Arlo walks into the press room, Cecile is reading Wellston Weekly.
Knock Knock.
Arlo: Cecile!
Cecile: Arlo, to what do I owe this pleasure?
Arlo: Just looking for some info.
Cecile: Ugh, ask away.
Arlo: Wow, not sure if I like that attitude, I heard about your run in with Remi, You're gonna have to treat your superiors with more respect.
Cecile: Oh, that's what this is about, well with all due respect I can't give away information just because-
Arlo: Oh you can, and you will, because-
Cecile: You should stop favoring her so much, how she acts in the real world will be reflected by how you act towards her. Besides, if you keep spoiling her, she and that useless Jack will run this school into the ground and-
Arlo takes a seat and puts his feet on the desk.
Cecile: Like what Rei did during his term.
Arlo loses his cool and slams his fist on the table. This startles Cecile.
Arlo: CECILE, let me remind you the reason why you are no longer a royal is because, Remi, dethroned you. So instead of mocking her, you should show some respect.
Arlo pauses before continuing.
Arlo: Be grateful she didn't destroy you a second time, Arlo powers up.
Arlo: Because I know I would have!
Cecile gets a little spooked.
Arlo: Now, the name.
Cecile sighs before continuing.
Cecile: Terrence, his name is Terrence.
Arlo: See now, that wasn't hard, was it?
Arlo in his head: So, I have proof now. Interesting.
Meanwhile at John's house. John's hand shakes with fear as he holds Sera.
John: Sera, please speak to me! Don't die on me!
Sera fades out of consciousness.
John: Sera, Sera?!, SERA!!!
John slaps Sera hard, he even puts some ability behind it, nothing, a slap like that should have woken anyone drowsy right up.
John: Oh God, no! focus!
John starts to hear voices.
Joker: Ohhh I remember this from my world. Oh what a blast this one is, to see you fail just as badly as me, HAHAHAHAHAHA!
John's eyes Glow so bright that they look like light bulbs. He slaps himself straight across the face.
John to himself: PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER YOU SONOFABITCH! YOUR GIRL IS BLEEDING AND UNCONSCIOUS AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS PANIC?!
Meanwhile Arlo is exiting the press room, he gets changed and goes into the park to clear his mind when he runs into Remi.
Remi: Ahh, I was meaning to see you.
Arlo: So, it was Terrance.
Remi: Isen told me that.
Arlo: Yeah well he would know out of all of us.
Remi: Yeah, so now we know who the writer was.
Arlo: He might have been following us at the mall. Hey?
Remi: Yeah?
Arlo: What happened at the mall, you got caught up in that whole bomb scandal?
Remi: Oh that? It was just a smoke bomb, no big deal.
Arlo: A big enough deal to get the headmaster's attention, not to mention seven mall cops died. I'd say it was a pretty big deal.
Remi: Well, at least we know why the article is dead accurate. Even down to how we chased the people.
Arlo: Yeah, I read it, the detail was spot on.
Remi: So, what were you doing at the infirmary?
Arlo: Remi I don't wanna...
Remi: You can't brush this off, but you're the strongest one out of all of us, this may be nothing to you, but it's scary to the rest of us. If you can't protect yourself, then what can the rest of us...
Arlo: JOHN!
Remi: Huh?
Arlo: It was John. I kinda...
Remi: Oh, so you and John fought.
She says almost disappointed it was just beef, and not a threat from Ember.
Arlo: Yeah, and by how we fought, it felt like he's had some practice taking me down even though it was our first time. Now tell me this, what happened at the mall? I need to know exactly...
Remi: But John...
Arlo: Nevermind that jerkwad! Just tell me!
Remi: Well, we stopped by a booth that was offering prizes to anyone above a 5 on the level scale.
Arlo: So high tiers.
Remi: Right, and when I got my prize I knew there was a chip in it, because I recognized it as the same bear that Sera had!
Arlo: And if the one who was trailing you was really the writer, then they work under Cecile.
Remi: And if Cecile is The Bounty Huntress,
Arlo and Remi: Then Terrence may be working for EMBER.
Arlo: Damn, we may have Ember working in our school. That on top of the gangs in our school. I can't get a break.
Remi: Holy shit, they have intel on every high tier in our school.
Arlo: Well it's fine, I'll just...
Remi: It's not fine, nothing is fine. How could you say that so casually, there is a gang out there slowly hunting our friends one by one. Arlo...
Remi starts getting emotional.
Remi: After what happened to Rei, I can't take another loss. You two were always the same, acting like nothing is wrong when... when... everyone around me is getting hurt, and I feel so useless! What if something happens to you too, and I can't...
Remi starts to cry.
Arlo: Hey there. It's alright. I'm strong you know, I won't crumble into pieces.
Arlo pats Remi's back, comforting her as she breaks down right next to him.
Arlo: I'll make sure we get to the bottom of this.
Remi: Arlo, I don't want you and John to fight anymore.
Arlo: Huh?
Remi: Yeah, I want you two to work together, start running the school, I don't wanna see our friends fight anymore. YOU UNDERSTAND?!
Arlo: Okay Remi, I promise.
Arlo looks at his phone and sees three missed calls from John.
Arlo: Remi, I gotta go.
Remi: Why?
Arlo: Just give me a sec.
Arlo calls John.
Arlo: Hey John, what do you want?!
John: GET ELAINE AND HURRY OVER TO MY HOUSE, IT'S SERA, SHE'S HURT, BADLY!
Arlo: Dammit, I can't let Remi see this, she's already been through enough.
Arlo: Remi, I have to go!
Remi: Arlo, wait...
Arlo takes off and goes to grab Elaine from her place.
Arlo: Elaine, I need you for a sec.
Elaine: Huh, what are you?
Arlo: Elaine, come here!
Arlo grabs Elaine's hand and takes her to John's place.
Arlo and Elaine show up to John's house.
John: Elaine, hurry up and heal her!
Elaine: Right.
Elaine and John heal Seraphina.
Arlo: how did she end up like this?
John: I,I,I, I called her when me and Arlo were talking on the roof, and then she talked about a bear, and I knew about the tracker then, then she left and got attacked in an alley and I jumped in the alley when these guys showed up, they found a way to weaken her ability and...
Arlo remembers the bear Remi was talking about.
Arlo: Ember, this was all Ember.
John finds a needle injection on Sera's neck using Elaine's healing ability.
John: Dammit, she was drugged, that's why she isn't waking up!
John picks Sera up and carries her to his room.
Elaine: Huh, John wait!
Arlo grabs Elaine.
Arlo: Just, leave him.
John looks over Sera with nervousness, his anxiety crawling up him like a snake on its prey.
John: Sera, I'll kill every last God forsaken piece of shit who did this to you, I promise.
Elaine: Hey Arlo, I brought you some water.
Arlo: No thanks, I'm not thirsty.
Elaine sits next to Arlo on the couch, sitting in awkward silence.
Elaine: Arlo, is everything okay?
Arlo: Why wouldn't it be?
Elaine: It's just that uh... I don't know, the vibe feels...
Arlo: Off!, no shit our second most powerful classmate in the region almost got killed. YOU THINK EVERYTHING IS OKAY?!
Elaine starts to get upset.
Elaine: Well I'm sorry okay! How do you think I feel, I can't even fight back, at least you get a strong ability to help you!
Arlo: Elaine, I.... sigh, I didn't mean to snap, I'm just on edge.
Elaine: Me too.
John sits over Sera, his eyes glowing bright, looking at the mirror, he's holding a knife covered in his own blood, his skin on his right arm peeled to the bone, only for it to heal back up as if nothing touched it, better than new. Behind John is a demonic version of himself. JOKER.
John: Kill, kill, KILL, KILL!
Joker: Hehehehehe! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Joker fades away, John is left in the room alone. A van is seen pulling up in the driveway.
John: Sera, I swear, I'll protect you.
His last words to himself before his eyes glint in the mirror he's looking in.
To be Continued....