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“What’s going on?” Robin asked.

“I don’t know, man, but we are having some prime-time entertainment.” Alex snickered at Snowy and Ken. Both of their faces turned the same shade of red.

As they started to bicker, Jun’s phone vibrated and chirped in his hand. His stomach bottomed out at the name on the screen. Covey.

“Who’s that?” Hal asked over his shoulder.

Jun lifted his phone for everyone to see, and everyone stopped talking.

He stared at Covey’s name, his hands clammy. Why would he be calling him?

“Don’t leave him hanging, dude. Pick it up,” urged Alex.

Jun sucked in all of his courage and pressed the answer button. “Hello?”

Covey’s voice came through bright and warm—the hosting voice, the TV voice. “Hey Connor! How are you doing?”

Jun’s throat tightened. “I’m great, sir.” Every word had to be careful. One slip—any mention of Snowy, the garage, the interrogation—and everything would unravel. “How are you? How was the taping?”

“Oh, it was fine… Hey, listen! What’s your schedule like tomorrow?”

Jun glanced back at the group for consultation, but he was only met with five pairs of anxious eyes. “I should be free. Why?”

“Perfect! I know it’s super last minute, but I need your help with something. Long story short—I’m throwing a party. And you know, since you were the one who saw me and the house in an embarrassing state.” Covey laughed, sounding uneasy. “So I’m just asking, not just as your boss but also as a friend… Can you lend me a hand tomorrow? I don’t really trust anyone else to help me.”

Covey’s sentences kept tripping over themselves—half-finished thoughts, nervous laughter, too many pauses. Jun’s skin prickled. This was the same scattered energy from the morning of the withdrawal. Just how much does Covey take every day?

Covey added, his tone soft, “I don’t want any of my assistants or usual house cleaners to find out...”

Jun started pacing without realizing it, weaving between the others. Alex sidestepped to let him pass. “I can come over. What time?”

From the corner of his eye, Alex signaled for him to slow down.

“Are you free tomorrow morning?”

“Yes. I should be.”

“Thank you so much, Connor! Actually, if you come early enough, we can have breakfast! I have way too much orange juice here.” He cleared his throat. “You can even ask me all about the information you need over our meal. That’s what you initially wanted, right?”

Jun stopped pacing. He forgot how to breathe. Covey hadn’t forgotten their deal. The answers Jun had been starving for—about Ruki, about why the drug existed, maybe even about Sunny—could be sitting across a breakfast table tomorrow morning. He made a mental note to ask Matt for the YouTube link later. “Yes sir. I’ve been researching—”

Covey made a stammering sound. “Ah! Save it for tomorrow! We got all day!” He made a satisfied sigh. “Anyway! You’re a real lifesaver, Connor. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’ll see you tomorrow!”

When he hung up, Robin asked, “Was that Covey?”

“Yes,” Jun answered.

“What did he want?” Robin demanded.

Jun furrowed his brow at their sudden edge in their tone. “He wants me to help him with the party.”

Snowy scrunched back in surprise. “Why does he want you?”

“What exactly did he want you to help him with?” Robin pressed.

Jun tried to frame it in a way that wouldn’t alarm anyone. “I’m not entirely sure. But he mentioned setting up and cleaning.”

“The way I see it,” Alex chimed in, “it’s just another way to get in by making good use of our chauffeur.”