1It was a cold morning.

Snow danced through the air before finding the solitude of the ground. People hurried down the streets to escape the biting kisses of the gentle snowflakes.

It was on this cold morning, that Alex Rider found himself staring into a face almost equally as cold as the snow outside. Alan Blunt stared into the dark brown eyes of the fourteen year old boy.

"Good morning, Alex.." he said, sharply, not sounding like he meant it at all. Alex stared at the mannequin of a man sitting in front of him.

"Not really.." he said, coldly, brushing out some snow flakes that dotted his hair. Alan Blunt stared at the boy. Mrs. Jones had been nervously sucking on a peppermint in the corner of Blunt's gray office, she could feel the tension radiating off the two.

"You're upset.." Blunt said, it didn't sound like a question.

"Yes, and you're ugly" Alex retorted "Now that we've stated the obvious, why did you call me here?"

"We need you.." Blunt said in his monotone voice

"No" Alex answered quickly

"Alex, please" Mrs. Jones interjected, her peppermint muffling her speech.

"Don't you have any other agents?!" Alex hissed

"We need someone she can trust as a friend!" Mrs. Jones snapped back. Blunt glared at her and she realized she had said to much.

"She?" Alex asked, involuntarily interested

Blunt waved a hand, dismissing the question.

"Will you help us?" Mrs. Jones asked, retaining her demeanor.

"Hm..let me think.." Alex said, sarcastically "no". He stood and turned to leave. As he walked, he shoved his arms through the sleeves of his coat. Blunt and Mrs. Jones looked on, silently.

Alex turned back and said "Give my regards to Crawley.." and then reached for the door knob.

"How is Miss Starbright?" Blunt's cold voice reached Alex's ears. He froze, his hand still on the door knob.

"..what?" Alex asked furiously, turning around to stare Blunt in his dead eyes. Alex knew very well that Blunt didn't care about the well being of Jack.

"Well, I'm sorry Alex. However, if you refuse to help us..then I see no point in helping you.." Blunt said, emotionlessly.

"...What do you mean by that..?" Alex asked, fighting to contain his rage.

"We are the one's who are keeping her in the country.." Blunt said, seeming bored "We can just as easily get her out.."

Alex stared at him with silent fury.

"Bastard.." Alex hissed, walking back to Blunt's desk. He sat down in the chair again.

"Is that a yes, then?" Mrs. Jones asked, stepping closer to the desk.

"I don't see another option.." Alex said, glaring at her so viciously that she took a step back. "What is it this time...?"

"Have you ever heard of a man named Benjamin Weer?" Mrs. Jones asked

"..He was a scientist.." Alex stated "That's about all I know.."

"Yes," Mrs. Jones nodded "Years ago, Benjamin Weer created a weapon..a bomb that could destroy the whole of England, at the least."

"You don't want me to defuse it, do you..?" Alex asked, nervously

"No, that would be far to dangerous" Mrs. Jones assured him

"And you'd probably mess it up anyways" Alan Blunt added. Alex glared at him and then looked back at Mrs. Jones. She cleared her throat and continued.

"He called it Shadow Black. Obviously, we weren't very pleased." Mrs. Jones said "He agreed to have it locked away as a national secret on one condition."

"If the vault unlocked to his DNA, and his DNA only.." Alan Blunt interrupted

"We had no choice." Mrs. Jones said "We had to agree"

"So now a group of maniacs are looking for his hair and you want me to stop them..?" Alex asked

"Close.." Mrs. Jones said "Benjamin Weer died, recently. He was cremated. Every inch of him was burned and locked in one of our safes..."

"Then what's the problem!?" Alex bursted, angrily.

Mrs. Jones ignored him. "A gang that goes by the name of Purple Fog has been known to cause terror throughout many countries. Murder. One of our previous agents working on this case has reported that Purple Fog was looking for something.."

"And what happened to him..?" Alex asked, coldly.

Mrs. Jones fell silent. A look of grief flickered across her face but she continued "We believe they're looking for Shadow Black. The safe is an impenetrable force, we thought their was no way they could get to the bomb."

"...then why the hell am I here?!" Alex asked throwing his arms up.

"We were wrong..." Alan Blunt said, coldly "There is a way. That's where you come in. Benjamin Weer had a daughter. Purple Fog has found a way to draw his DNA from hers, she must be protected"

Alex stared at him "And you want me to do it?"

"Yes.." Mrs. Jones said

"...That'll be impossible!" Alex growled, slamming his fist down onto the gray desk "Her hair could fall anywhere!"

"Since Benjamin Weer is dead, they need a certain amount of his DNA to open the vault which they can't do with a single hair. They need the girl..all of her." Alan Blunt said.

"Why can't you get Crawley to do it?" Alex asked, crossing his arms.

Mrs. Jones shifted uncomfortably. "Well..Weer's daughter is...the rebellious type. You have to get her to trust you, or she will run. She's done it before. You'll be flying to America. Her butler will be waiting for you at the Los Angeles airport. "

"She's fourteen as well, Alex, just a few months younger than you. That's why we chose you..we figured it would be easier for you two to relate."

"...Alright.." Alex sighed standing up "That doesn't sound to hard.."

"Good.." Mrs. Jones finished "Her name is Chantelle, get her to trust you, quickly." Alan Blunt pressed a button on his phone "Send Smithers in."

"Yes, Mr. Blunt" the secretary's voice rang. Second's later, the mass of fat known as Smithers squeezed into the office.

"Alex! Good to see you, old chap!" Smither's friendly voice rang out, as he patted Alex on the back.

"Hello, Mr. Smithers" Alex said with a small, doubtful, smile.

"What do you have today?" Mrs. Jones asked

"Oh, well..not much I'm afraid." Mr. Smithers chuckled. He held out a small screen and what looked like a pearl necklace in his pudgy hand.

Alex picked up the necklace incredulously. "You got me pearls?"

"Not for you" Mr. Smithers boomed, letting out a whole-hearted laugh "For the girl. It's got a tracking device implanted in the center pearl. You have to make sure she wears this at all times." He held up the screen. "This will allow you to know where she is at all time"

"Won't I already know?" Alex asked, unimpressed "I'm following her everywhere.."

Mr. Smithers, shook his head gravely "What if she gets nabbed while she's on the toilet?"

Alex stared at him blankly and then shook his head "Anything else?"

Smithers dug through his pocket with difficulty. Alex watched him, amazed that he could even fit his hand into his pocket, let alone rummage through it.

"Here is it!" Smithers said, holding out a silver bald point pen.

"A pen.." Alex asked, taking it from Smithers fat hand.

"It looks like a pen doesn't it?" Smither's said with a smirk.

"It isn't a pen?" Alex asked, looking at the gadget, he pointed it at Smithers.

"Eh.." Smithers said, nervously, pushing it away from him "Click it twice and it shoots a tranquilizer. It'll only knock someone unconscious for five minutes at the most."

"Thank you, Smithers" Mrs. Jones said, nodding at the man. Alan Blunt waited until Smither's had left and then looked back at Alex.

"See to it. Crawley is waiting for you outside. He'll take you to the airport, but you'll fly alone." he said "Mrs. Jones will show you out."

Alex saw that Blunt had taken to ignoring him again. He sighed and followed Mrs Jones out of the room, wondering what he had gotten himself into this time.