The morning sun was hidden behind thick, gray clouds, and a steady drizzle soaked the Brecon Beacons campsite. A stark contrast to last night's clear sky. Tents sagged slightly under the weight of the rain, and students emerged, shivering and trying to stay dry as they prepared for the day's activities.

Alex stepped out of his tent and water started almost instantly dripping from his blond hair. He spotted Tom huddled with a few other classmates near a small canopy where they were trying to stay dry. Viper and rest of the J-Unit stood near the edge of the clearing, looking as composed as ever despite the weather.

"Alright, everyone!" Viper called out, his voice cutting through the rain. "Let's get moving. We have a full day of activities ahead. We'll be combining groups to make things more efficient. We'll cover all four of the activities today to make sure nobody misses out on anything. My group will be joining forces with Falcon's. Bear's and Lynx's group are joining together as well."

Tom shot Alex a worried glance. Alex cursed himself for not bringing it up with Viper last night that he would prefer Bear's group, and Tom as part of it, to join them today. Well, it was too late now and the class shuffled into position, raincoats rustling and boots squelching in the mud.

Viper and Falcon checked that everyone on their group was present and they moved further away to start the day students following them. Alex glanced around. Will, Sam, Emma and Rachel were still all there as part of Viper's group. But in addition, they now had Liam, Ellie, Matt, Alicia and Kyle joining them. Mr. Donovan was now accompanied by Mr. Stevenson.

Alex hoped dearly that they wouldn't start with the combat lesson. Liam had been way too eager yesterday to see Alex fight someone in J-Unit and Alex was in no way up to it. The bruises gained from the fight with Tiger previous day were making themselves known with vengeance. Alex glanced at Viper. At least he could rely on Viper's discretion to get him out of the situation if it came to it. He doubted neither of them wanted him to go up against any of soldiers here again.

The group came to a halt and Viper turned around.

"We'll start with the activities none of you got to start with yesterday. So, first on the agenda is first aid training," Viper announced. "We'll focus on practical skills like bandaging wounds and treating shock. After that, we'll move on to navigation skills. Then we can go through survival and self-defence skills. Follow the instructions carefully and make sure to ask questions if you're unsure about anything. After all, this is important stuff that could save lives."

The students nodded, trying to focus despite the discomfort of the rain. Alex felt the seriousness behind Viper's words. As much as both of them hoped that no trouble would come to his class during their stay, they couldn't be sure of it. It could actually be helpful if everyone present knew basics of first aid and surviving in the nature surrounding them.

The ground beneath them was soggy, the air heavy with the scent of wet earth and pine. Falcon, dressed in his usual SAS gear, stepped forward, holding a basic first aid kit.

"Alright, everyone," Falcon began, his voice cutting through the sound of the rain. "We'll go through some essential first aid training. Knowing how to provide basic medical assistance can mean the difference between life and death."

He opened the first aid kit and began pulling out various items, laying them out on a small folding table. "First up is wound care and splinting."

Falcon picked up a bandage. "Let's start with wound care. When you encounter a bleeding wound, the first step is to apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. If you have sterile gauze, use it. If not, any clean cloth will do." He demonstrated by wrapping the bandage around his forearm, showing how to tie it off securely.

"Who wants to give it a try?" he asked, looking around the group.

Ellie stepped forward, her face set with determination. "I'll do it," she said, taking the bandage from Falcon. She wrapped it around Falcon's arm, mimicking his movements carefully. Falcon nodded approvingly.

"Good job, Ellie. Remember, the key is to keep the pressure steady and secure. If the bleeding doesn't stop, add more bandages on top and keep applying pressure."

Next, Falcon picked up a makeshift splint made from sticks and bandages. "Now, let's move on to splinting. If someone breaks a bone, you need to immobilize the injury to prevent further damage. You can use sticks, rolled-up newspapers, or even a sturdy piece of clothing."

He placed the splint against his leg and began securing it with the bandages. "The goal is to keep the injured limb as still as possible. Make sure the splint is snug but not so tight that it cuts off circulation."

Liam and Sam took turns practicing, using sticks and bandages to splint each other's arms. Falcon watched closely, offering corrections and advice.

As they worked, the rain continued to fall, making everything more challenging. The cold and wet seeped into their clothes, but the students remained focused, determined to master the skills Falcon was teaching.

After an hour of intense practice, Viper called the group to attention. "Great work, everyone. Now, let's move on to navigation skills. Gather your compasses and maps."

The students collected their gear and followed Viper and Falcon. The rain had turned the forest floor into a slippery mess. Alex, Falcon and Viper were all in high alert always scanning their surroundings for anything that seemed out of place. But for now, everything seemed normal, and they made their way deeper into the woods to start with navigation training. Alex hoped that the day would progress without any incidents.


Walker wiped the sweat from his brow and adjusted his grip on the heavy crate, his muscles aching from the relentless labour. The night had been long and gruelling, and the rain in the morning hours only made everything more difficult. He was exhausted, irritated, and increasingly baffled by the contents of the delivery. As he carried the crates from the vehicle to the old, abandoned building that used to hold rental equipment and was now holding their prisoners and the cargo, he couldn't help but wonder what the hell the crates might hold inside them. Walker had enough experience in transporting weaponry that he could judge by the weight that it definitely wasn't any guns or explosives inside the crates. Maybe food or electronics. Well, he just had to wait and trust that it was revealed in time.

The holding area was dimly lit, large, dusty space with their prisoners on one side in one of the old storage spaces that lined up the wall and various crates piled up on the other. The air was damp and heavy, the sound of rain drumming incessantly on the building's decaying roof. Walker set the crate down with a grunt, rubbing his sore shoulders. He glanced over at Snake, Jaguar, and Raven, who were sitting in the corner of their space, watching him with wary eyes.

Just then, he heard the distant rumble of the SAS vehicle returning. Petrov, Glade, and Issaiah had been out on their final round of pickups, and Walker felt a flicker of relief knowing this would be the last trip. He stepped out into the rain, the cold droplets hitting his skin.

The vehicle came into view, its headlights cutting through the dawn of the morning light. As it pulled up, Walker could see the weariness on the faces of his comrades. Petrov was driving, his jaw clenched in concentration, while Glade and Issaiah sat beside him, looking equally tired.

Petrov killed the engine, and the three operatives climbed out, their boots splashing in the mud. "Last batch," Petrov announced, his voice rough with fatigue.

"About time," Walker grumbled, moving to help them unload. "I've been hauling crates all night. What's in these things, anyway?"

Glade shrugged, lifting a crate with a grunt. "Beats me. All I know is we're supposed to get them here and keep them safe. Orders are orders."

Petrov shook his head, frustration bubbling to the surface. "It's better be worth it. I heard we've got MI6 sniffing around, and we're stuck playing delivery boys."

Walker gave him a hard look. "Keep it down, Petrov. We've got a job to do, and it's not our place to question it. Just get these crates inside and secure them."

Petrov grumbled but complied, carrying another crate into the building. He set it down with a thud, glancing at the captives. Snake met his gaze, a hint of defiance in his eyes.

"Enjoying the view?" Snake asked, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Petrov turned away without a reply. He focused on the task at hand, carrying the last of the crates into the space. When the job was finally done, he stepped back outside, letting the rain wash over him. The night had been long and confusing, and the prospect of dealing with mysterious cargo only added to his unease.

Issaiah joined him, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep drag. Petrov stretched out his hand and Issaiah provided him with a cigarette and a lighter. "We'll find out soon enough what all this is for. Until then, we'll just have to stay sharp."

Petrov nodded, the fatigue settling deep in his bones. He lit the cigarette. The rain continued to fall, a relentless reminder of the night's trials as they stood there, trying to make sense of it all.

Walker came out of the building, the rain still pouring down, when he saw Clive approach them with hasty steps.

"Walker, we need you to come to the main building immediately. Our client wants to speak with you," Clive's voice was sharp and businesslike, no hint of the exhaustion that Walker felt.

"Right, lead the way," Walker replied, feeling tired after staying up all night but not daring to express it. He turned to Petrov, who was taking another drag on his cigarette at the side of the building. "You, watch things here."

Petrov nodded, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Sure thing. Don't keep them waiting."

Walker and Clive made their way through the muddy camp, the rain making every step more difficult. When they reached the main building, Walker paused to shake some of the water off his jacket before stepping inside.

They continued their way onto the room that Walker recognized as the one where the previous briefing was also held.

The interior was dimly lit, with a large table in the center covered in maps and documents. Red stood near the table, her posture rigid and commanding. Beside her was a man Walker hadn't seen in person but recognized immediately—Sylas Hawthorne. Hawthorne was sitting in a wheelchair, his two bodyguards standing watchfully behind him.

Red looked up as Walker entered. "Walker, good. We have a situation."

Walker nodded respectfully to Hawthorne. "Sir."

Hawthorne's gaze was intense, despite his obvious physical limitations. "I understand you know the boy, Alex Rider." he got right to the business.

Walker stiffened slightly, memories of his training days at Malagosto flooding back. "Yes, sir. We were in Malagosto at the same time."

"Good," Hawthorne said, his voice firm despite the weariness that seemed to hang over him. "We received information that Rider is in the area, and his presence complicates things. We believe MI6 might be aware of our operation."

Red stepped in. "We need to retrieve him. Walker, you've trained with him and know of his skills, and that gives us an advantage. I want you to lead a team and bring him in."

Walker felt a mix of emotions—pride, determination, and a strange sense of unfinished business. "Gladly."

Red nodded, pleased with his quick acceptance. "Find him, bring him back here. We need to know what he knows and what MI6 might be planning."

Walker glanced at Hawthorne, who was watching him closely. "And if he is accompanied by anyone else?"

Hawthorne waved a hand dismissively. "Avoid unnecessary confrontation but do whatever it takes to get the boy. The rest are expendable if it comes to that."

Walker nodded, a cold determination settling in. "I'll get it done."

Red gave him a tight smile. "Good. Brief your team and head out as soon as possible. The longer Rider is out there, the more risk he poses."

Walker turned to leave, but Hawthorne called out to him. "And Walker—bring him here alive and relatively unharmed. We need answers."

Walker nodded and exited the room.


The group of school kids along with two teachers were huddled under a large oak tree, the steady rain hitting their jackets and making the ground beneath their feet slippery. Viper stood at the front and held up a compass for everyone to see.

"First, let's go over the basics of using a compass," Viper began, his voice strong and clear despite the rain. "The compass has a magnetic needle that always points north. The direction-of-travel arrow shows where you're heading. To take a bearing, you need to line up the compass's baseplate with your map."

He demonstrated, placing the compass on the map. "Rotate the housing until the orienting lines are parallel with the map's grid lines. Then, turn yourself until the magnetic needle is aligned with the orienting arrow. Now, you're facing your bearing. Keep the direction-of-travel arrow pointed in front of you and follow that direction."

"Your maps have a few points marked in them. The task is to plan the most efficient way to navigate through all those marked places and find your way back here. To be safe, we are all going to move as a group, but you should all try to plan the most efficient course and find yourselves on the map. After that go through your plan with the group and we'll see which route to take."

The students nodded, some more confident than others, but all trying to absorb the information. They all started to inspect their maps, trying to locate themselves on it and to come up with the best route.

"Alright, let's plot our course," Viper said after a while and all the students laid out their own plans. Sam started by pointing to various landmarks on the map, and the others listened intently.

Once the best route was decided on, they set off with Viper and Falcon trailing behind them. Using their compasses to maintain their direction and referring to the map frequently, the group moved through the dense forest, the rain making it harder to keep track of their path.

"This is all your fault, you know," Will hissed, keeping his voice low so the others wouldn't hear. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have had our day disrupted yesterday and have to march through this bloody rain now."

Alex clenched his jaw, trying to keep his cool. "You can think what you want, Will. But this isn't my fault. Just focus on the task at hand, okay?"

Will snorted. "Yeah right, whatever you say…Druggie."

Alex noticed Viper being in their close proximity with angry look in his eyes. Alex caught the soldier's eye and shook his head. He didn't want Viper to interfere with the name calling or bullying that he was witnessing. It would only raise more suspicion.

The group navigated through the dense forest, the rain making it harder to keep track of their path. Alex kept his senses on high alert, feeling like someone was watching them. He tried to reassure himself that it was just paranoia. He had felt this way all the time after the events in Cairo. Like someone was always at the edge of his vision planning a chance to attack.

"Stick together and stay alert," Viper instructed. "This weather makes everything harder, but you need to adapt and overcome."

The ground was slick with mud, and visibility was low due to the persistent rain. Suddenly, Matt slipped, his foot catching on a root hidden in the mud. He fell hard, yelping in pain as he clutched his ankle.

"Matt!" Ellie exclaimed, rushing to his side. Viper and Falcon were there in an instant, assessing the injury.

"It looks like a sprain," Viper said, examining Matt's ankle. "We need to get him back to camp."

Falcon nodded. "I can take him. Or should we all turn back?"

"Oh come on. Surely some of us can continue the exercise. We didn't even get started", Liam whined and Viper shot him a sturdy look.

"Falcon can go back with Matt and we could continue with you." Liam continued looking at Viper.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable with such a large group", Viper stated.

"I can go back with Falcon if some others would like to continue so the group would be smaller. I don't enjoy being here in the rain anyway", Rachel piped up. "Me too", Emma said and Viper started to look a bit lost.

They had decided that it would be best that there would always be two soldiers present with the kids if something was to happen. But to deny the opportunity to continue this exercise from all of the kids would seem unreasonable and would raise questions why they weren't allowed to continue. The route they were about to walk wasn't very long or demanding after all.

As Viper was trying to make up his mind on the best course of action Alex noticed something suspicious—a signs of disturbance beside the path that got his instincts firing. His gut told him something was off. He had learned to trust feelings like this.

"I would also like to continue", Alex said and Viper turned to look at him. He tried to convey with his eyes, that he had spotted something and wasn't ready to return just yet. There could be something here that would tell them more about what happened to Snake and the recruits. Or it was his paranoia acting up again. Either way, Alex had decided to investigate.

Viper thought about the situation. Even if Falcon was to return to the camp with some of the students, he would still have Alex with the group and he had seen that the boy got skills matching one of his unit members. The boy had an SAS code name after all.

"Alright, let's split up here then. Those who want to return, join with Falcon. Rest with me", Viper nodded.

Will, Sam, Liam and Ellie decided to stay with Viper, Mr. Donovan joining them, and the rest of the group started to make their way back with Falcon supporting Matt who was trying not to put any weight on his twisted ankle.

"Take a minute to check the route, see if you would like to make any changes and when we continue, be mindful of where you step. The ground is very slippery", Viper said.

The group took a few moments to check their maps, making sure they had the right direction. The rain continued to pour, making it difficult to see far ahead. Viper walked over to each student individually, ensuring they were comfortable with the route and understood the basics of navigation with the compass.

When he reached Alex, he leaned closer and lowered his voice. "What did you see?"

Alex glanced around, making sure the others were focused on their maps. "There was a disturbance beside the path. I'm pretty sure it's nothing, but I'd like to check it out to be sure."

Viper frowned, clearly conflicted. "I don't want you going alone. It's too dangerous."

"I know, but I don't want my classmates following me either. They'll be safer here with you," Alex insisted.

Viper hesitated, but eventually nodded. "Alright. But be careful, don't take any unnecessary risks. Go check it out and return quickly. If you're not here in a few minutes, I'll come after you."

Alex nodded. Viper squeezed his shoulder before straightening up.

"Alright, let's continue!" Viper announced to the group, and they started to continue along the slippery path.

Alex slipped away from the group, moving quietly through the forest. The rain masked the sound of his footsteps as he followed the signs of disturbance he had noticed earlier. His senses were on high alert, every muscle in his body tense as he made his way forward on the slippery terrain. Now, as he navigated the thick underbrush, he felt a familiar prickle of danger at the back of his neck.

As he followed the tracks, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The forest around him was eerily quiet, save for the sound of the rain and the occasional rustle of leaves.

A rustling noise came from behind a cluster of trees, and Alex crouched low, his eyes scanning the area. Two figures emerged from the shadows, moving with the practiced stealth of trained operatives. They were dressed in dark clothing, their faces obscured by hoods. Alex's heart pounded in his chest. They could be just some hikers enjoying a walk in a rainy day. But something about the way they moved told Alex that they weren't here just for a stroll.

Leaning closer, he tried to get a better look. Suddenly, one of the figures looked straight at him, spotting him. "Hey!" the man shouted.

Alex had no choice but to engage. He lunged forward, aiming a punch at the nearest man. The man blocked it and retaliated, but Alex ducked and swept his leg out, knocking the man off balance.

The second man lunged at Alex, aiming a swift kick towards his midsection. Alex dodged to the side, the kick missing him by inches. He countered with a quick jab to the man's ribs, feeling the satisfying impact of his fist against flesh. The man grunted in pain but didn't go down. Instead, he swung a punch at Alex's head. Alex ducked, the punch sailing harmlessly over him, and then he drove his elbow into the man's stomach, doubling him over.

The first man had risen back to his feet and didn't give Alex time to recover. He came at Alex with a series of rapid punches, forcing Alex to backpedal to avoid the blows. One punch grazed Alex's cheek, but he ignored the sting, focusing on his opponent's movements. The man was fast, but Alex had faced worse. He waited for an opening, and when his opponent overextended on a punch, Alex seized the opportunity. He grabbed the man's arm, twisting it sharply and sending him sprawling to the ground.

The second man was coming at Alex again. This time, Alex was ready. He sidestepped the man's attack and delivered a powerful kick to the back of his knee, causing him to stumble. Alex followed up with a punch to the jaw, knocking the man out cold.

The other, still in fighting condition scrambled to his feet, his eyes narrowing with anger. He pulled a knife from his belt and slashed at Alex. Alex dodged the blade, but the man was relentless, pressing forward with a series of quick, vicious strikes. Alex grabbed a fallen branch from the ground, using it to block the knife. The blade bit into the wood, and Alex twisted the branch, wrenching the knife from the other man's hand and sending it flying into the underbrush.

The man roared in frustration and charged at Alex, trying to tackle him to the ground. Alex met him head-on, using the momentum against him. He twisted to the side, tripping his opponent and sending him crashing into a tree. Before the man could recover, Alex delivered a knockout punch to his temple.

Breathing heavily, Alex stood over the two unconscious men, his heart pounding in his chest. He wiped a trickle of blood from his cheek and took a moment to catch his breath. The fight had been intense, but he had come out on top.

He searched them quickly, finding a communication device on one of them. He pocketed it, knowing it might be useful later. Both men also had loaded guns in holsters. Alex took one of them. He hid it in the waistband of his hiking trousers, pulling the hem of his jacket to cover the handle. The presence of armed men who were clearly skilled in combat couldn't mean anything good.

Alex wanted to make sure that if more trouble came their way before they were out of the woods, he would be able to do everything in his power to keep his classmates safe. If that meant stealing a gun from unconscious man, so be it. He checked the scene one more time before he melted back into the forest, his senses still on high alert. He had to get back to the others before Viper decided to come looking for him.


As Alex made his way back to the group, he noticed more subtle signs of disturbance in the forest—broken branches, fresh footprints, and the faint hum of distant voices. His heart rate quickened; there were definitely more hostiles in the area. He knew they would have to get the group out of the forest quickly and quietly.

Alex was thinking what the best approach in this situation would be. He knew he would be able to communicate with Viper without saying a word, but him knowing the military's tactical hand signals would raise questions among the other students. On the other hand, he couldn't risk for them making much noise and drawing attention to the location of the group.

Maybe he and Viper could later convince the others that it was all just a prank. Getting them out of here safe was now a priority. Any complications caused by the measures taken to ensure it, he would just have to handle when the time came.

Alex could feel his heart pumping as he approached the group. This would be hard. A knot in his stomach tightened. Here we go.

Reaching the group, he found Mr. Donovan looking straight at him, concern and anger etched on his face. "Alex, where have you—" Mr. Donovan began, but Alex immediately raised his finger to his lips, signalling for silence. He looked everyone in the eye, fearing that one of the others would cause some commotion. But the group had fell quiet, probably sensing the urgency in his demeanour.

Viper, recognizing the change in atmosphere, caught Alex's eye and pointed at himself and raised one hand on his ear in a way to communicate that he was listening. Alex looked around and saw the confusion in everyone else's faces. He swallowed, feeling adrenaline coursing in his veins. He really didn't want to do this in front of his classmates and one of his teachers. But their safety was now more important than him keeping his secret skills hidden. He would be able to explain this to them later. Somehow. He had to.

Alex looked back at Viper and with his mind made up, held up his index and middle finger close together, signifying "two.

Then he made a fist with his right hand and moved it sharply downward, the signal for "hostile" or "enemy," and followed it with a thumbs-up sign, indicating that those two hostiles were neutralized.

As he continued to sign to Viper that he suspected there was more enemies in the area he could see from the corner of his vision the unbelieving expressions in the faces of his classmates. They couldn't believe that Alex, who appeared from the woods with a bleeding bruise on his cheek, was now communicating with the leader of an SAS unit in full silence and on top of it all, it looked as if Viper had expected him to be able to do so.

Finally, Alex made a retreating motion with his hand and raised his finger on his lips again, indicating that they needed to withdraw quickly and quietly.

Viper who had had a focused look on his face the whole time nodded sharply, raised his hand and pressed his thumb and index finger together to indicate he understood Alex's message. Then he pointed at Alex and waved for him to lead the way. Viper took the pistol he had with him in his hand and signed to Alex that he would cover the group. Alex could see others' eyes widen with the sight of the gun. Everyone could sense that something serious was going on.

Alex felt the gun he had taken from the unknown man on him but decided not to draw it. He would rely on it only if he really had no other options. This whole thing would need so much explaining even without him suddenly producing a pistol from his clothes.

Alex signed back an acknowledgment and moved to the front of the group, gesturing for them to follow. Thankfully they all fell in line behind him and kept their silence. He led them carefully through the forest, choosing their path to avoid making noise and keeping an eye out for any signs of the hostiles. Viper followed behind, keeping watch for any threats.

The rain-soaked forest was eerily silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves, the distant calls of birds and rain hitting the ground and trees around them. The group moved with deliberate caution, every step measured to avoid detection. The tension was palpable, but Alex remained focused, determined to get everyone back to camp safely.

As Alex led the group through the dense forest, his senses remained on high alert. The silence was unnerving, every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig magnified in his mind. Just as he rounded a bend in the path, a figure stepped out in front of him a few meters away, blocking their way and pointing a weapon at them.

Alex's instincts kicked in immediately and he drew the gun he had taken from the unconscious operative, clicked the safety off and aimed at the man in front of him. But before he could react further, a sharp cry pierced the air from behind him.

"Alex!" Sam's voice was filled with fear.

Alex turned to look at the direction of the voice, his heart sinking. Sam was held in a chokehold with a gun aimed to his temple by a man whose face Alex instantly recognized. Walker had emerged from the shadows, and now had a smirk on his face. Their group was surrounded by at least half a dozen operatives, all pointing their guns to their direction.

Alex felt fear gripping his insides. If Walker was here, it could mean only one thing. As hard as it was to believe, Scorpia had to be behind this all.

"Hello Rider", Walker said smiling while Alex aimed his gun at the Scorpia assassin who was holding his classmate. "Long time no see, huh?"

Alex gave Walker his most hateful look and stared at the man through the scope of the pistol in his hands.

"What do you want?" Alex asked with venom.

"You'll find out, trust me", Walker grinned. "Now, drop your weapons," the assassin commanded, his voice cold and threatening. "Or the kid gets it."

Viper, seeing the danger, slowly raised his hands and nodded at Alex. Reluctantly, Alex put the safety on and lowered his gun to the ground, setting it down gently. Viper did the same with his own weapon.

"All your weapons, Alex", Walker said with a glimmer in his eyes looking at the teenager in front of him.

"I don't have anything else on me", Alex said defiantly.

"Don't take me for a fool Rider. Your jacket, shoes, belt and watch. Drop them. And any electronics you have", Walker commanded.

Alex glared at the man. He didn't have any MI6 issued gadgets on him, but it seemed that this time, Scorpia would be extra cautious. Alex didn't dare to argue while Walker had Sam on his mercy and dropped his watch, belt and jacket onto the ground next to the gun. His shirt was clinging into his skin now that his jacket no longer protected him from the pouring rain. Alex grimaced as he took off his shoes and his socks turned instantly soaking wet from the soggy and muddy ground. Then he took the communication device he had snatched before from his back pocket and let it fall into the ground.

"Good," Walker said, his eyes flicking between Alex and Viper. "Now, step back. Both of you."

Alex complied, his mind racing for a solution. He couldn't let anything happen to the others, but Scorpia operatives had an upper hand. Viper stepped back as well, his eyes never leaving Walker.

Walker tightened his grip on Sam, causing the boy to wince. "You always were a troublemaker, Alex. But this time, you've lost."

Alex's eyes darted around, assessing their surroundings and looking for any possible advantage. The rest of the group stood frozen, fear etched on their faces.

"Why don't you let the others go and I'll come with you without a fight?" Alex asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Walker chuckled darkly. "There's not going to be any fight, Alex. You wouldn't dare to risk the life of this precious boy here by stirring up any trouble. No, they will come with us to ensure you don't get any of your stupid ideas."

Before Alex could respond, Walker barked another command. "Get on your knees."

Hesitantly Alex lowered himself on his knees, the mud soaking through his clothes.

"Put these on" Walker continued, his voice dripping with menace as he threw a pair of handcuffs to Alex.

Alex's mind whirled, trying to think of a way out of this situation. He had to protect his friends and get them back to safety, but with Walker holding Sam hostage, his current options were severely limited. Alex snapped the cuffs around his wrists and looked up at Walker who now nodded to one of the operatives on his side. The man in question took a syringe from his jacket pocket.

"Now Rider, catch", Walker said as the man threw the syringe towards him. Alex caught the object and looked at it. It contained some clear liquid that would be administered through a sharp needle. Alex swallowed, his heart beating rapidly.

"If you wouldn't mind", Walker said, and Alex could hear how he enjoyed the situation where he had all this power over him. The assassin was clearly testing how far Alex would go to protect his classmates.

"Fuck you, Walker", Alex spat and glared at the man.

"Now now, there's no need for that kind of language. Come on, Alex, it's just one little needle." Walker taunted him. Alex saw him tightening his grip on Sam in threatening gesture. Sam closed his eyes and Alex was sure there was tears on the other boy's face mixing in with the raindrops.

Alex looked at the needle in his hand. He didn't have any choice. Alex gathered all his courage and stabbed the sharp needle into his thigh. He then pushed down to inject the liquid from the syringe into his system. Alex could feel the effect almost immediately. He could feel his muscles starting to give out, the world started to spin around him. He fell on his side feeling the cold mud against him. He saw the concerned and fearful looks in the eyes of his classmates and two adults that accompanied the group. They were all standing there watching him lose his consciousness.

"Please don't let them get hurt," was Alex's last thought before darkness swallowed him up.