Disclaimer : Don't own anything! This is my first Alex Rider fic so please read and review!

Black Masks – Chapter One

Alex Rider was no ordinary person. In fact he was one of the most feared MI6 agents worldwide, defeating war lords and preventing complete annihilation. He had fought and won against the best defeating the odds each time. But the most extraordinary fact about Alex Rider was his age. At 15 he'd become an international legend and was currently sitting amongst his fellow pupils at Brookland High School in London. The fair haired, well built boy had returned to school that term to battle against rumours of his recurring disappearance. The majority of the school believed that he'd had an operation to remove his tonsils, whilst the others thought he had been in a Juvenile prison for mugging an old lady. Neither of these were true. Alex had returned from a mission with the infamous terrorists : Scorpia. He had betrayed them to his government and few were lucky to live after such a blow. Alex had been shot once in the chest, a mere inch above his heart causing a near fatal wound. It had taken pure determination to pull back from the descending darkness but he had managed and was now stuck in what could be called the most boring assembly in history. He had no intention fo returning to the world of espionage and danger, all he wanted was a normal life. Alex sat fiddling with the corner of his school blazer as he glanced around, his body involuntarily tensed. The others around him had dosed off slightly and small snores could be heard throughout the beige themed hall. His friend Andy had started something in his sleep about cheese. The headmaster was droning on about morals at the podium successfully causing the majority of the student body to wish him a slow and painful death. Shaking his head Alex returned to being painfully paranoid,

The sun was shining outside happily, the trees were green and full of life. But something seemed amiss. Alex couldn't but his finger on it but he kept watching for a sign of any abnormal activity, he could feel something was wrong within his bones. The ceiling creaked quietly, most would have missed it but not Alex. The lights flickered gently but the headmaster ploughed on. He roamed his eyes over the skylight and suddenly saw a flash of black material disappear from a corner something clicked within the depths of his brain – Combat Jackets. He had had enough experience with them to recognise one when he saw it.

"Not now.." muttered Alex slightly panicked, when would they leave him alone! He tensed and moved forward ready to spring into action at a moments notice. He stood quietly, barely notice and made his way from his aisle. A teacher glared at him from the stage as he was wandering into the centre of the aisle. He shook his head at her, he would have to explain later about his strange behaviour. Suddenly the hall erupted into a mess of explosions, raining shards of glass and deafening screams. Alex threw himself roughly to the ground, pulling a frozen class mate down with him. He glanced up and saw black figures descending from the roof and landing crouched on the dusty floor with weapons raised at the students. The dust had began to clear but Alex started to run in that crouched position, hoping that the infiltrators hadn't seen him yet. He heard a voice calling for him not to be so fool-hardy and to come back but he dismissed it. This was his battle not theirs. He knew who they were by the symbol sewn into their combat gear. Scorpia wouldn't leave him alone until he had killed the whole lot of him or he was dead. Alex cringed at the thought of running from them for a lifetime, that would be torture in itself. Teachers and pupils alike were cowering underneath their chairs watching as the brave and possibly insane boy strode before them. Alex straighted up as he reached his destination, he was now standing in the centre of the hall within the circle of Scorpia agents.

"Alex, get down now!" shrieked his mathematics teacher from somewhere to his left. Smirking slightly at his teacher's obliviousness he stepped forward. One of the black glad figures stepped forward to meet him.

"I wouldn't worry so much ma'am, Alex Rider is well known for his survival ability." said an amused deep voice from behind the mask. His black eyes were twinkling as he took in the 15 year old super spy. He had a well built but slim body. Every inch of skin was covered with the protecting black kevlar. The dust had settled and a few brash students had looked up to watch the unlikely pair. Alex just smirked at the man's comment, well it was true.

"you see the Alex Rider you see here before you is a farce. Well at least partially. According to our sources you all believe he has had a bout of sickness -" Alex tensed again, they couldn't reveal that he was a spy! His life was over if they did. How could he expect to be normal now? A murmur of speculation rippled throughout the hall. Some students were trying to placate those who had gone into shock at the sudden turn of events. One minute in assembly, the next being held hostage by some armed men who apparently know Alex somehow. Silence settled again apart from some sobs from the right corner.

"Lies.-" said the man quietly, seething with fury, "This boy has been working with the MI6 as their superstar spy." he spat. Alex smirked cheekily at him, mock saluting to him.

"Glad you know who I am." he replied confidently, to the surprise of the hall.

"How could I not! You brought down Herold Sayle! Point Blanc! Alexei Sarov! Damian Cray! You are the little shit who has ruined so many of our carefully laid plans. Not to mention you betrayed us, betrayed those who took you in!" roared the masked man. His eyes slightly bulging A lot of people gasped. They had heard of the deaths of the multimillionaires in the news, but had never associated them with Alex in a million years. Alex smirked at the man's obvious annoyance at being defeated so many times, maybe next time they would try harder.

"We shot you and you survived!" roared the man one last time before pointing the gun at Alex. The mouth of the gun was pointed at the center of his chest. Alex could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the echo of his last gun shot would pressing eagerly into his skin, a ghost of screams reached his ears and his muscles tightened, adrenaline pouring into his veins.

Screams erupted again as they watched a class mate live his final moments. The mathematics teacher from earlier frozen to her place, her chest tight watching and ignoring the shards of glass pricking her sweaty palms.

"This time you wont be so lucky." sneered the man. In an instance Alex struck, using lightening reactions to spin and strike the mans wrist with his foot, jarring the arm and causing excruciating pain. The gun fired before he dropped it clattering to the floor sending a bullet hurtling into the unbroken windows at the side. The man screamed out a profanity in what sounded like Russian but suddenly lashed out at Alex with almost impossible speed. Ducking quickly Alex felt the foot whistle above his head, if it had struck him he'd almost definitely be dead. Taking advantage of the man's distraction Alex kicked him sharply in the flesh of his stomach and slamming the heel of his hand into the mask. He heard a satisfying crunching sound as the man's nose broke. Fuelled with anger the man punched Alex squarely in the temple. The world crumbled from beneath him and he slumped to the ground, absorbed by the engulfing darkness. The pain overwhelming him. All he could remember was the smell of hot blood mingling with fresh grass cuttings.

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