"Join you? Join you in what, exactly?"
Lucas repeated, raising an eyebrow.
The teenager’s smile widened, and he clasped his hands together as if he were about to deliver a grand speech.
"I’m part of a group dedicated to uncovering the secrets of the universe," he said dramatically. "We study ancient magic, forgotten relics, and hidden knowledge that most people are too afraid to even think about."
Lucas looked amused.
"So...a cult?"
The teenager’s expression faltered for a mont before he laughed.
"We’re not a cult. We’re seekers of truth. People like us—people with potential—are ant to rise above the ordinary and achieve greatness. That’s what I’m offering. No wait...that is a Cult. So, are you interested?"
The teenager said, though his tone wasn’t entirely convincing.
Lucas turned to Liam, his smirk growing wider.
"And he picked you for this? Kid, I didn’t know you were destined for greatness."
Liam shot Lucas a glare.
"Very funny. I told him no, and I’m sticking to it."
Lucas chuckled, clearly enjoying the situation far too much.
"Hey, I’m just saying—it’s not every day soone offers you a chance to ’uncover the secrets of the universe.’ Maybe you should hear him out."
"I’m not interested. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t co back here again. I have no intention of joining your group, cult, or whatever it is"
Liam said firmly, turning back to the teenager.
The teenager’s smile faltered again, and for a mont, his expression darkened. But he quickly recovered, shrugging as if it didn’t matter.
"Well, that’s a sha. But the offer stands. If you change your mind, you know where to find us"
He said, his voice taking on a slightly sharper edge.
He gave Liam one last look before turning and walking out of the store. The little bell above the door jingled again as it closed behind him, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.
Lucas was the first to break the silence.
"Well, that was...sothing. So, what’s the deal with this thing? It’s got him all excited"
He said, still holding the black card.
Liam sighed, reaching out and taking the card from Lucas’s hand.
"I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. I’m just trying to stay out of trouble."
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"You sure about that? Trouble seems to find you no matter what you do."
Liam groaned, rubbing his temples.
"Tell about it."
For the rest of the day, Liam couldn’t shake the feeling that the teenager’s visit was just the beginning of sothing much bigger—and much more dangerous.
As the day wore on, Liam couldn’t help but feel the weight of the teenager’s visit lingering in the air like an uninvited guest.
The shop was unusually quiet, but instead of finding it relaxing, Liam’s nerves were on edge. Every ti the bell above the door jingled, he flinched, half-expecting the teenager to co back or sothing worse to happen.
Lucas, on the other hand, was having the ti of his life.
"So, cult recruiter, huh? That’s new, even for this place. You should’ve asked if they have a referral program. Maybe I could’ve signed up too."
He teased as he restocked shelves with antique trinkets.
"Not funny. I don’t want anything to do with him or that group."
Liam grumbled, organizing the counter for the third ti that hour just to keep his hands busy.
Lucas smirked.
"Alright, alright, no cult jokes. But seriously, you should be careful. That kid gave the creeps."
Liam shot him a look.
"You don’t say. And you’re the one who told to hear him out."
"Hey, I didn’t know he was going to give off major ’villain in a horror movie’ vibes. But if I were you, I’d keep an eye out. People like that don’t take ’no’ for an answer easily."
Lucas said with a shrug.
That thought stuck with Liam for the rest of his shift.
By the ti the store closed, he was exhausted—not just physically, but ntally. As he locked up and grabbed his bag, he hesitated for a mont, his gaze falling on the trash can where he’d tossed the black card earlier.
For so reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that throwing it away wouldn’t be enough. But when he peeked into the trash can, the card wasn’t there. His blood ran cold.
"Did...Lucas take it? No, no, I probably just missed it"
he muttered to himself, shaking his head.
Trying to dismiss the unsettling thought, he swung his bag over his shoulder and stepped outside. The cool evening air felt good against his face, but the sense of being watched crept back in.
He glanced over his shoulder, scanning the quiet street. Nothing.
"Just paranoia. This is just good old Paranoa sneaking up on again."
He told himself, gripping his bike’s handlebars tightly. But as he started his engine and drove off, the nagging feeling refused to leave him.
It was by pure chance that Liam decided to look in the bike’s mirror and he imdiately noticed that he was being followed by soone.
The car following Liam did seem obvious at first, but when he did not lose it even after taking a few deliberate cuts on the road, Liam was still being followed.
"Shit! These fuckers....are they after ? But why? I don’t even have that much money."
Liam complained but he did not get an answer. The only thing he knew was that he needed to run and get back ho.
"System, just give it to straight. Are those fuckers following ?"
He felt like he was being followed, but Liam was not out of options yet.
Liam’s unease grew as he drove through the dimly lit streets, the sensation of being watched pressing heavily on him. He subtly glanced at his mirrors—nothing seed out of place, yet his instincts scread otherwise.
Taking a deep breath, he whispered to the system, "Activate Stealth Maneuver."
[Activating Minor Illusion and Speed Enhancent.]
A shimr of magic cloaked him, blurring his presence as his bike’s speed increased slightly. He took a sudden, sharp turn into a narrow alleyway, hoping to shake off whoever was tailing him. His heart pounded. If they still followed... it ant real trouble.
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