Chapter 25: Disciplinary Committee

Shreya, Anna, and Evelyn immediately shifted Zen to medical center. Thankfully, Zen was just fatigued and had some internal bleeding that was easy to heal. He just needed at most an hour before regaining consciousness.

"Alright girls, I will be leaving for now. Tell him to visit me as soon as he wakes up. He needs a lengthy lecture. And Evelyn, stop crying." Shreya said and left immediately.

Evelyn sniffled, managing to interject between sobs, "She should...sniff...try hiding her concern before giving me a lecture." Just moments ago, tears streamed down her face. Turning to Anna, she queried, "How are you so calm Anna?"

Anna shifted her gaze toward Zen, lying unconscious on the bed. Inhaling deeply, she replied, "It's not that I'm calm, Evelyn. I just don't know what to do. My brother...he's different. Since forever, he's been my protector. Dad was always working, and Mom, well, she's strict. Couldn't talk to her openly until I turned 13. It was always my brother who stood by me."

A single tear line traced down on Anna's face. She was trying her best to not cry. She cannot show vulnerability right now. She closed her eyes and continued,

"I still remember, once our parents had to be away overnight. We were just kids, 7 or 8, and I got hungry at night. I asked my brother, and he woke up at once and started preparing something to eat. He was just a child; how can he cook properly so the result was he burned his hands multiple times. But he didn't stop until I was satisfied and went back to sleep. Made me believe he could handle anything. He became the safe-haven for me whenever there is a problem. But…"

"But you never thought that Zen will need your help too, right?"

Anna nodded, her voice wavering, "Yeah. I guess I got too comfortable, forgot that my brother also needs support from those close to him."

"Well, Ann, didn't know you held me in such high regard." A rough voice reverberated. Evelyn and Anna looked at Zen who was now awake and looking at Anna smiling,

Evelyn didn't even think anything and jumped on the bed hugging Zen. She didn't say anything and just snuggled close to him, latching on to him like a koala.

Anna looked at him with her face changing like lights. First, she was relieved, then embarrassed and then her face showed anger.

"Since when were you awake, brother?" She asked with a face red with anger.

"Just as you started praising me, Ann."

"NO! Forget what I said." She was shivering. The thought of her brother listening to her praises irked her.

"Well, Ann. I also recorded everything since you conveniently left phone in my pocket."

"Stop that shit-eating grin. I hate youuuuu!" Ann shouted and ran away from the room.

"HAHAHA" Both Evelyn and Zen laughed at her antics.

Zen looked at Evelyn, her eyes swollen. She must be crying continuously. He held her cheek,

"I am sorry for worrying you. Wow! I am saying this a lot these days."

"Don't worry, it's alright." She replied. Right now, she just wanted to be with Zen. 

They were enjoying each others company, but the door opened, and a boy came inside,

"Mr. Ashford? You are required to stand before the disciplinary committee to answer for your crime," the stern-faced student declared, his tone laced with rudeness. "Come with me right now."

"Umm... you do understand that I am on a hospital bed, right? Secondly, why is a student coming on behalf of the disciplinary committee?" Zen questioned, trying to make sense of the situation.

"You don't need to ask these many questions. Come with me right now!" The student snapped angrily, grabbing Zen. Despite Evelyn's feeble attempt to resist, they were no match for the boy. About to employ her powers, Evelyn hesitated as Zen intervened. "Don't do it, we are at a hospital. Call my master and tell her everything." He said while getting dragged by the boy.

"I hope you know who you are messing with," Zen asserted, pulling his hands away. "I can walk by myself."

"We are disciplinary committee. Even if a professor is your master, they can't do shit in front of us."

"Yeah, yeah. Heard it hundreds of times." Zen replied and then quietly followed the boy.

They walked until they reached a big mansion. There were at least 10 students guarding the gate.

'Wasn't disciplinary committee made of professionals with legal tracks? Why are students here?'

"We got him. Inform Professor Santos and others. Today will be fun!" the boy announced with a grin.

'Professor Santos? That old dog showed his fangs already?' Zen mused.

Entering the mansion, they proceeded to a conference room. Zen was taken aback when he witnessed the scene inside. The committee members, around ten in number, were joined by a few students, all of whom were smoking pot. The room was thick with smoke, and amidst the haze, Zen spotted Benicio Santos.

"These are the members of the disciplinary committee? Now I know why they question Earth's inability to advance," Zen muttered in disdain.

"How dare you question us boy? Almost every disciplinary committee member is in inner ring. You have no right to ask anything. Santos was right! He is as impertinent as they get. Fucking commoner."

"Why are you wasting your time talking to him?" |WHIFF| Benicio opened his mouth. "Just announce his verdict and throw him out."

"Sure. Zen Ashford, you attempted to murder your senior and damaged the academy property. Finally, on account of you slandering a professor, the disciplinary committee has come to a verdict that you are not fit to attend this prestigious academy."

"Old dog, before announcing someone unfit, at least cough out the smoke."

The committee members were already high. Coupled with the provocations from Zen, they became really pissed,

"You sure have some guts, boy. How about you become my dog. I will feed you properly."

"It is you that have guts baldy!" A melodious but cold voice echoed.

"Now you're dead, old dog." Zen nonchalantly pushed the girl on the chair beside him, and she tumbled off in a daze from whatever she'd been indulging in. As Zen had promised, a murderous intent, enough to pierce a normal person, descended upon everyone present.

A figure walked in with glasses on her head. "Stupid disciple, I can't have a single night's sleep with you," she remarked, glancing at Zen briefly before shifting her attention to the others. "And you, who gave you the right to expel my disciple?"

Silence blanketed the room. It was the vice-director, for God's sake. How in the hell had Zen become her disciple?

"Vice-director, what's the meaning of this?" a loud voice interrupted as another figure entered.

"Hamid, if I were you, I'd lower my voice. Ask your subordinates what happened," Shreya replied without sparing Hamid a glance. Yes, this was Hamid, whom Zen had encountered at the academy gate on his first day..

Hamid scowled at Shreya's tone but signaled a man to explain the situation. After hearing the story, his scowl deepened. "I apologize for the misconduct on our side, Mr. Ashford," he said softly, "but the decision has nothing to do with the misconduct. Given the seriousness of the matter, you will be expelled."

"Watch it, Hamid." Shreya warned, standing beside Zen's chair.

Hamid didn't back down this time. He stood up, declaring, "You should watch it, vice-director. The disciplinary committee works independently, and we will do our job. Even if he's your disciple, he attempted to kill someone."

"Hooo!" Shreya waved her hand, and a luxurious chair materialized from the ground. She sat down, looking at Zen with smugness, showing off her chair. Zen just rolled his eyes in response. She turned towards Hamid, resting her head on one hand, she spoke, "Hmm... so what if he attempted to kill someone?" She asked Hamid.

"So what if he even kills someone? So what if he kills a professor or burns the whole academy down? Who the fuck has the guts to expel my disciple? Only I can torture him."

Everyone was astonished hearing this. 'Woman! Can you be a bit less shameless? And why do you want to torture me?' Zen was really frightened at her declaration.

Vice-director, that is hypo..." Hamid tried to say something but was cut off by Shreya.

"KNEEL!" She commanded and everyone in the room except Zen and Shreya fell to all fours because of the pressure Shreya emitted.

"I think I've been too lenient. I am a hypocrite, what can you do? You think you amount to anything? You pieces of shit do nothing but smoke all day, and you have the guts to go against me?

The pressure increased, and the bodies of the weaker ones began to crack. Zen watched in amazement. He was surprised to find that her master was a monster.

"Don't forget this for even a moment. This is my school. If I say something, that is the law. You wanna go cry to UHF? Go ahead, but remember who I am first. Understood?"

Seeing no one replying, she increased the pressure again and asked again,

"UN-DER-STOOD?"

"Y-Yes… p-please forgive u-us," stammered Hamid. The pain was too much, even for him.

"Good. And Santos, pack your bags. I want you and all the students present here out of the academy by tomorrow. Let's go, Zen." Shreya looked at Zen and led him outside. Zen now understood why Shreya was called a demon. He was the only one receiving special treatment.

"HAHA, master. You are a badass."

"Of course, I am. But there's something else you must do right now, don't you?" She squinted her eyes and then took out her phone.

"Yes, master. I think it's urgent." Zen took the phone and called his mother. Although he showed nothing on his face, he was restless inside. His mother finally picked up the phone.

"Mom, we need to talk."