Hardly A Hero [REWRITTEN ON NEW ACCOUNT]

Chapter 31: From Beyond The Grave

I sat slumped in TerraStorm's navy wheelie chair, my fingers drifting across the touchpad on Sebastian's computer. I had almost completely given up on looking for evidence; all documents contained nothing but downloaded Star Wars fanfiction and more photos of me. Creepy.

I almost gave in when I decided to call Robin, just in case she had found something incriminating.

"Hello?"

Her voice pooled me with the realisation of the secret I was hiding and once again I was left feeling anxious and wrong.

"Hey, Robin, it's Rose. We met at Sebastian's dorm." I gulped. "I need to tell-"

"Wait a second. You're Rose?"

I didn't know whether to feel worried, relieved or suspicious... so I felt all of those emotions at the same time.

"Yes." I confirmed. "Look, I-"

"Meet me at Cherry&Ice, near the university, in half an hour. I need to give you something."

With that, she hung up and I pulled on my leather jacket, feeling something much bigger than anticipation.

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It was raining heavily and the outside of Canvas And Cream looked like something out of an old romance film. Streaks of rainwater blurred Robins face as she sat next to the window, her hands cupped around a steaming mug of coffee and her face etched with eagerness. Her vibrant, yellow raincoat sat around the back of her chair and, for a minute, I almost didn't want to go inside. She was the closest thing I had experienced to normal lately. She was so unknowing.

The door chimed as I pushed it open, my hood slumped over my head and dripping with water. Her face beamed with anticipation as we made eye contact.

"Hey." I greeted, inelegantly dropping onto the chair opposite her.

She dug around in the pocket of her grey hoodie, feeling for something. She fumbled with a USB and stared at it, almost with envy.

"Sebastian told me, before he disappeared, to give this to you." She held it out and, with hesitance, I took the sleek, metal object from her hand.

"Do you know what's on it?" I asked, curiously fiddling with it.

"I was hoping you'd know." She admitted. "For some reason, I can't help but think it has something to do with his disappearance."

I could tell she was eager to know what was on it. She wouldn't rest until she had her answers, I could tell.

"I'll- I'll call you, when I know what's on it." I promised, scratching the back of my neck nervously.

She pressed her lips into a tight smile, her fingers interlocked anxiously on the table in front of me.

"Thanks."

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I slid the slim object into the side of the laptop, unsure of what I was anticipating.

Sebastian had come to play a much larger role in my life than had expected. As a result, his death had claimed a significance that made it hard to open the document; a document entitled 'Rose'.

My fingers wavered over the 'Enter' key, my heart drumming a morbid rhythm as my eyes rested on the upsetting importance of the file. It held something much larger than just 0's and 1's.

And I felt it.

Without letting another chilling thought pass, I hit the key and let out a long breath.

There were a set of word documents and JPEG's with a small thumbnail of the image... and a video file.

I clicked on it.

What came next I was not prepared for.

"Hey, Rose."

Sebastian's face pooled the screen. He had dark circles clouding the area under his eyes, his skin pale and riddled with long hours awake at night and opaque fear.

His rustled, brown hair dripped over  his eyes, which remained low and defeated.

"If you are watching this video, it means that... that NASEB... that I'm gone."

I gulped and so did he.

As usual, he had a smart shirt on with a neat, crisp tie. But, today, all of that seemed to blend into a false identity, someone who I used to know.

"There's some things you should know now that I'm..."

He didn't finish, instead, he unfolded a crumpled piece of paper, that was worn tremendously at the sides and aged with frequent use.

"I've left the address to NASEB's location in a file on this USB drive. I don't know if you'll even want it. You may have decided that you're putting your powers behind you. But, just in case, they're on this drive."

His eyes were glazed with a thin layer of tears. He was making the video with confidence that something would go wrong, otherwise it wouldn't exist. It was enough to leave my hands shaking slightly as he spoke.

"There's also something you need to know about Ben."

Unconsciously, I moved my head towards the screen even more.

"I don't know if you've uncovered this yet, but he's not who you think he is. He has secrets. Big ones. Working with him has given me the chance to unravel them."

He flattened the paper and sniffed.

"That's the first thing; he works for NASEB. Or worked. I don't know if he will still be there by the time you get this." He stared at the screen for a moment, as if expecting me to respond.

I know, Sebastian, and it kills me.

I wish I could tell him.

"That's not all. When NASEB took him in for the first time, they discovered something that the original scientists hadn't mentioned in their report; he is more powerful than we thought. Literally; he has more abilities than were previously known to exist."

...What? What others powers did he have?

"This may come as a shock, or it may not, but either way I'm telling you. Ben has the ability to charm... on an abnormal level. A supernatural level."

A shivery rush melted down my back.

That was the same power as...

"Now, NASEB made me aware of your 'heist' and I know your teammates. You worked with Xedos."

Was he...?

Oh no. No, no, no, no...

"Xedos is Ben's brother."

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A/N:
Hey everybodyyyyy!
This chapter was very dramatic but I hope you all enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thank you for every little bit of support I have received so far; every vote and comment warms my heart.

I'm still on my summer break and may finish the book just as my first year at college (sixth form) begins.

See you guys next chapter,

~SkyHunterXoX