Chapter 15 - The Rooftop
Ethan did not go alone.
He showed the message to Pike, Laura, and Maya's father immediately.
But Maya was not answering her phone.
School security searched classrooms while police were called.
Then Ethan remembered the old greenhouse stairwell.
"He uses the roof."
Thomas Bennett grabbed his arm. "You stay here."
"He said Maya."
"And that's exactly why you stay here."
Ethan nodded.
Then he slipped out when everyone turned toward the security radio.
He knew it was stupid.
He knew every adult had told him not to do exactly this.
But fear was faster than logic.
He ran up the west stairwell.
The rooftop door stood open.
Wind tore across the old greenhouse terrace.
Mason was there.
Maya was not.
Ethan stopped.
"Where is she?"
Mason laughed.
"She never came."
Ethan's stomach dropped.
"You lied."
"Finally caught up."
Mason's hair whipped across his forehead. He looked less polished than usual. Angry. Cornered.
"Give me the files."
"I don't have them."
"Your teacher does. Your lawyer does. Bennett does. Everybody has something now because of you."
"Because of what you did."
Mason stepped forward.
"You think you're some hero? You think those people care about you? They care because my last name makes a good story."
Ethan kept his hands visible.
His phone was in his jacket pocket, recording.
"Why did you take my dad's drive?"
Mason blinked.
"What?"
"The drive from Maya's laptop."
A smile returned.
"Blake gave it to my dad."
Ethan's pulse hammered.
"So your dad has it."
"Had it."
"What does that mean?"
Mason shrugged. "He smashed it."
Rage flashed through Ethan so fast he almost moved.
He forced himself still.
"You burned the trash bin too?"
"Blake panicked."
"Because Ben had the video?"
Mason stepped closer.
"You should have taken the deal, Cole. Remote school. Free tuition. Quiet life."
"And let you keep hurting people?"
"People get hurt."
"You mean people you hurt."
Mason's face hardened.
"You have no idea what it's like to have everyone waiting for you to fail."
Ethan almost laughed.
"You're complaining to the kid you shoved into lockers because your family owns buildings?"
Mason grabbed his blazer.
"Stop talking."
Ethan's voice stayed low.
"Your dad told you to scare me, didn't he?"
Mason froze.
That was answer enough.
Then the rooftop door opened behind them.
Ms. Ruiz stepped out.
"Let him go, Mason."
Mason spun.
His grip tightened.
"You should have stayed fired."
"I wasn't fired."
"You will be."
"Maybe. Let him go anyway."
Mason shoved Ethan backward.
Ethan stumbled, caught himself, and his phone slipped from his pocket.
It hit the concrete.
The recording screen was visible.
May you like
Mason saw it.
And all the color left his face.
