Page 149 of Devil's Bargain

Ben crosses his arms. “Yes, excellent plan. We’re all just chilling outside the security guard’s office. It doesn’t look suspicious at all!”

“In front of the security camera,” Josh quips behind Matt’s jeans-clad legs.

I glance up at the camera mounted on the wall. “No one checks it unless there’s an incident.”

“Like this one,” Josh replies, wiggling the hairpin in the lock.

“Oh, shut up!” I hiss. “There won’t be an incident unless someone finds out.”

The lock clicks open. We all usher inside apart from Dallas, who’s on lookout duty.

“Right, how does this work?” I ask, eyeing the numerous screens and buttons as Ben takes a seat.

“Easy!” he says, his eyes intent on the screen in front of him. “We click out of here and search for the date.” He types it in.

“What are you doing?” Josh asks behind me.

Ben’s eyebrows are furrowed in concentration. “These are time stamps. I’m looking for the right one. There!” He points. “That’s the one.” He clicks on it.

“That’s him!” Matt growls, pointing to Scott on the screen.

Scott converses with Ben and April before April follows him. They take a left down the next corridor and disappear out of view.

“Shit!” Ben curses, trying to figure out what to click on next. “How many cameras does this school have?”

Steph checks her phone. “Spongebob says the guard is still in the cafeteria.”

“He better fucking be!” Ben grumbles, clicking out of another video.

“There!” Josh shouts, pointing. “That’s them.”

They’re walking down an empty corridor. Scott is tense. Nothing looks amiss until he grabs her arm and brings his face close to hers.

Ben pauses the video. His jaw ticks. “There’s no way he’s just her teacher!”

“Shit!” Matt growls, leaning in closer, his hands on the desk, his face close to the screen. “Press play!”

Ben resumes the video. Scott says something to her before dragging her by her upper arm into the classroom.

“Fast forward.” Matt’s eyes are intent on the screen. “There!”

Scott leaves the classroom, and as he does, he adjusts his tie and runs a hand through his hair. It takes another ten minutes before April exits the room, clutching her midriff and limping.

Steph and I exchange a look before a soft knock on the door tells us it’s time to bolt.

“Fuck!” Ben clicks out of the video, and then we hurry the fuck out of there. It’s not until we are around the corner that Ben explodes. Literally!

“HE FUCKING HIT HER IN THERE!”

Matt grips his shoulders. “Calm the fuck down!”

“The fuck I can!” He shoves Matt off and storms away, leaving us to stare after him before scurrying into action.

* * *

Rick

Scott points to me. “Quarterback here got them all right. In fact, he’s the only one who did. Can you come up here and demonstrate on the whiteboard how you came to the conclusions.”

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