LET'S BREAK THEM

CHAPTER 12: NO MERCY

Step 10: No deals. No mercy. Just war.

Step 11: Burn it all down.

I didn’t go home after Carter Tower.

I couldn’t.

If I did, I’d see my mom’s bills. I’d see the SUV. I’d fold.

I’d remember the $47,000 and I’d sign. I’d disappear.

I went to the only place that had internet, cameras, and an audience.

The school library. Third floor. Corner table by the window.

Daniel was already there. Eyes red. Laptop open. Three empty coffee cups.

"You’re crazy," he said when he saw me. Voice low. "He threatened your mom."

"He threatened to put her on the street," I said. "Then we threaten back."

"But smarter."

I plugged in a USB.

Inside: every email, text, and bank record I stole from Ben’s office that day on the 40th floor.

Prom budgets. Charity fraud. The "scholarship" list that was actually a blacklist.

Emails from Mr. Carter: `Make sure Kudo doesn’t get the grant.` `Bury the complaint.`

And the recording from the 60th floor. I had my phone recording the whole time. In my pocket.

2 minutes. Crystal clear. His voice and mine.

"Mr. Carter threatening a student. On tape." Daniel’s hands were shaking.

"Kudo, if this leaks—"

"They’ll be finished," I finished. "Carter Group. Stock. Reputation. Everything."

"The board will fire him. The FBI might get involved. Securities fraud."

He looked at me. "Is this still about revenge?"

His voice was soft. Scared.

"No," I lied. "This is about survival."

About making sure they could never touch us again.

About making sure no other kid gets laughed at on a stage for being poor.

At 3pm I made my move.

Anonymous account. New email. VPN. Public wifi.

Title: `Carter Group CEO Threatens Minor - AUDIO INCLUDED`

I attached the 2 minute clip.

Mr. Carter’s voice: `"We remove problems."`

My voice: `"I want everything Carter Group has."`

I hit send to 5 news outlets. 10 bloggers. And every parent group in the city.

Every PTA email list I could find. Every school board member. Every reporter.

Then I cleared my history and wiped the USB with a magnet.

By 4pm it was trending.

`#CarterThreat #ProtectKudo #CEOExposed`

1 million views in an hour. 3 million by dinner.

Comment sections were on fire.

By 5pm Carter Group’s PR team was in crisis mode.

Press release. "Misunderstood". "Taken out of context". "We value all students".

Too late. The internet had the audio. Stock was already falling.

By 6pm Mr. Carter called me.

Private number.

"Kudo," his voice was shaking with rage. Like a dog on a leash. "Take it down."

"No," I said. Calm. My hands weren’t shaking anymore. "You take down the threats to my mom."

"You have no idea who you’re dealing with."

"I do now." I hung up.

My phone exploded. Reporters. Comments. Support.

"Stay strong Kudo" "We believe you" "Lock him up" "Hero"

And one text.

Unknown number.

`You went too far. -B`

Ben.

I stared at the screen. For a second I felt guilty.

His dad. His last name. His life falling apart because of me.

Then I remembered prom. The laughter. The "charity case."

The photo. The entire school.

The way he watched and did nothing.

I typed back: `You taught me how. `

Hit send. Blocked the number.

Daniel exhaled. "It’s done. There’s no going back."

I nodded. "Good."

Outside the library windows, news vans were already pulling up. Cameras flashing.

Step 11: Complete.

The war is public now.

And I’m not hiding anymore.

If they want to burn me, we’re all going to burn.

`Chapter 12.

He threatened my mom.

So I threatened his empire.

No deals. No mercy.

-K`