Chapter 24: The Disrupted Lesson
The following morning began like the others — quiet, calculated, a soft mist hanging over the mountain air ducts that vented steam from deep within the academy walls.
The students filed in slowly, still carrying the weight of yesterday's confessions. Some avoided eye contact. Others looked stronger, lighter, as if the act of naming what they wanted had made them more real.
I stood near the wide window overlooking the lower cliffside. The valley below stretched like a secret painting. I could almost believe the world was at peace.
But peace never lasts.
The classroom lights flickered.
Not an outage. A pulse.
Then a sound. Sharp. Metallic.
I turned.
The classroom door burst open — not with force, but with authority.
A woman stepped inside. Early forties. Pinstripe coat. Platinum badge clipped to her belt.
Behind her, two armed men in unmarked grey suits scanned the room. Their fingers were too close to their triggers.
The students froze.
She looked at me.
"Tony," she said. Not a question. A statement.
I didn't respond.
"Your presence here is in violation of multiple containment agreements. You're not registered under any educational body. And your identification protocols came back… nonexistent."
Tamir muttered, "Is that a government agent?"
She turned to the students. "Leave. Now."
I stepped forward.
"They stay."
She blinked. "You're going to challenge federal authority?"
"I've challenged kings. You're not that impressive."
One of the guards twitched. The other's jaw clenched.
She sighed and pulled a folded file from her coat.
"This is about a favor you granted seventeen years ago. A man named Carson Vilt broke six global accords using tech you helped him stabilize. He killed over ninety-seven people before his facility was wiped off the map."
The students stared.
I stayed calm.
"Carson paid his debt," I said. "He spun the Wheel. He burned alive from the inside. Took nine hours."
The woman paused. Just long enough to believe me.
"You're still under observation. As are these students. From now on, your lessons will be monitored."
I tilted my head. "You're making a mistake."
"No," she said. "You made it first."
With that, she left. The door slammed behind her like a verdict.
The room was quiet.
Emel raised a hand.
"Was that real?"
"Yes," I said.
Juno asked, "Are we in danger?"
"You were always in danger," I said. "Now it just has a name."
Haruto stood. "Do we continue?"
I looked around at all of them.
"Yes," I said. "But from now on, understand this — the world doesn't fear your minds. It fears what you'll do once you start asking the right questions."
They nodded.
And we returned to our lesson.
To be continued in Chapter 25.