Chapter 32

Dylan

“Where should we look first?” I turn to face Simon and King, who both have looks of determination on their faces.

“Let’s just start going down the hallways,” King suggests. “That way, if we cover all the bases, we’re more likely to find her.”

“Good plan,” Simon concurs with a nod.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” I ask and decide to lead the way. “Let’s go.”

We look near and far, left and right, jogging down the university hallways, while we call out Krista’s name. But she’s nowhere to be found, and we are out of breath, panting while leaning against one of the walls for both support and a little break.

“Where should we look now?” Simon asks with frustration.

“I have an idea,” I say, sparking a new plan. “It’s crazy and a little outlandish, but we just might find her this way.”

“Well, what is it?” King is bending over with his hands on his knees, staring up at me with impatience.

“Why don’t we go see if we can find her in the research room?” I ask and tense my muscles while I wait for the inevitable protest to come from the guys.

“Are you kidding?” King scoffs. “Why do you think we will find her there?”

“I don’t know,” I shrug defensively. “It’s just a hunch. We haven’t been able to locate her anywhere else, have we?”

That’s when Simon and King both exchange a glance, and then they look back to me.

“I guess it’s worth a shot,” King agrees.

“Come on, then.” I gesture my chin in the direction of the research room. “Let’s go find our girl.”

Call it intuition or anything you want, but for whatever reason, I just have a gut feeling that Krista is going to be in the research facility.

Maybe she’s feeling nostalgic or looking for something important, or perhaps she’s hoping she’ll find a research we’ve done that’s not a total loss. Krista is a determined girl, and she never lets anything stand in her way. I believe in her and respect her, and for whatever reason, I know I’m going to find her in the research room.

Sure enough, as soon as we make our way to the room and halt in front of the partially opened door, we hear muffled voices speaking inside. I give King a curious glance, and he shrugs, apparently none the wiser than me. Then, I decide to give him some hell.

“See, I told you we would find her here,” I smirk.

King rolls his eyes and lightly punches my shoulder. “Whatever, man, how do you even know it’s Krista in there?” He smirks back, looking pleased with himself.

“It sounds like her.” Simon interrupts our bickering. “Maybe if you guys are agreeable to shut the hell up for a few seconds, we can eavesdrop on the conversation going on in there.”

“The room is burned to a crisp. Who the hell would be hanging out in there?” I ask.

“People who have no business being in there in the first place.” King raises an eyebrow with suspicion.

We take a few steps closer to the door and lean our heads to hear what the two people inside are talking about. Sure enough, we hear Krista’s sweet and feminine voice ringing through the room.

I feel relief wash over me to learn that we at least know where she is, but it sounds like she’s in distress or upset about something, judging by the tone of her voice. As if reading my mind, King glances at me with a concerned look on his face.

“Is she crying?” he whispers.

“That’s what it sounds like,” I say with chagrin, then I crane my neck to hear better.

I freeze in horror, with a side helping of dread, when I realize that the other voice is coming from Professor Smith, her friend and confidant, and the one she looks up to the most.

“Krista!” Professor Smith says in a brazenly harsh voice. “Your research absolutely cannot continue to go forward.”

“Please, professor…” Krista’s sobbing voice trails off in a begging sort of way.

“Everything I’ve worked for my entire life will be destroyed if you are successful,” he hisses in response.

I clench my teeth. How the hell could this prick treat Krista this way after everything she’s done and how much she looks up to him? She trusted him. We all did!

I have to practice self-restraint to prevent myself from barreling into the room and punching the prick right in his ugly fucking face. Yes, I’m that angry, but apparently not as livid as Professor Smith is, as he continues to try to convince Krista that her research is a huge mistake.

I need more information before we barge in to interrupt their conversation. And judging by the looks on King and Simon’s faces, they too want to wait this one out for a few more minutes.

“My family has built this coal company from the ground up,” Professor Smith fires continual rounds at Krista.

“So, my family, along with hundreds of other families, will just have to continue to lose loved ones because you want to stay rich?” Krista sobs.

Good for her; she’s being feisty and holding her ground.

“Krista, think about the magnitude of what you are doing here. You have the key to turn the tables. Make the right decision, Krista.” Professor Smith tries his best to sway her.

But Krista cries with both heartbreak and defiance. “The right decision is cleaner coal.”

“You will put my family and hundreds of other families into bankruptcy,” Professor Smith dares to accuse of the innocent and darling Krista.

“Why are you doing this?” Krista wails with despair.

“Krista, you already know the reason,” the professor states with disdain.

Krista sniffs, betrayal reflected in her voice. “I looked up to you.”

“As one of the silent CEOs of the company, it’s my duty and obligation to protect what I worked so hard to create.”

Professor Smith just doesn’t know when to quit. I clench my fists into balls; I want to ram them directly into his face, but I decide to just continue listening intently.

“Krista,” the professor states assertively. “Surely, you know how important this is to me.”

“Why should I care?” Krista cries. “If not for you constantly derailing my work, I probably would be at the testing portion of where I could finally make a breakthrough into the scientific world.”

“No one will believe you,” Professor snarls.

“What?” Krista asks with horror but then refuses his bait. “No. You will pay for this— everything you’ve done and destroyed. Karma will get you back.”

Professor Smith laughs spitefully. “You silly little bitch. Do you really think anyone will believe you over me?”

His arrogance makes me want to pull his vocal cords right through his throat. Krista cries harder, and I’m not sure if I can endure any more of this bullshit for longer. I take a brief second to look at King and Simon, who have faces full of rage just like me.

“There is evidence; it will mount against you.” Krista sounds pitiful, and I feel a burden of sorrow for her that’s weighing on my shoulders.

“I’ve been well-respected and well-known in this field for over twenty solid years.” Professor Smith laughs as if he couldn’t care less about Krista’s empty threats. “What’s to stop me from turning the tables on you and blaming you for setting me up? I’m trusted throughout the university and will have dozens on my side, unlike you.”

Krista screams with despair. That’s the last straw for me; I can’t handle another second of watching her have to endure this torture.

If I have to kill this bastard, I will, even if King and Simon try to hold me back. I don’t know what is happening to me, but I run inside the room, immediately racing to Krista’s side to aid her in this perilous situation.

“Stay back, asshole,” I point to Professor Smith with a warning tone.

Professor Smith instinctively draws back from where he was standing only inches away from Krista, towering over her with threatening posture. Then that’s when I notice that he’s holding a knife.

“Holy shit, were you just about to stab her?” I can’t believe this is really happening, but it certainly explains the scream.

I pull Krista close to me as we pant together in horror. Professor Smith draws back his knife, placing it behind his back while he looks caught in the act and positively panicked.

“How fucking dare you try to kill her!” I roar.

Hey, I can get pretty menacing if I work hard enough at it. I’m not always a joke-telling fool.

Professor Smith falters, stammers, and tries to weasel his way out of trouble like the dirty rat he is.

“You’re going to pay, jerk,” I tell him. “There’s evidence against you, and now, there are witnesses. Better use that knife on yourself or rot in jail for a really long fucking time.”

Professor Smith is as white as a ghost. He’s backed into a corner, and he fucking knows it. There’s no way out for him.

Simon and King burst into the room at just the right time before Professor Smith flees the crime scene. Yes, the idiot is stupid enough to try and run for a useless escape.

“Nowhere to run now, old man,” King taunts Professor Smith as his eyes blaze with hatred, a grin curling on his face like he’s ready to rumble.

I look behind my two best friends and notice that there is a tall bald dude walking into the room just behind them.

“It’s all true.” The strange guy gasps for air. “Professor Smith is guilty on all these counts.”

The man speaks as if he’s a lawyer talking to a jury in a court room or something, but he certainly sounds believable to me.

“Professor Smith put me up to everything. He’s an evil, foul man.”

The bald guy points a finger at Professor Smith, and I smile while looking at him.

“Looks like your time’s up, asshole. What is your excuse going to be now?”