Avery considers who might know more about Toby Hawthorne and the island fire. Skye and Zara seem untrustworthy, so Avery thinks of Nash, Nan, or the Laughlins. Avery texts Max for comfort, even though Max is on a technology lockdown because the publicity around Avery has damaged Max’s life.

At school, Avery finds a photo of Ricky Grambs taped inside Avery’s unlocked locker, with a headline claiming Ricky only wants to talk to Avery. Beneath it are printed scraps of online comments, including graphic threats and an image of Avery’s face with a target over it. The violation enrages and shakes Avery, especially because anyone at the elite school could have accessed the locker.

After Oren brings Avery back to Hawthorne House, Oren argues the locker attack was likely a teenager pushing boundaries, but confirms that Avery’s security team tracks real threats. Grayson appears and refers to a “List,” prompting Oren to take Avery to Hawthorne House’s surveillance room, where Avery sees the estate’s extensive security system in action.

Oren introduces Eli, a young guard who will shadow Avery at school while Oren assesses the locker incident. Avery is given the List: roughly thirty names of would-be stalkers, break-in attempts, obsessive fans, Ricky Grambs, and Skye Hawthorne. The inclusion of Skye signals that Oren knows more than Avery expected about Skye’s recent departure.

Grayson asks to speak with Avery alone. Instead of interrogating Avery, Grayson asks whether Avery is all right, then warns that investigating Toby could endanger Avery further. Grayson explains that if Avery lost the fortune, most threats would disappear, but Avery would also lose the security protecting Avery from the remaining ones. Avery understands the risk but remains determined not to depend on Grayson.

While Grayson watches Avery, Avery notices Jameson on one security feed moving purposefully through Hawthorne House, then sees Xander on another feed carrying what appears to be a sledgehammer. Avery recognizes Xander’s location and realizes Jameson and Xander are probably headed to the same place.