The Most Of It

Episode Five

Nicholas's footsteps halted. He picked up a recorder, and Ethan's voice filled the air. "Whenever you see this red light blinking, send reinforcement." The recorder beeped off, and Nicholas rushed to the system room. His eyes locked onto the GPS screen on the CPU dashboard, where a lonely red light pulsed.

Nicholas's face lit up with a mixture of relief and urgency.

****************

Ethan struggled to his feet, wincing as blood gushed from his right arm. A jagged stone lay nearby, evidence of the brutal blow.

Rodriguez sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Hahaha. Look at the hero of The Cruise. Can't put up a fight? Tsk. Poor thing."

Ethan's gaze never wavered. "About the business deal? I'm not doing it over my dead body. I won't sell my league so cheaply."

A woman's cries pierced the air, growing louder with each passing moment. Julian was held in a tight chokehold, a gun pressed menacingly to her head.

A gunshot echoed through the air, making Ethan's ears recoil. His eyes darted toward Julian, filled with a mix of fear and desperation.

Rodriguez sneered again. "You have 5 minutes to decide. Else, I'm sorry, but I won't spare any dry bones."

Ethan's stare was unyielding, his breathing deep and heavy. The crack of a gun broke the silence, and his attention snapped toward the sound.

"Wait. I've made my decision..." Ethan began.

Rodriguez raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

Ethan's gaze drifted to Rodriguez's shoes. "But before I say it, how much did you pay for those shoes? They're quite charming."

Rodriguez scoffed, his face reddening. "You moron. Well, those tricks don't work for—"

His words were cut short as his heavy body crashed to the ground, blood gushing from his forehead.

A sniper's signal caught Ethan's attention. Intruders swarmed the location, swiftly taking down the remaining Joseans henchmen.

Ethan turned to the sniper, a mix of gratitude and pride on his face. "Thanks for that, junior."

Nicholas smiled, his eyes shining with a sense of accomplishment. "You really remembered my teachings last time."

Ethan hugged him tightly. "I will be here for you always."

Nicholas hugged him back, his voice filled with conviction. "Got it."

In a flash, Ethan recalled seeing the sniper when he fell to the ground. A hint of a smile played on his lips, acknowledging that sometimes, a well-timed distraction could be a lifesaver.

**************

The door closed swiftly behind them, enveloping the room in an intimate silence. The two figures stumbled toward the bed, their whispers and soft murmurs filling the air. As they surrendered to their passion, Julian's gaze drifted toward a discreetly hidden camera, a hint of triumph flickering in her eyes.

Ethan's movements became more fervent, his touches sending shivers down Julian's spine. Every caress felt like bliss to him, and Julian's fingers tracing his back and face only intensified the sensation.

In the heat of the moment, Julian's voice barely above a whisper, she breathed, "I love you. Don't tell dad about this."

Ethan's assurance came swiftly, his voice laced with devotion. "I promise, I won't."

______________________

Nathan's anguished voice echoed through the air, his words laced with despair. "Fuck. Those fools tricked us. I didn't see this coming. My dad is dead. Those bastards did this. Make sure they pay dearly." His girlfriend wrapped her arms around him, attempting to comfort his shattered frame.

Meanwhile, a convoy of ten Joseans hitmen rode toward Alex's hotel, their sinister intentions palpable. Inside, Cindy sat amidst a scattering of empty bottles, her eyes glassy from the excessive drinking. A hand grasped her wrist, halting her downward spiral.

"Stop it. It's useless," Edward's voice was laced with concern, his eyebrows twitching restlessly. Cindy's drunken voice echoed through the hall, a heartbreaking lament.

"Edward, what else do you want me to do? I'm all alone in this life. No one understands me. My dad, friends, mum. Can't I just be alone now?" she pleaded, her words slurred.

Edward's expression turned somber. "That's your problem, Cindy. That's just it. Eric's gone. He's not coming back. Why punish yourself?"

Cindy's gaze drifted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why won't I, Edward? That boy was innocent. He just needed to cool off. After his dad died and entrusted the hotel to him, not even his legitimate son. Now that he's dead, what do you think the family will do? Soon, we will be forced to vacate. Eric is history."

Edward's eyes narrowed. "Who do you think will take over? After all, you have a hierarchy here."

Cindy's laughter was laced with bitterness. "Not with the Montenegros. We're at war with them now. They've captured most of our cities, but we still own more."

Edward's expression turned calculating. "So what now? You will use Eric's death as revenge for your selfish desires? You can't be in two leagues at a time. I just wish your dad never finds out about this."

Cindy's eyes widened, her face pale. "Wait." She hugged Edward tightly. "I'm sorry, I must've been really selfish. Please don't tell dad about this. He will kill me if you do."

A reassuring smile spread across Edward's face. "Alright, Cindy."

Suddenly, gunshots erupted through the building, shattering the tense atmosphere. Edward yanked Cindy to the ground, shielding her from the hail of bullets.

"Cindy, it's them. What to do?" Edward whispered urgently, his eyes scanning the CCTV footage.

Cindy's eyes went wide, her heart racing. "I have an idea."

The two frantically attempted to open the rooftop exit, but it was jammed. Edward swiftly dialed a number on his phone.

"Hello, we're Alex's hotel management. We're under attack. The Joseans league has launched an offensive, and they're overwhelming us."

A panicked voice responded, "No, no, no, Edward. You're not supposed to be making a call. This will get to the news soon. My dad will kill me if he knows this. We just have to find a way to escape."

Edward's voice rose in desperation. "But how do we get out if we don't call for help? We're surrounded. Come on, think."

Cindy's breathing became labored, her eyes fixed on Edward's anguished expression.

Edward grasped her wrist, and they stumbled down the stairs, desperate to escape the inferno engulfing the building. A stray bullet hit a nearby teargas cylinder, unleashing a wall of flames that engulfed the entire structure.

As the fire raged on, Cindy and Edward shared a desperate glance, their fate all but sealed.