"Ms. Starbright, I will be frank. We're worried about Alex." Jack let out a bitter laugh.

"You're worried? You? The people who ruined his life are worried? Oh, this is one for the history books ladies and gentlemen. The destroyers are worried about the destroyed. Because that's what he is now. Destroyed. You people destroyed him and now you have the guts to tell me you're worried. He hasn't spoken in months and only now you're concerned. He doesn't eat, he barely sleeps. And what do you do? YOU SEND HIM ON MORE GOD DAMNED MISSIONS. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT." Jack was crying now. Alex, Alex I'm so sorry. So God damn sorry. For everything. Ms. Jones observed the sobbing woman in front of her.

"If you're quite done, we have reason to believe he has become a liability. We are sending him to Brecon Beacons indefinitely. You will be sent back to America. Please be ready to leave in an hour's time." Jack froze. Looking up, she stared at the other woman in undisguised hatred and horror.

"You can't do that. I'm all he has left. You get rid of me and whatever is left of the boy will be gone. He will never move on. I'm all he has left. What more could you put him through? What did he do to deserve this?! He's saved the world seven times. SEVEN TIMES. AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HIM?! HE NEEDS ME. He needs me.." Jack's voice trailed off. Mrs. Jones looked at her coolly.

"An hours' time Ms. Starbright." Jack had been dismissed.

"..do you understand Alex? Alex? ALEX?!" Mrs. Jones called. Alex looked up.

"Yes." Mrs. Jones nodded. Ever since she had become the new head of MI6 whatever affection she had felt for the boy were crushed in favor of his usefulness.

"You will be going to Brecon Beacons in an hour so feel free to pack." Alex struggled through the detached feeling.

"What about Jack?" He managed to ask. Mrs. Jones paused.

"She left to America a few hours ago. Did she not tell you?" Alex thought back. He remembered seeing Jack sobbing, telling him something. Alex frowned. What had she been telling him? Something about Mrs. Jones. To be careful. An apology. It was foggy. Everything was foggy. Detached. That's what he was; he had been ever since the shooting at his school. Scorpia's latest attempt to kill him. All they had managed to do was kill a bunch of other kids and…Tom. Alex felt a sharp pain and had a startling moment of clarity before it was gone again. The fog was back, soothing him with its emptiness. Feel nothing, think nothing, be nothing. It seemed to whisper.

"…and I hope you understand that this is for your protection. Is that understood?" Alex nodded. Mrs. Jones forced a smile.

"Very well then. There is a car waiting outside to take you." Alex nodded again and started to leave.

"Alex?" Alex paused at the door way.

"I'm sorry about your friend. Tom, was it?" Alex felt his hand clench on the wood frame before it relaxed just as quickly. Not answering Alex just walked away.

"I don't want you here. I don't like you and if you so much as sneeze without my 'go ahead' I will make your life a living hell. Is that understood?" Alex nodded.

"YOU WILL GIVE ME A VERBAL RESPONSE. THIS IS NOT A DAYCARE. I AM NOT YOUR NANNY. NOW, IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!"

"Yes sir." Alex said dully. The Sergeant pulled back, apparently satisfied.

"K-Unit is unavailable because they're out in the fields right now fighting for this country unlike certain snot nosed brats. Due to this you will be assigned to S-Unit as their temporary fourth member. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Then why the hell are you still here?! Dismissed." Alex grabbed his bag and left. Walking towards the cabins, Alex felt a small shiver in his hands. He almost frowned. Almost. He didn't really make facial expressions anymore.

Absently he felt something close to a thought slip into his mind. More a sense than anything. Dread. After everything, he still felt dread at meeting an SAS unit. Guess that showed how much the previous one had affected him. But that was a different. Alex wasn't afraid of anything anymore. He didn't feel anything anymore. The closest he had gotten to emotion was the night Jack had left.

Something in him had twisted as he watched her pack her things, crying and apologizing to him the whole time. That and his dreams. All his emotions came back during his dreams. Happiness, pain, agony, fear, relief, all of them. That's why Alex rarely slept. He didn't want to feel. Arriving at S-Units barrack, Alex paused. The notion of knocking flickering through his head before he realized it didn't matter and entered.

Looking around, he saw no one. Something akin to relief surged before being covered in the ever constant fog. Going to what appeared to be the only bunk left open Alex put his things down next to it and sat. As though a flip had been switched, Alex suddenly felt exhausted. Barely managing to lift the rest of him onto the bed in time, he drifted into sleep.

"How is the subject responding?"

"Everything is functional. The progression or retrogression of the subjects emotional capabilities are going as predicted, however…"

"Yes?"

"There is a slight problem."

"What's the problem?"

"The tracker in the subjects chip shows that the subject has been moved."

"Where?"

"Wales. Or, more specifically, Brecon Beacons, the temporary training camp of the SAS."

"This could work. We have a sleeper cell in there correct?"

"Yes."

"Good. Tell the agent to keep an eye on the boy and to continue administering the treatment."

"Sir, if I may ask a question?"

"You may."

"The risks of this operation are exponentially larger with the subject in the SAS camp. Wouldn't it be best to extract him?"

"Oh no. From what our spies have reported we can be assured that the physical and mental abuse will help the treatment along beautifully."

"…If I may ask one more question?"

"You just did, but I'll give you another one."

"What's so special about this subject? He's just a boy and I can't help but wonder why we are going through such…difficulties, to erase his emotions."

"Believe me, this boy is very special. Very special indeed. So special that this project is worth much more than you could possibly know. We must get this perfect. We must get Alex Rider."

"Hey Alex, think you have time to hang out with your neglected bestie for a game of football after school?" Tom said fluttering his eye lashes at Alex. Alex laughed and punched Tom in the shoulder.

"Don't do that, it's creepy."

"Ooo, have I made the great Alex Rider uncomfortable? There has to be an award for that." Alex aimed another punch, which Tom dodged.

"Shaddup you twit. You know I'll kick your ass." Tom snorted.

"Yeah, when pigs fly."

"Hey Alex!" Tom and Alex looked up. It was Jeffery Williams, the current football captain.

"What Jeffery?" Alex said deadpanned. Tom held in a snicker. He knew Alex found the peppy boy annoying and enjoyed his best friends unease.

"I was wondering if you wanted to play a game with us after school today?"

"Sorry, Alex is hanging out with me today." Tom cut in, before Alex could say anything.

"Oh? Well then you can come too." Now it was Tom's turn to be annoyed. The boy just couldn't take a hint.

"No, I think we'll be fine by ourselves." Tom stated. Alex snickered and Tom shot him a look.

"Oh, alright then. If you change your minds, we'll be on the field till five." Jeffery said with a wave before running off.

"What was that?" Alex asked.

"You've been around for what two weeks now? That has to be a record. People are getting use to you again." Tom explained. "Anyway, you ready to get your ass handed to you." Alex smiled.

"With your scrawny arms, yeah right." Tom huffed and faked a pout until Alex laughed.

"Do you know how long you'll be around this time?" Tom asked. Alex sighed.

"I don't know Tom. They use me whenever they want. The most warning I've gotten is two hours. Sorry." This time Tom punched him.

"Dumbass, you shouldn't apologies. You aren't the one at fault here." Alex smiled again, though, Tom noticed, it was smaller than the previous ones. Tom was about to say something when Alex's head shot up.

"EVERYBODY DOWN!"

Grabbing Tom, he pulled them both to the ground just in time to dodge a spray of bullets. Tom could hear screams erupt around them. Soon the bullets stopped and a group of men jumped in through the windows. Tom looked at Alex but Alex was already running to his desk where his bag was. To watched as Alex entered his "spy-mod" as Tom had once dubbed it.

"Everyone on the ground!" Someone shouted. Alex rolled his eyes, cliché much? Glancing at Tom to make sure he was alright he caught him rolling his eyes as well. Shooting Tom a quick smile he pulled out the gun he had hidden in a secret compartment of his bag and pressed a button on his watch three times. Alex saw Tom's eyes widen and his face pale.

Alex knew he'd have some explaining to do when this was all over. Raising his gun he began shooting the men down. Letting his training take over he brought down six before they realized there was someone firing. Ducking behind a desk he prepared himself for the worst. They exchanged shots for a few minutes as Alex tried to buy time for MI6 to show up.

His watch had been a distress signal that would bring in enough back-up to take over a small country in about fifteen minutes. Until then, he was on his own. By the end of five minutes, Alex had taken down 17 of the original twenty four men. Seven more to go, he thought. Alex had gotten over his killing problems the day he killed eight men after an attack on Jack. Just thinking about it made him see red. He had sworn that day to do whatever it took to protect the people he loved, even if it meant becoming a killer. Firing another few shots he took down two more guys.

"Cease fire or we have hostages." Well, looks like someone has a brain after all. Sighing, Alex stopped firing.

"Throw the gun away and stand up. Slowly." Alex obeyed.

"I'm guessing you're from Scorpia, correct?" One of the men grinned. Alex decided he would be Ugly number one.

"Damn right we are. You must be Alex Rider. Well, this is the end Mr. Rider. You die today." Alex glanced at his watch. Three more minutes. He needed three more minutes.

"If you knew how many people said that to me you'd be surprised." He said with an eye roll. Alex was rewarded with an eye twitch.

"Come here." Alex complied, slowly walking towards the man. Taking his time.

"Hurry up."

"Jeez, you'd think you would at least let me take my time. Villains these days." Alex said sarcastically shaking his head in mock sorrow. That got him a hit on the side of his face.

"You think your so clever," Ugly number one sneered." We'll guess what. You're not." Alex held in a groan. Maybe he should have named him Stupid number one instead. Alex was quickly drawn from his inner musings by a gun pointed at his head. Staring down the barrel he glanced at his watch again. One minute.

"Well, are you going to shoot me or what?" Alex asked. Ugly one's smile grew larger. Alex grimaced, he really was very ugly.

"It would be my pleasure." A shot was heard and Alex looked to see one of the other men had pulled out a gun. Alex froze and felt his blood go cold. Following the gun's trajectory his eyes landed on Tom. Alex felt his eyes widen and tears begin to fill them. Watching, he saw Tom clutch his stomach, his face pale and drawn.

"Tom…" Alex whispered. Tom looked up and saw Alex. He shot him a small, watery smile before collapsing to the floor. Alex saw red. In a blur he was suddenly attacking the remaining men. Man after man fell as he disabled them all in a few blows. He didn't even feel the bullets whizzing by him, clipping his thigh, arm and torso. Finishing as quickly as possible, Alex ran to Tom. Tom was barely awake when he got there.

"Tom. Tom! You have to stay awake. You have to stay awake. Can you hear me? Tom!" Alex called frantically. He saw Tom give a weak smile.

"Geez Al, you'd think I was dying by your reaction." His voice a hoarse whisper.

"No, you aren't allowed to die Tom. Idiots don't die and you're the biggest one I know, so don't you even think about dying." Tom let out a breathy chuckle before groaning in pain.

"Don't make me laugh dumbass." Alex laughed shakily and glanced at his watch. They should have been here two minutes ago.

"Sorry, I'm just good like that." He jested, trying to keep the situation light. Tom's eyes were starting to close again. Alex shook him lightly.

"Tom, you can't close your eyes. I know it's hard but you have to stay awake. Tom? Tom please. Please, open your eyes. TOM!" Alex shouted. Tom's eyes fluttered.

"God Al, how am I supposed to sleep with all that ..r..acket." Tom started coughing violently. Alex saw more blood. Putting pressure on the wound he tried to support Toms head better.

"Good, you need to stay awake. You hear me. Stay awake." It became a mantra, 'stay wake Tom, just stay awake'. Slowly Tom began closing his eyes again, Alex glanced at his watch. Four minutes past. What the hell was MI6 doing?!

"Al, I'm really tired. You sure I can't sleep? Sleep is supposed to be a great healer right?" Tom said drowsily. Alex chuckled breathlessly.

"Not this time Tommy. You need to stay awake. Just a little longer, okay? Just a little longer." Tom's eyes were drooping.

"Don't..call me..Tommy..asshole.." Alex smiled.

"Yeah, yeah alright, sorry Tom. Just kinda slipped out."

"Yeah you..better be sorry..Al..your such a girl…don't cry.." Alex brought a hand to his eyes and was startled to find them wet.

"Can't help it. I have this stupid best friend and he got himself injured."

"What..an idiot." Alex nodded.

"Yeah, a real moron." Tom smiled and his eyes slid shut.

"Tom? Tom?! No, no Tom. Please, their close. Please Tom. Tom! TOM!" Alex shook him, begging him to open his eyes. Suddenly he felt something hit the back of his neck. He fell into darkness.

When Alex opened his eyes he was in a white room. Glancing around he saw it was a hospital. Tom..what had happened to Tom? Alex thought frantically. He tried to move but found he couldn't. Desperately he struggled. He needed to move. He needed to know Tom was alright. Suddenly he saw red. He panicked before Jack's face came into view. He tried to talk but no sound came out. Jack was crying, reaching down he felt her hug him close. Alex tried to get her attention, to ask where Tom was but she just kept sobbing. Slowly he began to hear what she was saying.

"..sorry, I'm so sorry. Tom didn't deserve that. He didn't. I'm sorry Alex. I'm so sorry." Alex froze. Tom was gone? No, not possible. MI6 was supposed to be there. They were supposed to save him. Besides, Tom was Tom. He couldn't be gone. Alex felt something on his cheeks and realized he was crying. No, he couldn't cry. People cried when they lost something. Alex hadn't lost Tom. He couldn't have. Not Tom. Never To. But the tears kept falling. No. No no no no no.. suddenly he felt it. A fog. It called to him, beckoning him to hide in its depths. Away from all the pain and sorrow. Alex fell into it blissfully.

Alex opened his eyes. Looking around he saw three new lumps in the beds around him. Feeling something wet he reached up and wiped away a stray tear. Alex vaguely wondered what he had dreamt about before once again falling into sleep.