Heroism: Rise of SPAI ~ an applyfic

Chapter Twelve: Damage Control

Warning: Potentially Upsetting Content (Low Self-Esteem, Manipulative/Abusive Relationships)

It was too bright. That was the first indicator that Andre wasn't in his room at SPAI. The next was what he saw when his eyes adjusted. It was funny, it looked an awful lot like a hospital.

In an instant, he remembered. There'd been a fire. There'd been a girl, he'd had to leave her. But as concerned as he was about her, one thought trumped them all. Victor. Was he alright? He had to be. Andre couldn't bare the thought of Victor being dead.

He forced himself up with the intention of finding out whether Victor was okay but froze up when he came face to face with Mrs. Ablington.

"Good morning, Seaghach. Or should I say good evening?" She rolled her eyes.

"Where's Victor? Is he-"

"Harkins is alive, if that's what you wanted to know. But he was in a worse state than you so I decided you were my best bet. Last time I saw him, his breathing still sounded rather laboured," she recounted.

"Good," Andre mumbled, then commented, "I thought we were using codenames from now on."

"My advisors are very much for using your new names, but I felt after the day you've had, a bit of familiarity wouldn't be amiss," she explained.

Andre nodded slowly. Even with her coldness, he was surprised and relieved by her calmness. If he'd known she'd react like this, he would have run straight into the house like Victor.

Mrs. Ablington pulled out her phone, scrolling through various pages. He watched her, uncertain about what to do now. To be honest, he felt perfectly fine and healthy. He wouldn't mind leaving the hospital.

Eventually, she read out, "'Mystery boys attempt to save girl, one survives thirteen foot fall without scratch.' That is what the newspapers are saying about you." She handed him the phone. "So far it's only being reported locally but it's on its way to becoming viral. Luckily, there are no videos."

"I'm sorry, but Victor ran straight in and I couldn't risk him getting hurt," Andre defended himself. He was determined to remain firm and unwavering but again, Mrs. Ablington was proving a surprise.

"I know. You're proving that you're an ideal hero. I'd be foolish to criticise you for that, although it's rather inconvenient," she said, "But both of you are stumping doctors, you especially. You fell down two storeys without as much as a scratch and while you were coughing and wheezing when they brought you in, that went away fairly quickly. How does one explain that?"

Andre's head hung with shame. "I don't know."

"Lucky for you, I do know. We may have bought the silence of the hospital - thank god I'm an heiress - but we're going to have to make a public announcement."

Andre stared at her in astonishment. She was so calm all things considered. It was almost like the Mrs. Ablington they knew from the contract had been replaced by a different person. It felt as if her alter ego, Mrs. Faust were an actual other person.

"Now, get a good night's sleep. When you get back in the morning, we'll sort things out for the reveal," she informed him, making a move to leave.

"But I'm not tired," Andre protested.

"Good," she said, "You can get to work on outfit ideas then."

¤ ¤ ¤

It was the news of Andre and Victor that brought Harlow out again. That and her new agreement with Mr. Lambert, which was a repeat of what she'd been doing her whole life - observing. She would search for dissatisfaction, untold stories, little deceptions and report them back to him. Some things never changed.