He needs more information

“I can’t make a decision until I know what the fuck is happening,” says Alex. “One minute I’m walking down the street, and the next minute someone is taking shots at me. Now I’m running from someone, being told I’ve been ‘compromised,’ and I haven’t the first clue about what is going on!”

Smithers looks a bit abashed to be on the receiving end of Alex’s fury. Katrina nods in understanding, however, and says, “Let me tell you what I know, and someone else can fill in the details later. All I know is that MI6 started picking up chatter some time ago that suggested SCORPIA was getting close to you and putting you in a position of danger or where they could get information from you.”

“SCORPIA?” asks Alex. “Why would they be interested in me? I’m just a college student now; I’m retired from the spy business.”

“They know that no one truly ‘retires’ from MI6, Alex. An agent as capable as you and as young as you has great potential to be used again, and they wanted to be in position to act when and if you were ever revealed into active duty.”

Alex considers this. “So how were they planning on getting to me?”

Katrina and Smithers exchange uncomfortable looks. Finally Smithers speaks. “It’s Sabina.”

Alex looks at them in bewilderment. “Sabina? You mean they’re going to do something to her to get to me? Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get to her and get her to safety!”

“No, Alex,” says Katrina. “SCORPIA has turned Sabina. She’s working for them now.”

Alex lets the words sink in before blowing up. “You’re out of your fucking mind! Sabina would never work for SCORPIA! Blunt is filling you a load of bullshit, and I can’t believe you’re buying into it!”

Sadly, Smithers pulls out his phone and says, “I’m afraid we got some pretty damning evidence, Alex. You should probably see this.”

He hands the phone to Alex, who sees a “PLAY” button on the screen. After one more questioning look to the others, he presses the button. Immediately the screen is filled with what appears to be a pornographic movie. Alex sees a couple going at it, hard, fast, and raw. The angle of the camera reveals only the lower portion of their bodies, but it is evident that a well-hung young man was holding nothing back in hammering away at the fit young lady beneath him. The way her legs were wrapped around his waist and the intensity with which her body met his relentless thrusts left no doubt about her appreciation of his efforts to fuck her senseless.

Alex looks up in confusion at Smithers, who blushes and awakwardly retrieves the phone. “Um... sorry about that... I thought I had it cued up to the relevant portion. Let me just...”

He speeds through the video to the portion he wishes Alex to see and hands the phone back. It takes a moment for Alex to realize it, but he is looking at a video of his own dorm room! The couple in question had been him and Sabina in one of their many fuck sessions. A glance at the time stamp in the lower corner tells him that it actually happened earlier this morning!

“You put a camera in my room?” Alex exclaims. “What kind of sick fucker does something like that? Under whose authority was this —“ A look of realization dawns on his face. “Blunt! Blunt ordered this, didn’t he?”

Katrina looks uncomfortable. “Yes, he did, Alex, but it was out of concern for you. He was worried that someone was trying to get to you.”

Alex does nothing to hide his outrage. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I ever heard! No one is trying to get to me!”

Smithers chose that unfortunate moment to resume the video, filling the van compartment with the sound of Sabina’s husky voice, saying, “Damn, Alex! I can’t wait to get to you —“ He guiltily stops the playback, and says, “Sorry.... I thought I had it cued up where I wanted it.”

Alex fumes, remembering that moment right before they parted this morning. They had just finished their morning romp in the bed, and as Alex finished getting dressed so he could head out the door, they made plans to meet up again later in the day. Sabina, in her sexy, teasing way, kissed him, squeezed his crotch, and said, “I can’t wait to get to you and show you how much I missed you!”

Katrina says, “I know you’re upset, Alex, but as soon as Smithers gets the video ready — cued up at the right place this time...” She threatens him with a menacing glare. “You’ll see what we’re talking about.”

Alex bites his tongue. Had the van been parked, he would have stormed out of there, but since they were speeding down the road, he had little choice but to remain.

At last, Smithers says, “Okay, I think I have it ready this time.” He pushes “Play,” and Alex reluctantly takes another look at the video. It still shows the same camera shot from inside his room. If he had to guess, he would say that the camera was on his bookshelf, probably hidden inside one of the textbooks he was required to purchase, but from which no reading assignments were ever given. “Probably another one of Blunt’s schemes,” he mused, recalling the £100 he wasted on the book.

He can tell from the time stamp that it was moments after he had left the room. Sabina lays back down in his bed and lazily stretches out her legs. Despite his anger, Alex feels a stirring between his legs at the sight of his sexy girlfriend, relaxing so invitingly on his bed. He sees the bedcovers, all messed up and offering evidence of all the activity the bed had witnessed while Alex and Sabina occupied it.

A couple of minutes of relative inactivity go by, and Alex is about to announce that this is all a waste of time, when he sees Sabina get up and go to her backpack and withdraw a phone. “That’s odd,” thinks Alex. “She already has a phone, and it is on the nightstand.”

He watches as she steps to the door and locks it before punching some numbers on the phone. After a few moments, she says, “It’s me. Yeah... He just left. He got a call from Blunt Something about ‘national security’ and how he was needed right away..... No, he didn’t say.... I don’t think he did; he acted completely normal toward me....” She absently grasps one of her breasts and gives it a squeeze as she speaks. “...No, he’s on foot..... Are you sure? Maybe we could wait and see what it’s all about?..... Well, I understand.... Go ahead and bring me in, then. It was fun while it lasted.”

She hangs up the phone and quickly grabs her things, but the last minutes of the video are lost on Alex as he feels a cold hand grip his heart. “This has to be another of Blunt’s schemes,” he tells himself. “There’s no way Sabina would ever betray me — or the country!”

Wordlessly, Smithers puts his phone away. Katrina lets a few moments pass for Alex to ponder what he has just seen, and then speaks.

“I’m so sorry, Alex. I know this has to be hard to take in.”

The driver again calls over his shoulder. “I need some instructions here. Where are we going?”

Katrina looks at Alex, who remains still, with a stunned look on his face. She makes a decision.

“Take us to the safe house,” she says.

Looking again at Alex, she sees that his face has grown quite white. Concerned, she says, “You look like you’re going to pass out, Alex. Would you like to lay down until we get to the safe house?”

Alex stares at her blankly.