Remembrance Day with Alex Rider

Remembrance Day Chapter 3

"We have a mission for you, and if you accept we will need to send you to train at Brecon Beacons, to prepare you for your most important mission yet. The mission is expected to last six months, and is a deep cover mission."

Blunt sounded serious; this must be for a really good reason. Only joking, Blunt always sounds serious. But this is even more serious.

----------------------------------------------------

"You will be infiltrating the Russian Bratva, a collection of different terrorist groups from Russia, starting as a recruit fairly high in the chain of command, working your way up and feeding us information, names, places, anything you know, including schedules. It is one of the most important missions MI6 has been charged with by the Prime Minister, and we have decided that you, Alex, our best agent, should undertake the mission. So, What do you say?" despite having just charged a teenager with infiltrating the most dangerous mafia out there, Blunt looked calm and collected, the opposite to the chaos crashing around Alex's brain.

'Is he crazy? A teenager infiltrating a mafia? I suppose after a few months of training I will legally be able to drive, but anyway... how am I supposed to pull that off?' Alex had accidently spoken out loud, and Blunt was quick to answer.

"The Mafia are currently trying a program to get more recruits, and are sending out messengers to search the streets for homeless teenagers or young adults, offering them food and shelter. They also provide training, and give them jobs as secretaries, delivering threats, buying and selling drugs, and other small time crimes. Some make it big, and end up with high-end positions as assistants to directors or leaders. That is where you come in. You would be recruited off the streets for sure, our inside agents would ensure that, and work your way up the food chain, as it were. Ironic to call it that, a 'food chain' because the recruits who underperform or fail and betray the Bratva, are sold as slaves to human trafficking rings."

Alex pondered the mission for a minute. It sounded baseline, but with such a powerful mafia involved the security would go through the roof, giving Smithers a challenge smuggling gadgets in and out. The whole 'Food chain' thing didn't really encourage him to agree though, somehow the idea of becoming a slave didn't really appeal to Alex.

Alex had been going on near non-stop missions since returning from America, partly to do what he could to protect the country and the world, but also as a twisted therapy for dealing with his emotions since Cairo. With constant missions and adrenaline, Alex had soon nearly forgotten the emotional trauma he had experienced, and had been entirely absorbed into his schoolwork and training. After so long of breaking into drug dealers dens and planting bugs and the occasional bodyguard duty, a bit of undercover infiltration should mix it up a bit.

"Fine, I'll do it. When do I leave?" Alex spoke quickly, impatient to leave.

"Before leaving for your mission, you will be spending two months training, focusing on Russian language and culture, as the mission is based in and around Russia. You will be training with the SAS at Brecon Beacons, you should remember the Unit, K, I believe, as you have trained with them briefly in the past, as well as before Mission Stormbreaker." Blunt kept his face straight throughout his speech, but Alex could have sworn he saw a faint glint in his eyes as he mentioned the mission four years ago.

"Is this why you dropped the subject of tomorrow's parade?" Alex looked almost accusingly at Blunt, leaning forward onto his desk threateningly. Blunt sat back in his chair, clearing his throats before continuing.

"Yes, it was. You will be leaving for Brecon Beacons the day after tomorrow, and will be attending school, and the parade, tomorrow. In total you will be away from London and school for six months, if all goes to plan, so we will provide you with extra schoolwork for Wales." Again a satisfied smirk was painted on Blunts face, and Alex internally groaned at the thought of not being able to miss his last few months of schoolwork.

"What about the parade? Why did the Sergeant at Brecon forward the message to you?"

"That would be because K-Unit are the only unit currently available for the parade, who also happen to be the unit you will be training with while at Brecon Beacons. I granted his request, so K-Unit will be parading with your school the day before returning to Wales with you."

"Why didn't Mr Bray mention this on our assembly today?"Alex had relaxed slightly, but tension remained visible in his shoulders.

"Because I only confirmed his request just before you came in. Anyway, as I'm sure Mr Bray mentioned, all students are required to wear their cadet or duke of Edinburgh uniforms with everything normally with it. As tomorrow will be your last day at school, we give you permission to wear all your SAS uniform, and to carry everything worn at Brecon Beacons."

Now Alex was sure that it was a smirk on Blunts face, he was probably finding it very amusing, and would certainly be watching the TV coverage. "Also, I believe your headmaster wanted all the groups to match together, so all cadets can parade together in uniform at the front. We also give you permission to parade with your unit, as we submitted the paperwork for your official entry to SAS yesterday." Yep, definitely a smirk on Blunts face. He wasn't even trying to hide it.

So, Blunt knew Alex was going to accept the mission all along? Well, there would definitely be trouble tomorrow when Alex got his first part of revenge. All his equipment... hmm....An evil smile crept its way onto Alex's face, and Blunt instantly regretted the decision to tell Alex about the entry forms. Hell was coming....

---Authors Note---Authors Note---
I know it's slightly shorter than usual, but it's still around 1000 words! I will carry it on in the next chapter but this one would be super long otherwise! Please comment what you like, and vote! By the way, I'm sorry for the insane amount of dialogue, I hate writing it but it's necessary :-(

Here are some questions for you:

• What sort of revenge do you think will happen in the parade?

• Is there anything I missed? I write the first half of this a few months before the second half, so I kinda forgot the plot and then remembered it again! (much like ALL my other books... oops...)

• What do you want to happen in the parade?

• I was originally just going to write the parade, as that's what the book was supposed to be about, but I feel like the plots a bit dry, so should I write his training and mission as well?

Date published: 28 September 2018

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise from the Alex rider series, it all belongs to the wonderful Anthony Horowitz