The air was thick with tension while the occupants of the two cells were appraising their captor. Recognition flickered in the minds of the students, their teacher and the SAS soldiers as they were looking at the man who was now standing in front of them. They all had seen his face in the media. Sylas Hawthorne was a well-known nature activist, a man who had dedicated his life to preserving the environment. But now, standing in the same room with them and looking at Alex, he was far removed from the benevolent figure they had seen in interviews and documentaries. There was a coldness in his eyes, a steely resolve that hinted at a much darker side to his activism.

Hawthorne broke the silence first, his voice low and commanding. "Alex Rider. I've been looking forward to meeting you."

Alex remained silent, his expression unreadable. He didn't dare to test this man just yet. He would need to see how the situation started to develop before making up his mind on how to approach the imposing figure in front of him.

"Come," Hawthorne continued, gesturing with his cane. "Let's take a walk. I have something to discuss with you."

The guards moved from beside the wall to unlock the cell door with sharp and efficient movements. They both pointed their guns to the captives in a threatening gesture. It was obvious to everyone in the room that any attempts to escape or cause commotion would result in someone getting shot. As the door swung open, Alex stepped out, his eyes never leaving Hawthorne's.

Hawthorne's eyes flicked to the other prisoners, then back to Alex. "Just so we're clear," he said softly, "if you try anything, your classmates will suffer the consequences. Understand?"

Alex's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Crystal clear."

Hawthorne's lips curled into a cold smile. "Good. Now, shall we?"

Hawthorne started to lead the way out of the building with Alex following him. Alex was painfully aware that he still wasn't wearing any shoes as he tried his best to avoid the shards of glass, pieces of old metal wires and rusty, sharp looking objects that were scattered across the concrete floor. They walked in silence, the only sound being the steady tapping by Hawthorne's cane echoing in the room.

Alex took the opportunity to look around the room they were being kept in. Held in one of the storage spaces since he arrived here unconscious, had limited his possibilities to make observations of the space. Now, he scanned the room, hoping for inspiration to form an escape plan. Instead, he saw only some old broken equipment, faded signs on the walls, a few rusty bolts, broken tools, and an old cash register behind a cluttered counter. Nothing useful, Alex felt frustration bubble inside him.

Once they made it outside, the cool evening air was hitting Alex's face and he took a deep breath. He welcomed the fresh air after being locked in the decaying building that smelt of mold and dirt. The sun had set, and the sky was darkening with silver moon peeking through the wall of clouds to cast its eerie light.

Hawthorne moved slowly, his cane tapping against the ground with each step. Alex walked beside him feeling the wet and cold ground clearly through his thin socks. The two bodyguards followed them closely.

"You've caused quite a bit of trouble for us, Alex," Hawthorne said after a moment. "We went through a lot of effort to go totally unnoticed, to make sure that not one intelligence service in the world would get any hint of my plans. Your presence here means that somewhere, someone failed. I'm interested to know, how exactly MI6 came to learn about our operation and what is the extent of that knowledge."

Alex drew in a breath. It was time to join in on the conversation. "Then I must apologize. It seems that you are going to be deeply disappointed. I was here on a school trip, not behalf of MI6. You brought the attention to yourself by causing all this commotion." Alex answered keeping his tone steady and polite.

Hawthorne let out an amused huff. "Come on Alex. You can't believe anyone would fall to that act anymore. You and MI6 have used that rouse way too many times. I happen to be aware of your visit to Greenfields under the disguise of a field trip. Stupid of you to use that same cover twice. But do not worry. I'm sure that with time, we'll find out the truth."

Alex remained silent, his mind racing as he tried to anticipate Hawthorne's next move.

"I have to admit," Hawthorne continued, "I was sceptical when I first heard about MI6's teenage spy. But you've proven to be quite resourceful. Impressive, really."

Alex kept his expression neutral, refusing to give Hawthorne the satisfaction of a reaction.

"But resourcefulness can only get you so far," Hawthorne said, his tone darkening. "You've made some powerful enemies. And now, you're in our hands."

They reached a clearing overlooking a dark lake. Hawthorne stopped, turning to face Alex. "This is your chance, Alex. Tell me what MI6 knows about our operation, and I might consider being merciful."

Alex met Hawthorne's gaze. "I told you. I was here on a field trip. I don't know anything about your operation or if MI6 even knows about it. This has all been just a very unlucky coincidence."

Hawthorne's piercing look radiated doubt and Alex knew that the man didn't believe a word he just said. "Unlucky indeed."

They looked at each other. Alex could feel the weight of the situation getting to him. If this man really was convinced that Alex knew something, his classmates would be in real danger. Because no matter how hard they would try to get answers out of him, he wouldn't have any to give.

"I guess I just have to make you understand", Hawthorne broke the silence, his voice steady but laced with underlying anger. " Do you know why I do this, Alex? Why I've invested my life, my wealth, everything I have into protecting the nature around us?"

Alex raised an eyebrow, sensing a monologue coming. "I'm guessing it's not just for the fresh air."

Hawthorne ignored the comment, his eyes drifting to the lake's surface reflecting the dark sky. "I've spent decades campaigning to stop the destruction of ecosystems, using my own fortune to preserve nature. I've fought against deforestation, pollution, and the relentless march of urbanization. But no matter how hard I tried, it was never enough. Governments, corporations, they all turned a blind eye to the impending disaster. But soon, they'll see."

Alex could sense the hatred behind Hawthorne's words. "What do you mean?"

Hawthorne turned to look at him. "It's no use to act like you don't know some of it already but since you have decided to play ignorant, I guess I can spell it out for you. I'm going to push into motion an attack to the world's most precious natural areas. I'm going to introduce foreign species that will disrupt the ecosystems of places like Amazon, Sahara, Greenland, Australia, the precious national parks in here and multiple other countries, the oceans around the world. The whole world will have to come together and finally, give their focus to the things that matter."

There was glimmer in Hawthorne's eyes as he explained his plan. "So, you understand now. For my plan to have the most effect, I will need some time for the situations to develop after placing these resources to their designated areas. I need to know which target areas MI6 is aware off, who else knows about this and what your mission here was."

Alex could sense the danger. He gathered all his strength, made his best to look Hawthorne straight into the eyes and try to convince the man that he was telling the absolute truth when he said, "I swear to you, I was not here on a mission. I was here with my school. I haven't had any contact with MI6 for months. I cannot give you the information that you are asking for."

A silence stretched between them. Alex felt his heart hammering in his chest. The night air almost making him shiver with cold, standing there in his still damp clothes, without anything warm to protect him from the wind blowing across the lake. He could almost see Hawthorne reaching a conclusion. The wrong one.

Hawthorne's face shifted into a look of cold determination. "Very well. But remember, Alex, your actions have consequences. Not just for you, but for those you care about."

Alex's heart pounded, but he forced himself to stay calm. He knew that now was the time he would need to start making this personal. To get the man in front of him being so blinded by the anger that Hawthorne would want to hurt him. That would be his best bet for his classmates to remain as unharmed as possible. But it would be a delicate dance. If he pushed it too far the retribution could still be aimed towards the others. He hated to be the sacrificial lamb. But this time, he saw no other way to turn the situation around.

Alex met Hawthorne's gaze unwavering. "So, there is still something I don't quite understand. You just decided that the best way to save the environment is to, what, destroy it?"

Hawthorne's eyes flashed with anger. "I'm not destroying it. I'm forcing their hand. Do you have any idea what introducing foreign species can do to an ecosystem?"

Alex shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know, ruin a picnic or two?"

Hawthorne's grip on his cane tightened. "Invasive species have wreaked havoc around the world. The brown tree snake in Guam decimated the bird population. The zebra mussel in the Great Lakes disrupted the entire aquatic ecosystem. And the cane toad in Australia? It's poisoned countless native animals."

Alex gave a mock shiver. "Spooky stuff. But you really think this plan of yours is going to make a difference? I've seen bigger men than you, to try to succeed with their delusional plans, using space or nanotechnology, human cloning, nuclear and biological weapons and you are using what, flowers and fish, for your grand plan?"

Hawthorne's voice grew more intense, his anger evident. "Don't mock me, Rider. It's not just animals and plants that suffer. The introduction of foreign species can have dire consequences for humans too. Take the example of the Aedes mosquito, which was introduced to Hawaii. It brought dengue fever, endangering human health and straining the healthcare system. Or the water hyacinth in Africa's Lake Victoria, which clogged waterways, making it impossible for fishermen to earn a living, causing famine and blocking access to clean water. These ecological attacks can lead to economic disasters, health crises, and food shortages."

Hawthorne leaned closer to Alex, his eyes cold and determined. "This isn't about ruining picnics, Alex. This is about forcing governments to recognize the true cost of their negligence before it's too late. They will have no choice but to act when their precious nature reserves are under threat. They will finally invest the time, effort, and resources needed to preserve these areas, to combat the invasive species and protect their natural heritage."

Alex forced himself to smirk at the man, despite the horror he felt while listening Hawthorne's explanation. "Right, because nothing says 'save the environment' like throwing it into chaos first. Brilliant plan."

Hawthorne's eyes bore into Alex's. "Sometimes, you have to break something to fix it. Sometimes, the only way to make people see the truth is to shock them into action."

Alex's expression hardened. "And the people who get hurt along the way? The lives you're willing to sacrifice for your twisted wake-up call?"

Hawthorne's face twisted with bitterness. "I've sacrificed everything. My wealth, my time... even my health. And what did I get in return? A diagnosis that nature itself has turned against me. Multiple sclerosis. The irony isn't lost on me."

Alex's eyes widened slightly, but he kept his tone defiant. "So because you're sick, you've decided to make everyone else suffer too? That's not fighting for the environment. That's just petty revenge."

Hawthorne's expression tightened. "It's not revenge, Alex. It's a desperate attempt to make a difference before it's too late. To leave a legacy that matters."

Alex shook his head. "A legacy of destruction and chaos. You think you're saving the world, but all you're doing is creating more problems. The governments won't see you as a hero; they'll see you as a madman."

Hawthorne sighed, looking out at the lake again. "Perhaps. But at least they'll see. At least they'll be forced to act."

Alex took a deep breath, steeling himself. He needed to push the man's nerves more it seemed. "You know, for someone who claims to care so much about nature, you're awfully quick to use people as pawns," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Is that part of your grand plan? Save the trees, but screw the humans?"

Hawthorne's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his cane. "You think you're so clever, but you're just a child playing a dangerous game."

"Maybe," Alex replied, forcing a smirk. "But at least I'm not some washed-up eco-warrior throwing a tantrum because nature decided to give him the middle finger."

Hawthorne's face twisted with fury, and he took a step closer, his cane digging into the ground. "You have no idea what you're talking about," he hissed. "I've dedicated my life to protecting this planet, to fighting the real enemy, the corporations and ignorant humans destroying the planet. And now, because of people like you, my work could become undone."

"People like me?" Alex retorted, his voice rising. "You mean people who actually try to stop maniacs from hurting innocents? Yeah, that sounds about right."

Hawthorne's eyes blazed with anger. "You think you're so noble, don't you? Running around, playing the hero. But you're just another tool for the establishment, too blind to see the bigger picture."

Alex's expression hardened. "At least I'm not so blinded by my own self-righteousness that I can't see the damage I'm causing. You want to force governments to react? Fine. But you're doing it by hurting people. That's not heroism, Hawthorne. That's terrorism."

Hawthorne's jaw clenched, and for a moment, Alex thought he might lash out physically. But instead, Hawthorne took a deep, shaky breath, regaining some of his composure. "You're right, Alex. My methods are extreme. But sometimes, extreme measures are necessary to wake people up."

Alex shook his head. "You're wrong. There are better ways to make a difference without becoming the very thing you claim to fight against. All you are going to be is a failure, forgotten when you are gone, beaten by your own stupid ego and your grand plans destroyed by a schoolboy. You're going to share the same faith with the other megalomaniacs that I've defeated before you. You dragged me into this, I'll make personally sure that you're going to fail."

The tension between them was electric, the night air thick with unspoken threats and challenges. Hawthorne's eyes bored into Alex's. "Very well, Rider. You want to make this personal? You've got your wish. But don't think for a second that you can outplay me. I've been fighting this battle longer than you've been alive."

Alex stood his ground, meeting Hawthorne's gaze with unwavering resolve. "We'll see about that."

The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with the weight of Hawthorne's convictions and Alex's defiance. With a final, piercing look, Hawthorne turned and started to walk back towards the building they had just left. Alex stood still, the weight of the confrontation settling heavily on his shoulders.

One of Hawthorne's bodyguards came to him and, with a forceful grip, started to drag Alex back the way they came from. Alex stumbled slightly but managed to keep his footing, his mind racing with the implications of what he had just learned. Hawthorne's extreme measures, his twisted sense of justice – it all pointed to a dangerous man willing to go to any lengths to achieve his goals.

As they re-entered the dimly lit room where the other captives were held, Alex's eyes were drawn to the crates, some of which were no longer inside their wooden covers. At least half a dozen Scorpia operatives were in the room, dismantling the covers around the crates revealing what they held. In some of them, were glass terrariums where black beetles, each covered in distinctive white spots, were crawling over each other in a disturbing mass.

Some of the crates contained various plants, their origins and purposes unknown but clearly part of Hawthorne's grand plan. The plants looked exotic and out of place, their leaves and stems hinting at something sinister. Hawthorne's plan to introduce foreign species to the world's most important natural areas seemed to be a multi-faceted attack on the environment.

The captives looked up as Alex was brought back into the room. Their eyes were filled with a mix of fear and curiosity, every one of them obviously relieved that he returned seemingly unharmed from his walk with Hawthorne. A heavy silence settled over the room as the bodyguard released his grip on Alex's arm. The operatives in the room stopped their work to follow how the events would play out.

"Welcome back to the party," Snake's voice greeted him with fake cheerfulness. Alex didn't respond, his focus on the glass boxes and the potential threat they represented.

Hawthorne walked to one of the terrariums with his back towards Alex and the other captives in the room. He seemed to pick something up and then he turned around and approached Alex with slow steps.

"Hold out your hand", Hawthorne commanded when he came to stand only inches away from Alex. Alex felt his heart beating rapidly. He had no idea what the man had in mind but didn't dare to disobey. So, he gathered his courage and lifted his arms, still bound by the metal cuffs, and opened his fist to hold his hand palm up in front of Hawthorne.

Hawthorne looked at him with cold gaze and slowly placed something in his hand. Alex swallowed and looked down. In the middle of his palm was a black beetle covered with numerous small white spots, wiggling its long antennas. The insect was quite small, and Alex could feel its little legs touching his skin.

Hawthorne kept looking at Alex's face and Alex felt the gaze drill into him. "Tell me Alex, do you know what this is?"

Alex lifted his eyes from the beetle on his hand. "Relative of yours?"

There was a sudden hard sound as Hawthorne slapped Alex across the face. Despite the man's weakened physical state, he still had a lot of force behind the strike and Alex could feel the side of his face sting, the previous bruise on his cheek now throbbing with pain. He could hear shouts behind him, the SAS soldiers trying to interfere, but the noise was quickly subdued.

Alex locked his eyes with Hawthorne, ignored the pain on his face and smirked. "Sorry, I just thought since you share the same spineless qualities."

He could see the fury flash in the man's eyes and seconds after that there was a sharp, piercing pain on his foot. Alex couldn't help it and left out a cry as the tip of Hawthorne's cane came down on his foot with force. Alex held his eyes closed drawing in a breath through gritted teeth as he stood there in front of the man who now held him in place with a sharp cane. Slowly Alex opened his eyes, forcing himself to gain some composure and ignore the flaming pain spreading on his foot due to the sudden abuse. He looked straight at Hawthorne, anger burning inside of him, fuelled by the pain he was feeling.

Hawthorne leaned on his cane a little, increasing the pressure on the small area. Alex fought back against the need to cry out loud with all his might and kept the eye contact with defiance. "You will learn to respect me", Hawthorne said with a low voice before lifting his cane off Alex's foot and placing it against the ground again.

"This", Hawthorne said after a while pointing at the insect that was still in Alex's hand. "This is an Asian long-horned beetle. It is also known as a starry sky beetle. I thought you could appreciate the irony. I'm going to let them loose here, in Brecon Beacons. A starry sky beetle for UK's finest Dark Sky Reserve."

Alex stared at the beetle, its glossy black body speckled with white spots resembling stars in the night sky. The symbolism wasn't lost on him, and it made him sick.

Hawthorne continued, his voice taking on a more reflective tone. "There was an outbreak a few years ago in Paddock Wood in Kent. These beetles can devastate hardwood trees, gnawing through trunks and branches until there's nothing left but dead wood. The government was in a panic, and rightly so. These insects threatened to destroy entire forests."

Alex listened, his mind racing. The beetle started to move on his hand. Alex could feel it tickle his palm as it started its journey to inspect his arm.

"I helped to suppress that outbreak," Hawthorne said, a hint of pride in his voice. "As usual, the government did nothing, and I poured my resources into eradicating the beetle from the UK. It was a hard-fought battle, but we succeeded and the threat was neutralized. But it was then that I realized the true fragility of our ecosystems and the pathetic indifference of those in power."

Alex's clenched his jaw and looked at the beetle walking up his arm towards his shoulder. "So now you want to unleash them again? All to prove a point?"

"Yes, Alex. Do you see now?" Hawthorne said, his voice calm but filled with an underlying menace. "These beetles, these plants – they are just the beginning. They will disrupt ecosystems, force governments to react, to finally take the preservation of our planet seriously."

"You're insane," Alex spat, his anger boiling over. "You're just going to destroy everything you claim to protect!"

Hawthorne's expression hardened. "Sacrifices must be made for the greater good. If humanity continues on its current path, we will all suffer. This is a necessary evil."

Alex's mind churned with horror and anger. He would have to find a way to stop Hawthorne, but he knew he had to play this game carefully.

"I can see it in your eyes, Alex," Hawthorne said, stepping closer. "You think you can stop me. But for now, you will play your part. You will tell me the information I want. The quicker you cooperate the less you will suffer. I can give you a quick, clean death or you will have a very messy, painful end. You choose."

Hawthorne grabbed the beetle from Alex's arm and crushed it in his fist. Then he nodded to his bodyguard who grabbed Alex and directed him towards an empty, barred storage space next to the one that held his classmates, teacher and Viper. Alex was doing his best not to limp, the foot that Hawthorne had stabbed with his cane still radiating with pain. As they reached the empty storage he was roughly pushed inside, the door slamming shut behind him. One of the Scorpia operatives came to the door and attached a sturdy looking lock to it.

Alex glared behind the bars, his defiance unyielding. Hawthorne approached his cell with a measured stride, stopping just inches away from the cold iron bars. Leaning closer, his eyes bore into Alex's with a chilling intensity. "You have this night to think of all the information you have. When tomorrow comes, you are going to tell me it all."

Hawthorne gestured towards the opposite wall, a macabre display of glass boxes holding the dark beetles, their black exteriors speckled with white spots resembling stars in the night sky. The wall looked like a huge, twisted terrarium, a chilling testament to Hawthorne's plan.

"Take a good hard look," Hawthorne said, his voice dripping with menace. "Because this is the only starry sky you are going to see for the rest of your short, pitiful life."

The beetles, seemingly aware of the attention, scuttled around their glass confines, their antennae twitching. Alex felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched the insects crawling around.

Hawthorne made his way to the door, now supported by his bodyguard, the physical effort of the evening clearly taking its toll. "Don't let him sleep", Alex could hear the man instruct one of the operatives in the room who nodded sharply and grinned at Alex with a sadistic glint in his eye. It seemed that this was going to be a long night.

Author's note:

And there you have it! The content of the mystery boxes finally revealed. This chapter was a challenge! But so fun to write.

If you want to look it up, you can find pictures of the particular beetle featured in this chapter from Google. As well as all those incidents that Hawthorne references to. And yes, there really was an outbreak of these beetles in Kent from 2012 - 2019. But in real life it was handled by the proper authorities. So all the Kudos to them, sorry to rob your achievement :D