Chapter 17: Chase Begins

The air in Room 312 of Haverford Hall hummed with tension, the faint wail of sirens from the student union fire seeping through the cracked window as Ava spread the singed list across her desk. The paper crinkled under her fingers, its edges blackened but its contents intact—names, dates, payments, a ledger of the Order of the Ivy's crimes stretching back years. Jack Grayson's name topped the list, tied to deals and payouts, his father's trustee status a glaring footnote in the margins. Lily sat on Ava's bed, her blanket pulled tight around her shoulders, her breathing steadier now but her eyes still shadowed with the ordeal of her captivity. Ryder stood by the window, peering through the blinds at the chaos outside, his soot-streaked face set in a grim line. Matt hovered near the door, his hands fidgeting, his guilt and fear a palpable weight in the small room.

Ava's heart thudded as she traced a line with her finger—Jack G. – 10/15 – Union deal, $50k—the same entry Lily had photographed, now a tangible piece of evidence snatched from the flames of Jack's apartment. "This is everything," she said, her voice low but firm, cutting through the room's unease. "Student info sales, blackmail, payments to the board—they've been running Oakwood like a business. We've got them."

Ryder turned from the window, his dark eyes locking on hers, a flicker of pride breaking through his tension. "Damn right we do," he said, stepping to the desk and tapping the list. "My dad's buddy at the precinct—he'll blow this wide open. But we've got to get it to him fast. Jack's out there, and he knows we've got this."

Lily shifted, her voice hoarse but resolute. "He'll come for us," she said, her gaze darting to the door as if expecting it to burst open. "I heard him in the basement—he doesn't lose. They'll hunt us down before we can talk."

Matt's head snapped up, his voice trembling. "She's right. The fire at the union, now his place—they'll figure out we're alive, that we started it. We're dead if they catch us."

Ava's stomach twisted, the threatening letter's words—Stop investigating, or you're next—flashing in her mind, now a promise Jack would fulfill. She glanced at the ivy ring on the desk, its silver glinting faintly, a symbol of the Order's reach and ruthlessness. "Then we don't wait," she said, her resolve hardening. "We move—now. Get this to the police before they regroup."

Ryder nodded, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, the crowbar tucked into his belt a silent reassurance. "Precinct's downtown, twenty minutes if we hustle," he said, his tone sharp with urgency. "We stick together, stay off the main paths—alleys, backroads. They'll be watching the campus."

Ava stuffed the list into her bag with The Ivy Codex and her sketchbook, Lily's phone joining it, its battery flickering at 20%. She handed Lily a hoodie from her closet, the fabric soft but worn, a shield against the night's chill and prying eyes. "Put this on," she said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. "You're with us—every step."

Lily pulled it over her head, her movements slow but determined, a spark of defiance returning to her battered frame. Matt hesitated, his eyes darting to the door, but a sharp look from Ryder pinned him in place. "You're not bailing," Ryder said, his voice low and dangerous. "You're in this—help us, or you're on your own with them."

Matt swallowed hard, nodding jerkily, and Ava felt a fragile unity settle over them—a team forged in fire, bound by survival. She grabbed her flashlight, its beam a lifeline in the dark, and led them out, the dorm's quiet halls a deceptive calm against the storm brewing outside.

The quad was a mess—fire trucks idling, their lights flashing red and blue, students clustered in knots, their voices a hum of speculation. Smoke hung thick in the air, the union's charred shell a testament to their desperate gambit, and Ava's skin prickled as they slipped into the shadows, skirting the chaos toward the west edge of campus. Ryder took point, his stride swift and silent, his eyes scanning every corner, every rustle of leaves a potential threat. Lily stayed close to Ava, her steps uneven but steady, while Matt trailed behind, his flashlight wobbling with every nervous twitch.

They reached the alley behind the science building, its narrow path cloaked in dusk, the gothic spires fading into the distance. Ava's breath fogged in the cool air, her ears straining for sounds beyond the sirens—footsteps, voices, anything that might signal the Order's pursuit. The list in her bag felt like a beacon, a prize Jack would kill to reclaim, and she couldn't shake the image of her sketch—the flames, the watching figure, now a prophecy of this chase.

A sharp crack split the silence, a twig snapping underfoot somewhere behind them, and Ava froze, her flashlight swinging toward the sound. Ryder's hand shot out, pulling her against the wall, his body shielding hers as he peered into the dark. Lily pressed against her, her breath hitching, and Matt stumbled back, his flashlight dropping with a clatter that echoed too loud in the stillness.

"Someone's there," Ryder whispered, his voice a low growl, his crowbar slipping into his hand. Ava's beam caught a flicker of movement—a shadow shifting between the trees, then another, closing in from the alley's mouth. Hooded figures, their steps deliberate, their silence more menacing than shouts.

"They found us," Lily rasped, her grip tightening on Ava's arm, her fear palpable. "Jack—he must've called them."

Ava's heart slammed against her ribs, the Order's reach snapping into focus—Jack had escaped the fire, rallied his forces, and now they were hunted. "Run," Ryder said, his tone sharp as he shoved Matt forward, his crowbar raised. "Backroads—go!"

They bolted, the alley's gravel crunching underfoot, the shadows lunging after them with a speed that sent Ava's pulse into overdrive. She clutched her bag, the list a lifeline she couldn't lose, and pulled Lily with her, their breaths syncing in a desperate rhythm. Ryder stayed at the rear, his flashlight beam darting back to track their pursuers, his voice barking orders over the chaos. "Left—now!"

They veered into a side street, its pavement cracked and overgrown, the old mill district's edge looming ahead. Ava's legs burned, her lungs aching from smoke and exertion, but she pushed on, Lily's weight a constant pull, Matt's panicked gasps a drumbeat behind her. The figures closed in, their footsteps pounding louder, and a glint of steel flashed in one's hand—a knife, its blade catching the faint streetlight.

Ryder spun, his crowbar swinging in a wide arc, and metal clashed with a sharp clang as he blocked the blade, shoving the attacker back into the second figure. "Keep going!" he shouted, his voice raw as he grappled with them, his strength buying precious seconds. Ava hesitated, her instinct screaming to stay, but Lily's tug pulled her forward, her friend's hoarse cry cutting through the haze. "He's got this—move!"

They stumbled onto Elm Street, the burned husk of Jack's apartment a dark silhouette against the sky, its embers still glowing faintly. Ava's flashlight swept the road, spotting a narrow path between two buildings—an escape into the mill district's labyrinth. She dragged Lily toward it, Matt scrambling behind, his flashlight lost in the fray. Ryder's grunts echoed behind them, the thud of fists on flesh, then his boots pounded as he broke free, catching up in a sprint, his face bloodied but fierce.

"Lost them—for now," he panted, his hand gripping her arm as they ducked into the path, the buildings' walls closing in tight. The chase slowed, their breaths heaving in the shadowed quiet, and Ava leaned against the brick, her bag clutched to her chest, the list intact. Lily slumped beside her, her strength fading, and Matt crouched, his hands shaking as he muttered, "They're not stopping."

"They won't," Ryder said, wiping blood from his lip, his eyes scanning the alley's end. "Jack's desperate—list's their death knell. We've got to keep moving—precinct's close."

Ava nodded, her resolve steeling despite the exhaustion clawing at her. She looked at Ryder, his bloodied face a testament to his fight, her kiss from earlier a quiet anchor in this storm. "Together," she said, her voice firm, and he smirked, a spark of warmth breaking through.

"Always," he replied, pulling her up, his hand lingering on hers. They moved again, the chase a relentless shadow at their heels, but the list burned bright in Ava's grasp—a weapon worth every step.