It was Monday when the drizzle and downpour of the rain splattered along pathways and roads. Alex wondered around towards his school knowing that today he would have health check. He was feeling insecure about what the doctor would say.

He entered Brookland and headed up to his first lesson, which was biology. But he would only spend the register part of the lesson there because of the medical check.

Opening the door to the classroom made an explosive sound of talking explode into the corridor, they must be talking about the SAS camp, Alex thought to himself as he swung his bag under the desk and sat down next to Tom.

"Druggie Alex is back!" Walter shouted, this made the class go silent to turn to look at him.

Brittney (Walter's girlfriend), that had a face full of makeup, said "What drug you been on this time, hmm?"

Alex stayed silent, he didn't take drugs, well apart from painkillers. The teacher entered the room and took the register.

"Alice?"

"Here!"

"Tom?"

"Hiya!"

"Brittney?"

"Hello Ms!"

"A-Alex?" The teacher thought it was pointless to ask if he was there but called out anyway

"Here ms." Alex put his hand half up in a sort of wave. Again all heads turned on him, the teacher continued after a pause.

"Walter?"

"Yup I'm here, or am I?" Walter smirked at the teacher and got giggles from most the class.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Came from the other side of the door.

"Come in!" The teacher called out, maybe too loud.

The headteacher came in with a stern look, the look he always gives when he tries to look in control, however, it just succeeds in getting small smiles from the students because it looked weird. One eyebrow would raise and the other fall. The lips would tighten together making the lips hide in the mouth and the nose scrunch up, lastly his eyes would almost close. Overall it was particularly quite hysterical. His name was Mr Giglin, he had sharp features, and bushy eyebrows that went over warm grey eyes matching his shaggy, long, grey hair.

The students took the sighting of their headteacher in calling for their medicals. So they stood with their file and formed a line as they were told by phone, each Brookland child would be notified of any changes at school via phone, this way everyone knew what was going on that day and overall just made the whole 'school' business easier.

They filed out of the classroom and were lead into the hall that had a side door off into the kitchen (the kitchen had 2rooms one room was being used for the boys, one the girls), now being used for the medical check. Each student took a seat facing in a circle, no particular reason why but it just was. So everyone could see each other and talk to each other.

"As you were informed we will start from the most punctual to least so starting with with Javin Davis and Sophia Mayla. Please go through the door, boys on the right, girls left." The head teacher informed with his happy voice he always used a happy voice, if he was happy they would be happy, thats the way this headteacher thought.

—-one hour later & a lot of conversations later—-

"Brittney Solo and Tom..." but before he could say anything Tom stood up, Alex gave him a thumbs up and Tom headed towards the cafeteria door, dragging his feet with him, not really caring about this check.

—3minutes later—

Brittney happily came back after 1 minute and Tom came back after 3 minutes. Short times but they were the last of the lot apart from Alex, the class had an odd number. He didn't really like the fact that the finished people still stayed in the hall waiting for everyone to finish.

"Alex Rider." He picked his feet up and forced them to the room and sat down on the chair clutching his file.

"File." The man said gesturing with his hands "I'm but call me Tim."

Alex nodded and held out his file, straight away to be snatched from by Tim who read it through with wide eyes.

"How many times have you been shot?!"

"s-si-six..." alex stuttered hanging his head low.

"What!" Tims eyes widened again and his mouth dropped. "I'll check your heart beat, check it's ok."

He brought out a stethoscope. Alex flinched as he felt cold metal touch his sniper bullet wound, it recently had torn a tiny bit and was fragile.

"Your heart is beating fast, sometimes skipping a beat. I'm a professional and can tell I'm hurting you right now, how?" Despite his voice, Tim was concerned for the teen. Never before had he seen something like this.

Alex replied as short as possible "Bullet to heart."

The doctor's jaw dropped and he ran out of the room and up to the headteacher "Sir come."

The headteacher followed the doctor back to the room leaving behind the words of 'what has druggie done' 'druggie is in trouble' and a shout of 'the only bloody drug he fricking does is painkillers!' from Tom.

As soon as the teacher walked through the door the doctor hushed whispers to him and another jaw dropped.

"Alex have you been shot in the heart?" Mr Giglin asked

"No sir." Alex replied, it was truthful after all.

The doctor raised an eyebrow "But you said?"

"Ye that's right I did say that but I didn't get shot in the heart but 4mm above." Alex sullenly replied and lifted his head to see the expressions.

"4mm above!?" Alex nodded "just 4!" Another nod.

"Where else?" The headteacher spoke for once harshly and not at all bubbly.

"Right thigh, Front right shoulder, Back left shoulder, Center of back and slight left of tummy." He spoke like he had been rehearsing it his whole life.

"I'm calling in your guardian!"