(Alex Rider Fanfiction) Floating in the Dark

Eighteen

Ian locked up his bike, and with his bag slung over a shoulder, walked into the school. He was fairly early, so there weren't that many students in the halls. Just as he passed the boy's bathroom, the janitor stepped out of it, pushing a cart of cleaning supplies right into Ian's path.

"Oh, sorry," the janitor apologized.

"I'm sure you are, Joseph," Ian muttered, stepping around the cart. He cast a covert glare at Wolf, who didn't look sorry at all.

"Don't call me that, Cub," Wolf hissed back. He cast a quick glance around to make sure that nobody was watching them, then stepped closer. "I'm supposed to tell you. That Jasmine girl - she doesn't know that you used to be-" Wolf stopped, seeing the expression on Ian's face. A small frown crossed his own face, but he went on. "You're supposed to keep that classified. Don't tell her anything about what happened or what you did, all right?"

Ian backed up, scowling. "I didn't do anything!" he exclaimed, while trying to keep his voice low. "That wasn't me!"

Wolf just looked at him, and Ian could read the concern and sympathy there. It irritated him to no end. He didn't do anything, so he didn't need the man's pity! Wolf must've seen it on his face, because he quickly backtracked.

"All right, all right. Take it easy, kid. I just want to make sure you understand that you need to be careful around her. She's CIA, and she'll dig for any information she can get. Just keep it tight, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ian mumbled. "I got it."

"Good." Wolf noticed a few students approaching, and raised his voice. "Now, if you find out anything about who was flushing cigarettes down the toilet, you let me know, you hear?"

"Sure, Joseph. You'll be the first to know." Ian adjusted his bag, and walked away. He could feel Wolf's hard gaze on the back of his head, and he could just imagine that pitying look in the man's eyes. His hands clenched.

Why was Wolf pitying him? He didn't do anything! There was nothing, so why? Why that look?

ARARA

The morning passed by fairly smoothly, although Ian still couldn't make much sense out of what the instructors were talking about. He hoped that Jasmine would be a good tutor, but he wasn't getting his hopes up. It looked like he was doomed to fail this year.

So, everything was going well. Lunch hour came.

And then he screwed up.

He had decided to eat his lunch outside so that he could be by himself. It would become annoying if people wanted to talk to him, and try to find out more about him. Ian found a nice big tree, and sat in its shade, leaning back against its sturdy trunk.

As he ate his lunch, he leaned his head back, and stared up at the leafy mass above him. Silence, save for the flock of birds chirping in the tree's branches. Silence, save for the wind rustling through the leaves. It was nice. Ian relaxed for the first time in a long while, listening to the quiet sounds. Peaceful. . .

"N-noooooo!" A girl's scream shattered that silence into a billion pieces. It came so suddenly that Ian was startled jerking forward, which resulted in a spilled lunch.

Ian sucked in a shaky breath, eyes widening. He'd just realized that his right hand had automatically dropped to his right pocket, feeling around for a -

- a gun.

No, no, no. He clenched that hand into a fist, and brought it away. That - It. . .I didn't do that. Just forget it.

"St-stop it! Please, don't!"

Ian got to his knees, and peered around the tree. The source of all the noise was a rather pretty girl. Long black hair, almond-shaped eyes, about five-four. . . She was surrounded by about four rough-looking characters. Oh, wait. . .there was a male figure curled up on the ground.