IF THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT THE WINNER, I’D HATE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RUNNER-UP. YOU’RE NOT KEVIN BLAKE. YOU’RE ALEX RIDER. YOUR UNCLE WAS PRETENDING TO BE A SECURITY GUARD, BUT YASSEN GREGOROVICH DEALT WITH HIM… …AND MI6 SENT YOU TO TAKE HIS PLACE. SENDING A FOURTEENYEAR-OLD TO DO THEIR DIRTY WORK. NOT VERY BRITISH, I’D HAVE SAID. NOT CRICKET. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WE KNOW YOU’RE PUTTING SOME KIND OF VIRUS INTO THE STORMBREAKER… OH! IT’S… IT’S NOT A COMPUTER VIRUS, IS IT? IT’S THE REAL THING! VERY CLEVER, ALEX. IT’S CALLED R5… A GENETICALLY MODIFIED VIRUS. IT’S VERY NASTY.
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY? WELL, I’LL TELL YOU! I’LL BE DELIGHTED! DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A FOREIGNER IN THIS COUNTRY? AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, THAT’S A MUSICAL. BUT AN AMERICAN IN LONDON? THAT’S A SLOW DEATH. I WAS MOCKED FROM THE DAY I ARRIVED. EVEN… NO, ESPECIALLY AT SCHOOL. THE OTHER KIDS STOLE MY BOOKS. THEY PUT PINS ON MY CHAIR, CALLED ME TRAILER BOY AND DARRIUS SMELL… YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T WASH? BECAUSE THEY WERE SNOBS! OH, I HATED MANY CHILDREN AT THAT SCHOOL. BUT THERE WAS ONE WHO WAS THE WORST. AND YOU KNOW WHO HE WAS? WHO HE GREW UP TO BE? THE PRIME MINISTER! ALL MY LIFE I’VE BEEN TREATED THE SAME WAY. NO MATTER HOW RICH I AM, OR HOW SUCCESSFUL I’VE BECOME, I’M STILL DARRIUS SMELL THE TRAILER BOY! AND THAT’S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT? REVENGE? IN JUST A FEW HOURS’ TIME, AT THE SCIENCE MUSEUM IN LONDON, MY OLD FRIEND THE PRIME MINISTER WILL PRESS THE BUTTON TO CONNECT ALL THE STORMBREAKERS ON MY WIRELESS NETWORK… …AND RELEASE THE VIRUS STRAIGHT INTO CLASSES PACKED WITH BRITISH SCHOOL CHILDREN. …
BUT YOU’LL KILL THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE! WHAT? NO, NO, DON’T BE SILLY. I’LL KILL MILLIONS OF THEM. ALL BECAUSE YOU WERE BULLIED AT SCHOOL? LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE BULLIED AT SCHOOL, BUT IT DOESN’T TURN THEM INTO RAVING PSYCHOPATHS! THAT WAS… A GOOD SHOT. EURGH. ACTUALLY, IT WAS A NEAR MISS. YOU SHOULD WATCH YOUR MOUTH. TIME TO SAY GOODBYE, ALEX. AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, I’M PACKING UP AND LEAVING. I’D LOVE TO STAY, BUT I HAVE A RATHER IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT IN LONDON. SO I’LL LEAVE YOU TO NADIA.
THEY WON’T LISTEN TO US. WHAT? LIVERPOOL STREET CORNWALL “AND ALEX? HE WASN’T ON THE TWELVE O’CLOCK PLANE.” “THEN LET’S HOPE HE CAN LOOK AFTER HIMSELF.” WHAT ABOUT SECURITY? I’M THROWING A NET AROUND THE SCIENCE MUSEUM, BUT IT MAY BE BESIDE THE POINT. YOU KNOW THE GOVERNMENT VIEW OF INTELLIGENCE AT THE MOMENT. THEY’D SOONER TRUST A OUIJA BOARD. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THEY’RE IGNORING MY ADVICE AND GOING AHEAD WITH THE CEREMONY.
THE JELLYFISH CANNOT ATTACK YOU, ALEX. IT HAS, AS YOU SAID, NO BRAINS. BUT YOU WILL TIRE SOON. YOU WILL DRIFT INTO ITS EMBRACE. AND THEN… WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DU VERDAMMTES KIND…?! …
EW.
…FINAL DEPARTURE IN TWO MINUTES. EVACUATE ALL PERSONNEL. REPEAT… HE’S ESCAPED! OPEN FIRE! …DEPARTURE IN ONE MINUTE AND THIRTY SECONDS. EVACUATE ALL…
STOP HIM!
…FINAL DEPARTURE IS NOW. ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY. REPEAT, FINAL DEPARTURE… IMPRESSIVE.
EUUGH! NUUUH… ALL RIGHT, MR GRIN. I WANT YOU TO FLY ME TO LONDON. AS FAST AS YOU CAN. HYDE PARK, LONDON
KEEP THAT BACK STRAIGHT, SABINA! PRIME MINISTER! NOW, WE’RE ALL GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE TROT… BIG SMILE, PLEASE! OVER HERE, PRIME MINISTER! WHERE’S ALEX?
WE DON’T KNOW. WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU DON’T KNOW? YOU PROMISED ME YOU’D LOOK AFTER HIM! WE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS NOW, MISS STARBRIGHT. THE PRIME MINISTER IS… LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU. THE MESSAGE TODAY IS QUITE CLEAR. “AND THAT MESSAGE IS EDUCATION. EDUCATION, EDUCATION, AND…”
AND… …AND EDUCATION! SAYLE! DARRIUS SMELL. AND THAT IS WHY I AM DELIGHTED TO ACCEPT THE GENEROUS OFFER MADE BY ONE OF OUR FOREMOST eNTREPRENEURS, AND MY OLD SCHOOL COLLEAGUE… I WANT YOU TO KEEP FLYING NORTH UNTIL YOU RUN OUT OF FUEL. THEN YOU CAN LAND, OK? NORGH. UM… DARRIUS SAYLE!
WHY ME…? THIS IS A DAY THAT NONE oF YOU WILL EVER FORGET. BIRMINGHAM LONDON MANCHESTER AS I PROMISED, MY STORMBREAKERS ARE ABOUT TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF EVERY CHILD IN BRITAIN. IT IS THE PRIME MINISTER WHO MUST TAKE CREDIT FOR WHAT’S ABOUT TO HAPPEN HERE. AND NOW I ASK MY OLD FRIEND, THE PRIME MINISTER, TO PRESS THE BUTTON THAT ACTIVATES THIS RADIO TRANSMITTER. THE TRANSMITTER’S SIGNAL WILL ACTIVATE THE STORMBREAKERS ACROSS tHE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
PRIME MINISTER, IF YOU PLEASE. HERE WE GO…
SECURITY ALERT! BRING HIM DOWN, NOW! I SAY…! NO, WAIT! FREEZE! OR I’LL- -CUB?
YOU WANT A JOB DONE RIGHT… ALL RIGHT, THEN I WILL! THANKS! NOW! GO ON! PRESS IT! WOLF! THROW ME YOUR GUN!
DARRIUS…? YOU… TWERP! AAAAH! SIR! ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? THAT’S ALEX! OH, DON’T BE RIDICULOUS, GARY. ALEX IS IN BED WITH MUMPS. BROOKLAND SCHOOL
YOU CAN LEAVE HIM TO US. DON’T WORRY ABOUT HIM. …FINE. WHAT ABOUT SAYLE? YOU’VE DONE VERY WELL, ALEX. BUT YOU SHOULD GO, NOW. HOW COULD THEY LET HIM SLIP AWAY? IT’S NOT YOUR PROBLEM. I CAN’T BELIEVE I EVER LET YOU GET MIXED UP IN ALL THIS. BUT IT’S OVER NOW, AND IT’S TIME YOU CAME HOME. YEAH, BUT WHERE’S HE GOING…? SOMEWHERE REMOTE AND FAR AWAY WHERE NOBODY WILL EVER FIND HIM. LIKE… PARAGUAY. OR IOWA. JACK! STOP THE CAR!
THAT’S IT! SAYLE TOWER! WHAT? HE HAD A MODEL OF IT IN CORNWALL. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A BACK-UP, SOMETHING ABOUT A MANUAL OVERRIDE… THAT’S WHERE IT IS, AND THAT’S WHERE HE IS! HE’S GOING TO SET OFF THE VIRUS HIMSELF! BECAUSE, ALEX, yOU’RE NOT IN CORNWALL ANY MORE. WELCOME TO LONDON TRAFFIC. WHY NOT? JACK, HE’LL KILL EVERYONE! I CAN’T! COME ON, PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN! NO…
I HAVE TO STOP HIM, JACK! I’LL RUN THERE IFALEX? ALEX, WHAT ARE yOU DOING? ALEX? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? SABINA…? I THOUGHT YoU HAD MUMPS. HAVE TO SAVE THE WORLD? I… OH, OK. … LOOK, SABINA, I NEED YOUR HELP. I HAVE TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF LONDON, RIGHT NOW! I GOT BETTER. WHY?
THAT’S RIGHT, MRS JONES! I DON’T KNOW WHAT HER FIRST NAME IS! I’M NOT SENDING HER A BIRTHDAY CARD, THIS IS URGENT! STOP MAKING ME- -JUMP OVER HURDLES… ALEX… KEEP GOING!
OH, NO… DON’T LOOK ROUND! WHAT THE-? DAMNED LUNATICS! AFTER THEM! TRUST ME! WHY NOT? WHOOPS! SORRY!
IF ANYONE ELSE COMES IN, KILL THEM. RIGHT YOU ARE, SIR.
STOP RIGHT THERE! NOT AGAIN… WAIT…! THANKS, SABINA! SCHOOLBOY TRICK.
ALEX, WAIT FOR ME! UHHH… OH, SHUSH. men. COME ON… COME ON… STOP…
AT LAST. DON’T SAY IT. JUST DON’T.
RIDER. WHAT…? NO! PUT IT BACK. I SAID PUT IT BACK. NOW. TAKE UP POSITIONS! DON’T YOU DARE HURT THEM!
NO. PUT IT BACK! IT’S ALL OVER, SAYLE. YOU’VE GOT NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. THEN I WILL.
WELL, WELL. TARGETS ACQUIRED! SIR, THEY’RE ON THE ROOF! THE KID’S HANGING OFF BY A CABLE… SAYLE’S GOT A TRANSMITTER UP THERE! FIRE ON MY COMMAND. THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT ALEX! …WHAT? NO, ALAN, SHE’S RIGHT. GIVE ME THE RADIO. YOU’LL HIT ALEX! NO! UNH!
CHANGE OF ORDERS, LADS! STAND BY, REPEAT, STAND BY! NO MORE HANGING AROUND, ALEX. MA’AM? YOU THERE? …APPEARS TO BE A YOUNG GIRL, MA’AM! WHO IS THAT? WHO ELSE IS UP THERE?! AAAH!
YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY GETS ME? THEM SENDING A KID. A MAN, I COULD HAVE DEALT WITH, BUT A FOURTEENYEAR-OLD KID… I’VE GOT YOU, SABINA…! GOODBYE, ALEX.
WASTE THESE KIDS FOR ME, WOULD YOU? HEY, YASSEN! ABOUT TIME!
HEH. HEH HEH HEH. I’LL SWING YOU ONTO THE BALCONY! NO, DON’T! ALL RIGHT… THE CABLE WILL BREAK! I CAN DO IT! ALEX, I’M SLIPPING…!
DO YOU TRUST ME? NO! TYPICAL. HOLD ON…
TAKE MY HAND. IF YOU DO NOT, YOU WILL DIE.
SAYLE HAD BECOME AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE PEOPLE I WORK FOR. WHAT ABOUT ME? I HAVE NO INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING YOU. THIS DOESN’T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOU KILLED MY UNCLE. YOU’RE STILL MY ENEMY. I HAVE MANY ENEMIES. I’LL NEVER FORGET YOU. THIS ISN’T OVER, GREGOROVICH! THAT IS YOUR CHOICE. I THINK IT IS, ALEX. GO BACK TO SCHOOL. YOU DO NOT BELONG TO MY WORLD, AND YOU SHOULD FORGET ABOUT ME.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO WALK WITH ME TO SCHOOL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THERE, YOU KNOW? BROOKLAND SCHOOL HI, ALEX! YOUR MUMPS CLEARED UP, THEN? HI! What does HE teach? AND HOW COME YOU NEVER MENTIONED HIM TO ME BEFORE…?
NO, OF COURSE NOT. I’M NOT. AND IT WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN. THAT’S NOT WHAT THEY TOLD ME… ARE YOU REALLY A SPY? ME TOO. NO. THEY MADE ME SIGN THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT. ALEX! SABINA! DON’T DO THAT! NOT HERE, ANYWAY… I’M NOT ALLOWED TO TELL ANYONE WHAT HAPPENED.
IT WON’T. I’M NOT A SPY… I’M JUST ME. TARGET ACQUIRED… …STAND BY. THE END?
Collect all the Alex Rider books: Also available as eBooks and on CD, read by Oliver Chris and Dan Stevens www.alexrider.com 978-1-84428-092-6 978-1-84428-093-3 978-1-84428-094-0 978-1-84428-095-7 978-0-7445-7051-9 978-0-7445-8324-3 978-1-4063-1039-9 978-1-4063-1698-8
Anthony horowitz is one of the most popular children’s writers working today. His hugely successful Alex Rider series has sold over ten million copies worldwide and won numerous awards, including the Children’s Book of the Year Award for ARK ANGEL at the 2006 British Book Awards and the Red House Children’s Book Award for SKELETON KEY. He scripted the blockbuster movie STORMBREAKER from his own novel, and also writes extensively for TV, with programmes including MIDSOMER MURDERS, POIROT, FOYLE’S WAR and COLLISION. He is married to television producer Jill Green and lives in London with his two sons, Nicholas and Cassian, and their dog, Lucky. www.anthonyhorowitz.com ANTONY JOHN STON , who wrote the script for this book, has written more than fifteen other graphic novels, including WOLVERINE: PRODIGAL SON, THE LONG HAUL and THREE DAYS IN EUROPE. He also writes a monthly comic series, WASTELAND, and has written more miniseries and short stories than he can remember. In addition to his comics work he writes novels, such as FRIGHTENING CURVES (which won the 2002 IPPY award for Best Horror) and STEALING LIFE, and has also written videogames, such as 2008’s DEAD SPACE. Antony lives in north-west England with his partner Marcia, his dogs Connor and Rosie, and far too many Macs and iPods. www.antonyjohnston.com The artwork in this graphic novel is the work of two artists, KANAKO DAMERUM and YUZURU TAKASAKI, who collaborate on every illustration. Although living on opposite sides of the globe, these Japanese sisters work seamlessly together via the Internet. Living and working in Tokyo, YUZURU produced all the line work for these illustrations using traditional means. The quality of her draughtsmanship comes from years of honing her skills in the highly competitive world of manga. KANAKO lives and works out of her studio in London. She managed and directed the project as well as colouring and rendering the artwork digitally using her wealth of knowledge in graphic design. www.manga-media.com www.thorogood.net
First published 2006 by Walker Books Ltd 87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ Text © 2006 Walker Books Ltd Based on the original novel Stormbreaker, © 2000 Anthony Horowitz Screenplay © MMVI Samuelsons / IoM Film Film © MMVI Film and Entertainment VIP Medienfonds 4 GmbH & Co. KG and UK Film Council Style Guide © MMVI ARR Ltd Trademarks 2006 Samuelson Productions Ltd Stormbreaker™, Alex Rider™, Boy with torch Logo™, AR Logo™ All rights reserved British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978-1-4063-3661-0 (e-PDF) www.walker.co.uk ™