Alex looked across Sydney Harbour from the rooftop of the Glenmore Bar, sipping a glass of Perrier-Jouet Champagne. A week ago today they had celebrated their union. Si was busy talking to an old friend. He could over hear snippets "OMG you just got married! I haven't seen you since you and Serge broke up. Who's the lucky fella?"

"Alex, this is Dexter. He's first soloist at the Opera House, trained at the Yehudi Menuhin School with Serge, my ex's BFF."

"A pleasure to meet you. As you can see I had a bit of an accident at work. Won't be going back to roofing, I can tell you. It was enlightening going through airport security as I light up metal detectors and have a had enough x-rays this year so far to irradiate me to the point I must glow in the dark."

"Oh, my. I take it you fell off a roof. Fall far?" The dapper fifty something noted the crutches, neck and leg brace on the young man at least twenty years Simon's junior.

Si laughed "If only it was just that, no the woman who drove into the scaffolding is facing two counts of attempted murder. It quite easily could have been a double murder. Her trial is something neither of us is looking forward to. I nearly lost the love of my life and yes Dex, you can say that to Serge. Alex is the one for me. I think I got that vibe during our first date at a Pashtun restaurant Alex used to wash dishes at".

Dexter smiled uncomfortably as he sat down and listened to Simon talk of finding true love and then compared this bliss to Serge's isolated life now, living as an exile in Monaco. The violinist without a recording contract for nearly a decade and no longer living with his illicit lover. Serge Monterey had kept few friends after his brief moment of infamy. He remained silent as Alex talked of their plans to go north, after a week or so in Sydney. He studied this young man, who had sharp eyes, was sat with the same guarded stance as Simon and the concert violinist guessed this was another soldier. He decided to play to his hunch "Which regiment did you serve with?"

Alex laughed genuinely "I'm not a grunt; ex-spook. Si's brother was most polite to me, I heard from Stella that he was beastly to your friend. Well, always best to be polite to trained killers like Si and myself."

"Ahh, I guessed from your mention of Pashtun cuisine. My son served with the Australian Army in Afghanistan. He's gone back as a charity volunteer. We made a mess and walked before clearing it up."

Alex shook his head "It was a mess before we got involved officially. Nothing will change until the criminal elements are eradicated. I had a brief stint involved with human traffickers, it shocked me to the core. The exploitation of desperate people, whose lives mean nothing. I was briefly one of them, reduced to mere chattel with no rights or any champions." He had over the past year come to terms with his past and was no longer at war with himself over those events. Finally, he had moved through the horror, guilt and self hatred to allow himself to live. "Si saved me from a very dark place. I've never been happier and Si's taught me that happiness and home is something you have to work for."

…..

"You were very open and kind to Dex. He moved to Australia with his family two years before my ex and I parted company and he was one of the few of Serge's friends to still keep in touch. I'm glad you were OK with him coming to dinner with us."

The tall blond was stretched out on the bed, both of his braces removed. "Do you think I'll ever meet Serge? Its not like you two talk or are in meaningful communication?"

"Well, with only three brief phone calls and one short and very uncomfortable crossing of paths in the past decade, means we aren't even frenemies." The last communication after the accident had been expected as they did have mutual friends. Serge knew his ex was cohabiting, had a marriage ceremony booked and that the young man in question was critically injured. "Bastard called you my mid life crisis fling. You were never a fling, I'm standing here, hard and wanting to arouse you. Lying there tempting me."

"That's the point of our honeymoon now. Forget sightseeing, sports and activities, just you and me; mano et mano, getting it on. This is all yours, as long as you desire me."

Sex, this was not just sex. Alex gasped as his skin was caressed, kissed and explored. Not energetic, but slow and calm, all the more sensual. "Si… Si… stop me coming… Shit I'm so close. If I come now, I'll be comatose before you get off."

Simon Carrington sat up. "Just a break or do you want a cock ring?"

Alex took a breath with the pause in stimulation "More… Lots more… cock ring… the one that goes around my balls as well. You're in charge. Oh, God I want you to take hours to your climax. I want to be begging you for release. Own me, darling."

"Love you like this. My Alex, my lover. To think no one else has ever seen you like this. Just me. Only me."

….

Marc Damon read the contact report on Alex, newly Rider-Carrington. The young man had survived another brush with death. He had attended two appointments for physiotherapy in Sydney and was using the hotel's gym to build up strength in his recently broken leg. The braces were there for stability and protection during outings, but he was swimming fine without them. The Director of CAD had chatted with the unit psychologist to question why the young man had wrongly been assessed as heterosexual at fourteen by both the CIA and MI6. Apart from that, Alex was not in the game anymore, happy as partner to the older photographer. The photos of Alex with his old handler, Derek Smithers was not of any concern as the Irishman was now an employee of a bank. One in Singapore on business and Alex on a stopover. Damon shook his head, drinks at the Raffles Hotel, something only a tourist would do.

Both Carringtons had chatted openly and with no guile during their full customs check at Sydney Airport. The agent observing the full search had watched as the former agent winced as he stood patiently and then gladly accepted the chair to sit down with genuine thanks for their kindness. Nothing untoward in their luggage. Customs card checked against the medical notes. The young man on a list of prescribed medication, his x-rays revealed metal pins, rods and plates in both ankles, chest under his armpit and his neck. Both men wearing matching rings and newly acquired prayer bracelets.

There was no need to follow the pair as they travelled to Ayers and then on to Cairns. No noted activity with any of the Snakeheads, as several generations of these thugs had fought for control after the demise of Winston Wu and Anthony Sean Howell. Their power and influence curtailed after the failure of Dragon Nine. Understandable for that reason alone to leave the Rider name behind.

The flag on Alex Rider's file was changed from unknown status to retired. Marc Damon failed to note Alex's name change. Let all references to the famed teen agent stay in the past.