Finally Free - Alex Rider

Chapter One

"Welcome to hell, kid".

Those first words managed to send a shiver down my spine as I stared out the window, up at the misty grey sky. It was likely to rain this evening, not that I minded. But it was a fact that stuck clearly in my mind as we passed through the rough iron gates, the emblem of the SAS and 'Who Dares Wins' posted on the pillar. I was back. Again. To this personal hell hole of a training camp.

Brecon Beacons.

Not that it was a personal choice of course, I reminded myself as the truck stopped and I jumped out. I had been given the usual uniform, combat trousers, black boots, dark green short sleeved shirt, and a camouflage jacket in which the sleeves were currently rolled up to my elbows.

Grabbing my bag from the back and slinging it over my left shoulder, I nodded a quick thanks at the driver, before finding my way down to the familiar building.

The other soldiers stared at me as I passed, half of them wondering who the new recruit was, the others wondering why I had no one leading the way, yet I still walked in the correct direction with an air of confidence around me like I had gone this way many times before even though they had never seen me. So. Yea. It was pretty complicated.

I gave a sharp, single knock on the door, and a second later, was given the order to come in. I quickly opened it, stepping inside and closing it behind me, before standing to attention.

The colonel stared at me for a minute before smirking, "At ease solider."

I relaxed slightly, allowing myself to look down at the man sitting behind his desk. Colonel John Philips. Been a while since I saw him. He looked me up and down, both a mixture of shock and awe passing over his features.

"Well... You've certainly certaintly changed!" he finally said and I didn't blame him for being so shocked. I HAD changed. My blond hair had gotten slightly darker and was shorter and spiked up. My dark brown eyes were more serious and dangerous looking. I had seen too many things in my short life. Horrible things.

"You've grown" he continued.

"Tends to happen, sir."I replied with a small smirk and he grinned.

"Yes. I suppose it does. How tall are you now?"

"6ft 1 sir." I replied and he whistled.

"Last I saw you Cub, you were barely 5ft 7. And you were remarkably younger looking. 14, wasn't it?"

"Yes sir," I confirmed and he nodded.

"14 years old... Bloody MI6... And how old are you now? 20? 21?"

"19 sir, I only just turned 19." I replied and he looked up surprised.

"19? Your only 19 years old? And yet your still MI6's best agent?"

"Well, I wouldn't say their best agent..." I started and rubbed my arm but he cut me off

"Cub. You've had over 30 successful missions. And not a single bad one. Clean record. Very few people have ever managed to get even close to that."

I remained silent, simply nodding once.

Sighing, he glanced down at the file on his desk, "Alex Rider. 19 years old. MI6. That sound about right?"

"Yes sir" I replied simply.

"And your here because...?" The Colonel trailed off and I couldn't hold back the surprised look that crossed my features.

"MI6 didn't tell you sir?"

"Wouldn't be a first" he muttered and I smiled slightly.

"Protection sir. That's why I'm here".