Finally Free - Alex Rider

Chapter Eight

The next morning different. It felt like the whole atmosphere has shifted.

When I woke, I quickly sat up, looking around fearfully, before everything from last night came rushing back to me.

Damn.

At least everyone was still asleep.

Or so I thought.

"Jaguar" someone snapped quietly and I mentally cursed my entire existence before slowly turning to face Wolf who was currently looking over at me from his top bunk, an unreadable expression on his face.

He stared at me for a minute before averting his gaze, "... What the fuck happened last night?".

"... Flashback" I muttered and he glanced back at me again and pushed.

"About?"

"... Remember those bad guys I messed with?" I asked quietly and he nodded.

"Well... About them" I admitted and he tensed up.

"So it's true then? They DID give you those... Scars?"

I nodded slowly, "Yeah... Some of them anyway." Thankfully, he didn't press on the matter.

"And Fox? How do you know him?" Wolf asked.

"I don't... We were just talking on the way over here yesterday".

He stared at me unbelievingly, "And you somehow know each other's names from that?".

I glanced over at Ben, "Well Fox? Is that how it happened?".

He grumbled something under his breath and rolled over to face us, "Yes, Wolf, that's exactly how it happened".

Wolf actually jumped, staring at me, then Ben, then back to me again, "... How the hell did you know he was awake?".

"I've got my methods"

That's when both Eagle and Snake decide to wake up with huge yawns.

"Dudes... Who the hell was yelling last night?" Eagle grumbled, yawning as he tiredly looked up at us.

I smirked, "Who do you think?"

Eagle frowned, immediately turning to Wolf, "Why were you yelling last night?"

He rolled his eyes, "Because I had a little fight... With Jaguar here".

"... About?" Eagle asked confused, and Wolf glanced up at me but I quickly shook my head.

He glared at me, "Jaguar".

"No" I replied firmly and he growled under his breath.

"They have to know. They're your teammates too."

"No. They don't. And you're not going to tell them" I shot back.

He stared at me for another minute before turning to Ben, "Fox?".

"Not yours to tell" the Spy replied, "... Though yes, the others deserve to know".

I shot a glare at him, "What happened to having my back? Traitor".

He frowned, "They DO need to know Al, wether you like it or not".

I shook my head, "No. They don't. How Wolf found out was... Was a mistake. I shouldn't have let it happen".

Then suddenly, Ben turned angry.

Or rather,

Furious.

"YOU COULDN'T HAVE FUCKING STOPPED IT IF YOU WANTED TO ALEX. YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THESE THINGS".

I resisted the urge to flinch and instead, I focused all my attention on remaining calm and neutralised.