Chapter 1 - Routine
Title: Untitled as of yet
Chapter title: Routine
Fandom: Original
Word count: 1335 (total: 2197)
Rating: PG (eventual M)
Summary: Will be posted once I manage to shorten it down from half a page
Author's Notes: My NaNoWriMo story for this year. I'm also open for any CC
Alec woke up at the sound of the apartment door closing, meaning that Jace had completed his morning rituals and had left in search of food. Pushing himself up from the bed, he loitered slowly towards the bathroom area to start with his own routine.
Done with bathroom business, he began to dress so he could go and join his friends for breakfast. Just like he usually did. He stopped in his action to straighten his shirt, remembering suddenly what had been bothering him for the past few months. What would keep bothering him for the next two months until everything will be changed. The others didn’t seem much bothered, but then again...
He shook his head and reached for his shoes. No use making fuss of it, it wasn’t as if he could change anything.
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The kitchen area of the Organisation was huge. They’d given up early on regular feeding times and instead provided the residents with enough ingredients, utensils and appliances to feed themselves.
Alec spotted Marten right away, sitting at their usual spot, but asides from him the table was empty. He frowned and hurried over.
“Where is everyone?” he asked before he had even reached the table. Marten poked his soup moodily and didn’t deign to answer before Alec had taken a seat.
“Either they haven’t arrived yet, or they got called away. Ol’ Nick came and dragged Jace away himself. Told him to grab him sammich and come along. You gotta go too by the way. Kross wants to see you right away.” he speared a piece of meat with the spoon.
Alec blinked, then rose and sped away.
“I’ll be back soon!” he remembered to call back to Marten.
“Sure,” the other man continued his murderous actions against his breakfast.
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Kross was one of the very few people in the Organisation who insisted being called by his surname only, while most preferred first name basis or even nicknames.
Alec knew Kross’ office quite well. With the man being his personal trainer, he had spent a lot of time there. This time however, he had a feeling that his training would not be the subject. He poked his head through the wide open doorway - the man believed only personal quarters should be private - and saw Kross staring at some papers with a very discontent look on his face.
“Sir?” Alec tried meekly. Kross’ head snapped up immediately and his expression softened when he saw who was addressing him.
“Come on in,” he gestured while sitting up straighter.
“We’re in a bit of a tight spot right now,” he started explaining before Alec could seat himself properly, “With most of our guys either out doing something or having the wrong specialty. But fortunately, you can help us out quite easily.”
He lifted the papers he’d been reading before continuing
“These reports came just an hour ago. Agnon’s little gang wants to try and take out our main players and he seems quite serious about it. You know the routines for this kind of situation, right?”
Alec inclined his head slightly. During the, rather abridged, briefing his eyes had travelled to meet Kross’ - it seemed to have established a semi-telepathic link between them, because Alec now already knew why he was here, before Kross had even reached to this part of his speech. And he could tell that Alec knew, but preferred to say it out loud anyway. Just to be sure.
“You remember Tris, right?” Alec didn’t even nod this time, but his eyes started blazing - it would require an amnesia for him to forget Tris. Kross held his gaze and grimaced,
“Then you also remember her resonant, am I right?” he watched Alec tense slightly, the younger man had definitely guessed what would happen. Kross continued,
“The mission is simple: get to him, bring him back here alive. Since your speciality’s bodyguarding, that should be easy. You’re from the area too which makes it even better. Just keep an eye out for Agnon's men, there’s no guarantee they’re not already lurking around. Got it?”
“Yes,” Alec rose to exit, but then hesitated.
“Sir?” he started tentatively, “I- I’d like my resonants with me. I- I mean, if- if there’s enemy agents I could use backup. And- and they could use some fieldwork.” He stammered through explanations, desperate not to give away the true one. Though from the way Kross’ eyes lit up he had a sinking feeling that he already knew it.
“You have a point,” Kross admitted thoughtfully and Alec nearly fell over from relief. He didn’t guess. “It would be good for them. You’re leaving as soon as possible. Just get all you need and leave. We have no time to waste.”
“I’ll go tell them,” Alec had to fight not to sprint from the office.
“Alec!” Kross called before he could disappear from sight. He looked at Alec with his eyes almost blindingly bright. “I know how you feel, I know it isn’t easy, but please, for your own sake, when the time comes, don’t try to delay the inevitable. It will only end with heartache for everyone.”
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By the time Alec got back to the kitchen, Marten had managed to eat his breakfast. Possibly by the insistence of Ailee, who’d joined him at the table. She was somehow managing to divide her attention between Marten, her breakfast and her laptop. They paid no attention to Alec, but he knew they were aware of his entrance. He grabbed a chair and sat down noisily.
“We’re leaving,” he announced. His friends turned to stare at him uncomprehendingly.
“Going where?” Marten asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice. Ailee attempted to get into direct eye contact.
“Kross gave us a mission,” he looked away from Ailee, not ready to give away anything just yet, “We’re to escort Tris’ resonant here. You guys are my backup.”
“And he just set it up like that?” Ailee’s voice was even more suspecting than Marten’s. Alec still refused eye contact with her.
“There’s no one else at the moment and there’s no time either. We need to leave pretty much right now.” that still truth at least and it got their minds elsewhere.
“Do I have time to pack some stuff along? It won’t take more than a minute,” Marten asked, already rising from his seat.
“I need to get my walking shoes and equipment,” Ailee too was ready for action
“Equipment?” Marten asked
“From the project my group’s working on. I can’t just pass an opportunity to test it out, now can I?”
“Geek,” Ailee just grinned at Marten’s comment
“Someone in this gang needs to possess a brain and since I’m the only one qualified...” she snickered when Marten stuck out his tongue at her. Alec smiled aswell, though more sadly
“I’m gonna pack myself a sandwich,” he informed the others, “We’ll meet you at the entrance.”
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The dimly lit building had the layout of a stable, though there were no animals housed there. No live animals anyway. To someone uninitiated it would’ve seemed like a storage for statues. In a way that someone would be right, but those were not ordinary statues.
Alec walked confidently, knowing his destination so clearly that he didn’t even need to look where he was going. The anxious feeling in his chest grew as he neared what he was looking for. The statue he stopped in front of was easily the largest housed in the ‘stables’. It looked like a cross of a bear and a tiger, matte bronze with emerald for stripes and eyes, some golden bronze on the underbelly and legs. He cupped the creatures head in his hands as well as he could and looked straight into its eyes. He thought the name clearly in his head, targeting his thoughts towards the ‘statue’.
“Rahi”
There was a low rumble as the creature’s eyes lit up and it became alive. Alec leaned to touch his forehead to it’s nose and smiled.
Chapter title: Routine
Fandom: Original
Word count: 1335 (total: 2197)
Rating: PG (eventual M)
Summary: Will be posted once I manage to shorten it down from half a page
Author's Notes: My NaNoWriMo story for this year. I'm also open for any CC
Alec woke up at the sound of the apartment door closing, meaning that Jace had completed his morning rituals and had left in search of food. Pushing himself up from the bed, he loitered slowly towards the bathroom area to start with his own routine.
Done with bathroom business, he began to dress so he could go and join his friends for breakfast. Just like he usually did. He stopped in his action to straighten his shirt, remembering suddenly what had been bothering him for the past few months. What would keep bothering him for the next two months until everything will be changed. The others didn’t seem much bothered, but then again...
He shook his head and reached for his shoes. No use making fuss of it, it wasn’t as if he could change anything.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The kitchen area of the Organisation was huge. They’d given up early on regular feeding times and instead provided the residents with enough ingredients, utensils and appliances to feed themselves.
Alec spotted Marten right away, sitting at their usual spot, but asides from him the table was empty. He frowned and hurried over.
“Where is everyone?” he asked before he had even reached the table. Marten poked his soup moodily and didn’t deign to answer before Alec had taken a seat.
“Either they haven’t arrived yet, or they got called away. Ol’ Nick came and dragged Jace away himself. Told him to grab him sammich and come along. You gotta go too by the way. Kross wants to see you right away.” he speared a piece of meat with the spoon.
Alec blinked, then rose and sped away.
“I’ll be back soon!” he remembered to call back to Marten.
“Sure,” the other man continued his murderous actions against his breakfast.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kross was one of the very few people in the Organisation who insisted being called by his surname only, while most preferred first name basis or even nicknames.
Alec knew Kross’ office quite well. With the man being his personal trainer, he had spent a lot of time there. This time however, he had a feeling that his training would not be the subject. He poked his head through the wide open doorway - the man believed only personal quarters should be private - and saw Kross staring at some papers with a very discontent look on his face.
“Sir?” Alec tried meekly. Kross’ head snapped up immediately and his expression softened when he saw who was addressing him.
“Come on in,” he gestured while sitting up straighter.
“We’re in a bit of a tight spot right now,” he started explaining before Alec could seat himself properly, “With most of our guys either out doing something or having the wrong specialty. But fortunately, you can help us out quite easily.”
He lifted the papers he’d been reading before continuing
“These reports came just an hour ago. Agnon’s little gang wants to try and take out our main players and he seems quite serious about it. You know the routines for this kind of situation, right?”
Alec inclined his head slightly. During the, rather abridged, briefing his eyes had travelled to meet Kross’ - it seemed to have established a semi-telepathic link between them, because Alec now already knew why he was here, before Kross had even reached to this part of his speech. And he could tell that Alec knew, but preferred to say it out loud anyway. Just to be sure.
“You remember Tris, right?” Alec didn’t even nod this time, but his eyes started blazing - it would require an amnesia for him to forget Tris. Kross held his gaze and grimaced,
“Then you also remember her resonant, am I right?” he watched Alec tense slightly, the younger man had definitely guessed what would happen. Kross continued,
“The mission is simple: get to him, bring him back here alive. Since your speciality’s bodyguarding, that should be easy. You’re from the area too which makes it even better. Just keep an eye out for Agnon's men, there’s no guarantee they’re not already lurking around. Got it?”
“Yes,” Alec rose to exit, but then hesitated.
“Sir?” he started tentatively, “I- I’d like my resonants with me. I- I mean, if- if there’s enemy agents I could use backup. And- and they could use some fieldwork.” He stammered through explanations, desperate not to give away the true one. Though from the way Kross’ eyes lit up he had a sinking feeling that he already knew it.
“You have a point,” Kross admitted thoughtfully and Alec nearly fell over from relief. He didn’t guess. “It would be good for them. You’re leaving as soon as possible. Just get all you need and leave. We have no time to waste.”
“I’ll go tell them,” Alec had to fight not to sprint from the office.
“Alec!” Kross called before he could disappear from sight. He looked at Alec with his eyes almost blindingly bright. “I know how you feel, I know it isn’t easy, but please, for your own sake, when the time comes, don’t try to delay the inevitable. It will only end with heartache for everyone.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By the time Alec got back to the kitchen, Marten had managed to eat his breakfast. Possibly by the insistence of Ailee, who’d joined him at the table. She was somehow managing to divide her attention between Marten, her breakfast and her laptop. They paid no attention to Alec, but he knew they were aware of his entrance. He grabbed a chair and sat down noisily.
“We’re leaving,” he announced. His friends turned to stare at him uncomprehendingly.
“Going where?” Marten asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice. Ailee attempted to get into direct eye contact.
“Kross gave us a mission,” he looked away from Ailee, not ready to give away anything just yet, “We’re to escort Tris’ resonant here. You guys are my backup.”
“And he just set it up like that?” Ailee’s voice was even more suspecting than Marten’s. Alec still refused eye contact with her.
“There’s no one else at the moment and there’s no time either. We need to leave pretty much right now.” that still truth at least and it got their minds elsewhere.
“Do I have time to pack some stuff along? It won’t take more than a minute,” Marten asked, already rising from his seat.
“I need to get my walking shoes and equipment,” Ailee too was ready for action
“Equipment?” Marten asked
“From the project my group’s working on. I can’t just pass an opportunity to test it out, now can I?”
“Geek,” Ailee just grinned at Marten’s comment
“Someone in this gang needs to possess a brain and since I’m the only one qualified...” she snickered when Marten stuck out his tongue at her. Alec smiled aswell, though more sadly
“I’m gonna pack myself a sandwich,” he informed the others, “We’ll meet you at the entrance.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The dimly lit building had the layout of a stable, though there were no animals housed there. No live animals anyway. To someone uninitiated it would’ve seemed like a storage for statues. In a way that someone would be right, but those were not ordinary statues.
Alec walked confidently, knowing his destination so clearly that he didn’t even need to look where he was going. The anxious feeling in his chest grew as he neared what he was looking for. The statue he stopped in front of was easily the largest housed in the ‘stables’. It looked like a cross of a bear and a tiger, matte bronze with emerald for stripes and eyes, some golden bronze on the underbelly and legs. He cupped the creatures head in his hands as well as he could and looked straight into its eyes. He thought the name clearly in his head, targeting his thoughts towards the ‘statue’.
“Rahi”
There was a low rumble as the creature’s eyes lit up and it became alive. Alec leaned to touch his forehead to it’s nose and smiled.