Well, this is officially one of the worst first chapters I have ever written, but hopefully the story will get better soon. This new story is my birthday present to myself. Yep, my birthday is today, and it would be really really cool if I got some reviews as presents. Hint hint... So yeah, read, try and enjoy, and bear in mind that it will get better. PROMISE

Eagle

I was walking along the street near where I had parked my car when I heard shouts and quick footsteps coming up the alley nearest to me. Swinging around, I glanced up just as someone slammed into me, sending the bag of groceries I was carrying flying. I caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair, then it was gone. When I looked up again, I spotted a rather overweight policeman giving chase.

"Stop him! He's getting away!" The policeman puffed up to me. "Very sorry about that sir. We're trying hard to catch him, but he's a slippery little bugger."

I growled and shoved my remaining shopping into the man's arms. "Hold these." Normally I would just let it go, but this punk had annoyed me. I hated shopping in all it's forms, and he had just obliterated two weeks worth of food. Rolling my eyes, I gave chase.

He may have outrun a policeman, but there was no way this kid was getting away from a trained SAS soldier. As I ran down the street after him, I couldn't help but notice that something about his wiry frame and messy blonde hair seemed familiar. I saw him glance over his shoulder, then speed up as he realised someone was actually giving serious pursuit. Damn, he was fast for a shrimp, but I was faster. By the time he reached the corner, I had caught up. I rugby tackled him to the ground, not trying to hurt him, just stop him.

"Get off of me!" He squirmed and tried to get away again. As he struggled, he flipped over onto his back and I got a look at his face.

"Cub?" I was so shocked I almost let go of him, getting an elbow in the stomach.

"I said, get off of me!"

I pinned his arms to his sides, hauling him upwards. "No. You're going to go back and face up to whatever it is you've done." The familiar pair of brown eyes glared up at me, and I just snorted. "Save the theatrics for the huffing, puffing, big, bad policeman you outran."

A slight smile touched his lips, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

The policeman was still standing where I'd left him, looking like a bit of an idiot holding my shopping. I handed Cub over to him. "Here you go. What did he do?"

"I don't think I'm really supposed to te-" He started to refuse, then saw the look in my eyes and thought better of it. "He was caught shoplifting."

Cub crossed his arms. "You can't prove anything."

He sighed, reaching out and removing the sunglasses balanced on the top of Cub's head. "Yes, we can."

I chuckled slightly. "I'll pay for them and take him home. I know where he lives." The policeman started to protest again, but shut up and three minutes later I was walking Cub towards my car. He was wearing the sunglasses, chewing gum and in general acting like a sulky teen. "Do up your seat belt."

Cub scowled again. "Make me."

"Okay, I will." I reached across and forced him into his seat belt before doing up the buckle. "There. Happy now?"

He shot me a fake smile. "You know it!"

I shrugged. "So where am I taking you?" He gave me directions and I followed them. Stopping just outside a nice house in Chelsea, I pulled the car over to the side of the road. "Do I need to explain this to your parents?"

"No!" Cub was out of the car and shutting the door almost before I got the question out.

"Alright, but wait one second. Here's my mobile number, in case you ever need to talk. I can tell you're going through some stuff, and it would be good to catch up."

He practically bared his teeth at me. "I'm fine." He turned and left without even saying thank you for the ride, but I didn't care. He took the number.

Alex

I ran up the stairs, then stood by a window watching Eagle drive away. I wanted to make sure he was gone. The last thing I needed was him finding out I lived by myself and asking questions. I had enough people trying to run my life as it was. My house phone rang and I groaned. Only one person knew it was still working, and I didn't want to talk to them. I answered anyway. "Yes?"

"Mr. Rider, it's the Royal and General Bank calling. Mr. Blunt has requested a meeting with you immediately."

"Fine. It's not like I have a choice in it anyway." I hung up the phone before the voice could say anything else.

Fifteen minutes later I was standing in Blunt's office for the second time in a week. He looked up as I came in.

"Alex, please sit."

"I'll stand." I blew a bubble with my gum, simply because I knew it bothered him. "What do you want this time?"

He rubbed his temples with the tips of his fingers, clearly trying to stave off a headache. "Exactly the same as the past five times." I knew it. "This crime spree thing you've got going on needs to stop. In the past month, you've shoplifted, vandalised, almost gotten multiple ASBO's, and it must stop. There's only so much we can do to cover this up."

I had heard this speech so often that I was mouthing the lines along with him.

If people notice you aren't being charged or controlled, it will lead to the type of questions that we don't want to answer. "If people notice you aren't being charged or controlled, it will lead to the type of questions that we don't want to answer." They'll start to wonder why we're covering up for you, and the entire security of MI6 could be compromised. "They'll start to wonder why we're covering up for you, and the entire security of MI6 could be compromised." I stopped paying attention, already planning my next exploit. "Alex! Are you mouthing the words that I'm about to say?"

I snorted, trying not to laugh too loudly. "Yes sir."

A vein in Blunt's temple began to pulse. "Well here's a new bit for you to memorise. I'm going to be finding you some caretakers to stop stunts like this from happening. You will live with them and they will be your guardians until you've proved that you can do better."

"What?" My mouth fell open. "But..."

"I understand you met up with an old friend today. Maybe he and his unit would be willing to take you in. We will contact them as soon as possible."

I groaned, collapsing back into a chair. My life officially sucked.