Only the driver, Frankie Stallone, understood that one of the pistons had shattered and that The Midnight Flyer had derailed. There was nothing he could do to prevent the end. His face, already badly burned, distorted one last time in sheer terror as the steam locomotive smashed into a solid wall of rock. Skunk screamed as the boiler was torn open and the boiling water and steam erupted in a white cloud like a nuclear catastrophe. Giovanni and Eduardo had been born five seconds apart and, as it happened, that was the same interval between their deaths. Giovanni was killed instantly. Eduardo had five seconds to realize that everything had gone wrong before he followed his brother into oblivion. The furnace had disintegrated, scattering burning coals all around the mouth of the tunnel. The very ground seemed to be on fire. There was a pause and then what was left of the locomotive tilted and collapsed, dragging the tender with it. Water and fire swilled around it, the one attacking the other. Hissing and spitting, The Midnight Flyer lay dying. A great cloud hung over it, blotting out the stars.
Half a mile away, on the other side of the tunnel, the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo finally burst out into the open air, then continued forward, utterly silent, as the fuel finally ran out.
At last, it rolled to a halt and stood still.
NIGHTSHADE
It ended with the two of them in a room on the sixteenth floor.
Alex Rider had been more hurt than he had thought as he dropped the improvised bomb that had destroyed The Midnight Flyer. The steam had burned him and his face was streaked with red marks. He had cut himself on the broken window as he had jackknifed back into the coach. He had cracked a rib, falling onto the arm of one of the chairs. It would be at least a week before he could go back to school.
He wondered how he was possibly going to explain where he had been for the past couple of months and why he had once again turned up with injuries that made him look as if he had been involved in a multiple pile-up. But that was for the future. Right now he had to deal with the woman who sat in front of him and who had played such a huge part in his life.
“Alex, I don’t quite know what to say to you,” Mrs Jones began. “I should have listened to you … and to Ben Daniels, for that matter. You both thought we were making a mistake, chasing after the gold. But it all seemed so straightforward. Forty million pounds is a lot of money.”
“Two hundred and sixty million is a lot more.”
“Yes. The Vospers were working together, of course. She gave him the information he needed and he sold it to the Grimaldis. You might like to know that both the twins are dead, by the way. Derek Vosper has been arrested.”
“You’ve kept it out of the papers.”
“Yes. We thought it was better that way. There are a lot of very wealthy and powerful people connected with Linton Hall, and they don’t like publicity. More to the point, we don’t want to give anyone the same idea. We can’t have gangsters targeting our schools! As for what happened on the motorway, there were a great many witnesses but we’ve managed to persuade them that it was American producers, working on a new film. It doesn’t sound very likely, I know. But then the truth is hardly very likely either.”
“So nobody knows about me,” Alex said. He was pleased about that.
“The general public knows nothing about you. But actually there is something you need to know. The Linton Hall parents have joined together. They know that you were the one who rescued their children and they want to give you five million pounds – as a reward.”
“Really?” Alex couldn’t help smiling. It seemed like an awful lot of money to have in his bank account. He wanted to buy something nice for Sabina and her parents and now he could afford it.
“If you ask me, it’s hardly very generous,” Mrs Jones sniffed. “It’s less than one-fiftieth of the ransom they would have had to pay if it hadn’t been for you – and you got all their children back safely. Well, one or two of them have minor injuries and quite a few of them may have nightmares about that final coach journey. I’m sure their parents will arrange expensive counselling for them. But as to the reward, we’ve had to say you can’t take it. MI6 operatives aren’t allowed to receive cash payments.”
“I’m not an MI6 operative,” Alex said.
“I’m not sure that’s true.” Mrs Jones smiled for the first time since he had come into the room. “Anyway, you’ll be glad to know that we’ve found a way around the regulations. Jack Starbright was driving the coach and she’s the one who’s going to take the credit for the release of the children. So the money can be paid to her.”
“Jack will like having five million pounds.”
“I’m very glad you found her, Alex. When you and I met in Saint-Tropez, I really didn’t think she was still alive. Is she going to continue looking after you?”
“I’m meeting her later.”
“That’s good.” Mrs Jones paused. Alex could see that she had thought hard about what she was going to say next. “In Saint-Tropez I told you to go back to America,” she said. “In fact I ordered you. I hope you understand that I meant what I said. I didn’t want to put you in any more danger. I wanted you out of harm’s way.”
“You knew I wouldn’t go,” Alex said. “You’d already bugged my phone.”
“I wanted you to have a choice. You’re fifteen years old now, Alex. Things have changed. We can’t keep on treating you like a child.”
“You mean … manipulating me.”
“That’s exactly what I mean. I warned you that danger can become a drug and it seems to me that in your case, it’s too late. You’re already hooked. You say you don’t work for us but a year from now, we could employ you quite legally.”
“I may not get any GCSEs.”
“In your line of work, you don’t need GCSEs. Well, that’s not entirely true. In fact, I’d be much happier if you settled down and did some schoolwork. Passed your exams. Had an ordinary life.”
“So what are you saying, Mrs Jones?”
“Just this. If we ever need you again, I’d prefer to ask you properly. Which is to say, you can say yes or you can say no. I don’t want you to think of us as the enemy. You’ve been incredibly helpful to us on so many occasions, Alex, and we’re grateful. Do you understand me? If there ever is a next time, it will be your decision.”
Alex nodded. He got to his feet. “You know where to find me,” he said.
Jack was waiting for him outside. It was great to see her back in her own clothes, sitting on a bench, reading a paperback. It was as if she had never been away. Seeing him, she closed the book and the two of them jumped in a cab.
“Where are we going?” Alex asked.
“Covent Garden.” She gave the driver instructions. “How did it go?” she asked.
“They’re paying you five million pounds.”
“I know. Ben Daniels told me. I wasn’t going to mention it to you. I wasn’t sure what you’d say.”
“I’m really pleased.”
“We’ll share it.”
“Are you going to stay?”
Jack looked out of the window. They had turned up towards the Barbican, the great blocks of flats on the edge of east London. “A long time ago, before we even went to Egypt, I was thinking of leaving,” she confessed. “I didn’t want to tell you – but you know my dad’s not been well. It seemed to me that you didn’t need me so much any more. And you must admit, it’s pretty weird the two of us living together the way we do.”
“Everything about my life is weird,” Alex said.
“This may sound crazy, Alex, but when I was taken prisoner by Razim and then when the Grimaldi brothers came along, part of me thought that I was being punished for wanting to leave you on your own.” She stopped him before he could interrupt. “It doesn’t matter. I’d already decided. London’s my home now and you’re part of my life. If I don’t have to look after you so much, maybe I can start studying law again. That’s the reason I came here in the first place – and I can certainly afford the tuition fees. So if you don’t
want to get rid of me, maybe I will hang around.”
Alex wanted to hug her again. But it wasn’t so easy in the back of a cab, and anyway, he’d had enough of all that. It was time to move on. “Where are we going?” he asked.
“I thought we’d start at the Apple store. You lost your laptop in the South of France so I’ll buy you another. You need a whole lot of new clothes too. I know that’s boring, so we’re also going to have lunch and then we’re going to a movie, and then after that you should catch up with your friends.”
“You’ve spoken to Brookland?”
“They know you’re coming back. They can’t wait to see you. The bad news is they’ve sent a pile of homework.” Jack stopped herself and for a moment, the smile faded from her face. “Mrs Jones. What did she say about you and MI6?”
“She said from now on, it was my choice.”
“Good. I won’t be sorry if we never see her again.”
The taxi turned a corner and continued on its journey west.
She had lied to him.
If we ever need you again, I’d prefer to ask you properly.
If there ever is a next time, it will be your decision.
But she hadn’t told him that there already was a next time and that, although it was hard to believe, she already needed Alex Rider.
She took a file out of the top drawer of her desk and laid it in front of her. There was a single word on the cover.
NIGHTSHADE
She opened it and looked at a black and white photograph of a boy of about Alex’s age. He was thin, with a long neck and troubled eyes, his hair cut very short as if he were a soldier – which, in a way, he was. There were thirty pages of typewritten text attached to the photograph, each one stamped TOP SECRET. Once again, her eye fell on the page that she had been reading just before Alex came into the room. It was written in the dry, matter-of-fact language of every official report, even though the events it was describing were extraordinary.
It was only a matter of pure luck that the subject was arrested following the successful (and extraordinary) murder of our agent in Rio de Janeiro. The killer had clearly been trained to the very highest standard, being proficient in Ninjutsu, Krav Maga, Muay Thai and at least three other lethal martial arts. He carried about his person several deadly weapons (see Paragraph 37) and was responsible for the deaths of four more agents after he was taken into custody.
The killer carried no ID. His clothes and personal items contained no labels, nor anything that could suggest their country of origin. His fingerprints had been removed with acid. During interrogation, even when threatened with extreme measures, he remained silent. It was only through his DNA that a positive identification became possible.
The killer’s name is Frederick Grey. He is the son of Sir William and Caroline Grey. He is fifteen years old. He was presumed dead in a boating accident ten years ago and has never been seen since. His parents were of course shocked that he had been found and were introduced to him (meeting recorded) in a secure cell. They were both certain that he was, indeed, their son. He, however, showed no recognition and did not speak to them.
The subject is now being held at our special facility in Gibraltar. He has so far refused any form of communication and remains extremely dangerous. He has been observed by a psychiatric team and they are currently preparing an in-depth report. Their first impressions are that he is “unique”, “a killing machine”.
Given his age, his attitude, his weapons and the fact that he has been missing, presumed dead, for most of his life, it is our belief that Frederick Grey has been recruited and trained by the mercenary group known as Nightshade.
Nightshade is currently the most dangerous organization in the world. It has no political affiliations or personal ambitions. It is interested only in money. It has provided highly trained personnel for acts of terror in Munich, Washington, Singapore, Paris, Brussels and Madrid.
“Nightshade” was the last word spoken by our agent in Rio before he died.
We recommend that action should be taken immediately if we are to take advantage of this situation. Threat levels are now at critical levels as intel suggests that Nightshade are lending their support to a global operation (see Reports 7710514AH, 780595J and 215006CNB). Grey is the key that can unlock Nightshade. We must move at once.
Mrs Jones closed the file and rested her hand on the cover. A fifteen-year-old boy who had performed a brutally efficient killing. A boy who was prepared to die to protect the people who had employed him, who said nothing, who had been missing for ten years. She needed to send someone to Gibraltar to get close to him. Somehow he had to lead them to Nightshade before it was too late.
Who better than Alex Rider?
She would let him go home. She would give him time to recover from his injuries … but not too much time. And, as she had promised, she would let him decide if he was prepared to do this for her or not.
But she also knew she wouldn’t let him say no.
READ OTHER GREAT BOOKS BY
ANTHONY HOROWITZ…
Anthony Horowitz is the author of the number one bestselling Alex Rider books and the Power of Five series. He has enjoyed huge success as a writer for both children and adults. He was invited by the Ian Fleming Estate to write the James Bond novel Trigger Mortis, and his most recent novel, Magpie Murders, was a Sunday Times bestseller. He has won numerous awards, including the Bookseller Association/Nielsen Author of the Year Award, the Children’s Book of the Year Award at the British Book Awards, and the Red House Children’s Book Award. Anthony has also created and written many major television series, including Collision, New Blood and the BAFTA-winning Foyle’s War.
You can find out more about Anthony and his work at:
www.alexrider.com
@AnthonyHorowitz
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“Horowitz will grip you with suspense, daring and cheek – and that’s just the first page! … Prepare for action scenes as fast as a movie.”
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“Anthony Horowitz is the lion of children’s literature.”
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“Fast and furious.”
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Titles by Anthony Horowitz
The Alex Rider series:
Stormbreaker
Point Blanc
Skeleton Key
Eagle Strike
Scorpia
Ark Angel
Snakehead
Crocodile Tears
Scorpia Rising
Russian Roulette
Never Say Die
The Power of Five (Book One): Raven’s Gate
The Power of Five (Book Two): Evil Star
The Power of Five (Book Three): Nightrise
The Power of Five (Book Four): Necropolis
The Power of Five (Book Five): Oblivion
The Devil and His Boy
Granny
Groosham Grange
Return to Groosham Grange
The Switch
More Bloody Horowitz
The Diamond Brothers books:
; The Falcon’s Malteser
Public Enemy Number Two
South by South East
The French Confection
The Greek Who Stole Christmas
The Blurred Man
I Know What You Did Last Wednesday
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. All statements, activities, stunts, descriptions, information and material of any other kind contained herein are included for entertainment purposes only and should not be relied on for accuracy or replicated as they may result in injury.
First published 2017 by Walker Books Ltd
87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ
Text © 2017 Stormbreaker Productions Ltd
Cover illustration © 2017 Walker Books Ltd
Trademarks Alex Rider™; Boy with Torch Logo™
© 2017 Stormbreaker Productions Ltd
The right of Anthony Horowitz to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:
a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-4063-7796-5 (ePub)
www.walker.co.uk
Never Say Die Page 26