Balls

52

Nastia was sitting in front of Mrs Jogh, Mr Evans and the Student Affairs head in Mrs Jogh's main office at Biotech Faculty building.

Agamemnon, Mirna, Micah, Ballqis, Molly and Iqball were sitting on a row behind her.

The exchange student was a nervous wreck. 

"We just need you to be honest, Nastia. Why did you use Agamemnon's ID to enter the lab last Saturday?" Mrs Jogh said.

"I... I told you already Mrs Jogh. I thought I left something there, and when I could not find my tag, I used Aga's which I had forgotten to return earlier at the beach," Nastia stammered an answer.

"The intruder in the video seemed to have a similar built as yours, and the timestamp on the lab cameras matches your entry time as clocked on Aga's ID. How do you explain that?" Mrs Jogh pressed without malice.

"I... I don't know..." she deflected easily.

"Nastia, we do not need to go through your things, only to find that you do have a set of cat suit hidden in your wardrobe. It's time to come clean," Mr Evans said simply.

That got Nastia shaking in her seat.

"We're not here to punish you, we just wanted to understand. If you could explain what happened, there is no need for this incident to go on record as the fish, the lab and everything in it were unharmed," Mrs Jogh persuaded.

 Nastia's head dropped. She was silent for a good minute before she look up again, this time with tears brimming in her eyes.

"I had to. I had to... " she burst.

Mrs Jogh got up from her seat and hugged the girl. Nastia held on to Mrs Jogh's shoulders as she talked.

"My mother is sick. My father died when I was smaller. There is this one professor who knew my dad. He said he'd help me get through Gosu and that I could pay for everything once I graduate and get a job. But suddenly he told me to be part of this exchange program and do this one task. If I succeed, he will even pay for my mother's hospital bills," she sobbed.

Mrs Jogh's eyes went red. Mr Evans wasn't as easily moved.

"Show me proof of your mother's condition," he said.

Nastia promptly pulled out her phone and showed Mr Evans a list of emails, her correspondence with the hospital her mother's seeking treatment in.

"She got cancer from years of working at the coal factory. You can call her oncologist," Nastia offered.

Mr Evans dialled the number. The row of students behind Nastia watched in disbelief. Molly gripped Ballqis and Mirna's hands.

I can't believe Mr Evans would dig that deep, Ballqis eyed Iqball, and the guy beside her silently agreed.  

A short conversation ensued and after a few minutes, Mr Evans was satisfied. Mrs Jogh returned to her seat.

"This is my conversation with the professor. His name is..." Nastia wanted to show her phone screen which was displaying a messaging app but was cut short.

"Egorov," Mrs Jogh said.

Nastia's face was pure shock.

"How... how..." she stammered again.

"Tell us more, Nastia," the Student Affairs head encouraged when Mrs Jogh's would not explain.

"Professor Egorov, he is heading a research at my university, where I worked for him part time. He told me to find a way into Mrs Jogh's fish lab undetected and switch on this special device that he taught me how to assemble. I just needed to flash the light at the fish and I'm done," Nastia said.