Chapter 2 – Names and nick knacks

Alex Rider sighed, taking one last look at the bustling London streets before he stepped into the building. He entered and was immediately cut off from the outside world. He surveyed the scene. In the space of two years, the Royal and General Bank had not changed. Everything was the same. He walked past the now familiar receptionist and into the lift. Ascending to the seventeenth floor, he stepped out and made his way to Alan Blunt's office. He considered knocking and decided against it. It was his form of rebellion – to show them that they didn't own him. He strode in, interrupting Blunt and Mrs Jones who looked to be deep in conversation. He looked them up and down. When he had said nothing changed, he had meant it. Blunt still was as grey as ever and Mrs Jones was still sucking those peppermints.

"What do you want now?" Alex questioned. He had given up trying to refuse. He had been on countless missions over the past two years and had got rather good. Alex didn't think that he was capable of doing anything else and with blackmail threats still hanging over him; he had no other option but to follow orders.

"We have another mission," Mrs Jones said in her faux caring voice.

"Well that much is obvious," Alex retorted, "What's the mission?" Mrs Jones looked at Blunt to explain. He typed something into a computer and then turned the screen around to face Alex.

"Someone has been stealing the Seven Deadly Sins," he said.

"What?" Alex asked confused. How could someone take a sin?

"They are a series of valuable gems which when they come together make up the most precious collection of jewels in the world. Each jewel is named is after one of the Seven Deadly Sins. One thief has been stealing them and just two days ago he stole Pride. There is only one left and that is Greed. It is the most expensive individually but if this thief manages to get it he will have a priceless collection on his hands."

This thief sounds good - a challenge – which I always like.

Intrigued, Alex sat up straighter and looked at the screen closely. An image of a large diamond was in the centre, flanked by six other gems which varied in colour. Each jewel had a caption beneath it detailing its name and net worth in dollars and pound sterling.

Those are some big numbers.

"Tell me more about this thief. What do we know about him?" Alex said

"That's the problem," Mrs Jones said with a touch of frustration, "we know virtually nothing about him. He has successfully managed to bypass some of the most complex security systems we have. He has left no traces, no DNA and no prints. We have no idea what he looks like because his face is always covered. He's been dubbed 'The Masked Man' because he wears a mask and he always leaves this at each theft. This one was found near the vault doors of the last one." She pulled a small piece of card from her pocket. Alex took it and examined it. He moved it one way and then the other, looking at the holographic image that moved between the two masks of Greek theatre: Comedy and Tragedy. He looked at it sceptically. It seemed this thief had an ego.

Then again, most evil villains I've met usually are cocky.

"So where do I come in?" Alex said, wondering what exactly his mission was.

"The Greed diamond is being showcased in about three weeks at the National State Hotel in Barbados. We think that this is when this 'Masked Man' will strike since it will be when the diamond is most exposed. We want you to go there and catch him."

"And what makes you think I'll be able to do this?" he said knowing full well what the answer was going to be.

"You're the best," Blunt answered, but Alex knew he was merely stating a fact – not complimenting him.

"Also your special talents are required." He snorted at Blunt's lame euphemism for his youth.

Blunt continued, ignoring Alex, "They may be just what are needed to catch this thief."

"So what's my cover," he sighed, resigned to his fate.

"There is a programme for teenagers to study marine life in the bay. The participants are staying in the same hotel as the gem and you will be one of them. You fly out in one week and will be going under the name of Luke Redstone."

"Fine," he said.

"You can go to Smithers now and gather your equipment," Blunt dismissed him and handed him the file about his new identity. He left the room without saying anything to them. Entering the lift once again, he went down to where Smithers workshop had been relocated to.

"Alex, my boy," Smithers greeted the teenager as he walked in. Alex smiled genuinely seeing the only person he liked in this whole building.

"Hi, Smithers, how are you?" he said back to the tubby man.

"I'm fine, it's good to see you again Alex. I've always liked making gadgets for you. Now, I hear you're going to Barbados and so I had to make this," he talked animatedly and held out a diving suit complete with flippers.

"This is no ordinary suit Alex, it can withstand extreme temperatures and the material is constructed to mimic shark skin to give you extra speed. And if that's not enough, the flippers have in built jet propulsion and blades if get into any sticky situations. These goggles provide you with optimum vision which is great for when you are diving. Then, I also have some of your standard pieces. I have your Nintendo DS which can be used to contact MI6 and also becomes a grenade when you play this game. I also have modified it to scan for bugs. Please Alex, be a more careful with this one. Oh and last of all, I have your gun." Smithers handed over the weapon which Blunt had allowed Alex to have when he turned sixteen. The spy took it from Smithers and turned it over in his hands; it felt smooth and light. Smithers also gave him suitcase with a special compartment in which to conceal the gun.

"Be careful, Alex," Smithers issued the same instruction before every mission and it had become a tradition of sorts.

In return Alex gave the answer, "I will," even though he always wound up in trouble – and they both knew that this mission wouldn't be any different.

"Thanks, Smithers, see you soon," he bade him goodbye and went back to the streets of London. Alex walked to the tube station mingling with the unsuspecting Londoners who had no clue what really happened inside this bank.


"What the hell do you mean – 'I have to go as myself'," Alyssa screeched at Kane who looked bored at her outburst.

"It's a summer programme for teenagers so you can easily fit in there. The data you're going to collect will help endangered species and you're always whining about that stuff," Kane said.

"But, why can't I go as a maid or waiter in the hotel," she argued.

"You're the one who is always saying that you are your best disguise," he countered, "plus, you'll get to hang out with people your own age"

"But, Kane," she moaned. She knew she was acting like a petulant child but she never liked to follow orders straight away. "Anyway, I don't need to hang out with people the same age as me."

"You do if you don't want to continue being a social leper," he told her.

"I am not a social leper," Alyssa said indignantly, "I have plenty of friends."

"Tell me their names then," he instructed.

"I will," she said haughtily, "There's…"

"Your own age," Kane added the last detail and she stopped short.

"I resent that, Kane," she said to her brother and he smiled, triumphantly.

You would think that with my brother being my guardian and handler we wouldn't fight that much. But we do – and I always lose.

He handed her gadgets to her and explained her cover – if you could call it that. She was to go under the name: Felicity Reynolds. She looked at her gadgets. Kane had made her a special diving suit and then she had the rest of her toys: jewellery to act as a communications network if she needed anything from Kane; explosives, handily disguised as an I-pod nano, which could also search for bugs and best of all play music. Then she had her survival kit. All Alyssa's gadgets and equipment were either totally hand-made or modified by her brother. He had been in a wheelchair for a long time but that never interfered with his amazing computer and mechanical skills. They were filthy rich; their parents had bequeathed them a small fortune and they used it well. Alyssa had been trained by tutors in many disciplines including martial arts, acrobatics, driving and much more. Kane had never forced her to do what she did and that made it all the more better.

Once Kane had finished establishing a background story he handed her the files which contained all the information which made up her cover life. And she had to learn it all. It included seemingly insignificant details about schools and pets; it had maps showing the area where she supposedly lived and notes on how to change her voice to make it sound more clipped and posh. The programme was for wealthy teenagers so she would have to sound the part. Alyssa would spend the next week memorising it all and Kane would be happy to try and catch her out.

They were eating dinner one night and Kane said, "So Felicity, do you have any pets?"

"Well, not anymore, I once had a cat called Billy but it died," she answered, her voice tinged with sadness.

"Wrong, the cat's name was Bailey," he informed his sister and she cursed but then he added, "But nice touch with the sad voice."

She grinned; getting to act the different roles was one of the perks of her job.

The week passed and Kane deemed Alyssa ready to go. She was packed and they had left the yacht for London because she would be flying from Heathrow airport. Kane wouldn't be accompanying her so they had to say their goodbyes now. Alyssa hugged him tightly and he ruffled her hair.

"Be careful," he instructed.

"I will," she answered dutifully and stepped into the taxi. As it drove away she waved to him. Then she allowed herself to marvel at the streets of her birth place.

Thanks to my reviewers:

Glissoning Raven – hi, thanks for your review. I hope this chapter means that you won't die. lol I'm glad you liked it.

AD – thanks, what you said about your sister made me think about if my sister was in the situation and I also found it funny even though her name isn't Alyssa. Anyway I hope you like chapter 2.