Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

James Adams crouched low, concealed behind a thick hedge as he observed the mansion through the scope of his sniper rifle. His eyes narrowed as he surveyed the grounds. It was a typical mission — a covert operation to retrieve information about a high-profile weapons deal — and James was executing his role perfectly. His team was in position, and the objective was clear: infiltrate the mansion, extract the intel, and get out clean. No problems.

Except there’s something off, James thought, his instincts humming in the back of his mind. He didn’t know what it was, but something about the situation didn’t feel right. The feeling had become a constant companion throughout the mission, and it was starting to gnaw at him. Maybe it was just the pressure of always being on edge. But whatever it was, it was enough to make him hesitate for a fraction of a second.

“James,” Dana’s voice crackled through the comms, a little too loudly for his taste, “Are you good? The target’s about to arrive.”

“Yeah, I’m good,” James replied, trying to shake the unease. “I’m in position. Stay sharp.”

Dana, Kyle, and Bruce, his fellow agents, were positioned at strategic points on the estate, ready to execute their roles once the target arrived. The plan was simple: as soon as they had the intel, they would extract it and escape without a trace. But the gnawing feeling refused to leave him.

The first sign that something was wrong came in the form of a sleek black Range Rover gliding up the long driveway of the mansion. James’s eyes locked onto the vehicle as it slowed to a stop, but it wasn’t the car that made his heart skip a beat. It was the man who emerged from it.

No… it can’t be.

James’s breath hitched in his throat as he watched the figure step out of the vehicle. Tall, wearing dark, tailored clothes. His features sharp, his eyes cold. This man didn’t belong here. He couldn’t be here.

Yassen Gregorovich.

The name struck James like a physical blow. The most infamous assassin in the world. A man tied to the darkest corners of MI6 operations. A man whose presence was always a harbinger of death. But why was he here? And why now?

James’s hand clenched around the rifle, his mind racing. Yassen Gregorovich was not supposed to be here. After the mission with Alex Rider years ago — the mission that went horribly wrong — Yassen had disappeared off the grid, just like everyone else connected to MI6's Youth Division.

But there was no way James was going to entertain that thought. That life was gone. He wasn’t Alex Rider anymore. He was James Adams. That was his identity now. His past — the real past — was something he’d buried, discarded.

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus. There was no time for this.

“Focus, James,” he muttered under his breath.

“Everything clear?” Kyle asked, his voice crackling through the comms.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. We’ll move in once the intel’s secured.”

But James couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something was off. Yassen Gregorovich’s arrival on the scene couldn’t be a coincidence. He had to be here for a reason.

As the seconds ticked by, a sense of foreboding settled over James. He didn’t know why Yassen was here or what role he played in this operation, but he couldn’t let it distract him. He had a mission to complete.

The mission went off without a hitch, but the unease in James’s gut didn’t fade. As the team made their way back to CHERUB, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something larger was at play. He’d been trained to trust his instincts, and right now, they were screaming at him that trouble was coming.

“Everything went smooth,” Dana commented, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “Not a single hitch.”

“Yeah,” James said, his voice tight. “Too smooth.”

The air around him felt charged, like something big was about to happen. As they neared the gates of the CHERUB campus, the sense of danger heightened. His body went rigid, every muscle coiled and ready to move.

“Something’s wrong,” he muttered. He turned to his teammates. “Stay alert.”

And just like that, the calm was shattered.

The sound of screeching tires filled the air. SCORPIA agents flooded the perimeter of the campus, their movements swift and coordinated. The security alarms blared, and gunfire rang out as the SCORPIA agents breached the gates.

“Move, now!” James shouted, grabbing Dana and Kyle by the arm and yanking them toward cover. The chaos erupted around them as gunshots raked through the air, and the familiar sounds of an attack flooded the campus.

Bruce ducked behind a concrete barrier, looking over at James with a sharp expression. “What the hell is going on? Who the hell are these people?”

“SCORPIA,” James said, his voice clipped. “They’re here for me. We need to move, now.”

“What?” Kyle’s voice trembled with disbelief. “What do you mean, ‘they’re here for you’? What’s going on, James?”

James’s mind raced. He knew what was happening. SCORPIA had somehow tracked him down. The past he thought he had buried was now catching up with him, and there was no way out.

“They’re here for me,” James repeated, a cold chill running down his spine. “Because of who I was.”

“Who you were?” Bruce repeated. “What are you talking about?”

James’s eyes flicked toward his friends, his heart heavy with the truth. “I’m not just James Adams. I was… Alex Rider.”

The words hit the air with the force of a bomb.

Kyle froze. “What?”

Bruce’s mouth fell open, and Dana’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

“You’re Alex Rider?” Dana’s voice was incredulous. “The Alex Rider? The MI6 spy?”

James nodded slowly, a painful lump forming in his throat. “Yeah. I was Alex Rider. But that life is gone. After a mission went wrong, I was left for dead. I faked my death. I ran. And I became James Adams.”

Dana took a step back, her face pale with shock. “But why didn’t you tell us? All this time, we’ve been working together, and you never said a word.”

James’s expression hardened. “Because I didn’t want to bring that life back. I didn’t want to drag any of you into it. Alex Rider is dead. He was abandoned. He doesn’t exist anymore.”

Bruce shook his head. “You’ve been lying to us the whole time. This whole time, we thought you were just some regular kid.”

“I am just some regular kid now,” James snapped, frustration lacing his voice. “I made myself someone else. I wanted to forget who I was. I wanted to forget the lies, the danger, the things I’ve done.”

Dana looked at him with wide eyes. “So... SCORPIA? They’re after you because of your past?”

James nodded, his face grim. “Yes. And they won’t stop until they get what they want.”

A loud crash echoed through the air, followed by the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

“We need to get moving,” James said, pulling them all to their feet. “SCORPIA’s after me. They want me dead, or worse.”

The campus was in chaos. SCORPIA agents had overrun the outer perimeter and were making their way through the campus, systematically taking out anyone who got in their way. James and his team found themselves cornered in a hallway, trapped between the SCORPIA forces and nowhere to run.

“Stay down!” James barked, signaling to his teammates. “We fight to survive, but we need to make it to the safe house.”

The group took cover behind a nearby wall, the sounds of gunfire echoing in the distance. James’s mind was working fast. He knew how SCORPIA operated. They would stop at nothing to eliminate threats. And right now, James was the biggest threat.

“James,” Bruce said, his voice tight. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

“Because I thought I could keep you safe,” James replied, his voice cold. “But now they’re here, and it’s too late. There’s no running anymore.”

Dana’s face was pale, her hands shaking as she gripped her weapon. “What do we do now?”

“We fight,” James said firmly. “We survive. And we protect each other.”

The door to the hallway burst open, and SCORPIA agents poured in, weapons raised. James didn’t hesitate. He dove into action, leading the charge, his body moving instinctively, trained by years of combat and survival. His past life as Alex Rider may have been buried, but the skills — the instincts — never left him.

The fight for survival had just begun.

Chapter Text

James’s heart was pounding, but his body moved with the cold efficiency of someone who had lived this nightmare before. His training kicked in — no hesitation, no second thoughts. He had fought for his life before, and he would do it again. The rush of adrenaline blurred the line between fear and focus. His teammates, now fully aware of the gravity of their situation, had snapped into action too, but the weight of the truth hung between them like a thick fog.

Bruce had raised his gun, eyes narrowing in focus. “So this is your idea of keeping us safe?” His voice was tight with a mix of anger and disbelief.

James didn’t respond. There was no point in explaining, not now. They didn’t have the luxury of time. He gestured to Kyle and Dana, signaling them to move to the adjacent room, their only route of escape.

“Move, now!” he hissed.

Kyle, his face pale but determined, sprinted ahead, staying low, with Dana close behind. James was last, keeping a sharp eye on the corridor behind them. He could already hear the heavy footsteps of SCORPIA agents closing in. They would be on them in seconds. His fingers brushed against the cold metal of the gun at his side, instinctively checking it. The gun felt foreign in his hand — it had been a while since he had been forced to use it in anger. The gunfire, the blood, the chaos of his past life flashed through his mind, unbidden. But he couldn’t think about that. Not now.

The door to the hallway crashed open with deafening force, and the first agent stepped through, gun raised. James didn’t think — he just moved. With a swift, practiced motion, he pulled his pistol and fired three shots in quick succession, each one finding its mark. The SCORPIA agent collapsed without a sound, but James didn’t slow down.

"Come on!" James shouted to the others, motioning them forward as he quickly scanned the hallway for more threats. “There’s no time to waste!”

They ran, bursting through a door that led into the central courtyard. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows over the grass. The peaceful, quiet campus that had once been home now felt like a tomb.

Gunshots rang out, the sound ricocheting off the stone walls, as SCORPIA’s reinforcements began to fan out. The team dove for cover behind an overturned metal table, hearts racing, bodies tense. James’s breath was shallow, his thoughts moving at a dizzying pace, but there was one thing he knew for sure: they couldn’t stay here. Not for long. SCORPIA wouldn’t give up until they had him, and every minute they stayed exposed was another minute closer to death.

“James, what do we do?” Dana’s voice was tight, full of the fear that none of them had felt until now. It wasn’t just the fear of being caught — it was the fear of knowing they were in over their heads, dragged into a war James had thought he’d left behind.

James glanced at Dana, then at Kyle and Bruce. His team. They were relying on him now, even if they didn’t fully understand the mess he had dragged them into.

“I’ll take point,” James said, his voice low but unwavering. “Kyle, Dana, you cover the back. Bruce, stay on my six. Move on my signal. Stay tight.”

His mind raced through every possible outcome, calculating their best chances. They needed to get to the safe house. It was their only option now. And there was no going back.

As he spoke, the sound of footsteps echoed from the far side of the courtyard. SCORPIA was closing in fast. James felt a surge of panic, a rare feeling, but he forced it down. Panic had no place here. Not now.

“Move!” James shouted, darting to the right, his body in motion before the word was fully out of his mouth. He knew that hesitation would kill them.

They sprinted, every footfall heavy with the knowledge that their lives hung in the balance. Behind them, gunfire erupted, the sound of SCORPIA closing the gap. James’s heart thudded in his chest as he sprinted toward the back gate of the campus, where their escape lay.

The adrenaline in his veins was like fire, scorching away any lingering doubts. He pushed forward, ignoring the aching in his muscles, the stinging sensation in his throat, the relentless weight of the past crashing against him. His mind was a blur of calculations — escape routes, risks, possibilities. He couldn’t afford to stop and think too much. The past had no place here.

“We’re almost there!” James called, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. He didn’t look back, but he could feel the hot breath of the SCORPIA agents on their heels.

They reached the gate, and without missing a beat, James activated the override. The heavy steel gate creaked open just enough for them to slip through. But just as they were about to break free, a shot rang out, and a bullet embedded itself in the metal gate, forcing it to jam.

“No! Get through, now!” James barked, his voice rising with urgency. He pushed Dana and Kyle forward, his own body moving to cover their escape.

Bruce hesitated, looking back at James. “You’re not—”

“Go! Now!” James’s voice was a command, leaving no room for argument.

Bruce’s jaw tightened, but he obeyed, slipping through the narrow opening. The rest of the team followed, but James lingered for a moment, scanning the perimeter. His gaze locked onto something in the distance — a shadowy figure emerging from behind a nearby tree. A cold shiver ran down his spine. It was Yassen Gregorovich.

James’s breath caught in his throat. He had hoped, prayed that the man he had seen earlier that night was nothing but a figment of his imagination, but now, as Yassen approached, every nightmare from his past came rushing back with a vengeance.

The assassin's eyes met his across the courtyard, and for a split second, James felt the weight of history between them. Yassen wasn’t here for the intel. He was here for James. And he wouldn’t stop until he finished what he had started all those years ago.

“James!” Kyle’s voice broke through his thoughts. “We have to move! Now!”

But even as the team pulled him away from the gate and toward the shadows of the trees, James couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. SCORPIA was just one threat, but Yassen… Yassen was a different kind of predator.

And James knew, with gut-wrenching certainty, that he couldn’t escape this time. The past was coming for him, and it wasn’t going to let him run any longer.

Chapter Text

James’s instincts flared, his body frozen for just a moment as he made eye contact with Yassen Gregorovich across the courtyard. The assassin’s expression was unreadable, but James could feel the weight of his gaze like a physical presence. It was as if time had slowed, the distance between them stretching and contracting in a single, excruciating moment.

Yassen was calm, unnervingly so. His movements were deliberate, precise. It was like he knew exactly how this would play out. Like he had seen it a thousand times before.

For a fleeting second, James had the urge to run. Just run, get away from here, but his legs wouldn’t move. He wasn’t Alex Rider anymore. He was James Adams. His past had been buried, left behind — but Yassen wasn’t going to let that happen. He never did.

"James!" Kyle’s voice broke through his fog of panic, pulling him back to reality. "We need to go—now!"

Dana grabbed his arm, her face pale but determined. "James, we can’t outrun him. If we stay here, we’re dead. We need a plan."

James snapped out of the momentary paralysis, his thoughts racing. A plan. Yassen Gregorovich had never been an ordinary adversary. He was a predator, methodical, patient, and deadly. And right now, James was in his sights.

He jerked his head toward the dense trees at the edge of the campus. "The safe house is through the woods. We go now, and we stay low. No one stops. No one looks back."

Without waiting for confirmation, James broke into a sprint, leading the group toward the trees. The sound of footsteps behind him — his team moving with him — was a reassurance, but deep down, James knew they were running out of time.

Behind them, the faint sound of gunfire echoed, distant yet haunting. SCORPIA agents were still hunting them, but the true danger was Yassen, the man who had haunted James’s nightmares for years.

The campus perimeter was already a warzone, SCORPIA agents breaching fences, cutting off escape routes, and pouring into the campus with military precision. The woods, however, provided a slight edge — a natural barrier that might offer them a few precious minutes of cover.

As they neared the treeline, a bullet whizzed by James’s ear, a sharp, ringing sound that made his heart stutter. They’re getting closer.

“Stay low!” he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper. His breath came in sharp bursts, the chill of the evening air filling his lungs as his legs carried him faster.

The trees loomed ahead like sentinels, dark and silent against the growing noise of the chaos behind them. Just as they reached the first line of trees, another shot rang out, this time hitting a nearby tree with a splintering crack.

“Get down!” James shouted, diving behind a thick trunk, pulling Dana and Kyle down with him. Bruce, always the more cautious one, took a more measured approach, crouching low behind a bush a few yards away.

For a moment, the woods felt eerily still. The only sound was the rush of their breathing and the distant, muffled chaos from the campus.

James’s mind raced, trying to assess their options. They couldn’t stay here for long — they’d be cornered. His gaze flicked toward the others. Dana was clutching her weapon, her face pale but composed, her jaw set in determination. Kyle was glancing over his shoulder, his eyes wide with fear but his grip on his rifle steady. Bruce, the more pragmatic of the group, was scanning the surroundings, calculating every possible threat.

Yassen wasn’t far behind. James could feel it, like the pressure of an oncoming storm.

"James," Dana whispered, voice tight. "What the hell do we do now?"

James’s mind snapped back into focus. They needed to get to the safe house, but it wasn’t just a matter of running. They were up against SCORPIA and Yassen Gregorovich. If they didn’t stick together, they wouldn’t make it.

“Listen to me,” James said in a low, commanding tone. "We’re not splitting up. We move as one. We make it to the safe house, or we don’t make it at all. You trust me?"

Dana nodded, her eyes hardening with resolve.

Kyle glanced nervously over his shoulder, then nodded. “Yeah. I trust you.”

Bruce was silent, but his expression softened slightly, acknowledging James’s authority in the moment. The weight of everything hung heavily on him. He wasn’t just leading them; he was responsible for them. If anything went wrong, it would be his fault.

“We go now,” James said, voice low but firm.

They moved again, faster now, weaving through the trees. The woods were dense, and the shadows seemed to deepen with every step they took. It wasn’t long before the distant sounds of the campus fell away entirely, replaced by the unsettling silence of the forest.

They hadn’t gone far when a low, guttural sound broke the stillness. A faint whisper of something moving through the underbrush — but it wasn’t just a wind. James’s stomach dropped. He didn’t have to look to know what it was.

Yassen.

James turned to his team, his voice barely above a whisper. “Get ready. Stay in formation. We’re not alone.”

The words had barely left his lips when the first shot rang out, ripping through the night air.

James dove to the side instinctively, the bullet missing him by mere inches. He could hear the distinct sound of Yassen’s footsteps — light, precise, moving in their direction.

"Scatter!" James shouted, adrenaline flooding his veins. He sprinted to the left, forcing his teammates to break apart. His heart pounded in his chest as his hand moved instinctively to his sidearm. Stay calm. Don’t lose focus. Don’t let him get the drop on you.

Through the trees, James spotted a figure — dark, sleek, moving with terrifying efficiency. Yassen Gregorovich.

“James!” Dana’s voice cracked through the comms, panic rising. “We need to move! NOW!”

James looked back, his eyes briefly meeting hers. He could see the fear in her eyes, but also the grit. They all had their backs to the wall now.

James had been here before, in situations where the odds were stacked against him, where survival seemed like an impossible goal. But he wasn’t alone this time. This wasn’t MI6, and it wasn’t the shadowy world of espionage that had shaped his childhood. These were his teammates. The people who had become his family.

He wasn’t going to let them down.

“We keep moving!” James shouted. He fired off a few rounds toward the shadowy figure, forcing Yassen to take cover. But it was a temporary distraction. Yassen wasn’t here to kill them all at once. He was here for James. And for whatever reason, he had patience on his side.

But so did James. He’d survived the worst, fought against the most dangerous people in the world, and come out alive. And this time, he wasn’t going to let Yassen win. Not this time.

James reached the edge of a small clearing in the woods, and in the distance, he spotted the outline of their destination: the safe house. A small, unassuming cabin hidden in the woods, deep enough into the forest to be a last line of defense against an enemy like SCORPIA. It was their only hope.

“Almost there!” James shouted, his voice hoarse with urgency.

But before they could make it to the cabin, the sound of more footsteps shattered the momentary calm. More SCORPIA agents. They were surrounded.

“Everyone, stay close!” James ordered, his mind whirling. They had no choice now. Fight or flight was no longer an option. The time for running was over.

“Cover each other’s backs!”

They all fell into a tight formation, ready to face whatever came next. The battle for survival wasn’t just about escaping anymore. It was about fighting for their lives — and James would make sure that his team, his family, would make it out alive.

But he knew one thing for certain: the war wasn’t over. It was just beginning.

Chapter Text

The chaos of SCORPIA’s attack on the campus had thrown everything into disarray. The usual order that defined life at CHERUB was gone — replaced by the chaotic sounds of alarm bells, shouting, and gunfire. The younger recruits, some barely more than children, were scared and confused. They’d never faced something like this before. For them, this wasn’t a part of the training, a simulation, or a lesson about the real world of covert operations. This was real.

And they weren’t the only ones who were rattled.

The adults who ran CHERUB — the seasoned agents, the trainers, the intelligence officers — had spent years preparing for situations like this. They were professionals. Yet, even they had been caught off guard.

At the designated gathering point, a small, fortified building near the edge of the campus that had once been used as a training center for emergencies, the adults were starting to assemble. Some were already helping to direct recruits to safety, others were taking defensive positions, their faces drawn with concern. Among them were some of CHERUB’s most experienced agents — Tom, the head of operations, Maria, an ex-SAS soldier, and Dr. Heather Finch, the head of intelligence.

They were all trying to make sense of what had just happened.

“Who the hell are these people?” Maria asked, her voice tense as she reloaded her rifle, her gaze fixed on the perimeter. The sound of SCORPIA agents firing in the distance was growing louder.

“I don’t know, but they’re well-organized,” Tom said, his brow furrowed as he scanned the campus from the small window. “They’ve breached the outer defenses, and they’re advancing. But it’s not just the attack we need to focus on. It’s the fact they knew exactly where we were. They’ve been here before.”

“Could be a leak,” Heather added grimly, pushing her glasses back up her nose. “Or they’ve been monitoring us for a while. Either way, this isn’t random. This is a targeted strike.”

Tom was silent for a moment, processing the implications. “And they’re after Adams.”

Heather’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

Tom didn’t answer immediately. The name “Adams” had caused a stir among some of the more senior agents, particularly because of the mystery surrounding James. No one knew much about his past before he had arrived at CHERUB. The agency had been meticulous in covering up his history, and despite the outstanding performance James had shown as an agent, no one had dared to ask too many questions.

But now, with SCORPIA’s attack, the answer seemed obvious.

“I think it’s time we ask him,” Tom said finally, his tone heavy with resolve.

Meanwhile, inside the main campus building, the recruits were in full panic mode.

“Stay inside! Get away from the windows!” shouted one of the older recruits, a sixteen-year-old named Liam, who had been a part of the team for years. He was trying to corral the younger kids, some of whom were too scared to move.

“I’m telling you, I heard shots!” one of the younger recruits, Matt, yelled. His face was pale, his voice trembling. “There’s people out there! It’s real, isn’t it?”

Liam grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him inside the nearest safe room. “I know. I heard them too. But we stay put and keep our heads down. Don’t do anything stupid. Help’s coming, alright?”

In the chaos, James’s friends — Dana, Kyle, and Bruce — were already beginning to piece together what had happened, even if they didn’t fully understand it. The truth about James’s past hadn’t sunk in yet. The shock of what had just happened was still too fresh.

“James…” Dana started, her voice shaking. “What… what the hell happened back there? You said SCORPIA was after you. But why? You never said a word about your past.”

James, his face grim, stared at the floor of the safe house. He was standing apart from the others, trying to pull himself together. His chest was tight with the knowledge that the truth was coming, and there was no avoiding it now. But still, he felt the weight of their stares on him, the confusion in their eyes. They had no idea. And he had kept it from them.

“Because I couldn’t tell you,” James finally said, his voice low. “I didn’t want to drag you into it. I didn’t want you to know who I really was. Alex Rider… that person, he’s not me anymore. James Adams is who I am now.”

The words were slow, heavy, as if every syllable was dragging him down. But the truth had to come out. He couldn’t lie to them anymore, not when their lives were on the line.

Bruce, who had been quiet up until now, crossed his arms. “So, what? You just… forgot about it all? Just pretended you were someone else?”

James turned to face him, his expression hardening. “It wasn’t that simple. But yeah. I faked my death. I ran from MI6. From the people I used to be. I couldn’t let that past follow me. I couldn’t let you get dragged into it.”

Dana shook her head, disbelief written across her face. “You think that would’ve kept us safe? You think hiding who you were, hiding what you’ve done, would’ve stopped SCORPIA from coming after us? After you? James, you’re not just anyone. You’re Alex Rider. The world’s most wanted kid. You don’t get to just leave all that behind.”

James flinched, the sting of her words cutting deeper than he wanted to admit. “I know, okay? I know. But I had to try. I couldn’t just… keep running forever.” His voice softened, the weight of everything pulling him down. “But now they’ve found me. And they won’t stop until they finish what they started.”

There was a long silence after that. Dana and Kyle exchanged a glance, the enormity of what James had just confessed settling in.

“So, what now?” Kyle asked, his voice hesitant. “What do we do?”

“We fight,” James replied, his voice firming. “We survive. We protect each other. We make it to the safe house, and we stay there. We wait for the adults to make sense of this.”

The adults were making their way to the safe house, determined to get answers and put a plan into motion. Tom, Maria, and Heather arrived with a few other senior agents, all moving with a practiced efficiency that spoke of years of experience in high-stakes situations. They knew James had been part of something bigger than CHERUB — a life that had been buried under layers of secrecy — and now it was time for him to come clean.

As they entered the room, all eyes turned toward them. The air was thick with tension, everyone still processing the brutal attack on the campus. The adults quickly took charge, ushering the younger recruits to safety and securing the perimeter.

Tom, his face set in a grim expression, walked straight up to James.

“Adams,” he said, voice low but sharp. “You need to explain. Now.”

James met his gaze, a part of him wanting to shrink back from the weight of it all, but he couldn’t. Not now. Not when they were all depending on him.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “SCORPIA’s here because of me. They’re after me, because of my past. I was an MI6 agent — the kid they used for covert operations. I was Alex Rider.”

There was a collective intake of breath. It wasn’t just the shock of the revelation that hit them, but the realization that the attack had been meticulously planned, aimed at him, and no one else. This wasn’t a random strike. This was a personal mission.

Tom took a step back, his gaze narrowing. “So that’s it. SCORPIA finally tracked you down. Why? What happened in the past? What’s their interest in you?”

James hesitated, the memories flooding back, unbidden and unwelcome. His voice was strained, but he forced himself to speak. “There was a mission. A mission that went wrong. I was abandoned. Left to die. After that, I faked my death and ran. I didn’t want anything to do with MI6 anymore. But SCORPIA — they don’t forget. And now they’re here, because of that mission. They’ll stop at nothing to finish what they started.”

He met Tom’s eyes, the weight of the truth finally coming to light. “And I can’t let that happen. Not now. Not to you.”

The room fell silent as the gravity of the situation hit everyone. This wasn’t just a fight for survival anymore. This was about facing the past, confronting the people James had once been, and finding a way to stop them before they destroyed everything James had fought to build.

But the first step was clear. They had to survive. Together.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

James stared as SCORPIA moved away, their steps quiet. 'Why did they have to come here? I thought everything was done.' James thought anxiously.

The sound of the clearing of the throat broke him out of his thoughts. He looked up at the faces of those he could trust. He didn't know if they trusted him anymore. James looked back down, feeling embarassed. 

"So," a man said. "You will tell us what happened in your past while we monitor the area."

"Yes Sir. Uhm i was taken in by MI6 when I was 12 (I know that's not right but i'm trying to making it worse) when my uncle died in a accidenat relataing to his work in MI6," James sat down, attmempting to show an air of confidence and uncaring. "I was trained at brecons breacon with a bunch of SAS agents for a few weeks. Then I was put into a mission and it worked out in the end" 

Yells of outrage rang throughout the safehouse as he completed his explanation. 'Only trained for a few weeks' was what was playing in their heads on repeat