The cool humidity of the African rainforest pressed in on all sides. Slowly, in the nearly impenetrable darkness, two figures stalked soundless as two snakes slithering through the underbrush. It was a familiar scene for the elder of the two. A sniper rifle on his back, dense jungle for miles around, and of course, his only companion, a well built male with fair hair and serious brown eyes. However there were a few crucial differences this time; mainly the fact that unlike the memories he had of a similar situation he was not looking up to his companion. In fact the blond boy was a good few inches shorter than him. That was because it was not John Rider who was with him, but his son Alex Rider.

A bird squawked from the trees above and Alex froze. The taller man, whose name was Yassen Gregorovich, reached over and squeezed his shoulder reassuring the ex-spy that everything was okay. Alex was extremely nervous. This was to be his first assassination attempt since he joined Scorpia. Yassen gestured with his head informing Alex that they had to keep moving. Alex breathed out deeply and nodded back. Then they were off again.

The hit that Julia Rothman had decided on for Alex's first mission was an African business man who was launching a new product line that would overshadow his competitors. They wanted him to disappear before the product was released so some of the company officials had asked scorpia to dispose of him.

In reality it was a very easy mission, hardly worth Scorpia's time. The man was globally unknown and wouldn't have many guards but at the same time it was the perfect training mission. Low profile, little lost if anything went wrong, and most importantly involving many of the skills Yassen was teaching to Alex.

The man lived on the river deep in the jungle only a few minutes to the nearest town by boat. However Alex and Yassen wouldn't be riding on any boat.

The plan was simple; first they entered the town posing as father and son on a vacation, a ruse that was aided greatly by their similar hair colors. They had rented out a room in a local hotel in the town near the politician's house. Then they had snuck out of the hotel late into the night and were now making the five mile hike to the man's house.

Once there they would make a few… alterations to the boat the man used to travel to the town. The boat would sink halfway along the river leaving the mark to the piranha filled water and hostile jungle.

The cleverest part of this plan was no one would ever know what had happened and if they did somehow find out it would look like an accident.

So far they had been walking for what seemed to be hours and Alex was just begging to feel the weight of fatigue dragging at his body. His limbs felt stiff and his mind was clouding but despite this he kept his thoughts and body in check making sure to remain silent even though it wasn't an easy task in the heavy foliage. He didn't want Yassen to know with how tired he was.

Suddenly a hand swiped up and halted Alex he looked back up to see Yassen pointing to a nearby tree indicating that he was to wait there. Eager for a break, Alex obeyed, slumping against the hard wooden bark and sliding to the ground.

Alex tuned his head to observe Yassen. The assassin took out a set of daggers and a pair of climbing spurs from his combat belt. He attaching the removable spikes to his boots and with one quick moment he stuck his boot and the newly attached spikes into another tree.

Alex watched as the older man worked his way systematically up the tree using the daggers and his boot spikes to latch onto the tree and climb up. He tried his best not to be impressed but it was hard. Yassen had the ability to amaze Alex, whether it was with his ability to calculate the infantine possible outcomes of various situations or his endless library of different ways to kill his targets, many of which could be performed with only his hands. He had much to learn before he could be anywhere near as good as Yassen.

As Alex watched his eye lids were gradually becoming heavier and heavier. It was almost like there were large beetles sitting on them. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. Maybe now would be a nice time to take a nap. The heat of still jungle air wrapped around him like a blanket and was making his mind slow and go blank.

In his exhausted state Alex failed to notice the glowing green eyes that looked up at him from underneath a nearby bush or the long, thin body slithering toward him as he slept. A forked tongue flicked out and tasted the air. The creature sensed what it was sure was a warm rock leaning against a tree.

It came closer working its way to the heat. It started at the bottom of the "rock" but after encountering it the snake deduced that the warmest part of it was farther up. So it pushed onward, slithering up Alex leg and past the teenagers knee to the edge of the lose Capri cameo pants that he was wearing.

Alex stirred but this didn't alarm the snake who was only focused on getting out of the colder night air. It pushed under the lip of his pants then up to the boy's boxers. Now Alex may have been sleepy but has was not so far gone that he wouldn't notice a scaled head intruding into his underwear.

Alex's eyes flew open and his brain kicked into overdrive as he tried to come to grips with what was occurring. He gulped desperately trying to push back the feeling of panic. He could feel the linear body slithering up his leg and instantly was aware of what had happened.

He had the sudden edge to shake the snake off but resisted it. There were many dangerous snakes in the jungle and it was very possible that the snake currently making its way into his underwear was capable of killing him with a single bite.

Despite the seriousness of the current circumstances, Alex cracked a half smile. The situation was just that ridiculous. His eyes flitted over to the tree that Yassen had claimed up. He was just able to make out the dark from of the assassin framed against the night sky.

Alex made his choice. He would have to wait till Yassen came back down. If he made any fast moments or loud noises he could startle the snake. He couldn't afford getting bit.

However the teen's resolve begin to waver as the lengthy lizard begun to nestle into the warm place it had found between his legs. It's touch was not slimly like many people assumed snakes were but scaly and smooth. It wasn't wholly unpleasant having the creature crawl over his skin. In truth it wouldn't have bugged Alex much at all if the snake had been anywhere else on his body. However the snake was gliding over very privet parts of the young male. Places he wasn't used to being touched.

Alex swore in his head as the snake moved under his leg. It wrapped itself around before coming back up between his legs. The snake's smooth scales brushed against his flaccid cock. His arm twitched despite his efforts to stay completely still. The insanity of this whole situation struck him once more as the snake rested its head on his lower stomach.

Alex looked down at the long tail poking out of his pants leg. He estimated that the snake was at least five feet long. He gulped as the snake shifted. It would seem that the animal was intent on getting a lot more of its body into the warm area.

Alex's teeth clenched as the snake wriggled back down the other side effectively wrapping it's body around the teen's most sensitive organ. 'Wonderful' he thought sarcastically 'I'm being jacked off by a snake…'

Of course the snake had no idea what it was doing to its host. It only wished to bask in this strange heat source it had found. It was with this in mind that it gradually circled around the second leg twice then slithered back over to the center of the warmth. Alex's eyes were shut tightly now and his breath was progressively becoming more broken and labored. Luckily the snake seemed to be taking a brake and had stopped it's advance.

Alex's ears picked up at the sound of boots landing on the fallen leaves of the forest floor. He turned his head to see Yassen standing over him. The blond boy was sure he had never been so glad to see anyone as he was now.

In the dark it was unlikely that the Russian could see what was wrong with his student but he could certainly sense that something was amiss by the way Alex was sitting stock still and breathing irregularly.

"Alex, are you ok?" Yassen asked kneeling down to his level.

"Snake..." Alex answered plainly. He was just now grasping how embarrassing this was. Despite everything he felt his cheeks heat up.

Yassen was dumfounded, his hand moved to his belt and found the flashlight tucked into one of the many pockets. A look of confusion was replaced with understanding as he clicked on the beam and saw the three feet of brown spotted snake tail sticking out of Alex's capris. The assassin frowned and muttered under his breath, 'only Alex rider...'

"Is it poisonous?" Alex wondered aloud, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. Yassen kneeled down beside him and studied the snake under the flashlight beam for a second before saying "No it's just a ball python. Non-venomous and usually good tempered. They make good house pets. This one was probably just looking for a warm place to sleep."

"So we can just shake it off?"Alex suggested hopefully.

"That depends... How far is it wrapped around you?" Yassen countered.

Alex faulted, he opened his mouth but there was no way he was going to be able to tell Yassen how far the snake was entangled in his body parts. Luckily the look on his face and the pale pink in his cheeks told Yassen all he need to know.

"Ok Alex, listen closely... you need to remain perfectly still. That snake may not be deadly but it can still bite and considering where it's head is that could cause some serious damage. I can get the snake off but you must promise not to move"

Alex looked at Yassen incredulously. "Hold on, you're not going to like..." The words died in his throat when he saw the determined look in the Russian's eyes. "Oh fuck…" he breathed. Taking that as a yes Yassen began the intrusive process of removing Alex's unwanted guest.

First to go was his belt. Long and black it slipped out of the pant's lops easily. Yassen gathered it in one of his hands placed it to the side. Alex bit his lip, a strange feeling creeping up his spine. Only yesterday if someone had told him that the first person to take of his pants like this would be Yassen Gregorovich, he would have called them crazy and maybe thrown in a good front jab to the stomach to straighten them out.

But that's was what this was… crazy, insane, stupid! Sadly Alex could think this as much as he wanted but in the end it was still Yassen fingers that were gradually pulling down his pants.

It may have been his imagination but he could have sworn he saw Yassen gulp as he realized just how far he and snake were tangled up. You could tell by the lumps in Alex's boxers that the snake was wrapped at least twice around each leg and once around his sensitive bit.

Sensing a loss of heat now that his pants had been removed the snake shifted. A pathetic noise escaped Alex's lips before he was able to hold it back. The snake was really getting to him now. As awful as it sounded, he had gone hard from the teasing friction. To be fair it was only natural. Especially since he wasn't used to anything but his own hand cradling that area.

Alex leaned his head back against the bark of the tree he was propped up against exasperatedly. Cursing the mission, the snake, the forest, and most of all his luck. Whatever else he could think of. However the sudden feeling of Yassen's fingers sliding under the waist band of his underwear made him snap out of it.

A strange sensation that was both awkward and exhilarating begun to creep over Alex. He bit his lip finding himself emitting a self-conscious sound. He knew that this was going to happen but he still wasn't prepared for it. If he had to put the feeling into words he would have to pick "funny" mostly because of the faint tingling feeling that crept over him as he felt his boxers being removed bit by bit so as not to alarm the python.

Two green snake eyes flashed with fear. A small angled head lifted up and looked back and up into the light blue eyes of the rather large creature that had removed the cover of its resting place. Frozen in place as it feverously tried to discern if it was a predator to be scared of.

If Alex hadn't been so busy being embarrassed as hell he might have noticed how Yassen was reacting to observing his "package". His cock was visible trapped in the snake's coils Yassen could clearly see that Alex was hard and that tiny amount of clear fluid was leaking from the tip.

The snake's head was nestled into Alex's crotch resting among his blond pubic hairs. It was looking up at Yassen with its darkly luminescent eyes. Somewhat insanely he considered that the snake was teasing him. Gloating over how it was touching Alex so intimately. Something he had secretly desired to do for a very long time.

"Yassen..." it took a second for the assassin to realized those word came from Alex's mouth. The voice seemed meek and terrified. A tone he was not used to hearing from the aloof teen. Twin tears were forming at the corners of his brown eyes.

It was obvious that the situation was putting a severe mental strain on Alex. After all he was sitting half naked in the African forest holding his legs open for a snake. Then Yassen realized it was more than that; Alex's features were twisted into a look of pain. It would seem the snake had tightened its grip around his lower half.

Understanding that he had to hurry up Yassen reached out to the snake's head clutching it behind its jaw locking its mouth closed. The snake tensed in fright. This time Alex cried out loudly. Yassen's hand shot up clamping over his mouth. It was imperative that he remain quiet. A shrill noise might scare the snake to the point of breaking a few bones in Alex's legs. But once the moment passed Yassen kept the hand over his mouth Alex was obviously in pain and he didn't trust the boy to keep silent just yet.

Using only his free hand Yassen resumed the tentative process of removing the serpent. He led the snake back around Alex's right thigh. The snake pulled back at first refusing to give up its new favorite rock but Yassen was firm and soon was able to weave it off.

The next part was tricky. Not trusting himself to make contact with that part of Alex without getting carried away Yassen simply lifted up the snake and allowed the coil to slide off the tip. Alex's eyes closed momentarily. Once it was off he sighed in relief.

Assuming that Alex would be quiet now that the hard part was over Yassen removed his hand from the younger's mouth. Instead using it to clasp lower on the snake and disentangle the last section of the snake from the left thigh.

Now that ordeal was over Yassen unceremoniously dropped the snake on the ground. True to its name the frightened animal rolled itself up into an almost perfectly round ball. Yassen batted it away vindictively sending it rolling away into the bush.

Yassen turned back to his cohort who was still lying on the ground, hands covering his eyes, trying to recover. He glanced back down and noticed there were red spirals on Alex legs where the snake had been coiled. Thoughtlessly he reached out a hand and ran his fingers over the angry red marks that were ruining the perfection of Alex's lightly tanned thighs.

Yassen's fingers followed the lines up, over and back to where they met. The movements seemed simple and natural. He looked up into Alex's eyes. The teen was watching him through his fingers but not resisting. Curious to see how far he could take this the assassin let his hand move even higher up past the red marks, tracing a line up Alex's hip. The younger's lose cameo shirt had ridden up in the confusion but just so far that his lightly defined tummy was visible.

Yassen took advantage of the situation and tried something he always wanted to do. His hands held Alex's hips firmly but not painfully. He shifted his weight forward and lowered his head. A second later Alex's hands dropped and his eye widened in shock as he watched Yassen kissing the inside of his thigh.

It was only then that Alex realized what a compromising position he was in. mostly because his thoughts beforehand were preoccupied by the coursing waves of pain and worry. In the aftermath of such he was not sure how to take the sudden turn of events.

Yassen straitened up and his blue unreadable eyes met Alex's. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Alex closed his legs gingerly feeling extremely self-conscious and vary vulnerable something he hadn't felt in a long time.

The hand that had once been resting on his hip glided down and up. Alex watched it as it moved unsure what was going to happen next but pretty sure he wouldn't like it. The hand ended up resting just below his knee. Alex felt his skin prickle under the strong hand. Then for the first time in what seemed like forever Yassen spoke "You have very strong thighs Alex... they remind me of your father's. It must be genetic."

Alex was just wondering how exactly the Russian knew about his father's thighs when the amount of downward push on his leg intensified as Yassen forced it into the ground and away from its counterpart. "But I prefer them when they're open" he added enigmatically.

Before Alex could make a move to cover himself again Yassen moved in pushing his hips in between the boy's athletic legs and up against his naked bottom. As Alex felt the front of Yassen's pants between his thighs he became aware of a faint pulse of emotion welling up below his stomach that was frighteningly similar to desire.

Alex raised a hand but before had fully decided what he was going to do with it the limb was captured by the wrist and pined to the tree above his head. Two confused brown eyes looked up at the captured appendage then back to the man that was holding it.

Yassen's eyes met his for a second but didn't linger there. Slowly the blue orbs trailed down to more interesting parts of the teen. His fingers started at Alex's belly button tracing feather light over the muscles not quite hard enough to be called abs but firm and healthy all the same.

Alex's mouth was fixed in something between a pout and a look of utter bewilderment but there was contentment mixed in there as well. The Russian's touch was oddly alluring as much as it was inappropriate. Alex found himself entranced. Caught up in the strange mood that had formed between him and his trainer.

It was in such a state that Alex allowed him to continue. Yassen hooked the palm of his hand around Alex's side digging in his thumb and massaging the supple skin. The effect was immediate and plainly obvious. Alex's eyelids dropped a little and a tranquil sigh became his response to the action. Leisurely the hand that had been holding Alex's arm still relinquished its hold and joined its counterpart. Leaving Alex's limb to drop back down to his side.

As the second thumb began its calming process Alex felt his fatigue catching up with him again. He almost felt like he wanted to melt away into the loosely packed African soil that he was lying on top of. Alex allowed his eyes to close for a few seconds. It was because of that decision that he didn't see Yassen lean down, tilt his head, and move to kiss his passive lips.

However Alex definitely felt it. But unlike he thought it would be, sharing such an intimate favor with Yassen wasn't unsettling or alarming. Alex wondered whether or not his drowsiness was messing with his decision making skills. Alas before he could consider this for more than a brief second Yassen's tongue slid into his mouth and all thoughts became irrelevant.

Alex couldn't help a trembling shiver as Yassen's tongue pushed itself inside his mouth. It felt quite large compared to his own. Not surprising seeing this was the case with most of his other body parts as well. Alex's left arm moved almost on its own accord and wrapped itself around Yassen's back the fingers griping his shoulder.

The kiss escalated from tender to passionate rapidly. Yassen's hand had moved to hold Alex's cheek. Keeping his head steady as he enjoyed the youth's mouth taking note of the little jitters as his tongue touched sensitive spots in the warm cavity. By the way Alex was tensing under him and the unpracticed way Alex's tongue mingled with his it was apparent that this was the teenager's first kiss of this intensity.

Yassen himself was utterly delighting in the experience. He would have never anticipated that his first kiss with Alex would come so effortlessly. Ideally he had been planning to wait till Alex was a little older before making his first move on him. Fourteen was a little young for as deep a sexual relationship as he wanted to pursue in Alex. However it seemed fate had had other ideas and had delivered Alex to him ready and willing.

As the minutes passed Yassen became increasingly aware of the boy's hardness rubbing on his lower stomach as they kissed. He had denied himself the luxury of touching it before and was hard-pressed to resist it again. Throwing all sense of prudence to land where it may Yassen allowed himself to release his hold on Alex's other hip and reach down to curl his fingers around Alex's modest manhood.

A distressed cry came from the warm mouth he was still wrapped up in. it seemed that Alex wasn't so out of it that he had forgotten every last semblance of dignity. Yassen was not perturbed and continued the movements below Alex's waist, letting his hand slide up and down in a standard teasing movement.

Alex reacted to this in mixed terms. He was struggling against the lazy lull that that Yassen's hands and the late night had coxed him into. A large part of him was content to allow the contact. Pinned as he was under the powerful body. Naked, aroused, and tired. It would be all too easy to just relax. He could no longer deny that the strong feelings that arose with every downward stroke of Yassen's hand and it was making a very strong case for the first option.

Alex was sure that if it was anyone else he would have let this continue. However this wasn't just anyone, this was Yassen Gregorovich. as much as Alex tried to forget his past with Yassen the fiery gunshots that had killed his uncle began to flash behind his eyes, the many people that had died by the killers hand screamed in his ear, and the horrible sense of inhumanity that overcame Alex when he saw Yassen kill for the first time flooded over him once more.

But most of all, the memories of that intense hate that burned inside him when he had learned who was responsible for the death of his last family member.

He had never forgiving Yassen for that. Even after he learned the truth about his father's elegancies and had dedicated himself to scorpia. Alex realized that even though he was supposed to be a heartless killer now his moral code would forever deny him peace of mind while Yassen's mouth was pressed to his. Yassen wasn't his enemy, but he wasn't his lover either.

This outlook convicted Alex that this had to stop. Alex wrestled for his conviction and control over his body. He managed to force his tired muscles to move, wiggle and squirm. Yassen's hold on his cheek and his head resting on the tree made it imposable to back away from this kiss but there was abundant room for Alex to pull his hips back trying to break the sinful hold Yassen had on him.

It was only because Yassen had been so preoccupied deciding just how he was going to proceed with enjoying his blond beauty that Alex almost escaped. However he noticed the sudden unsettling of his captive a few seconds before he stirred and tightened his grip accordingly. Alex grunted from the rougher treatment. His legs were still sensitive from the snake's unforgivable grip.

Yassen pulled back from the long lust filled kiss he had been sharing with Alex. Taking in the look of anger and defiance that Alex was now presenting. Whatever extraordinary spell that had convinced him to let it get this far seemed to be wearing off.

In an effort to lull Alex back down into his submissive state Yassen slid his thumb down his cheek to press down on Alex's lips not muffling them but tenderly reminding him to keep quiet. His other hand moved back to that sweet spot on Alex's hip. Just as he expected those accusing brown eyes fluttered when his thumb dug into the area.

"Just relax, little Alex," Yassen coxed leaning in to whisper the words into his ear. His thumb gliding over his lips feeling the firm perfection.

Alex jerked his head away from his hand. "Let me go" he insisted not breaking eye contact with Yassen.

A flicker of annoyance passed over Yassen's features. He was a man who was used to getting things his way and no disobedient teenager attitude was going to get in between him and his second chance at the perfect Rider body.

What happened next sent all proper thought in Alex's head packing. He had been grabbed under his arms, pulled up and forward till his front pressed against something. Then he was thrown back, his head colliding with a hard surface knocking the breath from his lungs and sending stars flashing across his vision.

As Alex's sight cleared, the pain is his back and head dulling. He discovered that he had been pulled up roughly into Yassen's lap. He was now pinned between the tree he had been resting against and Yassen's chest.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be Alex" Yassen threatened in a distinctly less kind a voice than the last time he has spoken.

"Let go," Alex managed to grunt. The words were shaky due to the shockwaves of pain emanating from the back of his head.

"What was that?" Yassen asked even though he had obviously heard him the first time. A flicker of anger set off in Alex chest.

"I said get your fucking hands off me!" Alex ordered with much more conviction than he felt. Backing the words up with a sudden shove. He put all his strength into trying to push Yassen off. However despite his efforts the Russian didn't budge. Alex gulped, Yassen was a lot stronger than he looked.

"No, I don't think I will" Yassen answered his voice devoid of emotion. But at the same time He almost seemed to smirk at his efforts of self defense. Unperturbed he continued what he was doing before Alex had become so unruly. Alex gasped as Yassen's hand found its way back down between his legs and around the susceptible organ.

Alex kicked out instinctively but his legs were practically useless in this position. The only thing he could do with them was cross them behind Yassen's back. Something he might end up doing if the hand below his waist went on playing with him for much longer.

Yassen leaned in till his nose was centimeters from Alex's. The fair haired boy stared up into the hard blue eyes once more fighting to keep his look of stony defiance on his face. However it didn't last long. Yassen picked up the pace and the slow moments became fast strokes.

Alex tried his best to remain impassive but then his resolve slipped. His eyes closed and his lips quivered as his own hormones betrayed him. Alex soon had terrifying realization that he wasn't going to be able to take this. He had been hard for so long already. Between the snake and Yassen he must have been aroused for at least an hour now.

His body had been begging for release for a long time now but it's voice had never been so demanding. At this point silly inhibitions weren't going to stop it. Alex's predicament was quickly escalating. His breathing was strained and punctuated with the kind soft acquiescent noises that made Alex's cheeks heat up with embarrassment. Alex found himself no longer able to stare into those cold eyes he looked away seeking comfort in the ground somehow hoping he could convince himself that this wasn't happening.

However this proved to be imposable Alex felt something warm on his neck. They were lips, as Alex soon discovered when they parted and a warm tongue licked up his neck forcing a pleasured shiver. Hot breath pandered across his ear fallowed by poisonous words.

"I'm surprised that you've managed to hold on so long"

Alex was surprised too. All his muscles had tightened up and his entire body felt like it was on fire. Wet slippery pre was flowing from the tip but somehow he hadn't been pushed over the edge yet. Yassen was impressed with this show of will from his young plaything. However for every bit he was impressed he was equally impatient. Gradually he released Alex's hip hoping that his captive would remain too distracted to notice.

Luckily Alex stayed where he was. His eyes shut tight as he held on fiercely to his last shreds of control. Yassen let this hand drop down even farther than his other. He had made sure that Alex was sitting in his lap at such angle that he would be easy to penetrate. One finger gently prodded the teen's entrance.

Two brown eyes snapped open just in time to clamp shut as two fingers pressed into him. The muscles clenched reflexively around the digits. Alex's teeth and body followed suit as the rough incursion proved to be that last straw. Alex came hard, spilling quite a bit of his essence over the Russian's hand.

Then Alex went limp just as Yassen had predicted. Flushed with the relapse of release and the fatigue of his once clenched muscles Alex was left to lay rag doll like in his captor's arms. Feeling the tight muscles loosen up around his finger's Yassen pressed forward. Receiving a cute "aha~" noise from the teen as his reward.

On the receiving end Alex was nearing the end of his rope. He could barley convince his muscles to fight back anymore. The sudden rush of adrenalin had left him weak and sluggish. By giving into Yassen's touch Alex has sealed his own fate. In this condition the man would be able to take whatever he wanted.

The only question now was what was he doing to him? Alex was dealing with quite a bit of confusion concerning why he was sticking his finger's there and why the hell it felt so good. Alex eyes dropped to his stomach. Yassen's other hand was still resting there. Dripping with a tell tale semi opaque liquid.

A sudden jolt that ran through his nervous system as the fingers that were slipping even deeper claimed Alex's attention and forced a quick intake of breath. Just now as his post orgasm euphoria faded he was able to sense tinges of pain. Alex squirmed in discomfort but that just made it worse.

Eventually he gave into it. Such a decision didn't come unrewarded sensing his compliance the fingers stared to move sliding ever so leisurely forward and back. The soft friction and his muscles being stretched then relaxed gave Alex a vary pleasurable twitchy feeling in the pit of his stomach. The pain was still there but it was dulled once again. Despite himself Alex shifted spreading his legs farther eager to feel the digits probe him even farther.

Then Alex heard the metallic clicking. It took him a second for the sound to register as the one of a belt buckle unfastening. Alex glanced downward and suddenly he found couldn't breathe. The true nature of the assassin's intentions hit like a ton of bricks. What had come before was merely a warm up. This was the main event.

Unbidden Alex's imagination ran wild. Images of himself being held down, helpless, in pain and Yassen's… Alex gulped as he forced himself to think the words. Yassen's cock between his legs... inside his…

Alex shivered, that totally didn't just make him hard. Sadly his previously flaccid organ was once again doing an excellent impression of a rock. This was worse than he could have imagined. It was one thing to be raped, but being raped and enjoying it?

His arms which had been lying uselessly by his side reached up and wrapped around those muscular shoulders. Alex rider had never given up before… but today he was coming very close.

"S-stop it…" Alex's insisted but His voice was soft, meek and lacked conviction

Yassen reply was as composed as it was straightforward. "Anal sex is can be very painful Alex, I would suggest you settle down or the next thirty minutes could end up being quite unpleasant"

Alex didn't give any indication that he had heard the words except a slight constriction of the hold he had round the elder's shoulders.

"Stop it," Alex repeated. but this time the words didn't leave his head because his mouth was too busy with a gasping moan that accompanied a sudden wave of unrestrained bliss as Yassen's fingers bumped against a responsive cluster of nerves inside of him.

"Now doesn't that feel nice?" Yassen chided. Alex nodded before he could remember he wasn't supposed to be going along with this. "Now if you be a good little boy and hold still. I can make you feel even better." Yassen removed his fingers with a single quick motion. Then grasping Alex's inner thigh he carefully manipulated it out of the way. Alex watched helplessly as his virgin entrance was lined up perfectly with Yassen's sizable manhood.

Then Yassen stopped taking a few moments to enjoy the sight. Alex's short fair hair that had had become quite a mess from his struggles half covering his watering eyes which were shut tight in anticipation of what was to come. The lose shirt he was wearing was soaked in a thin line of sweat. It clung to the skin it covered, except for his flat tummy which was still exposed to the night air. Glimmering with perspiration in the half moonlight that trickled down through the think forest canopy. Alex's legs were spread open almost as far as his bone structure would allow and the area between them radiated a teasing heat that was almost irresistible. Yassen ached to trust into Alex but he paused a few seconds longer to admire Alex's cock. It was still dripping from its last spurt.

Sensing the pause Alex opined one eye. Seeing how he was being held Alex felt suddenly ashamed. His lip parted, beginning the well versed plea of "stop it" but before he could utter the first letter Yassen pushed forward. Alex found himself clinging to those two words. Two lone syllables echoing around his head.

'Stop it'

Yassen's cock tip was prodding his entrance.

'stop it'

The force intensified and the hot organ pushed past the fist ring of muscle.

'Stop it'

It was filling him up. Aha! It hurt…

'stop it'

The words had become meaningless sounds, no longer reminiscent of his feelings. Pain filled his mind and blocked all thought save those two words. He was overwhelmed and not unlike a small child he clung to two simple words of defiance. His last semblance of sanity.

'Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!'

Then it was over. The ever growing pain halted and began to fade away. Alex could feel Yassen's hips on his backside and realized that the assassin was buried to the hilt. Alex opened his eyes to find that closing them had done nothing to stem the flow of salty tears that streamed down his cheeks and off his chin.

Alex gulped back a sob his whole body aching from head to toe, all of his senses blotted out so he only felt the pain and an unyielding heat between there two sweating body's Yassen had stopped moving allowing the pain to slowly but steadily dull down. As Alex became accustomed to it the cause of his pain began creating more enjoyable feelings. So deep he could almost feel it in his tummy Yassen's cock was hard and hot Throbbing rhythmically inside him with every pulse of its owner's heart. It wasn't altogether unpleasant in fact quite the opposite.

Alex was still holding onto Yassen's shoulders and he used this connection now pulling himself up and closer to his partner. Alex sensed that although he had retained his usual unnatural calm Yassen's breathing was heavy and gasping not unlike Alex's own. 'So he isn't completely inhuman' Alex thought as he nuzzled into the man's collarbone. A strange sense of tranquility had overtaken him now that he was one with Yassen. Somehow everything felt right and in this one single moment he had forgotten all of his previous qualms about the elder.

However, something was missing. There was something else that happens after this. Alex longed for whatever that something was but exactly what came next was lost to him in the tide of emotion and lust that had fuelled this impromptu union. A hand rested on the back of Alex's head lacing into the messy blond hair.

The words "how do you feel Alex?" were wisped to him carrying only barest trace of a Russian ascent.

"It's...' Alex chose his next word vary carefully "…full" not exactly a proper sentence but this was hardly the time to be concerned about Alex's grammar.

"It doesn't hurt?"

"No... Not anymore..."

"Good, then we can begin"

Alex wondered what was meant by "begin" but only for as long as it took Yassen to pull him away from the tree and onto the ground. From this new position he found himself looking up at the forest canopy and in some spots past it to the starry night sky. His head, shoulders and back now resting fully on the ground.

Yassen was bent over Alex his chest paralleled with the younger's. Alex's arms were still crossed behind his back holding on firmly his legs forming a receptive open V bent at the knees so his feet were still resting on the ground.

Yassen grip shifted on Alex's thighs. Then his hips moved pulling back. Alex felt the rod inside of him slowly sliding out his hand tighten around the shoulder it was holding. The feeling in his hips was very similar to the tingly twitchy one he had felt when he was being fingered but intensified. Yassen continued to pull back till only the head was still within then at an equal pace pushed back in.

Alex moaned as he began to fill up again the relaxed muscles stretching to accommodate Yassen's manhood. Somewhat redundantly from the back of his mind Alex remembered just now the second part of sex that he had forgotten earlier. The part he was experiencing now.

Recalling the odd pornography he had stumbled across in his life, Alex wondered if this was the part where he was supposed to beg for Yassen to give it to him harder and faster. He resolved that second that he would never do that. The elder may have coaxed him into sex but no matter what he wouldn't become his little whimpering bitch. However Alex found that it was a promise that would be hard to keep as Yassen picked up the pace on his second thrust.

Alex's body jerked a little with each forward push of Yassen's hips. He was acutely aware of every movement and He had to bite his tongue to keep himself from crying out with each repetitive stroke. However his silence did nothing to mask the look of strained relish that he was displaying.

Yassen watched Alex's ever-changing expressions with obvious enjoyment. The assassin had only his highly attentive mind and intense control over his own body to thank for the fact that he wasn't reduced to the animalistic basics of thought that were consuming his younger lover.

However Alex's inside were unquestionably tight and due to his previous virgin status Alex was receiving his cock with such unpredictable teasing tensing spasms that it tested even Yassen's years of mastery in self control.

Although he was still in complete power over his body Yassen couldn't resist the temptation to lower his hips and trust even deeper into the receptive hole. A muffed cry came from below him. Suddenly curios as to why his toy was being so quite. Glancing down Yassen observed how Alex was holding his jaw. It seemed he was biting down on his tongue either in pain, pleasure, or perhaps wishing to silence himself. No matter the reason Yassen decided to offer him something else to do with his mouth.

Yassen moved his hand from Alex's thighs and traced his thumb back to Alex's mouth and placed his thumb back on Alex's lips but this time he applied more force slipping the tip between them. Seemingly without pause or forethought the teenager loosed his tongue from his teeth and began to lap at the intruding digit. Alex found that it carried a strange taste then with a shiver he understood that he had tasted traces of his own cum that were left on Yassen's hand.

Yassen's adjusted his fingers and slid the pointer in with his thumb pleased at how Alex licked them in a slow tentative manner. When the time came he would have to see if that skill could be applied to something larger than his fingers. He slipped out his thumb and inserted his middle and ring fingers then gradually slid them in and out. Yassen could tell by the way Alex shivered that he enjoyed having something in both his holes.

Bit by bit as Alex became accustomed to being used like this he loosened up a little allowing Yassen to take him with deeper and quicker strokes.

Then at that moment he must have moved just right because Alex moaned guttery and arched his back. The sound was muffled but Yassen felt the vibrations on his fingertips. Alex was obviously enjoying himself.

Alex was indeed "enjoying himself" although if you asked him he would have probably described it a different way. "On fire" would have seemed more appropriate or maybe even "dying". Truly the intense emotion that he was feeling he could only relate to his prior experience with all consuming pain. Although Alex was under no allusions that this was far sweeter if not less devastating than breaking a bone or being shot.

Determined to keep his sanity intact Alex continued to cling to the last sibilance of the reality he had so recently been a part of. He focused the salty taste that he was licking off of the strong fingers that intruded into his mouth.

This plan was working just fine until a strong pulse shattered his focus Alex's body seemed to move on its own stretching out in pleasure. A familiar feeling began to return. It was almost like he was hanging desperately off a cliff and at any second he would lose his grip.

Suddenly Alex felt like he was hyperventilating he let his mouth go slack around the digits. Sensing it Yassen drew back his hand. Understanding that Alex would need his airway unobstructed if he was going to survive his orgasm.

Alex obligingly tilted his head back he moaned again but this time he didn't care what sounds he made all he cared about anymore was that allusive high that Yassen's rhythmic trusts were taking him ever closer to. Then more words whispered close to his ear in that oh-so-sexy manner.

"Are you going to climax Alex?"

How the hell is Yassen still able to talk now? Alex thought bitterly. He could only nod vaguely in return his mouth to busy taking short gasping gulps of air in between earthshaking pulses.

"Hold on as long as you can, I wish to see how much you can take"

Alex did that half nod thing again to show he understood. Although he doubted that he would be able to last much longer even if he was trying.

Alex's crossed arms around Yassen allowed him to feel the cold sweat on the older man's back through his shirt and he was only too aware of how his partner's heat was racing. Yet he was still as calm and collected as ever. If Alex wasn't currently being shown undeniable proof to the contrary he would have sworn Yassen was a robot.

Alex felt himself being hosted up. gravity shifted as he was pulled back up into a sitting position Alex didn't open his eyes he was instead reduced to crying out helplessly as gravity permitted the hard cock that had been driving him crazy to go even deeper than Alex would have thought physically possible.

Then he hit it. Not once but again and again and again. The sensitive cluster of nerves that was his love spot was ruthlessly tortured forcing him into a state of mindless bliss.

After that all it took was five final strokes fast and deep. For Alex it was like the world had stopped turning. He clung vainly to the man who had caused him so much pleasure and pain. His energy surging and draining almost synchronously.

Thousands of miles away but at the same time closer than anything else a familiar voce grunted a single word. It was something in Russian. It sounded low and dirty more than likely a swear word. With the last tiny piece that was left of his conscious mind Alex agreed with the statement.

Then gradually Alex felt the euphoria slipping away and his body giving up. at least he did until the ease of mind was sent flying in a shower of sparks as a spurt of liquid warmth explode between his thighs Alex tried to twist away but in the rush Yassen had returned his unyielding embrace and he was now being held far too tightly for even the smallest of movements. He could only sit still and moan as his insides were coated in the hot sticky mess.

The chest he was pressed firmly against heaved with a tranquil sigh then they collapsed together landing harmlessly on the leaves of the forest floor. Alex found himself glancing listlessly back into those now unforgettable blue eyes. They looked back at him and he saw something reflected in them that he had never seen in the assassins eyes before. A kind of softness, perhaps even love? In some way Alex instinctively knew that he was the only one left in the world who Yassen would look at with that glint in his eye.

Alex's body was failing him now. He had been used and abused. All he wanted was sleep. He closed his eyes and retreated into the silent numbness of slumber.

But no sooner had the world dematerialized around him a badgering hand took hold of and shock his shoulder keeping him tethered to the real world. Alex groaned and rolled over in the dirt desperately resisting real life's intrusion on his rest. The hand that had been tugging on his shoulder began to slide down his frame. Alex allowed it to get as far as his hip before he pulled away. He definitely did not want to be put through that again so soon. Alex sat up groggily and glared at Yassen.

He couldn't help noticing his partner had already done his paints back up and was looking deceivingly composed considering what had just transpired. "Get up, we have to keep moving." Yassen instructed firmly before standing up himself to retrieve the forgotten sniper rifle from beneath a nearby tree.

Alex watched Yassen but didn't make movements to fallow his orders. Noticing this, Yassen glanced back and added "I don't know if you are aware of this Alex, but Sperm starts to congeal vary quickly if you don't wash it off… and considering the way you're dripping I think that allowing it to do so would be a mistake."

Alex blinked, then looking down he could see that Yassen was dreadfully correct. The entire inside of his thighs were in fact literally dripping with cum. He closed them and shuddered unintentionally trying not to think too hard about the implications of being full of Yassen Gregorovich's essence.

"The river is up ahead, we need to reach it." Yassen elutriated pointing off into the think foliage to illustrate his point. Alex didn't move he still wasn't convinced of the whole 'getting up and moving around' concept. Noticing this Yassen continued "Didn't I also mention that dried semen attracts all manner of bugs in the forest? Especially large blood sucking mosquitoes."

That got Alex up. He struggled to his feet with a few growled obscenities. Once he was up he stopped a second to stretch. It felt good to be in control of his body again but as he worked out the cramps in his muscles he noticed how his instructor was looking at him. Alex decided now was the time to start look for his pants.

He spotted them at the foot of the tree he had been resting against what felt like eons ago. But before he could make a move to collect them Yassen had returned with the gun and snatched both them and his underwear.

"Hay!" Alex objected.

"If you put them on now you'll just get them dirty, you can have them back on after you wash." Yassen explained. Alex would have debated the point but the Russian had already turned to go leaving Alex to hesitate for brief a second before going after him.

***

This trek through the jungle proved to be much easier than its predecessor. Mostly because the sun was begging to rise and it was illuminating the jungle allowing Alex to see every lose branch and stone that would have tripped him up in the dark. However at the same time moving through the jungle was also proving more difficult. Alex couldn't use both hands to help keep his balance because he needed one had to hold his shirt down over his lower body.

He couldn't help feeling embarrassed about it. Even though there was no one but Yassen to see him like this and he had already seen so much of Alex that it didn't seem reasonable to feel shy anymore.

Alex's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a warm stream of liquid dripping down his leg. As much as he tried to ignore the sensation it was still driving him crazy. He quietly cursed his mentor for making him walk like this.

Out of disparity trying to not think about the current state of his ass Alex began to think, for this first time since that snake had crawled into his boxer shorts, about the mission. Had they failed it? They surely couldn't make it all why to the mark's house now that the sun was up. They hadn't even been half way when the incident occurred.

Alex glanced up ahead to Yassen who was maneuvering around a remarkably large fern. He didn't look the least bit rushed or bothered but then when did he ever show any type of emotion at all? … Oh yha, well besides that... Alex decided that fretting about the mission was not going to be a good use of his time. Besides it wasn't like he was all torn up about not getting to kill the mark.

Remarkably they hadn't even been walking for ten minutes before the dense forest dropped away to reveal a rocky riverbed. The water was shallow and crystal clear. Leaves that had fallen into the water whipped by propelled by the current. In some spots that water rushed over the rocks fast enough to turn the water a pure white.

Yassen took a seat on a nearby bolder on the river's edge crossing his legs and resting his head in the palm of his hand. Alex paused a second before he continued forward suddenly eager to feel the cold rush of the water on his skin and to wash off the various liquids and dirt that he had accumulated over the rough night.

Just as he was passing the rock Yassen was sitting on a hand reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt. Alex turned and the hand on his shirt let go. Instead an arm slipped around his waist and pulled him closer till their lips almost met. When Yassen was sitting on the rock the two were almost the same height. Fingers tugged at the hem of his top. Alex let go of his hold on the fabric and allowed the garment to be pulled up and over his head.

It ended up next to his pants on the rock beside Yassen. The hand around his hips leisurely retracted stopping for a second to give the blonde's firm butt a gentle but possessive squeeze. To which Alex responded with an automatic "eep" noise. Giving Yassen a withering glance Alex stepped away and persisted to the bank of the river stopping only once more to untie his shoes the one set of garments Yassen hadn't stripped him of.

Alex stepped gingerly into the water. It was as cold as it looked but after the prolonged humidity of the air it was a blessing. He waded in till the water reached his knees before he squatted down, sat back on the lakebed and slipped a hand between his legs and began the task of cleaning his lower body.

Over from his rock Yassen watched him. This was the first time he had seen Alex completely naked and he was enjoying it very much. Alex hastily finished with his legs closing them before leaning back to submerge his body completely in the water before coming back up to the surface, his body completely drenched.

Alex stood up again the water running in rivulets down his near perfect figure. The morning sun glinted across the water droplets and for a second it looked almost like Alex had an aura of light around him.

Outwardly Yassen didn't flinch but inwardly his breath was taken away. Alex raised a hand and ran it trough his fair locks dislodging a few twigs that had stuck in his hair from messing about on the forest floor. A sudden feeling of selfishness crept over Yassen. Like a kid with his favorite toy, he wanted to have Alex all to himself.

It was because of that desire that He was considering taking Alex away from all this, a thought that he was having more and more recently. Even before he had started training Alex and passing on the skills the boy's father had given to him. He had been planning to return to Russian and settle down in Saint Petersburg and now the idea of bringing Alex with him was much more than appealing.

Waking up every morning with Alex Rider in his arms was officially Yassen's new interpretation of heaven. Or at least it was far preferable to watching him train up for a life of killing and murder.

It was strange that Yassen found the idea of Alex being part of scorpia so detestable. After all wasn't that the life he himself had led? Maybe it was because he knew that it was not the life john wanted for his son or perhaps it was his own conscience, rearing its head after so many years of being ignored that was bugging him.

"Can I have my pants back now?"

Yassen had been so drawn it by his thoughts he failed to notice Alex extracting himself from the river and making his way over and the boy was now sitting on the bolder only a few feet away his hand carefully resting on his lap to preserve his modesty. The assassin didn't reply for a second buying time to carefully consider his answer before explained in a cool tone of voice "That depends. I can't tell if you're clean when you have your legs closed."

"No way." Alex's two word answer was out of his mouth before his brain had time to register it. Yassen seemed unaffected by Alex's defiance and answered "Then I suppose you would like to spend the rest of the day naked?" then after glancing across the copious amount of smooth skin the Alex was displaying he added "Not that I'd mind."

Alex looked away. Why did Yassen always do that? A mental image of himself speeding his legs for Yassen flitted though his mind and dutifully ignoring insecure and unpredicted sensation of arousal that came with that image Alex decided that he didn't want to do so.

Sadly He had the distinct feeling that if he refused he would be forced to. It definitely wouldn't be the first time. Slowly Alex leaned back and moved his hand from his lap to the edge of the rock behind himself to keep steady as he shifted his legs apart.

As Yassen's hand slipped between his legs Alex's attempts to mask the fluttery feeling in the pit of his stomach with shame or anger failed miserably and he was subjected to a surge of sexual provocation as Yassen griped his thigh and guided it up so he could get a better look.

"You're still leaking" Yassen commented with a sense of disapproval as he observed the thin line of semen still drippings from Alex's entrance.

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't cum so much" Alex retorted somewhat indignantly. Then his brain caught up with his words. That was dangerously close to dirty talk. What was happening to him?

Then Alex reconsidered. They had just had sex... really hot sex… even though Alex was hardly an expert in the matter it having been his first time. Until now he had been trying not to think about what had transpired but the memories were coming back in a vivid rush and it was making his head fuzzy and his body heat up.

It was so distracting that he almost didn't sense when Yassen's hand moved his fingers entering him scissoring the opining causing much more fluid to leak out. Alex cringed.

"Get back in the water" Yassen dictated removing his fingers.

The dejected teenager slid off the rock and walked back to the lake bed but as he moved he could almost feel the weight of Yassen's eyes directed at his retreating backside. However instead of shame the attention ignited an unexpected sense of promiscuity. Alex adjusted his walk trying to add a little strut to his step. Glancing backward to observe the effect he was having. Not that there was much of one but Alex had been around the assassin long enough to be able to detect the faintest differences in his expression and if he wasn't mistaken Yassen's intent gaze was much more than casual. He must be doing something right.

Alex re-entered the river quickly submerging himself again. It's cool body enveloping his. After taking a few seconds to bask its refreshing grip he returned to business. As nice as the lake was Alex was eager to get out of this jungle and complying with Yassen's conditions seemed the easiest way to do so.

he sat up once more placing his hand between his legs like he did earlier but this time he decided to be more intrusive and put his own fingers into that same place Yassen's had been minutes before. although as he pressed unsure fingers to his entrance he realized that penetrating himself was a little more difficult than watching Yassen do it but thanks to the fact that he was still lose from taking Yassen's manhood and with the lubricating effect of the water even though he was an amateur he managed to fit two fingers into himself.

Once again he felt Yassen watching him and a devious idea occurred to the younger and without allowing it a moment's consideration for fear of chickening out he acted on the impulse. His back turned to his mentor Alex leaned forward taking his weight onto his knees then lifting his hips out of the water. His fingers remained where they were. Fully aware of the view he was giving Yassen he continued to clean himself.

Alex soon discovered that showing off like this was awfully exhilarating. although he didn't risk a look back to check he could vividly imagining the effect he was having and the thought spurred him on and Alex began to ham it up, mimicking the moments Yassen had used on him. This time he let the pleasure show in his body language. He back arched and his body quivered. He probed deeper seeing if he could hit that sweet spot. If Alex had known that fingering himself felt so good he would have included it in his masturbating sessions eons ago.

Then to put an abrupt end to his fun an arm shot out and wrapped itself around his middle. Alex found himself being pulled bodily out of the water like a rag doll. His naked body forced up and held tightly against a fully clothed one. The hand that Alex had been using to pleasure himself was grasped by the wrist and roughly pulled up over his head.

"That's quite enough" a gruff voice insisted. The grip on his chest tightening with the words. Despite the stern voice Alex couldn't help a smug answer.

"What's the matter? Too hot for you?" he chided. The words didn't have the expected effect and instead of answering angrily Yassen dipped his head close to the teen's ear and purred the word "exactly" into his ear before pulling him up so his behind pressed against the lump in the assassins pants to clarify the point.

All of a sudden Alex felt very much like having something much larger than his fingers inside. Tentatively he used a gentle hip movement to grind back against the swollen organ in the other's pants to communicate his wish. Adding a submissive mewl trying to tempt the dominating side of the elder than Alex had only recently discovered.

Sadly his efforts resulted only in a kiss on the neck and nothing more. The grip on his body loosened and he was reunited with the ground with an unsettling bump. The heat of the other disappearing in one step Alex turned to watch the other go trying not to look to put out.

Yassen collected his gun from the rock and used the barrel to gesture toward Alex's folded clothes "Put them on, we don't want to be late"

Alex gathered himself and stood back up his eyes locking onto the pile of clothes that were still sitting on the bolder.

As he dressed Yassen slug the weapon back over his shoulder and produced a handheld GPS locator from his pocket and after fiddling around with it for a moment he was pleased to see that they were not too far from the very river that the mark's boat traveled every morning. In fact the stream that they were standing beside fed into the larger river somewhere around the halfway point.

It seemed he would be able to keep his nearly perfect record intact. He would simply tell Julia that Alex had gotten attacked by a snake in the forest and delayed the hike forcing them to switch to plan B. it was close enough to the truth to be a good lie and he doubted Alex would be too eager to gossip about their little dalliance from protocol.

However although the location was preferable the time would prove to be a serious obstacle. Yassen estimated by the height of the sun that it was already past six in the morning. The mark was due at his office in two hours. They would need at least that long to get there. Which wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't for the world's most alluring distraction standing only a few meters away zipping up his trousers.

It had taken every last fragment of his discipline to resist Alex in those tense moments after he had hauled the boy out of river and even now as the youth was pulling his shirt back on Yassen could feel the urge to rip it off. It seemed that now he had a taste of what Alex had to offer his desire had only grown.

However getting involved with Alex had one major drawback specifically it had turned the teenager into his new big squishy weak spot. If the movies had one thing to say about his world that was correct it was that romance can lead to all sorts of problems. Epically if your partner was as big a trouble magnet as Alex Rider. Yassen would have to be on top of his game is he was going to commit to any type of long term relationship.

For a brief second Yassen considered if it was worth it but then he glanced over to Alex who although now fully clothed was still absolutely gorgeous. He was leaning over tying his shoes back up his dexterous fingers manipulating the laces into perfect bows. A slim sliver of his lower back was visible as he bent over his perfectly round butt sticking up practically begging to be touched. Yassen tore his eyes away. Yeah, it was definitely worth it…

Alex finished tying up his shoes and turned brown eyes back to his teacher who, to his dismay, was looking pointedly away from him and was instead staring intently at a black handheld device. He strolled over to the distracted assassin and looked over his shoulder at the LCD screen displaying a small section of a map. The back ground was mostly green apart from two long blue lines that connected a few centimeters above a flashing orange dot.

Yassen touched the screen at the point where to two lines met and a red dot appeared. Then a purple line was drawn between it and the orange one following along the thinner blue line's curve. Alex understood that this was to be the rout to their next destination but he wasn't sure why they wanted to go to that exact spot. He questioned Yassen about it but the only response he received was "Were switching to plan B" He hadn't been informed of a "plan B" but he understood that if the assassin didn't tell him it was better he did not know.

But at the moment the teenager was less concerned about why they were going than he was about the long looking hike that it entailed. Alex hated to admit it but his strength was all but diminished. In fact it was a small miracle that he was still standing now. He had been running on fumes, hormones, and adrenaline for the last few hours and just the idea of another long walk made his muscles ache.

Almost as if Yassen had read his mind a hand slipped around his waist and gave a reassuring squeeze "you can rest when we get there" he assured. Despite the kindness intended Alex still felt was odd. He wasn't used to Yassen openly caring about how he felt. Most of the time he was curt and stoic but never compassionate. Maybe there was more to Yassen hiding under that shell of ruthless efficacy?

However the moment of tenderness passed quickly and soon they we up and beginning the path outlined by the GPS dutifully following the purple line toward the red dot.

*****

Yassen lay on his stomach his body fully concealed by the low lying foliage that grew thickly on the river's edge fully nourished by the endless water and plentiful sun. the sniper rifle that had been sitting uselessly on his shoulder for most of the mission clutched loosely resting on his left side the safety switched off waiting for just the right moment.

On his right side however a fair haired boy was nuzzled into the warm fabric of his jacket his lithe body resting peacefully as the consciousness behind closed eye lids slept soundly. Yassen could feel the rhythmic rising and falling of Alex's chest against his arm as he snored softly the sound more than drowned out by the rushing river that would soon carry their target into shooting range.

It was quite serene really, laying in bush with Alex the warm almost living body of the forest surrounding them on all sides buzzing with life. The wind rustled the leaves and small animals went about collecting food for breakfast. More than once a family of monkeys would swing by overhead seemingly oblivious to the two Homo sapiens that were camped out below them.

even more amazing was that if you looked up a little higher into the canopy of the trees you could see birds flitting from tree to tree their feathers reflected every color know to man and a few that could only be dreamed of.

It was odd, normally the moments before a kill were stressful and tense but Yassen was currently feeling more relaxed than he had in a vary, vary, vary, long time. This wasn't a good thing if you're an assassin. It would certainly delay his reaction time, mar his focus, and slow his movement. He guessed this must have been why john had taught him to never have sex on a mission... well he had certainly jacked that one up... but then wasn't that partly john's fault for having such an enticing offspring?

The thought was meant to be light hearted but held a bitter after taste. Yassen had a habit not thinking about john but lately it was becoming impossible since he was seeing the spitting image of his old mentor everyday and ever more harsh having to teach Alex the very same skills that had learned from the boy's father.

Alex stirred against his arm. Inching closer to Yassen's larger and warmer body in his sleep. Yassen moved his arm pulling it out of the boy's grip. Two blurry auburn eyes opened to see what he was doing but once the arm settled around his back and pulled him even closer they shut once more. Alex rested his head against the man's shoulder and slipped back into sleep.

As he turned his gaze back to the river Yassen realized that in the time it took for those simple movements his heavy mood had dissipated. So this is what love felt like. He had almost forgotten over the last fourteen years.

Yassen moved the arm that was cradling Alex's back and reached his hand up so he could run his fingers through his soft fair hair. So that's it then, he was really in love with this fourteen year old kid.

In the sort time he had known Alex Yassen had always tried to protect him. At the time his only thought was that he didn't want to see the boy die. He had rationalized that it was because he couldn't tolerate seeing the last spark of john's life extinguished. however in the time since he had been given the task of training the teen he had discovered that Alex meant much more to him than just being john's son and it wasn't just the dept he owed to the boy's father that bound him to the youth.

It was much more than that, Alex was a marvel all of his own. He could outwit billionaires with unlimited resources and small armies of men at their command, live though the most dangerous situations and could stare right into the face of death and not quaver in fright.

It was true that these were all qualities that Yassen had envied and admired in his father. But then there were the things that were unique to Alex. Like the snarky way he treated the evil men he dealt with despite the fact they could kill him without a second thought or the way he always followed his moral compass doing anything it took to save innocent lives. Alex obviously believed that life was much more priceless than Yassen had ever considered it.

But then there were smaller things: the adorable way Alex pouted when he didn't get his way, his enthusiasm when being taught a new skill or that that puerile look in his eyes that mercilessly egged on the part of Yassen that perpetually wanted to molest the poor boy. An intangible purity that hung about Alex that entranced Yassen to no end.

Sadly it was this same quality that made him it so sad to see Alex forced into the same work as his father. Alex murmured in his sleep as if privy to the troubled thoughts. Yassen did catch the words but he gave the younger's back a few gentle strokes till he settled back down.

Yassen couldn't help asking himself how this adorable and innocent boy could get mixed up in this world of death and deception. Alex may have been a natural at it but he was still only fourteen and with every death he saw, every cruel merciless tyrant he met and every brush with certain demise it took away a little of his own humanity and made his kind heart freeze over a little more. Urging him ever closer to the cold emotionless limbo that Yassen felt everyday of his life.

In fact it may have already been too late. After all here he was joining scorpia apparently giving up on his beloved value of human life and all of his desire to be a normal teenage boy. The malice of the life Yassen led felt all the more real when he was watching it happen to Alex.

Maybe it was time for another "one last mission". Invisible Sword would soon take place he could collect his share of the profits and leave. He was a free man and after spending most his life working for scorpia and he was due for retirement. However taking Alex with him would be far more of an issue. He very much doubted Julia Rothman would let her new most promising assassin slip through her fingers. Also Yassen was very aware of the crush the woman had had on the boy's father and was cretin it would only add to her determination to keep him.

One of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world vs. him and Alex… No problem. Of course it would take more planning but Yassen had made up his mind. He was getting out of this line of work and he was taking Alex with him.

It was just as Yassen was reaffirming this in his mind that the boat appeared its ivory nose slowing appearing from around the bend in the river.

"Chyort voz'mi!" Yassen growled. He didn't usually cuss in his native tongue but that would make it the second time today he had done so.

Yassen should have woken Alex long before this point in time and at this rate it was unlikely Alex would be awake enough to make his way back silently into the forest once the mark had gone down. Of course the fault was all Yassen's but he couldn't help placing some of the blame on how damn cute Alex was when he was sleeping.

Yassen lifted his arm from the other's back and dug his elbow viscously into the soft stomach of the sleeping body beside him only realizing after that it may have been a little too harsh. Alex coughed loudly as the air was pushed from his lungs. accompanied by a groan Alex's eyes blinked open fixing the elder with a look of confusion and fallowing it up with a indigent "ow!" that frightened a nearby bird which squawked loudly before flying away in a flustering of crimson feathers.

Feeling an uncharacteristic pang of regret Yassen swept up his gun and held the scope to his eye hoping that Alex would realize that shit had gotten serious and with any luck stop the flow of inane questions that he expected the teen would have after such a rude awakening. Thankfully Alex's attention had been drawn by the light reflecting off the stainless steel handrails of the approaching boat and had put two and two together. He rubbed his eyes forcing himself to wake up. His body waking up stretching then stiffening as he prepared himself for the kill. Yassen watched him out of the corner of his eye inwardly praising the youth for his quick reaction time.

Leisurely the boat began to float along the river the motor was turned off and the craft was using the current for momentum allowing it to travel soundlessly through the jungle. The type of the watercraft appeared to be something between a small motorboat and a yacht. Compact size but sporting such luxuries as a concealed living area, hot tub, and patio like area on the bow.

Just as Yassen had predicted the mark was sitting at a picnic table on the front of the ship sipping on a large glass of juice topped with a slice of orange and maraschino cherry. he did this almost every morning he would often tell his friends that it was the best way to experience the jungle but today it was a habit that would cost him his life. He appeared to be alone on the boat however Yassen knew that the mark never went anywhere without his secretary. Doubtless the other man was below deck perhaps making another drink for his boss.

But Yassen had planed his assassination precisely for the mark would have normally had many other workers on board. However, today was a national holiday for the country and many would have the day off. 'The fewer witnesses the better' the contract killer smiled to himself.

Yassen finally felt like he was in his element. Holding the hard metal of the deadly accurate weapon that he had become so used to using it felt almost as natural as eating soup with a spoon. He adjusted his breathing into sluggish deep inhalations slowing down the beat of his own heart to allow for a perfect shot.

His almost feminine eyelashes brushed against the thin glass of the sight as his picked out his target. For a split second Yassen wavered switching his sight between the heart and the head deciding which would be the best shot from this angel. The heart was a bigger target but if he miscalculated the mark could survive. The head was a harder shot but as long as he hit the brain the mark would die in seconds. He decided on the head taking full faith in his marksmanship knowing his hands had never failed him before.

Just like he had taught Alex one must never hesitate before the kill so as soon as he had picked his target he tightened his finger around the trigger. A brief shuddering of the weapon under Yassen's fingers and in the space of less than a second, 7.62 millimeters of metal shot across the river traveling at a speed approaching a thousand meters per second before it found its target and buried itself perfectly between the man's eyes .

The bang that followed the gunshot cut the silence of the jungle like a hot knife through butter. Thousands of nearby animals were startled into fleeing and the forest came alive with squawks squeals and screeches. The rustling of foliage became almost deafening as all the creatures made to escape from whatever made that bone chilling sound. Beside him Alex stated as well but unlike the animals he didn't run. He was frozen in place waiting for the elder's signal. Yassen remained passive he was waiting for his second target.

Sure enough the commotion had been enough to lure the secretary up onto deck the second man appeared near the back of the boat then strode quickly up to the bow where his eyes fell on the downed corpse of his former employer.

He barely had time to register the horror of the situation before a second "bang!" Echoed through the forest leaving him to fall to the deck a small stream of blood trailing down from a red dot in his forehead identical to the one his boss was sporting.

Yassen could see feel Alex shiver beside him as the second shot went off. He flicked the safety back on and with one swift movement he threw the gun over his shoulder. Tightening the strap with a few precise hand movements. He gave Alex the signal that it was time to move.

The boy that had been crouched beside him his whole body tensed like a spring, shot up without a second thought. He was up and running like a bat out of hell Yassen fallowed hot on his heals although there was not much need to run seeing as both hostiles were neutralized. However Alex wasn't wrong for moving fast and this would be good practice for the missions when a speedy exit would be required.

However Yassen guessed that this wasn't the real reason Alex was running. He could vividly remember the look on Alex's face just before he had given him the signal. It was one of wide eyed terror, shock and abhorrence. Yassen guessed that his motivation was less about practice and more about wanting to put as much room as he could between himself and the dead men.

It would seem that little Alex was still not used to killing when it didn't mean life or death for himself… and with any luck he would never have to, Yassen reminded himself.

The elder raised his head. Alex was a few steps ahead of him. Moving from foot to foot avoiding trees, roots, plant life and potholes with staggering amount of grace almost like a bird. Yassen smiled to himself reassuring the lovely notion that one day the adorable little angel that flitted in fount of him would soon be his.

***

Back on the glimmering water's of the winding lake the proud S.S. Rebecca who now without a human crew to steer her soon marooned herself on the side of the lake. getting tangled up in a low hanging tree whose braches twisted up in her shining guiderails which just this morning had been polished to a mirror shine by the man who lay dead alongside his most trusted employee and best friend. Their blood pooling together staining her deck a sickly red.

It would be at least twenty four hours before a boat load of tourists stumbled upon the shipwreck and discovered what was left of the two men it carried. Minus a few body parts that some the carnivorous animals of the forest had taken for an easy but not particularly appetizing meal. They would call the police and an investigation would begin but by that time Yassen Gregorovich and his son Alexei Gregorovich would have finished their African vacation and caught the next flight home.