Tim had brought Finn home.
The kid had been bursting with energy the whole way back, jumping from topic to topic—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcHbu9Qo3F
from kindergarten lunch, to his future wedding, to a dinosaur-shaped cake he once dreamed about.
Tim didn’t interrupt.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhwYNqgk75
He just let him talk, silently unbuckling the seatbelt and walking him inside by the hand.
Now, he stood inside the massive playroom, watching the boy swing back and forth.
This room was originally designed by Bruce as a training space to "drain Robin’s energy."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHB4E2kBMRi
Later, they added soft mats and removed a few folding knives, making it just a bit more child-safe.
And Finn really was swinging—back and forth.
That wild little-animal energy had exploded out of him,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83eG25Bksd
and now he was bouncing like a rubber ball strapped to a rope.
There was a wall lined with climbing holds, ropes knotted from the ceiling, and a row of steel monkey bars.
He was basically a monkey.
Tim watched as Finn hung one-handed from a bar, legs kicking wildly mid-air,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU7CYhT7xw
mentally calculating, "Is he about to slam his nose into something?"
Thankfully, when they got home, the kid had immediately sprinted to the kitchen to demand snacks from Alfred.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAJTXleW6m
At least he wasn’t hungry.
Alfred had prepped sliced fruit, two boiled eggs, a cup of room-temp milk, and three freshly baked cookies.
Finn said, “I’ll save one for Miss Nora,”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtDTixd8Oa
but ended up eating all three before remembering that promise.
Tim kept an eye on him.
Leaning against the doorframe, arms loosely crossed,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvky7WqoBII
he watched the little whirlwind spin through the air—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZW6TMtHDM
but his thoughts began to drift.
Suddenly, in his mind—those emerald eyes appeared.
Clear green.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjX4FeRjPJq
Not shy, not exactly warm either,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxttEtI88a
just fixed straight on him, like they had already read him inside out.
He wasn’t sure if he was overthinking it.
Rationally, he knew—she was just a regular teacher. Just an ordinary person.
But the image stuck in his mind, like a clue from the wrong crime scene—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMnVH2sqCh
one that just refused to go away.
Back there, after she’d stood up—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF3Skd0s8N
she had scanned him.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iWA9kWU3h
Not just looked at him—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeLcN4Sng5
scanned him.
Not the casual up-and-down kind of glance,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsN3TF1vTE
but the kind enemies used: a full-body tactical read.
Weight distribution, possible concealed weapons, weak points.
It really was a scan.
Tim had frozen for a split second,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOIsrmaGVR
and instinctively thought, “If an attack happens now, I should step left twice and counter.”
It wasn’t like he’d never been looked at that way before—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhbJw2YeKD
just… never in a kindergarten.
It made him feel like he wasn’t wearing armor.
Not in a sexual sense, not naked like that—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyQOTCyXKU
but stripped down.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6OaJPxDdT
Exposed.
As if someone had effortlessly peeled back his layers of defense and smiled,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVmFzl3dGD
“Ah. So that’s where you’re hiding.”
And that teacher—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObkz1LU6Ww
though she smiled gently and replied to Finn in the softest voice:
“Okay, I’ll wait till you finish drawing, then we’ll clean up together.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZhCJdVX7X
“Don’t forget to draw ears on the robot. Otherwise, he won’t hear the wedding music!”
—there was something… strange.
Tim couldn’t quite explain it.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSWFKER7AX
But for a brief moment, something in his spine had tensed.
It wasn’t unfamiliarity.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QIYu4nr3N
It was the scent of danger—something deeply familiar.
The kind of danger you sensed in a battlefield, in an alley before a fight,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmPRYfqSbi
in the air seconds before an explosion—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUhi2h2NQJ
only this time, it was wrapped in the scent of milk and laundry detergent.
This is not good, Tim thought.
It wasn’t just professional instinct.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5juEK7tXbN
It wasn’t paranoia.
It was that specific kind of feeling that always came before a moment he'd regret not investigating.
That feeling had saved his life more times than he could count.
And he trusted it—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wLCey5Lt0
more than he trusted most things people said out loud.
This woman…281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslfcfj04sw
needs to be investigated.
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDesMPBsx1
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzUo96Nron
That night, Tim got to work.
After patrol, he showered, brewed a cup of black coffee, and sat at his desk in the study.
The lights were dimmed to the lowest setting.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WzmmqLO2G
The screen lit up.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1cxNY5NSp
His fingers began quietly tapping the keyboard.
This wasn’t anything major.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBh96V6nPYa
For him, it was just a simple cross-check.
He scanned her computer.
Not hacking—just a remote sweep.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jUbxeh2Ro
Her system’s defenses were low, almost no blocks in place. Just a regular user.
Huh… there’s a lot in here, Tim thought.
He furrowed his brows slightly, eyes flicking across several folders.
Everything was neatly organized—lesson plans, teaching materials, classroom activity logs.
Tons of educational content.
From early childhood cognitive development to group guidance techniques,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgs4TgWrgk
her materials were meticulously categorized—with visuals included.
Some files were labeled things like “Emotion Coaching Drills,” “Whisper Strategy,” and “Behavioral Intervention Protocols”—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyJc1LvY6J
not textbook theory, but clearly drawn from real experience.
There were even training files related to special education.
One PDF was from a self-funded course she’d taken last year titled:281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TFnYjbkcA
“Nonverbal Response Analysis in Highly Sensitive Children.”
She’d highlighted notes, underlined passages, and written in red:281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hPdxf0KZA
“Emotional connection > Behavior correction.”
She was genuinely serious about teaching.
Not the kind of serious for performance reviews or appearances—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIfN3lEpj9
but the kind rooted in a real desire to help children live better lives.
Before graduation, she’d completed many internships too.
Tim looked up a few of the institutions she listed—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPM2e3qVM0
they all had legitimate reputations.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bfPvOLpGd
One even advertised “Over 300 hours of hands-on parent-child companion time.”
Her records were detailed and solid—not the kind you could fake.
There were even case reflections.
She had written an article about a developmentally delayed child who gradually learned to say “thank you” over the course of six months.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeQ8gGkeHE
The article didn’t boast about her own work—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfxTffsZP0
she just kept repeating, “That child really worked hard.”
Tim opened the photos.
Many were of Nora crouching down beside children, smiling—not the forced, professional kind—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCP7L3RalQ
but tired, honest smiles filled with warmth.
Some were clearly taken after long activities.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCW3ff1yeUP
In one, her forehead touched a child’s as they held up a puzzle award together.
It was obvious the kids really liked her.
Not surface-level affection,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡat7nomuSmt
but that kind of deep attachment where the child leaned into her, tilted their face up toward hers—
held onto her shirt, eyes shining like:281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqfRQIotzc
“If she’s here, then everything’s okay.”
Children are mirrors. They can always tell who truly loves them.
Tim remembered that.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbiCe8kus7
It was something Bruce once told him when he was twelve,281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZyfqm4jLF
standing just outside a group home during a charity event.
Maybe I’m just being paranoid, Tim thought.
His fingers left the mouse.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ705Nnx3hsT
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the smile in the photo.
Maybe it was just professional reflex.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDGtlf2z9g
Maybe the atmosphere that day had been too weird.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxk7eWXgSD
Maybe she really was just someone trying hard to be a good teacher.
Still, Tim kept going.
His rule was: Don’t let it go until it’s cleared.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust people—281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzHMNyxGDO
he just trusted verification more.
He decided to lower his guard. For now.
He moved the mouse aside, about to close the window.
Then, in the corner of the screen, a file name flashed past—something he didn’t recognize.
A file popped up.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PE9DiJyuu
Encrypted.
The title read: “Nightnest.”
Tim’s brow twitched.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAp2In4Nt6
He moved the mouse over and clicked.
A name that didn’t belong.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtndwNfZww
Encrypted too.
It wasn’t part of any category.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKz1hT9pnA
Not a subfolder of her teaching files.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQeS1AYV9n
It looked like a deliberately hidden private space.
Tim tapped a key.
It opened immediately.
He didn’t even need effort.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPijOhESuP
The encryption was outdated—practically ceremonial, like a lock that wasn’t meant to keep anything out.
“Let’s see what you’re hiding.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS23oUTQn2w
Tim clicked to open it.
His voice was flat.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBSkBJIvAE
But his eyes clearly froze for a few seconds.
The screen flickered.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuAulz4Lcz
And slowly, the contents unfolded.
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yjIxLwoKM
and then Add to home screen.