His cover was blown already. Umber knew. It didn’t matter right now.
The students fled the courtyard at power walk pace, some operating off a vague sense of panic while others recognized the present uniforms for possibly being Negaverse-affiliated. Most knew by now of the war and its repercussions - especially with the frequency of youma attacks in the area. Of senshi and soldiers alike lighting up the auric skies with their energy.
He caught up to his target in a prolonged run, and belted out what he could breathlessly. “You know my brother, Shale, but you also really really don’t know him. The text is a lie. You’ve got to get out of here.”
It had been exciting auspices- a text to meet up again and possibly scope out some new digs. Jack had harnessed up with belts, mask, emergency garbage backs, lantern, tools, backpack and some granola bars to share since Shale has been so nonplussed at lunch the last time. Dude, when does he EAT. And What.
Hopping the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, Jack had shot past gaggles of unexciting people doing their unexciting shopping thing, beelined to the oval and then waited around playing QuizUp on the random setting. Until there was a social wa interruption. There wasn’t any particular noise, screams or alarms, just everyone that had been relaxing in the sun with books or friends started getting up and leaving. Blankets and frisbees and books were just abandoned. And Jack looked up from phone, seeing people in uniform purposefully coming from one side of the oval and the flanks of it. Maybe I should powerwalk. Maybe- who is that guy? He knows Shale? Brother?
Jack started into an Assassin’s Creed attempt to blend with some other jetsetters while making eye contact with the Piercing Pagoda Party Boy, “You’re his bro? You goin’ my way? “
Man, he’s got enough rings to start his own franchise. The text ...is...a lie? A lie. It’s a set up?
“They’re here for me?”
”Yeah, they’re after you!” Slate paused temporarily to double over and catch his breath, a stitch already forming in his side due to his staunch neglect of exercise. “You see that guy over there? The one in the brown with all the tattoos? Who do you think that is? Point being, showing him you’re a senshi? Bad ******** move.” Another few huffs and a glance over his shoulder. So far, they hadn’t caught up yet.
Slate started at a brisk clip again in hopes that Jack caught his hints. “It’s not like they can feel you like this. Isn’t there somewhere you can hide? Some building you got access to?” He scanned the available options, with most already crammed of students. One remained relatively neglected - a standalone building of great height and width, yet most avoided it. Must have no outlets. As long as we can hide, though…
“That one!” He offered with a point. “If you can hide out in there, then you might get outta this without a hole in your head.” Seeking Jack’s hand in the process, he made a beeline for the building in question.
GYMNASIUM, it read.
“”Powhatan over there?” Jack paused briefly as he caught his breath, looking from figure to figure to figure. He’s sayin that’s Shale, I think. That’s Shale? “He said he had my back. I saved his life. That youma was gonna eat us. “
He was lying. And he’s a damn nark. “That titwaffle son of a suck-monkey. No one would have known anything and he is selling me to magic nazi-zombies. For what. To go murderfy more people. “
Jack grabbed new-dude’s hand solidly and started booking it hardcore, whether this required dragging him along or not. “You better not be in on it, too, or so help me I will kick your balls out your mouth. This is bad. Crap. Thanks for the warning. Thanks. You’re in danger too if they see you. Nutsnutsnuts. “
Gym door flew wide and Jack hurried in, “What, like a lobotomy? Where the hell to hide. But I can’t call for help on my phone phone. They’ll surround this place and then it’d like ‘does security gun ‘em before they find me’ or what. I gotta ...do something. There’s a panic on my other phone. They’ll feel it. “
Jack looked over at the hand in hand. Then up to his eyes. They were kinda like Shale’s. “I don’t know if anyone will answer. You don’t have to stay. Don’t get in trouble, too. “
”What the ********, man? I go out of my way to help you and you’re threatening to ruin my sex life?” Slate would’ve huffed, but his lungs ran a hefty deficit.
“I’m already in danger. I couldn’t exactly get away with checking out his cell phone and not get noticed. Not after he told me about the whole stint with you outing yourself. Which, by the way, I tried to talk him out of. But no, it’s a better idea to hang your friends.” Running came to full force, which meant Slate was dragged along on spindly chicken legs that didn’t often see physical activity. He nearly stumbled over his own feet in the process of reaching the old, cracked sidewalk. Attempting to throw the door open before Jack got to it herself proved a challenge.
“Yeah, that hole in your head business? That’s what a corrupted senshi’s got. Wanna know how I know? They ******** me over into the Negaverse, and you’re gonna be next. Go!”
Are they really going to corrupt me? Why not just kill me? Why’s it gotta take so many people? Like a damn posse rounding up a single mustang. Not cool. Jack’s mouth pulled into a tight smile, nodding to Shale’s brother. I don’t even know your name.
Then inside, bolting down hallways at a rough guesstimate of the viability of hiding spaces- locker rooms too obvious, laundry room too full of clothes for a quick stash, showers too open. Only what’s the real point in hiding very long. There’s like a platoon of them.
Jack came to a stop, momentarily clueless as the storage doors came into focus. “Sandrine Power, Make-Up!”
As soon as the blood splashes and dance number stopped, Sandrine pounded the distress button from the downloaded app thing.
Ivynian
fin
