Chapter 3: Rules and Regulations

Alex had not acknowledged the arrival of the weekend yet, nor did he think about his meeting with Mrs. Jones. When he did remember he slid on the banister to breakfast.

"Um, Jack?" Alex called to Jack Starbright, his caretaker.

"Yes, Alex?" Jack replied.

"I'm just going to have some toast for breakfast," Alex said, "I want to get a quick start today."

"Okay," Jack replied as if it was nothing new, "you know how the toaster works."

"Thanks," Alex said.

Alex's mind was racing as he spread the jam on his toast, which resulted in him pouring a little on his chemistry homework.

"Oh, let me get," Jack offered.

"No, it's okay," Alex said wiping off the jam and licking it off his fingers.

At this Jack made a face.

"Oh, sorry Jack," Alex apologized after realizing what he had done.

"No it's okay," Jack said, "I just thought the English were more elegant than an arrogant American like me, is all."

Alex raced through Chelsea to Royal General, a "bank" where the M-16 headquarters really were. As Alex approached it, he couldn't help but think about how funny it must be for pedestrians to see a young boy walk so excitedly into the dullest building in all of England.

"Hi, I need to see Mrs. Jones, please," Alex said to the short and old desk receptionist.

"Your name, please," the receptionist said in a sour tone of voice.

"Alex Rider," Alex carefully said.

"Down the hall to your left, seventh floor," the receptionist pointed towards the sign that said elevator: left.

When the elevator reached the seventh floor, Alex walked very fast to Mr. Blunt's office, where Mrs. Jones would be.

"Alex," Mrs. Jones greeted Alex, "Surprised you would come."

"Well, I was told not to tell this to anyone else," Alex said, "but Sabina is in San Francisco for protection.

"We know, but we have to keep you to some rules and regulations while you're in San Francisco," Mrs. Jones said.

Alex blinked at what Mrs. Jones said. Sure, they gave Alex instructions, but never rules and regulations.

"You see, the man we are after, David Wilkes, is a known fifty-caliber dealer, which is an illegal weapon in the state of California," Mrs. Jones explained, "and he is also international."

"What about the agent he killed?" Alex asked.

"The last time we sent out one of our agents after him, he tortured him," Mrs. Jones said.

"This is why you'll only have one visit with Ms. Pleasure," Mr. Blunt cut in, "here is you plane ticket and passport, your flight is tomorrow and you are known as Lyle Weeks to anyone who asks."

"What about Sabina?" Alex Asked, "Will she know what to call me just in case she blows my cover."

"Your visit with her will be in private," Mrs. Jones said, "but she doesn't exactly live in San Francisco. She lives about ten miles south in a suburb."

Alex nodded at all of this and thanked Mr. Blunt and Mrs. Jones, and then raced to Smithers' office.

"Good morning, Alex!" Smithers exclaimed, "Great to see you! How have you been my boy?"

"Great, thank you," Alex said.

"By the way, you still owe me a bike," Smithers said, "I 'm still holding you to it, you know that Alex."

Alex groaned under his breath after being reminded about his last mission, where he led several of men on a pursuit with the bike Smithers gave him as a gadget that Smithers had specialized for Alex to accompany him to revealing the truth about Damian Cray.

"Yes, I know," Alex said.

"Well let us get started," Smithers said, "This year we have a book with a tiny camera on its spine."

Smithers pulled out a huge book called: World War II: A history.

"And the camera monitors a picture to this Ipod," Smithers said, "But when you plug the headphones in, it will look like you are listening to, for example, AC/DC, so it will look like you are a normal, multi-tasking teenager."

"And here is a pair of Oakley Sunglasses that are bullet-proof and when you put them on you can see what the camera on the book is monitoring while no one else can," Smithers told Alex. Alex was impressed by the gadgets Smithers had prepared, but no one knew that Alex would be coming today, so Alex was curious.

"How did you prepare these gadgets on time if no one expected me to come?"

"You always come, Alex," Smithers whispered as if it was a big secret.

"Now, when you use the scroll notch on the Ipod, you zoom in on whatever you are focusing on by turning the notch right and zoom out turning the notch left," Smithers explained, "and the glasses and book camera are easy enough to use, so good luck, Alex," Smithers said shaking Alex's hand.

"Thanks," Alex said.

"Until next time," Smithers said smiling as Alex walked out.

Until next time, Alex said to himself.

Until next time