A/N: Ok, so admit it, I am amazing. Two updates in one week! Enjoy the chapter.
DISCLAIMER: I am going to own Alex Rider one day, just not yet.
***
Alex lay still in the darkness. He didn't know what had awoken him. Everything was silent, apart from the occasional hoot of an owl, or bark of some woodland creature.
But despite the calm, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end. He crossed to the window and looked out. Nothing.
Wait... there, on the roof of the barn... a glint of moonlight on... something.
"Shit!"
Alex threw himself to the side just as a bullet whizzed past, burying itself harmlessly in the floor boards.
He knew what the glint was now: the scope of a sniper rifle, shining in the moonlight.
Fox almost leapt to his feet at Alex's shout and only his hand yanking the man back down stopped him.
"Sniper on the roof," he whispered, before crossing to Wolf and Snake and repeating the news. Eagle jumped down, as nimble and silent as a cat and Alex informed him of the situation.
Silently, Alex slipped out of the door and down the stairs.
Two men were in the sitting room, both wearing black clothes and balaclavas and both carrying guns.
Alex leapt at the nearest one. He went crashing to the ground under Alex's weight and Alex lost no time in wrenching the gun out of his hands. But a kick to the stomach sent Alex flying back into the coffee table with a loud crash.
He stood up just in time to see Wolf run full pelt into his opponent, and Eagle and Fox disarm the other man.
Snake quickly crossed to Alex's side.
"Cub?" he asked worriedly. "Are you ok?"
"Fine," Alex assured him, standing quickly, though he winced slightly as the multiple layers of bruises shifted painfully.
The fight was quickly over. Even Scorpia agents didn't stand a chance against four highly trained SAS men and Alex, though Alex was wondering where the sniper went. His question was soon answered though, when the window behind him shattered and a third man leapt in, grabbed him and held a gun to his head.
He didn't spare a glance for his fallen comrades. Instead, he spoke in a low, authoritative voice. "Drop the guns," he commanded Wolf, who was holding the two guns dropped by the other agents.
Wolf frowned but lay the guns on the ground.
"Hands up and against the wall. All of you. NOW."
The four SAS men slowly moved as they were instructed.
The gun was removed from his head, and Alex tensed as he realised what was going to happen. He was going to shoot them. It was like something out of a bad WW2 movie with a firing squad, except the positions were horribly twisted.
Alex had to act. Just before the man shot, he pushed his arm upwards, causing the bullet to fire into the ceiling, instead of Wolf's chest. Alex wrenched his arm backwards and felt his elbow connect with the man's jaw. The man staggered backwards, releasing Alex, though he kept hold of the gun. Alex span around, lashing out with his foot and slamming it into the man's unsuspecting stomach. As the men bent double, Alex raised his knee to the man's face.
He fell back, unconscious.
Wolf took a shaky breath. "I think it's time that you explained what's going on, Cub."
Alex sighed and slumped down onto the sofa as the SAS men secured the prisoners. Fox went upstairs where Maria was waiting – she was the reason they had been a few seconds behind Alex. They had asked her to stop anyone coming down the stairs, just in case. Alex was glad that they had, when he thought of Jaime and Emma. He shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if they had stumbled upon the fight.
All too soon, from Alex's point of view anyway, the three unconscious men were securely tied and he found himself sitting opposite the entirety of the K-Unit, all of whom had resumed the unfriendly masks he had been used to in training. He swallowed.
"Who are these people?" asked Wolf. "And why do they want to kill you?"
"That's classified," muttered Alex.
"Classified?" exploded Wolf. "You're seriously trying to tell me that three men – men who obviously know what they are doing – broke into my house and tried to kill us – not to mention trying to take you out with a sniper - and it is CLASSIFIED? What if they had hurt someone?!"
"I told you I shouldn't stay here!" shouted Alex, leaping to his feet. "I told you it was too dangerous!" he slumped again. "I have to go..." he whispered. "They won't leave you alone until I'm gone... I- I have to go."
"I'll call MI6," threatened Wolf, feeling guilty about using a threat to manipulate the kid, but really, what other choice did he have?
"You do that," said Alex emotionlessly. "You'll need the protection."
He walked out of the room, leaving Wolf to stare after him.
"Well... shit," he said, finally.
"I'd say so," said Fox, white faced. He pointed to the gun. There, in the black metal, was scratched a small, detailed scorpion.
"Scorpia..."
***
In his room, Alex quickly changed into the t-shirt and black trousers he had been wearing when he arrived, noting that they had obviously been repaired and cleaned. He wished he could thank Maria, but at the moment that wasn't such a viable option.
He looked around for his mobile, but didn't see it. Frowning, he left the room to search for it. Eventually he found it in the library, on one of the table's. He guessed he must have left it there earlier. He returned to his room and left through the window.
No-one noticed as he slipped away into the night.
***
Jack pulled up at the house at about ten in the morning. It was made of old, reclaimed brick and had ivy climbing all over it. She smiled, it looked like something out of a story book. She crossed the pebbled driveway to the large green front door and knocked.
Immediately the door was yanked open.
"Miss Starbright?" he asked, clearly distracted.
"Jack, please." She was taken aback slightly by his harried appearance, though she tried not to show it. "And you must be Wolf."
The man nodded. "Come in," he said, gruffly.
"Where's Alex?" asked Jack.
Wolf sighed. "He ran away last night. We're trying to find him as we speak."
Jack stiffened. "He ran away?" she hissed. "How could you just let him run away? How hard can it be for a member of the SAS to keep one fourteen year old boy here for ONE night?!"
Wolf shifted guiltily. "I know. I underestimated him. I'm sorry." His posture took on a new resolve as he continued. "But we are going to find him. Snake, Neil, Sebastian, Eleanor, Maiara and Maria are all out there looking for him as we speak. Fox and Eagle wanted to help, but someone had to escort the Scorpia agent's back to MI6..."
"Scorpia agents?!" exploded Jack. "What were they doing here? How did the find him?!"
"We don't know... but...there is a chance that... is it possible that your phone – or Alex's – has been bugged?"
Jack froze, the blood draining from her face. "L-last month... I lost my phone for a day... It turned up that night – I didn't think anything of it! I mean – I lose stuff all the time! Oh god..."
"Well... that's it then," said Wolf, surprisingly calm. He led her into the kitchen. "This is Silvia, my younger sister. She stayed behind to look after the kids."
"Uncle Jamie?" asked a little girl behind Silvia. "Is Alex gonna be ok?"
Wolf smiled reassuringly. "Of course, he is, Emma, we'll find him soon, I promise."
"Wh-What if you don't? What will happen to him?" asked the little boy.
"We will find him, Jaime, don't worry – I promised didn't I?" He gave a lopsided grin. Jack could tell it was strained, but the kids didn't seem to notice.
Wolf turned back to her. "I'm going to go and help the others. It'd probably be bet-"
He stopped speaking and frowned as a black jeep pulled into the driveway. Quickly he turned to Jaime and Emma. "I need you to go and hide in the cupboard – the one in your mother's room. Don't come out until someone you know calls you. Ok?"
The kids nodded- Emma seemed a bit white faced, but Jaime didn't seem to notice the urgency in his uncle's voice.
"And whatever you do, don't talk. Stay completely silent."
The kids ran out of the room, and up the stairs. As soon as they disappeared, the door front door was kicked in. Wolf drew a gun – all the SAS men had been armed constantly since the Scorpia attack the night before – and aimed it at the kitchen door. Seconds later that one flew open as well and Wolf fired.
The Scorpia agent dived to the ground and Wolf took aim again. But more men were filling in, all armed with guns of their own. Wolf managed to hit one in the leg, but they soon overwhelmed him and Silvia, Jack and Wolf all found the cold barrel of a gun pressed against their chests.
One man – obviously the leader – gestured to two men and they disappeared out of the door. Within minutes they had returned.
"He's not here, sir," said one of them.
The leader's eyes flashed angrily. He turned to Wolf. "Where is he?" he hissed, his face centimetres from Wolf's own.
"Who?" said Wolf, playing dumb.
"Alex Rider."
"Never heard of him."
"Don't mess around. Tell us where he is... or we'll shoot one of the women."
Wolf slumped in defeat. "He ran away last night. We don't know where he went."
The man spat, then signalled his men. "Take the women. If Rider is too cowardly to meet us here, we'll make him come to us."
Silvia and Jack started to struggle as two men tied them up and lifted them easily.
"Put them in the car. We had better go before the rest return."
"Sir?" called one of the men. "What about the soldier?"
The leader half turned and looked at Wolf.
"Shoot him."
***
A/N: Ok, please don't kill me! Pretty please?
I know I hurt Wolf, I'm a bad, bad, BAD author... Forgive me? I did promise you action! Please review and let me know you don't hate me for it!
Actually, while you're at it, tell me what you thought of the rest of this chapter. Realistic? Over the top? Too quick? I'm never sure how I do on action. I hope you liked it, anyway!
Now make me a very happy author and review!