One Man Band System

While silence still hung over the table, Julian finished off his coffee and stood up, prompting Eric and Emma to look up at him.

"I need to take off. For the time being, please be careful and that goes for your sister as well," Julian said.

"Understood, sir," Eric replied, unable to offer much else beyond a quick nod.

Julian left some cash on the table, bade them farewell, and walked out of the diner, leaving Eric and Emma alone with their racing thoughts. Eric pulled out his smartphone, unlocked his contacts, and dialed Joe directly.

"Hey kid, what’s up?" Joe asked, picking up after the second ring.

"Uncle Joe, do you happen to know anyone named Tony Malini?" Eric asked.

Joe went dead silent, causing a sudden pause on the line. Eric turned to glance at an anxious Emma beside him. Moments later,

"Where’d you hear that name?" Joe asked, his voice low and dead serious.

Eric laid out the entire situation to Joe, explaining everything that had transpired. Joe listened without interrupting or asking questions until Eric finished.

"I see. So your brother’s mixed up with that guy. Got it. My people are going to pick up your sister right now and bring her over here so she can stay with your dad," Joe said.

"Who is this guy really, Uncle Joe? I’m completely in the dark here," Eric asked.

"He’s not someone you mess with lightly. I don’t know the full extent of his reach, but what I do know is he works hand in hand with the government and deals with the military," Joe replied.

Hearing Joe’s words sent a chill down Eric’s spine. This Tony character was clearly no ordinary player, and Tony Malini likely wasn’t even his real name.

"Eric, you still there?" Joe asked.

"Still here, Uncle Joe. Sorry... I was just thinking," Eric answered.

"Don’t worry. The guy respects me. As long as I’m around, he won’t make a move," Joe said, reassuring Eric.

"Alright, Uncle Joe. Thanks again," Eric said.

"No need to thank me. Alright, I’ll send my crew to get your sister. Just give her a heads-up. My people have been keeping an eye on her, so they know exactly where she is," Joe replied.

"Will do, Uncle Joe," Eric replied.

The call ended. Without missing a beat, Eric texted Ruby, telling her to pack up and get ready for Joe’s guys to pick her up from Tania’s place. When Ruby replied a few minutes later, Eric finally let out a breath. He set his smartphone on the table with a heavy sigh. Emma, sitting right beside him, gently rubbed the back of his head.

"Take it easy, babe. You’ll get through this," Emma said.

"I know. It’s just... right when I’m finally moving forward with my life, getting my own office and actually living, another problem just has to come crashing in," Eric said.

"Hmm... that just means you’re being tested. Just hang in there. Besides, you’ve got me right here with you, always," Emma said with a soft chuckle.

"Haha... you’re right. But I don’t want you getting dragged into this mess. You heard it yourself—the kind of dangerous people my brother is mixed up with. I have no idea what’s going to happen next," Eric said.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"I mean... maybe for the time being, we shouldn’t live together. I’m going to tell the other girls the same thing," Eric answered.

Emma fell silent. She slipped her hand out of Eric’s and stopped rubbing his head, her expression shifting into deep thought. Eric turned to see the serious look on her face and immediately felt a pang of guilt. Still, he refused to let Emma and the others be put in harm’s way just because of his older brother’s mess. After a few moments, Emma turned back to look at Eric.

"No way. I’m staying right by your side, no matter what happens," Emma said.

"But... what if you get put in danger?" Eric asked.

"Your brother, Jason, isn’t targeting you, right? He’s after Ruby and your dad because of the inheritance. If you stay out of it, you won’t be in any danger either. But... I know for a fact you’re going to get involved because of your sister and your dad. So... I’ve decided I’m staying with you. We’ll get involved together," Emma answered.

Eric went quiet for a moment, simply staring at Emma. She looked completely unshakeable, utterly refusing to be sidelined from his life, even temporarily. He let out another heavy sigh.

"Alright. But the moment things get dangerous, I need you to step back," Eric said.

"Okay... understood," Emma replied cheerfully, wrapping her arms securely around Eric’s arm.

"Alright... let’s get going now," Eric said.

"Where to?" Emma asked.

"I want to pay someone a visit," Eric answered.

"Okay... I’m coming with you," Emma replied.

They stood up and headed to the cashier to pay for their food and drinks. Afterward, they stepped out of the diner and got into their car parked by the curb. Eric drove toward a hospital on the edge of town. Once they arrived, he parked the car, and they both got out and headed inside. They walked down the hospital hallway toward an inpatient room guarded by two police officers. After greeting the officers, Eric and Emma went inside.

Inside, they found Melissa and Norman deep in conversation. Both turned to see Eric and Emma.

"Mr. Eric, welcome," Norman greeted, standing up.

"Thank you, Officer Norman," Eric replied.

"Did you meet with Detective Julian?" Norman asked.

"I did," Eric answered.

Eric sat beside Norman while Emma took a seat next to Melissa and started chatting with her. Eric caught Norman up on everything, and Norman listened attentively, nodding along since he was already aware of the whole picture. Eric also mentioned that Ruby was currently being picked up by Joe’s crew to be placed in a hotel alongside their father, Martin.

"Alright, I understand. Your sister is definitely safer with Mr. Joe for the time being," Norman said.

"I thought so too. Has there been any progress on your end, sir?" Eric asked.

"Hmm... we’re still investigating, but... one name came up in the investigation," Norman answered.

"I talked to Vivian... she mentioned a name, and you know who it is," Melissa chimed in.

"Pardon me, Mrs. Melissa, but you’re not supposed to disclose details of our ongoing investigation," Norman cautioned.

"It’s fine, Officer Norman. Eric needs to know about this," Melissa said.

"Who is it?" Eric asked.

"You’d better read it for yourself," Melissa replied, handing over her smartphone.

Eric scrolled through the chat history between Melissa and Vivian, and what he read left him thoroughly stunned. During the year Vivian was cheating on him with Jason, Jason had taken her to all sorts of places, places Melissa, his official girlfriend, had never even been taken to. They were hotbeds for drug-fueled parties, orgies, and all kinds of twisted games. Vivian had been brought along twice by Jason and had even met the man running those parties.

When Eric read the name Vivian provided, his heart nearly stopped. The name written by Vivian was Ethan Reed, an elderly man likely in his sixties.

"Ethan Reed?" Eric asked.

"Yes... that’s what Vivian said," Melissa answered.

"But... that’s impossible. My dad is supposed to be dead. I even hold his death certificate, and Mr. Richard knows about it too," Eric replied.

"Richard Stone is involved as well, Mr. Eric. We’ve already looked into him," Norman interjected.

"What? So my dad... is still alive?" Eric asked, shocked.

"We don’t know for sure... but what is clear is that the name surfaced in the conversation between Mrs. Melissa and Vivian. You can see the text yourself. We’re still looking into it," Norman answered.

"I see," Eric muttered.

Eric fell completely silent, lost in thought, his hands clenching into fists on top of his thighs. Melissa and Emma watched him with anxious expressions, while Norman kept quiet, refraining from interrupting Eric while he was clearly absorbed in contemplation. The room suddenly turned deathly quiet and suffocating. But then, Emma stood up, walked over to Eric, and sat right beside him.

"Eric, there’s something I need to tell you, something my mom once mentioned to me about you," Emma said, her tone dead serious.

Eric turned to look at Emma. So did Melissa and Norman, who exchanged a quick glance with each other.

"What is it?" Eric asked.

"All this time... my mom and I have never talked about my dad and Kevin, right?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, that’s right... and I never really brought it up either, since I never saw a single photo of him around your house," Eric answered.

"Alright, then I’m going to tell you who my father really is," Emma said.

Emma paused for a moment, appearing to brace herself before speaking. Then, taking Eric’s hand, she held it tightly. Eric could feel her hand trembling and cold to the touch, it was painfully obvious she didn’t want to talk about this, but knew she had to.

"If you don’t want to say it, you don’t have to," Eric said, gently stroking her head.

"No... I have to tell you everything," Emma replied firmly.

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