Alex Rider: A Billionaires Paradise

Blinding Reflection

(WARNING! This part is supposed to be after ''Elastic Bands.'' I am not sure if this problem is showing on your side, but for me, it shows this part before. If it isn't showing for you, lucky you. If it is, skip this part and go onto the next one. Read this one after.)

Alex woke up. His entire room was lit up in strips, in a lovely golden yellow. A quick look at his watch told him that it was only 7:30. He opened the blinds, which had blocked most of the sun, and was almost istantly blinded. He failed out, and managed to grab ahold of the toggle. He yanked it down, and he could see, through his shut eyelids, that the room was dimmer than before. This confused alex, as his wind was facing north. He timidly opened the blind again, being careful not to temporarily blind himself. Looking outside, he noticed the sun, bouncing of a skyscraper, and being magnified as it came in through the window. After a few minutes, the sun was too high to bounce of the building in the same way, and the room was much duller. Alex felt alot better. Whatever long-named drug they'd been giving him, was wearing off, and he felt much more alert. He was able to recall things from the day before a lot easier. For example, he remembered earsdropping on...
He remembered hearing something bad, but he couldn't remember what. Maybe he hadn't actually heard it. Something about Michael being bad? Oh well. Remembering could wait. He had a breakfast to eat.

Alex tucked in to a proper, nutritious meal. He could tell by the taste, and perfectly crafted texture, that it took more than Jacks trademark 10 minutes. He had asked for some more simple meal, like Jacks scrambled eggs, but they had jokingly refused, saying that the ten minute recipes were too difficult. Perhaps it was to make sure that they didn't get spotted, handing out simple meals. Perhaps it was a way of getting nutrients, and minerals into rich people, as easily as possible. Either way, alex wasn't particularly against the top class food, and the meals that he would most certainly miss.

From the eggs, to the vegetables, to the perfectly roasted ham, he would take his time. MI6 could wait. He was eating scrambled eggs. A few minutes later, alex was half wheel, half walked, to the Xray room. He lay down, with his knee under the machine. Everyone left, and alex heard the machine make some noise. Everyone walked back in, and alex was shown his knee. Compared to what it had looked like before, it looked alot more complete. From there, he was wheeled straight to the infection specialist. Some more good news. The infection was past being professionally treated. He would be supplied with enough anti-infection pills, and sent home within a few days. His leg strength was improving by the hour, and he was able to walk properly, without much pain, and without needing to limp. Alex had been given a treadmill for Christmas, and he was advised to walk at least three kilometers each day. He would probably walk six, for entertainment. His playstation just wasn't cutting it any more. Maybe it was becuase he could personally say that first person shooters are inaccurate, and that it wasn't as simple as pulling the trigger, or maybe he was just too old for it. He walked back to his room, and was asked whether he'd rather pack up himself, or have someone do it for him. He politely declined, saying that he was fine. Nurse Evergreen had learnt that alex rarely wanted help, and that it was best not to offer it sometimes. Alex was packing away his Ipod, when he decided to just test it, one last time. He pointed it at the wall again, and he heard Michael talking hurriedly into his phone.
"What do you mean....but they should.....yes.....but I need.....look find something.......yes......find a way......ok......just do it.....goodbye."
Hmm. That sounded very boring. Maybe he wasn't evil, and I was just dreaming, or having some sort of delusion. Oh well. At least I get to go soon.
Alex put the final few things back into his bag, and plonked it down next to the door. According to the hospital policy, he wasn't allowed to leave, unless a driver, with appropriate identification, who had booked a car, was present. Alex had been informed that he was to be picked up by an MI6 agent, and driven to his house. He walked to the lift with his bag, and he was about to forget his phone charger, but he juuust managed to get out of the lift before the doors shut. He walked swiftly back to the room, and unplugged the charger, and walked out again. He went down the lift, and walked out into the reception. He walked over to the receptionist, and she showed him a picture of the driver. This was presumably to prevent kidnapping. Even though he didn't recognise the driver, no one would attempt to kidnap alex rider. Unless they wanted to be knocked unconcious, and left sleeping in a puddle, most people tended to stay away. He walked through the doors, experiencing his first proper breathe of unventelated air. Since last time, patients weren't allowed to leave. He walked out, escorted by a guard, to the waiting car. He got in, and without even waiting for alex to put on his seat belt, the driver sped off, to wherever they would drive. He looked out of the window, his eyes flickering in the way that they do, as he observed the constantly moving landscape. He began noticing things, that he wasn't supposed to notice. He saw a shop, that he wasn't supposed to see, unless he was going down a different road. They also missed a turn, that they should have taken. He also saw a sign, in the most boring font possible. 'Royal and Ge'. He couldn't see the rest. But he knew what it said. When he had last visited this building, he hadnt been able to stand unassisted. This time, he waltzed in, completely alone, walking barely noticeably one sided. He walked in, stopping momentarily to say the apropriate passwords. He went to step into the lift, but he took the stairs. His weakened leg was aching by the third floor, and he had to get into the lift there. He pressed the button, and the finger print sensor behind it detected that it was him, and automatically alerted Mrs Jones. He disembarked from the lift, and stepped put into a long, bland corridor. Apart from a water dispenser, it was completely empty. He got a sense of déjà vu, as he walked towards Mrs Jones' office. Pushing ope  the door, he got a scent of fresh coffee, and he sat down.
Mrs Jones unwrapped a mint, and began talking.
"Alex! I'm glad your back. How was your stay?"
"Good. Although, all the nurses kept trying to help me with really simple things. I got a bit annoying."
"Remember that the nurses are used to dealing with rich snobs who'd go put of their way to make someone else do something for them."
"Yeah. My legs feeling alot better. Although I'm still not fully mobile. I need a few weeks break."
"I respect that. You deserve a break. Do you plan on leaving London for any long time?"
"No, last time I ended up blowing up a multi million dollar space station. Also, jack needs to work."
"If you need anything, just call us. We owe you at least 5 cities."
"I will. Also, the drivers really need to tell me where they're driving me. If I had been slightly drousy from something, then someone would end up getting killed."
"Yes. Sorry, they don't really like acting as a chauffeur. It makes then feel...demoted. Not literally, but they feel embarrassed."
"I understand that. Unless you have anything else to say, I'd like to get home."
"Do you want a driver."
"No. I'll walk."
Alex felt a lot better after talking with Mrs Jones. Jack would be glad that he was staying at home. He stood in the mirrored box, as he descended three floors. He walked out, and stepping out to cross the road, his chest had a flash of pain, as he remembered the time that he'd been shot in that exact stretch of path. He walked the few kilometers on paths, for the first time in a a couple of weeks. He walked through the parks, cutting through some ally ways. He arrived back at his house, and walked in. Jack was sitting down, at the kitchen table, looking into the computer. Alex kew that she was working, and he attempted to sneak up the stairs. Unfortunately, Jack heard the door open and close. She almost knocked her chair over, as she excitedly jumped up, and ran through the hall, sock less. She wrapped alex in an uncomfortable bear hug.
"You're back!"
"Really? I didn't notice."
"How's your leg? Did they treat you ok? How was the food? Who did you meet?"
"Good, yes, brilliant. I met some actors, but alot of them ignored me. I was watching the semi's, and it turns out, Michael Macintosh is a chealsea fan."
"But he lives in Scotland? Why would he have a favourite English team?"
"I didnt ask. Maybe it's a player. They did buy that celtic player. Oh well."
"Do you want me to help you with your bag? I can put on a cuppa. We could watch a movie? How about some popcorn?"
"Actually, I'd like to watch the F-E race. I'm interested in the engines and stuff. Did you know that some electric cars can tank turn?"
"No, I didn't. Now that you say that, I think there's a rally in the country side. We could go to that if you want?"
"Maybe let's stick to the televised race. Maybe though. Oh, can you make me a hot chocolate? Thanks!"
Alex hauled his luggage up the stairs, his legs barely protesting. He put away his clean clothes, and put his used ones in the wash. He walked downstairs, and turned on the television. He tuned into the channel, and just managed to catch the beginning of a race. The final light turned on, just as he tuned in. He relaxed, as Jack walked in, holding a tray with two mugs. Alex's took the mug, and he felt that satisfactory burning sensation in the fingers. He let the beverage cool down, and he almost let it go cold, as the race truly began. The field spread out, and the leaders began to pull away from the rest of the pack. There was a minor scraping between two cars. Red and green (alex's hadn't seen the team colours). The safety car had to be deployed, and both cars pulled into the pit stop for inspection. One was to badly damaged to continue, and the driver got out, smacking his hand against the wall. The other car had to have its two back tires replaced, it had braked suddenly, and they ended up changing all of them. Meanwhile, up in the lead pack, there had been a mild scuffle between a Dragon, and an Audi. One of then had been forced off the track, and an investigation deemed that the offender was to be disqualified. The rest of the race went by rather uneventful, until the final lap, when the remaining three from the leaders had a drafting, overtaking, and dangerous driving battle, for the lead. The DS Techeetah pulled ahead last minute, followed by the BMW, and the Jaguar. By this point, alex had finished his hot chocolate, and jack had gone back to work. He realised that it had been two hours, and that it was nearly dinner time. Alex turned off the TV, and turned on his treadmill. He turned it to the apropriate speed, and stepped on. He walked a few kilometres, before his knee began to hurt. He had a shower, and then went downstairs for dinner. It felt good to be back at home, and the thought that he wasn't about to go on a mission, and that he had to heal as much as possible, before he was shipped off to another country, to get beaten up again. He sat down, remembering the food he'd been fed at the hospital. He understood now, why people said that people sometimes faked being sick. He tucked into the 15 minute stir-fry. Nevermind. This was waaay better.