Jay POV
School had finally ended.
The sun was already leaning toward evening, painting the streets in warm orange light. Students poured out of the gates like a noisy river. Laughter, complaints about homework, plans for snacks after school. The usual chaos.
I walked beside the Section E boys.
Felix and Ci-N were arguing about something ridiculous.
"I'm telling you the teacher gave you extra marks because you begged," Ci-N said.
Felix scoffed loudly. "Excuse me? My intelligence is natural."
Ci-n laughed. "Natural stupidity maybe."
"Say that again."
"Stupi—"
"Fight! Fight!" Rory shouted dramatically.
David sighed. "You guys argue every single day."
Keifer walked beside me, quiet again but not sick-looking anymore. He still looked a little tired though.
I glanced at him.
"You feeling better?"
"A bit."
"Only a bit?"
"Your nursing skills saved me," he said with a small smile.
I rolled my eyes.
"Don't exaggerate."
He leaned closer.
"I'm serious."
Before I could respond, my phone vibrated in my hand.
Buzz.
A message.
My eyebrows tightened.
I opened it.
The message was short.
Cold.
LEVEL14.EXE:
You survived the first warning.
Let's see how long that luck lasts.
My steps slowed.
Another message appeared.
LEVEL14.EXE:
Tick… tick… Luna Byte.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
So they were back.
Whoever was behind Level14.exe wasn't done.
Good.
Because neither was I.
I began typing quickly.
If they were contacting me directly, maybe I could trace the number or trigger something.
My thumb hovered over the screen.
Just one more line and—
Suddenly—
A strong hand grabbed my waist and yanked me backward.
"Jay!"
My body jerked away from the street.
My phone slipped from my hand.
It fell to the road.
"Hey—!"
Before I could grab it—
VROOOOM!
A car sped past.
CRUNCH.
The tire rolled right over my phone.
The sound made my eye twitch.
The car kept going like nothing happened.
For a second everyone froze.
Then Yuri shouted.
"WOAH!"
Ci-N pointed at the road.
"Your phone just died a heroic death!"
I looked down at the crushed device lying on the asphalt.
Screen shattered.
Frame bent.
Completely destroyed.
Slowly…
I turned to the person still holding my waist .
Keifer.
He looked serious.
"You almost got hit."
I blinked.
Then glanced at the road again.
The car that passed was fast.
Very fast.
…Yeah.
That would've hurt.
I sighed quietly.
"I was watching."
"You weren't."
"You pulled me too hard."
"You were standing in the road typing."
Yuri crossed his arms.
"Yeah, we all saw that."
Felix nodded.
"You would've become a pancake."
Rory added dramatically, "A tragic student road accident!"
I rubbed my forehead.
"I'm fine."
Then I pointed at the road.
"But my phone isn't."
Keifer walked over to the middle of the street.
Cars slowed slightly as he bent down and picked up the destroyed device.
He returned and handed it to me.
The screen looked like shattered glass ice.
Yuri leaned closer.
"Yeah… that phone is gone."
Ci-N whistled.
"RIP."
I examined it quietly.
Inside though…
I was annoyed.
Not because of the phone.
Because the message was gone.
I was so close to tracing it.
Keifer noticed my expression.
"Who were you texting?"
I slipped the broken phone into my pocket.
"It's nothing."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"That didn't look like nothing."
"I said it's nothing."
Yuri looked between us.
"Oh ho."
Felix smirked.
"Secret messages?"
"Maybe a love confession."
I sighed.
"You people watch too many dramas."
But I had already made my decision.
I needed another phone.
Now.
I looked at Keifer.
"Give me your phone."
He raised an eyebrow but handed it over anyway.
"Why?"
I dialed a number.
The call connected.
"Hello?" Hannah's calm voice answered.
"Hannah, bring the motorbike."
"Right now?"
"Yes."
"Location?"
"School gate."
"Understood."
The call ended.
I handed the phone back to Keifer.
"What was that about?" he asked.
"You'll see."
About ten minutes later…
A familiar motorbike pulled up beside us.
But it wasn't Hannah riding it.
Nathan removed the helmet.
"Delivery service."
I frowned slightly.
"Where's Hannah?"
Nathan shrugged.
"She had to deliver something to Mr. Gonzales."
Of course.
That sounded like her.
"Fine."
I pointed at the bike.
"Get down."
Nathan blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Off the bike."
"Oh."
He quickly stepped aside.
The boys watched with curiosity.
I grabbed the helmet from the handle and put it on.
Yuri leaned forward.
"Wait… wait… wait…"
"Where are you going?" Ci-N asked.
I climbed onto the bike.
"To buy a new phone."
Keifer stepped closer.
"I can take you."
I shook my head.
"You should rest."
"I'm not dying."
"Still."
Felix raised his hand.
"We can come too."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I said no."
Rory laughed.
"Boss mode activated."
Keifer studied me carefully.
"You're hiding something."
I started the bike engine.
VROOOOM.
"Go home."
Yuri shouted over the engine.
"At least tell us where the shop is!"
"City center."
Ci-N raised his fist dramatically.
"Bring snacks!"
"Shut up."
Keifer stepped closer one last time.
His voice lowered.
"Jay."
I paused.
"What?"
"…Be careful."
For a second our eyes met through the helmet visor.
Then I smiled slightly.
"Always."
I twisted the throttle.
The bike shot forward.
Wind rushing past me.
The school gate shrinking behind.
My mind focused on only one thing.
LEVEL14.EXE
You sent another threat.
Bad move.
Because now…
I was coming to find you.
And when I did…
The game would end.
The road stretched ahead as the city lights began to glow.
Somewhere out there…
Someone thought they could scare Luna Byte.
I sped faster.
Let's see who was really hunting who.
End of Chapter. 🏍️🔥