Chapter 40 For luck
"Give me that recording!" Marcus screamed. He started to climb over the boards, his skates slipping on the rubber mat.
Leo stepped out from behind a pillar, blocking Marcus’s path. "It’s over, Marcus. The recording is already being sent to a private cloud. Even if you break the computer, it’s gone."
Marcus stopped. He looked at Leo, then at Jaxson. He was breathing hard, his chest heaving. For the first time, he looked scared.
The arrogance was gone. He was just a boy who had been caught in a very big lie.
"You think the Director will let you walk out with that?" Marcus hissed. "He’ll destroy all of you."
"He can try," Jaxson said. He turned his back on Marcus and started walking toward the exit. "But tomorrow, everyone at that Gala is going to hear exactly who the real thief is."
They met Elena outside in the parking lot. Chloe came running down a minute later, holding her laptop tightly. Her face was flushed with excitement.
"I got it!" Chloe said. "It’s all there. Every word he said about the Director, the money, and Cooper. It’s perfect. We have the bank records for the bribe, and we have the confession for the frame-up. We have everything."
"Not yet," Leo said, looking at his phone. "We still have to get through the Gala. Sterling is going to have security everywhere. He knows we’re coming for him now."
Jaxson looked back at the rink. He could see Marcus standing in the doorway, watching them drive away. Marcus looked small in the dark.
"Let him tell Sterling," Jaxson said. "Let them get ready. It won't matter. Tomorrow, the Vipers are going to see what happens when the truth finally hits the ice."
Jaxson took Elena’s hand. They had one night left. One night to prepare for the biggest fight of their lives. And for the first time, Jaxson felt like he was finally back in control.
They didn't go back to the basement immediately. Instead, Leo steered the car toward a small, 24-hour diner on the edge of town. It was a place where nobody from the university ever went.
"We need to eat," Leo said as he parked the car. "We can’t fight a board of directors on empty stomachs."
They piled into a corner booth, still wearing their heavy jackets. Chloe sat next to Leo, her laptop bag tucked safely under her feet. Jaxson and Elena sat across from them, their shoulders touching. For the first time in weeks, they weren't looking over their shoulders.
When the waitress brought a mountain of fries and four milkshakes, the silence finally broke. It started with a small laugh from Chloe.
"Did you see his face?" she asked, dipping a fry into a chocolate shake. "Marcus looked like he had just seen a ghost. He actually thought he was the smartest guy in the room."
Leo chuckled, the stress finally leaving his face. "He’s been playing that king of the rink character for so long he forgot that real life doesn't have a script. He really just handed us the whole thing."
Jaxson reached out and grabbed a handful of fries. He felt lighter than he had since the day the playbook went missing. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen Marcus Thorne speechless. Usually, you can’t get him to shut up about his stats."
The diner was mostly empty. A single light hummed over their table, and the air smelled like fried onions and sweet syrup. They all sat close together. It was the first time in a long time that they didn't feel like they were hiding.
"I think I forgot what real food tastes like," Jaxson said. He picked up a fry and pointed it at Leo. "Basement life is mostly protein bars and whatever Leo finds in the back of his fridge."
Leo laughed and shook his head. "Hey, I brought you the good stuff. You’re just picky."
"You brought me a bag of dry cereal and a bottle of warm water once," Jaxson joked. He looked at Elena and smiled. "I survived, but it wasn't pretty."
Elena reached over and took a fry from his plate. "Well, tomorrow we have a real dinner at the Gala. Though I think the food there tastes like cardboard compared to this."
Chloe leaned forward, her eyes bright. "Is it really that fancy? I’ve only ever seen the Gala from the kitchen. I usually just see the leftovers."
"It’s a lot of people in expensive clothes acting like they are better than everyone else," Elena explained. "Lots of tiny snacks that don't fill you up and very loud music. You aren't missing much, Chloe."
"Well, tomorrow they are going to get a show they didn't pay for," Leo said. He took a long sip of his milkshake. "I just want to see the Director’s face when we walk in. He thinks he owns the school. He thinks he can just move people around like pieces on a board."
"He thinks he’s playing chess," Jaxson said, his voice getting a bit more serious. "But hockey isn't chess. It’s faster. If you stand still for too long, you get hit. He’s been standing still for a long time."
Chloe patted her laptop bag. "And I have the hit right here. This recording is so clear. You can hear Marcus’s skates on the ice. You can hear him laughing. It’s perfect."
"I still can't believe Cooper helped him," Elena said softly. She looked at Jaxson. "Do you think he’ll ever be okay? After all this?"
Jaxson looked out the window at the dark parking lot. "I don't know. Cooper made a choice. He was scared. I get it, but it doesn't make it right. Maybe one day we can talk, but not yet. Right now, I’m just glad he’s not the one holding the drive anymore."
Leo looked at Jaxson and then at Elena. "You know, when this is all over, I’m going to have to find a new way to spend my time. I’ve spent every second of the last two weeks trying to keep you guys from getting caught. I might actually have to study for once."
"Don't lie, Leo," Chloe teased. "You love the drama. You’d be bored if we weren't breaking into rinks and stealing files."
"Maybe a little," Leo admitted with a grin.
Jaxson felt Elena’s hand under the table. She squeezed his fingers, and he squeezed back. He looked around the table at them.
A few weeks ago, he felt like he was all alone.
He thought the whole world was against him. But seeing them all here, eating fries and laughing at midnight, made him realize he was not alone.
"We should go," Jaxson said. "We need a few hours of sleep before the big day."
"One more fry," Leo said, grabbing the last one from the middle of the table. "For luck."