The Hub

Magna was a student in Area-29's Capital School. He was a quiet student that always sit in the back of the class, ignoring everybody and always focused on his notebook where he always scribbled something onto it.

Many tried to asked him what he was doing but he would glared at them fiercely before ignoring them again.

Some speculated that he was drawing a draft for this year's school arts competition and it was so good that he was afraid someone wanted to steal his idea.

Some said that he was writing a poem or love letters to his non-existing girlfriend.

Many speculations had arisen at one point and it was so far-fetched to the point of saying that he was decoding the universe secrets.

The commotion died down after sometimes when everybody ignored him and Magna got his reclusive life back.

However, he was still doing the same thing, all over again but the different was that no one was paying him attention anymore.

On this day, Magna came to school and sat in his usual seat planning to scribble his time away with his secret notebook but he noticed that there was something different.

The normally empty seat was now occupied by something he was not familiar with.

He picked it up to examine the box-like item with a horizontal screen line that was left blank at the moment.

At the side of the box there was an 'insert here' sign and an empty slot that looked like the money inlet in the vending machine accompanied by the money sign next to it.

He tossed it around when suddenly, the red light flashed and the screen displayed some words on the screen.

'Pass it to the next person in 8 hours or consequences'

The sentence was not displayed at once but it slid from left to right slowly giving reader times to read them fully.

Magna tossed it inside his bag without giving it much thought and continued to focus on his secret notebook again.

He kept the box because he didn't know what to do with it and he also thought that it was a bit cool gadget with light flashing around from time to time, it could make a good decoration in his room.

The classes started and ended but as usual Magna didn't pay them any heed and continued to write and draw something vigorously when there was a beep inside his bag during everyone's lunchtime.

At first, it startled him a lot as he totally forgot that he kept such a thing in his bag and he finally remembered when he saw it.

There was a red light flashed on the thing again with a beep but Magna totally ignored it after knowing that it was that device's.

He thought that it might be telling the time as it was exactly at noon when it beeped.

However, there was a second beep that managed to annoy Magna this time to which he picked the gadget up and tried to change it to silent mode.

"How the heck could I turned this thing to silent mode?" He mumbled to himself while turning the device around curiously.

He turned them around when he saw the sentence sliding on the display and when he saw what it said, he scoffed.

On the device it read,

'Half time passed...'

'Your secret will be exposed in 3 hours 58 minutes 41 seconds'

The first sentence managed to be displayed only once but the second one was looping continuously while counting down the time.

Seeing that it did not gave off another beep, he ignored it completely and went back to his drawing again.

As time passed, the device kept counting down the time accurately, however, Magna didn't pay any attention to it and ready to bring it back home to study its layout when the school bell rang indicating that the school time was over.

"Alright, That's it for today.

I hope you guys read more on the algebra to strengthen your basics as they are important if you want to continue your study in the future.

It would be applied everywhere.

The homework for today would be page fou-"

*Beep

The gadget-like sound echoed through the class before Professor Patrick managed to finish his sentence.

"-rty and please turned off your gadget or at least set it to the silent mode next time because it may disturbed the whole class.

Thank you for your attention.

Class dismissed" Professor Patrick said and he left the class room.

Magna face paled thinking that he almost got into troubled as that device beeped again without giving him any notice.

He took it out angrily before he tried to throw it away when he saw the word on the device that made his face change color.

Realizing something, he hurriedly rummaged his backpack and when he found that his beloved notebook was still there he heaved a sigh of relieve before he turned to the device and frowned.

On the screen it said,

'Jule...'

'Your secret is with us.

Insert 20 cu and

passed the hub to other.

Your notebook is....

very interesting'

'You have 18 minutes to pay.

If damaged, pay 10 times.

I have even more of a great story.

Try me....'

With each sentence appeared, Magna's face grew paler and paler.

He angrily inserted the 20 cu into the device and looked around the class.

When he didn't see any abnormality he turned back to the gadget.

'This is clearly extortion. And how can I be absolutely sure that if I paid, you won't say a d*mn thing, you piece of garbage!' Magna angrily thought but he still inserted the money into the device while thinking who would be the one he should give it the box to.

*Ka Chink

'Thank you for using the hub.

Do not worry.

Integrity comes first'

After Magna made his purchase, the sound effect came through causing the whole class to turn back and look at Magna strangely.

When they saw who made that sound, they lost all their interest and turned back to their own activity.

He looked at them awkwardly and then turned back to the source of the sound.

After reading the sentences, Magna thought that he used all the patience in his life at the moment to hold himself back from throwing the device to the ground and kick it away but he was afraid that the system would sent his secrets to the whole school if that happened so he stopped.

'Thanks my a**' Magna thought still wondering why did someone target him.

'Don't let me catch you, you b*stard.

I'll stabbed you a hundred times'

He thought and sighed.

'At least there was some reassuring words.

Integrity, huh?

I hope you stay true to that'

Magna could do nothing but to believe the words on the screen and sat down.

In a corner of the class, there was a duo whose head was down and there were smiles on their faces.

This duo was Luke and Mikel and the hub was their creation.

If Magna was calmed he would notice that there were 2 people in the class room that didn't look at him when there was a sound echoing through the class.

It was like they knew that this would happen and they were prepared for it.

But luckily, he was nervous and didn't spot any different.

"Psst. Who do you think he will pass it to?" Luke whispered.

"I don't know but if that person is super clean, then our plan would go into the drain and we would lost our effort completely" Mikel said worriedly.

"Is there really someone who is super clean?" Luke asked nervously.

Mikel propped his head back up and Luke followed, eyes full of worry.

Mikel looked at Luke while he showed his wide grinned,

"No, there isn't"