"I'm nervous," Shelby said as she entered the Tactical Education department. "And Shelby Trinity doesn't get nervous."
"If it's any consolation, I think the only person alive who could take on this mission without being nervous is Raven," Wing said, gesturing to Raven, who stood behind them. Overhearing, Raven shrugged in agreement.
"It's not."
"Oh come on," Otto insisted. "You were the Wraith and that was before six years at the Higher Institute of Villanous Education. You'll be fine."
"I don't like being given pep talks. I'm the pep-talker, that's kind of my thing."
"Shelby, you're hardly doing this alone," Laura reminded her. "There are five of us, one of whom is the world's deadliest assassin, one of whom is a real-life computer brain -"
"Okay, okay," Shelby sighed. "Let's get ready. Ooh, grenades! This is fun!" She raced to the shelves full of equipment.
Otto beat Shelby to it, observing the racks of weapons and armor that stood in front of him. He took a small gun from a rack and held it out. "What kind is this?"
Laura looked at it. "I remember that one - you link it to a Blackbox and you can use the bullets to track. Leave that one for Raven, since we don't have Blackboxes anymore. Try this one." She took a pistol off of a shelf and handed it to Otto. "Eight hundred volt electrical stun gun."
"That's cool and all, but I'm afraid that this beauty steals the show." Shelby held out a dagger and pressed a button on the hilt. The blade immediately began to extend until it was almost stabbing Wing, who was five feet away. She pressed it again, and the blade retracted.
"Just choose whatever you use the best, and don't forget an ISIS suit," Raven said, looking amused as she watched them compare weapons. "Upgraded since you last used them - only thing they can't resist is these." She gestured to the katanas on her back.
"It's a shame these things don't have pockets, Shelby said, taking the thermoptic camouflage suit and looking at it. "Really restricts how many weapons I can carry."
"Weapons are not the only way to disable an opponent," Wing pointed out.
"Yeah well, we can't all be fifty karate kids at once," Shelby replied as she took a throwing star and a taser gun off the shelves. "Where are all the lockpicking tools?"
"You realize we aren't breaking into a bank, MI6, or any place where a hairgrip or two won't do the trick," Laura said, rolling her eyes. Shelby made a face at her and strapped the extending dagger to her back.
"I suppose Wing will be taking swords?" she said, bored.
"That is correct." Wing took a long, curved sword from a rack. "This one will do."
"I don't suppose H.I.V.E. has made lightsabers yet?" Laura asked quickly.
"Afraid these girls are the closest thing we have," Raven gestured to her katanas, "And I'm not sharing them."
"Seriously?" Shelby said under her breath. "Badass swords that can cut through anything and we only have two?"
"Your weapon becomes a good deal more impressive when it's one of a kind," Laura elbowed her. "I know you prefer power to glamour, but-"
"Actually, I like them both equally-"
"So where are Franz and Nigel?" Otto asked loudly. "You know, since they were there during the whole killing the Furans event."
"We are being here!" Franz said cheerfully, walking in. "I am of course being happy to save the day again."
"I was less happy about it," Nigel muttered.
"Okay, everyone just arm yourselves and get to the landing pad, we're on a schedule!" Raven ordered. "Oh, Miss Brand and Mr Malpense, if you could board immediately and take a laptop each - we need you to find her."
"You mean, we've been preparing to hunt down Blade since before Christmas and we don't even know where she is?" Otto muttered.
"Basically," Laura grinned. "Come on, we've got to go and track her down." She grabbed his arm and led him to the landing pad where the Shroud waited with a guard standing beside it. "We're authorized to be here, code Raven Omega Black or whatever it is you say."
"We really should make ourselves authorisations," Otto said, sitting down and opening the laptop placed on the seat.
"I'll get right to that once we're done getting rid of the Alpha-hating Furan assassin," Laura replied, rolling her eyes. "You didn't keep a copy of BLADE_, did you?"
"Why wouldn't I want a replica of the program that records, tracks and then kills me?" Otto said sarcastically. "Funnily enough, I did. Took a while to disable it, but I can still view it."
"A whole five minutes, huh?" Laura chuckled. "Right, well, find the source and then the source's source."
"Did you miss us?" Shelby said, waltzing into the Shroud with Wing behind her. She sat down and began to pin her hair up.
"Are you aware that we're about to embark on a life-threatening, possibly fatal mission while you sit there doing your hair?" Laura frowned.
"Firstly, it calms me. Secondly, you can never have too many hairgrips on you. It's just not possible."
"So in addition to the kit in your shoe, you also cover your head with lockpicks?" Laura raised her eyebrows.
"Please," Shelby grinned. "How many hairgrips do you really think a ponytail needs?"
"Enough small talk," Raven sighed. "Do you have a location yet?"
"I'm ninety percent sure it's a decoy, but so far it's tracking to Sydney, Australia."
"That would be right," Shelby said, concentrating. "The further from H.I.V.E. we are, the harder it is to bring help in and the harder it is for us to get out alive. Besides, it'll be much easier to take on the rest of the Alphas once we're out of the picture."
"You know, you're actually kind of good at this stuff," Otto said.
"I do my best," Shelby replied.
"To Australia, then." Raven called out. At the control deck, the pilot nodded, adjusted her helmet and started the engine. "Engaging thermoptic camouflage."
"I'm assuming nobody wants to hear my Australian accent?" Shelby guessed. Everyone shook their heads hurriedly.
"Fine then. I spy?"
Wing looked almost as though he would roll his eyes.
"God, you guys are no fun," she said, exasperated. "We've got a long way to go before Australia -"
"Five hours and thirty-two minutes," Raven offered.
"Gee, thanks. So what will we do for the remaining five hours and thirty-two minutes of the flight?"
"How about a nap?" Otto suggested.
"So that we can just be attacked in mid-air?"
"We're invisible and we can take shifts," he insisted. "Come on, what else are we going to do?"
"Well, it's stable enough that we can have practice duels," Shelby said. "That way when we find Blade we're-"
"Tired and covered in bruises?" Laura interrupted. "You and Wing duel. I like the sound of a nap."
Shelby threw her head back. "Fine. Please, big guy, don't say that you're tired too."
"Why don't we play poker?" Wing said quickly.
"Because you'll win."
"I will also win in a duel," Wing said, nearly grinning as Shelby raised her eyebrows.
"Let's test that theory, then. Martial arts or swords?"
"Either, since we are wearing armour," Wing replied.
"Fine. Swords."
Wing turned around to pick up the sword he had left on his seat and Shelby stuck her foot out, tripping him up.
"Now, what were you saying?" she said triumphantly, grabbing the sword he'd been reaching for and pointing it at him.
"That's cheating," he insisted. "In a formal duel, you have to announce the beginning."
"Well, in a formal duel, you don't begin by saying you'll beat me. Now take it back."
"Why?" Wing said, rolling to the side and standing up. Shelby made a face and twisted around to face him again.
"I learnt a new move yesterday," she said absent-mindedly. "It's this really cool one where you - whoop, duck a blow and then you kick - no, don't get tripped up..."
"I was going to take a nap but this is actually very entertaining," Laura commented as she watched Shelby narrate the fight.
"I am not sure Otto is hearing you," Franz said. It seemed that Otto had decided the entertainment was not worth staying awake.
"And then you grab him and you -flip - him - onto - his - back - YES!" Shelby cheered. She put one foot just above his head. "Now do I win?"
'
'
"We're landing in five minutes," Raven announced.
"Hear that? We're about to land." Laura shook Otto awake.
Otto blinked. "Oh, hi. Who won?"
"Depends who you ask," Laura grinned.
"What do you mean? I won fair and square," Shelby insisted. "Right, big guy?"
"Well..."
"Save it, we don't have time for this," Otto said quickly.
"Five minutes should be plenty of time to settle this," Shelby said. "Come on, I won."
"I think Wing is winning," Franz offered. Shelby glared. "I meant Shelby. Shelby is winning."
"I can't admit to paying much attention," Nigel said.
"Raven, settle this before we land," Laura groaned. "Or we'll never hear the end of it."
"Well firstly, we just landed," Raven replied. "Secondly, they're both alive, so they both win."
"Actually," a voice came from the control deck. "They're both about to die, so you all lose."
The pilot drew two knives from her belt - two double-bladed knives, glowing faintly blue."