Dec07, Alex Rider, Yassen/John, Silent Night Title: Silent Night Author:hpstrangelove Wordcount: 523 Fandom: Alex Rider Pair/Character: Yassen/John Rating: PG Prior Days: Dec01, Dec02, Dec03, Dec04, Dec05, Dec06 Beta: The astounding joanwilder Author’s Note: Spoiler for book 5, Scorpia
Yassen wasn't even sure where he was in the city; he'd been walking around for an hour in a daze. It was dark and cold, and several inches of newly fallen snow covered the ground. He'd ended up in a park, sitting on a deserted bench, staring into nothingness. The snow had a dampening effect on the city sounds, and even though it was only ten o'clock, he felt as if he were the only person alive, the night was so still and silent.
When he'd received the text message from the service, he'd been shocked at how the anger and hate came flooding back. He'd thought he'd had those emotions under control, that he'd locked them away and buried them deep within the recesses of his mind, never to be allowed out again. But the message had taken him too much by surprise, and his carefully constructed defenses fell.
In November, 1986, when MI6 had captured John in Malta, Yassen felt as if his entire world had been ripped out from underneath him. He couldn't forgive himself for deserting John there, but three agents had John down within minutes of their splitting up. There was nothing that Yassen could have done, and if he'd stayed, he would have risked being captured himself. Scorpia hadn't held him responsible, but he knew he'd failed John.
So when the exchange had been set up four months later, John for one of Scorpia's hostages, an eighteen year old son of a British civil servant, Yassen had practically begged to be allowed to go to Albert Bridge. Julia Rothman had squeezed his shoulder in sympathy. The Scorpia board member had been in love with John too, and she'd been as devastated by his capture as Yassen.
She'd finally relented, but only if Yassen agreed to stay hidden, away from the main exchange point. The last thing Scorpia needed was to lose both of their top assassins to MI6.
In the end, it had proven to be a wise decision on her part. MI6 double-crossed them. As soon as Scorpia's hostage had made it safely to the MI6 side of the bridge, the order was given. Observing through binoculars, Yassen had seen it clearly when the agent spoke the words into a radio transmitter: Shoot him.
Yassen had wanted to scream! He'd wanted to warn John, to tell him to run, but he was too far away. The staccato sound of a single shot pierced the quiet of the crisp, early morning air. Yassen had watched, horror-struck, as John stumbled, took another two steps, then collapsed to the ground.
Yassen hadn't recognized the agent who'd given the order, but within hours, Mrs. Rothman had the information for him.
It had been the agent's first major assignment, the same agent whose name now appeared on the message. His hatred for her burned hot as he remembered the pain and anguish of seeing his partner killed right before his eyes.
His hand tightened around his mobile, as if he had his finger on the trigger of a gun, and he read the message one more time.