Disclaimer: I own nothing.
This story takes place after Zero Hour but Aftershock never happened and it will never happen but there may still be characters you meet in Aftershock.
I can't bring myself to stand up. He needs to see you, I tell myself, It's probably an assignment! Get up! But I can't. Not after this. I don't feel like I can move.
I can't believe what I've done to myself.
One month earlier
My eyelids flutter open and I examine my surroundings. I'm in Max's bed. Not surprising. After all, I've been having an affair with him for two years.
He's not here anymore. He must've had a class. I sit up, gather my clothes, and put them on. I fiddle with my hair until I look presentable and I pull out my Blackbox.
"H.I.V. ," I say, "Is there anyone outside Nero's rooms?"
"Not at this time," H.I.V. replies.
"Thank you," I tell him, "That will be all." I place the Blackbox inside my pocket and silently slip into the hallway.
I look at my schedule and smile. I have training with Wing in ten minutes. I hurry down to the training area and wait patiently for him.
"You were wearing that yesterday," Wing notes as he walks in the door. "Why did you not change?"
"Because this was still fairly clean and I didn't need to," I lie and he nods at me. "Now, let's start."
I toss him a wooden katana and he changes his stance to defensive. I make a swift strike at his ribs which he barely manages to block. I take that as a moment of weakness and strike his left side, slowing just before I hit so I don't injure him.
"Never let your guard down on your opposite side," I instruct, "If this were a real fight I would've just killed you."
He goes for my right hip and makes contact and I whack his neck. "Even when you hit you need to watch because your blow may not be fatal."
We go on like this for an hour before I finally say, "You have a class to get to. Your lesson is now over but don't forget what I said if you somehow get in a fight."
He spots Shelby Trinity and walks off in her direction. I head towards my room to make up for the rest I didn't get last night.
I lie down in my bed, not even bothering to take off yesterday's outfit.
My Blackbox awakens me. "Yes?" I say to H.I.V. .
"Dr. Nero would like to see you in his office," H.I.V. informs me, "He has a project he wants you to work on."
I groan and pull myself out of bed. I strip out of the clothing I was wearing and put on something clean before I go down to Max's office.
When I step inside, I see Otto Malpense and Laura Brand sitting in two chairs on the other side of his desk. "What do you need, Dr. Nero?" I ask.
"Mr. Malpense and Ms. Brand have gotten into a bit of trouble," Max tells me, "Would you be so kind and walk them back to their quarters?"
"Of course," I nod at him, "Is that all?"
"No. Come back to my office after you escort Mr. Malpense and Ms. Brand back to their rooms," Max orders.
I step out of his office behind Otto and Laura and walk them down the hall. They exchange multiple looks and giggles.
After I leave Laura at her quarters I go back to Nero's office. "Natalya," he motions for me to come in. "I have the new intakes ready. Can you have the retrieval tomorrow?"
"Of course," I tell him and he gives me the list. I walk out and frown. I have an Alpha stream student as always but she seems . . . difficult. She's run a company of assassins for three years. It's not a big company or a very successful one but assassins are dangerous. You always need to expect the unexpected.
I shoot her with the sleeper and she drops to the floor, unconscious. I pick her up and start walking toward the Shroud.
I feel a sharp pain in my shoulder and spin around raising my sleeper. A man, around my age, is standing 20 feet away from me holding a pistol. I don't even think before I shoot him.
He falls to the ground and I run to the Shroud, ignoring the blinding pain in my shoulder. I put her in a bed and head to the medical bay.
"What happened to you?" the young doctor asks, observing my shoulder.
"I obviously got shot," I snap at the doctors stupidity. "Am I going to die?" The last part is sarcastic.
"No, of course not!" the doctor tells me, looking scared, "You'll be just fine. The bullet only grazed you. You'll have a nasty scar, though."
I let him work on my shoulder while I get back the results of all the other retrievals. Everything, as always, goes by smoothly.
The Shroud eventually lands and I get out, shoulder wrapped in a band aid. I watch Max give his speech to the Alpha intakes and I watch them leave. "I take it not everything went perfect in your retrieval," he says to me.
"It was okay. Some guy shot me but that was the only real problem. I'll live," I smile at Max and he smiles back.
"Will I see you in my living quarters tonight," he asks me and I laugh silently.
"Indeed you will, Max," I tell him, "Indeed you will. Also, I have to wake up early tomorrow and you're a light sleeper so I thought you should know ahead of time."
"I will see you at nine, my dear Raven, and I will look forward to it," he has a mischievous glint in his eyes."
"Me too, my dear Max, me too."
There's the first chapter. This is my first H.I.V.E. fanfiction so please don't be too hard on me. I really, really, really appreciate reviews!