The Book of Sad

Chapter 11: Aftermath

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 11: Aftermath

December 8th, 1987

Blunt and I sit in his office, just crying for a few more hours. Me, for the loss of my childhood idol and best friend, and Blunt for his best agent, and his good friend. We haven't spoken since before he showed me the CCTV footage. Neither of us knows what the hell to say. Finally, after hours of silence, we look each other in the eyes.

"Scorpia," Blunt said plainly. I nod, expecting this.

"I don't even understand. How did they find out?"

"Scorpia is a vast organization with numerous connections. It's no surprise that they found out." Blunt says, factually.

"Albert Bloody Bridge." He sighs. "We never should have gone through with that. We should have left well enough alone after Mdina, and just paid for his plastic surgery. Albert Bridge made him a target, and it was not a risk that we should have taken. It cost us our best agent, and it cost you your family, Ian."

"I can't believe he's really gone," I sigh, looking Blunt in the eyes, "He was my big brother, my idol. What the hell do we do now?"

"What you do now, is answer a few questions for me, Ian. What do you want to do about John's son?"

"What?" I ask, still not fully able to process the situation.

"John's infant son. He will need a guardian. The way I see it, you have a few options. One, you, his next of kin, adopts him. Two, Ash, his godfather, adopts him. Three, your mother adopts him. Four, we put him up for general adoption, and hope that a nice family somewhere wants him. Personally, I think that there are issues with every option. I understand that the son looks quite a bit like John. If he is sent off to another family, he could be recognized and killed. Your mother, his only living relative besides you, isn't a good plan either. First of all, he doesn't know her. Second of all, I hear she has cancer and hasn't got much time to live, and we would be having this same conversation in a year or two. Next, Ash is a fool, and John Rider's son deserves better than him. He was recently injured, and can barely take care of himself. Also, he just resigned from MI6, so he is currently out of a job. The last option is that you adopt him yourself. I know that you love and care for him, but you also love your job and your country. You will be away a lot, presumably, which will be hard to explain when he's older. Also, you are in a dangerous line of work and could die at any time, leaving the boy alone. John didn't have a will, so I'm leaving it to you to decide. I will support whatever decision you make, and help you go through with it."

"Damn." is all I can say. I can't leave Alex with my mother, because she is sick and moving to a nursing home next month. I don't trust Ash with the only son of John and Helen Rider, so he's out. I don't think I could stand never seeing Alex again, and I feel like I would be betraying John and Helen if I didn't raise him.

"I'll adopt him," I say, "I'll adopt him, and I will teach him how to survive. I can't let the only son of John Rider be put to waste. I am going to raise him in his father's footsteps-to be a damn good spy. I don't know anything about children, but I know a lot about training a spy. Imagine, Blunt, a spy trained from birth." Hell, it may not be traditional, but this is damn well Alex's best option. He can choose not to join MI6, but I will give him the skills he needs to thrive there.

Blunt perked up this. "It's not a terrible idea," Blunt admitted, "But what about if you're killed before he's 18? What should I do with him?"

"You're a smart man, Mr. Blunt, I'm leaving that up to your discretion. Just not Ash. Never Ash."

Blunt nods. "Alright, Ian, take a week off, and then come back and I'll help you get custody of-"

"Alex."

"Right. I'll help you get custody of Alex."

"Thank you, Mr. Blunt."

I leave. I really need to be alone. I'll pick up Alex and explain to the maid tomorrow, but I need some alone time to process my feeling. I can't help but cry on my way home. I just lost half of my remaining family. My mother will be dead in a year, and now I have to raise a child. It's been a rough ass day.

When I get home, the first thing I do is call my mother to inform her of John and Helen's deaths. I truly pity my mother. On her deathbed, she loses her favorite son and beloved daughter-in-law. I promise to visit, soon, so she can meet Alex, and we can talk.

I sit on my couch, feeling sorry for myself, for the next few hours. Around 8 o'clock, there is a knock at my door. Ash.

"How the hell do you know where I live?" I demand. I am not in the mood for Ash right now.

He looks weird and distant, "I asked Maude. Anyways, I heard the news, and I was wondering if you'd like to get a drink with me."

I agree, because why the hell not, and we go to John's favorite pub. We talk for about an hour. Ash is going to Australia this week to work for ASIS, the Australian secret service. I tell him that I am adopting and raising Alex.

"Don't worry, Ian, I won't come around much. I know I'm not exactly your favorite person."

We shake hands and set off our separate ways. It was a short conversation, but I'm glad that we had it.

As I walk inside from my car, I see the neighbors putting up Christmas lights. Last year, around the holidays, we were all so happy. We were a family. God. What a year can change. Hell, what a night can change.

It's been a crazy year-and-a-half. From Helen's first pregnancy test to her death, it has been one hell of a ride.

Alex will never know his parents, and I owe him at least some of the truth. Knowing what I have to do, I walk inside and begin to write.