WHO AM I

CRACKS IN THE ARMOR

As the dust settled from Renzo and Zara’s exit, an awkward silence filled the warehouse. Lila stood there, her mind still spinning from everything that had just happened. Noah’s hand found its way to her shoulder, squeezing gently. But Phillip? He was already rummaging through his pockets, fishing out a piece of gum as if saving their lives had been just another Tuesday.

“Okay, spill it,” Noah finally said, his voice thick with frustration. “What’s your game, Phillip? Why did you really help us?”

Phillip looked up, casually popping the gum into his mouth. “Game? What game? Maybe I just enjoy making life a little more interesting.”

“Interesting?!” Lila’s voice rose, her patience wearing thin. “You almost got us killed!”

Phillip chuckled, leaning against a crate. “Relax, sweetheart. If I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t be standing here. Besides, didn’t I just bail you out?”

Lila opened her mouth to argue, but Noah stepped in. “Enough, Phillip. We’ve had it with your cryptic nonsense. Why are you even here?”

Phillip sighed dramatically, as if he were indulging them. “Fine, fine. You want the truth? I have a... let’s call it an ‘investment’ in this little mess. Renzo’s been stepping on the wrong toes, and I’ve got a vested interest in making sure his empire crumbles.”

“Great, now we’re your pawns,” Lila muttered.

Phillip winked. “Ah, but you’re the best kind of pawns. The ones who don’t even know how valuable they are.”

Before either of them could fire back, a familiar voice called out from the doorway. “Am I interrupting?”

Lila turned to see Cathy, flanked by Jasper, both looking slightly winded as if they’d been sprinting. Cathy’s eyes flickered over Phillip suspiciously.

“Phillip?” Cathy asked, her tone incredulous. “You’re still alive?”

Phillip raised a brow, clearly amused. “Charmed, as always.”

Jasper, however, didn’t seem to share Cathy’s sentiment. “What’s he doing here?” Jasper asked Noah, his voice low with suspicion.

“Saving our necks, apparently,” Noah replied, although he didn’t sound any happier about it than Jasper did.

Cathy folded her arms, eyeing Phillip with that ‘I-don’t-trust-you’ look that she was so good at. “Right. Because you’re the picture of selflessness.”

Phillip clutched his chest dramatically. “Ouch, Cathy. You wound me.”

Cathy rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Can we just get out of here? This place is giving me the creeps.”

“I second that,” Jasper added, glancing around uneasily. “Something about warehouses at night, man. It’s never good news.”

Lila sighed, feeling exhaustion catch up with her. “Yeah, let’s just go.”

As they all started heading toward the exit, Phillip’s voice cut through the darkness again. “By the way, Noah,” he called out, sounding almost too casual, “you might want to check in with your dear friend, Renzo. Things are about to get... messy.”

Noah paused, turning slowly. “What do you mean?”

Phillip’s grin was almost predatory. “Let’s just say Renzo isn’t quite done with you yet.”

Noah’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he took Lila’s hand, and they continued walking into the cool night air, the tension from Phillip’s words settling like a storm cloud over them.

As they reached Cathy’s car, Lila glanced back at the warehouse one last time. “You think Phillip’s telling the truth?”

Noah frowned, his gaze hard. “I don’t know. But I do know one thing—whatever’s coming, we need to be ready.”