The four of them stood at the entrance to Lotus bay, a dimly lit lounge where the air was thick with the scent of whiskey and expensive cologne. The low hum of conversation mixed with the clink of glasses, but there was an undercurrent of tension that neither of the boys could ignore. As they stepped inside, their eyes scanned the patrons, noting subtle tattoos of purple lotuses on several men and women in the room. Purple lotus, was clearly active here, and tonight, they were going to dig deeper.
Gilbert turned to make sure the plan was still on track, checking for any signs of hesitation from his team. "Everything clear?" he asked, his voice low but firm.
"Hm," Xavier gave a curt nod, his eyes scanning the room.
"Yep," Damon added, his usual playful tone barely masking his awareness. He gave a smirk to a few of the girls nearby, but his eyes were sharp, always alert.
"Yeah, bro," Alexander said, though the tension in his voice betrayed his confidence. His gaze flickered nervously to the back of the bar, but he tried to mask it with a quick fist bump from Gilbert. They all went along with it, but when it came to Xavier and Alexander's turn, their fist bumps turned into a sharp, wordless stare. A subtle rivalry hung in the air as their eyes locked. Xavier's jaw clenched, but Alexander wasn't backing down.
"Let's go." Gilbert urged, stepping forward toward the bar.
The atmosphere was heavy, not just with the musky scent of the bar or the low murmur of the crowd, but with the weight of the mission. They had a purpose, and tonight, there was no room for failure.
As they approached the bar, Gilbert leaned over casually, speaking to the bartender in a low voice. "We're business students, looking for someone who knows their way around 'digital solutions.' Heard this place might know something about that." His voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it. This wasn't just small talk.
The bartender gave them a sideways glance, but he was used to students trying to network. "Yeah? You're in the right place, but we don't just hand out info." He eyed them carefully, his fingers tapping the rim of his glass. "What exactly are you looking for?"
"We need someone who knows how to keep things secure," Gilbert said, his voice still casual but with a slight undertone that suggested there was more to the question. "We've been hearing things about… Purple Lotus. Interested in talking to someone about digital security?"
The bartender's eyes flickered, and for a brief moment, it seemed like the conversation might go nowhere. But then his gaze shifted, and his lips curled into a knowing smirk. "A lot of people come here for that reason, but good luck finding what you're looking for." He paused, clearly deciding how much to share. "You'd need a real expert, someone… deeper in the network."
Damon leaned forward, as if on cue, flashing a devil-may-care grin. "Maybe we're just here for a taste of something, see if we like what we hear." He pushed a few bills across the counter, the casual movement an obvious attempt to grease the wheels.
The bartender hesitated but seemed to read the situation. He gave a subtle nod. "A guy named Travis usually handles the more 'advanced' stuff. Ask around."
"Thanks," Damon replied, pushing the cash further.
Meanwhile, Alexander was pretending to be just another janitor, wiping down a table while his eyes darted around, his body language stiff. He wasn't used to being in the background, and the unease gnawed at him. Why did I agree to this ? His thoughts were chaotic, but he couldn't afford to let his discomfort show. As he moved toward the back, his gaze caught a faint silhouette in the dim light of a basement door. His body tensed, but he forced himself to move closer.
Suddenly, he heard shouting from below. A voice, sharp and furious, echoed up through the basement.
"You are so fucking incompetent, stupid! I don't know why I hired someone like you!" The voice paused, then continued in a low, menacing tone. "You promised me you'd get in, and yet a fucking kid could stop your attack. If you fail this time, you're dead."
The familiarity of the voice struck Alexander like a bolt of lightning. His breath caught, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. That voice...
He couldn't process it. It didn't make sense. The man's words hit too close to something personal, and the shock froze him for a split second.
Trying to shake off the surprise, Alexander crouched behind a stack of crates, snapping photos quickly. His hands were shaky, his mind racing. He needed more—he needed to see who the man was, but he couldn't get a good enough shot through the crates. He tried to move closer, but as he shifted, a box crashed loudly to the ground.
"Who's there?" The voice demanded, now filled with suspicion and authority. Alexander's heart thudded painfully in his chest.
Shit.He didn't have time to think.
"Go check!" the voice barked, and within moments, Alexander could hear the heavy footfalls of guards approaching. His pulse spiked.
In a desperate move, Alexander threw a punch at the first guard to come into view, knocking him back a step. But the second guard was already on him. His fist collided with Alexander's ribs, and the pain shot through him like a jolt of electricity.
"Intruders!" a voice bellowed, echoing through the basement.
Upstairs, Gilbert and the others heard the commotion. Xavier's eyes narrowed as he felt the tension in the air shift.
"This is getting out of hand," Gilbert muttered, glancing towards the stairs.
Xavier was already moving before Gilbert could finish. "No time for hesitation," he muttered, stepping forward to stop one of the men from heading downstairs. He grabbed his arm, delivering a sharp, calculated punch to the man's jaw.
The punch did its job. The man staggered, but before he could recover, Xavier's voice cut through the chaos. "We need to move, now!"
A second guard rushed toward the stairs, and before Xavier could stop him, the sound of shouts echoed louder.
"Shit! They're coming up!" Damon's voice rang out in urgency, and the four of them were quickly surrounded.
"So much for being observant and smart," Xavier sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "You couldn't keep it quiet for five minutes?"
Alexander's teeth clenched, but he said nothing. They stood back-to-back, the four of them now facing the four cardinal points of the room, hands clenched, bodies taut, ready for what was coming next. The air was thick with tension, the soft shuffle of footsteps growing louder by the second.