Wing followed the guard along the corridor towards Nero’s office. He had no idea why the school’s headmaster wanted to see him and the guard had offered no more information during the five-minute walk. As they approached, the door to Nero’s office hissed open and the guard stepped aside to let Wing enter alone, the doors sliding shut behind him. Nero sat behind an imposing wooden desk that had several displays and control panels mounted in its surface. The walls of the room were lined with photographs, paintings and framed newspaper front pages, each displaying the image or proudly announcing the accomplishments of former pupils of H.I.V.E.
The doctor looked up as Wing entered and gestured for him to take a seat in one of the chairs on the opposite side of the desk. As usual Nero’s expression was unreadable but Wing could have sworn that there was a hint of sadness on his face.
‘Good morning, Mr Fanchu. I am sorry to remove you from your lessons but I’m afraid that I have just received some very bad news.’ Nero looked unhappy, and Wing began to feel genuinely worried.
‘There is no easy way to say this.’ Nero looked straight at Wing. ‘There has been an accident. I’m afraid your father is dead.’
Nero had seen many different reactions to devastating news such as this – raw grief, anger, denial – but he had never seen a reaction quite like Wing’s. There was the briefest look of surprise on the boy’s face, a slight widening of the eyes for a moment, and then nothing. Wing sat on the other side of the desk looking back at Nero as if he had just been told that the weather was nice outside.
‘What happened?’ Wing asked calmly.
‘There was an explosion at our Japanese research and development facility,’ Nero replied. ‘Your father and several other technicians were killed. It is still unclear exactly what happened, but initial investigations suggest that one of their experiments went wrong and caused a catastrophic chain reaction.’
‘I see,’ Wing said, still with no hint of emotion. ‘Will I be allowed to attend his funeral?’
Nero was slightly taken aback by the measured way in which his student was taking this news. Some within G.L.O.V.E. may have been impressed by his apparent fortitude, but Nero simply found it disturbing.
‘Yes, arrangements are being made as we speak for you to travel to Tokyo. It is normal in these situations for students to be allowed to select someone else to accompany them. You will have to decide who you wish to go with you.’
‘Otto,’ Wing replied immediately. ‘I would like him to come with me.’
This was no surprise to Nero; the pair had been inseparable since their arrival at H.I.V.E. and, reluctant as he was to allow two of his most devious students to leave the school together, he had made arrangements for just such an eventuality.
‘Very well. I shall see to it that Mr Malpense is given clearance to accompany you. I’m sure I do not need to remind you that you are expected to return to your studies immediately afterwards. I will not tolerate absenteeism.’
‘Understood.’ Wing nodded. ‘If there is nothing else, I should like to return to my classes.’
‘Certainly,’ Nero replied. ‘The funeral will be taking place in two days’ time – you will be contacted with more details when travel arrangements are complete.’
‘Thank you, Doctor Nero.’ Wing rose from his seat and headed for the door.
Nero watched as Wing left his office, still apparently unfazed by the terrible news that he had been given. Wing had rarely displayed much emotion since his arrival at H.I.V.E., but Nero still felt that there was something odd about his reaction. He glanced down at the display mounted in his desk that was showing the G.L.O.V.E. file on Wing’s father. Mao Fanchu had been a department head at the organisation’s Japanese research facility for the past ten years. He had an excellent record and had been involved with some of the most prestigious technical developments with which the facility had been credited. There was something odd about his file, though. There was no photograph attached to his records. This was not unheard of – after all, many G.L.O.V.E. operatives valued their anonymity – but Nero had Omega Black security clearance and he was still not authorised to see what Wing’s father had looked like.
More disturbing, perhaps, was the fact that Mao Fanchu seemed to have simply popped into existence ten years previously, when he had started work at the research and development facility. Normally a G.L.O.V.E. operative would have extensive historical records attached to his file, but here the details of Fanchu’s past life were either entirely absent or had once again been withheld for some reason. Nero would have liked to have looked into the matter further, but he knew full well that there was only one person in G.L.O.V.E. with a security clearance higher than his own. If Number One had decided that these details were to be kept hidden, there had to be a good reason, and Nero knew better than to question his superior on such matters.
For now, though, Nero needed to turn his attention to a more pressing matter – Wing’s imminent departure from the island. This was inevitable under the circumstances, but his choice of travelling companion had complicated the matter still further. Otto Malpense had already displayed a willingness to go to almost any lengths to leave the island without permission and now Nero faced the prospect of having to let him do so. His only consolation was that the two boys had had the opportunity to leave the island earlier that year directly after the incident with Darkdoom’s creation and they had not taken it, though he had no idea why. Regardless, if he was going to willingly unleash Fanchu and Malpense on the outside world, he had to be sure that they were under constant supervision. Fortunately he knew the perfect person for such a task. The entry chime on his office door sounded.
‘Enter,’ Nero said, and the doors opened to admit a familiar figure.
‘Good afternoon, Raven. I have a job for you.’
Otto sat reading at his desk in the room that he shared with Wing. The clean white living space was comfortable, if a little cramped, and over the past couple of months it had begun to feel almost like home. Otto was not sure if that was a good thing. He told himself that he was still a prisoner rather than a student of H.I.V.E. Indeed many of the school’s students jokingly referred to their rooms as ‘cells’, but as prisons went it was a remarkably comfortable and well-appointed one.
There was a sudden bleep from the door and it opened, allowing Wing to enter the room. Otto stood as his friend came in. Wing looked distracted. Their other friends still found his face unreadable, but Otto knew Wing well enough to spot the subtle clues in his expression.
‘Is everything OK?’ Otto asked, concern mixed with curiosity.
‘No, I’m afraid I have just received some bad news.’ Wing looked Otto straight in the eye. ‘My father is dead, he was killed in an explosion at his laboratory.’
‘Oh God, Wing, I’m so sorry.’ Otto placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.
‘There is no need for sorrow,’ Wing replied with an eerie calmness.
Otto was taken aback by Wing’s reaction. He was not prone to displays of emotion at the best of times, but to show so cold a reaction to news such as this was unusual even for him.
‘But, Wing, he’s your dad. I mean …’ Otto’s voice trailed off as he saw something harden in Wing’s eyes.
‘My father and I have had little contact over the past couple of years. His work was more important to him than I was, especially after my mother died. I know that I should feel more than I do, but in some ways I feel like he died then.’ Wing sat down.
‘Do they know what happened?’ Otto asked, still concerned despite Wing’s explanation.
‘It appears that there was an accident involving one of his experiments. He and several other technicians were killed. That is all I know.’
‘So what happens now?’ Otto asked.
‘The funeral will take place in a couple of days; I will be allowed to attend.’
‘They’re letting you off the island?’ Otto’s surprise was evident, ‘You’re going to China?’
‘No, we are going to Tokyo. My family moved there when I was very young. Japan has been my home for as long as I can remember.’
‘We?’ Otto said, slightly confused.
‘Yes, we. I am allowed to take another student with me and I chose you – that is, if you want to come?’ Wing smiled weakly at Otto.
Otto could hardly believe what he was hearing. A chance to leave the island was an incredible opportunity, even under such tragic circumstances.
‘Of course I’ll come, if you’re sure that you want me to.’
‘There is no one that I would rather came with me. You have been a good friend to me since we arrived here, Otto, and I would appreciate your company.’ Wing suddenly looked tired, as if the effort of maintaining his usual inscrutable demeanour was greater than usual.
‘Do you want me to tell the others?’ Otto asked.
‘I would appreciate that,’ Wing replied. ‘It has been a long day and I think I would rather be alone for a while, if you don’t mind?’
‘Of course.’ Otto got up to leave.
‘One more thing,’ Wing said, looking carefully at Otto. ‘You must promise me that we’re both coming back. I dislike our incarceration here as much as you do, Otto, but I still need to know why Nero has the other half of my mother’s amulet. Until I know that, I cannot leave H.I.V.E. I hope you understand.’
Otto felt a twinge of guilt as one of the first thoughts that had entered his head when he had heard that they were going to be allowed to leave the island was how it would afford a priceless chance for them to escape H.I.V.E.’s clutches. He knew, though, how important it was to Wing that he found out why Nero wore the black half of the yin-yang symbol that Wing’s mother had given to her son. Nero did not know that Wing had seen the amulet around his neck when he had been injured by the plant monster and he certainly did not appear to know that Wing wore the other half. This unresolved mystery was what had kept them on the island when they had had the opportunity to escape earlier in the year.
‘I promise, Wing. If you’re sure that’s what you want,’ Otto said. He had to respect his friend’s wishes, and he knew in his heart that he could never force Wing to return to H.I.V.E. alone.
‘It is, though I suspect that Doctor Nero will be making his own arrangements to ensure our continued attendance,’ Wing said, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Of that, Otto suspected, there could be little doubt.
Otto stood with Shelby and Laura on the balcony overlooking one of the school’s gym halls. Below them two figures in full kendo armour squared off against each other, their wooden swords raised in fighting stances. There was a moment of silence and then the hall was filled with the sound of the two swords clashing against each other, the noise echoing off the bare rock walls like gunshots. The two opponents seemed evenly matched with no apparent quarter asked or given by either combatant. The long wooden practice swords moved in a blur, almost too fast to follow.
‘Is he OK?’ Shelby asked, a note of genuine concern in her voice.
‘I think so,’ Otto replied, still watching the fight below. ‘You know what he’s like, it’s hard to tell sometimes.’
‘Aye,’ Laura added, ‘I don’t know what I’d do if I got news like that while I was stuck in this place. At least they’re letting you go to the funeral.’
‘Is it wrong for me to be slightly jealous?’ Shelby asked. ‘I’d do anything to get out of here, even it was just for a couple of days.’
‘No, I know what you mean,’ Otto replied, ‘but I can honestly say that this is one trip I’d really rather not be making.’
Below them the fight came to an abrupt climax as one of the fighters caught the other off balance and neatly disarmed them, sending their wooden sword spinning through the air while simultaneously tipping them on to their back with a sweep of the foot.
‘Good,’ the Russian accent was familiar, ‘you’re getting it, but you need to stop sacrificing balance for aggression.’ Raven pulled off her wire-fronted mask and offered her hand to help up her fallen opponent.
The other fighter took the offered hand, pulled himself up from the floor and removed his mask.
‘Forgive me, I am lacking focus today,’ Wing replied. The pair of them had been sparring for the best part of an hour and neither of them seemed to have broken a sweat.
‘That is understandable, but remember that your enemies will often choose your most vulnerable moment to attack. You must let your instinct guide you. Detach your emotions.’
Wing nodded and gave Raven a deep bow, the formal signal of the end of the session. Raven and Wing had been sparring like this for the past few months and as far as Otto knew Wing was the only pupil that Raven had been training in this way. To most of the pupils of the school she was a deeply intimidating presence – she was after all G.L.O.V.E.’s most feared assassin and Nero’s most trusted operative. If half of the whispered stories about her were true then she was undoubtedly to be feared. Wing was a fearsome opponent – his unusual skill in numerous forms of self-defence had got Otto out of more than one sticky situation in the past – but he had yet to see him beat Raven in any of these training sessions. Otto didn’t like to lose and found it hard to understand how his friend could accept being beaten on such a regular basis. Wing had just smiled and said rather cryptically that it didn’t matter if you lost as long as you were never defeated.
‘Same time next week, then, Mr Fanchu,’ Raven said as the pair of them headed up the stairs towards Otto, Laura and Shelby. ‘A little more krav maga, I think, so don’t forget your body armour.’ She nodded to the other three students as she passed, heading for the locker room.
‘Taken your weekly pummelling, then, I see,’ Shelby joked as Wing approached. ‘I’d never realised that getting your ass repeatedly kicked could be so educational.’ Laura elbowed her in the ribs; Shelby was many things but sensitive was not one of them.
Wing gave a weak half-smile. Normally he would have risen to the bait – indeed the verbal sparring between Shelby and himself was often as entertaining for the others as his more physical combat with Raven – but today, understandably perhaps, he did not appear to be in the mood.
‘You OK?’ Laura asked, placing her hand on Wing’s forearm.
‘I am fine,’ he replied. ‘The kendo armour is effective. A couple of bruises, perhaps, but they will heal.’
Otto suspected that Wing knew full well that Laura was not enquiring about his physical state but he was clearly in no mood to address the real cause of her concern.
‘Students Fanchu and Malpense.’
Laura gave a little gasp as the screen mounted in the wall behind them flickered into life. The soft, slightly synthetic voice was one that none of them had heard for the past several months, but there now, on the screen, floated the unmistakeable blue wire-frame head of H.I.V.E.mind. The four of them gathered around the screen quickly, eager to speak with the AI that had been so instrumental in their first doomed escape attempt and who had been silent for so long.
‘You’re back online!’ Laura exclaimed excitedly. She had developed an unusual fondness for H.I.V.E.mind and like all of them had begun to fear that their actions earlier in the year had led to him being taken offline permanently.
‘I am functioning at full capacity,’ the floating face replied coldly.
‘How are you feeling?’ Laura asked happily.
‘Your query is illogical. I am not designed to exhibit emotional response, I feel nothing.’ H.I.V.E.mind’s voice was the same as they remembered but his response was unfamiliar, oddly formal and detached.
‘C’mon, Blue,’ Shelby said, noting the slight frown on Laura’s face, ‘it’s us, you don’t have to put on the robot act.’
‘This is no act, student Trinity. Please do not waste my processing capacity with irrelevant statements.’
Otto knew there was something wrong. H.I.V.E.mind was perfectly capable of emotional response. They’d all seen it before but something had changed. Gone was the friendly, if mechanical, demeanour that the AI had previously displayed, replaced instead by an unfamiliar and unsettling tone.
‘Students Fanchu and Malpense, please report immediately to your quarters. Final preparations for your departure are complete.’ It was not a polite request, as they might once have expected. It was an order.
Before any of them could say anything else the screen went dark.
‘What have they done to him?’ Laura said softly. She looked genuinely upset.
‘I don’t know,’ Otto replied, frowning, ‘but that’s not the H.I.V.E.mind that I remember. I’m afraid he might have been updated.’
‘It’s our fault,’ Laura said sadly. ‘If he hadn’t tried to help us he’d still be the way he used to be.’ Laura was a genius when it came to computers – the only person whom Otto had ever known, aside from himself, who could truly think in binary. Perhaps because of that she had always had a fascination with the school’s resident AI and had been eagerly awaiting the day, if it ever came, when he was brought back online. Now, though, it seemed that the H.I.V.E.mind that had returned was quite different from the one they had last seen on the day of their failed escape attempt. H.I.V.E.mind, it appeared, had paid a heavy price for helping them.
‘It’s just a machine,’ Wing said sharply. ‘It was broken and now it’s been fixed. There are worse things that can happen.’
Laura’s face flushed and she turned towards Wing as if to reply but he was already walking quickly away.
‘Let him go,’ Otto said softly, placing his hand on Laura’s shoulder. ‘He doesn’t mean it.’
Laura looked at him, a sudden sadness in her eyes. ‘I know,’ she sighed. ‘I just wish he’d let us help.’
‘If he wants our help he’ll ask for it,’ Otto replied gently. ‘Until then we’ve just got to give him some space.’
‘I suppose,’ Laura said. ‘Perhaps going home will help, despite the circumstances.’
‘Perhaps,’ Otto replied. As he watched Wing walk away he suddenly realised that there was one more thing that he and his friend had in common. They were both orphans now.
Dr Nero stood in the centre of the school’s crater launch pad, watching as technicians scurried around preparing for the imminent launch of Otto and Wing’s flight. The aircraft that they swarmed over was unique, its matt-black insectile body seeming to absorb any light that struck it. The two huge cowled ramjet engines that were mounted on each side of the body rotated through their launch and cruise positions as the technicians completed their preflight checks. The aircraft was codenamed the Shroud, a name that suited it well given that its thermoptic camouflage could render it invisible to the naked eye as well as radar. It had already proven itself useful on several surveillance missions and now it was going to ensure that his students were safely and discreetly transported to their destination.
Nero turned as the heavy doors that led into the crater rumbled open and Otto and Wing appeared in the doorway. He was still worried by the prospect of letting the two boys leave the island but under the circumstances he had little choice. He could hardly deny Wing the chance to attend his own father’s funeral. Nero still had an unpleasant feeling, though, that there was something slightly odd about the whole situation. He couldn’t quite put his finger on exactly what was bothering him, but he had learnt long ago to trust his gut instinct in these matters. He just hoped that the precautions he had taken to ensure his students’ safe return would be sufficient.
‘Good morning, Mr Fanchu, Mr Malpense. You are scheduled to depart shortly. I trust that there were no problems with any of the arrangements,’ Nero said, looking from one boy to the other.
‘Everything is in order,’ Wing replied. ‘We were informed that we would not need to bring anything with us.’
‘That is correct. You will find that everything you need has been supplied at the safe house in Tokyo,’ Nero said, looking past the boys towards the entrance. ‘Ah, good, your chaperone has arrived.’
Raven was walking down the stairs to the launch pad, an unwelcome if not entirely unexpected addition to their travelling party, Otto thought to himself. He and the others had briefly discussed what Nero might do to keep track of them once they left the school over dinner the previous evening. Laura had expected that some form of sub-dermal tracking device would be implanted in them both before leaving. Otto feared that Raven would be entirely more difficult to evade than any amount of sophisticated tracking technology.
‘Gentlemen,’ Raven greeted them as she approached, ‘I trust we are all ready for our trip.’
‘I’ve asked Raven to accompany you to ensure your safe return to H.I.V.E.’ Nero smiled at Otto and Wing. ‘After all, we wouldn’t want anything to stand in the way of your continued education, would we?’
‘I feel safer already,’ Otto replied. He may have promised Wing that he would return to H.I.V.E., but any plans that they might have had to evade Nero’s surveillance had now essentially been reduced to nil.
‘I’m flattered that you feel that way, Mr Malpense,’ Raven said with a slight smile. ‘Are the pre-flight checks complete?’
‘Yes, the Shroud is ready,’ Nero replied, beckoning one of the nearby guards to approach. ‘Guard, would you be so good as to escort these two students to their seats.’ The man nodded and gestured for Otto and Wing to follow him over to the waiting aircraft.
‘I’ve contacted the safe house, they’re ready for us,’ Raven reported, watching the two boys climb the steps leading to the Shroud’s interior.
‘Good,’ Nero replied. ‘Be careful, Natalya, I suspect that you’ll have your hands full with those two, and I still can’t shake the feeling that there’s something wrong here.’
‘Don’t worry, Max. I know what those two are capable of. I’ll take good care of them.’
‘I have no doubt of that. Just make sure that you all make it back here in one piece,’ Nero said as the Shroud’s engines began noisily to warm up on the launch pad.
‘When have I ever let you down?’ Raven replied, raising her voice over the noise of the jets. She smiled at Nero, slung her equipment bag over her shoulder and walked quickly towards the boarding ladder.
She had never let him down, Nero knew that, but given Number One’s constant reminders that his own well-being and that of Otto Malpense were inextricably linked, he couldn’t quite shake an unusual feeling of nervousness. If Raven did not keep her promise and something did happen to Malpense, he felt sure that his own life expectancy would be measured in hours rather than years.
The noise of the engines rose to a roar as the entry hatch slid shut and the streamlined black aircraft rose slowly into the air. Nero watched as the huge camouflaged doors that concealed the true contents of the crater from the outside world rumbled open and the Shroud passed through the gap, climbing rapidly into the clear blue sky.