System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Just as Ethan was about to announce he was leaving, a massive, black Escalade rounded the corner, followed closely by a Suburban. The vehicles looked imposing, heavily tinted, and utterly out of place on the quiet street.

Jason jumped out first, his suit rumpled, a thin line of dried blood near his ear, but otherwise fine. He looked relieved and hurried toward the group.

Ethan saw the blood. He saw the frantic drive. The hours of escalating tension, the fear of losing the one person who gave him genuine loyalty in this new life, snapped his composure.

He didn't walk; he ran.

"Jason!" Ethan nearly shouted, his voice cracking with relief and anger. He grabbed Jason's lapels, shaking him. "What the hell happened? Why didn't you answer? I heard shooting! I thought you were".

Tears, hot and unexpected, streamed down Ethan's face—the raw, unfiltered emotion of a young man who had just confronted the loss of a newfound friend and mentor. He pulled Jason into a fierce, almost desperate hug.

Jason was stunned, his tactical mind frozen by the Boss's overwhelming emotional reaction. He gently pulled back, noticing the tears.

"Boss... I'm fine. I'm okay," Jason said softly, then noticed his phone. He pulled it out; the screen was dark. "Oh. Damn it. Dead battery. Boss, I am so sorry. Traffic was hell, and then the phone died. I was trying to get here as fast as possible. I apologize for worrying you."

Ethan quickly wiped his eyes, suddenly realizing the embarrassment of the scene. He had just melted down in front of his entire study group.

"R-right," Ethan stammered, pulling away and smoothing his own shirt, his voice returning to its normal, controlled cadence. "Well, don't do that again. Get a better phone, or a better battery."

Jason nodded, then discreetly pointed with his thumb toward the pub's entrance. "Boss, we have an audience."

Ethan looked over. Ming, Hailey, Max, Quinn, and Ruby were all standing wide-eyed by the door, trying—and failing—to pretend they hadn't just witnessed their calm, detached friend break down in tears over his driver.

Ethan managed a dry, slightly nervous laugh. "Ha. Well. That was embarrassing."

Max, still swaying slightly, broke the tension with a drunk slur. "Y-yeah, that was pretty g-gay, man."

The tension instantly dispersed into shared, awkward laughter.

Falcon 2 got out of the Suburban, staring intently at his new boss.

Ethan turned around, and Jason nodded, indicating they were his men. "Help me take my friend's truck; he's feeling a bit under the weather."

Falcon 2 immediately nodded, a smile spreading across his face that, instead of making him look friendly, made him look like a hardened soldier ready to kill.

Ming rushed forward to hand over the Porsche keys.

"Good," Ethan said, regaining his command presence. "Jason, you drive the Escalade. We're fine to drive."

Hailey looked pointedly at the car keys in Ethan's hand. "Wait, Ethan, you drank too. You should go with your gentlemen who just arrived. They can drive us all."

Ethan shook his head with a slight smile. "It's fine, Hailey. I barely had one. My tolerance is... unusually high tonight."

[UNUSUALLY HIGH? Champion, your improved metabolism clears ethanol faster than a city filtration plant clears sewage. You are currently operating at 99.9% sobriety. You could drink a whole bottle of whiskey and still ace your finals. You are less drunk than the designated driver.]

After a small, final negotiation—mostly involving Hailey pouting—she agreed to ride with him. She climbed into the passenger seat of the BMW M30. The two large, black armored SUVs (the Escalade driven by Jason, and the Cayenne driven by Falcon 2 with the rest of the crew) took the lead, and the convoy set off toward the university dorms.

As Ethan slowly followed the Escalade, he leaned back and whispered a query to the System. "Okay, but seriously, why do I feel so normal? I expected at least a buzz. I barely feel dizzy, like I can't even get drunk."

[This is a function of your enhanced physical statistics, Champion. Your body is now superior to any baseline human. Your liver and kidneys efficiently eliminate any toxic substances, including alcohol, at an astonishing rate. Consider it an anti-poison feature. Enjoy your perpetual state of clarity. Though, I must admit, it ruins the fun of 'college bonding.']

Ethan chuckled softly. "Alright, alright. I'll take the perpetual clarity, I guess."

As the convoy drove, Ethan glanced over at Hailey. She was flushed and clearly starting to feel the effects of the earlier celebration, the alcohol finally catching up to her now that the adrenaline was gone.

Ethan gently reached out and put his hand on her thigh. "You can rest, Hailey. It was a long night."

Hailey didn't hesitate. She immediately leaned her head onto his shoulder, snuggling into his chest. Then, with the uninhibited confidence of a slightly drunk woman, she moved her hand and wrapped both her arms around his bicep like a koala, simultaneously drawing his hand deeper between her thighs.

Ethan's hand instantly brushed against Hailey's moist center, but she refused to let go, clinging to his arm with all her strength.

Ethan didn't try to force her hand away or push the intimacy further. He simply enjoyed the pleasant sensation of her soft inner thighs and the slight warmth and dampness that seeped onto his fingers. He imagined her delicate inner lips were incredibly soft—or at least, that was his pure, focused thought regarding Hailey. He carefully maneuvered the BMW with one hand. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead, allowing her to rest as he followed the convoy.

[Champion, your current behavior is suboptimal for physical escalation. She is presenting prime indicators of receptivity. Koala grip, thigh exposure, intimate moisture. Are you sure you are optimizing this interaction for maximum reward?.]

"She's tired, System. And drunk. Tonight is about security and connection, not just maximizing rewards. Respect first."

[UNDERSTOOD. ADJUSTING OPTIMIZATION SUBROUTINE: Emotional Connection and Trust Building achieved at 85%. Proceed with current relaxed trajectory. Note: If your hand remains there much longer, the 'Emotional Connection' rating will inevitably spike to 'Physical Intimacy' hahaha].