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After some time of pondering, Tony hesitated before finally saying, “Daddy, actually…” “Actually what?” Alpha Kilian questioned. The words were on the edge of his tongue, but Tony held them back at the last moment.
After a brief pause, Tony replied, “It’s nothing. We can discuss it in more detail when you find Nelly and come home. I promise Darknetz won’t take any action for now.”
Alpha Kilian processed his words before grunting in acknowledgement. “Alright.” “In that case, Daddy, please be careful.” “You should behave too. Take care of Great-grandpa and Gramps,” Alpha Kilian reminded. “I know!”
When Tony hung up the call, Thalia and Ben stared at him curiously. “Does Daddy suspect us?” Ben questioned. “I’m not sure,” Tony shook his head. “It feels like he’s either threatening me or trying to gather more information. It’s hard to know what he’s thinking.”
Lying lazily on the couch, Thalia grumbled, “Isn’t that just typical of the Morris family? Always having secret agendas and talking in riddles. That’s why you’re so difficult to understand!”
Tony side-eyed her. “Isn’t this all because of you? If you had been clear from the start, I wouldn’t have needed to hack into Daddy’s system and risk being caught.”
“That’s why you need to think before you act next time,” Thalia asserted. “And when you tell us something, just lay it all out at once.” Thalia smiled faintly, her brow cocked defiantly. “I’ll try.”
Watching their banter, Ben interrupted, “I heard Daddy mention ‘Anonymous’ on the phone. How did he know it was Anonymous? And how did he find out that Anonymous had joined Darknetz?”
“Didn’t Thalia just say that the top twenty hackers joined DX? It’s no surprise that someone recognized my methods. Plus, considering how close Sam and I are, rumors are bound to spread sooner or later,” Tony explained.
“So you think Daddy suspects you?” Ben clarified.
“Not necessarily. He might just be using me to send a message to Darknetz, without knowing it was me,” Tony replied.
Ben nodded in understanding. “You have a point. But I don’t think we can keep hiding this much longer.”
“You’re right. If Daddy wasn’t focused on finding Nelly, he would have already found out. We got lucky by following him here. As long as we find Nelly, I don’t mind telling him the truth,” Tony remarked.
Ben agreed with a nod.
Suddenly, Thalia chimed in, “By then, you’ll have no choice but to be honest. How else are you going to join me at Darknetz?”
Tony looked at her, resigned. “Do we really need to be that straightforward?”
Thalia grinned mischievously. “Just giving you a friendly reminder.” She popped a cherry into her mouth. “Hmm, it’s so sweet!”
Meanwhile, at an open-air restaurant, Alpha Kilian returned after ending his call to find Dave talking to a woman. As soon as he joined them, the woman quickly left.
Surprised, Alpha Kilian asked, “Why did she leave so fast? I don’t mind giving up my spot.” “Friends are always more important than women,” Dave joked.
Chuckling, Alpha Kilian looked around. “Why did you choose this place?” “Doesn’t it seem familiar?” Dave inquired.
Alpha Kilian took a closer look and recognized the place. “This is where we first met after a fight!” Dave reminded.
Confirming his suspicions, Alpha Kilian said, “You mean this used to be Bar Street?”
Dave nodded. “Hasn’t it changed a lot?”
“It’s unrecognizable now,” Alpha Kilian commented.
“Indeed. It went through a lot of changes over the years, transforming from a rundown street filled with bars to one dotted with trendy restaurants. Its development was swift,” Dave explained.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
As Alpha Kilian observed the surroundings, memories flooded back to him.
The flashbacks brought a smile to his face. He couldn’t deny that back then, life was lived on the edge. Despite the danger, it was more exciting than his current life.
In those days, they fought with real weapons, living and dying by the sword. It was different from the technology-dominated battles of today, where there was no smoke or bloodshed.
“Thinking about it makes it feel like it was just yesterday,” Dave said, staring into the horizon. Alpha Kilian agreed with a smile, “Indeed.”
Then, Dave looked at him. “Do you have any regrets?”
Alpha Kilian smiled, lost in thought as he gazed at the stars in the sky. After a long while, he finally spoke. “There are no regrets. Everything we’ve been through is a part of life.”
Dave wasn’t sure if Alpha Kilian truly meant it, thinking that perhaps there were some regrets. Regrets could also be blessings in disguise.
Getting up, Dave patted Alpha Kilian on the back. “I’m off to the restroom.” And he left.
Meanwhile, Alpha Kilian picked up his beer and took a sip, his mind filled with mixed emotions as he stared into space.
As Dave emerged from the restroom, he noticed a young child running around the restaurant before falling down and bursting into tears.
At the same time, a woman approached to help the boy up. “Are you okay?” she asked.