Undercover lessons

Beneath the mask

Chapter: 3

The room felt like it had shrunk as Lena stared at Adrian Blackwood, standing at her doorstep with the same unnerving calm that had plagued her thoughts for days. The dim hallway light cast shadows across his face, emphasizing the sharp lines of his jaw and the enigmatic expression he wore so effortlessly.

“What are you doing here?” Lena’s voice was steady, though her fingers tightened instinctively around the gun concealed behind the door.

Adrian’s eyes flickered down to her hand briefly, as if he knew exactly what she was holding, then back up to her face. “I had to make sure you got home safely,” he said, his voice low, measured. “After all, the world is full of dangerous people.”

Lena didn’t move. “You’re my professor. You shouldn’t be here.”

“I’m also someone who understands when people are in over their heads,” Adrian replied, his gaze unrelenting. “You have no idea what kind of game you’re playing, do you?”

Lena stiffened. Her instincts screamed to shut the door in his face, but her curiosity overpowered her caution. “What do you mean by that?”

Adrian leaned slightly closer, his presence suffocating. “Be careful who you trust, Ms. Castillo.”

Her breath caught. The words mirrored the mysterious messages she’d been receiving, and it wasn’t lost on her. Before she could respond, Adrian stepped back, his lips curling into a faint, almost mocking smile.

“Goodnight, Lena.” He turned and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway, leaving her heart racing and her mind spinning.

A New Ally or Enemy

The following morning, Lena resolved to find out more about Adrian. She arrived on campus early, heading straight to the library archives. If Adrian Blackwood was hiding something, there had to be a trail. Professors didn’t just appear out of nowhere, after all.

As she searched through digital faculty records, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Digging up dirt, are we?”

Lena turned sharply to see Emma Greene, a fellow student known for her sharp wit and uncanny knack for uncovering secrets. Emma had a reputation as the university’s unofficial information broker—if something was happening on campus, she knew about it.

“None of your business,” Lena replied curtly, but Emma’s smirk only widened.

“You’re looking into Blackwood, aren’t you?” Emma slid into the chair beside her, pulling her laptop out of her bag. “He’s...interesting, isn’t he?”

Lena tensed. “What do you mean by that?”

Emma tilted her head, her expression playful but laced with intrigue. “He’s not like the other professors. Too polished, too...deliberate. I’ve heard whispers that he’s not here just to teach.”

“Whispers from who?” Lena asked, leaning in despite herself.

Emma shrugged. “People who notice things. Same as me. Same as you, apparently.” She tapped a few keys on her laptop. “If you want answers, you’ll need help. Lucky for you, I’m very good at finding things out.”

Lena hesitated. Trust wasn’t something she handed out freely, but Emma’s reputation was undeniable. “Fine,” she said reluctantly. “But this stays between us.”

Emma grinned. “My lips are sealed.”

A Shadow from the Past

Later that day, as Lena sat through another of Adrian’s lectures, her focus was torn between his words and the growing web of secrets surrounding him. Her phone buzzed in her pocket—a message from Emma.

“Meet me in the coffee shop. I found something.”

After class, Lena slipped away and headed to the small café just off campus. Emma was waiting at a corner table, her laptop open and a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

“You’re going to love this,” Emma said as Lena sat down.

She turned the laptop to face Lena, revealing a news article from five years ago. The headline read: “Undercover Operative Exposes Criminal Syndicate.”

Lena’s eyes scanned the text rapidly, her stomach twisting. The article detailed a federal operation led by an anonymous agent who had infiltrated a powerful crime family, gathering evidence that led to dozens of arrests.

Emma pointed to a grainy photo included in the article. “Look familiar?”

The man in the background, partially obscured but unmistakable, was Adrian Blackwood.

“He’s not just a professor,” Emma said, her voice low. “He’s a spook. Or at least, he was.”

Lena leaned back, her mind reeling. If Adrian had a history with undercover work, then his presence at the university wasn’t a coincidence. Was he here because of her?

The Game Expands

That evening, as Lena walked back to her apartment, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a call from an unknown number. Against her better judgment, she answered.

“Lena,” a deep voice said. It wasn’t Adrian, but it carried the same controlled calm.

“Who is this?”

“A friend,” the voice replied. “You’re digging into things you shouldn’t. Stop before it’s too late.”

“I don’t take threats lightly,” Lena shot back.

“It’s not a threat,” the voice said, a note of warning creeping in. “It’s advice. Adrian Blackwood isn’t your only problem.”

The call ended before Lena could respond, leaving her with more questions than answers.

The Arrival of the Stranger

The next day, a new face appeared on campus. Daniel Novak, a visiting lecturer in criminology, introduced himself to Lena’s class with a charming smile and easy confidence. But as Lena watched him, her instincts flared again.

There was something calculated about Daniel, something too polished. As he scanned the room, his eyes landed on Lena briefly before moving on.

Later, she found him talking to Adrian in the hallway. Their conversation seemed casual, but the tension between them was palpable.

Lena watched from a distance, her mind racing. Adrian’s cryptic warnings, the messages, the article about his past—and now Daniel Novak.

The game she was caught in was growing more dangerous by the day, and Lena realized she was running out of time to figure out the rules.

What role will Daniel Novak play in this tangled web? And can Lena uncover the truth before it’s too late?