“You can kiss me if you like," she said.Alex let go of her and turned away. "Thanks, Fiona," he said. "But frankly I'd prefer to kiss the horse.”

“No offense, but I'd rather kiss the horse.”

“Alex decided he’d had enough. He put down his knife. “All right,” he said. “You’ve made it pretty clear that you don’t want to work with me. Well, that’s fine. Because I don’t want to work with you either. And for what it’s worth, nobody would ever believe you were my mom because no mom would ever behave like you.” “Alex…,” Carver began. “Forget it! I’m going back to London. And if you’re Mr. Byrne asks why, you can tell him I didn’t like the jelly, so I went home to get some jam.”

“Let me tell you, Alex. He's a crook. He's based here in Miami. He's a nasty piece of work.""He's mexican" Troy added.”

“The platform underneath the balloon fell on her as she was trying to escape," she explained. "She was crushed.""I'd have been disappointed too.”

“I have a couple of questions," he said."Do, please, go ahead.""My first one is for Yassen Gregorovich." He turned to the Russian. "Why are you working for this lunatic?""I sometimes think that I was richer when I was eight years old than most people will be in their lifetime!""Do we have to listen to this?" Alex asked.”

“It sometimes seemed to Alex that the whole universe was against him. Getting away from FLamingo Bay had almost killed him. It had been an exhausting struggle against time, the elements, and Drevin's firepower.And now he was going back.It was the CIA agent, Ed Shulsky, who had made it happen.Alex, you know the place. I need you to tell me where they're holding Tamara. You can give me a layout of the island. Anyway, we don't have much time. You saw for yourself. The rocket is on its way, and if what you've told me is true-"It is." Alex felt a spurt of annoyance. Why should the American doubt, even for a moment, what he said? Was it perhaps because he was only fourteen?Shulsky noticed his reaction. "I'm sorry. That was out of line. But this plan of his, Ark Angel...Washington..." He shook his head. "It's beyond anything we could have imagined. And that's why we have to take him out. Right now. We don't have time to drop you off."But you're too late," Alex argued. "Gabriel 7 has gone. What are going to do? Shoot it down?”