The moment Ivy said the words—
"To Sydney, Australia."
—the air in Chloe's room changed.
It wasn't dramatic like thunder or lightning.
It was worse.
It was the kind of silence that happens right before a mother finds out her child used the good scissors on cardboard.
Lucas blinked once.
Twice.
Then his soul left his body and returned with a resignation letter.
"…To where?" he asked, like maybe his ears had broken. Like maybe Ivy had said Sidney, Montana again—because that was at least survivable.
Ivy lifted her chin proudly.
"To Sydney. Australia. The place where your common sense apparently went missing."
Lucas stared at her like she was the roach that flew.
"Ivy… you can't just—"
"I can and I will."
"You're grounded."
Ivy's smile widened so sweetly it could rot teeth. "I'm seventeen."
Lucas pointed toward the corner where the remains of a fifteen-thousand-dollar laptop had once died a heroic death earlier that morning.
"You just lost a fifteen-thousand-dollar laptop to an insect war crime. That alone is proof you should not be allowed to make decisions."
"That was you."
"That was teamwork," Lucas corrected instantly, because he had no morals when it came to survival.
Ivy hopped onto the bed and crossed her legs like a small villain preparing to deliver a monologue.
"Let's recap," she said cheerfully. "Chloe got a mission. Chloe flew out. Chloe did not tell us. You tried to hack her. I caught you. You told me nothing. But her computer told me everything."
Lucas rubbed his forehead like a man experiencing spiritual pain.
"You do realize Sydney isn't down the street, right? It's not like going to the mall to buy boba and emotionally destroy a man named Roland."
"His name was Roland," Ivy corrected, "but his personality was Ronald."
Lucas opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Because that was unfortunately accurate.
"You're not going," he said finally.
Ivy blinked innocently.
"Why?"
Lucas exhaled. "Because you're not trained for missions. Because you're not cleared. Because you have—"
He stopped.
The moment he paused, Ivy's eyes sharpened.
"…Because I have what?" she asked softly.
Lucas looked away.
"Don't play."
"Oh, now you don't want to play?" Ivy laughed, but there was a faint edge beneath it. "That's funny. Because everyone around me has been playing for years."
Lucas's jaw tightened.
"Ivy—"
She slid off the bed and walked toward him slowly.
Then she poked his chest.
Tap.
"You help Chloe."
Tap.
"You track her."
Tap.
"You fly after her."
Tap.
"You put yourself in danger for her."
Tap.
"And you want me to sit here like a decorative houseplant and pretend I don't care?"
Lucas grabbed her wrist gently before she could poke him again.
"You're not a houseplant."
"Correct," Ivy said. "I'm Poison Ivy."
For a moment, Lucas almost smiled.
Almost.
But Ivy's expression had already changed again.
"I'm going," she said quietly.
Lucas shook his head.
"Missions aren't like your romance books."
Ivy scoffed.
"Exactly. In my romance books the mafia boss appears and catches the girl before she does something stupid."
Lucas muttered under his breath, "…If a mafia boss appears and catches you, I'm the one dying."
Ivy tilted her head.
"Then don't die. Come with me."
Lucas froze.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
Lucas stared at her like she had asked him to drink salted Turkish coffee again.
"I'm not taking you to Sydney."
"You won't be taking me," Ivy said sweetly. "You'll be accompanying me. Like a bodyguard. Like a loyal servant. Like—"
"Like a victim," Lucas said flatly.
Ivy grinned.
"Exactly."
Lucas dragged both hands down his face.
"Do you know how many security checkpoints you'd have to pass?"
"I have a passport."
"That's not the problem!"
"I have money."
"That's also not the problem!"
"I have charm."
Lucas pointed at her hair bun.
"You have roach trauma and a criminal history of sabotaging blind dates."
Ivy placed a hand over her heart.
"Excuse me. I'm a philanthropist. I provide clown services to the needy."
Lucas groaned.
Then his phone buzzed.
He glanced down.
The color drained from his face.
Ivy immediately leaned over his shoulder.
"Oooooh. Who's texting? Chloe? Your secret lover? The roach's family seeking revenge?"
Lucas turned the screen toward her slowly.
A message from an unknown number.
Six words.
Stop digging. You're being watched.
Ivy blinked.
Then she smiled.
Slowly.
"Oh," she said. "This just got fun."
Lucas looked horrified.
"No. No, no, no. That is not fun. That is a red flag."
"It's a red flag," Ivy agreed thoughtfully, "which means we're going the right direction."
Lucas grabbed her shoulders.
"This could be tied to the Clover circle. Or Chloe's mission. Or—"
"Or the mafia," Ivy finished casually.
Lucas went silent.
Ivy's eyes gleamed.
"You know," she said thoughtfully, "I've always wanted to be involved in something dangerous. Something thrilling. Something with men in suits."
Lucas's voice was weak.
"Please don't romanticize danger."
"I'm not romanticizing it," Ivy said, pulling out her phone.
"I'm scheduling it."
Lucas grabbed her wrist.
"What are you doing?"
Ivy turned the screen toward him.
FLIGHT SEARCH: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Lucas nearly fainted.
"Ivy!"
She tapped the screen anyway.
"Don't worry," she said. "We'll take economy. I'm not unreasonable."
Lucas stared at the confirmed ticket like it had personally betrayed him.
"Pack a bag," Ivy said brightly. "You're coming."
"And if I say no?"
Ivy's smile turned angelic.
"One word," she warned, "and I'll tell Chloe you said she has no confidence in your hacking skills."
Lucas's soul left his body again.
"…Fine," he muttered.
"But I'm doing this under protest."
Ivy nodded graciously.
"Of course. Protest politely."
Lucas walked toward the door like a man heading to execution.
Ivy followed, humming.
Earlier That Morning
Chloe left with a suitcase.
Jason and Selina left shortly after.
Inside a black SUV parked quietly several streets away, Selina watched the villa's security feed on a tablet.
Jason leaned back in the seat.
"She'll figure it out."
Selina zoomed in on the hallway camera.
"She already has."
"And after that?"
Selina's lips curved slightly.
"She'll book a ticket."
Jason studied the screen.
"Should we stop her?"
Selina disabled the alarm-trigger notifications with two precise taps.
"No."
Jason raised a brow.
"Why not?"
Selina set the tablet down calmly.
"If we cage her," she said softly, "she'll only sharpen her claws."
Jason chuckled under his breath.
"…That's definitely our daughter."
A moment passed.
"Did you notify your brother?" Jason asked.
Selina picked up the tablet again.
"He's aware."
Jason nodded.
Then they waited.
Two Hours Later
Ivy's suitcase landed softly on the grass beneath the east window.
She climbed down with practiced ease.
Adjusted her hoodie.
Checked her disguise bag.
Passport.
Wallet.
Emergency pepper spray.
Mustache glasses.
Spare boba straw.
She nodded to herself.
"Operation: Independent Heroine."
Inside the SUV, Selina watched the live feed.
Jason leaned forward.
"She chose the east window."
"She always prefers dramatic exits."
"Still not stopping her?"
Selina watched Ivy disappear through the gate.
"No."
Jason exhaled slowly.
"...Sydney is already messy."
"I know."
Selina sent a secure message.
Meanwhile — Lucas's House
Lucas paced his room, Discord open.
Ivy: I'm at the airport.
Lucas: TURN AROUND.
Ivy: No.
Lucas: I WILL TELL YOUR MOM.
Ivy: She knows.
Lucas: THIS IS NOT FUNNY.
Ivy: Boarding soon :)
Lucas screamed internally.
He grabbed his coffee.
And spilled it.
Directly.
Onto his keyboard.
The computer sparked.
His soul left his body permanently.
His door opened.
"Lucas?"
His mother walked in.
She saw:
Coffee everywhere.
Discord chat open.
Messages on the screen.
"Sydney."
"Boarding."
"See you there."
Her gaze moved slowly to her son.
"…Explain."
Lucas lasted four seconds.
"Ivy escaped."
Thirty Minutes Later
Ten men in suits stood behind him in the living room.
Lucas looked at them.
Then at his mother.
"This feels excessive."
His mother smiled gently.
"For the Clover girl?"
Lucas sighed.
"…Fair."
"You will go after her."
"I was going to."
"You will not argue."
"I won't."
"You will not lose sight of her."
"…I'll try."
"And Lucas."
He paused.
"If she gets hurt, I won't spare you."
Lucas swallowed.
"Understood."
Somewhere in Sydney
A secure message arrived.
Encrypted.
Simple.
Direct.
She's on her way.
And the quiet city shifted.
Fate had just boarded a plane.