The rooftop door swung open with a loud bang. Yeager was the first to step out, his stride firm. Mick Hyuri and Sam Artur followed close behind. Ariana stopped at the threshold, quietly observing the scene.
Up on the rooftop, there was only Zevanya… and Fayo Nickle.
Fayo sat casually on the edge of the rooftop railing. Zevanya stood beside him, clearly uneasy. Her expression changed instantly when she saw Yeager arrive.
Fayo grinned. "Relax, bro. I was just having a chat with your sister," he said, teasingly. "She's cute—why wouldn't I?"
Yeager's jaw tightened as he glared at him. "Get down from there," he said coldly, his tone sharp and commanding.
Fayo raised an eyebrow, still smirking. "Didn't touch her. Chill out."
Zevanya quickly walked away from Fayo and went to Yeager's side. Her face clearly showed relief. "Big bro…"
Yeager stood between Fayo and Zevanya now, his eyes locked on Fayo's with quiet fury. Mick stepped in, placing a hand on Yeager's shoulder.
"Not worth it," Mick muttered. "Guys like him don't deserve the attention."
Fayo chuckled as he stood up. "Alright, I'm out. The vibe's too intense." He glanced over at Ariana still standing at the door. "Didn't expect you here."
After Fayo disappeared down the stairwell, the tension eased slightly.
Sam Artur tilted his head toward Ariana. "Hey… what are you doing up here? Kinda weird seeing you join this rooftop drama."
Ariana looked at him blankly, calm as ever. "I just wanted to see who's really stirring trouble."
Sam shrugged. "Okay, chill. Just didn't expect someone quiet like you to be part of all this."
Mick gave Sam a light nudge with his elbow. "Dude. Not the time."
Yeager turned to Zevanya. "Are you alright?"
Zevanya nodded slowly. "I thought he just wanted to talk… I didn't know it'd get weird."
Yeager gently ruffled her hair. "From now on, don't trust anyone so easily."
And together, they headed back down the stairs—unaware that someone was secretly snapping photos of them from a distance.
That night, the sky was dark and starless. The city had started to quiet down. Streetlights cast a dim yellow glow on the damp pavement. Yeager, dressed in a dark jacket and helmet, rode his Vespa through the back roads of the city.
He had only one destination—the private office of Judge Edrick Muro.
He parked his scooter a few blocks away from the old colonial-style building. The office looked deserted, with only one small light glowing on the second floor.
Yeager crept along the shadows beside the building. From his jacket pocket, he pulled out a small lock-picking tool. His hands moved with precision and caution. Within seconds, the back door clicked open.
"Alright… time to play," he whispered.
The interior of the office was lined with documents, filing cabinets, and an eerie sense of order. Yeager headed straight for the room marked "PRIVATE – Judge E. Muro" on the door. He slipped on black gloves and began opening the desk drawers one by one.
Legal documents. Case files. Then he found a black folder with small writing in the corner:
"CASE: JINNY BALDWIN – INTERNAL"
Yeager's brow furrowed. He carefully opened the folder. Inside were photos of Jinny, medical reports, and—most shocking of all—a copy of Fayo Nickle's arrest report that was never brought to trial.
"…Shut down before it even reached court? Because… of pressure?" Yeager muttered, his anger simmering.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside the room. Yeager quickly returned the folder to the drawer, slipping one key document into his jacket, then switched off his small flashlight.
The footsteps drew closer. The doorknob started to turn...
Yeager quickly planted a small voice recorder under the corner of the large wooden desk belonging to Edrick Muro. The device stuck firmly in place, nearly invisible, camouflaged with thin black tape.
Footsteps echoed closer outside the room.
The door handle began to turn slowly.
Without making a sound, Yeager rolled to the side and hid behind the heavy curtain near the bookshelf. He held his breath, heart pounding fast in his chest.
The door creaked open.
Someone entered. Leather shoes pressed softly into the old carpet, creating faint creaks.
Peeking slightly, Yeager spotted Edrick Muro himself stepping inside. The man removed his coat, hung it on a stand, and sat down in his chair with a tired sigh.
"That idiot Miguel... he's getting too aggressive," Edrick muttered to himself, opening a file from the drawer.
Yeager swallowed hard. The recorder would catch all of that loud and clear.
Suddenly, Edrick's phone rang. He answered, his voice low but firm.
"We need to speed things up. That boy—Yeager Phit—is getting too close to the truth. I don't care who we have to remove. Even Valerie, if necessary."
Yeager's eyes widened at the mention of his name. His fists clenched in his jacket pocket, resisting the urge to step out and confront him.
Not yet.
He needed more evidence.
As Edrick Muro shut the door and his footsteps faded, Yeager quickly slipped out from behind the curtain, alert and cautious. He glanced around the room, ensuring it was clear, then hurried toward the large desk where Edrick had been sitting.
On the desk sat a thick brown folder Edrick had previously opened. Swiftly, Yeager opened the folder and scanned through the documents—student profiles, OSIS activity fund logs, and what appeared to be private notes on the school investigation, some even written in code.
Among the papers, he spotted a loosely placed document that caught his eye. It was a confidential letter stamped "Internal." The title read:
"Evidence Disposal: Jinny Baldwin Case."
Yeager's eyes widened. He quickly pulled out his phone and snapped photos of the document, then carefully returned everything to how it was.
Before leaving, he checked the voice recorder bug he had planted under the desk. Through an app on his phone, he confirmed—it was active and recording.
Yeager turned and made his way to the side window. He unlatched it and climbed out, jumping down into a narrow alley beside the building.
As he landed quietly on the ground, he whispered to himself, "Your game is starting to unravel."
Same night, at the police station.
Yeager pushed open the glass door and stepped inside, slightly out of breath. Inside, David was sipping coffee casually while Darren scribbled notes on the investigation board.
Yeager dropped his phone on the desk, revealing a photo of the document he had stolen from Edrick Muro's office.
"I found this on Edrick's desk," he said. "Look closely. It's about evidence destruction… related to Jinny's case."
David squinted at the screen. Darren stepped closer. The tension in the room sharpened immediately.
"Where's Valerie?" Yeager asked.
David replied quickly, "She went to Patrick Baldwin's house. Said she found something off about his statements concerning Jinny."
Before Darren could say anything, the office door slammed open.
A man in a crisp black suit stepped in — Miguel. Cold. Commanding.
"You three really enjoy playing your own game, don't you?" he said calmly, but his voice was sharp.
His eyes locked onto Yeager. "You've gone too deep, kid."
Yeager stood straighter. "I just want to know who's really protecting Jinny's and Ms. Anne's killer."
Miguel walked slowly toward the investigation board, eyeing the photos pinned to it. He smirked faintly.
"You'd better be careful, Phit. The deeper you dig, the darker the hole gets."
Yeager's phone rang. He quickly stepped out of the room, answering the call while rushing toward the parking lot.
"Valerie, what's wrong?" he asked, tense.
On the other end, her breathing was shaky.
"I'm being chased! They're armed—they shot at my car!"
Yeager's expression hardened. "Where are you now?!"
"I'm on the main west road, near the small bridge!" she replied quickly.
Without wasting a second, Yeager jumped onto his Vespa, started the engine, and sped off into the night.
A few minutes later, at a red light, Yeager stopped briefly. Suddenly, a silver car sped past him—Valerie's car. Right behind it, a black vehicle was tailing her aggressively.
Yeager immediately twisted the throttle, racing up beside the pursuing car on the left. One hand on the handlebar, the other reached inside his jacket—pulling out a small handgun.
Eyes focused, he aimed at the rear right tire of the black car—then BANG!
The tire exploded. The loud pop startled the driver, and the car swerved, crashing into the sidewalk.
Without looking back, Yeager veered off, making sure Valerie was safe from a distance, then disappeared down a side street into the night.
At Septhen Palma's office, the room was silent, filled only with the faint hum of the air conditioner. Septhen sat behind his large mahogany desk, flipping through a stack of documents.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Zico Palma walked in without knocking, followed by Fayo Nickle, who was casually chewing gum.
Zico stood straight in front of his father's desk. "Tomorrow's the school basketball tournament. I want you to be there."
Septhen looked up, his gaze indifferent. "I'm busy."
Fayo chimed in, leaning against a bookshelf, "C'mon, sir. This is the championship game. Even the media's coming."
Zico added firmly, "Your presence will show everyone that the Palma family is still a name to respect."
Septhen took a long breath, then gave a slow nod. "Fine. But only for the first half. I've got meetings afterward."
Meanwhile, at the Manosel residence, dinner was served in the formal dining room. Ariana sat quietly, staring at her plate. Across from her, her mother gently stirred her soup. Her father, Victor Manosel, dressed in a half-unbuttoned blazer, scrolled through news on his tablet.
"How was school today?" her mother asked softly.
Ariana replied flatly, "Same as always."
Victor glanced at her. "I heard there was another fight this week. You weren't involved, were you?"
Ariana shook her head. "No. But I know who started it."
Her mother exchanged a worried glance with Victor. "We've told you before, Ariana—stay out of trouble."
Ariana nodded slightly, but in her mind, she replayed the image of Yeager, Zevanya, and the chaotic rooftop encounter
Meanwhile, at the central investigation office, the atmosphere was tense. Yeager walked in with Valerie, both of them still visibly shaken. David, who had his arms crossed, immediately stood up.
Darren tossed a file onto the table. "Where the hell have you two been?! Do you even know what time it is?!"
Valerie responded quickly, "I was being chased. Armed men shot at my car and tried to run me off the road."
David's expression tightened. "What? Who were they?"
Yeager nodded at Valerie, signaling her to sit down, then stepped closer to the table. "I tailed them. Got a shot at their tires, but they still managed to escape."
David sighed heavily and opened the file. His gaze shifted between Yeager, Valerie, and Darren. When he spoke, his tone was low, but firm:
"I'm now convinced… the culprit behind both cases—the murder of Ms. Anne and the disappearance of Jinny—is the same person."
Silence fell over the room.
Darren leaned back in his chair. "Who is it?"
David glanced at the investigation board on the wall, then looked back at them.
"This person has ties within the school… and they're not working alone."
Yeager narrowed his eyes. "What's the name?"
David answered coldly, "We're about to confirm it… but all evidence points to one prominent figure: Raon Muro."
Valerie's eyes widened. Darren clenched his jaw.
Yeager muttered, "And his father is… Judge Edrick Muro."
David took a deep breath, closed the folder in front of him, and looked at them seriously.
"I've spoken to the higher-ups," he said. "Tomorrow, we'll be working with the National Security Agency—NSA. They're taking over coordination of the investigation."
Yeager frowned. "The NSA? So now they're involved?"
David nodded. "Yeah. This is way beyond local police jurisdiction now. Too many powerful names, too many dirty hands involved. We can't rely on our system anymore."
Darren added with a hint of sarcasm, "Because the system itself is broken—and some of them are part of the mess."
Valerie leaned back in her chair. "So we'll be working under agents commanded by... General Miguel's father?"
"Exactly," David confirmed. "And we have to be careful. Every move we make will be watched. But it's also our shot—our chance to bring them down from the inside."
Yeager's eyes locked onto the board covered in photos, notes, and red strings slowly forming a pattern. "Then tomorrow, we dig deeper. And this time, no more secrets."
David placed the special investigation badge on the table. "Our team is now officially under NSA Taskforce 08. Everything changes starting now."
A dimly lit, high-security conference room. Multiple digital screens flicker with surveillance footage, data logs, and a photo of Yeager Phit, with detailed notes on his undercover mission at the school. Around a sleek oval table sit a group of elite agents and directors.
At the head of the table, Major Elric Donovan, head of NSA's Special Recruitment Division, stands and points at Yeager's profile on the screen.
"This kid isn't your average cop. We need someone like him—young, sharp, adaptable. He blends into any environment without detection. Look what he's achieved undercover."
Agent Clara Sun, a sharp-eyed analyst, taps on her tablet. "He cracked the diplomat's child murder case two years ago, and exposed an illegal trafficking ring involving high-ranking officials—all before he was even fully ranked in the police."
Another officer speaks up, "Let's pull him from police duty. Fast-track him into our field agent program. This case is bigger than one teacher's murder. We're looking at deep corruption, organized crime, and potentially national-level treason."
Elric looks around the room. "Do we all agree?"
Everyone nods.
He hits the intercom. "Prepare the extraction order. Yeager Phit needs to be briefed for NSA recruitment... before this whole thing explodes."
Major Elric Donovan stood and tapped the touchscreen embedded in the table. Three new profiles appeared on the screen beside Yeager's: Darren Cross, Valerie Sun, and David Garsen.
"If we're recruiting Yeager Phit," Elric said firmly, "we can't take him alone. He operates best as a team. These three—Valerie, Darren, and David—have been involved in every critical point of his undercover operations."
Clara Sun, a senior analyst, added as she scrolled through a tablet,
"Valerie — cyber forensics and intelligence analysis. Darren — former deep-cover agent, now a senior investigator. David — interrogation and field strategy expert with extensive connections in law enforcement."
Elric nodded. "They're a solid unit. Trying to replace any of them would be a mistake. Bring them in. We make them part of the NSA's Covert Operations Division."
Another agent asked, "What's the name of the unit?"
Elric gave a faint smile. "For now… let's call it Phantom Unit."
Cut to: Police Department
Yeager, Valerie, Darren, and David were deep in conversation when a uniformed officer stepped in, handing an official envelope to Darren.
Darren read through it quickly, his eyes widening. "NSA. They want all four of us."
Valerie raised an eyebrow. "So this isn't just about a school murder case anymore... We're stepping into something much bigger."
David gave a low whistle. "If the NSA's getting involved, then we've just stepped into a viper's nest."
Yeager looked at them, a small grin forming.
"Looks like we just leveled up."
Darren looked at the recruitment letter again and chuckled, shaking his head. "Finally… we're out of this damn bribery-infested cage."
Valerie leaned back in her chair, relief washing over her face. "God, we're finally out of this corrupt system. No more blindfolded superiors. No more reports disappearing into thin air. This... this is a real step forward."
David twirled a pen between his fingers and smirked. "I've been dying to say 'ciao' to this compromised setup. At least in NSA, we'll have real protection—and actual power to do something."
Yeager nodded with a satisfied grin. "And most importantly… we can expose everything without being silenced."
They exchanged glances—there was a spark of something new. A sense of freedom. And a massive mission still waiting.
Darren slapped the table lightly. "Alright then, tomorrow morning we make it official. But tonight... how about a small celebration? Drinks—light version."
Valerie smirked, "As long as you're not the one buying again, Yeag. You'll probably bump into Ariana at the store."
Yeager laughed, "I'm ordering online this time. Playing it safe."
David stood and raised his cup. "To a new future—without a rotten system, without bribery, and with bigger targets ahead."
They toasted with coffee and soda, that night, in the fading shadows of a place they were ready to leave behind.