“Leo, you don’t have to do this alone.”Elena’s voice came through the secure call, soft but firm. She sounded tired, the kind of tired that came from days of worry and watching someone she cared about carry too much. Leo sat on the edge of his narrow dorm bed, the small room quiet except for the distant sounds of students moving in the hallway. He stared at the plain gray hoodie folded on the chair, the same one he always wore when he needed to disappear into the crowd.“I know,” Leo said. His voice was low, rough around the edges. He rubbed a hand over his face, feeling the faint stubble and the lingering ache in his shoulder. “But I need to see it through. For her. Even after everything.”He ended the call and pulled on the hoodie, zipping it up slowly. The fabric felt familiar, safe. To everyone on campus he was still just Leo, the scholarship student who worked odd jobs and kept his head down. No one knew the truth. No one could.The memorial was set up on the quiet lawn behind t

Leo pushed through the side gate near the old clock tower, his steps careful on the uneven path. The night air felt cool against his skin, but every movement pulled at the healing wounds in his shoulder and side. He kept one hand tucked in his hoodie pocket, the other loose at his side. To anyone watching, he looked like just another tired 300-level student cutting across campus after a late study session. No one would guess the truth.He stopped at the base of the tower and checked his phone. The secure line showed Elena and Rosa on standby. “I’m here,” he said quietly into the comms. “Stay back unless it goes bad.”“Be careful,” Elena replied. Her voice carried that mix of worry and trust he had come to rely on. “We’re right here if you need us.”Leo slipped the phone away and waited. The tower stood silent, its old clock face dark. Footsteps approached from the shadows. A man in his forties stepped into view, wearing a plain jacket and carrying a small bag. His face looked nervous,

“Bring me the file on the boy’s campus connections.”Thomas Blackwood sat in the sunlit study of his guarded villa, the large windows overlooking a private garden that felt more like a cage than a retreat. He wore a simple linen shirt, sleeves rolled up, but his posture remained straight and commanding. His silver hair caught the light as he leaned forward, fingers tapping the polished wooden table. The exile had not softened him. If anything, it had sharpened the edges.The assistant, a quiet man named Reyes who had followed him from the old days, placed a thick folder in front of him. “We have fresh reports, sir. Leo is still operating under his student cover at Northwood. The funeral for Maya drew some attention, but he stayed low. Our scouts confirm he is using janitor access for movement across campus.”Thomas opened the folder slowly. His face showed no anger now, only cold calculation. Photos of Leo in his work uniform, walking the halls with a mop cart. Notes on his interactio

Leo slipped through the side gate near the old engineering annex, keeping his steps quiet on the cracked pavement. The night air felt cool against his skin, but every movement pulled at the healing wounds in his shoulder and side. He kept one hand tucked in his hoodie pocket, the other loose at his side. To anyone watching, he looked like just another tired 300-level student cutting across campus after a late study session. No one would guess the truth.He stopped at the edge of the annex building and checked his phone. The secure line showed Elena and Rosa on standby. “I’m here,” he said quietly into the comms. “Stay back unless it goes bad.”“Be careful,” Elena replied. Her voice carried that mix of worry and trust he had come to rely on. “We’re right here if you need us.”Leo slipped the phone away and waited. The annex stood silent, its old brick walls covered in ivy. Footsteps approached from the shadows. A man in his forties stepped into view, wearing a plain jacket and carrying

Leo opened his locker at the end of the east wing maintenance area and froze for a split second. A folded note sat on top of his bag. Plain paper. No name. He glanced down the empty hallway, then picked it up and opened it slowly.The message was short and cold.You handled the annex nicely. But I know more. I know who you really are. Protect what matters or I expose everything tomorrow. Photo attached.The attached picture showed the new utility building he had quietly secured, taken from a distance with clear markings of recent activity and a timestamp from the night before. Someone had been watching his moves closely.Leo slipped the note into his pocket and closed the locker with a quiet click. His face stayed calm, like any other student grabbing his things after a shift. Inside, the dilemma hit harder than ever. The insider knew too much. One wrong step and the audit would turn into something that could rip his entire cover apart.He pushed his cart toward the next section, mopp