Alex Rider: Scorpia Rising

Scorpia Rising
by Anthony Horowitz
1/24/2012

This book starts with Zeljan Kurst, leader of Scorpia, being asked by Ariston Xenopolos, a Greek billionaire, to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. He assigns the mission to new Scorpia member, Abdul-Aziz Al-Rahim, known as Razim, who suggests blackmail, attempting to almost ruin the British reputation with the rest of the world. In a secret prison in Gibraltar, Scorpia manages to free Julius Grief, one of Hugo Grief's clones from Point Blanc who is also Alex's look-alike. They hide a gun in the library for Julius along with instructions, enabling him to get out of the gates by taking his psychiatrist hostage. His death is faked with a remote-controlled car. Alex's school is attacked by a sniper who wounds his friend Tom Harris in the arm with his second shot. Alex follows the sniper and is able to send the helicopter and the sniper who is escaping in it crashing into the Thames. This gives Alan Blunt a chance to send Alex on a mission to Cairo to investigate the new head of security at Cairo College, Erik Gunter, believing he might have something to do with Scorpia. Alex gets home, but finds Jack, his guardian, has been kidnapped and a note is ordering him to get to a cemetery, or she will die. Both Alex and Jack are taken to Razim's fort in the Sahara Desert. Jack is then killed while trying to escape. Alex is bound and gagged, then taken to Cairo, where he is told what will face him by Gunter. When the American Secretary of State decries the United Kingdom and gives her anti-British speech, Julius (posing as Alex) will assassinate her, and in the clamor that follows, Alex's body will be found nearby. Days later, Scorpia will begin their blackmail, threatening to expose their file on MI6's use of a schoolboy as an assassin unless the Elgin Marbles are returned. Alex asks for a cigarette, and as Gunter opens the packet, a scorpion placed inside the packet by Alex stings him. Alex then steals his gun and breaks his nose. Alex distracts Julius just in time, and a shot is fired alerting everyone. Alex chases Julius through the streets of Cairo. Julius is hit by a car. He claims that Alex wouldn't dare kill him, but as Alex turns away, Julius goes for his gun, and is shot in turn by Alex. Alex is adopted by Edward Pleasure, Sabina Pleasure's father, who is confident Alex will get better with his family.