Basically it's been practically a whole year since I last updated this... I was surfing FF, as you do, and I remembered that I actually have a story... which I've failed at writing really... I haven't even got to the plot I described in the summery yet. So I'm going to try and carry on with the story - hopefully with some form of motivation that may get from my lovely readers:p
Laura's P.O.V
Of course I should have guessed. Of course they'd pick him. At first I reckoned that Dr. Nero was just being spiteful and thought it was some cruel and slightly unusual punishment. But then it dawned on me that he is probably the most able-minded student that attends H.I.V.E... Great.
"Now our team is complete. Miss Brand, please, take a seat." The tone of Dr. Nero's voice made is quite clear that it wasn't a request. As I sat down in the seat next to my absolute best friend, the albino, he continued. "You probably have some assumptions as to why the four of you are here today. I know how the rumour mill can get around here. But I can guarantee you right now, that you're wrong."
"I highly doubt that." The American voice that I'd learnt to love scoffed at our headmaster. Yes, actually scoffed! Even the new Laura couldn't believe that... To the headmaster of a villain school for God's sake.
"Well Miss Trinity. Would you like to enlighten the rest of your quartet as to what I've called you here for?" Wait... quartet!? I only then realised that Wing was sat in the chair next to Shelby at the end of the row, as usual... sitting deadly silent making only the smallest of movements that were absolutely necessary, like breathing.
"You've called us here for a mission. Everyone's been talking about it. Apparently Raven's been watching for the past few weeks to see which students have the potential to carry out a top-secret mission for you." Shelby beamed as Dr. Nero failed to reply to her, assuming that she was correct.
"If this was for a 'top-secret mission' as you put it. Then why would you have heard about it?" Shelby's face dropped as she realised that Raven's quick reply was right.
"So if we're not here for a mission. Or because we've misbehaved – because I guarantee you that we haven't done anything wrong – why are we all here?" If Otto was trying to hide the irritation in his voice, he was failing miserably.
"Calm down Mr Grumpy Pants, he's going to tell us if you'd just shut up for a minute." The words slipped out of my mouth before I could even stop them. The subtle glare I then received from my right showed that he did not appreciate my new slightly immature nickname for him.
"You are going on a mission though." Everyone's head snapped upwards to face Dr. Nero at that. "It's not entirely top secret. But I think that both Raven and I would appreciate it if you didn't say anything to anyone about it." In this school you quickly learn that what Raven appreciates, you do unless you'd like to answer to her personally. "You are going to be situated in a restricted area surrounded by those who you shall have to gain the trust of. Your goal is to find the ringleader, discover what they are planning and then eliminate the threat that they pose. How you do all of these objectives is entirely up to you, but I expect results. Good ones at that." He stopped and looked at us all expectantly.
"When will we be departing?" I heard Wing's voice for what seemed like the first in months, but was only weeks.
"Tonight. Anything else?"
"Will we be getting a brief as to where exactly we're going, our identities for the mission and things like that?" This was a bizarre thing for them to send students on missions with such short notice, so obviously my inner-geek came out to ask all of the necessary questions.
"Miss Brand, if I gave you even half of that, it wouldn't be much of a challenge would it?" I could hear the smirk in his voice that would have probably appeared on his face if he were not so professional. "I will tell you that your identities will be made clear once you arrive."
So that was it. No warning, no goodbyes. Just a meeting and then hopping on a Shroud. I couldn't even fathom what they were going to tell the rest of the students when they realised that four of the more... notorious students were suddenly gone.
Basically the journey went on for God knows how long, I stopped counting after 4 hours 35 minutes, with it being utterly awkward as nobody spoke to me. Well, if I'm being specific nobody was speaking what so ever. The reason behind that completely flew past me but the only form of contact that I had with the others was eye contact followed with a mutual smile with Shelby as we strapped ourselves in. All I could do to past the remainder of the time was to stare into space and hope that our mission took place in a city like Rome or Paris where I could maybe do some site seeing alongside the mission. After thinking about it for a while though I was just hoping it would be somewhere that I wouldn't sunburn due to having a hair colour that resembles fire.
It was well into the night before the Shroud even began to descend which took another half an hour. Raven then came down the stairs from the cockpit to where the four of us were seated and signalled for us to follow her outside the Shroud. To be honest I was torn as to whether I should have been excited to actually walk since my legs had become restless during the flight or nervous to find out where our mission would be taking place. I followed the others in a line out of the doorway to find that I couldn't see anything... I should've expected that really with it being night time and all that. The line stopped suddenly causing me to stumble slightly into Otto who I'm guessing didn't appreciate it too much, hence the glare I received as he turned around briefly. He then cautiously walked to Wing's left side as Shelby did the same to his right, feeling a bit left out I then strolled over and stood next to Shelby. I soon realised why there was an eerie silence that laced the air as I saw the silhouette of someone – who I assumed was Raven – stood a metre or so in front of us facing forward as if judging our surroundings. She then spun around to face us and just eyed us for a long while, as we made eye contact I attempted to keep it up until she looked away to show the lack of fear in my body, but that failed completely within a couple of seconds once her piercing eyes seemed to stare into my soul. It sounds dramatic, I know, but she's one scary lady to put it bluntly. "Nero told you that your aim is to gather information and then eliminate the threat, you will get it done no matter how long it takes. But if I feel that any of you... aren't trying let's say, I'll be paying you a little visit." Her pause made the threat even more intimidating than it originally was. "The four of you are currently in a classified location which isn't going to be revealed to you as throughout your mission you'll be travelling to various locations so therefore this one is unnecessary for you to know. You'll be on a ship, not just any ship though. The SS Stanwore has been somehow occupied by a group of rogue pirates whose aims are unknown to us. These pirates range in ages but our sources say there are several whom are similar to your ages and therefore can aid as a way for you to befriend those higher up the ladder who'll know the information you're aiming to gather."
"Will the crew be expecting us?" Wing questioned with the same amount of emotion filling his voice as a brick.
Raven's reply began with a smirk, "They're expecting your cover stories," One of us must have looked confused at that as she carried on, "Think about it. Did you really expect to go in there as yourselves... the four kids from a secret villain school? The captain has paid good money for who he thinks he's getting." The smirk was then plastered upon her face again.
"And who are they expecting?" The British voice gave away who asked the very question that was occupying my mind.
"Where would be the fun if I told you now? Work it out. You're all more than capable of doing that." Raven then walked around us and strolled back over to the Shroud before stopping in the doorway and facing us again, "Your mission starts now. We'll be in touch." The door slid shut behind us as we heard the engines start up before the cloaking device was enabled and the Shroud vanished before our eyes.
"So what do we do now?" Shelby sounded disgusted that Raven had the audacity to just leave us to fend for ourselves in the dark.
"Oh I wouldn't be worrying about that right now." A deep voice offered from Otto's side of the line in the shadows, which was basically everywhere around us due to the lack of lighting.
"We can tell you exactly what you should do." Another voice with an Irish twang suggested from near me which caused to me to spin facing to the right of where I previously was in an attempt to see who the voice was coming from and instinctively grab Shelby's arm in fear. "Oh what's wrong ginger? Do the faceless voices frighten you?" The Irish voice began to mock as footsteps seemed to be coming from several different directions approaching our group slowly.
"She's a Scots girl, nothing scares her." Shelby whose arm I was probably cutting off the blood to stuck up for me – I turned my head to smile at her in gratitude but I doubt she saw me.
"What about you blondie? Are you afraid of the dark?" A new voice from directly in front of Shelby menacingly asked before her arm slipped out of my grasp and I heard my friend squeal before the man exclaimed, "I've got her boys! Get the rest." That simple order caused many male voices to cheer and run towards Otto and Wing. I automatically spun in an attempt to find where my friend had got to, I began to run forward to see if I could find her and tripped over a large item on the floor. As I kneeled beside it and began to try find what it was, I felt a material beneath my fingers and felt the lump start struggling.
"Shel? Is that you?" I whispered beside the bag in an attempt to avoid drawing attention to myself. A muffled voice excitedly replied to me even though I couldn't tell what they were saying through the fabric which I assumed was a bag of some kind. Gathering that inside the bag was Shelby I frantically tried to find how she could get out of the bag whilst I heard grunts behind me and the sounds of bones snapping as I assumed Wing was kicking some ass. As I found the knot which held Shelby captive, a cloth with a wet substance on was harshly held against my face which the force of pushed me to the ground where I struggled in an attempt to not breathe in any chemicals which were on the cloth and get my attacker off me. But one can only hold their breath for so long so my attempts at prising the hand off my face become desperate as I dared to take in a few short breathes. Even after those I could feel the item on the cloth begin to make my thoughts swirl and eyes grow tired, my adrenaline kicked in as I began to try and punch, slap and claw the man behind me. After a couple of random hits my hands found purchase on the person's face and began to rake my nails across what I hoped was his eyes, which seemed to work as they soon let go of the cloth in order to get my hands off my face. Whilst he was distracted I quickly got up and looked around to find both Otto and Wing fighting those attempting to catch them, whilst the bag which held Shelby was nowhere to be seen.
I started to run, or what I thought was running but turned out to be a few stumbles as my vision began to cloud over preventing me from even thinking clear. Strong arms snaked their way around my waist and lifted me off my feat which caused a scream to erupt from within me whilst I made a poor attempt of wriggling my way out of their arms. "Get off!" I shrieked probably not nearly as loud as it sounded in my head. The arms released me suddenly causing me to almost lose my balance completely, but two hands grabbed the tops of both my arms causing me to regain my balance and to again start flailing my limbs aimlessly in an attempt to escape.
"Laura! It's me! Listen, are you okay?" The concerned, well pronounced voice seemed to echo in my ears as I vaguely made out a mass of white hair through the cloud that now occupied my vision. My whole world shook as Otto attempted to make me pay attention by shaking my body but instead the cloudy haze completely overtook my sight and my hearing became muffled. I felt myself stumble against Otto as my legs began to give way, he then disappeared from in front of me whilst a sharp pain erupted through my skull leaving me unable to stop myself from hitting the ground at full force causing me to black out completely.
I'm actually so proud that I finished this chapter, I'm quite proud with how I've made the story progress as well.
Clearly I don't own anything to do with H.I.V.E, if I did do you actually think I'd be writing Fanfic about it?
I have no idea what direction this story is going to go in, I'm just writing it as I go along really... which probably isn't too good but oh well. This is why any form of review praise or criticism goes a long way with helping me progress the story. I'm sorry for any atrocious grammar or spelling throughout any of this story but I'm usually way too lazy to re-read it and change it, so sorry...
Please review, as I previously mentioned it means a lot to me. – Vicky