Aftershock by Mark Walden Read Free Book Online

was a subject that even Otto found baffling at times but it seemed to be almost second nature to Franz.
    The six of them made their way through H.I.V.E.’s twisting volcanic rock corridors until they eventually arrived at the library. The large glass double doors, engraved with G.L.O.V.E.’s globe-smashing fist logo hissed apart and they headed inside. The cavernous chamber beyond was filled from floor to ceiling with countless shelves of books. Robotic arms slid backwards and forwards along rails mounted in front of the shelves, removing and returning volumes for the students who sat at the hundreds of desks arranged in clusters across the cavern floor. There was a definite atmosphere of barely suppressed panic that could only mean one thing. Exams were coming and time for revision was running out.
    Otto and the others sat at the far end of the room and started unpacking notepads and books from their backpacks.
    ‘Isn’t all this studying a bit pointless if the plan to . . . borrow the exam papers works?’ Laura whispered to Otto as he sat down and opened one of his textbooks.
    ‘Maybe,’ Otto whispered, ‘but we have to keep up appearances.’ He nodded towards one of the many security cameras that lined the walls. ‘They’re going to be looking out for anyone who’s not bothering with revision. We need to try not to attract any unnecessary attention. Besides which, if the plan goes wrong, I don’t want to be going into the exams having done absolutely no revision at all. I don’t know about you but that’s the kind of thing I have nightmares about.’
    ‘I am having nightmares about sitting my exams naked,’ Franz said with an earnest expression as he sat down across from them. ‘Most disturbing.’
    ‘If it’s any consolation I have nightmares about Franz sitting exams naked too,’ Shelby whispered to Laura. ‘One’s where I’m sat at the desk right behind his.’
    ‘Oh, thanks very much for that mental image. Especially when I’m trying to concentrate,’ Laura said.
    ‘Thing is,’ Shelby whispered, ‘in the dream he’s really nervous because of the exam and so he’s sweating a lot. ’
    ‘OK, I am really not listening to you any more,’ Laura said, grimacing.
    ‘It gets worse because then he . . .’ Shelby leant over and whispered something in Laura’s ear.
    ‘Is Laura OK?’ Wing asked Otto quietly on the other side of the cluster of desks. ‘She appears to have suddenly gone quite pale.’
    Otto looked over at Laura who was now repeatedly hitting Shelby with one of her notepads. Shelby meanwhile was laughing uncontrollably at the look of pure disgust on Laura’s face.
    ‘Shelby Trinity, there is something seriously wrong with you,’ Laura said, shaking her head.
    ‘You know, I am thinking Laura is struggling to be coping with the stress of the exams,’ Franz said sadly as he watched Laura rubbing at her temples as if desperately trying to erase something from her brain.

    ‘It was an unfortunate accident,’ Professor Pike said, looking slightly uncomfortable.
    ‘That’s one way of describing it,’ Dr Nero said as he studied the damage report on his tablet display. He walked to the other end of the Science and Technology lab and examined the recently patched hole in the wall. ‘I don’t really want to have to review the safety procedures for your department yet again, Professor. Especially when you’ve been doing so well with the departmental fatalities.’
    ‘Only three this year!’ the Professor said, smiling happily before noticing the look on Nero’s face. ‘Which is, of course, three too many.’
    ‘A certain level of staff and student mortality is to be expected, Professor,’ Nero said, ‘but it’s best if we can try and avoid it where possible. Colonel Francisco was extremely lucky.’
    ‘Yes, he seemed rather angry when I saw him,’ the Professor said with a frown. ‘He said that it was a good job he was sitting down when it happened. I suppose it