That night in Glenport City, Thalia's car stopped in front of the manor.
Benjamin and Anthony climbed into the vehicle. When she saw they were carrying a backpack each, her eyebrows furrowed. “What are you two...”
Once Anthony secured himself with the seatbelt, he turned to her. “I forgot to tell you, after tonight's business has concluded, Benjamin and I will be heading to Zaewora.”
A puzzled look formed on her face. “What?”
Benjamin stared at his brother with a darkened expression. “You didn't tell Thalia?”
“I was busy playing chess with Gramps and forgot.”
Thalia was still confused.
Benjamin nodded. “It's still not too late to tell her.”
Anthony turned to Thalia. “Do you have any other plans after tonight's business concludes?”
She shook her head with a puzzled expression. “No. I'm just waiting for you three.”
“After tonight's business is concluded, Benjamin and I will head to Zaewora.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Why are you two going there?”
“Nat went there, and we're worried about her, so we're going to find her.”
It was then she remembered something. “Oh yeah, I went to check your home, and no one was inside. Although, why did your mommy go to Zaewora?”
“It's a long story. In any case, we've already booked a flight heading there tonight.”
“Then what should I do?”
“It depends on what you want to do. You can return to headquarters or stay at Glenport City.”
“Why should I stay here if you two aren't sticking around?”
“How about you leave with us, then?”
Thalia was about to say something when her eyes suddenly narrowed as she examined Anthony. “You already made all the plans and are waiting for me to agree, aren't you?”
“Do I look like that kind of person?” he asked seriously.
She snorted. “I think you know the answer.”
His eyes glinted as he raised them to meet hers. “Then, you—”
“There's no reason for me to stay here if you two are leaving. If I go back to headquarters, there's nothing for me to do either. I didn't find the person I was looking for, but if I can bring the three of you back, I'll consider that a success. Regardless if you're heading back to headquarters after this matter concludes, you should at least meet with Kyle.”
“Sure.”
“I'll book my ticket then.” Thalia pulled out her phone.
“Sure.”
“I'll book my ticket then.” Thalia pulled out her phone.
“No need.” Benjamin abruptly spoke.
“What's wrong?” Her line of sight shifted to him.
His lips curved upward. “I've already booked one for you!”
Her gaze shifted back and forth between the boys silently.
“It was Tony's idea,” Benjamin added.
Anthony frowned as he looked at his brother. Before he could speak, Benjamin interjected, “I'm just telling the truth.”
Thalia stared at the silent Anthony and sneered. “And you said you didn't plan for it. When are you going to stop manipulating people, Anthony Watson?”
The boy simply chuckled. “I wouldn't call this manipulation. I'm simply being well-prepared. What if there are no tickets left once you decide to leave with us? So, I asked Benjamin to book the ticket first. If you end up not going, we'll waste a ticket's worth of money at most. But if you do want to join us, and there's no ticket left, it'll be a shame, won't it?”
“I think you planned to make me follow you from the beginning. It doesn't matter what my answer is because the result won't change.”
“I'm not that kind of person!”
“You said something like that just a minute ago.”
Anthony was stunned for a moment before he said with a smile, “You're not confident enough in yourself, Thalia. Who can manipulate you when you're one of the best in Darknetz? I just assumed you would follow us because you're nice to us. Besides, I feel more at ease with you around.”
“If nothing else, you're different from your father in the sense that you're flexible. You may not speak the truth, but I love to hear it anyway.”
Anthony's eyebrow raised in response. “So, should we go now?”
Thalia glanced at him before driving the car to their destination.
The boys were sitting at the back. They knew if they had her on their journey, many things would be a lot easier to deal with.
They were on the road for around forty minutes.
Eventually, they arrived in front of a warehouse.
The boys stepped out of the vehicle in a casual shirt, a pair of black pants, and short boots. Anthony was wearing a long coat, which made him look dashing and mature. On the other hand, Benjamin wore a shorter jacket, making him appear casual and roguish.
Looking around, the younger brother asked, “How did you find this obscure place?”
“I have my ways.”
Benjamin smirked quietly.
Anthony glanced at the time. “How long before they'll arrive?”
Thalia briefly peeked at her watch. “Half an hour.”
After nodding, the boy swept his gaze past his surrounding as though he was surveying the area. He looked like someone who often wandered at the edge of darkness.
“In a moment, you two should wait there. If you don't see my signal, stay there and don't come out.” She pointed at a nearby forest.
“You don't need us around?” Benjamin asked.
“I don't want you two to make contact with them so early on. Besides, I'm afraid they may pull some dirty tricks. If that does happen, I won't be able to take care of you two.”
“What about you?”
“They can't do anything to me.”
Anthony examined the surroundings and frowned when he heard that. “Aren't they your old friends? Why are you worried they'll pull dirty tricks?”
“I forgot to mention that the person I previously contacted isn't coming. The one who's coming today is someone else from their side.”
His eyebrows furrowed when he heard that. “Why aren't they coming?”
“They said they had matters to attend to.”
“That's a bit of a coincidence, isn't it?”
Thalia bit her red lip. “It is. My old friend is on that side, so hopefully, this doesn't mean they sold me out.”
Anthony remained silent, appearing to be deep in thought.
At that moment, a light flashed past their location. Benjamin stared into the distance. “Someone's here.”
The other two shifted their gaze and saw a car approaching them from a distance.
The car was getting closer and closer. Thalia narrowed her eyes as a bad feeling rose in her. It was hard for her to tell if it was because Anthony's words were affecting her.
“Go into the forest and wait.” A dark, difficult-to-discern expression flashed across her beautiful face as she stared at the approaching car.
Looking oround, the younger brother osked, “How did you find this obscure ploce?”
“I hove my woys.”
Benjomin smirked quietly.
Anthony glonced ot the time. “How long before they'll orrive?”
Tholio briefly peeked ot her wotch. “Holf on hour.”
After nodding, the boy swept his goze post his surrounding os though he wos surveying the oreo. He looked like someone who often wondered ot the edge of dorkness.
“In o moment, you two should woit there. If you don't see my signol, stoy there ond don't come out.” She pointed ot o neorby forest.
“You don't need us oround?” Benjomin osked.
“I don't wont you two to moke contoct with them so eorly on. Besides, I'm ofroid they moy pull some dirty tricks. If thot does hoppen, I won't be oble to toke core of you two.”
“Whot obout you?”
“They con't do onything to me.”
Anthony exomined the surroundings ond frowned when he heord thot. “Aren't they your old friends? Why ore you worried they'll pull dirty tricks?”
“I forgot to mention thot the person I previously contocted isn't coming. The one who's coming todoy is someone else from their side.”
His eyebrows furrowed when he heord thot. “Why oren't they coming?”
“They soid they hod motters to ottend to.”
“Thot's o bit of o coincidence, isn't it?”
Tholio bit her red lip. “It is. My old friend is on thot side, so hopefully, this doesn't meon they sold me out.”
Anthony remoined silent, oppeoring to be deep in thought.
At thot moment, o light floshed post their locotion. Benjomin stored into the distonce. “Someone's here.”
The other two shifted their goze ond sow o cor opprooching them from o distonce.
The cor wos getting closer ond closer. Tholio norrowed her eyes os o bod feeling rose in her. It wos hord for her to tell if it wos becouse Anthony's words were offecting her.
“Go into the forest ond woit.” A dork, difficult-to-discern expression floshed ocross her beoutiful foce os she stored ot the opprooching cor.
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