Chapter 226: The Real Target

Reading the level 6 ability book wasn’t very difficult for Quinn. For a while now, he had studied the earth ability with Vorden, attempting to reach the 5th level without any written help, so having a book helped immensely.

The entire time Quinn was reading the book, Peter watched him, unsure if he should interfere or not.

’I’m sure Quinn has a plan,’ Peter thought.

—

The next day, Erin, Layla, Peter, and Fex were all informed of the gamble Quinn was about to make. It made sense that Erin was going to be the target of Duke’s wrath given history, so they were told to keep an eye out for her.

However, as an extra measure, during breakfast time, Erin visited Logan’s room with Layla. In the past when Erin was targeted, his help was extremely useful, and in case things got really bad where Erin was going to need to escape the military base, she could go to his mansion for safety.

Living at Logan’s place for a while wasn’t something Erin minded. In fact, she didn’t really have a lot going for her at home. The place was a rental, and all of her necessities were packed with her.

He commanded a few spider-bots to hang around their ears, as well as a few extra for the two girls to give the others later.

"Once all of you have spiders on your ears, we will all be able to contact one another with ease," Logan noted, "These robots will turn on when it detects you are speaking, and send the message to others with the spiders."

Layla felt around her ear where the spider was, and smiled, "Thanks, Logan."

"You can thank me when this matter is resolved," Logan responded.

They left the dorm, and headed to class together.

During Del’s lesson, nothing seemed to happen that was out of the ordinary. He was teaching like normal, something about math and the quadratic formula, although Erin found herself unable to focus.

’After class, I should drink a bunch of people’s blood to get stronger,’ she thought to herself.

It was perhaps an overreaction, as all the previous times Duke tried to get at her, it wasn’t always through physical means. Still, it was better safe than sorry.

The time continued to tick on, and everyone was beginning to think that the trouble would happen after class.

’It would make sense, all the times Duke had targeted Erin, it wasn’t during class,’ Quinn thought.

The others, however, were starting to think that they were over reacting, and began to let their guard down. Peter even told himself that since he was told to make sure Quinn’s ability was at level 6 by the end of the week, that nothing would happen until then.

All of a sudden, Quinn’s watch lit up, and a hologram of Duke appeared.

"Quinn Talen, please report to the front of the school immediately."

This message was not quiet, and it was something that everyone in the class heard.

"Did he do something?" a student whispered.

"OOoooooohhh, he’s in troubleeeeeeee," another student said out loud.

This also had another problem, as the unexpectedness of Quinn suddenly getting called away meant that Erin wasn’t the target, but Quinn.

’I should’ve known!’ Peter yelled in his mind, ’You convinced me otherwise, but I should’ve realized it with how adamant Duke was.’

Hesitantly, Quinn slowly got up, and looked at his friends’ faces in the class. Layla, Fex, Peter, and Erin looked back at him, a massive pit in their stomachs.

{Erin} Just go, and I’ll be behind you shortly.

Quinn clenched his fists, but kept a cool face. If he was going to enter the lion’s den, then he would not do so without a fight.

{Quinn} I’ll keep you updated.

Del glared at Quinn, "You’ve been standing there for a while now."

"Sorry sir," Quinn said, then left.

The moment he did, Erin began whispering with the spider.

"Change of plans, I’ll go out there to try to figure out what’s going on with Quinn. Everyone else stay here."

Layla lifted up her textbook, covering her mouth, "Wait a few minutes, and say you need to use the bathroom. That way it’s not suspicious."

Erin wanted to protest. The longer she waited, the more in danger Quinn was going to be.

"Trust me, if you go out there right now, then they’ll consider you suspicious as well, and you won’t be able to get to him."

Clenching her jaw, Erin didn’t like it one bit, but she knew she was fast, and Quinn hadn’t said anything just yet.

"Fine, just a few minutes, and then I’ll go and get help," Erin whispered back.

During those few minutes, Layla began thinking about the situation more. She was trying to figure out why Quinn was targeted, and Duke’s end goal. Peter was told to make sure Quinn was level 6 before the end of the week, but what would that serve if something bad was going to happen to him?

’Wait a second, the inter-base tournament is at the end of the school week,’ Layla thought, ’And Jack Truedream is going to be there!’

In her training from Pure, she was told that Jack Truedream had the ability to steal abilities, and that there were often more students missing at military base 2 than any other military base. This was the reason why she was even sent here in the first place. With how much Duke pushed Peter to do this thing, it meant only one thing.

Without thinking it, Layla had gripped her textbook so tightly, she bent the hard cover. She figured out what they were going to do to Quinn, but how could she explain it to the others without revealing herself?

—

Taking his time heading to the front of the school, Quinn was hoping that with every second he stalled, it meant that class would get closer to ending, and Erin and the others could help him. He wasn’t stupid, he knew that if it came down to it, he had no chance as a level 6 against fighting the whole military, but improving his odds was better than nothing.

After a few minutes of walking, he arrived at the destined location. The sheer fact that the school was so large had granted him this one mercy, but that was where it ended.

Standing in front of him were two military sergeants, one wore a chest piece, and the other took out a beast weapon baton.

{Quinn} There’s two people here, and it’s clear they’re going to take me in by force.

{Quinn} I don’t have a choice but to fight.

Not a moment after, a new system screen appeared from Erin’s vision, and its message was clear.

[New quest available]

[Save Quinn Talen]