Episode Five
Nicholas froze mid-step, his attention caught by a small recorder lying on the ground. He bent down, picked it up, and pressed play. Ethan's voice crackled through: "Whenever you see this red light blinking, send reinforcement." The message ended with a sharp beep.
His heart skipped. Nicholas turned and dashed toward the system room. His eyes locked on the CPU dashboard—there it was. A single red dot, pulsing steadily like a heartbeat on the GPS.
Relief washed over him, but urgency followed just as quickly. He had to move.
---
Ethan groaned, struggling to push himself up from the ground. Blood ran freely down his right arm. Nearby, a jagged stone lay stained—proof of the brutal impact.
Rodriguez stood over him, grinning like a predator. "Hahaha. Look at the hero of The Cruise. Can't even throw a punch now? Tsk. Sad."
Ethan met his gaze, steady and defiant. "If this is about the business deal—I'm not doing it. Not even if I'm dead. I won't sell out my league."
Suddenly, a woman's scream cut through the tension, Julian. Her eyes were wide with terror, a gun pressed cruelly to her temple.
Then—bang. A single gunshot shattered the moment. Ethan flinched, ears ringing. He snapped his gaze to Julian, panic flooding his chest.
Rodriguez chuckled darkly. "You've got five minutes to make a decision. Otherwise... I'll make sure there's nothing left to bury."
Ethan's breath was shaky, but his eyes remained locked. The room fell quiet, just the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears.
Another shot cracked through the air.
"Wait," Ethan said, voice firm. "I've made my decision."
Rodriguez cocked his head. "Oh? Let's hear it."
Ethan's eyes dropped oddly toward Rodriguez's shoes. "Before I say it... how much did those shoes cost? They're quite... charming."
Rodriguez blinked, caught off guard. "You idiot. That trick won't—"
Crack.
A bullet tore through his forehead, and he dropped like a sack of stone. Blood pooled beneath his skull.
Ethan looked up, just in time to catch a signal flash from the rooftop.
Intruders poured in like shadows, swiftly disabling the Josean henchmen.
A sniper nodded from a distant perch.
Ethan's heart clenched and then loosened. He turned to the figure approaching fast.
"Thanks for that, junior," he said.
Nicholas stepped forward, breathless but proud. "You remembered what I taught you."
Ethan pulled him into a tight hug. "I'll always be here for you."
Nicholas hugged him back, voice low and certain. "Got it."
For a moment, Ethan stood still, the chaos around him fading. He remembered seeing that sniper signal earlier when he first fell. A faint smile tugged at his lips. Sometimes, a perfectly timed distraction was the best lifeline.
---
The door slammed shut behind them, muffling the world outside. In the quiet, the two figures stumbled toward the bed, their whispers mixing with laughter and soft gasps.
As they gave in to the pull between them, Julian's eyes flicked to a small camera, cleverly hidden in the corner. A flicker of triumph danced in her gaze.
Ethan's hands moved with urgency, his every touch drawing shivers from her skin. Her fingers curled against his back, tracing every line of him.
"I love you," Julian breathed, barely audible. "Don't tell Dad about this."
"I promise," Ethan whispered. "I won't."
---
Somewhere else, Nathan's voice echoed with grief, raw and trembling. "Fuck... They tricked us. I didn't see it coming. My dad's dead. Those bastards will pay for this."
His girlfriend clung to him, her arms a weak shelter against the storm inside him.
Meanwhile, ten black SUVs roared toward Alex's hotel. Inside, Cindy sat on the floor, surrounded by empty bottles. Her eyes were glazed, her thoughts miles away.
A hand caught her wrist.
"Cindy, stop. This isn't the way," Edward said gently, his eyes full of concern.
She laughed, but it was broken. "What do you want me to do, Edward? Everyone don't understands me. My dad, my friends, my mom. I'm just alone."
Edward's expression darkened. "You're punishing yourself for things you couldn't control. Eric's gone. I know it hurts, but hurting yourself won't bring him back."
Cindy looked away, voice cracking. "He just wanted peace... After his dad died and left him that hotel, not even to his real son. Now he's gone too. The family will never let me stay. Eric's just a memory now."
Edward leaned forward. "So what now? You're using his death for revenge? You can't be in both leagues, Cindy. And if your father finds out..."
Cindy paled. "Wait—please. Don't tell him. He'll kill me."
Edward sighed, his resolve softening. "Alright."
Suddenly, gunfire shattered the moment.
Edward pulled Cindy to the ground. "They're here," he whispered, eyes locked on the CCTV. "What do we do?"
Cindy's pulse spiked. "I have an idea."
They raced to the rooftop exit, it wouldn't budge. Edward pulled out his phone, dialing fast.
"Hello, this is Alex's Hotel. We're under attack. The Joseans are here, they're overwhelming us."
A voice on the other end panicked. "Edward! You weren't supposed to call. If this gets out, my dad will kill me."
"What choice do we have? We're surrounded!"
Cindy stared at him, breathing hard.
Grabbing her hand, Edward yanked her down the stairwell as gunfire tore through the walls. A stray bullet hit a teargas cylinder.
Flames erupted, blinding, deafening.
As smoke filled their lungs and fire swallowed the building, Cindy met Edward's eyes one last time.
Neither of them spoke.
But everything was said.