Chapter 5 The Scapegoats

The two boys grabbed Luciana before she could reach the door, one catching her by the arm while the other seized the front of her habit and tried to pull her backward.

“Let me go! What are you doing?” she cried, twisting desperately in their grip. “Please, someone help me!” Their laughter echoed through the empty restroom.

“No one is coming to save you,” the taller one said with a cruel smirk as he tightened his hold on her.

Luciana continued struggling, her hands pushing against his chest while she cried out for help, but the boy only grew more irritated.

“Shut up, bitch!” The slap cracked through the room.

Luciana's head snapped to the side, and pain exploded across her cheek. She stumbled against the sink, tasting blood as her split lip began to sting.

The boys moved toward her again, reaching for her habit, but before they could do anything else, the restroom door suddenly swung open.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Both boys turned. A girl stood in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest as she stared at them with an expression that held absolutely no fear.

“Why don't you mind your own business and get the hell out of here?” one of the boys snapped.

The girl raised an eyebrow.

“I don't really know how to mind my business.” Before either boy could respond, she stepped forward and struck the nearest one across the face. He staggered backward in surprise, giving her enough time to grab his arm and twist it behind his back.

His friend rushed toward her, but she turned quickly, ducking beneath his swing before driving her elbow into his stomach.

He doubled over with a groan. The first boy tried to recover and attack again, but she shoved him hard against the wall before kicking his legs out from beneath him.

Within moments, both boys were scrambling toward the door.

“This isn't over!” one of them shouted as they disappeared into the hallway. The girl watched them run before turning back to Luciana.

“Are you okay?” She reached out her hand. Luciana stared at it for a moment before taking it and allowing the girl to pull her upright.

“I'm fine. Thank you,” she whispered, offering a small smile. The girl glanced at her torn habit and then at the blood on her lip.

“You need to be more careful. Don't ever come into the bathroom alone again.” Luciana's expression softened with concern.

“Why?” The girl lowered her voice.

“Three girls have been found raped and killed around this academy just this week.” Luciana's eyes widened.

“Who did it?” The girl gave a humorless laugh.

“There are too many suspects to name. Almost every powerful boy here thinks they can do whatever they want, especially those two.” She glanced toward the doorway where the boys had disappeared. “You're lucky you ran into me.”

Luciana looked toward the door before turning back to her.

“And what happened to the boys who did it?” The girl stared at her as though the question surprised her before letting out another short laugh.

“Nothing.” she muttered.

“Nothing?” she asked in surprise.

“Their families are too powerful, and nobody here cares about justice when money and influence are involved. You learn quickly that being weak is dangerous in this place. If someone gets hurt, everyone simply looks the other way.” Luciana's fingers slowly curled into a fist beneath the folds of her habit, but her innocent smile remained perfectly in place.

The girl studied her for another moment before tilting her head.

“You're new here, aren't you? What's your name, and what's with the outfit?”

“My name is Luciana,” she answered softly. “I'm a nun.” The girl's eyebrows lifted.

“A nun?” Luciana nodded innocently.

“That is... interesting.” The girl shook her head with an amused smile before turning toward the door.

“Luciana, I hope you survive your first week here.” She said and started leaving.

“You didn't tell me your name,” Luciana called after her. The girl paused without turning around.

“Megan.” Then she walked away. Luciana waited until the sound of Megan's footsteps disappeared completely before turning toward the mirror.

She touched her swollen lip with the tip of her finger and watched the smear of blood stain it.

For several seconds, the innocent expression remained on her face. Then the smile slowly changed. The softness disappeared from her eyes, replaced by something colder as she studied her reflection.

“Finally,” she whispered, wiping the blood from her lip. “I found myself some scapegoats.” She muttered.

……

After closing, Luciana waited for Dominic outside the parking lot, expecting him to come for her, but several minutes passed and he still didn't appear. Most of the students had already left, and the place was becoming quieter when she finally saw Luciano walking toward her.

“Come,” he said as he walked past her without stopping. Luciana quickly followed him, glancing around before hurrying to catch up with him.

“Where is Dominic?” she asked, but Luciano didn't answer immediately, continuing toward the parking lot as though he hadn't heard her.

“Did something happen to him?” She asked.

“He isn't here,” he finally replied coldly.

Luciana frowned slightly but followed him into the parking lot, where he unlocked his car and got inside. She quietly entered the passenger seat, and the moment he started the engine, they drove away from the academy.

The entire journey was strangely quiet, with Luciano keeping his eyes fixed on the road while Luciana occasionally turned toward him, studying his face and trying to understand what was going on inside his head.

He didn't look at her even once, and the more she watched him, the more difficult he became to read.

When they finally arrived at the Valenti Estate, Luciana's attention immediately shifted toward her surroundings as the large gates opened and the car slowly entered the compound.

She had seen the security earlier that morning, but now that she was paying closer attention, she noticed just how heavily guarded the entire place was. Cameras were positioned along the walls and around the entrances, armed guards stood at several points throughout the compound, and even the garden had been arranged in a way that made it difficult for anyone to approach the house without being noticed.

Luciana said nothing as she quietly took everything in, memorizing the position of every camera and guard as they passed.

……….

Later that night, when the entire mansion had fallen silent and everyone was fast asleep, Luciana slowly slipped out of her room and closed the door behind her without making a sound.

She moved through the dark corridor, keeping herself close to the shadows while carefully avoiding the security cameras she had already memorized.

She reached the outer fence without encountering a single guard, placed one foot against the wall, and climbed over it with practiced ease before landing silently on the other side. She looked back at the heavily guarded estate for a moment before disappearing into the darkness.

Across town, the two boys who had attacked her earlier were enjoying themselves at a private pool party, surrounded by girls who laughed and flirted with them while loud music filled the night. Neither of them seemed to have the slightest idea that someone had been following their movements.

The moment Luciana stepped into the area, several armed guards immediately noticed her and moved toward her, their hands reaching for their weapons.

“Who are you?” one of them demanded.

Luciana didn't answer. Her hand moved beneath her dark clothing, and before the guards could fully raise their guns, several star-shaped blades flew through the air, striking them one after another and sending them crashing to the ground.

The music continued for a moment before the screams began. The two boys turned around, and the confidence disappeared from their faces. They couldn't recognize her because she was wearing a mask.

“Who are you and what do you want?”They asked. Luciana slowly walked toward them, watching as they looked around desperately for something they could use against her, but there was nothing within their reach.

They had come to the party expecting to spend the night drinking and fooling around, not knowing they would be in danger.

One of them suddenly turned and ran. The other followed immediately.

Luciana reached beneath her clothing and pulled out her gun before raising it toward them. Two gunshots echoed through the night, and both boys fell to the ground before they could get far.

The girls around the pool screamed and scattered in different directions, but Luciana paid them no attention as she walked toward the two bodies lying a short distance apart. She crouched beside one of them, dipped her fingers into the blood on the ground, and slowly wrote a single word across the concrete.

SCAPEGOAT.

A faint smile appeared on her lips as she stood and looked at the word for a moment before turning away.

By the time more guards arrived at the pool, Luciana was already gone.

She returned to the Valenti Estate through the same route she had used to leave, changing back into her dark nun's habit before reaching the fence so that no one would see her dressed differently.

She climbed over the fence and quietly made her way through the compound, moving between the shadows whenever the security cameras turned in her direction.

She moved silently until reached the corridor outside her bedroom.

Luciana reached for the doorknob, but before her fingers could touch it, the cold metal of a gun suddenly pressed against the back of her head.

Her entire body went still. A low, familiar voice came from behind her.