❃.✮:▹ ◃:✮.❃
Smoke still clung to their clothes as all of them stumbled through the trees behind the mansion, finally they left the mansion and took shelter in a nearby warehouse. Tripping over branches, breathless, and arguing like feral cats in a bag.
Jake while grinning from ear to ear.
" Tell me that wasn't the coolest exit ever!"
Jean: I will literally kill you.
Sam punched Jake's arm, " You nearly turned it into grilled kebabs!"
Jake while rubbing his arm, " Worth it."
Prez who joined them later after confirming her and everyone's parents who attended today's event are safe. Heels in hand, hair messy, "Somebody tell me why I joined a team that thinks arson is a strategy."
Juli panting, " I told her it wasn't a real fire. Just a scare tactic."
Ray: THERE WAS A MUSHROOM CLOUD, JULI.!
Rowon completely done, " I'm filing a formal complaint to the universe."
In the warehouse, the air was musty but safe. Dim light. A dusty table. A few half-broken chairs. And arguments.
Then–
Jean: Alright. Talk. What the hell happened?
Jake: Basement. Gasoline. Boom.
Sam: I was there. Idiot. And I'd like to know what you two were doing in the corridor arguing like divorced parents.
Jake smirking, " We are bonding."
Prez, " I was plotting his murder." says while showing a middle finger to Jake.
Ray: Guys, focus.
Jean: Anyone know… where Sage ran off too?
Rowon : Probably icing someone with just a stare.
Jake : Wait… . Who? I know that big black thing beside you .. unfortunately… But who are you?
Rai: Detectives. Kid.
Everyone gulped.
Jake : So let me get this straight.
He eyed Rai and Rowon, who stood awkwardly in their corner like schoolboys caught in the wrong classroom.
Jake grinning, " You two just came to the party, and escaped with us, we're on the same boat now."
Rowon: I was emotionally blackmailed.
Rai: I followed the explosion. Blame my curiosity.
Jake mocking his gasps, " You hear that, Sam? Our chaos has gravity now."
Jean: Oh my god, they're multiplying.
Ray nodded his head, " It's like emotional STD. You get infected by vibes."
Prez, "Well seeing you both again wasn't on my bucket list but welcome to the team. I guess."
Rowon: I also don't want to meet clients outside of my job. Can we leave now?
Jake smirking, " Nope. You're officially part of this godforsaken quad."
Rai: I didn't sign up for this.
Juli grinning, " No one ever does."
The tension finally cracked.
For a moment, they all laughed—
Tired, breathless, bruised, but alive.
Rowon: Appreciate the offer. Kids. Really. But we didn't bring our crayons.
Rai: And we don't have time for a kids show.
Prez: Explosion and dramatic stares? Feels more like a crime documentary.
Ray: And the theme is trauma.
The laughter that followed was brief but genuine. Until Rai spoke again– quite, firm.
Rai: We're still detectives. This mission… whatever it is… it's not ours.
Jean: Not yet.
There was a pause.
Rai didn't reply to that. He just looked at Jean – for a second longer than necessary. Something unreadable in his eyes. Then, without a word, he turned. Rowon followed, muttering something under his breath about needing coffee or divine intervention.
The warehouse door cracked shut behind them. Gone.
Silence.
Juli: Well. That was cold.
Jake nudged Jean, " He looked back at you. Y'know."
Just when Jean was about to snap at Jake… Prez smacked Jake's head. Stood up and yelled at Jake… "All because of your shitshow, now I've bruises on my feets, I'm never wearing these heels again. Ahhh!"
Sam smirking, " Oh don't lie, they make your threats louder."
Prez, " Only when aimed at men."
She plopped beside Sam, and the circle started to plan their next not-so-vacational-trip.
Jean stood with arms crossed, face half-shadowed in the warehouse gloom. " Alright. We're heading to Thailand."
Jake blinked, " Wait, what? I thought this was a post explosion debrief, not a travel plan."
Prez kicked Jake's feet, " Surprise, genius. It's both. Sage is sending us straight to his base. Phuket charity event."
Juli: Volunteering for kids, smiles for camera, and behind the scenes? Spying like our life depends on it.
Jake: So, basically undercover spies in tropical paradise? Can I bring a speedo?
Sam without missing a beat, " Only if you want to get disowned or deported."
Ray grinning, " Honestly, I'm starting to think Jake wants to get arrested."
Sam: Hmm. Kinky.
Jake glared at him . Sam smirked back.
Prez leaned forward, " We'll be split across different duties. Interacting with staff. Kids. Officials. That means access. That means eyes on everything. No screw-ups."
Juli added, " We'll keep tabs on Sage's staff. Some of them might've been around twelve years ago.
Jean nodded. "Speaking of which…"
He looked at Sam.
Jean: You found something in Sage's room. Spill.
Sam pulled a small pen drive inside his jacket. "Hidden under a table in the room behind the bookshelves. Real vintage spy movie shit."
Prez: What's on it?
Sam: Didn't check yet. Needed to decrypt it first. But the file's names? They're dated. Twelve years ago.
Juli's face darkened.
Jake: So… . It's not just a charity gig. It's a graveyard.
Jean: No chaos unless necessary. We got in quite. Blend in. Find anything that leads to our goal. Watch Sage. If he's hiding anything, it'll show.
Sam: Or he'll make it show. He wants us there. That's the dangerous part.
Jean didn't reply. He just stared at the pen drive in Sam's hand.
Juli added quietly, " Whatever it is, this charity event isn't just charity. It's a show. And maybe a trap."
Jean: We finish finals, then we go to Phuket. Keep our eyes open. Stay sharp and find out what's really going on.
Prez smirked, " So… more school, less vacation."
Sam grinned, " At least this time, the 'classroom' has better snacks."
The six shared a brief laugh, the weight of what was coming hanging beneath the surface.
The warehouse door creaked shut behind them, leaving a musty silence in its wake. Outside, the night air was cool but the weight of their plans pressed heavy on their shoulders.
Prez snapped on her heels, shooting a sharp look at Jake. " Drop me off. And don't even think about parking next to my building."
Jake grinned, hands raised on mock surrender. " Got it, no parking crimes today."
Prez rolled her eyes, climbing into the passenger seat. Ray and Juli got into another car, the two exchanging tired smiles as they drove off together.
Jean stretched, rubbing his neck, " I'm heading home."
Sam fell in step beside him, eyes sharp but calm. "I'll go with you. Need to talk about that pen drive."
Jake appeared just as they reached Jeans street, phone in hand. " I dropped Prez. Didn't hear any murder threats, so I figured I'd come hang."
Jean: Don't blow up the neighborhood.
Jake: No promises.
Inside, the air smelled faintly of jasmine and old books. Jean, " Home sweet home. No golden chandelier here."
Jake flopped onto the couch, stretching. " So, what's the plan with this pen drive?"
Sam: I don't know, but something just doesn't feel right.
Jean and Jake looked at each other and both gave a confused look at Sam.
Jean: What do you mean?
Sam: Like the mansion, so unguarded, the room, the pen drive. It was as if he was waiting for me to infiltrate there and take it with me. It was just so open. So easy.
Jean and Jake both now looked tense.
And suddenly Jake laughed softly. " Feels like we're signing up for a soap opera with more plot twists than a thriller."
Sam's eyes finally relaxing, a teasing grin playing on his lips, " You love it. Admit it."
Jean rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched in a reluctant smile, " If sage wants us at that event… then let's give him a show."
—--------
Sage sitting in his office, watching a surveillance replay from his room. He pauses it right when Sam steals the pen drive, leans back in his chair with a smile, and whispers,
"Clever little thief."
The night settled around them, heavy with secrets and unspoken promises—-
a clam before the storm that none of them could ignore.
❃.✮:▹ ◃:✮.❃
The next day. The cold, sterile room smelled faintly of coffee and regret. Rai and Rowon sat opposite a steely-eyed commander… . faces tense, but with an edge of restrained irrigation.
Commander: You two thought crashing Sage's party without permission was a good idea?
Rai shrugged, as casual as ever. " Well, when the place smells like a crime scene and opportunity knocks… ."
Rowon cut in dryly, " We did clear it with our gut instincts."
Commander's eyebrow twitched. " Gut instinct doesn't keep you on the force. You're lucky Sage pulled strings for you. No suspension. No demotion."
Rai smirked, " So… what, a slap on the wrist?"
Commander: More like a leash. Sage requested you be reassigned.
Rowon groaned, " Please don't say guard duty."
Commander gave a cold smile. " Exactly that. You two are in charge of an upcoming charity event in Phuket."
Rai blinked, caught off guard, " Guard… .. Students?"
Commander: The students of Daffodils High. Sage wants you to protect. He'll be there. To watch. So learn and report.
Rowon, arm crossed, " That sounds suspiciously like babysitting."
Commander: More like shadowing . He trusts your skills.
Rai glanced at Rowon, lips twitching, " Guess we're his pets now."
Rowon leaned back, shaking his head, " At least it's not jail."
Commander stood, " This is your chance to prove you can follow orders and keep your heads intact.
After saying that, the commander left the room. And Rai, " Fu*k this."
Rowon: Told ya. Gonna get in real trouble this time.
"Ahhh!" Rai yelled.
"Well, at least we can get close to his main base."
Rowon: Even at this time you're thinking about that. Please bro. Don't drag me with you.
Rai: Sorry to disappoint you. We're in this game together.
Rowon: What did I do in my last life to deserve this?
Rai laughed sneakily. " Now, let's get ready for the trip."
Rowon: Well … we will meet those kids again then.
Rai smiled mischievously, and whispered to himself, " We'll meet again, kid."
It gave Rowom chills down to his spine.