No more running...

Fight for you

Yegor had shot Alex. But it wasn't a vital organ, so he would live and not bleed to his death. He watched as Alex bit his lip to stiffle the incoming groan.

He lowered the gun and had already begun walking out. He remembered the letter that he had received in his mailbox that morning.

It read:

Yegor,
I know we haven't known each other all our lives. But with your talents, you will surely be hired by Scorpia, it's only a matter of time before they find you. Join them or don't, its entirely up to you. There is a boy that they are hunting down. His name is Alex Rider. As a brother, do me a favour? Don't kill him. They will ask you to do so, but don't do it. His father means a lot to me and I would greatly appreciate it if you don't kill him for me? I know I don't have the right to ask this favour of you, but as your brother, I need you to do this for me. There is a thumbdrive that comes along with this letter that contains what my life was like back in Russia. Everything up till now will be explained. Thank you.

Your brother;
Yassen Gregorovich

He didn't know why he did it, but he felt like he owed it to Yassen as brothers. As he tucked the gun back under his shirt, he briefly wondered what he would tell Kevin.

"Wait." Yegor turned. Alex groaned in pain. He slowly lifted his head to look at him and a hint of realization crossed his eyes. "You look a lot like Yassen Gregorovich."

What was this boy's relation to Yassen? Yegor looked down at Alex with his ice cold eyes that he and Yassen had shared.

"Yes. He was my brother." Yegor replied.

"He never mentioned he had a brother. He was always alone."

Yegor just stood there, unable to answer. Then, Alex groaned in pain and Yegor silently cursed. He remembered that he had also shot Alex in the shoulder and that had yet to heal properly.

"I'll bring a first aid kit. Don't go anywhere." Yegor begun walking out of the room.

"I have two bullet wounds. One lodged into my shoulder blade and the other one straight at my torso. I think I'm good." Yegor smirked at his sense of humour. Even in dire situations like these the boy still managed to seem positive.

Yegor had returned with a first aid kit and had begun wrapping Alex's torso with fresh gauze and bandages, followed by his shoulder.

"What was he like?"

"Who?"

"Yassen."

"He was an assassin just like you. Ruthless. He worked for Scorpia, doing their dirty work for them. The first time we met, I had just finished my first mission MI6 had assigned me to. The one on the Stormbreaker. He saved my life by killing Herod Sayle with three bullets. He warned me that if MI6 were to ever approach me again, I'd say no. But I didn't listen. The second time we had met was back in the South of France. He was on a boat. He kidnapped me. Then he died due to a fatal shot to the heart. It was a long fall off the aeroplane. I was there. He told me to find my destiny in Italy. Then, I guess you could say I found Scorpia. I went to them. And I found out that my father was his mentor. Maybe that was probably why he had hesitated back on the plane and got shot by Damian Cray instead. I guess that's all I can tell you about him."

Yegor nodded. He had already finished wrapping the gauze and bandages.

"Wait. How long was I out?!" Alex exclaimed as he suddenly remembered about the bombs and project Hades.

"Twenty minutes." Yegor replied as he checked his watch.

"Kevin said that I've got 24 hours before those explosives go off. I need to get to Brookland." Alex was now struggling against his restraints, worry evident in his eyes.

"Hold up there. Don't struggle or you might reopen your wounds." Yegor said.

"Yeah. That you made." Alex replied sarcastically.

"Those bombs. They'll blow up the entire city and everyone in a fifty mile radius. I've got to do something about it." Alex said thinking about Sabina and the Pleasures. How they had been so kind enough to adopt him even though he had dragged all of them into this mess.

"It's none of my business. My orders were to kill you and that was it. I am not permitted to do anything else to you." Yegor had replied with a stoic look on his face.

"But you didn't kill me. Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was because I felt like I owed it to Yassen. But you will still remain strapped down until I am given further instructions concerning you." He had a stoned expression on his face as he stared down.

"Please." Alex found himself pleading desperately. For once, he was vulnerable. He let tears flow freely down his cheek. He hadn't felt like that since Jack's death. Not since her funeral a year ago. "They'll die. I can't... I can't let them down again. They've done so much for me. I just can't..." Alex was trembling as he felt the warm tears slide down his bare cheeks.

Yegor looked down at Alex, he could just defy his orders and help him or he could complete his mission and kill the boy right here and right now. But his heart was telling him something else. It was telling him that Yassen wouldn't have wanted this. It was a feeling. His chest tightened as he watched the helpless teenage boy sob before him. It wasn't his fault that he got dragged into this whole adult game. He was just caught in the crossfire.

As a trained assassin, he was taught never to show any hint of emotion despite the seriousness of a situation. And yet now he wanted to do something to help him.

But what Alex had said next had surprised even him.

"Just do what you came to do and kill me. Please. I can't live on like this anymore. Please..."

"That is the most pathetic thing I have ever heard in my life. Just because you think you've lost that it gives you every right to end it all? When push comes to shove, you fight (am I using this phrase correctly?). You don't ever give up. Don't ever say no. You have to keep your head up and go through the storm. If you're just going to surrender like this then you must have been even more pathetic than I thought. In life, there will be times when you will fail and times when you will succeed. Even though your future is uncertain and you feel lost and hopeless, you fight on. You don't let anything stand in your way. You. Don't. Ever. Give. Up. You move on with courage and strength. And that's what makes you unstoppable. Knowing that nothing can stand in your way."

Alex looked up. Sadness and determination in his eyes. "You're right. I won't give up. Not now."

"He mentioned a remote to disable all those bombs all at once. But he never said what." Alex said, his eyes focusing on the task at hand.

"I might have an idea. But only you can do it."

"Why are you suddenly agreeing to help me? I thought you said that you couldn't do anything until further instructions on what to do with me were given?"

"I never said no. I just said that I wasn't allowed. I know what it's  like to feel helpless and alone with no one to depend on."

Alex nodded.

"There is a small red disc that I've seen him carrying it around in his blue leather briefcase. It's two inches long in length. Small enough to be kept in your pocket.  It might be the 'remote' he mentioned. He is probably in a scheduled meeting right now and he'll be back any minute. You have twenty-two more hours. It should be more than enough. The disc is located in his office on the fourth level of this building. We are on the second basement level where prisoners are kept. His office will be on the third corridor to your right and five doors to your left. But I must warn you. Scorpia has upped their defences tenfold. You can only get in and not out so be very careful. One wrong move and you can kiss Brookland goodbye."

Yegor started untying the restraints and Alex was free. "Here." He handed the boy a gun and Alex checked to see if it was fully loaded.

"Is this mine?"

"No. They took yours. This belonged to Yassen once upon a time. Now go. I'll try to hold off Kevin for as long as I can."

Alex nodded and begun to stand. "Thank you."

As they parted ways, Yegor walked towards the lion's den where his predators would be waiting for him on the other side.