Chapter Seven: Alan Blunt has a bad day and SCORPIA's plan is revealed.

Alan Blunt was not a happy man but he had to at least show some form of reaction to the shocking return of John and Ian Rider, he smiled and fixed his face into a look of mild shock. But as he clapped with the others his thoughts were taking a different turn, a turn towards thoughts on how to get the Riders out of the way. His plans counted on them being dead or a least out of the picture. Matthew Rothman will regret the mistake which lead to this moment.

Blunt smirked and turned toward the microphone. It was time to do some damage control, because after all he could not have anyone else finding out the truth about the 'deaths' of John and Ian Rider now could he.

"John and Ian Rider a surprise to us all"

John and Ian looked at each other; John motioned for Ian to speak as they had planned the day before the 'Big Reveal" or as Alex and Tom called it "Operation Shock the Pants off Alan Blunt and the Big Bad SAS Guys'.

"Indeed" John smirked slightly.

"Gentlemen and honoured guests of this SAS reunion I give you John and Ian Rider, back from the dead."

The whispers broke out through the hall again, John and Ian's old team mates still in a state of shock, as they watched their once dead comrades stand at the front of the hall smirking. Through the layers of shock they couldn't help the sense of foreboding at the smirks the brothers were wearing, those smirks never meant good things.

Ian went to stand next to Alan. Alan Blunt then asked the one question that could make or break either of the men's plans.

"I'm sure that everyone, including me is wondering just how you managed to survive your fates. Would you care to enlighten us?"

The brothers shared a glance as Ian stepped in,

"The Rider family luck was instrumental in our continued existence. As you might have heard I 'died' in a car crash, that was a lie, a MI6 cover up. I was 'killed' on a mission, yet this was also a lie. The truth, well the truth was I was badly injured and left to lie on the ground in a wrecked car, while a man came and took my DNA in order to trick MI6 into thinking I had died. As I had been shot with blanks I was only bruised. I woke up a few days later in a stranger's house and she healed me. As I planned to come home I was found by enemies and have only just recently left the hospital after the care I received there."

Much of the true events such as Yassen's involvement were left out of his explanation. But Ian thought it really is for the best that they are not told about the world renowned assassin's involvement in his "death'. The audience had listened as Ian spoke, hanging on his every word. It took all of five minutes for Ian to tell his story and answer the occasional questions Alan Blunt would ask.

Ian Rider looked at his audience and smiled It was done; everyone now knows the story of Ian Rider's return. As the audience absorbed the information given to them John went up the steps to stand next to his brother, his story would be harder to tell for there were more secrets that needed to be kept but as discussed it had to be done.

England, UK – Hotel

He was ready, it would be tonight. Those who were asked to protect the boy were not around. He smirked as he placed his kit into his bag. The enemies of SCORPIA known as the Rider family and their associates wouldn't even see him coming, and if there were a few civilian casualties then he honestly would not care.

Adjusting his jacket and slipping a needle filled with clear liquid into his pocket, Julian picked up his bag and headed to his target. As he passed other hotel patrons they smiled at him and he smiled back. All this to keep my cover, not matter it will soon be over he thought as a little old lady came up to him and asked if he would help her with her bags.

Julian Masters transformation was a success no one would ask his help if he looked like he used to but with his new look he was so unsuspecting everyone trusted him, how foolish.

England, UK – St Domanics Hospital

The three laughed until their sides hurt, but as John and Ian revealed themselves to the public they grew serious.

They listened with rapt attention to the stories the men were telling each with their own separate feelings about the explanations. Although they booed when Alan Blunt kept interrupting with question. The watched as, no matter the question, Ian remained calm and answered, while never truly answering the question. A skill that Alex knew had come from years of being a spy. Then it was John's turn to take the stand.

England, UK – LOCATION UNKNOWN

Yassen checked his watch and walked towards the nearest tube station, it was time for him to pay little Alex a visit. He would have arrived at the hospital sooner but he had to deal with some business. He smirked at the memory and the success of his mission. Although he had succeeded in is initial goal, he had worrying news for the Rider family. News that could tear the newly reunited family apart this time it could very well be for good.

Yassen mussed his newly coloured hair as he waited for his target to walk into the lift. A low ranking SCORPIA agent who had no idea about the situation he was walking into. But this low ranking agent knew something about the Rider family. Days of work and hacking had lead him to this man and he was going to get the information that he wanted ,even if he had to resort to more unpleasant methods of information gathering.

The elevator doors opened once more and there he was. 'He hasn't even bothered to cover the brand on his wrist' Yassen thought with a smirk SCORPIA were truly getting desperate if they were hiring people like this idiot. He silently twisted the silencer onto his gun before reaching over and pulling the emergency stop. He had only a total of 10 minutes before crews would come to investigate and to help in the "Emergency".

The agent turned around only to find a gun in his face being held by an unamused face. As the agents training dictated he stretto memorize the face and get the pill ready. He had been hesitant at first about having something like that on him, but has he looked into the man's cold and unforgiving face he realised he would not want to face the torture this man had in store for him.

The man raised an eyebrow as he searched his pockets in what he thought was a discrete manner but he couldn't find it, the pill it was gone. He looked up and the man smirked as he held up the black pill.

"I think you should answer my question now"

"What question?"

Yassen had only one question and he could see the confusion on the SCORPIA agents face. Most times when a SCORPIA agent was taken hostage, the hostage takers had more than one question, although most hostage takers were not Yassen.

"What is planned for the Rider family?"

The agent looked at the man and his face muscles twitched,

"I don't know what you're talking about"

The man nodded in an almost sympathetic manner but the agent could sense to danger as the man moved his hand towards his coat. What he pulled out was not what he expected it was a file although he expected that the man did have other weapons on him and would not be afraid to use them if need be.

The agent was handed the file and withheld a gasp as his own face stared back at him.

"Read it and then tell me you do not know about the Rider family. You best be quick because if we are found here then I will not be amused."

The agent took only a few minutes as he skimmed the pages, he looked up into the other man's eyes and nodded.

"I will tell you, if what is in this file can be done then I will tell you"

Yassen smirked it was done he had an insider in SCORPIA and information that could result in the ultimate down fall of SCORPIA.

The agent had told him what he wanted just before the rescue team had arrived. Yassen smirked more as he continued to walk towards the train and boarded it. SCORPIA should be better at keeping secrets from their agents especially new, low ranking agents that they had forced into joining.

Although he had the information he had to be careful for SCORPIA could want him to know the information he had been given and had initiated it has a set up so that the fall of his side would come sooner.

He needed to get the hospital as quickly as possible because if the information he had been given was correct then the first phase of the plan began tonight. He could have taken a cab but he was uncomfortable with only him and a driver for it could be his last taxi ride. Particularly, if the cab driver worked for MI6 or SCORPIA and took him to an out of the way place and killed him.

The train rushed past stations, finally his stop arrived and he rushed out of the station in a controlled way. He would need to walk quickly using backstreets and roof tops if he was going to make it in time, reading the London A-Z for an assignment was finally paying off.

England, UK – St Domanics Hospital

Julian was almost ready. He just had to wait for the doctor to leave and then he could make his move on the Rider brat. The brat that was about to pay for ruining his organizations name. Because being defeated by a teenage was not a good way to make a name for a criminal organization. Tonight Rider will finally get what's coming to him, and where the others failed Matthew Rothman would finally succeed. Alex Rider and the Rider family will finally be broken and this time they will never be able to succeed in putting themselves back together again.

Although Julian was positive in his success he was being incredibly careful to avoid any and all forms of detection so that the crime could not be traced back to SCORPIA. No one in the organization, except for him, his boss and the board members knew what was happening on this rather fine night.

Julian hummed as he waited adding his own unique twist to the words of a children's rhyme.

"Alex Rider didn't feel well at all

The Rider brothers had a great fall

All of Helen's men and all of her work

Couldn't but the Riders back together again"

As he sang the words under his breath he realised that he would have to work on the wording, but he had a very long time to do that. His attention needed to be on the prize and that prize was Alex Rider.

It took almost an hour of waiting and moving around the hospital to avoid any suspicious gazes. He avoided most of the cameras placed throughout the hospital and entered the room a smile plastered on his face.

The boy had company but that wasn't going to stop him from doing what he had planned. Originally it was to be a simple grab and run but now, now the plan was even more beautiful, because Rider would be suffering even before SCORPIA got their hands on him.

They took no notice as he entered the room. He checked the charts before going over to Rider's IV line and injecting a clear liquid. He nodded to himself as he placed the chart back onto the clip at the end of the bed. Closing the door he grinned not even caring about the comments on his appearance from the brown haired boy.

It was done

Wales, England – SAS Grounds

Ian Rider had just finished telling his story and the audience was in shock. This was a man that many had respected in fact a man they still respected. To hear his story, filled with so much betrayal and pain it was somewhat shocking even for those that many would consider hardhearted. They watched John Rider take his place next to his brother. Many felt a shiver go down their spine this was going to be big, whatever he said could change everything even the less intelligent members could tell this.

Alan Blunt was not amused, his work, his plans, his time spent on carefully removing all the members of the Rider family was going to waste because of these people. But he smirked he can salvage this of course he can for he was Alan Blunt. Yes he though it is a good thing phase 2 has already started. There was no chance of the two brothers making it in time. He headed for the door unnoticed as he pulled out his mobile phone,
"Initiate phase 3 – elimination of SAS threats"

John Rider took a deep breath this was it. This was the story of his escape from the clutches of MI6, the story in which he left his son alone without the support of his parents. Ian looked over to his brother and saw something in his face that caused Ian to lean over and grip his shoulder. Leaning in Ian whispered,

"Alex forgives you and so do I, just try not to do it again yeah?" John laughed and leant into the microphone.

"I stand here today because of the infamous luck of the Rider family" this drew grins from some members of the audience, especially those who had seen the luck of the Rider family in action

."But that is not the only reason for my presence here today. I was asked years ago to go undercover in an organisation known as SCORPIA, a known terrorist cell. I was to become one of them to live, to fight to become a trusted member of their cell. This worked for years and I was gathering information at a depth not experienced before by MI6. The one day everything changed, I was forced to fake my own death in order to escape SCORPIA alive. It worked until a man known as ASH betrayed me. A bomb was placed on a plane that my wife and I were due to bored. An informant told us that it was there and managed to change flights. This second 'death' meant that my brother was left to raise my son. I stayed dead in order to help my son have an ordinary life without the threat of death that would be hanging over his head if I were to have remained in his life"

John glanced up for just a second and in the next, he threw himself to the ground, a bullet whizzing over his head embedding its self in the opposite wall. John and the other were up immediately looking for the shooter in vain for that man was long gone.

His assignment one shot at John Rider, miss or not it was one shot, one distraction and he had succeeded in his mission. The Rider family would not be able to get access to the hospital in time, no one would be able to, and yet in London a man unknown to him was racing to do just that.

England, UK – St Domanics Hospital

Yassen raced onwards his calm walk turning into a sprint towards the hospital. He did not have the cure but he had what he needed in order to slow the effect of the drug for a few days, enough time in theory to find the cure in SOCRPIA's main building.

Either way this turned out Alex Rider was going to feel sick in a way he would not have felt before. As long as he had those that knew him standing behind him in this time of need, he should be fine, hopefully. I do not wish to be late, I need to get there, and failure is not an option.

Yassen was standing minutes later in front of the hospital doors. Seconds later, he was striding to the lift, the lift that would take him to the room of one Alexander John Rider. He tapped his fingers on his leg checking again that the vial was still contained in his pocket.

Yassen opened the door to Alex's room. He found Alex laying on his bend the scenes from the SAS grounds playing out but Alex was asleep as were his companions. He licked his lips and walked further into the room. The brunette Tom Harris his mind supplied looked up at the man with a sleep addled brain, before looking at Alex. Yassen stepped over the still confused teenager and leant over to wake Alex up.

"Alex, wake up"

Alex jerked and opened his eyes slowly, Yassen was quick to start talking I need to talk quickly,

"Did a man put something into your drip?"

Alex nodded slowly

Yassen went on to explain about the drug and the effect it was soon to have on Alex, causing the young teen to go pale. Yassen pulled out his vial and the needle he had stolen on the way up to the room. Really, for a military hospital it was a little too easy to steal from the doctors here.

"This needle contains not the antidote but an agent that will slow down the poison, do you consent to having this injected"

Alex nodded more quickly this time, the needle was placed into his arm and the drug injected. Yassen nodded to himself.

Alex looked up as the needle went in,

"The man who did this, his long gone isn't he?"

"Yes little Alex he is long gone"

Alex hesitated, "How will we get the cure?"

"Not you Alex, we as the adults will get you your cure before the drug takes full effect"

Yassen could see the next question coming and answered as Alex was about to ask, a dark expression that Alex could not identify crossing the Assassins face. "This drug affects different people in multiple ways, the only thing that remains consistent is the pain in the final days, when that pain numbs it will only be a matte or hour until-"

"Until I die?"

"Yes"

"When"

"It could be days, it could be weeks."

Tom took in this conversation and gasped into his hand at the final words uttered. His best friend could die, and this time it did not sound like it would be a quick death.

Alex groaned and supressed the emotions he could feel clouding his vision, it was not fair. He only just got his family back ALL of his family and now. Now he was faced with having to say goodbye again. Because Alex knew that, they would be the ones who went looking for the cure because it was what he would have done well would do.

Alex had acknowledged that he could very well lose his family again, and this time in a more permanent way. Because he knew his chances of survival were low. In fact they were some of the lowest he had ever faced. Alex would face these odds, however low, though with determination because he was not letting family slip through his fingers again, no matter how strange said family was turning out to be.

Yassen watched as emotions crossed Alex's face. First the expected fear, then came the anger, then the sadness and then, something Yassen hoped for, determination. Yassen now knew that Alex was going to fight this, no matter the odds. The fight to survive in time for the cure to be delivered will be hard he knew this, but Alex, was strong, Yaassen had seen this himself first hand. He swore to himself that we would get the cure to Alex before the pain, or die trying.

Tom couldn't, wouldn't let his best friend be alone, no matter how scared he was. He was scared that if, not when, Alex died he would be alone. That if Alex died his memory would fade and so his time spent with Alex would fade as well. He was scared because death in itself was a terrifying thing, but no he would push aside his fear and be beside Alex. He would not let his best friend be alone, not now and not ever would he allow that. He swore years ago to be by Alex's side and he would continue to keep that promise.

"Alex... I - I just want you to know that-" Tom struggled to express these sentiment out loud. Who knew that trying to express the whirling emotions inside would be this hard?

Alex though, he knew what his friend was trying to say. It was, of course, one of the many benefits of being friends with someone over many long years. It may have also helped that he had gained experience in reading peoples minute facial expressions and subtle actions as a spy.

"I know Tom I know.

Tom grinned a shaky smile at his closest friends and it was returned in the same, if not more so, shaky fashion. Silence feel soon after the three occupants of the room unsure or unwilling to break it.

The three sat in silence for what could have been minutes, or perhaps hours. The clocks ticking seemingly growing louder as time passed slowly. It was to the clocks ticking that both Alex and Tom fell asleep to. Alex because of the pain medication and Tom because he was tired plain and simple. Yassen watched the boys for a moment longer before leaving to make a phone call, a phone call he wasn't sure he wanted to make. He may be a ruthless, cold assassin but he was still human, and no human wanted to have this conversation.

Wales, England – SAS Grounds

Chaos had insured. Leaders shouted. Men moved about. A shout and silence fell, the base commander was truly a terrifying man. The men were soon organised and were searching the grounds for the sniper. Although, they also knew it was to be a futile effort they had to ensure the safety of the base and those that were stationed and trained there. Amongst it all Alan Blunt could not help the triumph in his eyes. It was done, Alex Rider will die and the Rider family will follow. He knew very well it was merely going to be aa distraction. Although, it would have been handy if John Rider had been hit with bullet.

John and Ian Rider looked over and both frowned at the look in Blunt's eyes. It was truly an eerie sight. The chaos of the men searching the grounds was still happening around them when a phone rang. John glanced down and headed to a quiet corner.

"Hello"

"John" at the sound of the Russian voice on the other end John frowned.

"You need to return to St Dominic's hospital. You and Ian both need to return immediately." It was said in Yassen's usual serious tone. But underneath the young boy that John had trained crept through, and he could tell that there was concern and something else in the Russians voice.

"It's Alex he needs you both" John felt his heart stop before he felt his training kick in and his masks slipped back into place. Ian saw his brothers face close of and knew that it had to be something truly horrible to be receiving a phone call so late, or perhaps it was early -time had been passing every so strangely recently, in both blurs and slow drawn out moments.

'I'll be there as soon as I can" It was with those parting words that John hung up. Unknowingly cutting of Yassen's next sentence. A sentence that would have shattered his masks "John, Alex has been drugged he needs a cure or he will die painfully." Although the sentence was not said John could feel something in his gut.

Ian was by John's side almost immediately.

"It's Alex. Get K-Unit together, where going back to St Dominic's. Now. With or without the permission of the base leader". But John knew that the leader would give them K-Unit because doing so would royally annoy MI6 and therefore Alan Blunt. After all K- Unit were one of the best, no matter how their personalities seemed to clash.

Ian nodded and headed out to do as asked. His worry for his brother and his nephew carefully concealed. It would do no good to be openly worried, not with Alan Blunt still lurking around.