(A/N) Hellooooo reader! This is my first fanfiction - advice is welcomed, and flames are welcomed slightly less enthusiastically, but welcomed none the less.
It's set after Aftershock (looong after), just a month before the Fab Four graduates from H.I.V.E.
This is already up on the H.I.V.E. forums, so apologies if you've already read it there.
Read, review, and most importantly - enjoy!
"Finally time is it?" Otto gave Laura a smile as he sat down at a desk behind her and Shelby.
"Yeah, you feeling as nervous as I am?" Laura asked, glancing at the door.
"You're kidding, right?" Shelby said. "Compared to exams this is gonna be a breeze!"
"I wouldn't be so sure," Otto said, "Doctor Nero seems to really be playing up the importance of this thing. You know, as 'critical to finding our position in the world of super villainy after H.I.V.E.' and all that."
The Alphas were coming to the end of their final year at H.I.V.E. They might have been wondering of they were going to miss the place that had become home, were they not being worked so hard by all of their teachers. Not only had they just finished their final exams – the exams that would play a huge part in deciding their career – but Nero had announced that the class would undertake one last assessment before they left the school.
"Well it's all fine and dandy for braniacs like you two, but some of us actually struggled in the exams. I couldn't make head or tail of the science-technology paper." Shelby complained.
"Aye, but even I found that one a wee bit tricky," Laura replied, "and remind me, who got full marks from Ms Leon in their Stealth and Evasion Practical?"
"Well there is that…" Shelby grinned.
"Really?" asked Otto.
"Yep – said she'd never seen anything like it!" Shelby couldn't keep the smug tone out of her voice.
"I bet she hadn't." Otto smirked. "Tell me, how many of my… err, projects… that you nicked did you end up using?"
"Hey! I wouldn't need your gadgets to crack that safe – they're for quick and dirty jobs." Shelby grinned, "But Ms Leon wasn't after a clean job, just a speedy one, and if I did happen to have some code-breaking stuff of yours in my possession, well, you should have kept it under lock and key knowing that Aunty Shelby's biggest exam was coming up! Not that a lock would have stopped me, of course."
"Hey Wing! Come and save me from these two!" Laura called as the tall Asian boy entered the classroom, followed by Nigel and Franz. "The witty banter is becoming insufferable!"
"Don't worry Laura, we'll bring you back from the world of unendurable wit and into the land of Boring – someone's been taking exams waaaay to seriously." Nigel gave Laura a little smile, which she returned.
Wing thought he saw Otto frown slightly, but it was gone in a moment, replaced by his usual grin.
"I am developing my most serious and cutting-edge mind. We are being needing to keep our focus on studying, no?" Franz said.
"I was under the impression that exams are over." Wing said dryly.
"Ja, but the test-most-serious is still to come!"
"Speaking of which," Otto cut in, "does anyone know who this infamous Assessor is going to be?"
"No idea," Shelby said, "which is like LAME when it's apparently so important and it's TOMORROW!"
"You know, I bet they're just making it up to keep us under control until the end of the year." Otto said.
"That seems somewhat unlikely." Wing frowned.
"Here comes Nero, maybe he'll finally tell us something. It's only a day to go, after all." Laura said.
"Yeah, let's see if we can get anything out of Mr Secretive for once." Otto grinned.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Nero addressed the class, "as I'm sure you are all aware, your time at H.I.V.E. is nearing an end. In just one month's time you will graduate and be let loose upon the world. Exams are over –" at this the class let out a small cheer, "and all your teachers are trying to cram into their classes all the things that they think you will ever need to know. And yet I tell you that this will not be enough. There are some things that can only be taught through experience. Many of you have been involved in several missions that you weren't supposed to be involved in, and this has afforded you exceptional experience in the field. With this in mind you will undertake your last assessment item. It will be completely different from any other you have ever done. The exams may have given us an indicator of your academic strengths, and yet they have not taken into account your personality or field experience or belief in what G.L.O.V.E. stands for. It is on these things that you will now be tested."
Nero smiled grimly at the confused looks on the students' faces. They had no idea what they were in for over the next few weeks.
"Tomorrow an independent assessor will arrive at the school and, after due consideration, they will decide what role in G.L.O.V.E. you will be best suited to. They will decide who in G.L.O.V.E. will take you under their wing as you begin your careers in super villainy. They will decide your initial rank and role in the organisation. They will decide your immediate future. So good luck, and do try to impress."
Nero ended his speech. As if in cue, the bell sounded and Nero left the stunned group of Alphas to their own imaginations.
So... what do you think? More coming shortly...