The principal's office was a pressure cooker of suppressed tension and veiled hostility. Krist, always one step ahead, leaned casually against the wall of the adjacent room, listening to the heated exchange inside. Through his phone, connected to the school's security feeds, he monitored every angle of the situation. As two police officers strode into the building, led by a frazzled teacher, Krist smirked.
Perfect timing.
Inside the office, Principal Bellatrix sat stiffly behind her desk, her calm demeanor a mask barely concealing her unease. Mr. Adams paced in front of her, barking orders to the staff about searching for Krist.
The teacher, clearly nervous, peeked into the office. "Principal Bellatrix," she said, her voice trembling, "the police are here."
Bellatrix's face hardened. "Tell them they're not welcome on school grounds without my authorization," she snapped.
The teacher hesitated. "I-I told them, but they're insistent—"
The door slammed open, cutting her off mid-sentence. The blonde officer, a man with sharp features and a demeanor that brooked no nonsense, strode in without so much as a knock. His partner, older and more subdued, followed.
"You can't just barge in here like that!" Mr. Adams thundered, his face red with indignation.
The blonde officer didn't even blink. His gaze landed squarely on Adams. "We have reason to believe that crimes have been committed on these premises," he said, his voice cold and commanding.
Before Adams could retort, the officer's eyes flicked to Maya, who stood trembling near the corner of the room. The faint outline of a red handprint marred her cheek, evidence of the slap Adams had delivered moments ago.
Without another word, the officer pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Mr. Adams," he said, his tone razor-sharp, "you are under arrest for child abuse, abuse of power, and corruption. You have the right to remain silent—"
"This is absurd!" Adams roared, backing away. "Do you know who I am?"
The officer's glare was ice. "I do. And that's precisely why you're being arrested."
The older officer stepped forward and began securing Adams' hands in cuffs. Billy, standing awkwardly by the door, looked on in stunned silence. Maya, however, couldn't suppress the faint smile that played on her lips. She knew Krist had orchestrated this, even if she couldn't quite piece together how.
"And you," the older officer said, turning to Bellatrix. "You're under arrest for fraud, bribery, child abuse, and abuse of power. I'd suggest cooperating."
Bellatrix opened her mouth to protest, but before she could speak, a slow clap echoed through the room.
All eyes turned to the principal's desk, where Krist now sat, legs crossed and a sly grin plastered on his face.
"Bravo," he said mockingly. "Looks like the law still has some teeth left."
The room fell silent, the tension palpable.
"H-how did you get here?" Bellatrix stammered, her facade cracking.
Krist's grin widened. "Oh, I've been here all along. You were so busy barking orders and slapping students, you didn't notice me waltzing in."
Adams glared at him, seething with rage. "You little—"
"Careful," Krist interrupted, his tone cool. "You're already wearing cuffs. Don't make it worse for yourself."
Adams' face darkened, but he said nothing. Bellatrix, on the other hand, was visibly shaking.
Krist leaned back, rummaging casually through the desk drawers as if he owned the place. "You know," he said conversationally, "for someone in a position of power, you're awfully bad at covering your tracks."
The blonde officer, his patience wearing thin, stepped forward. "Who are you, kid? And why do you think it's okay to mouth off to adults?"
Krist met his gaze with an unflinching stare. "Respect is earned, not demanded," he replied coolly. "And as for who I am? Let's just say I'm the guy who made your job easier today."
The officer scowled. "You think this is a game? You're interfering with police business—"
"Interfering?" Krist cut him off, his voice sharp. "If it weren't for me, you'd still be twiddling your thumbs at the station. Everything you need—evidence, witnesses, a full report—it's all here." He slid a flash drive across the desk.
The older officer caught it and exchanged a look with his partner. "What's on this?"
"Everything," Krist said simply.
The blonde officer's skepticism was evident, but his partner, after a moment's hesitation, nodded and left the room to review the contents.
Krist turned his attention back to Bellatrix, who was now pale and trembling. "Oh, don't look so surprised," he said, feigning sympathy. "You didn't actually think you'd get away with selling exam papers and abusing your students, did you?"
Bellatrix opened her mouth to respond but froze as Krist produced a printed photo from his bag: a still from the footage of her handing exam answers to Mr. Daven, John's father's butler.
"Recognize this?" Krist asked, holding it up.
Bellatrix's knees buckled. She collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
The room erupted into chaos. The officers quickly moved to check on her, while Krist leaned back, his expression unreadable.
"She'll be fine," he said, tossing a glass of water on her face. Bellatrix stirred, her eyes fluttering open, only to meet Krist's cold, mocking gaze.
By the time backup arrived, the school's compound was a scene of utter pandemonium. Teachers, staff, and a handful of students were rounded up, handcuffed, and loaded into police vans.
Krist watched it all unfold from a distance, Maya standing silently beside him.
"You did all this?" she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Krist didn't respond immediately. He stared out at the chaos, his expression unreadable. Finally, he said, "Justice is a funny thing. It's not about revenge. It's about balance."
Maya frowned. "And is this balance?"
Krist turned to her, his eyes colder than she'd ever seen them. "It's a start."