This is a bit of a heavy read. If its too much, review telling me so and I'll cut it down, maybe splitting it into two. It basically explains what Alex has been up to in the 4 years that have passed since the SCORPIA incident. For those of you that think this defeats the point of a child spy, then you just wait! This is just the start of the story! Again, I think this chapter might be a bit too full on, so review and or email me with suggestions. I'm all ears!

Saturday, 27th November, 14:16
Bristol, United Kingdom

"What d'you think? Try for goal, or kick to touch."

"We're four points down with a minute left on the clock, we don't have much choice."

Alex held the ball out to his front; kicking it easily into touch close to the opponent's try line. He turned round as he walked towards the touchline, walking backwards to address the team.

"COME ON BOYS! WE CAN DO THIS!"

The team responded with a growl of a cheer. They all respected Alex as a leader, the crowd even more. Nearly the whole college had turned out to watch the last game of the season, and even though the team was loosing, the noise they were making didn't show it.

The lineout was taken long, and the ball passed straight to Alex who distributed it quickly down the line. A few meters from the tryline, the opposing team managed to stop the offencive, the attacking forwards quickly driving over the ball, presenting it for the next phase of play. Harry, the openside winger, took the ball out of the ruck and passed it back towards Alex. As he watched the ball flying towards him, Alex got an idea. On receiving the ball he shouted out a command, and a well-practiced drill went straight into play.

"BONGO BONGO BONGO!"

With a quick look over his shoulder Alex kicked the ball into the air, over the heads of the unsuspecting, and slightly perplexed opponents. James, the blindside flanker, quickly ran through the retreating defenders as they tried changing direction, the ball practically fell into his arms. A defender did manage to grab hold of him, but there was no way for him to stop the try since James was already over the line.

The crowd went wild as he hit the floor, grounding the ball for the try. So loud in fact, that the referee's whistle to confirm the try wasn't heard by anyone. The try made the score 22-20 to the home side, and the conversion that Alex kicked with ease took it up to 24-20.

"Stay sharp boys! Its not over yet!" Alex tried to shout over the crowd, but James, who was now jogging next to him, laughed.

"Come-on Dan! There's only seconds left on the clock, there's no way they can come back now!" Alex tried to argue back, but the sound of the crowd made it stupid to even try.

The opposing team took the kick-off, the ball landing in the arms of Paddy, who quickly kicked the ball out of play, and into the crowd. The ref blew the full time whistle, and the crowd went mad. All this excitement wasn't normal for the average College rugby game, but this was the last of the year, and a win here ment an unbeaten season, somthing the College haddn't achieved for years. The team members had been advertising the game all week, the main selling point being the fact that most the guys, Alex included, were leaving at the end of the year, and this being their last ever rugby match for the College.

As the two teams made their way off the field, the crowd parted, creating a tunnel, a very loud, screaming tunnel, but a tunnel nonetheless. As the players passed through, cries of 'Nice one James!' or 'Always thought you'd finish in style Dan!' could be heard. Alex walked through with the team, still shaking hands with the opponents as he went. Unfortunately, this ment he was within an arms reach of the croud, and the slaps to his back had started to leave marks after only a few seconds.

Alex's feelings towards this crowd had changed over the years. Right that minute they were feelings of gratitude, thanks, even friendship. But at the start of his schooling career here, this was the crowd that had ridiculed and embarrassed him. He would always remember those days, when he had moved cities, counties even, when he changed his name to 'Daniel Hunter', as the worst of his life. He thought he'd been though everything life had to throw at him, and just as he was about to be released from it all, it was all brought back to sharp reality.

4 Years ago, Alex's Uncle, Ian Rider, had been killed in 'mysterious' circumstances. Within weeks, Alex was called into the MI6 HQ, a grey, ordinary looking office block in the middle of London, where they had managed to manipulate him into carrying out a series of missions, each one more dangerous than the last. But it was the effect on Alex's mental health that would have finally stopped him. Saving the world is a high stress job in itself, but it was all the small things that affected him the most, like seeing a man fall to his death from 100 meters up, seeing a man commit suicide in front of you, finding out your dad was killed by the people you work for, seeing a loved one be put in mortal danger because of you…

Those days would haunt Alex forever, but that wasn't what ended his spying days, it was an assassination attempt. In his last mission, a key member of a major terrorist organisation called SCORPIA was taken out. They blamed him personally for the loss, and had one of their operatives take him out. Except, the sniper's bullet didn't do its job. The aim was true enough, but MI6 had other ideas. At the time, Alan Blunt, the head of MI6, valued Alex as his most valuable agent. A 14 year old agent is extremely useful in the field simply because nobody expects a boy. Alex was his one and only child agent, and he was not about to loose him. Within minutes of Alex loosing consciousness, government agents, disguised as paramedics, picked Alex up and transported him to a special MI6 ward where they managed to keep him alive. After two months Alex was breathing independently, and after six he was conscious. Blunt was all for getting him back into the field, but Mrs. Jones put her foot down, and managed to get him into a relocation program. He was moved, with his guardian Jack Starbright, to Bristol, where he was placed into a private school under the name 'Daniel Hunter'. Jack was given the name 'Lisa Garret'.

His first year there wasn't a good one. Still mentally scarred from the past year, he was diagnosed as clinically depressed, and attempted to commit suicide within 4 months. Somehow, the school kids found out, and due to the cruel nature of playground gossip, he was ridiculed and teased. A number of times pupils tried to bully him, but due to his training as a spy, and the fact that he didnt really care about their well-being, they all ended up unconscious, or with broken limbs, or both. Alex almost killed one of his attackers, and although this had the effect of stopping all future bullying, it raised some serious issues.

Therapists concluded Alex really had no control over his emotions, and he was sent to counselling, but it didn't help, since the reasons why he was like he was couldn't be aired, and he really didn't want to air them. One thing good did come out of it though; he met Madeline Ross.

Maddie was in the 'trendy' circles at school, and one of the most popular girls. She had been at counselling for years due to personal matters, but Alex would sit and listen to her in the waiting room before they had their sessions. They soon grew closer, and helped each other to combat their depression. By the end of Alex's second year they were going out as a couple, not many people accepted Alex as a 'trendy', but the power Maddie had over them was enough to keep them quiet.

Over the years they grew apart as 'partners', but they still maintained a high degree of friendship, and by the time they broke up, Alex was accepted as one of the crowd. Anyone who disagreed would still have to stand up to Maddie, let alone Alex and his 'freaky' combat skills. It was mainly due to her that Alex was still alive, and he knew it. He valued her friendship above all others, knowing the way she treated him in those early talking sessions had allowed him to trust people again. He'd never forget her for as along as he lived, which, now he wasn't an MI6 operative anymore, seemed alot brighter and longer.

As he found his way out of the crowd, he spotted her leaning against a nearby outbuilding, arms crossed against her chest and smiling at him.

"You don't half leave it till the last minute!" she said laughing.

Alex could still see why he fell for her. Her blond, waist length hair and deep blue eyes drove most the male population of the College to try asking her out at least once. She really was very attractive, but he didn't think about her like that anymore, she was much more valuable as a friend.

"Yeh, well it all adds to the effect!" he said, eventually breaking away from the team, who had started singing now.

"And what effects that then?" she said, giving a sly smile.

"Making me look good!" Alex said putting on a fake model pose, making her laugh.

She walked with him until they reached the changing rooms where they had to part, not that most the team would mind her turning up for a celebratory shower with them. They agreed to meet up in their usual café after the match supper, and Alex watched her walk of to find some of the girls that had been watching the game before walking into the changing rooms. Match supper was the meal put on by the hosting college for the away team, in the higher teir teams, the home side got to come along as well, although the home team rearely showed unless they'd won.

Later that day, Alex was walking towards the café through the city. The light had already started to fade, and the cold winter wind blew though the light hoodie he had on. Burrowing his hands into the pockets, Alex quickend his pace to try and escape the wind assoon as possible. Unfortunately, he'd never reach Maddie tonight, and as soon as Alex saw the trench coat and dog, he knew it.

Agent Carter and his dog, today a brittish bulldog, were walking up the street towards him. Carter's eyes didn't leave Alex's, his face seemed joyful and humorous, the exact opposite of what Alex was feeling at the sight of this ghost from his past. He'd bet anything this man was MI6, and unfortunately for Alex, he was right.

"Dan! Or should I say Alex?" Alex didn't stop walking, determined to get to Maddie before this man could get him to agree to anything.

"Who are you? What d'you want?" Alex asked angrily, still walking, but at an even faster pace now. The sound of his old name bringing back more memories than he ever thought it would.

"Now Alex! What's all the hostility about? We save your life and this is how you thank us?"

"Ever thought that maybe I wanted to die?" This seemed to shut Carter up for a while. But he'd been sent here for a reason; Alex being like this wasn't going to stop him.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to come with me, Mr Blunt has asked to see you immediately." This new, more business-like tone made the statement sound more like an order.

"I don't work for you anymore, I have a new life, and even if I did go, I can't right now, I'm on my way to meet someone." Carter just kept walking by his side.

Alex could now see Maddie sitting inside the café, at their usual table. Her back was turned, but he'd recognise that head anywhere. He thought that maybe, if he could just get there, Carter would have to go away. He couldn't go talking about classified MI6 material in a café full of people.

"Don't think that I'll keep quiet in front of her, my orders are to get you back to London, using any means nessisary. Getting her to sign the Official Secrets Act isnt going to stop me." Alex kept walking, "You don't really want to bring her into all this, do you?"

Mental images of Sabina flashed through Alex's mind, her face when she was being held at gunpoint, her father… It wasn't Alex fault that Sabina's father was targeted, but Alex still blamed himself for not doing enough.

Alex stopped dead in the street; if Maddie turned around she'd see him straight away. Did he want to bring her into it? He'd longed to tell her about his real life, she'd understand, but would it be fair on her... But... when he'd first started to talk to her, he'd vowed to keep her seperate from his past. Even if it was for her own protection.

"Ok, I'll go with you." His breath was ragged and his voice was rough. "But only if I can say goodbye to her first." Carter smiled, but it was a cruel smile.

"And what are you going to say? 'I'm just off to MI6... Shouldn't be long!'" Carter said in an Alex-like accent. "No, I don't think so. And telling her you're going 'somewhere' would just make her more worried that you couldn't tell her where. I think its better that you just come along."

Confused and distressed as he was, Alex just agreed, and allowed himself to be steered off in the opposite direction by Carter. As they reached the corner, he looked back to see Maddie looking out the window, scanning the street for him. He ducked out of sight just in time for her not to see him, but her eyes lingered on the corner for a long time before turning back to her coffee.