AN: So, not a huge response to the first chapter but I guess I kind of derserved that. In good faith I'll post the second chapter now with high hopes that will show you I'm going to be slightly consistent. A huge thank you to Holly-Batali my new Beta. You are about to be the poor person who deals with my crazy thought process. I hope you don't learn to regret accepting. :D

Thank Yous:

Larka the White Wolf: I assumed spaces in your name but if there aren't any just tell me off. I am enormously thrilled that you are interested in this series. It's good to here that it's bringing new people in.

2whitie: I know that lots of writers have this problem but I still feel guilty. Thank you for following me even after my ridiculous absence.

Getsumen Kage no Mai: Don't worry, I'll try to make it as fast as possible but I won't sacrifice quality for quanitity. Glad you're enjoying it.

Alex POV

When Blunt had been in this office it had seemed lifeless and abandoned. Mrs. Jones had not done much more with the office but there was a potted plant which meant she was at least making an effort. Mrs. Jones motioned to a chair. "Have a seat."

Alex sat and waited for Mrs. Jones to speak. "Thank you for coming in Alex."

"I didn't have much of a choice." Alex retorted.

Mrs. Jones sighed. "No, I don't supposed you did. I'm sure you've gathered that we need you for a mission." Alex grunted but made no other move to reply. Mrs. Jones continued. "First we need you to provide backup for one of our agents."

"You guys have started sending backup?" Alex questioned, surprised.

"We've always sent backup to our agents." Mrs. Jones said; Alex snorted. "You were a special case."

"Why can't you send someone else?" Alex asked.

Mrs. Jones picked up a pen and twirled it through her fingers. "Think of it as a warm-up to get you back into this world."

"What's this agent's name?" Alex asked.

"He'll disclose that to you when you retreive him." Mrs. Jones said.

Alex thought that was a little wierd, but he was already pushed to his emotional limit. Why bother? "I guess I should get going."

"They'll supply you with a car downstairs. Take it over to the shipping port in Vanderbrute and wait for the agent." Mrs. Jones said. "Bring him back here safe and sound and we'll set you up for your new mission."

"You're not going to tell me about it yet?" Alex said.

Mrs. Jones set the pen down. "No, Alex, I'm not. As soon as you come back we'll talk."

Alex shrugged. "Fine." He left.

Jones POV

Alex walked out without another word. He didn't argue, didn't fight, didn't threaten or pout. He shrugged, accepted, and left. Mrs. Jones unwrapped a peppermint and popped it into her mouth. Alex was all grown up. He was a thirty-two year old man with a family. He had experience and wisdom that he'd never had before. He was stronger and sharper and better...but there was a part of him that was still fifteen year old Alex. A young boy who didn't want to be here and would rebel the first chance he got. Of course, no matter how much of the old Alex was in the new Alex they were two very different people. Old Alex would have thrown a fit but new Alex was more concerned about his family. Mrs. Jones tried to ignore the small sense of joy she felt at having a much better grip on Alex this time around. It was a very Blunt kind of sentiment; Mrs. Jones shuddered at the thought of how Blunt would've exploited Alex's current redheaded weakness. Mrs. Jones vowed not to let what happened before happen again. Mrs. Jones picked up her phone and dialed a number she didn't call personally very often. They answered on the third ring. Mrs. Jones cleared her throat. "I need a favor."

James POV

"Are you really Alex Rider's son?" James looked up to see a fifth grader looming over his lunch. The kid was big and bulky and exactly the way bullying fifth graders were portrayed in fiction. It was almost cliche. "Are you?"

"Yeah, so?" James asked, expecting a fight.

Instead the big kid grinned and sat down across from him. "That's really cool. I heard a whole bunch of stories about the legendary Alex Rider."

"Okay." James said.

"Like there were a whole bunch of gang stories and drug stories." The big kid said. "But those are complete bull."

James looked up. "You don't believe those stories."

"Of course not. Alex Rider, your dad I mean, he was like a really good student. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't a genius or anything but he was a good kid." This kid said. "So this kid is a black belt in karate, travelled with his uncle, and lived happily with his housekeeper for several years. His uncle dies and this strong, smart kid just breaks down and joins a gang? Not likely. On top of all that, of course, is the fact that when he was there he worked hard. He didn't skip for nothing and then fool around when he was there."

James arched an eyebrow. "Pretty solid arguement."

"Exactly." The kid said. "Now, keep following me. His uncle travelled for 'banking' and was never home after your Dad's parents died in a mysterious plane crash. His uncle dies in a mysterious car crash and bang the whole thing starts."

James nodded. "Okay."

"So Alex is just suddenly gone from school around the same time that fancy computer was supposed to come out. Sometime later the Prime Minister gets shot at and the government refuses to release the shooter's identity. BAM! Next day Alex is back at school a little beat up and trying to catch up on the two to three weeks he was absent." The kid said.

"You think there's a connection?" James asked, knowing full well there was a connection.

"It could have just been a coincedence but the timing is pretty interesting. So there's a couple of absences after that but then we get to Damien Cray who's about to sell his new video game. Damien holds this big party and who of all people shows up but your dad! He actually gets called up on stage to play the game. Alex goes missing from school for a while after that and then Damien Cray is dead and Alex Rider comes back to school." The kid is full swing now. "More missed school and much later Alex shows up with a mysterious biking injury right after a young boy was shot in front of-get this-the same bank that his uncle worked at."

"Pretty impressive work you did there." James agreed.

"Yeah, I would agree if I do say so myself." The kid said.

James leaned forward. "So, do you have a theory?"

"Kind of." The kid said. "I got a lot of my information from my Dad."

"Oh yeah, whose your dad?" James asked.

"His name is James too." The kid said.

The bell rang signaling that lunch was over. "Well it was nice to talk to you...I'm sorry, I never caught your name."

"It's Kevin. Kevin Sprintz." The kid said. He sauntered off.

Alex POV

Sitting in a car was boring but it was far better than being chased after some goon or swimming away from jellyfish. Being bored in a car was not likely to give him nightmares. Alex scanned the empty shipping yard again. No sign of anybody. Maybe this was the real test. Maybe there was no real agent and Mrs. Jones was just sending him here to test his patience. It would explain why she had refused to tell him the agent's name. After five more minutes of nothing Alex had nearly convinced himself that his hypothesis was correct. Another five minutes and he was about ready to drive off.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Alex recognized that sound. It was the sound of a gun going off. Alex got out of the SUV and pulled his gun. He waited, looking for a sign of the agent or the bad guys. From between two shipping containers a dark skinned man ran towards him. He was aiming his gun behind him and shooting off several rounds. Alex heard a loud growl from what he assumed was one of the man's pursuers. In Alex's experience if you were the good guy you were probably on the run but he couldn't be sure that was just him so he waited until the man was closer to shout, "Would you be a MI6 agent?"

The man laughed. "Depends on who's asking."

"MI6." Alex said.

"Then yes, yes I am." He said. "I certainly hope you're my backup."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Alex said.

The man reached the car and bent over to catch his breath. "I seriously hope I can do more than say it. Can you use a gun?"

Alex snorted. "Yeah, I can use a gun."

"Good." The man pointed at the group of ten or so men running towards them. "Aim at them."

Alex shook his head but pulled his gun up and fired off a couple of shots. He avoided any kill shots and instead went for the legs, which would prevent just about anybody from chasing after you. "And what exactly did you do to these men?"

"That's classified." The man said. Alex grinned. He'd never realized how ridiculous that sounded till it came out of someone else's mouth.

After the last guard went down the two men got in the SUV. Alex fired up the engine and took off. The man took a good look at Alex. "I don't think we've ever met mate."

"I doubt that we have." Alex said. "I haven't been here in seventeen years."

"I thought you sounded American." The man said. "So if you've been in American since you were, what, seventeen, then how'd you get into MI6?"

Alex sighed. "Bad luck."

"I see you're a very descriptive man." He said. "Let me see. How old are you?"

"Thirty-two." Alex said.

"Ahh, so you were...fifteen." The man said. "Fifteen...you left...now you're back. Oh my Lord, Alex? Alex Rider?"

Alex took a much longer and more careful look at the man and his dark skin, spiky hair, and carefree smile. "Tom Harris?"

AN: How'd you like the reappearance of an old character and the kind-of old character? I had fun writing them in. I know that this chapter was a little short but it was necessary and the next one will be longer. We'll also see some more of James and Eve. Don't forget to review!