Note: First off I'd like to thank Ragold, Mrs. Frank Hardy, and BritBookWorm for being my first reviewers! You're awesome D Now I'd like to confess that originally this story wasn't supposed to have Alex's POV. Since I wanted it to be a little more informal and all, I'd gone with first person for Addie… and since I am including Alex's POV, I'm afraid I'm having a little difficulty with the up-close and personal stuff since he was always written in third person. I guess I'll just have to play around with his personality.

Secondly, I haven't read all of the books (I know, shame) and the ones I have read I haven't touched in a while. So excuse any discrepancies!

Thank you again(: I own nothing except the product of my imagination and if you review, I'll love you forever!

xx

Chapter Two – Ego Nolo Caesar Esse (I Don't Want To Be Caesar)

-Alex-

It was nine in the morning, London time. I was sitting in a private jet that was heading for America. Where in America? I didn't know. I had been kidnapped. Again. Taken right off my school's grounds as if my education was of no importance. I'd barely stepped foot onto the grass when the black car screeched to a stop behind me and the door was thrown open, Ben Daniels, aka "Fox", stepping out. Before I could protest, he'd tossed me in despite my attempts to escape.

I sighed, leaning back in the chair that was as soft as butter, and looked out the window. The ocean was visible below, the sun reflecting off of the infinite number of waves. I hadn't gotten much explanation when I'd been dragged into the car, not from Mrs. Jones or Ben, both of whom I hadn't seen for a long time. When my protests became angrier, Ben threatened to knock me unconscious. Then I really wouldn't get any answers.

And so here I was.

"Rider! Wake up," Ben barked, sitting in the chair opposite me. "We have things to go over." He slapped a folder down onto the table between us.

Mrs. Jones, who had been avoiding me since I yelled at her on the ride to the airport, came and sat beside me. She reached out and opened the folder, revealing files of information. On top of all the pages was a photo of a girl, perhaps my age. She had long brown-blonde hair, wide green eyes, and was smiling. "Addison Marie Daniels," Mrs. Jones began. "Have you heard of her? She's eighteen years old, like you, and works for the CIA in America." Glancing at Ben, she added, "And she is in no way related to Ben Daniels."

The man snorted. "I've seen her records. Pretty impressive. I wouldn't be surprised if we had the same genes."

I shook my head and said to Mrs. Jones, "Maybe once or twice, I don't know. What has she got to do with me?" I attempted to keep my voice controlled. Though I felt a little horrible for what I'd said in the car, I still was aggravated about my kidnapping.

"A little over two weeks ago, someone tipped off the CIA about illegal activity at a gas station on the border between Virginia and West Virginia. The government, including Daniels's team, went to take them out, using Daniels as an undercover buyer," Mrs. Jones explained. "Unfortunately, the men had packed up and left the station to be blown, hoping to take some government agents out in the process. Daniels barely escaped but with major injuries. She has a broken leg and has been excused from taking on any further cases while she recovers."

I stared at the papers scattered before me. "I still don't understand what—"

"You've been sent to protect her." Ben's eyes were serious as he gazed at me. Before I could say anything, he pointed to a particular piece of paper. "This man, Adrian Castillo, is one of the most notorious, brilliant, and wanted men in the world. You're hearing his name for the first time because he's very good at keeping low."

"People across the globe in Africa, America, Russia, you name it, are committing nearly every kind of offense and corruption, all under Castillo's rule," Mrs. Jones jumped in. "Scorpia has also employed him before." She glanced at me but I said nothing. She continued, "A large percentage of them get away with it, too, and have been for over a decade. In America though, more and more of Castillo's goons are getting caught, thanks to the CIA. That's why we think the gas station situation was to lure them into a trap and get them killed because they are quite an elite team."

"But why should I protect her?" I couldn't bring myself to believe it—after all these missions I'd been sent on, always saving the world for Mr. Blunt, I never expected something like this. "You don't really believe I could take on this man myself, do you?"

"That's why I'm here." Ben grinned but I ignored him.

Mrs. Jones looked me in the eye. "Castillo will not go after her himself, Alex. He's a powerful man and won't be focused on this one goal of his. He probably doesn't even know that her assassination is underway because he has many people in charge of his operations. He just oversees them.

The CIA has had reports of suspicious activity regarding Daniels and her family. She's definitely a target and they can't have her walking around with secret service agents surrounding her."

I thought for a moment and said slowly, "So I have to be her bodyguard."

"She won't know that. You'll pose as an exchange student who will stay with the family, go to her school—"

"You're joking." This was absurd. Sure, I'd gone undercover before and done similar things, but the whole thing seemed… faulty. Wasn't the girl an agent as well?

I asked Mrs. Jones that very question and she shook her head. "Daniels will know that you are an agent. She just won't be told exactly why you are there. She wouldn't really agree with the whole "bodyguard" idea either. We've been told that she's quite an… independent character." A sort of smile twitched on her lips.

"I'll be there with you, kid," Ben reassured me. "The CIA headquarters is in Virginia anyway and I have to work with them on Castillo. I'll check up on you frequently."

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better," I replied sarcastically, unable to help myself.

Ben merely shrugged. "I'll be staying with David Reyes. He's the unit leader."

Mrs. Jones touched my arm lightly. "And Alex, we don't know how long this will be for. Until we find a way to stop Castillo…" She hesitated, then said, "There's no other way to do this. You're the only answer."

"I'd do it if I could," Ben said in a regretful tone, "but I think you're this girl's best protection when it comes to always being around to look after her. Besides, many of us understand the urgency of this situation. If it were you in this situation… no one would like to lose you, kid. Whether you're an agent or not." I didn't know what to say—I wasn't sure if I should be touched or stay bitter.

"We've already contacted Jack as well, Alex," Mrs. Jones said as if that would comfort me.

"Was that before or after you decided to kidnap me for the hundredth time?" The harshness in my tone made her look away.

Ben looked at me and pushed the files towards me. "Why don't we leave you to look through these? You can think about what you have to do and if you have any questions, just ask." He stood up with Mrs. Jones to sit in the chairs across the aisle. "Alex…"

I glanced up, partly surprised by the name. He almost never referred to me by anything other than "Rider" or "Cub" from my mission days… the mission days that were quickly catching up to me. "Yeah?"

"I know it's been a while since you last worked for MI6 but you're an incredibly smart and skilled young man, Alex," Ben said. I tore my eyes away from his, not wanting to hear anymore. But he kept going. "That's why they've always turned to you for help. This Daniels girl… I've heard a lot of impressive things about her, but you'll always be the best damn agent I've ever known. You've got a lot of potential, kid. Use it."

But I didn't want to use my potential, not in this way. Ever since MI6 first asked for my help four years ago, my life had never been the same. Mission after mission I'd wondered when I could skip the spy stuff and go to school and make a life for myself. It had been a long time since I'd seen these people. Then they showed up to my school, took me right off the street, and dumped all this on me without so much as asking if I even wanted to do it. Who knew what kind of people the Daniels family was? And how I was expected to keep an eye on a girl my own age (from an extremely powerful man that worked with Scorpia) for who knows how long?

Ben tried to make me feel better about myself and what I've done. He called me the best agent he'd ever met. He was putting me on a pedestal that I didn't want nor deserve. But the only praise I wanted was for being the character I was, not the agent. I wanted people to look up to me and admire me for reasons other than my conquests and missions. They were making that difficult by coming into my life again.

Gritting my teeth, I looked down at the picture of Addison Daniels. I thought of Ben nearly manhandling me, being taken against my will on this jet, practically being guilt tripped into this assignment… all of it sent a surge of fury through me. For the moment, I hated Addison Daniels. After all of this…

She had better be worth it.