"Dad..."
"You will not leave that campus."
Jackson took the phone back.
"Bill."
"Brick."
"I'm not asking you to destroy your kid."
Bill was quiet.
"I'm asking you to stop protecting him from consequences."
"I understand."
"Good."
Jackson ended the call.
Weston immediately said, "My dad doesn't have money like his."
Jackson turned.
Weston recoiled.
Jackson's expression was almost puzzled.
"You think this is about money?"
Weston swallowed.
"I..."
"You beat my brother."
"It was Trent's idea."
"You still did it."
"He would've turned on me."
Cody spoke from behind them.
"So you let him turn on me instead?"
Every face turned toward Cody.
He had limped closer.
Brian stayed beside him.
Cody's voice shook.
"You could've said no."
Weston stared at the ground.
Cody continued.
"You laughed."
Weston said nothing.
"Every time."
Cody's eyes filled.
"You laughed while you did it."
Weston's face crumpled.
For the first time, he looked less like a monster and more like a seventeen-year-old boy confronting the fact that his excuses did not erase what he had chosen to do.
"I'm sorry."
Cody looked at him for a long time.
Then said, "I don't care."
Jackson glanced at Cody.
There was no cruelty in his brother's answer.
Only exhaustion.
Principal Wallace stepped forward.
"Trent. Weston. Inside."
Neither moved.
"Now."
The boys walked toward the entrance.
Students parted for them too.
But this time the movement felt different.
For months, people had moved aside because Trent and Weston were feared.
Now they moved because nobody wanted to stand beside them.
Wallace followed.
Jackson called after him.
"Greg."
The principal stopped.
"No quiet transfer."
Wallace turned.
"You don't dictate disciplinary policy."
"No."
Jackson slipped his phone into his pocket.
"The evidence does."
He gestured toward dozens of students still holding phones.
"The coach does."
Brian stared at Wallace.
"The injuries do."
Jackson looked toward the security cameras above the doors.
"And I'm guessing somewhere inside this very expensive school, a camera or keycard log tells us who goes into that boiler corridor."
Wallace's face lost another shade of color.
Brian had not thought of that.
Jackson had.
"If that footage disappears," Jackson said calmly, "my lawyer is going to have a fascinating weekend."
Wallace went inside without replying.
Jackson turned back to Cody.
The confrontation was over.
But now that the danger had passed, Cody looked like he might collapse.
Jackson reached him quickly.
"Sit down."
"I'm okay."
"Kid."
"I'm..."
Cody's injured leg buckled.
Jackson caught him before he fell.
The crowd reacted.
Cody buried his face against his brother's chest, humiliated.
Jackson wrapped an arm around him.
"Easy."
"I hate this."
"I know."
"Everybody's staring."
"Let them."
"I look weak."
Jackson leaned down.
"No."
Cody did not answer.
Jackson said, "Look at me."
Cody did.
"You walked into this building every day knowing those two were waiting for you."
Cody's mouth trembled.
"You still came."
Jackson tightened his grip.
"You still went to practice."
A tear escaped Cody's eye.
"You still got up every morning."
Jackson shook his head.