Ethan took a deep breath, breaking the silence. "Remember when I called you? When you said you were on a mission?"
Liam nodded. "You said you wanted to tell me something."
"Yes. I wanted you to look into The Three Pillars for me," Ethan said, leaning forward. "I asked someone else to dig around too, but he couldn't find much."
Liam's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you even know about the Pillars?"
"Why? Is it something I shouldn't know?"
"Follow me," Liam said abruptly. He stood up and led the way into an adjacent room, immediately sitting down at a computer terminal.
Ethan followed him inside, watching the screen boot up. "What are you doing?"
"Ethan, tell me everything you know about them first," Liam commanded, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.
"The Three Pillars are three highly secretive, rival groups. They've been fighting an underground war for a while. I also heard that one of them was active in California recently."
Liam let out a low whistle, nodding in approval. "You're well-informed." He gestured to a nearby chair. "Sit."
As Ethan sat, Liam turned the monitor toward him. Ethan scanned the encrypted files, the truth clicking into place. "So, your current mission is investigating the Pillars."
"No," Liam said. "As you mentioned, one of the factions caused total havoc in California. We're tracking them, but our strongest lead is actually in New Jersey. That's our ultimate destination."
"But we're stopping in California first?" Ethan asked.
"This submarine is fast; we'll be there in no time," Liam explained, pointing to a digital map on the screen. "We need to check a few local sites first. We've managed to trace a clear trail running from California all the way to New Jersey." Liam paused, looking directly at him. "And Ethan? You're working with us on this. I've already prepared your uniform."
Ethan blinked. "What will the commander say?"
Liam grinned. "He already knows. I briefed him right after your call about heading to New Jersey. Trust me, the commander was thrilled."
The submarine cut through the ocean depths, surging toward the coast. Not long after, Liam and Asher stood on solid ground beneath the California sky. Hearing approaching footsteps, they turned around to see Ethan walking toward them, dressed in full military attire.
Liam let out a sharp laugh. "Damn, man, you look great. You actually look like you belong in the military."
Ethan gave a curt, confident nod.
"Let's move," Asher interrupted as a dark military transport vehicle pulled up beside them. The trio piled into the back, and the car sped off toward their destination.
Meanwhile, across the country, Daisy stepped out of her room, in school's uniform, and sat down at the kitchen table. Her mother, Selena, placed a warm plate of breakfast in front of her.
Daisy glanced around the quiet house. "Mother, where is elder brother?"
"He went over to a friend's place," Selena replied smoothly.
Daisy nodded, finishing her breakfast before grabbing her bag and heading out. The walk to school was quiet, but the peace shattered the moment she stepped onto the campus grounds.
Over in the courtyard garden, Madison was deep in conversation with a boy sitting on a bench. Allen stood a short distance away, keeping watch. Daisy navigated through the crowd and approached him. "Good morning, Allen."
Allen startled slightly, turning around. "Oh! Good morning, Daisy."
"What's going on over there?" Daisy asked, gesturing toward the garden. Madison was standing rigidly in front of the boy, speaking in an intense, hushed tone.
"She's talking to Jake," Allen replied.
Daisy nodded, trying to listen, but the courtyard noise drowned out their voices. A moment later, Madison handed the boy a thick manila file, turned, and hurried over to Allen and Daisy. She looked genuinely surprised to see Daisy standing there.
"Good morning, Daisy!" Madison said, quickly pulling her into a tight hug.
"Good morning, Madison. What were you talking to him about?"
Madison didn't answer right away. She started walking toward the main building, forcing Allen and Daisy to follow her lead.
"I was about to ask him something incredibly important," Madison confessed, lowering her voice. "I thought about it all night. But early this morning, my father called. He strictly forbade me from talking to Jake. He told me to just hand him that file and walk away."
Daisy nodded.
Madison looked over at Daisy. "Did you come alone today?"
"Yeah," Daisy replied. "My brother went to a friend's place."
Madison accepted the answer, but Allen knew better.
Did Ethan go alone? Allen thought, a knot forming in his stomach. We have literally zero information on the Pillars, and he just runs off to investigate like that?
Daisy opened her mouth to ask Madison about her father's warning, but before she could speak, the morning bell rang loudly, echoing across the courtyard.
"Daisy, I have to run! Bye!" Madison yelled, sprinting toward her wing of the building. Allen gave Daisy a quick, apologetic nod before hurrying after Madison.
Left alone in the courtyard, Daisy slowly turned her head back toward the bench.
His name is Jake, she thought.
As if feeling her stare, Jake looked up. His grey eyes locked onto hers, and he offered a slow, deliberate wave. Daisy immediately snapped her head back around and walked briskly toward her classroom. Behind her, Jake's gaze drifted past her, shifting toward the masked boy who was now walking purposefully toward the bench.
Daisy slipped into her classroom and took her seat, her mind racing. What was with that guy? He was completely unreadable.
Before she could dwell on it any further, the teacher walked in, and the lesson began.