Rico Rohas stared into his bathroom mirror and rubbed at his new haircut morosely. His hair wasn't shorter than it had been, in fact, if anything it looked longer. This was something he was pleased about, he'd grown it out after he'd seen his favourite actor do the same and the haircut was quite good. The thing that puzzled him most was that he didn't really see why it had been done. Instead of cutting it short which he knew would help disguise him, the giant redheaded woman had forced him onto a stool and given him professional layers. All the time she had been there, she hadn't spoken a word and she didn't have to. Even without any vocal threats he hadn't even thought about escaping. She'd left, leaving the cut hair on the tiled bathroom floor and forced a box of hair dye into his hands, obviously she meant for him to use it. He looked down at the box, it looked expensive. There was a halfnaked man on the front, running his hand through his hair. 'Fun and Fair' it read. Again he didn't understand. If they wanted him to change his appearance then they weren't doing it very effectively. He would practically be himself. He thought about not dying it and seeing what would happen. The sight of his mother's body falling to the ground flashed through his mind and he opened the box.

Two hours later, he stepped out of the shower and ran a towel over his head. His hair looked several shades lighter. It didn't suit him. He looked at the discarded pyjamas in the corner and felt ill. He couldn't put something that was covered in his mother's blood back on. Rico wrapped a towel around his waist and walked back into the gaudy bedroom. He was surprised to see that some baggy jeans and a plain t-shirt had been delivered and folded neatly on the bed along with fresh underwear and a can of body spray. There was no one else in the room but he didn't question it. He pulled the clothes on feeling grateful. So what if his hair was different? It would grow out eventually.

There wasn't much to do apart from sit around. He knew someone had to be looking for him. Teenagers didn't just disappear, even in Belgium. He walked over to the window and looked out, pushing the heavy curtains away. The light was fading and the sun was creating shadows on the ground. There was still no indication of where he might be. There wasn't even a clock in the room. He sat down on the edge of the bed and lay back; in seconds he was asleep. He was woken later by the sound of two footsteps on the steps and the noise of a man shouting.

"Find him Amalyia. If Friend hears about this he'll go berserk. Find out who those people are and stop them from contacting Friend, tell them to contact me and then we'll negotiate his release."

There was a soft murmur that told Rico that Amalyia had replied but he couldn't make out the words. The footsteps were getting closer.

"When I get my hands on them they'll pay dearly. If they've even hurt a hair on Alexander's head I'll skin them alive, I want him-" the tone of the man's voice changed, "Well, I want him safe."

"I'll find him, Sir." presumably Amalyia said quietly. The footsteps had stopped; they must be right outside his door now.

"Yes, Amalyia you will." The man said sharply, "Take Lindsay, talk to the police, talk to everyone and when you've found him, notify me immediately."

"Yes, Sir." The woman said shortly followed by the sounds of heavy feet making their way back down the stairs.

Rico got to his feet. He was about to meet the man in charge he could tell. The man who was keeping him prisoner here. The door swung open and Rico took a step back. It was the dark haired man who had killed his mother in Belgium. Hate flooded through him and he surged forward as the man turned to lock the door.

"Where's my father?" he demanded, hotly, "Where are Tomas and Ellie?"

The man turned and before he knew what had happened, Rico was on the floor, his cheek smarting. The man kicked his chest until he was flat on his back and then the man's foot came to rest on top of his neck, pressing ever so slightly.

"I do not like to be spoken to like that, Mr Rohas." he said calmly. "I will tell you once and only once what is going to happen here. If you don't comply you will never see your family again. If you do, then there's a chance. Understand?" As he had spoken the foot had pressed down harder on his windpipe and Rico couldn't do anything but nod weakly. The pressure relented and Rico sucked air back into his lungs in great gulps.

"My name is Pytor Anatolievich but you will call me Sir, understand?"

Rico nodded.

"You and your two siblings are in my care. If you try and escape, if you try and hurt me or my assistant, your brother and sister will pay." The man's voice was clear and controlled, he sounded like he'd given this speech a thousand times over. "Between the two of them they have twenty fingers to lose, you will not be as foolish as to misbehave twenty times I'm sure."

Rico felt sick. They were going to chop off a finger every time he did something out of line? He shuddered and shook his head.

"So far you have been compliant and you will maintain this standard if you want your family unharmed." he continued, "I will forgive your previous outburst as you did not know. Tonight and each night I visit you you will wear this." he gestured to what Rico was currently wearing. "You will continue to use the hair dye that Amalyia provides for you and you will not speak unless I tell you to." He removed his foot and motioned for Rico to sit up, crouching down next to him so they were eye to eye.

The man continued, "I will not hurt you or your family unless you give me a reason and you will not give me that reason by trying to stop me from doing what I want to you. You will do everything I say without complaint or hesitation, are we clear?"

Rico's blood went cold. 'you will not give me reason by trying to stop me from doing what I want to you." what was that supposed to mean? He looked up at Anatolievich with wide eyes and remembered the hand which had caressed his cheek the last time they had met. His heart began to pound.

"I said, are we clear?"

Rico looked around, anywhere but at the man. He had no choice, he couldn't let Tomas lose his fingers over him; he was only seven. Slowly, Rico looked back at the man. He could only guess at what he was agreeing to but he had no choice, he nodded.

The man smiled and Rico suddenly felt like a deer in front of a hunter.

"From now on, I am going to call you Alexander." Anatolievich said bluntly, "you will answer as if it is your own name."

Rico resisted the urge to make a face, the man was perverted.

"Okay." Rico forced out after a while.

"Good. Now go lie down."

Rico remained where he was, blood rushing in his ears. He'd been right, his suspicions about the man were sickeningly correct. His heart began to pound harder and he was surprised he couldn't hear it.

"Alexander," Anatolievich said, quietly, "get on the bed." It was the kind of dangerous quiet tone which Rico had heard his father use on his 'business associates' in Mexico. A lot of the 'business associates' had never left.

Shakily, Rico got to his feet and tried not to stumble as he walked to the bed, every inch of himself was trembling. He sat first and then swung his legs on, jerkily laying down against the pillows.

Anatolievich had followed him and now stood by his head. "Turn over."

Taking a breath he did as the man asked. For Tomas and Ellie he thought. For Tomas and Ellie. He started when the weight on the mattress changed and grew heavier at either side of his thighs. And then a hand was in his hair, twisting it unpainfully about. Rico tried to stop his trembling but he couldn't seem to control his body. He felt cold.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, a warm presence was brought close to his, covering his back like a blanket. Anatolievich was lying bodily on top of him and though the man wasn't heavy, Rico felt like he was being suffocated. Then lips were on the skin of his neck and he tried to shy away, cringing. Anatolievich's hand that wasn't in his hair moved up to prevent his flight. The kissing and sucking resumed and the man above let out a breathy sigh.

"Alexander."

Rico felt sick. Who was this Alexander? Did he let Anatolievich do this to him? Why was Rico being used as a substitute? It felt wrong and somehow it was worse that the man above him was pretending he was someone else.

From the conversation he had heard earlier, it sounded like someone was holding the real Alexander captive. A sudden flash of hope flickered through him. Maybe his father had this Alexander as leverage, maybe he was coming to save them. The thought died quickly and Rico knew that it was unlikely. He was jolted back into the present as the hand which had been in his hair made it's way south and slipped beneath the waistband of Rico's new jeans. He tried to move away but Anatolievich's grip on his head and hip were too strong. He felt a tear leak from his eye and trickle down the side of his nose. Anatolievich's hand moved round to the front of his jeans and Rico pressed his face into the pillow harder, squeezing his eyes shut. For Tomas and Ellie. For Tomas and Ellie. He didn't even know if they were alive.

Alex woke up in pain. His first thought was that he was getting worryingly used to it. His second was his elbow felt like there was a knife twisted in it. His right foot and head were both throbbing vehemently and he was overheating. There was so much sweat on his forehead he could actually feel it and though he tried to stop himself shaking, as it was aggravating his elbow, he simply couldn't. Something cloth and musty had been stuffed in his mouth and more of whatever it was was tied around his head to stop it from escaping. He cracked open his eyes, preparing for bright light but found that he couldn't see anything at all. He couldn't feel a blindfold; the room must be pitch black, he couldn't see a yard in front of him. His arms were above his head, secured to the wall by something metal and tight around his raw wrists. He felt sick and exhausted and all he really wanted was to go home. Back to his old room in Chelsea, with Ian and Jack. His chest gave a violent jerk as he hiccuped and he almost choked on his gag, coughing. A minute later tears accompanied the sweat on his face.

Despite his clouded thoughts he knew there was something wrong with him and not just the physical injuries he had sustained. Something was nagging at the back of his mind, he knew it was important. It had something to do with Miss Sadie. But what had it been? Everything was foggy and though he tried desperately he couldn't remember. He tugged at the manacles around his wrists briefly but it was clear they weren't going to budge. Tears began to fall more readily and suddenly everything became overwhelming. The darkness was closing in on him; he couldn't escape it. He drew his left knee up to his chest, feeling like a frightened little boy. He didn't dare to try to move his foot. He'd just decided to try to sleep the pain and the fear away, as at least when he was unconscious he couldn't feel the hurt, when the door to his cell opened, banging against the wall.

He jerked his head up to face his captors, squinting against the dim light from the hall. He saw three silhouettes outlined. Two of the guards, Murph and Toby and the smaller, slighter figure of Miss Sadie. Miss Sadie came further into the room whilst the two guards remained by the door. She bent down so she was almost face to face with him.

"Hello, Alex"

He tried to look up at her but couldn't meet her eyes. His breathing was still erratic and his chest was rising and falling sporadically. Her proximity and fake sweet as sugar smile was not helping his feeling of claustrophobia, he couldn't even tell her to back off.

"Now, I'm going to ask you some more questions and you're going to answer them." She said, smiling broadly. There was lipstick on her teeth. "If you answer correctly, you're not going to get hurt. Clear?"

He sucked in what little air he could through the gag and nodded.

"Perfect."

She reached forward and tugged the gag out of his mouth, pulling it down under his chin. She cupped his cheek and gently raised his face so he was looking at her. Her hand didn't move from his chin.

"Now, we'll start nice and easy. What do you know about Yassen Gregorovitch?"

Whatever he had expected her to ask, this wasn't it. His eyebrows furrowed and he thought he must have misheard.

"I'm sorry?"

Her hand cracked over the side of his face. A ring cutting into his cheek. He couldn't help the gasp of pain that escaped him.

"Gregorovitch," she repeated roughly, "we know you've had dealings with him. What do you know?"

Alex shrugged. The man was dead, there was no point in hiding information. "I've not had dealings with him, I've met him if that's what you mean. He's a contract killer, he killed my uncle and he was shot dead by Damien Cray."

"Now," Miss Sadie said softly, as if she was talking to a toddler, "that wasn't so hard was it?"

Alex said nothing.

"Now, Alexei Sarov, how did he die?"

How could she know about that? The first time they'd kidnapped him he'd sensed something off, like they hadn't wanted to hurt him. This time it was less like they didn't want to cause pain and more like the information he was giving up was practically useless.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just humour me."

Alex set his jaw. "He shot himself." he said curtly.

"Why?"

Alex chewed on his lip, feeling tears beginning to well up in the corner of his eyes.

"I don't know." He lied. His voice was quivering, giving him away.

"Yes you do, Alex. Hurry up and tell me, I don't have all day."

"Well isn't that a shame?" Alex asked, smiling up at her, "Unfortunately, I do."

She met his gaze, and without warning, drew her leg back and kicked the underside of his right foot, pushing the shards of glass further in.. He yelled, wishing the gag had still been in his mouth to muffle the sound.

"Why did he do it Alex?"

He hung his head, looking determinedly at the floor. "Because I said I'd rather be dead than have a father like him." he muttered. He'd replayed those words a thousand times in his mind.

She ruffled his hair. "Good boy."

He scowled at the ground but didn't make any move to stop her.

"Now as you're being so good, why don't we try something a little harder, hm?" Her long nails began combing his hair. "Why are you staying with Pytor Anatolievich?"

"Because I was told to."

The fingers in his hair pulled up roughly and he winced. "No Alex, you misunderstand me. What does MI6 want with Pytor Anatolievich?"

"Well, the short answer is I don't know." he said, suddenly feeling braver. "That's the long answer too actually."

She yanked his head back, her fingers pawing at his throat, pressing lightly on his trachea. "I don't think you understand the position you're in Alex. No one knows where you are, there are two men back there who would very dearly enjoy hurting you and there's a third outside. I am here to see if I can get you to talk without unnecessary violence."

Alex opened his mouth to speak but she cut across him.

"All the injuries you have are your own stupid fault for trying to escape." she said matter-of-factly.

"Does your fiance know that you beat up children for a living?" Alex cut in, keeping his voice calm. He could still feel the sting of her engagement ring on his cheek.

Shock flitted across Miss Sadies face and her eyes narrowed. She stood back up to her full height and walked calmly toward the door, flicking on the light, Alex closed his eyes immediately. "You know what to do boys."

The door swung closed behind her and he squinted up at the two men advancing on him. Their twin smirks were not comforting. The first man he'd knocked out earlier stooped down to his level as Miss Sadie had done earlier. He grinned, showing horribly yellow teeth.

"Not so brave now are you?" he leered, hot breath blowing across his cheek.

Alex said nothing. Before he knew what had happened, there was an agonising pain in his elbow. Yellow Teeth's hand was wrapped around it, and he was squeezing. Alex let out a yell of pain. After ten seconds, the man hadn't let up and Alex looked up at him through a haze of tears. The man's face was blurred and obscured by his fringe.

"Stop."

Yellow Teeth squeezed tighter.

"STOP!"

The other guard walked around his companion and squatted down next to him. He was uncomfortably close, cupping the side of Alex's head, his touch as gentle as Miss Sadies had been. The man played with a curl just above his ear, twisting it around his finger. He leant in and whispered, "I don't think you're in any position to shout demands at us, lad."

Yellow Teeth gave another squeeze.

The tears that had been dammed fell.

"Aw look at him Murph," grinned the man by his ear, "the little boy is crying." he wiped the tear off Alex's face roughly with his thumb.

"Maybe we should let off?" Yellow Teeth asked his partner, but there was no sincerity behind his words.

"Yeah maybe," agreed what Alex deduced must be Toby, "or-"

Once again, Alex didn't notice him move, but a second later he felt the glass which was still lodged in the tender skin of his right foot pushed further in. Alex tried to wrench his foot out of the man's grasp but there was no escaping his iron hold.

"FUCK."

"Uh-uh, don't swear-"

"What do you want to know!?"

Toby smiled, knotting his fingers in his hair and tugging lightly. "We don't want to know anything. We're just here to make sure you behave in front of the mistress."

The man at his feet drew out a small knife and moved up toward his chest. He pressed the blade to the soft underside of his right upper arm.

"No, no."

The blade sunk in slightly and Alex gasped in pain.

"Beg me to stop." Yellow Teeth said maliciously.

Shock raced through him. "What?"

"Beg me not to do it." Yellow Teeth smiled. "Be a nice little boy and say please."

"No."

The man pushed the knife in further.

"NO! Please. Please stop. I'm sorry. Please."

"That's what I wanted to hear!" cried Yellow Teeth. "Again."

Alex grimaced and tried to wrench his arm away from the man's hand, but he was stopped as the two men held him steady. The door banged open once again and Alex sagged, more guards was never good news. But it wasn't another guard, it was Robert.

"Hey Robert." he breathed.

The man smiled, "Hey Alex. I've got a present for you."

"Oh yeah?"

The man dug a hand in his pocket and pulled out a pair of pliers, waving them.

Trying to retain some of his previous bravado Alex raised an eyebrow and said, "And here I was thinking you were pleased to see me."

Robert laughed loudly and echoed around the room. "Brave one isn't he?"

"Don't let the brat fool you," Yellow Teeth muttered, "he's been crying and wailing just until you got here."

"Is that so?" Robert asked curiously, he came to a stop in front of Alex, "Murph, get out the way and unlock his hand."

"Which one?"

"Don't care." Robert stated simply. "Now Alex, you're a smart boy. I think you can guess what we're going to do to you."

Alex nodded minutely. They were going to pull his fingernails off.

"Good lad, now choose a finger."

"No."

"Alex. Choose one or they'll all go."

There was a click and Alex felt the shackle around his wrist come apart and without anything to support it his arm fell onto his lap. Robert took his hand in his own larger one and spread his fingers.

"Which one is it to be?"

Feeling sick Alex looked away and flexed his pinky finger.

"Atta boy." Robert nodded up at the two guards at either side of him. "Boys."

Toby, the man by his left ear, grabbed his right shoulder and forearm, his own arms surrounding Alex's body in a mockery of a hug. Murph, or Yellow Teeth as Alex thought of him, walked around the little group on the floor and held his ankles in a strong grip. Robert smoothed a thumb over the back of Alex's hand and Alex looked away deliberately.

There was a sharp tug then a horrible sliding feeling and Alex screamed.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck fuck."

Red hot pain exploded in his little finger and he sobbed, his body shaking. Toby's hand returned to his hair and caressed it. Alex sniffed loudly.

"One more Alex, and then we'll leave you."

"No, please."

"Which one, Alex?"

"Please."

Robert sighed. "Guess I'll choose for you then." He beckoned to the others. "Boys."

Toby's arms encased him again and Alex turned his face into the man's chest, despite himself.

"Please, no. Please. Please."

"Put his gag back in."

Rough hands stuffed the musty cloth back into his mouth and before he could spit it out more cloth came up to wrap round his head to keep it in.

The thumb slid across the back of his hand again in a mockery of gentleness. An illusion which was shattered by the strong grip on the rest of his hand as the pliers took their place on his index finger. Alex shut his eyes. He didn't even try to hold back the scream this time and openly sobbed as his nail was torn off. He didn't care if they saw him cry anymore.

A calloused hand patted his cheek roughly and the men around him got up to leave in unison. He briefly noted that they had left his right hand unshackled but he didn't even entertain the idea of an escape attempt. The overheating, headache and sickness seemed to have passed but his elbow, foot and right hand hurt more than anything he could ever remember. Even being shot hadn't felt quite so bad, at least he'd blacked out soon after it had happened. The light flicked off and a couple of taunts were spat his way. They fell on deaf ears as he curled up in the dark, sobbing and cradling his hand.

"Sabina?" Brad asked worriedly. "What's going on?"

"Perhaps you should leave Miss Pleasure and I to talk alone, Mr Coaches." The assassin suggested, "I believe we have some things to discuss."

Sabina's heart was hammering. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, her own eyes were betraying her. She clutched Brad's arm and moved so she was between the other two.

"Brad," she said, trying to keep her voice steady, "go wait outside."

Brad looked between her and the supply teacher. "Sabina, what's happening? Is this to do with Alex?"

"Yes." She didn't see the point in denying it, "now wait outside."

"But I-"

She turned to him, irritated. "Now."

Brad looked reluctant but nodded and threw his phone down on the desk. "Fine."

Sabina and the man across from her watched him go. The door clicked behind him and they turned back to face one another. There was silence

"How are you alive?"

She had meant for it to come out as a demand but her voice was barely a whisper.

"The heart pumps blood around the body," Gregorovitch said in a deadpan voice. "oxygen is taken in by the lungs-"

Sabina folded her arms. "You got shot."

"Yes."

"And you're not dead."

"No."

"What do you want? Why are you here?"

"That, Miss Pleasure, is the only intelligent question you've asked." Sabina felt her cheeks warm.

"If you're going to just insult me, I'm going to leave."

Gregorovitch fixed her with his steely gaze. "No, Miss Pleasure, you are not."

Sabina's heart gave a particularly dull thump. "Is that a threat?"

Gregorovitch looked her up and down. She felt like she was being examined. "It is a fact. You will not leave because you are naturally inquisitive. You will not leave because you want to find your friend Alex Rider. You will not leave because I need you."

Sabina shook her head. "It's Pleasure."

Gregorvitch's eyes narrowed slightly and she elaborated.

"It's Alex Pleasure now."

Gregorovitch shook his head. "It is not. He is Rider everywhere but at school."

Sabina didn't reply, she hadn't known that. Alex's name not being changed anywhere but at school seemed so temporary. Had MI6 or the CIA been planning to drag him back into all of this even as they were setting up his new life?

"Miss Pleasure?" Sabina looked up at him. The assassin was looking with interest down at the piece of paper he had taken from her. "What is this?"

"Just a bit of fun. Codes, y'know."

The assassin raised one eyebrow cooly; clearly not believing her. He looked her straight in the eye, his face honest. "I don't enjoy hurting children Miss Pleasure," he stated "but for all my virtues, I am not a patient man. Tell me what this is now and I'll push my qualms away and break your pretty nose."

Sabina's heart felt like it was trying to break out through her ribs. She'd just tried to lie to an assassin. She nodded and held her hand out for the paper.

Gregorovitch looked at her hand then up to her face. She must have looked sufficiently scared for him to trust that she wouldn't try anything and he gave it to her.

"It was a message from Alex a couple of days ago." She rushed out, all in one breath. "He's...missing." She didn't know how much this man knew but she wasn't going to give him any information he didn't specifically ask for. "It's in a sort of code," she explained, "we were both learning about it in English. Even though he's younger than I am he's in the same English class because we're behind the british school-"

"Miss Pleasure, I fear you are straying from the point."

She nodded, her cheeks warming again. "He messaged Brad, I think he knew that Brad would come straight to me and because-" she paused, "well I think because he knows my family's phones are being monitored."

It was something she could only guess at but she was almost certain of it. She'd phoned her parents right after Alex had been kidnapped and agents had already been at her house. The assassin didn't speak. Obviously it was plausible then.

She nodded and pointed at the first line, her finger shaking. She curled it back into her fist to hide her tremors.

"He used the name Danny Drinkwater, it's-"

"Irrelevant. Hurry up."

She was about to protest about being spoken to that way but then remembered who exactly was by her side.

"Right, sorry."

"It's fine," he snapped, "keep going and keep it short."

She sucked in a breath and continued, "Pretty means crafty here," she pointed, "and Blunt is-" she stopped short, would the assassin know?

"I know who Alan Blunt is, Miss Pleasure."

"Right." She nodded, "A fantastic cause means imaginary cause. Which I think means that whoever kidnapped-"

"Kidnapped?" Gregorovitch cut in.

Sabina bit her lip. "Yes, kidnapped." Finally she knew something the assassin didn't. The man nodded curtly.

"Continue."

"Then he says that he's visiting a friend of a Friend. The second friend means Sir David Friend, so it's someone he knows. Then he mentions you." She waited for a reaction in the man but when it didn't come she ploughed on. "He says that he has a lot in common with you which we think means that the guy he's with is russian."

"Anatol."

She looked up in surprise. "Yes. That's the name the Lieutenant gave us."

"Lieutenant Stanley?"

She blinked. "Yes. Do you know him?"

"He told me some information. He wouldn't tell me where Alex is."

Sabina took a step back from the man, "What do you want with Alex?"

Gregorovitch looked at her but didn't say anything.

"Are you going to hurt him?" she asked quietly, lip wobbling.

"I was shot for him," Gregorovitch said plainly, "it wouldn't make any sense for me to render my own efforts useless. Now continue."

Sabina took in a deep breath. "He says you're similar, which means this man Anatol is dangerous, and that-" she swallowed, "that this man will want to bully him and he doesn't want that to happen."

The assassin didn't seem to mind that she didn't explain and looked down at the piece of paper himself.

"And you think 'bully' means-"

"Yes."

There was silence.

"What do you want with Alex?" she asked.

"I want to help him."

"Why?"

The man didn't reply but checked his watch. "Where is Alex, Miss Pleasure?"

"How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you won't hurt Alex?"

"Miss Pleasure, tell me where Alex is now and I won't hurt you. Don't tell me and I will."

Sabina looked around in panic. She didn't know what to do. She thought that Alex would probably spit in the assassin's face and tell him to fuck off, but she didn't think she was capable of it. She didn't know if she should tell him or not. On the one hand, it did seem unlikely that he would try and kill Alex after saving him on Air Force one but on the other this man lied for a living. He'd lied about being dead, he'd killed people. He'd killed Alex's own uncle. He'd sent Alex chasing after Scorpia. She didn't know what to do. In the end, she shocked herself as the words came tumbling out of her mouth.

"It'll tell you if you take me with you."

"Out of the question."

She readied her stance, gritting her teeth. "Then I won't say."

Gregorovitch moved so they were face to face, mere inches away. "Miss Pleasure, I don't think you understand the position you're in right now."

His voice was calm but angry. Definitely angry.

"I'll tell you where Alex is when we're on the way there."

"Or you can tell me now, and I won't break your nose."

"I can help."

The assassin gave what sounded like a laugh. "How?"

"I can get you out of the school."

"Why would I need that?"

She pointed past the man's head and out the window. "Because there's five men with machine guns coming in the gate."

Gregorovitch turned. She hadn't been lying.

"Very well Miss Pleasure." He said smoothly, "Get me out of San Francisco and I'll let you come with me."

"How do I know you're not lying to me?"

"You don't. But if you care for Alex as much as I think you do then you'll take that chance. I have the resources and the skills to save him, you do not. I am his best hope."

Sabina chewed on her lip, it was a nasty habit she'd picked up from Alex. but how would Alex make sure he was invited along? An idea formed in her brain.

"Fine, but I won't tell you where he is straight away. I'll give you places along the way and each time we get to the next one I'll tell you another, that way you have to take me with you."

"Or, Miss Pleasure, I could hurt you now."

She shook her head, finally feeling brave. "Alex would never forgive you."

The assassin glanced out the window, thinking. Finally he said, "You can come with me."

Sabina didn't smile. "Do you have a gun?" she asked him. The question felt childish.

The assassin nodded.

"Hold it to my head," she said calmly. Must more calmly than she felt, "walk me out of the school gates. They won't risk shooting a child."

The assassin nodded. "It will be easier for you to return if they think you're a hostage."

"Let's go." She headed for the door but stopped when she realised the assassin wasn't following her.

Gregorvitch walked over to the desk where Sabina and Brad had been sitting and flipped over the phone. He picked it up and showed her.

"Your little friend has been recording our conversation."

Sabina stood in shock. "I didn't know-"

"I know."

He pressed the 'Stop' button and threw it to her.

"You decide what to do with it. I am already a fugitive, it will mean nothing to me if it's exposed. You however, you will be found out as my accomplice. Decide if you trust him enough not to spill your secrets."

So.

Sorry for the wait. I have all this free time but what am I doing with it? Repeatedly checking for an update of Bad Cards by Cthulhu_is_Chaotic_Good and scrolling through TikTok. Oh and FREAKING OUT about the show.

I'm still not sure how I feel. I love some of it, I'm confused about some more and am unsure about others. The more I think about it the more I see why they changed some of the big things in the books. Like Smithers. At first I was like, what the fuck is this but now I get that this new Smithers really fits the tone of the show more. But what the fuck is the basement HQ? Also if anyone has a subscription to The Times can you send me the article they did on the show? I want to read it but you need a subscription and it's like thirty quid and lads, I don't have that kind of money to spend on one article. Anyway.

I love the show. I think. I get that they needed Kyra so they could voice all the thoughts which are written inside Alex's head but honestly, she wasn't my favourite ever character. And Alex making them take him back to Point Blanc? eh, didn't love that either. Everyone keeps talking about the Scream scene and how bad it is. But sleep deprivation and continued exposure to loud noises is an actual form of torture. And I love how they've made Alex more of a party boy and a rebel breaking into school, it's classic teenager stuff and I love it.

Yassen will never replace book Yassen though. Also I love Mrs Jones as a villain and she showed just a little too much concern for Alex I think. Blunt was stellar though and the way he found out about Ian's death was *chef's kiss*

What did you think about it?

Also sorry for the heavy angst and the torture and stuff in this chapter. I got carried away. I've changed the tags just in case. ThE Rico scene was so hard to write, but I feel like it really captures the horror and evilness of the Russian dick. (I don't have his name on copy and paste and I still haven't learnt how to spell it.)

Hopefully I'll update quicker? Maybe? I want to.

So let me know what you think, tell me if you want me to tone down the graphicness of the less than pleasant scenes and let's hope that we get an update of Bad Cards soon. I'm dying to learn what happens.

Hope you're all staying well!

And er, sorry for everything I put you through Alex. And Rico. And Sab…. Heavy angst for all of you.