A.N: I girlinatrenchcoat hereby disclaim this piece of (sadly) fiction and hope that I will, one day in the future, be the rightful owner of Alex Rider & co. (But we all know how likely that is...)

Day 1, 2230 GMT, Brecon Beacons

"I wonder why the Sarge called all of us to a meeting in the lecture hall today." Said Eagle, walking at a brisk pace with the rest if K-Unit following, none of them wanted to be late. It was a gloomy day, the clouds stirred creating the look of a tornado. But, the soldiers at Brecon Beacons were used to it.

"Well, you Idiot, that's why we're going!" Wolf exclaimed while shaking his head. Sometimes, he worried for Eagle. Snake choose this moment to speak up.

"Where's Cub?" He asked, actually worried for the kid. It was not every day a kid trained at Brecon Beacons.

"I'm right here," Cub replied seemingly appearing out of the shadows. It has been a week since he got to the SAS camp and the soldiers still haven't gotten used to him. Wolf just ignored him but Eagle was a little rougher. In fact, last night was not something Alex would forget.

Alex woke up with a scream in the back of his throat and teeth drawing blood from his bottom lip. He just sat there, staring up at the wooden ceiling trying to get his breathing under control. Ever since Egypt happened, he hasn't had a peaceful sleep. His enemies hunted him whether he was awake or not, controlling his dreams and taking the shape of morbid creatures.

Alex got up and made his way across the Cabin and outside as quietly as he could. But it wasn't quiet enough for as soon as Alex was outside, Eagle jumped up and followed him. Alex made his way past the other cabins and toward the bath houses, but as soon as Alex entered the Toilet area, Eagle made his move. Eagle linked his foot around Cub's and pulled back causing the boy to fall. While Alex was on his stomach, Eagle Kneeled and placed a knee on Alex's back, exactly on the other side of where the bullet from the sniper entered his body.

Alex groaned at the pressure on his back but Eagle mistook this for weakness and taunted him.

"Bloody school kid, can't even take being tripped without crying out in pain. You know what you are Cub?" he paused as if waiting for a response. When he got none, he dug his knee deeper into the boy's back and yelled into his ear, "Answer me Maggot!"

Immediately sensing danger, Cub grunted out, "No Sir!"

Eagle smiled, and Replied, "A wuss Cub, a wuss. And do you know what we do to wusses Cub?"

"No sir," Came the response.

"We give them a good dunk in the toilet." And with that, Eagle got up and dragged poor Alex over into a stall and tried to shove his head into the Toilet Bowl. However, Alex held on to the seat of the toilet and pushed backward, doing everything he could to stop his face from being submerged in the brown, murky water of the toilet. But the scar on his chest caused a burst of pain from the overexertion and his arms gave out. The sudden release of force caused his head or to flying into the water but on its way his head his the seat of the toilet. That was going to leave a nasty bruise

Eagle smiled a sadistic smile and started counting the seconds the brat was underwater.

1 (He could do this)

.

2 (Just hold his breath)

.

3 (Don't panic, whatever you do don't panic)

.

4 (It can't be much longer)

.

5 (His chest was starting to burn)

.

6 (His chest was throbbing)

.

7 (God, it was like being water boarded by the CIA all over again)

.

8 (Can't take much longer)

.

9 (he could hear his heart beating in his ears)

.

And

. (Come on!)

. (Hurry up!)

10!

He let the kid up, not wanting to drown the boy and left, running for the safety Cabin because he knew that whatever happened, his unit would always take his side and hey, majority rules. Alex fell over backward and lay there gasping for breath, his face pale as the moon. He reached up and used his sleeve to wipe off the grime from his face. Then and there, he swore, he would get his revenge, one way or another.

Last night wasn't the first time it happened either. Every night for the one week he had been here, one of the teammates (never his teammates, always the teammates) would do something to him, whether it was verbal or physical, it was something and it hurt.

"Come on Cub, we can't spend all day daydreaming!" Their taunting was merciless this time it was Snake. The good thing about Snake was in his mind, violence was the last possible option. When Snake saw the bruise on his face this morning, his face immediately morphed into one of disapproval at the other two members on K-Unit. Eagle couldn't meet his eyes and Snake know that it was him.

Finally after what felt like forever of unrelenting taunting, they finally reached the lecture hall. They stepped through the doorway one after the other with Cub coming in last.

After he saw the picture being projected onto the board, his face lost all the characteristics that made him look like a kid and more like a spy. His eyes lost all feeling and emotion, his lips retreated into a thin line, and his sense of self-pity disappeared and was replaced with Rage. Rage at Scorpia. Rage at Ash. The picture on the board was John Rider.

The rest of the Units noticed the change in the boy as he made his way over to the last available seat in the front row, next to Eagle. Cub didn't mind though. All he could think about was why his father's picture was on the board.

Were they going to learn about him?

What he did for his country?

Which story will they learn, the real one, or the cover story?

With all this circling around in his head, he almost missed the start of the lecture.

"Today, we have a different kind of lecture. Normally this would be classified information but MI6 gave all of you in this room today the necessary clearance." The sergeant said.

"The man on the board behind me is John Rider, codenamed Bear. He was one of the best soldier I have ever seen and was here around 15 years ago. He never leaves a man behind, no matter what the man did to John. All of these didn't matter to him. And that was why he was recruited into MI6 for an undercover mission. A mission involving Scorpia."

The entire room inhaled at the mention of the name. Everyone, except Alex. He already know this and didn't know how much longer he could take.

"He was sent deep undercover into the organization as a recruit with a cover story that he was dishonorably discharged. Scorpia needed a man of his talents. John could shoot any target from a greatest distance of 200 meters. He was going to train to be an assassin. Rider moved through the ranks and soon became one of Scorpia's best operatives.

Time passed and it soon got too dangerous for Rider to be there. He wanted out and MI6 gave it to him. Rider got himself captured by MI6 at the same time Scorpia kidnapped a boy by the name of George Adair. They traded John for Adair in which MI6 pretended to shoot Rider and fake his death. A couple of days later John and his Wife were on their way to France in a plane went a Scorpia bomb killed them both."

The room was silent at the last sentence. But, nobody was affected more than Alex. His head was bowed and his eyes were scrunched up as if trying to push those images from his mind. Eagle noticed Cub's position and whispered into his ear, "Scared double-o-nothing?"

The taunting never stopped. Ever.

"All of what I told you is true, except for that last sentence. John Rider is Alive."

Alex's head snapped up and gazed directly into the eyes of the sergeant.

Was this all an elaborate prank?

How could this be true?

At that same moment a man walked into the room. He had the same blond hair and eyes as Cub but the only person who noticed this was Cub himself. He was a Xerox of the man on the board. The confidence and authority he possessed filled the room and caused every soldier in the room to stand up and applaud. They were applauding for the man's courage and integrity.

John Rider's eyes immediately scanned the entire room making sure he didn't miss a face but Alex, being shorter than the rest of the men could not be seen.

Alex couldn't decipher all the thoughts and emotions running through him but one thing was clear: he needed to see his dad. Alex pushed his way through the crowd; none of the soldiers liked being shoved aside. Finally, Alex made it to the front of the pack and locked eyes with John Rider. He felt like he had been punched. His father, who had been dead for all of his life was standing in front of him. His daddy was right there, and all he could do was stare.

John felt the air whoosh out of his lungs and his face morphed one of shock. The soldiers stopped clapping and it was dead silent in the lecture hall. Everyone was watching the reaction between the two.

"Alex?" John whispered. His voice carried across the room easily.

"Dad?" Alex replied.

At this moment, Alex couldn't help it. It was like a magnetic attraction between him and his dad. Alex launched himself into his dad's outstretched hands and pulled him into a fierce hug. Alex couldn't help it, he buried his head into his dad's neck started crying. And, much to Alex's surprise, John started to shake.

"Alex, I'm so, so sorry." John whispered. They stayed like that for a long time.