Thompson felt a pang of caution. He knew exactly where Ethan was—he was currently dismantling an entire criminal empire in the frozen North—but he couldn’t reveal a single detail. He didn’t know what Ethan’s ultimate plans were for these kids, and he wasn’t about to compromise the "shadow king" by saying too much.
"I understand your concern. I actually saw him not too long ago," Thompson said. He chose his words carefully, keeping his tone light and reassuring. "He’s been incredibly busy with so private projects and travels. He isn’t the type to stay in one place for long, as you know."
Hailey looked slightly relieved, but the sadness in her eyes remained. "Does he know we’re looking for him?" Hailey said.
Thompson looked at his son and then back at the girl. He reached into his pocket and felt the encrypted phone. "Tell you what. Let make a call. I’ll see if I can get a ssage through to him for you," Thompson said.
"Would you really? Thank you, Mr. Thompson," Hailey said.
"Don’t thank yet. Like I said, he’s a very busy man. But I’ll do what I can," Thompson said. He signaled to his Royal bodyguards to give him a bit of space, stepping a few ters away to pull out the device that connected him to a world these students couldn’t possibly imagine.
Thompson stepped into a quiet alcove, his Royal bodyguards forming a silent periter that discouraged anyone from approaching. He pulled out the encrypted device and dialed the priority line.
Ethan pressed a button on his flight headset as the Falcon’s rotors humd in the background.
"Thompson. I assu things are moving smoothly in if you’re calling at this hour," Ethan said.
"Everything is perfect on the political front, Ethan. But I’m standing here with Max and his friends—specifically Hailey. They are worried sick about you. They’ve been looking for answers since your release," Thompson said.
There was a brief silence on the other end, save for the crackle of the radio. Ethan looked out at the horizon, the weight of his new spiritual power still settling in his chest. He hadn’t forgotten the people who stood by him when he was behind bars.
"I’m currently in transit. Tell them to head to the Royal main headquarters in the city. I should be landing in approximately one hour. I’ll et them there," Ethan said.
"I’ll bring them personally. It’s better if I ensure they get through security without any issues. See you shortly," Thompson said.
"Safe travels, Congressman," Ethan said.
The line went dead. Thompson tucked the phone away and returned to the group with a wide, reassuring smile. The tension in Max’s shoulders visibly evaporated, and Hailey’s eyes widened with hope.
"Good news. I just spoke with him. He’s been traveling, but he’s actually arriving back in the city as we speak. He wants to see you all in an hour," Thompson said.
"Wait, really? We can actually go there?" Max said.
"I’ll take you myself. My car is waiting outside," Thompson said.
The group hurried down the marble steps of the capitol. Waiting at the curb was a stretched black limousine, flanked by two black SUVs filled with Royal security. Thompson ushered the students inside the plush, leather interior. As the door closed, muffling the sounds of the city, Hailey looked out the tinted window with a nervous flutter in her chest.
"I can’t believe he’s finally back. I thought he’d forgotten about us after everything that happened with the trial," Hailey said.
"Ethan isn’t the type to forget his friends, Hailey. He’s just... playing in a much larger league now," Thompson said, glancing at the silent guard sitting in the front seat.
The limousine pulled away from the curb, weaving through the Boston traffic toward the massive, high-tech skyscraper that served as the heart of Ethan’s empire. Inside the car, the students talked excitedly, but Thompson remained quiet, wondering how they would react when they realized the "friend" they knew was now the man who held the strings of the entire state.
The limousine crossed the bridge into the North End, and the atmosphere inside the car shifted from excitent to pure awe. The students pressed their faces against the tinted glass. What had been a scarred, war-torn district only months ago had been transford into a futuristic citadel of glass, steel, and lush greenery.
"Is this really the sa neighborhood? Look at those condominiums... they look like sothing out of a sci-fi movie," Max said.
"It’s incredible. I read in the Financial Tis that property values here have spiked so hard that any early investnt is looking at nearly a 2500% return. This is the most expensive real estate in the country now," Hailey said.
The limousine glided past rows of high-end boutiques, luxury residential towers, and gleaming corporate headquarters. The area was humming with activity—drones moved overhead in organized patterns, and the streets were patrolled by private security in sleek, black uniforms.
"It’s like a city within a city. Imagine living here... having an office in one of those towers. You’d be at the center of the world," one of the students said.
Thompson listened to them from the corner of the seat, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. He thought about the fact that the "friend" they were so desperate to find didn’t just live here—he owned every single brick, of this district.
"It certainly is a testant to what the right leadership and vision can do for a territory," Thompson said.
The car approached the main periter of the Royal Headquarters. A massive gate of reinforced carbon fiber stood in their path. Two guards approached, their helts reflecting the city lights. They didn’t just check IDs; they scanned the vehicle with advanced sensors that humd with a low, blue light.
"Identification confird. Congressman Thompson and guests. Proceed to the Alpha Plaza," the guard said through a localized comms system.
As the gate slid open with a hiss of hydraulics, the students went silent. They were entering the heart of the beast. They passed through two more security checkpoints, each more intense than the last, until they pulled into a private underground terminal that looked more like a military bunker than a parking garage.
"This is insane, Max. Ethan works here? As what, the head of security?" Hailey said.
"We’re about to find out, Hailey," Max said, though his voice wavered with uncertainty.
The elevator doors opened, and Thompson led them out. Instead of a lobby, they stepped into a panoramic executive lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire bay. Above them, a rhythmic thwack-thwack-thwack began to vibrate through the ceiling.
"That’s him. The helicopter is landing on the roof," Thompson said.
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