From a less than happy childhood Alex Mason escaped to the army in search of something, but what? With a facility for languages, a ruthless disregard for himself and a definite disposition towards solitude, he was recruited into the Special Forces and subsequently MI6.
His life was, with very few exceptions, empty. Until he met Ben, but Ben was another fleeting encounter, even if the connection between them was instant. Alex had a mission and it was dangerous, duty called, with no time for sentiment.