The alarm woke Reese at 5:30 p.m. and headed to the kitchen, and decided to make a simple yet hearty dinner. He chose to cook Tinola, a Filipino chicken soup made with green papaya and chili leaves, served with rice. The warmth of the soup and the familiar flavors provided a comforting and energizing meal.
Feeling full after dinner, Reese took a moment to relax and let the food settle. He then proceeded to take another shower to feel completely refreshed. After drying off, he dressed in a casual yet stylish outfit: black and white rubber shoes for comfort, black jeans, and a crisp white long-sleeved shirt. To complete his look and maintain his hidden identity, he put on his brown contact lenses.
Ready for the night, Reese remembered to check the status of the pond in the Amethyst Orb. Entering the Orb, he found Lakan waiting for him, eager to see the progress. Together, they walked to the pond and saw that it was nearly full, with the water level just over four feet high.
Satisfied that the pond was sufficiently filled, Reese said his goodbyes to Lakan and exited the Orb. He turned off the faucet to stop the water flow and checked the time once more. Seeing that it was 8:00 p.m. "Alright, time to go."
After 25 minutes, Reese arrived at the Ramirez Residence. Along the way, he exchanged polite greetings with the guards, who recognized him and nodded in acknowledgment.
Entering the grand hall of the Ramirez Residence, Reese was immediately spotted by Dwight, who was clearly surprised to see him. "Oh, Reese, what are you doing here? Jasper is still around," Dwight said, greeting him with a friendly fist bump.
Reese returned the gesture and explained his presence. "Jasper called me this morning for protection. He mentioned he plans to go out tonight."
Dwight raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by this news. "Jasper called you for protection because he's going out? This must be the first time he's directly asked for protection," he remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Reese nodded, understanding Dwight's surprise. "Yeah, maybe he's just scared because Chloe got kidnapped before. He probably doesn't want to risk being the next one," he replied.
Dwight chuckled. "That makes sense. It's understandable he'd be more cautious after what happened to Chloe. Better to be safe than sorry."
Reese, noticing that Dwight seemed to be moving more easily, asked, "Oh, by the way, how's your injury? Does your body still hurt?"
Dwight smiled, appreciating Reese's concern. "I'm okay, or at least I can walk properly now, and my body and face don't hurt as much anymore. Thanks for asking."
Before Reese could respond further, a familiar voice interrupted their conversation. Jasper's voice echoed from the top of the stairs. "Oh, Reese, you're here. Have you been here long?" Jasper called out as he hurried down the stairs.
Reese looked up to see Jasper rushing towards them. "No, I just got here," Reese replied, smiling.
"Good, good," Jasper said, visibly relieved. He then turned his attention to Dwight. "Are you coming with us tonight?" he asked, his tone inviting.
Dwight, though looking much better, still showed signs of his recent injuries. He smiled politely and said, "Thanks, but I think I'll sit this one out, sir. I'm not fully recovered yet. Maybe next time."
Jasper nodded understandingly. "Okay, then," he said, appreciating Dwight's honesty about his condition.
Jasper then shifted his gaze back to Reese. "Shall we go?" he asked Reese.
Reese nodded. "Alright, let's go." He turned to Dwight and gave him a nod to bid him goodbye.
"Have fun," Dwight called out as the dou exited the front door.
-----
Reese and Jasper arrived at Icon Club Cebu. As they stepped out of the car, Reese noticed the large crowd gathered outside the club. The line for entry was exceptionally long, stretching far beyond what he had expected. "Is it always like this at clubs, having to line up for so long? And it's still so early," he thought to himself.
They joined the line, waiting patiently. Reese turned to Jasper and asked, "Is it just the two of us tonight?"
Jasper shook his head. "No, some of my friends will be joining us soon."
Reese nodded in understanding. They continued to wait in line, chatting occasionally to pass the time. Nearly an hour passed before they finally reached the entrance. Before they could enter, the bouncer stopped them to check their IDs to ensure they were of legal age.
The bouncer first took Jasper's ID. He scrutinized it carefully, matching the details with Jasper's appearance. Satisfied, he handed it back to Jasper with a nod. "You're good to go," he said.
At that moment, Jasper suddenly remembered that Reese wasn't actually of legal age to enter the club. He glanced at Reese, expecting him to be nervous, but Reese remained calm and collected. Jasper decided to wait and see how Reese would handle the situation.
Reese smiled, knowing that he could finally use his fake ID. He handed it to the bouncer confidently. The bouncer took a close look at Reese, who still had a youthful appearance and seemed a bit suspicious. However, the bouncer also saw that Reese had presented an ID, so he took it and examined it closely.
The bouncer looked at the ID, then back at Reese's face, repeating the process several times. Each glance seemed to lengthen the wait, making Jasper grow impatient. Finally, unable to hold back, Jasper asked, "Is there a problem with his ID?"
The bouncer, still a bit unsure but finding nothing obviously wrong with the ID, shook his head. "No problem," he said, handing the ID back to Reese. "Enjoy and don't cause any trouble," he added, stepping aside to let them pass.
Reese thanked the bouncer with a nod and a smile, then he and Jasper stepped into the club. The interior was a sensory overload. The dim lights were punctuated by flashing strobes, and the heavy bass of the music vibrated through the floor. The dance floor was packed with people moving to the beat, some more energetically than others. Couples were grinding together, lost in their own world, while groups of friends were huddled together, drinks in hand, shouting over the music to be heard.
Reese's enhanced hearing picked up snippets of conversations, even over the loud music. He heard laughter, snippets of drunken confessions, and exaggerated stories. 'It's too early to be drunk at this time,' he thought, noting the loudness of their voices despite the overpowering music.
On stage, a rapper was trying hard to make the audience pump up while wearing dark sunglasses. Reese found this particularly amusing. 'Why wear shades in a dark club? It just makes it harder to see,' he thought, remembering the internet videos he'd seen of celebrities falling off stages because of their sunglasses. He chuckled to himself. "If he falls, that's his problem."
Following Jasper through the crowd, Reese noticed the number of people who greeted Jasper warmly, some high-fiving and some fist bumping, some even chest bumping. 'It seemed like Jasper knew everyone, or everyone knew Jasper.' Smirking, Reese leaned in and said, "I didn't know you were famous," his voice tinged with amusement.
Jasper, feeling a bit embarrassed, replied, "Only in the club scene. You know how it is, always clubbing."
Jasper, still smiling from their conversation, led Reese up a set of stairs to an elevated area that resembled a terrace. When they reached the second floor, Reese was struck by how empty it was. The space was devoid of people, a stark contrast to the lively crowd below.
"Why is it so empty up here?" Reese wondered aloud. His eyes scanned the area until he noticed notes on the tables that read "Reserved." Understanding dawned on him. "Ah, this floor is for reserved guests only," he realized. The layout was impressive, with plenty of open space and a clear view of the stage below.
Reese nodded in appreciation. "This is a great spot—plenty of space and an excellent view of the stage."
Jasper gestured towards a table situated near the edge of the terrace. "Our table is over there," he said, leading the way.
Reese followed Jasper to their reserved table, which offered a perfect vantage point over the entire club. From here, they could enjoy the performances on stage and observe the activity on the first floor without being part of the crowd. "This spot is even better."
"That's why I reserved it. It's the best spot," Jasper replied with a satisfied grin. He then pressed a button on the side of his chair.
Reese was curious about why Jasper had pressed the button. Seeing Reese's curiosity, Jasper explained, "If you want to order drinks or foods, just press this button. It's too noisy up here to shout for the waiter."
Reese laughed at the practical solution. "Makes sense. It's a good thing the club thought of this. It would be annoying if people had to keep shouting to get the waiter's attention."
Reese imagined the chaos of people constantly yelling over the loud music to place their orders and couldn't help but chuckle. The button system was a clever way to maintain the exclusive and relaxed atmosphere of the reserved terrace.