DISCLAIMER: The great and mighty Anthony Horowitz owns all that you recognize.

"Don't bother trying to escape." She pressed a button on the desk's phone. Within minutes, a familiar face appeared. Alex thought he had rid himself completely of those blue eyes and blond hair.

Yassen.

When Alex woke up again, he was sprawled on his bed. Blearily blinking, he rolled over and checked the digital clock on the nightstand next to his bed. "8:30!" he exclaimed, sitting up. "Jack! Ja-ack!" He threw his covers off and rushed through the door frantically, only to run headlong into Jack as she came through the doorway. He hugged her tightly, not saying a word.

Jack squeezed back just as tightly. "Alex, where were you?" she asked, her voice partially muffled by Alex's clothing. "What happened?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," the blond boy replied, stiffening a little at the thought of what he owed those people. "What day is it?"

"Day after Christmas. You being you, it would be the one day on which you can act like a normal teenager that you disappear. Which reminds me…" Laughing, she tugged at Alex's arm until he began to follow her to the kitchen. "Close your eyes," she warned as she gently guided the blond boy until he stood in front of the table. "Now open!"

Alex could only gape as what appeared to be a hideously striped sweater lay on the counter. I really, REALLY hope this is Jack's idea of a gag gift. Forcing a smile onto his face, he managed to choke out "Oh Jack, you shouldn't have."

"You silly boy," she giggled, affectionately ruffling his hair, "Do you really think I would get something like this for you? It's from your Sabina," she teased.

Alex groaned. "Why on earth she would think I would like something like this is beyond me." Eyeing the brightly colored sweater warily, he tiptoed around it and went to the fridge. "We're out of milk."

"Well, excuse me if I had slightly more important things to worry about."

"Like last-minute gift shopping?"

"Like trying to find you, idiot."

Laughing, Alex tackled Jack with another bear hug, feeling almost normal. The mood was quickly shattered. "Alex, Alan Blunt called. He wanted to see you as soon as you woke up. Any idea what that's about?"

Alex shook his head. "No idea." He hated this. He hated lying to her about so many different things, about the nightmares he sometimes had, so bad that he had to stuff his fist in his mouth just to keep from waking her up. And now he had to lie about this, this latest encounter with Scorpia, so she wouldn't worry and fret more than she already did. Solemn now, he walked over to the coat stand and angrily grabbed a jacket, then began to put it on.

"Alex?" Jack's voice had risen slightly. "What's going on?"

He shrugged, the movement jerky and belligerent. "I told you, I don't know." Then another one of those damnably black cars that screamed "Covert Operations" pulled up, and he walked out without so much as a backwards glance or a thought as to how the driver had known just when to arrive.


As the elevator doors pinged open, Alex froze. There, coolly chatting with Alan Blunt, was none other than Kamille. Alex opened his mouth to say something, perhaps warn Blunt, when a pair of cold blue eyes transfixed him where he stood. It was too late. For all of his training and instincts and survival in multiple near-death situations, he was going to die. And in, of all places, the headquarters of Military Intelligence 6. He could have laughed at the irony as Kamille drew nearer. Oddly enough, Blunt didn't seem at all concerned.

"Well met, Alex." The voice was teasing, mocking. "You put on quite a show the last time we met."

Dare he hope? "You got lucky that last time, I was pretty close to escaping before your man dragged me out."

She was amused, he could see it. Her lips were twitching, but so were her fingers, and they were awfully close to a slight bulge on her hip….

"Now don't scare the boy to death," Blunt interjected. Alex never thought he would be happier to hear the man than at that moment. Turning to Alex, he introduced Kamille. "This is Agent Triple-Oh."

Now it was Alex stifling a laugh. "Sounds like a cheesy prepackaged pasta item," he quipped before remembering who he was talking to. Oh dear… "Also, she works for Scorpia," he informed Blunt, ever-so-slightly shifting his weight to his back foot, prepared to strike if any threat presented itself.

"Not at all," Kamille smoothly interjected. "Rather, they work for me." At Alex's suspicious look, she continued, "There's a lot to explain, and this isn't exactly the most private area in which to hold delicate conversations." Privately, Alex agreed. The bustling corridor was never empty.

Blunt motioned toward his office door. "Here, use mine," he offered. Alex looked at him oddly. Since when has Blunt been nice?

Kamille seemed to be thinking the same thing; she shook her head. "I think we'll use mine," she stated. "No doubt you've planted several recording devices just for this purpose." Ignoring Blunt's outraged look, she escorted Alex to her office before the gray man could utter a word of protest.


Two whole pages, hurrah! Happy Christmas!

Also, a very heartfelt thanks to everyone who reviewed, particularly prone2dementia and hittocerebattosai for their tips. I do feel that I need to apologize a bit for my last rant last chap and add context: It was a very, very bad day. But that doesn't give me any right to write that way.

Anyway, I think writing is like a marathon. You slowly build up your word count, getting used to longer and longer chapters.

Once again, happy Christmas. Enjoy!