It's not the raging alarm or the sound of unfamiliar footsteps pounding their way through the house. Not the way his guardian frantically dragged his from his room, not bothered to put on a shirt but a gun ready in his right hand.

Alex can hear shouting, a different language, clear message: find them.

Kill them.

It's not even that realization that makes him so terrified. It's Wolf.

Wolf's panic isn't obvious, he goes through motions like a well-oiled machine, like you can come to expect from a SAS operative.

It's the clipped tone of his voice, the urgency in his words that somehow slice through Alex's imaginary safety bubble.

"Alex" They stopped in front of an airshaft. Had that always been here? On the 2nd, eh , no 3rd floor? Where-

"Alex, look at me!" Blue eyes meet brown. Alex wants to smooth over the frown on his guardians face. Tell him it's going to be alright.

"Alex. Cub… snap out of it!" Wolf shakes him roughly.

See, they're alright.

The world turns crooked and blurry when he gets lifted in those strong arms. His legs are maneuvered inside the shaft, which had been closed a moment before. Did Wolf do that?

Alex didn't let go of the semi- hug, ignoring the frantic pushing.

"Wolf?"

"Cub, please-" There was the sound of fear again, so alien in Wolfs voice. "Please. Please, let go Cub. You need to… they're coming. I-you need to go," he urged.

Go? No, they needed to stay together.

Alex shook his head, defiantly not agreeing, refusing to.

"Cub, you need to listen! Go down, get out of the house, run to Snakes. Got it?"

Alex opened his mouth to vehemently protest.

"Wolf?" was all that he got out, confusion that felt a lot like panic blocking rational thoughts.

What's going on?

In answer he got a swift kiss on the forehead, barely there. And a firm push.

"Go! You'll be alright"

Alex nodded. They would be.

Descending the shaft was tricky, at some points so narrow Alex couldn't picture Wolf getting through it. But now was not the time to question his guardian. He had said they would be alright, didn't he?

Alex didn't listen to the start sound of firing guns above him.

Alex reached the basement, like he was ordered. Go down

Get out of the house. He broke a small window coming out on street level, and climbed into a nearby standing bush, sprinting of onto the streets of London.

Where to go? Run to Snakes. His feet automatically knew the way.

Where's Wolf? He should have been right behind. Do I need to wait? Go!

Before he knew it he was standing at Snakes door, ringing the bell for who knows how many times.

The look on Snake's face must have mirrored some of Alex's own shock. He was ushered inside, somebody was pulling on his shirt, dragging him to a warm room, checking him over, shacking, talking…

"Cub? Cub! Talk to me"

Somehow he couldn't form words. Tell Snake it was alright. You'll be alright

"Ales what happened? Where is Wolf?"

Right behind him, right? Alex looked but only saw the warm tones and fluffy furniture of Snake's home.

"Where's Wolf?" he echoed.