Disclaimer: I do not own any Alex Rider characters. Any mentioned that appear at any time in this story are the property of A.H. Any others are of my own making; and if there are any references outside of A.R series that are real, such as places or people, it is not intentional.

I have been mia for 2 months. I'm sorry. It was the KGB. Nothing I could have done!

Tom glanced at his mobile. It was rare that he was ever contacted in school. Sometimes Cathy wanted him to work during lunch. That was fine. But to be contacted by Nick? That never happened. Tom shoved his mobile back into his pocket. He raised his hand. The teacher glanced up.

"Yes, Tom?" Ms. Harper smiled slightly at him. Tom frowned. He hated all the apologetic looks. They weren't the ones who shot him!

"There's a problem at the station. Could I go? I'm not sure how long it will take."

"Of course you will need to catch up. "

"Not a problem." And he was out the door.

Three minutes later Tom arrived at the station. Cathy met him at the door. She looked furious.

"Your little Russian friend is in over his head!" She snapped.

"What?"

Nick appeared behind Cathy. "No time to talk. We have a murder on our hands."

Tom sat in silence, as did the rest of the team, as they watched Yassen move through the station. The projector flickered, casting a blue glow over the room. Nick turned to Tom.

"Do you have any idea where this guy came from? You mentioned some kind of military exchange program, but the UK does not have a deal with Russia for that kind of partnership. "

Rick, an older grizzled member of the team, the EMT, spoke. "He's using SAS tactics. What made you think he was from Russia?"

Tom shrugged. "He told me."

Cathy glared. "I could have told you I was the queen of England. Would you believe me then?"

"No." Tom was angry now. "I trusted him, alright? Because he kinda…reminded me…of Alex."

The room was still.

Nick placed a hand on Tom's arm. "Listen kid. Listen well. Could Alex kill in cold blood? Could he murder?"

Tom froze. In his mind's eye he saw Greif, Rothman, and Cray. Then there was Nile, Drevin, McCain. He swallowed.

"I'm not sure."

Nick let go of Tom's shoulder. "Your friend was fourteen! How can you not be sure?"

Tom shook his head. "Never mind. What's the problem?"

Cathy snapped her teeth together. "He murdered the dealer."

"What?"

"He walked up to the dealer, put his arm around the dealer's shoulder, walked him up to the street, into an alley, and threw his body into a dumpster. Sometime between first touching the man and the alley, your friend snapped our suspect's neck!"

"I swear! I had no idea Yassen would do that!" Tom shuddered. "Look, I can talk to him. Maybe get a confession?"

Something was bothering Tom. He couldn't grasp it though. Yassen…Alex…murder…drugs…Jack… Somehow it was all connected. But right now Tom didn't have all the pieces. He rubbed his forehead. He almost had it! Why was it so hard? What did this Yassen have in connection…Scopria…Italy…Alex…Cray… Tom froze. "His name isn't Yassen." He felt sick. He swallowed hard. He couldn't cry, not now. He swallowed again. "I think…"

Cathy looked at him sadly. Oh God. She knew. She knew from the moment he came in. She didn't have the heart to tell me. At that moment Tom didn't know whether to thank or curse the Mossad agent. She nodded now.

"Should I tell them Tom?"

"No, I will."

"Tell us what?" Nick growled.

Tom closed his eyes. "Yassen is… Alex."

Alex walked toward the station. He knew Tom was there. He was not going to confess. No. That would, might¸come. Hopefully not, if he could help it. The school had been quiet today. That frustrated Alex. But he pushed it out of his mind. The local police had probably found the body of the drug dealer. They police had CCTV all over London, so he was on film. He hoped Tom didn't find out. Tom might figure it out. All of it. But Alex didn't but too much faith in Tom's ability. He wanted to become a cop for Pete's sake. Bloody hell. Alex opened the door of the station. It was dark. No lights were on, yet the door was unlocked. Something was wrong for them to be this careless. He saw a flickering light at the end of the hall. He walked towards it. He heard murmurings inside the room. Alex grabbed the knob and pushed the door open.

The whole station was sitting in the room. The projector was shooting a blue square on the wall, putting the room in sharp contrast. The blue of the wall, the black shadows, and the pale people seated there. He hesitated In the doorway. Alex felt it. Tom's expression only confirmed it. They knew.