The Book of Sad

Chapter 3: Liverpool Street

Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider and crew. They belong to Anthony Horowitz. The only thing mine is some of the plot and the OCs. Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Liverpool Street

August 24th, 1986 (continued)

I turn left onto Liverpool Street. I worry the entire trip about how Alan Blunt will react. Will he find a way for us to contact John? Will he force us to wait until he's home? Will he be pissed about poor timing? Will he even talk with Helen?

We walk into the Royal and General Bank. I show my badge to a security guard. However, he wouldn't let Helen through. Thinking fast, I leave Helen in the waiting room and go up to talk to Blunt. "I'll be right back for you, H, I just need Blunt to give his permission."

She nods in agreement, as I race to the elevator.

When I get to Blunt's office, I knock on the door, and he lets me in. "Agent Rider," he says, looking pissed.

"Mr. Blunt."

"Agent Rider, is there any reason you haven't been to work in two days?"

"Yes, actually, I-"

"NO!" Blunt explodes. I was taken aback by his sudden outburst of emotion. "Agent Rider. You work for the British Secret Service. If you would like to continue in your line of work, you will show up to your job. Also, what's this I hear about you bringing strange women to the bank?"

Days of pent-up anxiety rose up inside of me. I couldn't take Blunt's lecturing for another second. "Mr. Blunt," I said as steady as possible, "This woman is no stranger. She is Helen Rider, my sister-in-law, and Agent John Rider's wife, and she needs your help. I took off work for a day to help her with a few problems. Anyways, I need the three of us to have a conversation about John."

Blunt shooks his head. "No. I will not speak to a civilian about classified MI6 information. Also, Agent Rider, I will not tolerate such disrespect. I-"

At this point, I was fuming. I couldn't believe that Blunt wouldn't cooperate. "Mr. Blunt. Helen Rider is pregnant." I yell. "She is pregnant with John's child, and she needs to contact him." I pull out the ultrasound pictures as proof.

Blunt examines the images, before uttering a single word: "Fuck."

I was taken aback. I've never heard Blunt use that type of language.

He picked up his phone "Gabriels," he says, addressing the security guard, "Accompany Mrs. Rider up to my office."

Blunt switched his focus back to me. I've never seen him look so (for lack of a better word) frazzled. I understood, though. His top Agent, who he just sent off to infiltrate a criminal organization, is expecting a baby.

A few moments later, Helen, accompanied by Gabriels, appeared in Blunt's office. She looks, understandably, nervous. This is the man who has sent so many agents off to their death. One day, it'll be her husband. Another day, it'll be her brother-in-law. Even Blunt's lack of emotion can be downright intimidating. To Helen's credit, though, she was more confident than I would have been in that situation.

"Mr. Blunt? I'm Helen Rider, John's wife. Yesterday, I found out that I'm pregnant with his child, and I need to contact him."

Damn, I thought, Helen, is demanding things from Blunt. That's ballsy.

Blunt nodded. I can't even imagine what's going through his head right now. At last, he spoke. "Helen. Unfortunately, it is impossible for you to contact Agent John Rider right now. We just received word that he is on his way to New York on an assignment. However, he checks in weekly, and we may be able to call him then." Blunt said, matter-of-factly.

"Are you sure you can't just pull him out?" Helen whispered. "I need to talk to him."

"Helen, John is away for the greater good. We have five and a half months, I'm sure we'll find time to tell him before it's born." Blunt replied. Helen looked shocked, and I can tell she was trying her best not to start bawling. She was doing a decent job at it, too.

"Mr. Blunt," I said, feeling protective anger building up again, "Can I just say, that's the worst thing you could say to a pregnant woman. Treat her with some fucking human decency. She is in a terrible situation, and she's incredibly stressed out about it. The least you could do for your top agent is tell him he's expecting a child."

I saw a flash of anger in Blunt's eyes. "Rider!" He yelled, "Don't you realize that this pregnancy puts stress on me too!? This is the future of the world we are talking about. John is with Scorpia trying to end them, and the entire mission is now in jeopardy because my 'top agent' doesn't know how to use a condom!?"

I looked at Helen, shocked by what Blunt said. He's always been a hardass but never mean. She was pissed, and I don't blame her. She walked around the desk so she was face-to-face with an angry Alan Blunt. She lifted her hand up and slapped him across the face. She hit him so hard, that the glasses on his face fell to the floor and shattered. This was a Helen I've never seen before. Her eyes narrowed, challenging Blunt to insult her husband and unborn child again. She uttered three words: "contact John now."

Holy fucking shit Helen, I thought to myself, That was both the most badass and the stupidest thing I've ever seen you do.

I walked over to her. Her body language was strong and intense. Helen is petite: only 5'1 and 100 pounds(before she got pregnant anyway). However, I have never seen someone this menacing, and I've been a spy for over a decade. Putting myself between Helen and a fuming Alan Blunt, I put my hand on her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "Helen, honey, stand down. Blunt can literally have you killed." I murmur, trying to comfort her.

However, "stand down" is apparently the second worst thing you can say to a pregnant woman, as I myself was rewarded with a smack in the head and a "don't tell me how to behave," from Helen.

Blunt and I exchanged glances, dumbfounded. "Contact him. Now." Helen demanded again. Blunt nodded, obviously scared that Helen would assault him again, and he called up Mr. Derek Smithers, the MI6 gadget master.

"Mr. Smithers," Blunt and I said when he walked in the door.

"Blunt," Smithers nodded. He turned to me and smiled, "Ian, old chap, how are you?"

"Fine, Derek, you?" I respond

"Jolly good," He replied. Turning to Helen, he asks "and who are you, MI6's newest recruit? We could use some more women on our team. They're so much easier to make gadgets for! Few men would wear a necklace or earrings, but-"

"Mr. Smithers," Blunt said through clenched teeth, "You supplied Agent John Rider with a calculator that he could use to send us information."

Smithers looked serious now. "Yes, sir. He can send coded messages using the numbers."

"Is there any way we can contact him back with the device?"

"Yes, sir. I have another, identical one that both receives his messages and can send him messages. Here you go." Smithers hands Blunt the calculator.

"Thank you, Smithers. Dismissed."

Blunt turns to Helen. "Mrs. Rider, you have 1 message to send to your husband. Tell it to Ian, and he will forward it to John because he is an expert in coding messages. Go to conference room 4. It's soundproof," We get up to leave. Blunt sighs and starts talking again before we are able to open the door. "This news stays in this room. A child could be used as blackmail, and I would hate if anyone found out who wasn't supposed to."

We leave Blunt's office before he can change his mind.