Assemble the Kingsman

My knuckles were turning white from gripping the steering wheel harshly. Cars were honking around me as I maneuvered around them with Eggsy scared out of his wits.

“Soph be careful! Maybe I should drive…”

“I’m sorry! I just…I just can’t believe that happened. We saw him get murdered and we could do nothing about it.” I sighed sadly and kept speeding through traffic.

“Yous never seen someone get killed? But you’re a spy, thought you would’ve killed a dozen criminals Soph.” Eggsy held my free hand and locked his fingers with mine. I gave a firm squeeze to his hand.

“Eggsy. At Kingsman the most we do is at least make the target unconscious. That’s the most I’ve ever had to do. I’ve had gun training but stunning the target makes getting the information and cleaning up easier. If they’re someone like Valentine though, we know what we have to do. I can’t do this alone Eggsy, I need you here with me to finish this job and save the world. Please don’t make me do this alone.” I pleaded.

We pulled up to the front of the Kingsman tailor shop. I put the car in park and Eggsy leaned over and cupped my face and gave me a firm kiss. I kissed back and cupped his cheek. Eggsy pulled away.

“We’re in this together Soph. I’m not letting you do this by yourself. And after this is all over, I’m taking you on a proper date ya hear?” I laughed slightly.

“Can’t say no to that.” We walked inside the tailor shop and one of the men at the desk informed us my grandad was in. Eggsy looked torn from what happened to Harry and I hated seeing him like that. Eggsy pushed opened the doors and my grandad came into view. I didn’t want to cry in front of him so Eggsy had decided to speak up.

“Arthur…Harry’s dead.”
Grandad was quiet for a moment. “Galahad is dead. Hence we had just drank a toast to him.” Why didn’t he actually use Harry’s name?

“Well then you know what that psycho’s doing? How many people in the world have them sim cards?” Valentine could send his signal to any of them, even all of them! If they go old homicidal at the same time then-“

“-Indeed.” Grandad had cut Eggsy off. “And thanks to Galahad’s recording, we have Valentine’s confession. The intelligence has been passed on to the authorities. Our work is complete. And a most distinguished legacy for our fallen friend.”

“Then that’s it?” Eggsy asked with a cracked voice and a sorrowful look in his eyes.

“Grandad can’t we actually stop him? Instead of just giving this confession to the authorities, why don’t we go down there right now and bomb the hell out of his hideout. We have to do something to avenge Harry!” Grandad stopped me by putting his hand up and silencing me.

“Guinevere please. I know this is troublesome for you, but our mission is complete. We have done our part. Both of you come sit down.” We both walked towards him and we both sat next to Grandad and were across from each other with questioning looks on our faces.

“This is an 1815 Napoleonic Brandy. And we only drink it when we lose a Kingsman.” He sat small shot glasses in front of us and Eggsy was looking at something on my grandad. I looked at him confused and mouthed “What?” at him and he just shook his head before pretending to listen to my grandad babble on.

“On this occasion, I think it is acceptable for all of us to bend the rules a little.” That was different of him. He never liked breaking rules. Why now? As grandad set the glass pitcher of brandy down, Eggsy had pointed to the portraits of the founders of Kingsman and we all took a glance before having a drink.

“I want you both to join me in a toast. To Galahad.” He raised our glasses before clinking them together and gulping down the brandy. Eggsy’s expression had changed when speaking to grandad.
“Harry said you don’t like to break rules Arthur. Why now?” Eggsy asked, nodding towards the brandy.

Grandad chuckled slightly. “You’re very good Eggsy. Perhaps I will make you my proposal for Galahad’s position.”

“Grandad. This isn’t like you at all. What’s going on?” I asked confused.

“Provided that we can all see eye to eye Guinevere, on certain political matters.” Grandad had reached into his pocket and pulled out one of our Kingsman weapons. It was the remote pen with the removable poison.

“Can you guess what this is?” Grandad asked Eggsy.

“Don’t have to, Harry and Soph showed me. You click it, we die. I thought that brandy tasted a bit shit.”

I couldn’t believe. My own fucking grandfather put poison in the brandy. Was he going to kill us or did he have something else planned. I stood up slowly.

“Grandad, I don’t know what the fuck this is about but think what you’re about to do. You’ve always told us to do what’s right but poisoning us for whatever reason is not the way of the Kingsman.”

“Valentine won you over. Somehow.” Eggsy said to Grandad.

“No….” I sat back down in shock and couldn’t even look my grandad in the eyes. Valentine won him over?!

“Guinevere you have got to understand that once he explained, I understood. I believe you can as well since you have a very intelligent mind. Both of you do and we could all see eye to eye. He explained that mankind is the virus and either the host kills the virus or the virus kills the host. Either way the result is the same. The virus dies.”

“So Valentine is gonna take care of the population himself.” Eggsy concluded. I felt like I was in a bad dream. This couldn’t be happening. It felt like everything I knew now was a lie.

“If we don’t do something, nature will. In history you see Valentine, as the man who saved humanity from extinction.”

“Does he get to choose who he wants to keep and kill then grandad? That old, timid mind of yours must be going away slowly because this is murder. This something not to be put in a child’s history book.” I spat out at him.

“All his rich friends, they get to live and anyone he thinks worth saving he’s keeping them save. Whether they agree with him or not?” Eggsy asked.

“And both of you. In Harry’s honor, I am inviting both of you to be part of a new world. It’s time to make your decisions.” Eggsy and I looked at each other. I gave a slight shook of my head. Eggsy looked back at grandad.

“I’d rather be with Harry. Thanks.” Grandad looked at me. I gave a slight laugh before responding.
“What would Mum think of you? Knowing you sold out and got won over by some psychotic killer. She would be ashamed of you. Knowing you tried to poison your own granddaughter and tried to force me to pick a side. I can’t side with someone like you. You were never the person I thought you were. You’re a liar and I hope you burn in the deepest whole in hell. Go fuck yourself Arthur.”

Arthur looked at me in disappointment and looked back and forth between us. “So be it.” He pressed down the hook on the pen and I waited to slowly feel deaths grip on me. But it never came. What the hell? I looked up at Eggsy and he looked completely fine. But we both drank it! I noticed Arthur looking like he was in pain.

“The problem with us common types is, that we’re light fingered. Kingsman taught me a lot but slight of hand I had that down already.” Eggsy switched the glasses while he distracted Arthur and I with the portraits of other Kingsman. I smirked slightly at Eggsy while Arthur gave Eggsy very kind last words.

“You dirty little fucking prick.” Before ending up face down on the table. I looked at Arthur. Then at Eggsy. “He fucking sold out. He’s not the man I thought he was.”

I covered my face in frustration. “How could I have been so stupid Eggsy?”. Eggsy grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

“Sophie you aren’t stupid-"

“Why did I believe he was man I thought he was?! HE SOLD OUT EVERYTHING! The human race, his family and most of all Kingsman! The one thing that he worked so hard on!” I sighed and looked at Eggsy apologetically.

“I’m sorry I yelled Eggsy. This is just hard to take in. I don’t know how my mum is going to take this." Eggsy smiled at me.

“It’s alright Soph. It won’t be easy telling your mum but I know you’ll be there for her. And so will I. You both did help me when I needed it the most.” I smiled back before wiping my tears. I looked at Grandad.

“Looks like we’ll have to let Merlin know. Grandad will need a funeral.” I said, scooting towards his seat. I took off his Kingsman glasses. This was the last time he’d be wearing these. While I was taking off his glasses, I noticed Eggsy looking at the side of his face strangely. He took the pen that had the poison in it in his hand and jabbed.

“Eggsy! What the hell are you doing?!”

I saw him get this disgusted and confused look. He pulled out something that looked to be a chip. I walked towards Eggsy to analyze the chip. He grabbed Grandad’s phone then and a screen popped up saying, “V-DAY STARTS IN 06:00:00. GET TO A SAFE ZONE OR FLY TO 66 58’ 30.0” N / 61 43’04.8” E” and starting counting down. Eggsy and I looked at each other. We took the chip and Grandad’s phone and ran to the secret room that leads to headquarters down stairs. I put my glasses on and got a hold of Merlin.

“Merlin? Merlin are you there? We have a major problem. Arthur’s dead and he was conspiring with Valentine. There’s a countdown for something and we need to figure out what it is before it’s too late.” I never got an answer and took my glasses off. I was breathing heavily.

“Eggsy, Merlin isn’t responding. My grandfather betrayed us and the world is about to go to shit.” Eggsy held me while I tried to control my breathing. I have never felt so lost and scared in my whole life. And I’ve dealt with bombs and terrorists. We were underground finally and rode the transport to main headquarters. I couldn’t stop shaking and thinking about what was going to happen. When we arrived, the first thing we were greeted with was a gun pointed in our faces. Eggsy put his hands up while I looked at Roxy and Merlin confused.

“What’s going on? Stand down Lancelot.” I said to Roxy. She didn’t oblige.

“You and Eggsy were the only ones with Arthur. Unless you have proof, I’m afraid the only options are to either kill both of you or take you into custody.” Merlin said. I sighed irritably before I showed the countdown screen to Merlin. He slowly approached me and took the phone and stood next to Roxy. He looked at the phone, observing what was on the screen.

“It’s okay Lancelot, put it down. It’s verified.” Roxy looked over at Merlin before she put her gun down.
She looked at me with an apologetic look. “Arthur’s phone is receiving updated texts about getting to safety. We don’t have a lot of time.” Merlin said quickly.

“What are you gonna do?” Eggsy asked.

“The question is what are we going to do. Lord knows who’s in Valentine’s pocket and who’s not.”

Merlin looked almost lost.“We have no choice. We’re gonna have to deal with this ourselves.” We all looked at each other. We weren’t sure what we were gonna do. But something had to be done. Merlin had us follow him then to the jet.

“Sophie I’m really sorry for that.” Roxy said as we were heading to the jet. I shook my head as we walked.

“Rox, you were doing what you were trained to do. If anything, if I was in your position, I would’ve done the same.” I gave her a reassuring smile. Merlin had grabbed a large black bag and heaved it onto the jet before we stepped inside. He sat it by us as he went to the front to control the jet.
As we unzipped it, I knew exactly what it was. Eggsy and Roxy weren’t so sure.

“What you’re playing with is a prototype personal tranferric vehicle. Based off a Star Wars project but basic. It should still work.” With a smirk Merlin continued,

“We’re gonna take out one of Valentine’s satellites.”