Hi guys!

Yay for school holidays! I'll be updating a lot more than usual, now.

Thank you again to everyone who reviewed - you're awesome!

Happy reading!

-Lauren

x.x.x

'I maintain that I know your father a lot better than you did,' said Smith.

Anya narrowed her eyes and looked defiant but didn't dare open her mouth.

'I wonder if you knew what he did,' continued Smith, unfazed by Anya's silence.

'He was a scientist,' said Anya, with gritted teeth, knowing Viper would do something to her if she didn't answer Smith.

'I see you know something,' said Smith, taking another sip of wine, a grin forming on his face. 'He was in fact a scientist, who made a very important discovery.'

Anya stayed silent and let Michael Smith continue with his tale. She hoped that he'd get so caught up in the tale he'd drop his guard, but she highly doubted it. It would also be helpful if she knew what kind of evil plan he had, if she ever escaped.

'Poisons were his speciality,' continued Smith. 'He and I had a deal. He provided me with his newest poison, and I would pay him money that could last him the rest of his life.'

'Which you obviously didn't!' shouted Anya, earning her a jab in the back from Viper.

'He didn't hold up his end of the bargain, either,' said Smith, a dangerously evil quality entering his voice. 'We in the perfect position! Each of our agents in every country in the world, just ready to take over. Poison that could never be detected. Within a decade, I could have been the ruler of the world!'

Smith jumped out of his chair and began gesturing madly. Anya could see that behind the dignified, sophisticated mask, Smith was an absolute madman. Viper, who had heard this speech many times before, simply listened quietly.

'Your father delivered the poison. We gave him half the money, the other half was to be given to him upon completion of our plan. We offered him Australia, but for some reason he didn't want to get too involved. And then we found out why – he'd tricked us!'

'My father wasn't a criminal!' shouted Anya, struggling in Viper's grip, not caring what he would do to her. She was so angry at Smith, she felt as if she'd never cool down. She had never been this angry ever before. Here was the man who had murdered her father, and he was crushing all her ideas about her own father. The worst thing was, Anya was quite sure that he wasn't lying.

'Your father wasn't a criminal, he was a coward!' shouted Smith back, approaching Anya and slapping her on the face. 'He betrayed us! Instead of the poison he promised us, we got cornflour!'

Smith was breathing deeply, his face red with rage. Anya's rage was not so evident, though it caused her to shake uncontrollably. If Viper hadn't been holding her down, she would have attacked Smith right there and then, regardless of the fact that he was probably a million times stronger than her and had a gun.

'Let me go!' she screamed at Viper, ready to launch herself onto Smith. Viper, however, only gripped her tighter.

'My father never would have worked with you!' shouted Anya angrily, making the chair she was sitting on shake. Smith knelt down so that their eyes were level.

'Your father isn't as perfect as you'd like to think,' said Smith poisonously. In his rage, he slapped her again,

And then, Anya spat in his face.

Smith's face grew even redder than before, and Anya realised that spitting wasn't the smartest thing to do, as her anger was slowly replaced with fear. Smith had a deadly look on his face.

Anya shook in her seat, wishing she hadn't done such a thing.

And then the fire alarm went off.

Almost immediately, as if a switch had been flicked, Smith sat back down and became cold and emotionless. He wiped the spit off with a silk handkerchief, and regained his composure.

'The fire alarm?' asked Smith, looking puzzled.

'Must we evacuate?' Viper asked. Smith narrowed his eyes.

'This will complicate things,' said Smith, frowning.

'The fire department and police will come,' said Viper.

'Then we must evacuate, and make it look like we never were here.' Smith spoke muffled words into his headset and stood up.

'Let's go,' he said, to Viper. Viper pulled Anya roughly out of the chair and flung her over his shoulder as Viper and Smith started to run out of the building. Anya didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, but at least something in her terrible predicament had changed.

x.x.x

Alex breathed in the beautiful fresh air as he kept running. And swore as he realised there was a fence all around.

He searched desperately for a break in the wire fence, or a door – but there was nothing. He ran around the side of the building, to find the whole building was surrounded by a fence. He spotted a door, but he saw a large lock on the door and didn't waste his time trying to open it. Locust was gaining quickly – Alex was faster, but Locust had more endurance.

He wondered whether he could find his way back to where they had first been brought, but the place was totally unfamiliar to him and he couldn't gain his bearings.

And there was another problem – Locust was now close enough behind him to start shooting.

Alex flung himself onto the ground to avoid getting shot, and Locust caught up to him. Alex tasted bitter defeat as he felt cold metal on his neck.

Locust swore, and jabbed him painfully with the gun.

'Don't ever do that again,' he seethed. Alex tried to remain calm.

Out of the corner of his eye Alex could see other people leaving the building.

So they would have to evacuate – that was a good thing.

Alex just hoped that Locust wouldn't shoot him.

x.x.x

'Alex!' shouted Anya, spotting the boy fallen on the floor, with Locust sitting on him, holding a gun.

'Don't you dare shoot him, Locust,' Viper said dangerously, turning around. Locust cast a glare at Viper, but followed his orders all the same. Locust stood up and dragged Alex up with him.

'We're evacuating,' Smith told Locust.

'It's a fake alarm,' said Locust. 'The boy set it off.'

Smith rolled his eyes.

'You complete ignoramus. 1. Why did you even allow the boy to set off the alarm? 2. We have to leave anyway because the police and fire department will be here soon. Make yourself useful and light a fire.' Smith's voice had lost all of its fake pleasantness as he talked to Locust.

'But sir, Shark and Dolphin are still in the building,' said Locust.

'Then get them out! We don't want any evidence,' shouted Smith. Locust nodded.

'What about the boy?' Locust asked.

'You idiot! Just go, hurry up!' shouted Smith. Locust, startled, ran off.

Alex thought it would be a good chance to run, but there was nowhere to run, and Smith crept up on him and grabbed his arm with a surprisingly strong grip. Smith pulled out a gun and held it to Alex's head.

'That idiot,' muttered Smith, dragging Alex along as he walked towards the door in the fence. He pulled a set of keys out of his pocket, unlocked the door and he and Viper ran towards the black Hummer that was parked in the car park.

'Do you want me to drive?' Viper asked Smith as he unlocked the car.

'No. You look after those two,' Smith ordered sharply. Viper nodded and flung Anya into the car. Smith opened the other car door and pushed Alex in, and closed the door. Viper sat in the back seat, and Smith started to drive.