The Professor tossed the ball into the air and Raven struck, the blade almost whining as it passed through the air before striking the ball and neatly slicing it into two perfect halves. A broad grin spread across Raven’s face.
‘That ball was solid titanium,’ the Professor said proudly. ‘In that configuration the projected force field gives the blade a mono-molecular cutting edge. In layman’s terms, there’s almost nothing it can’t cut through.’
‘I could have used these in Tokyo,’ Raven said, sweeping the blade through the air.
‘I know, and if I’d had the slightest inkling of what was going to happen I would have issued them to you before you left. Now, though, that might just give you an edge, if you’ll pardon the pun.’
Raven suddenly felt that the playing field that they were all on was a little bit more level than it had been before. She pulled the twin swords from the sheaths on her back and placed them gently on the workbench, replacing them quickly with the new ebony blades. She turned to Otto and the Professor, a new look of determination on her face.
‘OK, let’s get you two to the data hub before I change my mind.’
.
Chapter Sixteen
Wing peered cautiously round the corner. The corridor was empty and at the far end he could see daylight pouring down through an open hatch.
‘I think I can see an exit ahead,’ he said calmly, ducking back round the corner.
‘Great. I’m getting sick of running around below decks on this thing, it’s like a maze,’ Shelby said with relief.
‘Come on,’ Wing said and walked silently down the new corridor, heading for the hatch. Suddenly another thunderous roar came from overhead. As Wing, Laura and Shelby had carefully made their way up through the ship they had heard this noise several times.
The ship itself seemed to be almost deserted. They had seen and hidden from a couple of guards but they had been human, dressed in a nondescript naval uniform and clearly distracted by some sort of major operation that was going on. The fact that there were no wailing alarms or aggressive search parties suggested that their absence from the brig had not yet been noticed. Clearly whatever was going on was much more important than keeping a close watch on their prisoners.
Wing slowly climbed the steps leading up to the deck hatch. He could see blue sky overhead and it was the first time he’d felt the rays of the sun on his skin since the rooftop in Tokyo. It felt good. As he snuck a glance over the edge of the hatch he could immediately see what had been the source of the mysterious noise that they’d been hearing. Arranged in two neat rows on the rear half of the deck were a dozen missile launchers that were just having a new load of missiles automatically loaded. It only took a few seconds, the efficient mechanical loading system sliding home a batch of fat white missiles in just a few seconds before all the launchers swivelled back into position in perfect unison, pointing once again at the nearby island. Then with a roar all of the launchers fired at once, their warheads streaking away towards the island. Wing slowly surveyed the area around the hatch. It was clear of any guards and once again he found himself wondering why security was apparently so lax. He ducked back down into the corridor,
‘The coast appears to be clear,’ Wing said quietly, ‘but this ship has the island under sustained bombardment. That noise is the missile launchers on the deck firing.’
Suddenly, one of the hatches in the corridor opened and a guard carrying an assault rifle stepped out. His eyes widened as he saw the three escapees and he reacted quickly, raising the rifle, finger squeezing the trigger. Wing was faster. He jammed his stiffened fingertips into the guard’s forearm, paralysing the limb and making it impossible for the man to pull the trigger. Wing leapt into the air, his foot arcing upwards and connecting with the guard’s chin with a crack. The guard fell to his knees, his one good hand clutching his broken jaw. Wing stepped behind him, his forearm snaking around the man’s neck, trapping him in an unbreakable stranglehold.
‘Where’s Cypher?’ Wing hissed.
‘Gone,’ the guard gasped, the pain from his jaw preventing a more detailed answer.
‘Gone where?’ Wing said, his tone enough to freeze the blood.
‘The island, he’s on the island,’ the man wheezed as he felt the pressure increase on his throat.
Wing squeezed harder for a moment and the guard collapsed in an unconscious heap to the ground.
‘We have to get back to the island,’ Wing said calmly, picking up the guard’s assault rifle.
‘Well, I know where we can find a boat,’ Laura said with a grin. ‘We’d just be returning the one that the Contessa borrowed.’
Wing ejected the magazine from the rifle and threw it away down the corridor before throwing the rifle in the opposite direction.
‘Shouldn’t we have hung on to that?’ Shelby said. ‘It might have come in useful.’
‘I dislike firearms,’ Wing replied calmly. ‘Graceless thugs’ weapons.’
‘I’d rather be a graceless thug than noble and dead,’ Shelby said sarcastically.
Wing opened his mouth to respond but the sudden roar of the launchers on the deck above drowned out everything. The barrage to which H.I.V.E. was being subjected seemed relentless.
‘We can’t leave yet,’ Laura said reluctantly. ‘We have to try to disable this ship. H.I.V.E. has no chance while this thing is floating out here raining missiles down on the island.’
Wing knew that Laura was right, but at the same time he needed to find Cypher. He was not prone to letting his emotions control him but the burning anger he felt when he visualised that black glass mask was fierce and relentless. He had no idea what Cypher was hoping to achieve with his assault on the school, but he knew that he was going to stop him, or die trying.
‘We must return to the island,’ Wing replied. ‘Once the situation there is resolved we can worry about this ship.’
‘I know you want to go after him, Wing,’ Laura said, ‘but we have to do this first.’
‘Or we could just do both,’ Shelby said, knowing that if Wing and Laura started to argue it would just be a competition to see who could be most stubborn. A very long, very boring competition that they really didn’t have time for right now.
‘What do you propose?’ Wing asked.
‘Well, why don’t you take the boat back to the island and we’ll stay here and try to disable this thing,’ Shelby said.
‘Splitting up seems ill advised at this point,’ Wing said calmly.
‘Maybe, but what other choice do we have? And besides, what makes you think we’d need your help anyway?’ Shelby said with a grin.
‘Very well,’ Wing replied after a moment’s thought, ‘though I am still not sure this is a good idea.’
‘Hey, dumb plans are our speciality,’ Shelby replied with a chuckle. ‘Isn’t that right, Brand?’
‘Oh aye, we specialise in the stupid,’ Laura replied.
‘I hope you both understand,’ Wing said, a cold, hard determination in his voice, ‘Cypher has to pay for what he’s done and I intend to be the one who finishes this.’
Shelby gently placed a hand on Wing’s cheek.
‘You know, you’re kinda cute when you’re angry,’ she said softly.
‘Then at this precise moment I can honestly say that I am cuter than I have ever been before,’ Wing replied and turned to head back up on to the deck.
‘Be safe,’ Laura said as he climbed the steps to the deck.
‘You too,’ Wing replied and he vanished from view through the hatch.
‘So, you got any thoughts on how we do this?’ Shelby asked Laura.
‘Not the faintest idea,’ Laura replied with a crooked smile.
Cypher watched as the battered crater blast doors finally gave way under the relentless assault of his hulking robots and collapsed inwards with a thundering crash. He walked forward, picking his way through the twisted remains of the doors, and climbed the long flight of black granite stairs. The two gi
ant assault robots followed him, their heads swivelling from side to side as their sensory arrays scanned for any sign of danger.
Cypher reached the top of the stairs and stepped into H.I.V.E.’s main entrance chamber. There, standing alone in front of a giant statue depicting the GLOVE symbol was Nero. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression calm. If he felt any fear there was no hint of it.
‘I must admit, I was expecting rather more resistance than this,’ Cypher said as he approached.
‘I saw no reason why any more lives should be lost to your madness,’ Nero replied, his voice calm.
‘Defiant to the last,’ Cypher said. ‘So typical of you.’
‘In much the same way as this bloodthirsty lunacy is typical of you,’ Nero replied. ‘You can’t hope to get away with this.’
‘I rather think that you’ll find that I already have,’ Cypher said, stepping closer to Nero.
‘G.L.O.V.E. will not stand for this,’ Nero replied. ‘You may have taken H.I.V.E. but it will be the last mistake you ever make.’
‘Your naive faith in our peers is inspiring,’ Cypher said sarcastically, ‘but it is G.L.O.V.E. that should fear me.’
‘You aren’t the first to think that, Cypher,’ Nero said, a sudden hard edge to his voice, ‘but you’re the only one who’s still alive. Number One has made quite sure of that.’
‘Ever the faithful lapdog,’ Cypher replied with a snort, ‘but do you really think that I don’t know what you and Number One are doing? What he has planned?’
For the briefest of moments a puzzled expression appeared on Nero’s face.
‘What are you talking about?’ Nero asked.
‘Feigning ignorance will get you nowhere, Nero. This ends today. I have everything I need now to make sure that Number One will cease to be a concern and then we shall see if G.L.O.V.E. is so ready to leap to the defence of you and your school.’
‘You really are insane, aren’t you?’ Nero replied calmly.
‘Do you know how many times throughout history those who have defined the shape of the future have been dismissed as madmen?’ Cypher asked.
‘You have no future,’ Nero said coldly.
‘Then that makes two of us,’ Cypher replied, reaching inside his coat and pulling out a razor-sharp stiletto blade. The two hulking assault robots took up positions on either side of Nero, each taking firm hold of his arms.
‘Get it over with,’ Nero said defiantly. ‘Killing is what you do best after all.’
‘Oh, I’m not going to kill you, Nero. Not yet, anyway. I want you alive to bear witness to my final victory. I can imagine no greater torment for someone like you,’ Cypher said.
Cypher brought the tip of the blade to Nero’s chest and neatly sliced the top couple of buttons off his shirt-front. Using the tip of the blade he pushed the shirt open, exposing Nero’s bare chest.
‘Where is it?’ Cypher said, his previously controlled tone suddenly dripping with venom.
‘Where is what?’ Nero said calmly.
‘You know perfectly well what I mean. The amulet, where is it?’ Cypher spat, clearly becoming angry.
‘I really have no idea what you’re talking about,’ Nero replied casually.
‘I should have known that you wouldn’t do this the easy way,’ Cypher replied. ‘So be it.’
Cypher turned to the giant assault robot next to him.
‘Unit three, go to the nearest pupil accommodation area. Leave no one alive.’
‘Order acknowledged,’ the robot replied in its grating mechanical voice and turned to leave.
Nero felt a sudden rush of panic. He knew better than to hope that Cypher was bluffing. From all he knew of the man there was no reason to believe that he had any qualms about having the blood of so many children on his hands.
‘Wait!’ Nero half shouted.
‘You have something to tell me?’ Cypher said angrily.
‘Raven. Raven has it,’ Nero said sadly.
‘Don’t lie to me, Nero. Raven is dead,’ Cypher spat. ‘I saw to that personally.’
‘Well, it seems that you may have underestimated her talent for survival,’ Nero replied. ‘You aren’t the first and I doubt very much you’ll be the last.’
‘Where is she?’ Cypher said. ‘Tell me or there are going to be a lot of grieving parents in the very near future.’
‘I honestly have no idea,’ Nero said truthfully. She had not reported in since leaving with Malpense and by now she could be anywhere on the island. Cypher studied Nero’s face, looking for any hint of deception.
‘Unit three, stand down,’ Cypher said and the robot he had despatched on the murderous errand just moments before halted.
Nero felt a wave of relief wash over him; his students were safe, for now.
‘If you’re lying to me, Nero, I shall not hesitate to reissue that order. Do you understand me?’ Cypher asked coldly.
‘Perfectly,’ Nero replied.
Cypher pulled a small communications device from his pocket and spoke quickly into it.
‘This is Cypher to all assassin units. Institute a full search sweep of this facility. Your target is the operative codenamed Raven. Use of lethal force is authorised.’
Behind Cypher dozens of the smaller assassin robots poured up the stairs, fanning out in all directions, beginning their search for Raven.
‘What the hell?’
‘What is it?’ the captain of Cypher’s ship demanded, striding over to the radar operator’s station.
‘The boat that the Contessa arrived in has just undocked. It’s heading back towards the island,’ the crewmember reported.
The captain grabbed a pair of binoculars and hurried to one of the large armoured windows that surrounded the bridge. He quickly spotted the tiny black boat, powering away across the waves towards H.I.V.E. He recognised the figure at the controls immediately.
‘I have a firing resolution – should I launch?’ the weapons officer asked quickly.
‘No, it’s the Fanchu boy,’ the captain replied. ‘Cypher gave very specific orders that he was not to be harmed.’
‘Fanchu’s alive?’ the Contessa said, stepping out of the shadows at the rear of the bridge.
‘Yes, but he’s supposed to be under sedation in the brig. How the hell did he get loose?’ the captain demanded.
‘More to the point, how did he get past the guards in the brig?’ the Contessa asked.
‘There are no guards in the brig,’ the captain replied. ‘The cells are escape-proof and I can’t spare the manpower to have guards on watch constantly when it’s not necessary.’
‘Captain,’ the Contessa said quietly, ‘one of the two girls who was also locked up down there is perhaps the most accomplished thief on earth. There’s no such thing as an escape-proof cell where she’s concerned.’
‘It might have been useful if you’d mentioned that earlier, Contessa,’ the captain said sarcastically.
‘I strongly suggest that you don’t take that tone with me, captain,’ the Contessa replied.
The captain went slightly pale and swallowed hard.
‘I’m sorry, Contessa, I meant no disrespect. It’s just that Cypher will be furious when he hears that the Fanchu boy has escaped.’
‘I understand that, captain, but he really has nowhere to run. Cypher will have control of H.I.V.E. by now and there’s no other dry land within range of that boat. Mr Fanchu will find, I suspect, that the fire is really no better than the frying pan on this occasion. Besides, you have a much more pressing concern.’
‘Which is?’ the captain asked.
‘The fact that Laura Brand and Shelby Trinity are not also on board that boat and so are almost certainly running around loose on your ship, and believe me when I say that those two are capable of creating a quite inordinate amount of trouble,’ the Contessa explained.
As if to emphasise the Contessa’s statement alarm klaxons started to sound on the bridge.
‘Wha
t now?’ the captain demanded.
‘It’s the missile room, sir,’ one of the sailors reported. ‘Someone has just made an unauthorised entry.’
‘Despatch a security team immediately,’ the captain ordered, feeling a sudden sense of panic that someone had breached such a vulnerable area of the ship.
‘Belay that order, captain,’ the Contessa said. ‘I will deal with this personally.’
The students milled around the cavernous atrium of the accommodation block, the air filled with a constant buzz of nervous chatter. None of them knew what was going on and dozens of different theories all competed to be heard and accepted as true.
Suddenly the huge blast doors that had been sealing the accommodation block started to grind upwards and there was a collective gasp of surprise as dozens of insectile black androids poured into the room. The assassin droids wasted no time, quickly surrounding the startled students, herding them together. More of the robots scurried up the stairs to the students’ rooms that lined the walls of the cavern, systematically moving from door to door, checking for anyone who was not in the atrium.
The nervous chatter of moments earlier was replaced with a mixture of yelps and cries as the robots pushed and shoved the students into a tight group in the centre of the cavern. Finally a tall man with a network of scars on his face and wearing an unfamiliar uniform walked through the blast doors and over towards the huddled group of students. As he approached a vicious smile appeared on his face, the sight of the cowed and frightened children seeming to somehow amuse him.
‘This facility is now under our control,’ he said coldly. ‘Any resistance or attempt to escape will be met with lethal force.’ His cold, dead eyes did not suggest that he was bluffing.
‘If you are cooperative and obedient,’ he continued, ‘there is no reason why most of you should not survive relatively unharmed.’
The students looked around at the cordon of lethal-looking machines that now surrounded them, their featureless faces filled with mechanical menace.
The man lifted a communicator to his mouth as he turned his back and walked away from the terrified students.