Chapter 10 - The Midnight Summons
Leo stared at the vibrating phone as if it were a venomous snake ready to strike. The screen glowed an eerie, clinical blue in the dark kitchen.
"Don't answer it," Sofia whispered, her hand instinctively catching his arm. "It could be Harrison, or worse. They know where you live, Leo."
"If they wanted to hurt us, they wouldn't have left an invitation," Leo said, his jaw setting with stubborn resolve. He reached out, swiped the screen, and pressed the phone to his ear without turning on the speaker.
"Hello?" Leo said, his voice steady.
For a long moment, there was only static and the sound of heavy, rhythmic breathing on the other end of the line. Then, a distorted, synthesized voice spoke directly into his ear.
"The file on that drive contains the financial ledgers for the entire district athletic fund, not just classroom surveillance," the automated voice said, clipped and precise. "Mrs. Gable isn't just covering for her son's grades. She's laundering the booster club donations to pay off the board members who keep her in power."
Leo exchanged a stunned look with Sofia, who was straining to hear every word bleeding through the phone's earpiece.
"Who is this?" Leo demanded into the receiver. "Why are you telling us this?"
"Because you broke the camera, Miller," the voice replied. "You cracked the foundation. If you want the complete, unedited video of today's incident—and the proof that will tear down the entire administration—be at the abandoned warehouse at 742 Elm Street by midnight. Come alone."
The line went dead with a sharp click, leaving only the hum of the dead connection.
Leo pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at the blank screen before dropping it onto the counter.
"Did you hear that?" Sofia asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "It's not just about cheating. It's an embezzlement ring."
"It's a setup," Leo said immediately, shaking his head. "Nobody leaves a trail like that out in the open unless they want us to walk right into an ambush."
"Or," Sofia countered, her voice dropping to a fierce, determined whisper, "it's our only chance to get the evidence before Harrison purges the entire system by morning. If we walk away now, Mrs. Gable wins, and tomorrow she does it again to someone else."
Leo looked at her, seeing the lingering bruise on her hand under the dim light of his flashlight. He knew she was right. There was no going back to normal after today.
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"Pack your backpack," Leo said grimly, slipping the silver USB drive into his pocket. "We're going to Elm Street."
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