The freshmen from GnG easily outpointed the 3rd years from Iron Mount. Ringo was going over different strategies with QJ when her hud buzzed at her. A moment later, a loud klaxon sounded off in the Academy.
Ringo brought up her hud to see a panicked-looking Dessi. "What's going on, Dessi?"
"Is QJ with you?" Dessi's voice was hoarse as if she had been shouting.
"Yes, of course." Ringo noticed that the Shadowfiends had suddenly closed in around QJ.
"Bring him to the Entrance immediately." Dessi started shouting at someone just before she closed the comm.
"Everyone stay here. QJ, come with me." Ringo summoned her horse and glanced at QJ as he jumped up on one of the Panthers.
The black cats easily kept pace with Ringo as she galloped toward the entrance.
A few minutes later, they entered the courtyard. Ringo pulled back on the reins, her eyes wide in shock. "Holy Shit."
"Damn..." QJ took a quick look around the courtyard. "It's Dagger and Silverleaf Company, armed to the teeth."
They both dismounted. QJ noticed Leah and Mojo waiting patiently while looking at the second-floor window. A moment later, the window exploded outward, and a person was tossed out to bounce on the courtyard below. A tall, dark-haired man with twin guns stood on the broken window pane before hopping down.
He glanced at Leah. "Play it."
Leah nodded and then expanded her hud and played a recording. A white-haired woman was standing in the Dean's office. It was the woman who had attacked Lark in the caves.
"I'm going to need you to ensure QJ gets into GnG. Is that clear, Dean Tomas?" The woman's hand caressed the hilt of her sword as she spoke.
Dean Tomas nodded. "And my debt gets erased?"
"Yes, that's our deal." The slender woman smiled suddenly, a nasty smile full of hatred.
"Agreed, I don't want to know anything else."
The recording was interrupted when Mojo leaped at the man lying face down on the grass. The dark elf grabbed him by the throat and shook him like a ragdoll. "You dare? You dare try to harm him?"
"That's enough, daughter." A pretty woman with short silver hair stepped forward, the fury in Mojo's eyes remained, but she tossed the man back on the ground and stepped back.
Quinn stared at the Dean for a moment and then turned back toward Leah. "You know what to do."
Leah nodded as Captain Vess, and Captain Yaya stepped forward. The pretty redhead's green eyes held none of their usual warmth. "Evacuate the students, the faculty, and the animals. Then burn this place to the ground."
QJ walked forward, one hand held out. "Sorry, Mom, I can't allow this."
Leah Fintree looked up in surprise. QJ was frowning at her. "QJ, I need you to head back to Ravenwood and log off."
QJ shook his head. "No, I will stay here. Please take Dagger and Silverleaf and return to HQ."
Quinn bent down and placed restraints on Dean Tomas. "QJ, this person was complacent in this entire fiasco. He knowingly placed you in danger for his own gain."
"I understand that he has been corrupted. However, this Academy isn't part of that corruption." QJ glanced at the woman on the hud. "I'm assuming his debt was incurred at Bizarro?"
Quinn nodded at his son. "His four hundred million credit debt was paid off by Ron Dishney Associates."
QJ scratched his chin and pulled his dad aside, "Isn't that the place you should burn to the ground?"
Quinn lowered his voice. "It's a ghost company. There's no record of a Ron Dishney anywhere."
"There was a person who disappeared a few months before I was born, Sidney Horn. Did you know him?" QJ had been an Exodus geek for years before his parents let him enter. He knew the history of every game and the significant players that influenced development.
Quinn stared at his son for a moment. "I knew him, of course. We faced his team in the Arena championship. Why bring up that old name?"
Leah, Mojo, and Ella closed in, quickly surrounding the father and son.
"I won't say." QJ crossed his arms, frowning at his family.
"...." Quinn.
Ella stared at her grandson, a slight smile on her face. When pressed, he was just like his father. "If we leave peacefully, will you say then?"
Ella had been told years ago how her son and daughters had dealt with Cyrus Blood, the avatar of Sidney Horn.
"Why hasn't he just logged off?" QJ snuck a glance at the Dean. He hadn't spoken since he'd been tossed through the window.
Quinn shrugged. "Gotta be able to speak if you want to log off."
[Simple Restraint]
Rare Item
Description: Handcuffs designed to completely nullify
all abilities of the wearer for 30 minutes.
Additional effect: Wearer is mute for 30 minutes
Quinn watched his son for a moment, then his eyes widened. "Sweet Mother..."
QJ snorted. "Took you long enough. Going to leave now?"
Quinn reached down and hauled the Dean to his feet. "Until the Academy board meets with me and explains their negligence, I'm leaving you in charge, QJ."
"Er... what?" QJ watched his dad drag Tomas away. "Hey! What's that even mean?"
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his Aunt Em, aka Crow. "Left a bit of a mess in your office, I'm afraid, Dean QJ." She patted her nephew on the back and then followed her brother.
Mojo, Ella, and Leah all turned toward the exit. The redhead glanced back and smiled. "Dagger Company fall back to Ravenwood. Silverleaf company assume security patrols on campus."
Dagger Company followed the TAP heroes out of the Academy while Captain Yaya started assigning patrols. QJ joined Dessi and Ringo, who were conversing.
"Sorry, my family can be a bit much at times." QJ smiled at the two teachers. "Now what?"
"QJ... I didn't know about their plan to bring you into GnG early!"
Ringo's face was pale, "I would never have allowed this."
"I know that, and so does my family." QJ didn't add the obvious. Had she been involved, they definitely wouldn't have let her off.
"You should set up in the Dean's office temporarily; you can make most of the decisions from there." Dessi hadn't liked Dean Tomas; after seeing the recording, she loathed the man.
"Come on... Don't take what my dad said seriously."
"QJ, go set up in the Dean's Office." Ringo kept her face expressionless.
"For Pete's sake, I'm just a freshman!" QJ threw his hands up in disgust.
[Exodus Academy System Message] Quinn James Riley has been assigned the duties of Temporary Dean.
An NPC assistant appeared next to him a moment later. She had short dark hair and wore a blue business suit. "Good day to you, sir. I'm Veronica. How may I be of service."
"My dad doesn't have the authority to make me Dean. So who approved this appointment?"
"The appointment was approved by an emergency session of the Academy Board members, three minutes ago." Veronica carried an e-pad in one hand, "orders, sir?"
QJ sighed and looked at his teachers. "Don't one of you want to step in?"
"No way," Dessi replied.
Ringo shook her head. "Sorry, QJ."
"Fine... have someone repair that window and fix whatever was broken in the Dean's office. Resume normal classroom activities." QJ walked towards the entrance, the two teachers following along.
**********
"An Anagram?" Em stared at her brother. "Ron Dishney is Sidney Horn?"
"Impossible, but it could be someone from his past." Quinn leaned against the bar of the Songbird. His son had only needed a moment before he figured it out. "Damn those genius genes," he muttered under his breath.
The tables had been cleared so that Jezi could set up properly. Mojo had both daggers out and was ready to go. The dark elf glanced at her husband. "Let's get Lark back, then worry about that."
Jezi looked up from the glyph she was tracing on the floor. "I can only send one through; her ink signal is too weak."
Mojo nodded. "That's more than enough I'll be going through."
Ren and the rest of the Songbirds were watching from the stairs. Ren wanted desperately to be included on this mission. However, given the nature of the deployment, it was impossible.
Jezi stepped away from the glyph that was glowing on the floor. "It will fade in a few minutes."
"Best not dally then." Mojo stepped onto the glyph and immediately disappeared.
The dark elf stealthed immediately after her arrival; she was in a hallway. Her lavender eyes glowed in the darkness, immediately sensing that she was underground. "Time for backup."
[Nightcaller Ringlet]
Desorai Artifact: Primal
Description: Call your chosen
allies to your side in time of peril.
Uses: 2/2
Allies: Sinful Jinn, Tormented Rhapsody, Q
*Mora Jol has cast Summons* [Q, Sinful Jinn, Tormented Rhapsody]
A moment later, Jinn, Ro-Ro, and Q appeared beside her. They spread out while Quinn used his hud and attempted to bring up a map.
[System Message] Map function is unavailable.
Quinn shrugged and headed down the hallway; the light from an open door was barely visible. He held up a hand and stopped.
[Nexus Ring]
Unique: Bonded Hearts
Description: Summons
a spirit companion
to your side.
Bond: Lara Sy
Bond: Silver Princess
Bond: Leah Fintree
Bond: Mora Jol
Bond: Rembrandt
*Q has cast Summons* [Lara Sy, Silver Princess, Leah Fintree, Rembrandt]
Quinn waited until the rest of the team arrived. Then he moved toward the open door.
*Ba'Avriel*
*Hunt*
*Stealth*
QJ sat in the spacious office looking at the hud he had pulled up. Ringo and Dessi had gone back to their classrooms.
Veronica's desk was just outside his door; the only other person in the office was a violet-haired High Elf.
"I haven't seen you in a long time QJ." Ru casually walked toward him. "Have you been avoiding me?"
QJ scowled at the girl. "Yes, of course. How else could you have gone so long without seeing me?"
Ru laughed at the look on his face. "I did apologize. You really shouldn't hold grudges." She shrugged out of her Black Silverleaf armor and sat on one of the chairs next to his desk. Ru was in her early 40s, barely out of adolescence by High Elf standards.
QJ ignored her presence and started going through the Good Will Games Roster. "This is very inefficient. If our goal is to win, we should double up on our strong points."
He spent several minutes making adjustments before sending all the teachers a copy of the changes and the finalized roster. "Dean Tomas liked to do things the hard way, I guess." His personal hud buzzed at him, and he opened it to see Anna's pretty face.
"How's the new Dean?" Anna's face told him she was teasing.
"Very funny, Nan. Any word on my replacement?"
Anna shook her head, "I do have an update, though. The crystal imprisoning Lark has been recovered."
"What?" QJ smiled in relief. "Did they catch the white-haired woman?"
"No, the entire place was deserted. It was an instance set up in Civil Unrest."
"Civil Unrest? That was Cyrus Blood's stomping ground." QJ leaned back in his chair for a moment... "Dad home yet?"
Anna nodded. "He's in the shower. Are you coming home?"
"In a bit. Where's the Lark crystal at?"
"Your mom and Naomi have it at TAP Academy. Don't worry; they'll get her out." Anna leaned forward to get a better view. "Dang, that's a nice desk. Can you move it to HQ for me before you leave?"
QJ laughed. "You've been spending too much time with dad."
"Maybe so... cya later, Dean." Anna waved at him and then cut comm.
A knock at the door caught his attention, Veronica peeked inside the room. "Sir, Miss Freya is here to see you."
"Please show her in." QJ glanced at Ru; she had her headphones on and was listening to music, utterly oblivious to her surroundings.
The blond-haired teacher was carrying a few things. It was evident that she was done for the day. "You changed the Good Will roster to include two Captured Teams?" She had been surprised to see her class listed as the second entry.
QJ nodded, "Nina is capable of getting into the finals. It only makes sense."
Dessi smiled pleasantly. "Could I ask you a question, Dean QJ?"
QJ sighed. "So many comedians... What's the question?"
"Would you attend the Star Crossed Ball with me?" Dessi smiled at the look on the freshman's face. She patted his head in sympathy and pinned her Star Crossed emblem on his lapel.
The mandolin he had so carefully kept with him all day was clearly visible, leaning against the slightly damaged bookcase on the far side of the office.
"Sweet Mother..." He hung his head in disgust. "Very underhanded."
Dessi nodded her head in agreement. "It was Ringo's idea; she couldn't stand the idea of you going as a server."
QJ scowled at her and stood up. "Well.. you both are fired." He approached the door; Ru finally noticed him and quickly equipped her armor before following.
"Leaving for the day, sir?" Veronica looked up from her desk when the door opened.
"Yes, see you tomorrow." QJ walked into the hallway, nearly colliding with Ringo, who had been waiting. Then, without a word, he stomped past her.
Ringo spotted the Star Crossed emblem and gave Dessi the thumbs up. "He looks pissed."
Dessi covered a laugh. "Well... he fired the both of us."
QJ ignored the laughing teachers and exited the Academy; from the front gate, he logged out.
A few minutes later, he exited his room, stretching in his doorway. Anna, Em, and his dad were sitting at the kitchen island.
Em got up when he approached and hugged him tightly. "Looking good, QJ!." She pulled him over to the chair next to hers. "Time for the talk."
QJ took the offered seat. "The talk? Too late; the Silverleaf girls took care of that a few years ago."
Quinn laughed aloud. "Well... I'm sure they covered everything." But, of course, he would know since he had secretly set it up.
Em tried to keep a straight face, but Nana didn't even bother. She was smiling ear-to-ear.
"This has to do with Sidney Horn?" QJ sat back in his chair. The smile on his dad's face faded quickly.
Quinn nodded and explained his history with Sidney Horn in detail, starting with the sudden change in Ella Riley's behavior when he was nine. It took nearly half an hour to explain everything; he stopped the story at the point where Ella had been revived.
QJ felt numb by the time it was over. His detail-oriented brain processed everything immediately. Twenty-year-old Quinn Riley had taken on the rich and powerful Sidney Horn. He glanced up at his dad...he had always wondered why all of his dad's friends seemed to have settled down right next to him. They had all been to war together; those bonds were permanent.
Em studied her nephew; according to Ren and Tal, QJ was by far the smartest of them all. "What do you make of this QJ?"
"Well... it's not him, of course. I'm guessing a close colleague or an unknown family member."
Anna opened up her hud and started taking notes. "I'll work on gathering more data on his family members and known associates. Can we rule out Eraphia?"
"Yes, it's definitely not Eraphia," Quinn spoke with her a few times a year whenever they would run into each other. Naturally, she wouldn't want to dredge up any of the old Cyrus memories.
"Anna, you do some digging, but enlist some help. We don't need you to take up your time with this." Quinn felt the start of anger bubbling to the surface. Sydney Horn... that guy couldn't die enough times to pay the debt he owed the Riley family.
"Can you get someone else to be Dean?" QJ frowned at his dad. He was sure the older Quinn did it as a joke.
"I'm meeting with the Academy Board tomorrow afternoon; we should be able to figure something suitable out." Quinn grinned at his son, "but don't hold your breath."