Hello fellow fanfiction-ers! Hope you're having an amazing day! Here's an Alex Rider story for you, set post-Scorpia Rising. I might make this a three shot, or maybe a long-ish story, but I'm not sure yet… we'll see. Reviews please! They're almost as good as chocolate (almost!). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I have no money, and thus no rights to Alex Rider (sob) . I'll start saving…

Alex Rider was getting desperate. Of all the people he had to ask for help, it absolutely had to be the two most unhelpful human beings on the face of the Earth.

"You do realise what you're asking, don't you, Alex?" Mrs Jones said concernedly, with a look on her face that made it appear as though she was doubting his mental health.

"I know, I know it's a lot to ask, but… they're going to kick me out! Please, just tell the school executives about my… extracurricular activities!" Alex pleaded beseechingly.

"No." Alan Blunt said sternly.

"Why? After everything I've done for you, everything I've sacrificed-" Alex's voice broke as the face of Jack Starbright came swimming to the surface of his mind- "just do this one thing for me. Please." Alex finished, his voice catching at the end.

"What's in it for us?" Alan sneered, his grey eyes flat, emotionless orbs. Alex though for a moment. What was in it for them? A cold smile curved his lips as an idea came to him.

"You have no more bargaining chips. The only thing keeping me here, with you, is that I want to finish at Brookland. If I get kicked out, I'm gone. I'm owed favours by several countries around the world, and I'm sure they'd love to help me out.

"However, if you were to keep me in England, at Brookland, I might consider a few more of your crazy suicide missions. This is all hypothetical, of course." Alex smirked. He could see the panic on the Executives' faces. Everything Alex had said was perfectly true. He was with them by choice, and had himself legally emancipated from the bank a few months ago when he turned sixteen. The only thing keeping him with them was Brookland. Alex knew this, and from the looks on the Head's faces, they knew it too. Alex smiled inwardly in satisfaction.

"Well Alex, I must admit, you have become much better at negotiating, I'm almost impressed," Blunt said. It was as close to a compliment as Alex was ever going to receive from the man. "How many missions are we talking?"

Alex thought about this for a moment. He had them cornered, so he was going to make the most of it.

"That's the wrong question to ask. I what I want is official, on-the-books employment, with the standard salary and compensation for my previous missions. As an employee, I expect to enjoy all the benefits that the other agents have. In return, I'll do your damn missions." Alex held his breath. Was he asking too much? To his everlasting surprise, Alan Blunt smiled- he didn't know the man was capable of basic human emotion, but there you are.

"We have a deal. You will receive all the benefits of full MI6 employment, we will inform your school of your… job, and in return you will continue your work with us. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Alex replied. In truth, he was going to stick with MI6 regardless. It wasn't like he had anything else left, anyway.

"Well then… Agent Rider, I bid you good day." Blunt said to Alex in obvious dismissal. Mrs Jones spoke up.

"Go down to Smithers, Alex, and inform him of the situation." she said shortly, before rising from her seat and exiting the room, Alex hot on her heels.


Alex made his way to Smithers' office in the basement and knocked on the gadget-master's door.

"Mr Smithers? Are you here?" he called. Not a moment later, the door swung open, revealing the colossal figure of Derek Smithers.

"Alex, dear boy! I've just heard the news! Finally decided to join us officially, have you?" he greeted enthusiastically, jowls quivering.

"Yes sir. Mrs Jones said you have some things for me?" Alex grinned at the one person he could consistently count on to back him up.

"And indeed I do, old chap! Do come in!" Smithers gestured wildly for Alex to enter and closed the door behind him. "Over here. I've got it all ready for you." The two approached a table in the centre of the laboratory, on which and assortment of items rested.

"First of all, you get an MI6-issue iPhone. It has the contact information for Headquarters pre-programmed, and also functions as a finger printing device if you open the "Mood Scan" application. This particular iPhone is locked with fingerprint-ID, facial recognition and DNA scanning. Only you can access it. It also has Spotify Premium and Netflix, paid for by MI6, should you choose to use it. We appreciate that spies do get bored sometimes." Alex pocketed the phone with satisfaction. Not too bad, he thought to himself.

Next, Smithers handed him a stack of paperwork. Alex's brow furrowed in confusion- why was Smithers giving him this? Did it have a special function?

"What does this do?" Alex asked confusedly.

"Homework. This, Alex, is your health, life and car insurance, as well as the terms and conditions of you employment with MI6." He explained. Alex frowned in disappointment- just paperwork for him to fill out, then. Hang on…

"Car insurance? But I don't have a car!" he exclaimed. Smithers palmed a set of keys and dropped them into Alex's hand. The badge on the keys was for an Audi.

"Seriously?" Alex's face lit up in excitement, before falling quickly. "I don't have my license, though." Smithers slid a package across the table.

"Fake passport, birth certificate and ID, as well as a legitimate driver's license. I take it you know how to drive?" Alex nodded in response. This was better than he could have ever imagined!

"Just one more thing…" Smithers said, reaching into his coat pocket, Alex watching apprehensively. Smithers pulled out a 9mm Glock 17 pistol, closely followed by an ankle holster. "You also get a gun."


"Are you joking?" demanded the deputy principal of Brookland Comprehensive in disbelief. Mr O'Malley had found his voice first. Mr Bray, the principal, was busy doing his best fish impression at Mr Blunt and Mrs Jones, stunned into silence.

"I assure you, Mr O'Malley, that I most certainly am not. Alex Rider is in the employ of MI6, and has been for the past two years." Mr Blunt clarified stonily. The Heads of MI6 had paid the executives at Brookland a visit the morning after their chat with Alex, just before school started.

Mr Bray couldn't speak. Alex Rider, a spy? It beggared belief! But, it did explain a few things- the absences, the injuries, the cold, haunting quality of the boy's eyes- they were eyes that had seen too much, too young. As he thought it over, it made sense. But something was bothering him…

"Is it legal? What you're doing?" Mr Bray found his voice. Alan Blunt appraised him with emotionless eyes.

"Alex has agreed to work with MI6, he is also of legal employment age. It is entirely legal," he said condescendingly, conveniently forgetting to mention that they were only recent developments.

"Why are you telling us this?" Mr O'Malley inquired.

"It has been brought to our attention that you are going to expel Alexander Rider from Brookland Comprehensive. We are here to explain his absences and request that you allow him to continue his studies here. After all, a boy who has done as much for his country as Alex deserves to study at the school of his choice, does he not?" Mrs Jones responded, not a hint of emotion on her face, purely professional.

"But the thing is, Alex has missed too much school; he is too far behind in his coursework. It goes against school regulations to allow him to stay here," Mr Bray spoke up once again, a misplaced expression of understanding on his face. Mrs Jones resisted the childish urge to roll her eyes.

Blunt interjected, his tones colder than the winds of Antarctica. "Of course, Mr Bray. But then again, we weren't really asking… how's the school budget these days?" Mr Bray gulped. He knew what Alan Blunt was implying- let Alex Rider stay, or hello, budget cuts.

"What was I saying… of course Alex can stay. Do give him our best, will you?" Mr Bray and Mr O'Malley gave identical, tight smiles that were quite obviously forced.

From outside the door, Alex Rider grinned. Thank you, Mr Bray. He had just driven here in his brand-new black Audi A5 Cabriolet convertible- he had to admit, MI6 had style. Very James Bond-like of them, he thought. He heard movement inside the office and quickly ducked around the corner, listening.

"You have a good day, Mrs Jones, Mr Blunt," Mr Bray said tightly, the two school executives shaking the Heads' hands. The MI6 people took their leave, the executives making their way back to the office, muttering between themselves. Alex counted to one hundred before knocking on the door. He heard Mr O'Malley's call of "come in!" and opened the door. In unison, Mr Bray and Mr O'Malley's eyes widened comically, which greatly amused Alex.

"Alex… how… are you?" they stuttered out. Alex grinned.

"Just fine, thanks for asking. I was just hoping everything was sorted?" Alex responded innocently.

"Yes… all sorted. You will be staying at Brookland Comprehensive- and… we've decided to abolish your record." Alex smirked inwardly. How generous of them.

"Thank you very much sirs. You have a good day now." Alex turned to leave, but as stopped by Mr Bray calling his name.

"Yes sir?" he queried, the image of the angel child.

"Are… are you alright?" he asked, concern etched in his features. At this Alex grinned outwardly.

"Just fine sir." And this time, he meant it.


Three hours later, Alex was questioning why he wanted to stay at Brookland. English, French and Biology all passed without incident. As a consequence, they were desperately dull, and Alex was ready to fall asleep. He took notes mechanically, paying little attention to what he was actually writing.

By fourth period, Maths, he was silently banging his head on the desk, as was everyone else except the teacher. They were supposed to be learning about quadratic equations, but everyone had zoned out by the time Mr O'Malley, who was filling in for our regular teacher, could say "formula". There was half an hour of the lesson remaining when suddenly, five people clad in black balaclava burst into the room, brandishing pistols.

"EVERYONE ON THE BACK WALL, NOW!" one of the boomed. Mr O'Malley stared at Alex, obviously asking for help. Brilliant, Alex thought to himself. The teacher wants me to do his job.

Alex assessed the situation. Five on one. They were all big, but he could use that against them. And he had his new gun strapped to his ankle. He'd prefer not to use it, but it was there if he needed it.

Mr O'Malley finally stopped staring at Alex and attempted to take control of the situation. About time, he thought exasperatedly.

"Who are you? What do you want?" To Alex's everlasting disdain, he sounded scared. The thugs turned their guns on Mr O'Malley, clearly aiming to intimidate him. While this was working (he was a cowering mess), they left the rest of the class unsupervised. They were obviously amateurs.

Alex crept up behind them and silently took down two of the goons by pinching a pressure point at the base of their neck, immobilising them. The sound of their bodies hitting the floor alerted the other three that something was wrong. Alex arranged his face into an emotionless mask. He looked almost disinterested, bored even, by the proceedings. He saw a flicker of recognition in their eyes.

"Alex Rider. Just the spy we came to see." The largest of the thugs said menacingly. Alex could here the mutters of confusion from his classmates behind him. Druggie Rider, a spy? This must be a joke!

"I see you already know me… want to return the favour?" he asked coolly, betraying no emotion.

"Scorpia's offering big money for your capture… we're just making ourselves a little pocket money- at your expense, of course!" Big Guy informed him. "However, they didn't say what condition you had to be in… we can have a little fun, I think!" The thugs advanced on Alex. Almost immediately he could see that these men relied entirely on brute strength, no technique at all. This would be too easy.

Alex ducked the first punch and responded with and uppercut to the offender's solar plexus, following through with a roundhouse to the head, knocking him unconscious. He blocked a kick that was being aimed at him by goon Number 2, grabbing his ankle and slamming him to the ground. He snatched up the gun that had fallen out of his hand and whacked him in the head with the handle. One left.

He took out his own gun and pointed the two weapons at the remaining thugs, his eyes cold.

"Drop the gun and get on the ground with your hands on your head," he ordered harshly. The thug who was obviously the weak link, kneeled know and slid the gun towards Alex, placing his hands on his head, evidently terrified by the boy before him. Alex slowly approached him, pocketing one of the guns. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the goon adjust his position, obviously about to go for the attack. Alex sighed, not moving, just pretending he hadn't seen him. When he was close enough, he knocked him in the head with the barrel of the Glock. These people were pathetic.

The rest of the class, bar Tom, had been shocked into paralysis during the proceedings and collectively released a breath they didn't realise they'd been holding. They'd just see the weakling druggie take down five armed men without even flinching! In fact, he looked bored! And he had a gun! What was he doing now? Taking out his phone? Now was no time for Snap-chatting! They started shouting questions at him, which he ignored

What Alex was actually doing was ringing MI6, not using social media. He had tied up the thugs with duct tape he found in the cupboard and stripped them of weapons, and now he had to alert his superiors.

"Royal and General. How can we help you?" The bland lady on the end of the phone answered.

"I need to speak to Mr Blunt."

"I'm afraid sir, that there is no Mr Blunt here…" Alex cut the woman off tersely.

"This is… Agent Rider."

"I'll patch you through immediately." Alex waited. A click was followed by a slightly rude, "Yes?"

"Mr Blunt? It's Alex. There was an attack at my school- five men. I've secured the situation, but they were here to take me to Scorpia. They've got a price on my head- I guess they have a few hard feelings." Alex reported briskly, waiting for a response.

"That's impossible! Scorpia is supposed to be finished!" Alan Blunt sounded shocked. He mustn't be used to failure.

"Well, apparently you're mistaken, because they want my head on silver platter," Alex snapped back, his words eliciting a shocked gasp from the class and Mr O'Malley.

"We'll be over right away. Anything else?" he asked Alex.

"Um… yes. I need you to bring…" Alex did a quick headcount- "twenty-one OSAs. My class knows. What are we going to do?"

"Don't worry Agent Rider- I have an idea…"


Cliffhanger! Sorry, I'm mean. Follow and review please!