Badass in Disguise Chapter 130

Jade's POV:

The yacht explosion dominated every news channel the next morning. I sipped my coffee, flipping through different stations on my phone. CNN, FOX, even the local networks—all showing the same footage of flames engulfing the luxury vessel, illuminating the night sky over Hudson River.

"...authorities are investigating what appears to be a fuel system malfunction coupled with operator error," a blonde reporter stated confidently, the burning yacht framed perfectly behind her. "The FBI has confirmed that there were no civilian casualties in the incident."

The camera panned to show Ethan himself, looking appropriately concerned in an impeccable navy suit as he "assisted" the FBI with their investigation. His PR team had clearly worked overtime.

"Mr. Haxton, who was in the vicinity at the time of the explosion, has been cooperating fully with authorities," the reporter continued.

I switched to social media, where the truth was harder to suppress. Videos taken by onlookers showed the massive explosion that had ripped through the yacht—far more violent than any fuel leak could cause.

"That wasn't no damn fuel leak!" one eyewitness had posted. "The whole thing EXPLODED in chunks. I saw it with my own eyes. #Conspiracy #TruthMatters"

Another comment read: "FBI says no casualties but I literally saw people on that boat minutes before it went up. Where did they go? Teleport?"

I closed my phone with a smirk.

---

"Jade, did you hear about that yacht that exploded last night?" Chase Astor slid into the seat across from me at the campus dining hall, his eyes wide with excitement. "The whole thing blew up into nothing but splinters. It's all over the news."

I kept my expression neutral as I stirred my coffee. "I saw something about it."

"The FBI is saying it was a fuel leak." Chase leaned closer, lowering his voice. "But that's complete bullshit. Do they think we're all idiots? I've seen fuel fires on boats before—they don't blow the entire vessel to pieces."

"The weather's been pretty dry lately," I offered, taking a bite of my sandwich. "Static electricity, fuel vapors... it happens."

Chase looked at me like I'd suggested the earth was flat. "Come on, Jade. You can't possibly believe that."

"What's your theory then?" I asked, finally giving him my full attention.

He glanced around before whispering, "I think it was ISIS or some extremist group. Maybe a test run for something bigger. Why else would the FBI be covering it up?"

I almost laughed at how far off he was. "Maybe," I said, turning back to my food. "Or maybe it was just a rich guy with a poorly maintained boat."

Chase shook his head, clearly disappointed by my lack of imagination. "Whatever you say, Morgan. I'm just telling you—something's not right about this whole thing."

"When is anything ever right in this world?" I muttered, but Chase had already turned away to share his conspiracy theories with someone more receptive at the next table.

---

The autumn breeze swept across the Princeton campus, rustling the orange and red leaves that had begun to fall from the trees. I spotted Max immediately, standing near the entrance to the main quad. He was wearing a dark hoodie and a long-sleeve shirt. The outfit suited his lean frame, and I noticed several female students glancing his way as they passed.

Despite his limp, Max carried himself with quiet dignity. His dark hair fell across his forehead in a way that partially concealed his eyes behind his glasses, giving him a mysterious quality that seemed to intrigue the passersby.

"Hey," I said, approaching him.

Max's face brightened when he saw me. "Hey, Jade. Thanks for inviting me."

"No problem. How's school?" I asked, falling into step beside him as we walked through campus.

"Better than expected. The physics program is challenging, but in a good way."

I nodded, aware of the whispers following us.

"Who's that guy with Jade Morgan?"

"Is that her boyfriend?"

"They're wearing matching outfits. Definitely a couple."

Max heard them too, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Sorry about the attention," I said.

He shrugged. "It's fine. I'm used to being stared at, just for different reasons usually."

I glanced at his outfit again. "The clothes look good on you."

"Ethan picked them out," Max said, his voice a mix of gratitude and embarrassment. "He has surprisingly good taste."

"He does," I agreed. "So, ready to meet your hero?"

Max's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"You'll see."

---

Edward Sheldon was already waiting at the campus coffee shop when we arrived. His tall frame was hunched over a laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard. He glanced up as we approached, his serious expression giving way to a smile.

"Jade," he said, standing. His eyes flicked to Max with curious interest.

"Edward, this is my brother, Max Morgan," I said. "Max, Edward Sheldon."

Max froze, his hands suddenly gripping the strap of his messenger bag so tightly his knuckles turned white. I could practically feel his nervous energy.

"You're... you're Edward Sheldon," Max stammered, staring at Edward with undisguised awe. "The Edward Sheldon."

I nudged him gently. "You've been talking about him for months. I figured you might want to meet him in person."

Edward extended his hand, smiling warmly. "Hey, I'm Edward. Nice to meet you offline."

Max shook his hand like it might shatter. "I've watched all your physics competition videos and your TED talk on quantum mechanics three times."

"Oh God, those videos are embarrassing," Edward laughed, gesturing for us to sit.

I sat back, watching as the two of them carefully navigated the conversation, occasionally glancing my way with a mixture of respect and apprehension. They seemed to be deliberately keeping their discussion surface-level, despite clearly wanting to dive deeper into complex theories.

"It's okay," I said, amused by their awkward dance around the topic. "You don't have to water down your physics talk on my account."

They exchanged a knowing look, and Edward laughed nervously. "It just feels a bit like... you know... showing off our toy cars to a Formula 1 driver."

That was all it took to break the ice. For the next hour, I sipped my coffee and watched as Max came alive, debating and theorizing with someone who shared his passion. It was a side of my brother I rarely saw—confident, animated, his hands gesturing enthusiastically as he explained concepts that Edward eagerly challenged.

When it was time to leave, Edward added Max on Discord. "We should continue this conversation," he said. "Your perspective on the Copenhagen interpretation is really thought-provoking."

Max nodded eagerly, practically vibrating with excitement.

---

As we walked toward the campus gates where Max's Uber would pick him up, my brother was still buzzing with energy.

"Jade," Max hesitated, then asked quietly, "Is he... is he like Ethan is with you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You know..." Max looked at his shoes. "Interested."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm a fascinating person, Max. People tend to find me interesting."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant." I nudged his shoulder playfully. "My physics knowledge actually surpasses Edward's, so if you're going to worship someone, it might as well be me."

Max smiled. "Thanks for today, Jade. Really."

As his Uber pulled up, I gave him a quick hug. "Text me when you get home."

---

My phone buzzed with a message from Max. He'd sent me a screenshot of a conversation with Ethan Haxton. I frowned slightly, scanning the exchange.

Ethan had messaged him first: *How was Princeton?*

Max had responded with surprise: *It was good. How did you know I was there?*

Ethan's reply made me raise an eyebrow: *I'm a Princeton alum. I check the campus Reddit occasionally. Someone posted a photo of you and Edward Sheldon with Jade at the coffee shop.*

The screenshot showed Max's embarrassed explanation: *Jade took me to meet Edward. I'm a fan of him.*

And Ethan's friendly response: *I was pretty good at physics myself. If you ever want a different perspective, let me know. I'd be happy to discuss it with you.*