The bullet had hit the boy in the ribs right below his heart. He was in the ICU, and at critical, but he was lucky, he would live. He was registered under the name of Eric Ledel, 15 years old, the innocent victim in a bank robbery. Moments earlier, the head doctor, Samuel Eckington had been approached by some important-looking men in suits. Dr. Eckington and the men had "talked". The man who looked as though he was made from gray wax had simply "showed" the doctor something under his jacket, and a considerably pale Dr. Eckington had quickly changed some notes in his computer.
Eric Ledel was in a private room heavily guarded by security personnel in case the alleged robber was in a mafia or had accomplices, and Alex Rider, was dead, lying stiff in the morgue from a fatal bullet wound, about to be cremated, his only mourners Jack, some MI6 agents, and his friend Tom. Or at least that was the story that Mrs. Jones was telling the outraged, Alex Rider. Unable to talk, with an oxygen mask over his face, Alex was only able to express his feelings by showing Alan Blunt the Finger. Blunt's face remained emotionless, and the look of sympathy on the face of Mrs. Jones temporarily disappeared as the corner of her mouth twitched.
"You were very, very lucky Alex," droned Alan Blunt, "Another 4 centimeters up and you would have died. "
"However," continued Mrs. Jones, "SCORPIA is still after you, and we get the idea that they won't rest until you're dead. Even after that, any…abnormal activities…would be carefully monitored by them."
Mrs. Jones paused, unwrapping another mint and popped it into her mouth. Catching Alex's look of extreme frustration, she summoned the nurse who left and appeared moments later with a whiteboard and a marker, which Alex ignored.
"Your death, Alex, has been carefully arranged. We were able to…don't get too mad at this Alex, it's for your life…umm …acquire some of John Rider's ashes…they were altered to look like yours…" Mrs. Jones paused, examining Alex, who didn't seem to show anymore anger, but rather slumped down in his bed, defeated.
"Alex, for now you are to assume the identity of Eric Ledel. We have assigned two elderly agents to act as your grandparents. Mabel, and Stuart Ledel. The details of this identity are in this file," she handed him a manila envelope," You can read them when you feel better, I guess."
Blunt and Jones got up to leave. Alex turned away. At the doorway, Mrs. Jones paused.
"Alex?" she murmured. Alex turned and looked into her eyes. Her look was one of…pity, sympathy…and was it…caring? "Alex, Welcome to your new life…."