"I'm sorry, I can't," Emily said. "I promised to go shopping with my mum today."

"It's alright," Alex said. "It's no problem. Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"Actually, I am. I'm spending the entire day with my parents and my brother. How about Tuesday? We'll go to the beach or something."

"Sure. Sounds great. I'll talk to you later then."

"Bye."

Alex hung up and changed into a blue T-shirt and gray cargo shorts. Then he sat back down on the bed and waited for Tom to come out of the bathroom. About ten minutes later, Tom stepped out.

"No girlfriend time today?"

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Yeah, sure. And you're not my best mate."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Emily's busy today and tomorrow. So, I really don't have any plans. Do you?"

"Nope. Hey, you said that while we're in France, you'd take me to the beach for some sightseeing."

"Oh, yeah. And you still have to kiss an old man."

Tom blushed. "I can't believe you're really going to make me do it."

"So, are we headed off to the beach?"

"Sure."

Alex and Tom threw their swimsuits and towels into a backpack and headed out of the hotel. They took a short, fifteen-minute walk to the beach. Tom let out a long whistle.

"Wow, what a sight," he said.

Alex shook his head as he laid his towel in the sand, and then lay on top of it. He closed his eyes and relaxed, soaking in the Mediterranean sun, listening to Tom make comments about girls who passed by.

"Tom, keep your pervy thoughts to yourself," Alex said.

"No one told you to listen."

I wish Camryn were here instead of Tom, Alex thought. He began imagining what this vacation would be like with Camryn beside him instead of a pervy seventeen-year-old boy. He pictured it all in his head: Camryn lying beside him in her little bikini with her arms around him, her head resting on his shoulder – no cares, no worries. Alex was so deep in his daydream that he swore he could smell Camryn's signature cotton candy scent. Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by Tom.

"Hey, Alex, isn't that Emily?"

Alex opened his eyes and sat up. He looked in the direction Tom was pointing. And there she was. Emily was walking down the beach in a tank top and jean miniskirt. She had her arm linked with another boy's arm. The boy was brown-haired and blue-eyed, just like Emily.

"Well, doesn't that look a little fishy," Tom commented.

"That's probably her brother," Alex said.

"I doubt it. That little whore…"

"Tom!"

"What? It looks really bad. I'm just looking out for you, Alex."

"Well, I don't need you to look out for me. I don't need anyone to look out for me. I can take care of myself just fine."

"Are you sure? Even after what happened to Camryn?"

"Don't talk about Camryn," Alex warned.

"Ever since Camryn died, you haven't been yourself. You haven't been the same, Alex."

"Tom-"

"Think about it. If Jack and I hadn't been looking out for you, you would have probably killed yourself out of misery. What would Camryn have thought if she saw you like that?"

"Shut up!" Alex shouted angrily. "I told you not to talk about Camryn!"

Alex couldn't help being edgy whenever Camryn was mentioned. Sometimes, it hurt him just to think about her.

"Why not?! Aren't you over her yet?!"

"No. I've tried, but I can't. I still love Camryn."

"You're pathetic. While you were dating her, she was all you could think about. Now she's dead, and she's still all you can think about! What's wrong with you?! I really don't know what she saw in you."

"Pathetic?! Look at you! You've never gotten past a first date!"

"Just because you've had one relationship doesn't mean you're an expert!"

"You've never had a relationship, so you shouldn't be talking at all!" Alex stood up and angrily walked away. He walked all the way back to the hotel and slammed the door of the room. He bolted the door and threw himself face down on the bed. He jammed his face in the pillow. He wanted to scream. He was so angry. Tom had no right to say what he did. Alex screamed at the top of his lungs. He kept screaming until his throat was sore and he was sure that he had lost his voice. But once he finished screaming, he started crying.

"Camryn, why did you leave me?" Alex asked between sobs to no one in particular. Then he started saying her name over and over, as if it were a chant to make her come back. He was shaking from anger and despair. He desperately wanted Camryn back. He was angry with Tom for be so insensitive. He was angry with himself. He couldn't save Camryn. He had told her that he would do anything and everything he had to just to keep her with him. But then, when Adrian Vygotsky held the gun to Camryn's head, Alex couldn't do anything – he just stood there and looked on in horror. Maybe Tom was right. Maybe Alex really was pathetic – he felt pathetic.

Suddenly, Alex realized that he was destined to be lonely. He was a spy. He had an overflowing abundance of enemies. Anyone close to him would be hurt. Alex had always wondered why his uncle, Ian Rider, never had a girlfriend. He'd never seen his uncle with a woman. In fact, he had never seen Ian Rider with any friends. Ian Rider never went out. When he wasn't working, he read books, listened to classical music, drank wine alone, and occasionally took Alex out for adventures. Of course, the adventures were just a part of Alex's training. Alex always wondered if Ian Rider was lonely. He had never bothered to ask. It was probably safe to assume that Ian Rider was a lonely man. He knew well that anyone close to him would be hurt because of his job.

Alex began thinking of the people who could possible be hurt by his life as a spy. First of all, there was Jack. She was Alex's legal guardian. She'd always been like an older sister to Alex. There was – although Alex didn't want to admit it at the moment –Tom. Tom had been Alex's best friend for years. Then there was Emily. Alex liked Emily a lot.

I probably should stop seeing her, Alex thought. But he didn't want to stop seeing Emily. He desperately wanted someone to love. Losing Camryn took such a huge toll on his heart. Then Alex began thinking that he'd never be able to get over Camryn. She was his first love, and Alex was sure that she was his soul mate. Being around Emily was nice, but being around Camryn just felt right.

Suddenly, the door opened. Alex pushed his thoughts aside and looked up. The door was wide open, but there was no one in the doorway. Alex stood up and slowly walked toward the door. There was a flash of black. A hand went over Alex's mouth. The door shut. Alex bit the hand over his mouth. There was a scream of pain. Then there was the click of a gun. Everything was a blur to Alex. He finally stopped to let his vision focus when he heard the gun click.

"Daisuke? What are you doing here?"

Daisuke slapped Alex across the face. "I'll be asking the questions."

"I thought you were supposed to be executed for treason."

"Yeah, I escaped."

"How?"

"I've got friends in low places."

Alex sneered. "Yeah, someone like you would."

Daisuke slapped Alex again. "Where is Camryn?" he demanded.

"You moron. Haven't you heard? She's dead."

"Don't lie to me. I know she's alive."

"I saw her die," Alex said firmly. "What do you want with her anyway?"

"I'm going to find her, and I'm going to kill her."

"Too bad – Adrian Vygotsky beat you to it."

Daisuke punched Alex hard in the jaw and slammed him against the wall. He dug the gun into Alex's neck. "Tell me where Camryn is, or I'll kill you."

"She's dead."

"Where is she? You can't protect her forever."

"I know I can't. That's why she's dead!"

"I don't believe that. I won't believe it."

"That sucks for you, because that's the truth."

Daisuke put the gun away, frustrated. "I'll find a way to get my answer out of you. Just you wait." Then he left as quickly as he had come.

Alex ran Daisuke's words through his head.

"Where is Camryn? Don't lie to me. I know she's a live."

Could she possibly be alive? No, it was impossible. Alex saw her die. Adrian Vygotsky shot her at point blank. But then again, Alex had seen Yassen Gregorovich died, but then he appeared again out of nowhere. A spark of hope lit in Alex's heart. Maybe Camryn was alive.

But then, if she was live, did she fake her death? If so, why?

"I later broke up with her, hoping that I could protect her that way. When that didn't work, I had to fake my death," Daniel had said.

All of a sudden, it made sense. Camryn had tried to keep Alex from coming to Russia to save her. When that failed, she faked her death so she could protect him. Then Alex decided he had to find Camryn.

Just then, Alex's cell phone rang. It was Jack.

"Hello, Jack," Alex answered. "How are you?"

"Okay, I guess. You need to come home as soon as possible."

"What? Why? This is only my second day here."

"Come home as soon as possible. There's something we need to talk about."

"What is it?"

"Just come back, please," Jack pleaded. She sounded scared.

Alex sighed. "Alright." He hung up and called MI6.

"Royal & General Bank, how may I direct your call?"

"This is Rider. I need Mr. Blunt or Mrs. Jones."

"Just a moment."

A minute later, "Mrs. Jones."

"Mrs. Jones, it's Alex. I need to get home as soon as possible."

"Why? What's the problem?"

"Jack called me, and she wants me to come home as soon as possible. She sounded scared."

"I'll send a helicopter for you. We'll pick you up at midnight."

"Thanks." Alex hung up and began packing his things.