Mark Walden - H.I.V.E. (Higher Institute of Villainous Education)

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Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Berlin and New York

First published in Great Britain in 2006 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

36 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QY

Text copyright Mark Walden 2006

The moral right of the author has been asserted

This electronic edition published in July 2010 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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A CIP catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 4088 1332 4

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Also by Mark Walden

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H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education

H.I.V.E.: The Overlord Protocol

H.I.V.E.: Escape Velocity

H.I.V.E.: Dreadnought

H.I.V.E.: Rogue

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For Sarah, for Megan, forever

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Contents

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Chapter One

Otto woke with a start as the whole world seemed to tip beneath him. He opened his eyes, squinting against the sudden brightness, and was startled to see the surface of the ocean rushing past just a few metres below. It took him a second to realise that he was looking through the side window of some kind of aircraft, a helicopter, judging by the muffled but insistent thumping of rotors coming from overhead.

Where am I? Otto whispered to himself, staring out at the vast expanse of open water.

A very good question. The measured voice startled Otto and he turned to face the tall Asian boy who had been sitting silently in the seat beside him. And one which I hope will be answered shortly. He looked at Otto with a calm expression. Perhaps you can shed more light on our current situation?

There was no emotion in his voice, only mild curiosity.

He appeared to be considerably taller than Otto and his long dark hair was tied back in a neat ponytail. This was in marked contrast to Ottos short, spiky hair, which was as white as snow and had been since the day hed been born. The boy wore a loose linen shirt and trousers and black silk slippers. Otto was still wearing the jumper, jeans and trainers that was the last thing he remembered putting on.

Im sorry, Otto said, rubbing his temples, I have no idea where I am or how I got here. Just a splitting headache.

It seems, then, that we have both been subjected to the same treatment, Ottos fellow passenger replied. The headache will fade shortly, but I suspect your memory of recent events will be as elusive for you as it has been for me.

Otto realised that the boy was right. No matter how hard he concentrated he had only the vaguest recollection of the events leading up to his current situation. He had an image of a dark figure standing in a doorway, its hand raised and pointing something at him, but after that, nothing.

Otto turned his attention to a closer inspection of his new surroundings. A clear plastic screen separated them from the two black-clad pilots in the cockpit. One of the men glanced into the rear compartment and, seeing that Otto was now awake, made an inaudible comment to his co-pilot.

Otto was not accustomed to feeling nervous but he could not suppress the prickling sense of unease that was creeping over him. He tried to release the buckle on the harness that was holding him in his seat but the device refused to release. He wasnt going anywhere. Quite where he would go even if he did manage to free himself was another matter all that he could see through the windows in all directions was featureless ocean. It seemed that they had little option but to sit tight and see where this mysterious journey would take them.

Otto looked ahead through the partition, searching for any sign of a possible destination. At first he saw nothing but the ocean stretching interminably ahead of them, but then he noticed something on the horizon. It looked almost like a volcano rising up out of the ocean, a tall column of black smoke billowing from its severed peak, but at this distance it was difficult to make out any more detail.

That is the first sight I have had of land since I woke nearly an hour ago, the Asian boy said. He too had spotted the island that was coming into view. I suspect that we are nearing our destination.

Otto nodded the helicopter was heading straight for the island and the pilots were now busying themselves flicking switches and adjusting controls in the cockpit as if preparing to land.

Maybe well get some answers when we get there, Otto said, continuing to peer at the island that was growing ever larger ahead.

Yes, the boy responded, still staring straight ahead. I dont like being kept in the dark, and Im curious to know why someone should want to gather such a cargo and transport it across such great distances. It would be wise to question the motives of those who abduct people in this way.

The helicopter closed the distance to the island quickly and was soon racing above the treetops of the jungle that surrounded the volcanic peak. As they neared the islands centre the machine rose in the air, scaling the sides of the apparently active volcano before plunging into the dark clouds of smoke at its summit. Otto knew at once that things were not as they appeared. If they had flown into a true volcanic plume, the helicopter would have been burnt to a cinder in seconds but instead it slowed, dropped into a hover, and began to descend into the boiling clouds.

Otto felt another twinge of apprehension as the helicopter continued its blind descent. There had to be somewhere to land down there, he reassured himself. The Asian boy, meanwhile, continued to sit impassively, staring straight ahead, his hands calmly folded in his lap, apparently unconcerned by the nature of their proposed landing site. The hovering machine continued to fall but now a hazy light could be seen from below, illuminating the dark clouds that were beginning to thin visibly. Suddenly they dropped out of the cloud and Otto peered out of his window at the bizarre scene below.

Beneath them was a cavernous flood-lit bay, dominated by a central landing pad, with dozens of men milling around it. They all seemed to be wearing orange jumpsuits and hard hats and were busily preparing for the helicopters imminent arrival.

We appear to be expected, the boy remarked, looking out of the window. Perhaps now we shall have the answers we seek, he continued, sounding as if this was the most normal thing that had ever happened to him.

The helicopter came to a rest on the landing pad with a gentle bump and the two boys seat harnesses popped open with a click. Several of the men in orange jumpsuits now approached the aircraft. Otto noted the large black holsters slung from their hips.

As the guards approached, the other boy turned to face Otto and said, My name is Wing Fanchu. What might I call you?

Only slightly phased by Wings directness, Otto replied, Malpense... Otto Malpense.

A guard opened the door on Ottos side of the helicopter and gestured for him to get out. As Otto stepped down on to the concrete landing pad he began to appreciate the true scale of the concealed hangar. A dozen sleek, jet-black helicopters, identical to the one that had brought them here, stood arranged around the pad, their matt surfaces seeming to absorb the light from the floodlights that illuminated the bay. Grim-faced guards were positioned at regular intervals around the pad, and Otto decided that it would probably be best to do as their new hosts instructed, for now at least. Wing too was surveying their new surroundings with the same unchanging expression of mild curiosity. If he was surprised at all by this bizarre facility, his face betrayed no hint of it.