Hero Academy

Chapter 14 : The Asset

Oscar gasped, Diana's hands flared with electricity and Aspen swore. Loudly.

"What!"

"You're the traitor."

"It's impossible, it can't be."

Astate smiled, "I'm afraid I am, Diana. I have been working for Viper all along."

Diana found herself sitting down on the floor, "But – but – you helped us, you are our best teacher. I – I trusted you."

"I'm sorry Diana," said Astate, "I admit that I didn't like tricking you and Oscar. It hurt, I'm sorry but I had to for the greater good. Viper's aims are benevolent, they need to be my priority."

"Viper are going to kill thousands, maybe more," said Aspen, "How can that be benevolent?"

"You are blinded by anger," said Astate, "You're father is a good man, and you refuse to simply acknowledge him."

"I have no father," said Aspen.

Astate sighed, "I've already given up on you."

"York was never a traitor," Aspen realised, ignoring Astate's comment.

"Audrey York a traitor?" laughed Astate, "Oh she'd never ally with Viper, she's narrow minded and stubborn."

"So you were the one helping Viper all along," said Diana, still not believing it to be true.

"I lowered the defences on the basement so they could break in, I wrote the message in your exercise book and got the Dark Assassin into the school," said Astate, "The Captain even told me that they were hiding the radar in the school."

"I still can't believe this," said Diana, "You working for Viper. You and Reuben. I assume you were one who designed his right eye?"

Astate nodded, then an edge crept into his voice, "Professor Rasussem said that you three are regretting the future. You are all fools."

"You're the fool," said Oscar, bravely. Diana notice Aspen tap a metal figure and thumb together, something metallic flew out of Astate's pocket.

"Diana, you're coming with me," said Astate, not noticing anything, "Nathaniel said you wanted to see the asset. Here's your chance."

"Why do I need to see it?"

Astate smiled, "We need you to fix the asset, or at least try."

"Why me?"

"Because it should come naturally," said Astate, "I should say that if you don't come with me, I will torture Aspen."

Diana nodded and moved towards the door. She didn't want to help Viper but she couldn't say no. With a glance to Aspen and Oscar she left.

Astate grabbed her arm and took her down a corridor. Diana remembered the route, left, left again, up some stairs and then to her right. She wondered what the asset was. It had to be using electricity; that was why Viper wanted her to fix it. But was what it? Diana last few steps were full of fear and dread, could she really help Viper even if she did would she be condemning the world?

They arrived outside closed door, Diana's heart beating so fast it was painful. Astate knocked and the door was opened by a waiting Viper agent

"Bring the girl in," said Rasussem. Diana was pulled into a kind of lab. She frowned, there wasn't a big weapon in sight.

A dozen armed guards were standing around the room with Rassussem, who had now changed into crisp suit. The Dark Assassin was hunched on a medical bench. He was half naked with his chest being bandaged from where Aspen had hit him.

"Do you know him?" Rasussem asked Diana, gesturing to the Dark Assassin.

Diana looked at him with wide eyes full of confusion. Then it sunk in and she snorted, "The bullies in my class can do better at humiliating me than that. I get it - everyone my parents' trust is probably working for you."

"It's a simple question, Diana, just answer it," said Astate, "Do you know him?"

Diana glared at all of them and then narrowed her eyes, "No. No, I don't know him."

Rasussem nodded and turned to the assassin, "Well, you heard her didn't you?"

The assassin didn't answer, he looked to the ground. The guards seemed surprised they raised their guns at the assassin. Rasussem waved these down,

"We're all friends here," he said, before turning back to the assassin, "Perhaps you misheard me, did you hear the girl answer?"

Still the assassin didn't answer, his gaze was stuck on Diana. She only glared at him, wanting to electrocute the man there and then. Astate grumbled in causal annoyance and Rasussem slapped him across the assassin face.

"Answer my question," he ordered, his calm voice now a shout.

Diana waited for the assassin to hit Rasussem back, she waited for him to take out all the people in this room with breaking a sweat. But he didn't, he just sat there.

The assassin looked away from Diana and swallowed, "Yes, I heard her."

"Then you were mistaken when you thought you knew her?"

"Yes."

Rasussem nodded, he bent down to talk to the assassin, "Viper promises the people of Earth a brighter future, we will give them the freedom and security they deserve. Your work is been key to this; you have, truly, changed the world. It is in your debt. We need you to continue helping it. We need you to keep your attention firmly fixed on our goals. We all have our duties, if you don't do yours I can't do mine."

The assassin nodded slowly, Rasussem smiled encouraging.

Diana didn't understand what was happening, confusion was flooding her mind. But she stayed strong,

"I thought I was here to fix this asset thing," she said.

Astate smiled, "Not the cleverest in the class, I must admit," he nodded to the assassin, "You just did, Diana."

He pulled her to the side, away from the assassin's ear shot,

"The Dark Assassin, the asset, is Rasussem's and my greatest scientific triumph. Rasussem got close with his daughter but the assassin is perfection. A totally loyal solider, so devoted to the cause because we brainwashed him to be."

Diana felt the ground underneath her disappear, "You," she was shaking with hatred and anger, electricity coursing through her like the night she'd been electrocuted. One word came out from her mouth, "Reuben."

Diana's whole body lit up with electricity, she wasn't controlling it but she let it happen. She felt strong, so strong. Diana lifted a hand towards Astate.

A body flew into her own, sending her crashing into the floor. The electricity retreated. One hand took her shoulder, the other her head. It was the assassin.

Rasussem's voice came from behind her, "I'd control that power of yours, Miss Standing. Or he's going to break your neck."

Diana did as she was told.