The School

Danny Santos's POV

Danny's heart nearly stopped when he saw the man step out of the shadows.

It was Thomas Morrison - Jake's father, the man everyone thought was dying in the hospital.

But he wasn't in a hospital gown. He was wearing normal clothes and carrying a big canvas bag. His face looked tired and scared, but his eyes were sharp and alert.

"Mr. Morrison?" Tommy whispered in shock. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be sick?"

Thomas Morrison put his finger to his mouth and pointed toward the gym doors. The voices outside were getting closer.

"We need to hide," he whispered. "Follow me quickly."

He led them to a small equipment room behind the basketball court. They squeezed inside just as the gym doors burst open.

Danny held his breath as footsteps echoed across the gym floor.

"They were here," a man's voice said. "The doors are still warm."

"Check the locker rooms," another voice ordered. "They couldn't have gone far."

Thomas Morrison waited until the footsteps moved away, then whispered very quietly to the boys.

"I'm not dying," he said. "I've been pretending to be sick so Marcus Webb wouldn't suspect I was still investigating him."

Danny's mind was spinning. "You know about Marcus Webb?"

"I've known about him for twenty years," Thomas said sadly. "Ever since he murdered my partner and tried to kill me."

Tommy looked confused. "But Marcus Webb was your partner. We saw the FBI files."

Thomas shook his head. "Marcus Webb was never FBI. He was a criminal who killed the real Agent Webb and stole his name. Then he killed my real partner and took his place."

Danny felt sick hearing this. The man who had been running their town wasn't just corrupt - he was a killer who had been pretending to be someone else for decades.

"Why didn't you expose him years ago?" Tommy asked.

"Because he was too smart," Thomas stated. "He destroyed all the proof and made it look like I was the corrupt one. If I'd tried to tell the truth, no one would have believed me. They would have thought I was a crazy old man."

The footsteps were coming back toward their hidden spot. Thomas pulled out what looked like a small electronic device and hit a button. Suddenly, car alarms started going off in the parking lot.

"That should distract them for a few minutes," he said as the footsteps ran toward the noise.

Danny was amazed. "How did you do that?"

"Twenty years of preparing for this night," Thomas said, opening his canvas bag. "I knew Marcus would eventually make his final move, and I needed to be ready."

He pulled out folders full of papers, pictures, and what looked like recording devices.

"This is the real evidence," Thomas said. "Bank records showing how Marcus has been taking FBI money for years. Recordings of him talking to crime bosses. Proof that he killed not just my partner, but dozens of other people."

Tommy picked up one of the photos. "Why are you showing us this? Why didn't you give it to Jake?"

Thomas's face got very serious. "Because Jake is walking into a trap right now, and you boys are the only ones who can save him."

Danny felt scared and confused. "What do you mean?"

"Marcus Webb didn't choose you two randomly," Thomas explained. "He picked Tommy because his father is the mayor - perfect for causing a scandal that would distract everyone from the real crimes. And he picked Danny because his family are immigrants - people the town might not believe or care about."

"That's horrible," Danny said, feeling angry.

"It gets worse," Thomas continued. "Sarah Martinez and the textile plant weren't random either. Sarah found Marcus's money-laundering operation while cleaning offices. The factory was burned because it had proof of illegal chemical dumping that Marcus was getting paid to cover up."

Tommy was looking at the papers. "So we were never really suspects. We were just easy scapegoats."

"Exactly. But Marcus made one mistake - he misjudged how hard Jake would fight for you. And he didn't know I was still alive and looking."

The car alarms stopped, and they could hear the guys coming back into the gym.

"We need to get this evidence to the FBI," Danny said.

"The real FBI, not Marcus's corrupt agents," Thomas agreed. "But first, we need to save Jake and Maya. Marcus is planning to kill them tonight at the courthouse."

Danny's stomach dropped. "How do you know?"

Thomas held up a small radio. "I've been listening to their conversations all night. Marcus thinks he's won, but he doesn't know about this proof."

"What's the plan?" Tommy asked.

Before Thomas could answer, Danny heard something that made his blood freeze.

A new voice outside the gym. A voice he recognized.

"Mr. Morrison," the voice called out. "I know you're in there. Come out now, and the boys won't get hurt."

It was Marcus Webb himself.

Thomas Morrison's face went white. "How did he find us so fast?"

"Because I led him here," came another voice from the gym doorway.

Danny turned and saw Sheriff Dale Morrison - Jake's cousin - standing at the door to their hiding spot.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Sheriff Morrison said sadly. "But Marcus gave me no choice. It was you or my own children."

Thomas Morrison looked at his son with sadness in his eyes. "Dale, what have you done?"

"I've been working for Marcus for five years," Dale revealed. "He threatened to kill Sarah and the grandkids if I didn't agree. I tried to warn Jake away from the cases, but he wouldn't listen."

Danny felt like the world was falling apart. Even Jake's own family was part of the plot.

"Hand over the evidence, Dad," Dale said, pulling out his gun. "And maybe Marcus will let the boys live."

Thomas Morrison looked at Danny and Tommy, then at his son pointing a gun at them.

"I'm sorry, boys," Thomas said quietly. "I thought I could save everyone."

He started to hand over the canvas bag, but suddenly stopped and grabbed his chest.

"Dad?" Dale said, lowering his gun in worry.

Thomas Morrison was breathing hard and sweaty. He looked at Danny with desperate eyes.

"The evidence," he whispered. "Take it to... to Agent Sarah Chen. She's the only one you can trust."

Then he fell on the floor.

Danny saw blood spreading across Thomas Morrison's shirt. He'd been shot, but when? How?

"Dad!" Dale Morrison dropped his gun and knelt beside his father.

That's when Danny realized the truth. The blood wasn't fresh. Thomas Morrison had been hurt earlier and had been hiding it the whole time.

"How long have you been shot?" Danny asked, kneeling beside the dying man.

"Since this afternoon," Thomas whispered softly. "Marcus's men found my hidden place. I barely escaped."

Tommy grabbed the canvas bag of proof. "We need to get you to a hospital!"

But Thomas Morrison shook his head. "Too late for me. But not too late for Jake. You have to... have to get this proof to Agent Chen. She's Maya's sister. She's been working secretly, trying to catch Marcus."

Dale Morrison was crying now. "Dad, I'm so sorry. I never wanted this to happen."

"I know, son," Thomas whispered. "But you have to choose now. Help Marcus kill more innocent people, or help these boys save your cousin."

Outside the gym, Danny could hear Marcus Webb getting agitated.

"Time's up, Morrison!" Marcus shouted. "Come out now, or I start shooting through the walls!"

Thomas Morrison grabbed Danny's hand with his last bit of power.

"The real evidence isn't in that bag," he whispered so quietly only Danny could hear. "It's hidden in Jake's class ring. The one he wears every day. Tell him... tell him the ring opens if you press the stone and turn it left."

Then Thomas Morrison closed his eyes and stopped breathing.

Danny looked at the bag in Tommy's hands, then at Sheriff Morrison crying over his father's body.

The proof that could save everyone was still with Jake, who was walking into Marcus Webb's trap at the courthouse.

And now Marcus Webb was about to break down the door and kill them all.

But as Danny heard Marcus's footsteps getting closer, he realized something that gave him hope.

Sheriff Morrison still had his gun.

And he was looking at his father's dead body with rage in his eyes.

The question was: would Jake's cousin choose payback against Marcus Webb, or would he follow orders and help kill three innocent people?

Danny was about to find out.