"This is the last document you need to sign, sir," Sasha said. She set the paper down in front of him. The other sheets had already been signed and packed away into her black binder. "It's about the former regulations we talked about last time."

"Ah, I see." Sarov signed it quickly. "But Sasha, hold on. I want to bring up something."

"Is there a problem?" Sasha asked. She set the binder down on the desk and sat down in the chair in front of it. "I'm here to help."

"I know. Alex's friend came over yesterday and he had a good time. Igor and I wanted to do something more for the boys, but it seems ridiculous for grown men to be arranging play dates for teenagers," Sarov said. "Your daughters, do they have the same issues with boundaries? Do you have any words of wisdom for me?"

"Sir, my daughters and your son are a world apart," Sasha said. "The situation is different for the boy. Can I ask who Igor is?"

"A friend from my military days. He's a lawyer now with three children. Dmitry is his only son and he and Alex are becoming close," Sarov replied. "I want them to do more things together, but not with me coordinating everything."

"I can assume you trust this man?" Sarov nodded in response to that. "Lovely. Here's what you do. You give Alex more freedom."

"Continue."

Sasha clasped her hands together. "I know you don't want to hear this, but parents are supposed to let go. Eventually, as the babes age, they become interested in adult things and forming their own lives. I think, and I say this with all due respect, sir, that you are forgetting who Alex was before he came here. He worked for M16. He managed his spy duties and his regular life the best he could. He wasn't some idiotic child. Of course he's going to be suspicious and keep his loyalties elsewhere, but surely being stuck in this home for two years has forced him to reevaluate his beliefs. You want a father and son relationship? You have to strive for it. You can't keep him holed up in that bedroom without even a television. Fathers let their sons talk to other people, have fun, and treat them like people. You have to work towards that."

"So I suppose more freedom is the key, then?" Sarov asked.

"Sir, if he's going to escape, he would have done it by now," Sasha pointed out. "He has not done that once. Take the boy out to a restaurant. Let him meet with Dima. It's not supposed to be this hard."

After a pause, Sarov said, "I understand. Thank you, Sasha. I appreciate the honesty. You're the only person I've talked to about this problem. I have kept it bottled up until now."

"You can ask me about anything, Alexei," Sasha said. "I am aware of your situation. It's fine. If there is any way I can be of service to you, let me know."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you again, Sasha. You can leave now. I've kept you far longer than necessary." Sasha nodded and retrieved her things. Sarov was left alone in his study, ruminating over what his advisor said.

He decided to call Igor. The man picked up almost immediately. "Alexei," Igor greeted him. "Why the call?"

"I'm sorry this is abrupt. I was hoping to schedule a meet-up between us all. Me, you, our children."

"Oh. That sounds fabulous. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, it's January and the weather isn't the best right now," Sarov said. He threw a quick look at the calendar on the wall. "I was thinking we could go away for three days. Only if it's plausible, of course. We could go to a cabin."

"I have a cabin," Igor said. "It's a little further away than our area, but we could make the trip if we all drive early. I can give you the directions. Are you interested in doing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday?"

"Next week? I think I can do it. Alex's lessons can be cancelled or moved around," Sarov said. "Can your children come without school being an issue?"

"Oh, does that mean Katya is allowed to be around the boys?" Igor asked. "It would be cruel for me to leave her out of this trip."

"Forgive me for that," Sarov said. "I'm an overprotective man, I'll admit. Yes, invite her too. They'll be in separate rooms, I can assume?"

"No, Alexei, I'm going to throw Katya into the boys' room and they're all going to have a jolly, sexy time," Igor retorted. "Yes, they will all be in separate rooms. We can let the boys share one room, but that's up to you."

"Fine. Let Dima and Alex share a room," Sarov said. "I think it would be everyone's benefit if one car drove us all. I can have my driver arrive at your house to pick you and the children up. There's plenty of room for suitcases in the trunk."

"That's a good idea. I'll send you the dates and when you can come over. I have an address for you too. I can give you all this over email, it's better that way," Igor said.

"Okay, thank you. I'll see you then, Igor."

"Goodbye. Have a nice day."

"Alex, the driver tells me he's ready," Sarov called out from the stairs. "Do you have your things yet?"

"I'm almost done! Hold on!" Alex scanned the room quickly to see if there was anything he may have forgotten while packing his suitcase. He didn't have a lot of electronics, so he only needed one suitcase to bring to the cabin. Alex had packed some clothes, a bottle of shampoo, a razor, a notebook, some pens, and a camera. He didn't see anything else he needed, so Alex closed up the suitcase and headed downstairs to meet the General. A guard trailed behind him. He had offered to carry the suitcase, but Alex had scoffed at that. "I doubt you could carry my suitcase while holding that gun of yours," he had commented.

Sarov led him to the car. He took Alex's suitcase and put it in the trunk, along with his own. Alex got inside while he put the things away. It was colder than usual. He adjusted his hat and took his MP3 player out of his jacket so he could listen to some music. Sarov had said that the house was located further than their manor, so there was time to kill.

The car drove for what seemed like forever. There were constant turns in the road. Alex didn't really pay attention to where they were going. He noticed the passing buildings and even the other vehicles, but mostly his mind was focused on the music. Sarov didn't attempt to start a conversation with him, so he was thankful for the ability to just listen to his songs.

The car suddenly pulled into a driveway. Alex peered out the window to see Katya, Dima, and Igor standing outside of their house. Their home wasn't a manor, but it was huge and impressive in its own right. A woman was also standing with the group, presumably Igor's wife. Sarov stepped out of the room and gestured for Alex to do the same.

"Alexei! Good to see you. You're on time, thank God. It's freezing out here," Igor complained.

Sarov and Alex walked to meet them up. Alex waved to the other teenagers and politely greeted Igor's wife in Russian. She said hello in return. "You're so well-behaved, Alex," she said, laughing. She wrapped her arms around her, trying to get some warmth into her body. "Alexei is raising you right."

"Thank you for your kind words, Masha," Sarov said. "I'll help you with your bags."

"Don't worry about it. The kids can take their own suitcases to the trunk. Katya brought an extra suitcase, however, so if we could just get help with that…"

"I'll take it," Alex offered. He didn't wait for a response. He took the suitcase and carried it back to the car. Katya took hold of the other suitcase and rushed to match his pace.

"Alex, wait up!"

"Sorry," Alex said. "Are you excited for the trip?"

"Absolutely," Katya said, beaming. "I've been swamped with homework, so I'm so glad I can get away. We can do all sorts of things this weekend."

"Yeah, but I don't think we can do anything this Friday because it'll be late when we get to the cabin," Alex said.

"I'm so excited," Katya gushed. "We're going to have such a good time. My dad has been wanting to meet with your dad."

"Cool. Maybe he'll stop bugging me."

Katya smiled. "Me, you, and Dima should just hang out all weekend."

They finished putting her bags away and were the first ones inside the car. Alex moved all the way down to the end of the seat whereas Katya opted to sit in the middle. Dima was next, claiming the last seat. There was no room left in that row, so Igor and Sarov sat ahead of the children. Alex saw Sarov's eyes flicker towards them, but he made no comments. Alex assumed that expression was due to the fact he and Katya were, heavens forbid, sitting next to one another. What, did he think they were going to have sex right then and there? Alex wasn't sure how he'd survive the teenage years if Sarov insisted upon hovering above Alex at all times.

"We're going to have dinner at seven, so you kids have free time to do as you please," Igor said as the car pulled out of the driveway. "Dima, Katya, you two can show Alex around the cabin."

"Okay," Dima and Katya said at the same time.

"Us old men won't be bothering you kids," Igor said. "Perhaps I can entice Alexei to join me for a drink at the bar."

"I don't drink, Igor," Sarov pointed out.

"Well, my friend, let's see if that holds true after spending a weekend with three teenagers under one roof."

Sarov and Igor continued their friendly banter. Alex wanted to speak to his friends. "What do you guys want to do when we get to the cabin?"

"First, let us show you around the cabin," Dima said. "That way you won't get confused. Actually, I'll bring you to our room so we can unpack stuff. Then we can show you around, Alex."

"Sounds like a plan," Alex agreed.

"We can eat something if you guys are hungry. After the tour, maybe we could watch a movie or some TV. Or we could do some cold-weather hiking," Katya suggested.

"I know the woods near the cabin inside and out."

"Can we go hiking instead?" Alex would feel better walking and being active. They could always watch a television program some other time, but Alex needed the time to converse.

Katya and Dima agreed with the idea of hiking. They didn't need anything but water and some snacks, which were all present in the cabin's fully stocked kitchen.

When the car stopped, everyone got out and pulled out their suitcases. Alex blinked as he took in the beauty of the cabin. It looked like three stories made up the structure. It was cold outside, but not so bad that they couldn't stand waiting outside for a few minutes as Igor opened the door. It was only until a few minutes later that Alex realized that there weren't any guards in sight. Nope, no men with guns or bulletproof vests. Just three teens and their fathers. Alex realized with a jolt that to anyone else, they all looked like friends on a vacation.

"Are the guards actually staying at the manor?" Alex asked.

"They're not welcome on this trip. This is time for us to spend together, so the guards' presence would be dramatic," Sarov said.

"You don't say?"

"There aren't any servants either, so we'll have to do the cooking ourselves," Igor informed them.

"I suppose we'll have to settle for starving, then," Alex said. "I've never seen my father cook."

"We know how to make meals," Igor protested. "Well, Alexei does. He'll make something for us, no problem."

"Can we go inside? The door's already open," Dima said.

The men shuffled the children into the cabin. Dima, Katya, and Alex all took their suitcases upstairs. Alex followed the siblings as they made their way to the bedrooms.

"We're sharing this room right here," Dima said. "Katya's room is right next to us." They entered the separate rooms and began to unpack.

Dima had only one suitcase, just like Alex, but he had a lot of stuff packed into his. Alex was done unpacking in twenty minutes. Dima was taking his time. He threw his clothes on the bed and would stop what he was doing once in a while to check out an item he had packed. Alex was finished with his things, so he wandered over to Dmitry to see what was going on. The boy was sitting on the floor cross-legged, connecting a phone to a charger.

"I have to charge my phone," Dima said when he noticed Alex standing over him. "It's almost out of juice. Did you bring your phone?"

"I don't even have a phone," Alex said.

"Are you serious? That's crazy. Did you ask your dad for one?"

"No," Alex admitted.

"You should ask him," Dima said. "When's your birthday?"

"February thirteenth," Alex said. "I don't know if I'd get a cell phone, even if I asked for one. He won't even allow me a TV, you know?"

"Needle at him," Dima suggested. "If you get a phone, we could text and talk whenever we wanted. And if you get a small TV, you'll know about the movies and shows I talk about. What about a laptop?"

"I don't have one," Alex admitted. "There's a computer in the home library for me to use, but it's monitored so I can't just search up whatever I want. It's there for schoolwork and research."

"That sucks. Think about being nice and asking your dad for one of those things. Preferably a cell phone, so we can talk. I asked my dad for a phone for years and he eventually gave me one last year," Dima said. "Think about it. Okay, I'm gonna unpack all this later. Let's go see if Katya's done so we can go hiking."

She wasn't. They had knocked on her door, but she announced that she was still sorting out some things and would be out in a minute. "She's so slow," Dima complained. "Let's go downstairs and get something to eat, since she's taking so long."

They went to the kitchen, but Sarov wasn't there. Neither was Igor. "They're probably in the den," Dima said, shrugging his shoulders. "At least we get the kitchen to ourselves. We have all sorts of snacks and food here, so help yourself to anything."

Alex opened the refrigerator door. It was truly well-stocked. His face lit up when he saw bottles of Coke. "You guys have soda!"

"What, that's weird?" Dima came over with a chunk of bread in his hand.

"We have soda in our home," Alex said. "But when we run out, there's some time before we get more. My dad doesn't like sugary drinks, but once in a while, he'll get Coke for me."

"Take whatever you want. You can get everything here, including junk food." Alex took a Coke and sat at the table with Dima. He sipped at his soda while staring at the fogged up windows. He couldn't really see anything but the trees.

Katya joined them a few minutes later.

"You guys are eating? I thought we were going to hike," Katya said.

"Katya, shut up. We're finishing up. Let's go, Alex." They got up from their seats and followed Katya outside. The warmth left their bodies as they stepped outside. The air was cold and crisp. Alex moved from side to side, trying to get his energy flowing. Dima took the lead, walking ahead of them to get on the trail.

"Here's where we start," Dima said. "No one's going to bug us out here."

They walked a few minutes without talking. Once in a while, Katya and Dima would mention school to one another, but then they stopped. Alex was gathering his thoughts. He knew he couldn't escape in this area. The cabin was isolated and the woods were unfamiliar to him. Alex knew he couldn't get away and it would be foolish to try. He still remembered the escape attempt at Casa de Oro. Instead, Alex wanted to tell his friends the truth. As of now, they were the only companions he had. He wasn't sure how much Igor had revealed to his children, but Alex knew that it wasn't the whole truth.

Alex stopped in the middle of their hike. "I have something I want to tell you."

They turned to look at him. "Something the matter, Alex?" Katya asked. She looked very concerned and for some reason, he was reminded of Sabina. She looked nothing like her, but the reminder was there. Alex turned to Dima and focused his gaze on him.

"What did you father tell you about me?"

"Not much," Dima said. He was frowning. "All he said was that your father was an old military friend and he wanted to reconnect. He also said you were his son, but you were adopted and he wanted to have guards around you for safety purposes. The leader's son, and all that. So we didn't question it."

"Okay, well, this is the truth. I'm his adopted son, but I didn't come with him willingly. I…" Alex suddenly realized how incredibly stupid it would sound to tell two clueless teenagers that he used to be a M16 spy. Who would believe him? His accent had been affected by living in Russia for so long, and he was heavily influenced by the culture here. How on earth did he intend to back up his claims? Alex shook his head. No, this would have to come another time.

"I just had a bad time adjusting," Alex said slowly. That was a partial truth. "So sometimes my dad and I, we don't get along. And he's really overprotective about me, so that's why I don't have any friends or I don't own a computer."

The siblings exchanged a look. "It's okay, Alex," Katya said. "We don't care. It's your personal business."

"Yeah, it's not a problem," Dima chimed in. "You don't have to tell us anything if you're not comfortable. We fight with our dad all the time."

"I thought I should let you know," Alex said. "I didn't want you guys to assume anything different about me or my father."

"We aren't interested in your father's money or politics," Katya said. "No disrespect, Alex, but we're just here to be friends."

"I know. I know. I just thought I should tell you."

"Let's go back to hiking," Dima said.

"I'm sorry if I made you guys tense," Alex said.

"You didn't." And with that, they resumed walking.

A few hours away, in a Russian bar, two strangers were conversing in the corner. Their voices were rising, but no one noticed due to the hustle and bustle of the room. People drank, laughed, and joked amongst one another.

"This is wrong, damn it," the woman said angrily.

"Wrong? We are talking about a man that set off a bomb because he wanted control of Russia," hissed the other figure. "It's wrong to stand by and let this happen. And who in the hell knows what's happening to Alex as we speak."

"I can tell you. He's being pampered. He doesn't need our help. This whole idea is idiotic and naive. We are seasoned professionals. We are not fools. There's no reason to die just for a boy we don't even know," the woman snapped.

"He's Sarov's prisoner. He's been his prisoner for two whole years. How is that right?"

"It's not, but he's not being tortured or assaulted. He's got food and a bed. Alex Rider is safer than most people out there," the woman said. "Do you know what'll happen to us if we even attempt to do what you said?"

"Please, think about it. I know it seems ridiculous. But that boy has done a lot for the world and someone needs to repay him," the man argued.

"Can we at least think on it for a few days?"

"Take all the time you need to think. Let me know when you're ready to act." The man got up and left, shoving someone aside angrily as he exited. The woman watched him go, her heart heavy with the decision she needed to make. She didn't know what to do. So many people would be at risk, and all for a boy she didn't know. But how could she, a grown woman, abandon a fifteen-year-old child?

Maybe it would be easy. So many other people had done without a second thought.