Chapter 67 - "Haven" (1/2)
The entire dorm was hysteric, cries and wails echoed in the air along with the muffled attempts from Bianca to calm them. The four horoscopes stood together but the wave of children was becoming too strong. Someone stepped on Senri's foot, causing her to lose her balance. In that small gap, dozens of children rushed past, carrying Senri with them.
”Senri!” Bianca reached her hand out against the flow of children, but her fingers grasped nothing. Senri disappeared, engulfed by the chaos.
”Bianca, we need to move!” Bennox was at her side, Owen sticking to Bennox's back. Bianca wanted to push against the flow, to find Senri but, she saw how the number of children clamoring around the door grew, increasing the pressure in the frenzy.
”We'll search for her later, for now, we need to make a plan.” Bennox tugged on Bianca's shoulder and she let herself be pulled along. Although Senri had been annoying and difficult to deal with, Bianca had brought her out of their room, out from safety, and she had been responsible for Senri.
Lydis watched from her perch in the trees surrounding the dorms.
”Ui, what's the status on Hal's robot helper?”
From her pocket, Ui's head poked out and climbed onto her shoulder, it's dragon form resting on her arm.
”Without orders the helper robot is dormant in the storage on the third floor. Shall I activate it?”
”Since Hal said that I could only direct it to clean, let's leave it alone for now.”
”Interfering with the permissions on an old robot wouldn't prove to be a problem master Lydis.”
”No need, I just needed this distraction. We'll wait a bit, the teachers and staff should be here soon.”
”Affirmative.”
After five minutes, Lydis could see a black blur crossing the paved pathways. Multiple others following behind it. The familiar blur soon came to a stop and Haven stood still in a cloud of dust. The other teachers, including Hal, arrived behind her.
They began to spread out in a fan, Hal being in the center, encircling the dorm.
”Children!” Hal's booming voice easily overpowered the cries and noise from the frightened kids. Seeing an adult meant safety. Hal wasn't expecting the swarm to surge at him. The moment it did Hal couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Hundreds of children were rushing to Hal covered in snot, tears, dirt, bruises and all manners of bodily fluids.
Seeing that the children wouldn't scatter anymore, Haven motioned for the teachers to close the perimeter around the dorm. One of the teachers with a bluish-black hair suddenly turned his head in Lydis's direction. Just as he was about to investigate, Haven called through the communicator and the teacher continued closing the perimeter.
In the tree, Lydis breathed in relief. For a moment, she had felt her eyes lock with the teacher's. If Haven hadn't called in time, she might've been discovered, then how would she explain being there?
”Ui, are you positive that the killer came to the dorm?”
From its perch n her arm, Ui lifted his head.
”Yes master Lydis. As dorm head Hal was leaving, his communicator displayed a map showing a threat dot near the dorms.”
”And you saw how?”
”Ui left your side for a moment to scout out Hal, since Ui was originally a scout bot before master Nova modified my internal and external structure, Ui is very proficient in doing things undetected.”
”Good to know.” Lydis poked Ui's head and continued to watch Haven's movements.
Haven reached the main door and punched in her access code. Slowly, the door opened outward when another surge of children poured out. In a flash, Haven jumped into the air and stood nimbly in the small doorframe. She watched the children run over each other and when no more came out Haven flipped inside and closed the door behind her.
”Teachers, I'll clear out the inside, be ready for any movements outside. I was this bastard alive, watch the exits closely. I want eyes on every side of this building. Upon contact, call for backup immediately.”
”Yes ma'am!”
”Copy that.”