A Chronicle of Alex's Adventure with CHERUB

Disclaimer: Some things are priceless, for everything else there is MasterCard. Unfortunately, Alex Rider and CHERUB are two things you can't buy with MasterCard. Trust me; I would know.

AN: This story has been fully written. I shall post a chapter each week.

Alex spun around to catch the foot aiming for his head. It would be ironic, he mused, if his schoolmates were doing self-defence in PE right now. These thoughts were soon shattered as he caught the foot yet again. He sighed. It was obvious that the man had no sense of style or creativity. All he did was hit, parry, kick and block. Any hopes Alex had of an interesting fight winked out of existence. He quickly ended it with a sharp jab to his opponent's neck and wondered idly what Tom was having for lunch.

xox

The stares were hard not to notice as Alex entered through the main gates of his school, but he had grown used to them after a year since he had become a spy. It wasn't very hard to ignore whispers when you were used to more dangerous things.

He strode confidently, making his way straight towards his one and only friend: Tom Harris. The other boy joined him at the gate, bombarding him with questions about his latest mission and pleas for Alex to train him to be as 'awesome' as the spy was.

Since his meeting with Snakehead, Alex had started training harder. This meant that most missions were completed with less risks and he wasn't caught as often. Additionally, Blunt and Jones started teaching him tricks to being Head of MI6, because they wanted him as their protégé. All in all, things had taken a turn for the better.

In class, the lockdown bell sounded, but no one reacted, as everyone thought it was a drill. Minutes later however, people started looking worried when a series of gunshots were fired.

Alex was texting MI6 about the situation, when a notification on the intercom sounded.

"Alex Rider, please come to the Principal's office. Immediately."

Alex's teacher nodded when Alex glanced to him for permission. He got out of his seat and quickly made his way to the office, all the while formulating a plan of attack.

As he arrived at his destination, Alex checked the hallways for any classmates or teachers. It wouldn't do for any of his peers to witness what was about to happen.

He threw open the door, ducking the bullets aimed at his head. Immediately, his foot snapped out, catching one man's shins. The man fell to the ground as Alex swung around to block the punch aimed at his head, and jumped over the man who had fallen, managing to land a foot on the man's groin.

He dealt with the second man using a strike to the head followed by a hard punch to the solar plexus. He dodged the retaliatory kick aiming for his nose, and punched the cartilage of the final attacker's nose into the back of his head.

A loud noise attracted his attention, and he spun swiftly as four burly men burst through the door. Spotting the SAS insignia on their uniforms and recognizing their faces, he allowed himself to relax slightly.

"Took a while, didn't you?"

Later, Alex was debriefing in Blunt's office, K-Unit waiting outside in the lobby.

"Today's incident was… rather unfortunate. However, you managed to prevent it from escalating further," the older man intoned. Alex knew this was as close to a compliment that he would ever receive from him.

"The captives will be held in the cells, while we… interview them to decide their fate." As always, he had a remarkable ability to understate everything he said. Looking at Alex through hooded lids that hid the sharpest eyes in Britain, he continued. "The question is – what are you going to do now?"

Alex thought for a while. His school would probably be attacked again if he continued to go, and though he would miss seeing Tom, it would be much safer for all his classmates if he left school. They may have made his life miserable, but he didn't want them to die because of him.

Besides, MI6 would probably be able to teach him anything he needed to know, and he himself would be safer in military territory.

Explaining his reasons, he told Blunt his decision.

Blunt nodded sagely, then the two sat for a while, as Blunt did . . . whatever it was he was doing. After a while of awkwardness, the man proceeded to call in K-Unit.

His eyes even flashed with a smile – if such things were possible – but Alex dismissed it as a trick of the light and exited, stage left.

So. Thoughts? Review!