I know this update is super late, and I'm sorry for that! I've had exams and no time to write. But I'm back on it now. If you're still with me even after all this time, thank you and enjoy!

Home

The doorbell rang sharply, pulling Alex out of his sleep instantly. For a second he panicked at the sudden awakening, jerking upwards and breathing rapidly. The rapid movement pulled at his aching muscles and he groaned and rolled back down – his bruised flesh complaining at its treatment. Alex shook off the sense of panic and confusion that had engulfed him and rolled off the sofa he had been sleeping on, still in his clothes (he even had his shoes on). For once he didn't check who was at the door; he just pulled it open.

Mr Bray was standing there. Alex was so shocked that he didn't say anything; he just stared at his head teacher. Mr Bray stared back, looking Alex up and down with barely disguised horror. Alex knew he didn't look great – his face was heavily bruised and he had a healing split lip. That wasn't all – the way he held himself easily showed he was in pain, and there were little cuts all over his skin. Worst of all wasn't his physical appearance; it was the exhaustion that was clear in his eyes.

"Alex. I know this is unconventional, but can I come in?" Mr Bray finally asked.

"Sure," Alex said, opening the door fully and stepping to the side to allow the teacher access. "Come and sit in the kitchen." Mr Bray stepped inside. Before Alex closed the door he gave a little wave to the agents parked across the street.

"Is your guardian home – Miss Starbright?" Mr Bray asked as they walked through to the kitchen.

"She's not here. She's in America," Alex said simply.

"When will she be back?" Mr Bray asked, concerned.

"She isn't coming back," Alex responded. Saying it made him sink a little inside (but it's for the best Alex). "She's staying. Her family's there and they need her."

"She just left?" Mr Bray asked, stunned.

"I asked her to go," Alex said shortly. He didn't want to elaborate.

"So is anybody looking after you?" Mr Bray questioned.

"I don't need anybody to look after me. Ben's staying with me, but I'm looking after him rather than the other way around." Alex said carefully.

"It might be a good idea if he came down to talk with-" Mr Bray started, but Alex interrupted.

"He's sleeping and I'd rather not wake him up," Alex said quickly. Ben needed all the sleep he could get.

"Alright," Mr Bray said uncomfortably. He paused before continuing, maybe hoping that Alex would say something. But he didn't. So Mr Bray carried on. "I've been checking your house regularly, but you haven't been here for a couple of weeks. You were in Istanbul?" Alex nodded. "You look terrible. What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Alex replied briefly.

"This is just unacceptable. I don't understand how this can have happened," Mr Bray said, clearly distressed. "But I want you to know, Alex, that now I know I am on your side. What is happening to you is abuse."

"What?" Alex asked confused. "I'm not being abused!"

"The terminology doesn't matter. But you need help."

"You can't help. If you try to do anything they'll just stop you in the name of national security. Besides, I don't want or need your help."

"But this is wrong!" Mr Bray exclaimed.

"Is it? If I don't help them people die. I've saved a lot of lives. Nobody else can do it," Alex said slowly. "This is how it has to be. In fact, this is how I want it to be. This was my choice, and I chose to be a part of MI6. I want to be a part of MI6 – I need it, I need the way it makes me feel important and alive. Now if you don't mind, I'm going for a walk to clear my head. You can let yourself out," Alex finished.

Mr Bray sat down at the kitchen table, shaken. He didn't know what to do. He was still sitting when he heard footsteps. At first he thought it was Alex returning, but then he remembered Ben Daniels upstairs.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" A voice asked, deep and defensive.

"I'm Mr Bray, Alex's head teacher. Are you Ben?" Mr Bray asked nervously. A tall, muscled man walked out and sat down opposite. He looked worse than Alex – he was also heavily bruised and leaned over slightly when he sat.

"That's me. A teacher, huh? Well I guess somebody has to do it," Ben said with a small smile. He looked over Mr Bray carefully; he didn't say anything else, but waited for the teacher to speak.

"So you're looking after Alex?" Mr Bray eventually said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"I'm just staying here. Alex looks after Alex," Ben said carefully.

"He's a child-" Mr Bray started, but Ben cut him off.

"Alex is many things, but child isn't one of them. You've signed the official secrets act, so I can tell you that Alex rescued me. He didn't have to, but he did. He went through hell and then returned to that same hell just so that I would be okay. So don't think he isn't able to look after himself."

"It isn't that he can't look after himself. It's that he shouldn't have to look after himself," Mr Bray said with a small sigh.

"Well I plan on sticking around for a while," Ben responded.

"Don't you think that this is wrong? Alex is being hurt and exploited and your agency is doing it!" Mr Bray suddenly shouted. He was just appalled by this whole situation.

"Alex wants to be in this situation! He's chosen it! He doesn't need some teacher telling him that what he's doing is wrong when what he's doing is fantastic. Alex and I work for a great organisation. And they only reason they use him is because he's good at what he does. He's always given a choice – his age is a great advantage. Now I think you should go." Ben responded angrily.

"Well, if this is what Alex wants, then I won't make a fuss," Mr Bray said carefully. He left in a daze. He couldn't understand how Alex had gone from being determined to avoid MI6 to actually wanting to work for them. What an earth had happened in Istanbul to cause that change? And why did Alex and Ben look so injured? Despite what he had said to Ben, he wasn't going to drop the matter. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked along angrily – he didn't know what he was going to do but he would think of something.

Suddenly he realised that there was something in his pocket. It was a bit of paper. He pulled it out carefully, and unfolded it.

The house is bugged. It's not safe to talk. Meet at 2 at the Bike sheds behind school.

It was a Saturday so the school was empty. Mr Bray felt like he was attempting to be James Bond himself as he headed over to the bike sheds. Alex was already there, but surprisingly so was Ben Daniels. The two of them didn't look better together – they had serious faces.

"Mr Bray. Thanks for meeting us," Alex said. "Do you mind if we sit down. Ben and I are both a little sore."

"You look it," Mr Bray said with a small smile. He wanted to relax some of the tension.

"So you might have guessed that I'm not happy to be part of MI6." Alex said.

"And I know Alex didn't choose this," Ben added. "I did – I thought I would be serving my country, doing what was right. Blackmailing a minor was not part of the deal."

"Your house is bugged?"

"MI6. They think Ben and I are going to plot. Which, incidentally, we are. And we need you."

"Need me for what?"

"We're going to take down Alan Blunt and Tulip Jones. So, will you help?"

So this chapter wasn't in Turkey, but I am going to write about what happened there. Please, please let me know what you thought of this! Feedback makes me super happy.