AN: Um... I discovered this almost-complete fic whilst cleaning out files in my computer (I apparently wrote 11 short-chapters with one to go...). I wrote it in September, and it slipped my mind... Sorry!
This is a rewrite of part of Chapter 22 (titled "Dragon Nine") of Snakehead, when the SAS infiltrate the drilling platform. It picks up right after Alex jumps from the Chinook (helicopter).
I used the "Alex Rider: Mission Files" book as a resource.
Enjoy!
-------
[Alex] felt a hand on his shoulder. Ben. He jumped.
The cool night air rushed by Alex's head as he plunged into the darkness below. He was mildly surprised by how quiet the aircraft above him was; when the parachute deployed automatically, Alex could barely hear the Chinook. The static line deployment system helped; Alex was heading for the "H" on the helicopter pad- the previously planned rendezvous site. Like Scooter said, the windless night made things easier.
Alex looked down. The two oil platforms were foreboding, and he studied the larger of the two. It was the one without the helipad, and a yacht was attached to a support. From his angle, he could see all four of the larger platform's supports. Alex noticed one of them had a peculiar room with windows and guessed it was the control room while wondering if the others had noticed.
With several soft "thunks", the SAS landed on the helipad. Frankly, Alex was surprised by his performance. He had landed on the very edge of the helicopter pad by sheer luck. Ben had landed a few yards behind him, and the 10 Australian operatives landed on the yellow circle around the "H". Ben had folded his parachute while landing, as had the others. The packed them up, and Ben moved to assist Alex with his.
A sudden, unexpected breeze caught Alex's parachute before Ben reached him. It was surprisingly forceful, and Alex was dragged off the platform towards the ocean.
Ben had stepped towards Alex as the wind swept the boy away. Unfortunately, Alex was too far away from the other operatives to be helped. In the dark, all Ben could really see was the parachute's vague outline, but it was enough to tell what was happening. Silently cursing, he hustled to the edge to look for Alex.
Ben froze as he saw two guards patrolling together on the small platform's edge to his left, and he quickly made the signal for the other SAS members. Darting to the corner and dropping to his stomach, he listened in the pair's conversation, hoping for information. By then, Alex's parachute was invisible against the black ocean, and Alex shouldn't call out for fear of alerting the guards, that is, if he was alive.
"It's been a long day," said the larger guard. It figured that Major Yu had hired British guards.
"I know, I know! But the contract ends today, so tomorrow we'll get our money. We report to the Recreation rooms tomorrow morning, right?"
"Yeah. But screw that! I'm going there now- there's been no action at all, and there won't be." With that, the larger man turned around and headed toward a door. The smaller one sighed and continued his patrol alone.
"One down, and more rooms to search," thought Ben silently. He crawled away from the edge and stood to congregate with the others.
"Alright, it's plan B," Scooter whispered to the gathered SAS. "We look for the system that's prepping the bomb and destroy it. Destroying the power unit will work just as well."
The SAS clambered off the helipad one by one to search the oil platforms.
-------
AN: Thanks for reading.
Please do not review. Why?
1. I have not been reviewing others' fics, though I have read them.
2. I won't reply.
3. The "Story Traffic" page will tell me how many people visited this, and I can reasonably infer that extra hits to this page are people who are returning to reread because they liked it.