Truth Unravelled

Conversations

Oh wow... I posted a chapter for the first time in almost a year. I would explain, but like, we all know that this is normal for me. :)

I'll let you get right into the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider or Criminal Minds.

Sitting on the ground against the cement wall in front of the station, Alex stared at the number he had typed into his phone, debating whether or not he should initiate the call. He hadn't spoken to Jones in five years, not since he'd left. But as much as he didn't want to hear her voice, he needed to know. He needed to know how much of this was real. How much of this was her. And he wanted to identify the "him" that the woman had mentioned.

He had his suspicions on whom it was, but Alan Blunt hadn't been an active member of MI6 since Alex was fifteen, and it had been just as long since Alex himself had seen the man. But Blunt did know Alex. He knew who Alex was. He knew what Alex did. Even the few details he was already gone for, he would be able to figure out. And he would've been able to hazard a guess as to how Alex would respond when confronted with his past.

He said you would react like this.

Alex could think of very few people with a connection to Jones who would know the details of his past in this manner. The only other names that came to mind were Ben—who was still in the SAS last Alex had heard and actively avoiding MI6—and Joe. Alex flinched, shaking his head as the second name crossed his mind.

Joe had sacrificed so much for him. So much. There was no way that he would do something like this. The phone in Alex's hands shook, and he looked down at it. He was stalling. He knew that.

Alex pressed dial and held the phone up to his ear as a cool breeze blew across his face.

"Royal and General Bank; how might I be of assistance?"

Alex let out a shaky breath. It was her. It was actually her. "This is your direct phone number Jones. No one with this number can possibly still believe that they are calling a normal bank."

There was a pause from the other end of the line. "Alex?"

"Who else?" Alex's voice was tired, the stress of the past days catching up to him as he listened to the voice of a woman he had hoped he would never have to hear again.

"Did Blunt talk to you?"

That was confirmation enough for him. Alex's hand that wasn't holding the phone clenched into a fist. "Talk to me?" He took a deep breath. "No, Jones. He hired someone to kill seven people and kidnap an eighth."

A sharp intake of breath sounded through the phone. "Alex..."

"But you know the best part," Alex said. "The best part was the constant reminders of all the people I've lost. The people who you put in danger. The people I couldn't sa—" Alex broke off as his voice hitched.

"Alex, I am so sorry."

"Save it," he snapped. "Are you going to deal with him? Or should I?" As angry as Alex was with Jones, he knew that she wouldn't have condoned violence against civilians. She'd done what she had to him because he was useful and she had been against even that for years. This wasn't her style.

"I'll handle it." Jones's voice was soft, softer than he had ever heard it. "Alex, I really am sorry. I had no idea."

Alex swallowed, ending the call. He just sat there and stared at the phone. The reminder of his past hurt worse than he'd expected. And the worst part was that he actually believed her. Which meant... Well, Alex wasn't sure what that meant, but it felt wrong. Wrong and right. Leaving his feelings scattered. Unreadable. He didn't know what to make of it.