Patrick took out his phone, making calls in front of everyone with a sneer on his face. He seemed confident, as if the entire city were his playground.
Jack, trying to reassure Lena with a calm nod, stepped aside. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled out his own phone and dialed Leo's number.
The phone rang briefly before it was picked up.
"Uncle Leo, I've gotten into some trouble," Jack said, his voice strained and dry.
Silence hung on the other end of the line. Jack didn't really know how influential Leo was. He only knew that the man had connections. Whether those connections could help here was a mystery.
Calling him in the middle of the night felt wrong. Jack didn't like troubling others, but at this moment, there was no one else he could turn to.
After a moment, Leo's voice finally came through, followed by the sound of a lighter flicking open and a deep inhale.
"Where are you?" Leo asked, his tone steady and composed.
Jack glanced around, taking in his surroundings before responding.
"We're at an old (...) Right outside, actually."
"Alright," Leo said, as if considering something. "I'll have someone get you and your friend out of there safely."
Then, the line went dead. Jack didn't know that on Leo's end, he was standing in the middle of a hospital room, the scent of antiseptic and fresh paint filling the air.
Leo's lips tightened as he flicked his cigarette into a nearby ashtray. A man in a white coat, hair graying at the temples, sighed deeply.
"Still smoking? Didn't I tell you to quit? You've got cardiovascular problems, Leo. One more heart episode, and it could be sudden death." The doctor, clearly the dean of the hospital, spoke with the familiarity of a long-time friend.
"Yeah, yeah, thanks for the reminder," Leo muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I'm just grateful I came here for checkup or else."
"You'r lucky," the doctor replied, shaking his head with a mix of exasperation and concern.
Leo's thoughts drifted back to Jack's call. The kid didn't reach out unless it was something serious. Despite Leo's nonchalant demeanor, he felt a surge of protectiveness. This boy was important to him.
He scanned his contact list quickly and pressed a name without a second thought.
"Director Dos? It's Leo. I need a favor. Someone I know is in a bit of trouble down in the old city…"
---
Back outside the restaurant, Jack hung up the phone and took a deep breath. He turned back to Lena and Samantha with a reassuring smile, trying to appear more confident than he felt.
"It's going to be fine," he said softly. "Patrick can't do anything to us now."
Despite his words, a lingering worry gnawed at the back of Jack's mind. All he knew about Leo was that the man owned a shop, Noble Collection Antiques. That hardly seemed like much compared to the influence of a wealthy family like Patrick's.
If Patrick really wanted to make good on his threats and cripple Jack's leg, who could stop him?
Lena's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she looked at Jack, her voice trembling with anxiety. "Jack, are you sure everything's going to be okay?"
The way Lena addressed him shifted constantly—from "big pervert" to "Brother Jack," back to "big pervert,". At this moment, she even called him Jack an affectionately tone he never heard from her.
Jack sighed inwardly, finding some humor in the strange way she switched between names. Instead, he gave her a gentle smile and nodded.
"It's alright. Trust me. There'll be a car here to pick us up soon."
As if on cue, the low rumble of car engines filled the street. Everyone turned their heads as two vehicles, lights flashing red and blue, screeched to a halt at the curb.
Within seconds, a group of officers in uniform leaped out, their hats bobbing as they strode forward with purpose.
Patrick's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He stepped forward confidently, a smirk plastered on his face as he called out, "Captain Tin! You're finally here!"