I woke up in my room at CHERUB. I looked round, confused. This wasn't what I was expecting. I got up, and got dressed. I looked at the clock. 8:00am. Lesson time. I noticed a white envelope on my desk. Inside was a note with

Alex.

Come to my office when you wake up

Zara

written on it. I opened my door, and to her office. I passed a few people who were rushing to lesson. I knocked on the door.

"Come in!" she said. I opened the door quickly, and then shut it behind me.

"Sit down." Zara said. I sat cautiously.

"I got a very interesting email from the head of MI6 this morning." I snapped my head up.

"What? Why?"

"Well, it told me how you shoved him out of the way of a tranquilliser dart, fought off an assassin that apparently had been missed by the police, and won, then catch the other dart meant for Blunt in your hand." What the hell was Blunt doing? Was it Blunt though? I mean, everyone knew Mrs Jones didn't like Blunt using me, so it could have been her... I was shocked out of my thoughts by something Zara said.

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yes. You saved the head of MI6! Everyone agrees that you should get your black shirt!" Zara passed one over the table. "You can change now if you want. I won't look." I did. I couldn't wait to try and convince James that I'd always had one. Or I could tell him the truth, and see how long before he believes it. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

"Off you got to lesson. I believe you have martial arts now...?"
"Yeah. Thanks." I rushed out of the room. The last thing I heard was Zara mutter 'he wakes up early, doesn't he?'

I told James the story Blunt, or whoever, emailed Zara at lunch. He didn't believe me. I told him I was actually part of MI6, and been on 9 missions, and Zara had just received my file, and decided I needed a black short. He didn't believe that either. So I made up a more extravagant story, involving a shoot-out between SCORPIA and MI6, and that's the one he believed. I just rolled my eyes.

6 months later, I was bored. I was laying on my bed, completely bored. I didn't like being shot at, but at least it was more interesting than school work. I had learnt every language they offered, and had started teaching in a few of them. I had even helped out in one of the basic trainings! I was relieved when I got a mission that claimed to be dangerous. I remembered that the last mission I went on was classified as dangerous as possible, yet it wasn't hard compared to any of my missions. Not even Stormbreaker, and that only lasted, what, 3 or 4 days? Not that long at all. In fact, none of my missions lasted more than a couple of months... I was broken out of my reverie by a knock at my door. I jumped up and opened it to see Corinne standing there.

"Hey." I said, smiling at her.

"Hey. Zara wants to see us. In the mission control room." Yes! A mission!

In the mission room, I found out about my next mission – break into the Royal and General Bank, as there possible links between it and SCORPIA. I almost laughed. Complete wrong end of the stick.

"Zara..." I said.

"Yes, Alex?"
"This is my uncle's old bank.

"Oh. Do you still want to go?"
"Yeah. I thought you'd ought to know though."
"Why?"
"People may recognise me. I visited him occasionally, and apparently we looked alike."

"Hmm." Zara said. "Hopefully they won't. Why would an ex-employee's nephew be breaking in anyway?"

A few hours later, we were in London, standing in front of the Royal and General. It's been ages since I was last here I thought.

"What did you say?" Corinne asked? I said that out loud? Whoops.

"Just remarking on how long it's been since I saw this place."

"Yeah. Do you know a good way in?"

"Yep. Follow me." I walked straight through the glass doors of the bank. I had texted Smithers on the way to London, and apparently all I had to do was to ask for him.

"I'm here to meet Mr Smithers. I'm Alex Cub." Corinne had caught up and was giving me the strangest look.

"You can go up." the receptionist said, indicating a bank of elevators behind her. I walked calmly over to them. When we were in the elevator, Corinne stayed quiet.

"What, no questions?"

"I've decided you're mad. Completely and utterly off the scale. So your plan has to work, because it has no chance in hell."

"That's some logic."
"That's how I work." The elevator doors opened, and we were met with 4 men in black with guns. What on earth was Smithers planning?

We were taken to Jones' office, who was sitting behind her desk, doing some paperwork. She looked up as we were brought in.
"Ah. Hello Jacques. I wasn't expecting you to turn up."
"I left my coat in my uncle's office."
"Your uncle's dead. He has been for over two years."

"It was worth a shot."

"Who have you brought with you? She looks nice." Corinne was slightly disturbed by Jones' description of her.

"I'm Akita. It's nice to meet you."
"Interesting name."
"Not my fault. It was my grandmothers name." Corinne was really playing Jones, and from what I could see, she was believing it. Well, not the last sentence anyway.

"Well, it was nice knowing you." Jones signalled to one of the men who had captured us. He brought up his gun and shot me in the chest. I touched the spot. It didn't feel like when I was shot by the assassin. I could smell the blood and feel myself going unconscious. The last thing I saw was Ben burst through the door, and hit the guy who shot me in the face.

I woke up in front of Blunt's desk. I was still wearing the blood covered shirt.

"Ah." Blunt said. "You're up earlier than I expected."
"Why does everyone say that? Also, you shot me."

"I'm afraid we had to."
"You SHOT me."
"I didn't. It was one of the door guards."

"YOU HAD ME SHOT."

"It doesn't matter. You're alive."
"I bet that's not what CHERUB thinks."
"That is correct."

"Sometimes, I wish I could go back to SCORPIA. At least they didn't blackmail me." I muttered under my breath. Blunt either didn't hear, or ignored me.

"You can have the next month off. I believe your GCSE's are starting soon?"

"I'll take your word for it."
"We won't contact you until they're all over. Enjoy your time off." I just stared. I was going to get a chance to take my GCSE's? Thank god! Blunt coughed, getting my attention, and handed me a note. I took it, and left the room. I very nearly skipped out of the bank.