Chasing Shadows

Chapter Fifty-Two: A Replacement.

The cold night air hit Ethan like a wall as he stepped out of the diner, his breaths coming fast and shallow as he tried to steady himself. The world around him felt surreal, distorted. Neon lights from nearby storefronts blurred together, their vibrant colors bleeding into the darkness. Everything was too bright, too loud, and yet strangely muted.

Asher brought in a new sidekick.

Ethan’s heart hammered against his ribs, each beat a painful reminder of the harsh reality he was now forced to face. He stumbled to a halt just outside the diner, leaning against the brick wall as if it were the only thing keeping him upright. His head swam, his thoughts a chaotic tangle of confusion and betrayal.

“Ethan!” Jonah’s voice echoed through the night, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. He glanced over his shoulder to see Jonah jogging after him, his expression twisted with concern. “Ethan, wait!”

Ethan shook his head, his chest tightening as he struggled to speak. “I—I can’t… I just need a minute.”

Jonah slowed to a stop a few feet away, giving Ethan some space. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, his brow furrowed as he studied his friend’s tense posture. “Look, I know this is a shock, but… but you need to breathe, okay? Just… take a second.”

Ethan closed his eyes, focusing on the steady rhythm of his breathing. In and out, in and out. But it didn’t help. Nothing did. The image of Callum’s smiling face, of Asher’s proud grin, kept flashing in his mind, taunting him.

Is that it, then? Ethan thought bitterly. Am I just… being replaced?

It didn’t make sense. He hadn’t been perfect—he knew that—but he hadn’t expected Asher to just… move on without him. A new sidekick meant new dynamics, new bonds. It meant—

“I’m not good enough,” Ethan whispered, the words slipping out before he could stop them. He glanced up at Jonah, his eyes wide and filled with a raw, unfiltered hurt. “Is that what this is? Asher thinks I’m not good enough anymore?”

Jonah’s face softened, and he took a cautious step closer. “Ethan, no, that’s not it. You’re more than good enough. You know that.”

“Then why…?” Ethan trailed off, shaking his head as he struggled to make sense of everything. “Why would he do this? Why would he bring in someone new?”

Jonah sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know, man. Maybe he thought we needed the extra help. Maybe he thought a fresh face would shake things up a bit. I don’t think it’s about you.”

Ethan let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow and strained. “Yeah, right. It’s always about me, Jonah. I’ve been so out of it lately, screwing up missions, zoning out. I get it. I’m a liability.”

“Hey, stop that.” Jonah’s voice was firm, almost scolding. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them. “You’re not a liability. You’re just… going through something. And Asher doesn’t know about it because you won’t talk to him.”

“I can’t talk to him,” Ethan snapped, his frustration bubbling over. He pushed away from the wall, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. “How am I supposed to explain all this? ‘Hey, Asher, I’m a mess because I’m in love with the guy we’re supposed to be hunting down’? He’d think I’d lost it.”

Jonah’s gaze softened with sympathy. “You’re not in love with him, Ethan. You’re just—”

“I am!” Ethan’s voice cracked, the confession ringing out like a gunshot in the empty street. He stopped pacing, his shoulders slumping as the weight of the truth finally settled in. “I am, Jonah. I didn’t realize it until… until he was gone. And now I can’t stop thinking about him. And I can’t find him. And now—”