Tom, Gabriel, and Hart had gathered at the base, the heavy weight of the situation pressing down on all of them.
"I just don't get it," Tom said, frustration clear in his voice. "How did he die?"
The room fell silent. Gabriel and Hart exchanged a glance—one that spoke volumes. There was something more beneath the surface, but neither of them seemed willing to say it aloud.
Tom's patience ran thin. "Say something. What's with that look?"
Once again, Gabriel and Hart exchanged a quiet, loaded glance before Gabriel finally spoke. His voice was calm, almost too calm.
"Tom, I need you to calm down and think carefully. Where were you—"
"Hold it." Tom's chest tightened as his mind raced. "Don't tell me you two suspect me to be the murderer."
Hart quickly cut in. "That's not what we're saying, Tom."
"Then what are you saying?" Tom snapped, standing to his feet. The words spilled out before he could stop them, fueled by the mix of frustration and hurt. He took a few deep breaths, steadying himself. "I won't get mad. I get it. I understand why you'd suspect me. But I've been with Mia ever since things went south that night, and so have you two. I don't need to prove myself to you guys. Think whatever you want, but we didn't come here to point fingers. We came here to find a solution to our problems."
He sat back down, his words lingering in the air. Gabriel and Hart looked down, the weight of guilt settling in. They knew they had overstepped, but neither of them could deny the pressure they were under.
Tom's voice softened, though still filled with urgency. "Gorge has given us permission to carry out a biopsy on Andrew and see what we can find. Whenever you two are ready, let me know, and we'll head to the station."
He shook his head slightly, frustration and resolve fighting for dominance in his mind.
"We're sorry, Tom," Gabriel said, his voice sincere. "We shouldn't have suspected you of killing Andrew."
"It's fine," Tom said, his voice softer now, but still with an edge. "I too would have done the same thing. But that aside, let's go to the station. Gorge's expecting us."
The trio stood, gathering their things to head out when the landline rang. Tom picked up the receiver, recognizing the number. It was Gorge. He immediately put the phone on speaker so Hart and Gabriel could hear as well.
"What's up?" Tom asked, his tone more serious now.
"Andrew was definitely not the mastermind," Gorge said, urgency clear in his voice. "There have been countless brutal killings since the night of Andrew's arrest. They're spreading fast through all of Melbourne. We need to do something before this gets completely out of hand."
Tom's stomach dropped. The reality of the situation was far worse than they had imagined.
"This is worse than we thought," Hart muttered, his voice strained.
Gabriel was the first to respond, his voice filled with resolve. "I think it's time we get the government—which is me—and the political body involved. And if things get completely out of control, we'll need to involve the King. This is no longer personal, and it's definitely not something the cops can handle on their own. We need military backup and every bit of help we can get."
Tom paused, his mind running through the options. The weight of Gabriel's words hung heavily in the air. Finally, Tom spoke, his voice calm but firm. "Gorge, we're coming to meet you."
With that, he ended the call.
"Hart," Tom said, turning to face him. "Make an announcement. Get everyone to work—immediately. They need to research Andrew's life history, dig up anything that might be useful. Have them go through the recent and past deaths, try to link them all together to see what we're dealing with. I want every angle covered."
Hart nodded, already moving to carry out the orders.
"And Mr. President," Tom continued, turning to Gabriel. "You need to make an announcement. This is escalating fast. The public needs to know what's going on, and we need their support."
Tom looked at both of them, waiting for their approval before heading out. Hart gave a quick nod and set to work, while Gabriel pulled out his phone, already dialing for a Cabinet meeting.
Tom turned, the heavy weight of what was ahead hanging over him. The clock was ticking, and the danger was growing by the hour.
*****
Lunch was in full swing at Angels High's café, and the sound of chatter and clinking trays filled the air. At a corner table, Diego leaned in toward Adrien, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"So, how long have you liked Mia for?" Diego asked, a smirk playing on his lips.
Adrien froze for a moment, his face reddening slightly. "From the very first day she joined our school," he replied, voice quiet but honest.
Diego raised an eyebrow. "Everyone has a thing for her, and I just don't get it."
Adrien's gaze shifted, scanning the room to make sure no one was eavesdropping. His voice dropped lower. "Keep it down. No one's supposed to know I like her—especially not my father. It'll definitely get to him."
Diego shrugged, offering a teasing smile. "Sure, I won't tell anyone. And I think this conversation ends here, 'cause your father needs you." He pointed subtly toward a teacher approaching their table.
Adrien groaned under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "(sighs) What does he want now?"
Caleb, the teacher, stopped beside their table. He leaned in close to Adrien, speaking in a low whisper. "Your father sent for you. Henry's waiting for you outside."
Adrien sighed again, pushing his plate aside. "I'll get going now," he muttered, giving Diego a quick nod. "Talk later."
Adrien stood up and began walking out of the cafeteria, Caleb following closely behind. As they moved toward the exit, their path took them past Mia's table. Adrien's eyes met Mia's, and he offered a friendly smile. Mia held his gaze for a moment, her cheeks flushing slightly, before she looked away.
"Oh my, you've got a new lover," Hazel teased with a mischievous grin as she noticed Adrien leaving the cafeteria.
Mia immediately blushed, shaking her head. "Can't you ever be serious, Hazel?"
"I am being serious! Looks like his dad sent for him again," Hazel said, still watching Adrien closely as he walked out.
"Sent for him? How do you know that, and what do you mean?" Mia asked, surprised by the sudden bit of information.
Hazel lowered her voice a little, leaning in to explain. "Once in a while, his bodyguards escort him out of school during school hours. They always say it's because his father sent for him. I don't really know who his father is, but… everyone's afraid of him."
"Bodyguards?" Mia repeated, now more intrigued than before.
"Yeah, it's a little odd, but some of the staff here aren't actually staff—they're just his bodyguards," Hazel continued, shrugging.
Mia blinked, her curiosity piqued. "Now I'm so interested in him. Why does he need secret bodyguards?"
Hazel smiled knowingly. "Probably the same reason the Williams and Hart families need bodyguards. They're not your average families, you know?"
Mia sighed and shook her head. "Whatever. Will you be going to Jack's hearing this Friday?" she asked, trying to shift the conversation back to something more immediate.
"Definitely. You?" Hazel asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah," Mia replied.
Hazel then looked over toward Shawn's table, two tables to the right of theirs, and said, "Looks like Shawn and Jaden are friends again."
Mia followed her gaze, a small frown forming. "It's a good thing," she said, though her tone was a little distant.
"You two also need to sort things out," Hazel added, nudging Mia with her elbow.
Mia sighed. "He doesn't want to speak with me, and neither do I."
Hazel rolled her eyes. "You both need to grow up."
Mia scoffed, crossing her arms. "He's the one being childish."
Just as Mia finished speaking, the school bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Hazel grinned at Mia, clearly not finished with their conversation but knowing they had to head to class.
"We'll discuss this later. Let's get to class," Mia said, standing up and heading toward the door with Hazel following beside her.
"Wait, I just remembered something!" Hazel suddenly said, raising her voice a bit louder than usual.
"What?" Mia asked, a bit startled by the sudden outburst.
"I forgot to do my homework," Hazel admitted sheepishly, her face showing her usual mischievous expression.
Mia sighed and shook her head in exasperation. "Seriously? I thought it was something important."
"I know, I know," Hazel said, grinning. "But let me copy yours."
"Really, Hazel?" Mia asked, glancing at her in disbelief but still continuing to walk.
"Please? I'll owe you one!" Hazel said, practically running up to Mia.
Mia rolled her eyes and smiled. "Sure, whatever," she said, passing Hazel her notebook with a resigned sigh.
The two girls walked off toward class, the usual banter flowing easily between them as they made their way through the busy halls.