Taken by the Mafia ✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 29

As the sun began to dip, casting a golden hue across the mansion, Jeff pulled into the driveway with a focused look, his mind still half on the encounter with Fort. But pushing the dark thoughts aside, he reminded himself of the task at hand. With a shopping bag in his hand, he approached the front door of the mansion, taking a deep breath before turning the knob. The door swung open, revealing the warm scene inside.

At the dining table, Aunty Mai, Perth, Santa, and Barcode were still sitting together, laughing and chatting as they wrapped up breakfast. Jeff's presence was quickly noticed by all of them. "Were you guys having a conversation?" Jeff greeted, his tone light as he stepped into the room.

Barcode, always quick with a response, nodded excitedly. "Yes, phi! We were just talking about Phi Santa’s dance."

Aunty Mai’s eyes shifted toward the shopping bag Jeff was holding, curiosity lighting up her face. "What’s that, Jeff?" she asked, her eyes darting to the bag in his hand.

Jeff smiled, placing the bag on the table before settling into a chair. "Well," he began, glancing at Santa and Barcode, "I figured you two might need this, especially considering how things are right now." His voice grew more serious, but the softness remained. "Bible and Pond gave us a suggestion yesterday about how to keep you two safer, so I picked something up."

Santa and Barcode exchanged glances, a mix of curiosity and uncertainty crossing their faces. Jeff slid the shopping bag toward them. "Go ahead, open it," he said, leaning back slightly, watching their reactions.

Santa reached out first, pulling the bag closer as Barcode leaned in. Together, they carefully removed the items from inside. Santa’s eyes widened, and Barcode’s face lit up with surprise as they revealed two brand-new phones.

"A phone?" Santa asked, turning it over in his hands, still a bit in disbelief.

Jeff nodded. "Yes, for both of you. It’s for your safety. After what’s happened, it’s dangerous for you to be without a way to contact us. If anything bad happens and Perth or I are gone, you can call us immediately."

Santa and Barcode both stared at the phones, the gravity of Jeff’s words sinking in. The thought of something going wrong weighed heavily on them, but this gesture felt like a layer of protection they didn’t know they needed. Santa looked up, his eyes meeting Jeff’s. "Phi, this is… thank you," he said, his voice soft but filled with gratitude.

Jeff smiled, though there was a protective edge to his expression as he looked between them. "I’ve already put my number into both phones," he explained. "Make sure you ask Perth for his number later too."

Barcode, who had been quiet, looked up at Jeff with wide eyes. "Thank you, phi Jeff," he echoed, his voice smaller but no less sincere.

Jeff’s gaze softened as he looked at the younger boys, then glanced at Perth, who was watching him with a knowing smile. Perth, understanding how much Jeff cared about the boys, reached over to pat Jeff’s shoulder in silent appreciation. They exchanged a glance that communicated everything without words—a shared responsibility to protect the ones they loved.

"Well," Perth said, breaking the silence, 'I’ll give you guys my number in a minute. But first, how do you feel about having these phones now?"

Barcode clutched his new phone tightly, clearly excited but also sensing the seriousness behind the gift. "I feel safer," he said quietly.

Santa smile at his brother’s words, turning to Jeff. "We’ll make sure to use them wisely, phi," he promised.

Jeff nodded in approval. "That’s all I ask," he said, standing up. "You two take care of each other, alright? No matter what."