Chapter 5: The Devil Wears a School Crest
661 Words
Jayden wake up before sunrise.
Not because alarm ring, but because window glass shatter near his head.
A stone fly enter with a red cloth tied around it.
He no need ask who sent it.
Red Skullz dey talk with actions now.
---
Mama Packs Her Bag
“Mama, you go stay with Aunty Ifeoma for now,” Jayden said, voice low but steady.
Chioma look am, face pale from fear.
> “Jayden, you no dey run?”
He shake head.
> “Na fight I start. Na me go finish am. I just no wan make you dey where bullet fit fly.”
She nodded. One tear drop. But she pack the bag.
Jayden hug her long, smell her wrapper, feel the warmth.
It felt like goodbye.
---
Kamsi’s Silence
Kamsi never come school.
No reply to texts. No online. No voice note.
Nothing.
Jayden dey walk corridor like man wey lose compass.
> “If dem don reach her, na my fault…”
Even Codeboy begin paranoid.
> “Guy, e be like say your girl dey play both sides. Her papa dey power o.”
But Jayden shook head.
> “Kamsi no dey fake. If she silent, e mean storm dey brew.”
---
A New Principal
That morning, a memo go round:
> “Due to investigation, Principal Agu has been placed on leave. Mrs. Ukonu will serve as acting principal.”
Jayden read it and chuckle.
Small win.
But just as he dey feel small peace, police enter school compound.
Armed.
They walk straight to Jayden in front of everybody.
> “Jayden Okoro, you’re under arrest for cyber crime and blackmail.”
---
The Setup
Inside the station, they show am a laptop with Codeboy's watermark.
Photoshopped screenshots of bank hacks and text messages pinned to Jayden’s name.
He chuckle.
> “This na cooked setup. Una no even salt am well.”
But the officer just hiss.
> “Evidence na evidence. Court no dey ask if food sweet.”
Jayden sit. Head spinning.
> Who fit leak their operations?
Who fit plant Codeboy’s tag?
Only one answer fit make sense.
Only one person dey close enough to both ends.
> **Skully? No.
Codeboy? Never.
Kamsi...?**
---
Visitor’s Room – The Shock
Jayden was brought to the visitor room the next day.
And there she stood.
Kamsi.
Her face was pale. Her eyes red.
> “I had to, Jayden.”
His throat lock.
> “You set me up?”
Tears rolled down her face.
> “They got to my dad. They said if I no help pin something on you, they’ll dig up my mum’s old asylum records and ruin us both.”
Jayden turn his back.
His hand curled into a fist.
But then he said softly:
> “You should have told me.”
She walked closer.
> “And risk them hurting you? Jayden… I love you.”
He turn slowly. His eyes sharp, but soft beneath.
> “Then help me fix it. Because I no go rot in this place for nothing.”
---
Behind the Bars, The War Begins
Inside the cell, Jayden start plotting.
Because street boy no dey go war with fists alone.
He closed his eyes, remembered all Codeboy had taught him.
> How to send silent messages with burners.
How to contact people outside without trace.
How to move without moving.
He whispered to himself:
> “They think they lock me in. But I’m still in their heads.”
---
Meanwhile – Codeboy’s Room
Codeboy was burning.
> “I go scatter network for Jayden. Na lie go pin that boy!”
He opened 3 laptops, hacked into the school staff cloud again.
Then he found something…
A voice recording.
“Upload to net?” he asked himself.
But something didn’t feel right.
He rewound the tape.
Two voices.
Skully.
And…
> Codeboy froze.
Another person he trusted.
- Writer
