Chapter 41 — The Truth Is Out There
Felix is in charge of the distraction. I didn’t even have to explain things to him. He agreed to cause a scene, drawing attention to the Happy Brew, and he didn’t even ask how or why. I just told him I was in trouble, and he agreed to help. I think I finally understand what family means, and I promise myself that if I make it out of this, I will give him the biggest hug.
It’s Sunday, so thankfully, there aren’t many people around Greywood High today. Plus, whatever Felix is doing must be working because we were able to get across town unseen. Unfortunately, more and more of Anthony’s henchmen are roaming around with every passing hour. Dorian and I are crouched by the school parking lot, surveying the entrance. We’re going to have to be quick about this.
Emily jogs over to us, squatting by our side.
“Okay, so apparently people work on Sundays, which is lame,” she reports.
“Emily, focus.”
“Right, sorry. I couldn’t scout the entire campus, but there are easily less than a dozen people around today. The good news is that only three of them seem like they don’t belong. There are two guys and a lady that I’ve seen around the Pack House before. Plus, they’ve got radios, which is super random and totally suspicious. I think they’re the ones sent by Anthony, so we’ll have to keep an eye out for them. The rest are just janitors, security officers, and such. Most of them are minding their own business. I don’t think they’re searching for you.”
“Whatever happens, protect the phone. If we lose the video, we lose our proof, and then we’re done for. Agreed?”
We all nod.
“Okay, then let’s do this.”
We bolt for the door, running as fast as our feet can carry us, and we don’t stop until we’re inside the building. The campus is eerily deserted, but we still have to be careful. Emily found the only unlocked entrance, but we’ll have to get across the school to reach the administrative office.
The three of us press our backs against the wall, checking each corner before bolding down the corridors.
“You know, if this wasn’t so scary, it would be kind of fun. I feel like a secret agent or a super spy or something,” Emily says, but a voice interrupts us before I can smile at her comment.
“Hello? Who’s there?”
Shit. I think it’s a security guard. We have to get past him to reach the office. Emily purses her lips together as though she could swallow back her words. But then, her eyes lock with mine, and she gives me a wistful smile.
No.
Before I can stop her, she rounds the corner and walks right up to the guard.
“Emily? What are you doing here?”
“Hey! Sorry, I was just looking for the bathroom,” she says, and I want to smack my face with my hand. If she’s going to get herself caught so we can get away, she could at least come up with a better excuse!
“The school is closed. You shouldn’t be here. I got a call on the radio a while ago. There’s something weird going on in town. Does your dad know your here?”
We can’t stick around to hear the rest of her terrible lies. Dorian and I have to go, so we start making our way down the hall as quietly as possible. I hold my breath as we move, trying not to make a sound. Emily is blabbering away, positioning herself so the guard’s back is facing us, and we can slip past him. I never thought I’d be this happy to hear her ramble.
Dorian and I are almost at the end of the hall when my shoe squeaks against the polished floor, and I wince at the giveaway sound. The guard whirls around to face us, and my heart drops.
“Hey! You two! What are you doing?! Get back here!”
“Valerie, run!” Emily cries, and I do. We race through the end of the corridor, my pulse pounding as loudly as our echoing footsteps. Behind me, I hear the security guard call for backup on his radio. If the three goons from before didn’t know we were here, they do now.
As we cross the main threshold into the administrative building, Dorian slams the door behind us. I skid to a stop when I see he’s not running anymore.
“What are you doing? We have to keep going!” I say, panting.
He’s pressed himself against the double doors, bracing them with his all might.
“I’m buying you some time. You have to send out the video. I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”
“Dorian, no—”
“We don’t have time for this. Just go!”
My heart cracks as I turn away from him and keep going. I can’t afford to stop or think or slow down, so I just keep running until I reach the administrative offices.
The computer takes ages to power on, and I’m breathing heavily, searching the drawers and desks for a cable. Once it’s running, I plug my phone into the desktop.
It was Dorian’s idea to use the school computer to send out a group email. Emily had managed to get the log in information from some of her mother’s old papers. The system was used to send out all sorts of emergency alerts and community notices, so once I’m in, I’ll be able to send the video to all of the contacts on file. Every student, teacher, parent, staff member, and volunteer will receive a copy of it. From there, it won’t be long before the news circulates the entire town.
There’s a banging noise behind me, followed by a clash and multiple footsteps. It seems backup has arrived, and the Alpha’s men are at my doorstep. I can only hope that Dorian will be able to hold them off long enough for the file to upload. Sweat drips down my forehead and into my eyes as I watch the progress bar with shaky hands. Time seems to slow down, and then the sounds coming from outside go quiet.
UPLOAD COMPLETE
I hear another door open somewhere off to the side, but I barely register it. I click send. A small notification pops up, and it feels like a victory bell. I let out a trembling breath, leaning on the counter as Dorian rounds the corner, looking more beat up than I’ve ever seen him. He’s bruised, bloodied, limping, and his clothes are torn. Our eyes meet, and even though he seems ready to collapse, he smiles.
We stand there for a moment, exhausted and relieved, too shocked and overwhelmed to say anything, but there’s nothing to say. All he has to do is look at me, and I feel as though he knows everything. He understands what we’ve just accomplished and what it costs us to get to this point. He knows what it means to me, and I can almost feel my father’s pride through the love in his eyes.
“It’s done,” I say.
I’m laughing and crying, and more than anything, I want to throw myself into his arms and embrace him. I don’t even realize we’re not alone until Dorian’s eyes widen in horror, fixating on something behind me.
“Valerie! Look out!”