Alex Rider #8: "Crocodile Tears" Quiz

Answer: Kilmore Castle

Kilmore Castle is owned by the wealthy Desmond McCain. He holds his New Year's Eve party here, which Alex and Sabina attend. The Gaelic motto on the front door translates, "You cannot defeat your enemies until you know who they are."

Answer: Four of a kind

At McCain's party, the final poker hand comes down to three players: Alex, McCain, and an accountant - later revealed to be Leonard Straik. After all players go all in, Straik reveals his hand of two pairs, before McCain claims the pot with four of a kind. Unfortunately for him, Alex then reveals his cards: a straight flush in hearts.

Answer: Walking stick

Alex is able to help everyone escape from the car by breaking a window, allowing the water pressure to equalize and Sabina to open a door. This permits them to help get the unconscious Edward to the surface.

Answer: Harry Bulman

Bulman comes over to Alex's house and informs him that he plans to release Alex's story to the media. Alex reports this to MI6, who wipe Bulman's identity from all records in order to protect Alex. Bulman is later shot by McCain after telling him who Alex really is.

Answer: Behind a painting

Alex is able to witness the conversation between Straik and McCain; however, the alarm is raised after Straik notices that a memory stick that was in his computer is not in it now.

Answer: Poison Dome

Alex is able to defeat the man after knocking him into a bed of poisonous porcupine flowers. Since his protective suit has been cut, the man is stung to death.

Answer: shield

Alex is forced to escape through the air conditioning ducts after the studio is set on fire by bombs. He uses the shield to protect his hands as he moves through the hot metal duct, then kicks out the grate to escape.

Answer: False

Beckett, who is working for McCain, kidnaps Alex and gives him drugs to partially paralyze him, then disguises him as a mentally disabled person and takes him through the airport in a wheelchair. Alex is unable to cry out since the drugs have attacked his muscles.

Answer: Kenya

McCain, of course, has arranged the kidnapping. He has brought Alex to Kenya in order that he may witness the devastation planned for the world.

Answer: Christianity

McCain pretended to become a Christian in order that he might have public standing as a disgraced man who had repented. He even set up a fake charity, First Aid, in order to increase his power.

Answer: Ricin

McCain's plan is to have the ricin-wheat growing in Kenya, and to cause a sudden plague throughout Africa. He then plans to announce his charity's plans to help the continent (as they are always "first on the scene"), wait for donations to pour in, then pocket the money.

Answer: True

Fortunately for Alex, a man (Rahim) comes up behind Beckett while she watches Alex from an observation platform and stabs her. She then topples forward into the pit of crocodiles.

Answer: India

Rahim works for RAW: the Research and Analysis Wing of the Indian secret service. He helps out Alex three times: when he is trapped under Loch Arkaig, when he is being tortured by McCain and Beckett, and when he is trapped on the flooding dam.

Answer: Flood

Alex places a bomb (taken from Rahim) into a dam, jamming it between the outlet valves. The bomb goes off five minutes later, destroying the dam and flooding the field in which the wheat is growing. The sudden flood and explosion also cause the deaths of the African guards following Alex, and Alex is almost killed too, but Rahim rescues him.

Answer: black gel-ink pen

The pen is equipped with gelignite, with a fuse and timer in the cap, and a detonator in the plunger. After fleeing from several of McCain's shots, Alex takes cover behind a fuel drum. He attaches the pen before rolling it towards McCain, who stops it with his foot before taking aim at Alex. Before he can shoot, the drum explodes, taking McCain with it.