Viktor's Visit

A/N: Sorry for the slow updates! Been busy lately with exams and whatnot. Anyways, chapters will be continuing as usual (as long as I can guarantee) for a week. Thanks for your patience! P/S: Maths is a bummer.

***

They were once again back in the Control Room in the safe house. Ali had handed the blueprint to a MATA robot where they were supposed to be kept in a place with tight security.

"Good job, agents, in succeeding to secure the blueprint." General Rama announced.

"Thank you, General," Bakar, Ali and Alicia chanted in unison.

"General, there is something else," Alicia said suddenly.

"What is it, Alicia?"

"When we were fighting with Komeng's men...Trez was there."

"WHAT?!" General Rama blurted out, making Ali and Bakar to shrink, even though they weren't being scolded.

"I suspect he might be there do steal the blueprint," Alicia continued with her head still held high.

"Or..." Bakar said, straining to think. It looked a great deal of effort for him to do so. "He may be trying to steal another one while we are distracted."

"So what happened to him?" General Rama asked harshly.

"We...left him." Ali said hesitantly.

General Rama was twisting his moustache. It looks as though he wanted to scold them, but was holding himself from doing so.

"But our objective was not to attack Trez," Alicia said defensively. "It was to secure the blueprint, and we've done that."

"Hmmm..." General Rama thought, eyeing them with much interest. "Fine. As it wasn't the objective, this mission is still considered a success. Good job, agents."

Bakar, Ali and Alicia all breathed out at once.

"That is all. Thank you."

And the transmission was ended.

***

Ali and Alicia were in history class once more, when Ms Erine was giving another one of her boring talks, when Ali noticed something.

"Psst, Alicia," Ali whispered to the short-haired girl beside him.

Alicia, who was paying the teacher with the strictest attention, snapped, "What?"

"I just noticed something," Ali muttered.

"What is it," she said lamely.

It was clear that she wasn't going to be impressed by anything he said. However, he still went on. 

"In the previous mission-"

"Ha," Ms Erine said suddenly. "Looks like Ali got lots to share with the class."

"W-what?" Ali said, panicking slightly. "No, teacher!" 

"Then tell me what I said previously." 

"Uh..."

Ali cast around helplessly for someone to save him. A girl at the front of the class had her hand raised, and she was staring hopefully at Ms Erine. But Ms Erine had no eyes but for Ali now.

"Hm? So what is it?" she asked, her glasses flashing threateningly.

"Err..."

Ali chanced a side glance at Alicia, but she wasn't even looking at him. Looks like he just have to guess.

"That..." Ali said slowly, his mind whirling rapidly. "There are eight causes to World War Two?"

The entire class sniggered when they heard his answer. He supposed he had said it wrong, but not because of the silently giggling students, but of the teacher staring daggers at him.

"Have you left your ears at home?" she shouted so loud that the room seemed to be shaking. Ali had to back away a little because she was so close to him that he could feel her hot, angry breath on his face. "I said nine! And I don't even know if it's because you don't know count or not, but you seem really bad at it!"

Ali had shrunk so low that only his forehead could be seen. Then he quietly mumbled, "I'm sorry, teacher."

"Sorry what?" she barked, returning to her previous standing place. "If you fail the exam, it's not my lost."

After waiting several seconds, and making sure that Ms Erine wasn't going to come back soon, he quickly slipped onto his chair and did not dare talk for the rest of the lesson. 

It was during break that he brought back up the topic.

"Hey, Alicia," he said, with his mouth full of ham sandwich.

"Don't talk when you eat," she said sharply, continuing to take a bite out of her own sandwich.

"It's important," he whined. 

Alicia didn't say anything, but gave him the stare that was full of loathing. He decided to continue.

"You know, during the last mission," Ali said, excitement coursing through him. "I didn't even get controlled by IRIS!" 

Gulping down the last of her sandwich, Alicia proceeded to drink her beverage. Ali waited with excited patience for her to react, smiling broadly at the same time. At last, Alicia couldn't drink anymore and had to face him.

"So?" she said.

"It means Agent Karya's hypnosis had worked!" he said, unable to repress himself, sending crumbs of sandwich everywhere. "I can safely go to missions again!"

Scowling, Alicia brushed off flakes of sandwich off her dress. "Yeah, that's pretty good news and all. But can you not mention it so loud here?"

But seemed not to have heard a single word. His mouth was hanging slightly open and he was staring, mesmerised, at some point over her shoulder. Turning in her seat to see what had distracted him so much, she raised her eyebrows, then turned her back against the incoming figure.

"Ali! Is that you?" a tall boy with dark raven hair asked, once he had approached them.

Ali's expression was torn between delight and shock as he shook the boy's hand. "Viktor! It's been some time."

"Yeah," Viktor grinned. "It has been." Then he just realised Alicia sitting opposite him.

"Oh, Alicia, you're here too!" he said, as if there was nothing more delighting than seeing her.

Alicia grunted and stood up.

"Hey, where are you going?" Ali asked curiously.

"Do my duty," she said, not even looking back as she walked away. 

Ali stared at her retreating figure until she couldn't be seen, then he turned back to Viktor. Viktor was staring, astonished, at his attire.

"You're also a prefect?" Viktor asked, awestruck. "Power!"

Ali chuckled in an embarrassed fashion. "What got you to come here, actually?"

"Oh, I came here to ask you out this weekend. Surprise!"

"Why don't you just text me?" Ali asked, perplexed. 

Viktor laughed. Ali waited until he calmed down to continue. 

"I came here also to see you lah, Ali!"

"Oh..." Ali said stupidly.

"Eh, I need to chow. See you at Sunway this Saturday. Don't forget to bring gloves and socks!"

"Gloves and socks?" Ali repeated, dumbfounded. "What for?"

"Surprise ma!" Viktor said, giving him a clap on the back. 

"Oh...OK...can Alicia come along too?"

"Eh? Why?" Viktor asked suspiciously, giving him a taunting grin. "Got a girlfriend already?"

"Knock it out," Ali said irritably.

Viktor laughed once more, then finally left. Ali rushed to the lobby to stand by his station. Alicia was already in hers, scolding two girls for carelessly spilling water all over the floor. Ali was reminded of how she usually scolds him, back in his primary school, for having a bad aim in throwing rubbish. Just when he was thinking about the good times in his primary school, his phone vibrated in his pocket.