"Jack! I'm home!" Alex Rider called out as he dropped his book bag on the floor.

He was greeted with silence, then quiet laughter from another room. Alex frowned.

"Jack?" he said again, instantly wary of whatever was in the room besides him. Suddenly, the door was flung open, and a much disheveled Jack walked out, along with a man that Alex didn't recognize.

"Jackie, I-" the man stopped when he saw Alex standing right in front of him, eyebrows raised.

Since when did Jack let people call her Jackie?

Jack herself hesitated, then immediately recovered when she realized that nobody was speaking. "Ah, Alex, your home." She said quickly. It was easy to hear the embarrassment in her voice.

"This is Nate," she continued, gesturing vaguely at the man besides her. "An old friend of mine from college." She stopped for a second, recomposing herself. "Um…Nate, this is Alex, the kid I was telling you about."

Nate looked at Alex, studying him, while Alex did the same to Nate. They both nodded in greeting, and then continued their silent search of each other.

Alex concluded that Nate was a man in his late twenties, early thirties. His disheveled brown hair was flecked with gold at the tips, suggesting that he had once dyed it blond some time ago. He dressed simply, but wore a gold Rolex watch on his right hand. He stood 6 foot 3, easily towering over both Alex and Jack.

Alex himself took an immediate dislike to him, though he couldn't consciously say why.

Nate, on the other hand, blinked, as if remembering that Jack was still standing right next to him. He forced a smile at Alex, and then stuck out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alex." He said, though his tone suggested otherwise. Alex hesitated, then took his hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you too." he muttered.

Nate let his hand drop, then immediately turned to look at Jack again. "So, still six thirty, at the café in Liverpool Street?" he asked her, ignoring the incredulous glare Alex sent him. Jack glanced at Alex, silently warning him, then looked back at Nate and smiled pleasantly. "Of course." She replied.

Nate smiled, as if that pleased him for a different reason.

Alex cleared his throat, uncomfortable. Nate looked back at Alex, a spark of anger in his eyes that instantly subsided soon after. He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, this must be strange to you, being young and all." Nate said, purposely stressing the word young.

Alex held back a growl as Nate quickly kissed Jack on the cheek, whispered something in her ear, and exited without a sound.

Jack let out a huff of air, as if she had been holding it in for the whole time. She glanced at Alex, who was staring at her with an expression that was a mixture of both surprise and utter loathing. She sighed, and turned to face him full on.

"Um." she said, unsure where to start first.

"So." Alex started, unable to hold his in his annoyance. "Old friend from college huh?"

"Yeah….." Jack apologized, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about him earlier. I just thought it would get…" she said, gesturing at his expression, "awkward."

Alex sighed. He knew days like this would happen. He just didn't like the fact that it was today. After what he was about to tell Jack.

"Jack," he said, defeated, "MI6 called. I need to go to the bank tomorrow after school."

Jack paused in surprise, then her fists immediately clenched in anger.

"Why can't they leave you alone?" she said again, her voice laced with despair. "You saw what happened last time in Kenya! It's a miracle you don't have scars from that place."

Alex laughed humorlessly. "I have enough as it is." But then he sighed. "Jack, I still have to go. I don't want to know what kind of blackmail they'll use to get me there. And I'm pretty positive it'll involve you."

Jack looked at Alex sadly. "Sometimes I think things would be easier for both of us if I just left." she whispered. Alex's eyes widened.

"Don't." he pleaded. "Just don't. You're like a big sister to me. How can you say that it would be easier for me if you left?"

Jack shrugged, and then smiled faintly. "I guess it wouldn't." Then her grin became more genuine. "Enough of this depressing topic." She said cheerily "So what do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

Alex chuckled. There was the old Jack.

Hellllloooo everybody! I'm sorry if this isn't the best writing you've ever seen. I'm still working on it. This was just a good idea that I had, so, obviously, if it appears too fast, bad grammar, wrong usage of words, ANYTHING! Don't hesitate to let me know. It would help a lot.

Rate and review, that's about all I've got to say now.

Thanks!