Kill Me/Kiss Me- An Alex Rider Fanfic

The Rooftop Assassin

"And?" Blunt took a breath, trying to guess what was going on in the girl's mind. "What did you say?" Everyone who knew Hera also knew that since the departure of Alex Rider she had changed. This first to notice was Smithers, upon meeting him she had referred to him as the "toy-maker" and he had found her energy an exhilarating change to the usual spies he met. The day Alex left, however, he never heard that name again. He had reported the behaviour to Mrs Jones who in turn asked for a full psychiatric report with came to the conclusion that they all dreaded; Hera was broken. There was a part of her missing now, the part they used to see when she would become excited to go on a new mission. No longer was she excited, no longer did she bring life to MI6 like she did when she was a child. Everyone had instantly adopted her when her father brought her in at the age of eight, but now it was as though they watched their own daughter fall, get her heart broken and carry on regardless. His departure had torn her to pieces, and she tried to pretend she didn't care.

"And?" Hera repeated and sat forwards in her seat, giving Blunt that usual hard stare. "If I had said yes, I wouldn't be telling you, would I?" She asked and Blunt almost became flustered. "I may dislike you Blunt, but that doesn't mean I don't know where my loyalty lies." She smiled at him, a familiar and almost forgotten smile.

"You'll do it then?" Mrs Jones asked in a timid voice.

"Is it just observation?" Hera asked, not taking her eyes off Blunt.

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"For as long as we think is necessary." Hera contemplated as Mrs Jones said this.

"Hera," Blunt began and she rolled her eyes as he used the most fatherly tone he could, "you've been on four missions this past month with no breaks." He held up a hand to stop her from interrupting him, "Mumbai was not a break, I know you see assassination as easy work, but still." He cleared his throat, "you need this." He left the sentence hanging in the air.

"I know what you think of me Blunt." She murmured, not really talking to him but to herself, "when Alex was here I did these things because I enjoyed them. Now I do it because I have no other choice." He nodded at her slowly, "I'll do it." She confirmed as Mrs Jones handed her the mission briefing. Her blue eyes skimmed the writing on the page and they saw her confused expression before she spoke. "Is he allowed to know I'm following him?" Mrs Jones nodded.

"Rider isn't the kind of agent-"

"He's not an agent."

"-Who likes to be patronised." Hera looked back at the writing and smiled slightly. "However, knowing you are observing him, knowing someone is after him may cause irrefutable damage to our relationship with him." Hera looked up at her with scrutiny. "Do not meet with him or attempt to explain the situation. If he finds out, contact us immediately." Hera stood up and walked to the door, she turned back as Alan Blunt called her name.

"Make sure he's safe." He said quietly and Hera smiled.

"Of course I will." She replied and left. In the room neither Blunt nor Mrs Jones moved or said anything for at least a minute. They were thinking the same thing. Mrs Jones rubbed her forehead, she seemed to be changing her mind.

"What if they..." She wasn't sure if she should voice her worries.

"They what?" Blunt was growing impatient with her; she looked at him and shook her head, meaning it was nothing to worry about. "Find out more about the company that contacted her." Mrs Jones nodded and stood up. "What was the organisation's name?" He asked as she walked past him, she glanced back with a small, knowing smile. "Scorpia?" She nodded and Blunt took a deep, shuddering breath. "They will not die." He muttered as she left.