51

Chapter 51: The Kidnapping Incident

Locke understood what was happening, but the others remained oblivious.

Morgan looked utterly perplexed. His expression betrayed a characteristic common among killers — an innate instinct to deceive.

Gwen sighed inwardly, suspecting a systemic error. She took it upon herself to explain to Morgan that as a student, especially at Midtown High School, one should be aware of certain unwritten rules.

Whether Morgan grasped any of this, Gwen couldn't be sure.

Shaking her head, Gwen murmured, "I've heard Cindy and her friend intend to teach Morgan a lesson, but hopefully, they won't go too far."

She was a student assistant, not a guardian. She couldn't monitor everything round the clock.

Bullying often occurred in school restrooms. It was impossible for Gwen to be stationed there after every class, especially since Midtown High School had more than one restroom.

"I hope they don't cross the line," Locke muttered, foreseeing potential complications.

Morgan Vasi, though not the brightest student, exhibited unmistakable traits of a trained operative or assassin, ingrained from a young age.

Lately, Locke had been mulling over the intel provided by the mysterious organization known as the Red Devils. During the apprehension of Victoria Knox, an agent had mysteriously vanished, reportedly falling into a river.

Though timelines differed, it seemed plausible that the missing agent might have faked their death and assumed a new identity, perhaps even enrolling in high school under false pretenses.

The notion seemed absurd to Locke, yet he couldn't shake the feeling.

Temporarily removing Victoria Knox from his blacklist, Locke snapped a photo of Morgan Vassey and sent it off.

The outcome was startlingly accurate.

Locke was at a loss for words. A defected SHIELD agent, evading capture and integrating into a quiet high school life, was a feat of extraordinary audacity.

It was incredible.

Connecting the dots left Locke speechless.

Yet, despite Morgan Vassey's apparent lack of common sense, his latent killer instincts remained intact.

If Cindy's retaliation escalated, whether she survived or not might hinge on Morgan Vassey's reaction.

If someone teased Locke too much, he wouldn't hesitate to show them the exit — a one-way ticket straight to hell.

As Locke drove onto the main road leading to school, he caught sight of a van at the end of the street. People were being forced inside before it sped away.

"Huh?"

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."

Locke glanced at Gwen, who seemed oblivious, and shook his head.

This was kidnapping.

Locke couldn't help but think the hooded figure thrown into the van moments ago was Morgan Vassey.

This had Cindy's retribution written all over it.

Cindy, with her soft blonde hair and affluent Wall Street executive parents, likely knew tricks beyond the reach of ordinary high school students.

Hopefully, Cindy wouldn't take things too far.

As these thoughts raced through Locke's mind, he drove onto the campus.

Regardless of how far Cindy went, it wasn't Locke's concern.

He distanced himself, preferring not to get involved.

It was best to let things play out.

With a defected SHIELD agent nearby, Locke couldn't shake a sense of unease.

Parking his car, stowing his belongings, Locke headed into the classroom.

"Hey, Gwen!"

"Morning, Betty."

"Locke."

"Hey, Flash."

After Locke and Gwen exchanged greetings with their classmates, Gwen set her things down. Just then, Cindy and her girlfriend in front of them began discussing Morgan again.

Glancing around the room, Gwen didn't spot Morgan. She patted Cindy on the back, and when Cindy turned, Gwen shook her head.

"Morgan's new here, Cindy. Don't go too hard on him."

Cindy shot Gwen an indignant look. "I asked the teacher. They said Morgan never changed his seat. Someone must've tampered with the system backstage last night — probably that Canadian troublemaker."

Gwen was at a loss for words. "Mind your language, Cindy."

Insulting someone like that wasn't appropriate, even if they were as clueless as a blonde beauty gossiping about trivial matters.

Cindy's friend chimed in, "Don't worry, Gwen. We just want Morgan to make a fool of himself at the prom. He'll be our prom mascot."

Intrigued, Gwen asked, "Prom is a formal event, not just any dance."

The friend smirked, "What if Kahn invites him?"

"What?" Cindy snapped. "She's after my boyfriend. I have to put an end to this, or I won't be able to show my face at school."

Every school had its legendary cliques.

Unfortunately, Cindy was a senior member of Midtown High School's Sisterhood.

Gwen sighed, rubbing her temples. "This isn't good."

After all, prom was meant to be remembered fondly in years to come.

Cindy shrugged. "It's this or let the Sisterhood handle it. It won't be as simple then. And don't worry, Gwen. My family has a team of lawyers."

Gwen couldn't help but interject, "That's your parents' lawyers, not yours."

Attempting to diffuse the tension, Gwen added, "Consider the consequences, Cindy. Without Morgan, would you have realized your feelings for Kahn?"

Cindy scoffed coldly.

Locke glanced at Kahn, seated a row behind him to the right, and exchanged a glance.

Kahn forced a smile.

It was clear.

Cindy was now his girlfriend, and Kahn found himself unable to refuse her demands.

He wanted to resist, disliking pranks and bullying on campus, but Cindy's displeasure made it clear — she suspected Kahn had feelings for Morgan.

What choice did Kahn have?

Locke couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

...