Chapter 2 - Blind Feed
Arthur stared at the black monitor screen, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs as the hum of the server rack filled the quiet security office. He recognized that classroom immediately. It was Room 302, overseen by his estranged ex-wife, Evelyn Vance. For months, rumors had swirled through the faculty lounge about preferential grading, lost disciplinary reports, and institutional shielding of certain favored students, but Arthur had never possessed hard proof. Until now.
On screen, the video feed had completely cut out, leaving only a static timestamp ticking silently into the void. Arthur grabbed his desk phone, his fingers trembling slightly as he punched in the direct extension for the main administration office. He needed to report the hardware tampering immediately, but a deeper, darker instinct warned him to hold back. If Evelyn discovered someone was watching her classroom remotely, she would bury the evidence before he could even cross the hallway.
Back in Room 302, the atmosphere had shifted from tense defiance to sheer panic. Leo dropped heavily back to the floor, panting as he stared up at the mutilated camera angle. Mrs. Vance froze, her professional composure finally fracturing as she realized the lens was pointing dead at the ceiling tiles.
“What do you think you’ve accomplished, Leo?” Mrs. Vance asked, her voice dropping to a dangerous, icy whisper that terrified the surrounding students more than her shouting ever could.
Clara pulled her stinging hand into her lap, clutching her dark blue school blazer tightly around her chest as silent tears finally spilled over her cheeks. She knew Leo had tried to protect her, but she also knew the terrifying depth of the principal’s favoritism. Mrs. Vance’s son, Julian, sat smugly in the front row, his test paper completely blank except for his name, untouched by the red ink that marked every other student's failure.
Leo crossed his arms, standing his ground despite the cold sweat forming on the back of his neck. “I’ve accomplished making sure you can’t edit this tape later to frame us,” he retorted, though his voice lacked its initial fiery certainty.
Mrs. Vance slowly set the wooden pointer down on the edge of Clara’s desk, the hollow sound echoing like a gavel dropping in a courtroom. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a sleek smartphone, and tapped the screen twice before bringing it slowly to her ear.
“Security,” she said quietly into the phone, never breaking her chilling eye contact with Leo. “We have an unauthorized disturbance in Room 302. Send enforcement immediately.”
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Arthur heard the incoming call ring on his private console just as the door to his security room began to rattle.
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