Skeleton Key, The Graphic Novel

I was told The Salesman is a And he does just there wasn’t any crook, based here danger. Anyway, in Miami. Mexican guy, what his name says. I can look after He sells anything a nasty piece of and everything. myself. work. I don’t believe that. Whatever. Drugs, weapons, false identities, information… if you need something illegal, the Salesman can supply it. At a price, of course. I thought you were investigating Sarov. We are. The Salesman may have sold something to Sarov. That’s the connection. What did Sarov buy? We don’t know for sure. All we know is So you’re going to that two of the try and find out what Salesman’s agents flew into Skeleton Key he sold Sarov. recently and never Which boat is his? returned. I’ve been working undercover with him for a while, buying drugs. Today just happens to be his birthday, and he invited me on his boat.

That one. Wow. Time for me I’ll stay with to go. the kid. it’s only a twenty- minute meeting. Just eat your breakfast and wait here.

What do we do now? We wait. Something’s wrong. What? What d’you mean? The boat’s Maybe he changed his mind. leaving! Maybe the Salesman invited But it’s only a him on a cruise. twenty-minute meeting Not without me. - Tom wasn’t meant Not without cover. to go anywhere! it’s against company procedure. No… His cover’s been blown.

So what are you Then I’ll do No, Alex! going to do? something. Wait! I don’t know! if they find out who he is, they’ll kill him! Hey! That board cost five hundred dollars! —Woah! Somebody stop—

Oof! Hope nobody Look at all that heard that… petrol! The Salesman must be planning on Which isn’t being away for good news for some time… Turner!

You are a foolish man. And I am going Your name is Tom Turner. to kill you. You work for the CIA. I am a very successful man, Mr Turner. Whatever You’re wrong… I don’t know… what people want, I supply. you’re talking about. Like this rare wine, for example. But I am also a careful man. I made certain… enquiries about you. The CIA was mentioned. And so you are here. What do you… I want to Want to know? know when we are one hour out of Miami… …Because that is when I will shoot you and dump you over the side.

…And I know just the thing. Two against one, plus all these other guards, and they all have guns. I need a diversion… Mmmmf!!! Too… Heavy! Nothing else for it…

…I’ll have to Hope this doesn’t make a fuse blow the whole boat skyhigh… instead. Another glass, I think. Yes. But then I must leave you. I have work to—

See what is ¡Se prendió happening! Quickly! la gasolina! ¡Traigan un extintor! ¡Órale!

What…? Haha! A boy! Sorry, you’ve What are you got the wrong going to do? number… call 9 1 1?

…But this call’s for you! Unh! it’s only a You set fire knockout dart. to the boat? But we’re on the boat! He’ll be fine. Look out! I heard an explosion! Was that you? Yeah. I set the boat alight.

That must have All right, come on! been the second We’re going to have petrol can! to swim! *Kof!* ¡Ahí están! ¡Deténganlos! How many were there? Come on, move! only two… I think! ¡Dispárenles, idiotas! ¡Órale!

…Think again! *Hhhhht!* You’re crazy! You could have gotten us both killed! I just saved your life! You think so…? We’re sitting ducks! We don’t stand a—

What the…? But…

Tom! Are you all right? What happened? He blew up …And killed I saw the boat blow, the boat… them all in the and I thought No! process! you were… I didn’t! it was the kid! No! There wasn’t For god’s sake, enough petrol kid! You think a light fuse blew to do that… They and took the were starting to boat with it? get the fire under You killed control! them all. You did it, Alex. You set the gas alight and that’s what happened.

santiago aiRpoRt, Cayo EsquElEto Please fasten your seat-belts. We will shortly be coming in to land. Put the Nintendo away, Alex. We’re almost at the front of the line. Why did you give it to me if you didn’t want me to play with it? We’ve been waiting here hours… Do as your The purpose Vacation. mother says. of your visit, Mr Gardiner? Come on, they’re calling us. Enjoy your visit to So much for security. Cayo Esqueleto. The guard’s half asleep, and they’ve only got one CCTV camera! Don’t hold up the line, Alex. Thank you.

This is the family? Yes. When we Where the CIA searched their is based. luggage we found a bookstore receipt - from Langley, Virginia. Exactly. Their immigration forms are on the way to our laboratory, to analyse their fingerprints. Shall I arrest No… No, we must them now, just be sure. We cannot afford to scare away in case? genuine tourists. very well. I will Let them go send their pictures and for now. fingerprints to their And our hotel, the police… special friend in Casa de Oro.

valEnCia hotEl Wow. This is impressive. Can I go Sure thing, for a swim? honey! But you “Sure thing, be careful! honey…” Troy said we have Oh well. to stay in character in Enjoy it while case the hotel’s bugged, I can, I guess! but it really doesn’t suit her.

onE houR latER Then again, I I wonder what it wouldn’t be sunning would have been like it in a five-star if my real mum and hotel… dad had lived. Mom? Dad? An ordinary life, worrying about schoolwork, exams and girls… Not spies and exploding boats. Not here… Time for Nintendo, then. But I Turner waited till we wonder… were boarding the plane before he gave me the DS. And they didn’t want me using it in the airport… is it really a gadget, like the one MI6 gave me last year?

Oh, well. I suppose not everything is spy stuff… No… Nothing. Strange… The noise stopped when I picked it up again… Something on the table must be setting it off! Of course. The alarm clock’s hands are luminous, and luminous paint is slightly radioactive! The DS is really a Geiger counter… …The CIA are looking for a nuclear bomb!

*Yawn* Wow, I overslept… nExt moRning …And my “Gone for a walk”… “parents” couldn’t even be bothered to Yeah, right. With a Geiger counter. Well, I’m not waiting wake me up. here all day. I may as well The Nintendo’s gone… see some of this famous tourist spot. They must have snuck in and taken it during the night.

So this is Puerto Madre. “Plaza de Fraternidad”… “Brotherhood square”. You want cigars? Hey, amigo! I sell Best Havana cigars at you a T-shirt! cheap, cheap price! No, thank you, Muchacho! You I don’t— bring your parents to my bar, eh? There’s Turner and Troy. But who’s that with them? Hey!

Sorry, amigos, not today… Alex! What are you doing here? We told you to stay at the hotel! I searched the Yeah, well, I thought hotel before I left, this was meant to be a by the way, but I family holiday. couldn’t find any nuclear bombs. Keep your voice down! … You lied to me. You’re not just spying on General Sarov, are you? Why don’t you tell me what this is really about?

All right. You mean the We’ll tell you Geiger counter. what we can. We didn’t tell you That’s against orders! because we didn’t want to frighten you. What choice do Oh, how kind. we have? He obviously But you’re right. knows about the We believe there’s a Nintendo. nuclear device hidden We were on this island. ordered not to! And you think Sarov has it? We shouldn’t be telling him this. it’s against protocol. Shut up, Tom. Something’s happening here. While we were investigating the Salesman, we discovered he’d got his hands on a kilo of weapons- grade uranium, out of Eastern Europe.

And the person …Was General Remember those he sold it to… Sarov. associates of the Salesman who flew in here but never returned? We think they delivered it. So suddenly we’ve got a meeting between a General from Old Russia and the President of New Russia… Everyone in Why? …And the Washington is possibility of a terrified. To nuclear weapon in the picture. be honest, so are we. What’s he planning to do with it? if we knew that, we …I’m sorry. wouldn’t be here! But now you see … how dangerous this mission is. We have to break in to Casa de Oro and look around.

is that what His name’s you were talking to Garcia. that man about? He’s one of our “assets” here, working for us as an informant and local help. He also has a boat. “Casa de Oro is built on a clifftop at the tip of the island. it’s an old sugar cane plantation. They even have a fully working mill. But by boat… Scuba, actually. “There’s only one road into the estate. it’s narrow, with a drop on both sides, and heavily guarded. We’d never get in that way.” See, we know something Sarov doesn’t. There’s a fault line in the rock, a natural shaft that goes all the way up the cliff. And you’re going to climb it? Garcia’s family has been on the island for centuries. According to them, three hundred years ago smugglers built metal rungs into the shaft.

That ladder runs up Where does from a cave at the bottom scuba diving come into it? of the cliff, and comes out in the garden. That’s our way in. They call it the The water level’s Devil’s Chimney. higher now, so the cave So you swim into is underwater. Most the cave, climb the people have forgotten Devil’s Chimney, and search the estate. it ever existed. Not our problem. What happens By then, our work if you do find will be done. a bomb? I see. it’s a good plan… …So I’m coming with you. Thank you.

No way! And this is a family holiday. I told you all this You keep dumping me so you’d understand how on my own in the hotel, dangerous it is! This isn’t a videogame, zapping bad somebody’s going to guys on a screen! This notice… And wonder where you both are. is the real thing! All right. But you I’m not asking to dive, stay out of our way, and or climb the chimney. But if in the boat with Garcia. we’re all on the boat, it’ll That’s final. look more like a family cruise. You know, he’s Fine. So when got a point. do we go? Right now. We’re doing it tonight.

l at E R We’ll dive here and swim underwater to the coast. We’re being watched. Doesn’t matter. Dive boats come out There’s an old wreck around here that people here all the time, even like to swim around. The though they aren’t guards are used to it. supposed to. We’ll be fine, provided we don’t draw attention to ourselves.

We’ll start with Then we’ll come an exploratory dive. back for the rest of Twenty minutes, our equipment, change air tanks and go back no longer. when it’s dark. All we need to do is find the cave and check there are no security devices. You’re not taking the Nintendo? Won’t need it You know, I’m until we get back. a qualified diver… The hell with that! You talked your way onto the boat, but you are not diving. Just sit tight and wait here.

You American? So why you here? English. I’ve been asking myself the same question. You know why they don’t like you?

They are grown-ups. I didn’t ask But still They think they good at to be here. you came. what they do. But then along comes a child, and he is better. Worse, he is English! They’ve been gone Maybe they enter too long. They’ll run Devil’s Chimney. out of air soon. Climb up! Didn’t they have No. That wasn’t the a back-up plan? plan, remember? What did they tell They tell me you to do? to wait. So I wait an hour, two hours, I wait all night. Well, I’m Have you not waiting. got any more scuba gear?

FivE minutEs latER Of course not. But take this. You should not dive alone. in case, you know? As if you’re Thanks. See going to come you soon! with me. Ouch! I’m out of practice… But never mind. I have to find that cave. And quickly, before it’s too dark to see.

Brrr, creepy. No sign of There it is. Turner and Troy, but Maybe they’re I’d better go in and waiting inside find the ladder, after all… just in case… What was that? Something big… Oh, no! A great white shark!

But why’s it Oh, no. circling me? My cylinder’s black, I’m not wearing bright clothes… it’s arching its back… it’s going to… I cut my arm when I dived in! it can smell my blood! …Attack!

it’s turning to attack again. Only got one chance… Barely a Got to get in the cave, get out scratch. And now it’s coming back! of the water… …Too late!

What the…?

The stalactites and And it even has stalagmites are fake… its own disposal The whole cave is system. Gross. a trap! and I’ll bet There must be an Turner and Troy infra-red beam to activate it. The shark did, too. broke the beam… *Haaaaah!* Time to get out of here. This whole mission is a disaster!

Mmmf! Garcia, we have Garcia! Are you listening— No, don’t to go. Turner and bother helping, Troy are dead, and the I’m fine… mission’s a bust. Do you understand? No, no, no… You have to take me Yesh. back to the hotel! Oh, no…

Ohn ochnishsya. Hey! Let me out of here! What’s going on? Yoor naaame? Why ask if Alex Gardiner! you think you already know? Yoo lie. My naaame Yoor real naaame izh izh Khonrad. Alex Rrrider.

We havvve met ! beeefore. I’m on vacation Whyyy are yoo with my mom and dad. heeere? Where are they? Why have you brought me here? I want to go home! Yoor accennt izh I already told you, I’m on vacation! I don’t very goood, but yoo know what you’re are Englishhh. Yoor talking about! “paarents” were CIA *Sigh* agennts. They are deadd. Very welll. I mussht know whyyy yooo are heere.

Thish place was onnnce a sshugar mill. Sshugar caaane was dellivered heere by farrrmers. it was shhredded annd placed on a belllt to be crushhed. Oh, no… Thenn it was filltered, annd thee remainnning syrup was placed in caullldrons annd heated to form crystallls. Yooo are at thee start of thee proceshh. imaginne the paaain that lies aheadd of yoo. Firrrst yoor toes, then yoor feet… One centimmmetre at a time. Howw much of yooo will be processhed before yoo arre allowed thee comfffort of death? Switch it off! You’re wrong! Stop it! You can’t do Tell mee what I this! wannnt to knoww, and I will presh thee red buttonn too shtop thee machinnne.

I am doing Stop him! You thish. Annd I can’t let him do this! am nevvver I’m just a boy! wronnng. Doo not How much didd washte annny thee agentsh knoww? moore time. Yooo have so little Whyy werrre they of it leffft… heere? Please… All right! Go onn. You already know everything else, so what difference does it make? They were looking for a nuclear bomb! Turner was working undercover and found out that Sarov bought uranium from the Salesman! They came here to find it! Now stop the conveyor!

Nnot yett. …No. What?! Did theyy know thee purposhe of thee bommmb? No! They didn’t tell me! Please, stop… Yooo’ve been But you said! You a badd boy… Annd said you would! badd boysh must bee punishhhed. I lied. Jusht like yooo.

*Hhh… Hhh—* … My dear Alex, I’m so sorry. Are you all right? He is unconscious… but alive. Bring him to the house!

Alex? You must forgive Conrad. He is an excellent assistant, and useful in many ways. But he can be… Over-enthusiastic. Ah, you are waking up. Casa dE oRo He had no orders to eliminate you. On the contrary, when I found out who you were, I very much wanted to meet you. How did you find out? contrary to appearances, We Yes… have a very sophisticated security system here, and in Havana. Now, you have had a terrible ordeal— Turner and Troy Of course I was had a worse one. aware of the Devil’s Chimney when I bought this house. I constructed a simple defence mechanism. They tell me it also killed a shark today.

it did. A But I believe in great white. you, Alex Rider. You You saw it? are quite unique. and survived? You are as Why am I here? remarkable as What do you want your file says. with me? Some would say you have the luck of the Devil… Though I do not believe in the Devil, or God for that matter. You are here because I cannot let you leave. Casa de Oro is your prison, though I hope you will find it comfortable. As for what I want with you… Do you really it is late. have a nuclear bomb? We will talk Made from the uranium more tomorrow. the Salesman sold Conrad? So you? it wasn’t me! I knew it! Yes. But he is no What are you going to do with the bomb? longer a concern. I had Conrad blow Are you afraid? up his boat.

Of course. I will tell you this: my country was once a world power, one of the most powerful nations on earth. I just want “We were feared by to know. the rest of the world! “We put the first man “Prisons are empty. into space. We made the Criminals control the streets. Millions are addicted greatest advances in to drugs, and millions more science and technology. have AIDS. Women and children work as prostitutes.” “But Communism has been driven out. And in its absence, Russia has become second-rate, with no law and order. And why? So the people can eat Okay, I can see you’re angry… McDonald’s and buy Levi jeans and talk on their But how is a nuclear bomb going to mobile telephones change any of that? in Red Square!

I will undo the damage I am not an evil man, Alex. of the last thirty years! Whatever your superiors I will give my country back told you, my only wish is to its pride and position on stop this disease and make the world stage! the world a better place. I hope you can believe that. it matters very much to me that you should come to see things my way. We will breakfast together at nine a.m., then I will show you the estate. Do not try to escape. There is no way down to the courtyard, and this door will be locked.

Su portafolios, my luggage… joven. Sarov must have sent someone to the hotel to collect it. I wonder if Smithers’ phone is still there? nExt moRning No. But the Owen figure and chewing gum are! Hmmm… Better not wear my Levi’s.