February 27th 2005

Joe Byrne was sat in the park in Georgetown. He'd retired just before Christmas. God, he now spends his days spent sorting through his diaries and paperwork. He'd thought about writing a history of operations or maybe a spy novel. He had loads of time on his hands now. His wife, Marge wanted to go on a cruise. He was trying to put that off. Sat on a boat for a month with other retired couples. No, that was not his idea of a relaxing holiday. Maybe trekking in the Himalayas or traveling across Australia and New Zealand. They would compromise, eventually. His mobile rang. Number withheld. Probably just another sales call he thought. After nine weeks away from operations he was already just an ordinary joe.

A deep voice in Moscow accented russian talked as soon as they connected "Hello Joe...Remember me."

"Who is this?" Joe spat out, completely defensive.

"I guess I should sound more like this." The language changed to English and accent reverted to the flattish tones of a Londoner.

"Alex? Alex Rider?"

"Now you know Alex Rider died 2 and a half years ago." the voice sounded vaguely chastising or was it humour.

"What can I help you with?" Joe was almost 100% sure this was Alex on the phone.

"Heads up for you. I know you're no longer active just like me, but Roman Nebikov put a hit out on the CIA operative in his Moscow drug ring. Thats all I know. Someone at Langley should be able to connect the dots. Roman is a fucking psycho so if you don't get the guy out he will be subjected to a long, slow, nasty demise."

"Thanks for the info... Are you working for Roman?"

"Hell no. Roman offered but I can look after myself. Be seeing you." At that the phone went dead.

Christina Schultz-Smith was the new Assistant Director of the CIA: Covert Operations. She was snowed under with operations in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. She was due in a meeting five minutes ago and then her personal cell phone rang. Joe Byrne. What the hell was Joe calling about?

"Christina, an old contact of mine called in. He has got intel that Roman Nebikov has got wind of a deep cover agent in Moscow. I have no names or anything specific only that a contract has been placed. Get your man out now."

"Who is your contact? Is this reliable?"

"Just trust me on this. This guy was burned by another agency and left for dead."

"Fuck, He now works for Roman?"

"No, Freelance. I think."

"Who is this contact, Joe?"

"I can't talk on the phone. Your ears only." Joe knew this pushing acceptable intel, but if Alex was still in Russia there was next to no way to track him down if his legend was good enough to fool State Security there. Hell, Alex's file had no mention of him knowing any russian never mind speaking it like a native. Then again you can learn a lot very fast if your life depends on it.

Christina was genuinely shocked about the news of a fourteen/fifteen year old operative used across agencies over 18 months; when, she had been running the station in Islamabad. "Jesus, Joe. MI6 burned a fifteen year old kid. I have fucking heard everything now."

"The message was very guarded. Sent to my personal phone, bought after I retired. I bet he called on a phone bought just for that one message. Alex said he'd retired."

"The kid was trained by Scorpia and has contacts with Roman Nebikov. That only ties him down to about half the globe. You sure he spoke russian with a Moscow accent." Christina went over Byrne's short hand notes again. "Shit, the kid may be known by our agent. We'll have to interrogate him when he lands at Dulles tomorrow."

"Is the Moscow operation completely blown?"

"No far from it we have three other Russian born assets in place. Mossad are giving us their intel on Nebikov as well. He has some well placed contacts here. Our operation is just information gathering." Christina wondered about a teenage asset with a phenomenal success rate. "Joe do you want to pull this kid in?"

"Christina I highly doubt we'll get within a hundred miles of Alex. If we get close he will run. The kid had what was left of Scorpia after him as well. He'll have a different face, different mannerisms, a completely different life. I doubt I would recognise him. He was still a kid after Cairo, he'll be fully grown now. Shit, Jones promised not to use him again after Cairo. I told you when you were promoted not to trust that bitch."

"And she seemed OK to me. Guess my assessment of her was way off. I thought you just didn't like her for personal reasons. Strident personality and all." Christina joked knowing most men hated a woman boss.

Joe Byrne pulled a thick stack of files from his office safe "I got copies of Scorpia's files on Alex. He underwent full psychological analysis at Malagosto. He told them details which explain so much. He was blackmailed after his uncle's death to work for MI6, and us and the Australians. Once he got in, he could not get out. They had him on a tight leash. He was a mess after Cairo. I have to say I failed Alex. I was assured by Tulip Jones that he would not be used again. I thought he was to stay with the Pleasures in San Francisco permanently. Twelve weeks after he got here they got to him again. I had not expected it. I should have put him in witness protection. Those bastards got him back and left him high and dry. By the time we found out he was in Moscow Alex's trail was cold. He'd disappeared."

Christina then pondered everything. "Can I use your computer?"

"Sure thing."

She typed with quick efficient strokes, pulling up intel over the secure server. "Roman Nebikov is in Las Vegas. If Alex got the intel recently. Your boy Alex is there as well. He's either working for the Mob or Nebikov. He stated he didn't work for Roman, so he's a wise guy now."

Byrne sighed. He did not want to tell anyone the last facts he knew of Alex, but he had no choice. "The last MI6 operation Alex worked on in Moscow had Alex traded as a fifteen year old English virgin to Igor Zelinski. He may still be working as a whore or be a slave to some sick fuck. I looked but if he was traded on before Zelinski died, as I suspect, he could be with anyone. He's still only 18. The fact he called this in suggests he has some freedom of movement, but Alex was a very resourceful asset."

Chritina mused on the fact a boy sold by his own country as a fuck toy, with no way out. "Do you think he's fallen for who bought him?"

"Yes. If he's being cared for, protected, loved. He'll want to stay put."