Exodus: The Assassin's Path 14 Hot Springs

Exodus Interface Acquired: Destination?

"Gaming Hub, Job Square."

Quinn watched the fodders carefully, bringing up his hud to check for the ones he had marked. "Yep, all ten of them are here. He sent the mail he had prepared."

Fodders,

You may have heard that I've turned in my Exodus bracelet. I'm extending to you an offer that expires in five minutes. You'll receive a three-year TAP account along with 10 thousand credits per month. In return, you'll play under my banner. There won't be any hidden fees, we will provide you with a qualified Black Smith for armor repair. The TAP account will be yours after the completion of the contract. You'll be expected to turn in your Exodus bracelets for the duration of your contract. There is a signing bonus of 20 thousand credits. I'm under the Lamp post, near the entry point. Clock is ticking.

Quinn

Several of the other Fodders noticed the ten people who suddenly left the job square. Quinn waited patiently. They all started speaking at once, but he silenced them with a hand. "Nothing more will be discussed here, I've given you the specifics. I've enclosed an NDA along with the basic contract."

Quinn noticed their hesitation. "Isn't 20 thousand credits more than you will make in four months as a fodder?"

Several of them started nodding and whispering among themselves.

"The only stipulation is that I will pick your class and race." Quinn had worked along side these players for the past few years, he picked each of them for their strengths.

"Can we know the class now?" It was Zina who spoke, she was a slinger in Guns & Gore, unlike Quinn she specialized in the rifle. Quinn opened his hud and sent all the class choices he had made for them. Zina was going to be a ranger.

Within a minute, all ten of them had agreed, and Quinn was 200k poorer. He took each of their wristbands and stored them in his inventory. "Each of you log off immediately, do not mention this to anyone. Do some research, settle things. You have one day to prep. I'll let you know the details of your character in a few hours."

"Log-Off Exodus."

Quinn took a moment to grab a drink of water and then sat back on his recliner.

"Log On Tap."

TAP Interface Acquired.

Synchronizing character data.....

Welcome Back Q, find your path!

He sat up and turned until his feet touched the floor. As inns go, the Shady Horizon was quite nice.

Q checked his stats he nodded to himself. "Leveled up and my weapon skills improved."

Q

Level 17

Base Class:N/A TAP Class: NPC Assassin

Statistics

Strength 22

Endurance 28

Intelligence 24

Agility 23

Luck 28

Charisma 7

TAP: NPC Assassin

Skill Name: Practice makes Perfect

Weapon Skill: Pistoleros 59

Weapon Skill: Halberd 46

Weapon Skill: Dagger 51

He frowned at a knock on his door. "Damn, I just logged in. Can't I get a moment of peace?"

Q walked slowly to the door and opened it, his entire class was standing in the hallway. "Er.. what's going on?"

Rhapsody and Jinn stood in front of them, they were obviously the ringleaders. They were all dressed in different kinds of swimwear. Blooming Onion was wearing a black speedo-looking thing, 'god.. I can't unsee that.'

"You are late Q!! It's already 6:30pm!!" Jinn smiled slightly, scolding Q was one of her favorite past times. "We've been waiting."

"There was no need to wait for me, I would have just caught up to you when I could." Q shrugged and turned back into his room, leaving his classmates murmuring in the hallway.

"He just turned back around and left?"

"He isn't wearing swimwear.."

"Q...," Jinn's soft voice followed him into his room, Rhapsody and Daze had walked in with her. "You are the only one who knows where the hot springs are."

"...." Q.

"What is with that look?" Rhapsody wore a green two-piece bikini with a white scarf wrapped around her hips.

"Um, let's see," Q scratched his head. "That information was the stakes in a bet we made. One that I won, so of course I'm not saying a word."

"Hey, everyone is looking forward to it, " Jinn said gently.

"It will fun to hang out together, come on Q!" Rhapsody gave him a thumbs up as she spoke.

"Denied.... Okay, so no event then? I'll just log off and catch up on some reading." The two ladies looked like they wanted to cause trouble for him, but they didn't dare with the whole class watching from the doorway.

Daze laid a hand on his arm. "Hey Q, I was really looking forward to hanging out with you. I even managed to find swimwear that I liked." She spun in a slow circle showing him the light blue one-piece that she was wearing.

She did look really nice, and they had a nice vibe between them during the raid. "Since you asked so nicely Daze, I guess I'll bring you there."

"...." Jinn.

"...." Rhapsody.

Daze clapped her hands together, "awesome Q!! I knew you wouldn't let us down!"

"Okay, everyone out while I change," he herded the three women out of the room and then shut the door. "Unequip Leather Armor, Equip prior swimwear designation." Q considered it for a moment, edit boots to open toe sandals, modify shirt to white tank top. Use this configuration for future swimwear designation."

He walked back toward the door and opened it. The rest of the class stood there stunned.

"That was like 2 seconds."

"How come his stuff looks so great?"

"He was messing with us, right?"

"Okay everyone, we'll have to walk to the front gate and catch a wagon from there, it's a bit of a ride." He ignored the pointed stare of Jinn and led the way down the hall.

They had to hire three wagons to accommodate the entire class. Jinn was more than willing to pay, but when the drivers saw that Q was with them, they decided that it was too short of a trip to charge them. Q was sandwiched between Daze and Amazing Grace, opposite of them was Jinn, Onion and Rhapsody. He had switched with Onion at the last minute on the pretense of having to give the driver directions. Onion was happily asking Rhapsody all about her TAP class.

Daze leaned close, "what is with you and those two women?"

"That's a good question, for some reason our teacher has always had it out for me," Q sighed helplessly. "Not sure how I got on her bad side."

"Bad side?" Daze stared at him, "I'd say you were on her good side, in a permanent way."

"Hmm? No thanks. I've enough crazy in my life already." Q leaned back smiling pleasantly as the wagon bounced and swayed gently on the dirt road.

Twenty minutes later the wagons pulled up and parked beside a flat rock wall several feet high. Everyone disembarked, the drivers pulled into a circle and started lighting a fire.

"They are going to wait out here," Q stated as he began walking toward the rock wall. Leah had said that it's basically an optical illusion. It's one wall about three feet in front of a larger wall.

There's a small space between them. "Tight squeeze here for about thirty feet."

The group followed close behind Q as he led the way through the narrow passage, it quickly led to a spacious cavern. The light faded and the heat rose substantially as they entered. Next to one side was a large basket filled with round white stones.

"Oh nice, luminescent stones!" Jinn grabbed a stone from the basket, it was etched with a small rune on one side. "Illuminate," the stone instantly lit up.

Jinn wasted no time as she threw it into the dark space ahead, she heard a splash and smiled as the area started to light up.

Rhapsody nodded and grabbed a stone, "okay everyone, activate the stones and toss them in the water. Try to space them out evenly."

Over the next few minutes the group activated and spread the stones throughout the hot springs. The springs were actually a series of caverns, they were laid out in the shape of a three-leaf clover. From the glowing rocks, it was obvious the springs were only about 3 feet deep in most places.

"We'll have to gather the stones back up as we leave," Jinn gave Q a smile and mouthed the word 'thank you.' She really did want her students to have a good time.

"Since there are three areas, let's designate the middle one as co-ed, the left as female and the right as male. That way you can be accommodated no matter what you prefer," Onion's voice echoed slightly in the cavern, Jinn gave him a frown but when she noticed several of her students nodding, she agreed.

With Onion chatting up Jinn and Rhapsody, Q had the perfect opportunity to sneak out. "Peace at last!" Without a second thought he headed toward the right cavern, he heard someone following behind. He walked until he found a shallow area he could sit up in, then he sank contently up to his neck. It was a darker toward the back of the cavern as no one had thrown the stones out that far.

"Q?" A soft but feminine voice whispered, her features were indistinguishable in the darkness.

Rhapsody, only that vixen Dryad would be so brazen as to walk into the men's side. "Should you be on this side?" Q asked trying to sound stern.

"I was looking for you, don't be angry okay?" The voice held the smallest hint of humor as it teased him.

Q sighed, "I never said I was angry. I was only going to stay here long enough to gather my thou--" He stopped as two hands rested on his shoulders, he felt a feminine body push against him as her soft breath touched his face. ' Damn... if you are going to leave the hen house door wide open, don't blame the fox for walking in.' He caught her mouth with his as he wrapped her up in his arms. For a moment she seemed surprised, but then returned the kiss.

"Q? Are you back here?" Rhapsody's voice sounded out from the entrance to the men's area.

The two swiftly separated, Q staring hard as he tried to figure out who she was. God... was it Jinn?

"Hey are you going to answer us?" Jinn waded into view, a glowing stone in her hand. "There you are Q, why are you here by yourself?"

Q looked around, his partner in crime had vanished without a word. Daze, Rhapsody and Jinn were all walking toward him.

"I was going to come find you guys in a few minutes, just wanted to gather my thoughts a bit." 'Shit.. Serious shit. Who the hell?'

Jinn settled comfortably next to him, "water seems a bit warmer on this side."

Q nodded, "I just peed of course."

"Ewww, Q!!" All three of the girls spoke at once.

"Don't hate.. I drank too much water." Q splashed them with both hands.

What is going on at the men's side? The echoes of laughter and screams filled the cavern as the four splashed around. It wasn't more than a few minutes before everyone had followed the noise. The three girls were doing their best to try and dunk Q, it wasn't working out at all.

"Damn it, are you a duck or something?" Rhapsody surfaced for the third time after failing to dunk him again. She quickly joined the other two on his back as he somehow managed to stay afloat. This was how they were found.

*Cough* One of the students cleared her throat. Daze, Jinn and Rhapsody all looked up at the same time. Slowly they untangled themselves and stepped away.

"Damn it, just throw a saddle on me you minx!!" Q was covered in scratches and even a few bite marks. The bites were courtesy of Rhapsody. "Oh... hey guys." He straightened up like nothing had happened when he saw that the entire class had joined them.

"...." Daze.

"....." Jinn.

"..." Rhapsody.

"When did the men's side become so lively?"

"Aren't those three breaking the gender rules?"

"I want to break rules too!"

Everyone settled in close and started chatting. Daze, who had never been a popular girl, suddenly found herself the center of attention. Jinn smiled as she watched Q, for the first time he was actually interacting with his classmates.

"You should tell them that you're eighteen also, little genius." Rhapsody whispered softly in her ear.

Jinn gave her friend a small smile, "you've no idea how hard it is sometimes."

Rhapsody smiled wickedly, "you've got time. Unless of course the Apple Princess makes her move." She threw an arm around her friend as they laughed.

Chapter end