CHAPTER 7

The assassin looked like he wanted to hit me.

Or shoot me.

... Or possibly both.

But before he could do either, there was a loud bang from outside and his head snapped towards the door, "... They're here".

I simply frowned and he quickly walked over to a small table in the corner of the room, pulling out two guns, and tossing one to me, "I presume I can trust you not to try and murder me again?".

"Sure" I replied shrugging, "But I'm making no promises".

"The feelings mutual. Trust me" He growled, before suddenly looking back up at the sound of gun fire, "They work faster than I thought".

"... Am I permitted to know who they are?" I finally asked and he glared at me, "The SO".

I frowned, "MI6 are here? Isn't that a good thing?".

"No. It's not" He growled, before abruptly walking towards the door, throwing it open and storming out.

Guess I had to fend for myself then.


Swearing under my breath, I forced myself to sit up, ignoring up my bullet wound protested as I got to my feet.


Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

That's all.

Nothing else to it.


Taking a deep breath, I tried to ignore the fact that I stumbled slightly, and headed towards the door, silently sneaking out, Yassen's gun firmly in my hands as I walked down the corridor.

*BANG*.

Automatically ducking, I spun around and aimed my gun at the shooter.

"WAIT!" He yelled, dropping his gun and kicking it over to me, "WAIT!".

I paused and he let out a shaky breath, "Alex Rider, right? I'm Agent Philips. MI6".

I continued to point my weapon at him.

A split second later, there was a bullet hole straight between his eyes.


Growling under my breath, I spun around to find the Russian Assassin lowering his own gun.


Glaring at him, I nodded towards the dead agent behind me, "Did you HAVE to kill him?".

"Of course" the Assassin replied smoothly, "He was going to shoot you".

"Like you did?" I shot back, "And besides, he was MI6, he's one of the good guys".

"Which makes me one of the bad guys?" He questioned and I nodded, "Exactly".

He smiled, shaking his head slightly, before suddenly spinning around and shooting another MI6 agent that was slowly advancing behind him.

"You were about to let him shoot me, weren't you?" Gregorovich asked, turning back to face me.

I shrugged, "Not really. I would have killed him myself if he had gotten too close".

"So you don't want me dead?".

"No, I want you dead alright" I replied smirking, "But it'll come at my own hands. Not someone else's".

"You seem so sure that you'll murder me" He said, "I should warn you though, I'm a very difficult man to kill".

"I don't doubt it" I replied simply, "But unless you want that winning streak to end, I'd suggest you move. Like, right now".

He easily stepped asides into the nearest room, just as a shower of bullets sprayed the ground he had only a second ago, been standing on.

He looked up at me surprised, "спасибо".

I smirked, "Your welcome".


"Why are they here?" I asked Yassen, almost having to shout over the sound of gun fire.

He shot another agent and ducked down behind the stack of boxes, "Because of you".

I frowned, also taking cover as I reloaded my gun, wincing as I pulled at the newly ripped stitches on my side, "Me?".

"Yea" He replied, "They want you back"

"I thought you convinced them I was dead?".

"I did... But they must of found you somehow" He said and I thought for a minute, before suddenly grinning, "Good ole Smithers... He left a tracking device in watch".

"... That explains a lot" Gregorovich finally replied, "... And also explains why they're here for you. You're their best agent. And they need you".

"Need" I muttered, "It's a nice word, don't you think?".

He smirked, "Depends on the context".


"So if I go with them, they'll leave?" I asked a few minutes later and Yassen nodded, "Otherwise they'll continue to shoot until we're all dead".

I glanced down at myself.

The stitches for my bullet wound had long ago been ripped, and the wound was now bleeding sluggishly, staining my shirt with the red liquid.

I doubted I could out much longer.

I suddenly tossed the assassin my gun, before standing up and running over to the nearest still-living agent, ignoring Yassen's yells after me.

The man immediately spun around, pointing his gun at me before freezing as he saw who it was.


"Alex Rider?" He asked and I grinned, "Well I'm not the Easter Bunny".

He put a hand to his ear, "Stand down. We've got Rider. I repeat, stand. down".

He turned back to me, "Would have been nice of you to call, you know".

I smirked, shrugging, "Ah, but where's the fun in that?".

He laughed, "Come on, Jones is furious with you. And we don't want her to wait, or she'll murder you".

"Of course not" I replied, "Cause if she kills me, then whose there to finish the paperwork?".


"ALEX!".

I spun around just in time to see Summer throw herself at me, pulling me into a breath-taking hug, quickly followed by Fritz, who had finally recovered from the shock of me casually walking into their lab at 2 in morning.

I laughed, "Guys, come on, let go, before you choke me".

They both pulled back, grinning at me and I smirked at the identical Baxter twins.

Then suddenly, their smiles fell.

"We thought you were dead" Fritz started.

"You never called or anything" Summer continued.

"Why not?".

"Were you captured?".

"Did they hurt you?".

"He looks pretty hurt".

"He looks really hurt".

"Really, really hurt".

"All battered and bruised and- HOLY SUGAR IS THAT BLOOD?" Fritz yelled and I sighed, "I got shot. Nothing to worry about".

"Nothing to worry about?" He asked, "You got SHOT, Alex. As in a BULLET. From a GUN".

"I know what getting shot is Fritz" I replied tiredly, "It has happened to me many times before".

"Then sit down and I'll get a few bandages" He said firmly, before running off as Summer forced me to sit up on the oh-so-familiar metal counter.

In a heartbeat, Fritz was back.

"Shirt" He ordered.

"No".

"Alex" He warned, before sighing as I glared at him, "Come on Rider, it's not like this is the first time I've seen you shirtless... And wow, does that sound way more wrong than I intended... But you know what I mean. I've stitched you up after every mission you've had since that incident in Madagascar. And it's not about to change now".


I stared at him for another minute before slowly reaching up and unbuttoning my shirt, letting it hang loosely and open on my shoulders.


And just as usual, both scientists flinched slightly at the sight of my scars, but remained silent about them.


"... So, come on, what happened?" Summer asked, as Fritz went about trying to fix my stomach.

"Got caught. Woke up to a Russian Assassin saying he wasn't going to murder me. Had a half-decent conversation with him. Then you guys showed up" I replied simply, before wincing as Fritz attempted to redo my stitches.

"You seen Jones yet?" She asked again but I shook my head, "Thankfully, no".

"You do know that she'll-".

"Kill me. I know" I replied smirking, "I had a whole conversation on the way here with the rescue guys, trying to organise my funeral".

"I send some flowers, promise" Fritz teased before suddenly there was a loud bang, and we all looked up to find Jones storm in, glaring with all her might at me.

Then she saw the blood.

Her eyes softened slightly, "You got injured?".

"Bullet wound. Nothing major" I replied, just as coldly.

"Who was holding the gun?" She asked and I smirked, "Yassen Gregorovich".

"Ah" She said quietly, "And did he... Say anything?".

I glanced up and stared her straight in the eye, "Should he have?".