AN- Well, another story for the Alex Rider fandom! Yeah...this one's been bugging me to write it. I thought I'd just post it as a chapter due to DrewtheSeagull, so you can thank him/her for that, guys! Erm, bearing in mind that I haven't yet finished The Price of Collar, updates may be sporadic on this fic- so I need you to give me a boost, guys! I'm putting on extra work for you, so seriously- review! Anyway, here we have it! Newly titled The Eyes Tell (Mostly) All thanks to Brackenfern! I'm sorry if I didn't use yours (particularly Titler- it was a close runner, I just thought that the part about him being changed into a girl for 7 years may've not quite fitted with the story- but thank you so much! It was a close call!), but thank you for helping me out!

(PS. It's short cos it's a prologue. Sorry 'bout that, but the chapters will be longer later on!)

Anyway! Onwards and upwards, fellow soldiers!

PROLOGUE-

Alex opened his eyes.

The sound of a thumping clock reverberated uncomfortably through the thick silence of the house- like stifled breathing in an airless room.

Sighing, pushing himself out of bed, Alex shuffled towards the door of his room and swung it open, muttering as he stubbed his toe on the side in his drowsiness.

Heading towards the bathroom, Alex didn't withhold a sigh of bliss as warm water ran smoothly down his back and shoulder- allowing him to relax for once without the fear of some sort of attack.

Although I'm sure some assassins wouldn't have any qualms at barging in and shooting me whilst I'm showering, he mused.

His body stiffened.

Well, that just put a dampener on his enjoyment.

Sighing once again (it was obviously becoming a habit), he turned to shower off and dried himself off before stepping into his clothes, pausing to push a hand through his hair before exiting the bathroom to head downstairs and get some breakfast.

Humming some vague song,Alex pushed some bread in the toaster and leaned against the work surface until he heard it pop, collecting it, cursing as it burnt his hands, and successfully dropping it on the floor.

"Damn!" the shout was unexpected even to him and he clapped his mouth shut, eyes wide and heart pounding at the abruptness of the noise.

Silence crouched low and watched him with savage eyes.

Calming his thundering heartbeat and silently reprimanding the fear that shot through him, he tried to calm down (though his stifled breaths were thunderous in the immense silence. Loud loud loud). It was OK, he decided, though the shaking in his hands didn't seem to agree with him. It's OK, Alex, you just surprised yourself, OK? But he couldn't seem to fully calm down as he tried starting up his mindless humming (except it wasn't mindless anymore) again, deciding to abandon his toast to the predator of the floor and trail into the living room, still humming softly under his breath.

"TV. TV always helps to calm people down," he murmured, trying to ignore the fact that he spoke in barely a whisper, stubbornly attributing it to the fact that he didn't usually talk to himself, and so was just sparing himself the personal embarrassment.

Wandering to the television, forcing himself to relax his tense back muscles and act casual, he leaned over and pressed on.

He jerked back as noise screamed into the room.

The noise was blaring and cut through the silence of the house in obnoxious and frightening clarity. Eyes wide and breaths shallow in his chest, he dropped to the floor momentarily, stunned by the loudness of the noise. Sucking in panicked breaths, scrambling for the remote and cursing under his breath, Alex desperately tried to find it within the cracks between the sofa. Tears almost sprung to his eyes as the noise continued to shout over the silence. Almost hunching down, Alex finally found the remote and with clumsy fingers, one hand pressed over his ear, he managed to turn the sound onto mute.

And suddenly now the Silence was deafening.

Gasping out breaths, Alex struggled up to a standing position- sure that at any moment something word burst from within the confines of Silence and pounce on him. Slowly, he backed away, flinched as Silence leered at him, decided that he couldn't take it anymore and ran out of the room, grabbing up his jacket and keys, unlocking the door, and diving out before Silence could claim him.

As Sunlight grasped him in a firm and friendly hold, Alex allowed his tension to leave him. This is better, he decided as he hopped down the steps of his house, hands burrowed securely in his pockets. No more quiet. That's good.

Outside always had a sound. Whether it was the sound of cars on the street, birds singing lustily up to the heavens or wind passing apologetically through trees, bushes and grass; there was always some little orchestra playing here or there.

It was relaxing.

Alex found himself sitting on a bench (no need to hum here) and wishing that he had eaten the toast, grumbling as he realised that when he got back, he was going to have to clean up the mess he had made on the kitchen floor.

Briefly, Alex allowed himself to close his eyes and forget about the screams of memories that clawed for outoutout in his head, letting the calmness of outdoors was over him. This was nice. No running from bullets or making up lies here.

Just him; the trees, the bench and-

Ring! Ring! Ring!

He peeled one eye open.

Of course.

He was always interrupted just when he was enjoying himself.

With a less than gracious look on his face, he tugged out the phone from his trouser pockets and snapped it open. "Yes?" he demanded.

"Alex Rider, it has come to our attention that-"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, cutting the sweet voice off. Then, speaking louder, he tipped his head to the sky, staring wistfully up at it. "I'll be there in ten,"

"We'll send a car," came the automatic response.

"No, I'll-" Alex cut himself off, hesitating. "OK," he grumbled. "Fine," might as well sit and enjoy it where he could.

"A car will arrive to your location shortly."

Alex didn't even bother asking how they knew where he was, and just hung up, stuffing the phone back into his pocket and closing his eyes again. Well, there went goodbye to his relaxing day of nothingness.

Perfect.

The car did indeed arrive 'shortly'- which was a disappointment to Alex who was just enjoying the not-quite-silence of the area around him when he heard the sound of a car engine. Alex sat up as the sound of footsteps approached him and a man stood in front of him.

"Alex Rider?" the deep voice was somewhat threatening in it's lowness.

Alex pulled back, stammering. "N-no! Who are you? W-what do you want?" he drew his arms protectively up to his chest.

The man paused. "Sorry, son. Forget you ever saw me,"

Alex dropped the act, rolling his eyes and letting his posture drop back into that of himself. "It was a joke. You sounded like you needed a bit of laughter in your life, right?" he grinned up at the man.

The man, or Agent did not seem impressed at all. "You're wasting time. Follow me,"

Alex's eyes lost their cheer and his countenance suddenly went cold. "Badge," he barked out, thrusting a hand forward.

He closed his hand as the Agent dropped the badge into his open hand. Glaring suspiciously at the item and flipping it over, Alex twisted it upside down and around, tapping at the badge and "hmm"ing in a critical way. Finally done, he handed it back to the exasperated Agent, nodding sharply and standing up. "You'll do," he clapped his hands. "Well then? Let's go!"

Growling lowly, a little insulted now at haven been given this job, he turned sharply on one heel and led the teen to the car.

The journey was uneventful- a little boring as the Agent had clammed up and only spoke to snap at Alex to "shut up" in which Alex had retorted with a muttered "touchy", almost hearing the tightness of the Agent's fists around the steering wheel.

Finally, they arrived, and Alex hopped out of the car, waving wildly as the Agent gratefully sped away, calling after him to "not forget me!"

It would only be later that the Agent would find a piece of paper with 'Alex' written on it in swirly letters coupled with his number and a 'Call me' followed by a winky face.

Needless to say, that bit of paper ended up in his fire the following second.

Jogging up the stairs and into the building, Alex ignored the people milling about inside, and carefully stepped up towards the lift, waiting to hear it ping before near diving inside and pressing the right button towards the floor that he needed.

Whistling softly to himself, Alex twitched as he heard the door ping and then hesitantly exited, treading towards the right door and counting softly and needlessly under his breath.

Reaching the right door, he knocked once and entered.

"I would appreciate it if you waited to be called in before entering," the cool voice of Mr Blunt flowed into his ears.

Alex feigned a distressed expression. "Sorry about that! I just, you know, love being in here so much that I just sometimes forget. This is, after all, like the home I've never wanted," so saying, he flopped into the chair in front of the desk and glared at the person behind it.

"That's nice to hear," was the dry reply. "But you haven't been called here to banter." a pause, a shuffling of papers on the desk. Suspiciously, Alex's eyes followed the movement. "You've been called here for a new mission,"

Alex's eyes widened. "Are you being serious?" he near shrieked. "But I only came here because I thought you'd arranged to have a teddy bear picnic with me!" he dragged one shaking hand down his face. "This is terrible! I made up Belinda Bear specifically because I thought that's what we were going to do!"

"Enough!" Blunt snapped, silencing Alex. "This is an important mission that you will accept, Alex,"

Alex sobered.

"Good." Mr Blunt got down to business. "Now, here's the-"

Alex jumped as the door slammed open, turning to stare at the person who had just flung themselves into the office.

"Blunt. What are you doing?" the voice belonged to Mrs Jones- and she didn't sound pleased.

"I am merely discussing with Alex what his next mission will be,"

Alex winced at the sharp intake of breath. "Blunt," she hissed, striding over to his side. "I thought we'd talked about this!"

"And we had," he cut in smoothly. "I just made up my mind,"

"And?" the question was tense, Alex found himself holding his breath along with Mrs Jones.

"And he is too good to lose," Mr Blunt finished easily.

"Alan!" Mrs Jones near-slammed her hand on the desk. "We can't-"

"We have, Tulip," Mr Blunt interrupted coldly. "We have already used him, and he has proved his worth,"

"But can't you see? This is too far! Using him before was a little-"

"Can I speak?" Alex complained, rubbing his hand against the leather of the chair.

"No," Mrs Jones snapped before turning back to Alan Blunt, ignoring Alex who grumbled about people needing to loosen up nowadays. "This is too far, Blunt! We can't do this anymore!"

"Why not?"

The question seemed to make Mrs Jones freeze.

Alex looked up.

Mr Blunt repeated the question slowly, burningly. "Why not, Mrs Jones?"

Audibly, she swallowed, glancing down at the teen who was staring at her. "Because..."

"Because?"

Alex gritted his teeth, glaring at the woman, daring her to say it, to say it, to say-

"Because he's blind!" she burst out finally, her voice loud and awkward in the tense room. She dragged a hand down her face, twisting her head the other way. "He's blind, Alan."

Alex closed his sightless eyes.

How he hated that word.

Blind.

And when Mr Blunt next spoke, his voice was cold, ice.

"Your point, Mrs Jones?"

AN- There you are! Now, you know what I said! Review, please! It's the only thing that will make me give you updates on this at least closer to a happy timing! I don't mind what you have to say (unless it's utterly evil), so please say it! Tell me what you think, and you should be hearing from me soon!