Secret Connection
In the dimly lit principal's office, the atmosphere was as tense as a cloud hanging before a storm.
Mr. Wirya sat with a clenched jaw, his sharp gaze locked onto Mira, who stood rigidly in front of his desk. To his right, Mrs. Marni fidgeted, her fingers interlocked tightly as if trying to suppress her anxiety.
"Laura?" Mrs. Marni's voice broke the silence. "Are you sure about what you saw, Mira?"
Mira nodded firmly. "Yes, I'm a hundred percent sure, ma'am. I might've passed out, but before everything went dark, I clearly saw her face. It was Laura. She was the one who covered my mouth in the hotel restroom last night."
Mr. Wirya let out a loud snort, his hand slamming against the desk in fury. "So it was her—the one who's been daring enough to mess with our system all this time! Do you have any idea how many clients have complained about their belongings going missing lately? And now The Dark Game is tainted! I've lost a fortune! Foolish! I should've been cautious from the start. At first, I thought our girls were just too smart—unwilling to serve but eager to drain our customers' wealth. I even found it hard to believe that they were drugged! I thought it was just nonsense!"
Mira lowered her head, not daring to meet Mr. Wirya's burning gaze. Mrs. Marni tried to speak, her voice soft, attempting to defend herself before being blamed.
"Sir, I've searched everywhere for Laura. I went to her house, but it was empty. No signs of life there. I thought… I thought she must have left town or… maybe ended her life in some hidden place," Mrs. Marni whispered, her voice growing fainter.
Mr. Wirya responded with a sharp tone. "You thought? You thought?! That's the problem, Marni. You assume too much! And now look at what's happened. She's still alive and deceiving us! She's still in this city, wreaking havoc! Besides, if she really were dead, we would've heard about a body being found by now! Damn it! I never expected her to be this bold."
Mrs. Marni was frozen, her face turning pale. Mr. Wirya continued, his voice cold and echoing through the room. "You're responsible for this. Laura was the girl you brought in, the one you guaranteed as a valuable asset. And now, she's our biggest enemy. Couldn't you have picked a more ordinary student back then? There was Tania, Mira, Brenda, Meyshi! They were all ready to serve!"
"Sir, I really didn't know she was still here. She was chosen directly by our client—I couldn't refuse. He specifically wanted a virgin, and at the time, Laura was the only one who came to mind. I was only trying to preserve our organization," Mrs. Marni defended herself, her voice trembling. "If I had known this would happen, I would have…"
"Would have what?!" Mr. Wirya snapped. "Let her escape again? Let her destroy our organization even further? You need to understand, Marni, this isn't just about losing money or goods. Our reputation is at stake!"
Mrs. Marni fell silent, unable to find the right words. Mr. Wirya shifted his gaze to Mira. "And you. Do you have any idea where she is now?"
Mira shook her head slowly, her face filled with fear. "No, sir… I have no idea."
Mr. Wirya stood up, his large frame appearing even more intimidating in his rage. The air in the room seemed to hesitate before settling. "We don't have time for excuses! Find her, Marni, right now! I want her dragged here—dead or alive."
Mrs. Marni finally spoke again, her voice soft but filled with desperation. "Sir, maybe we could talk to Mr. Calvin. If Laura really was the one who acted last night, then he must have encountered her."
Mr. Wirya raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Calvin? Yeah, he was supposed to be with Mira last night."
The tension in the room slightly eased, but the fury on Mr. Wirya's face remained.
Mrs. Marni and Mira could only stare at the floor, hoping the intense moment would soon pass.
.
.
Despite the dark discussions behind the walls of Harrow Elite International High School, the daily academic activities remained as smooth as ever. The school's prestige and discipline were evident from the very first step inside its grand gates.
In the spacious computer lab, every student was engrossed in their screens. Calvin stood at the front of the room, exuding an undeniable charisma. His voice carried clearly as he assigned a task on computer network systems, explaining the steps in detail.
"Is everything clear? You may begin. Work carefully," Calvin instructed, sweeping his gaze across the room to ensure every student was paying attention.
Laura sat in the back corner, as usual, avoiding the spotlight. Her neatly braided hair swayed slightly as she adjusted her posture. With swift movements, she started working on her task, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. Her mind was focused, tuning out the clicking sounds and the soft hum of CPUs around her.
However, the once-quiet atmosphere suddenly shifted—at least for Laura.
Her concentration shattered, her brow furrowing as a small notification popped up in the corner of her screen. A private message.
It contained only one line:
[Hey, Laura… or should I say, Abby?]
Laura's heartbeat quickened. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. It didn't take long for her to figure out who sent it. Only one person knew about both Abby and Laura.
She slowly lifted her gaze, her eyes drifting to the front of the class. Calvin sat there, relaxed, and when their eyes met, he waved casually at her, a small smile playing on his lips.
Laura let out a soft scoff, quickly moving her cursor to reply.
[Don't play games, Mr. Calvin!]
A reply came almost instantly: a simple smiley emoji.
Laura typed again, this time with a more serious tone:
[You should be thinking of an excuse right now. They'll definitely be questioning you about last night's failed 'pleasurable' meeting.]
Calvin's response was quick:
[Relax, sweetheart. I've already planned for that.]
[Really? What's your plan?]
But before Calvin could type his answer, the computer lab door swung open. A staff member walked in with a stern expression. "Mr. Calvin, the Principal wants to see you in his office immediately."
"Alright, I'll be there shortly," Calvin replied, nodding politely.
But before leaving his seat, he quickly typed one last message to Laura:
[Meet me at your place after school.]
Zepp. The private chat window disappeared from Laura's screen as soon as she finished reading it, as if it had never existed.
Laura looked up with an unreadable expression, her eyes tracking Calvin as he walked out of the room.
Before closing the door, Calvin took one last glance at the students, all of whom were glued to their screens—except for Laura.
"Finish your assignments on time," he reminded them.
A chorus of "Yes, sir" followed.
Calvin stole one final glance at Laura and gave her a quick wink before disappearing behind the firmly shut door.
Laura turned back to her screen, the faintest hint of a smirk threatening to surface. Her fingers resumed typing, yet her thoughts remained tangled in Calvin's actions just moments ago.
.
.
At The Principal's Office...
The large room, scented with sandalwood, felt even smaller as Calvin stepped inside. Mr. Wirya, an older man dressed in a dark formal suit, greeted him with a composed expression.
Without being given a chance to speak first, Calvin slightly bowed and opened the conversation in a tone filled with regret.
"I sincerely apologize, Principal. Last night, I had to leave the hotel earlier due to an urgent matter. I didn't have the chance to attend the meeting."
Mr. Wirya narrowed his eyes, noticing something. He observed Calvin, who casually held his smartphone in his right hand—his valuables still intact.
Internally, Calvin smirked. His plan was going smoothly.
"So, nothing happened last night?" Mr. Wirya asked, half-investigating. Calvin responded with a slight shake of his head, displaying the perfect expression of innocence.
"Was there a problem, sir? Did I miss an important meeting?" He continued, slipping his smartphone into his trouser pocket with a deliberate motion.
Mr. Wirya let out a long sigh and shook his head. "Nothing important. It was just a routine meeting, as usual. But there is something else I need to discuss with you."
Calvin nodded and sat down in the chair across the desk. Deep down, he could already guess what the principal was about to ask of him.
Mr. Wirya opened a desk drawer and pulled out a yellow folder. He handed it to Calvin, who raised an eyebrow as he accepted it. Inside were documents and photos of a girl. Laura.
"I need you to help us find this student," Mr. Wirya said in a serious tone.
Calvin skimmed through the contents, then lifted his gaze toward the man. "Is this important, sir?" he asked, though a hidden rage was beginning to stir in his veins.
Mr. Wirya leaned back in his chair, exhaling again with authority. "Laura is an exceptional student, Mr. Calvin. She is the pride of this school. But ever since her mother passed away, she has disappeared without a trace. I'm concerned. That girl is all alone out there. It would be a shame for her education and future to go to waste."
The words sounded sincere, but Calvin knew better. Behind that concern lay a darker agenda.
Suppressing his growing fury, Calvin slowly nodded, forcing a thin smile that wasn't entirely genuine. "Understood, sir. I will try to help. Perhaps I can trace her whereabouts through digital records or people around her."
Mr. Wirya seemed relieved, but Calvin felt the turmoil within him intensifying. He knew this mission wasn't about care or education. Laura was in real danger, and he had to find a way to protect her.
Standing up, Calvin took the yellow folder with him. "I'll do my best, Mr. Wirya. You'll hear news about this student soon." His tone was flat as he turned and left the office.
His steps felt heavy as he walked toward the exit. His mind lingered on Laura—the girl who had fought alone against this organization. Calvin knew that no matter what, he had to make Laura 'disappear' from the world's eyes.
He had to find a way to make all the wolves in this place stop hunting her.
.
.
To be continued.