Chapter 20 – Cracks and Conspiracy
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The lecture wrapped up earlier than Smith expected, the professor dismissing them with a curt nod amid the lingering buzz of phones and whispers. The room emptied slowly, students filing out in restless groups, many still glued to their screens, voices low but urgent as they discussed the scholarship suspension. The air felt thicker, charged with frustrations that hadn't been there at the start.
Smith gathered his things and made his way to the hallway, the noise trailing behind him like a buzzing, unwelcome mosquito. Conversations overlapped… snippets of "what now?" and "this is messed up"… as clusters formed near the door. He kept his head down, weaving through without drawing more eyes than necessary.
Not far from campus, Marcus sat alone in his car, parked along a quiet side street away from the main roads. The engine was off, the windows rolled down just enough to let in fresh air and the faint hum of distant traffic.
His phone rested in his hand, thumb hovering over the screen as he stared through the windshield at the university buildings rising in the distance.
His jaw tightened. After a beat, he pressed call.
The line connected on the second ring.
"This wasn't what we agreed on,"
Marcus said first, his voice low but edged. "The plan was to redistribute power, expose the corruption, weaken their hold… not drag innocent students into it."
A pause on the other end, then the calm, distorted voice replied. If Smith was around, he would have recognized it.
Marcus pushed on. "I did my part. Gave you access, the info, the document, the timing. But suspending scholarship? That hurts people who had nothing to do with this. Kids relying on that money to stay in school."
The voice remained steady. "You're too soft, Marcus. Small suffering for a greater future is inevitable. Sacrifices must be made if real change is to happen. They will enjoy the fruits of their sacrifices. If you can't accept that, perhaps you should step away entirely."
Marcus opened his mouth to respond, but the call ended with a click. The silence inside the car pressed in heavier than the words. He stared at the blank screen for a long moment, then slipped the phone into his pocket. Exhaling slowly, he opened the door and stepped out, the afternoon air cool against his skin.
Marcus walked back toward the university buildings, keeping to the less crowded paths. Students were gathered everywhere now… small knots in the quad, voices raised, phones out as they scrolled through updates. "How are we supposed to pay now?" one said. "This came out of nowhere. They should have issued a warning before suspending it." He kept his head down, moving through without stopping.
As he approached the humanities building, Smith exited the lecture hall, bag slung over his shoulder. Their eyes met.
Marcus forced a small, familiar smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Hey Smith. Lecture over already?"
Smith studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Ended early." He added casually, "Where'd you disappear to? Didn't see you in there."
Marcus shrugged it off, giving a vague wave. "Needed some air. Took a quick walk to clear my head."
Smith nodded, accepting it outwardly. "Makes sense. Campus is buzzing with the news anyway."
"Yeah, has your family called to say anything?" Marcus asked, as they fell into step together down the corridor. Smith observed him for a moment before his reply came. "Not yet. Maybe they will plan a meeting about it."
He hummed softly as they continued forward, talking normally about nothing much… a skipped class, a vague complaint about the board prep. But Smith noticed that Marcus had changed; he wasn't the freegoing person he once knew. There was tension in his shoulders, a tightness that hadn't been there before, and he kept scanning other students as if he was expecting something or someone.
He didn't push further. He couldn't complain when he was also changing lately. For now, Jenny felt like the only steady thing in either of their lives.
He continued watching him carefully as they walked, the doubt planted earlier growing a little deeper.
As they crossed the campus, the noise of angry students echoed around them. Smith glanced toward the crowd, then at Marcus before focusing ahead.
For the first time, a quiet thought crossed his mind: maybe the storm surrounding his family wasn't coming from outside alone. Maybe it was already closer than he realized. Smith's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen. The unknown number again. The message was short, cold, and unmistakable: "If you ever decide to play against the rules, more dominoes will fall. This was just a warning." He paused his steps for a moment, his grip tightening around his phone before resuming his walk.