Alex Rider: A Billionaires Paradise

The Rider Effect

"What was the delay about!?"
"Alex let me explain, we had some technical problems."
"Oh, it was a glitch? Or did someone hack into the mainframe?"
"Not like that. We had someone investigating Blair's involvement. If you did anything, we'd be risking the operation."
"Was I not even allowed a heads up? You couldn't even just say 'be careful'?"
"There's nothing we can do about it now. You dealt with it well, and we extracted our agent in the snake heads as soon as we heard."
"You're right. You can't do anything about it. What happened to Blair? Out of curiosity."
"He was arrested, and we used their trucks to secretly extract the contraband. The staff their have been told that the gunshots where some tests. So far, they seem to believe it. Blairs's in questioning, and we have reason to believe that the snake heads may have been planning to cut ties. From what we understand, the gun delivery was a one off, Blair trying not to lose their support. We are still trying to think of a cover up story. Our current story is that he used illegal shipping to transport his cars. Something along those lines. As for you, we have granted you 5 weeks of recovery. We don't have any missions as of yet, so you may well have longer than that."
"As long as there isn't a significant risk to my life I'm fine."

"There shouldn't be."
"Unless there's anything else, I'll show myself out."

He walked out of her office, went down the lift, through the reception and out onto the street. He flagged down a taxi, and got in. When he got home, he saw jack, at the kitchen table. She looked like she was in serious contemplation. She didn't even react when he opened the door. He closed it, and stepped cautiously down the hallway. When he got to the kitchen, he spoke.

"Hey jack."
She visibly jumped.
"Oh. I didn't see you there."
"Sorry. I just got back from the bank."
"What did they say?"
"I'm to fully recover, and they haven't got anything for me yet."
"OK. Look, Alex we need to talk."
"Oh. Is something wrong?"
"I don't know. So when I saw my family, you were in Scotland, we had a serious conversation."
"Oh." Now he knew it was serious.
"My father is very ill. And my mother is unable to look after herself very well. And they were petty sure this would be my last chance to see my dad. And with my mother, they think that it would be very helpful if I went over to help. I don't know for how long."
"By all means, don't let me stop you. If you need to go, go."
She look at him meaningfully.
"Thanks Alex. But it just isn't that simple. I'm afraid that if I go back to America, I'll probably not come back. At least, not to live here."

"Oh. Well...I don't know what to think."
"It's just, if you get hurt, and you come home I won't be there."

Jack was tearing up.

"And I'll always be wondering when the next video call will be, or the next phone call. And one day they'll stop."
"No. I'll never do that. I'll call every weekend. Every time that I can."
"Thank you Alex. It means a lot to me."

Alex stood up, and embraced jack. So it was finally happening. He was experiencing the rider effect again. Everyone around him was leaving and getting hurt. And this time, it was for good.