Allen, Ethan, and Madison were about to board their bus when Finn's voice trailed from behind. "Ethan! Wait for me!"
Ethan paused, glancing back as Madison and Allen stepped onto the vehicle. Madison found a seat next to a classmate, while Allen took the row directly behind her. Once Finn caught up, he and Ethan took the pair of seats across the aisle from Allen.
Once the bus was packed, Mr. Henry climbed aboard to take attendance. Through the windows, the scene was mirrored in the other buses; Daisy sat comfortably with Sophia, while Olivia and her clique brushed past them to claim the back seats, surrounded by the class troublemakers. In his own bus, Enzo sat like a kingpin, flanked by his usual lackeys.
Engine gears ground into place, and the convoy pulled away from the school. Allen leaned his head back, eyes fluttering shut as he drifted off.
"I'm going to do it," Finn whispered suddenly. "On this trip, I'm going to propose."
Ethan offered a small, supportive nod. "Best of luck."
Finn turned to him, curious. "What about you, Ethan? Is there someone you like?"
"I like my family more than anything," Ethan replied simply.
Finn shook his head with a grin. "No, I meant romantically. Someone you'd want to marry."
"I don't have any interest in that," Ethan said, his voice level. "My parents' marriage was arranged by their families. If I ever marry, I'd want it to be based on my mother's preferences."
Finn stared at him, stunned. Even Allen opened one eye, glancing at Ethan before shifting back into a nap.
"What is it?" Ethan asked.
"You're just... different," Finn laughed. "Anyone else would be talking about 'true love' or finding 'the one.' You're a rare breed, Ethan."
Ethan nodded, accepting the observation without ego.
"Alright then, philosopher. I'm hitting the lights," Finn said, leaning his head against the window. Ethan followed suit, closing his eyes as the rhythm of the road hummed beneath them.
Nearby, Madison and her friend had overheard the exchange. "Ethan is a strange guy," the girl whispered. Madison didn't disagree; she simply nodded, staring out at the passing trees.
At the front of the bus, Mr. Henry felt his phone vibrate. It was a message from a contact labeled Beast:
"Hey! Whenever you're free, give the Boss a call."
Henry sighed, his face tightening for a moment before he sent back a thumbs-up emoji.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon and darkness swallowed the highway, the buses pulled into the parking lot of a sprawling hotel. Mr. Henry stood up, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Wake up, everyone! We've arrived."
The bus hissed as the doors opened. Madison nudged Allen, Ethan, and Finn awake.
"Listen closely," Mr. Henry announced. "You'll be staying here for the night. Boys' and girls' wings are strictly separate. Tomorrow, we head to the main site. You'll receive further instructions in the morning."
As the students filtered out, Mr. Henry began assigning rooms—four boys to a pack. Nearby, Daisy and Sophia hopped off their bus, chatting happily as they headed toward the lobby. Enzo followed shortly after, his silent lackeys trailing behind him like shadows.
"Good call stopping here for the night, Mr. Henry," a voice called out. It was the school's cafeteria chef—the 'Ramen Guy'—who had joined the trip to handle the catering.
Mr. Henry forced a smile. "Safety first."
As the chef headed inside, Henry's smile faded. Tomorrow will be tough for them, he thought. I just hope everything goes according to plan.
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number saved as Nameless. The line picked up, but the voice on the other end was heavily distorted, masked by a digital scrambler.
"Hello, Henry," the voice crackled.
"Yes, sir," Henry replied, his voice dropping to a respectful whisper.
Inside Room 204, Allen, Ethan, Finn, and a student named Jacob dropped their bags. The room was modest, featuring two double-decker beds.
"Damn, that was a long haul," Finn groaned, face-planting onto the bottom bunk.
Ethan remained quiet, his mind racing behind a calm mask. Everything is fine for now, he mused. But when will Enzo make his move?
Across the room, Allen sat on the edge of the sofa, harboring the same grim thoughts. Enzo is being too quiet. He won't move tonight—it's too risky with the teachers around. Madison should be safe in the girls' wing, but Olivia is the wildcard. I hope she doesn't try anything with Madison or Daisy.
Allen ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. He pulled out his phone and texted Madison: "If anything feels wrong, call me immediately."
Ethan followed suit, messaging his sister. "Daisy, how are you? How was the journey?"
The reply was instant: "I'm good, brother! The trip was fun. My friend and I talked the whole way."
"About what?" Ethan asked.
"Drama," she replied.
Drama? Ethan wondered, perplexed. He shook it off and typed back: "Rest up. If anything happens, call me, okay?"
"Okay, brother. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight."
Ethan set the phone down, the silence of the hotel room feeling heavy with the weight of the day to come.