The courtyard of Blackthorne Academy looked perfect in the autumn light—stone benches, polished buildings, students in navy blazers laughing between classes like the future already belonged to them. Then a violent metallic shriek cut through the air. Ethan Cross’s prosthetic leg buckled beneath him, and he crashed hard into a stone bench. Books flew. Gasps turned into laughter almost instantly. Phones rose from every direction.

“His leg is glitching!” one boy shouted, grinning as others laughed harder. Ethan’s face burned with humiliation as he tried to push himself up. Then someone shoved through the crowd. Maya Bennett. Scholarship student. Smart enough to threaten everyone there. She dropped beside him and glared at the students. “Film yourselves instead,” she said coldly. The laughter faded. She grabbed the prosthetic joint, turning it carefully while Ethan winced. Her eyes narrowed. From her pocket she pulled a tiny multi-tool and tightened one section. Ethan slowly stood, steadier now, staring at her. “How do you know this stuff?” he asked.

Maya didn’t answer. She reached deeper into the socket, then pulled out a cracked, cheap component that clearly didn’t belong in a device worth more than most cars. She held it up for everyone to see. Silence swallowed the courtyard. Ethan’s expression changed from embarrassment to fear. “What is that?” he whispered. Maya stepped closer so only he could hear, though everyone watched her lips move. “Sabotage,” she said. Then her eyes locked onto his. “Who benefits if you lose the leg…” She paused, glancing toward the students filming. “…or if you die?” Ethan turned pale. Across the courtyard, one of his closest friends slowly lowered his phone and began backing away. Continue in the comments