Alex was kind of glad the spy thing was over. He was not going to have to jump to Alan Blunt's tune any longer. He was in for psychiatric observation after the crane thing. The judge had stated he had good intentions, but social services spoke about his less than stellar home situation and the police doctor spoke of a probable psychotic break and delusions. He had taken the pills offered and wondered if he had just made it all up in his head. That was more believable than boring Ian being 007.

The young offender was sat in a Black Maria and finally he could grieve for his hopeless childhood and his even more hopeless uncle. He was alone in the back, sat in his dirty school uniform, three days since the incident, and wearing four point restraints crying his eyes out. He not seen Jack or anyone from the bank, just an overworked social worker. Jeff had been kind and listened to him, then called for a doctor.

Four days later and Mrs Jones came to talk to Alex, stating that his arrest had been missed due to a glitch. It was fine, she'd arranged a place at a nice progressive boarding school, with in-house psychological care. Someone from the school would be over to pick him up this afternoon to meet his new foster family. He just smiled and dribbled a bit. The tranquillisers had been needed, caused he flipped out when he saw his abuser.

He heard the chief psychiatrist giving Mrs Jones a piece of her mind, "we have barely gotten him settled in. It might be a number of serious issues. I don't care you got the observation order rescinded, he is a danger to himself and others."

He started humming to block out the argument. Then he got taken back to his room to lie down.

….

A car turned up 2 hours later, just a driver, with some school paperwork. Alex had nothing but the scrubs on his back, as they'd stripped him when he got to the hospital. No restraints now, but the teenager was pretty out of it. He sat in the passenger seat and went straight to sleep. He barely noticed the change of vehicle. He again took the pills offered and smiled, slurring "I've never been to boarding school. Is it all jolly hockey sticks and caning?"

The man with dyed dark hair and brown contacts, softly said "I promise the doctor will be kind, little Alex."

Alex then tried to concentrate on the driver but everything was fuzzy.

…

At four that afternoon, a second car turned up at the hospital. Crawley was shocked to find their patient had already been transferred to the school. Gresham Academy had a good reputation, the MI6 man was meant to be taking Alex to David Friend not to some progressive boarding school. He phoned the school direct to be told there was no new transfers expected this term. He then called Blunt, there would be no operative in place at Point Blanc Academy as the kid in question was AWOL. He had a brief description of the driver earlier, nothing of note just medium height, short dark hair, wore sunglasses and was not very chatty, just a bit pissed off.

The hospital porter then piped up "oh the guy obviously knew the kid, didn't use his surname called him Little Alex, like they were old friends or family".

In 19 minutes, Smither's had all medievac flights out of the UK checked. The patient from Stansted to Geneva was most likely Alex, described as Pierre Lupine, thirteen year old traffic accident victim. The insurance papers all looked legit, but no corresponding patient transferred from any NHS or private hospital. That flight had landed three hours ago. No chance of following a trail, now.

…

Dr Three was waiting on the arrival of his new patient, it had been years since his last purely medical case. He had withdrawn from Malagosto to the safety of familiar territory, Hanoi. He doubted Alexander Rider was mentally ill, just traumatised. Young minds were a strange pleasure to assess. The boy far too young for operations. School first, training yes but not Malagosto. Neither d'Arc, Steiner nor the Widow herself would see the potential and just use the child mercilessly. He would step back, stating research. His second could handle all inquiries. The man known as Dr Three by SCORPIA, those in the know in the criminal underworld and intelligence agencies, was infamous in his lust for revenge, when provoked or insulted.

It had been fourteen years since his recommendation to let Hunter go had been unheeded. That double agent could have been swayed back after he grew bored of playing family. Two abstentions, from Wu and the chairman, and the rest of the board voted against him. The good doctor now planned to trade with Wu for his second. Cossack deserved a treat.

….

No one at Malagosto paid any heed to the fact Cossack was now working exclusively for Dr. Three. Steiner had shared his suspicion that the Russian assassin was being re-educated because he'd disobeyed a direct order. The disappearance of Hunter's son was seen as him running away or into witness protection, nothing more sinister. No trace of the boy burned from official records, but he could be anywhere in Western Europe or any country in the world where French or Spanish were spoken.

They had lost a lucrative client and three teams of security, as Grief was dead. The FSB operation had used French mercenaries to free the son of General Ivanov and the children of several very influential people. Word was all the clones were dead and the scientist employed by Grief was dead by that fool's hand.

On the board, Wu was acting for the Chinese doctor' second in command, as the man himself was busy with research. The triad leader also had a new second in command, formerly SAS, an efficient but dull Liverpudlian. That man was obviously homosexual as he spurned all the advances of the Widow.

….

Three weeks of hell and Walker was on his way to Hanoi with Ms Binnag, Ross and Yermalov. They landed just as the air corridors closed after 9/11.

The jaded exCIA man was not surprised to be in custody, considering his former commander in chief had called for a war on terror. They may not be first on the list, SCORPIA may not have had direct dealings with those responsible for the attack on American soil, but they would be given no quarter in this war of zealots.

His meals were brought by a blond haired kid called Kai. Always cheerful talking in either Russian or Cantonese, but never to the subject undergoing sleep deprivation, just the guards.

Then the real deal RTI or just the plain old interrogation began in earnest. The doctor observing as the Russian bastard called Cossack did all the dirty work. Still the kid came in bringing meals like a ray of sunshine. It was obviously a test, if he tried to use the kid, said kid would be tortured in his stead. He may be a thorough bastard, but there was no way out here and causing suffering to others would not save him from his fate. He bet video would be sent to Langley of his demise. So what, he had been one of Byrne's bunch of losers anyway and never officially on the books. None of his former army buddies would care and his parents would celebrate that he was receiving God's divine justice.

This was an exercise in futility as he knew nothing relevant to any current US operations. He done wetwork freelance for two years for the cartels and he'd never double cross that handy source of work. He'd paid upfront for his Malagosto training, wanting to upgrade to international hitman and the big bucks.

Walker was the hazing nickname his first platoon had given him as the one most likely to Walk away from the marines at 18. He'd been given a section eight after the FUBAR DEA mission, despite 11 years of service. Trigger happy bloodbath, not the truth of saving his team's bacon. So the Feds had been toast, never mind one of them was double dealing.

Cossack listened as the man spoke about his time in psychiatric hospital. Details of routine and the garbage food. The Russian knew this man would try to bore the interrogator to death rather than speak an actual word of his past employers. Talking shit about long dead feds.

Alex came in, ignoring the Russian and his subject, with eyes on the silent observer. Dr Three then spoke, "you have passed, both of you. Kai please help Walker to the infirmary."

…..

In a low murmur the kid spoke to him as the pair struggled down the corridor, the English in a London accent was a surprise "Sorry, I did not help you. You were strong and I hope we can be friends now. I'm Kai, that's my code name."

"I'm Walker." The American gave no other personal info, just in case the RTI included this scenario to test him when the threats had ceased.

…

Two weeks in the infirmary, as he'd gotten over pneumonia. Classes began again. Kai was stood with that cunt Cosssck. He then watched them fight. The kid was no match for the bastard, but he was quick and flexible, avoiding blows and getting a few strikes in himself. The bout ended with Yermalov's barked "cease", when the kid was on the floor winded. Cossack helped Kai up and checked him for injuries, then ruffled the blond hair, a smile on that bastard's face.

Cossack then looked coldly at the newcomer. "You are now assigned your first task. You are to stop Kai getting into trouble. Keep him occupied, keep him safe. Come both of you, we will discuss the boy's timetable and his progress."

…

Wu had been called to Hanoi, his operation in Australia was unlikely to happen as ASIS were aware now of the traitor. He'd liked Ash, but current intelligence from the Doctor stated he'd been a double agent all along. His new second was to be appraised for his loyalty as he had not been a graduate of Malagosto. The ex soldier had been a delight to share tea with, but security came first.

…..

Stood between two guards, Fox faced the cold assassin Yassen Gregorovich, wanted in Britain for the murder of Ian Rider. The search was thorough and brutal, even though he had been compliant. Dragged to an interrogation room and chained naked and afraid. A teenager came into the room with a metal tumbler of water "Hi Fox, it's been a while."

"Cub?" was croaked out as he watched the kid pour the water on the floor.

With a bright smile, Alex looked at the man who had done nothing to help him in Wales,"Oops, butterfingers. Hope you enjoy this RTI, it's a bit more intense than Brecon. Even I could not escape Cossack here. By the way, it's strike one calling me Cub. No more mistakes, if you want to leave here alive. Personally I think they should not waste Cossack's time and just give you to the students. Have fun!"