Madam Conti and Dr. Three were deep in discussion on various aspects of the arms trade involving world politics and new markets. All things would be intertwined and integrated with their organisation, if this woman joined Scorpia's board. Alex stood back with their host's personal bodyguard.

"So... Prometheus, what's your real name?"

"Harry Palmer." Alex said with a completely straight face. He checked the other guy's face and guessed he'd probably never heard of Len Deighton either.

"So, Harry, worked for Scorpia long?"

"Long enough."

"Pay well?"

"I'm still technically the Doctor's apprentice. Though I did make a nice bonus breaking the chinese agent I caught. 100 grand for that." Which had been reinvested in Scorpia. Alex was well aware how short funds were and every penny was needed building up their reputation and getting new customers.

"You're an interrogator." Alex watched the guy take a small step away.

"I initially trained as an assassin. I was a bit emotional for that. Too personally involved with my targets. After the last, well I enjoyed offing Julius a bit too much."

"Right." The unwritten hierarchy was that bodyguards hated assassins, but not as much as interrogators. Everyone hated them.

Miriam Conti came up to Alex as before dinner drinks were served. Alex stood with a glass of water. Miriam and Dr. Three were drinking vintage Louis Roederer Crystal to celebrate her status as Head of Arms and Procurement for Scorpia. "You must not tease David. I doubt he has ever read a spy novel or any novel in his life."

"I like reading. I was tempted to say Harry Potter, but he'd have got that reference straight away."

Miriam knew her bodyguard well, but he was not into cinema or books. His chosen reading was about sports in the Turkish newspapers or Gun Monthly "So you don't drink?"

Alex had discussed his options with Dr. Three and was going to be honest with this woman. Israel was one country that could use someone with his skills base and would not be put off that he had worked freelance. "Maybe, when I get to 18. Don't want to stunt my growth or damage my liver."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen, not long to my birthday either, only four months."

Miriam smiled "So I take it I am talking to Alex Rider."

"Call me Alex if you want, but I do prefer my codename." Alex then smiled at Miriam, " I can't wait to get back to base, back to Cossack. I am a seventeen year old sex addict and I need my fix of hot hard cock."

With that the forty something woman let out a loud barking laugh, at Alex's outright lewdness.

...

The communications technician watched the handler sat in the room, swear loudly as he spilled his cup of coffee. "Shit, Fuck... I did hear that right. We have a 17 year old psycho to deal with. One who's a boy toy for Gregorovich? "

"Well he did say he enjoyed his work. For him to be a skilled interrogator at 17 means the kid's not well balanced nor well adjusted."

"Who's the target he mentioned earlier... Julius who?'

"Grief clone... Alex's double from that school in France, Point Blanc Academy. Escaped from the British Detention Facility in Gibraltar. Rider took him out with a head shot in July 2002."

"Have we got a psych profile for Rider?"

"Not yet. Need to input this new data with the CIA data from 2002."

...

Alex was happily packing Dr. Three's bag in the doctor's preferred meticulous order. "So, Miriam is to be my new handler. Cossack will not be happy."

Dr. Three had spoken often to his protege, discussing the fact Alex was not homosexual and this affair with Cossack was damaging, a result of disassociation on his psyche by the segregated imprisonment at the time of his sexual awakening. "I have told you Cossack is not ideal for you. He is possessive. I may have indulged this affair while you regained a sense of self, but at 18 you are moving west. Mrs. Conti will run Scorpia for Europe and the Middle East. You will head up interrogations for her."

The seventeen year was not going to fight about the doctor's diagnosis as the man was a respected psychologist, but the old man thought all homosexuality was a the result of psychological defects, not love, not belonging. So Alex kept his own opinions to himself and changed the subject. "Are you going back to doing practicals?"

"No, I have another apprentice, one who has worked in Columbia for the Cortez Cartel. She wants to rejoin Scorpia. I need to keep a close eye on her, just to make sure she is not under the influence of the DEA or the CIA."

"Umm, is she hot?" stated Alex, making a dig at the Doctors interest in his sex life.

"No. I think she is so successful as an interrogator because of her repulsiveness. I think she revels in her ugliness."

...

In the darkness, lying on soft sheets, the air moist with humidity and mingled sweat. Two men lay in each others arms. "We can still be lovers. I do not want to give this up. I respect Dr. Three, but this is good, this is home, not any place nor work or anyone else. Just you Yasha."

"You have become home for me also. The Doctor thinks you need independence. That I am an emotional crutch for you. Prove yourself not for me or anyone else. You have always been in control. It was always your choice, I respected you enough to point out my faults. I will continue to arrange time to be with you. I too will miss this." Yassen tightened his hold on his lover. They had fallen into bed as soon as Alex had returned from Cyprus.

...

Three days before Alex's eighteenth birthday, they had both wandered around the street market in Saigon and the two Scorpia operatives were just tourists here. In a bustling tourist cafe, they both had citron pressé to drink. Yassen the spoke in Russian. "I have items to give you and I will give you details of three safe houses, that I used in Europe. I know you will not go to England, but your father left me details of his bank accounts in National Bank of Panama and the Bank of Zurich to pass on to you on your majority. I had a lawyer, keep everything legal and above board. These are the numbers and the documentation. The panamanian bank has branches in Berlin, Paris and Rome. The Swiss bank account is only accessible in that country. You have over two million in cash, bonds and some securities. Keep it safe and add to these nest eggs. You have two good quality passports, get more. The three safe-houses are all isolated and have not been stocked for over four years. Check them when you can. Restock supplies. There are stashes of cash in each.

Yassen paused "You may refuse any job. You are freelance and have no debt to clear for training. In fact, you are to shadow Mrs. Conti as you have shadowed myself and Dr. Three."

Alex then asked the question that had bugged him "We have codenames, but not Dr. Thi, Demetrios and Mrs. Conti. Why not?"

"They worked in their field before joining the Board and continue to do work independently of Scorpia. Also, you, I and originally Dr. Three undertook contract work. Safer not to have an identity for most of those who you will meet and work with."

"I'm the only teenage operative with Scorpia. I kind of stand out."

"You are already feared. You have for the past year outperformed each trainee at our facility. They have your mark to live up to. However, each have five year contracts to pay off training debts. I expect you will be initially sent to work for Mossad, as they will wish to see Mrs. Conti's protege in action. That is why you have been training with me for two months. I .. I am not good with goodbyes."

"It isn't. I do not fly out until tomorrow morning. You and I have all night together. to prove to me how possessive you are, Yashka. I am yours... Mark me. Make no one doubt who I belong to."