Page 44 of Breakaway
“Someone broke into the locker room. All the gear that Keaton donated… it’s been trashed.”
My heart sank at her news. The kids would be devastated. This blow hurt.
“Has Dmitry been informed?” I asked, my mind going into problem-solving mode.
“I don’t believe so. I just got here and found it,” Scar said, wringing her hands. Her regular happy expression was flat, her face pale as she walked with us to the locker room.
“I’ll grab Dmitry and Asa,” Fletcher said, breaking off from us to head back the other way.
“Are there any students here yet?” It wasn’t time for them to be, but some had been coming early to skate before practice.
“I didn’t see anyone,” Scar answered. “I called Cody. He and Monty are on their way to help.”
“Was it just the senior team or the junior, too?”
Her eyes widened, and we veered off toward the junior locker room, Reed a quiet sentry behind us. I pushed open the door, staying back in case someone was lying in wait. When no one appeared, I stepped in, only to have Reed pull me back so he could walk in first. Shaking my head, I let him go, knowing it made him feel better.
At first glance, everything looked to be in order. The junior team had received new sticks and helmets as well, but it didn’t look like they’d been targeted.
Turning the corner, I stopped in my tracks as I came across graffiti on the lockers.
“You’re next.”
“That’s not ominous or anything,” I muttered, looking around for a rag.
“I’ll take care of it,” Scar said. “Go deal with the other room.”
“You shouldn’t be by yourself,” I argued, not wanting to put her in harm’s way.
“I’ll text Cody where I am. One of them can join me when they arrive. They’re not far,” she said, pushing me back toward the door.
“There’s no one in here, Hen. She’ll be safe,” Reed assured, taking my hand and leading me back to the hall. Together we walked toward the senior locker room, fear crawling up my throat as I tried to picture the damage.
Stepping into the room, I hadn’t been prepared for what we found. Even in my wildest imagination, I hadn’t envisioned this level of destruction. This was deliberate and had taken hours.
The large TV screens on the wall for viewing game film were smashed, hockey sticks plunged into them. Spray paint was everywhere, covering every jersey and wall. Slurs, threats, and jeers screamed at us as I took them in. Skates had been tossed around the room, their blades broken and sticking into the soft foam floor like spikes. Benches had been unscrewed and tossed over, helmets thrown all over the room with some hanging from the ceiling. It resembled more of a frat house after a huge party than a hockey locker room.
Everything had been broken and destroyed; nothing was left untouched.
My hands covered my mouth as tears threatened to fall. This was too much. How were the kids meant to handle this?
Dmitry walked in with Fletcher, Asa trailing behind them. Their eyes mirrored my own as they took in the damage. There were thousands of dollars of damage, but the worst was the irreplaceable things.
Memories. Safety. Laughter. Team spirit.
All those things had been taken from us, from the students. None of us had asked to be part of this war, but it didn’t seem like we had a choice. We were all in it now, whether we wanted to be or not.
“The footage was wiped,” Dmitry said, drawing my attention. I’d been zoned out as I stared at everything, trying to figure out where we’d start to rebuild.
“Cohen might be able to find something if you don’t mind him coming in. If not him, then Ryker. They’re both the best in that field,” Asa said solemnly. His arms were flat against his chest, a frown marring his usually happy face. This had been his team last year, and here I was fucking it all up.
“Yeah. That’s fine,” Dmitry said, nodding. He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling the strands as he stood with his hands in his hair. “Are we going with the Society?” he asked, looking at me.
I shrugged. “That’s my guess, but it doesn’t mean we don’t have other enemies. Anders and his posse could’ve retaliated. Whether or not the Society sanctioned them, though, is anyone’s guess.”
“Until we have answers, no one speculates. It will only make you crazy. In the meantime, the team can use the guest locker room. I’ll coordinate with Keaton and get everything we can replaced as quickly as possible. Switch today to a dry practice and see if Rhett can add a class if he’s free. We’re not going to let them beat us. We have a game tomorrow night, so we’ll prepare for it like champions do—with honor and dignity. This won’t break us. Do you hear me, Baby Shaw?” Fletcher asked, gripping my arms.
Nodding, I shook off all the doubt and fear. We wouldn’t crumble. They could tear us down over and over, and we’d keep standing because that was what winners did, and this team kept proving that over and over.