Becoming the Villan

Secrets within secrets

The rest of the session was silent. The therapists asked more questions but I closed off again.

"It's the new hour you're free to go." She sighed. I stood up, slipped my mask on. My hands were shaking and I was trapped inside my head. I needed to get out. I needed to clear my head.

I would usually go on a mission but those were unavailable so I headed to the training hall. People usually avoided me in the halls but no one would even look in my direction as I stormed up the stairs from the basement and into the training room on the main floor.

I burst open the doors and strode to one of the individual training simulations. I pressed my palm against the key-pad by the door and it switched to green, the door clicking open.

I stepped inside and the lights flickered on.

"Simulation three," I said to the computers. The lights dimmed and the walls around me slowly morphed into the rooftops of the Archipelago. The floor beneath me raised and the tall ceiling now looked like the sky. I grabbed the training guns that were on the wall and the simulation started.

I turned on my heel waiting for the sound of an attacker. The sounds of honking cars and yelling people clouded my head but I tuned it all out. I heard the click of the safety of a gun switching off and turned in that direction.

About twenty meters away on a different roof I could see the outline of a figure. I cocked my gun, took a breath, and fired. The figure shattered like glass and I knew I hit my target.

More footsteps rang out behind me and I turned, wincing at the pain that flared in my side. I should have patched that up before this. I thought. No thinking during a fight. Just finish the objective. The words of my leaders pressed through all other thoughts and I have focused completely again.

A figure had gotten on the same rooftop as mine and I ducked as I heard them cock their gun. A shot rang out and I swept the leg of the hooded fighter and he fell to the floor. Their gun lifted and I kicked it out of their hands.

More people had surrounded the building and I kicked the man off. I looked around trying to assess how many there were. I switched my gun to rapid-fire and waited until I heard the in-sink click of the guns and disappeared into a puff of black smoke fifteen feet above the building.

Guns fired where I was previously standing and I made myself solid again. I started falling but pulled the trigger and spun. It was a long shot but I didn't have any other option.

The wind whipped my face as I fell and I knew I had around ten seconds until I hit the floor. I bent my knees and rolled as I hit the hard concrete of the training floor. I couldn't control my roll and I got to the edge of the building and scrambled to grab the ledge.

I caught it and pulled myself up waiting for another attack, but found the room smokey and the sound of shattering glass still hung in the air. I was breathing heavily and I felt the scab on my ribs had opened and was now dripping blood again.

The walls had gone back to concrete and the simulation ended."Simulation complete. Well done Demise." A robotic voice announced. I got out of the fighter's stance and heard a slow clapping from outside the room.

I put the gun back on the wall and walked out. "Sir?" I questioned as I walked out of the room.

"Ah, Demise." The man greeted me, walking over and clapping me on the shoulder. I flinched at the contact but tried to hide my reaction.

"Can I help you, Sir?" I asked, trying not to stutter. "Walk with me son," He said. I nodded and followed him out of the room.

"As you know, I have recently been sending you on missions to infiltrate R.I.S.E." I nodded, "Yes, commander," I agreed.

"You are one of the best operatives I've ever seen." He paused and pride flared in my chest. " But, you think a lot while on missions. Which is a good thing and a bad thing." My steps faltered

"Your thinking lets you discover more ways to achieve the things we want. But, it also makes you hesitate." The pride in my chest stabbed into fear. Don't let your emotions show. Emotions are a weakness. Just be a good soldier.

"Yes Sir," I agreed again. Trying to control my rapid breathing. "I'm going to give you three months to formulate a plan to take down the Archipelago Republic and restore this world to its former glory," The commander had stopped and sounded like he was repeating a memorized poem.

"Thank you, Sir. It is my honor to serve the foundations of what is going to save the world." I repeated the saying that is drilled into me from day one of joining C.M.

The man nodded and turned to leave. "Thank you, Oliver, I know you will not fail," I raised two of my fingers and brought them to my brow. "Oh, and Demise," He stopped at the end of the hall. "Your training simulation was sloppy. I need you to be the best soldier you can be for this organization,"

I stiffened, nodded, and brought my raised hand down. "Yes, Sir," I said, so quietly it was practically non-existent.