Ethan Storm’s Dark Awakening

8

Chapter 8: The Gatekeeper and the Favor

Two guards flanked Dana and Eric instantly.

“You’ll regret this!” Dana yelled as she was pulled away. “This isn’t over! I’ll make calls—you’ll see!”

But no one paid attention anymore.

The crowd parted to let Ethan and Rosanna through, now in complete silence.

As Dana and Eric were escorted out of the building, Rosanna’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

She leaned toward Dana, her voice laced with a malicious sweetness. “Don’t forget to kneel, Dana. Wouldn’t want to miss that part, I’m sure it will be a lovely sight.”

Dana’s face twisted in fury, her lips trembling as she bit back the urge to scream. But the humiliation was too much.

She clenched her fists, her breath coming in sharp, angry bursts. “Eric, fix this! NOW!” she demanded, her voice tinged with desperation.

Eric, equally humiliated, pulled out his phone with a sharp motion, the frustration evident in his eyes. He called his boss, Will Port, one of the few who still considered him a valuable asset.

Will Port was a major shareholder with 5% of Secret Company’s stock.

As the phone rang, Dana paced behind him, muttering to herself about how everything had gone wrong.

“Boss, it’s Eric.” Eric said when the call connected, “You need to help us out here. I’m with Dana Scott and we’ve been blocked at the gate. You need to help us out here. You know what this means for the collaboration.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and when Will spoke again, it was with a cool, dismissive tone. “Eric, don’t waste my time. You know I’ve got a lot on my plate, but fine, I’ll look into it. Hold tight.”

The line went dead. Eric stared at his phone, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. Will wasn’t exactly the type to drop everything for personal favors, but he knew that the mysterious boss of the company would appear today and the mysterious boss had always been very interested in Dana, and Eric had a good relationship with Dana.

Eric’s eyes tracked Captain Tanaka as he emerged from the building, walking briskly back toward the entrance. The captain’s stiff posture softened only slightly when he noticed Eric. The tension in the air was palpable.

With a half-smirk, Eric approached him, his voice low but filled with quiet triumph. “I think we’ve been treated unfairly. We should be allowed in,” he said, his tone carrying a note of command.

The captain’s brow furrowed, clearly confused by Dana and Eric’s sudden reappearance. “What are you doing here?” His voice was stern, but there was an edge of uncertainty. “I thought you two were supposed to be escorted out?”

Eric straightened, pulling out his phone as he spoke. “I just got word from Will Port,” he said, voice oozing confidence. “He says we’re allowed to go in.”

At the mention of Will Port’s name, Tanaka’s expression faltered. Will was one of the largest shareholders, and his influence was undeniable.

Even Tanaka couldn’t disregard that.

Before Tanaka could respond, his phone buzzed. Without saying a word, he muttered a curse under his breath and quickly picked up. After a few moments of silence, the unmistakable voice of Will Port echoed through the receiver.

“Tanaka,” Will said, his tone curt. “Let Eric and Dana back in. They’re with me now. Don’t make this difficult.”

Tanaka stood still for a long moment, his jaw clenched. He was clearly not pleased, but there was little room for negotiation when it came to Will Port’s orders. Reluctantly, he nodded to Eric and Dana.

“Fine,” he said, his voice laced with begrudging respect. “But know this—only because I’ve been ordered to.”

Eric nodded curtly, his chest swelling with pride as he motioned for Dana to follow him inside. The two strode past the gate, their confidence restored, while Captain Tanaka remained standing, watching them with a mixture of disdain and resignation.

Inside, Ethan and Rosanna had just arrived at their designated table when they were greeted with an unexpected sight. Dana and Eric, who should have been long gone, were walking toward them, their expressions as smug as ever. Rosanna blinked, confused, while Dana beamed with a victorious smile.

Rosanna’s eyes narrowed as she met Dana’s gaze. “How did you two get in here? You were just kicked out,” she said, her voice dripping with disbelief.

Dana held her chin high, her smile arrogant. “I have a little more pull than you think. Eric here is a senior manager at Secret Company, and his boss owns 5% of the stock. Not everyone is impressed by fake badges,” she said, throwing a sly glance at Ethan.

Ethan’s gaze remained fixed, unreadable, but Rosanna couldn’t help but feel a flicker of unease.

She wanted to respond, but she knew Dana was only gloating. The situation was about to get even more interesting.

With a sneer, Rosanna finally spoke, her voice cool and cutting. “Even if you’re here, it won’t matter. You won’t get the cooperation opportunity you’re hoping for. Not anymore.”

Dana’s smile faltered, but she quickly regained her composure, firing back, “You think you’re the only one with connections, Rosanna? Eric’s boss is a lot more powerful than Ethan’s broken badge, and I’ll bet you anything that badge of his was stolen.

Once that gets exposed, both of you will be thrown out.”

The air between them crackled with tension as the host, oblivious to the growing animosity, prepared to begin the dinner event.

The host cleared his throat, and the lights dimmed, signaling the beginning of the evening. The atmosphere was thick, but for now, the show was about to start.