When Ethan unlocked the door, he found his mother sitting peacefully in the living room armchair.
"Welcome back, Ethan," she said warmly.
"Hey, Mom," Ethan replied, pulling up a chair across from her. He offered a reassuring smile, hesitating for a fraction of a second before breaking the news. "Mom, I'm actually going to be staying with a friend for a few days."
She looked at him, her eyes soft with motherly concern. "Okay. But will you be safe?"
He nodded confidently. "I'll be fine, I promise."
A warm smile spread across her face. "Go on then. Enjoy your time with your friends. This is the age to do it."
"Thanks, Mom. I'll be leaving pretty early tomorrow morning."
"If you run short on money, just call me," she reminded him.
Ethan smiled, touched by her endless generosity. "Please, don't worry about that. I've got it covered." With a final, reassuring nod, he headed to his room to get some rest.
The Next Morning
Ethan's alarm blared at 4:45 AM, piercing the pitch-black silence of his room. He threw off the covers and headed straight for the bathroom, splashing freezing water onto his face to shake off the sleep. Once dressed, he grabbed the backpack he had carefully packed the night before and slipped out of the apartment, leaving his family sleeping in peace.
The pre-dawn air was crisp and biting as Ethan stepped out of the building and hailed a taxi.
Within twenty minutes, the cab dropped him off at the edge of the port. In the gray, bleeding light of dawn, the harbor looked eerie and completely desolate. Walking toward the docks, Ethan pulled out his phone and dialed Liam.
"Hello?" Liam's voice sounded metallic and distorted over the line.
"I'm here. Where are you?" Ethan asked, squinting out over the empty expanse of water.
"I'm approaching the shore now. Are you inside the port grounds?"
"Yeah, right by the water."
The line went dead.
A few minutes ticked by in total silence. Ethan scanned the horizon, but there wasn't a single boat, ship, or yacht in sight. Just as he began to wonder if he was at the wrong pier, his phone buzzed again.
"Where exactly are you standing, Ethan?"
"Right at the edge of the shore, Terminal A4," Ethan replied, his brow furrowing.
"We're right outside A4 now," Liam said.
Ethan stepped closer to the concrete ledge. "Liam, I'm looking right at it. There's nothing here."
"Hold on. We're surfacing."
The moment the call cut out, the calm water began to froth and bubble violently. A massive, terrifying silhouette broke through the tide, sending heavy waves crashing against the pier. Bit by bit, a giant, sleek black military submarine emerged from the depths, its hull glistening under the faint morning light.
A hatch on the top hissed open, and Liam climbed out onto the deck.
"Ethan! Come on up!" Liam shouted over the roar of rushing water.
Stunned by the sheer, impossible scale of the vessel, Ethan took a breath, gripped his backpack, and stepped across the gangway to board the massive submarine.
Liam strode forward, clapping Ethan hard on the shoulder before pulling him into a brief, tight hug. "Hah! Look at you, Ethan. Your complexion has definitely improved since I last saw you."
"You don't look too bad yourself. Full of energy," Ethan replied, his eyes darting around the high-tech deck.
Liam grinned, gesturing toward the open hatch. "Follow me."
Liam vanished down into the belly of the steel beast. Taking a deep breath, Ethan stepped down into the unknown after him.
"You know, Ethan, I've got a date set," Liam casual voiced echoed up the ladder.
"Oh yeah?" Ethan nodded, following him through the narrow corridor.
"She's a rich woman," Liam added, throwing a grin over his shoulder.
Ethan just nodded again, his mind on their surroundings.
Liam slowed his pace, his expression shifting to a pout. "What, you're not interested in listening?"
Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "Congrats, man. Truly."
Liam laughed and threw an arm around Ethan's shoulder, guiding him toward the control room. "So, what about you, Ethan? Did ya land a girlfriend yet?"
Ethan looked at him. "Nah."
"Why not?"
"Just not interested."
"What? Come on, man, talk to me," Liam teased, nudging him. "Do you like someone?"
Suddenly, Madison's face flashed in Ethan's mind. Why did she pop up? he thought, instantly annoyed with himself. I don't like anyone.
"No," Ethan said aloud, his voice flat.
Liam raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright."
Wanting to change the subject, Ethan looked around the steel walls. "Liam, where did you even pull a submarine from?"
"Oh, this beauty? Someone else had their hands on it first. Stole it from the military years ago, and it vanished without a trace. They were keeping it completely off the grid. But recently, it got detected, so they finally brought it out of hiding."
Ethan nodded, absorbing the information. "And you intercepted it?"
"Remember when I told you I was busy with a mission? And that it would take a long time?"
"Yeah. You said it was going to be a grueling op."
"Right, but it happened fast. They didn't even fight back," Liam said with a smirk.
"So the military just handed it over to you?" Ethan asked.
"Nah, we can use it for the time being, but once we're clear, we have to return it." Liam sighed, running a hand along the bulkhead. "I really like this sub, though. I hope I get one of my own someday."
A moment later, they reached the control room. Another man was inside, humming as he monitored the glowing control panels. He was dressed in crisp military fatigues.
Hearing their footsteps, the man turned around and eyed Ethan. "Is this the young man we spoke about?"
Liam nodded. "The one and only."
"Hi, my name is Asher. Nice to meet you," the man said, stepping forward and offering a hand.
Ethan shook it, offering a polite nod. As he pulled his hand back, his eyes caught a pair of military uniforms hanging on a nearby rack. One set looked like it would fit Liam perfectly. But his eyes lingered on the second set.
Who are those for? Ethan wondered, a prickle of unease hitting his chest.
"Ethan, let's discuss work," Liam called out from behind him, cutting off his train of thought.
Liam slipped into a heavy captain's chair. Ethan walked over and took the seat opposite him, a metal briefing table separating them as the submarine hummed to life around them.