Mech-man: The Mission of Fate

Chapter 51

Professor McAllister began to talk as soon as everyone settle down.

"The black crystal has been stolen." She said in a calm but loud voice. The assembly hall that was noisy with chatter few seconds ago became completely silent. "As we all know, it was placed in the glass cabinet inside my office. This means that someone not only broke into my office but also stole the crystal." Professor McAllister paused and scanned around the silent room, clearly, she thought the thief was in the room. Her gaze seemed to land on everyone as they're all suspects. Whispers began to ripple through the crowd, but she raised a hand, silencing them once more.

Max, seated near the front, leaned over to Caden. "Do you think it was one of us?" he whispered, a hint of concern in his voice.

Caden shrugged, his brow furrowed. "I don't know. But the black crystal? It's supposed to be powerful and mysterious, it could be extremely dangerous if it was misused."

Across the room, Jaxon exchanged a glance with Max. "Do you remember when we first used the black crystal at the underground chamber to defeat the monster?" he asked, lowering his voice. "What if someone is wants to summon the monster back. It could be possible!"

Max shivered at the thought, "I hope that won't happen."

Lucas shook his head in disbelief. "In my opinion, the crystal just got misplaced, probably by one of the teachers."

Professor McAllister cleared her throat, bringing everyone's focus back to her, silence once again surrounded the room. "I want to emphasize that this is serious. Whoever took the crystal has violated not just my office, but our trust as a community. It could also challenge the safety of this school and everyone inside." She paused, letting the information sink in. "If you know anything, I urge you to come forward."

Max exchanged another glance with Caden, a plan forming in his mind. "We should look for clues," he whispered. "Whoever did this will leave clues."

Caden nodded. "Yeah, but where do we even start?"

Aria leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if we check the office? There might be something left behind—like a footprint or a small object."

"Great idea," Lucas said, his interest piqued. "But we have to be careful. If the thief is still around... we don't want to confront them."

Cassia nodded, glancing toward Professor McAllister, who was still scanning the crowd. "Let's meet in the library after this. It'll be quieter there."

At lunchtime, six figures entered the library. They found a quiet corner and sat down.

"What should we do now?" Max asked quietly.

"Let's go and check Professor McAllister's office." Lucas suggested. "We could also know how the thief broke the glass."

"Shouldn't we talk to Professor McAllister first. If she catches us in her office, she might think we stole the crystal." Aria suggested helpfully.

Max nodded, considering Aria's point. "That makes sense. We need to be smart about this. Maybe if we gather some information first, we can ask her for permission to check the office without raising any alarms."

Caden leaned forward, his expression serious. "What if we asked her about the last time she saw the crystal? She might have noticed something unusual before it went missing."

"That's a good idea," Cassia agreed. "We could also ask her if anyone else had access to her office recently. Maybe there are people we didn't consider."

Aria bit her lip, looking around the library to ensure no one was listening. "Let's approach her after lunch. We should act casual, like we're just curious about the crystal and its history."

As the group discussed their plan, the sound of shuffling papers caught their attention. A student seated nearby, who had been pretending to study, glanced over with a curious expression. Max felt a chill run down his spine. It was Blake and his gang.

"Do you think they heard us?" he whispered urgently.

Lucas shrugged. "Let's just be careful. We don't want anyone else getting involved if they don't need to."

After lunch, they approached Professor McAllister's office, their hearts racing with a mix of excitement and anxiety. The hallway was empty, and they exchanged glances before knocking on her door.

"Come in!" came her voice, inviting yet stern.

They entered, and Professor McAllister looked up from her desk, her expression softening at the sight of her students. "What can I do for you?"

Max stepped forward, summoning his courage. "We were wondering about the black crystal, Professor. Do you remember when you last saw it?"

She sighed, leaning back in her chair, behind her, a glass cabinet was smashed, glass pieces had been cleaned of the floor but some still stayed inside the cabinet. Where the crystal normally was, was empty. "It was right here, in its cabinet. I checked on it last Tuesday before I left for a lesson."

Caden jumped in. "Did you notice anything strange around that time? Anyone acting suspiciously?"

Professor McAllister considered their question carefully. "No, but the night I returned, I heard something in the hall. It was late, and I thought it was just my imagination. Maybe it wasn't."

"Maybe someone was planning this," Cassia suggested, her eyes wide. "What about the teachers? Did any of them mention anything?"

"I'll look into that, as far I know, Mark was the first person to notice it missing." she replied, her tone thoughtful. "But please, if you hear anything... anything at all, come to me right away."

As they nodded in agreement, Jaxon's eyes drifted to the glass cabinet where the crystal had once been displayed. "Is it possible to see the office from the hallway?" he asked.

"Yes, the door is usually open during the day," she replied, glancing at the doorway. "But I'd prefer if you didn't linger outside. It can raise suspicions."

After a brief discussion, the students thanked Professor McAllister and left her office, minds buzzing with possibilities.

Once outside, they huddled together in a corner of the hallway. "We need to figure out how the thief got in without being seen or heard," Max said. "I reckon he or she was here in the middle of the night."