DISCLAIMER: Seriously? Sure, I can own Alex Rider but I'll hire someone more proficient in the art of writing than me...like Anthony Horowitz?
Note: This chapter is dedicated to Avengemyheart_Barton because of their comments on the other version of this. Seriously, it means so much when people comment or vote or even read. I'll try not to let you down.
The hustle and bustle, the noise of a busy airport seemed non-existent to Alex. In his mind, he was still in America, at Glenwood Cemetery, watching Jack's brothers lower the empty coffin into the ground. With no body to place in the box, it only required four people. He'd never forget the tears on everybody's faces except for his. He couldn't seem to cry. There was just a heavy emptiness inside him, threatening to swallow him whole. He couldn't feel anything. And it scared him.
After that, MI6 had bustled him off, back to England. He'd wanted to talk to Jack's parents or one of her brothers, to apologize for her death, to ask for forgiveness, to lay the blame on him, to take some of this suffocating pressure off his chest. Blunt, it seemed, had different ideas.
So, here he was, two weeks later, waiting at the London International Airport for his ride to Brecon Beacons. To be honest, he didn't actually care what happened to him. He was used to hiding his feelings behind a mask in front of people for hours. The real challenge would be keeping his past hidden and the true extent of his skills concealed.
He sat on the hard bench, his black bag beside him, containing the last of his belongings from his Chelsea house. Men in combat gear strode back him, eyes ahead, doing their duty. Business people with their brief cases and small suitcases bustled about, lost in their own important world. No-one spared a glance for the boy sitting alone at the bench.
Hours came and went. Time meant nothing. Now that Jack was dead, what was there really left to live for?
A pair of boots stopped in front of him.
"Hello Alex."
He looked up. He smiled, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. His heart was not in it. He was tired of all the facade. But spies didn't get to choose. He had to play the game.
"Hello again, Fox. How's life treating you?"
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(A day earlier)
It was strange, being back. After everything he'd been through as a Special Op., it felt almost wrong to step inside the borders of Wales, to familiarize himself with the SAS training schedule, to see old friends again. It would hurt. There were some things that would never be the same, especially with the K-Unit. They'd probably never forgive him for leaving and joiningMI6.
Faces turned. Soldiers stared. Then the whispers started flying.
"Is that who I think it is?"
"Is is he really back for good?"
A hand touched his shoulder, but he wasn't surprised. He knew it was coming. People can't really surprise a spy; it comes with the job description.
"Fox."
"Snake."
"It's good to see you again." The man's green eyes searched Fox's face, before breaking into a grin and pulling the ex-SAS member into a tight hug. "We've missed you." They broke apart, smiles and tears on both faces, before Snake grabbed Fox's bag and continued with him to the Sargent's hut. "How long are you here this time?"
Fox shrugged. "I have no idea. My superiors didn't really specify. So I guess just until they need me again. Maybe they think I need the training." Secretly, he had other ideas, speculations of why MI6 was reinstating his status as a SAS operative and it definitely had to do with a certain teenage spy, but he didn't dare voice them. It just wasn't his place, especially without the proper proof.
Snake laughed. "Well, have you looked in the mirror lately? You have definitely put on weight since I last saw you. What have you been eating? American food? Microwave dinners?"
"Oh, and like the meals here are so much better?" Fox countered, grinning wide. He had dearly missed all this friendly banter.
Snake gasped, backing off a little before pausing at the door of the headquarters. "Good to have you back, Fox. I'll put your stuff in our cabin, alright? Wolf will be glad to see you; Eagle's been driving him crazy."
Fox laughed and grinned at Snake's retreating figure, before sobering up and stepping into the Sargent's office. He had business to attend too.
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Snake looked up from his book as Fox entered, papers, probably the schedule, gripped in his left hand. "How was Sarg?"
"As fun and bouncy as ever. Where is everyone?" Fox replied, sitting down on his bunk, looking around the cabin.
"Oh, they're doing some hand-to-hand-combat thingie in the training arena. I pulled a muscle a few days ago and the medics don't really want me injuring myself. So, I've been given leave to skip those particular exercises." Snake rolled his eyes, giving Fox a knowing look.
"Ha, you were never good at hand-to-hand combat anyways." Fox jibbed good-naturally.
Just then Eagle walked in, panting and sweaty. "Snake, some of the men are saying they saw Fox earli...er..." He drifted off, staring with wide eyes at Fox.
"Bro." He breathed, before bursting into tears. Fox quickly stepped forward to engulf the larger man into a hug, feeling guilty for leaving them. They were like family; he and Eagle had been especially close. Apparently, Fox was a lot like the older brother Eagle never had. The curly, black-haired Hispanic was only twenty-three, being the youngest member in their unit, besides Cub, who was never really part of their team anyway.
"Jerk." Eagle sniffed, pulling away, and lightly punching Fox's shoulder.
Fox laughed. "So you forgive me then."
"Sure. Sure. Just wait until Wolf knows you're back. He'll pulverize you for sure." Eagle said lightly.
Fox kept the smile on his face but inside he was frowning. Eagle wouldn't meet his eyes. He spoke lightly of the situation but Fox knew that his leaving still stung. He hadn't truly forgiven Fox and, to be honest, Fox wasn't surprised. It would take a lot to heal the wound he had torn open. After Snake's easy acceptance, he had just taken for granted that the others would do the same. It seemed that things were destined to be messy in his life and he should probably just learn to deal with it.
Fox sighed and started to unpack his bags dreading the moment Wolf would walk in. That would be one interesting reunion, especially considering that Fox had no idea of how long he would be at Brecon Beacons. It just didn't seem right to drop in, get familiar and then leave again. Having led his own amount of missions, Fox knew how hard it would be for Wolf and the rest of K-Unit to adjust to having a new member, only for that member to suddenly disappear.
Eagle interrupted his thoughts. "Um, Fox? There's something you should know..."
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Breathe.
He shot five rounds.
Breathe.
He stood up and waited for the report to come in. The instructor walked toward him, a huge smile lighting up his face. "Excellent job, soldier. 3 bulls-eyes out of five repeated bullets. You're improving." The man looked down at the clipboard in his hands. "That's all for today. You're dismissed."
The soldier saluted, eyes ahead in respect, before rounding on his heel and leaving the shooting range. It was almost dinner time. Wolf would be at the showers, Eagle and Snake having their usual spat and he would be heading to the cabin to change into fresh clothes.
A few of the other trainees smiled and waved at him. Feeling content for once, he smiled and waved back, the action soothing the empty ache in his chest. He missed his family. No doubt they missed him, but they'd clearly understood his decision to join the SAS.
He pushed open the door to his cabin, and stared in surprise at the strange man in SAS uniform sitting on one of the empty bunks. He barely heard Snake's cautious voice.
"Falcon, this is Fox. Fox, this is Falcon, our newest member." Snake shot him a look, and Falcon glanced at Eagle's hunched figure. He turned to meet the newcomer's eyes, which were bright blue and searching. They sized each other up. The man in front of him was probably between twenty-five and twenty-seven, five-eleven, brown hair that hung a little long, and a stance that was completely relaxed. So. This was Fox.
"You're my replacement." To Falcon's surprise, the man's voice held no resentment, only a quiet sadness, as if he realized that he'd brought this upon himself.
"Yes." Falcon spoke.
Fox nodded. "How long have you been here?"
"About half a year. Pardon me, but how long are you intending to be here, or are you back for good?" Falcon flashed another concerned glance at Eagle. One of the first things he'd learned when he was sent to this Unit was that they'd lost a team member and to never speak of him around Eagle or Wolf. Wolf, because it angered him, and Eagle, because it broke him. As it was, Eagle looked extremely pale and, although Eagle was three years older than he, Falcon was very protective of his new family, practically Eagle. He needed to know how long they'd have to suffer this awkward new addition.
"I have no idea. My bosses didn't brief me." It was silent for a moment. "Look. I know I have to earn my place here, and earn your trust, but I'm not trying to replace you, Falcon. I'm done with the SAS. For good. I'm probably only here for training, so a few months at most. I'm sorry if this is awkward for any of you, and if you prefer, I can sleep outside. Heaven knows, I've done if before." Fox chuckled.
"You're staying right where you bloody are." Said a voice from behind Falcon. He turned and moved out of the way, sitting down next to Eagle, who barely noticed.
"Wolf, I-" Fox began, stepping forward.
"No. Don't-don't say anything." The leader's voice seemed close to breaking. "You don't have a place here. You left." He spat the last word out, anger flashing across his feature. Falcon was glad he wasn't on the receiving end of this argument. As it was, Fox didn't look in the least bit scared.
"Wolf. Listen." Fox tried again, frustration beginning to show through the cracks in his calm facade.
"No. You listen. You left us, without telling us why or saying goodbye or apologizing. So don't expect me to just accept you back because you got tired of working for your new bosses. You can go find a new Unit for all I care."
Wolf probably would have continued, but just then a voice spoke loudly over the intercom. "K-Unit to the Sargent's office for debriefing. K-Unit to the Sargent's office for debriefing. Agent Daniels is also requested to come. I repeat, Agent Daniels is to also come." There was a click as the broadcast ended and Falcon along with the rest of K-Unit, stared at Fox, whose shoulders were slumped.
"Agent?" He voiced the question on everyone's mind.
"I'll tell you later. Sarg wants us." Fox pushed past Wolf and left the room in complete silence.
Alright then.
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"Please have a seat men." The Sargent spoke, the five men in front of him obviously uncomfortable. They sat on chairs that were strategically placed around the room. "I know you have questions. So let's start with Fox's sudden reappearance. As you have no doubt already put together, Fox, or Ben Daniels, is an MI6 agent, and has been for the past two years." He carefully watched Fox's face, looking for any change in the agent's calm demeanor. "He's been sent here by his bosses with no direction, and no explanation. I now give this information. MI6 has a mission, for all of you." The Sargent inwardly smiled with satisfaction at the way the K-Unit shifted and sent questioning looks at each other. He noticed that they also completely ignored Fox. That would have to change if this was going to work. "You must work together as a team. This mission, or rather job, will be safe-guarding another MI6 agent. There's not much I can tell you and not much information has been given me to reveal to you. All I know is that until the physical and mental health of this agent has improved, you will be stuck babysitting him. Fox, you go to the London International Airport to pick him up in the morning. This is not a joke. The agent is one of the highest, most important, most effective agents in the history of MI6. He's made a lot of enemies and this won't be easy. He's very dangerous."
Wolf spoke up. "Sir, are we allowed to know his name?"
The Sargent shrugged. "I don't see why not. His name is Alex Rider."
And there we have it! Chapter One. What do you think? Make sure to comment and let me know what you think will happen! I know, really crappy AN but we all dislike reading these unless we're really bored and I'll let you go now.
Over and out,
AgentAlexxRider101
"I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, the He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."- John 14:16-18