Alex Rider: Trouble Never Stops

Planning and Waiting

Mrs. Jones' POV 

"All right, you have 10 seconds to explain why you let this happened, then I want to see the email." she heard Alex, bursting through Tulip Jones' office, followed by Agent Daniels. 

She looked up at the angry young man. 

"Alex, I'm very sorry, but it happened in the middle of the night. We had cameras and alarms set up, but the intruder managed to shut them off. we only saw the footage...or lack of it...In the morning." she told him calmly 

"Fine. Now where is she? What did the email say?"

"It's a video. Would you like to watch it?" she asked, thinking he might not want to

"ill watch it, it's fine." he said, walking towards her desk, followed by Danials 

"Alright." she said, waking up her desktop computer, and pulling up the video.

She turned the screen slightly so the 2 others could see it.

Alex's POV

Mrs Jones turned the screen.

The video showed a middle aged, dark haired and brown eyed man backing up from pressing record, showing a plain, grey brick walled room.

"Hello, friends at MI6. I won't bother introducing myself, as you can discover that information yourself if you wish. I believe I have something you would like."

He moved to the side to reveal Jack, with a gag in her mouth, hands tied to a wooden chair. 

Alex had to resist calling out, remembering that it just was a recording. He was strangely relieved to see she looked unhurt, and still struggling against the rope. 

"She is a good friend of Alex Rider, if I am correct, and I would be willing to give her to him. only him. I do need a few other things though. See, the company I work for has fallen into a bit of a hard time lately. We need a little financial help getting back on our feet.  Four hundred thousand dollars would suit us well. I do seem to like that number. Also, a few of my colleagues seem to be...missing. You should know where they are. If you could sent Alex with the money and a printed list of the locations of at least, say, 15 of my co workers and their associates, I will be willing to let this lovely lady go. There is an address attached to this message. The 2 of us will be there at 11:00 tonight. If he is there, she will be unharmed and untouched. If not, you can come the next night, and even the next, but she might get lonely. I might have to...entertain her.", the man said, looking back at Jack with a twisted smile.

 Alex's knuckles turned white against the edge of the desk. If he lays one finger on her....

The video interrupted his thought

"I want Alex Rider there, alone, with one driver. if not, then no deal."

The video ended, and Mrs Jones spoke.

"The man is Brendan Chase, a known Scorpia executive board member. He escaped his prison about a week ago, and this is the first we've heard from him sense. Ironically, 4 hundred thousand is the amount he stole from the ASAS upon ...retirement. He then joined Scorpia. Apparently, he's trying to bring it back to its former glory, with him at the top."

"So, are we gonna do it?" Ben said from next to Alex

"We have to at least try!" Alex yelled. "and we aren't doing anything risky with Jack on the line. I cant lose her. not again..." he said, getting quieter, and slumping down in one of the chairs. He flinched at a hand on his shoulder. Ben's hand.

"We'll get her back, Cub. Right, Jones?" 

"Of course, Agent Danials. We have it worked out. Now, we believe the real goal of this is to get Alex out in the open. When you hand him the money and the paper, Alex, you do realize they will try to take you as well, right?"

"Of course. So what's your plan to get us both out?"

"We are relying on the fact that, if things where to go their way, they would not search you extremely thoroughly before leaving you in a secure room."

"You mean locking me in a cell? Just say it as it is Jones" 

"Yes, a cell. It's possible he will try to surprise you with an attack from people working for him as guards or something similar, but I don't think we are meant to expect anyone but him. We'll take extra precautions for this. This morning, we called Mr. Smithers in to help with certain supplies. When we told him of the situation, he said he might have a special pair of sneakers in your size for the occasion. In fact, you should go see him now. I should talk to Agent Danials about k-unit being your back-up"

"Ill be glad to go see Smithers, but he said only me and a driver, which could be Ben. What If this Chase guy sees the rest of them?"

"They will not appear until after Jack is safe with Danials. They will come to get you out."

"Alright. See ya later, Ben." Alex said, closing the door behind him.

The gadget master came through, as always. The simple looking Nike sneakers had a built in GPS, and a set of lock picks hidden in the soles. He also gave Alex a watch with similar qualities, which they expected them to take away, to act as a decoy, along with the other things in his pockets. he would leave the knife and gun here. 

It was now 4:30 in the afternoon, and Alex had nothing to do but wait.