I was home for the holidays, driving my American-made SUV to a blind date. My date, Isabelle Jones, and her best friend, Sophia, were already there when I pulled up to the restaurant. They were draped in designer labels, dressed to the nines. Seeing my simple clothes, Sophia immediately curled her lip in disdain. “Izzy, your date looks like he just walked off a construction site.” “Look at his cheap suit, probably doesn’t have two nickels to rub together.” Izzy, far from stopping her friend, just sneered. “Tell me about it. In this day and age, who drives an American car? It’s embarrassing.” I didn’t react, just offered a slight smile. My voice was even. “Ladies, ever heard of ‘The Sentinel’?” 1 Had they not been so rude, I wouldn’t have bothered with them. I’d just come home for a rare visit, and my mom, Mrs. Albright, insisted I go on this blind date. She’d said the girl came from a good family and was beautiful. I sized up the woman across from me. Beautiful, yes. But clearly, she wasn’t impressed with me. “It’s just a domestic car; why give it some fancy name? Trying to sound cultured?” Sophia scoffed. “Look at you, so broke you probably can’t even afford this meal. I don’t know why your mom even let you come to a blind date.” “Just get out of my sight. I’m not interested.” I almost thought I misheard her. I’d just sat down, and she was already telling me to leave? They were making a fool of me! I’d driven all this way, hadn’t even had a sip of water, and was already being insulted repeatedly. My patience evaporated. “You must be Isabelle Jones, the blind date Mrs. Albright set me up with, right?” “I haven’t even introduced myself, and you’re already writing me off, telling me to leave.” “Are you two, by any chance, running a scam?” The moment I spoke, Izzy’s face darkened. Her expression strongly suggested I’d hit a nerve. Her eyes darted around, her words stumbling. “A… a scam? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “Blind dates are a mutual agreement. It’s perfectly normal for me not to be interested when you’re so poor.” “Did you think just because you came to meet me, I’m obligated to be with you? Take a good look in the mirror, buddy.” The more she spoke, the more agitated she became, almost spitting on me. I couldn’t believe this was the “sweet-natured and gentle” woman my mom had described. “Alright, alright, I’m a pauper, and you’re a princess. Happy now?” “Then could the princess please return the envelope my mother gave you?” “My mom specifically told me before I left that if the date didn’t work out, I had to get the money back.” Truth be told, my mom hadn’t said any such thing. I just couldn’t stand them. As soon as I finished, Sophia immediately stepped forward. “Ethan Stone, right? I’ve seen your profile. You’ve been out of town since high school, and there’s no record of what you actually do.” “We’ve been sitting here waiting for you all this time, why wouldn't we keep this fee?” “You’ve seen us, you’ve had your drink. Now you want the money back? You’re dreaming.” Hearing Sophia, I was stunned. Was this some kind of model friend? So openly demanding money. Were they here to make a quick buck, or for a blind date? My mom had painstakingly saved up fifteen hundred dollars, and after just meeting them, without even having a proper conversation, it was gone? “So, by your logic, you two are making a lot more than most working girls.” The words were barely out of my mouth before Izzy and Sophia exploded in rage. “Ethan Stone! What is that supposed to mean? Are you calling us prostitutes?!” I just curved my lips into a slight smile. My silence said everything. Seeing me not speak for a long moment, Izzy and Sophia grew desperate. “Ethan Stone! I’m telling you, if you don’t apologize to us right now, I guarantee you won’t be walking out that door!” “Exactly! A poor bumpkin like you, trying to hit above your weight class? Take a look at yourself!” “The money is rightfully ours! We’re not giving it back. If you know what’s good for you, get lost.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at their words. “You keep calling me a pauper, but why don’t you hand over the money then?” “I should take back what I said earlier. Given your behavior, you two are probably worse than even those who hustle for a living.” “At least they put in the effort. You two, on the other hand, are just outright robbing people, aren’t you?!” Then, I casually ticked off my fingers. One blind date, and you pocketed fifteen hundred bucks just for showing up. For those naive enough, you might even get a free meal. This was quite the business. Quicker than hitting a jackpot. Izzy and Sophia were rendered speechless, frozen in place. As the old saying goes, it takes a scoundrel to handle scoundrels. And today, I’d be that scoundrel. 2 “You can’t out-argue me, and you don’t dare lay a hand on me. I suggest you just return the money.” “Two young ladies, why not do something worthwhile instead of trying to scam people? Are you doing your parents proud?” “I have things to do. Hand over the money now, or I’ll call the police.” At the mention of the police, Izzy and Sophia instantly panicked. “No, please, don’t call the police! Your money isn’t with us.” “What?!” “Then where is my money?” I remembered clearly watching my mom hand the envelope to them. “The money… it went up the chain.” Izzy was visibly intimidated by my presence, meek and subservient. Just as I’d suspected, my mom had indeed been swindled. What kind of blind date required a fifteen-hundred-dollar introductory fee? It was clearly a setup to fleece people. Yet, my mom, bless her heart, had actually believed them. “Who did you give the money to?” I narrowed my eyes, my voice devoid of emotion. “To Rex.” Rex? Who the hell was that? But from the name, it sounded like some kind of gangster. “Is this ‘Rex’ you speak of your boss?” Izzy nodded, her eyes filled with reverence. “Yes, Rex is Detroit’s top organized crime boss. We’re just peripheral members, trying to make a living under him.” I almost choked on my water hearing Izzy. “In this day and age, someone still dares to call himself a mob boss? Is he out of his mind?” My comment seemed to push Izzy’s buttons. “Don’t you dare insult Rex! He’s my idol!” Huh? I thought my ears were failing me again. Were young people’s values really this twisted now? Taking a gang leader as an idol. Probably watched too many mob flicks as kids. “Alright, since my money is with this ‘Rex,’ I’ll let you two off for now.” Izzy and Sophia were about to slip away when I abruptly changed my tone, adding, “Call your boss. Tell him to bring my money over here.” “That’s my mom’s hard-earned money. I’m getting it back today.” The moment my words registered, they both froze in shock. “Are you out of your mind?!” Izzy stared at me, wide-eyed. “You want to demand money from Rex? You’re trying to get yourself killed!” “He’s a big shot with connections that run deeper than anyone. He could crush you with a single finger.” I stretched, a slow, deliberate movement. “Who Rex is, has nothing to do with me.” “Right now, I just want my mom’s money back. Understand?” Sophia also stepped forward. “Ethan Stone, I advise you to drop this. If you cross Rex, not even the police can save you.” “In all of Detroit, I’ve never seen anyone get money back from Rex.” I waved my hand dismissively, pulling out my encrypted satellite phone and handing it to them. “Stop dragging your feet. Call him now.” 3 Izzy and Sophia exchanged glances, then tremblingly took the phone. “You’re making us call him. If anything happens to you later, it’s not our fault.” I nodded. Izzy cautiously dialed the number. The moment the call connected, I snatched the phone. “Hello, you must be Rex.” “I hear your people took fifteen hundred dollars from me.” “You have twenty minutes to get to this restaurant. One second late, and you’ll regret it.” Without waiting for a reply, I hung up. My actions left Izzy’s mouth agape. “You… you actually dared to speak to Rex like that? You’re practically asking to die!” “If Rex really shows up, you won’t even have time to regret it.” I casually settled onto the sofa, peeling an orange as if nothing were happening. “Good, I was afraid he wouldn't show up.” I’d been stationed with my unit for years, rarely coming home. If I hadn’t earned a Silver Star in the All-Forces Combat Trials, my General wouldn’t have personally granted me leave to visit family. I’d probably still be in training right now. “Ethan Stone, when Rex gets here, don’t you dare tell him we called him.” “Rex has a short fuse. If you upset him, all three of us are screwed.” Just the mention of Rex made Izzy’s attitude do a complete 180. It reminded me of when I first met her. It seemed people really shouldn’t be too low-key. Being low-key just made you an easy target. If they hadn’t run into me today, who knew how many more people would have fallen victim to their scam? The thought fueled my sense of justice. When I left the unit, the General had repeatedly warned me not to get into conflicts with civilians. But I believed that a true soldier steps in when they see injustice. I was sure my superiors would understand. Time ticked by. With less than fifteen seconds left on the clock, Rex finally arrived. A dozen brand-new Rolls-Royce Ghosts pulled up, parking perfectly in front of the restaurant. A bald, middle-aged man led the way inside, followed by a throng of black-suited bodyguards. From a distance, it was quite intimidating. Before I could speak, Izzy and Sophia rushed forward. “Rex, this is the guy who called you just now!” “He even said he’d trash your restaurant if you didn’t show up!” “Sophia and I are just girls, we couldn’t stop him, so we had no choice but to call you for help!” It truly took a wicked woman to spin a tale like that. Izzy’s skill at embellishment was truly masterful. But it didn't matter. Even if she talked until her throat was raw, I was getting that money back today. Rex glanced at me from the corner of his eye, then swaggered over. “You’re Ethan Stone?” I didn’t even raise my head, just gave a slight nod. “That’s right, that’s me.” “I hear my people said you threatened to trash my place?” I looked at my blind date, who was now preening behind Rex, and my lips curled up unconsciously. “While those words weren’t mine, I can tell you… that’s precisely what I had in mind.” “You’ve got a lot of nerve!” The moment I finished, the line of black-suited bodyguards behind Rex instantly surrounded me. I quickly calculated: I could probably take them all out in three minutes. Unfortunately, due to my special status, I couldn’t directly engage. Rex, thinking I was intimidated, looked at me with an arrogant smirk. “What? You were so brave on the phone, weren’t you?” “Now you’re too scared to even utter a word?” 4 I poured myself a cup of tea, took a sip, and cleared my throat. “You’re Rex, right? Your people took fifteen hundred dollars from me. When do you plan on returning it?” As I spoke, the men behind Rex burst into raucous laughter. “Kid, you must have a death wish, trying to shake down our Boss Rex!” “You haven’t done your homework, have you? In all of Detroit, who dares to talk to Rex like that?” “I suggest you get down on your knees and apologize to Rex, unless you want to get roughed up.” I raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh? What if I insist on having that money back?” Even Rex probably hadn’t expected me to challenge him so openly in front of so many people. His face slowly twisted into a sneer. “Alright! I like people who are stubborn like you.” “You want your money? Fine, you can have it.” “But whether you live to collect it, that’s up to you.” With that, he waved his hand, and his men surged towards me. But they threw a dozen punches, yet couldn’t even graze my clothes. I moved effortlessly among them, occasionally offering a mocking comment. Rex stood on the sidelines, his face livid with rage. “What good are you people?! You can’t even lay a hand on one guy?! Get him! Finish him!” But no matter how he shouted, his subordinates couldn’t touch me. Just then, Izzy, thinking herself clever, stepped forward. She pointed at the Sentinel parked outside, a malicious smirk on her face. “Rex, did you see that domestic car at the entrance? That’s what Ethan Stone drove.” “He likes to dodge, doesn’t he? Why don’t we just smash his car instead?” Rex’s eyes immediately lit up. “Everyone, stop trying to grab him! Follow me! We’re smashing his car!” At his command, everyone rushed towards the parking lot. Each man grabbed a crowbar, and they began to savagely assault my SUV. They smashed it for a good fifteen minutes, but it only suffered minor paint damage; the body itself was perfectly fine. “Damn it! Fine, I can’t catch the guy, but why is smashing a car so damn difficult?!” “Boss, this car is too tough! We’ve been hitting it forever, and it’s not reacting!” I stood with my hands in my pockets, shouting at them. “Hey, are you guys even trying? You’ve been at it for ages, and it’s still not broken!” My taunt instantly ignited Rex’s fury. He snatched a crowbar from one of his men and swung it fiercely a few times. There was a loud clang, and the crowbar flew ten feet away. Rex clutched his hands, his face contorted in pain. “Goddammit! How is this car so tough?!” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Rex, my car isn’t just tough. It’s also bulletproof.” With that, I pulled out my military-grade satellite phone and dialed a secure number. “General, your car just got trashed.” “What did you say?!” A roar erupted from the other end of the line. I briefly explained the situation, the chain of events. Even through the phone, I could feel the General’s fury. “Specialist Stone, report your position immediately!” He barked the order directly into the phone. I hung up and leisurely walked over to Rex, patting his shoulder lightly. “Rex, I think it’s necessary to inform you. That car you just smashed, its name is ‘The Sentinel’.” But to my surprise, Rex didn’t back down; he became even more arrogant. “I don’t give a damn what it’s called! I’m going to smash it to pieces today!” Just then, Izzy screamed. “Look!” Everyone turned their heads. A dozen military Hummers, bearing distinctive red markings, were steadily approaching.
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