Black Panther Academy

chapter 2-Part 2

THE RED VIPERS

"The Red Vipers specialize in information."

Axeril listened.

"They collect secrets, monitor students, hack systems, and manipulate people."

Jace added, "If you have a secret, assume the Vipers know it."

Mika pointed to another symbol.

THE SILVER WOLVES

"Physical strength."

Kairo crossed his arms.

"We protect our territory."

Mika continued.

"They're disciplined and extremely competitive."

Kairo looked at Axeril.

"Don't mistake discipline for kindness."

Axeril nodded.

"I won't."

Next came the Golden Hawks.

THE GOLDEN HAWKS

"Money and influence."

Mika laughed.

"They own half the student council."

Jace added, "And probably half the businesses in town."

Axeril frowned.

"Students?"

"Very rich students."

"That explains a lot."

Then came the Shadow Roses.

THE SHADOW ROSES

"Secrets."

Axeril looked at Serena's symbol.

"They're the same as the Vipers."

"No."

Riven finally spoke.

"The Vipers collect information."

"The Roses use it."

Axeril understood.

"Manipulation."

"Exactly."

Next was the Blue Dragon symbol.

THE BLUE DRAGONS

"Rebellion."

Zane's voice suddenly came through the intercom.

Everyone turned.

"Underground connections."

Axeril looked at the speaker.

"Is he always listening?"

Jace smiled.

"Usually."

Zane continued.

"We know everything happening beneath the academy."

Mika rolled her eyes.

"Nobody invited you."

"Didn't need an invitation."

The intercom clicked off.

Axeril smiled.

"And the Black Panthers?"

Nobody spoke.

Riven looked at her.

"We're different."

"How?"

"We don't control one thing."

He pointed toward the center of the map.

"We control the balance."

Axeril studied the symbol.

The Black Panther sat in the middle of all six territories.

"So you're the center."

"Yes."

"Which means you're also the biggest target."

Riven nodded.

"Exactly."

Axeril stared at the map.

Then she noticed something.

A seventh symbol.

It was faint.

Almost invisible.

She stepped closer.

"What is that?"

Everyone became silent.

Riven immediately walked toward the map.

"Where?"

Axeril pointed.

"That."

Riven stared.

His expression changed.

Mika walked closer.

"What?"

"I don't know."

Jace zoomed the map.

A hidden symbol appeared.

A black crown surrounded by six claws.

Axeril stared at it.

"That's not one of the six gangs."

Riven shook his head.

"No."

"Then who are they?"

Nobody answered.

Suddenly, every computer screen in the headquarters turned black.

A message appeared.

YOU ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.

Then another sentence appeared.

THE SEVENTH GROUP HAS NEVER LEFT.

The screens shut down.

Silence.

Damon whispered.

"That's impossible."

Axeril looked at Riven.

"You know them."

Riven didn't answer.

"You know them."

Riven finally said:

"Years ago."

"What happened?"

"They disappeared."

"Why?"

"Because they were dangerous."

Axeril's eyes narrowed.

"And now?"

Riven looked at the screen.

"Now they're back."

---

THE RED VIPERS

Across the academy, Darius Kane stood inside the Red Vipers' headquarters.

The walls were covered with photographs.

Student records.

Maps.

Security footage.

Everything.

Vera entered holding a tablet.

"I found something."

Darius looked up.

"What?"

"Axeril Vale."

"Tell me."

Vera placed the tablet on the table.

"Her records begin only three months ago."

Darius frowned.

"That's impossible."

"I know."

"Before that?"

"Nothing."

"Family?"

"Almost nothing."

"Parents?"

"Private."

"Previous school?"

"Classified."

Darius stared at her.

"Classified by whom?"

Vera hesitated.

"The academy."

Darius's expression changed.

"The academy itself?"

"Yes."

He slowly stood.

"That means she's not just a student."

Vera nodded.

"There's more."

"What?"

"Someone accessed her file yesterday."

"Who?"

Vera turned the tablet around.

The access record showed one name.

DIRECTOR.

Darius stared at the screen.

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because the director's account hasn't been used in six years."

Vera's eyes widened.

"So someone is using a dead account."

Darius looked toward the window.

"Find out who."

---

THE SHADOW ROSES

Serena Black sat inside a beautiful garden hidden behind the academy's eastern building.

The Shadow Roses gathered around her.

Luna, one of the Black Panthers, had once been a member of the Roses.

She had left years ago.

Serena looked at the other girls.

"Tell me what you found."

A girl named Aria stepped forward.

"Axeril Vale has no digital history."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

Serena smiled.

"Interesting."

Another girl approached.

"We found one thing."

"What?"

"An old photograph."

She placed it on the table.

Serena looked down.

It showed a group of adults standing outside a large building.

At the center was a younger version of the academy's current director.

Beside him stood a woman.

Serena's expression changed.

"Who is that?"

"We don't know."

Serena looked carefully.

The woman was holding a little girl.

A little girl with long dark hair.

The photograph was more than ten years old.

Serena looked at the girl's face.

Then she looked at the photograph of Axeril on her tablet.

Her eyes widened.

"It's her."

---

THE GOLDEN HAWKS

Adrian Gold stood inside the most luxurious room in the academy.

Marble floors.

Large windows.

Expensive furniture.

His friends surrounded him.

"You're sure?" Adrian asked.

"Yes."

"Her family?"

"Extremely powerful."

"How powerful?"

The student hesitated.

"We don't know."

Adrian smiled.

"That's unusual."

Then his phone rang.

Unknown number.

He answered.

"Hello?"

A distorted voice spoke.

"Stay away from Axeril Vale."

Adrian's smile disappeared.

"Who is this?"

"Someone giving you a chance."

"To do what?"

"Survive."

The call ended.

Adrian stared at the phone.

Then he smiled.

"Now I'm definitely interested."

---

THE BLUE DRAGONS

Zane slammed his fist onto the table.

"Someone attacked us."

His group looked at him.

"And you think it was the Panthers?" one asked.

"No."

Zane shook his head.

"They wouldn't."

"Then who?"

Zane looked toward the basement entrance.

"I don't know."

A strange symbol had been painted on the wall.

The same black crown.

Zane stared at it.

"We have an old enemy."

One of the students asked:

"The Seventh?"

Zane nodded.

"Maybe."

---

THE SILVER WOLVES

Kairo stood alone in the gym.

He stared at the place where Axeril had thrown him earlier.

He replayed the movement in his mind.

Her technique.

Her timing.

Her balance.

She hadn't used brute force.

She had used precision.

Kairo smiled.

"Who are you?"

Then he noticed something beneath one of the training mats.

A black envelope.

He opened it.

Inside was one sentence.

THE GIRL WILL DESTROY YOUR PACK.

Kairo crushed the paper.

"Try me."

---

THE BLACK PANTHERS

Back in headquarters, Axeril stood before Riven.

"I want answers."

"So do I."

"You knew about the seventh group."

"Yes."

"Then tell me everything."

Riven remained silent.

Mika looked at him.

"Riven."

He finally spoke.

"The Seventh Group was called..."

He stopped.

Axeril waited.

"What?"

Riven looked directly into her eyes.

"The Night Panthers."

Axeril's heart stopped.

For some reason, the name felt familiar.

"The Night Panthers?"

Riven nodded.

"They were the original organization."

"Original?"

"Before the six factions."

Mika continued.

"They were created by the founders of the academy."

Axeril frowned.

"Why did they disappear?"

Riven looked away.

"Because they were betrayed