Jake stared at John Levi, his eyes cold and unreadable.
"So, you are saying we should take down Murphy together," Jake said, his voice flat.
John Levi nodded smoothly, the sharp, arrogant smile never leaving his lips.
"And do you actually have the power to pull that off?"
John Levi's smile flickered, a faint frown crossing his face. "Power? Yes. I have the resources and the reach. But I need time."
"You don't have the power," Jake cut in coldly. "Only one of your branches remains standing, along with two headquarters. What can they possibly do?"
John Levi paused, then stood up from behind his mahogany desk. He walked slowly toward the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out over the city skyline.
"You're right. We are vulnerable at this moment. But you are underestimating the strength of our 1st Branch and the two remaining Headquarters. As I said, I need time to assemble a coalition powerful enough to crush him. And when the time comes... we take care of Murphy together."
John Levi turned around, walking back toward Jake with an extended hand.
"So... are you in?"
Jake stood up slowly, looking down at the offered hand with quiet disdain. "Disappointing. I only agreed to meet you because Chris advised it. Clearly, that was a mistake."
Without taking Levi's hand, Jake turned toward the double doors. "I thought, after seeing your death might have changed you. But you've only grown more ignorant."
Jake paused near the doorway, casting a dark glance over his shoulder. "If you want me at your table, you'll need to prove your worth first."
With that, he pushed the doors open and walked out, leaving John Levi standing in silence. The smile still on John Levi's face.
The next morning,
The golden sunlight washed over the high school gates as Ethan and Daisy walked onto campus together. They shared a brief goodbye before parting ways toward their respective halls.
When Ethan stepped into his classroom, he spotted Madison sitting and Allen standing near the window, chatting casually.
"Good morning," Ethan said, walking up to them.
"Good morning," Madison replied with a bright smile.
Allen offered a razor-sharp smirk. "Morning, man."
"Where have you been all this time, Allen?" Ethan asked, resting a hand against the desk. "Felt like you vanished."
"Just taking care of some private business," Allen replied casually.
Ethan nodded. "Glad you're back. There's actually something I need to discuss with you later."
"Sure, whenever you're ready."
"Hey, don't forget I'm right here," Madison teased, crossing her arms.
Allen chuckled quietly. As he watched Ethan and Madison interact, his smile grew genuine.
They've gotten really close, Allen thought to himself. It's about time. Madison deserves some real happiness after everything she's been through.
"Good morning, guys," Finn greeted as he slid his backpack onto his desk behind them.
Ethan and Madison exchanged a quick look, returning the greeting. Madison gave Ethan a subtle, knowing nod—gesturing for him to make his move.
Allen caught the silent exchange and smiled to himself, thoroughly amused.
"Finn, come here for a second. There's something I need to ask you," Ethan said, leading Finn over toward his seat.
Madison watched them walk off, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Before they could settle, the morning bell rang, echoing down the hallways. A few moments later, Mr. Henry walked into the room, setting his lesson plan on the podium.
"Good morning, class. I hope you're all doing well today," Henry said warmly.
The students chorused their greetings back.
Henry took a deep breath, clearing his throat. "I have an important announcement to make before we start."
The chatter in the room died down instantly as everyone turned their attention to the front.
"At the end of this month, the school will be holding its annual Sports Festival," Henry announced. "Since you were all here last year, you know how it works. Whichever events you want to participate in, make sure to submit your names to your Class Representative, Joe."
The back row erupted into immediate cheers from the boys.
"YES! Football, baby!"
"Put me down for the 100-meter dash!"
Henry chuckled, turning to the class rep. "Joe, compile the final list and bring it to my office before the deadline. Make sure everyone gets a shot. Best of luck to all of you."
Ethan tilted his head. A Sports Festival?
He turned to Finn. "Hey, what's the deal with this festival anyway?"
"Oh, right—you weren't here last year," Finn said, leaning in.
"Listen up. The festival has a bunch of different events: football, tug of war, track races, table tennis, and more. The winners gets rewarded, I mean the first three places. And if a class that wins the most total events, then all the class gets rewarded—even the students who didn't compete or were absent."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What's the reward?"
"It's a huge amount of cash. Yeah, last year it was cash," Finn grinned.
"Not bad," Ethan murmured. He then lowered his voice, shifting the topic back. "Anyway, back to what I was asking before Mr. Henry walked in..."
Finn blinked. "Right. What was it?"
Ethan leaned in closer, keeping his voice dead quiet. "How do you get a girlfriend?"
Finn stared at him, bewildered. "What?! You're looking for a girlfriend?"
"No," Ethan shot back quickly, shaking his head. "I'm asking for a friend."
"Right... a friend," Finn said suspiciously, scratching his chin. "Honestly man... I don't really know."
"Come on," Ethan pressed. "You scored a third-year girlfriend. Just give me your tactic so I can help my friend."
Finn thought it over.
Ethan spoke, "What did you do?"
Finn looked at Ethan and said, "I mean... I just confessed to her. And she said yes."
Ethan let out a long, exhausted sigh. "You're not helping."
"Hey! Give me a second!" Finn protested quietly, snapping his fingers as an idea hit him. "Look, you can use the Sports Festival."
Ethan gestured for him to keep going.
"During the festival, there's a ton of free time between events," Finn explained. "You set up a situation where those two are paired up, let them spend the day together, and then he makes his move when the mood is right."
Ethan stared at Finn for a beat, then slowly offered a solid thumbs-up.
That actually works...
Pulling out his phone under the desk, Ethan quickly pulled up Madison's chat and began typing out the entire tactical playbook.