Ethan stared silently at John Levi's back.
For a fraction of a second, the temptation to accept the deal wavered in his mind. Maybe I should just join him...
He was on the verge of turning around, but as he hesitated, his mother's face flashed clearly in his mind. He saw her warm, gentle smile—the absolute peace on her face.
A strange, resolute warmth washed over Ethan, clearing the fog from his thoughts. He turned back around, his stance firm.
"I decline."
John turned around slowly, his face completely devoid of surprise.
Ethan took a step closer, looking John dead in the eye. "Why on earth would I ever join you? As far as I'm concerned, you people are no different than Murphy."
Ethan stood his ground, his voice dropping into a stern, unwavering tone. "Don't ever bother me, my family, or my friends again."
Without waiting for a reply, Ethan turned on his heel and walked toward the exit.
"You really don't want to know about your brother?" John called out from behind, his voice echoing in the quiet room.
Ethan didn't pause his stride for even a microsecond.
John Levi merely smiled, watching the young man walk out into the corridor.
Walking down the bustling sidewalk toward his apartment, Ethan pulled out his phone and opened a chat, typing out a quick, decisive text to Beast.
Ethan: Uncle Beast, I'm ready to join you.
He hit send and slid the phone back into his coat pocket.
As he continued down the street, he found himself passing right in front of the MMA gym owned by Benson.
Madison trains here, right? Should I drop by and say hi? Ethan pondered, slowing his pace.
He shook his head, brushing the thought aside as Jake's distant words echoed in his memory:
"Code Name: Terminator Mercenary..."
Ethan let out a long, heavy sigh, looking up at the sky. I'm still way too weak... I'm nothing like him. I wish he were still alive... I really miss you...
"BA!" a loud voice boomed right behind him.
Ethan flinched, jumping slightly as he whirled around to find Benson standing there, a massive grin on his face.
"Why the long face, kid? Ah! Wait, don't tell me... I totally get it," Benson said, nodding with exaggerated wisdom.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You do?"
"Yup! A bad breakup hurts like crazy, man," Benson declared.
"Uh, no, it's definitely not that," Ethan replied flatly.
"Okay, my bad! Let me guess again..." Benson stroked his chin thoughtfully. Ethan sighed, giving a brief nod to let him finish. "Did a girl dump you?"
Ethan stared at him. "Dude... that's literally the exact same thing as a breakup."
"Right, right! Let me think again—"
"Please don't," Ethan interrupted, raising a hand. "It's just that—"
Before Ethan could finish his sentence, the gym door swung open. Madison stepped outside wiping sweat from her brow, wearing form-fitting athletic gym wear, her long hair tied back loosely.
"Instructor Benson, those—" Madison paused, her eyes landing on Ethan. "Oh! Hey, Ethan!"
Ethan turned, and the moment his eyes locked onto her, his brain completely short-circuited. His heart slammed against his ribs, racing at a absurd speed.
Seeing Ethan's silence, Madison stepped towards Ethan.
"Well, you made him forget his own name." Benson murmured to himself, after seeing Ethan's expression.
Madison giggled, waving a hand in front of his frozen face. "Hellooo? Earth to Ethan!"
"O-Oh! Madison! Hi!" Ethan stammered, frantically trying to assemble a normal expression. "What... what are you doing here?"
Madison raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "I told you before, remember? I train here."
"Right! Of course! I... I forgot. My bad!" Ethan squeaked out, his face burning up. "Well, I should really get going—"
Panicking, Ethan whirled around to make a quick escape, only to slam face-first straight into the gym's concrete side wall.
BANG!
"Ouch!" Ethan groaned, stumbling back while holding his forehead.
Madison burst out into a loud, bright giggle, covering her mouth. "Aww, is Ethan acting shy?" she teased, watching him practically sprint down the sidewalk in utter defeat.
Benson blinked, turning back to Madison. "Anyway, Madison, you were saying something?"
"Oh, right! Those guys inside were looking for you," she said, pointing back into the gym.
Benson nodded and headed back inside, leaving Madison watching Ethan's retreating figure with an amused smile.
A few blocks away, Ethan was practically marching down the pavement, his cheeks still burning red.
What on earth was Madison wearing?! I mean... she looked nice, but— Ethan violently shook his head to clear the thought. He raised a hand and slapped his own forehead hard.
"No! Get a grip! I am Terminator Mercenary! Well... Code Name: Terminator Mercenary," he corrected himself quietly under his breath.
He took a few more steps before another sudden thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. Wait a minute... that's a public MMA gym! It's mostly full of guys! Was Madison wearing that outfit while sparring around all those men?!
A sudden, uncomfortable heaviness settled squarely in Ethan's chest.
He groaned, pressing a hand to his sternum. Why am I even thinking about this?! It's none of my business! I don't care!
He tried to shake off the strange, nagging feeling of jealousy, forcing his posture back into a composed stance. I need to focus on what's right in front of me.
His expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as his mind refocused. It's time to take down Loop's second branch.
BZZZ.
Right on cue, his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a reply from Beast.
Beast: Now that's what I like to hear! Drop by my office tomorrow morning so I can test your skills and assign you an official rank. I'll also hand over your first official assignment once your rank is locked in.
Ethan: Understood, Uncle.
Ethan paused, staring at the screen for a second before tapping out another message.
Ethan: Uncle, can I ask you for a favor?
Beast: That completely depends... on how much cash you're willing to throw my way.
Ethan: Are you serious right now?! I just want to know if you can track down a location for me.
Beast: Fine, fine! I won't charge you a single dime, but ONLY for this one time. What do you need, kiddo?
Ethan: I need the exact location and every scrap of intel you have on Loop's second branch.