[Note] Just wanted to say thanks to the people who've reviewed or who've put this story as their favourite, or on story alert etc. So... thanks! (My bad if 'flipin''s not a word).

CHAPTER THREE

Just a flippin' schoolboy

SURPRISINGLY, THE NEXT MORNING, ALEX woke up early. He'd gotten home late last night; he'd taken a walk to clear his head. After the fiasco in the CIA building, he'd had too much to think about. In the end, Alex had decided he was happy with the decision he'd made. He'd finally done it—or, more specifically, said it. No. The one word that could've made all the difference on his last mission… Shaking his head, Alex yawned and stretched, getting out of bed.

Drowsily, he looked around his room. It had white walls and a blue carpet, and glass doors that led to a small stone deck. His clothes lay scattered near his wardrobe, but other than that, the room wasn't very messy. A wooden desk stood in the corner, carrying a computer. There weren't any posters on the walls, though Alex had been meaning to put some up for quite a while. All in all, it was nice, but plain. Very plain.

Suddenly, Alex didn't feel comfortable in his room. There was hardly anything in the room that made it seem as if it was used.

Alex rummaged through his wardrobe, not caring that it was a school day or that he was going to run late.

He grabbed three posters and some blue tack and got to work. He was done in five minutes. There, he thought, satisfied, admiring his handiwork. The posters were of the Chelsea football team. Now the room looks lived in.

Alex glanced at the clock above the computer. He'd have to hurry if he wanted to get to school on time. Alex quickly grabbed some clothes and ran to the bathroom.

He showered and came out, dressed and ready for school. In his hurry to get downstairs, he bumped into Sabina. She stumbled backwards. Alex straightened up, steadying her.

Sabina rolled her eyes. "Run with your eyes open Alex."

"I was in a rush," Alex said sheepishly. "Sorry."

Sabina met his gaze for a minute, before offering him a package she'd been carrying. "This came for you," she said. "Mum found it in the mailbox."

Alex took it from her. "Who's it from?"

"I don't know. There's no return address. Why, do you think it's a bomb or something?" she added slyly.

"You never know," Alex shrugged, but he wasn't amused. He thought of Jack... "I'll just go put it in my room."

"Alex," Sabina seemed to realize her mistake, "I'm sorry. I-"

"It's fine."

"I'm sorry. That was insensitive." Alex kept silent; he didn't really want to talk about it. "So, um, Dad's gone to work early, for a last minute meeting. We'll have to walk to school today."

"Right, well, I'll be a minute," Alex said. He vaguely recalled Sabina's dad offering them a lift to school last night.

Alex went to his room and dumped the package on his bed. It was roughly the size of a shoebox and wrapped in brown paper. Alex had to admit, he was curious. He hesitated, and then opened it. He wondered who would've sent it to him.

Underneath the brown paper was a shoebox. Alex opened it. Whatever he'd been expecting, he was immediately disappointed. Gadgets. He knew what they were even before reading the note placed on top of them.

Alex, I had Mr. Smithers design these gadgets for you. I'll admit, he had to check if it was all right with Mrs Jones first, who was unhappy with the whole arrangement, but they both decided it was better for you to be prepared. I wouldn't normally go to such lengths for an agent that hasn't even accepted the mission, but I really would like your co-operation on this. I know you said no, but this is just in case you change your mind…

P.s~ Mr. Smithers is on holiday in America right now—he's staying in New York. He says "hi".

—J. Byrne

Underneath the note rested an ipod, some headphones, a rubber, a key and a notebook. They looked like pretty ordinary items, but Alex had no doubt they would be useful. Each one had a note attached, explaining how the gadget worked. Alex sighed. No meant no—why couldn't the CIA understand that?

Alex shut the lid of the box and stashed it in his closet. He'd deal with all that later.

Downstairs, Sabina was drinking some juice, waiting for him. "Ready to go?" she asked.

Alex nodded. "Sure."

~o~

On the way to school, Alex was quiet. He was thinking about the CIA, and Jade, of all people. Alex wondered how long she had known about her father's criminal behaviour. Joe Byrne had been positive that she did know; his traitor agent, Logan Clerk, had confirmed it.

As Alex and Sabina waited for the pedestrian crossing light to blink green, she turned to him. Only then did Alex realize that she'd been uncharacteristically silent too. "So, are you gonna tell me where you were last night?" Sabina finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, last night," Alex hedged, fidgeting with his jacket, "I just went for a walk."

The light flashed green and they crossed the road. "Really? A walk? Because Dylan texted me last night, asking if I knew where you were," Sabina said. "He said you'd just disappeared from school."

"Did he now?" Alex mumbled, looking away. "I just took the back way of school. It wasn't really planned. For some reason, I forgot about him."

"Uh-huh. You're not that old, Alex. Memory loss is still a while away for you. Besides, you never take the back way out of school. It doesn't even lead to our house," Sabina pointed out. Alex could feel her gaze on him—they both knew he was lying. Part of him wondered why he wasn't telling Sabina about his meeting with Joe Byrne; after all, he certainly wanted to.

Alex looked at her. Sabina was glaring at him suspiciously. "Look, Sab, I overheard Jade talking to her dad on the way to my locker."

"Your locker?"

"Yeah, I went back because I'd forgotten my phone. Anyway, Jade had been talking with her dad about me."

"You? Why?"

"It sounded like he was asking her to do something, involving me, and she said no. I decided to take the longer route to the front gate to avoid her." It sounded silly as he said it.

Sabina paused, giving him a look that clearly said boys. "And that caused you to return home late and forget about Dylan?"

"You weren't there, Sab. It wouldn't have been so strange if Jade hadn't looked so shocked when she saw me there." Alex thought back to it. "She looked really mad. Something's up with her and her father. Something strange."

Sabina laughed. "Next, you're going to tell me that you think her father is like a super villain or something."

"No," Alex murmured, looking away again. Sabina's comment had been a little too close to the truth.

"Maybe she likes you," Sabina suggested reasonably. Alex thought he detected a slight edge to her tone. "Maybe she has a crush on you, and talked to her dad about it. Maybe, he's—I don't know—encouraging her to do something about it?"

"Maybe," Alex allowed, "But I doubt it."

"I don't. Alex, lots of girls fancy you." She grinned. "But they've got to get in line."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Sabina nudged him.

He shook his head. "But Jade doesn't seem the type to be so shy as to need encouragement from her father about "boy problems". Is she close to her father?"

"Since when are you so interested?" Sabina asked. Alex shrugged. Sabina sighed. "Jade actually never talks about her parents. She's always vague whenever you ask her about them. I know she has a younger brother, who's two. He tags along sometimes when we go shopping. There isn't anyone else to look after him; her dad works a lot and her mother died when she was young… That's pretty much all I know. Happy now?" Alex met Sabina's gaze thoughtfully. He decided to tell her the truth—he didn't want to do what Ian Rider had done, and lie about everything.

He told Sabina about the dog called Bon Bon, the CIA agent, Joe Byrne and his offer.

When Alex finished, Sabina stared at him. "I thought you said you didn't think Jade's father was a super villain?" she joked weakly.

"I don't. The CIA do," Alex said truthfully.

Sabina groaned. "Jade didn't tell me any of this—her dad's a criminal? Her father is, um, evil? That's so… bizarre. And horrible." Sabina bit her lip. Alex saw the impact of his words; she wouldn't look at her friend in the same light again. He remembered the phrase ignorance is bliss. "I thought I knew her, but now that I think about it…I mean, I've never even been inside her house! And the CIA… Alex, what did you say to the CIA?" Sabina's eyes snapped to him. They were larger than usual. "What do you want to do? Are you going to help them?"

Alex frowned. "I said no. But Joe Byrne just told me to think about it. I don't know if it matters what I want to do."

Sabina rolled her eyes. "Alex, don't be silly! Of course it matters. I'll straighten them out in a minute if they give you any trouble."

Alex hid a smile. "You'll take on the CIA?"

"Of course! I have been talking self defence lessons. I can beat up anyone who gives us trouble."

Alex glanced at Sabina. "I don't remember you being this violent when we first met. I've obviously been a bad influence on you." He grinned.

Sabina snorted. "You wish. Oh, look, it's Dylan."

They'd arrived at school. Dylan hurried towards them. "Alex," he said immediately, looking annoyed, "where'd you go yesterday? I waited for half an hour. Plus, it started raining ten minutes after you left. I was drenched by the time I got home!"

"Sorry, I just—" Alex hesitated, hating this part, hating having to lie.

Sabina cut in. "He was chased by a dog."

Dylan looked blank. "Are you kidding me?"

Alex tried to look sombre. "No. I'm dead serious. A guy was walking this Rottweiler, and it got loose. It was up by the back gate. It ran after me and chased me all the way up Main Street."

Dylan nodded gradually, but he didn't look convinced. "Whatever, man." He decided to let it slide. "So how was Kerry's birthday?" He asked Sabina, still eyeing Alex warily. "Did she say anything about me?"

~o~

During lunch, Alex, Dylan, Matt, Sabina and Jade sat under a shady oak tree in the field. The sun burned down on them, and the shade of the tree was gratefully welcomed.

"Phew!" Sabina fanned herself with her hand. "It's so hot."

"I'll say," Jade agreed. "Although I'd rather be out in this heat than back in my science classroom—even if it does have air conditioning."

Matt nodded sourly. "Yeah, me and Jade have gotten this new science teacher. His name is Mr. Holmes and he's extremely strict. Makes me miss our old science teacher."

"I had him this morning, and he's not that bad. Face it, Matt," Dylan chuckled, "You don't get along with any teacher."

"Eh," Matt replied. "Normally I wouldn't argue, but even Jade hates him."

"Really, Jade?"

"It's something about the way he watches the class. He's like a hawk," Jade shrugged defensively. Alex wondered if the new teacher was the CIA agent. "Alex, Sabina, have you guys had him yet?"

"We don't have science on Thursdays," Sabina reminded her. "So, no, not yet. Though I am curious to see what he's like…" Alex had told her about CIA's plan to place an agent in the school.

"So, guys, you want some mars bar cake?" Jade asked. "I made some in food tech and there's just too much of it left."

"Yeah!" Matt's face lit up—he loved anything made with chocolate.

Jade grabbed a container out of her bag and handed everyone some slices. "Bon apatite," she said.

"Hmm, it's nice," Sabina said, after a bite. Matt agreed. Sabina had been politely cordial towards Jade all day, but Alex knew she was frustrated inside.

Just then a man stepped onto the field. Alex squinted at him. It was hard to make out his face from the distance, yet the man looked familiar… Wait a minute, wasn't that—?

"Hey, look, it's the new science teacher," Jade mumbled, catching sight of him too. "Mr. Eric Holmes." She frowned. "Is he coming over here?" But Mr. Holmes simply walked up to the trash can nearby and chucked away some paper.

Alex briefly met his gaze, before 'Eric Holmes' turned away and headed back towards the staff room. The glance had confirmed Alex's suspicions, but had left him more than a little confused.

"That's the new science teacher?" Sabina sounded disappointed. "He's not what I imagined him like." Sabina had probably been expecting someone who looked a little more like James Bond.

But Alex knew, firsthand, that their new science teacher was a tough man. The only question was; what was Eagle doing working for the CIA?

~o~

After school Alex was walking home with Sabina and Dylan. They were talking about something or the other; Alex wasn't paying attention.

Eagle, from K-unit, was at his school. Alex didn't know how to feel—cautious? Resentful? Angry? After all, Eagle and the rest of K-unit had made his brief stay, training with the SAS, hell. But Alex didn't feel anything but confused. How had Eagle, a British SAS member, ended up working with the CIA?

Alex glanced around absently, and froze.

"Alex?" Sabina slowed down.

"I'm fine," Alex said in a low voice, looking straight ahead. "Keep walking." Sabina and Dylan followed Alex, but they both knew something was wrong.

Alex peeked behind him. There—following them at a safe distance, behind another crowd of students from his school—were three men, dressed in dark colours, the majority of their faces hidden behind large sunglasses. The predatory way in which they walked gave them away. Alex knew instinctively that they were following him and his friends.

"Alex?" Sabina murmured again, "What's going on?"

Alex looked wearily at her and Dylan. "Don't look now, but I think we're being followed."

"What?" Dylan began to turn around but Alex stopped him.

"Don't let them know we're onto them," he warned. Something in his tone convinced Dylan to play along.

Alex, Sabina and Dylan turned around a corner, and the crowd from his school went the other way. There would be no one in between them and the dodgy looking men now. No witnesses, either. Alex sneaked a glance backwards, and saw the street was empty. He spun around slowly, alert. Had the men just disappeared? He could see no one, but they'd been there a second ago.

"Are you sure we're being tailed?" Dylan's voice came from behind Alex. He yawned. "I don't see anyone."

"Yeah, me either," Sabina said slowly. "Alex, where did you see—?"

There was a thump and Alex whirled around.

Quite a few metres away, blocking their path ahead, stood the three men who'd been following them. The men must have trespassed through one of the houses lining the street corner to ambush them.

Although none of the men were holding guns, Dylan was lying on the ground in a heap. Sabina gasped and knelt beside him. "There's still a pulse," she said, relieved. Her word's sounded strangely slurred.

"What happened?" Alex asked.

"I don't know. He just fell. But he's breathing and I don't see any injuries."

Glad that Dylan was alive, Alex turned back to the men. They held knives, but there was no weapon sticking out of Dylan. Had he just dropped to the ground, unconscious? The men seemed to be in no rush, they were ambling up to Alex slowly, as if they had all the time in the world.

"Stay back, Sabina." Alex stepped forward. Although he didn't want to risk it, there was no way he and Sabina could run away; Dylan's body would be too heavy a load to carry with them. Alex was just going to have to stand his ground.

He removed his bag from his shoulders and tensed, ready to fight. There were three of them, and only one of him. He'd faced worse odds. Alex tried to recall everything he had ever learned in karate.

One of the men broke free from the group and charged towards him, a knife glinting his hand. Alex ducked as the man swung at his head, and kicked out. His foot made contact with the man's groin. The man howled, toppling over like a domino. Alex couldn't risk him getting up again and joining the fight later, so Alex kicked his head for good measure.

Well, that wasn't hard, Alex thought, moving aside as another man lunged for him. This one was more careful, and Alex could tell immediately from his fighting stance that he knew martial arts. He smirked at Alex, looking forward to the brawl. "Jude was always stupid," the man spat at his fallen comrade. "But I'm not an idiot like him. Kid, you're going down." He lunged again and Alex moved to dodge, but he was too slow.

The man grabbed his waist and they both fell backwards. Alex's head smacked against the concrete and pain washed over him in waves. He yelled out as the man punched his stomach.

The man was pushing down on him, using his weight to force Alex to stay down. His face was right in front of Alex's, taunting him as he got ready to punch Alex again. "We're not meant to kill you," the man grunted. "But no one said we couldn't injure you. You'll be wishing you were—"

Alex didn't wait for him to finish—he'd heard it all before anyway. Alex smashed his head against the man's, causing the man to cry out in pain. The weight pressing down on Alex lessened, and it was all he needed.

Alex shoved the man off him, to the side, and rolled in the opposite direction, barely missing a knife thrown at the exact spot his leg had been resting moments before.

Alex got up, hands in front of him, ready to fight. Warm liquid dripped down his face and neck; he wiped it away. His hand came back red. Still, the adrenaline kept Alex from feeling any pain.

The man got up from the ground, and Alex was pleased to see he was hurt and angry. The angrier these men were, the more mistakes they would make.

The two men circled him, drawing out more knives. "Why bother fighting?" one mocked him. "You're just a schoolboy." If I had a nickel, Alex thought, for every time someone said I was just a flippin' schoolboy… "Alex Rider, you're coming with us, one way or another. Just give up. Your CIA buddies can't help you; your friends can't help you."

It was then Alex made a mistake. He glanced back at Dylan and Sabina. His eyes widened as he realized that Sabina was now slumped on the ground too. Like Dylan, no knife stuck out of her, which was a relief. But Alex had let down his guard, and every second counted.

By the time he turned around, Alex was just in time to see one of the men about to kick him. Alex ducked but the man's boot still caught the top of his head. He stumbled back and the man charged forward.

The last thing Alex saw was the man's fist, hovering so close in front of his face that he could see every hair on the man's hand. Ew, Alex thought, before the fist hit him. Briefly, he was in a world of pain. Then the darkness seeped in, and he was unconscious.