chapter 3

Few minutes later they were both out the door and into the street. They got a bus and alighted at their school, Superhero high.

As they walked past the school's lawn they saw Squad 4 practicing with their CIN. She was teaching them defense.

Wallis got hit and he flew to the grass.

Edward and Justin were the only ones that managed to keep up in the fight with their CIN. Jake was hitting the ground with his fists as Lillian dragged his leg before she spun him around and he landed on Wallis who was just getting up.

Annabelle sat on the grass rubbing her ankles.

Then Lillian paused in the training and barked some words at Squad 4.

Andrew and Suzanne passed by and entered the school.

Soon enough they entered the class Aiden was.

Everyone was already present.

"Hey guys!" Suzanne waved as she entered. "Good morning CIN."

Andrew just nodded at them and greeted Aiden then he sat down.

"Okay, since you're all here we can proceed," Aiden said and got up from the desk he was seated on. He handed them each a blank paper.

"I want you all to pen down everything you know about Hero League, how it's founded," Aiden told them.

"Can't we just verbally tell you? Why must we write it down?" Ryan asked disgruntled.

"Write it." Aiden told him.

"So what happens next?" Ashley asked with a smile.

"Then," Aiden made a face, "As your CIN, I'm under obligations to inform you about the founding of the Hero League."

Aiden didn't like telling stories or saying anything pretty much lengthy at all, hence the face.

Ethan raised his hand.

"But CIN!" Ethan whined. "Why don't you just skip to the part where you tell us about it? Why should we write if you're still going to tell us anyway?"

Suzanne nodded in agreement.

Andrew just kept his head on his palm and looked on boredly.

"This sheet can never contain all my knowledge on the Hero League," Andrew said in his usual bored tone.

"You all should quit complaining and start writing as--" Aiden was cut short as his phone rang.

Ryan scoffed.

Aiden never picked his calls. He just ignored them, that was why everyone sent him text messages instead. Or on official matters they contacted him on his not so ordinary watch as it could receive holografic messages.

Everyone who knew Aiden never called his phone.

Who's the dummy that's calling?  Ryan wondered snidely.

Aiden's finger went to the reject button but he stopped when he saw the caller ID.

He accepted the call.

A voice spoke on the other end.

"Just a second," Aiden removed the phone from his ear.

"Start writing," he told Squad 10 before walking out to resume his discussion with the person that called him.

"Did everyone just see what I saw or is it just me?" Suzanne asked, rubbing her eyes once Aiden had left.

"CIN Aiden accepted a call!" Ethan exclaimed with disbelief.

"He never  accepts any calls, even from the head of Hero League himself," Ryan commented.

Andrew rapidly typed some keys in his keyboard.

He sighed and relaxed in his seat. "It's no use trying to track his call or hack into his phone. He has up a firewall even I  can't get across. But in a years time I should be able to crack it when I work on myself," Andrew said, his grip tight on his mouse.

"I really want to know who CIN is talking to," Suzanne said and bit her lip.

"Me too!" Ethan agreed.

Ryan crossed his arms, "For some reasons, I also do."

Ashley stood up and made her way to the door.

"Where are you going?" Andrew asked her boredly.

She looked back with a determined gaze. "I really wanna find out what this mystery caller is!" She clenched her fists tightly.

"I'm curious!"

She then went out of the classroom.

"She's toast if CIN finds her out, and he will," Ryan said.

"I hope she finds out," Suzanne said hopefully, "At least it would make everything worth it."

"Until then, let's write," Andrew said and at once started writing on the empty sheet.

Ethan groaned and kept his head on the desk. He didn't like any written test of any sort.

Suzanne scratched her hair slightly as she thought of what to add to the few things she knew.

Ryan had no problem and went on writing smoothly.

Not too long after Aiden re-entered the class. He had a firm grip on a sheepish looking Ashley's shoulder.

His facial looks gave nothing away.

"Go and finish up with what I told you to write," he told Ashley and brought out a book to read while she went to her seat.

Some minutes later they were all done.

Aiden just kept their papers beside him on the desk.

"Okay, we're going to make this as brief as possible," Aiden started. They all looked up at him.

"This is the history of Hero League, listen well because I'll only say this once," he told them. 

"The crime rate of Herotapolis was very high and it kept on increasing, most people referred to it as the 'Blood city' as lots of killings were done by terrorists and robbers. It was totally unsafe and very terrible," Aiden started his lengthy narration.

"So, the mayor at that time decided to bring in a new hope for the citizens as no one believed in the police anymore. He decided to bring in a new organisation. Two brothers namely Tiz and Zeno had just moved into the city at that time. Zeno was a scientist, a crazy one at that. He proposed a solution to the mayor, he would create heroes with the help of his brother, Tiz."

"I wish I brought a popcorn," Ethan whispered to Suzanne.

"Shut up!" Suzanne snarled in a harsh whisper.

Aiden looked at both of them with a displeased look and they both mellowed down.

"Go on CIN," Ashley encouraged with a smile.

"As if I have a choice," Aiden muttered under his breath but he continued anyway.

"After a while the mayor gave his concent and the two brothers formed up Hero League. They ran experiments on people in other to make them a step above the ordinary civilians, hence the powers. But Tiz noticed the heroes they were making all turned cold and had no feeling of humanity left. He brought this to the attention of his brother but Zeno ignored him and went on with the experiments," Aiden went on.

"Tiz had to make the mayor come into the matter as he wanted the experimenting to stop but Zeno had refused. The mayor put his leg down and stopped all sort of experiments. That was when new categories began forming but Zeno didn't want all the new changes and left Hero League with almost half of the rolexs as they were now called. They became the rogue heroes."

"What about Shades?" Ethan asked.

Aiden rolled his eyes at him. He wanted to tell Ethan to shut it and read a book if he really wanted to know more about them but Gwen had earlier warned him that he must answer all their questions and he must be nice to them.

She went on a leave for a period of time as she was pregnant.

"Shades is a seperate division of Hero League that was brought up because Hero League needed a stronger mechanism to battle rogue heroes," Aiden replied and stood up, picking up their sheets as he walked towards the door.

"You're free to leave now, I have another appointment," he told them and left.

Ashley faced Suzanne. "Hey, you're a rolex aren't you? How did you get your powers?" She asked.

Suzanne looked away.

"I...don't remember," she said looking down.

"We'll find out soon enough," Ashley assured her before standing and smiling at all of them.

"But now, let's go find out who this mystery caller  really is."

"You heard something?" Ryan stood up as well.

She nodded.

"I could spare some time," Andrew also stood up.

"Let's go! What are we waiting for?!" Ethan exclaimed, jumping up. Suzanne also got up.

"I didn't hear much before CIN found me out but I do know this, they're meeting in Wi-Q shopping complex," Ashley told them.

Andrew checked his map. "It's just three bus stops away from here."

"And what's more," Ashley wiggled her eyebrows for effect.

"CIN is meeting a girl."