“You had another tattoo done? What does it say?""Alex. It says, Alex. I guess I just needed something to remind me you were real, because after you left, there was nothing ... nothing to say you'd ever been here.”

“Are you saying I'm not a badass? Then all these tattoos were for nothing. What shall I do?”

“Your name?"The movements of the man's mouth didn't quite match what he was saying, so seeing him speak was a bit like watching a badly dubbed film."Alex Gardiner," Alex said. "Your real name?""I just told you.""You lied. Your real name is Alex Rider.""Why ask if you think you know?”

“You are nothing like the others. You aren't like anyone I've ever met. I swear it. Now that I've had a taste of you, no one else will ever be enough for me. I need you...only you. Alex, you have my heart.”

“If you are going to be a writer there is nothing I can say to stop you; if you're not going to be a writer nothing I can say will help you. What you really need at the beginning is somebody to let you know that the effort is real.”

“Just say, 'no', Alex, dear.""You make him sound like a drug.”