Ready to read some more, people? Let's do this thing! I disclaim Alexander John Rider and all other characters you recognise. Also, does anyone have any better suggestions for the Title/Summary? REVIEW!

He broke out of his trance when it was over, and fumbled for the off switch on the remote...
But not before he saw himself shoot Julius Grief.

Alex stared at the now black screen for a moment, still in shock, then groaned and put his elbows on the desk, his head in his hands so that the heels of his palms rested on his gaunt cheekbones, their prominence reminding him of how little he had eaten after Egypt.

Alex sighed, and staying in the same position, closed his eyes and began to think wearily.

You shouldn't have killed him- killing is wrong, you know that. You've killed before. In self-defence, though... How this any different? He was going to shoot you. It was still wrong! I went into the field with murderous intention... Or was it just because he looked like you? No, no, don't go there! Why not? Still too scared to face the truth? Yes... Shut up shutup SHUTUP!

Alex dug his fingernails into his palms. It was just too much to think about...

Then he heard voices from outside the hut. The Sarge! Alex stuffed his file into his bag at record speed, but the DVD seemed to take ages to eject; Alex had only just managed to slide the DVD into its clear plastic pocket and place it in his bag when the door slammed open. Alex pulled his hand out of the bag and stood to attention.

"At ease, Cub." Alex obeyed. Then: "You better get my desk tidy if you wanna see the light of day again!" Even though Alex knew the Sergeant was joking on this occasion, he couldn't help but think it was exactly what the man would say as a threat. Anyway, he started packing up the art materials carefully and made a neat pile.

The Sarge glanced at his piece of art and grunted appreciatively.

"Not bad, Cub."

"Thanks..."

"No, I mean it. Is that a mix of... Well... Bansky... and... That other guy... His name starts with B as well..!"

"It's Baumgärtel. And since when did you become an art swot?" The Sergeant sighed heavily.

"Well, Cub. I was a good student- Top of my league. Then I went and joined the SAS just to spite my parents. I was gonna drop out and get a good job, but I got into the whole Patriotism thing after a while, I guess." Alex knew how hard it must've been for the Sarge to say that, so he decided to offer some information of his own.

"I don't know if it'll be better or worse when the school crowd comes along; when they're here, K-Unit can't pick on me so much. However, there are a couple of people who're giving me a hard time 'cuz they think I'm doing drugs. You know, 'cuz I'm away on my missions...

"You'll find out soon enough, Cub," responded the Sergeant, and this time there was hint of humorous malice in his voice.

"Wh-whaddya mean?" Asked a suddenly unsettled Alex.

"They're arriving tomorrow."

A very disgruntled Alex Rider made his way back to K-Unit's hut. He really had not been all too happy when the Sarge had explained that yet another situation had arisen at school, even if sandwiches had been offered. Apparently an agent's identity had been exposed. What were MI6 thinking- Letting an agent go and teach history, anyway? He only wished he knew who the person was...

Lost in this train of thought, Alex crept into the hut, where he received glares from the four men who seemed to be playing... Texas Hold 'em. He decided that he would just turn in early. It was damn freezing, anyway, and the small duvet might provide some warmth. He decided not to bother with pyjamas, and instead stripped down to his underwear and a T-shirt he'd snuck in underneath his uniform, which luckily no-one had seen; the rolling stones weren't really the correct dress code.

After about five minutes of Alex texting (Tom) on his iPhone in bed –

Tom: Hey Alex! Wassup? How's the Unit?

Alex: Terrible.

Tom: Huh? Why? Wat u mean?

Alex: I mean they think I'm SCORPIA.

Tom: Sucks 2 b u, man

Alex: 2 true. Wat u been doin?

Tom: Talking bout tomoz.

Alex: Lemme guess... Every1 think its gonna b gr8?

Tom: Yh. It'll b cool!

Alex: No. No it wont. BB is HELL!

Tom: Chillax, dude... Watchin every1 struggle would b fun? U will totally b better at everything! The drama Queens... haha.

-K-Unit were all secretly wondering why Alex hadn't been at dinner, then finally seemed to outwardly note the teen's existence. But that was only because he laughed at Tom's text; all the girly girls would be whinging so much that even one hundred cups of coffee wouldn't do Wolf any good.

"Whatcha laughing at, Cub?" Snarled Wolf, snatching the phone out of Alex's hand and scanning the conversation. "Huh. Even deceiving your friends?" Now that hurt.

"No!" Shouted Alex, reclaiming his mobile from Wolf's grasp and quickly replying to Tom, just as Wolf glared and went to join the other men, probably to plan more cruel and unusual punishment.

Alex: Wolf just snatched phone and read convo.

Tom: Dammit.

Alex: Watev. Wolf will need coffee when he meets Sienna...

Tom: Oh God. I bet shed even send a Saint on a murder spree...

Alex: Hah. It wont b pretty...

Tom: Trust me I know. Ms BRADSON gave her detention.

Alex: Wow. U gotta do a lot 4 that.

Tom: Yah Sienna was doin make-up and whinin inccesantly

Alex: Its incessantly.

Tom: Who CARES?

Alex: Alex Rider.

Tom: Shuddup.

Then, as Alex started typing in a new message, he felt himself being lifted up. He looked round to see that Tiger was carrying him. He started thrashing, but it was no use; Tiger had rolled the duvet round Alex to trap him, and the spy really didn't want to break his precious phone by using it as a weapon.

"Put me down!" Alex yelled, while scrolling through his phone to find the silly string.

"Nope!" Yipped Tiger, half lowering down/throwing Alex outside the hut, just as someone threw a pillow in his face from behind the evil black-haired man.

"If you come in here before half four in the morning tomorrow, I swear I will flush your head down the toilet!" Somehow Alex Rider didn't think Wolf was joking, and he would've laughed had it been anyone else saying that.

He sighed and looked around. Alex certainly didn't want the Sarge to find out about this; K-Unit would just get meaner and continue to exclude him. Deciding that it would be pretty embarrassing if anyone saw him out there in a T-shirt and underwear, Alex scooped up his blanket, pillow and phone awkwardly, then headed off into the woods.

Fifteen minutes later saw a certain teenager sitting on a low tree branch, head resting against a pillow squashed to the trunk of the tree, blanket tucked haphazardly around his frame, answering his phone which was ringing with the annoying tone that Tom had locked on it: (By steering one of Alex's fingers when he was asleep.)

I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world… The caller ID happened to be Tom's.

"Y-y-yeah?" Asked Alex, teeth chattering; it must've been, like, minus twenty degrees!

"Hey, Al. You Okay?" Alex snorted, and when he next talked he had managed to overcome his stutter.

"Guess what K-Unit did to me this time."

"Uh… Forced you into a Tinkerbell dress?"

"WHAT?" Tom snickered, and Alex presumed that his friend would have been able to predict his reaction.

"Cute little Alex in his dress…"

"Shut. Up."

"You can't do anything to me over the phone!"

"Whatever." Growled Alex, already thinking up some revenge tactics.

"Anyway, you were saying about K-Unit…?"

"Let's just say… They sent me on a little camping trip."

"Without a tent?"

"Exactly. And now I am shivering in a tree, in my T-shirt and boxers, with only a tiny little blanket for warmth."

"Aww, Alex! You could freeze to death!"

"Yeah, yeah, thanks for the concern, Tom." But Tom answered in an uncharacteristically serious voice.

"You could, though!" Alex yawned. He was feeling kinda warm… And sleepy…

"Yeah, right."

"Did you just yawn?"

"So…?" Mumbled the spy.

"Alex! Don't fall asleep! You could die! Remember when we learned about how the body shuts down against the cold? You start getting really warm and begin to fall asleep! And then you die."

Alex pinched himself and blinked his eyes, trying to stop himself from falling asleep- No, dying. He was still feeling quite warm… He concentrated and could suddenly feel the wetness on his back where the frost had bitten at him, and glanced round suspiciously at the thin layer of frost-almost snow- on the ground.

"Al? Dude, are you there? Alex?"

"Yeah, Tom, thanks. You saved my life! Though it's pretty damn cold now…"

"You can't stay outside all night!"

"It's either that or be bullied and get my head flushed down the toilet."

"Well, it's better than dying! For God's sake, it's already… 10:55!"

"Tom, you don't understand. Ben betrayed me. I just can't face him anymore…"

"Alex. I'm sorry, I really am, dude. But I'd rather you were training with me tomorrow than six feet under."

"I won't fall asleep! Anyway, you should turn in. Or maybe not… The trip to BB is gonna be long."

"Me? Fall asleep? You need to be in your hut, getting a decent amount of rest!"

"Tom…"

"K-Unit might hate you, but they wouldn't go so far as to leave you to die!"

"They would if I was SCORPIA." There was a cold pause, and the feeling of tension stretched between the phones.

"Alright…"

"Yeah… So… What's Sienna been saying 'bout BB?"

"She's worrying about how she'll be able to do all her," Tom continued in a high pitch, "Pampering…"

"You sounded just like her!"

"I know, right? I'm just awesome like that!"

"So, why is it that you can imitate every girl's voice… But none of the guy's?"

"Hey! Tom Harris throws virtual pillow at Alex Rider!"

"Oh, that hurt so much!"

"Whatever, Al. Or should I say Cub? Sergeant Cub?"

"Shut UP!"

"Sir yes Sir!-... Yeah, Mum… But I'm talking to Alex!... Take that back!... Fine, goodnight." Tom sighed. "Mum says I have to, in her words, roughly, 'Are you still awake?...Get off the phone…Gossiping like a schoolgirl? Is he your boyfriend?... Go to sleep, alright, cutie?'

"Is he your what?"

"Yeah, I know. Sorry, Alex. I really gotta go. DON'T FALL ASLEEP!"

Alex sighed as Tom hung up on him, shivering from the chilly air. Jack would be so much warmer… Jack! He hadn't called her today! It was now 11:06, and D.C was 5 hours behind. Only early evening over there… He took a few deep breaths, steeling himself against the cold so that he wouldn't stutter when talking to Jack.

"Hello?" Alex could hear lots of chattering in the background and people laughing.

"Hi Jack."

"Alex!" He heard her faint explanations to the people she seemed to be talking and joking with, and the chatter got fainter, though didn't entirely diminish. "How are you?"

"I'm good…" That was most certainly not true," Have I called at a bad time?"

"No, it's fine! How are K-Unit? You settling in Okay?"

"Yeah, they're all really nice to me." Not…

"Everyone's all awestruck that school kids are visiting the SAS!"

"It'd be strange if they weren't. Where are you?"

"Oh, at this sort of lawn party thing. Everyone's talking and drinking… Apart from the kiddies. It's great!"

"Are your nieces and nephews there?"

"Yeah. They're so sweet! Nothing like you were at their age…"

"Ha ha. So basically always throwing tantrums and shouting at the tops of their voices?"

"No! I mean, not scaring me half to death by trying crazy stunts on tables and monkeybars!"

"Look, Jack, I'm sorry about the time I tried to microwave an egg…"

"You were ten years old!"

"Exactly. Five years ago!"

"Sure, Alex. At least we know how to make reasonably formidable booby trap… thingies now!" Alex laughed, and Jack joined in with a happy giggle.

"Oh, well. Enjoy seeing your family!"

"You might get some more family too… I met this red hot guy clubbing the other night and I'm meeting him again tomorrow!"

"Good luck, Jack! Just make sure he's not a compulsive patriot and therefore hates MI6 with a passion!"

"But then he might help you to bring down Blunt!"

"Yeah, I'd like to see him try."

"Oh no, I'd better help my brother! He's trying to detach his kid from his leg! And he really wants another beer!"

"Sure! Talk to ya later, Jack! Love you!"

"I love you too, Alex! Bye-bye!"

Jack Starbright went over to lure her five-year old nephew off his Dad's leg.

"Remy, can you let go? I don't think Daddy likes that."

"No! I have to protect Daddy from evil guys!" Declared the boy, puffing out his chest. Jack almost laughed, but what he'd said had reminded Jack of how much Alex wanted her to be safe.

"What about me? I'm evil, and I'm coming to get Daddy, so you have to chase me away!" It worked. Remy launched himself after Jack, roaring fiercely and shouting,

"I'm coming to get you!" While Jack's brother smiled gratefully and snuck off for another pint. Jack, smiling, allowed Remy to catch her and lead her away to 'jail', which was the bench next to the group she had been talking with. Her Dad was sitting on the bench next to her.

"Hey, Jack. Who was on the phone?"

"Alex." Her Mother overheard this and sat down on the other side of her youngest daughter (Jack had two twin sisters, Cindy and Maura, three years older, and a brother, Drake, seven years older.)

"You need to get your own life, Jacqueline." Jack winced. She despised her full name so much that it only just came below Blunt on the list of her top hates.

"It's Jack. And you know Alex means a lot to me."

"I'm sure you could sort something out. He'd understand."

"Stop being so selfish! He has no parents, and his Uncle died only a year ago! I'm the closest person he's ever had!"

"But Jacqueline-"

"But maybe I love him too! Maybe I like London and Alex and his friends and our house… Don't you ever think about that?"

"Jack's right, Lauren." Jack's Dad, Brad, addressed her Mother.

"She's not even married!"

"She is right next to you! And maybe she isn't married because she just found a date last night!"

"That's great, Jack!"

"Jacqueline, ask yourself, will this person stick by you once he finds out about the boy?"

"Alex isn't just some boy I met on the streets, Mom! And if the guy makes a fuss, then he's not worth it. Anyway, I'm sure he'd like Alex."

"Hey, Jack, can I meet Alex sometime? What's he like?" Asked Brad, trying to stop a full-blown argument from emerging between his daughter and Lauren.

"He's a great kid. Never throws a teenage strop, he's very responsible and hangs out with all the right people- His best friend is a guy called Tom Harris, who really understands Alex. Alex is a great sportsman and athlete, smart too, with a good sense of humour. Ian's death hit him really hard, though…" Jack trailed off. She despised lying to her parents; after all, it was for MI6's protection. But Alex wouldn't want anyone to know…

"Now I really wanna meet him!" Chuckled Brad cheerily, but Lauren still didn't approve.

"Why don't you live with him over here, in D.C, then?"

"Because there aren't any Kinder Eggs," replied Jack with a completely straight face, while her Mother sighed in exasperation.

"Jaqueline!"

"Mom, Alex is family now. It wouldn't be fair to uproot him so suddenly… And besides, Tom is the best friend he could ever have! On top of that, Tom's parents are going through a bad patch…" Drake had suddenly materialized with more beer, and was attempting to walk with an overprotective Remy on his leg.

"Drake! You've had more than enough alcohol!"

"Lay off, Mom. I'm a grown man. I can make my own choices, and so can Jack." His youngest sister smiled gratefully as Lauren huffed and finally left her alone.

"Thanks."

"No probs. Say, do you notice those guys hanging round here?" Drake gestured to the agents assigned to protect Jack.

"Yeah…" Jack got up and went over to him and whispered, "Don't tell Mom and Dad, but I was involved in an armed robbery and called 999-"

"Isn't it 911?"

"Not in England. I remember the first time I tried calling 911 over there…" She giggled nervously, "Anyway, the cops think I might be a target, so I've got bodyguards for a coupla weeks." Drake nodded.

"Ah. I see. Between you and me then?"

"Yep."

"Just one thing… Would you mind getting Remy to protect his cousins or sister instead of me?"

They both laughed as they looked over at the older girls and boys thinking they were completely safe from overprotective five-year olds…

This is my second longest chapter! Be happy! Now, poor little Alex, out in the freezing cold… :'( *boohoo* Sorry, Ian won't be making another appearance for quite a while, but don't worry, I have plans… Thanks for all the reviews last time! REVIEW.