Maya adjusted the earpiece Krist had handed her, her fingers trembling. "So, you're just leaving me up here? What if something happens?"
"You'll be safe," Krist reassured her as he set up her system, typing commands with practiced precision. "You're my eyes and ears. Guide me, warn me. If this works, it's because of you. Got it?"
Maya swallowed hard, nodding. Krist gave her a rare smile before disappearing into the building, leaving her alone with the glowing monitors and her racing thoughts.
Minutes later, Krist stood outside the school compound, evaluating his surroundings. The guard posted near the gate wasn't even patrolling—he sat idly, scrolling on his phone. Krist smirked. Amateur. He fished a small flashlight from his pocket and lobbed it to the far side of the compound. The faint beam of light flickered, catching the guard's attention.
As the man wandered off to investigate, Krist slipped into the compound, his movements fluid and silent. His gray coat fell to the ground, revealing the all-black outfit beneath, his face obscured by a mask. He moved swiftly, following Maya's instructions through his earpiece.
"Left, then down the hall. Stop at the garage entrance," Maya directed, her voice steady but tinged with tension.
Krist found the garage door easily, concealed by shadows. He hesitated when he saw the car—a sleek, unfamiliar vehicle gleaming under the faint light. It screamed wealth, and the presence of three guards, instead of the usual one, confirmed his suspicions: something was very wrong here.
"Why are there so many guards?" Maya whispered in his ear.
"I don't know," Krist replied. "But it means someone important is here."
Two guards wore tailored suits, clearly not school staff. One stood by the elevator, his posture rigid, while the other leaned against the wall, engrossed in his phone. The third guard, unarmed and fidgety, paced near the emergency exit.
Krist weighed his options. He couldn't risk using the elevator—it led straight to the principal's office, and if Bellatrix was there, he'd be walking into a trap. Instead, he decided on the emergency exit.
Krist crept toward the guard on his phone, the shock stick humming faintly in his grip. One precise jab to the neck, and the man slumped to the ground without a sound.
"One down," Krist whispered.
He moved quickly toward the unarmed guard near the emergency exit. The man's movements were erratic, and Krist capitalized on his distraction. Sprinting silently, Krist closed the distance. The guard turned too late—Krist struck him cleanly, sending him to the floor.
"Two down. I'm in," Krist whispered, slipping through the emergency door.
The staircase was eerily quiet as Krist climbed to the principal's floor. Outside her office, another guard stood stationed, his eyes scanning the hallway. Krist crouched in the shadows, waiting.
For twenty agonizing minutes, the guard didn't move.
"This is insane. Who hires this many guards for a school?" Maya's frustrated voice crackled in his ear.
Krist smirked grimly. "You've got a point. There are usually six guards total. I've already counted thirty."
"Something's seriously off," Maya agreed.
"Not my problem right now. I just need to get what we came for."
Suddenly, a bald man in a sharp suit approached the office. His imposing presence filled the hallway as he exchanged words with the guard, who then escorted him to a room adjacent to the principal's office. Krist seized the moment, slipping through the principal's door.
The office was pristine, with neatly stacked papers and a faint smell of lavender. Krist wasted no time, pulling his laptop from his backpack. He connected it to the security system, initiating the data transfer.
"Four months of camera footage," he murmured. "This should be enough."
"Krist, Bellatrix is here," Maya's voice broke through, urgent and sharp.
He froze. "Where is she?"
"Third floor, heading your way. Hurry!"
The transfer was at ninety-eight percent. Krist's heart raced as he watched the bar crawl toward completion. The door handle rattled just as the transfer finished. Krist dove behind the desk, holding his breath.
Principal Bellatrix entered, heels clicking against the floor. She retrieved a file from her desk, her movements brisk and deliberate. Then, to Krist's shock, she turned off the office's camera before leaving.
"Why turn off the camera?" Krist whispered to himself, restarting the recording from his laptop system.
Bellatrix reappeared on the reception cameras. She handed the file to the bald man, her demeanor icy. "Tell John to memorize the answers. He can't bring this into the exam hall," she instructed.
"He will," the man replied. A suited guard stepped forward, handing Bellatrix a thick envelope. She opened it briefly, a smirk playing on her lips. "Have a lovely day," she said, dismissing them.
"What the hell was that about?" Krist muttered.
"What happened?" Maya asked.
"Something illegal," Krist replied, watching the bald man hand the file to someone in the expensive car parked below.
Krist didn't wait for Bellatrix to return. He slipped out of the window, using the ledge to reach a classroom below. From there, he navigated the dark halls and exited undetected.
Back at the alley, Krist removed his mask, his face slick with sweat. Maya joined him moments later, her expression a mixture of relief and curiosity.
"Did you get it?" she asked.
"Everything," Krist said as they climbed into the car.
The drive home was silent. After dropping Maya off, Krist returned to his living room, his laptop glowing before him. He scrolled through the footage, his jaw tightening as the pieces began to fall into place.
Bellatrix wasn't just running a school; she was running a racket. Corruption, bribery, cheating—it was all there.
As the evidence unfolded, Krist felt a surge of determination. This wasn't just about clearing his name anymore.
This was about exposing the truth.