Hello again! So, Spring Break is upon us! Or at least, those that have it. But what it means is that I have a week with nothing to do except school work that has been assigned, sports, etc! Thank you to everyone who reviewed.

TantalumCobolt - I get what you mean, I think it was the most drastic thing I have ever written, and I've done some drastic things before! (Read A Pleasure in Murder). However, I am happy to tell you that while this story is almost over, the sequel has yet to begin! I forget when I mentioned it before, I think in chapter 7, but it will be called The Good Thing About Spies. It, like this one, will have 26 chapters for each letter of the alphabet. I might switch some words, some might stay the same. The difference is, well, in the title. And you're right, you are the 100th reviewer!

Brackenfern - Judging by your name, I'm going to assume that you read Warriors by Erin Hunter. If I am correct, may I direct you to my profile so that you can click on Into the Past? It is my one Warriors fic, and while it takes me awhile to update - as is shown by the fact that the last time I did was December - lots of people like it. Also, the reason it takes awhile is self-explanatory once you read it.

Credit for this chapter's word goes to Wheel Then. Thank you, Wheel Then! Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed and helped the number surpass 100!

This chapter takes place in many places throughout and after the books.

I do not own Alex Rider. Enjoy!

Alex walked through the hallways of Brooklands, eyes peeled for any danger. There was none, not there, but his ears still picked up words that were like a dagger to his heart.

"Watch out! There goes Rider."

"How did you see him? He's like a ghost."

A faint shake of the head, "I only saw him because I had to dodge him."

"There's Druggie Rider."

"Probably off to take some more."

"Stupid Rider, always causing trouble. It'd be better if he just disappeared."

Alex had learnt to ignore the people, but that didn't mean the words weren't there. They hurt, especially since they were said by people he used to consider friends. Now... now he had no friends but Tom.

Takes place after Scorpia Rising; Alex left for Brecon Breacons:

Cheetah held back a curse as the new kid appeared in front of him. The boy had been at camp for a week, and so far, he had managed to freak out every single one of the soldiers. The teen would be gone for hours, and then just reappear somewhere. Every single bloody time, he came like a ghost. A crazy, pale-faced, light-footed ghost who was terrific at haunting the SAS camp.

After Scorpia Rising; Alex is again working for MI6:

Miguel Rivera, a Spanish mob boss who had taken one of the head seats in Scorpia, howled in fury as he watched his base go up in flames. There went his reputation, his work, his people, everything! And all because of one little boy playing spy that had to find his explosives room! Why hadn't his guards caught him? They were being paid for a reason!

The assassin stared down at the street before him. Andrew was on the rooftop across from the Royal and General Bank, keeping his eyes peeled for a brown-eyed, brown-haired sixteen year old boy. His gun was assembled next to him, the silencer - though why he was using it for this job Andrew didn't know - in place and the bullets loaded. Now he just needed the boy.

Andrew turned away for one tenth of a second at the sound of something behind him, then turned back as he saw it was only a pigeon.

One hour later, and fifty-nine minutes and fifty-nine and nine tenths seconds after the boy had been supposed to leave the bank, the assassin concluded the boy had slipped by him. In the one-tenth of a second that Andrew had been distracted, Alex Rider had disappeared.

All of the people who dealt with Alex Rider came to one simple conclusion.

The trouble with spies is they are like yokai.

Yokai - ghost, phantom, strange apparition; a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore

If I misunderstood what yokai are, sorry to any Japanese people reading this!

Also, sorry to everyone that this is so short. I wasn't sure what to put, so... yeah. Please review!