Beast set down his fork, his expression darkening into something deeply unsettling. "Your older brother... he is evil. Pure evil."
"Why?" Ethan asked, leaning forward, his pulse quickening. "What makes him like that?"
Beast shook his head slowly. "Think of it this way. What if we took your father, Damian, and split him in to two, right down the middle? You got his good side—his heart, his drive to protect. Your older brother got his darkness. He is everything evil Damian could have ever been."
Ethan's eyes widened in realization. So that's why Mother was so terrified... that's why she told me not to do anything reckless.
"Uncle, I still have so many questions," Ethan urged.
Beast grinned, holding out an open palm. "That'll be 1.2 million dollars. Cash or card or check?"
Ethan stared at him flatly, reached into his pocket, and dropped his twenty-two dollar bills onto Beast's open palm.
Beast sighed, folding the bill and slipping it straight into his suit pocket. "Kid, I don't even want this."
"Uncle, you literally just said you didn't want it, but you put it in your pocket anyway," Ethan pointed out.
"Consider it twenty-two dollars off your total 1.2 million dollar," Beast said smoothly, taking another bite of chicken.
Ethan looked at him for a long beat, completely exasperated. He stood up from the table.
"Kiddo, Think about my job offer!" Beast called out as Ethan headed for the exit.
Ethan gave a quick nod over his shoulder and slipped out into the night.
Elsewhere, in a high-rise executive office overlooking the glowing city skyline, Murphy sat behind a heavy oak desk. Victor knocked twice, stepped inside after getting permission.
"Allen played a major role in the collapse of the Third Branch," Victor reported, his voice low.
Murphy nodded slowly, processing the news.
"They're making things easy for us," Victor added, a faint smirk playing on his lips. He paused, his expression turning serious. "However... what if they use Allen to track their way back to us?"
"There is no need to worry," Murphy replied calmly, looking up with absolute confidence. "You all are here with me, and I trust you completely."
Victor gave a respectful nod and exited the room, leaving Murphy alone. Murphy stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and took a long, steady breath.
By the time Ethan arrived back home, the warm scent of fresh food filled the house. His mother called him over to the dining table, and they ate together in quiet comfort. Once dinner was finished, Ethan excused himself and headed to his room.
He laid in bed and thought about everything Beast had told him, before he fell asleep.
After a few day,
After dinner, Ethan headed to him room.
He sank into his computer chair, taking a deep breaths.
Maybe, I should start working out. Ethan thought.
Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
His phone vibrated on the desk. An unread text from an unknown number glowed on the screen. Ethan opened it.
Unknown: Ethan, are you available? It's Jake.
Finally, Ethan thought, his chest tightening with anticipation. He quickly saved the contact and typed back:
Ethan: Yeah, I'm free.
Jake: Come to the park near your house. Now.
Ethan: On my way.
Ethan grabbed a heavy black jacket and hurried downstairs.
"Ethan, are you heading out this late?" his mother called from the living room.
Ethan turned, offering a reassuring smile. "Yeah, Mom. A friend is nearby and wants to catch up for a bit."
His mother smiled back warmly. "Alright. Be careful out there."
A sudden wave of affection filled Ethan's chest as he nodded. "I will."
A few minutes later, Ethan reached the neighborhood park. Under the dim, flickering streetlights, the grounds were nearly deserted, save for a few locals finishing up late-night walks. But Jake was nowhere to be seen.
Ethan pulled out his phone to text him, but before his thumbs could touch the screen, a tall shadow suddenly fell over him from behind. Ethan spun around—Jake was standing inches away, hands shoved in his pockets.
"Hi, Ja—"
"Follow me," Jake cut him off coldly, turning on his heel.
Ethan followed him out of the park and down a secluded side street. Parked along the curb was a sleek, pitch-black Bugatti Divo, its metallic body gleaming faintly under the moonlight.
Ethan stopped in his tracks, staring.
Jake climbed into the driver's seat, resting his arm on the open window frame. "Come on. What are you waiting for?"
Ethan snapped out of his trance, walked around the side, and slid into the passenger seat. The second the door clicked shut, the massive engine roared to life with a deep, guttural rumble, and the supercar launched forward, tearing through the quiet city streets.
"So, Ethan," Jake said, keeping his eyes on the road as the streetlights blurred past. "You can ask me anything. Literally anything."
Ethan looked over at him. "I have a million questions. I don't even know where to start."
"What do you want to know first?" Jake offered smoothly. "The plane crash? Or something regarding the Pillars?"
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "How did you know I was looking for intel on the Three Pillars?"
"After you flattened their Third Branch, it was obvious you'd need the bigger picture before moving on the rest," Jake replied, a slight smirk touching his lips. He glanced sideways. "So, make your choice. The plane crash? The history of the Three Pillars? Or something else entirely?"
"I want all of it," Ethan said firmly.
"Not happening," Jake said with a sharp chuckle. "One question tonight. That's the deal."
"Will you answer the rest another time?"
Jake smiled slightly and gave a slow nod. "Why, of course I will."
Ethan didn't hesitate. "Tell me everything you know about the Three Pillars."
Jake glanced at him, genuinely surprised. "You're passing up the truth about the plane crash?"
Ethan shook his head, looking straight ahead into the dark road. "You can tell me about the crash later. First, I need to know how to bring the Three Pillars to the ground."
Jake's smile broadened, as he pressed down on the accelerator.
"Fair enough," Jake murmured. "Let's start from the beginning..."