Chapter 35 Ice in his Veins
The basement felt smaller every hour. Jaxson had been pacing the floor so much that he felt like he was wearing a path into the rug. He was used to being on the move. He was used to the wind on his face and the cold air of the rink.
He picked up his hockey stick and handled a puck, moving it back and forth on the concrete floor. The sound clack, clack, clack was the only thing keeping him sane. But he knew he was losing his edge. Every day he spent hiding was a day his muscles got soft and his reflexes got slow.
Leo walked down the stairs, carrying two bottles of water. He saw Jaxson’s face and sighed. "You look like a tiger in a cage, Jax."
"I'm losing it, Leo," Jaxson said. He stopped moving the puck and looked at his hands. "My legs feel heavy. My timing is off. If I don't get on the ice soon, it won't matter if we prove I'm innocent. I won't be able to play anyway. I’ll be a joke."
Leo looked at the small window at the top of the wall. The sun was going down. "The rink at the school is crawling with Marcus’s friends. We can’t go there. And the security cameras are all linked to the main office."
"I just need twenty minutes," Jaxson pleaded. "Somewhere. Anywhere with a sheet of ice."
Leo thought for a long minute. He knew the risk was huge. If they were caught, it was over. But he also knew that Jaxson was right. A hockey player without ice is like a bird without sky.
"There’s an old community pond about twenty miles north," Leo said slowly. "It’s hidden behind some trees. It’s small, and the ice isn't perfect, but nobody goes there at night. It’s too far for the students to care."
Jaxson’s eyes lit up for the first time in days. "Let's go."
"Wait," Leo said, holding up a hand. "If we’re going out, we’re not just going to skate. We’re going to be smart. I realized something today. The playbook data... it’s not just on the thumb drive. The master server at the rink keeps a log of every person who logged in during the week the plays were stolen."
"But the IT guys already checked that," Jaxson said.
"They checked for your name," Leo explained. "They didn't check for 'ghost logins' or remote access. If I can get into the server room at the rink while the team is away, I can download the real logs. But I need someone to watch the door, and I need someone to drive a car that isn't mine."
"Elena," Jaxson whispered.
Leo nodded. "I’ll call her. If she meets us at the pond, she can take you there while I go to the rink. Then, we meet back at the pond to bring you home. It’s a lot of moving parts, Jax. If one thing goes wrong..."
"It’s better than sitting here waiting for the police," Jaxson said.
Elena’s heart was hammering against her ribs as she walked out of the dorms. She was wearing a thick hoodie and a cap pulled low over her eyes. She felt like a criminal. Every person she passed felt like a spy.
She got into her car and drove. She didn't go straight to the pond. She drove in circles for ten minutes to make sure no one was following her.
Finally, she headed north.
When she pulled into the dirt lot near the trees, she saw a dark shape standing by the water. It was Jaxson. He was wearing the black jacket Chloe had delivered, his hood up.
She killed the engine and stepped out. The air was freezing, but she didn't care. Jaxson saw her and started walking fast. He didn't say a word. He just reached out and pulled her into a hug so tight she could barely breathe.
"You’re here," he whispered into her hair.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else," Elena said. She pulled back and looked at him.
He looked tired, and his eyes were dark, but he was smiling.
Jaxson looked at the pond. The ice was dark and smooth, reflecting the moon. "Leo told me to practice. But I don't want to practice alone."
He reached into the back of her car and pulled out her old skates. She hadn't used them in years, but she always kept them in the trunk "just in case."
"Jax, I’m not a Viper," she laughed softly. "I’ll fall on my face."
"I'll catch you," he promised.
He sat her down on the bumper of the car and helped her lace up her skates. His hands were steady and strong. Then, he put on his own skates. He didn't even have to tie them, it was like they were a part of his feet.
They stepped onto the ice. It was rougher than the professional rink, with little bumps and cracks, but to Jaxson, it was heaven. He took a long, deep stride, the blades cutting into the ice with a beautiful shhh-t sound. He skated a circle around Elena, his movements fast and graceful.
"You haven't lost it," she said, watching him.
"I felt like I had," he said, coming back to her. He took her hands and pulled her toward the center of the pond. "Keep your knees bent. Don't look at your feet. Look at me."
Elena did what he said. She felt the cold wind on her cheeks. The world was so loud lately but here, in the dark, with only the sound of their skates on the ice, it was quiet.
Jaxson pulled her closer until their chests were almost touching. They were moving slowly, gliding over the dark water.
"I'm sorry, Elena," he said softly. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this. You should be in your room studying for your exams."
"I am worrying about physiology," she joked, looking up at him. "Specifically, how your heart is beating way too fast."
Jaxson laughed, and the sound made the air feel warmer. He stopped skating and held her still. The moon was high above them, and the trees blocked out the rest of the world.
Jaxson leaned down and kissed her. It wasn't like their first kiss, which was full of panic and heat. This one was slow and deep. It was a promise.
For a few minutes, Jaxson Miller wasn't a scholarship kid losing his life. He was just a boy on the ice with the girl he loved.
But the silence didn't last.
A phone buzzed in Elena’s pocket. She pulled it out, her hands shaking from the cold. It was a text from Leo.
"I have the logs. But Marcus isn't at a secret practice. He’s at the rink. He’s in the server room. I’m hiding in the equipment closet. He has Cooper with him. You need to get here now. Bring the car to the back gate."
Elena looked at Jaxson. The romantic moment vanished. The reality of the night came crashing back.
"We have to go," she said. "Leo is in trouble."