Soon, Ethan and Daisy arrived at school. The moment they stepped into the crowded hallway, Sophia and Olivia called out to Daisy from down the hall.
With a quick wave, the siblings parted ways. Ethan headed toward his classroom, spotting Finn walking a few paces ahead of him in the corridor. Accelerating his pace, Ethan reached out and clapped a hand on his shoulder. Finn flinched, spinning around, but his tension instantly vanished when he saw his closest friend.
"Good morning," Ethan said with a grin.
"Morning to you too, man," Finn replied, breathing a sigh of relief.
They walked into the classroom together and took their seats. Finn leaned over, lowering his voice. "So, Ethan. When are you planning to visit New Jersey?"
"I'm actually thinking of going today," Ethan admitted.
Finn's eyebrows shot up. "Today? But how?"
Ethan paused, contemplating his lack of a concrete plan. "I don't know yet. I'll figure something out."
Finn nodded thoughtfully. "My brother is heading out there today, actually. I could ask him for a ride?"
"No, no, don't worry about it," Ethan insisted, waving it off. "Seriously, I can arrange something."
Before Finn could press further, Allen and Madison walked through the door. Catching Ethan's eye, Allen gave a subtle, knowing nod. Ethan returned it, understanding the silent signal perfectly.
Just then, the morning bell rang, and Mr. Henry stepped into the room.
"Good morning, my dear students. How are we all doing today?" Mr. Henry asked, scanning the room. His gaze lingered on Ethan for a fraction of a second before he clapped his hands together. "Let's begin, shall we?"
Lunchbreak
Ethan stood waiting in the school garden, shielding his eyes from the midday sun. Seizing the quiet moment, he pulled out his phone and speed-dialed Liam.
It rang once before Liam picked up. "Ethan? What's up?"
"Liam, can you arrange a way for me to get to New Jersey?"
There was a brief pause on the line. "New Jersey? Why the sudden trip?"
"I need to go. It's important."
"Alright," Liam replied, shifting into a business-like tone. "As luck would have it, I'm heading to New Jersey myself. Meet me at the port early tomorrow morning."
"Perfect. Thanks, Liam." Ethan hung up, a weight lifting from his chest.
Suddenly, the heavy cafeteria doors swung open. Allen stepped out into the courtyard, spotted Ethan, and walked over to join him on a stone bench.
"I looked into it," Allen said, cutting straight to the chase.
Ethan leaned in, giving him his full attention. "And?"
"There wasn't much to go on," Allen admitted, shaking his head. "The information is heavily locked down."
Ethan frowned. "Tell me everything you did manage to find."
Allen took a quick breath. "From what I gathered, the 'Three Pillars' are actually three powerful underground syndicates: Loop, Eclipse, and the Shadow Syndicate. After digging for about an hour, I found records showing they were all heavily active in New Jersey at one point."
Ethan's eyes narrowed. New Jersey. If he wanted to dismantle these pillars once and for all, that was exactly where he needed to start. "What else?"
"That's the strange part," Allen whispered, leaning closer. "These three groups are constantly at war with one another. But here's the kicker... I found proof that the Shadow Syndicate was operating in California at the exact same time you were there. Specifically, the night before the summit."
Ethan's heart skipped a beat. He nodded slowly, processing the chilling coincidence.
"One more thing," Allen continued, his voice dropping even lower. "The attack on the day of the summit? It was launched by one of those three Pillars. They targeted the exact hotel where the meeting was being held."
Ethan stared ahead, his mind racing. "Looks like I have no choice. I have to go to New Jersey."
Allen looked at him in surprise. "What? You're going now?"
Ethan nodded grimly. "Yeah. I'm hitching a ride with a friend."
The rest of the school day passed without incident. After the final bell, Ethan waited by the main gates for Daisy, but his phone buzzed with a text: I'm already home, brother!
Smiling, Ethan pocketed his phone and walked back to the apartment.