Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider.

My first ever fanfic, please go easy with me; informally beta'd by a friend of mine, amitai.

Alex Rider was no ordinary boy, and everyone at Brooklands knew it.

He kept disappearing and coming back with horrible bruises he had no explanation for, and no one believed his claims of illness, not after the time he came back from 'glandular fever' with a black eye and a suntan. This time was no different.

It was about to become different.

Alex was sat in a French class even though half the time he didn't know why he even bothered turning up to any of his language classes, when most of the time he could probably have taught them better himself. So he was bored when the fire-alarm went off, and jerked out of a stupor to leave the classroom in an orderly fashion with the rest of the school.

They assembled in the playground outside as always, in year groups, and answered their names as he register was called out, and Alex was the only one who noticed the dark figure watching them from the windows of the IT schools.

"Get down!" he shouted, just as his name was called, and hit the ground as the explosion came.

Glass rained down around them as the science building exploded for the second time in less than a year. Looking back on it, Alex realised it was a miracle no one was hurt, but at the time, he was already up and running, towards the classroom he had seen the man in.

"Alex! Get back here!" Mr. Grey, his form teacher, shouted after him, but he ignored him.

The school was empty and a little threatening, despite the fact that all the children were just outside the main building in the playground… but Alex didn't hesitate. He ran straight for the stairs, and veered left when he reached the second floor, heading towards the classroom.

Inside, a tall, blond man dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans was waiting for him, just out of the sight of the window. Although his eyes were cool and impassive, his lips twitched into a little smile on seeing Alex.

"Alex. So good to see you again."

Alex stared for a moment or two. "Yassen?" he said, finally, his voice a little shaky.

The man shrugged. "I used to be. That name is a little dangerous right now." He smiled again. "I am surprised to see that you are still in school." He said, after a minute's pause.

"Why wouldn't I be? I'm fourteen."

"I'm surprised MI6 let you keep that kind of innocence. And I think you've just seen that this 'school' is one of the most dangerous places for you." he gestured at the ruins of the science school, and the fire-brigade who had already arrived.

"Did you do that?" Alex asked, angrily.

"I wouldn't be so foolish." Yassen told him coldly. "I was just here for the show."

"I hope we amused you." Alex told him angrily and turned to go.

"I have to leave now, Alex." Alex did not turn round. "But I wanted you to have this." He turned round to find Yassen was holding a gun. "A gift from your father."

A short prologue before the chapters get longer. Hope you all like it. Don't forget to review!