Alex Rider: Back in Beacons with the SEALS

Chapter 7

Alex shifted in his seat to hide his wince when pain flared. The rest of his units were either having a quiet conversation or loud and annoying ones, naming Eagle and Hurricane. "Alright! Now it's your turn." Wolf said to the SEALS, grinning at them. They looked at each other before looking back at the behemoth course. Alex read their expressions clearly. "Come on, let's go warm up first. You guys can do it." Alex said before starting his jog around the course, not waiting to see if the rest was following. It didn't matter anyways. Alex could heard the soldiers crashing through the forest behind him. If they could just keep the noise level down... It really annoys Alex that the silence is not constant and that it is disturbed by people who are obviously trained but aren't trained well enough.
Alex finished so he walked around to not let his muscles seize up. He was really tired from the lack of sleep and his injuries are taking a huge toll on him. He quickly dry swallowed a pill before he heard the soldiers approaching. The SEALS started their course, together as a team for the first attempt. Hurricane tripped over something, causing him to fall and take down the entire team. "Come on! Get up! Move!" Alex yelled in a voice filled with authority. Everyone gawked at him in surprise. He never raised his voice. Alex completely ignored the gawking as he yelled at the SEALS to move. He wanted them to do well and SAS camp. He wanted them to have left a lasting impression on SAS and to be viewed as honourable.
"Gahhhhh!" Hurricane exhaled as he plonked onto the ground, exhausted after their fifth attempt. "Not bad, best timing you guys have is 20 minutes and 40 seconds." Alex said, glancing at the timer. "Since when were you in charge?" Tyler teased.
"Sir." They all snapped to attention, even Hurricane managed to get to his feet in time. "At ease soldiers."
"So how's their progress?... Commando?" Tyler teased, provoking a slight eyebrow raise from the teen because of the new nickname.
"... Pretty good sir, but it is expected from the SEALS." Tyler nodded, seemingly please with the report before nodding his goodbyes and turning on his heels and leaving. "I don't know how to feel about him." Twister commented, scrunching up his nose slightly.
"... What do you mean?" Wolf asked as he gestured for the soldiers to follow to the mess hall. Today's schedule was simple, assault course, lunch then shooting. Tomorrow's is hiking + stealth + gathering necessary items in the forest for the entire day.
"... He is nice to cub but, uh, somewhat strict with us." Alex turned his head slightly to give them a side way glance, a ghost of a smirk graced his handsome face. "Get use to it." Alex said almost too quietly that they barely heard him. But that's just Alex being Alex, all mysterious and stoic. "I don't know how to feel about you too." Twister said, his eyes trained on the lethal teen that was tall but skinny for his age. If you removed all the muscles, everyone can bet with you that all that is going to be left is the bones and the internal organs. He was no fat whatsoever, nor is he way too muscular. Alex's eyes drifted to the man that was looking at him with playfully narrowed eyes. "You don't need to feel anything about me. It's better if you don't... I wouldn't want you guys to get hurt because of me." Alex said, whispering the last part mostly to himself.
"What? What do you-" They didn't get to finish their sentence as the other units came to join them in their brisk walk to the mess hall. A few soldiers were trying to strike up a conversation with their dear old Cub but he wasn't very intrigued by their attempts. It was all the old tricks of 'how have you been' before they went straight to the point or they would ask you how you are and then how your day was before subtly tries to change the conversation towards Alex's secret service life. Alex can be considered a true patriot. The only patriot at the age of 14 that was unrecognised and was even shamed and labelled a traitor. Most love him but most of the underworld hates him. They're all after one thing. His head or even the news that he is truly dead. They would throw the biggest party ever whilst the rest of the world who knew about him and the legends of Alex Rider would all be grieving at the lost of their patriotic agent.
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Alex swore he could fall asleep with his eyes open. Yeah, he was THAT tired and to add onto the fact that he was bored out of this world and that his injuries are all deciding to gang up on him. They throbbed in a symphony that is orchestrated by his subconscious and his absolutely tired brain that just threatens to shut him down. Come on! Just a few more minutes! You can sleep when they are going to eat dinner. I'm sure they wouldn't mind! Alex thought to himself as another thought surfaced. They are so gonna suspect something! You never sleep before them! Alex panicked but he somehow found a temporary solution. Chocolate. His bæ. Sort of. It gives him a little more energy.
"Cub!"
"What?" Alex asked for the tenth time, Eagle has called his codename so many times and not told him what he wants. He wasn't annoyed but he wasn't exactly happy that Eagle is not telling him what he wants for calling his name. "How long are you staying for?" Alex was a little surprised by that question.
"I don't actually know... But I'll leave camp a few times for my... Work. No, Eagle, I can't tell you when or what it's about." Eagle pouted but didn't ask any more questions. Alex was a little thrown off by that, Eagle usually ask more than that. He eyed the rest of the soldiers on his table suspiciously, they were all either avoiding his eyes or pretending that they were having a conversation. Something is definitely up.