Elsewhere, inside a heavily fortified executive office, a sharp, repetitive knock echoed against the door.
Knock. Knock.
"Sir, do I have permission to enter?" a deep, resonant voice called out from the hallway.
"Who's out there?" Beast called out lazily.
"Rider."
"Oh! Come on in, man!" Beast yelled, a massive, rowdy smile breaking across his face.
Beast casually tossed his phone onto the desk. The screen was still glowing, displaying a local fried chicken delivery website with a fully loaded cart.
The heavy door swung open, and Rider stepped into the room. He was an imposing, towering figure, possessing a flawless, hyper-athletic V-taper physique. He moved with the quiet grace of a predator; to the untrained eye, he looked like a standard elite athlete, but anyone who underestimated him would end up in a body bag.
"So, Mr. Rider," Beast grinned, leaning back in his leather chair. "What can I do for you today?"
"Sir, your secretary informed me that you requested my presence directly," Rider stated, his posture perfectly disciplined.
Beast aggressively smacked his own forehead, laughing. "Ah, damn it! I completely forgot. Right, straight to business. I need you to deploy to the Loop's Third Branch."
Rider's eyes narrowed slightly. "The Loop's Third Branch, Sir?"
"Yeah. It's an underground organization, and their high-ranking officials just reached out to establish contact with us," Beast explained, a dangerous, calculating glint appearing in his eyes. "Since the situation requires precision, I thought you'd be the perfect man for the job."
"Understood, Sir. Consider it done," Rider replied smoothly.
He turned on his heel and began walking toward the exit.
Beast watched Rider's retreating figure. His fingers tapped a rhythmic, predatory beat against the mahogany desk as his mind spun.
Now... who should I send as his partner?
A dark, knowing smirk spread across Beast's face. He didn't need someone as disciplined as Rider; he needed someone chaotic to balance the scale.
His eyes flashed with a hint of malice as he pulled up a hidden file on his monitor.
Oh, yeah, Beast thought. I know exactly who to send to keep things interesting.
Back on the grassy slope, the morning fog had begun to lift, but the tension between the two teenagers remained.
"So, what's the plan?" Allen asked, breaking the silence.
Ethan looked at him, his expression blank. For a second, he didn't quite grasp the meaning behind the question.
"I mean your plans for the summer," Allen clarified. "For right now."
Ethan leaned back against the cool grass, staring up at the pale sky. "I'm going to the capital. Ottawa," he said after a brief pause.
"Why?"
"To hunt down the Loop," Ethan replied. His voice was flat, but the underlying intent was razor-sharp.
Allen nodded, understanding the weight of that mission.
Ethan stood up, brushing the grass off his gear, and looked Allen dead in the eye. "One more thing. Don't tell Madison anything about what I told you regarding her mother. Not yet."
"I won't," Allen promised.
"Are you going alone?" Allen asked as Ethan started to turn away.
Ethan offered a small, grim nod. "There is no other choice, Allen." Without another word, he began walking toward the trailhead.
As soon as he was out of sight, Ethan pulled out his phone and opened an encrypted channel to Liam.
Ethan: You free? Let's take down the Loop's Third Branch.
A minute passed before the screen lit up.
Liam: Ethan, I think we should stay put for now.
Ethan: Why?
Liam: We just dismantled the Fourth Branch. They likely know our identities by now. They'll be braced for a frontal assault. It's a hornets' nest.
Ethan slowed his pace, considering the logic.
Ethan: You're not wrong. But we can't give them time to get strong defense.
Liam: Where is the Third Branch anyway?
Ethan: I don't have coordinates yet, but the intel points to something major in the Capital.
Liam: Ottawa? Let me run some deep-scans. Meet me at Military Base AE7 this evening. We'll talk then.
Ethan sent a thumbs-up emoji and pocketed the phone. But a second later, it buzzed again. This time, it was from Allen.
Allen: I'm going with you.
Ethan: You don't have to. I can handle this solo.
Allen: I'm not leaving a friend to walk into a death trap alone.
Ethan stopped walking. He stared at the message for a long beat, a rare, genuine smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Ethan: Thanks, man. Meet at my place as soon as the sun goes down.
Meanwhile, in a quiet corner of a high-end restaurant, the atmosphere was far more peaceful.
"Go ahead and start eating, I'll be back in less than a minute," Finn said, flashing Himari a warm smile before heading toward the reception.
Himari nodded, but the moment he was gone, her professional phone vibrated with a violent intensity. It was a message from Hayato.
Hayato: New directive. Your first priority is to infiltrate the Loop's Third Branch.
Himari's brow furrowed. Her thumbs flew across the screen.
Himari: My identity was just compromised by a high-level businessman here, and you want me to jump into a Loop stronghold?
Hayato: The Loop has requested the Clan for security reinforcements. Enter as a 'consultant' and act as our eyes. Gather everything—intel on the Loop, the Pillars, and their assets.
Himari: Why are we targeting the Pillars now?
Hayato: Direct orders from the Family Head. Do not deviate.
Himari clicked her phone off and slid it back into her bag, her appetite completely vanishing. Her mood soured as she stared at the steam rising from her tea.
I have no idea what the Family Head is playing at, she thought bitterly.
Just then, Finn returned to the table.
"You haven't even started ye-" he asked, but he stopped mid-sentence when he noticed the tension in her shoulders and the darkness in her eyes. "Is everything alright, Himari?"
He always notices, she thought. The coldness of the mission felt a little less heavy under his gaze. She forced a small, soft smile.
"Everything is fine now," she said softly.
"Then let's eat," Finn said.