Disclaimer: I do not own the Alex Rider series.

Also, to my anonymous reviewer AR-bookworm, I'd just like to say thank you for your extremely long review! You are supposed to hate Cindy, and don't worry, Alex isn't going to go out with her.

To all my lovely reviewers, THANKYOU!!!

Chapter 2

"I do not believe this!" Alan Blunt exclaimed. He'd just been informed of the recent break-in at Brookland, and about how his best, and youngest, field agent had had to fend off a fully trained Scorpia agent all by himself.

"Please, someone tell me that this is not true!"

Mrs Jones stared at her boss. This was the first time she'd seen him lose his temper in a while. In front of the two of them, the agent who had made the report was standing rather uncomfortably, gazing everywhere but at the two heads of the SO.

Mr Blunt sighed, then waved at the man. "Dismissed."

The agent all but bolted out of the room, determined to put as much space between them as was humanely possible.

"Eight SAS units. Twelve of my best field agents. That's forty-four men altogether! And yet Alex still was forced into the fight!" Blunt didn't like to admit it, but the boy had grown slightly on him. And he was one of MI6's best agents. He didn't really want to lose the boy.

"I think we should make arrangements for Tom Harris," Mrs Jones said.

"Yes. That boy has been targeted twice now." Blunt frowned, thinking it over. The boy had point blank refused guards inside his house. If Scorpia came calling, Blunt highly doubted that the agents they'd placed next door would be able to help. The problem, according to Rider anyway, was the boy's parents. If they could be out of the way…

"Give orders for Agent Daniels to bring Harris back home with Rider. He is to stay there until the threat is over. Tell Agents Crawley, Ibsen and Allende to move out, pack everything that's in Harris's room and deliver it to Rider's house. Then reassign them to guard the school. We're going to need another unit as well. Get Harris's parents out of the country. Split them up if possible, since they appear to have problems together. Now," Blunt ordered, and Mrs Jones left.

Alone, Mr Blunt frowned. The problem wasn't how many agents and soldiers they had to guard the school. The problem was where Harris was when Scorpia came calling. The incident at the school proved that he needed to be guarded by more than just Rider, or Blunt ran the risk of losing one of his best agents. He obviously couldn't be followed around by an agent. Both he and Rider would protest about that, and Blunt had enough headaches as it was without those two complaining.

No, what he needed was someone who would be able to keep up with those two boys. Someone who would fit in better than an MI6 agent. Someone they were familiar with. Someone whom he knew would be able to protect them, and he knew that they would both trust…

But who?

An idea slowly formed in his mind. Would they let the agent go though?

Mr Blunt let out a frustrated groan, and covered his face with his hands. He decided that he'll contact them if Scorpia tried to kidnap Harris again, though they may have given up after their last two failed attempts.

That decided, he reached for the phone and ordered for his lunch to be brought up.

"For the millionth time, Cindy, I am fine!" Alex finally exploded. The final bell of the day had just sounded, and the rest of his English class rushed out the door, eager to be anywhere but in school. All, except for Tom and Cindy. The girl was really getting on Alex's nerves. She hadn't left him alone since after Snake cleaned up Alex's cuts.

"Okay, I was just asking," she pouted, before returning to her perfect smile, "Catch you later Alex!" With that she turned and pranced out the room, leaving a faint trace of her perfume behind.

"Ready to go?" Tom asked, hoisting his bag onto his shoulders.

"Yea," Alex replied, copying his friend's actions. Together they walked out the door, to find Ben already waiting for them.

"Hey boys," he greeted, "Tom, I'm afraid you're going to have to come home with us. Your stuff's already at Alex's house."

"Why?" Tom asked.

Ben glanced around before lowering his voice and replying, "We'll discuss it when we get back, okay?"

Tom nodded, shooting a questioning glance at Alex. The teenage spy just shrugged in reply. He had a vague idea, but he could be wrong.

They arrived at Alex's house in silence. Tom was throwing ideas around his head, each wilder than the last. Alex was just tired and sore from the unexpected fight, and was quite happy to just sit and not talk. Ben kept shooting glances at the two boys.

"ALEX! Oh, Alex!" Jack cried the moment he walked through the door. Suddenly Alex found himself on the receiving end of one of Jack's excruciatingly tight hugs.

"Ow, Jack! I'm alright, really," Alex mumbled, failing to pull himself out of her grip.

Agent Banks came out from behind Jack to observe the commotion, but seeing what they were currently doing, he decided to give them some privacy and beat a fast retreat.

Jack saw Tom standing awkwardly behind his friend and immediately let Alex go. She'd already been briefed as to the arrangements for Tom, and was perfectly happy if it meant that Alex's best friend wouldn't be killed.

"Oh, Tom, I'm so sorry! I've already prepared the guest room; it's just down the hall from Alex's. All your stuff is already in there. Don't worry, it's going to turn out alright." Jack proceeded to give Tom a bone crushing hug. In the end, Alex had to physically pull her away from his friend.

"Wait, guest room? Am I staying here or something? Hang on," Tom frowned, "What do you mean my stuff is here? Did someone go into my house…?"

Jack turned to Ben. In that moment, the glare that the normally cheerful American gave Fox was so similar to one of Wolf's infamous ones, that the ex-SAS soldier couldn't help but wince.

"YOU HAVEN'T TOLD HIM ABOUT HIS OWN LIFE?" Jack shouted, furious.

"With all due respect ma'am," Ben said, slightly in awe, "We weren't sure if it was safe to-"

"THAT IS THE BIGGEST LOAD OF BULL I'VE HEARD SINCE MI6 TOLD THE SCHOOL THAT ALEX HAD APPENDICITIS!"

Alex, Ben and Tom all cringed. Jack glowered at Ben for a few moments longer, before turning to Tom, a worried expression on her face.

"Come on, dear, I'll go tell you," she said, placing an arm around the taller boy's shoulders and guiding him gently into the living room, murmuring soft words to him all the way there.

Ben looked at Alex in shock.

Alex just shrugged.

"Hey, Wolf's worse."

"Alex? Can you help me?" Tom asked, standing at Alex's door, his book in his hand. Alex had long finished his homework; he was currently listening to his iPod with his feet up against his table, his heavy hardcover Chemistry book lay forgotten on the ground. At Tom's words he swung himself into a proper sitting position and turned to face him.

"Sure," Alex said, motioning for the boy to come in.

"I just don't understand this! I don't know…I think I'm missing some factors, but every time I try to factor it in, some other factors get out and it just, just doesn't work!" Tom burst out, coming into his friend's room and handing over his book.

Alex gazed at it for a while before turning to Tom. "Okay, so here's your problem…"

Jack smiled from the doorway as she listened to Alex explain things to Tom. It was such a nice change, Alex being able to understand things again. It certainly wasn't like this last year, when he'd been forced out of school so often by the MI6 that he was in danger of failing school altogether.

The red-haired American sighed slightly. She could do with a cup of coffee right now. The agents probably could too. She went downstairs to where both Agents Daniels and Banks sat in the living room.

"Do you boys want anything to drink?" Jack asked. She was quite happy that the MI6 had decided Alex was important enough to protect; according to her, it was about time.

"Just some coffee, thanks," Ben said, "I'm taking the first night watch and I really don't want to fall asleep during that."

Agent Banks snorted slightly, before turning to the American.

"Some hot chocolate would be nice," he said hopefully. In the short time they'd gotten to know the new agent, they'd learnt that he had a very strong sweet tooth, and absolutely loved chocolate.

"Okay, be right back," Jack said, before turning to the kitchen. Behind her, she heard the two agents resume whatever conversation they previously had in hushed tones. Humming to herself, she got out three cups and the jars that held the coffee and the chocolate power. While waiting for the water to heat, she stared out the window, gazing at the darkness outside.

The water finished boiling, letting out a whole bunch of steam into the kitchen. She was just about to pour the water into the cups when a loud shattering sound broke through what had previously been silence.

"BEN! ANDREW!" Alex's yell could probably have been heard from the other end of the street. The two agents bolted up the stairs, their guns drawn. Jack could hear the scuffles of what appeared to be a fight. Quickly making up her mind, she ran upstairs, the kettle of boiling water still in her hand.

She arrived at the door in time to see both MI6 agents being disarmed. There were three Scorpia agents; two of them were now engaged with Ben and Andrew. Alex fought the third, although it was clear from his slight limp and swollen lip that he'd originally faced all three agents. The window lay in pieces, scattered across the ground. Jack saw Tom under Alex's bed. He looked up at her and pointed at Alex with an annoyed look on his face; apparently the teenage spy had shoved his friend under his bed before engaging.

With a pained shout, Alex was thrown across the room; he hit the opposite wall, and though remained on his feet, looked slightly dazed. The Scorpia agent he'd been facing leapt towards him, ready to deliver what was no doubt an extremely painful blow.

No-one other than Tom saw Jack enter the fray. Opening the lid of the kettle still in her hand, she promptly threw its contents at the man. The still boiling water flew across the room, and smacked the Scorpia agent right across the face. The man howled in pain, all thoughts of attempting to punch the lights out of the teenage spy gone. He clasped both his hands to his face in agony, as the boiling water bit into him.

The distraction was just what Alex needed. The boy picked up his thick hardcover Chemistry book off the floor, and swung it around at the agent. The hardcover connected with the skull of the man; an audible crunch was heard. Then the man dropped to the ground; unconscious or dead, Alex wasn't hanging around to find out.

Alex turned, and hurled the heavy book across the room at the agent who was currently attempting to strangle Ben. The book bounced off the man's head, giving Ben a moment to spin out of the man's arms before darting in to deliver a blow straight to the man's neck, SAS style. Needless to say, the Scorpia agent collapsed.

At the same moment, the agent whom Andrew Banks was fighting landed a blow across the MI6 agent's nose. It promptly shattered under the impact, and Banks shut his eyes briefly, wincing in pain. Before the Scorpia agent could step in for the final blow, he was set upon by both Alex and Ben, and brought down to the floor, pile-up style. Alex reached across and pinched the large vein at the base of his neck, hard, to cut off circulation to the man's brain. The agent struggled violently, then abruptly fainted.

Panting, Alex got off Ben who in turn got off the unconscious agent. Jack went over to Banks, and helped him out of the room and back down the stairs, where she then phoned the number Banks muttered to her through his pain which put her in touch with Mrs Jones.

Upstairs, Alex and Ben surveyed the mess that had once been Alex's bedroom. Tom crawled out from under the boy's bed, coughing.

"Jeez, Alex! When was the last time you vacuumed under there?" He exclaimed, then subsided into another fit of coughs.

They arrived at the Royal and General Bank at about nine that night. Special cars had been provided for them, though Agent Banks was driven across to St Dominic's in order for his nose to be fixed.

They were currently waiting outside of Mr Blunt's office. Only Jack and Tom hadn't been there before, and they looked around them with something close to awe in their eyes.

"We're inside MI6 headquarters!!!" Tom had exclaimed when Alex asked him why he was so excited, "How can I not be excited?" Apparently, the boy watched way too many movies.

The door opened, and Mrs Jones walked out.

"He'll see you now," she said, gesturing for them to come in. Alex and Ben led the way, Jack and Tom lingering behind. They didn't really belong there, and their awe wasn't strong enough to overcome their discomfort.

"Ah, Alex, Agent Daniels, sit down," Mr Blunt said from behind his table, "Miss Starbright! Long time no see! And you must be Mr Harris! Have a seat, please."

Alex and Ben almost stared at the head of Special Operations in shock; they'd never seen him being polite to anyone before. But, like the trained spies they were, their shocked expressions quickly switched to a blank look of indifference.

"Mr Harris, tonight must've been the third attempt for Scorpia to get you," Blunt said, addressing the black-haired boy, "How do you feel about your current situation?"

Tom stared, gaping for a moment before replying. He distinctly remembered that Alex said Blunt was one to order, not to ask. And he was slightly nervous under the look Blunt was giving him.

"Um, well, it's sort of a relief that you moved my parents away, I guess," he said, just for something to say, "And, um, I don't really feel much because I know that Alex will fight them off. He's good at doing that."

Alex smothered a grin.

"And Miss Starbright, how do you feel about the guards in your house?" Blunt turned to Jack with the same stare.

"I think it's about time you came to your senses and realised that Alex is a real person, and someone worth protecting," Jack stated, not even slightly cowed by Blunt. Honestly, her glare was a thousand times worse.

"Right. Well, now that that's settled, Mr Harris, Miss Starbright, would you mind waiting outside for a moment please?" Blunt said. Though it sounded like a suggestion, the look in his eyes told them that it was in fact an order. The two rose and left, glancing at Alex before shutting the door.

"Alex, that's the third time you've been forced to fend for yourself and Mr Harris. I do apologise," Blunt said, though he didn't sound very sorry, "I am arranging for another guard to be placed in your house, one who will follow-"

"Hang on!" Alex cut him off, "I don't want any more guards, thank you very much! Ben and Andrew are enough!"

"Alex, this situation we have is very dangerous. All three times in which Scorpia have tried to get Harris, you've been forced to fight. I will not lose my best agent because others are too incompetent to do their jobs properly." Mr Blunt shot Ben a paint-peeling glare, and ex-SAS soldier looked down at his hands bashfully.

Alex sat in shock. Did Mr Blunt just compliment him? The teenage boy shook his head slightly, deciding to dwell on that later. For now though…

"It's not Ben's fault that I have to keep fighting," Alex protested, slightly indignantly, "We just keep being targeted when we're doing things that only kids have to do. Like homework," he said, remembering tonight, "Or eating lunch in a cafeteria. Unless you're suggesting that he follow us around everywhere…No," Alex suddenly said. He'd realised Blunt's plan.

"No, I will not let a fully grown man follow me and Tom around everywhere! No offence, Ben," Alex added. Ben shrugged, no offence taken.

Unknowingly for Alex, the blonde boy had just played right into Blunt's hand.

"You won't let one of my agents follow you around? Not a fully grown man?" Blunt asked as if to reaffirm the facts, "Nor, I presume a fully grown woman?" Alex shook his head firmly.

Blunt almost smiled. The boy was making this too easy.

"How about a girl then?"

Well, well, well. I think we can all guess who the girl is going to be!

So, how are you liking the sequel so far? Is it awesome? Does it suck? Should I have been drowned at birth for even thinking of writing a sequel? Tell me in a review!

Also, someone asked me if there was going to be Ben/Jack slash. Does that mean that the two go out? Is that what you guys want? If yes or no, tell me!!!

Hope to hear from you all! Remember, anonymous reviews excepted, I just won't be able to give you a personal answer!

Love Chariots99