A familiar, perpetually upbeat voice spoke over the blaring alarm.
{Pangea Island is currently experiencing an emergency. As such, everyone is required to return to their dorms. If that isn't an option, please find others and stay safe. All lines to the mainland are currently inoperable until the emergency is resolved. Stay safe everyone. Yusei Dogon out.}
The siren continued to blare as Luke and Niko ran toward Pangea Academy. Luke's graduation gown, along with Niko's burgundy jacket flapped behind the pair as they worked up the path at a full sprint.
As they were running under the moonlight, Luke's heart was racing as he was still surprised at his own boldness from several moments prior.
[Great! Now, I can't leave the island! Whoever did this will pay for what they've done! Putting that aside for a moment, I can't believe I just blurted that out in front of Niko! I told myself I'd never make a move like that, but for some reason...I couldn't help myself. Niko must think I'm a weirdo with that face she made.]
...
Niko had her eyes fixated on the man running a few paces ahead of her. To her, she appreciated the boldness he gave, as it made her heart skip a beat. When this sudden situation was all over, she resolved to tell him her answer.
"We're about to clear the tree line," she heard Luke tell her between his panting. "I think I hear people."
Light began creeping through the tree leaves as they got closer toward the academy. Niko certainly heard people, although they seemed more panicked, than a possible threat.
As the pair cleared the treeline, the bright lights of Pangea Academy flooded the campus green.
"There's people out front," he exclaimed.
"Great," Niko replied. "Let's figure out the situation from them."
As they made their way to the front, a group of people barred their entry into Pangea Academy's front entrance.
"Hey," Niko yelled as the pair slowed to a stop. The group turned toward them.
"It's Niko," one of the people closest to them said. "And…is that Luke Pruever with her?"
"It is," another one replied. "What're the academy's two top students doing together?"
"Nevermind that," Luke replied as they came to a full stop.
"What's going on here," Niko asked them. The first person piped up to answer.
"Well, Class President," they started. "We were watching the lunar eclipse."
"There's a lunar eclipse happening tonight," Niko asked as her and Luke caught their breath.
"Yes! But the emergency alarm started going off. With our training in emergency drills, our group remained outside. Among us are our parents and friends."
"Good call," Niko said. "I'd have done the same."
Several of those among the group felt a tinge of pride.
"Usually, these drills are announced ahead of time," she said to the group and the man beside her. "I don't believe that's the case this time."
"Right," Luke replied. Crossing his arms, he took a couple steps back.
"Did you see anybody," she asked, giving the person who took charge her full attention.
"No," they replied, with anxiousness in their voice. "It just happened."
"It was the same with us," she recalled. "Can you make any calls?"
"No," they answered. "We don't even have internet service."
"No internet," Luke asked them.
Multiple people nodded. He turned toward Niko.
"It seems we're being jammed," he told her.
Niko brought one of her hands up to her chin. The group quieted to murmurs as her gaze dropped.
[Jammed? Who would jam Pangea's network access? Who would have the technology or access to Pangea Academy's systems?]
"If we're being jammed, we have to assume it's island-wide," the man with her responded to everyone present. "Pangea Academy does share network capabilities with the whole island after all."
She glanced up at the academy.
[Luke's right. If there's a jam, the inside will have to be physically checked to see what's really going on.]
She brought her gaze down to the now-silent group.
[This group is around 15 people...]
"Everyone who can do barrier energia, use it," Niko finally said. "I'm leaving their care in your guys' hands."
"What'll you do," the person asked her.
"I'm going check on those still inside," she answered. She glanced at the others. "Older adults, please use your energia too. I'm sure it's not only the students who can utilize spells, right?"
"Of course," one of the adults said, stepping forward. "It's been some time, but leave us to protecting our group."
"Thanks," she respectfully replied. They watched as the group ran off.
"Do you think we'll see the full eclipse," they heard one of them question.
"Of course," another replied. "We might even get to see the blood moon!"
They all burst into giggles and laughter.
"It's great," Niko said. "Seeing those people worrying about cosmic events, while still trying to stay safe."
"They might be a bit too carefree," Luke commented. "But you're right. Life goes on no matter what; they're living proof of that."
She turned toward the man with her, who had turned his attention toward the front doors. "Luke? Let's go."
"Right," he said.
Luke was staring at the front entrance.
...
Pangea Academy's exterior was illuminated from the floodlights fixated above both sides of the front doors.
Luke stood, staring at those same doors, while the woman he was with was staring at the group.
[Where's Feron?] he thought to himself. [He should've attended a gathering of graduates who decided to stay.]
"Luke," he heard Niko ask. "Let's go.
[No use thinking about this now, I'll see him when I see him.]
"Right," he responded.
The doors swung open, with the two walking inside.
The alarm was blaring, and echoing off the massive entry way to the academy.
Inside the entrance were multiple planters with various plants embedded in them; along with pearl white tiles lining the floor. The walls were similar to the floor. On the far side was a staircase leading to the higher floors. But it looked spotless.
"It seems whatever caused the alarms to go off didn't happen here," Niko said.
"Yeah," Luke responded. "Let's go find the graduates. Feron and the others should be up on the fifth floor, where the senior dorms are."
"Right," Niko agreed. "We'll check there first, then work our way down."
"Understood."
The duo ran toward the stairs.
Ascending the staircase, they got to the first floor landing. Continuing, they rounded the corner between the first and second floors. Then hit the second floor. They went to the third floor, which had a lone security camera mounted high. Although starting to get winded, they continued.
Once they hit the stair's midpoint, Luke started thinking to himself.
[We'll be there soon, Fer-!] Luke's thought was cut off.
The staircase started to give way, and crumbled under their feet.
[The stairs are out?! Why, what happened?]
Luke heard a shout behind him.
Several paces behind him, Niko started falling.
Luke's instincts kicked in, and everything started feeling like slow motion.
...
[No way!] Niko thought to herself as the staircase collapsed under her feet.
[I can save our fall if I use my power, but what'll happen if Luke sees it?! Will he think I'm a freak? Fine! We'll cross that bridge when we come to it! At least we'll be safe!]
Niko let out a scream, but before she could do anything...
"NIKO!!"
She looked up and saw Luke lunging at her with one of his hands stretched toward her.
...
Luke grabbed her right wrist with his left hand.
Using his momentum to spin, he twisted. Letting out a grunt, Luke pressed his left foot into the crumbling structure, and used all of his might to throw Niko up to the fourth floor landing area. His full might wasn't enough however, and Niko had to grab onto the landing area with her hands.
"Luke," she screamed as she started dangling, clinging on for dear life.
Still on the crumbling staircase, Luke had used his momentum to make a rotation, and was now staring at the third floor, while Niko clung to the fourth. He used the rest of his strength to lunge to the third floor landing area.
He misjudged how far it was though, and stretched his arms to their absolute limit. As he came closer to the landing area, he gave one last grunt, and...
[GOT IT!]
He was able to successfully grab onto the landing area!
"Urgh," he grunted as his body weight rapidly descended.
He continued holding on, and once he stabilized himself, he lifted himself up onto the third floor landing area.
"Safe," he said, letting out a sigh of the utmost relief.
Dusting himself up, he stood up and looked up at the fourth floor landing area. Niko had already gotten up, and Luke saw relief gushing all over her face. He saw her open her mouth.
"Let's not do that ever again," he heard her yell. Luke could only start laughing.
"Deal," he replied, which caused her to start chuckling. "Holy crap, that was scary."
"Right?! Now, what," Niko yelled once more.
"Head on up to the fifth floor, get Feron, and make sure everyone's," Luke responded. "I'm going to head down the third floor, and start scoping the place out!"
Niko nodded in response.
"Be careful," she said.
"Always will," Luke replied.
As Niko started to turn away, Luke glanced at the security camera staring intently at him
[Hmm...Could it be...?] he thought to himself. He shook off that thought, let out a sigh and started sprinting down the third floor corridor.
...
A security guard started to stir. His vision was blurry, and he couldn't remember much of the moments before. On his pants on was a warm liquid. As his vision cleared up, he saw three people, clad in black in his immediate vision. As he started struggling, he realized he was tied up. He looked at his partner, and suddenly, it dawned on him.
[All I wanted was some coffee, and now I'm tied up? Ugh, this'll go over well with the boss.] he thought to himself.
Inside the room, four people worked seamlessly. They busted into the room, attacking the security guards, and were now at a computer terminal. From his viewpoint, they had inserted a USB drive into the terminal and were downloading files. One black-clad person was hacking into their systems, and watching the cameras, another was watching the guards, and two were manning the door.
"Look at all these kids," the hacker said. "Moments ago, they were screaming and pushing past each other, and now they've barricaded themselves inside rooms. It's as if they'd never gone through a drill before."
"Just goes to show how spoiled these Pangeans are," the guard watcher said.
"They make me sick. Stupid pitiful treasured Pangeans," the watcher closest to the door said in response.
The second door watcher, who was also near the center of the room got tired of their quips, and yelled throughout the room.
"Shut up; all of you!"
Everyone went quiet; only the sounds of keyboard clacks were heard. He reminded them they only had a small window to complete their objective, and get out immediately.
"Hey - D," the hacker called out. "Come take a look at the camera. There's someone running down this floor."
D, the man standing in the center of the room, walked over to see an olive skinned man running down the corridor. He had to be just as old as him, if not a little younger. The camera showed that he was lightly sweating. D took a notice at his running form, and deduced that he was probably starting to get winded. D looked away.
"He's probably heading for us," D commented. "There's nothing of interest on this floor other than this room. The plan remains unchanged. We will continue to hack into cameras so {they} can can have a look into this place. After the hacking's complete, we'll use this terminal to pull student records, so {they} can sift their the data, and find out who uses what energia. Once accomplished, we'll head out. Remember, we've been given authorization to use lethal force to take down those who get in our way."
Everyone responded affirmatively.
"We've already got hostages, thanks to your power, D," the guard watcher commented, staring at the awake guard. D nodded, and crossed his arms. The guard watcher turned his attention toward the sweating guard.
"You look absolutely terrified. I know I know, just this morning, you were holding gates for late graduates, but now, you've been captured. Just so you know, if you remain cooperative, we won't kill you. But, a little bullet in the kneecap is something I could do..."
Pulling out his silenced pistol, he grinned menacingly at the terrified guard. The guard watcher put his pistol on the guard's kneecap. The guard's sweating intensified and he started swearing in his head. Quietly laughing to himself, the watcher pulled the trigger. All that was heard throughout the room was the clicking of the trigger.
"I won't hurt you though," he said, holstering his pistol. "You've been a good hostage, and there's no reason to hurt you."
D stomped up to the guard watcher.
"Hey. Don't do that again," D warned him. The watcher heeded D's advice.
"Done! D! CATCH," the hacker yelled, withdrawing the USB drive, and throwing it D's way.
"Now, get those records," D called back after catching the drive.
"The first phase went off without a hitch," the hacker said with a sigh.
Just as the hacker finished his statement, the door of the room blew in, knocking the one closest to the door in the blast back. D, and his squad-mates were stunned silent.
"I should had knocked on wood just then," the hacker sadly added.
From within the rubble someone spoke up.
"Hello guys. I have a line to catch, so I think it was about time we got down to business."
Everyone's stance stiffened.
[Nobody is going to stop our mission!] D thought to himself.