G.R.O.W.T.H

~ Ethan's Pov, the convenience store ~

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I grabbed my jacket, trying to keep my movements as casual as possible. Ryan was still leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, watching me with his usual easygoing smirk—except now, I could tell he was actually thinking, for once.

"Alright," he suddenly said, pushing off the counter. "Here's the plan. You head out first, act normal. Take a walk, maybe hit up a corner store or something, and then loop back to my car. I'll follow a block behind on foot. If they move, I'll see it. If they follow you, we'll know for sure."

I exhaled, still not entirely sure of all this; Then adjusting my collar a little, "And if they do follow me?"

"Then we figure out if they're just watching, or if they're planning something worse."

I swallowed; 'Fantastic.'

Ryan clapped me on the back, "C'mon, man, this is exciting! It's like one of those classic time spy movies."

"Sure... But, If I get kidnapped, I'm haunting you."

"Please do. That'd be hilarious."

I rolled my eyes and opened the door, that didn't take much off my shoulders at the moment... "Alright. Here goes nothing..."

I stepped outside, taking a slow breath as the night air hit me. The city was quieter at this hour—still alive, but less frantic. Streetlights buzzed overhead, casting long shadows on the pavement.

I resisted the urge to glance at the black car as I walked past it. Hell, I could feel my own pulse hammering in my ears. 

'Act normal. Just act normal.'

I kept my pace relatively steady, hands in my jacket pockets, heading toward the nearest convenience store about a block away. Behind me, I could feel Ryan hanging back, following just far enough to stay out of sight.

At the corner, I stopped by the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. My heart was pounding, but I forced myself to stay still.

And then—

A soft click sound came from behind me.

I didn't turn, but I sure as heck heard it. The unmistakable sound of a car door opening.

'Ah, shit!'

The crosswalk light flashed. I stepped forward, resisting the urge to sprint. I could feel someone behind me now, not close, but there.

I ducked into the convenience store, grabbing the nearest item off the shelf—a pack of gum—just for the sake of looking busy.

Then, through the store window, I saw it.

A man had stepped out of the black car. Dark jacket, unassuming, but his posture was stiff.

He wasn't shopping.

He was waiting.

For me.

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~ 11:28 PM – Convenience Store ~

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I stood in the aisle, staring at the pack of gum in my hand like it was the most important decision of my life.

This was a bad idea.

Not just this—standing here pretending to shop while some unknown guy waited outside—but everything leading up to this moment.

Letting Ryan talk me into leaving my apartment? Bad idea. Taking the bait by walking past the car? An even Worse idea. Trying to play spy when I had zero experience in whatever the hell this was? Easily the worst idea yet.

And yet, here I was.

The man outside hadn't moved. He stood just past the store entrance, hands in his jacket pockets, his posture too stiff to be casual. He wasn't pretending to check his phone, wasn't looking around like he was waiting for someone else.

He was waiting for me.

I swallowed, my fingers tightening around the gum.

What was my next move?

I could try to sneak out through the back. Bad idea. I had no clue if there even was a back exit, and if he saw me try, that'd just confirm I was onto him.

I could confront him. Worse idea. I had no leverage, no plan, and absolutely no backup if things went south.

No, the only move that made sense—the smart move—was waiting for Ryan.

I exhaled slowly, glancing at the store clock. 11:29 PM. He should be getting close by now.

I shifted toward the counter, setting the gum down.

The cashier, a bored-looking teenager with dyed pink hair, barely looked up. "That all?"

"Ah... Y-Yeah," I said, pulling out my wallet.

I was stalling at this point, and it was probably obvious...

Buying a pack of gum wasn't a plan—it was a desperate attempt to do something while I waited for an actual plan to show up.

As the cashier rang me up, I flicked my eyes back to the entrance.

The man was still there.

And then—

His head moved. Just, slightly.

Like he was looking past the store, down the street.

My stomach clenched.

'Ryan.'

I didn't know how, but I knew he saw him. And I had a feeling Ryan was about to do something incredibly stupid.

I grabbed my change and muttered a quick "Thanks" before stepping toward the exit.

And the second I pushed the door open—

Ryan strolled right past me, straight toward the guy.

'Oh, you absolute dumbass.'

I barely had time to even react before Ryan closed the distance himself.

"Hey, buddy," he called, his voice casual, almost lazy too, great! "You got a smoke?"

The man didn't even move.

"No? Ah, that's too bad." Ryan sighed dramatically, then tilted his head. "So, you just gonna keep standing there looking creepy, or are you actually waiting for someone?"

I nearly choked, 'What in the name of mars is he doing?!'

I glanced back. The man's posture remained rigid. He didn't respond.

Ryan clicked his tongue. "Not much of a talker, huh? Alright, let's make this simple."

Then, without warning, Ryan reached out—like he was going to pat him down.

The man himself moved.

Fast.

I barely saw it before Ryan caught the guy's wrist mid-motion.

"Whoa—relax, dude." Ryan smirked, but his grip stayed firm. "I was just checking if you had a badge or something. 'Cause I know you're not a cop, and if you're not a cop, then I'm wondering why you're standing outside this store staring at my buddy over there."*

His head jerked toward me.

The man's gaze finally shifted—directly to me.

And suddenly, I had the very strong feeling that I should not have left my apartment tonight...

This was spiraling way too fast.

Ryan had the guy's wrist locked, the tension thick enough to cut. The man wasn't struggling—wasn't pulling away—but there was a sharpness in his stance now, like a coiled spring ready to snap.

And Ryan, being Ryan, looked way too entertained by the whole thing.

Bad. This is bad.

I stepped forward quickly. "Ryan—"

"Relax, man," he said, still gripping the guy's wrist. "I'm just asking a question."

I swallowed hard, turning to the man. "Look, I—I don't know what's going on here, but if you're waiting for me, then fine. You found me. Just... let's talk."

The man finally moved, tilting his head toward me. His eyes, cold and calculating, swept over my face—once, twice—before narrowing slightly.

Like he was searching for something.

Like he was expecting something.

And then, ever so faintly—

His expression shifted.

It wasn't anger. Wasn't annoyance.

It was confusion.

His gaze locked onto mine, and for the first time, I saw it—the exact moment something clicked in his mind.

'He doesn't recognize me.'

The realization hit me like a freight train. This guy had been watching me. Tracking me. He had purpose for being here. But the moment I spoke to him?

He knew something was off.

Ryan must've noticed the change, too, because his grip loosened slightly. "Uh… are we missing something here?"

The man exhaled sharply through his nose, then—just like that—he pulled his wrist free. Ryan didn't stop him this time.

He took one last look at me, his expression unreadable.

Then he turned.

And walked away.

Just like that.

No words. No threats.

Nothing.

Ryan and I just stood there, watching as he moved down the street, disappearing into the shadows.

It was only when he was completely gone that I let out the breath I'd been holding.

Ryan blinked. "Okaaaay. What the actual hell was that?"

I swallowed hard, my fingers still clenched into fists. "I—I don't know."

But I did.

Or at least, I knew one thing for sure. That guy had been looking for Ethan Vaughn. And the second I opened my mouth? He must have realized that I wasn't exactly him.

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~ 11:45 PM – Ethan's Apartment ~

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Ryan shut the door behind him, locking it before turning to face me. "Alright," he said, pointing at me. "Start talking."

I slumped onto the couch, rubbing my temples. "About what? The random guy stalking me, or the part where he looked at me like I was an alien before walking off?"

"Both, dude. Preferably in a way that makes sense."

I exhaled, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. "I don't know, Ryan. He was watching me, following me. But the second I spoke to him? He just… left."

Ryan frowned, pacing slightly. "Yeah, that part was weird. It's like he expected you to say something else. Or like… you weren't the guy he thought you were."

I tensed slightly. "Yeah."

"Dude, are you in trouble or something? Did you piss off the wrong people at work? Is this some weird corporate espionage level shit?"

I hesitated. That was the problem—I didn't know.

"I don't think it's even work at this point," I said slowly. "I mean, I don't exactly have access to the highest-level stuff. I just… run system checks and pretend I know what I'm doing."

Ryan squinted at me. "You sure about that? 'Cause you've been acting weird all day. And now some dude in a black car is tailing you?"

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. Could this be about Project Argus? Had Ethan—the real Ethan—been more involved than I thought?

Ryan flopped onto the couch across from me, drumming his fingers on his knee. "Alright, let's break this down. You've been feeling off lately. You're forgetting things. You're acting different. And now, someone is watching you."

I nodded.

"So, either you did something that pissed someone off… or—" He tilted his head. "Someone thinks you're not you."*

My stomach twisted, 'He doesn't even know how right he is.'

Ryan let out a breath. "Okay, new plan. You lay low for a while. No weird shit, no poking around at work, no getting into anything sketchy."

"And if that guy comes back?"

"Then we'll have to just deal with it."

I wasn't sure what "deal with it" meant, but right now, I didn't have any other options, much less better options.

I exhaled slowly, leaning back against the couch. "Ryan… why are you even helping me?"

He scoffed. "Because you're my idiotic friend, and you clearly can't handle your own life."

I huffed a small laugh, "Fair enough."

But deep down, I knew this wasn't exactly over.

That guy had recognized something was off about me... Actually, what if he's the one that caused this?

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END