Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Hello, please note that this chapter and the next were edited a little from the original on Monday 14/12/09

Hello, this is my first story on fanfiction so please give me a chance and support. Any constructive feedback is welcome.

Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider or Cherub

Warnings: there will be mentions of not explicit torture, and violence

There will be slash, not central to the story, but present in later chapters

Setting/Time: 1 3/4 years after Snakehead (Alex is 16). Alex arrives at Cherub during the food-fight in the very end of "The Fall".

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"Jones, Blunt." stated a small, but wiry blond boy. "Agent Rider" the old, nondescript man said by way of reply.

"You can't send me on another yet, in my current state I'm completely useless," indeed the boy was bandaged and bruised "not that I'd want to go, anyway." Mr Blunt flinched a bit under the intense glare of blame and hatred he was receiving. Not many people wouldn't. The 16-year-old's brown eyes were blank most of the time but anyone could read the deep pain and hurt of someone who had seen too much in their depths. And, despite his size, he could deliver a most frightening glare when he wanted to.

"No, we know that Alex. We're not sending you on another mission. We have discussed and agreed that you're not safe, and as there is nothing to keep you here, we're going to send you to Cherub." At the teen's questioning raised eyebrow, Mrs Jones explained, also handing over a folder, which Alex proceeded to flick through. "Cherub is a highly secret organization under MI5 which trains children from the ages of 10-18 and send them on mediocre missions…."

Seeing the angry glint in Alex's eyes and guessing what was coming, Mrs Jones trailed off. "An organization of trained, child spies?" the grown-ups felt chills go down their spines at his soft, deadly, controlled voice. "Why on earth did you ever recruit me, when you had a whole f- organization of mini spies? Tell me why" his voice was shaking in rage as he finished.

"Because, Alex, they are not you. They don't have your experiences" he was cut off. "Maybe they would if you used them in the first place and never touched my life." By this point he was shaking with rage, his tightly controlled tone terrified the adults in front of him, though no emotion made its way onto their faces. The heads of MI6 knew exactly what agent Rider was capable of, and knew that should he ever turn on them there was most likely nothing they could do that could stop him. Since sending Miss Starbright back to America one and a half years ago Alex had been loyal to himself and those who he considered his only. Needless to say, MI6 was not considered 'his'. Both adults knew they needed to give Alex incentive to go.

"We are sending you there as a sort of holiday and relaxation period." Mrs Jones said "our plan was to implement you as a teacher for the agents. They are too overconfident and undisciplined to survive for long in this business and one day one will die, or be injured or tortured if they continue as they are. You have the chance now to make sure that what happened to you will never happen to one of them, to keep them alive. Will you withhold your expertise and send them into a field which they have no idea how to navigate? Not to mention that this is relaxing compared to your normal life, and will give you a time to rest and interact with other children."

Alex sat in stony contemplation, thinking through the points she had brought up. He was in need of a rest, the physical and mental stress and injuries he had were overwhelming. A holiday was indeed what he needed. But the real deciding factors were his own experiences in the business. He couldn't let the Cherubs continue as they were, because Mrs Jones was completely correct, they were over their heads, and it was only a matter of time before one of them died. Alex knew he couldn't leave this alone and would make sure that nothing had happened to him would happen to them, wouldn't let them break like he had been broken.

"I'll do it, but I want full reign over their training. Otherwise there is no point in me going. Another thing, I won't train the rookies, only those who have passed basic training."

"Of course, a car will pick you up at 7pm"

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Zara Asker sat in her office and sighed and massaged her temples, trying to gain some relief against the now constant headache that came with running Cherub and being a mother.

Recent events had given her even more reason to worry. What had almost happened in James and Lauren's missions had scared her and been a wake-up call to the whole campus. The Cherubs needed to be more prepared and Zara had called in a favor with MI6 for a teacher. The file which had come back to her was frightening. Agent Rider was apparently the best for the job, and he had an excellent success record and amount of experience. But what he had gone through made her feel sympathy towards him and anger to MI6, and strengthened her resolve to adding to cherub's training. She would do everything in her power to protect her Cherubs from the fate of this Alex Rider.

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Hi, I'm just going to warn anyone that that updates will happen but they will be irregular and often far between, but they will come.

Please review. Flames are welcome so long as it is constructive criticism, because if there are any shortcomings I would like to hear about them.