Chapter 66: Start of the Attack

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

            It was the echo of footsteps walking in haste. Climbing up the concrete stairs, he didn't let his breath grow irregularly. Though his feet grew heavy while climbing and handicapped with a suitcase that had considerable weight, he didn't have time to worry about that, he was more worried that being only a second late might infuse his boss' wrath. The mere thought of it hastened his pace.

            Once he had reached the fifth floor, he went straight towards his boss’s room. The entrance door was creaked slightly open, which was oddly careless for his boss.  The building had been abandoned for years so no electricity was running, making the hallway darker and creepier with cracked walls, hanging spiders and layers of thick dust enveloped the corridor.

            In contrast to the outside, the building looks nicer as if it had only been recently remodeled when in truth it was no different than a corpse, horrendous and void of life.  For the ex-military officer though, such a thing couldn't even crack through his thick shell . He barged in, fully aware of his rash action into the room and where three men were standing side by side. One of them faced the large window overlooking part of the Northeaster part of the city with the twilight sky looming over, he was shorter compared to the two large bulky men wearing the same army green shirt and gray baggy trousers with 4-6 pockets that could hide a few weapons. And instead of an ACR assault rifle in his hands he was holding up his phone while talking to someone. Other than that, the room itself was void from any furniture, it was a building originally intended to be demolished next week, a perfect place for let's say......

            A foreign criminal organization settling down to make it as a base camp.

            "Yes...yes...I understand...I may not be a genius like you but I'm not stupid...I remember the plan crystal clear, I hope you don't mind us getting some souvenirs while we're at it. Honestly I don't see any meaning in doing this, exactly how will this benefit you?"

            "Just do as I tell you Parson, as long as you do then we can keep our partnership intact." said from the other line. The line was cut and Parson could only dazedly stare at the phone as it beeped. He put his phone in his pocket followed with a tired groan, the other three in the room could only wonder the kind of conversation they had. The man named Parson then looked up to finally notice the American-African man. If it wasn't from the window that allowing the light in, he wouldn't have noticed the black male under the dark shadow of this room. He raised his eyebrows and gave off an amused smirk when he found the small suitcase in that man's hand. 

             "The delivery has arrived Sir." He said, elaborating on why he a lowly henchman would be here.

             "Finally!" Parson came up to him and snatched it off of him like an excited young boy getting his birthday gift. The silver suitcase was barely a foot long, a number key panel was in between the LCD panel and key hole. Parson took out his key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock, he pushed the key codes in and turned the key. The lid jumped open and inside a small gadget you might easily mistake for a smartphone placed fittingly in a foam base. He took out the gadget and turned it on with the switch on its side.

            After confirming that the 'partner' Parson had called sent the device of interest which they agreed upon. Parson chuckled to himself, imagining what his so called 'partner' had in store for in their next target. Reminding him what an odd fellow his 'partner' was, they were supposed to be enemies, yet now they can't work without the other.

            Though that man mostly makes them work to quench his personal curiosity. Parson would be lying if he says he wasn't looking forward a job request from him, because something interesting would always happen, but he would rather die than admitting it. He looked at the suitcase once more and took the foam base out of it, revealing another base that had rows of rings inside neatly placed.

            "Gather the men! We'll have a briefing for the next attack!" All three of his henchmen went out of the room, leaving their boss alone as he fiddled with his new 'gift' while he set his eye towards the gate of the school that had the name of it written in giant white letters next to it, it was quite far for him to read it but he was well familiar of what it’s written.

            "Praetor Academy & Institution”

            “...what a joke of a name." Parson muttered under his breath.

#

Today is another day where we have Practical Class for 3 periods, for me it only means I'm going to spend 3 hours with Class S. I have always been excited, also a little nervous, whenever I get a chance to study with them. However, there's nothing but awkwardness sitting right in front of Foax. I don't know if he is looking at the board or looking at my back or if he’s even paying attention to either at all. The fact I couldn't even tell what's on his mind while he could with his ability frustrates me even more. However, thinking it that way means Foax isn't talking in my mind even when he knows how I'm feeling means he's angry enough to not even bother talking to me. That thought made me depressed even more than before.

            While I was struggling with myself, Prof. Howard explained the routine for today’s class is entering the high-level maze created in the Virtual Reality Room, VR Room for short. It was placed in the lowest level of the school and roughly spans the same area as the school. The room uses a tremendous amount of electricity just from using it, so the school board had strictly said that we could only use it once a month. We were given the usual lecture about the rules and safety regulations when traversing the maze.

           "All right, that's all so next let's go to the VR Room shall we?" Prof. Howard had to shout over the small talk of the students at the back. He was one of the new teachers assigned to this class last week. I felt a bit guilty, the class is known for its terrible behavior and knowing they might destroy his cheerful innocence smile. We all got up to follow him when I felt a tap on my shoulder, I knew from the bright blond hair at the corner of my eyes that it was Carol.

            "Come here", she demanded me. She grabbed onto my collar and pulled me to the front of the herd, just right behind Prof. Howard. I turned my head to ask her what she wanted, my voice failed to come out when I saw her angered expression. I hate to admit she still looked cute, but the feeling of having a little girl angry at you is never a good experience for the faint-hearted. Her eyes should have lost color but her pale blue pupils strongly gaze at me with emotion. It was a bit intimidating.

           "What did you say to Foax?"

           The sudden question gave me a shock, I tried to control the beating of my heart which was going faster.  I gave off a questioning tone, feigning ignorance, "I'm not sure. Is there something wrong with him?"

            "You might not know this, but he usually likes to play pranks on the new teachers."

           "Okay...ignoring his bad taste of pranks, why are you asking me?"

           "Because the only person that could screw him over, is you."

           "Screwing is...a really strong and crude word don't you think?"

             Carol pinched my arm in response, I would've screamed if I hadn't forced my own mouth shut. Carol continued, "Please tell me you didn't say Theresa's name." 

             "I  would love to, but then I would be lying" I forced a grin on my face which didn't amuse her at all when she made a huge sigh with her palm on her face, she is probably regretting telling me that name. "Carol..."

            "Don't talk to me anymore."

            Carol hastened her pace to right behind the professor, it was easy keeping up with her since she is a slow runner, or walker if I might add, and I can't quite imagine she could run with blind eyes anyway. "Listen Carol, I know it's my fault for slipping it out, but I don't even know how much that name meant to him so you could at least cut me some slack.” Carol kept on walking, pretending not to hear a single word from me. "You would've at least told me what Rick's sister had to do with him."

              I had a hunch she would at least listen to me if I knew the fact that she was related to Rick and thankfully it worked. She slowed down her steps so that we would walk side by side, without looking straight at me she said in a matter of fact tone, "So you knew."

            "Yes, somehow I do."  

            "Then let me tell you one more thing to make this clear, that girl is the reason Rick betrayed Foax's trust, or so I think, that's why you shouldn't pry any further."

             She thinks? Does that mean even she's not sure what happened?

              "Anyway, that's all I'm going to tell you, so please try not to cause any more trouble and by the way, you heard nothing from me on this matter, I don't want to get on Foax's bad side, especially when we had promised him"

             "What promise?"

             She glared at me, indicating she won't talk anymore. Giving up on pushing her further, I obediently and quietly followed the Professor to the VR Room while mulling over so many questions in me with the name Theresa at the center of it. 

             However, unbeknownst to me, just as I was entering the elevator, I failed to notice the black aura coming from a person at the other end of the hallway. Maybe if I had entered it a second later or if my mind wasn't so preoccupied, I could have at least been on guard at the events soon to follow.  

             

#

The man with the black aura didn't show any signs of suspicious movement. Under a fake guise and name, he had gotten an appointment with the school principal with ease. After he made sure from the administration office that the principal was present in his office, he made a short thank you, followed by a charming smile that wouldn't raise suspicion. He strode toward the target's room and casually went inside without knocking. He found his target still focused on the paperwork in hand.

            "I heard you were coming sooner than the appointed time Mr. Helch, what could've changed your pl---" Principal Peter K. Poughvickle raised his head and immediately knitted his eyebrows. The Mr. Helch he knew was a skinny man in his early 40s, with thin dark blond hair that showed off his huge forehead, a long face and skin you knew from one look was as smooth as a baby from constant moisturizer, the man in front of him was completely different. 

             He had brown hair in an Ivy League haircut, thick eyebrows hanging over his dark brown eyes, short nose, a broad square shaped face, and thinly shaved beard across his jaw. He was wearing a formal black suit, nothing out of the ordinary for someone meeting a man such as the principal. 

             The principal wasn't fooled, he knew the man was dangerous the moment he met his eyes, void of emotion,  as if  looking at a dead's man eyes. He had seen those eyes before, they were the eyes of those who danced with death too many times. Even the strong build of his body and the distinctive stand of someone trained by the military had given warning inside the old man's head.

             In haste, he pulled out the first drawer on his right and took out his electric gun, an improved version of stun gun you might say, he aimed at the suspicious person before he was shot in the head with the man's own gun. Had he had more time to think, he would have wondered how he had smuggled his gun in to the school ground with such strict security.  Alas, the principal had an immediate death. He fell to the floor, his chair slid to the far end, blood soaking the carpet.

              Parson withdrew his gun, walked leisurely toward the desk, stepped over the dead body and turned on the computer, it was protected with a password but it didn't matter to him. His job was only to put in the USB hard drive into the main server and it would do the rest of the job for him. He had put on a silencer on the gun so he didn’t need to worry of anyone coming in anytime soon, even if someone did there was nothing they could do now. He sat on the revolving chair, subconsciously smiling at the comfy chair that smoothly fit him, absorbing his mind wrought with stress. He then took out his portable receiver and sent one message to all his people. 

             "Everyone standby, let's showcase our message to the world."

#

The VR Room was placed at the lowest level of the school, we took an elevator down.The school only had a one elevator going down the basement and with large classes, and everyone struggled in the small space. When the ding sound was heard and the door slid open, I'm sure I heard a continuous sigh of relief.

            It was not the first time I came to this place, but it still made me breathless seeing the large empty space that seemed to stretch out forever. There was nothing other than the white floor, wall, ceiling and the two doors next to the elevators that led to the maintenance and operating room, I never expected anyone to be there, but something unexpected greeted us below. 

            "Claudia......what are you doing here?"

            I turned toward the familiar voice, I questioned myself why Dale and others would be here when he was in a separate class from her. When both sides realized something was wrong, we turned towards our teacher. He scratched the back of his neck, and looking back and forth toward the two groups of kids.

              "Hmm, kids...looks like we have a little mix up in our schedule so Prof. Bane and I will try to sort this all out, so standby for now." said Prof. Howard. Things didn't go as planned when the speaker began to play a familiar BGM before getting to the announcement. 

            "Attention, all employees of Praetor Academy & Institution are to gather in the Main Hall, please stop what you're doing and come immediately, I apologize for the sudden announcement. I repeat..."

            The two professors looked at each other after hearing the familiar voice of the principal and decided to postpone their discussion, the other employees that worked in the maintenance office of this room also came out from the side door to follow. 

           "Hey hey Claudia, so what do you think of my present by the way?" Dale casually came up to me. My mind was then moved toward the night of my birthday, I was being giddy after receiving my necklace. I had forgotten for a day about the small mountain of presents I got from the rest of Class S and Dale. 

           I got various gifts such as brand new shirt, pencil cases, dolls, notebook, and mugs. "Yeah I wanted to ask, why did you give me an owl mask for my birthday?" It wasn't exactly an owl mask, it was more of an owl themed mask. A white mask shaped like an owl, black feathers on the side and gold color lining. The type of mask you might see in a masquerade party but made fittingly for a child.

            "It's not just a mask you know, it's the mask of one of the main characters in the famous show 'Animal Squad'."

            “Ah, I think I've heard of it, that cartoon show where five animals turned human and got superpowers so they get together to fight crimes and stuff---Beth is a huge fan of that show.” I think she would be the one happy getting that present, or did he think I enjoyed it along with my sister? Either way I should say thanks to him at the least. 

            "Did you not like masks?" He asked after looking at my expression. 

            "Not that I hate masks, I just..." my tone of voice unknowingly became softer and my face looked away while reminiscing the past, "I'm not really too fond with owls, since I read  they are ominous symbols since ancient times" 

            "Seriously? What do they symbolize?" he asked curiously.

             I made a huge silent breath trying to answer him, I could've stayed silent but the words popped out of my mouth as if the words were stored in there all along. 

             "Death."

             Another ding sound came from the elevator. "Great, is there another mix up?" I heard one of the kids sigh in anger. However, there's no way we could have expected a bunch of men coming out with guns and dangerous equipment lodged on to their uniform. I heard some of the girls scream looking at it, most of us weren't sure if this was real or someone was playing a joke on us. Then when one of them started shooting at the ceiling, giving out loud and chilling gunshots, we were stunned for sure. "Everybody get on the ground NOW!"

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I personally thank you Aria, Amin and Poppyseeds for editing this chapter together :)