Section 18. 9:30 pm.
6. Phanda Ave.
Foxville, a small township tucked into Section 18, had a strange balance—quiet, yet never dull. Compared to the chaos of San El Zorro, it was almost serene, its peace standing out like an oddity.
Adriana strolled along 6. Phanda Avenue at her own rhythm, as if the entire street existed just for her. The sidewalks were sparse, only a handful of people drifting past, and the road hardly carried any traffic. Buildings of uneven height leaned into one another, mismatched yet somehow in harmony—though their shadows suggested secrets best left unspoken.
Traffic lights and streetlamps painted the street in a soft glow, while storefronts began shutting down one by one, their neon signs flickering out like dying stars.
When Adriana reached the staircase leading to her apartment, she ascended step by step, the muffled city hum fading behind her. At the top, she slipped inside, vanishing into her own private world.
She climbed to the second floor and paused briefly outside her apartment, hand on the doorknob. Eventually, she pushed the door open and stepped inside—only to be caught off guard.
"BOO!"
Luis jumped out, throwing his arms wide like a cartoon villain. Adriana stumbled back, nearly dropping her keys.
"¡Ahhh! Luis, coño! I should smack you—you almost gave me a heart attack!", Adriana exclaimed, clutching her chest.
He chuckled softly, the edge of mischief fading from his voice.
"How was your day, Mana?", he asked kindly.
"Ugh, same shit, different day.", Adriana sighed, tossing the words over her shoulder as she headed for the kitchen. "What about you, Luis?"
"So boring.", Luis muttered, his tone sharp with irritation. "I wish I could get out of here for once."
"You can't, Luis. Not after your dumb ass chose to break the law.", Adriana said flatly, her words slicing the air.
"Hey, don't blame me! It's not my fault the old lady had bad eyes.", Luis said with a crooked grin.
"You ran a red light, Luis—and somehow the old lady's the one at fault?", Adriana shot back.
"It was yellow—If anything, I was helping traffic flow. And the old lady's fine—she's not dead, just a little injured.", Luis argued.
"Helping traffic flow? Luis, you almost turned that señora into roadkill. Coño, it could've been worse! What if they charged you with attempted murder?", Adriana snapped.
Adriana rubbed her temples, shaking her head at Luis's grin. He always had this way of twisting things, turning disasters into jokes, but something about his carelessness stuck with her.
"Helping traffic flow…", she muttered under her breath, replaying the words.
Luis flopped onto the couch, scrolling aimlessly on his cracked phone screen. "What? It's true. People get too uptight about rules anyway."
Adriana leaned against the counter, staring at him. Rules. Uptight. Boring. His childish phrasing shouldn't have meant anything—but in the haze of her mind, it stirred something. Maybe he wasn't entirely wrong. Maybe she was too rigid, too trapped in the same cycles. Her days blurred, dull and draining, while Luis—even when he was reckless—still seemed to live.
She exhaled sharply, pushing away from the counter. A small smile tugged at Adriana's lips, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm going out tonight.", she said.
"Where?", Luis asked, skeptical.
Adriana's mind flashed to San El Zorro, its chaos, its neon heart. To the club people whispered about, where masks and shadows blurred into something intoxicating.
"69 Mimic.", Adriana said simply.
Luis let out a low whistle, his grin spreading. "Now that… that's more like it. I always knew you had a little fire under all that serious crap."
Adriana didn't waste time second-guessing herself. Within minutes she'd swapped her work clothes for something sharper, something that felt like armor and invitation all at once. Luis shouted a sarcastic "Have fun, don't kill anyone!", as she slipped out the door, but she barely heard him.
San El Zorro greeted her with its familiar madness, the city's neon signs buzzing like electric veins, taxis snarling at one another, strangers brushing past too close. By the time she reached the heart of Section 18, the dull weight of Foxville had burned away, replaced by a pulse that lived in her chest.
Meanwhile…
West District.
Amber valley. 9:55 pm
Situations always led to breaking points—sometimes positive, other times destructive. Lucas, young as he was, found himself caught in one of those phases. His mind, sharp and restless, refused to sit still, and tonight it threatened to overwhelm him.
He strolled calmly down the street, though the calm was only surface deep. Every step carried a twitch of thought he couldn't quite silence.
Amber Valley looked like a utopia—manicured lawns, glowing streetlamps, silence broken only by the hum of passing cars. The world here was polished, perfect, almost unreal. Above him, the night sky spilled its light across the main road, guiding his steps.
Only a few meters separated him from Ashley's apartment, yet each step felt heavier than the last—like the ground itself was testing him, daring him to turn back.
Lucas stopped at the corner, staring at the building ahead. Behind the walls, Ashley was waiting—or maybe she wasn't. Either way, something in him knew that once he crossed this final stretch, things wouldn't return to what they were before.
He drew in a breath, steadying himself before moving forward. When he reached the building, his knuckles rapped softly against the door. No response.
He knocked again, firmer this time.
A muffled voice answered from inside.
"Hold on! I'm coming!", Ashley called.
Relief escaped him in a slow sigh. He shifted back a step just as the door opened.
And there she was.
For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke. They simply stood there, caught in the gravity of the moment. Her eyes met his, and his chest tightened. The silence stretched—not awkward, but alive—thick with everything they hadn't said yet, everything they wanted to.
"Hey.", Ashley said softly, her voice carrying both hesitation and warmth.
"Hey—i came through as promised.", Lucas replied, a faint smile playing at his lips as he held her gaze.
Ashley's lips curved into the faintest smile.
"I see that— though you still have another promise to fulfill.", Ashley said, her voice steady, eyes never leaving his.
Lucas felt his chest tighten. The way she said it wasn't just a reminder—it was a challenge, laced with something unspoken.
"Then I better get started… wouldn't want you waiting too long.", Lucas responded.
"Yeah… come inside.", Ashley said, her voice smooth and tempting.
Lucas entered, and the click of the door behind him sealed them in. The air seemed to hum, thick with unspoken promises and the gravity of everything that could change tonight. The late-night study session had begun, charged with the weight of destinies already written and those yet to unfold.
CRYSTAL AVENUE. 10:05 pm.
Jason stood in the backyard of Stephen's mansion, a cigarette dangling between his fingers and a glass of bourbon in the other hand. He stared at the stars, their brilliance scattered across the night sky, but his gaze was empty—calm, yet hollow, as if the universe could pass him by unnoticed.
Inside the mansion, Katherine moved quietly in the kitchen, cooking dinner for her family. The day's fleeting joys lingered in her chest, but they were no match for the sudden tide of emotion that crept in. Tears slid down her cheeks, slow and silent, catching the kitchen light as if reluctant to be seen.
Mila and Akirá rocked gently in their chairs, eyes glued to the cartoons flickering on the TV. The room smelled of home and dinner, ordinary and warm, a stark contrast to the quiet storm washing over their mother.
Katherine pressed herself against the kitchen counter, gripping its edge as if it could anchor her spiraling thoughts. ("What's taking so long?"), she asked herself, voice barely more than a whisper. ("What is Antonio doing?"), Her mind raced, looping in anxious circles.
She moved toward the one-seater and picked up her phone, fingers hovering over the screen. Opening her contacts, she paused, heart hammering, unsure of what to do next. ("Should I call him?"), she wondered, a pang of uncertainty twisting in her chest.
Her eyes flicked toward Mila and Akirá. Searching their eyes—as if silently asking for approval.
Finally, she dialed Stephen's number. The phone rang for a few seconds before slipping into voicemail. Katherine redialed as she wept silently. Unfortunately the call went to voicemail once again, then she decided to buzz Antonio, The ringtone barely had time to echo before an answer came on the other end.
"Hello.", Antonio answered.
"Antonio—where the fuck is Stephen, and why isn't he answering his phone?", Katherine's voice cracked between fury and fear.
"Hey where'd your manners go?", Antonio drawled, his voice cool and deliberate.
"Antonio don't start! I don't know what you're planning, but you better stop.", Katherine stated.
"What I'm planning?", Antonio echoed, his tone low and unreadable.
"Don't act stupid, just tell me where Stephen is?", Katherine asked.
"Oh, don't worry about him—his having fun playing a game of snooker.", Antonio responded.
"put him on the phone!", she demanded, her voice sharp, trembling with urgency.
"Can't—he's in a middle of a game, he won't be able to talk, but you can talk to me.", Antonio replied swiftly.
"I have nothing to say to you, I'm just disappointed.", Katherine fired back.
"[Chuckles]How are you disappointed?", Antonio asked, a teasing lilt undercutting the tension.
"All you men are the same.", Katherine boldly stated.
"Uh—gotta Kathy, we'll see you soon.", Antonio responded hastily.
"What! no you can't just…", Katherine cut herself off as the call dropped.
Katherine switched off her cellphone and placed it on the couch, then marched back to the kitchen. She pulled out two small bowls from the cupboard and began preparing Mila and Akirá's supper.
As she worked, a faint sound of a car turning into the front gate reached her ears. The red sensor light blinked in the corner of the living room. Katherine paused and thought ("Who could be outside?"),
The car soon backed out and drove away, the engine's hum fading into silence. Yet the red sensor light remained lit. Someone was still outside her mansion. She stood still, tense, knowing only a family member would dare approach—but who?
Katherine thoughts churned heavily, she was about to find out.