Chapter 509:
“Miss Owen, is something wrong?” one of them asked.
“There’s a bear on the mountain. Get word to the students; pull them back immediately.” Her voice was sharp, urgent. “If anything happens, it’s on all of you.”
It wasn’t just about safety. Brightwood High was filled with children from wealthy families. Any injury would trigger chaos — media outrage, lawsuits, careers destroyed.
“A bear?! That’s not possible,” one soldier said. “This area only has venomous snakes and small game. The estate’s team monitors the mountain constantly. We’ve swept it thoroughly and made sure all the snakes were removed. And if there were a bear, we’d spot it.”
His tone made it clear he thought she was overreacting. “Miss Owen, are you sure you’re not mistaking a joke for the truth?”
Rylie shook her head. “That refrigerated truck last night wasn’t right. Someone used it to smuggle in a bear.”
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. An older lieutenant stepped forward. “Impossible. Briar himself inspected that truck — it was carrying only frozen seafood, no hidden compartments. And we’ve surveyed this forest in detail. There are no large predators here.”
“They must have found a way to slip past inspection. Look here — fresh tracks from hauling a large iron cage. They start behind the kitchen and head straight into the mountains.” Rylie pointed at the surveillance feed, her voice firm. “If that bear gets startled, it could turn ugly fast.”
“I’m telling you, I saw the bear!” At some point, Lucilla had trailed in behind her, repeating her claim with stubborn certainty.
The soldiers in the room exchanged uneasy glances. The lieutenant’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Rylie. “Miss Owen, was Lucilla the one who told you she saw it? Her account might not be trustworthy. We’ve already checked and confirmed the background of everyone working here. She has a history of mental health issues. She’s unstable and might not grasp what she’s saying.”
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Rylie’s brow tightened. “I didn’t just listen to her words and make my decision. I’ve already checked and confirmed it’s true. You need to get in touch with Brad right now.”
The lieutenant’s expression remained unchanged. “That’s impossible, Miss Owen. The surveillance here runs nonstop over the students. If we catch anything unusual, the soldiers on the mountain will handle it right away. Don’t waste your time chasing the ramblings of someone unreliable.”
Her gaze flicked to the badge on his shoulder. The star pattern and color layout were off. Navy and army insignia weren’t the same — he was army.
She scanned the room. Every soldier here was army.
And then it clicked. Brad’s men wouldn’t be careless like this.
There was no point in arguing. These men weren’t going to listen. Rylie held her tongue and turned for the door.
Laughter followed her out.
“A bear? We’ve already checked the whole mountain. How could there be a bear here? It’s still early, and she’s already dreaming. Ha-ha…”
She had only come down this time to coordinate with the Advanced Honors Class. No weapons. No tools for hunting or self-defense. She glanced at the woman beside her. “I need weapons. Do you know where I can get some? Something to deal with the bad guys.”
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