The culprit is not at the front entrance, of course. It’s already been more than an hour since the backpack was taken. If the culprit has already left the building, there’s not much I can do.

An option I have after this would be to go to the data I have saved on the cloud, and look through all the profiles that match the description. I could cut about half of the student population if everybody’s assumption that the culprit is male is correct. The problem is that I can’t do a search for physical features if the data doesn’t have it written down. Most profiles I have only use their public ID picture. If I wanted to do a text search that describes an image, I’d have to use a service from a company that has that kind of smart-search technology. After that are several more steps before I can finally do the search.

This has become so bothersome. It’d be great if the culprit would just appear right in front of me right about now…

No, nothing as cliché as that would ever happen in real life. I’ll just have to do what I can here. Let’s see if there’s anyone else I can talk to here. How about the front desk?

There’s an old woman, who looks like she should really decide on retiring sooner rather than later, sitting at the front desk reading a book. An obscure title from an obscure author.

That’s interesting. I guess she’s one of those ‘old-school’ readers like my dad. Printed books aren’t as rare as printing paper, but they’re not exactly cheap either.

“Excuse me, ma’am. May I ask you a few questions?”

“Oya? Do you need something from me?”

“Sorry to interrupt your reading. I was wondering if you had seen someone coming by here.”

I give her the description of the culprit that the janitor had provided and the issue with the two backpacks.

“Sorry, sonny. I didn’t see anyone like that coming through here.”

“Are you sure you weren’t distracted by the book?”

She gives me a smile and slowly shook her head.

“Even though I’m reading a book, I always keep an eye out for who comes in through those doors. I’m as good as those cameras when it comes to these things. It’s not like I’ll just let anyone leave or enter. What if someone suspicious comes in through those doors?”

“Forgive me for my misapprehension, ma’am.”

She laughs lightly.

“Well, it’s fine. You’re quite the polite one, aren’t you?”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

I only need to do whatever it is the situation requires. It’s not like I need to be openly hostile to every single entity I encounter. I’ll be nice and polite when I need to. To be aggressive or passive when it is to my advantage. I’ll work with the front desk lady’s report for now.

Besides, people become more open to you if you’re being nice and polite. People usually return the same attitude that you show them.

I thank the lady and apologized once more before heading back to the area where the main hallway meets with the side hallway that Michael’s classroom is in.

He’s probably still in there, waiting for someone to deliver his backpack to him. It’s vexing to know that I might be the delivery boy.

What to do about this current situation?

The culprit went this way, but he never went through the front entrance.

It wouldn’t make sense to the other way to the back entrance, which leads to the sport fields and such. If the culprit is someone who took the tablet and is planning on doing something with it, he might need another computer to do more to the tablet other than just turning off the GPS function. There’s really no reason to go into the sport fields. Therefore…

Next to me is the stairway that leads upstairs. It’s likely that the culprit went towards the front entrance because that is also the direction the closest stairs are. The stairs leading up would of course lead to more classrooms.

But more importantly, it’s the shortest path to get to the computers of the school library.

---

While the library does contain books, it could be said that more than half of the floor space is occupied by computers. Several organizations scanned and digitized over 400 million books long before I was born. Several hundred thousand more each year are being indexed into that list.

I believe some of the reasons why the school still hold these books are due to tradition and psychological attachment.

But, I’m not here to look for a book. I’m looking for a person.

Since the final exams are approaching, the library is becoming a second home to some students here. Most would reserve the study rooms in the library for their study groups. Since those are in high demand, the school would only allow groups of more than two people to place a reservation.

So, unless the culprit has two accomplices, he should not be in a study room. While that does help decrease the area that I would have to search, that means I’d still have to look among the other computers scattered around the library.

One other thing I could use to further decrease my search area…

Well, that would be the purpose of the culprit’s visit here. He’s doing something that’s not quite following the rules here.

If he must use one of the computers in the library, then it’d have to be in an area where nobody can see what he’s doing on it.

I know the perfect spot.

In one corner of the library, there is a camera. There are computers laid along the wall which the camera can see. However, if you go to the end opposite of the camera, there is a support beam just wide enough to hide your body. If one approaches the computer from that direction, the camera won’t be able to see them.

In addition, few students would go to these computers because, in the afternoon, the sun shines straight through the windows from the front. So, if anybody uses these computers after school during the spring and summer seasons, the sunlight would end up blinding them. I always bring something with me to cover up a portion of the window.

Thus, the criteria for having no witnesses is fulfilled. I use this spot often when I need to use the computer.

I turn the corner and face the spot in question.

Two backpacks are placed on the floor, next to the seat in which a boy with long, red-brown hair is sitting on. He has a tablet plugged into the computer in front of him and it looks like he’s completely focused on the screen.

I sigh. This was all a bit too easily within my predictions. I pull out the seat next to him and place myself on it.

He jumps a bit from his seat and looks my way. I can see the worried look on his face. I stare back at him.

After some time passed, he finally decides to open his mouth.

“Uh, do you need something from me?”

I cross my arms and lean back on the chair.

“So, what are you up to with that tablet?”

“Huh? Eh? Uh. I… am transferring some files.”

I look at his screen. Well, he isn’t lying about that ‘transferring files’ part. Oh. He alt-tabbed.

I point to the ground beneath him.

“You carry two backpacks with you often?”

“Ah? Uh… I’m … holding on to it. For someone.”

I raise an eyebrow. ‘Someone’? Not ‘a friend’?

“Look, I’m trying to do some work here. Can you leave me alone? Please?”

He’s starting to sweat.

“Sure. Just one more question. Are you a year one student from class A of the Technology track?”

“Umm. Yeah. So?”

Well, with a 99.999% certainty, this is the person that I’ve been looking for.

“Mm-hmm. Ok. So, I know what you’re doing. I’m going to have to ask you to stop.”

“What? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t bother. That tablet you got plugged in and one of those backpacks belongs to a student from your class. You took it for some reason. Why don’t you tell me why you took it?”

He stands up in a panic. His eyes dart from the tablet, to the computer, and then to me.

“Ah, don’t bother running away either. Or trying to get rid of me. How about we introduce each other? My name is Kastille. I’m from the student council.”

“Huh!? Student council? Wait. Kastille!?”

It’s satisfying whenever I see that I can affect people just from the sound of my name. I smile.

“It’s complicated. Why don’t you sit down? We can talk this out. I’ll decide what to do with you depending on what you say. So, I introduced myself. Your turn.”

He looks around the library. Sorry, you won’t find anybody to help you here. Just you and me. Of course, being alone like this can help him feel more safe and more open to a… discussion.

“Cain Fioro… look, you don’t understand. That guy, Michael, he’s an asshole!”

“Oh? How so?”

He suddenly took on a discomforted posture; keeping his knees together and placing his balled-up hand on them.

“Cain. I only want to help. Student council, remember? Don’t be afraid to tell me anything.”

Oh? He looks angry now.

“That Michael… He’s always doing whatever he wants!”

---

Cain told me as much as he is willing. They went to the same middle school together. Apparently, Michael was quite the prolific bully. Cain wasn’t the only victim to Michael’s actions.

The stories Cain told me would even make me furious. Too bad I don’t really care what happens to Cain and these other victims.

The strong will always rule over the weak. Cain and Michael were simply following the rules of nature.

Unfortunately for Cain, Michael had picked the same specialization track as him. While their track is the same, their specialization is different.

In the current education system, once a student enters high school, they can choose a track. Some examples include the usual STEM tracks and miscellaneous social studies. In those tracks, students can further choose a specialization. For example, in the STEM track, a student can choose to specialize in civil engineering or accountancy & finance.

Even though students would pick different specializations, they’d often find each other in the same classes because of their track. Usually, after the first 2 years, these shared classes become fewer and the students would be in more specific classes pertaining to their specialization.

Looks like Cain didn’t feel like waiting 2 years. Neither did Michael, since he seems to have carried his middle school career into high school.

The final straw for Cain happened earlier today when Michael, whether on purpose or not, tripped Cain after making an offhand comment on him.

Michael was talking to his usual group during the break and, even though the comment was not directly to Cain, made an unsavory remark on Cain’s demeanor and awkward behavior. (However, it sounds more like it was a general comment on people similar to Cain. Cain seems to have taken it personally.)

Cain, feeling attacked, got up to leave the room. That was when he tripped.

Michael’s (and friends) reaction to the fall was a short laugh and then back to talking to his friends. As if the event had no real impact to him.

I wonder why Michael never mentioned any of this. Well, I don’t blame him for thinking so lowly of Cain. As if dismissing the existence of an insect.

Except this insect bit Michael in the back.

This was a good lesson for me. I need to stay vigilant so that a similar event doesn’t happen to me either.

Looks like Cain has finished talking.

“What do you plan on doing now?” I ask him.

He looks at the computer screen, “I was planning on installing some spyware. A key-logger, too. But this is my first time using those programs, so I’ve been reading up on it and testing them out.”

“Hoo. That’s some dangerous stuff you’re using. I don’t think that’s quite within the acceptable use policy of school resources.”

“I know…”

Looks like it’s now the time to strike.

“I still need you to stop messing with the tablet.”

Stella would end me if I let Cain’s plan continue.

“What should I do then? Just lie down and take it all? I’m not going to suffer this any longer!”

“Now, now. There are other ways of dealing with Michael. Right now, your plan would only risk yourself if you are found out. There’s also no guarantee you’ll get anything useful from Michael’s use of the tablet. It’s a high-risk situation with an unknown return.”

I lean forward to put some pressure on him.

“I’ll figure out a way to deal with Michael. I have my own ways of doing things. Believe me, I’ll do it with the lowest risk to us and with a higher reward.”

“Us?”

“That’s right. I’ll help you deal with Michael.”

“Really? But… what do you want from me?”

I can’t accept anything now that Stella is keeping a close eye on me. I better play it as safe as possible and for the long-term goal.

I smile.

“We’re comrades now. Let’s be friends!”

---

I finish my report to Stella.

“Wow! You really got it. How did Michael forget where it was?”

I shrug, “Don’t ask me. I only retrieved it, that’s all.”

Of course, I did not tell anybody about Cain.

I told Michael and Stella that I decided to check the lost and found since an hour had passed since the teachers looked in there. Another student could have dropped it off since it was last checked, after all.

Liliana is glaring at me.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t ask for a reward or anything. I promise.”

I raise my arms to gesticulate that I have nothing to hide.

She harrumphs.

Stella raises her hand and made a ‘calm-down’ motion to Liliana, “I’ll believe you, Kastille. I’m glad you were able to finish this task without a hitch.”

“It was no problem.”

Stella leans back on her chair and stretches loudly.

“Ahh. Well, you can go now, Kastille. There’s nothing much to do for today. I have something else for you to do tomorrow. Get plenty of rest and be prepared!”

“Uh-huh.”

I leave the room and close the door behind me. I start walking towards the front entrance.

I got Cain to sit tight for now, but I’ll have to figure out a way for him to get his revenge on Michael.

Even though I have no binding obligation to help Cain, it’s still useful to get him on my side.

On the other side of the coin, I have no obligation to help Michael. Nor do I have any obligation to not help Michael.

From what I read from the profiles I have on them; Michael’s specialization is on the media side of technology. Cain’s specialization is on computer technology. It’s obvious who would be more useful to me.

I’ll have to look more into the profiles I have on them and any other affiliated parties.

This will be my first step to rebuilding what Stella has demolished.