"Not at all. Just an observation." The mayor leaned forward. "I'm here to offer a solution. The school is prepared to rescind Amaya's suspension. In return, we all agree to put this unfortunate incident behind us."
"And Brett faces no consequences?"
"My son has already been disciplined privately," the mayor said smoothly. "I assure you the message has been received."
Elijah studied the man across from him, recognizing the tactics. He'd seen similar approaches from corrupt officials in war zones, offering compromises that protected the powerful.
"I appreciate your visit," Elijah said carefully. "Pero I think you misunderstand the situation. This isn't going away with a handshake and a wink."
The mayor's facade of friendliness dropped. "Let me be clear, Walker. My family has been in this town for generations. We've built it, funded it, led it. You've been here what, a month? You don't want to make enemies here."
"I've faced worse enemies than small-town politicians," Elijah replied, standing. "Wenn I come for your son, Mayor Carson, I won't miss."
The mayor stood as well, his face flushed with anger. "That sounds remarkably like a threat, Commander."
"Just an observation," Elijah said, echoing the mayor's earlier words.
After the mayor left, Amaya emerged from the hallway where she'd been listening. "That was intense."
"That was informative," Elijah corrected. "Now we know they're worried, and we know how far they'll go to protect Brett."
"What do we do now?"
"We move forward with the plan. But carefully. The mayor just showed his hand. He'll use his influence to shut this down if he can."
The next day, Amaya's suspension was indeed rescinded, though no explanation was offered. She returned to school to find things had shifted slightly. Students watched her with a mixture of curiosity and newfound respect. The story of her confrontation with Brett and his friends had spread, growing with each telling.
During lunch, Grace slid into the seat across from her. "Everyone's talking about you standing up to Brett," she said. "It's kind of amazing."
"I haven't done anything yet," Amaya replied.
"Pero you will," Grace said with certainty. "And I want to help."
After school, Amaya met with Marina in the library. "I need to know everything you've heard," she said quietly. "Anything about Brett's plans? Anything about what they're saying about me?"
Marina glanced around nervously before speaking. "They're scared," she whispered. "Mason says Brett is worried about the notes. They don't know who sent them, or what evidence you have."