Ethan Cole - The Unlimited System

Donald rushed into his warehouse. One could see his face was filled with anger. The door inside his grand room was slammed shut before the noise echoed through the large space.

All 300 of his guards were standing still. Each and every one of them looked pale and tense. It had been a while since the last time they saw their boss this crazy.

"You useless fools!" Donald roared, slamming his fist onto a nearby metal table. "What were you doing? Do you have any idea how humiliated I was? How we were?"

He walked back and forth in the room. Just imagine how a trapped lion or tiger in a cage walking around with heavy steps that shook the air. His eyes moved from one guard to another.

"They were five people," Donald spat, his voice dripping with venom. "Five people! Not real ghosts!

He slammed his fist once again before shouting, "They walked in here, kill many of our people, and made me look like a damned fool! And you just stood there, gaping like idiots!"

The guards looked at each other nervously. They were trying their best to avoid his gaze.

That was when one guard, either brave or just too stupid to know better, stepped forward. He was thin, with a jagged scar running down his cheek, and his voice trembled as he spoke.

"Boss, they weren't just anyone. Those were the Five—"

"I know who the hell they were!" Donald roared, his voice shaking the room like a thunderclap.

He lunged forward.

In a flash, his hand slammed into the man's chest, jabbing his finger again and again into the spot just above the heart.

"You think I needed you to tell me that? You think I forgot the faces of the ones who nearly had me killed?"

The man flinched with every jab, lowering his head like a child scolded by a parent—but this wasn't discipline.

This was a death sentence being read.

"I pay you to protect me. No questions. No excuses. If Lucifer himself shows up, you hold the damn line!"

"Yes, sir," the scarred guard murmured, voice barely a whisper.

Donald turned away and ran a shaking hand through his damp hair. His breathing was ragged, his face glistening with sweat and fury.

"Give me a gun," he snapped.

No one moved at first. Then one guard scrambled off and returned seconds later with a magnum in both hands, offering it like a sacrificial gift.

Donald took the gun slowly, reverently. He wiped the barrel with the edge of his shirt, eyes burning like coals under shadowed brows.

The scarred man stepped back slightly, but it was too late. His fate had already been decided the moment he opened his mouth.

"You know what?" Donald said, turning back toward him. His tone was almost conversational now, casual even, like he was about to share a joke.

The guard's lips parted, but no sound came.

Donald raised the gun.

"I don't need a useless sack of nerves like you."

The muzzle flashed.

The shot rang out like a punch through silence.

The back of the guard's head exploded against the concrete wall, painting it red. His body dropped without resistance, limbs folding beneath him like a broken doll.

For a moment, no one breathed.

Donald exhaled.

Calmly, coldly, he lowered the gun and looked around at the rest of the guards—his voice quiet but deadly clear.

"Anyone else want to remind me of who they were?"

Silence.

Even the wind outside dared not speak.

"And that bastard... Ethan," He muttered, sounding quieter but still filled with anger. "That little punk. He dared to humiliate me in my own territory. He thinks he's untouchable, hiding behind those ghosts. He should be taught a lesson."

He struck the table with his fist again, harder this time, causing a pile of papers to scatter. "No one humiliates Donald and gets away with it! No one!"

The room fell silent, the guards standing motionless as Donald glared at them, his fury barely contained. His mind churned with thoughts of revenge, his pride too wounded to let the incident go.

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Finally, he pointed at another guard. "Get me a full intel on Ethan Cole. Get me every single thing about him, his family, his friends, his business. Everything!"

"Yes, sir!" the guard replied, scrambling to obey.

Donald took a slow, deliberate breath through his nose, trying—and failing—to steady the storm building inside his chest. His hands were still trembling slightly from the shot. The rage hadn't left him. If anything, it was growing.

His eyes swept across the room like a predator looking for the next weak link.

Then he pointed sharply at another guard, his voice slicing through the silence.

"And you!"

The guard jolted like he'd been hit. "Y-Yes, sir!"

Donald stepped closer, his expression tight and venomous. "Get me those three. You know who I'm talking about. I want them on the line now."

The guard nodded so fast it was almost a bow. "Right away, boss!" he said, voice cracking from the pressure.

Without waiting another second, he turned and sprinted down the hallway, nearly tripping over his own feet in his hurry to carry out the order.

Donald remained where he was, eyes locked on the door the guard had just disappeared through.

His jaw clenched. His grip on the magnum was still tight.

'Let's see if they're really as good as they say they are.'

Because this time, he wasn't going to play defense.

"Just wait, Ethan," he said in a low, threatening voice. "I'm not done by you."

He turned to his guards, his glare icy. "And if you want to keep your jobs, you'd better be ready. Next time, we won't lose."

The warehouse fell silent as Donald's words lingered in the air, creating a feeling of tension.

***

David sat back in his chair and stretched his arms above his head. He had just emailed the last batch of offer letters. The tension in the room lifted, and a calm feeling of accomplishment took its place.

"Done," David said with a tired smile. "That's a hundred and fifty offers sent out."

Jordan laughed and shook his head. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table.

"Hold on a second. Weren't you the one who disagreed with Ethan's idea of hiring even twenty people just a week ago?" Jordan asked, but he didn't really expecting an answer. "And now it's more than a hundred and fifty? What happened, David?"

David smirked, clearly amused. "I'd call it the 'Ethan Effect.' The man has a way of convincing you to think bigger, even when it sounds impossible."

Jordan laughed, slapping the table lightly.

David then continued, "Guess what? He emailed me at two in the morning. Two in the morning. Sharing about his future plans for Nova Tech."

Jessica looked up from her coffee, her attention shifting fully to Jordan. She smiled softly, already sensing where this conversation was headed.

Jordan leaned closer, his eyes glinting with amusement. "What is his plan?"

David's eyebrows shot up. "Apps are just the beginning. Apparently, we're aiming for space later on."

"Space?" Jordan echoed, his voice laced with disbelief. "You're joking."

"Dead serious," David said with a grin. "He wants Nova Tech to diversify into space tech, renewable energy, AI development."

"Damn. Is he going to fight Alan Moss?" Jordan asked. "While he was at it, maybe I can offer to lead deep sea exploration. That's cool, too."

David wanted to laugh but he knew if Jordan offered that way, Ethan would surely agree.

Jessica's smile widened as she listened to the two men. She could picture Ethan perfectly. A man who was restless, ambitious, and always striving for more. She admired that he always aimed for excellence. She knew he didn't want to settle for just being average.

Jordan leaned back with a dramatic sigh.

"So, I guess this means we're going to outshine LR Tech, huh? Better apps, better hardware… better space travel! That's awesome!"

David chuckled, shaking his head. "You sound way too excited about that."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Jordan replied with a grin. "Imagine the tagline. 'Nova Tech—shooting past the stars while LR Tech still figures out how to catch up.'"

Jessica laughed lightly, shaking her head at Jordan's antics. "That's a great way to demonstrate our superiority compared to the Great Family," she said, her voice filled with admiration. "Or a great way to invite more dangers."

David nodded thoughtfully. "That's true. It's going to be difficult. We are growing faster than I expected, which means we have more at stake. If we make a mistake…"

"We won't," Jordan interrupted confidently. "Not with Ethan leading the way. He's already ten steps ahead."

"Talking about Ethan… is he okay?" David asked, his tone tinged with concern.

Jordan glanced at Jessica, raising an eyebrow as if silently asking for her insight. Jessica, realizing the attention was on her, raised her shoulders in a small shrug.

"Ethan's mother mentioned this morning that he went out early with Mark and Maya," she said, her voice calm but thoughtful.

David's curiosity was piqued. "Maya? Who is she?"

Jordan leaned forward, his grin returning. "Oh, maybe you haven't meet her."

"Maybe I did but I forgot. Well, age factor," David chuckled.

"Well, she's one of Ethan's four new bodyguards, or at least, that's how it looks."

"New bodyguards?" David asked. He was curious because to his information, Ethan already had too many bodyguards.

Jordan paused for a moment as if choosing his words carefully before continuing. "When Ethan and Mark went to face Donald, they came back with reinforcements. Four of Mark's friends. Maya was one of them. She's... let's just say she's not someone you want to mess with."

Jessica chuckled at how Jordan described Maya.

"And the others?" David asked, clearly intrigued.

Jordan gestured toward the windows. "We have Ezra and Yamal. They're the ones guarding us outside right now. Trust me, those two could probably dismantle this entire building if they felt like it."

David blinked, the weight of Jordan's words sinking in. "And the other one?"

"Steve," Jordan replied simply. "He's... well, he's just as dangerous as the rest of them. Honestly, it feels like Ethan has his own personal army at this point."

David nodded slowly, taking in the information. "That's impressive. It's good to see, especially with what we are facing."

He paused, his gaze drifting toward the table. "I don't mind if Ethan can't join us in planning all this. It's our job anyway. But I am a bit worried about him."

Jordan's grin softened into a reassuring smile. "Don't be. Ethan is stronger than he appears. Let's stick to our tasks and allow him to handle what he needs to do."

Jessica smiled faintly, her thoughts mirroring Jordan's. She knew Ethan was far from ordinary, but the weight he carried often seemed heavier than anyone realized.

David exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "I hope you're right. We've come this far because of him, and I'd hate for him to burn out."

Jordan chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Don't worry, David. It's us that you should worry about."

Jessica agreed, feeling confident in Ethan. "He'll be fine," she said softly, mostly for herself.

Then Jordan smiled and said with a playful grin. "Now, since we're done with the serious talk, how about we celebrate this small victory? One hundred and fifty new hires is no small feat."

David chuckled, shaking his head at Jordan's enthusiasm. "Fine. But you're buying."

Jessica laughed softly, the lighthearted banter easing the tension in the room. Even with all that had happened, there was still hope—and that was enough for now.