Aurora High felt darker that late afternoon. Shadows stretched along the hallways and staircases, and every sound echoed like a warning. Rafa, Isa, and Lucas gathered in the study room, examining everything they had collected since the murders. The atmosphere was tense, and at first, no one spoke much.
— We need to organize the traces, — Isa said, opening the notebook filled with records of the deaths, times, and mysterious symbols. — The black car, the locations, the schedules… it all points to someone who knows the school inside out.
Rafa bit her lip, thoughtful. — And my brother… he always shows up at the right moments, knows too much about what happened, yet his explanations sound plausible. It's impossible to ignore.
Lucas nodded.
— Yes. But we also have Claws's grandfather and Marta. The grandfather knows too much about the gangs and pulls the strings, and Marta… well, she's always with the vice principal and keeps turning up in suspicious places.
Rafa closed her eyes for a moment.
— So we have three suspects: my brother, Marta, and the grandfather. And any of them could be hiding something crucial.
Claws, sitting at the edge of the table, watched in silence. He knew his grandfather controlled more than he let on, but something in Rafa's brother's behavior sparked an unease he couldn't shake.
---
Later, Isa and Lucas decided to follow a lead about the black car to the city's abandoned warehouses. Strangely, Marta also showed up there. She walked quickly, glancing over her shoulder as if someone were watching.
— Why is she here? — Lucas whispered.
— I don't know, — Isa replied. — But everything about her is suspicious. She always seems to know too much or be present without explanation.
They stayed hidden, watching the warehouse entrance. Marta went in but came out only a few minutes later, carrying a small bag. What was inside? They didn't know, but the scene only deepened their doubts.
— We need to find out what she's carrying, — Lucas said. — If it's just books, fine. But if it's something else…
---
Meanwhile, Rafa returned home, but she couldn't relax. Her mind swirled with questions about her brother. She remembered how he always disappeared, even if only for short trips. And now, with the murders happening, every little detail seemed suspicious.
— Brother… — she murmured to herself — what are you hiding?
There was no answer, only silence and a chilling sense of danger that made her skin crawl.
---
Claws, on the other hand, went once again to his grandfather's mansion. Antônio was waiting with a serious face, but sharp eyes, weighing every word.
— Claws, — the old man said — you're beginning to understand how the world works in the shadows. Gangs, politics, deaths… everything is connected. But this isn't the time to act on impulse.
— So you know who's behind this? — Claws asked, trying not to show his nerves.
— I know enough to keep you alive, — the grandfather replied. — But it's not just about surviving, it's about learning to control what you can. Your friends, your school, your city… it's all interlinked.
Claws swallowed hard. He knew he had to trust his grandfather, but every word carried layers of manipulation he couldn't ignore.
---
Back at school, the group pressed on with their investigation. Rafa and Isa analyzed her brother's schedules, while Lucas cross-referenced the black car with gang records.
— He always disappears at critical times, — Rafa said, frowning. — But every time we try to confront him, he comes up with convincing explanations.
— And Marta keeps showing up, — Isa added. — She's always in the right places, but we never know what she's actually doing there.
Lucas looked out the window. A black car drove slowly past, almost imperceptible, as if watching their every move.
— That car is like a shadow, — Lucas said. — Someone's monitoring everything we do.
Rafa took a deep breath, clenching her fists.
— Then we can't afford mistakes. We need to put all the pieces together before another death happens.
Claws stood up, looking at them all.
— I agree. But we need to protect ourselves, too. Gangs, killers, manipulators… everything around us is ready to strike. We can't underestimate anyone.
---
As the group planned their next steps, Rafa's brother moved silently, observing them from a distance. Every step was calculated, every gesture designed to avoid suspicion. Marta was also there, either confused or manipulating—no one could tell. And Claws's grandfather remained in his palace of power, ever watchful, always pulling the strings.
The city was quiet, but the sense that something was about to explode grew stronger by the minute. The black car vanished into the darkness, but the presence of danger remained—like a constant shadow over Aurora High.