Blood Queen Reborn

Quinn and Layla both set off around the school to search for Peter. One of the first things they decided to do was to check his bedroom just in case. Since Quinn lived there, he was able to unlock the door to the dorm as the door handles had finger print sensors on them.

The plan was to follow Peter and see who it was he talked to, then follow the high levels and see who they answered to.

The dorm room, however, was empty. Some part of Quinn hoped that wasn’t going to be the case as he didn’t want Peter to be with those high levels.

Since the dorm was a bust, the two of them traveled around the main campus building. They looked in as many classrooms as they could, and thoroughly searched the halls. While they were doing that, Quinn was sending Erin messages.

After a while, Quinn and Layla were starting to grow tired.

"How many places have we searched? And we still haven’t found him," Layla said as she leaned against a wall.

Quinn was panting a little. Despite him exercising more these days, his body was still unfit.

"I don’t know but..." Quinn was then reminded of the place where Erin took them both recently, "There is a place we haven’t checked."

—

They entered the training center, and saw several students working out, with some even practicing their ability. It was the place where students could use the machines they were tested with at the start of the year.

"This place has gotten a lot more busy since we were last here," Quinn commented.

"It’s because they’re preparing to go to the green portal planet," Layla replied, "If it weren’t for Peter, then I would’ve been training my ability instead."

Quinn glanced at her. He could tell she was blaming Peter.

Looking around, Layla saw a group of boys all sitting around a corner near a few vending machines. They were chatting, ignoring the training equipment around them.

"Haven’t I seen them hang around Peter a few times at breakfast?" Layla whispered.

Quinn turned to see what Layla was talking about, and that’s when he recognized them. Namely, he recognized the boy named Earl. He had seen him when Peter said he was going to ’meet up with his friends’ back when they were hanging out with Fex.

"I doubt we can ask them who they work for," Quinn nervously chuckled.

Layla shook her head, "We’re just a pair of level twos."

Layla didn’t need to say anything more, and Quinn understood. They both knew they wouldn’t be taken seriously. Instead, what they did was walk towards the vending machines lined against the wall. It was at the right angle where Earl and his gang couldn’t see them clearly.

Despite the fact that Quinn felt out in the open, Layla reassured him that since they were several other students around, they weren’t likely to be noticed. To look natural, they bought a drink and leaned against the wall while holding their sodas.

They waited around for a little bit, and nothing happened at first, until they heard one of them say something interesting.

"Ugh! Where is he anyways? He was meant to be here already," One of the boys loudly groaned.

It was just barely audible enough for Quinn and Layla to hear from the distance. A different boy elbowed him harshly Before giving him a look. Quinn and Layla exchanged a glance. A particular person came to mind as to who it might be.

It didn’t take long until the boy they were thinking of arrived, Peter. He looked just as anxious as he was that morning as he slowly walked to the boys. When he walked up to the group of boys, it seemed like Earl was talking down to Peter as he just stood there with his head down.

Eventually, Peter left with Earl’s gang surrounding him. Quinn wanted to say something to him, to tell him that they’re right behind him, but there was no easy way to do that without the others overhearing them.

Instead Layla and Quinn waited a little bit to give them some distance, then they followed. They made sure to keep their space, trailing behind while keeping to the crowds. Eventually, they headed to the backside of the second years building.

The second year’s buildings looked very similar to the first year’s. It was blue toned and futuristic with plenty of windows letting in sunlight. The campus was also surrounded by walls.

At the entrances of these walls, there were second year students standing guard. Ever since the assembly incident, the first and second years weren’t allowed to go to each other’s buildings unless necessary, or if the building was meant to allow both students, like the library. These guards were meant to ensure that was the case.

Peter, being accompanied by Earl’s group, were able to enter without issue, which the same couldn’t be said for Quinn and Layla.

They didn’t have a good reason to enter, and would stick out like sore thumbs if they could manage to bypass the perimeter. They didn’t have the arm bands that the second years did, and looked a little on the younger end too.

Either way, they had to follow Peter. Both Layla and Quinn turned to look at each other, nodding in agreement. They were already this far in.

Scouting around the perimeter, there was a backside entrance that was a lot less popular than the other ones. It had a second year student guarding it. She was yawning as she leaned against the wall, clearly bored.

While Layla and Quinn were hiding behind a bush, he lifted his hands to shift some rocks nearby, catching the guard’s attention. Layla, realizing what his plan was, used her own ability to lift a rock and hit it against the wall, creating a loud sound.

"Huh?! What was that?" The student guard said, now more alert.

She quickly left her post to investigate the source of the sound, allowing Quinn and Layla to run past her, and enter the second year campus ground.

Not wasting another second, they entered the second year building, prepared to find out just who Peter was answering to.