Authors Note: This is a sequel. Many of the characters and events referenced were originally introduced in Exodus: The a.s.sa.s.sin's Path. If you didn't read the first story, you will absolutely be lost.

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QJ sat on the park bench with his parents. His dad was leaning back with a smile on his face, while his mom looked like she wanted to cry.

"Why can't I bring you to school like all the other parents on the first day?" Talia's pretty blue eyes stared at her son.

"Mom.. we've been over this. This whole reason while I registered as Quinn Obreen rather than Quinn Riley, are you trying to paint a target on me?" QJ nudged his dad who seemed to be enjoying the show.

The older Quinn was using "Q", the TAP avatar he had made almost twenty years earlier, so they could easily have pa.s.sed for brothers. The resemblance was uncanny, with two exceptions. QJ was of average height and he had his mom's blue eyes.

Finally, his dad spoke up, "it was your idea to send him to Exodus Academy to get some hands-on experience before we let him start an account in Guns and Gore."

"I can't just walk in like a normal kid with Tal and Quinn Riley. They'll be a crowd around us in seconds." QJ frowned at his mom, this was her Avatar from her mid-30s, there wasn't much difference in all truth. She was aging remarkably well.

"I'll call your sister then," Tal had a soft spot for the two men in her life.

"Really? Show up with the world-famous musician and notorious cat burglar?" QJ stood up and checked his wristband HUD (Heads up display). "I'm going to be late."

"Your sister is not a cat burglar, those are just crazy rumors because she's dating one of the Songbirds." Tal stood up and hugged her son, it was obvious that she was giving in. "Make sure you study hard and try to see your little sisters a bit more."

"Fine mom." QJ thought it strange that the smartest woman he knew, was so blind when it came to her daughter.

Talia watched her son run off and felt her husband wrap an arm around her waist. "I'm worried Quinn, perhaps I sheltered him too much."

"Don't worry, "he grabbed Tal's hand as they started walking back to the Songbird. "He spent the last few years working hard at the Academy. He's going to be fine."

*********

"Quinn Obreen? Quinn Obreen?" Chi Blanca frowned at her freshmen cla.s.s, someone late for her cla.s.s on the first day?"

Chi's heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she casually walked back to her desk. She ran a hand through her short dark hair and double checked her roster. The freshman Guns and Gore cla.s.s had 32 members. Her green eyes darted across the lines as she found his name, he hadn't disenrolled. A frown etched on her pretty face as a knock sounded on her door.

A student opened the door carefully, from his red jacket Chi knew he was a 2nd year. "Miss Tavo sent me over, she said if you are missing one of your freshmen, you should look outside."

Chi walked to the windows and looked across the courtyard, next to the clock tower was a red horse and a rider. The green jacket with the GNG badge he wore told Chi it was her missing freshmen. She glanced at the time, 11:58. "I see... I'll accept your lateness this one time, but only if you make it."

Exodus Academy was a three-year course. Freshmen wore green jackets, 2nd years wore red and 3rd years wore blue. Your Avatar had to be an exact match for yourself, this applied to both students and staff. Your looks, your strengths, and your weaknesses, there was no hiding them here. The perimeter of the courtyard was lined with white cobblestone. Any student who could complete one lap of the courtyard on horseback within the twelve bells would be awarded 1000 points, only a few of the third years would have that many.

"Maya! Someone is taking the courtyard challenge."

A blonde haired girl dressed in blue looked up from her desk. Her pretty face frowned at the sentence, she had attempted the feat twice before and failed both times. The last time she had missed it by only a few yards. You could only attempt it once a year, so her next try would be her last. Grudgingly she stood and joined her cla.s.smate at the window.

QJ sat comfortably on Scorch, he patted the big red horse's shoulder.

Exodus System Message: Courtyard Challenge Attempt one, Quinn Obreen.

Exodus System Message: Horse is compliant, saddle and all equipment are compliant.

Exodus System Message: Countdown in 15...14...

"I found out who you are Scorch. It took some digging though." QJ flexed his shoulders slightly, "how did an old monster like you end up as the prize in the Talon Apple festival?"

QJ calmed himself and took a deep breath. Windows all around the Courtyard were opening. The voices of the other students echoed in the square.

"What the h.e.l.l are you doing freshmen?"

"A green jacket? You suck!"

"Take that red nag and go back to the farm!"

QJ crouched low and listened for the start. He whispered softly in Red's ear, "I grew up with Exodus legends, that's fine, I love every one of them. However today... we'll start our own path."

Exodus System Message: Countdown in 2...1...Go!

QJ kicked his heels and Scorch exploded from the start, his acceleration pus.h.i.+ng QJ back in the saddle. They flew toward the first turn, "A bit fast old boy." He pulled back slightly on the reins but Scorch was having none of it.

QJ leaned into the first turn, Scorch straightened out and powered towards the second. "Save something for the finis.h.!.+"

Chi watched her student from the window, her cla.s.s hadn't moved from their seats. "Hmm... fast." She turned her head toward the cla.s.s, "you have my permission to cheer for your cla.s.smate."

QJ finished the second turn, Scorch still refusing to slow down. "Fine old monster, show them the old school!" QJ kicked his heels and the red horse powered toward the halfway point.

Dori leaned over to her friend. "That's too fast right Maya?"

Maya listened to the hooves, her dad would tell her to listen first. She closed her eyes and focused, the cadence was fast, insanely fast, like the beating of a drum. The crus.h.i.+ng sound of raw power echoed off the cobblestone as the red horse blasted pa.s.s their cla.s.sroom. Maya's eyes opened in shock, "fast... real fast."

The midpoint was halfway down the second full straight-away. A red blur flashed pa.s.sed Chia's cla.s.sroom at 5 bells, the halfway point. Her cla.s.s screamed encouragement as the red cyclone ate up the white cobblestone.

QJ felt the horse starting to labor as he approached the last turn, he patted the horse's muscular shoulder. "My dad said you could run, no pressure old boy, just finish hard."

QJ leaned hard into the turn, the red horse powered through it again, throwing QJ back in the saddle as it turned for home."

"Holy s.h.i.+t.," Chi mumbled.

"No way.." Maya stared as the horse flashed pa.s.s the finish line, an eyeblink before the 11th bell.

The sound of the red horse's hooves filled the courtyard, finally slowed down to an easy canter. QJ leaned over and rubbed his neck. "A whole bell to spare... I guess you can run."

Exodus System Message: Courtyard Challenge has been won, you have been awarded 1,000 points.

QJ slowed Scorch to a walk, the quiet courtyard suddenly roaring to life as his fellow students cheered loudly.

A few minutes later QJ ran down the empty hallway, "where the h.e.l.l is GNG1?" He found it a few seconds later, stopping to straighten out his green jacket, he opened the door.

Chi still stood by the window when her student opened the door, her heels clicked loudly as she walked toward him. "Mr. Obreen I presume?"

QJ nodded and bowed slightly, "yes ma'am."

"Today is the only day you will ever be late for my cla.s.s right Mr. Obreen?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Since you are in front, we can start introductions." Chia smiled at him as he bowed again.

"I'm Quinn Obreen, I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Please call me QJ."

Chi picked up her roster from the desk and marked him as present, "I'm Chi Blanca your homeroom teacher, you may call me Miss Chi or Miss Blanca. Please take your seat QJ, next person."

After introductions were finished Chi gave her students a few minutes to get to know each other. "QJ, could you come up here please?"

He walked up to his teacher who was leaning against her desk. "Yes?"

"Academy policy says that you aren't allowed to stow your horse in inventory as equipment, that means you'll have to stable him here at the Academy and care for him exactly as if he were a real horse."

QJ nodded, "I'll take care of it."

Chi glanced at the time, "take care of it now, we won't be doing anything until after lunch so make sure to take care of everything before 4th hour."

An hour later QJ was walking Scorch toward the stables, he had filled out the paperwork necessary and had paid the stable fees for the year. "You are going to get babied here, old boy."

Scorch nudged the back of his head and whinnied softly.

QJ laughed, "it's not like I have carrots in my backpack fatty."

"That's an odd nickname for such a fast horse." A blonde haired girl spoke quietly from behind him.

QJ turned as she fell into step beside him, "I like to tease him, I'm QJ."

Maya glanced at the green-jacketed student, he also had a GNG badge that further identified him as a Guns and Gore student. Her blue jacket also had a GNG badge. "A freshmen? Where did you learn to ride?"

QJ didn't answer, instead, he veered away and pulled Scorch toward stable Six. He opened the door and took off the saddle and bridle. He scooped a handful of hay from the bin and started rubbing him down with it. The girl stared at him from behind the closed gate.

"Um... that was a bit rude wasn't it?" The blond girl's pale face was slightly red with anger.

QJ shrugged. "Hmm? Just a bit, but I won't judge. Perhaps it's okay where you're from to not reply with an introduction after somone introduces themself."

The blonde girls face turned even redder, QJ ignored her as he rubbed down Scorch.

"I.. Sorry, that's not okay where I'm from. I'm Maya Scasa." Her face had resumed a normal color, a small smile on her lips.

QJ smiled, it was a last name he knew well. "Nice to meet you Maya."