Chapter 230: Hide Away

When they all heard the alert, they knew the situation was going to get worse.

Layla and Fex looked at Erin wondering what was going to happen next. Erin fought to keep a calm demeanor. She needed everyone to think she really did just go to the bathroom to deal with her monthly issues.

At the same time, Vorden slapped his hand over his watch when the announcement went off in an attempt to muffle the sound. No one knew he was out there, and the last thing he needed to do was alert others that he wasn't in class.

"Alright everyone," Del began, "We are to remain in this class until the threat is over. If you want to use the bathroom then you have to hold it."

He glared at Erin when he said that. 'Ice powers or no, she can't claim discrimination and disrupt my class now!'

Erin felt sick as Del announced that they all had to stay inside. It put a major wrench in their plans, and it also meant that she couldn't get the teleportation user outside.

Since there was still time in the class day, Del continued on with his lessons. He was about to call on Erin when he started to second guess the idea.

'Do I want to further agitate a girl during her time of the month?' he thought. 'I do like breathing…'

"Layla, come to the board and solve this equation."

While watching Layla at the front of the class room, Erin heard Vorden's voice on the spider.

"I can hear footsteps."

She whispered, "Hide, classroom or closet, whatever you can get to."

"Working on it," Vorden replied.

He found a janitor's closet nearby, and quickly entered inside, accidentally bumping into a broom in the process. He threw out a foot to prevent the impact, and bent over slowly as he heard feet go pounding past the door.

'Soldiers on patrol,' he thought.

Just in case they opened the door, Vorden moved toward the back of the closet. He cursed only having the one ability. Invisibility would be great right now.

Once he was safely in the back, he spoke into the spider again, "In the closet. Should be safe."

Erin replied, "Got it."

The students could see the military march through the halls. Fex got nervous when he saw a soldier open the closet he saw Vorden go into, but after a few moments later he let out a sigh of relief as the soldier closed the door behind him and continued with his search.

—

In the front of the school, underground, Quinn had a dilemma. If more sergeants were coming, this was going to go south, fast. He created a tunnel and moved along as quickly as his injury would allow.

The pain was overwhelming. He knew that to stop would be to succumb to whatever their corrupt demands were. He vowed to himself not to fall into Duke's hands.

As a measure to help with the pain, Quinn decided to encase his leg in stone. The pain reduced but didn't go away. He continued making a tunnel, pushing the dirt behind himself to hide his tracks in case they moved the earth from above.

As he bound his leg, he realized another problem. He whispered into his own spider, trying to conserve his air, "Logan, they can track me!"

"Already on it!," was the only reply he heard.

While Quinn was focused on his leg and escape, Logan had moved the spider down to his watch and deactivated the tracking on it. He could now move freely without them knowing his location.

While digging, Quinn accidentally broke a small hole to the surface but quickly patched it up. He opened his tunnel deeper and kept moving.

On the surface, Miss D and Burder opened hole after hole trying to locate their fugitive. Little did they know how close they got.

Burder's face was turning red with frustration, "this little upstart! How dare he mock us!"

Burder concentrated with his eyes closed. Suddenly, five balls of light left his heart area and formed a line in front of him. Soon, the balls formed into 3ft golems made of stone.

This was his soul weapon. It cost a lot of MC and was potentially debilitating. He couldn't use his earth ability while the golems were active. This situation, however, warranted such measures. He refused to be defeated by a child, a criminal at that.

Back underground, Quinn was trying to sense where the doctor's office was. He needed medical attention if he was to continue on. The building was a mixture of earth, by way of stone, and metal. He could use that to get a sense of the layout of the school.

He concentrated and felt like he had a heading. If his guess was right, it wasn't that far away.

[Erin] Where are you? Are you okay?

{Quinn} I'm injured, but just focus on getting Vorden's help

{Quinn} I'm heading to Dr. Hayley to fix my injuries.

He continued inching his way along, kicking with his good leg and pulling with his good arm.

[Quinn] I think I'm almost there.

"Quinn," the system said, "I'm not sure Dr. Hayley is the best option. She's a sergeant after all. She might follow the order and turn you in."

He continued to move as he listened to the system.

"I don't know…" Quinn replied. "She's been nice to me and helped me even when it wasn't fully proper for her to do so. She even found a loop hole to give me money in the beginning of the school year."

"Quinn!" The system voice insisted, "listen to me! There is a big difference between helping a student in need and helping a fugitive from justice. You heard what came through your watch. She is a sergeant. She's bound by her duty to turn you in."

Quinn mulled over the system's words while his hands pondered the hard substance he just found. He brushed the dirt away, and felt stone. Not just any stone, but the same solid substance he walked and lived on.

He smiled to himself at the small victory.

[Quinn] Erin, I'm entering the building now.

This was a rather large building and he hoped he judged right about where he had entered. He felt the clock ticking.

He hated that Vincent was right, but at the same time, he had no chance of beating those sergeants in his current state. He needed to get back to fighting shape fast.

He could feel the strain on his MC. With the limitations on air, Quinn had to create several small holes to breathe, and then fill them back in as well as move the dirt around himself.

It was exhausting, but he pushed through. Fear and pain kept him moving.

He stretched out his ability again to gauge where he was. It was harder this time since he was in the building.

Once he felt like he was far enough in, he opened a small hole and heard the beeping sound of a heart monitor.

He found the doctor's office.

Now, he needed to pray he'd bump into the right person.

He closed in the dirt behind himself giving him an assist to get out of the hole.

Quinn found himself at the back of the clinic, an area not well lit. This was likely where they kept those sleeping or with migraines.

He stumbled forward a single step when he heard a noise and froze.

Rosario appeared from a door close to him. She almost dropped a tray that smelled deliciously than plain lunch had any right to smell. Apparently, she was tasked with feeding a patient.

Class was still in session so the place was mostly empty as the two students locked eyes.

Hers were filled with fear as she stared at a boy covered in dirt and blood. A person she owed a debt to. His were pleading 'don't scream.'

"I…need your help," Quinn managed to get out

The fear in her eyes deepened. How was she supposed to respond?