to understand this and Ben was glad that Alice’s sessions were so frequent. He loved his Cub and wanted him to heal from the scars that his trauma and abuse had left. It would take time and patience but he didn’t mind giving Alex plenty of both.

“Emotional abuse is more than just being be belittled.” Ben began stroking Alex’s upper arm comfortingly. “It also involves the lack of emotional support. You said Ian often told you to ‘be better’ when you acted emotionally. Ian should have taught you how to express your emotions positively instead of punishing you. Emotional abuse also includes being emotionally manipulated. Ian did that by implying your parents would be disappointed unless you did what he wanted and put yourself in danger.”

Alex shrugged away Ben’s touch and he immediately dropped his hand. Ben understood that hearing this was quite hard and that it might upset him. He needed to know it though. He needed to know that Ian was right in his treatment and the subjects he had been taught wasn’t alright. Teaching a child self-defence was one thing, making them navigate a city on their own and placing them in danger while doing so was quite another.

“He loved me.” Alex insisted but his tone was uncertain.

Alex sounded so damn hopeful. It pulled at his heartstrings and made Ben feel rather sad. He felt angry too. It wasn’t the first time he cursed Ian Rider and Ben was quite certain that it wouldn’t be the last. Ian was lucky he was dead because if he wasn’t then Ben would hunt him down and punch him in the face at the very least. Of course, if Ian Rider wasn’t dead then Alex probably wouldn’t be here either but that didn’t matter. Ben wanted to ask the man what the hell he was thinking and demand an explanation as to why he had refused Alex a proper childhood.

“I am sure he did,” Ben soothed. “And if it helps I don’t think that Ian meant to hurt you. I think he was just worried about what would happen to you if you got caught up with MI6. He knew how dangerous his job was and wanted to make sure that if anyone ever took you, you would have some skills to protect you. But that doesn’t change what he did. He still deprived you of childhood but I don’t think Ian ever wanted to harm you.”

Ben did not believe in lying to children. Sometimes you couldn’t tell them everything and in those instances gently explaining why you couldn’t tell them something was fine. Outright lying to children, did not help them. How could you expect them to be truthful if you weren’t truthful to them? Lying to your child only made them lose trust in you, especially when it came to important matters. This was an important matter and Ben told Alex that the expectation for the truth was a mutual one.

Alex looked at him hopefully. Ben reassured him with a nod. When explained what he thought, he was telling the truth. He really did think that Ian had Alex’s best intentions at heart and in his own way had been trying to protect him. He had never met Ian Rider but he heard about the work that the agent had done. After what had happened with John Rider, it made sense that Ian would want Alex to be best prepared in case MI6 or SCORPIA tried to get him involved. Judging by the fact Blunt forced Alex to work for him practically as soon as Ian was in the ground, Ben had to admit that some of Ian’s concerns had been founded.

“Do you really mean that?” Alex asked.

Ben was smart. If he agreed with Alex that Ian hadn’t been trying to hurt him but help him then that meant he was likely right. But If he was right about that, then it means Ben was also right when he said that Ian had been wrong to treat him that way.

“Of course, A Chuilein, I said I wouldn’t lie to you and I shan’t lie to you about this. His intentions aren’t what concerns me, Alex.” Ben replied. “His methods are. His abuse wasn’t as bad as Mason’s or Blunt but it still happened. It doesn’t mean that he didn’t love you but it still happened and still had an impact on you. That’s alright though. Alice is helping you with that.”

Alex scowled. He didn’t like that Alice was still helping him. Surely he was alright, now? He had been in therapy for a few weeks now. When was he going to start improving? How long until Ben grew impatient and realised that he didn’t want to deal with a supposedly traumatised teenager with a list of problems as long as his arm.

“How long will it take?” Alex demanded.

Ben gave him a sympathetic look but when that only seemed to make his ward angrier his changed it to a more natural expression. He could understand Alex’s impatience but his Cub didn’t seem to realise that he had done quite understand that he had been doing very well. He had been improving – it was small and gradual but it was still there. Alex didn’t seem to be happy with it but it would take a while for him to improve. Patience was needed and not just Ben’s patience for Alex but Alex’s patience for himself.

“I don’t know a Chuilein.” He admitted. None of them knew how long it would take. “It will take a while though. There’s no quick fix.”  

Alex grunted. Alice had already told him that. It had been one of the first things that he had been informed of. Alice’s job was to help him cope and heal from the scars left from trauma and abuse. He may be in therapy for the rest of his life. His sessions weren’t about being ‘cured’ and there were no shortcuts for him to take. He had to do this the long and hard way.

“Will I always be like this?” Alex asked.

“Like what?”

This.” Alex indicated himself. “This broken freak that I am now. I’m weak and useless.”

“Number one: Never. EVER. Call yourself that again. You are not a broken freak. You are not useless and you are certainly not weak. You are extremely strong. You are getting help. That doesn’t mean you’re broken beyond repair; it just means that you need some help dealing with that trauma.” Ben scolded him.

Alex flinched. Ben’s tone had been sharp, to begin with, and it reminded him too much of the harsh scolding and punishments Mason had given him. He hadn’t been expecting the sudden strictness and while Ben changed his voice so that this tone was kinder but still stern, Alex couldn’t help but recoil at it.

“I’m sorry, sir.” He apologised, ducking his head slightly.

Ben felt guilty. While Alex was certainly more comfortable with him than he had been before, Alex still sometimes had difficulty remembering that Ben wouldn’t hurt him. He hadn’t meant to scare Alex but clearly, he had if Alex had fallen back to old habits. Ben had just felt angry when he heard Alex make those self-deprecating remarks. He hated it when Alex spoke about himself like that. He hated Mason for making him think that way. He hadn’t really thought before he scolding Alex like that and for making them though he saw now that it had been the wrong thing to do.

“No, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have scolded you like that. And you can call me Ben remembers?” Ben reassured him. “I’m sorry I frightened you. I just don’t like it when you talk about yourself like that. I won’t hit you.”

Ben had asked Alice how he could help Alex. He was worried because Alex kept flinching and calling him sir no matter how many times Ben reminded him that he wouldn’t hit him and that the respectful address wasn’t necessary. Alice advised him to carry on as he was doing. He was to keep reassuring Alex about the hitting but not to make too big a thing about the honorific. He should gently remind him but not every time it happened. Eventually, Alex would stop it but making too big a deal of it might be counterproductive.

“Sorry. What was the other thing you were going to say?”

Ben decided not to remind Alex that the apology was unnecessary. Alex was trying to change the subject and Alice warned him that he should be careful about pressing subjects and that he needed to pick his battles. Anyway, he needed to go back to their previous discussion.

“The second thing I was going to say is that you will get better. It will take some time and you might always be affected in some way though.” Ben told him.

“Oh,” Alex commented. He didn’t like the sound of that.

Clearly, it hadn’t been the answer that Alex wanted. He looked very morose, and he avoid Ben’s eye contact. Ben realised that Alex felt ashamed of himself. He was well aware that his Cub had several insecurities, the main one being that Ben would give up and abandon him for any number of reasons – all of them were likely in Alex’s eyes though in Ben’s they weren’t. Nothing could make him abandon him and nor did he think differently of Alex.

“Alex, I’m going to be there for you all the way. And you do realise that I don’t think any differently of you?” Ben asked him. “I don’t think that you are any less brilliant, strong, smart and loving than I did when I first met you. I don’t think badly of you because of this. And neither will Tom.”

Alex raised his head sharply. He had briefly mentioned his best friend but they had been watching the TV at the time. He didn’t think that Ben had been listening to him and he certainly didn’t expect him to remember. After all, his mention had only been in passing.

“Tom,” Alex muttered his friend’s name. He wondered why Ben had brought the subject of his best friend up. Ben was clearly planning something or at the very least thinking of something.

“Yes, he comes back tomorrow, doesn’t he?” Ben questioned.

Alex nodded. He had a feeling where this was going and he didn’t like it. Ben was keen on him meeting more people and interacting with people his own age. He had encouraged Alex to join a group of boys who were playing football and asked if he wanted to join them. Alex had been adamantly against it. He didn’t know the boys and knowing his luck he would have bumped into some Brooklands’ pupils. He definitely wasn’t ready for that and refused. Ben had not argued, though Alex could tell he wished that he had gone and played with the boys.

“Do you want to go and see him?” Ben offered. “I could drive you over there. Maybe once he’s had a few days to recover from his journey, of course.”

Yes. That had been exactly what he had been expecting. In all honesty, Alex wasn’t sure what he wanted. He did miss Tom and he longed for the games of football and rants over unfair teachers that they’d engaged each other in before Ian had died. The issue was that it was a year and a half since he had last seen Tom. His best friend might not want to be his best friend any longer. Tom might not want to see him. He had abandoned his friend after all. He wasn’t sure he wanted to risk the rejection. If he went to go and see him and Tom told him to get lost, Alex wasn’t sure he could bear it. The worst thing was if that if Tom did do that, he could blame no one but himself. He would deserve it and that’s what worried him so much.

Then, again, if Tom did accept him, Alex would feel over the moon. Tom always had a way of making him forget his troubles and often helped him when he had a problem. Tom had his own issues too and had been very good at coping with emotionally fraught situations. He did no miss having fun with Tom. Alice had suggested that he spent time with people his own age but Alex didn't trust people very easily. He didn’t know many teenagers that he trusted or that liked him. Tom was one of the rare examples. Alex sighed. He supposed that he had better go and see Tom. He feared the rejection but at least he would know then and no one would expect him to interact with him.

“Yes.” Alex agreed. “I want to go and see him.”

Ben smiled. He was glad that Alex agreed to go and see Tom. His Cub needed to spend time doing normal teenage activities and needed to spend time with children his own age. He knew that Tom had been a good friend to Alex and knew that MI6 had forced him to work with him. He suspected that Alex would feel a lot more comfortable considering Tom than anyone else. Ben felt a little jealous at the thought of that told himself off harshly. He tried to remember that if he had someone to confide in then that was all that really mattered. Even if he didn’t confide in Tom, spending time with the teenager would do his Cub a world of good.

“I just hope he doesn’t hate me,” Alex muttered a few seconds later.

Ben frowned. He had nearly missed that comment but now that he had heard it he was extremely concerned. He knew that Alex had been a little nervous at the prospect of meeting Tom after all this time, but he didn’t know what Alex that had been worried about his friend hating him. He wasn’t sure what he could say in response to that. He wanted to reassure Alex that Tom wouldn’t hate him but he didn’t know the teenager enough to do so. If Tom did hate him, Alex would feel betrayed. But on the other hand, Ben didn’t want him to leave him worrying about that. Ben hoped that Tom didn't hate Alex either, it would cause a setback when he had only just started to improve. Tom shouldn’t hate Alex. It wasn’t his fault that the two hadn’t seen each other but Ben didn’t know if Tom would be mature enough to see that. At the end of the day, Tom was a teenager and teenagers did not always see the bigger picture. That was a skill that many adults lacked.

“I can’t say that I know exactly how Tom would react,” Ben replied softly. “I could ring him the day after tomorrow and find out? Though I can’t see why anyone would hate you.”

Alex looked at him in shock. He hadn’t expected Ben to hear him much less offer to help him. Alex thought about the offer. It was a sensible suggestion, he decided. That way, if Tom refused to meet him, he could just tell Ben. The rejection would still be painful but at least he would be spared from hearing in person or over the phone. Ben would just let him down gently. He already promised that he would never lie to him. Maybe Ben would defend him if Tom told his guardian that he no longer considered Alex a friend. 

“Would you really do that? For me?” Alex questioned.

He said that like he offered to hang up the moon Ben thought. Alex just wasn’t used to people doing things for him. He had grown used to doing everything for himself and refusing help when he needed it because that help had always come at a cost. One day, Alex would understand that he could always count on his help without recompense or reprimand. One day, but not now. How he longed for that day to come. Ben knew that it would take a while, but it would be worth it when Alex fully believed that Ben would never deliberately harm him either through his own inaction or direct behaviour.

Ben nodded. “Of course, I would. If that’s what’s you want me to do. Just say the word.”

“The word.” Alex quipped.

Ben chuckled and promised that he would ring Tom’s home the day after tomorrow. He didn’t know what time Tom would be arriving the next day. Furthermore, Ben knew that Tom would likely be too tired to talk or be in a good enough mood. Ben knew that sometimes people, especially teenagers, could say things they didn’t mean when they were in a bad mood. But even if Tom was in a bad mood when he refused Alex, it would still hurt him.

With the decision made, Ben got up from the sofa and headed towards to kitchen to prepare dinner. The dish had already been decided – salmon pasta bake and garlic bread. It was the perfect dish for a warm summer’s evening. As he prepared the dish that he thought about Tom. He did so hope that his Cub’s friend would be mature enough to realise that their lack of communication was not his fault. Luckily Alex would have a meeting with Alice in a few days so if Tom did blame him, she could help him deal with that. Something told Ben that he didn’t need to worry. He had a good feeling about Tom Harris.

Much to both Ben and Alex’s relief, his suspicions turned out to be corrected. Tom had been extremely surprised when he heard from them but he quickly reassured Ben that he didn’t hate Alex and Told Ben that he would very much like to speak with him. The two had spent a good hour on the phone before Alex hung up.

That Saturday morning, Ben walked Alex to the park where the two teenagers agreed to meet. He decided that he would stay in case his Cub needed him but he would make sure to give the boys their space.

Alex was more apprehensive than he had ever been as he waited for Tom to arrive. He scolded himself. He had faced terrorist organisations and psychopathic murders and come out the other side relatively unharmed. If he could handle that, one teenage boy his own age should be no problem.

“Alex!”

Much to his own surprise, Alex did not jump at the sudden and familiar sound of his best friend’s voice. He went to greet Tom. His friend had grown since he had last seen him and was now ahead and a half taller than he was. He was slightly tanned and had not lost that cheerful sparkle he had had the last time they were together. Alec had grown to love it. Tom looked remarkably well. Clearly spending time with his brother had done him remarkably well.

“Tom!” He greeted. “How have you been?”

Tom smiled. It was just like Alex to beat him to the question. Tom knew his own worries paled in comparison to Alex’s but his friend always saw them as just as important as his.

“I’ve been good actually,” Tom replied. “The divorce is over now and the house is so much better for it. But what about you? I heard about Jack. I’m sorry Alex. She was a dear old soul. What’s happened to you since then?”

Alex sighed and sat down in the shade. He began telling Tom was had happened since that faithful day in Cairo. Once he started, he found he couldn’t stop and gradually he told Tom nearly everything. He told him about Mason, finding Mrs Jones and Ben’s guardianship. He left a few things out – what exactly happened in Munich and Llangollen as it was too public to discuss matters of national security. When he was finished Tom whistled appreciatively.

“Prison’s best place for that bastard,” Tom commented. “I’m everything’s alright now though. Are you seeing someone? A Therapist, I mean.”

Alex hesitated. He didn’t want his friend to think him weak. He wasn’t blind to the fact that Tom saw him as a strong individual. He had often commented on that.

“Er—yes—erm, I am.” He answered, finally. He didn’t want to lie to his friend after everything that had happened between them.

“Good, I’m happy for you.” Tom nodded. “It helped me though I hated it at the beginning. And you say that Ben’s your guardian now?”

Alex smiled. He should have known that Tom wouldn’t have made fun of him for going to therapy.

“Yeah, he is,” Alex answered glancing over to Ben who was trying not to stare at them.

“And he treats you alright?” Tom asked raising an eyebrow in a questioning manner.

Tom was just a protective as he remembered him. Alex always admired this friend for that. He was never afraid to stand up for someone especially when they were people Tom considered a friend.  

“He’s brilliant.” Alex defended not wanting Ben to be painted as anything other than a good man.

“Good. If that changes you can let me know. I know you think you might owe him but if he EVER hurts you, remember that you don’t owe him anything.” Tom told him, firmly. He wasn’t about to trust Ben without good reason. Too many people had hurt his friend, he wasn’t going to let anyone else hurt him too.

“Thanks, but Ben wouldn’t hurt me,” Alex told him and as he said it he realised he was starting to believe it. “Now can we please pay for football?”

Half an hour later the two were having a kickabout. Tom was thundering towards the two hoodies that were placed down as a goal. He kicked it deliberately aiming wide and watched as the ball shot down away from the goal and hit the back of a faraway tree. Alex mock glared at Tom who shrugged innocently. Alex sighed and ran off to get the ball.

Tom smirked, with Alex distracted he went descended on Ben. Now was his chance but he had to be quick. It wouldn’t take him long to get the ball. Ben looked at him questioningly.

“Mr Daniels. I am Tom Harris. Alex’s best friend.” Tom greeted.

“Call me Ben.” The man replied and offered his hand.

Tom took it and shook Ben’s hand in a crushingly tight grip. Ben, who had not been expecting such strength in a teenager wince. Tom kept his hold on Ben’s hand and learned in a conspirative manner.

“Like I said, Ben.” The boy hissed. “Alex is my friend, my best friend. In fact, he’s like my brother. If you hurt him, I will kill you.”

Before Ben could form an answer to that, Tom released his hand and went back over to meet Alex who had retrieved the ball. Ben nursed his aching appendage as he watched the two of them resume their game of football. He chuckled to himself. He was right about Tom. He was a good friend. Ben didn’t know many fifteen-year-olds that would threaten an MI6 agent in order to protect their friend. Ben was glad. He liked Tom enormously, he was just the kind of friend that Alex needed.

That evening, Ben approached Alex. He had heard from Mrs Jones and needed to get his opinion on something.

“Mrs Jones gave me a proposal the other day.” Ben began. “I wanted to know your opinion on the matter.”

“Alright.”

Ben took a few deep breaths. He really wanted to make sure that he did everything that was in Alex’s best interests. He wasn’t sure what Alex’s reaction would be though.

“She’s going out with Crawley, and if you ask me I can hear wedding bells,” Ben informed him. “But that means he can’t be her deputy. She’s offered me the job. This means I won’t be going in the field so I won’t leave you alone for days on end. But if you are against me working for them, you just say and I’ll tell Mrs Jones she will need to find someone else.”

“You want this or you would have already told Mrs Jones no.” Alex pointed out. “You shouldn’t miss out because of me.”

“Firstly, I don’t see spending extra time you as missing out.” Ben refuted. “And secondly, I will put you first because that’s what good parents do. If me working for MI6 is too much for you then I will find another job.”

Alex thought about it for a few minutes. He didn’t want to work for MI6 – not yet anyway, ask him again when he was an adult- but he knew that Ben liked his job. It wasn’t just that though – Ben was good at his job and if he was the deputy, it meant he could try and prevent MI6 from using him. He could keep an eye on Mrs Jones; Alex still didn’t trust her.

“Tell Mrs Jones, yes,” Alex replied. “This way you can protect me from them.”

Ben nodded. That had been one of the main reasons why he had given Mrs Jones the time of day and promised her he would at least consider it. He did like his job and this way he would be working regular hours and remain in the UK a majority of the time. He would ring her tomorrow tell her what their decision was. He could always resign and swore that he would if Alex needed him to.

“If things change, I will resign.” Ben declared. “I promise you.”

A few days later, Ben persuaded Alex to join him on a trip into town. They went to the arcade and had a fun time trying to win. There was a claw machine that offered animals toys and much to their amusement, most of their code names had been represented. Ben had been very pleased with himself when he managed to beat the claw machine and pull out a small Fox cub toy. Alex smiled and tried not to read much into this. It was been a coincidence- nothing more. That didn’t mean he didn’t apricate the gesture or the gift. He was beginning to have quite a collection.

After the arcades, the two had lunch. Two big burgers, chips, and chocolate milkshakes. They had cheesecake for the pudding to though Alex regretted it after he began to feel a bit sick. Ben looked a little green himself and he decided that a walk in Battersea Park before they made their way home would be a good idea. The fresh air would do them good and it was a nice afternoon. The good weather had been holding lately.

“So, what was it you wanted to tell me?” Alex asked as the two walked through the park.

Ben always knew his kid was smart. Alex worked out that he had an ulterior motive for this trip though he hoped that Alex wasn’t too worried. He could tell by the fact Alex was biting his lip, that he was a little nervous.

“It’s nothing bad, I just wanted to ask you something and I’ve been plucking up the courage all day.” Ben declared. He closed his eyes. “Do you want me to adopt you?”

Alex stopped. He hadn’t been expecting that. He was worried that Ben was going to tell him that he wasn’t wanted anymore. But he wanted to adopt him? But he was him! Adoptions were permanent. Why would he want him?

“I love you,” Ben told him. “I think of you as my son. This would just make it permeant and official. You don’t have to make a decision now! You can think about—”

“Yes!” Alex interrupted, jumping up and down. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” 

Ben beamed from ear to ear. Alex was going to his son officially and permanently. His life felt complete since Alex had been in it! The weeks he had his Cub with him were the best weeks of his life. He loved him so much it hurt but it was a good hurt. He’d heard about how parents talk about how much they love their kids and how until you had your own you never understood that feeling. He scoffed before but he understood it now. Alex might not his biological son but biology didn’t matter: love did and he had plenty of it. 

“Do you want to take my name? You'll be Alex Daniels.”

Alex considered it. He still wanted to be Alex Rider. It connected him to his uncle and his parents. He didn’t want to lose connection.

“I want to keep my surname. It means a lot to me but I always want to honour you.” Alex answered. “So how about I have another middle name – Daniel.”

“Alexander Johnathan Daniel Rider.” Ben tried it out. “I like the sound out that -oof!”

Alex threw himself at Ben, for the first time in years, he initiated physical contact with an adult. Ben felt a little winded but he didn’t mind. He reciprocated the contact, smiling to himself. His Cub just passed a massive milestone. He knew he had made the right decision.

Alex leant into Ben’s hold. The waves of emotions causing through him were too much and he burst into tears. But they weren’t the kind of tears he cried before. They weren’t the sad cries of pain inflicted on him by Mason or Blunt. No. They were happy tears caused by the loving comfort Ben so helpless provided. Both Alex’s and Ben’s shirts were getting soaking wet. They looked quite a sight: a teenager crying into the shirt of and an adult while the man rocked his stroking his hair softly, in the middle of Battersea Park. People were beginning to stare. But Alex didn’t care and neither did Ben. For the first time since Pleasures, since Jack, he felt truly loved. Let them stare. He thought and the happy tears slowed down and he inhaled more of Ben’s comforting aura. Nothing’s going to stop me from feeling this love. I am Alexander Johnathan Daniel Rider and I’m home again.

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