Jovic didn't move.
He stared at the blinking red light like it might blink back. A cold sweat ran down his back. His thoughts raced — who put it there? How long had it been there? Had it always been watching?
Dora's voice echoed from the bathroom.
"Babe, you good?"
"Yeah," he called, but it came out thin.
He grabbed a chair, climbed up to inspect the device. Small. Wireless. No logo. No wires. Clean install. Pro work. Not a prank.
His stomach twisted.
Dora stepped out, toweling off her face. "What are you—?"
Jovic held up a finger. "Shh. We're being watched."
Her eyes locked on the blinking light. Her smirk vanished. "You're kidding."
"I wish."
She didn't speak again. Just stood there, frozen, processing.
Jovic pulled the camera from the wall with a snap, then crushed it underfoot. The plastic cracked loudly.
"I need to call Jace," he muttered.
---
Elsewhere in East Haven's science wing…
Lena sat beside Jace, both staring at the laptop screen. The files had only gotten darker—records of other students who'd vanished or "transferred." Patterns. Names. Timelines.
They didn't make sense. Not unless someone at the top was coordinating them.
Then Lena's phone buzzed.
Jovic: "We just found a hidden camera in my dorm. It was recording. We're not safe."
She showed Jace the screen.
"They're watching us," she said.
He nodded slowly.
"And if we're right… they've been watching all along."