(Twisted Fates) The Phantom

Chapter 5: A Second Look

Miller Enterprises
8:08AM

Luke, still haunted by the events of the previous night, made his way to Miller Enterprises. The morning sun cast long shadows on the city as he entered the familiar building, his mind a swirl of questions and uncertainties.

Inside, the employees bustled about, seemingly unaware of the turmoil within Luke. He took a deep breath, attempting to compose himself as he approached his workspace.

As he focused on his tasks, a voice interrupted his concentration. "Luke! Long time no see, bro!"

Luke turned around in his chair.

"John?! What brings you here?" Luke exclaimed, a genuine smile breaking through the weight of recent events.

John grinned.

"Just thought I'd swing by, see how my brother is doing in the corporate world. Still the same old Luke, buried in paperwork, huh?"

Luke chuckled, "You know it. What about you? How's life treating you?"

John's expression shifted, his eyes carrying a hint of seriousness.

"It's been okay. Got a few things on my mind, actually. Can we grab a coffee or something? I could use your advice."

The Coffee Shop
2:45 PM

As they made their way to a nearby coffee shop, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped them. They settled into a corner booth.

"So, spill it, John. What's on your mind?"

Luke asked, sipping his coffee.

With a hint of reluctance, John admitted to Luke,

"I'm in deep with Shen-Tek. Some bad decisions, you know? I've got debts to pay, and it's getting worse."

Luke's expression became one of concern. "John, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

John sighed.

"I didn't want to burden you. But I'm running out of options, and Shen-Tek isn't the forgiving type."

Brian, with a wry smile, chimed in,

"Shen-Tek, the underground kingpin himself. This just got a whole lot more interesting."

John, puzzled, turned to Luke.

"Did you invite him, Luke?"

"No, I didn't."

Luke replied, exchanging a glance with Brian.

Brian, setting down his coffee mug, leaned in.

"Well, looks like fate brought us all together. Let's figure this out, shall we?"

As they sat around the table, John joked.

"Sure, why not. Takes a criminal to know one."

Brian, with a hint of offense, added.

"John, I'm not like that, and you know it. I made some minor mistakes in the past, but never criminal."

Luke, sensing the tension, intervened,

"Let's focus on solving the immediate issue. We can figure out the details later."

"Well here's what I know. His ring is located in West Baltimore and it opens at 10:30 every night but Sunday. It's a real discrete location though, I had some trouble finding it once upon a time. I never betted on fights unlike our friend here though." Brian said with a smile.