Alex stood there, beneath him Julia Rothman had bled to death, by a gun that Alex was holding.

He couldn't believe it, he had killed someone, sure she was a bad person and killed too many people in her life, including his parents. But Alex couldn't help but feel the dread creeping up his body when he looked at the puddle of blood.

He wanted to throw the gun away right there, despite it probably having saved his life. But Alex still needs it for the final part of his plan.

He forced himself to look away from the dead body moving his feet in the direction of the exit. He started to run away from this place, he was already outside, the boat floating in the water was his way out.

He finally reached the boat, climbing inside, behind he could already hear some noise of commotion, they had probably found Rothman body. He put the keys in the ignition, sighing in relief when the boat jumped to life. At the same moment, a group of people left the building running in his direction. Quickly he started to move the boat accelerating in the right direction.

The others had entered another boat chasing after him, firing in his direction in the process. But Alex wasn't done he turned around and raise his weapon, not pointing in the direction of the other boat tailing behind him, but in the direction of the school, more specifically the open window.

In all his time there, Alex had noticed a little detail: the kitchen window was always left open, no matter the weather. When he questioned Yassen, the man had told him that the chef didn't like the mixture of food smells, so he always had it open. Alex thought that it was a little weird the reasoning, and if it was true or not, he didn't care.

What it really matter was that the island used gas to cook, and a shot in the right direction would determine the end of Malagosto.

It was at this moment that Yassen training came in handy. He kept his hand steady against the calm sea, trying to ignore the other boat approaching him. He shot a couple of bullets emptying the chamber and not even a moment later a ball of fire was seen at Malagosto. A series of explosions sounded as the place went in flames.

Thankfully that proved to be a distraction to the others chasing him as all of them turned behind to see what had happened. Alex took advantage of that accelerating the boat, and when he was close enough to where he wanted, he jumped out.

It would be too dark for the others to see that he had jumped into the water. The boat would continue to go further without him on it, hopefully long enough to fool them.

He felt the shock of the cold water, freezing him instantly, Alex ignored the feeling pushing himself forward maintaining himself underwater the most possible time, and at the same time shorting the distance between himself and the land.

He had chosen where he wanted to go carefully, it was the perfect spot away from the exercise the other class went, and away from prying eyes. It was the end of a patch of forest that if he went forward he would reach the city.

When he came to the surface the boat had already pass him following his empty one. It was one last problem.

Quickly he swam the short distance until he reached the piece of land, instantly running forward taking advantage of the cover that the trees provide him.

He stopped catching his breath, he still had one thing left to do, get rid of the tracker.

He didn't have much choice in the matter, he would have to break it open.

He looked at the ground squinting his eyes, to try to make out the ground, only having the light of the moon.

Finally, he spotted a rock large enough that it wouldn't break easily. He put his wrist, his palm face upwards, against the floor.

With his other hand he brought the rock up before slamming it down on the device.

Instantly he screamed, the rock didn't only hit the tracker but also his arm, but the tracker still remained firmly locked.

Shakily he lifted the rock again slamming it against the tracker again and again and again.

In the end he was left screaming in pain when finally the tracker broke apart, but one look at what his wrist had become almost made him vomit all over the floor.

Despite the lack of light he could see that it was black and blue already, he could feel it throbbing, while pain radiated from the spot, but at least the tracker was gone.

Slowly he got up the floor picking up the broken device of the floor. Once again he walked to the coast, now no boats in sight, he wondered how much time they would follow the empty boat until they noticed.

The school still burned in the distance, and Alex couldn't help but feel the slightest piece of pride at that, no more school of assassins. With the last bit of strength Alex threw the tracker to the sea, hopefully the current would take it away.

One last look, and he turned away entering the woods.

Alex knew he had at least an hour of walking until he reached roads, in a normal situation it wouldn't have been a problem but considering that he was soaking wet with freezing water, and a possible broken wrist, it wasn't an easy feat.

But he had no choice, at least he was out of scorpia reach.

An hour later he could finally see some houses, Alex was still soaking wet, despite so much time had passed the clothes were still dripping, and now with the street's light he could see that his shirt was soaked with blood.

He was nauseous about the thought of Rothman blood staining his clothes, clinging to his skin. He had to change he couldn't walk to the city soaking wet and with blood stained clothes.

It was in the middle of the night, no store would be open at this time, and he couldn't really risk someone calling the police at the sight of the blood.

But right around the corner was his solution. Someone had left their clothes air drying overnight, Alex could see them over the fence.

He looked around, there was nobody there to see what he was doing. He jumped over the small wall that separated the house from the street running up to where the clothes were hanging. 

He couldn't be picky, he just chose whatever would fit him the best, at least they were already dry.

With some trousers and a sweatshirt in hand he made his way back to the forest to change.

Finally, he was able to take off the blood soaked clothes changing into something dry and clean, only then he realized how cold he had been.

He took off the money and the pen drive that he had stored in his pocket, thankfully he had remembered to put them inside a plastic bag, so it didn't get ruined by the salt water. He still wondered if anything relevant was inside the pen drive, but in reality it could have anything or nothing, but at least he wouldn't go home empty-handed.

He picked up his old clothes throwing them under a bush, not really caring if they stayed hidden.

Now with no blood on him, only his shoes stayed wet, but he could manage, he went back to the street going in a random direction in hopes of finding a way to get back home. For a moment he pondered going to the police to ask for help, but he didn't know if Scorpia had any influence there.

If the police and the secret services did nothing when Scorpia established a school in their country, what was to say that they wouldn't hand him over if he asked for help. No, he was on his own.

He walked trying to find any streets signs that would help him, is plan was to find a bus or a train that could take him to France, he didn't know how he would get in since he was a minor and didn't have any ID with him.

Finally, he recognized the word bus written in one of the street signs and started to follow them.

Until then Scorpia was nowhere in sight and Alex hoped that it would stay that way, he had to stay focused, if they catch him it would be unlike that he would manage to outrun them. And this time he knew that they wouldn't be interested in training him, not when he killed one of their members.

He walked for about thirty minutes until he saw the bus station, he had made it after all. Now he just had to sneak into one of them.

Despite the late hour the station was full of buses ready to depart, a variety of destination were displayed in each of them, none that interested Alex. He was starting to think that his luck had run out, and he would have to wait until morning. But then he saw it at the end of the line was a bus that was going to France, Lyon more specifically, but he could do with that.

He approached the driver that was smoking outside waiting for the time to depart, he had 15 minutes according to the timetable displayed.

"Ticket" the man said in a thick accent extending his hand

"I don't have one, I was hoping I could buy one now" Alex said, the man look at him from top to bottom

"I need to see some ID" the man said unbothered

"I was robbed they took my wallet" Alex explained hoping that the man would take pity on him

"where are your parents?"

"They're dead" Alex said, the words heavy on his tongue.

The man shook his head, throwing the cigarette to the floor, his time was up "no ticket"

"Wait, I have money. I can pay you double." Alex noticing that he caught the man attention "please, I'm just trying to go home"

"two fifty" he finally said

Alex had counted the money, and he knew he had enough, he wouldn't be left with much after, but he knew that if he tried to negotiate with the man he would lose the opportunity.

Alex nodded handing the money to the driver that instantly put it in his pocket.

"You sit in the back" he said nodding with his head for Alex to get inside.

The boy quickly got in before the man could regret his decision. The other driver was already inside preparing for his departure, and Alex watched as the man talked quietly with his colleague probably telling him about the extra bucks that they had scored tonight.

Alex didn't care he was just relieved that he would get out of this country. The young spy quickly made his way to the back noticing that most of the people were asleep or talking, too busy to notice him.

As soon he sat down the bus started to move initiating the journey.

Alex was tired, he had walked for hours, he was mentally and physical exhausted, but he couldn't sleep, he had to stay alert. He entertained himself to watch the view from his windows planing what would be the next step.

Back in London, a folder was thrown on top of Alan Blunt desk "Malagosto is on fire" Mrs. Jones said "an explosion occurred at midnight, no doubt it was provoked."

"There was a boat chase, it was impossible to make out the person on the boat due to the dark. A kilometre off the shore that boat was shot down, a bullet caught the fuel deposit"

They sat in silence as Blunt read the file

" was it Alex?" blunt finally asked

"we don't know. A group left the island earlier in the day, Alex was not among them, so he must have been on the island" Mrs. Jones reported knowing the meaning behind her words. In all logic it had been Alex rider inside the boat, and no one could have survived that explosion. Alex rider had been killed by Scorpia, just like his uncle, just like his parents.

While the secret services discussed the boy possible death Alex was still on a bus now with the passengers of the bus awake and the sun up in the sky and in a few moments they would make their final stop. They were chatty talking to each other, Alex on the other end was exhausted with deep bags under his eyes wondering if they ever would shut up.

Much to Alex relieve the driver soon enough announce their arrival and the bus stopped. He let everyone get off the bus before he made his way out sneaking away when the rest were preoccupied in securing their luggage.

He distanced himself from the station, until once again he was alone. Now that he was out of Italy he would have to hope that France wouldn't be under Scorpia influence, he had no other choice than to call home and ask for help.

But before he could take another step a sound made him stop, a click. He turned around and froze. It was smug face, pointing a gun at him.