A/N: My cover image is something I drew myself, it's a picture of Zero and Jake, now at Pinkerton. I changed Zero's appearance a little, and Jake may or may not have his scar on the correct side, but oh well. The second cover image for Alone is also my own drawing, it's of Jake and Zero when they were much younger.

I slouched in my seat with my arms folded on the desk- out of boredom, not politeness- and silently exhaled, having an over-whelming urge to just rest my head on my arms and fall asleep. Although I didn't. I would definitely have a death wish if I even dared to blink. It wasn't that I hated the lesson… Actually, scratch that, I hated the lesson. Or the students. Well, at least I don't hate all of them. The biggest reason was the teacher, if she could even be called that.

You see, the word 'teacher' usually implies that you actually 'teach' something. As we are in a boarding school the word 'teacher' definitely means that you teach the students something. In fact, the correct phrase used to describe our teacher would be; highly unintelligent wanna-be teacher who devotes a large amount of her abundant free time creating far-fetched schemes aiming to gain control of the school, and possibly the world.

Oh, and did I mention she really couldn't sing? I mean seriously, I don't even know why she bothers, it sounds like a cat being dragged through a bush backwards; not that I know what that sounds like, I'm just assuming it sounds bad. "Zero!" Did I mention that's my name? No? Oh, well, now you're filled in. Wait! No you're not. I forgot one important aspect. I actually have friends. Three of them to be exact.

Vin, who was currently situated to my right, in the seat next to mine, his blonde hair in its usual style and light blue eyes filled with sympathy. Newton, who was sitting in the row across from me and Vin. He was on the left side of the desk, watching me with his huge square glasses- somehow they made his brown eyes seem smaller- and spiky ginger hair. Last of all Trixie, who was currently resided next to Newton, sitting straighter in her seat and concealing her purple ball-point pen with her hand, her green eyes fixed on me, creased with concern while her chocolate-brown hair was held back with her red hairband.

"Zero!" Macbeth snapped again. Yes, that's out teacher's name, Sadie Macbeth. I also have come to realise that she sounds like a character from one of Shakespeare's plays, so you don't need to point it out.

"Um, yeah?" Next to me, Vin dropped his pen and leaned out of his seat to retrieve it.

"Would you care to complain as to why you are not listening?" I tilted my head in confusion. Surely she wasn't asking my to complain? Surely? I hid a smirk with my fingers, just waiting for her to realise what she'd just said.

"You mean explain?" Newton interjected, before shrinking down in his seat when Macbeth's gaze flickered to him. His correction earned him with a stony glare and 1,000 lines of 'I must not correct Ms Macbeth during class'.

"Would you care to explain to me why you are not listening?" She asked, tersely. I had a hand covering my face at that moment, using all my will-power not to burst out laughing. Vin had hit his head on the bottom of the desk once he had grabbed his pen. While everything else was going on he was complaining about how much freaking chewing gum was actually stuck to the bottom of the desk. He muttered something under his breath. I caught the words 'bloody disgusting' before I realised I should answer Macbeth's question.

I raised an eyebrow. "I was listening." I replied innocently, which didn't really help since I was about the most uninnocent person ever. It was a blatant lie and definitely not one of my best, but Macbeth wasn't the smartest of people so just maybe I'd fool her.

No such luck. Her ruler smacked the wooden desk right next to my hand with a satisfying thwack. I was unimpressed to say the least. "Then tell me," She said, her voice low and dangerous, filled with loathing. "What I was saying."

"Germany is the capitol of Europe."

I smirked. "Germany is the capitol of Europe." I repeated. Only Macbeth could spew out such lies. There is no capitol of Europe. Europe is a continent. You see? Us, the students, are smarter than Macbeth. Speaking of Macbeth, she looked very put out about not having a good enough reason to punish me. She shot me a glare before storming back down the aisle to the front of the class. I was the 'Teen Terror', I always deserved to be punished. At least, that's what she thinks in her mind. I switched my gaze to Trixie. "Good call." I whispered, through my ear piece. It was my way of saying, thanks. Since the word itself would only slip out of my mouth on rare occasions. Very rare.

"No problem."

For an explanation to all this; me, Vin, Newton and Trixie were part of a secret organisation of kids that aimed to thwart all Macbeth's evil schemes, keep our identities hidden and complete our homework, all in a day's work. We are called I.N.K; The Invisible Network Of Kids. We basically stop Macbeth from taking over Pinkerton school, with only us four knowing that we have saved our fellow students butts, and get nothing in return. Fair deal? Yeah right.

Newton, our Gadget Guy had made them, and by 'them' I mean a way of communication from a distance. For me, I have my headphones; receiver in one ear, transmitter in the other. Trixie has her purple pen and Vin has his watch. Newton's is kinda gross. He sticks his finger up his nose. Gross, I know. But it's how Trixie gave me the answer, through her pen, preventing Macbeth from giving me any reason to write lines.

I was snapped back into reality when a very unwelcomed situation came flying towards me. Well, came flying towards me and Vin. I gave him a small push before ducking my head in the opposite direction; the spit ball soared through the gap and landed on the wall with a splat. Its sender, Burt looked vaguely disappointed that the ball didn't reach its target and was set to aim another one when Macbeth's voice made him jump and lose his grip on the straw. "Burt! Write out: I Will Not Spit Across Macbeth's Classroom, six hundred and fifty thousand times!" She practically screamed the instruction. Burt stuttered out a feeble answer before beginning to write.

Me and Vin exchanged glances before smirking and trading a small high-five underneath the table. "Vin, Zero you too!" Macbeth barked.

Our smug expressions were wiped off our faces. My face was fixed in a scowl, while Vin's mouth hung open in disbelief. I delivered a sharp kick underneath the desk before he could complain. Vin shot me a glare. I rolled my eyes and leant back in my seat, counting down from ten in my head.

10, 9, 8, 7. Vin was now watching me with curiosity, he was trying to attract my attention but I just smirked.

6, 5, 4. Macbeth droned out an incorrect fact, as usual.

3, 2. She turned as I whispered the numbers under my breath.

And, 1. Her yell was blared out by the trill of the school bell.

I turned to Vin and gave a simple shrug. "Hope you didn't start writing." We grinned and collected our stuff, throwing them in our bags. I casually slung mine over my shoulder while Vin fiddled with the straps of his backpack. I gave an impatient tut. "Just leave it." We speed-walked down the aisle and ducked out of the classroom before Macbeth could call us back, Newton and Trixie hot on our heels.

It was recess so we went to our usual spot in the playground. I placed a foot on the lower, blue-coloured bar and reached across, slinging my other foot across the yellow bar and quickly pulling myself onto it. I enjoyed sitting there because it was much higher than the blue one and the others couldn't reach so I had it to myself. Trixie and Newton sat on the orange lower bar opposite, already in the middle of a conversation about something-or-other

Vin was staring up at me, he wasn't tall enough to get up and always complained. I rolled my eyes and extended my hand. Vin's face lit up, he took my hand. I almost slipped off trying to pull his sorry butt up. He bounced up and down excitedly after he finally got his legs over and was securely sitting on the bar. "This is so cool!" He exclaimed, looking around, his head flicking in all directions. I was surprised he didn't get whiplash.

"Calm down," I sighed. "You're going to fall off." I left out the bit of, you're going to fall off, and bring me with you, as it wasn't on of the most appealing things ever.

Vin's reply was cut short as a Taxi pulled up at the gates. Most of the children in the playground ceased all activity to stare. Those that didn't were people who hadn't noticed. Vin tilted his head in confusion. "What's going on?"

"No idea… But it looks like we're about to find out." Trixie answered, frowning as she stared at the Taxi, as if it was some majorly difficult move in chess. Trixie's really into chess by the way. Newton peered out from behind Trixie, watching the taxi with his little brown eyes.

My heart hammered in my chest. Why should I be scared? Several perfectly good reasons all including the words, my dad. The door opened. My brain screamed at me to run but my body wouldn't allow it. It was as though I was super-glued to the bar, I could feel my hands shaking and Vin's gaze boring into my back as he worriedly looked over at me. I thought I was going to fall off, or vomit, or both. He steadied my as I swayed, my head spinning as a thousand thoughts were ran through my brain.

I gasped as a fairly tall boy climbed out with a duffel bag in his hand. He leant back inside, pulled out a black bag and, slinging it over his shoulder he began walking towards the gate.

He was slim, and pale skinned. His brown side fringe swept down from his left side, covering his right eye and ending around the height of his earlobe, the rest of his russet hair finished slightly unevenly down his neck. His eyes were a soothing hazel-brown, big and almond shaped with an unmistakable, mischievous twinkle. His short sleeved tee-shirt showed how his arm muscles were defined, a scar through his left eyebrow was vaguely intimidating. He had his hands stuffed in his jeans pockets as he strolled through the playground only a few metres from where I was, his mud clad trainers scuffing along the ground as he went.

I watched as Burt scowled, and, looking the boy up and down several times, glance over at his stupid friends who nodded eagerly, he marched up to block the boy's path. "Hey you." He growled, which took nerve as Burt was a full forty centimetres shorter than the boy. "Where are you going?" My first though was to yell 'it's none of your business'. My second was to run over there and get between Burt and the new boy as I knew Burt would get pulverised.

The boy didn't answer. He didn't even look up. He just continued to walk forward. Burt shoved the boy backwards. The boy glared at the floor and slowly took his hands out of his pockets, clenching them as he walked forward a second time.

By that time I had slid off the bar, ignored Vin as he called after me and sprinted over to them. I slid in front of the boy, already dropping into a Karate stance, glaring at Burt with a don't-you-even-try-it expression. "Hey, babe, I can look after myself." The boy said airily, speaking for the first time and looking up from the ground to be faced with the back of my head, which is fair to say might have looked vaguely familiar if he was actually focusing.

"Jake Harper, I am currently trying to get even with you, do me a favour and close your big trap." I answered, smirking as the boy went through three easily recognisable emotions; confusion, realisation and elation. "And if you want you face to stay pretty, don't you ever 'Hey, babe' me again."

Three.

Two.

One.

"Zee?" He spluttered, shocked, genuinely surprised and overwhelmed with a sense of joy that he wasn't alone any more. He actually had found his long-lost friend. "Zee? Is that really you?" The words came out choked, I thought he was going to cry which was just what I needed. "Oh, my God, I could kiss you!" he exclaimed.

I turned to him and screwed up my face as Jake examined me, actually checking whether I was The Real Zero. "I'd rather you didn't." Jake just chuckled and wrapped me in a hug. I hugged him back, tightly, because right now I just really didn't want to let go.

I was completely unaware that behind me Vin's face had turned to thunder. He was glaring at Jake. I'd never hugged him before, not even when he practically saved my life from that giant caterpillar. Now this random boy- who they'd heard nothing about, obviously- turns up and I'm actually hugging him and actually smiling. "I missed you, Zee." Jake was one of the few people that I allowed to call me Zee. It was a nickname Luke gave me. Jake heard it and began using it too. The nickname was special. The two people that ever referred to me by it left me or was left by me.

It had been five years since I'd last seen Jake, five years since I ran away from home and found Pinkerton, as much as I'd hate to admit it, I missed him, I really did. I scowled when I realised everyone was staring at us, slack-jawed in disbelief. "What?" I demanded. "You've never seen a boy and a girl hug before?" I shot glares at them. "Get used to it." I snapped as Jake pulled away from the embrace, grinning as he looked me up and down.

"You've grown." He commented, flashing his now straightened teeth in his trademark grin. "We I last saw you, we were both about this tall." He held his hand horizontally and lowered it below his shoulder, almost half the height we stood at now, and measured the height we had grown since that time, before I lightly punched him on the arm.

"C'mon, I'll show you to Mr Soper's office. Assuming that you're going there that is." I said, rolling my eyes and wheeling him around after Jake nodded, confirming my thoughts. It was the same procedure for everyone. I lead the way, with Jake striding beside me, chatting away, leaving around thirty stunned classmates and a very jealous Vin behind us.