38: The Green-Eyed Monster
last update2026-04-10 21:19:57

Brad poked at a soggy pile of fries with a plastic fork, his face twisted in a permanent scowl. The Northwood cafeteria was loud, filled with the noise of students who actually had money in their accounts. Usually, the "Golden Couple" sat at the center table, surrounded by a wall of people begging for their attention. Today, they were shoved into a corner near the trash bins. Nobody was looking at them.

"I’m telling you, it’s a temporary freeze," Brad muttered, though his eyes were frantic. "My
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  • 143: The Old Library Stacks

    Leo pushed the mop slowly across the dusty floor of the old library stacks, the wet strings dragging over cracked tile with soft scraping sounds. The scent of old paper and cleaning solution mixed heavily in the air. Above him, tall shelves stretched toward the dim ceiling lights, packed tightly with aging reference books that most students never touched anymore.His shoulder throbbed again.The old wound always acted up during cold evenings, and the deep pull in his side made every bend feel sharp and unpleasant. Still, his expression never changed. Years of training had taught him how to bury discomfort beneath calm silence.To everyone inside the library, he was invisible.Just another scholarship student working a maintenance shift to cover tuition costs.A nobody.Exactly how he wanted it.Several students sat quietly in the main reading hall beyond the stacks, their keyboards clicking softly in the distance. No one looked twice at him as he moved between shelves.That was why he

  • 142: The Boardroom Shadow

    Leo stood in the quiet maintenance room, wiping his hands on a rag. The familiar smell of cleaning supplies filled the small space. His shoulder still ached from the old wound, and his side pulled tight when he moved too fast. The shift had been long, but his mind stayed sharp on the bigger problems.His phone buzzed with an urgent call from the Dean’s secure line. Leo answered right away. “What’s happening?”The Dean’s voice came through tense and low. “The board contact is demanding a private meeting this afternoon. He’s pushing harder on the maintenance records. He mentioned hidden financial trails that could lead to a full investigation. I need your instructions on what to say.”Leo leaned against the wall, his face showing the weight of the dilemma. “Meet me in your office in ten minutes. We’ll talk there. Keep it quiet until then.”He put the phone away and finished storing his cart. He walked toward the admin wing like any student called in for a talk. The Dean knew the truth..

  • 141: Questions in the Boardroom

    Leo pushed the mop across the hallway floor in steady arcs, the wet strings slapping softly against the tile. His shoulder still ached from the old wound, and his side pulled tight with every bend. The familiar smell of lemon cleaner filled the air as he worked his way toward the admin offices. To the students rushing past with their bags and laptops, he was just another scholarship kid doing his morning shift. No one knew the truth.His phone vibrated in his pocket. He checked the screen quickly. The Dean’s secure line. “Routine meeting in my office. Ten minutes. Board questions coming in.”Leo’s face stayed calm as he finished the section and stored the cart. He walked toward the admin wing like any student called in for a talk. The Dean knew the truth...he had installed the man himself after firing Arthur. But the rest of the university still saw Leo as the janitor.The Dean’s office door was slightly open. Leo knocked once and stepped inside. The Dean, a middle-aged man with neat

  • 140: The Final Choice

    Leo pushed open the side door of the old engineering annex at exactly midnight. The building smelled of dust and old metal. He kept his steps careful, limping slightly from the wounds that still ached with every movement. He wore the same plain gray hoodie and jeans he always used when he needed to blend in as just another tired 300-level student. No one would look twice.He stopped in the open space near the center and waited. Rosa’s voice came through the secure comms in his ear. “I’m watching the feeds. You’re clear for now. Be careful.”Leo nodded once, even though she couldn’t see him. “I will.”Sebastian’s voice joined the line a moment later. “I’m monitoring from here too. If anything looks off, we pull you out. The Dean is standing by if you need him to move on the audit files.”Leo kept his voice low. “Good. Stay ready. This guy might have real information.”Footsteps echoed from the far end of the annex. Harlan stepped out from the shadows, the same mid-level admin from the

  • 139: The Photo in the Locker

    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

  • 138: The Dean

    “Morning, Leo. You look like you barely slept.”The security guard leaned against the wall near the maintenance room, coffee in hand, giving him a friendly nod. Leo pushed his cart out and returned the nod with a tired smile. “Yeah, late night studying. You know how it is.”He started his early shift in the main academic block, the wheels of the cart squeaking softly as he moved down the hallway. The familiar routine helped steady him. Mop in hand, he worked the floors with steady strokes, but his mind stayed sharp on the bigger problems. The audit was still hanging over everything, and the Dean’s last message burned in his thoughts. He needed to act without stepping too far out of his cover.Halfway through the east wing, he stopped near a quiet utility closet. He checked that no one was around, then pulled out his phone and sent a secure drop to the Dean. “Shield Elena’s file and the athletes first. Make it look like routine paperwork errors. Slow everything else down. No open moves

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