Alex Rider: Secret Weapon
Encyclopedia
"Alex Rider: Secret Weapon" is a short story
by British
author Anthony Horowitz
.
Like Horowitz's Alex Rider
series, it is about a fourteen-year-old boy named Alex Rider, who is a spy
for MI6 against his will.
Secret Weapon is canon
. It takes place after the events of Skeleton Key
(the third novel) but before the events of Eagle Strike
(the fourth novel).
It tells more details of how Alex is coping with his double life as a schoolboy-spy. Skoda, a minor antagonist from Point Blanc
(the second novel), makes a reappearance in the story when he tries to take revenge on Alex for destroying his drug supplies, which happened in the second chapter of that same novel.
The story was published in The Funday Times
, on February 9, 2003.
is at school again. He is in a hurry for his class, and he runs into a new teacher at the school. He does not recognize her, and she tells him her name is Miss Treat (Miss Summers in the American version), to which Alex humorously replies "You certainly are." Miss Treat reminds Alex not to run in the corridors.
A little while later, Alex is on a school excursion in a weapons museum
when he encounters Skoda, a drug dealer whom Alex had used a crane to drop the canal boat he had been living in from a height into the middle of a police conference. Skoda was put in jail for selling drugs, after they stitched his injured face back together. Obviously, his face has changed since Alex last saw him.
Skoda pretends to be a security guard but Alex recognizes his teeth (he had no front ones) but before Alex can do anything, Skoda knocks him to the ground and traps him there. He attempts to stab Alex with a sword from the museum, but Miss Treat arrives on the scene and shoots Skoda with a tranquilizer gun before he can hurt Alex. Miss Treat then tells Alex that she is with MI6, and was sent undercover
as a teacher to his school to keep an eye on him. After Alex thanks her for saving his life, she once again reminds him not to run.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
.
Like Horowitz's Alex Rider
Alex Rider
Alex Rider is a series of spy novels by British author Anthony Horowitz about a 14-15 year old spy named Alex Rider. The series is aimed primarily at young adults. Nine novels have been published to date, as well as three graphic novels, three short stories and a supplementary book...
series, it is about a fourteen-year-old boy named Alex Rider, who is a spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
for MI6 against his will.
Secret Weapon is canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
. It takes place after the events of Skeleton Key
Skeleton Key (novel)
Skeleton Key is the Third book in the Alex Rider series written by British author Anthony Horowitz. The book was released in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2002 and in the United States on April 28, 2003.-Plot:...
(the third novel) but before the events of Eagle Strike
Eagle Strike
Eagle Strike is the fourth book in the Alex Rider series written by British author Anthony Horowitz. The book was released in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2003 and in the United States on April 12, 2004.-Chart performance:-Plot:...
(the fourth novel).
It tells more details of how Alex is coping with his double life as a schoolboy-spy. Skoda, a minor antagonist from Point Blanc
Point Blanc
Point Blanc is the second book in the Alex Rider series, written by British author Anthony Horowitz...
(the second novel), makes a reappearance in the story when he tries to take revenge on Alex for destroying his drug supplies, which happened in the second chapter of that same novel.
The story was published in The Funday Times
Funday Times
The Funday Times was a section of the UK Sunday Times. It was intended mainly for children, and included several comics, including Dennis and Gnasher, Rex and Tex, Beryl the Peril, Fans Utd., Scooby Doo, Space Raoul, The Powerpuff Girls, Creature Feature, Newton's Law, Jarvis, Squirt, The...
, on February 9, 2003.
Plot
Alex RiderAlex Rider (character)
Alex Rider is a fictional character, and the protagonist and title character of the popular Alex Rider novel series by British author Anthony Horowitz...
is at school again. He is in a hurry for his class, and he runs into a new teacher at the school. He does not recognize her, and she tells him her name is Miss Treat (Miss Summers in the American version), to which Alex humorously replies "You certainly are." Miss Treat reminds Alex not to run in the corridors.
A little while later, Alex is on a school excursion in a weapons museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
when he encounters Skoda, a drug dealer whom Alex had used a crane to drop the canal boat he had been living in from a height into the middle of a police conference. Skoda was put in jail for selling drugs, after they stitched his injured face back together. Obviously, his face has changed since Alex last saw him.
Skoda pretends to be a security guard but Alex recognizes his teeth (he had no front ones) but before Alex can do anything, Skoda knocks him to the ground and traps him there. He attempts to stab Alex with a sword from the museum, but Miss Treat arrives on the scene and shoots Skoda with a tranquilizer gun before he can hurt Alex. Miss Treat then tells Alex that she is with MI6, and was sent undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
as a teacher to his school to keep an eye on him. After Alex thanks her for saving his life, she once again reminds him not to run.