Ethan returned to his room and began to pack. It didn't take long; he emerged a few minutes later carrying a single, compact backpack. His mother was in the kitchen, her back to him, as he found his voice.
"Mother, I'm leaving."
She turned, wiping her hands on a cloth, and walked toward him. "Now?" she asked softly.
Ethan gave a sharp, single nod.
"Okay. Have a safe journey," she said, pulling him into a brief embrace before kissing his forehead.
Ethan walked out without looking back. By the time he reached the street, a black G-Wagon was already idling at the curb. The tinted window slid down to reveal Allen behind the wheel.
"Get in," Allen commanded.
Ethan tossed his bag into the trunk and climbed into the passenger seat.
"You ready, Mr. Ethan?" Allen asked, his eyes on the rearview mirror.
Ethan gave a silent affirmative, and the car lurched forward, following the glowing line on the GPS. They arrived at a restricted perimeter where the security guards instantly recognized Allen and waved them through.
"What is this place?" Ethan asked, looking at the sprawling hangars.
"Private airfield," Allen replied. "Belongs to Madison's family."
As they drove toward a sleek jet, Ethan saw the rest of the team gathered on the tarmac. "Is Ms. Yuri a relative of Madison's?"
"Cousins," Allen explained. "Their fathers are brothers. Yuri's father was a good man—the younger of the two. As for Madison's father, I don't know much, other than the fact that he runs the entire overseas operation."
The car pulled up to the curb. Ethan stepped out first, greeted immediately by Antonio and Julian. Noah and Ben followed close behind. Noah stepped forward, offering a hand the size of a catcher's mitt.
"You're one of us now, kid. Welcome."
Ethan took the hand, feeling the strength in the grip. "Thanks, big guy."
Ben came up next, a fresh bandage across the bridge of his nose. "You almost broke my face," he grumbled, though a smirk played on his lips. "Anyway, welcome to the team."
"Alright, everyone, line up," Julian called out, his voice taking on a professional edge. "We're waiting on Yuri, then we move."
The five of them stood in a disciplined row near the plane's stairs. Allen leaned back against the G-Wagon, arms crossed, watching them with an amused expression. "Now you actually look like bodyguards," he joked.
"Don't you have work to do, Allen?" Antonio shot back.
"Nope," Allen grinned.
A Mercedes Maybach purred to a stop near the plane. Yuri stepped out, followed by Madison.
"Madison? You're coming too?" Allen asked, surprised.
"No, just saying goodbye," Madison replied.
Yuri patted Madison's head affectionately, then shot a sharp glare at Allen that made him instantly look away. "Let's go," she said, her tone brook no argument.
She boarded the plane, and the team followed in a rhythmic march of boots on metal. Ethan was the last to enter, the weight of the letter in his pocket pressing against his thigh. As the plane taxied and finally tore into the sky, Ethan pressed his forehead to the window. From this height, his entire neighborhood looked like a toy set. Somewhere down there, in one of those tiny squares, his mother was looking up at the same sky.
Six hours later, the wheels touched down in California.
The heat hit them as soon as the doors opened. The private terminal was crowded with luxury vehicles and high-profile travelers. Several men cast lingering glances at Yuri as she descended the stairs—her beauty was hard to ignore—but the wall of muscle surrounding her kept everyone at a distance.
Julian stepped aside to make a quick call. He spoke only three words: "We have arrived."
Seconds later, two black SUVs pulled onto the tarmac. The team split up; Ethan was signaled to join Yuri in the lead car. As they drove toward the hotel, the sheer scale of the California coast began to sink in.
In the follow-car, Antonio looked out at the palm trees and whispered, "California. Reminds me of that game."
Julian chuckled. "I remember that mission where you had to follow the train with the fat guy. God, that was a nightmare."
Noah and Ben laughed. "Pure nostalgia," Noah added.
In the lead car, Ethan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery. But he wasn't seeing the palm trees. His mind was drifting to a different place—one filled with the smell of smoke and the sound of distant screams.
"Ethan?"
He blinked, snapping back to the present. Yuri was watching him. "Yes?"
"You're remarkably composed," she said. "You must have had professional training."
Ethan shook his head. "I'm nothing special."
"You're a good kid, Ethan," Yuri said, her voice softening. "Do you have any siblings?"
"A little sister."
"That must be nice," Yuri mused. "I'm an only child. I always wanted a sibling to look out for."
Ethan nodded, then decided to take a chance. "There is something I want to ask."
"Go ahead."
"Jake... is he a relative of yours too?"
Yuri looked thoughtful. "Jake? To be honest, I don't really know him. Your selection process was only the second time I'd ever met him."
Ethan's brow furrowed. "That's strange. I went to your grandfather directly for this job."
Yuri shook her head. "It goes deeper than that. My grandfather told me weeks ago that Jake had recommended someone. He told me that if a young man ever showed up looking for work, we were to hire him immediately."
Ethan's eyes widened.
"During the trials," Yuri continued, "Jake showed up specifically to watch you. He wanted to see if you were what he expected."
Ethan stared at her, the revelation settling heavily in his chest. Before he could press further, the driver spoke up.
"Madam, we have arrived."
The SUV pulled into the grand entrance of their hotel. As they stepped out, Julian walked over and placed a steadying hand on Ethan's shoulder.
"Get some rest, everyone," Julian announced to the group. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."