Author's Note: A big thank goes out to all my reviewers but especially ReillyScarecrowRocks and Anonymous ( an username-less reviewer :'( ) Here is the revised version of chapter uno!
The safety of celebrities should be the number one priority of their body guards. This wasn't the case for Rachel Caves; her body guard was hired to learn her every move so his corporation could murder her. Rachel was fifteen and a worldwide phenomenon because she had a voice that was larger then life. She kept to herself about her private life but she was very outward with her beliefs. She was very Christian but believed politics and religion should be kept separate.
Alex Rider had settled into American life with Sabina when the call came, "Hello?"
"Alex Rider?" A deep voice boomed over the speaker making Alex sigh.
"Yes. Who is this?" Alex asked continuing to stuff his books in his locker.
"Joe Bryne. Alex, please can we talk in my San Francisco office?" Joe asked making Alex get angry.
Alex entered a janitor's closet and hissed, "Leave me alone! You would think I would be left alone after you've injured my best friend and killed my guardian!"
"Alex! Please. You've heard of Rachel Caves, correct?"
"Yes, why?"
"She's in danger. Her bodyguard is working for a newly founded corporation that is looking to kill her. We need someone on the inside to look after her and get her out when they go for the kill."
"Find someone else."
"Alex, please."
"No."
"Alex."
"What?"
"Come one. Hear me out."
"N. O."
"I'm not gonna leave you alone until you agree. It won't be dangerous."
Alex's mind wandered to the day Jack was killed in front of him by that mad man, Razim. He still cried over her. He remember when Tom was shot by a sniper. When he was shot by a sniper.
"Fine."
Alex remembered how boring school was. America was boring and he kind of hated it. He missed Tom and Sabina had a boyfriend she spent all her time with. Maybe some excitement would be good for him. If Jack was alive she would whap him upside the head yelling at him about how stupid he was being. He needed to get out of there.
"We have a car waiting in the parking lot. Goodbye, Alex."
Alex rolled his eyes and hurried outside. He climbed in the car and they drove to Byrne's office.
"She lives in a fairy tale
Somewhere too far for us to find
Forgotten the taste and smell
Of the world that she's left behind
It's all about the exposure the lens I told her
The angles were all wrong now
She's ripping wings off of butterflies
keep your feet on the ground
when your head's in the clouds
Well go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle
Well go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle
Ba da ba ba da ba ba da
So one day he found her crying
Coiled up on the dirty ground
Her prince finally came to save her
And the rest you can figure out
But it was a trick
And the clock struck twelve
Well make sure to build your home brick by boring brick
or the wolf's gonna blow it down
keep your feet on the ground
when your head's in the clouds
Well go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle
Well you built up a world of magic
Because your real life is tragic
Yeah you built up a world of magic
If it's not real
You can't hold it in your hand
You can't feel it with your heart
And I won't believe it
But if it's true
You can see it with your eyes
Oh even in the dark
And that's where I want to be, yeah
Go get your shovel
We'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle
Well go get your shovel
and we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle
ba da ba ba da ba ba da...
ba da ba ba da ba ba da..."
Rachel was grinning, her dark hair flipped over one shoulder.
"Do some flips!" a fan yelled making Rachel hand her mic off to her guitarist.
She kicked off her lavender flats and got a running start. She did a half turn and propelled into the air doing to flips before landing on her feet.
"Thank you guys so much! I love you guys! See ya later!" Rachel picked up her shoes before running off the stage.
She was beaming when she showed backstage and her mom embraced her. Rachel slipped her shoes on and returned the embrace.
"You did amazing, honey!" her mom told her making Rachel smile.
"Thanks, Mom," Rachel replied pulling away.
Rachel looked around and saw her bodyguard standing at the door and she got a weird feeling. That guy didn't seem like he was looking out for her best interest. Her mom pulled her back into a hug whispering, "We need to go meet someone at the California Incident Agency."
"Why..?" Rachel asked with confusion.
"Because we do, Rachel."
Rachel started twisting her ring around her finger nervously. It read 'Love Life' on the outside and 'Be Brave' on the inside. She had another ring on her thumb that read 'Believe', and a necklace that laid on her collarbone that read 'Breathe'. She had dangly earrings that were purple feathers. She had purple nailpoish on and then silver crackle nail polish painted over it. Rachel had a white and grey dress on that went down to just above her knees. The top part was white and had a ruffled chest and the bottom was gray. The skirt was pleated at the bottom and started at her ribcage.
"Can I change first?" Rachel asked and her mom nodded.
Rachel disappeared into her dressing room and stripped off her concert gear. She slipped on some jean shorts and a cute tank top before finding socks. She pulled on a pair of white no-show socks and her purple and green Nike shocks tennis shoes. She kept her rings and necklace on. She walked out and her mom led them to their yellow VW Bug. They drove to the California Incident Agency and went to the front desk where a tall and strong looking black man sat.
"Come back to my office. I'm Joe Byrne, but you can call me Joe." The man led them to a office and closed and locked the door.
A boy with a strong chest and broad shoulders sat with his arms across his chest watching Rachel. He watched her every move as if wondering is she could take care of herself. She was tiny and the boy stared at her legs. She had no body fat, her thighs were muscular and her calves were the same.
"Rachel, as I said my name is Joe Byrne. I work for the CIA; I figure if I'm going to keep you safe I need to be straight forward. I believe your body guard is out to get you; he works for a corporation that wants to kill you-" Rachel looked alarmed, "What?"
"Your bodyguard is going to figure out how you work and then kill you. We're not sure why yet but we want to keep someone by your side at all times. Now, I've looked at the tabloids and saw the rumors of you dating a boy you met on tour. I know you aren't so this, this is Alex Rider. He's fifteen and no, it's not legal to employ him. He agreed to do it, and he can keep you safe and protected-posing as your boyfriend," Joe explained making Rachel shake her head.
"I can handle myself," Rachel replied standing up.
"Rachel, please. Let them help; if this is true you need protection-" her mom started only for Joe to cut her off.
"Alex, can you talk to her?" Alex nodded and led her into the hallway.
Alex stared at her and began speaking, "Look, I know what it's like to be totally vulnerable to these crazies. Just let the CIA and I help."
"I can handle myself, Alex Rider. I don't need you to look over my shoulder-" Alex cut her off, "I never thought I'd be saying this but I want to go undercover this one time. You're in the same position I was in and I can't watch someone else be in that position."
Rachel nodded slowly and they reentered the room where Joe spoke, "I want you two to take a picture together and post it to Rachel's facebook while you guys take a night on the town where you can be photographed together."
"What's my cover name?" Alex asked his jaw clenched.
"Alex Drin."
They nodded and were sent on their way while Joe talked to Rachel's mom. Rachel pulled out her cell phone and looked at Alex.
"You ready for this?" Alex asked her making her nod.
Alex wrapped an arm around her and she pressed herself to him. Alex planted his lips on her forehead and Rachel snapped the picture. Alex was scary good at this. Rachel typed a message, 'You have all wondered about my love life and I am finally telling you; I have a boyfriend. His name is Alex and I love him very much.' She hit send and knew there was no turning back now; all of her fans would know about her so called romance.
"Come on," Rachel told Alex leading him down the street.
They found her hotel and disappeared in her room. They sat on the bad and knew her bodyguard was posted at the door. Rachel looked down at her legs and began twisting her ring around her finger; she had no idea what to say.
"Um... uh... um... well, I dunno what to say," Rachel murmured looking up through her eyelashes.
Alex was silent as his eye burned into Rachel making her uncomfortable. He was trying to judge her ability to protect herself and since she was so small she doubted he thought much of her.
"I was a gymnast for a while until I tore my ACL and I decided to become a singer..." Rachel's lie came much too easily for her taste, "That's why I'm small. Don't underestimate me because I'm strong. The average person can't support their weight on uneven bars; I can."
Rachel was trained to tell the same lie every time it came to her gymnastics; she tore her ACL and decided she wanted to become a singer. That wasn't even close to true; she became severely anorexic and bulimic when her coach told her she was too fat to win. She starved herself when she could and when she couldn't she forced herself to throw up. She collapsed in the middle of practice and was under supervision for a year before she was trusted again.
Alex was deep in thought, spaced out. He had been like that ever since Jack died; he barely touched his food until Sabina nudged him with her elbow and then he ate slowly. The Pleasure's worried about him but he assured them he was fine. Well, tried to assure them when really he was anything but fine. He cried every night after everyone was in bed, he spaced out, and he didn't eat unless someone made him. He missed the simple meals Jack used to make... Jack.