Keifer had left for the office at 6:00 AM, looking more like a soldier going to war than a CEO going to a board meeting. He kissed Jay-jay on the forehead, told her to stay inside, and doubled the security detail at the lobby.
He thought he was being protective. He thought he was being the King.
But he forgot one thing: You don't tell the Mutya of Section E to sit still when her family is being threatened.
The moment the elevator doors closed behind Keifer, Jay-jay pulled out her phone and opened a group chat that had been muted for months: "THE EXILED KINGS."
Jay-jay: Operation: Grumpy King is in effect. 10:00 AM. The old hideout at the back of the school. Don't let Keifer's spies see you.
The Secret Meeting
The old warehouse near the school was dusty and smelled like rust and memories. One by one, the shadows shifted.
Felix dropped from a window. Ci-N crawled out from behind a stack of crates (wearing a literal camouflage suit he bought online). Edrix, Josh, and the rest of the core Section E members appeared from the darkness.
"You're late," Jay-jay said, crossing her arms. She was wearing her old hoodie over her expensive leggings—a mix of her new life and her true roots.
"To be fair, dodging Keifer's professional trackers is harder than dodging the police," Edrix panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "He's got eyes everywhere, Jay."
"I don't care," Jay-jay said, her voice firm. "Keifer is trying to do that 'Noble Hero' thing again where he carries the world on his shoulders until they break. He's hiding the truth about that 'Checkmate' photo."
Ci-N stopped playing with a loose thread on his suit. "He's just scared, Jay-jay. You're his weakness now. If someone hurts you, the King falls."
"I'm not his weakness," Jay-jay countered, her eyes flashing. "I'm his partner. And you guys aren't just his subordinates; you're his brothers. Now, tell me what you know about the Vanguard Group."
Edrix sighed and pulled out a tablet. "We did some digging behind Keifer's back too. The Vanguard Group isn't just a corporation. It's led by someone named Ryuuichi Hanamitchi."
The air in the warehouse turned ice-cold.
"Ryuuichi?" Jay-jay whispered. "Yuri's... brother?"
"The one the family disowned for being too violent," Josh added. "He's not like Yuri. Yuri played mind games. Ryuuichi just burns things down. He thinks Keifer 'stole' the Hanamitchi influence by dismantling their network, and he wants it back. He's starting with Section E because that's where the Watson legend began."
Jay-jay felt a surge of anger. They were targeting their old school? Their memories?
"He wants a war," Felix grinned, cracking his knuckles. "And honestly? My hands have been getting itchy ever since the wedding. High society is boring."
"Listen up," Jay-jay commanded, and instinctively, the men who once ruled the school stood at attention. "Keifer is going to try to settle this with money and corporate contracts. He'll try to lure Ryuuichi into a boardroom. But Ryuuichi is a street fighter."
She looked at each of them. "We're going to find Ryuuichi's local warehouse before Keifer does. We're going to send a message that the Mutya isn't a damsel in distress, and Section E isn't retired."
"Are we really doing this?" Ci-N asked, his eyes wide with excitement. "Behind the King's back?"
"If he finds out, I'll take the blame," Jay-jay said. "But right now, we protect our own."
Just as Jay-jay was about to give the first assignment, her phone buzzed. It was a video call from Keifer.
"Abort! Abort!" Ci-N hissed, diving behind a trash can. Felix scrambled up a ladder, and Edrix dove behind a crate.
Jay-jay took a deep breath, smoothed her hair, and answered. "Hey, Hubby! What's up?"
On the screen, Keifer was in his office, looking exhausted. "Jay? Why is your background so dark? And is that... a rusty pipe behind you?"
"Oh! This? I'm just... at an 'underground' vintage thrift shop! Very trendy. Very... rustic," she lied through her teeth.
Keifer narrowed his eyes. He knew that 'lying' tone. "Jay, if I find out you're with Ci-N right now—"
"I have to go! The signal is bad! Love you, bye!"
She hung up and exhaled. The boys crawled out from their hiding spots.
"You're so dead when he finds out," Edrix muttered.
"Then we better finish this before he does," Jay-jay replied. "Section E... move out."