Chapter Text
Baird sighs as she collapses at her desk in the Annex. It has been almost 4 months since the tethering ceremony and the Librarians have been mostly successful in retrieving artifacts and completing missions. They’d even complete missions individually when the need arose. However, there have been an uncomfortable amount of close calls now that she wasn’t accompanying them. Just a few days ago, Cassandra had stumbled through the back door propping up a barely conscious Ezekiel covered in blood. He’d been shot in the side trying to recover an artifact with Cassandra. He’s staying in the Library for a couple of days until he’s fully recovered, under her watchful eye. Seeing Ezekiel like that scared Baird more than she cares to admit.
Baird attempts to busy herself with reviewing the Library’s security measures, but she can’t seem to concentrate. Her attempts to concentrate are interrupted by a knock at the Annex door. Baird sighs; Ezekiel probably ordered pizza or takeout. She makes her way to the door and answers it.
“Hello, my name’s Alex and I’m looking for a library. I’m not sure I have the right place though.” A young man with a British accent greets her as she opens the door. He’s a few inches shorter than she is, with a mess of blond hair and attentive brown eyes. He’s clearly in shape, but still appears a bit scrawny. He can’t be much older than Ezekiel.
“What library are you looking for?” Baird asks, suspicious of this man’s intentions.
“See that’s the thing, I got this letter,” Alex riffles through his pocket and pulls out a letter, “offering me some sort of security position at a library but doesn’t mention which library. It just says ‘The Library’ and gives this address.”
Baird takes the letter from the man’s outstretched hand with a sneaking suspicion the letter will resemble one she had received a few years ago that changed her life. As she unfolds the paper, her suspicions are confirmed. The letter is an invitation from the Library, to be the new Guardian.
“You’ve definitely got the right place.” Baird carefully folds the letter again before handing it back to Alex. Maybe it is time the Librarians got another Guardian, Baird thinks. She would have to vet him first though, of course.
“No offense, but this doesn’t exactly look like a library.” Alex glances behind Baird for a moment before looking back at her.
“No, this is just the entrance to the Annex. I’ll show you to the Library shortly. I’m Colonel Baird.” She offers Alex her hand. He takes it and shakes her hand firmly.
“Nice to meet you, Colonel. Are you also security for the Library?” Baird chuckles.
“Not quite. Follow me.” Baird turns on her heel, leading Alex to the Annex. Alex closes the door behind him before catching up to Baird. This is definitely the strangest job offer he’s ever gotten. Alex follows her down the dark hallway, aware that he probably should have asked more questions up front. They arrive at a set of doors to a spacious room with papers scattered on every flat surface available.
“This is the Annex. It’s our base of operations. Here you can find a catalog of every item in the Library.” Baird stops in front of the clippings book and turns to face Alex. While the Library has chosen Alex to be a new Guardian, Baird would like to see how qualified this person is and if she can trust him with her Librarians. “This job is incredibly dangerous. Do you know any kind of martial arts?”
“Yes. I know Akido, and I have a black belt in karate.” Alex answers, a little taken aback by Baird’s comment. What could possibly be dangerous in a library?
“Good. What’s your job experience?”
“I work for a private security firm. I started working there when I was 18 and just stuck with it. I’ve worked security for a variety of tech companies with proprietary information. I’ve also been personal security to several high-profile politicians and other people.” Alex replies easily. He had an answer prepared for this question well ahead of time. After all, he couldn’t just respond with “I was blackmailed into working with MI6 when I was 14 years old and continued to work for MI6 until recently.”
“Interesting. You’re pretty well qualified for this position then. I’d like to test your martial art skills myself before I send you out with the Librarians.” Baird responds carefully. Her gut is telling her that there’s something wrong with his answer. She has nothing to base this feeling on, but her gut is never wrong.
“Am I the security detail for the Librarians? Do these Librarians get a lot of death threats or something?” Baird chuckles.
“You could say that. This isn’t a typical library. What-“
“Hey, Baird, who was at the door?” Ezekiel stops dead in his tracks as he spots Alex standing in the Annex. “Alex?”
“I- what-“ Alex opens and closes his mouth a few times before trying to speak again. “Yeah, it’s me. It’s been so long.”
“I'm glad to see you’re still alive.” Ezekiel’s eyes soften as he steps closer to Alex and Baird. Alex meets him halfway and pulls him into a tight hug.
“I could say the same about you.” Alex pulls away, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Well,” Baird claps her hands together, looking back and forth between the two, “I take it you two know each other?”
“Uh, yeah. I- we-“ Ezekiel looks to Alex for guidance, unsure of what cover story he has told Baird.
“We used to work together.” Alex finishes. Baird raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised. Now that, Baird thinks, just doesn’t make sense. Alex had just mentioned he had worked with a private security company. Other than being a world-class thief, she thought the only other job Ezekiel had was with MI6.
“Jones? Working security? You’ve got to be joking.” Ezekiel has to hold himself back from rolling his eyes at the cover that Alex has chosen.
“Uh, it was a very short gig. Plus, it was great for getting insider knowledge of security systems. Anyways” Ezekiel claps his hands together and turns to Alex in an effort to change the subject. “So not that I’m not happy to see you, but how the hell did you end up here of all places?”
Alex laughs and shakes his head, pulling the letter he had shown Colonel Baird out of his pocket.
“I got offered some sort of security position here.” Ezekiel takes the letter from him and scans the page quickly. He can’t help the grin that tugs at his lips.
“Damn, I never would have guessed. Well, I’m glad it’s you.” Ezekiel hands the letter back to Alex.
“Do you work here or something?”
“Yup! I’m a Librarian now.” Ezekiel beams proudly.
“You? Working in a library?” Alex raises an eyebrow at him.
“It’s no ordinary Library, mate.” Ezekiel smirks. Baird claps a hand on Ezekiel’s shoulder.
“Well, since you are indeed a Librarian, why don’t you do the honors of showing Alex the Library for the first time?” Baird asks.
“Get ready to have your socks blown off” Ezekiel sets the Back Door to the Library and pulls the doors open. Alex raises a hand against the blinding white light.
“Follow me!” Ezekiel steps through the door, but Alex doesn’t follow immediately. He looks to Colonel Baird in confusion, who gestures towards the door. Well, Alex thinks, I trust Ezekiel so I might as well. As he steps over the threshold, his stomach swoops and he loses all sense of direction, like the time he got tossed out of a plane and he tumbled towards the Earth uncontrollably. He barely catches himself as he comes out the other side and has to blink a few times to get his eyes to adjust to the sudden lack of blinding light. He barely registers Baird coming through the door as his eyes adjust, taking in a sharp breath. Before him is an impossibly vast room, with artifacts and rows and rows of bookshelves. There are circular skylights that allow sunlight to spill through and illuminate the vast space. The dimensions of the room don’t make sense for the space. It’s entirely too large. Impossibly large; he can’t seem to make out the end of the room.
“Holy shit, what-” Alex spins around, eyes darting to different parts of the Library, unsure of what to take in first. “This is impossible, this- what is this place?”
“This,” Ezekiel spreads his arms wide to gesture around him, “is the Library. The Library is a place where actual, real magical artifacts are kept to keep them from falling into the wrong hands.”
Alex snaps his attention to Ezekiel at that. “Yes, magic. Actual, real magic”
“Ezekiel, that’s impossible.”
“Is it?” Alex opens his mouth to respond, but hesitates, looking around him at the inconceivably large room and trying to gather his thoughts. Alex has known Ezekiel for years. He’s one of the few people in the world that he trusts. He wouldn’t just lie to him and even if he did, this would be one hell of a lie.
“Alright, I’ll bite.” He says at last. “Prove it.”
“Prove it? How am I supposed to-” Ezekiel pauses mid-sentence. “Actually, you up for a quick adventure?”
“Jones,” Baird eyes him warily, “what are you thinking, exactly?”
“Ah, don’t worry Baird. This will be fun, trust me! Come on!” Ezekiel gestures for Alex to follow him before bounding back towards the doors they just came through. Alex looks at Baird and shrugs before following. Before long, the three of them are back in the Annex, staring at the door they had just come through. Ezekiel adjusts the globe by the door and opens the doors once again.
“Alright, come on.” Ezekiel steps through the door and Alex follows. The second time through isn’t as bad and Alex recovers a bit quicker.
“What the-” Alex stares at the Eiffel Tower before him in disbelief. “How? We were just in Portland!”
“Magic” Ezekiel waves his hand for dramatic effect and Alex rolls his eyes. “Seriously!”
“Okay, okay, I believe you.” Alex swallows thickly. “Magic is real. But… how? How could no one have noticed before?”
“Let’s head back to the Annex and I’ll explain.” Alex nods and they step back through the door they just came through. Baird is waiting for them when they return.
“Right, well I imagine you have some questions. Let’s sit.” Baird gestures to the Annex table and they sit.
“So magic is real.” Alex says slowly. Baird and Ezekiel nod. “So how come the entire world hasn’t found out? Seems like something that would be pretty noticeable.”
“Well, it’s a pretty well kept secret. And the Library keeps the real artifacts safely tucked away and from falling into the wrong hands.” Baird explains.
“So what? What does this have to do with me?” Alex asks.
“The Library has a Guardian, who protects the Librarians and helps them stay alive to do their job. It seems that the Library has chosen you for the job.” Baird explains.
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why me?” Alex asks. Ezekiel blinks at him.
“I mean, you have saved my life on several occasions. And, correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you know like 10 types of martial arts?” Ezekiel teases. Alex huffs out a laugh in surprise and Baird raises an eyebrow. “I think the Library could see that you are more than qualified for the job.”
“What, did you put in my resume to the magical HR department then?”
“No, nothing like that. The Library itself chose you.” Ezekiel says. Alex blinks in surprise.
“What, like the building is sentient or something?”
“Yes.” Baird confirms.
“You’re joking.”
“Nope.” Ezekiel smirks.
“O-kay. So, a sentient building sent me a letter and invited me to be your bodyguard while you save the world?” Alex tries to summarize.
“Well, not quite. Ezekiel is not the only Librarian. In the past, there was just one Librarian at a time, but we now have three, counting Jones here. The others are out at the moment though, you can meet them once they get back. Now, while the Library may have picked you, I would still like to make my own assessment. I may not be able to guard them in the field, but I will still do everything in my power to make sure they’re not in danger.” Baird answers. Alex raises an eyebrow at her questioningly.
“It’s a long story for another day,” she adds with a wave of her hand, “any other questions before I ask my own?”
“Yes. So are all the stories and myths true then? Fairies? Demons?... The Chupacabra?” Alex asks.
“Yes, yes, and yes! And also Bigfoot, vampires, and werewolves.” Ezekiel responds.
“Sick.”
“Yes, well, I also have questions for you too.” Baird interrupts. “So you and Ezekiel worked together in private security. How long ago was that?”
“Ah, that was what, 2010, 2011? So about six or seven years ago now.” Alex replies casually. Ezekiel schools his expression into something he hopes appears neutral.
“Any other job experience besides private security?
“No”
“Do you have any criminal history?”
“No”
“How old are you?”
“25”
“What is your full, legal name?”
“Alex Rider”
“Where did you learn Aikido, and karate?”
“My uncle, he taught me a whole bunch of stuff and took me on adventures. I’ve been mountain climbing and even skydiving.”
“Your uncle?”
“Yes, my parents died in a plane crash when I was a baby.”
“Ah, um, I’m sorry to hear that” Baird pauses her rapid fire questions for a moment. She had meant to catch him in a lie about his past by asking many questions quickly, but this felt like a step too far.
“It’s alright, it was a long time ago anyways.” Alex reassures her.
“Are you satisfied he’s not an ax murderer now?” Ezekiel tries to tease, but both Alex and Baird can see the tense line in his shoulders. Baird rolls her eyes anyways in an attempt to relieve the tension in the air.
“Yes, that’ll do for now. We can pick this up again tomorrow. I’d like to test your hand-to-hand combat skills myself. For now, get some rest. I know this has to be a lot to take in.”
“Thanks, I will take you up on that offer.” Alex replies.
“Actually, if you're feeling up to it, we could chat and catch up over dinner? I know a great Vietnamese place nearby with killer pho.” Ezekiel cuts in before Alex can leave.
“Sure! You know I could never turn down pho.” Alex laughs.
“Alright, well, I will see you both tomorrow then. Alex, meet me here at say 0700?” Baird asks.
“0700 it is. I will see you tomorrow.” Alex replies and they head off.