With one last smirk towards us, Doctor Cassandra Floid turned to address the room of eager onlookers, swinging her arms out in a dramatic flurry.

"Greetings, my fellow members of the Underground, and our invited guests." She bowed, balancing expertly on what had to be the tallest pair of heals on the planet.

"Please do excuse the delay in tonight's events, I fear that, once again, I may have gotten a little caught up in my games." The suggestive way she spoke sent a twitter of laughter through the room.

"So...." I murmured as the woman formerly known as Rachel Fredem continued to greet the room with all the charm of a tacky T.V host, turning to Alan with a blank stare.

"Yo mamma's so crazy, she used her genius intellect and nanotech superpowers to turn herself into a teenage girl... So that she could go to high school and stalk someone who has to be at least half her age?"

Alan just gave me a small, rueful smile, straightening up so that he towered over Apollo and I.

"I'm not one to throw stones in glass houses, Maddison." He murmured back cheerfully.

"After all, what my mother does is not so dissimilar to the role Alex, and I play in the King of the Hill. Where we scout out the talented fighters, Mother looks for the minds. The future leaders of our organisation."

"So that she can kiss them," I concluded bluntly.

At this, Alan visibly winced.

"Mother is very passionate about her work." His gaze shifted, looking over our heads, presumably to where Vain stood. "But is more interested in causing trouble than anything...romantic."

So Vain is here with the woman in charge of recruiting evil little masterminds. A woman who likes to test and torment everyone around her. A woman who had quite obviously threatened to hurt me if Vain didn't cooperate.

All this pointed to her being the driving force behind Vain's actions.

What better way to test the intellect and will power of a person, than to have him tear down the Hill, with the hostage still inside it.

Feeling sick to my stomach, I climbed in as close to Apollo's ear as I could, hiding under as much as his black emo hair cut as possible.

Apollo noticeably stiffened, obviously uncomfortable with the invasion of personal space. Archenemies aren't supposed to get so cuddly after all.

Before he could demand that I back off or move me away from himself, I spoke into his in his ear.

"I'll forgive you," I said, and I think it was the way my voice trembled, more than the actual promise of forgiveness, that made Apollo hesitate.

"For everything you did to me. No more revenge, no more bad attitude and snarky words. I'll give you a blank slate if you just give me five minutes."

Apollo didn't speak, and I took his silence as confirmation.

But now that I had some privacy, my depressing train of thought went full speed ahead.

She had been there the entire time after all.

The bus, the classroom, even the day he defeated the Hill.

Rachel had always been close by, watching.

A proximity I had mistaken for obsession on her part.

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

It was possible.

That Vain hadn't... Betrayed me just because he couldn't handle the person I had become. That he had done what he did because Rachel had forced him to. Had stood over his shoulder, threatening him through every betrayal.

That he had been forced to remain silent, watching my heartbreak.

As I fell all too easily for the lie.

He had been my best friend for years. A prideful, stubborn friend who never approved of anything I did.

Most often because it was stupid. Because it was guaranteed to get me hurt.

And even though he never approved.

He stayed.

From swimming across a lake to pulling stupid stunts on my bike, picking fights, eating random stuff that probably belongs a lab somewhere, stalking my brother, putting out the fire whenever my parents tried to cook, the time I took up knife throwing...

Joining the Hill.

Vain would get angry, tell me how stupid I was being, then leave or turn away, so he wouldn't have to watch.

But he would still let me do it. Gave me the freedom to make my own choices.

And, every time, he'd be there at the end, to pick me back up and help me fix whatever mess I had caused.

I felt tears pricking at my eyes.

He had been a loyal friend my entire life. Yes, he was a total ass about it, but still.

And I had repaid him with distrust. Hell, It had taken me this long, to even doubt Vain's betrayal.

What sort of friend did that make me?

"You were right." I murmured, burying my face into my raised knees.

"...About what in particular." Apollo questioned hesitantly, sounding like he just wanted the freaky upset Maddison moment to be over.

"I'm an idiot."

"Yes, well...that much is obvious." He dared to shrug.

Jerk.

"Anyone with half a brain cell can tell that you're a stubborn, single-minded idiot."

Double jerk.

"Yet, knowing full well what a completely dense imbecile you are, they still like you."

Jerk times infin- what?

"Everybody who knows you is fully aware and prepared to deal with the fact that you're incredibly slow, so stop freaking out about it on my damn shoulder." Apollo's shoulders were tense like he was resisting the urge to brush me off like some gross insect.

"If anyone is expecting anything, its for you to march through this mess with nothing more than a scowl and a mouth full of abusive language. You're pretty much useless as anything but a mascot, so do us all a favour, and at least try not to screw that up."

It was only because I was staring at Apollo's ear in stunned silence, that I saw the way it reddened as he spoke.

Like the boy was furiously blushing under his mask.

"Apollo." My voice shook with emotion. "That was the meanest, most insensitive thing anyone has ever said to me."

"You're welcome to get the hell off me and find someone else's shoulder to cry on. I-"

"Thank you." I interrupted and meant it.

How that crude speech had managed to reassure me, I had no idea, but still, I found myself smiling slightly.

Vain knew me better than anyone. Had put up with more of my mistakes than anyone else.

He was used to it.

If there was anyone in the world who could forgive and put up with me for the rest of our lives, it was him.

Though I had spoken barely louder than a whisper, Apollo obviously heard me, as standoffish tension leaked out of his shoulders.

Before he could say a word though, I reach towards his ear.

And yanked on it.

"But if you ever talk to me like that again kid, I'm going to shut your mouth permanently with my fist. Got it?"

"Excuse me, while I quake in my boots." He muttered back sarcastically. "Now either move over or shut up so that I can focus on what's going on."

With a small smile, I did as he asked, shifting away from him and returning my focus back to what was happening below.

Mostly so that I had a reason not to check if anyone had noticed my unusual proximity to one Apollo Mc'Valium.

Yeah right, of course, the nosy bastards noticed, and probably strained their ears listing to our conversation.

"Now, I know that we have all been looking forward to tonight's show." Dr Floid continued, crossing her arms in a way that cupped her bosom. "Like myself, many of you have been eagerly watching the development of the potential recruits. And now, you will all be witness to their final evaluation."

She threw her arms out, head thrown back as she looked up at the crowds.

"All of us here know that only the best will earn a place at our side. Only those who are strong enough to stand at the top, above those weak enough to conform and depend on the laws of society, will have the privilege of joining us. Natural selection dictates that only the strongest survive, only those who are willing to take what they want and get what they deserve!"

The crowd cheered in uproarious applause.

These people are insane. Not to mention evil jerks.

At the accusing look I sent his way, Alan stepped back, raising his hands defensively.

"Don't look at me, I just work here. And for the record, I'm pretty sure that I take after our father."

Glancing down at the tall, red-headed woman whose face was so similar to the twins, I could only snort dismissively.

Alex seemed to agree.

"The only thing our father gave us was the Y chromosome." The previously silent boy muttered, leaning forward on Apollo's other side to rest his elbows on the railing. "That's if we even have a father. There's still the very real possibility that she grew us in a test tube."

Glancing at Alex, I didn't fail to notice that with him on one side and Alan on the other, the twins had us caged in.

"True." Alan sighed, shoulders sagging as he glanced over Apollo's short height to study his brother. "Though I find it a little depressing. Inheriting my manly statue and handsome good looks from my mother is quite a blow to the ego."

Alex grimaced painfully. "Since when were you handsome or manly in any way?"

Alan's eyebrows rose innocently.

"Insulting the looks of your identical twin brother? Harsh, even for you, Alexander."

"Shut up-"

"Let the games begin!" Dr Floid announced, her sudden rise in excitement catching our attention.

She grinned, reaching a hand out towards the crowd that surrounded her on the ground floor.

"Bring them out."

This can't be good

At her command, two formally dressed men separated themselves from the crowd, stepping forward to join the tall woman in the centre of the dance floor.

In each masked man's hand, a miniature boy stood.

Artemis and Nigel.