I know the chapter's short, but it's the last one. And I gave you two chapters in one day! Be grateful! Ok, you don't have to. Enjoy!

Chapter 8

Aleks dragged himself higher onto the beach trying to keep the open wound on his back out of the reach of the salty water. God, they were lucky the boat was still in the inlet when MI6 had appeared. A hacking cough erupted from his lips and his throat burned as brackish water spilled over the brown sand.

Yassen's gentle hand on his shoulder helped. And he was able to pull his knees under him in some semblance of an upright position. Struggling to, at the same time, convince himself that the hermit crab he saw scuttling away had not come from his throat and beat off the returning headache it took Aleks a minute before everything sunk in.

They were free. It was over, and with any luck MI6 believed they had died in that explosion. They almost had. The flooring, although light weight, had been harder to get through than Aleks had thought and they had dropped into the whirlpool of the hold with only a few minutes to spare. The hole was almost perfectly round and looked like it had been recently cut out by welders.

After they got through Aleks immediately headed for the surface, his lungs already beginning to burn. Thankfully Yassen had kept his head and pulled them both deeper and away from the ship. The water had buffered them from the worst of the explosion, but for several panic-filled seconds Aleks couldn't find Yassen, up, or down.

When they finally broke the surface Aleks couldn't be sure if the salt running down his face was from the water or from the tears at the harsh stinging ripping through his back.

Gasping Aleks leaned his head backward and shook out his hair like a dog the long, lightening strands flopping in his face. Yassen chuckled good-naturedly leaning away. His laughter faded and he reached out to wrap one arm loosely around Aleks' chest pulling the boy close. Aleks clung to the arm with both hands as if afraid it might disappear.

The sound of helicopter blades shattered the sweet moment making Aleks stiffen in fear. Yassen calmed him gently making soothing shushing noises.

"Don't worry Aleks," his voice was hoarse from salt water, "I left MI6 a few presents for their ride home. Alan Blunt won't be bothering us anymore." Aleks turned to gaze at his mentor in awe as a black helicopter appeared over their head, a silver scorpion insignia on the bottom. A ladder descended and Yassen stood to grasp one of the rungs his feet resting on the bottom one.

Aleks grasped the outstretched hand and tucked his feet in-between Yassen's letting the bigger man wrap and arm around him again. As they rose from the ground relief flooded through him. It was finally over.

Perhaps not the best ending, nor the one you might have been looking for, but It's what you're gonna get so HA! I didn't kill them! Don't hate me.

My first completed story! Happy Birthday to me! Best present! You know what else would be nice… reviews!

TTFN

FA