Inescapable History, Inescapable Fates

He's a person too

An hour later Alex quietly entered room 501. Rafael was leaning against a desk in his business suit with a smile. Alex threw his arms around him.

"How you doing kid," He asked in Spanish and Alex felt himself breathe out for the first time since he left Mexico for a safe house in America and then England, two months before.

"How are you here?" Alex asked.

Rafael released him, and Alex sat on the desk beside him, "Zahra convince Sandhurst they should let some Mexican political officials tour, apparently the Brits are building goodwill with the new administration"

"Can they build goodwill by not sanctioning us for making independent economic decisions?"

Rafael laughed, and motioned to their general surroundings, "That's why we're doing what we're doing. Zah-" Rafael glanced at the door, hearing voices on the other side. If someone was eavesdropping they were screwed anyways, Alex figured. "I mean, headquarters- is working a plan through the administration to build a British-style military school in Mexico that will require much touring."

"That seems... counter to our goals."

"She'll torpedo the plan once we've finished. We shouldn't- " Rafael threw another look at the door, "Just tell me how things are with Henry."

"He's the worst," Rafael raised an unsurprised eyebrow, "He has his stupid fucking hair and-"

Rafael threw up his hands to stop Alex, "What's wrong with his hair?"

"I don't know ok? It just annoys me. Not only is he a bootlicking colonizer who wants to join wars so he can kill people just like his daddy and grandaddy killed people, he is also Really. Fucking. Annoying."

Rafael smiled, maybe understanding something Alex didn't, "He's a looker though,"

Alex pulled a face, "Yeah, I mean if you're into, like, fairy-tale princes. He made me sign NDAs because he's gay and they don't want the press knowing."

"He's gay?" Raf said in surprise, and then, "Oh yeah, that makes sense." After mentally reviewing months of research on Henry Fox.

"How does it make sense?" Alex said, and then, realizing he sounded too accusatory, added, "I mean just, Nora said the same thing and, like, why?"

"We both just have impeccable gaydar." Raf laughed and Alex shoved him.

"I mean, I'm just murdering him so it doesn't matter."

"Actually, clandestine hookups might put him in convenient locations at convenient times," Rafael said sagely. Alex nodded after a moment's hesitation, he had forgotten that within the official plan he was not supposed to get caught. "Now that I'm-"

"No," Alex cut him off before he began the thought, "This is my... you promised me this one-"

"Alex," Rafael said, his voice pleading.

"No. It was my family Raf, I-" Rafael pulled him into his side, comfortingly. Alex pushed away and hopped off the table. He paced in front of Raf. He wasn't sad, he was angry.

"Alex."

"I'm not going to get caught. Trust me to do this."

"Look, Kid,"

"I'm not a kid anymore Raf." Alex nearly shouted, eyes blazing. They both immediately looked to the door, but everyone was at lunch.

Rafael threw up his hands, "This is your op, fair enough. But the goal is not revenge. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I just care about this one. And I hate Henry. Like I hate him."

"He's a person too," Raf said emphatically.

Alex took a deep breath, "By the least violent means necessary." Sometimes the least violent means necessary were very, very violent.

Raf squeezed his shoulder on the way out, "don't let your feelings get in the way of the mission."