This is just a bedtime story I told Maqui T. aka White Replica turned fanfiction by her orders 8P No guarantee if I'll write the rest, but we'll see.
I write what I write. You don't like it, don't read it. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
All characters mentioned in any of Mark Walden's H.I.V.E. books belong to Mark Walden.
H.I.V.E. Apocalypse: Chapter 1
20 years ago, the one called Overlord took sovereignty over Europe. Against it, the United States retaliated with the most advanced of weaponry. They didn't know, though, that their remote controls, their systems were easily accessible by the one called Overlord.
The handsome man rubbed his eyes, unable to form words under the meager lamp light. He rubbed his bald head wearily, turning every now and then to see his spouse sleeping soundly on their shared futon.
Nigel returned to his writing.
Their weapons were turned against them. Four years into the battle, what was left of the Americas were ruins and craters, few survivors still there today. It is unclear how many there are, or how effective their rebellions have been; contact has been scarce since the Overlord's domination. Or damnation, as Franz is sometimes opt to call it.
Nigel took another look at the inviting sheets, the calmly slumbering body he found comfort in.
Back then, Maximilian Nero, the man who was once Headmaster of the Higher Institute of Villainous Education, or H.I.V.E., fought against the takeover. He was able to set Overlord's ultimate annihilation plan another twenty or so years, but it cost him, and his most trusted general, Natalya Raven, their lives in battle.
That same year, we lost a close companion to the Overlord. One of our four leaders, Otto Malpense, was taken by the Overlord. We assume him dead.
"Nigel, will you come to bed already?" Came a call, lightly accented with German. "A minute, love." Nigel called back. "One minute."
Only six years ago did we lose another of our leaders; Shelby Trinity-Fanchu, to a raid by Overlord. Ever since that day, our drive to fight has been diminished. Now, we are only trying to survive.
Nigel got up from the table, rubbing his tired eyes, wanting tears that never could come. He blew out the lamp light and slipped between the sheets, a strong arm wrapping around him as Nigel drifted into slumber.
Wing Fanchu lit another cigarette and stared out into the darkness, his well-trained eyes spotting any movement. The local wildlife that were unfortunate enough to start the sleepless man became the next day's supper.
Laura Brand walked out to the entrance, where Wing stood, or more aptly, sat guard. "I brought you some coffee. Nigel-grown, so they're gonna keep you going for another few hours." Said the redhead.
The woman, adjusting the glasses resting on the tip of her nose, nearly tripped over something at her feet. "Poor bunny. What did he do to deserve this fate?" She wondered sarcastically, sitting beside Wing and away from the gunned down bunny pile.
"We've been having game shortage, and not everyone can live on NDA-grown tubers." Said Wing, putting his gun down at his side wearily. "Nigel-grown tubers are delicious and nutritious, meat man. And I hope you've been using the silencer. We don't want Overlord A-raiders to get attracted to the sound of your big guns."
"A-raiders aren't being used anymore." Said Wing shortly. "Just in case, though. And even if the common raiders don't pick up sound, it's still a risk." Said Laura. She leaned on Wing's shoulder, the two of them sharing warmth in the chilly evening.
"Don't worry, I've been using the silencer. I'm not an idiot, Laura." Wing said bitterly. "I know, Wing." Laura placated. "I miss her too." She whispered, leaning closer to her best friend. The two sat in silence til dawn, when Wing's replacement sentry came to relieve him.
The current hideout extended underground, a veritable catacomb. Children never strayed from their parents, and a fair few memorized the paths without referencing the maps kept at hand by the refugees.
The H.I.V.E. students, every one from first to sixth year the time Overlord had first decided to act, stayed together. Their children grew up with them, running from the Overlord, losing a number from fighting against him the first decade. Everyone there acknowledged the leadership of the Three, now depleted to the Two. Wing, Shelby and Laura had brought the students to safety long ago, as per orders of Nero.
For twenty years, they'd gone past the time of fighting and literally went underground, hiding where Overlord could not find them. The day Overlord bombed every continent, wiping out a good two-thirds of the population, they knew they had nothing else to do but survive.
Many of them were convinced that Overlord had already won. All they could do was survive.
And survive they did, for the last six years, in this underground catacomb. They'd moved there since the last raid, that which took the life of one of their most trusted and powerful leaders.
There was a memorial somewhere in the catacombs. Nigel grew the most beautiful luminescent flowers there in the darkness, where dozens of stones, crosses, and other symbols lay methodically, each in memory of a different death in the colony of refugees.
Shelby's memorial consisted of a single blue, glowing flower. Around its stem was a ring, the wedding ring Shelby had been given by Wing ten years prior. Beneath it, an unusual crystal had Shelby's name etched on it with the utmost care and love.
Laura stood before this flower. "Hey, Shel." She said quietly. "Wing's still brooding. You know the guy. He's a little more talkative nowadays, since he stopped counting on you to talk for him. I think I already told you that, but... Well, it's kinda weird nowadays. Especially since he's been shooting bunnies. Bunnies! I ask you..."
Laura knelt, smiling sadly. "Wing's not the only one who misses you, you damnable yank diva. We all do. Things have fallen back into a cycle, and we're actually grasping a small sense of normality in the new refuge. But it just gives me time to think about what we've lost."
She brought out some food and set up a picnic. Laura brought her long red hair back in a ponytail and looked up as though someone had spoken. "Oh? Yeah, I grew it out. I don't care if you think it makes me look frumpy. Not like I've got anything to gain by cutting it. And... you always used to say you liked the color. Consider it your fault that I haven't dyed my hair blond or something. Ah, never mind. Blond's your color. Wing would never forgive me."
Laura laughed a hollow laugh. "Wing misses you. Damn, it took him ten years to get over Otto going, and I don't think it'll be so easy with you. He really loved you. Still does. He still wears the ring.
"Speaking of rings, and... well, tying the knot and all... You know Nigel got married? Recently. Like, half a year ago. Okay, so not THAT recently, but I haven't found the time to come down and talk for a while. Last time was like... nine months back."
Laura fidgeted. "Guess who it was." She said, smirking, acting as they used to when they shared secrets as friends so long ago.
"Go on, guess."
The silence wasn't broken by anything. Laura took a bite out of a cherry she brought out of the miniature picnic basket.
"All right, I'll tell you. You ready?"
"It's Franz." She said after a dramatic silence, laughing heartily, almost imagining Shelby's own shrill laughter, like they were teenagers, roommates once more. "Well, they've been so close that it wasn't as much of a surprise as I thought it should be, you know? But yeah, you'd think maybe life-long friends or something. The team. Marriage was... well, a shocker."
"But you know. It was nice. Short thing. No one really minds, except some of the kids are still trying to wrap their senses around it. And even if there's some discrimination, it's not smart to antagonize the two men who run the food supply. They'd otherwise be cooking furry rabbits they had to get from Wing shooting in the middle of the damn night. And I don't even think Wing would let them, considering that Nigel and Franz are our friends. Right?"
Laura allowed herself a few more laughs, then just sat and chewed on sweet red cherries.
"We haven't been trying to destroy Overlord. Not since your death. Wing's still a little angry about the whole thing, but since we lost Tahir, no one's been driven enough to try anymore. Our numbers barely even exceed double digits, and half of the population are the children. We do our best to remain unnoticed. We got to contact another camp off the coast, so we're sending a team off next week."
An echo of noise made Laura turn around.
"Oh, Laura, didn't expect to see you here today." Nigel greeted Laura with a smile, nodding to the memorial. "So how's Shelby?" He asked. "Quiet as always, Nigel." Laura said, smiling back.
"Hm."
"So, what are you doing here?" Laura asked. "I always come to tend to the plants here, each week. When they've already harvested the fast-growing hybrids." Nigel responded, showing his tools to the technician. "Oh. Okay."
"You haven't been around for a while." Nigel observed. "Been busy." Laura defended. "I've been working on some barriers. Well actually, the barriers themselves are no problem; I've been piling up sleepless nights trying to assemble a code that even Overlord couldn't crack."
"If anyone could do it, it'd definitely be you, Laura." Nigel said encouragingly.
Laura nodded, sitting in silence as Nigel tended to the luminescent flowers. At least, she mused, Nigel could bring life with his hands.
Next to him, Laura felt useless.
.end chapter one.
A/N:
Review 8D And yes, I DID just pair them up. I warned you.
