Julius finally managed to find Tom again, in a dark room fixing a projector. He smiled; this he would enjoy, perhaps even more than killing Alex Rider.

"Tom," he called out, making the boy jump in surprise before turning to him.

"Oh, you scared me, Alex," Tom said, putting his hand over his heart, Yes, enjoy it while it's still beating.

"I'm fixing the projector for tonight's dance. You're coming? You should ask Aisha," Tom said, smiling at him in a teasing tone.

"I don't think Aisha likes me very much."

Tom looked at him in surprise, but Julius continued talking.

"I heard what happened to you. What Parker did with you."

Tom shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

Oh, so when you reversed the papers, the boy didn't want to talk. That was bold coming from someone who has been pestering me since he arrived.

"Were you scared?" Tom looked at him with betrayal in his eyes. "Did it hurt?"

"What are you doing?" Julius could see that Tom couldn't believe that his best friend was saying that to him.

"Did you cry? You cried, didn't you?" Julius smiled mockingly at the boy in front of him.

"Just because you've been through some messed up stuff doesn't give you the right to treat others like shit." Julius almost laughed at Tom's response, so full of anger.

"What is going on in here?" someone said, interrupting their talk. It was a teacher.

Julius watched as Tom packed his stuff with no care before leaving the room in worry. If he didn't cry then, he would cry now.

"Alex, I need this room empty," the man said to him, making his smile drop instantly. Regardless, he left the room; he had no more business there.

Once again, he found himself outside along with Aisha and a girl he never saw.

"Did you find someone your level to go to prom yet?" he couldn't help himself but say.

The girl didn't even manage to look at him before running off crying. He had a look of pure amusement on his face watching the girl breaking apart.

When she finally disappeared from his view, he noticed her little friend making her way toward Julius quite furiously.

He watched her as she approached him, curious about what she had to say. Apparently, she didn't have anything to say because she raised her hand prepared to slap Julius's face.

Of course, he wouldn't let her filthy hands touch his face. He grabbed her wrist before it could connect with his face.

"How dare you try to touch me," he said between his teeth, squeezing her wrist, making her gasp from the pain, her eyes already wet.

Unfortunately, he didn't have any time to put the girl in her place, so he let her go none too gently.

"Get out of here, before I regret it," he turned, leaving her behind, shocked and hurt.

He went in the direction of what was supposed to be his home before going to meet Jones. She already texted him the address, and upon checking, he realized that it was on the way.

Finally opening the door, he threw his bookbag on the ground, preparing to leave once again when he heard voices. More specifically, the pathetic whiny voice of Tom.

He entered the kitchen, deciding to check it out; he could amuse himself some more.

"Look who decided to arrive," Tom said without looking at him.

"I do live here; I couldn't say the same for you," Julius responded, watching as the woman's face dropped in a surprised expression.

"Alex!" she exclaimed.

"What? Are you defending him?" Julius asked.

"You don't talk to your friends this way," she scolded, making him scoff.

"Friends? He is not my friend," this time he turned to Tom. "Because of you, I almost got killed, did you know that? Because of your stupid little video."

"What?" the boy asked, shocked.

"I was strapped to a table; because of you, I had to escape, I was shot at. So tell me Tom, do friends do that? Do friends try to get you killed?" Of course, Tom didn't respond. "I thought so too," he said, taking his leave; he didn't want to wait more to find out where his real family was.

He followed the address only to find himself in the middle of a park.

What the hell? Shit, was he supposed to know what building he was supposed to go to? No, if that was the case, she wouldn't have texted him the address.

He looked around and then spotted the woman sitting on one of the benches.

He slowly approached, sitting next to her. "Hello Alex," she greeted him but didn't move.

"Isn't this a little public?" he asked.

"It's secure, no one is listening," she assured. "How are you settling, Alex?"

"Fine, it's good to be back."

She remained quiet, studying him to see if he was telling the truth.

"Alright, you've already told us everything about Point Blanc, but we still don't know who killed Ian."

Ian, Ian Rider, that's right, the uncle; everything was caused by the death of a man.

"Doctor Grief didn't tell you?" she looked at him with a look that Julius couldn't decipher.

"No, he didn't tell us anything."

Julius then saw an opening, an opportunity.

"Let me talk to him, maybe a familiar face would make him talk," he offered.

But instantly the woman shook her head. "I'm afraid that is not possible."

"Why?"

"Because he is dead," she said with no emotion.

Julius's heart stopped for a moment. Dead? His father was dead. No, that couldn't be, she had to be wrong; they were trying to trick him. His father wouldn't let himself get killed by someone so low, no they were lying, please let them be lying.

"What?"

"I can't discuss the details with you, Alex. Everyone who knew Grief's plans are dead; the only lead we have is you. Is there anything that we might have missed? Were there any visitors, any other person?" she asked.

"No," there was plenty of stuff that they missed, him to begin with, but he wasn't going to tell them that; he had to play this to his advantage. His father might be dead, but his dream was not. Julius would make sure that his father's great plan would succeed.

"What about the clones?" he asked with great pain. He hated that he had to call his siblings clones, but it was a necessary sacrifice.

"I'm afraid they haven't answered any of our questions."

"Let me talk with them," he jumped at the opportunity; it was a perfect chance to find out where they were being held.

The woman sighed, and Julius could already hear her response without her even answering. "Alex—"

"I talked with them at Point Blanc; believe me, they would answer me."

He could see her thinking; his heart was beating widely in his chest; this was probably the only chance he had to save what was left of his family.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do," she answered, getting up. "I'll call you, Alex." She turned away, and Julius smiled widely; he was one step closer; he could feel it.

Mrs. Jones entered the department with a grim expression; something was wrong; she could feel it.

"Did he say anything?" Blunt asked.

"No, nothing that we don't already know," she paused, thinking if she really wanted to say the next few words. "He offered to talk with the clones."

That made the head of the department look up.

"Really?" he said with raised eyebrows.

"I don't think we should let him," she blurted out.

"Why not? He wants to do it."

"That's the thing; he seems obsessed with it. Ever since he came back, the only thing he asks is where did we take the clones?"

Blunt opened his mouth to say something, but before he managed to say anything, Smithers entered the room running with a panicked expression on his face; Crawley entered right behind him.

"You have them all right? The clones?" he asked.

"Yes, all 7 of them," she responded.

"8."

"No, 7 students, 7 clones."

"Seven students plus Alex; where's the copy of Alex? Do you even know which one you brought back?"

That moment, everything came down to her. She already knew the answer, but she really thought she was wrong.

She looked at Blunt, the realization of their conversation playing in his head; they both knew. "Go," he ordered, making her run out of the room; Crawley followed her.

They entered a car, Crawley assuming the driver's seat. She took out her phone, dialling Alex's number; it only rang once before it was picked up, almost as if he was waiting for her call.

"Alex, your request was approved. Where are you? We'll pick you up," she asked as Crawley drove them out of the garage.

"Why did you lie?" Crawley asked when she hung up the call.

"Because I think we brought the wrong one," she answered with a haunted look on her face.