"Do you know who I am?"

The newest madman attempting to take over the world raised an elegantly sculpted eyebrow in a manner that suggested he regularly practiced the expression in a mirror.

"Should I?"

Alex Rider smiled. Not a pleasant well-in-that-case-I'll-introduce-myself-and-we-can-be-best-friends smile, but more of a this-is-going-to-be-the-last-thing-you-ever-see smile.

Wolf, who was watching the confrontation along with the rest of K-Unit, was mildly impressed at this intimidation tactic and resolved to try it sometime.

"Yes." said Alex in the tone of voice that made Ben Daniels- who was also present, and who had spent quite a bit of time with the teenager – want to go and hide behind a sofa.

"But as you don't," Alex continued. "I'll tell you a bit about myself."

You could practically see Wolf, Snake and Eagle's ears prick up at the suggestion that they may finally get to hear a little about the mysterious Cub.

"I am Alex Rider. I am fourteen years old. I am the youngest and best secret agent MI6 has ever had. I've been trained to be a spy since before I could walk. I once jumped out of a fifteen story window because I was curious. I snowboarded down a mountain on an ironing board, and then went back up it to blow up a helicopter with a snowmobile. I surfed the Cribber whilst being chased by assassins from the Big Circle. I hurled myself off a jetty on a skateboard into order to get onto a boat that I then set fire to. I've killed a man with an electromagnet. I snuck onto the private yacht of Yassen Gregorovich and held a gun to his head, then walked away alive. I defeated five assassins on motorbikes whilst on a bicycle by blowing up a hot dog stand and throwing myself across the gap in an opening bridge. I survived a live version of Gameslayer, Feathered Serpent. I BASE jumped off a cliff to break into secure compound funded by Scorpia. I defeated one of Scorpia's best assassins on a hot air balloon. I got shot in the chest and fought off four would-be kidnappers before I was even released from hospital, then tightrope walked from a burning building. I kite-surfed from Flamingo Bay to Barbados. I went into space and took out an assassin whilst in zero gravity. I canoed through rapids and over a waterfall in a makeshift canoe. I've faced a Portuguese-man-o'-war, a great white shark, a bull, a boa constrictor and a tiger."

As Alex spoke, deadly calm and ice cold, the unfortunate power-hungry maniac shuffled backwards, his eyes growing wide and fearful. By the time Alex had finished, the poor criminal mastermind was absolutely terrified.

Alex bared his teeth in a vague approximation of a grin.

"I have a word of advice for you, my misguided friend. Run."

And the madman did. He ran as though the hounds of hell were after him. Some of MI6's people, who were surrounding the area, quickly took care of him (it was later said that the hysterical man had to be sedated). K-Unit simply stood and gaped at Alex – even Ben. Wolf was the first to speak.

"Cub...that was incredible. How the hell did you come up with all of that on the spot?"

Alex stared for a moment, then blinked and shrugged.

"I guess I just have an overactive imagination."