After leaving the student council room and walking toward the school exit, Dennis, Daisy, Gary, Olivia, Jason, and Kimberly were stopped by the police. They advised Dennis and the others to leave through the school’s back gate because the front was swamped with reporters, gang mbers demanding explanations, and dical personnel blocking the fence with ambulances. Naturally, Naomi, Blake, and Travis faced the sa situation and were held back by the officers as well.
Then Mason, who happened to be coming out of the faculty lounge near the council office, approached them as they headed toward the rear exit.
"Oh, why haven’t you guys gone ho yet?" Mason asked.
"We were just about to head out, sir," Naomi answered.
"Hmm... okay, be careful on the road. For the ti being, avoid dangerous areas, especially places crawling with gangs. The atmosphere isn’t safe for our students right now," Mason said.
"Oh... is that so, sir?" Blake asked.
"Yes. Perhaps Dennis, Jason, and Kimberly don’t know that Charlie was actually the son of the Crimson Cross gang leader, and now that he’s been killed, his father’s mbers will surely be looking for you—whether to demand information or sothing else. So, I’m urging you to be careful. For the next few days, stay inside. The school will be switching to remote learning, so students won’t need to co in for face-to-face classes," Mason explained.
"Oh, I see, sir," Gary replied.
"That’s the situation. Now, head ho through the back. There are police officers stationed at the rear gate monitoring and securing the area," Mason said.
"Understood, sir," everyone replied at once.
Then they imdiately resud their walk through the hallway toward the rear exit of the building. After stepping outside, they saw several police officers guarding the inside of the gate alongside security, while a few ard officers stood watch on the outside. As they walked toward the gate together, Dennis caught a glimpse of Daisy number three, who looked completely calm, as if nothing was happening around her, simply holding onto Dennis’s arm.
"Hmm... it really feels impossible that she’s the one who killed Charlie," Dennis muttered to himself, though his gut was still sending him a signal—weak, but definitely there.
Suddenly, "Bzzz," a notification popped up on Dennis’s smartphone. He quickly pulled it from his pocket and checked the screen. An unregistered number had sent him a ssage. Curious, he opened it, and as he read, his eyes went wide. His feet ground to a halt, causing Daisy number three, Gary, Olivia, Jason, Kimberly, Naomi, Blake, and Travis to turn back and look at him. Seeing Dennis turn pale, they imdiately rushed over to his side.
"What is it, man?" Gary asked.
Dennis showed his smartphone screen to everyone. They all read it together, including Daisy number three. The sender was Fiona. It contained a photo showing Mario and Franky sitting tied up in a warehouse, looking badly beaten with their heads hanging low. The next photo was of Fiona and Viola, their hands tied and hanging from above, their shirts torn open so they were left only in their underwear. Below the photos was a ssage:
"Co alone to the coordinates listed in this ssage. Don’t call the cops, or your friends die."
Everything went silent instantly. The group shifted away from the gate, since they hadn’t actually reached the back exit yet, even though the police were already in sight.
"Alright, I’m heading out now, babe. You go ho first," Dennis said to Daisy number three, rubbing his temples.
"What... you’re going there alone?" Daisy number three shouted in surprise, though her face remained strangely calm as she gripped Dennis’s hand.
"Hmm... turns out the location is in the warehouse complex in the southeast part of the city... looks like that warehouse complex belongs to my old man," Gary said, looking up the coordinates.
"Don’t be reckless, Dennis. Let’s find a solution without involving the police," Olivia said.
"She’s right, dude. Stay calm and keep a cool head. Don’t do anything suicidal," Jason added.
"They’re right, Dennis; don’t add to the trouble," Kimberly added.
"Sorry, but who are these four people exactly?" Naomi asked.
"They’re the juniors we nominated to be student council mbers earlier to help , Olivia, and Kimberly, since we’ll be the ones replacing you," Daisy number three answered.
"Hm... I see. Alright then, leave it to . Give the coordinates," Blake said.
"Hey... are you planning to use our people?" Naomi questioned him.
"Yeah. Relax, we’re just helping out, not going back to our old ways," Blake replied.
"Yep, exactly. Leave everything to Blake," Travis added, putting his arm around Blake’s shoulder.
Without hesitation, Blake grabbed Dennis’s smartphone and forwarded the ssage to his own. After that, he opened the map and searched for the coordinates. Once he found the spot, Blake turned to look at Gary.
"This place belongs to your old man, right?" Blake asked.
"Um... yeah, that’s right. Why, what are you planning?" Gary asked, confused.
"Nothing much. Don’t worry, even if we do sothing, we’ll keep it clean," Blake said.
"Okay, I get it," Gary replied.
"Oi, oi, man, what are you actually up to?" Jason asked, bewildered.
"Nothing. I’m heading out. You okay going ho alone, babe?" Blake asked Naomi.
"I’m fine, but don’t be out late and don’t go hanging out... co straight ho, got it?" Naomi asked.
"Yeah, yeah... I know. Travis, watch Naomi for a bit. If anything happens to her, I’m coming for you," Blake answered, turning away.
"Don’t sweat it, bro. Leave it to ," Travis said with a broad grin, giving a mock salute.
Blake imdiately walked out toward the gate alone, leaving Dennis, Daisy number three, Gary, Olivia, Jason, and Kimberly completely stunned, while Naomi and Travis just stood there relaxed, wearing wide smiles. After that, Dennis and the others turned to look at Naomi and Travis.
"Um... who exactly are you guys?" Dennis asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Nobody special. When my man gets like that, just trust him. You and Daisy go ho. Don’t you dare reply to that ssage or go there yourself, got it?" Naomi answered.
"I get it, but it’s confusing when you won’t explain things," Dennis said.
"Yeah, exactly. Should I tell my dad or not? What is actually going on?" Gary asked.
"Sa here, I don’t understand either," Daisy number three said with a calm face, as if she actually already knew.
"At least tell us sothing," Olivia demanded.
"Yeah, really. We can’t stay calm like this," Kimberly added.
Dennis, Daisy, Gary, Olivia, Jason, and Kimberly kept staring at Naomi and Travis, who were still keeping their mouths shut. Not long after, a police officer guarding the gate approached them and told them to leave the school periter imdiately. While they were walking, Naomi pulled Daisy number three’s shoulder back, and they walked behind the others—including Dennis, who was being distracted by Travis. Daisy remained calm and turned to look at Naomi.
"What is it?" Daisy asked.
"You’re the one who killed Charlie, aren’t you?" Naomi asked.
"Oh... I’m caught, huh?" Daisy asked, though her face remained calm and expressionless.
"Of course. You’re the only one who could pull off an impossible shot like that. Relax, I won’t tell your husband, but please don’t tell anyone who Blake and I really are," Naomi replied.
"Hmm... alright. Sorry, but since I’ll be getting an inco now as part of the new school core team, I don’t need work from you anymore. So, I’m quitting and retiring; today was my last job," Daisy whispered.
"I understand. Of course you want to be with your husband now that he’s handso and hot... don’t worry, I won’t reveal who you are. But if I’m not giving you work, I won’t be giving your sisters—the hacker, the fighter, and the lookout—any jobs either. I’m truly letting you all go, and you’re no longer connected to us," Naomi said.
"Yes, I understand. Didn’t my hacker sister already delete our profiles from the dark web?" Daisy asked.
"She did, that’s how I knew. So from now on, we’re just schoolmates, council mbers, and friends, okay?" Naomi said.
"Okay, thanks, big sister Naomi," Daisy said with a smile.
They resud walking as if everything were normal. All this ti, the one who had been giving Daisy jobs—including her position on the student council—was Naomi. This was because Naomi was both the daughter-in-law and the adopted daughter of the mafia leader who controlled the network known as the Black Scorpion, a syndicate that dominated every transaction and controlled everything that happened in the underworld.
anwhile, up front, Dennis was starting to feel uneasy as Travis kept trying to chat him up. He kept glancing back at Daisy and Naomi, who were talking casually about a book Daisy had just handed over in the council office earlier. Although he was grateful to see Daisy number three looking so happy talking to Naomi, he couldn’t shake the feeling in his gut that had resurfaced and was increasingly torturing him.
"I don’t want to be suspicious of Daisy... but I can’t ignore my gut. What is going on? I’m seriously confused. As far as I can rember, though it’s a bit blurry... it feels like Naomi, Blake, and this guy next to , Travis... didn’t even exist in my old world... or have I just forgotten? Ah... I’m starting to get a headache," Dennis muttered to himself.
He realized that he didn’t actually know who his wife really was at all, and he didn’t truly know the world he was currently in, even though it seed the sa as the one he vaguely rembered.
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