Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Aili’s POV
“We just found our starting point.”
Nick’s voice was calm, steady — the kind of calm that meant his mind was already racing ahead, putting pieces together.
My eyes were still locked on the paper in my hands.
The list of names felt heavier than it should have.
Lian.
Marcus.
Three other students I vaguely recognized.
And Samantha.
I swallowed hard and slowly lifted my gaze.
She looked pale.
Not fainting pale.
Scared pale.
The kind of pale you get when reality suddenly shifts under your feet.
“You went there,” I repeated softly.
Samantha nodded once.
“Yes.”
Her voice came out small — quieter than I’d ever heard it.
Lisa leaned forward immediately.
“When?” she asked.
“Last week,” Samantha said. “Thursday afternoon.”
My stomach tightened.
That was only five days ago.
Too recent.
Too close.
Maya crossed her arms, her expression serious.
“What did you go for?”
Samantha hesitated.
Then sighed.
“My mom signed me up,” she admitted. “She said it was for stress management. You know… breathing exercises, wellness therapy, relaxation stuff.”
She gave a weak shrug.
“I thought it was harmless.”
Ethan nodded slowly, like he had expected that answer.
“That’s exactly how they presented it at my old school too,” he said.
Nick’s jaw tightened slightly.
“They?” he repeated.
Ethan met his gaze calmly.
“The people running the program.”
The tension between them flickered again — subtle but unmistakable.
Not anger.
Not hostility.
Just a quiet measuring of each other.
I cleared my throat quickly.
Focus.
Mystery first.
Drama later.
“Did anything strange happen while you were there?” I asked Samantha gently.
She thought for a moment, her brows knitting together.
Then her expression shifted.
Confusion.
Uncertainty.
“Actually…” she said slowly. “Yes.”
Every muscle in my body tensed.
“What?” I asked.
Her voice dropped slightly.
“They made us drink something.”
Silence fell instantly.
Nick’s eyes sharpened.
“What kind of something?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “They called it a ‘herbal calming tonic.’ Said it would help with anxiety and focus.”
Lisa frowned.
“That sounds suspicious already.”
Samantha nodded.
“It tasted weird,” she continued. “Not bad exactly. Just… bitter.”
My pulse picked up.
“And after that?” Maya asked.
Samantha hesitated again.
Then she spoke.
“I felt… really tired.”
A chill crawled up my spine.
“How tired?” I asked.
Her eyes flicked toward me.
“Like I could barely keep my eyes open,” she said. “They told us to lie down on these mats and relax.”
Nick leaned forward slightly.
“And did you fall asleep?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
The word hung in the air like a warning.
Ethan spoke next, his voice quiet but firm.
“That’s when it happens.”
We all turned toward him.
“What happens?” I asked.
His expression grew serious.
“They don’t just make you sleep,” he said. “They do something while you’re unconscious.”
My heart started pounding.
“What kind of something?” Lisa asked.
Ethan shook his head slightly.
“I don’t know exactly,” he admitted. “But every student who fainted at my old school had gone through that same session first.”
The cafeteria noise around us felt distant now — like we were standing in the middle of a storm while everyone else carried on normally.
Nick exhaled slowly.
“Okay,” he said. “So we have a pattern.”
He held up one finger.
“Students attend the wellness session.”
Another finger.
“They drink the tonic.”
Another.
“They fall asleep.”
Then he looked directly at me.
“And days later, they collapse.”
My chest tightened.
It made sense.
Too much sense.
Maya nodded grimly.
“That’s not stress management,” she said.
“No,” I agreed quietly.
“That’s something else.”
Lisa leaned forward.
“Question,” she said.
We all looked at her.
“How many students go there every week?”
The realization hit me instantly.
More students.
More potential victims.
More danger.
Samantha answered softly.
“About fifteen per session.”
My stomach dropped.
Fifteen.
Nick ran a hand through his hair, frustration flashing across his face.
“That’s a lot of people at risk.”
Ethan nodded.
“And if this spreads…”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
He didn’t need to.
We all understood.
I took a slow breath, forcing my thoughts into order.
Detective mode.
Step by step.
“We need more information,” I said.
Nick nodded immediately.
“Agreed.”
Maya added, “We need records.”
Lisa snapped her fingers.
“And access to that place.”
Samantha’s eyes widened slightly.
“You mean… go there?”
I met her gaze.
“Yes.”
Silence settled over the table.
Then Ethan spoke.
“I can get us in.”
Every head turned toward him.
“How?” Nick asked carefully.
Ethan shrugged slightly.
“They’re always recruiting new students,” he said. “I still have my referral paperwork from my old school.”
He reached into his backpack and pulled out a folded brochure.
Bright colors.
Smiling faces.
Big bold letters across the front:
Sherfield Wellness Center — Helping Students Thrive
My stomach twisted.
It looked so normal.
So harmless.
So fake.
Lisa leaned closer to read it.
“Wow,” she said. “They really went all out with the marketing.”
Maya pointed to a section on the page.
“Look,” she said.
We all leaned in.
There was a list of services.
Stress Relief Therapy.
Focus Enhancement Sessions.
Mindfulness Training.
Emotional Balance Programs.
Nick frowned.
“This feels too polished,” he muttered.
Ethan nodded.
“Exactly.”
I traced my finger along the page slowly.
Then something caught my eye.
A small line of text at the bottom.
Tiny.
Almost hidden.
My breath caught.
“Guys,” I whispered.
They all looked at me.
“What?” Samantha asked.
I pointed to the line.
Nick leaned closer.
Then his expression darkened instantly.
“What does it say?” Lisa asked.
Nick read it aloud quietly.
“Participants must sign a medical consent form allowing supervised treatment procedures.”
A chill ran down my spine.
Medical procedures.
For stress management?
That didn’t make sense.
Maya’s voice turned sharp.
“That’s not normal.”
“No,” I agreed.
“Not even a little.”
Nick looked at me again.
That familiar protective intensity filled his eyes.
“You sure you want to do this?” he asked softly.
The question wasn’t doubt.
It was concern.
Real concern.
Warmth spread through my chest.
“Yes,” I said firmly.
Before he could respond, Ethan spoke.
“I’ll sign us up.”
Nick’s gaze snapped toward him instantly.
A flicker of tension flashed between them.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
Ethan met his eyes calmly.
“We need answers,” he said.
Nick held his stare for a moment.
Then nodded once.
“Fine.”
The word came out tight.
Controlled.
I noticed it.
So did Lisa.
Her lips twitched slightly — amused.
Oh great.
She was definitely going to tease me later.
I pushed the thought aside.
Focus.
Mystery.
Danger.
“We go together,” I said.
“No splitting up.”
Samantha nodded immediately.
“Agreed.”
Maya added, “Safety in numbers.”
Nick looked at me again.
“I’ll stay close,” he said quietly.
The words sent a small flutter through my chest.
Before I could respond, the bell rang loudly across the cafeteria.
The sharp sound snapped us back into reality.
Students began moving again, chatter rising, trays clattering.
Life continuing.
Normal.
But nothing felt normal anymore.
As we gathered our bags, a strange unease settled in my stomach.
Something was wrong.
Not just suspicious wrong.
Dangerous wrong.
And then—
I noticed it.
Across the cafeteria.
Near the exit.
A woman stood watching us.
Not a teacher.
Not a student.
An adult.
Dressed in a crisp navy suit.
Perfect posture.
Still.
Silent.
Her eyes were fixed directly on our table.
Cold.
Unblinking.
Observing.
My breath caught.
“Nick,” I whispered.
He followed my gaze instantly.
His expression hardened.
“Yeah,” he murmured.
“You see her too?”
I nodded slowly.
The woman didn’t move.
Didn’t look away.
Just kept staring.
Watching.
Studying us.