Engines purred in rhythm as three black cars rolled down the brightly lit road — a sight that made half the city turn their heads.
Jay was at the wheel of the lead car, one hand steady on the steering, the other tapping the gear lightly to the beat of the music.Keifer sat beside her in the passenger seat, sunglasses on even though it was night.Behind them, Cin, Michael, and Percy were cramped in the back seat, arguing about snacks and playlists.
Cin (dramatically): "Jay, I swear if you play sad songs one more time, I'll jump out of this moving car!"
Jay (dryly): "Please do. I could use the silence."
Michael: "Wait—no, we'll lose our best source of chaos!"
Percy: "Best? More like most consistent headache."
Keifer chuckled, glancing sideways at Jay.
Keifer: "You handle them too easily."
Jay: "That's called trauma training."
Keifer (smirking): "You mean Section E parenting."
Jay (grinning): "Same thing."
Up ahead, Angelo's car led the way — sleek, silver, and intimidating. Inside sat Ion, Tiger, and Rafael, all equally silent and composed.Behind Jay's car followed the rest of Section E, bickering, singing, and snapping random photos through the windows.
It was chaos on wheels — the most Jay Aces kind of convoy ever.
Cin: "Jayyyy! There's a new restaurant and arcade!! Can we stop, pleaaaseee?"
Jay:groans "Cin, we literally just escaped a fight, and you want fries?"
Keifer:smirking "I'm in favor. My wife drives better when she's fed."
Jay: "Your wife is about to drive you off a cliff.
"Michael snorts from the back. "Can you both flirt after we eat?"
Jay finally gave in, calling Angelo through the car's Bluetooth.
Jay: "Yo, stop the car, there's food and games."
Angelo: "We're supposed to head back—"
Jay: "Do you really want Cin crying in your backseat again?"Pause
.Angelo: "Stopping."
All three cars pulled over, parking in front of a massive neon building — "LaserZone Arcade & Grill."
The three cars pulled into the glowing lot, neon signs painting their reflections in blue and pink.As they entered, the place buzzed with energy — laughter, machine beeps, and music blending into chaos.
Jay, Adam, Sam, Michael, Keifer, Yuri, Aries, Percy, Angelo, Ion, Rafael, and Tiger all headed toward the shooting range section, drawn by the competitive energy like moths to danger.
Adam: "Okay, rules—no cheating, no crying, and no tackling, Michael."
Michael: "That was ONE time!"
Sam: "Bro, you tackled the referee."
Michael: "He looked suspicious!"
Meanwhile, the rest of Section E peeled off toward the games and food counters.
Lia followed the group playing air hockey and dance battles, while Rosie — who had just joined them — dragged Cin and Felix straight to the claw machine area.
Cin (yelling): "I WANT THAT PANDA!"
Rosie: "Girl, that panda's rigged!"
Felix: "You two are rigged."
Rosie: "You're just mad because the machine likes me better."
Back in the shooting area, Jay and Keifer were checking the equipment side by side.
Keifer adjusted her safety goggles for her — way too close for normal space.
Jay (dryly): "You do realize I can wear goggles myself?"
Keifer (grinning): "Yeah, but where's the fun in that?"
Jay: "You're hopeless."
Keifer: "You mean yours."
Yuri, standing nearby, coughed into his sleeve, pretending to check his gun just to avoid eye contact.Aries, arms crossed, watched them both with protective big-brother energy.
Aries: "Keifer, one wrong move and I'll shoot you instead of the target."
Keifer (grinning): "Noted,
Percy leaned against the divider, whispering to Michael.
Percy: "Why does every conversation between them sound like foreplay and a duel combined?"
Michael: "Because it is."
Angelo glanced at them from the side, amused but trying to look disapproving.
Angelo: "If they burn the shooting range down, I'm not paying for it."
Ion: "We'll tell it was a 'training accident.'"
Rafael: "Typical family cover-up."
Meanwhile, at the other end of the arcade, Cin and Rosie had somehow started a dance battle against three random teens.Felix was the reluctant DJ.Lia filmed it all, laughing so hard she almost fell over.
Rosie (mid-spin): "Section E REPRESENT!"
Cin (yelling): "LOSERS BUY ICE CREAM!"
Felix: "I'm not part of this!"
Rosie: "You are now!"
Jay glanced at her watch, laughing as she heard Cin's voice echo from across the arcade.
Jay (to Keifer): "You hear that?"
Keifer (smiling): "Yep. The sound of our reputation dying."
Jay laughed, brushing her hair back. "At least they're having fun before the world catches fire again."
Keifer's voice softened, eyes on her.
Keifer: "As long as you're smiling, I don't care what burns."
Jay froze for a second — warmth flickering behind her usual calm expression.
Jay: "You really don't know when to stop, do you?"
Keifer: "Nope. And I hope I never learn."
Within seconds, the teams were drawn:
Team 1: Jay, Michael, Adam, Sam
Team 2: Keifer, Yuri, Percy, Aries
Team 3: Angelo, Ion, Rafael, Tiger
Cin clapped like an overexcited fan.
Cin: "Go, Jay! Make them cry!"
Keifer: "She'll try, but I'll make her surrender first."
Jay:rolling her eyes "You mean like how you surrendered your ego last time in festival?"
everyone bursts out laughing.
Even Yuri couldn't help but smile — though it faltered when Keifer draped his arm around Jay's shoulders.
Keifer:quietly, to Jay "Stay close, sweetheart. Can't risk someone stealing my favorite target."
Jay:smirks "You mean can't risk losing to your favorite wife."
Keifer: "Same thing."
From behind the glass, Cin and Lia cheered as the teams geared up with neon vests and laser rifles.
Angelo: "Alright, losers. Winner gets free dinner."
Adam: "Deal. And if I win, Keifer cleans Jay's car for a week."
Keifer:snorts "That's a husband's duty anyway."
Jay: "Oh my god—someone shoot him already."
Before the Match
While the teams entered the prep zone, Jay leaned close to Keifer — half-annoyed, half-grinning.
Jay: "Don't go easy just because I'm on the opposite team."
Keifer: "mrs.watson , I plan to make you beg for mercy."
Jay: "You can try, Snake King."