Liam gave a subtle nod, silently acknowledging the risky alliance he and Lane had stepped into.
"Did you see anything unusual around since morning?" he asked, his eyes scanning the school grounds.
Lane glanced around casually, voice even. "It's normal, like other days, Mr. Liam."
Liam hummed in response, the quiet sound heavy with thought. He didn't miss the careful way Lane answered.
Lane added, almost as an afterthought, "Today just one teacher joined, that's all the news."
Liam's gaze sharpened. He sensed there was more behind the casual remark.
"Okay," he said.
He moved his eyes to the sweepers and gardeners working busily. "But your school really likes to be clean around," he observed, his voice edged with curiosity.
Lane forced a smile, curling his upper lip.
"Umm, not every day."
Liam's eyes narrowed. He glanced around again... too many people were moving, cleaning.
"But I think today is a bit different. They are working too much."
Lane tried to brush it off. "Maybe the principal told them to clean because you are coming."
"What?" Liam snapped, caught off guard. He stiffened, eyes narrowing further.
Lane fumbled for words, clearly unsettled. "I think it is… and maybe the principal hired new staff too."
Liam took a deep breath, trying to steady the growing sense of unease. Something wasn't right. The way people glanced at them... the way the school suddenly felt too staged... put him on edge.
His gut tightened.
"I need to leave," he said suddenly, voice firm and low.
"Leave?" Lane echoed, nervousness creeping into his voice. "What happened, Mr. Liam?"
"Damn it, you should have stopped the principal about this. Don't you know how risky this is? What if it is something else?" Liam's voice was low but tense, frustration sharp in his tone. His jaw tightened as he shot Lane a hard glare.
Lane moved uncomfortably, his eyes narrowing as he replied, hesitant but defensive. "No way! If it is, then I have known it before, Mr. Liam."
"Shut up," Liam snapped under his breath, careful not to draw attention.
He stepped in closer, pointing a firm finger at Lane's chest. "Just remember to take the drugs from the case."
Lane gave a stiff nod.
His lips pressed into a tight line as the reality of their secret dealings pressed down on them both.
Meanwhile, on the second floor, Freddie, in his teacher disguise, stood at the front of the class. He blended in effortlessly, guiding the students through a puzzle exercise. But behind his calm demeanor, his mind was sharp, alert.
Through the window, he spotted two men walking along the street just outside the school gate. Something about them made his gut clench.
Freddie's eyes flicked from the classroom to the figures outside. He didn't react outwardly... just kept his voice steady as he addressed the students. But his focus moved.
From his vantage point, he noticed Mr. Lane with the man he had seen earlier... Liam, the same one who had come in with the principal. They moved close together, speaking in hushed tones. Too close. Too serious.
A cold wave of suspicion ran through Freddie.
'What are they doing?'
As Freddie continued watching from the second floor, his suspicions deepened. He saw the mysterious man point something at Mr. Lane. The tension between them was obvious, and Lane's nervous body language made Freddie's concern spike.
Without wasting a moment, Freddie reached into his coat pocket and clicked a small device, activating a covert communication line.
"Adam, can you hear me?" he whispered, eyes still fixed outside.
Downstairs, Adam, still in his sweeper disguise, touched the earpiece in his ear and froze mid-sweep.
"Yes, what happened?" he responded, alert.
"We need to know more about the man who donated money to this school," Freddie said in a hushed, urgent voice.
"I saw him walking with Mr. Lane," Adam confirmed.
"Yes, I'm watching them from here. Can you get closer? I need eyes on them now," Freddie instructed, his tone sharp but controlled.
"Okay!" Adam replied quickly, already on the move, pushing his broom along the corridor as he approached the area.
Back near the exchange site, Liam turned to Lane, his voice low but commanding. "You should go and clear everything right now."
"Yes, I'm going to the principal's room," Lane replied, glancing around warily as he started walking.
Liam moved off in the opposite direction, walking briskly through the hallway... only to accidentally bump into Adam, who had just rounded the corner.
Adam immediately dipped his head and lowered his cap. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't notice you were coming."
Liam gave a small wave of dismissal. "It's okay."
Without another word, he kept moving.
From a short distance away, Lane had seen the brief interaction and approached Adam with a lowered voice.
"Be careful, dude," he said, eyes narrowing slightly.
"I'm sorry, sir," Adam replied calmly, keeping his tone respectful and his expression neutral.
Lane studied him for a moment. Curiosity sparked in his eyes. "By the way, why are you guys here? Are you new? I didn't see you before."
Adam smiled wide, his expression relaxed and believable. "Actually, the principal hired me for today."
Lane nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer.
"So, is your work done?" he asked, the urgency creeping back into his voice.
"Yes!"
Still, curiosity tugged at him. He saw a chance to learn more about the mysterious man who had just handed over a large donation.
"But that man, does he donate money?"
Adam asked, trying to sound casual as he swept the floor.
Lane narrowed his eyes, immediately sensing Adam's eagerness. The question hit a nerve. Not wanting to come off as suspicious, Adam quickly shifted gears.
"Actually, the principal was saying a generous man would come and help the school," he added, letting a spark of fake excitement creep into his voice.
"It's so good that a man like him still exists in the world."
He kept sweeping as if nothing more was on his mind, but Lane's expression grew stiff. His arched brows and hard stare made it clear... he didn't like the conversation. Without a word, Lane turned and walked away.
Adam watched him go, unease rising in his gut. There was definitely something Lane wasn't saying.
Still holding the broom, Adam stood still for a moment, eyes tracking Lane as he headed for the principal's office. Then, slowly and quietly, he brought the small device to his mouth.
"Bro, I don't know about that man, but I somehow have a doubt about Lane," he whispered.
Freddie, listening from the classroom, said nothing. But his expression stiffened... his brows furrowed in thought as he pieced together what Adam had just told him.
Something didn't sit right.
Still, he turned back to the students and smiled.
"Okay, students, that will be your homework for tomorrow."
Elsewhere in the building, Liam wrapped up his conversation with the principal.
"Mr. Principal, I will come again. It's just... I got a call, and it's so urgent," Liam explained, his tone polite but firm.
The principal nodded with understanding.
"Okay, Mr. Liam. I would be honored if you came again," he replied warmly.
Liam gave a slight smile and shook hands with the principal and Lane. As he and the principal exited the room together, Lane stayed back, motioning that he'd join them shortly.
Outside, Liam and the principal strolled toward the school gate, chatting casually. But Liam's sharp eyes were far from relaxed. He glanced around the schoolyard and noticed the number of workers... too many for a regular school day.
Something felt off.
"Did you hire those workers today, sir?"
Liam asked, his voice calm, but his gaze sharp.
The principal hesitated for a moment, fully aware that the workers scattered around the school were actually undercover police officers. He masked his anxiety behind a tight, practiced smile.
"Ah… yes, as you are coming, so I thought it needed to be clean."
But his voice slightly strained.
Liam caught the tension in the principal's voice and the flicker of hesitation in his eyes. It was enough.
He had his answer.
His gaze dropped briefly to the ground. He took a slow, measured breath and scuffed some dust under his shoe... a quiet, symbolic gesture.
The lie was too neat.
His instincts, honed by years in the criminal world, confirmed it–the school was compromised.
Liam clasped his hands behind his back, hiding the tension and steadied himself. Then he looked up and gave a slight nod.
"So, I need to go, sir, and we will meet again," he said calmly.
He extended his hand. The principal took it, their handshake firm, layered with unspoken meaning.
Liam turned to leave.
But then...
"Stop right there."
The voice cut through the air like a blade. Liam froze mid-step, a sigh slipping from his lips. The weight of the moment pressed down hard. Slowly, he turned around, eyes narrowing as he faced the person.