Alex's POV

I was back at school, after my last mission in Scotland and a trip to hospital, there had been some sort of missing poison stolen from MI6's science lab. I was sent to retrieve it, Mr. Blunt had said it would take a few days to complete once I got there, but as usual it didn't go to plan, they caught me and locked me in a cell to be tortured by a psycho. I don't remember a lot of it but I do remember being tied to a bed and beaten senseless and strangled until I very nearly suffocated. There was also one other horrible memory lurking still, the state of the room when I was found by Wolf, Fox, Snake and Eagle. The floor was covered in blood; my blood. Snake was the first to help as he was a well trained medic. I was told that I was in a right state and would need emergency medical attention soon. Snake lifted me up painfully into his arms and took me outside. I remember Wolf and Fox running the other way for some reason or another. The next thing I remember was waking up in hospital with an oxygen mask on my face and an extremely annoying heart monitor beeping away next to me.

When I did get back the first person I wanted to talk to was Tom, but he didn't seem to be his normal self; it was odd, he had this worried look on his face and he wasn't so lively anymore and ignored me.

"Hey what's up, mate?" I asked

"Nothing, just leave me alone" he barked and walked down the steps of the school and wandered off on his own to the other side of the basketball court. I followed him, wondering what the hell was going on. I had to dodge the younger kids playing their silly games.

"Tom!" I yelled

"What!" he turned round and had this massive glare on his face. I must say I was a bit shocked.

"Ok I'll leave you alone" I wandered back. It was nearly the end of lunch anyway. I took a quick look back at Tom who was still looking it the open school gates. What was he thinking?

The next lesson was P.E. he was expecting Tom to be there but he wasn't. Perhaps he had chosen to run off in the end.

We were playing football; it was his favourite sport and wouldn't miss it for the world. The normal captain would have been Tom but as he wasn't there it was me.

I kept missing the ball because I was looking around the field for Tom, who was nowhere insight.

Bernie had the ball, I hadn't noticed that, but I was open and I shouted for the ball he kicked it at me and bang it flew right into my stomach, I fell to the floor gasping for breath but it just wasn't coming to me, everyone was now crowding round me. Including our P.E teacher.

"You all right Alex." He asked me politely.

"Yeah" I just managed to get out. I got off my hands and knees and knelt up and took a few deep breaths before Ollie one of the boys in my P.E class grabbed my wrists and pulled me up onto my feet. I didn't want to fall over as I was a bit dizzy but I wasn't surprised.

"You might want to sit out for a bit," he said. "I need to talk to you anyway." Like I couldn't guess what it was about.

He came over once they got the game going again.

"Where's Tom then?" he asked me expecting me to know the answer.

"For once I have no idea," I was thinking about telling him what happened at lunchtime but I thought again about the personal side of it and decided not to. "He was here this morning though."

"Right," he changed the subject, I think he saw my deep, worrying look in my eyes. "You fit to play?"

Alex couldn't be bothered. I desperately wanted to find out what was wrong with Tom but, something seemed to stop me from finding out the truth, like my conscience was saying if I found out that it would to a bad end but I didn't believe in a conscience. "I think I'll skip today." I put my hand to my stomach.

The P.E teacher walked back over to the game in hand and blew his whistle after another goal was scored.

I watched him until he gathered everyone around, it was then I took my chance. I got up and ran. I took my mobile out of my pocket and went to the boys' bathroom careful to avoid any teacher wandering during a free lesson. I got to the boys loos and dialled Tom's number quickly into my phone. I held it to my ear, keeping my eyes on the door in case anyone came in.

It rang, no one picked up. Come on Tom pick up! I kept saying to myself.

"Sorry I can't take your call at the mo. I will ring back later." He had made his own personal message back in year 7. I shoved my phone back into my pocket and tried to think of something else. I thought I would wait until tomorrow and see if he comes back.

I went back to the lesson and my P.E teacher asked where I had been for the past twenty minutes. I lied and explained that I thought I was going to be sick so I rushed to the loos.

"Do you need to go to the medical room?"

"No, I'll be fine." I said grateful he had not forced me to go.