The Nameless Commander

Chapter 7: The Sister’s Bully

The ivory towers of Riverdale University stood as a testament to the city’s intellectual vanity—tall, cold, and meticulously preserved. For Mia, walking through the arched stone gates felt like stepping back into a dream that had turned into a nightmare. She clutched her textbooks, the overcoat Leo had given her feeling like a suit of armor against the judgmental glares of her peers.

She hadn't reached the Registrar’s office when she was blocked.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in from the gutters."

Mia stopped. Standing in the center of the quad was Sabrina Sterling, a mirror image of her brother Gillian, possessing the same sharp, arrogant features. Surrounding her was a clique of sycophants, their designer bags forming a wall of privilege.

"Sabrina," Mia said, holding her ground. "I’m just here to re-enroll. My brother—"

"Your brother is a thug who belongs in a cage, just like your father," Sabrina interrupted. "Did you really think you could crawl back? This is an institution for the elite, Mia. Not a halfway house for the sisters of criminals."

"I have the credits. I have the right to be here," Mia countered.

Sabrina laughed, a sharp sound that drew a crowd. "Rights are for people who can afford them. Stains get scrubbed out."

As if on cue, a man in a charcoal suit emerged from the Administration building. It was Dean Halloway, whose career was built on Sterling family "grants." He adjusted his glasses, looking at Mia with clinical distaste.

"Miss Greg," Halloway said. "In light of your family’s public situation, the Board has decided your presence is a liability. Your enrollment is officially revoked for tarnishing the moral standing of the university."

"You can't do that!" Mia cried, the indignation rising. "I haven't done anything wrong!"

"The decision is final," Halloway said. "Security is on their way."

Sabrina smirked, leaning in to whisper. "Go back to the slums, Mia. Maybe you can find a job as a footstool there too."

The crowd snickered, recording the humiliation. Mia felt the suffocating pressure returning. Then, the roar of a high-performance engine echoed across the quad. A matte-black sedan pulled onto the grass, ignoring the signs. Leo stepped out, wearing a navy-blue suit that fitted him with lethal elegance.

He walked straight to Mia, scouring her for any sign of harm. "Did they touch you?"

"No, but they’re expelling me. The Dean says I’m a liability."

Leo turned to Halloway. The Dean felt his knees tremble. He knew who this man was, but he relied on "Academic Independence" for protection. "Mr. Leo, this is a private institution. You have no authority here."

"Policy is dictated by the owners, Dean," Leo said. He pulled a folded paper from his jacket, forcing Halloway to take it like a servant. 

"What is this?" Halloway asked, his hands shaking.

"A donation receipt," Leo replied. "And a deed of endowment."

Halloway’s eyes scanned the numbers. "One hundred million dollars? A total endowment of the University’s debt to the... Ghost Foundation?"

"The University was three hundred million in the red thanks to Marcus Sterling’s embezzlement," Leo said, his voice projecting across the quad. "As of ten minutes ago, the Ghost Foundation has cleared that debt. The Board has dissolved itself and appointed me as sole Chancellor."

Leo stepped toward Halloway, the pressure of his presence making the Dean stumble. "Which means I am now your employer. I find your 'policy' a violation of the school’s charter."

"Leo, please," Halloway gasped. "I was just following the Sterlings'—"

"You were following the money," Leo corrected. "And now the money has changed hands. You’re fired, Halloway. You have twenty minutes to vacate. If you leave so much as a paperclip, I’ll have the Iron Hounds audit your accounts."

Halloway didn't wait. He sprinted toward the building, dignity left in the dirt.

The quad was silent. Sabrina Sterling stood frozen, her bravado replaced by primal fear. "You can't do this," she whispered.

"Your brother is currently being fitted for a jumpsuit," Leo said, his eyes laden with dark intentions. "And as for you... you seem to have a lot of opinions on who needs to be 'scrubbed out.'"

Leo looked at a discarded soda can near Sabrina’s designer shoes. "The University is under new management. The first policy is 'Character Rehabilitation.' Since you are concerned with reputation, you will spend the next thirty days ensuring the school is spotless."

Wills appeared from the car with a box of high-visibility vests and mops. "Wills, assign them their sectors," Leo commanded.

"With pleasure," Wills grinned, tossing a vest at Sabrina. "Miss Sterling, you’ve been assigned to the East Wing restrooms. I hear the freshman dorms are... atmospheric."

"I am not cleaning toilets!" Sabrina shrieked.

"Then you are expelled," Leo said, his voice a cold wall. "And since your family’s assets are frozen, no other school will take a 'liability' like you. The mop, or the street."

Sabrina looked at the vest, then at the watching students. With trembling hands, she picked it up.

Leo turned back to Mia, his expression softening. "Go finish your registration, Mia. From now on, the only person you answer to is yourself."

Mia looked at her brother, seeing the Rubik's cube of his life clicking into place. "Thank you, Leo."

As Mia walked toward the building, Leo felt a buzz in his pocket. A message from Mrs. Flora: ‘The top of the Tower. Seven PM. Don't be late, Chancellor.’

Leo looked at Wills. "Keep an eye on the 'janitorial staff.' No missing spots."

"Trust me, Leo," Wills said. "I know where every speck of dust lives."

Leo stepped into the sedan. The Silent Shareholder had cleared the path, but the night was coming. The Ghost Protocol was nearing its climax, and in Riverdale, the ghosts were finally coming home.