Chapter 2: San Francisco

Alex Rider was relieved that he could finally practice football without being interrupted by an M-16 executive. He had been through a lot for a boy of only fifteen years of age, but now it was time to relax and enjoy his favorite sport and become just another regular kid at Brookland.

"Alex! You're in at Forward!" Alex's coach shouted.

Alex just nodded and ran on to the field like a giddy school boy meeting a professional football player.

Practice went on and Alex scored, assisted, blocked, and guarded, his very heart out, like there was no chance for him to play football again.

"Great job Alex!" His coach said at the end of practice, "See you Thursday."

"Bye, Mr. Haas!" Alex exclaimed. It was the first time in three months that he finished a practice and he didn't intend for it to be his last, but then came a tall lady with dark brown hair, chewing on a mint into the park. Alex wasn't very excited to see this person, because she was one of many causes keeping Alex away from his normal life.

"Hello Alex," the lady said politely, "How was your day?"

"Hello, Mrs. Jones," Alex said, "And it was fine until you came."

Mrs. Jones didn't seem offended or surprised by Alex's behavior, she knew he did not want anything to do with M-16 any more.

"Well, the M-16 has been struggling with a certain mission that would be a walk in the park for you," Mrs. Jones said.

"So…." Alex said rudely.

"So, we are requesting your permission to send you to the States," Mrs. Jones said.

"The States?" Alex asked, "That is out of our jurisdiction."

"The certain man behind the crime is a British citizen," Mrs. Jones said, "And the CIA wants to work with us to capture him."

"Forget it," Alex replied, "Not only do I not want to work for you, I do not want to risk my life, nor do I want leave England once more."

"You know Alex," Mrs. Jones said frustrated, "You are the only agent left and this is very important."

Alex just rolled his eyes and thought about leaving on the spot.

"The man we are after killed one of our best agents and he will not stop their, so if you help us not only will this man be brought to justice, and you will save several lives potentially at stake," Mrs. Jones said.

"I already told you, forget it!" Then Alex got up and started to leave the park.

"Alex," Mrs. Jones called, "There is one more detail I have for you."

"Look, Mrs. Jones," Alex said, "I am busy with a normal life."

"But if you listen to me, you'll never have anything to do with us again," Mrs. Jones said in a last-ditch effort to get Alex in the mission.

"This better be worth it," Alex said, "Or else I am leaving right now."

"The man we are after is in San Francisco."