Alex Rider was sitting at a table. Tulip Jones and Alan Blunt were sitting opposite from him. Alex still could not believe what he had just heard. He asked the two one more time just to be certain, "So, you two, Ms. Jones and Alan Blunt, you two are…..Getting married? Alan and Tulip looked at each other and smiled. Wow, Alex thought, this is the first time ever that I have seen them happy. After a long time of smiling at each other, Tulip and Alan began to frown. "What?" Alex said, Tulip looked very sad," Well Alex, you know if two people get married, they want to spend quality time together, alone, away from all the hastiness of the MI6 office. I am very sad to say, but we are closing MI6 down." Alex's mouth dropped open, "what! You can't, I mean, what am I supposed to do?" Now Alan spoke out, "Well, that is when it all makes sense, you see Alex, when you were working for MI6, you had to skip on a lot of school, Jack had to keep on telling the headmaster that you were sick, you went to the hospital, all these sort of lies. But that is wrong, now that MI6 has shut down, you can go back to your school work and not be disturbed by it." Alex shook his head, "No, No, No, I am not going back to the dreadful place of school! People bully and tease me, when I was working, I had the confidence to go in public, the confidence to do basically everything!" Alan and Tulip looked at each other, "we know Alex, but…" Tulip started but could not finish because Alex interrupted her. "No, you don't know, you really want to know? Well I will tell you something- if you need me, forget about it! I QUIT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!" Tulip and Alan Began to look down. But Alex was not finished, "And, by the way, I always hated you two." And with that, Alex stormed out of the building, got his bike, and biked home.

Alex stormed into his room, and forced his head into his pillow. He had no idea, but he fell asleep. The next thing Alex remembered was, he woke up with the sunlight in his eyes, and the doorbell ringing as if someone kept on pressing it. "Aye, I am coming, I am coming." Alex, still groggy from his sleepy appearance, opened the door, there he saw no one there, but only a letter was on the door. Alex bent down and picked the letter. He went inside and opened the letter. There he saw two things, a paper and a key. Alex read the letter first. This is what it said.

Dear Alex,

We are both very sorry about yesterday. We regret any sadness that formed in you since then.

So, we are going to make it up to you. The key that is in the envelope with the letter is the key to the MI6 office. Smithers quit, so the key is also for Smither office. Yes, the office with all the cool gadgets and gizmos, only you can figure out how to use them. We are also just saying, we hope that you were just simply joking about what you said about quitting forever, we will definitely need you in the future, whether or not we are still married. Until then, Goodbye.

~ Tulip and Alan

Alex re read the letter, twice, thirds, even fourths. He could not believe what he had just read. Tulip and Alan gave him the key to the MI6 office, and Smithers office! 'wait,' Thought Alex,' I am in charge of everything that is in the MI6 office, including Smithers office? Alex was actually, for once excited. But he could not start now. He had to go to school.