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Chapter 8: Breaking Point

The morning light filtered through the curtains of Luna's dorm room, but the brightness did little to ease the tension in her chest. The events of the previous night played on repeat in her mind-the shattering glass, the chill of fear running down her spine, the way her heart had pounded as she looked at the broken window. She knew she couldn't keep this to herself, but the thought of reporting it made her stomach churn. What if it was connected to the criminals? What if she was already being watched?

Luna tried to push those thoughts away as she went through her morning routine, but they lingered, heavy and persistent. The decision weighed on her as she dressed, every movement slower than usual. Finally, after training, she made up her mind. She needed to tell Director Hayes.

She walked to Hayes' office, her steps quickening with determination. The hallway seemed longer today, each step echoing in her ears. By the time she reached his door, her hands were clammy, and she had to take a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," Hayes' voice called out from the other side.

Luna opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her. Hayes sat behind his desk, papers scattered in front of him, but he looked up immediately when he saw her. "Luna, what brings you here?"

She swallowed hard. "I need to report something, sir. Something that happened last night."

Hayes' expression shifted, becoming more serious. He gestured for her to take a seat. "Go on."

Luna hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts, then she began. "Last night, someone broke into my room. I didn't see who it was-they shattered my window, but I didn't catch a glimpse of them before they ran off. I... I'm worried it might be connected to my past."

Hayes leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly as he processed her words. "You did the right thing by coming to me. This is serious, Luna. If someone's targeting you, it's not something we can take lightly."

She nodded, her hands twisting together in her lap. "I just... I didn't know what to do. I'm scared they might be connected to the organization I used to work for."

Hayes stood up, moving around the desk to sit in the chair beside her. "Luna, listen to me. We're going to handle this. I'll start an investigation right away, and I'll have security increased around the academy. But I need you to be completely honest with me-did you recognize anything about the intruder? Anything at all?"

Luna shook her head. "No, it was too dark, and everything happened so fast. But... but I feel like they were watching me, even before they broke the window."

Hayes frowned, deep in thought. "We'll have to consider every possibility. In the meantime, I need you to be careful. Don't go anywhere alone, and if you notice anything unusual, you report it immediately. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Luna replied, though the fear still gnawed at her.

"Good." Hayes stood up, his tone firm and reassuring. "I'll keep you updated on the investigation. For now, try to focus on your training. We'll get to the bottom of this."

Luna nodded, feeling a mix of relief and lingering anxiety as she left his office. She walked back to her dorm in a daze, her mind racing with thoughts. Could it really be them? Were the criminals already suspicious of her? She wanted to believe that everything would be okay, that Hayes and the academy could protect her, but doubt still clawed at the edges of her mind.

Back in her room, Luna sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the shattered glass that had been swept into a corner. Her hands trembled as she replayed the events in her head. She could have been hurt-or worse. And what scared her the most was the realization that, despite everything, a part of her still felt loyal to the criminals who had raised her. The guilt of betraying them, of lying to them, was eating her alive.

A sudden buzz from her phone pulled her out of her thoughts. She picked it up, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the message on the screen. It was from the criminal organization.

**"We've heard about the investigation. Stay loyal, and everything will be fine."**

The words sent a chill down her spine. They knew. They were watching. Luna's breath quickened as panic set in. She had lied to them about the break-in, and now they were warning her. What if they didn't believe her? What if they were testing her loyalty?

Her hands shook as she typed out a response, trying to keep her words neutral. "I'm staying loyal. Nothing to worry about." The lie tasted bitter on her tongue, and as soon as she hit send, she regretted it. But what choice did she have? She couldn't tell them the truth-not now, not ever.

As the evening wore on, Luna tried to focus on anything else. She buried herself in training, pushing her body to the limit, but the fear still lingered. When she finally collapsed into bed, exhaustion pulling at her, she knew sleep wouldn't come easy.

But before she could drift off, another message popped up on her phone. This time, it was from Gerald.

"How was your day? You alright?"

Luna smiled despite herself, the tension easing slightly as she read his words. Gerald had a way of making her feel grounded, even when everything else was falling apart. She quickly typed out a response, telling him about her day-minus the break-in and the call from the criminals, of course.

Gerald's next message made her laugh out loud. "Mom! I can't deal with my hair like this help fix it or smt!" Attached was a photo of him with a new haircut, looking utterly displeased.

Luna snorted, quickly typing back. "I'm not your mom, Gerald! But seriously, what did you do to your hair? You look like a dork!"

"Rude!" Gerald shot back, though she could imagine him grinning. "It's not my fault the barber had no idea what he was doing. Help me fix this disaster."

Luna couldn't stop laughing, the banter with Gerald easing the weight on her chest, even if just for a moment. She teased him mercilessly, and he fired back with equal vigor, their playful argument going on until her sides hurt from laughing.

When the conversation finally died down, Luna found herself feeling lighter, the fear momentarily forgotten. She knew she should be cautious, but right now, she just wanted to hold onto this small piece of normalcy, this connection with Gerald that made her feel like maybe, just maybe, things could be okay.

But as she set her phone aside and closed her eyes, the doubt crept back in. She was living a double life, and it was only a matter of time before something gave way. The criminals were watching, and Hayes was investigating, and she was stuck in the middle, trying to keep it all from unraveling.

The last thing she saw before sleep claimed her was the shattered glass on the floor, glinting ominously in the moonlight.