Chapter Text
There was something about being back on American soil that made a tingle race up Alex's spine. He got the same feeling when he returned to Russia, but he wasn't entirely convinced that that wasn't radiation. It was both typical and concerning that he seemed to have come to associate home with 'place where people want to kill me'. Maybe that was the problem in Cardiff, no one was after him specifically and he wasn't even planning to betray anyone so that they would want to kill him in the future. It was downright disconcerting. If it hadn't been for the aliens trying to destroy the world, or at least his part of it, at regular intervals then he would have been getting positively edgy.
Airports weren't Alex's favourite places in the world. It wasn't just the amount of shit that had gone down in them, although that was a factor, but anywhere that Alex was required to provide verifiable identification to twitchy, jumped-up security guards was low down on his list of favourite destinations. Being met by a professional suit before he was even through immigration traditionally didn't bode well either. The alert way that the man quickly evaluated every person in the room made Alex think secret service; the big question was which one? Alex was categorising escape routes and potential improvised weapons as he walked towards the blond agent. At least the man was too well-dressed to be Consortium. There was, of course, the small chance that this deviation from normal routine had nothing to do with him, but there was also a small chance that Mulder would break all the conditioning and memory wipes that had been forced on him - Alex wasn't holding out hope for either.
The man inclined his head in greeting as Alex approached.
"You must be Alexander Krycek. Nicholas Brocklehurst, Councillor for External Affairs at the Embassy. I'll be your liaison here."
So this was the man that Ianto and Jack had spoken of. Alex put out his hand "Alex," he offered. "Torchwood Three, Cardiff".
Nicholas' handshake was firm and dry, his expression as friendly and welcoming as a spider enticing flies into its parlour. Alex allowed himself to relax slightly and study Nicholas as a colleague rather than an immediate threat. Not that Alex had any intention of forgetting exactly what Nicholas really was. Nicholas wasn't that much older then Alex and one didn't work one's way up to be the embedded MI6 operative in one of Britain's most important embassies by being wholly on the side of the angels. Working as an agent among apparent allies was not a sabbatical but called for a particularly deft touch and capacity for deception with a smile. He was good looking enough, Alex supposed. Blond hair, utilitarian but fashionable. A touch shorter than Alex himself but not enough to be noticeable, and slightly more slender in build, jacket cut to flatter and to hide the gun that Nicholas carried easily. Pale blue eyes took in the nuances of Alex's bearing and dress and Alex wondered with professional curiosity what Nicholas made of him in turn and what Nicholas had been told.
In their own ways both Ianto and Jack had been annoyingly closed-mouthed when it came to Nicholas; Ianto discreet and saying little and Jack indiscreet and saying less. While Alex didn't necessarily disagree with Jack's mostly lascivious assessment of Nicholas, he was beginning to suspect that Jack had a penchant for professional men who wore their suits like a uniform. Age, experience and, Alex was inclined to think, situational morality aside, Ianto and Nicholas were two little peas in a carefully turned-out pod.
"Do you have much luggage? We have to pick up a bag coming through diplomatic channels but that should give the baggage handlers time to work." Nicholas gestured in the direction they needed to go. The security guards eyed them suspiciously and glared unhappily at Nicholas' credentials as he led them into the bowels of Dulles.
"Did Jack tell you that there might be some potential complications with my visit?" Alex asked as he fell into step besides Nicholas.
"Your Agent Mulder?" Nicholas' gaze flicked to him for a moment before returning to their route. "Yes, he filled me in on the pertinent details. You're here on a diplomatic visa so you have immunity, but try not to need it. You are staying at the residence for now, partly to minimise the chances of accidental exposure and partly because we expect you will be mostly based there."
Reaching their first destination, Nicholas signed for the package and to Alex's surprise handed it over to him. He understood as soon as he felt the familiar weight in his hand. He sent a silent thanks to Ianto whom, surely, it must have been who had arranged for Alex's gun to follow him back across the Atlantic. Lacking a holster, and not wanting to risk misunderstandings, Alex slipped the courier bag unopened into his pocket. Nicholas nodded in what Alex thought was approval and led the way to baggage claim.