Hey all. This is my first Alex Rider fic, so be kind with your reviews. Please. This takes place three years post-Scorpia.

Eighteen year old Alex Rider walked out of school, a smile on his face as he waved to his friends. He was now a in his last year of high school, and about to head off to university. If he could pass his finals. That was the only concern he had.

When he got to the sidewalk though, his smile dropped clean off his face. He scowled at the man standing by the black sedan. He didn't recognize him, but the tinted windows, the pristine suit on the man, they were all familiar enough. The man swept his eyes over the young man, and moved to open the back door. Alex turned his back on the car, and started walking down the block.

"Alex!" The voice made him freeze, and turn. Alan Blunt himself was standing next to the car. "Don't walk away from this." He wasn't shouting, but Alan's voice carried far enough on it's own. "We need you." Ignoring the odd looks he was getting from his peers, Alex walked over to the car, his brown eyes darkening.

"You swore I was done Alan." He said. Alan's jaw tightened.

"I am well aware of that Alex." He replied. "But there is really no one else. If there were any others, would I have come here in person?" Alex's face tightened as he fought an internal battle. To get in the car, or not to get in the car. That was the big question. "Alex, please." Alex's eyes snapped up to meet Blunt's. There was a look of sadness in them that made him falter.

"All right." He said after a moment that seemed to have stretched into entirety. "But if I don't like it, I'm out." Alan nodded, and got in. Alex glanced around, but no one seemed to be watching. He slid into the car beside Alan, and it drove away.

Alex sat in Alan's office, his jaw set, glaring at the MI6 agent. Mrs. Jones entered, and her eyes fell on Alex's figure, which was folded into a leather chair. A small smile twitched at her lips.

"Hello Alex." She said after a long moment. She studied him for another long minute. He'd grown quite a bit since she last saw him, nearly for years before. Right after he'd gotten out of the hospital because Scorpia had shot him. He'd filled out quite nicely, and he'd let his hair grow out to just below his ears. His brown eyes were hidden behind thin, silver framed glasses that made him look a little more mature.

"Hi." He said flatly. The smile faded a little. She knew he didn't want to be here, and she couldn't blame him in the least bit. "Well, can we get on with this then?" She nodded, and took a seat, looking to Alan. Alex did too, and almost let his jaw drop. Alan was biting his lip, a hand on his forehead. This was the most emotion he had ever seen from the man.

"We have a small problem." He said finally, his voice shaky. Alex swallowed nervously.

"Yes?"

"My niece." Alan said after a moment of hesitation. "She lives in America with my sister. Her father died when she was six." He said slowly.

"What about her?"

"She was working with the CIA, undercover." He said quietly. "But she disappeared a week ago." Alex bit his lip. He could feel his resolve dissolving with every word from Alan Blunt. "The CIA just contacted me about it last night. They can't find her. Something may have gone wrong, but they're reluctant to send in anyone right now. They think their entire team may have been compromised."

"And they don't want anyone who could be recognized, right?" Alex asked coolly. Alan nodded, agonizingly slowly.

"Right."

"And I wouldn't be recognized."

"Not only that. . . But you're-" Alan's voice cracked, and he stopped. Mrs. Jones picked it up.

"You're her age. If you went to Hawaii, it wouldn't be very suspicious." Alex bit his lip.

"We're not expecting much. We just want to find her." Alan spoke again, and his voice was under control. "Please." It was the please that caught Alex's attention. He bit his lip. He had always wanted to go to Hawaii. . .

He let out a long sigh and sat back in the chair. "Fine. Fine. I'll go."

"Hawaii?" Smithers asked as Alex walked in. He eyed Alex, and smiled. "You've bulked up. Not that scrawny fourteen year old anymore, are you?" He asked. Alex smirked and shook his head. "Okay, okay. Gadgets. Here you are." He pressed a button on his desk that made a drawer on the other side of the room open. Alex walked over, and eyed the contents thoughtfully. An iPod, a cell phone and a laptop computer. Alex raised an eyebrow at him.

"What, now watch?" Smithers just shook his head.

"Later dear boy. Later." Smithers said, waving a fat hand. "Now for your gadgets. . ." (A/N: I'm too tired to think of what they could be. If you'll give me some ideas in review form, that'd be great.)

Alex looked around him as the plane landed smoothly. The flight had gone well, but now he was wondering why he was even doing this? He's sworn to himself that he would not go back. He wouldn't work for Alan Blunt ever again. Ever.

But here he was, in Hawaii at Alan Blunt's request. Why?

Because someone needed help, and Alex Rider was not a person to refuse to help. He hated himself for that sometimes.

As he descended the stairs into her terminal, he spotted a man standing off to the side of the crowd, in a dark suit and tie, sunglasses folded and hooked over his pocket. Skirting the crowd on the other side, Alex walked up behind the man.

"Harry Stineman?" He asked, naming ther person he was supposed to be meeting. The man whipped around to face Alex, his eyes wide. "I'm Alex." He gave the man a quick once over. He was nothing special. Brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin. Had he not been wearing a wool suit in the middle of the Hawaii on a ninety degree day, Alex wouldn't have given him a second thought.

"Good God boy!" The man exclaimed, his hand on his heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack? How'd you know it was me?" Alex shrugged.

"You're in the middle of Hawaii, ninety degrees outside, and you're wearing a full wool suit. Just a little conspicuous." He said sarcastically. "You got ID?" Stineman nodded, holding out his wallet for Alex. Alex took it, and looked at the CIA ID card carefully. He slid it out of it's slot and ran his fingers over it. Stineman didn't flinch, he just waited patiently as Alex checked the laminating job. Finally, he put it back, and handed it to Stineman. "All right."

Sorry it's short. And that it sucks. I just wanted to get the first chapter up and posted. The next one will be longer. I swear. And remember, I need ideas for the gadgets. Please.

Ooh! And I almost forgot! I didn't know this until I read someone else's story. There's an Alex Rider movie coming out towards the end of this year! I am so happy! I tracked down a preview, and I have to say, the guy they got to play Alex, a guy named Alex Penyfer I think, is so very very HOT! Ahh! Okay, I'm done, and you can go now...