There's a live feed showing terrorists torturing a soldier. The soldier is an American spec ops who was captured while undercover. He'd already been tortured before they put it live. People all over the world are watching the soldier being tortured and, in the end, killed, after he begs them to end it. One of the terrorists turns to the camera and promises a real treat for next time.
People at Alex's school talk about it. Tom desperately wants Alex' opinion on it, but finds out that Alex was sent on a mission a couple of days earlier. Four days later, the next feed goes live.
The same terrorist as before addresses the camera, while a figure is hanging from chains in the background. Blood clings to his face and body, his torso naked. The terrorist says he's got a real treasure, just as promised. He says the British government has been employing a teenager as a spy. Apparently, he's one of the best in the world. But he's not good enough, because obviously, he got himself caught.
He then leaves the camera and moves it closer.
Tom learns people at Brookland are looking at another one of those live feeds when he returns from the bathroom during break. It's the fifth one already. This one went live during school hours. During break, a student finds the live feed and it goes around the school pretty quickly. Tom hasn't been able to watch it yet because as soon as the bell rang, he ran to the toilet to pee. So when he comes back to class, people stare at him, their faces in shock.
One of the students shows him the reason. Tom takes the phone and watches the live feed. He winces as a whip slashes through the air onto the person's back. He sees the figure's back arching, but no sound leaves him other than some muffled grunting. The camera angle jumps, and now the figure's face is clearly visible.
It's drawn in pain and anger, but that's not the most shocking part. Tom turns white when he realizes he's looking at Alex. He can't tear his eyes away. The terrorist walks so he's in front of Alex. He asks him a question.
"Do you wish to die?"
It was the same question he'd been asking the entire time. Every soldier who has been there before had at one point said yes, after which they'd been released of their suffering. But Alex didn't say yes. He simply spat in the man's face. The terrorist laughed, before turning to the camera and shutting it off. Tom looked up from the screen, into the worried eyes of his classmates. "Is it... is it true?" One of them asks. Tom cannot answer. He takes out his own phone and calls Jack.
She responds immediately. "Jack, did you see...?" Yes, she saw. She sounds like she's been crying when she tells him that she'll get to the bottom of this to find out if it's true. Tom hangs up and slumps down in his seat. The curious gazes of his classmates are upon him. They are talking amongst themselves.
"Is it Rider?"
"What.. how… I mean.. a spy?"
"Druggie Alex? No way!"
He hears it all, but he can't respond to any of the questions that come his way. He hears his phone buzz and takes it out. Jack sent him a message. She talked to MI6. They have a full on search going for Alex, telling her they lost contact with him exactly four days ago. It didn't even occur to them to tell Jack. Tom can tell that Jack is pissed, and worried. But there's nothing he can do about it. Tom texts back that his class is aware that it's Alex. They know about him.
She doesn't respond to his text. When the teacher enters the classroom, the class is still talking loudly. Mr. Gilligan asks for silence, but he doesn't get it.
"What is going on here?" he blurts out.
"Sir, did you see the livestream?" one of the students asks. It's Katie. She's a small but fierce girl, and she can tear anyone apart with her foul mouth.
Mr. Gilligan sighs. He hadn't seen the livestream, but he imagines it was another brutal killing of a soldier. So far, there have been 3 Americans, a Belgian and a French soldier.
"I understand that it is hard to watch these things, which is why we ask you not to. These videos are brutal and ruthless, and if we keep watching it, they will keep doing it. So please, next time, don't click on it."
"No, Sir. It's not that," another student says. She hesitates, before looking at Tom.
"It was him, wasn't it?" she asks. Tom feels everyone's eyes on him. Most of them show disbelief, even if they've all seen it. Tom looks down at his hands, which are shaking. He can't believe that he is still sitting here. He should do something. He should look for Alex. Abruptly, he stands up.
"I'm not sure. Maybe," he answers. He is sure. But he can't exactly confirm it.
"It is," Benny insists.
"I agree. It definitely looks like him!" Sara shouts.
The entire class is debating on whether or not they just saw Alex Rider being tortured. Mr. Gilligan realizes that he has lost the class. He turns to Tom, who is looking at the door, debating if he should escape or not.
"Mr. Harris?" he asks, to get the teen's attention. Tom turns to him. "What is going on, Tom?"
"I.. the video, sir. The next prisoner. It's Alex." Tom gulps. He can't believe he just admitted it. But he is so scared for his friend, and the teacher is an adult. Surely, he won't react the same way as his classmates did.
"Alex? You mean… Alex Rider, a student at this school?"
"Yes, sir."
The teacher laughs. Tom looks at him incredulously.
"Aww, come on, Tom. Surely you don't believe that?"
One of the other students pipes up, meddling herself into the conversation.
"We all saw it sir! It was him, I'm positive."
Mr Gilligan shakes his head.
"It is impossible. These terrorists don't just take random people, they take soldiers. Adults."
Benny produces his phone and hands it to the teacher.
"Look for yourself, sir."
The teacher looks at the video. His face turns white; all the color drains away as he watches one of his students get lashed.
"I… this… this is absurd!"
He looks up at Tom, who has tears in his eyes.
"How is this possible?" the teacher demands.
Tom shrugs his shoulders. It's impossible to deny now.
"The terrorist was right. Alex is a spy. And right now, he's in a lot of danger. So excuse me -," he stands up while saying this, "but I'm leaving. Unlike all of you, I want to know whether my friend is still alive!"
His voice breaks as he says this, and it immediately silences the class.
While they had been debating if it was Alex or not, none of them had thought about the fact that, if it was him, Alex was being tortured as they spoke.
They all watch as Tom grabs his backpack and walks out of class.
Tom takes out his bike from the bike rack and races to Alex' house. He's not even sure if Jack will be there, but he goes anyway. The entire ride, his thought are in turmoil. He's worried about Alex. He never really stops to think about what Alex does when he is on one of his missions. And now it scares him to think about it.
When he arrives at Alex' house, he rings the doorbell. Jack opens the door almost immediately. She had obviously been waiting for good news, but Tom didn't have any. Her eyes are red and puffy. She pulls Tom in a hug. Over the last two years, her and Tom have grown particularly close, bonding over their shared worries about Alex.
"What did MI6 say?" Tom asks as they move to the kitchen. Jack puts a kettle on the stove, before turning to Tom, who is sitting on one of the barstools.
She sighs.
"Nothing useful. They lost contact four days ago, after he was sent to investigate missing children in Jemen. Since he was basically dropped in a war zone, he was protected at a base camp of the US military. MI6 and the CIA were working together on this. The soldiers had Alex' back, until he walked into what now appears to be, a trap. Several soldiers died. And Alex was gone. And now they're tracing the video. They're waiting for him to go live again, because that gives them the best chance to narrow down his location."
Tom swallows a lump.
"They'll find him, right?" he asks.
Jack looks him straight in the eye when she tells him: "Yes. They will find him and they will bring him home. If they don't, I will rip them apart."
Tom brightens up a bit at that part. He has absolutely no doubts that Jack will rip into MI6 if they don't bring Alex home.
"Do you want to stay here tonight, Tom?" Jack asks.
Tom hesitates, then nods. He can use the comfort, and this way he'll be updated as soon as MI6 calls Jack.