Chapter 3 - The Board of Shadows
The library plunged into complete darkness as the overhead lights were cut from the main breaker.
Caleb grabbed Malik and Chloe, pulling them behind a massive row of historical encyclopedias.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the corridor outside, followed by the jangling of master keys.
"They are going to expel us, or worse," Malik whispered, his voice trembling in the pitch black.
Caleb noticed the faint red glow of an emergency exit sign located near the back fire escape.
"Follow me, and stay low," Caleb instructed, leading them crawling across the carpeted floor.
They reached the heavy metal fire door just as the main library entrance swung open.
Three security guards swept the room with high-powered flashlights, searching every aisle.
Caleb pushed the fire bar, praying the alarm had been disabled along with the lights.
The door opened silently, allowing the three teenagers to slip out into the cold evening air.
They sprinted across the athletic fields until they reached the safety of the nearby woods.
"Harrison is not just a rogue teacher," Chloe panted, leaning against a large oak tree.
"You do not get that kind of surveillance technology without serious funding and administration approval."
Caleb realized they were fighting a massive, coordinated conspiracy that likely included the principal.
They decided to follow Mr. Harrison after school the next day to find physical proof of his corruption.
Caleb borrowed his father's old, offline camcorder to avoid any digital network interference.
They tracked Harrison's luxury sedan to an expensive, secluded diner on the edge of town.
Looking through the diner window, they saw Harrison sitting in a private booth with a wealthy local politician.
Caleb recorded the interaction as the politician handed Harrison a thick manila envelope stuffed with hundred-dollar bills.
Harrison smiled, pulled out a red pen, and visibly changed a failing grade on a midterm exam right on the table.
"We have him," Caleb whispered, his heart pounding with victorious adrenaline.
"This is the hard proof we need to take to the state police."
Suddenly, Caleb's phone began to vibrate violently in his pocket.
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He looked down at the caller identification and felt his blood turn completely to ice.
The incoming call was coming directly from Mr. Harrison's personal cell phone.
