Don's (POV)
"I was a spy for MI6."
.......
Well there goes my relaxing afternoon reading the newspaper and listening to Mack and Polly argue over a stinking Wii game.
A...A...Spy?
What?
I feel my eyes widen on their own accord, mouth falling slack.
I stare over at Alex. His eyes showing no humor whatsoever.
Dead serious.
But I already knew Alex doesn't joke around.
So, it must be true.
"Wha-ho....huh?" I hear Mack stumble out.
But no.
This can't be right.....Who in their right mind would use a child for a....Spy? It can't be true.
I furrow my eyebrows, looking down at my lap.
It can't be.
"That's....impossible." I hear the words slip out of my mouth before I can stop them.
But then again.
I look back up, my eyes landing on Alex.
Alex.
So serious for a fifteen year old. So emotionless.
And those.....eyes.
He's seen too much.
Those marks I saw on his wrists. The way he acts. His.....PTSD.
That would actually explain those.
My eyes widen more - If that's even possible.
It is true.
"Alex, maybe you should start from the....beginning?" Lucy speaks up.
That would probably be best.
I watch as he takes a deep breath, preparing himself.
"My name is Alexander John Rider." He starts off with.
Alexander.
"My parents are John Rider and Helen Rider." His eyes noticeably sadden. "They died in a airplane accident when I was three months old."
My lungs squeeze.
Don't think of it. It won't do you any good.
You were ten then. It's been thirty-five years since the accident happened.
Since you were left with no parents.
No close relatives.
Leaving you alone in a orphanage.
I run a hand across my face.
One of the reasons I'd agreed with Alex staying here in the first place, was because I'd been in that same predicament before.
No family.
And I didn't want someone else ending up like I did.
His died from an airplane accident.
Mine died when a drunk driver smashed into the front end of our vehicle.
They died on impact.
I lived.
And it was all my fault.
If only we hadn't of gone to get ice cream after my soccer tournament. If only I hadn't insisted.
It wasn't fair.
But if there's one thing I've learned in my life, it would be this-
Life isn't fair.
And I'm still dealing with it from this day on.
I blink rapidly, coming back from my deep thoughts.
I give Alex my full attention.
"My uncle....Ian Rider." He makes an odd face. "Took me in and raised me."
So he has an Uncle.
"My mother was a nurse in radiology. Both my father and uncle were Agents for MI6."
They were spies?
I can't help but look at Alex with awe.
I mean, what person as a child doesn't dream that they're related to something as cool as a spy?
"At the time I didn't know anything about my father and my uncles involvement with MI6." He continues.
That doesn't seem right.
"Then about two years ago, my uncle....." He stops, his voice getting a bit choked. "My uncle, he....he died in a car crash." He looks down at the ground.
Time stops.
Car....crash.
Just like my parents.
I feel my heart skip a beat, and a memory comes unbidden to the front of my mind.
The sound of a car horn, bright lights
A loud screech followed by a crunching noise
Silence
The smell of smoke and burnt tires
A look of shock on my parents bloody faces
I shake my head, heart hammering in my ears.
Don't think about it.
I look back over at Alex.
We just might be a little alike. We've both lost someone we love from a car crash.
He looks back up. "Our housekeeper, who was from the US.....Jack Starbright." He slightly winces as he says the name, eyes darkening.
Speaking about all this must be tearing him up inside.
But it would be worse to keep it all bottled up.
Much worse.
"Became my legal guardian after that." He continues.
That must've been nice.
"My uncles death didn't sound right to me, so I took it upon myself to figure out exactly what happened." He pauses. "One thing led to another, and eventually I figured out my uncles involvement with MI6."
That was brave.
But I already knew Alex was brave.
Living his life the way he does. With all those panic attacks....The nightmares.
Anyone who goes through all that has to be brave.
"MI6 decided they wanted my help with the assignment my uncle had been working on when he died."
That's where he comes in on this.
"They asked me." His brows furrow. "I said no, but they wouldn't except that as an answer." He frowns. "So they blackmailed me."
Anger courses through me.
How dare they.
Blackmailing a child. I could just punch something right about now.
That must mean they really wanted Alex's help.
But how exactly did they blackmail him though?
I refrain from asking.
"They wanted me to investigated a multimillionaire named Herod Sayle and his newly developed computer called Stormbreaker."
I sit up.
Stormbreaker.
Herod Sayle.
I've heard those names before. But where?
"But first, I was sent to an SAS training camp." Alex winces.
SAS.
My eyes widen again.
How'd he make it through something like that?
I've heard those places are very.....Rough. To put it mildly.
"Then I ended up going undercover as Felix Lester. A kid who won a competition to visit the plant and be the first child ever to use a Stormbreaker." He continues.
That's it!
The computer.
Does that mean he was the first child to ever use it?
"Which in turn allowed me to uncover the real reason for the Stormbreakers. Keeping Herod Sayle from releasing them."
What?
There was a reason?
I thought it just got cancelled....
I'm gonna ask.
Before Alex can say anything else, I quickly interrupt him. "Wait." He looks over at me.
Quickly, I piece together what I want to say.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but I heard about those computers." I scratch my chin. "The media said the reason they didn't release them was because they had a virus or something?" Oh! "And there was something about a shooting at the revealing."
Yes.
Now I remember most of it.
There was a shooting the day of the revealing. Which is 'supposedly' why they didn't release it.
Alex runs a hand though his hair, his face the look of sheepishness.
What?
"Uh, yeah." He coughs. "That may or may not have been me." He gives a small amused smile.
What?
That was....Him?
I feel shock run through me, rooting me in place.
But curiosity replaces the shock.
"Wha-but why?" I stumble out.
I need to know.
He shrugs, the smile disappearing. "The Stormbreaker wasn't all what people believed them to be."' He frowns again. "The computers were actually full of a real virus, a potent strain of smallpox."
Oh. Well then.
I guess that proves that media can't be trusted.
Although, I think we all already knew that.
"Herod Sayle had planned that when the computers were activated by the Prime Minister, the virus would be released into every school in the country. Killing every schoolchild and teacher in England as well as those in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland." He explains further.
He saved thousands of lives.
"That's one evil dude." Mack says, and I see Polly nod in agreement.
"But wait, I want to know how you shot at him during the revealing?" Mack speaks up. Again.
I feel myself lean forward, just as interested as Mack.
"And I thought they said on the news that the person shooting was hanging from a parachute that got caught on the roof." I have to add, my curiosity too great.
Don't tell me that was him.
He rubs the back of his neck again. "Yeah, that was me." He quietly conforms.
My eyes widen again.
He did that?
This kid is full of surprises.
But I should've been expecting it.
"But anyways, that's pretty much how I got involved with MI6. Them continuing to use me more after I successfully finished that mission." He tucks his hands in his pockets.
More?
"Any questions?" Alex asks.
"So how many missions did you do total? Oh, and do they all have like code names also?" Mack decides to ask, taking the words straight from my mouth.
Polly gives Mack a shove. "What? He asked if we had any questions." Mack loudly whispers to Polly.
I shake my head.
Those two I tell ya.
They act like an old married couple.
Alex clears his throat. "Uh, there was nine." He looks deep in thought. "And they do have code names."
Nine?
"The one I just told you about was Stormbreaker, then there's Point Blanc which was over in the French Alps. Skeleton Key took place in Cuba, and I was actually part of a team with two CIA agents for that one." He takes a breath.
Those are places I've only ever dreamed of going.
Wait.
Did he say CIA?
Huh.
He worked with the CIA? And they let him?
People these days. Completely messed up.
"Eagle Strike which I was actually on my own for because no one was suspicious about that one, except me." Alex says.
On his own.
"Scorpia which is a criminal organization that I went undercover for. And they also...uh, trained me some." He hesitantly adds the last part.
A criminal organization "trained" him?
I don't even want to know.
"Ark Angel which was supposed to be a hotel in outer-space. Where I also worked with the CIA again."
Hotel in space.
That sounds awfully familiar.
What?
I read the newspaper.....a lot.
"Snakehead where I was recruited by ASIS." He rambles on.
ASIS.
I feel stunned.
"Crocodile Tears." He doesn't elaborate.
It just keeps going on, and on.
"Scorpia Rising in...Cairo." He looks down at the floor, barely getting the last word out.
I swing my gaze up to his face.
There's a dark look in his eyes, remembering something that shouldn't be remembered.
Something bad must've happened on that one.
No.
Something......tragic.
Alex looks back up. "It would take too long for me to go through each mission in detail. And actually, I don't think Mrs. Jones would appreciate it." He looks thoughtful.
"So I'll just let you guys ask some questions." He finishes with.
I'm too stunned to say anything. All this information that had never even crossed my mind before, suddenly becoming real.
And judging from the silence, I'd say everyone else is too stunned also.
I watch as his eyes widen. "Oh, and next time Mrs. Jones comes to visit, she'll have to get you guys to sign something about not repeating this to anyone." He nonchalantly says.
What?
Great.
I stare at him.
"Okay! Sounds cool." Mack agrees, making me wince at the sudden loudness.
"So you did all that?" Polly quietly asks.
Alex gives a small, hesitant nod.
I don't know what to think.
Lucy speaks up. "Tulip, she....she didn't have anything to do with you doing all that, did she?" She asks, concerned.
Alex shakes his head. "She didn't have an option but to go along with it. But she was against the idea from the beginning."
Well, I guess that's good.
Lucy relaxes.
"Ark Angel....the hotel in outer space.....That sounds familiar." I decide to say.
Suddenly, I remember. "Ah!" I slap my knee, instantly regretting it when I see Alex flinch.
He looks over at the clock on the wall.
"Didn't that explode or something?" I ask.
"Yup, and it wasn't pretty." He mumbles, looking distracted.
Huh?
Did he just say....
He looks back over at us, eyes slightly widening as he realizes what he said.
"What do you mean; "It wasn't pretty," Huh?" Mack sarcastically asks.
Alex just shrugs, not looking like he wants to add anything to it.
"Oh no mister, you can't just say that then just simply....shrug." Polly says. "You were there? In....outer space?" She hesitantly asks.
Alex tucks his hands in his pockets. "Maybe." He quietly says, looking shy once more.
So that means.....
"What! Your the first teenager to go into outer-space!!" Mack exclaims, beating me to it once again.
"Yeah." Alex shyly agrees, his face turning a light shade of red.
Mack sits back, looking stunned.
Not that I can blame him.
"Wow." Mack whispers out.
My words exactly.
He suddenly sits up. "So Black belt in karate, super fast reflexes." I watch as Mack ticks them off his fingers. "How many languages do you know?"
Black belt?
I'd assumed he knew some type of fighting style with being a....spy and all.
But I wasn't really expecting that.
I shrug.
Guess it does suit him.
"English, German, French, and Spanish." Alex quickly says.
Wow.
And all I know is English.
I'm impressed......again.
Mack sighs, looking like he's completely depleted of energy. "Is there anything you can't do?" He says mostly to himself.
It sure doesn't seem like it.
Mack sits up again with renewed energy. "How many times were you hospitalized?" He looks over at Polly.
Probably to see if she's going to hit him.
She gives him the death glare. "I mean, you can't of done all that without getting injured some." Mack rambles out, trying to defend himself.
Honestly, those two.
"Six-ish times." Alex mumbles out, not looking like he wants to elaborate on anything.
Six times.
I know it would be dangerous to be doing all that. But I guess because he's still a kid, a child, I'd assumed he wouldn't.....wouldn't get hurt.
But that was stupid to assume.
This is real life we're talking about.
A real person.
And Mack being Mack, just has to keep the conversation going. "What was your worst injury?" He asks, not looking like he noticed Alex's hesitation towards the subject.
Only Mack.
"I uh, was shot by a sniper." Alex quietly answers after a minute. And I see him wince.
What?
Shot.....he was shot!
By a sniper.
I grimace. I know just how painful bullet wounds can be. I'd been shot in my arm during a hunting incident when I was a teenager.
It wasn't pleasant.
"You-you were.....Shot!" Mack explodes.
Thank you, captain obvious.
I rub my ear as it rings from Mack's loud voice.
"Where?" Polly quietly asks.
Alex shrugs - like it's nothing. "An inch above my heart." He says.
Oh dear lord.
How's he even alive?
That's much, much worse then my arm injury. And I thought that was excruciatingly painful.
How would his of felt.
He must've gone through so much pain.
But I can tell just from looking at him, that he's endured more than most people have in their lifetimes.
"How are you even alive?" Polly asks the same question that I'm sure is running through each of our minds.
He just shrugs again. "Some confusing medical thing." He simply answers.
I bet it was.
I see his eyes droop, shoulders slouching a bit.
I'm instantly on alert.
What's wrong?
I examine him.
Droopy eyes, dark bags underneath them.
I relax.
He's just tired.
Maybe the doctors appointment didn't go so well?
Lucy must've noticed also.
She stands up, walking over to him. "Alex, you can tell us more later. Right now you need to sleep." She says in that voice that leaves no room for argument.
Alex looks like he's about to object. But before he can say anything, Lucy turns back to us, her eyebrows raised. "Right guys?"
I sit up straighter. "Uh yeah....later." I manage to get out.
Polly gives a nod.
Mack begrudgingly answers with a simple. "Fine."
"No, I don't need to go." Alex tries, his eyes drooping again.
"Right." Lucy says, gently taking Alex's arm as she leads him over to the stairs.
They disappear.
"It was nice talking to you!" Mack suddenly shouts.
I grimace again as the noise echoes in my ears.
Polly slaps Mack on the arm. "Ow!" Mack shouts even louder.
He rubs his arm.
"You're mean." Mack whines to Polly.
She rolls her eyes. "And your annoying." She throws back, leaning against the sofa.
Did all this really just happen? Did I really just learn that I have a ex-spy living under my roof?
I feel myself smile.
And I thought I was just going to have a boring, ordinary day of reading the newspaper.
Oh how wrong I was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N
Hey guys!!! Sorry for the late update, I've been busy with getting ready for Christmas, and babysitting stuff. 😁
Hopefully this doesn't stink to bad, I wasn't able to just sit down and write it. I've been working on this for three days now.😂
So yeah.
Questions:
1. Whatcha think of Don's POV??
2. So you know a bit of Don's backstory now, what'd you think of that?? Anyone surprised??
That's all the questions I've got for y'all right now.
Anyways.
I want to say thanks to all of you that voted for my story in HappyKawaiiYellow contest.
And just to let you know.....I MADE IT INTO THE SECOND ROUND!!!! Yay!! Thanks so much guys, I really appreciate it!!!😘❤
So the next rounds will be starting tomorrow, and I hope you'll vote again for my story!!!! I'd absolutely love it!!!❤ I need all the help I can get!!!!👍🏻😁
Thank you everyone!!!!
Oh, and special thanks to emmath71 , dillahunty , AbigailCarlysle, and Slyphean for taking the time, and reading my story!!!!😍
Update: I'm sorry to say it probably won't be until after Christmas.....sorry guys, I'm just so busy, and I can't write well under pressure. I only want the best I can give for all you guys!!👍🏻
Don't forget to COMMENT and VOTE!!!!!!😁
Thanks again!!!!
Merry Christmas!!!! (Or whatever you celebrate 👍🏻😉)
Until next time!!!
Maggy
Edited: 6/20/17