157. PINE STREET.
69 Mimic. 10:12 pm.
Stephen stood poised beside the pool table. Opposite him, his opponent dressed in a tailored suit; every accessory he wore caught the dim light like calculated weapons of charm. At the bar, Antonio nursed a drink while he charmed a pair of elegant elderly women. Their laughter filled the air. Stephen crouched low, his eyes narrowed on the eight ball. The room seemed to contract around him, and all the noise faded into silence as he lined up his shot. Across from him, the suited stranger fixed his blazer. "What did you say your name was again?" the man asked. "I don't think I did." Stephen replied, "Well, then now's the time." the man said. "The name is Stephen." he answered. "Stephen, huh? That name sounds oddly familiar." he stated ominously. Stephen kept his composure. "I don't think we've met before." he replied carefully. "What's your name?"
"Oh, me? Jerome, but you can call me J-boy." Jerome answered, Stephen knocked the white ball in one clean motion, and smacked the eight-ball across the table; and it sank cleanly into the corner pocket. A low chuckle drifted from the shadows. Another figure emerged from the edge of the bar. "The man's a natural." the stranger confessed as he stepped closer. A old man leaned back in his chair, and the pool cue rested across his lap. "Yeah… you haven't lost a game in seven years, Jerome." He raised his glass. "But who would've thought it would end today?" The stranger slung his arm across Jerome's. "Looks like you owe him a drink, J-boy." he said. Jerome brushed the man's arm off. "Yeah-yeah…whatever." he raised his glass high, "Drinks on me, everybody!" his voice boomed across the room. The bar erupted in whistles, and the clatter of glasses slammed against counters.
Stephen left the pool table and went to the bar counter. A few women laughed softly at something Antonio had said.
"Just one weekend in Liatropia, and we spend time to—Oh…here he is, ladies." Antonio changed the topic. "When you say things like that, I get a little worried." Stephen said. "Now don't worry, let's sit and have drink." he persuaded. Stephen pulled the barstool and sat down. "Good evening, ladies." Stephen greeted. "Hey, it's nice to meet you—I'm Gloria." Gloria shook his hand. "Likewise, I'm Stephen." he replied. "Oh, we've heard about you." she said. Antonio rushed behind the counter, where the bartender waited. Their low voices synchronized with the room. "So, meet my girls… Alicia, Sahel, and Serena." Gloria pointed them out. "Nice to meet you, ladies. How about we order a few drinks?" he suggested. "Already taken care of." Antonio reappeared from behind with a faint smirk. "That was quick." Stephen said. "Yeah, well—you just move slow." he joked. A bartender stepped forward, dressed in an exclusive suit, and he carried a wide platter balanced with cognac and champagne. He set it down on the bar counter. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." the bartender announced. "Allow me to present—San El Zorro's finest potion." He held the champagne aloft with pride. Gloria and her friends cheered for the bartender's presentation. "Well then…let's get this party started!" Antonio declared as he snatched the champagne bottle. With a twist, it popped open.
CRYSTAL AVENUE 10:13 pm.
Back in Stephen's mansion, Katherine was rooted to the floor, her body rigid as the red sensor light continued to glow ominously. "Jason!" she called fearfully. Jason rushed inside from the backyard. "Kathy—what's wrong?" he asked. "There's somebody outside the house, but I don't know who it is." she told, "Who? How'd you know that there's someone outside?" Jason asked. "The sensor light is still on." she pointed at it. "Want me to go check it out?" Jason asked. "No, it's too dangerous… let me check the surveillance system." Katherine suggested. "Alright, let's g—" Jason's words were cut short by the turn of the doorknob. 'Who the fuck is this?' Katherine thought; her blood pressure rocketed. Then, shockingly, Tokyo walked in. A huge sigh of relief escaped Katherine's lips. But a chill ran through her. "Hey Tokyo, how was your day?" Katherine greeted. "Hey… it was alright." Tokyo said, her eyes caught Jason. "Who's that?" she asked. "Oh, uh… this is Jason." Katherine replied quickly. "Hey there, kiddo. I'm your father's brother… nice to meet you." he extended his hand. "Hm, that's funny because my father never mentioned having a brother, or I can't remember him having one." Tokyo replied. "Your father can be stubborn, but you were very young when we met… I'm your uncle—from the Glover's. You and I… we're family." Tokyo stayed quiet. She looked at Jason and felt an immediate sense of unease. Then she eyed Katherine. "He just came to visit your father, honey." she lied. Tokyo scoffed, "Whatever…I'm going to my room." she replied. "She's just like her father." Jason mumbled. "Yeah, tell me about it." Katherine giggled. "Looks like Stephen's running late. Guess I should head out." Jason announced. "Alright then… no problem. I'll just let him know you stopped by." Katherine said. "Thanks. It's a shame I missed Lucas, though… It's been nineteen years since I've seen that kid." Jason said. "Time flies." Jason chuckled as he strode to the door. "It was lovely meeting you." he said. "Thanks, same here. Safe travels." Katherine replied evenly.
Katherine paused by the wall-mounted CCTV screen. She watched Jason leave through the front gate. Then she went into the kitchen—she pulled plates from the cupboard, dished out food until every plate was filled, and slid one into the oven to keep warm. Mila and Akirá giggled at the cartoon on the screen. Katherine picked up the remote and switched the channel to the evening news. She placed Akirá gently into his chair, and Mila followed suit, fastening their bibs. "Okay, my two little peas, Mommy is going upstairs for a moment. Wait here for mommy." she said brightly.
Katherine left and climbed the staircase, each step echoed faintly in the house, until she reached Tokyo's room. For a moment, she paused there, then she knocked gently. "Hey, Tokyo? Supper's ready. I left your plate on the counter." Katherine said. "Okay, I'll be down in a minute." Tokyo muffled from behind the door. Katherine rushed back downstairs. In the kitchen, Mila and Akirá waited patiently in their chairs, their small hands banged against the trays. Katherine sat between them and fed spoons of porridge to eager mouths.
Tokyo lay flat on her bed, the glow of her LED lights stretched in neat lines across the ceiling. Plants swayed gently from hooks and shelves. From the corner of the room, a small radio whispered mellow tunes. Her gaze wandered upward, and she traced the tiny stars plastered upon her ceiling from the galaxy lamp perched by the dresser. A quiet thought slipped through her mind, 'I wonder what Abigail's up to right now?' She unlocked her cellphone, and she scrolled through her messages.
'Hey Abi, where are you, girl?' she messaged. Tokyo pushed up from the mattress and left her room. She marched downstairs to the kitchen. She reheated her food in the microwave, and the smell of curry filled the air. She carried her plate to the dining table and took a seat among the family.
West District.
Amber Valley. 10:27 pm.
The clock on the wall sounded throughout her room. While Ashley sat alongside Lucas, she watched him intently, her gaze traced the curve of his concentration, the rhythm of his writing. She twirled a strand of her Afro, 'Why hasn't he made a move yet?' she wondered. Lucas eyed the monitor; the glow reflected in it. "Do you still remember the answer to pi?" he asked. Ashley smirked. "Depends. Do you mean the actual number… or the meaning behind it?" she replied. He chuckled. "I mean the infinite one. The number that never ends. Like chasing something you'll never quite reach."
"Well, it's pretty complicated to explain—though I'll try to make it simple." Ashley stated. "Complicated but simple… I think I like where this is going." he responded. Ashley leaned forward just slightly. "Pi is endless. It keeps going, circling back, but never repeating. Kind of like… temptation or sin. You get close, you think you've figured it out, but then it slips further away."
"So, what you're saying is… if I keep calculating long enough, I might actually catch it?" he asked. "Or you'll just get lost in it. That's the fun part." she replied. "You're a savage, you know that?" she giggled joyfully. "Only if you're not brave enough to keep counting." she said..
Lucas leaned closer, "Guess it's a good thing I've got patience—and a stubborn streak." Her laughter softened into something slower. "Careful what you wish for." Ashley murmured, "Numbers don't lie… but people do. Sometimes the chase is more dangerous than the answer." The room fell into a quiet rhythm again, the hum of the computer, the steady tick of the clock on the wall. Ashley pretended to focus, though her thoughts were restless.