Chapter 10: When Bloodlines Speak
The school assembly wasn't on the timetable.
No announcement was made.
But by 10:30 AM, every learner had been told through whispers, DMs, and voice notes to report to the school hall. No excuses. No latecomers.
"Something's off," Lethabo muttered as he and Kgosi stepped through the crowd. "Principal doesn't do pop-up assemblies."
Kgosi's eyes scanned the learners. Security guards stood at the exits. Mr. Mokoena stood near the stage, hands behind his back like a prison warden. The air felt tight, like a bottle ready to burst.
Naledi slipped in behind them. "I tapped into the school PA system. They're going to use it as a cover. They want to humiliate you. Or worse."
Kgosi clenched his fist. "Let them try."
---
On the Stage
Principal Mokoena took the mic, dressed sharp in a navy blazer. His voice echoed through the speakers.
"Good morning, learners. Today's assembly is about discipline and integrity — values that make our school proud."
Lies.
Kgosi saw through every word.
Mokoena glanced toward Kgosi, then back to the audience.
"But it has come to my attention," he said slowly, "that some learners have been bringing outside conflicts into this school. Breaking our code. Threatening lives."
Gasps.
Eyes turned toward Kgosi.
"This school does not belong to criminals. And it never will."
---
Suddenly
The lights flickered.
A loud pop! hit the speakers.
Everyone flinched.
Then—Naledi's voice, sharp and clear, broke through the sound system:
> "Since when does a school cover for murderers?"
> "Since when does a principal work with syndicates?"
> "Here's the truth."
A slideshow appeared on the white screen behind Mokoena.
Picture 1: Bra T-Man at a Red Wire meeting.
Picture 2: Mr. Mokoena signing an agreement with someone blacked out.
Picture 3: CCTV stills of Mokoena meeting with thugs behind the school lab.
Screams.
Chaos.
"Turn it off!" Mokoena barked.
But it was too late.
The truth was out.
---
The Hall Erupts
Students shouted. Some cheered. Others panicked. Security tried to block exits but were overwhelmed.
Kgosi used the distraction to grab the mic.
"You want the truth?" he shouted. "My name is Kgosi Thabang Matlala. My father built Red Wire not for drugs, but to protect this community!"
"Your principal is the one who sold him out! And now he's trying to silence me because I know what he did!"
Suddenly—Bang!
A gunshot echoed in the hall.
Everyone ducked.
Mokoena wasn't holding the gun…
Radebe was.
---
Face to Face
"Give me the flash drive," Radebe said coldly, gun pointed at Kgosi.
Lethabo moved in front of him. "Bro, don't—"
BANG!
Lethabo dropped to his knees.
Screaming.
Kgosi caught him as he fell, clutching his shoulder. Blood poured out, but he was breathing.
"You shot him!" Naledi cried.
"You left me no choice," Radebe said, voice trembling. "I warned you not to dig."
Mokoena pulled Radebe aside. "Fool! I told you not to fire inside the school!"
Police sirens blared in the distance.
Too late.
Naledi had already sent the files to the press.
---
The Aftermath – Rooftop
Kgosi, Naledi, and Lethabo sat on the rooftop as paramedics treated him.
Police arrested Mokoena and Radebe in full view of the school.
"You okay, bro?" Kgosi asked Lethabo.
Lethabo grinned weakly. "Still got one arm to slap you with."
They laughed.
But inside, Kgosi was shaken.
He looked at the flash drive in his hand.
The same one that started it all.
His father's voice echoed in his mind:
> "Bloodlines are not just about family… they're about who bleeds for you when it counts."
Kgosi stood.
He wasn't just a learner anymore.
He was his father's son.
And the war wasn't over.