Other students on the balcony started to scramble away from the imminent danger, henceforth aiding me in my getaway. If they had any self-preservation, they’d sit still. Or maybe not. Guilt by association was a thing. I honestly didn’t spare them much thought, just like I hadn’t even considered the lives these bodyguards – which they would likely be forfeiting due to their failure to intercept my projectile.

In all honesty, it would even be a deserved punishment. They should have stopped the unknown object. It was slow. It might have been a grenade. It could have been something toxic. In any case, I hoped the arrogant git would recklessly squander the advantages he’d been given. The fewer capable arms this twat had, the better were my chances of survival.

Jumping down the stairs, I dashed around the tables and benches.

“You. Come here. Clean me,” the scion’s low rasp cut through the noise of a crowd. A quick glance over my shoulder revealed the spectator chose an unconventional way to go about it.

For fuck’s sake. Why must he counter everything I do with such ease? Darn aristocrats. I should have launched a stone. That at least would have left a lasting reminder.

Bigger problems. Gaining. Concentrate.

Two juggernauts kept up fine, even after clambering up and down the stairs. Kalantan army was no joke. They didn’t even bother shooting at me! That probably would still count for a blatant murder, I suppose. Hard to claim self-defence against a runner. Perhaps they needed a specific kill order? Or maybe the command was to catch me alive? I’d rather not.

The pace was about to induce a cardiac arrest. In a stroke of genius, my exhausted brain steered the legs towards my old dorm. A most daring idea – to use this threat to fend off the other. After all, I doubted the small-time thugs would bother jostling a professional army just for me.

I had no alternatives anyhow. The only chance I had of losing my pursuit was darting into any building and hoping for a miracle.

“Last… time… I… do… some… thing… this… stu… pid,” I muttered with each stomp. This just wasn’t healthy. I needed to either drastically improve my speed, or remain in the shadows. Latter was preferable. By far.

Barely avoiding an outstretched armoured glove, I slammed the main entrance closed and flew upstairs. This bought me exactly three seconds. Just enough time to disappear into my former room.

Exactly as I’d guessed, the hinges of public property were no match for men forged in fire. They chewed through the meaningless barricade like it was a kiddy fence.

It was enough. I had disappeared into my former room before they reached the corridor of a myriad skinny doors.

Finally. A true chance to breathe. I bent over, labouring to catch air. This was far from over, but I needed this. My sight was getting spotty and legs were shaking.

The ears were working fine, however. The heavy boots had correctly guessed the floor and were still hot on my trail. Did they have enhanced hearing, too? Particular devices? Or maybe my fingers dripped breadcrumbs at an inopportune turn?

Doors have begun flying off their hinges. One after the other. Being close to the stairs has suddenly turned into an unexpected peril.

I began frantically gathering up items. Normally, I would have just grabbed a packed-up emergency sachet and vaulted out the window, but trespassers have scattered the contents all over. What were they even hoping to find? I wouldn’t keep anything of importance in plain sight. Still, that hinted this was about something I possessed and the information was the only thing that fit.

They could have just bought it, the bastards.

I shoved Marta aside to step onto the bed and scoop up a hidden camera off the lamp.

Oh! That’s her name. Odd hiccup. I was normally so good with names. Much better than faces, in any case.

My feet touched the grass just as the door to my room exploded. Heard nothing but the stunned silence as I jogged off. A dead body wouldn’t surprise the worn-and-torn veterans, but their grotesque finding will surely raise some iffy questions. Especially with all the outraged commotion right behind them. They have been chasing someone – and now there’s another cadaver at their feet.

I felt an urge to cackle madly. I would absolutely love for Kalantans to take the blame!

But then their boss would get serious about smoking me out.

Even now, determined hounds jumped out the window – as gracefully as their bodysuits permitted – in an attempt to resume the chase. However, both ended up limping. I lost interest immediately after confirming their new status. Just two dead men. If not for the previously incurred offence, they’ll surely get shot like lame horses now.

Snuck back into the laundry and checked the recordings of a ceiling camera. Whatever the thugs used to block the local cameras thankfully did not affect this device. I hadn’t even considered the possibility before. That would have irredeemably muddled the waters.

In any case, I was glad to note it wasn’t a field of disturbance, even if a little disappointed too. I could have used both – that ground-breaking technology, and the information about it. And most importantly, not just me.

Which left me with the obvious explanation. They had bought off the security. Sure, it could have been a hack like my own, but even I merely intercepted and watched. Somebody deleted and masked very precise clips. That takes aptitude (monetary background) and administrative access (connections). Whoever was erasing the evidence, must have found my rerouted skimming and have witnessed me setting it up.

Unbeknownst to me, I have caught some very rich people compromising themselves.

Raktkalis? Except that he went straight to the mother lode and didn’t even seem to know what for.

My mind drifted off on a tangent. I absently browsed the cache of digital documents I had copied over from his account. Immediately, discrepancies stood out. He had a lot of attendants declared. I’ve seen just six, only five of whom were still living. How… peculiar. Somebody might certainly be interested in this, but that’s not something I’ve gotten from tapping into the campus network.

I browsed the dossiers of Kalantan muscle. All bald. Plenty of harsh, battle-scarred physiognomies. The common thugs that could disappear in a crowd had nothing on these fellows. It was somebody else. I had half of mind to go through everyone’s accompanying personnel, but faces were not my strong suit on the best of days.

Sighing, I cracked the sleek device open to reconnect the wires for networking. Instead of finding myself logged out and needing to borrow a brand new profile, I was faced with an open invitation to do my worst. Again. How tempting.

The unsightly image sadly has been taken down.

At the same time, I found a personalised message, too. Freshly posted not a minute ago.

“Did I stutter?”

How very foul. Insulting. Personal. He knew. He’s found out. And the bastard struck where it hurt most. Again. I was strongly inclined to simply turn off the phone, and let him get submerged in that pool of festering bodies. The lordling wouldn’t drown, but surely would suffer some repercussions. He’d deserve it.

Problem was, Raktkalis will drag me down alongside, and I wouldn’t ever resurface. I needed him to fix this. To bypass whoever that’s been doctoring the other files.

“Fuck you, fuck you!” I muttered, uploading the clip of the average blokes in casual clothes unzipping the travel bag and hoisting dead girl onto the messy bedding.

Posted the video as a fresh comment. Immediate watches. The social butterflies were eagerly circling overhead, waiting for juicy carrion.

This lesser house will have their hands full dealing with Raktkalis and the uncorrupted part of security for a little while. I could offer to sell whatever it was they wanted. Price, of course, being the safe passage out. However, take me out is exactly what they’d do. Bad plan.

For now I should finally simply rest. Important people would be busy for the next few days. Perhaps tempers would cool. After all, the elites were so fickle and bored easily.