Chapter 302: To SFE

Chapter 302: To SFE

Miller

The suffocating pressure hit the room before I could even process Gerald Lincoln’s welcoming smile.

Suddenly, the oxygen vanished from my lungs.

The air in the office turned thick, heavy, and freezing cold, carrying an overwhelming, dark scent that could only belong to a dominant Enigma. It smelled like crushed charcoal and ozone, an oppressive wall of pure pheromones that crashed down directly onto my chest.

I gasped, my throat tightening as I tried to force air into my lungs, but my airway felt completely blocked. My knees went instantly weak, trembling so violently against the floorboards that I almost collapsed right then and there.

Before my legs could give out completely, a solid hand caught my elbow.

Leo was staring down at me, his fingers anchoring deep into my arm to keep me upright. "Are you alright?" he murmured, his voice tight.

I shook my head, my vision spotting with black. But the exact second I thought I was going to drop, the crushing weight vanished into thin air.

The suffocating aura dissolved in a blink, leaving the room perfectly normal again.

I slumped slightly against Leo, drawing in a massive, ragged breath as my lungs finally unlocked. The relief made my shoulders go slack, the adrenaline slowly draining out of my system as I stabilized my footing.

Behind the grand desk, Gerald Lincoln chuckled softly, tapping his cane once against the floor.

"I apologize, boys," the old man said calmly, gesturing toward a plush red velvet couch against the wall. "Consider that a necessary little screening test. Now I’ve officially figured out which one of you is the Enigma."

I kept my hand tightly locked with Leo’s as we crossed the room, our feet sinking into the thick carpet. We took our seats on the red couch, sitting close together while the President moved to lean against the edge of his massive mahogany desk, watching us with a sort of interest.

"So, Leo Ackerman, correct?" Gerald started, leaning his chin over his stacked hands on the cane. "Are you by any chance related to Lucas Ackerman?"

The moment that name left the old man’s mouth, a violent tremor ran straight through Leo’s frame.

I felt the physical jolt skip through his hand into mine. I looked over at him and watched the color instantly drain from his face. His free hand slowly balled into a tight, white-knuckled fist against his thigh, the fabric of his trousers wrinkling under the force of his grip.

He didn’t look at Gerald. He just slowly shook his head, his jaw locked tight. "I used to know a man by that name. Not anymore."

Gerald gave him a long, questioning look, his sharp eyes lingering on the tight line of Leo’s mouth, but he didn’t press the issue.

"I won’t force you to say anything you aren’t comfortable sharing," Gerald said, his tone shifting into something more diplomatic. "But I am genuinely glad that both of you are here. Even though you aren’t permanent citizens and are only visiting under the temporary Couples Treaty, it’s a pleasure to have you. How have you found our island so far?"

I glanced at Leo, expecting him to handle the pleasantries, but he was completely checked out. He just sat there staring at the floorboards, heaving a deep, silent sigh while his fingers remained clenched.

Realizing the silence was stretching on for too long, I quickly forced a polite smile and spoke up on his behalf. "We find the island incredibly interesting so far, Mr. President. It’s honestly amazing what you’ve managed to build here—creating an entire hidden world for everyone behind those trees."

Gerald smiled warmly, clearly pleased by the compliment. "It took decades of careful planning and execution, young man. But at the very least, we managed to build a sanctuary far away from the reach of the angry global councils—the ones who spend their lives drafting oppressive rules and restrictions against Enigmas. Having our own independent community here is a crucial step toward our survival, and eventually, we hope the outside world will learn to accept us for who we are."

Leo shifted slightly beside me at the mention of the council, but his lips stayed glued shut.

"I must have offended you earlier when I brought up Lucas," Gerald added gently, his eyes softening as he looked back at Leo. "I sincerely apologize for that. I simply noticed the striking family resemblance between the two of you right away. It is completely fine if you don’t want to talk about him or your past; it was wrong of me to ask right after your arrival."

Leo didn’t respond, his gaze still fixed on his own shoes.

I reached over, subtly nudging his shoulder with mine to bring him back to reality.

"It’s fine," Leo finally muttered, his voice rough and devoid of any real emotion.

"Excellent. In that case, welcome to SFE," Gerald said, his demeanor returning to business. "Now, for a few ground rules. Your standard cell phones and mobile devices will not work within the city limits. SFE is a highly confidential, off-the-grid island, so all outside communication devices must be turned over and confiscated by our security detail before you check into your private villa."

He chuckled lightly, though there was a serious edge to his words. "The absolute last thing we want is the international government or the council discovering our coordinates. They are paranoid; they would instantly assume we are building an army to take them and the world down. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We just want a peaceful, unbothered existence for the Enigmas who have nowhere else to go."

"We understand," I replied, nodding in agreement. "Thank you for letting us stay here. It’s a privilege."

Gerald acknowledged the words by striking the rubber tip of his cane firmly against the ground. "I am just the administrative head here, not your personal trainer. A specialized coach will be assigned to you by tomorrow morning to guide your progression and growth throughout the duration of the treaty. I truly hope you make the absolute best of your time here. And since you two happen to be special guests sponsored by Anderson and Nico, I will be keeping a very close eye on your progress."

At the mention of his uncle and cousin, Leo finally snapped his head up, his eyes locking onto the old man. But he still didn’t say a word. I just felt his shoulders slump slightly against me, the defensive posture deflating into sheer exhaustion.

"I hope you enjoy your stay," Gerald informed us, slowly standing up straight and leaning heavily against his cane to signal the end of the meeting.

"A welcome karaoke festival is being hosted tonight in the city center for all the new arrivals and special guests. Do come out, mingle, and see the true spirit of SFE. Have a wonderful stay, boys."

Leo and I stood up from the velvet couch, lowering our heads in a respectful bow before turning toward the massive black doors. The guards pulled them open smoothly, allowing us to step back out into the quiet hallway.

As we walked down the long, red-carpeted corridor, the silence between us became entirely too loud. I couldn’t just keep it inside and pretend everything was perfectly normal; I was sick of being kept in the dark regarding the things that clearly tore him apart. I stopped walking abruptly, grabbing Leo by the forearm and pulling him back against the mahogany-paneled wall.

"Are you alright, Leo?" I demanded, looking directly into his guarded eyes. "Is everything okay? Is this really all because of Lucas Ackerman?"

Leo’s brow furrowed into a deep, defensive frown at the mention of the name, his entire face darkening. "Never mention that dead man in front of me again," he warned sharply.

His voice was laced with venom, but beneath the anger, I could hear the distinct, fragile crack of old wounds. He didn’t mean the hostility toward me, he was just terrified of the ghost Gerald had pulled out of the closet.

I didn’t flinch. I just nodded in response, letting him know I understood the boundary.

"Whenever you are ready to tell me about it, I will be right here waiting," I told him softly. I reached up, cupping the side of his face with my warm hand, forcing him to look at me. "But please, Leo... don’t let a ghost ruin our experience here on this island. Don’t let him take this away from us."

Leo stared at me for a long beat, the tension slowly bleeding out of his jaw under the touch of my palm. He gave a small, resolute nod. "I’d be deadass if I let that bastard destroy the only bit of happiness I have left in my life."

"There you are, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Reid," Fati’s voice suddenly echoed from around the corner.

I gently let my hand drop from Leo’s face, stepping back a casual inch as I turned toward her.

"Please follow me," she said gently, offering a polite nod. "We are all set to transport you to the private villa where you will be residing for the duration of your stay."

Leo and I kept quiet as we followed her down the grand marble staircase and back through the massive foyer. But once we stepped through the front entrance, the rugged buggy cars from before were completely gone.

In their place sat a massive white stretch limousine parked right at the foot of the circular driveway, its tinted windows gleaming under the estate lights.

Fati stepped forward, holding the rear door open for us. "Please, right this way."

Leo stared at the luxury vehicle for a second, the heavy, brooding cloud over his head vanishing as his usual sarcastic smirk found its way back onto his face. He stepped up to the vehicle, sliding into the leather interior with an dramatic sigh.

"Oh, okay, it seems this island might actually be exactly what I want," he said loudly, casting a playful, wicked grin back at me over his shoulder. He threw his arms up against the limousine’s ceiling. "To SFE! Let’s have an amazing fucking time together, Miller."

Seeing him snap back into his usual energetic self made a massive grin break across my own face.

I scrambled into the limousine right beside him, slamming the door shut.

"Let’s do this!" I shouted back, laughing as the limo pulled smoothly into the neon-lit night.