As Ronin pushed open the door to the cafe, he was greeted by a sensory explosion. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee tickled his nose, intermingling with the tantalizing scent of baked goods. The lively chatter of patrons filled his ears, accompanied by the clinking of cups and saucers and the whirring of the coffee machines.
After a few moments of scanning the bustling cafe, Ronin's keen eyes settled on the man he was there to meet. He spotted him nestled in a cozy corner near the window, engrossed in a book. As Ronin made his way towards him, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee was replaced with a hint of musty paper, emanating from the stacks of books lining the shelves.
Moving with purpose through the maze of tables and chairs, Ronin deftly navigated the sea of patrons. He quickly sidestepped a busy waitress carrying a tray of steaming drinks, her apron brushing against his arm as he passed. He then navigated around a group of friends engaged in lively conversation, the sound of their laughter and chatter filling his ears.
As Ronin arrived at their table, he was relieved to find that they were sitting away from the center of the cafe. Here, the noise and chatter were subdued, allowing for a more intimate conversation. The soft glow of sunlight streaming through the window bathed them in a warm, golden light, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
Despite the serene atmosphere of the cafe, Ronin was anything but calm on the inside. His thoughts and emotions swirled around like a tempestuous storm, threatening to overwhelm him. He gazed across the table at the man who sat opposite him, hoping he could help quell the brewing hurricane within.
With a lazy lift of his gaze, the man across from Ronin noticed his presence and set his book aside. His eyes met Ronin's, and without uttering a word, he leaned back in his chair and reached for the bag at his side. Ronin watched intently as the man rummaged through the bag and retrieved a folder, pushing it towards him across the table.
With a focused gaze, Ronin pulled the folder towards him and began to sift through its contents. His eyes scanned the pages, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. After a few moments, he looked up at the man across from him and asked, "What am I looking at here?"
The man took a slow sip of his coffee, seeming completely unfazed by Ronin's curiosity. "It's a list of the employees who were hired for the cruise," he replied calmly.
As Ronin traced his finger down the list of names, his eyes widened in disbelief. "This list is massive," he muttered. "Where did you even get this from?"
"I have my sources," the man replied with a nonchalant shrug. He then placed his finger on a specific page, and Ronin quickly flipped to the next one.
As he studied the highlighted names on the page, Ronin felt a sense of unease creeping up on him. "What's so special about these names?" he asked, turning to the man.
"These are the men who were hired for the lower-end jobs, like cleaning and moving things around," the man explained. "And ten of them never made it to the cruise."
Ronin's eyes narrowed in confusion and concern. "What do you mean, they never made it?" he asked, his head cocked to the side. "What happened to them?"
The man let out a heavy sigh and glanced up at the passing waitress with a charming smile. Once she had moved on, he turned his attention back to Ronin. "That's not important right now," he said, his voice low and serious. "What's important is that someone else was able to replace them at the last minute. The important thing is that the person who attacked you in the elevator could be one of them. Or all of them."
Ronin's heart was pounding in his chest as he struggled to make sense of the situation. "But why me?" he asked, desperation creeping into his voice. "Why am I the target? And what's taking you so long to get me the names of these conspirators?"
The man's smile faded, replaced by a look of grim determination. "I'm doing everything I can," he said. "But this isn't easy. These people are professionals, and they know how to cover their tracks. It takes time to dig up the kind of information we need."
Ronin gritted his teeth, frustration and fear boiling inside him. "How much time do we have?" he demanded.
The man's gaze hardened. "Not much," he replied. "But we'll do everything we can to stop them before it's too late. Just remember: this is far from over."
After the man left, Ronin seated alone in the corner of the bustling cafe, poring over the contents of the folder. Frustrated by his lack of progress, he took out his phone and punched in a four-digit code, unlocking a hidden folder filled with photographs.
As he scrolled through the images, his attention was drawn to a particular photo. With a sense of trepidation, he tapped the screen and watched as the picture expanded to fill the entire display. It was a family portrait taken after their wedding reception, and Ronin could see the tension etched on everyone's faces despite their forced smiles for the camera.
In particular, he noticed the three people in the photo who were not smiling: his brother Eric, himself, and Carmen. Ronin felt a pang of regret as he studied Carmen's expression. She looked so devastated, confused, and wary of him as they were forced to stand next to each other, squeezed between the other family members.
He couldn't help but think about what happened after the reception party…
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[Flashback]
Ronin sat at the bar, his head hung low and his eyes staring blankly at the empty glass in front of him. The thumping beat of the music pulsed through the club, the bass rattling his bones and adding to the pounding headache he was already experiencing. He took another shot of the hard liquor, feeling the burn as it travelled down his throat and settled in his stomach. It did nothing to ease the pain he was feeling inside.
Jenna, the woman who was supposed to be his wife, had left him at the altar, running away with no explanation. Ronin had been left standing alone, humiliated, and heartbroken in front of all their friends and family. He loved her deeply, but her constant betrayal and lies had finally reached a breaking point. He knew deep down that he could never forgive her for this.
As he sat there, drowning in his sorrows, memories flooded his mind. Memories of all the times she had hurt him before. The pain of those moments combined with the fresh wound of being left alone at the altar made him feel like he was suffocating. He took another shot, hoping it would numb the pain, but he knew it wouldn't. Nothing could.
As he stumbled through the dark parking lot towards his car, he felt a vibration in his pocket. His unsteady hand fumbled to retrieve his phone, and he squinted at the bright screen, his vision blurred by the alcohol. He blinked a few times to clear his vision and tried to focus on the name that was displayed.
It was Jasper, his best friend.
"Hey, man. What's up?" Ronin was unsteady on his feet as the driver helped him into the backseat of a car.
Jasper's voice was tense as he asked, "How drunk are you?" He continued with concern, "Shouldn't you be with Carmen? You just got married, man. What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Jasper's words hit Ronin hard, causing him more pain. He hissed, "Don't you fucking take her name. She is no one to me," as he watched the city passing by outside the car window. The night sky seemed to glare back at him. Ronin continued, "If it weren't for grandpa, I wouldn't have let this nonsense happen."
Jasper tried to reason with Ronin, "The time for being an ass about it is long gone, man. I can't believe I'm the one saying this to you—look how the tables have turned. Anyway, what I'm saying is, fuck it, where the hell are you? I'll come and pick you up. You can't go home like this. It would only make things worse."
"No need," Ronin replied, shaking his head. "I'm already in my car. My driver is here with me."
Jasper breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. But tell him to take you to my place. I have something important to discuss with you."
"What is it?"
"I'll tell you when you get here. Just promise me you won't pass out. Keep talking to me, okay?"
Jasper's mansion loomed in the distance as the car approached. Waiting for Ronin on the porch, his friend greeted him as the driver assisted him in exiting the vehicle. Jasper then wrapped his arm around Ronin's shoulder and guided him into the mansion.
After sobering up, Ronin found himself in Jasper's kitchen, his head buried in his hands. He finally looked up and said, "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"
Jasper stood at the counter, his shoulders tense. "Do you remember the suite we booked for your and Jenna's first night?" he asked.
"Yeah, what about it?"
Jasper's voice was heavy with regret. "I did as you asked. I cancelled the suite."
Ronin was at a loss, unsure of where Jasper was heading with the conversation. Jasper's loud voice only added to the confusion, ringing in his ears like a church bell. "That's what you wanted to talk about?" Ronin asked, his annoyance clear in his tone.
Jasper's face twisted into a frown, "No, asshole!" He scratched the back of his head, clearly agitated. "I got a call from the hotel manager a few hours ago. They cancelled the suite that you were supposed to be staying in, and it was given to someone else. But what's worse is that a few hours ago, the room service went to deliver the welcome drinks and found the couple dead."
Ronin's stomach churned at the news, and suddenly the alcohol-induced haze that had clouded his mind was gone. He felt stone-cold sober. "What do you mean, dead?" His voice was barely above a whisper, and he felt a lump forming in his throat.
Jasper visibly shivered at the memory, "Like throat-slit dead. It was gruesome, man. I saw the pictures, and I've already puked three times. It's that bad."
Ronin's mind was racing, trying to make sense of the terrible news. He shook his head, wiping a hand down his face. "I don't understand," he muttered. "Are you saying…"
"I don't know what I'm saying," Jasper interrupted, his voice heavy with sorrow. "But I can't help thinking that it could have been—"
Ronin's heart sank at the thought. He tried to put the pieces together, feeling sick to his stomach. "Me and Jenna?"
"Or Carmen," Jasper added, and Ronin felt like the ground had shifted beneath him.
[Flashback Ends]