The Mystery of the world

Chapter 3

Mica led Ben to a nearby convenience store, buying bandages and antiseptic. She carefully cleaned his wounds, her touch gentle and reassuring. The simple act of someone caring for him brought a fresh wave of emotion, a mix of gratitude and a lingering ache of loneliness.

"Okay, that should do for now," Mica said, packing the first-aid supplies into her bag. "We need to document everything. Every bruise, every threat, every cent they took. It's evidence."

"Evidence?" Ben asked, his voice still hoarse.

"Yes. We need to show them we're serious," Mica replied, her eyes determined. "And we need to find out why they're doing this. Why you?"

"I don't know," Ben said, shaking his head. "They've always been like this. They just… they just like to hurt me."

"There's always a reason," Mica said, her voice firm. "We just need to find it."

They walked to the coffee shop, a small, cozy place with warm lighting and the aroma of roasted beans. They found a quiet corner booth, away from the other customers.

"First, we make a timeline," Mica said, pulling out a notebook and pen. "When did this start? How often does it happen? What exactly do they say and do?"

Ben recounted the incidents, his voice growing stronger with each detail. He remembered the first time they approached him, the casual threats that escalated into demands for money, the way they seemed to enjoy his fear.

"They always make me do their assignments," he added, his voice filled with resentment. "They say it's because they're 'being nice' to me."

"That's not being nice," Mica said, her voice sharp. "That's exploitation. They're using you."

They spent the next hour meticulously documenting every detail, creating a timeline of the abuse. As they wrote, a sense of purpose began to grow within Ben. He was no longer just a victim; he was a detective, piecing together the puzzle of his own torment.

"We need to talk to someone in authority," Mica said, closing the notebook. "Someone who will listen."

"But who?" Ben asked, his voice filled with doubt. "They'll just say it's my word against theirs."

"We'll find someone," Mica said, her eyes determined. "Someone who believes in justice."

As they discussed their next steps, Ben noticed a figure sitting at a table near the window. President Sakamoto. He was alone, his expression serious, his eyes fixed on a book.

"Maybe… maybe we could talk to him," Ben suggested, his voice hesitant. "He's the student president. He might be able to help."

"He's also… kind of intimidating," Mica said, her eyes flickering towards Sakamoto.

"Yeah, but he's fair," Ben said. "He wouldn't let something like this slide."

"Okay," Mica said, taking a deep breath. "Let's do it."

They approached Sakamoto's table, their footsteps echoing in the quiet coffee shop. He looked up, his expression neutral.

"President Sakamoto," Mica began, her voice steady. "We need to talk to you about something important."

Sakamoto closed his book, his eyes fixed on them. "What is it?"

Ben and Mica exchanged a look, then, taking a deep breath, they began to tell him their story. They told him about the bullying, the extortion, the fear that had haunted Ben for years. They showed him the notebook, the timeline of abuse, the evidence they had collected.

Sakamoto listened, his expression unchanging. When they finished, he didn't say anything for a moment. Then, he spoke, his voice calm and measured.

"This is a serious matter," he said. "I will look into it."

"Thank you," Mica said, her voice filled with relief.

"But," Sakamoto continued, his eyes fixed on Ben. "You must also be willing to stand up for yourself. You cannot let them control you with fear."

Ben nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew Sakamoto was right. He couldn't hide anymore.

"We will," he said, his voice stronger than he expected. "We're going to stop them."

Sakamoto nodded, a flicker of something that might have been approval in his eyes. "Good. Then let us begin."

And so, with the help of the enigmatic student president, Ben and Mica embarked on their first real mystery – a mystery that would lead them into the dark corners of their school, and into the heart of a dangerous secret.

Sakamoto, with his methodical and analytical mind, quickly organized their investigation. "We need to understand their motives," he stated, his voice calm and precise. "Why target Ben? Why the extortion? And why the forced assignments?"

Mica, eager and resourceful, suggested they start by observing the bullies. "We need to see their routines, their interactions. Maybe we'll find a clue," she said, her eyes gleaming with determination.

They began their surveillance the next day. Ben, despite his lingering fear, found a strange sense of empowerment in watching his tormentors from a distance. They were no longer faceless monsters; they were subjects of observation, their actions scrutinized and analyzed.

They discovered a pattern. The bullies, whose names were revealed to be Vince, Rex, and their leader, a brooding, intense boy named Kane, spent their free time in the secluded back corner of the school, near the old storage shed. They seemed to have a constant flow of money, more than their allowances would allow. And they were always surrounded by a small group of students, who seemed to hang on their every word.

"They're running some kind of operation," Mica whispered, her eyes narrowed. "But what?"

They also noticed Kane's obsession with control. He seemed to relish the power he held over others, his eyes cold and calculating. He enjoyed watching people squirm.

"He's a predator," Sakamoto observed, his voice low. "He thrives on fear."

The forced assignments, they realized, were not just about laziness. Kane seemed to enjoy forcing Ben to do their work, a constant reminder of his power. It was about humiliation as much as it was about convenience.

"We need to find out where the money is coming from," Sakamoto said, his eyes fixed on the shed. "And we need to understand their connection to the other students."

They decided to investigate the shed. It was an old, dilapidated structure, locked and seemingly abandoned. But there was something about it that made them suspicious.

"There's something hidden here," Mica said, running her hand along the rusty padlock.

They returned the next day, armed with a set of lock picks that Mica had acquired from her older brother, a self-proclaimed "urban explorer." With a practiced hand, she picked the lock, and they slipped inside.

The shed was dark and dusty, filled with forgotten equipment and discarded supplies. But in the back corner, they found something that made their blood run cold. A stack of notebooks, filled with names and numbers.

"What is this?" Ben asked, his voice trembling.

Mica flipped through the pages, her eyes widening. "It's a debt ledger," she whispered. "They're running a loan shark operation."

They realized the other students were not just followers; they were debtors, trapped in a cycle of debt and fear. Kane was using them to extort money, and he was using Ben as a convenient source of income.

"This is worse than we thought," Sakamoto said, his voice grim. "They're preying on vulnerable students."

They knew they had to stop them. But they also knew that Kane and his gang wouldn't go down without a fight. They were dealing with dangerous people, people who were willing to use violence to protect their power.

"We need to be careful," Sakamoto said, his eyes fixed on the ledger. "We're dealing with a dangerous mystery, and we need to play this smart."

The tension in the air was palpable. They were no longer just investigating a school bully; they were uncovering a dark secret, a web of exploitation and fear that threatened to engulf their entire school. And they knew that the deeper they delved, the more dangerous the mystery would become.