Ethan shook his head, looking back at Lucas. "Well, I can't really say..." He trailed off, casually turning his head back toward the rest of the group, only to freeze mid-sentence.
Standing a few paces behind them, Madison had lightly pinched the right sleeve of Alberto's shirt with her fingers to steady herself as they walked.
"Hello? Ethan?" Lucas said, waving a hand in front of his face.
Ethan snapped his attention back to Lucas, clearing his throat. "Right... well, it's your decision."
Lucas nodded, but Ethan felt a strange, sudden tightness in his chest.
Why was Madison holding onto his shirt like that?
He took a slow, deep breath, trying to dismiss the thought.
Why do I even care? It's her business. He thought. Yet, the subtle, nagging sensation lingered in the back of his mind.
Before long, the group arrived at a cozy, mid-tier restaurant. They stepped inside and were guided to a private dining room off to the side.
"Alright, what is everyone having?" Alberto asked, pulling out a chair.
Once everyone placed their orders, Alberto gathered the menu cards and stepped out of the room to deliver them to the counter.
The group settled into casual chatter until Ethan's phone suddenly vibrated in his jacket pocket. Pulling it out, he looked down at the caller ID:
Liam.
Ethan's brows furrowed. Liam? Why is he calling directly? He always texts first...
"Excuse me for a second," Ethan said, standing up from his seat.
The lighthearted mood in the room dipped slightly as the others noticed the sharp, serious expression on Ethan's face while he stepped out into the hallway.
Alice and Emma turned to Madison the moment the door clicked shut. "Who was that?"
"I'm not sure," Madison replied, her eyes lingering on the closed door. "Hopefully nothing bad."
A second later, Lucas's phone buzzed on the table.
"Damn it," Lucas groaned, looking at his screen.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked.
"Alberto texted me to come help him carry all the food trays back," Lucas said, pushing his chair out and heading for the door.
With the guys gone, only the three girls remained at the table.
Emma leaned in with a sly grin, nudging Alice's elbow. "So... what's really going on between you and Lucas?"
Alice's cheeks flushed bright red as she shook her head frantically. "I-it's nothing like that!"
Madison and Emma exchanged knowing grins.
"Don't be shy, Alice," Madison smiled warmly. "Anyone with eyes can see that you like him."
Alice looked up at Madison, a playful glint in her eyes as she tried to shift the spotlight. "Oh, please! Don't start with me, Madison. You were holding onto Alberto's sleeve on the way here!"
Madison shook her head with a soft laugh. "That wasn't what you think. I just caught my foot on an uneven brick, lost my balance, and grabbed his arm to steady myself."
"Admit it," Emma teased with a mischievous smile. "You did it to make Ethan jealous so he'd actually make a move!"
Madison shook her head gently. "I... didn't even think about that..."
Before Madison could expand on her answer, the door swung open as Alberto and Lucas entered, carrying heavy wooden trays loaded with steaming plates of food.
Setting the dishes down on the table, Alberto looked around the room. "Where's Ethan?"
"He went outside to take an important call," Lucas answered, taking his seat.
"Should we wait for him?" Alberto asked, pulling out his chopsticks.
Meanwhile, Ethan stood near the quiet side entrance of the restaurant, his phone pressed firmly to his ear.
"Are you certain the Shadow Syndicate is making moves?" Ethan asked, his voice low and tight.
"I don't have full details yet," Liam's voice echoed through the speaker. "The intelligence just hit my desk minutes ago. The leader is clearly up to something, and he might have start moving."
Ethan gave a single, firm nod.
"Is there anything else?" Ethan pressed.
"Nothing confirmed," Liam warned. "My strongest piece of advice right now? Stay on high alert and ensure your mother and sister's security protocols are tight."
"Got it. Thanks, Liam," Ethan said, ending the call.
Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Ethan walked up the stairs and stepped back into the private room.
"Took you long enough!" Alberto called out with a smile. "Food's getting cold."
"Sorry, it was an important call," Ethan said, pulling out his chair and sitting beside Madison.
"Sure, sure," Lucas smirked teasingly. "You should've just told your girlfriend that you were busy hanging out with your gym crew tonight."
Madison shot a quick glance at Ethan, her reaction unreadable.
Ethan shook his head with a faint smile. "Nah, nothing like that. It was...just family business."
Lucas nodded, accepting the answer as the group began diving into their meals.
Elsewhere — On the Highway
Henry sat behind the wheel of his black sedan, listening passively as Beast rambled on from the passenger seat.
"...So then I slipped the left hook and countered straight through his guard," Beast declared animatedly. "Even I was surprised by how fast I reacted!"
Henry let out a quiet sigh.
Bzzzt.
His dashboard display lit up with an incoming notification from the local high school network. Henry glanced over, reading the brief header.
A sports festival is coming up at the end of the month? Hmm... Henry thought, tapping the screen to clear the alert before returning his hands to the wheel.
"Hey, Henry! Are you even listening to me?!" Beast barked, crossing his arms.
"No," Henry replied deadpan.
"Great! Then pay attention, because the best part is coming up—"
Miles away on the open highway, a sleek, custom-modified Harley-Davidson cruiser wove effortlessly through the evening traffic.
The rider wore a matte-black full-face helmet, a wireless comms link built directly into the visor ear-pieces.
"I'm listening," the biker spoke into his mic.
Inside Loop Central Headqaurters, John Levi reclined in his high-backed chair, swirling a glass of scotch.
"I think we should meet. If you can, come visit me in person," John Levi said coldly.
"Send me the coordinates," the man on the motorcycle replied, leaning into a sharp curve on the highway. "I'll be there shortly."
"Good. We will discuss everything once we are face-to-face..." John Levi smiled sinisterly into the receiver. "...Isn't that right, Jake?"
Jake, riding down the open road, replied calmly, "I already know this is about him..."
John Levi's smile widened.