"What about the locker setup? Was that Brett's idea?"
Marina nodded. "Troy suggested it. Brett executed it. Kyle was the lookout. Mason..." She looked down. "Mason knew about it, but didn't participate. He told me after."
"And he still won't come forward?"
Marina looked away. "He's afraid of Brett. We all are."
Amaya felt a flicker of frustration. "Why? What does Brett have on everyone?"
"It's not what he has on us. It's what his family can do. Mayor Carson has fired people for crossing him before—teachers, police officers, city workers. No one wants to be next."
That evening, Amaya worked late into the night compiling their evidence into a more coherent narrative. The surveillance footage, the testimonies from Lexi and Marina, Mr. Daniels's videos—it was building into something substantial.
When she finally went to bed, Amaya felt a sense of progress. The tide was beginning to turn.
The breakthrough came unexpectedly. Kevin Wells, a quiet junior known for his computer skills, approached Amaya after chemistry class. "I heard you're gathering evidence against Brett," he said, his voice low. "I might have something you'd be interested in."
Amaya regarded him warily. "What kind of something?"
"A private chat, Signal app. Brett and his friends, plus some other elite students. They call it the Legacy Group."
"How do you know about it?"
Kevin looked embarrassed. "I... uh... may have found a way to access Troy's phone remotely when he asked me to fix his laptop. He wasn't exactly careful with his passwords."
"Is that legal?"
"Technically, no. But neither is what they did to you."
Amaya considered this. "What's in this chat?"
"Everything. Videos of hazing rituals. Screenshots of test answers they've stolen. Plans for parties where they spike drinks and..." Kevin hesitated. "Conversations about you before and after the hair incident."
Amaya's heart raced. "Can I show you—can I see?"
Kevin nodded. "Not here. Meet me at the public library after school, computer lab."