Chapter 1:

Back to School

It was a Monday morning, the third week back at school after the holidays, as my thoughts wandered everywhere but at the task I was supposed to be focused on; Mathematics. Pft! Stupid maths should crawl in a hole somewhere and die for all I care at the moment.

I had just returned to school after resting at hospital, then at home and recuperating from the failed sniper shooting following my honestly dismal escapade involving Scorpia. Speaking of which, I really, really hate those guys; okay, so I might have betrayed them in a way and unintentionally caused the quite amusing death of one of them; honestly? Crushed by a hot air balloon, what are the odds of that occurring? Well obviously it's been proved possible. So one of their highly prized people was killed, it wasn't entirely my fault, she should have been prepared for anything; even a gruesome death thanks to an over-sized piece of material inflated by hot air. Really, it's not as though I had many options did I? It's not like I had chosen the mission; more like blackmailed into doing it. But of course they only see that it was supposedly my fault their miserable half-thought up plans for world domination, or humiliation, failed. They're too blind to realise that instead of doing bad things, they just do things badly. I can still feel that bullet ripping into my oh-so-tender flesh. Seriously, I never thought I would actually want to kill someone (intentionally of course) but if I ever meet the arsehole that pulled that trigger; well it most likely won't be pleasant at all.

"Mr. Rider!" shouted Mrs. Holkes, my somewhat annoying maths teacher, "Would you kindly stop your infernal day dreaming and pay attention to what I'm saying!?"

I'm really tempted to just roll my eyes and keep thinking about how my life totally sucks most of the time, but I will indulge her for the time being, "Sorry, Mrs. Holkes"

She gives me a look as though she doesn't believe me, while the rest of the kids in my class either roll their eyes or snicker at the repeated enactment that often occurs between myself and Mrs. Holkes. I can't help it if I have more important things on my mind than maths, like stopping millions of people from dying and so forth. A particularly annoying girl in the back begins questioning the validity of those rumours that continue to spread about the school about me. These so-called promising truths include 'I heard he's a drug addict' or 'I bet it's because he's in a gang and continues to get caught and spends time in jail' or my personal favourite 'I heard that he found out that he was really a girl and has been going to therapy lessons' Like what the hell is wrong with these kids? A girl? Jeez, I'm far from a pansy girl. Really, if anything I would at least be a girl, who happened to be a kick-ass fighter, with an insane ability to get into terrible situations and come out as a war-hardened war verteran. They have no idea that I'm aware of what they say behind my back, as of course I knew, I'm a superspy for MI6 after all.

Speaking of which, MI6 have informed me that they expect Scorpia to try something against me sooner or later, and knowing my luck it will be a spectacularly, twisted course of events, either leading to my untimely death or them getting their asses kicked; if I have anything to do or say about it, it will be them getting a severe or hopefully humiliating take down. I may be 14 but hey, I'm not weak or stupid. Mrs. Jones informed me that they may even publicly attack, such as at school, and I have a feeling they might just be foolish enough to do it. But I guess it depends on how; I know the way around the school well and MI6 have issued me with a handgun just in case, carefully strapped around my thigh of course. I find this somewhat stupid as it would be difficult to get if I indeed get attacked, but any where else has the risk of me being caught with an illegal weapon at school, which I don't wish to happen. Although, it would fuel some more of the outlandish rumours, which I would find somewhat amusing. Half the school is already scared of me on some level and the other half are either indifferent, jealous, disgusted or gossipers who are extremely happy to have such good rumour material.

I'm startled out of my thoughts as finally the bell rings indicating the beginning of recess. Finally the torture that is known as maths has finished. In reality, I'm not bad at maths, but I don't particularly enjoy it much. I quickly pack up my things and start to head for the door.

"Mr Rider, would you please stay for I moment I would like a word with you", calls Mrs. Holkes. Well, that's just absolutely fantastic now isn't it! I calmy turn around and sedately walk over to her, while my classmates shoot me sneering comments and looks that show their pleasure at seeing my continuing suffering. I really don't like them at the moment. Correction; I really don't like my life at the moment, as I've realised just how pathetic in some ways it really is. After being shot and nearly killed, one usually takes time to reflect on their lives. And mine hasn't been all sunshine and daisies that's for sure.

"Thank you Mr. Rider, at least you listen to me at least once today" she says snappishly. Jeez woman, if you lived in my shoes you would be inattentive in a maths lesson as well. Well if you consider her really being in my shoes, I quite honestly think she would be dead by now. Anyways, I better pay attention to what she's saying.

"Well Mr. Rider, I've been observing you this past year and quite frankly I've been very disappointed in not only you attendance, but the quality of your course work and you attitude in class. What do you have to say about this?" she asks in a frustrated and displeased tone. Hmn, not good I guess, well here goes nothing.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Holkes. Its just that I've been very sick lately and had a number of small accidents as well. I don't try to make these things happen, they just seem to come to me, quite a bit of bad luck. As for the grades, I'm trying my best to catch up as much as I can, and I'm sorry if my attitude in class had offended you, I'm sorry" I reply in a subdued manner. I wonder where that came from, but I guess the school has been 'informed' of my sicknesses and accidents so it's quite believable. I really hate MI6 for all the crap that I need to keep up with sometimes, I guess it's not too difficult to remember, just hard for others to truly believe I'm really such a terrible magnet to all that is bad and versed in draining to body for extended periods of time.

Mrs. Holkes stares at me for a moment in quiet calculation of my answer, then finally says, "Okay, Mr. Rider. I won't do anything for now, but if this behaviour continues you can guarantee action on my part, especially detention. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Mrs. Holkes" I reply politely while wishing I could just tell her the truth about my absences and see how she would react, hmn, she probably would call me a liar and actually follow through on that detention.

"You may go to recess now" she quickly dismisses me and I smile and make a hasty retreat into the halls without further comment. I quickly make my way to my locker where I see Tom waiting for me.

"Hey Alex! What took you so long, I've been waiting forever!" he says enthusiastically. I smile, it's good to be at school like a normal kid again and hang out with Tom. I don't know how long that will last of course, but I guess I'll find out eventually.

"Hey Tom" I reply as I open my locker, shove my backpack in, grab my sandwhich and apple courtesy of Jack, and close it loudly, "Oh, Mrs. Holkes held me back after class to talk about my attendance and class work, and how I haven't been up to scratch, you know, the usual"

"Oh, well that sucks! Well let's go outside and enjoy this fine morning, before we have to suffer through what is known as english!" replies Tom happily, simultaneously grabbing my arm and start dragging towards the doors to the outside courtyard, where yells and shouts are coming from. I just shake my head and smile. Ah, good ol Tom, always gets me to forget my dismal life for a while and enjoy normal teenage life. But it doesn't often last very long, as my life is has never been considered normal.

A/N: Hope you like it! : )