ACD

The old apartment building loomed before them, its crumbling facade a testament to years of neglect. ording to Mike at the auto shop, this was where the Chevrolet owner lived the same man who’d refused to pay his repair bill and threatened to run over Ss.

They were about to enter the building whende spotted a figure approaching from the corner of the street. Even in the fading evening light, she recognized the man from the garage–medium height, receding hairline, clutching a brown paper bag that undoubtedly contained a bottle of cheap liquor.

He noticed them at the same moment, and his eyes widened in recognition. The blood drained from his face when he saw Jade, and he froze mid–step like a deer caught in headlights.

“That’s him,” Ss confirmed unnecessarily.

The man’s expression morphed from fear to panic. He dropped his paper bag, the sound of ss shattering on the pavement bas /bbthe /bbottle broke inside. Without warning, he turned band /bbolted in the opposite direction.

“Hey!” Jade called out, but he was already running.

“Stand still!” Ss shouted, suddenly sprinting after him.

What happened next seemed to unfold in slow motion

The screech of tires. The dull thud of impact. A body flying through the air.

The Chevrolet owner had darted across the street without looking, desperately trying to escape. A red van appeared out of nowhere, brakes squealing as the driver tried to stop. But it was toote. The man’s body hit the pavement with a sickening sound, blood bpooling /bbeneath his still form.

Ss froze in the middle of the street, his face ashen. bThe /bvan’s driver stumbled out, horror etched on his features.

“I didn’t see him! He bjust /bran out in front of me!” the driver cried, his hands bshaking /bviolently.

Within hours, bthe /bfootage was everywhere.

Hashtags like #justiceForChevroletGuy and #RichKidsGetAwayWithMurder were trending nationally.

Jade sat in the police station, scrolling through her phone as bGrant /binterviewed bSs /bin another room. Thements section under every news article was filled with vitriol directed at het.

Her phone rang, and Ethan’s name shed on the screen. She stepped into a quiet corner to answer.

“I saw the news,” he said without preamble, his voice tight with concern. “Max sent me the video. bAre /byou bokay/b?”

“I’m fi

fine, she replied, keeping her bvoice /blow. “It’s a mess, but nothing I bcan’t /bhandle.”

“I’ve watched the edited version bthat’s /bgoing viral. bBased /bbon /bwhat it cuts off, I’m guessing the man was clearly bthe /baggressor first, right?”

“Exactly.”

b国 /b

Ethan was silent for a moment, processing. Do you need me toe backb? /bI can be on the next flight.”

“No, don’t bother. Keep doing whatever you’re doing in Europe. I might need you to bmake /ba call to the policemissioner, though.”

“Consider it done.” He paused, b“/bbAny /bidea who’s behind the edited bvideo/b?”

jade nced around to ensure no one was listening. “My guess? Shadow Organization.”

“They did bthis/b?” His voice dropped beven /blower.

“bShadow /bdoesn’t just kill people, Ethan. Sometimes they prefer bmore/b… subtle approaches. Character assassination works just as well bas /bactual assassination in certain circumstances.”

By morning, theplete surveince video bhad /bbeen released by the police department’s official social media ounts–a Ethan’s call to themissionerb. /b

result of

The full video was six minutes long, clearly showing that jade had only hit the passenger side of the cheap Chevrolet, and the owner had bwalked /bawaypletely unharmed. It also included that it was the man who threatened Ss first. The police also released information about his criminal record–multiple DUIs, a domestic bviolence /bcharge, and several counts of assault.

bThe /bpolice issued ba /bstatement: “An officer was attempting to locate the individual for questioning rted to an ongoing investigation when bthe /bsubject fled band /bwas struck by a vehicle in ban /bunfortunate traffic ident.”

But the narrative had already been bset/b, and people were bselective /babout what they believed. Thements sections were still flooded with

hate:

“Of course the police bare /bcovering for the rich girl. The system is rigged.”

The situation escted beyond online outrage. A small group of protesters gathered outside the police station, holding signs with slogans like “Justice Cannot Be Bought” and “Princeton Protects Predators.” Another group formed boutside /bthe university gates, demanding Jade’s expulsion.

Most disturbing was the handful of people who showed up outside her apartment building, bforcing /bher to enter through the parking garage to avoid them.

The fallout didn’t stop there. Felix Huxley, the mayor of Cloud City, was facing questions about why the “daughter of a city employee” (Frank Morgan worked in the municipal office) was receiving ‘bspecial /btreatment. The university administration was fielding calls from parents bconcerned /babout bhaving /btheir children attend school with a “dangerous individual,”

A few Princeton students tried to organize counter–bprotests /bin Jade’s support, but they were quickly shouted down andbeled as “privileged elitists defending their own

Jade was sitting in Philip Thornton’s office, discussing the situation, when his bassistant /brushed in.

“Sir, Archer Sullivan bis /bbat /bthe front gate. Hes… well, bhe’s /bcausing a scene,

Philip raised an eyebrow. “What kind of scene?”

12:29 Sat, Sep b27 /b

“bHe’s /bconfronting the protesters. Rather aggressively.”

Jade couldn’t help but sm

smile s

slightly.

Philip sighed and moved to the window, where they could see Archer standing toe–to–toe with a group of protesters, his expression

thunderous.

“I suppose I should go down there before he makes things worse, Philip sald, reaching for his jacket.

He paused at the door. “Miss Morgan, I want you to know that the university stands behind you. Whatever these people are saying, we know the truth.”

Thank you, President Thornton.”

After he left, bJade /bchecked her phone again. The Princeton campus forum had been shut down by Julian Sheldon after it had devolved into a cesspool of rumors and spection about her. People were iming she had mysterious “connections that kept her out of trouble, that she had a history of violence, that she was part of some shadowy elite bthat /boperated above bthe /bw.

If they only knew how close to the truth thatst part was, just not in the way they imagined.

In just twenty–four hours, Jade had be the inte’s public enemy number one.

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