Chapter Text
Ireland was colder than he expected and it wasn't the weather.
The air felt heavier and wetter as he touched down on Irish soil. One could wonder how he was being tossed around borders so easily. Although he had to admit the blue-grey sky was a little comforting, classic Western Europe.
A variety of agents and stand-ins accompanied Alex. Many he hadn't seen before but it was better that way. They were all assembled in an English private hall to further prepare plans.
The room was as always absurdly ordinary. Stained wood, organized water bottles and a tray of biscuits nobody touched. Albeit Alex that wolfed down the bustard creams in a heartbeat. An agent with a face that Alex thought he saw a few times in the past greeted him politely.
"Mr. Rider." She pulled up a small briefcase, "Your customary MI6 gear, nothing too unpleasant."
Alex eyed the case suspiciously. "That's usually what people say right before something unpleasant."
The technician actually smiled. "No needles no drugs and even biodegradable." The case clicked open to reveal what seemed to be a small flesh colored disc no larger than a coin. "It resembles a common adhesive medical device" the woman explained. "Medical devices rarely attract attention."
"What type of medical device?"
"A transdermal pain management patch."
"How about in English?"
"It's a pain relief patch that you use to treat your chronic migraines." The agent lowered her head but raised her eyebrows. "because you have chronic migraines don't you Rider?"
Alex nodded. "I get them sometimes, I'm not chronic though what would that even mean-"
"You get migraines Rider that's it."
The boy that definitely gets migraines picked up the patch. His eyes widened at the almost weightless item.
"How does it work?" He asked, the gadgets were always the good part of the mission.
"Very simply. Remove the backing and apply it to the skin. The upper arm or shoulder is the most realistic."
"It doesn't inject anything does it?" Alex asked nervously.
"Oh good heavens no." She retorted, almost offended. "It communicates obviously."
She turned the disc over to the underside. Alex saw tiny red letters and numbers etched on a ring. "Move the numbers clockwise to the gold marking to 'type'. Bring it counter clockwise to delete and press the middle to send." She handed the patch to Alex who admired the small wonder.
"What do I do if they find it?"
The technician closed the case. "They won't"
Alex laughed, fiddling with the device. Everyone said that. They were all coincidentally optimists or over confident.
Another agent stepped forward. "There is secondary option," He chimed and slid to the perpendicular of the pair. "You'll get a hotmail account for this mission. LIATH aren't that clueless so you won't be sending emails to us. Instead you'll write drafts and we access them here."
"That's ridiculous no way in hell is that going to work!" Alex exclaimed in disbelief. Although it sounded like it could actually work.
"The simplicity is rather elegant." He hummed.
Alex looked at the slip of paper to memorize the account.
username: a.rider87
password: #Wimbeld0n
"This is state of the art espionage?"
"Believe it or not, yes."
"Two methods, Mr. Rider." The technician reminded. "And one instruction. If either are compromised you cease communication immediately."
"And then what?"
"Then you're on your own."
"Enough chit chat the three of you we're in a rush." One of the mission managers chided. "I don't know if you're going to like this Agent Rider, not as if I care."
He pulled out a rope and blindfold and held them so casually they could have been mistaken for a change of clothes. Alex's face paled as he saw the restraints. Gods he hated being hog-tied and blindfolded. It was insane to him that he could actually recall many incidents of this.
"I'm not...doing that..." Alex mumbled while shaking his head. He met the manager's eyes.
"We have to make it believable." He coiled calmly, a ghost of a smile tainting his face.
That's how Alex ended up in the back of an unmarked van with rope tying his limbs and gagging him. The bag over his head was very scratchy and warm.
The hostage squirmed on the floor. The menagerie of potholes bumping him around as they rumbled down the road. He almost wanted to roll his eyes. It was as ridiculous as it was humiliating.
The van halted with a shake. Two pairs of hands manhandled Alex out the back. His throat jumped as he felt the tight grip snaring his arms. The boy stumbled down the rough path as the bag suffocated him.
Inside, the agents whispered with his new handlers. Unfortunately Alex was unable to catch anything specific. "Remain calm this is standard procedure. Once this is all over you will be released. We have no intention to harm you." An unfamiliar but soft voice stated. Almost comforting in a sick sense.
The bag was pulled off Alex's head. His vision bright and blurry as the world came back to him.
"Hello Mr. Rider." A sharp faced woman with auburn hair and freckles speckling her face greeted coolly. "How are you?"
"I'm..ehm..well." Alex blinked, looking at the pretty woman but also at the armed soldiers behind her.
"You seem awfully calm for someone who was just kidnapped. Are you used to it?"
Alex swallowed, all his intuition about how to act on the field fleeting him.
"No."
"Hm, that's interesting." She walked away. Placing a firm hand on Alex's shoulder as she steered him down monochromatic hallways.
"What-What am I doing here? Who are you? What do you want?" He whimpered sadly. Playing scared teenage boy, which wasn't entirely a lie.
"That's an awful lot of questions isn't it? All of them will be answered soon," She said flatly. He was then led into a room as large as a hospital room. A large glass window with only the basics furnishing the space.
"How old are you again?"
Alex hesitated. He didn't want to spill his guts to someone he just met. "I don't know you why should I tell you anything? Just tell me what I'm doing here."
"Nothing. I'm being clean here Mr. Rider all you have to do is nothing."
He paused, thinking. "What's your name?" The lady smiled, pleased with Alex's question "You may call me Ms. Hale. I'll be chaperoning you during your stay."
"Chaperoning? What is this a school trip?" Alex laughed incredulously.
Hale's mouth twitched. "So, how do you want to do this?"
"Do what?"
"Nevermind. Awfully rude to act this way with a guest." She gestured for Alex to sit in an office chair. He eventually lowered down into the seat. She then rested against the wall and shooed the guards outside the door.
Alex took a breath. "Fine. Where am I?"
"You are in a paramilitary facility in Cavan. You're not in any trouble Mr. Rider. We just need you to sit tight and maybe, talk to us when you're ready."
"Who took me? Do you know who took me? And- And how do you know my name?"
"We can't tell you who took you, unfortunately. As for your name," She smiled. "They told us all about you."
His face was frozen in slight annoyance. "There's nothing interesting about me Ms. Hale, cross my heart and hope to die." Rider said simply.
"Oh no, no, we wouldn't want you to die that would be unfortunate. Although, Mr. Rider, there are many interesting things about you."
Alex stared into her eyes. The tawny irises consuming his whole attention. He felt like a bug under scrutiny by a child ready to crush him and tear his legs off one by one
"We may talk later about that." She flicked her hand as to shoo away the thought. "California! I've never been, is it nice there?"
Alex knew she was just trying to appear friendly. There was more to her then a child chaperone. He knew that obviously with the armed guards eyeing him through the door.
"It's fine, great surfing."
"I take you're a very athletic person Alex"
No more 'Mr. Rider' I see
"I play a few sports," Ms. Hale lit up. "We have some facilities here, you can play some matches in your free time." Alex pulled at his collar, smiling politely. "Yeah, maybe"
The boy was left in the room to listen to his own heartbeat for who knows how long. He wanted to sleep but the brightening light through his window discouraged him. His eyes rested and he thought of Jack.
One day, when I am an adult I will be free from MI6. Alex thought dreamily. And I will be normal. Maybe.
Could he even speak to a therapist about all the trauma that has racked over the years? If he ever tried they'd think he was delusional and perhaps send him to a looney bin. He winced. Well that ruins it.
There was a soft knock on the door and Ms. Hale's voice wafted in. "Alex? Are you awake? I'm sorry to interrupt but we have a tight schedule that we need to abide by." She walked in with hands behind her back, looking at the drowsy teenager.
"Uh yeah I'm awake." He yawned. "I get it, can't be laying here in bed all day that's a waste."
Ms. Hale smiled. "Right you are young man, now, I'll give you a rundown of the place, and put on your shoes we're going on a walk." She said simply. "Now that's a teenage attitude I like. You wouldn't believe the amount of young people that would prefer to stay indoors all day."
Alex nodded. He liked being indoors too, reading comics and playing video games. But he didn't say this fact and relished in the praise.
They stepped out into the hallway. There were only four other doors other than Alex's dorm. He hummed in appreciation that he had a room to himself before skipping awkwardly after Hale. She was acting more like what she said she was. A chaperone showing Alex around the place.
"You're free to move around most areas." They walked past recruits doing some intense physical training. A lot like what Alex did at SAS. "But we have a schedule at LIATH that you have to abide by to the best of your abilities."
Then they looped back inside. "You work, you train, you eat and you rest periodically. But in truth, our purpose is to protect the people of Ireland, to react to crises before the Dáil can even notice. You need to be in peak physical condition and a sharp mind."
Alex nodded. If it weren't for the fact he was told of LIATH's desires to control his country then he would be all for LIATH and its existence. Then again, we did control them for the majority of their history.
"If you require any additional help then you may ask for myself or Mr. O' Neill. But don't expect an immediate response we are very busy here."
She waved and acknowledged another woman wearing the same uniform and badge as her. "If you weren't already affiliated with MI6 perhaps we'd like to have you here."
Alex bit the skin of his mouth. He didn't want to be that boy again. The one that had MI6's branding like a price tag on a special edition toy. "I'm not with MI6." he stated, looking at Hale who did not return the gaze.
"Hm, what ever you say Mr. Rider."
The whole experience was honestly reminding him of SCORPIA. They were just like this. Except the people there were more 'aggressive'. Or, maybe LIATH was just like SCORPIA and he's falling for this sugar coated exterior. Or. then again, they really did have good intentions and Alex was just crazy.
Hale seemed to notice Alex's distant look and overthinking. "Alex.." She said softly, not too comfortingly but tentatively, "we're not here to hurt you like them. You're not in danger."
Alex wanted to believe her. Her hazel eyes shivering as they pulled to look back at him. He shouldn't trust LIATH. He wasn't going to fall victim to these trust gaining tactics as old as time.
"There is no them. I'm not hurt but how do I know I'm not in danger? I was kidnapped here and you won't tell me who took me. There's guns every where I look and- and-" Rider took a deep breath. "how do I know you're being genuine?" Hale seemed to think about it for a moment.
"There is no way I suppose, but you just have to trust us. You don't have a choice if you're staying here Mr. Rider. Either you stay and struggle and fight or you stay and accept your situation and have the best time you can."
She turned to him. "This is our medical bay, we just need to check up on you, write a file and then you can have your breakfast."
Alarm bells of panic immediately blared in Alex's brain. he reared back like the room was on fire. "No! I'm not doing that!" He was right. It was just like SCORPIA. They were going to inject him with poison and laugh at his foolishness.
Needles. There were needles in the box beside the doctor, they glinted at him. Alex swore the assortment glittered and smiled at him. 'You're back in SCORPIA Alex' they said 'You need us Alex'
"I'll do anything but get a shot! Anything!" Alex stood straight up, his shoulders glued to his side.
"Alex." Hale ticked, the 'x' of his name gushed. "I thought you were a mature young man not a toddler. Now get in there." She scowled, grabbing Alex's arm in a tight grip.
Almost all the smiles and charm gone. She sounded more desperate than anything. If only she knew his fear came from his misadventures of being injected with mysterious substances; not an irrational fear of needles.
The boy wanted to fight back but he was pushed inside the bright room. "Another new teenager?" The examiner asked surprised. Hale shot him a glance. Even in Alex's panic he noticed that. There's that other teenager MI6 told me about.
"A regular check up and start a file, quickly or else we'll miss the morning meal cue."
The doctor nodded, his eyes looking at Alex. "You'll be grand Alex. It will only be a minute." He smiled. "I'll even give you a lollipop if you behave."
Alex quivered slightly but he found the lollipop joke amusing and chuckled. The doctor seemed encouraged by the smallest ghost of a smile.
"There y'are. Thought I lost you for a second." He wheeled his chair around and began opening drawers. "Nothing too exciting, lad. Height, weight, blood pressure, few questions and then we'll all be on our merry way."
Alex didn't move. His eyes remained fixed on the metal tray. There were three of them all in different sizes and winking. The boy's heart began hammering again. He remembered the doctor that gave him that thick 'vitamin' shot in Malagosto. He would rather be shot with a bullet again.
The doctor caught Alex's gaze and paused to flick his eyes between the boy and the tray.
"Oh, right. Those." He shut the tray quickly. "Not for you."
Alex didn't believe him. Not entirely. People that worked in these type of places always had the tendency to lie. People masquerading as faces that one should naturally trust like doctors or scientists. Adults especially lied. He had learnt that much in his short life.
"Would you like me to throw them out the window?" the examiner offered cheerfully.
Alex blinked with widened eyes. It was a question so silly and lighthearted it pulled Alex from his paranoid state like Jack pulling him out of bed. "What?"
"Not very hygienic, mind you. Administration'd murder me."
Hale sighed heavily. "Doctor." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, "We don't have time for games,"
"Right, right." The doctor held his hands up in surrender. "No injections today, Alex. Promise."
Promises. Alex almost laughed. He'd had enough promises to last several lifetimes.
"Sit down, son."
For some reason, the man saying son caught him off guard. Not agent or operative. Not son or even a variation of his last name but son. I wonder what it would have been like if my dad called me son.
Slowly, Alex sat. The chair squeaked beneath him.
"There we are." The doctor smiled warmly. "Now then, have you eaten?"
"No."
"Sleep?"
"Not really."
"Any allergies?"
"No."
"Medical conditions?"
Alex hesitated. The doctor waited patiently. Should he mention them now? Better now then get caught out with it in the future if he really has to.
"Yes."
"What type of medical condition?"
"Do I have to say? It feels personal." Rider tried.
"Well, it would be the best if you told us in case you needed help with it and we weren't there to help."
"I have chronic migraines." Alex patted his shoulder where the communicator was stuck on. "I use a pain relief patch for it."
"What triggers them?"
Alex's head raced with excuses. "Loud noises, bright lights, memories and idiots."
The doctor smiled and shook his head. "Fair enough." He typed another thing onto the document. Rider felt an air of relief as he realized the doctor would ask not further. "Previous injuries?"
Alex snorted in laughter softly. "How much time have you got?"
The doctor chuckled. "Ah. One of those."
He typed something into the computer.
Hale stood by the door, arms still folded, though Alex noticed she wasn't watching him anymore. She seemed more interested in the clock.
The doctor adjusted his glasses.
"Broken bones?"
Alex looked up and hemmed, "Twice." he decided on but there could have been more instances. This man was drawing these answers out of him without barely a sliver of any more resistance from Alex. It was familiar to answer questions like these.
"Notable head injuries?"
"...a lot of concussions."
"A lot?"
Alex shrugged. "Lost count."
The doctor's fingers slowed over the keyboard.
"That's not a normal thing to say. Not good at all. You get in a lot of fights?"
"None that I want to be in,"
"Then don't start fights, that easy ey?"
Neither Hale nor Alex laughed.
The doctor cleared his throat. "Right. Any surgeries?"
Alex's eyes drifted away.
"Alex?"
He jerked slightly as the pair of scars on his chest and underarm tingled. He didn't like to remember his time of R&R after that assassination attempt. The whole memory being painful
"One."
The examiner studied him for a moment. There was no suspicion in his eyes, he certainly believed every word Alex was saying. No, he was looking in concern. Which somehow felt worse.
"Hm." He scribbled something in the file.
"No bloodwork?" Hale asked quietly.
Alex stiffened and the doctor glanced between them.
"We can do it another day."
"There won't be another day," Hale muttered.
The doctor gave her a look. "Then there won't be bloodwork."
Hale frowned. "We need a complete record."
"We need the lad not bolting through the ceiling."
"He won't-"
"Ms Hale."
Something in his voice made her stop. Alex looked up at the doctor who smiled at him again.
"Another day, son."
The relief hit so suddenly Alex almost hated himself for feeling it. Hale pinched the bridge of her nose.
"How wonderful. Mr. O' Neill's gonna kill me." She sounded irritated but as she opened the door, Alex noticed something strange. She wasn't looking at him but instead glaring at the examiner. The doctor merely shrugged.
"He'll come around."
Hale lowered her voice. "He'd better. We need a complete profile."
"And I want a winning Lotto ticket. We don't always get what we want."
Alex followed her out in silence. As they stepped into the corridor, he glanced back at the doctor who had already returned to his computer.
Maybe there really wasn't anything sinister about him. Just a light hearted man trying to finish paperwork before breakfast.
And yet Alex's hands still shook.
Because for one terrible second when Hale had said there wouldn't be another day he had believed her. And he'd been back in SCORPIA all over again. But the danger was over. It was gone. Until another day
That was for future Alex. Present Alex was certainly ready for breakfast as he realized how hungry he actually was. Then there was a bell shortly after the pair left the office.
"Look on the bright side Ms. Hale. If we did my bloods then we would've actually been late for breakfast." Offered Alex hopefully but Hale just droned in tolerant acknowledgement.
Rider was brought to a large cafeteria that reminded him of the one back in California. The thought of Sabina clouded his mind for a moment but it fleeted. Too painful to think about.
Men in dark green uniforms piled in through the doors. They looked in absolute bits but they were laughing and messing about within the crowd. Even some of the guards were cracking up with the personnel, maybe they were friends. Security is a little lax then.
Alex got his tray with the unneeded help of Ms. Hale who gained some snickers and whispers as she stood beside Alex in the line. Of whom she glared at before fully escorting the boy through the line and to a seat.
In the sea of green Rider felt a little ridiculous in his red hoodie. I should have worn black... Maybe this feeling of difference reflected as nobody sat next to him. Even Hale sat two seats down but that may have been out of respect of Alex's personal space, hopefully.
Suddenly his gut felt very nervous eating. The ruckus of people made it very hard to hear his own thoughts. It was all very overwhelming to say the least. All the mission shock was hitting him all at once and he was at its mercy unable to stop it.
He can't run or turn back now even if he wanted to. If he wanted to? Of course he wanted to! But this was too far gone now. Could he really let himself walk away?
Alex picked at his food and chewed habitually at the skin of his finger. What did he have to do? Name that first.
Learn about LIATH and stop that other teenager from sneaking around Britain's files
Rider had already found out a little about LIATH, off to a good start so far but he needed to know more. He took a shuddering, tiresome breath and looked around the cafeteria.
There were a lot of people no doubt about it, maybe a hundred fifty or more. Their age ranged from a little older than Alex to perhaps their thirties. The guards the same. Male and female. No camouflage gear other than the hats. It confirmed paramilitary status, far too casual to be military.
The agent was observing fiercely until he felt the sting of being watched. A feeling he knew all too well. He ebbed towards the source.
Across the hall he saw a thin, pale boy with dark shadowed hair. He looked even more attention drawing then Alex with a victorian style button up and pink bow. His thin frame looking even more frail beside the men that too, didn't sit near him.
That teenager.
Alex realized. They were using teenage agents too
And he was that was studying Alex with great interest. The studied person of the pair met the consultant's eyes.
One was a piercing blue and the other eye a warm hazel.