About a few hours later, Tom came back to the hotel room.

"What's all the packing up for?" Tom asked.

"We have to go back to Chelsea."

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

"Why? We've only been here for two days."

"I know, but Jack needs me home. She made it sound urgent."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Did she say why?"

"No. I asked, but she just told me to come home."

Tom narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Alex, why do you have another bruise on your face? What's going on?"

Alex wasn't sure about how to tell Tom about Daisuke. He didn't want his best friend sucked into his messy spy life.

"That's not important," Alex said evasively. "We're leaving at midnight."

Tom didn't move. He just stood there and watched Alex rush around to pack up his things.

"Alex, I'm sorry for what I said to you."

"Cool."

"I really shouldn't have said that. That was wrong of me."

"Yeah, sure."

"Are you listening to me?! I'm trying to apologize!"

"You're forgiven."

"Really?"

"Tom! Just shut up and start packing!"

"What's the rush? It's only four o' clock. We still have eight hours. Just relax."

"Relax?! Jack could be in trouble."

"Alex-"

"Tom, you know I have a lot of enemies because I'm a spy. Anyone close to me is in danger. Jack is in danger. You're in danger. Emily is in danger. I can't relax. I could never forgive myself if Jack was hurt."

"But it wouldn't be your fault."

"I still wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

Tom sighed and began packing up his belongings. At 5:30, the boys finished packing and had checked their belongings three times.

"I'm going to get something to eat," Tom said. "Do you want anything?"

"No, but I'll come with you anyway."

The two boys left the hotel and walked a few streets to a restaurant. Alex spotted Emily sitting there with the boy from earlier and an older man and woman.

"Oh, that's her brother, by the way," Tom said.

"How did you find out? You didn't confront her, did you?"

"I did."

"Why?!"

Tom shrugged. "Just looking out for you."

Emily spotted Alex and got up from her table. She walked up to him smiling. "Hey, Alex!"

Alex forced a smile. "Hey, Emily."

"Why don't you come over and meet my family. Maybe you can come with us tomorrow."

"Actually, I have to leave."

"Why? When?"

"My sister needs me home," Alex said. "I'm leaving tonight."

Emily frowned. "I was hoping to spend some more time with you."

"Yeah, me too."

"Will you at least meet my family?"

"Sure." Alex followed Emily back to her table.

"This is Alex," Emily said, introducing Alex.

Alex gave a shy smile. Meeting new people always made him nervous.

"I'm Nick," Emily's brother said, extending his hand. Alex shook it politely.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Alex," Emily's mother said. "Emily talks about you all the time. Oh, by the way, I'm Martha."

Alex shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Emily's father stared at Alex with suspicion. Alex could feel his insides shuttering. He remembered Ryan Albright hadn't been too friendly with him at first.

"Daddy…" Emily prodded.

"How do you know my daughter?" the man asked.

"Uh…I met her at the mall," Alex said nervously.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Emily, he's too old for you."

"Daddy!"

"Why have you been seeing my daughter? You're two years older than her."

Alex felt his face glow bright red. God, this man was even worse than Ryan Albright. "Uh…er…um…" Alex had no idea what to say. He didn't know that Emily was only fifteen. "Uh…she's a nice girl…? And she has an interesting personality."

He's not going to believe that crap, Alex thought.

Emily's father contemplated Alex's answer. Then he asked his final question. "Are you a virgin?"

Alex's face grew so hot that he thought his head would explode. "Yes."

"Okay. I'm Malcolm." He held out his hand. Alex shook it, his face still glowing as bright as a tomato. That was the most awkward moment of his life. Alex was just glad that he survived the interrogation.

Jack was waiting in the living room when Alex came home from dropping Tom off. Alex left his luggage by the door and sat across from Jack.

"What's going on, Jack?" Alex asked.

"I found this on the driveway last night," Jack answered, pulling a small, silver object from her pocket and handing it to Alex.

Alex took it in his hands and examined it. It was a ring – a thin, silver band. There was something engraved into it. Alex squinted his eyes to read it. Camryn & Alex. There was dried blood crusted on the band. Alex suddenly felt sick. The ring had been Alex's Christmas gift to Camryn. What was it doing on his driveway? Someone was probably playing a cruel joke on him. But why? And who?

"I also got a phone call earlier yesterday afternoon. Someone was asking for you."

"Who?"

"I don't know. He just said that he needed to see you about something. He said it was something about Camryn."

Another spark of hope struck Alex.

"What's going on, Alex? This is scaring me."

"I don't know, but I'll find out."

"I don't want any interference," Daisuke said.

"But he's already contacted the boy's guardian," Mr. Hughes replied.

"Then kill him."

"He's got nothing to do with this. He as absolutely no part in our plan."

"I said, kill him. Kill the other boy while you're at it."

"The other boy is not a part of our plan. He's not part of the deal we made. If you want him dead, either you kill him yourself, or you pay me more to kill him."

Daisuke contemplated. "Fine. I'll give you another fifty grand to kill him."

"It's a deal." The two men shook hands on the deal. Mr. Hughes walked out of the Japanese rogue's office.

When the phone rang, Alex dove for it. "Hello?"

"Alex," the voice on the other end said. It was American. It was familiar.

"Daniel?"

"Just call me Dan."

"Okay."

"Anyway, we need to talk."

"Sure, go ahead."

"No, I mean in person. It's urgent. It's about Camryn."

Alex's heart started pounding. She's alive, he thought. She has to be.

"There's a bank on Liverpool Street," Dan said. "Meet me there as soon as you can."

"I'll be there in about fifteen minutes."

"Good."

Alex hung up. "Jack, I need to go somewhere. I'll be back as soon as I can." Alex headed for the door.

"Alex," Jack called. "Don't leave me alone here."

Alex smiled at her reassuringly. "Everything's going to be fine. Don't worry about it."

"But-"

"Look. I'll call MI6 to send someone over here to look after you. I'll only be gone for about an hour at the most anyway."

Jack sighed in wordless agreement.

Alex called the MI6 headquarters and asked to speak to Mrs. Jones. "Mrs. Jones, it's Alex. I have a feeling that someone might be watching me. Could you send someone over to my house to look after Jack? I need to go meet someone."

"Sure. I'll get right on that."

"Thank you."

"He'll be over in about five minutes."

Alex hung up, and exactly five minutes later, the doorbell rang. Alex answered it. A somewhat unpleasant surprise was standing on his doorstep.

"Wolf? What are you doing here?"

"Cub? Mrs. Jones sent me to baby-sit you?!"