Hacker (Book 1)

Veronica Chapter 41

"What are you doing here?" I demand.

"Look before you get mad-" he starts.

"Before I get MAD!" I scream.

"Yeah I-," he tries to continue.

"Oh and when am I supposed to get mad?!" I ask angrily. "Is it the part where I specifically told you to leave so you wouldn't get killed? Or is it the part where you came back into the building to get yourself killed? Or maybe it's the fact that you had the bright idea of coming back into a building filled with explosives?" I say fuming.

"About that?" He asks.

"About that???" I scream, "You came back into a building with explosives ready to go off. That was so stupid!"

"Hey," he says defensively.

"'Hey'? I'm not the idiot who ran back into a building that will explode in probably less than a minute," I scream.

"That's what I'm trying to say," he pleads. "There weren't any explosives."

"That's what you came back to tell me?" I ask.

"Well yeah," he says casually.

"Never, not ever in my life have I met someone as crazy and stupid as you," I say rubbing my face with my hands.

"Sorry," he says with an apologetic smile.

"So there aren't any explosives, and we're not going to die?" Axle pipes in.

"Axle?" Sebastian says pulling his friend into a tight embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you," he answers, "I got caught. However, I think I've been here a bit longer than you."

"You got caught?" Sebastian asks in disbelief.

"No," he sarcastically remarks, "I came in here to start my work on interior design. Yes I got caught, but what I don't understand is why you came back because there weren't explosives, so what did you do in the control room?"

"Well-," I start, but Sebastian interrupts.

"Nothing," he says, taking my had and squeezing it. "They showed up too fast so we had to run. We ended up splitting up."

"So you did nothing?" He asks.

"Yeah, we came back for nothing," he says.

"Really?" Axle asks.

"Yes, we wanted to blow it up, but it didn't work," he says looking down. I'm confused as to why he's lying, but if Sebastian thinks it's best then I'll play along.

"Wow," he says in disbelief.

"I know," I pipe in, "Now talking it through we should have tried something else, along with blowing it up."

"No offense, but your plan kinda sucks. I mean, come on, blowing it up that's it? You had an elite agent, a scientist, a doctor, and one of the best hacker's I've ever seen, and the best you come up with is blowing up one building out of maybe hundreds?" Axle says.

"Look," Sebastian starts, irritation creeping in his voice, "we just wanted to do something, we couldn't sit back and do nothing."

"Well, I admire your morality, but your plan is stupid," he says.

"Well too late now," I say.

"So your sure that you did nothing else?" Axle asks.

"Posititive," I reply, going along with Sebastian's lie.

"Well, that's a shame," he replys. "I guess we're done here. Come on in!"

"What-," I start, but then the doors burst open, and guards flood into the cell. Oh. Oh, that's all I can think. Now it all makes sense, his relentless questioning, Sebastian not telling him the truth. Sebsatian knew, he knew something was fishy with Axle, he knew we couldn't trust him.

"Sorry, for the dramatics, but I wanted to make sure I got everything," Axle responds, with a sickening grin.

"You're a spy," Sebastian spits out, disgusted.

"No, Sebby, I'm a mail man," he sarcastically remarks, "Of course I'm a spy."

"But why?" Sebastian asks. "What about the Director, I thought he was working for the Black Dagger?"

"The Director?" Axle asks with a laugh. "That idiot, definitely not!"

"Mission Fire Starter," I mutter.

"What?" Sebastian asks, startled looking at me.

"Finally," Axle lets out in exasperation, "someone with a brain!"

"You were the agent they sent in years ago," I say putting it all together. "It wasn't the Director, it was you!"

"But why, you had a home, a family, with the Guard!" Sebastian demands.

"A family?" He spits, "The Guard killed my family, all because they had information they wanted. No, Black Dagger gave me a home, a family. They took me in when I had everything ripped from me!" He lets out a sigh, and starts speaking with a calmer voice, "Besides, the Guard had no vision, but the Black Dagger does. We have plans to change the future into something worth it!"

"Oh my gosh!" I shout, "I know your misguided, but I didn't know you were stupid too! Are you kidding me with this crap? Do you really think genetically enhanced soldiers, who are no doubt taken against their will are going to change the future?" I shake my head in disbelief.

"Do I believe that a new breed of human can make this world great?" He asks, "Yes, I do. I believe that anyone can be better than the scum that inhabit this planet!"

"I get it now," I fire back, "this isn't about making the world better! You want revenge, you had a bad experience so you blame everyone else. Listen, I hate to break it to you sweetheart, but not everyone is like that. There are good, selfless people, not everyone is like you! And those are the people that make this world great, not your programmed soldiers!

I see the rage crawl on to his face, "I'm sick of this, kill them."

"Wait," Sebastian says. "Take me and let her go."

"Sebastian no!" I say grabbing his arm.

"What makes you think I need you?" Axle asks.

"You've seen me fight, and we've grown up together, you know me, I'm one of the best agents," he bargains.

"You're right," he says with a voice that makes me sick to my stomach. He turns to his guards, "He's perfect for project Millennium."

I turn to Sebastian. "No you can't!" I plead.

"I'll do it, if you let her go!" Sebastian says.

"Or I could kill her, and take you," Axle smirks.

"See but because you know me you know if you kill her, I'll have no incentive to work for you," Sebastian counters.

I stand here in disbelief. Is he saying what I think he's saying? Is he sacrificing himself for me?

"Fine, I'll let her go. Take him," Axle says.

"No, I want a good bye, and I want to see you let her go!" He says sternly.

Axle considers it for a bit then reluctantly says, "Fine you have five minutes to say goodbye. Then we'll going to the entrance, and you can watch her leave. Do we have a deal?"

Axle extends his hand. Sebastian doesn't even hesitate, and grasps his hand shaking it firmly.

"We have a deal," Sebastian says.