Hero Academy: Ticking Time

Chapter 14:...Of the Pravus's fall

Rena Rouge hopped from rooftop to rooftop, silently following Vlad. She had almost got caught as Alya but she was lucky enough to duck behind some trash cans. She transformed and continued to follow him, this time at a safer distance.

"Where are you going? The dorms only go so far." Rena said as she kept her eye on him. At least he didn't try to find her again. When she saw him stopping at a small building, she carefully watched him pressed a button and entered it.

"Must be an elevator. What floor is he going to? Maybe the elevator will say what floor he'll go." Rena jumps off the building and ran to the elevator. She looked up and waited for the numbers to stop counting.

The number landed on 9.

"Ninth floor. Might take a while to get there." Rena pressed the down button and waited for the elevator. She didn't trust Vlad at the moment and was sure he was going to help the intruder get out.

The door opened and Rena quickly entered. She looked for the correct button and just as she was about to press it, a voice called out to her.

"ALYA!!!" She looked up at see Nino running toward her, a panicked look all over his face. She quickly pressed the floor button and spam the close button. Nino's face was five feet away when the door closed. Rena pressed her back on the wall and muttered the words.

"Trixx, let's rest." In a flash of orange light, Alya appeared again. Trixx landed on her shoulders, a look of disappointment on his face.

"Alya. You shouldn't be doing this. Whatever happens with Vlad, may not be part of your business."

"But what kind of reporter would I be if I don't follow where the story goes?"

"There's a difference between being brave and being reckless. Alya. You just found out Vlad was an extremely powerful being. Would it really be wise to confront him now? We don't know what happened between him and the intruder."

"That's why I have to follow him. I want to know if I can trust him. What if he tries to let the intruder out and both of them cause more damage to the school?"

"Alya. Do you hear yourself? Vlad wouldn't do any of this. He's not an akumatized villain. Max trusts him a lot and Vlad has been nothing but kind to all of us."

"But it could be a trap. I can't be sure he's being honest with all of us."

"You sure you're not jumping to conclusions? Alya, you're taking a step back."

"What do you mean?"

"When I first met you, I saw that you were trustworthy and determined, willing to protect anyone. But you were also reckless and was willing to cross any lines to find the truth, no matter how dangerous it is. I knew you were going down a dangerous path so I tried to help you think things through and it was working. But lately, you're going back to the same path. If this continues, you'll get into a situation you won't be able to get out."

Alya let Trixx's words sink in. Was this really a big risk to follow Vlad? Should she be doing this? Is this how a journalist should get information?

Yes, no, and no.

But why was Vlad here in the first place?

"You have a point but why would Vlad be here?" She said as the elevator stopped moving. The doors open to a hallway she would see in comic books and at the end of the hallway were Vlad and the intruder. The only thing separating them was the glass door. But Alya wasn't sure that would stop any fights.

"Listen up Poe. I have a question and I want a clear answer," She could feel Vlad's eyes harden and his aura turned dark. "Where is Em?"

Poe turned his head slightly, his eyes filled with fear. He didn't say anything at first but after Vlad repeated the question with a little more force, he started talking.