Chapter 35

"Are you not a little bit worried if the students recognize us?" Trance asked with a worried tone as they were preparing themselves. Demeter looked at her and tapped her shoulder. "Why we should be worried, Trance? There's no reason to be worried." Demeter nonchalantly said before she fixed her uniform then covered half of her face like Kai and the others did. Trance learned at the wall while watching Nine and Hera prepare their stuff. "They will probably recognize me right away because I'm the only girl and also the president of the prison section."

"That won't be a problem, Trance," Hera commented before she lifts her bag. Kai handed her a black fabric and motioned to wear it.

"We should get there now or else there's another student who will die. Trance will be the leader of your group since she knows some secret ways here more than us." Artemis reminds them then fixed the cuffs of her gloves and fixed her hair. Kai and Demeter nodded while Trance looked at her captain in disbelief instead of questioning her captain for her decision. She knows that she can't complain since she respects her captain's decision and also her captain.

Artemis tapped Trance's shoulder. "It's too dangerous for you to use your real name while you're on the mission."

"It's okay if we call you Ellreign?"

"Sure. It's fine for me."

"I'm an outcast student here so they won't recognize me." Demeter sneers while Kai tapped her shoulder, making her roll her eyes in a sassy way. "Don't start me, Apollo." Kai laughed before he heads outside together with Nine and Artemis.

"We should go to Yen first," Trance announced as she and Nine go outside too. Artemis' group leave the place first and went into the place where the hostage-taking is happening while Trance and the two of her friends went into the building where Yen is located.

"This way is a little bit cozy, shady, and unfamiliar," Demeter commented in low voice, making Trance chuckle while Kai is just staring at every plant and vines surrounding them.

"I know but..." She got alarmed and motioned two of her comrades to stop walking before Trance lift the thick vines on the wall and peeked through its hole after hearing someone's voice. Even his face can't be seen, Trance knows it was him because of his posture and the black and thick ring on his pinky finger. The two are still alerted yet they give her a questionable look after Trance puts back the vines that act as a curtain to the wall.

"It's Yen." Kai and Demeter sigh in relief before trance lifts the hanging vines again.

"Yen! Yen! I'm here!" Trance called her classmate who was standing on the other side and his back facing her. Yen looked to his left and right to find the one who was calling him. Trance can see that it was just only him who was standing there while there was a can of soda in his hand.

"On your back!" Trance said, loud enough to make Yen turn around. Yen's eyes wandered at the wall and flinched when he saw Trance peeking through it.

"Trance? Why are you there?" The male asked her and walk closely to the wall.

"I'll explain to you later. Now, I want you to come here." She commanded. Yen stared at her first before he put down the can while Trance stepped back and let the vines back on their old position. The male hopped and climbed on the wall easily before he jumped on the side where Trance is.

"I never thought you know how to ditch in class now and I don't know that there's a secret shortcut here." He nonchalantly said as he looked at Trance before he raised his brow at the three agents staring at him back with an unsurprised expression, "Sup?"

Trance massaged her temple before Demeter stepped in and looked at Yen in a stoic face. Yen looked at her from head to toe and crossed his arms. "Yen Hamada, we are from Excalibur. I bet you know that organization." Yen narrowed his eyes at her and smirked. "Hello, miss." Demeter grab his collar and slammed him on the wall.

"Listen to me Yen, Serpents are here. They're looking for you, Haru, and the guy named Raiden. Every 20 minutes they're killing innocent students because of the three of you." She said in a pissed tone while menacing at him. Yen chuckled and gently removed her hands. Demeter remained on glaring at him and cursed him.

"Is that how you treat your previous counterpart?" Yen looked at Trance and Kai who's been silenced for a while and shocked by the male's sudden confession.

"Excalibur's new unit. You're saying that Martin is looking for me?"

"Are you deaf? I already said it."

"Haru is not here but I know where Raiden is." He walked away but suddenly stopped after realizing that he was unfamiliar with the shortcut. Yen looked at them before he scratched his head.

"I didn't know that you have a previous partner," Kai said while Demeter looked away.

"He is before Nine." She replied in a low voice while Kai smiled and cling his arm around her shoulder.

"Who's leading the way?" Trance shook her head and walk next to him. "I am. Tell me where he is. We need to find him before the Serpent's men find him." She explained.

"Raiden always ditches on class and stays on Dumangan sanctuary," Yen said. The three agents exchanged looks before they nodded. Trance pressed the special button of his watch and aimed it at the wall. The blue light hit the wall before the hole opened then revealed the different variety of plants and complete silence of the sanctuary.

Trance motioned Yen to hop in first then Kai and Demeter. She checked the surroundings of the place where they are earlier and followed her classmate and friends on the other side before the hole closed and disperse successfully dispersed on the wall. Inside the sanctuary, the guy who's sleeping on the top of the tree popped his eyes open after hearing a crackling sound that indicates someone accidentally stepped on the dried leaf. He hopped from the thick branch and pulled out the dagger from his pocket before he hides behind the tree. When Kai leaned on the tree where the guy is hiding, the guy pointed the dagger on his neck.

"Look who's here," Yen smirked and attempted to restrain the red-hair but the lady moved fast as lightning and immediately lowered herself then swings her foot to knock him off. Demeter didn't hesitate to hold both of his arms to his back then put all of the weight on it. Trance was about to speak but she immediately pressed the other button of her watch and the shiny Japanese blade appeared on her hand after witnessing Demeter who knocked Yen while both of his hands got held by her on his back. Kai aims both of his pistols at the guy with messy hair who's pointing a dagger on the brunette's neck.

"Look who's rusted."

"We can handle this, Trance." Kai stopped her from taking another step. The guy with messy hair laughed before he put down the dagger he's holding and playfully punched the brunette's arm then looked at Trance who's grasping her katana. He's possessed hypnotizing blue eyes like Trance. He has manly features that make him look like a prince more than a student.

"Forgive me for this action, my lady. Kai and I always did this for fun. I'm Raiden at your service, I'll do anything if you wanted."

On the other side, Artemis is walking elegantly despite the guns pointing at her. Both of her hands are raised in the air as a sign of surrendering. She looked at Martin who's narrowing his eyes at her. Artemis looked at Gregory who's surprised after seeing her.

"Speak." One of Martin's men commanded her as he pressed the muzzle of the HK433 gun at her back.

"I'm Artemis, I'm the owner of Priam Videlle Philippine division." She introduced herself. She heard Nine and Hera laugh by the earpiece that looks like an ear cuff.

["Dude, what the hell?"] Nine laughed while peeking on the scope of her gun. She's now on the top of the library while observing and waiting for the signal if she's going to shoot the leader.

["Oh no."] Hera laughed too, doing the same too while she's on the top of the high school building.

["The lightning and the ghost are successfully found. They're with us now."] Demeter said on the other line.

Artemis didn't show any expression while looking at Martin who's eyeing her from head to toe. The man walked behind Gregory again and pointed his gun at him. "The only thing that I want is the three rascals, Madame. If you don't surrender them to us, your students will die." He announced, making the students panic but they got silenced by the gun pointed at their heads.

"We are currently looking for the three of them right now, Sir. Yet, we can't just surrender them to you easily." Artemis said. Martin laughed although he's pissed by her excuse. She onchalantly faced the man who's pointing the gun at her back and smiled at her before she grasps the gun's muzzle then guided the gun to aimed the ground gently.

"Are you fooling around? I'm not playing here. Do you want your students to die?" The Captain shook her head. "Put your hands behind your head." The man behind her commanded and Artemis silently followed him.

"Trust me. I'm not playing if I told you that you'll eat bullet later." Artemis sneers. Martin arched his brow at her.

["This is Athena, we are waiting for your next order."]

Trance is looking at Yen and Raiden who's looking at her. "It is kind of new since Excalibur never made a unit," Yen commented before he was seated at the root of the tree and Raiden did the same too. Demeter and Kai leave the three of them to check if the sanctuary's door is open. "Falcon Elite unit." Trance deadpanned as she scanned the handle of her katana.

["This is Artemis, bring the lightning and the ghost to Nine's location, now."]