Scorpia

people were entirely black and white. The man was very handsome, dressed in military uniform with close-cut hair and a solid, serious face. He looked very much like Alex, although he seemed to be in his early thirties. The woman, standing next to him, was smaller and seemed much more vulnerable. She had long, fair hair and eyes that werefilled with sorrow. He had seen photographs of this woman and he was astonished to find her here. He knew that he was looking at his mother.
    He tried to get up, but he couldn’t. He wanted to hold her hand, but his arms would no longer obey him. He wasn’t breathing any more, but he hadn’t noticed.
    The man and the woman stepped forward out of the crowd. The man said nothing; he was trying to hide his emotions. But the woman leant down and reached out a hand. Only now did Alex realize that he had been looking for her all his life. She reached out and touched him, her finger finding the exact spot where there was a small hole in his shirt.
    No pain. Just a sense of tiredness and resignation.
    Alex Rider smiled and closed his eyes.

Anthony Horowitz is one of the most popular contemporary children’s writers. Both The Power of Five and Alex Rider are number one bestselling series enjoyed by millions of readers worldwide. When Anthony launched the Alex Rider series he created a phenomenon in children’s books, spurring a new trend of junior spy books and inspiring thousands of previously reluctant readers. Hailed as a reading hero, Anthony has also won many major awards, including the Bookseller Association/Nielson 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. The first Alex Rider adventure,
Stormbreaker
, was made into a blockbuster movie in 2006.
    Anthony’s other titles for Walker Books include the Diamond Brothers mysteries;
Groosham Grange
and its sequel,
Return to Groosham Grange; The Devil and His Boy; Granny; The Switch;
and a collection of horror stories,
More Bloody Horowitz
. Anthony also writes extensively for TV, with programmes including
Foyle’s War, Midsomer Murders, Collision
and, most recently,
Injustice
. His latest novel,
The House of Silk
, is a brand new Sherlock Holmes adventure, written with the endorsement of the Conan Doyle estate.
    Although abandoned by both his sons, Anthony Horowitz continues to live in Clerkenwell with his wife, Jill Green, and the ghost of his dog, Lucky. You can find out more about Anthony and his books at:
    www.anthonyhorowitz.com
    www.alexrider.com
    www.powerof5.co.uk
    www.youtube.com/alexriderinsider
    www.facebook.com/alexrideruk



This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, are 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 2004 by Walker Books Ltd
87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ
    This edition published 2012
    Text © 2004 Anthony Horowitz
Cover design by Walker Books Ltd
Alex Rider™ & Boy with Torch Logo™
© 2004 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 978-1-4063-2667-3 (ePub)
    www.walker.co.uk