Chapter 12 - The Trap Springs
Harrison didn't even turn around as the heavy metal door groaned behind them. He simply stared down at the glowing laptop screen, a faint, condescending smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"I knew you boys and girls were resourceful," Harrison said smoothly, his voice echoing off the concrete walls of the abandoned mill. "But walking right into an unsecured location based on an anonymous text? I expected better operational security from our top students."
Leo stepped out from behind a concrete support pillar, putting himself between Harrison and Sofia. "Where is the rest of the file, Harrison? The game is over. We know about the embezzlement ring."
Harrison finally turned around, his tailored suit looking absurdly out of place in the derelict warehouse. He chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"Embezzlement? Such a crude, unsophisticated word, Leo," Harrison said, taking a slow step toward them. "Call it what it is—redistribution of resources to maintain institutional excellence. Do you have any idea how much funding this district loses every year because of bureaucratic red tape?"
"By hitting students and letting your son cheat?" Sofia shouted, stepping out from the shadows, her voice ringing with pure fury as she gripped the tire iron tightly. "You're criminals hiding behind school board badges!"
Before Harrison could reply, the heavy metal door behind them slammed shut with a thunderous crash.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the darkness surrounding the perimeter. Flashlights snapped on simultaneously from four different directions, blinding them with harsh white beams of light.
From the shadows stepped Miller the custodian, flanked by two burly men in plain clothes wearing county security jackets.
"Nice try, kids," Miller grunted, tossing a heavy brass padlock into the palm of his hand. "The gates are locked. Nobody's leaving until we secure that USB drive you brought with you."
Leo reached instinctively for his pocket where the silver drive rested, but Harrison raised a single finger, stopping him before he could move.
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"Don't do anything foolish, Leo," Harrison warned softly, his tone hardening into pure ice. "Hand over the drive voluntarily, and perhaps we can discuss keeping this off your permanent academic records."
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