Dear Reader: I am probably going to be hated for torturing Alex like this, but no hero is invincible. Alex has to sacrifice alot for what he believes, so don't hate me, thank me because this might make you love Alex more.

CHAPTER NINE: VISION

The blood shot from his mouth, this was the most devastating punch as of yet. Alex's face was bruised and his lip was fat. Blood dropped from his nose and mouth. The sweat dragged down his hair and his eye was puffing up. He closed his eye after every punch, keeping his contacts in. Alex knew this was only the start; the real pain would come soon.

Kascef watched smiling as his guards did their work, they were going easy on him, because he was a child and he was young. But he also knew they would follow his orders. "Phase two,' Kascef ordered.

The guards went straight to work, loosening one leg lock. The grabbed his leg and twisted it. Alex first heard the snap, and then he heard his own scream. He yelled and wretched his eyes closed. The guards twisted it back into proportion breaking it back into place. Alex screamed harder. They proceeded with the other leg. Alex slumped in the 'throne' and looked at Kascef who was smiling again.

"Don't worry, they have broken them back into place, you can probably walk in about 15 minutes, if you live that long. Phase three."

The guards were like robots with no remorse and no mercy at every whim of Kascef. Alex watched from the corner of his eye as the guard placed his leg lock back on and the other went behind the chair. There was a wheel; as on a pirate ship; and the guard began to twist it. Alex felt the life being pulled out of him, as the locks got tighter. His face turned red, and he lost all breath.

"First your ribs will break, then your legs and then your neck. And if by some miracle of God you survive that, your spine will break into pieces."

Alex felt the first of his lungs try to gasp for breath, but it was useless. Alex muttered something; it was loud and undecipherable.

"What," Kascef snapped as all signs of happiness disappeared from his face. Kascef snapped his fingers and the guards loosened the wheel. "Loosen his locks and throw him in the cell, let him savor his wounds and taste his blood. Take him back here in an hour and finish him. Alex struggled for breath and he opened his eyes, everything was clouded in a red. His eyes were bloodshot. His vision blurred.

The guards loosened his locks and this was when Alex did it. He pushed them off slipping out the tube of toothpaste. The guards fell back and Alex opened the tube and placed a thin layer on the hand chains. The guards got up and pistol-whipped him. Through the pain he slid the toothpaste back into his pocket. They dragged him out of the room, his feet dragging behind him. They carried him to a cell at the end of the hall and they threw him in. The room was dark and dirty, and dimly lit. The cell made for a hard landing as Alex was thrown in.

He waited until the guards had left until he began to unfold his plan. He closed his left eye and pressed it gently with finger. A digital map of the area popped behind his eye. It showed the entire area surrounding Alex. Green dots, which Alex guessed to be the guards, were moderately far away. And because Alex had paid attention while he was being dragged, he quickly found the Throne room. He pulled the toothbrush from his pants and he thanked God that they hadn't checked him. He pressed the center of the brush and he hoped the bomb worked. He closed his left eye and saw the green dots running towards the throne room. Now was his chance, he pulled out the tube of toothpaste and placed a small line on the outer edge of the door, going all around it. The guards were distracted; he pressed the toothbrush and the door blew off his hinges and outside into the hallway. Alex closed his eye and the guards were coming. He tapped his eye again, so now it worked with his eye open.

He ran down the clear hallway, he struggled for breath, his legs hurt. He found the door leading up to the main level; he looked up at the glimmer of light. His light at the end of the tunnel, promising hope and revealing demons. He ran up the steps and sopped every twenty steps to gain air. Until he reached the exit.

Sabina already boarded the plane home; she wondered what the idea was for cutting off negotiations with the tycoons at the beginning of third second day. It was nine in the morning and the hot sun began to rise of the bleak horizon. Alex had disappeared and she wasn't going to let him die. She got out of her seat and walked toward the exit of the plane. A guard stood in front of her.

"Miss, I'm sorry but I can't let you exit the plane"

She nodded and walked to the back of the plane and took the stairs to the cargo hold. She went down and looked around. The entire place smelled of oil, the luggage was piled in the far side and it was dark. There were beams of light were the wheels were tied to the ground. She jumped down and grabbed onto the steel axels. She slid the rest of the way and stepped off. The trunk to he limo was still open and all of the luggage was gone. Sabina jumped into the trunk and brought down the cover, but not closing it. She held it down.

Alex stood in the shadow of a great vase; he saw in the eyepiece that a guard was approaching. The guard rounded the corner as Alex jumped out and kicked the guard in the knee, breaking it. The guard fell and before he could make a sound or scream Alex had his mouth covered. He hit the guard in the head once and knocked him out. He grabbed his gun and AK-74 and entered the main lobby. And before he knew it he was surrounded by green dots, guards were all around him and at the helm Omar Kascef.

"Mr. Rider, you broke a valuable piece of history."

"That's just too bad," Alex said sarcastically.

Alex pointed the guns at Kascef and kept all eyes on him. The main door opened and in walked Sabina. She had knocked out the driver and walked in the front door, she had wondered where all the guards had gone and now she knew. In front of all the guards were Omar Kascef and Alex Rider; they stared hatefully into each other's eyes. Alex looked sideways at Sabina and in an instant his hate turned to fear.

"Go Sabina, GO!" He screamed, but she turned around and the great door in which she entered was closed and guards stood in front of her. She couldn't go anywhere.

"Well Mr. Rider it seems I have something you want."

"Let her go or I WILL shoot you."

"GO ahead, Mr. Rider, you shoot me and my men shoot you and your girlfriend and someone else finishes my work. So here are your choices: you fire and die. Or you place your guns down and come with us and we let your girl go free."

Alex didn't hesitate to throw his guns down. "No Alex, don't do it," Sabina screamed as Alex walked away surrounded by two guards. He didn't look back, he knew he was going to die but at least she would live. The large door leading outside opened and they escorted Sabina outside. They walked Alex down the stairs to the dungeon again.

They walked Alex to another room with a large stone block in the center, and whips along the wall. Kascef entered as Alex stood against the wall.

"Where is Sabina," Asked Alex.

"She is being escorted away."

"What?"

"We are taking her into the desert and letting her go free, like you asked."

Alex jumped at Kascef but was whipped with the AK-74, he fell, and he looked up at Kascef filled with hatred.

"Lets see what else you can handle." Kascef said folding his arms.

The guards proceeded to take off Alex shirt and place him back first on the stone slab. Alex was sweating. His heart was beginning to thump. The guard lit a blowtorch and watched as the blue and red flames fire out of it. Alex watched as the guard lit a small steel wire and then pulled it away, it beaming red.

The guard placed the wire on his side, singing his under arm hairs and leaving burn marks. The guard pulled it down his side burning him. Alex screamed, as the guard finished. The guard repeated this step three times and each time Alex screamed louder. The guard finished and released Alex; he fell to the ground and lifted himself up, Kascef smiled at him. The guard let Alex breathe for a while; he wanted him to be fresh for the next set of screams.

"Do it three more times then kill him, if he survives, I have to go."

Kascef left as the guard retied Alex to the slab and proceeded to burn him on the other side. Kascef walked down the hall as Alex's screams echoed behind him. He had a job to do and this was only pleasure, he had to get his job done before more MI6 agents arrived.