Chapter 12

Ethan stepped off the plane, rolling his shoulders to loosen the stiffness from the flight. Winter break had been refreshing, but now it was time to get back to the grind. As he settled back into his dorm, he opened the folded piece of paper his mother had given him before he left. On it was a name and a phone number: Tiffany Morgan.

He called the number later that evening, curious about the woman his parents trusted to teach him some very specialized skills. The phone rang twice before a smooth, confident voice answered.

“This is Tiffany.”

“Tiffany Morgan? My name is Ethan Carter. My parents, Daniel and Evelyn Carter, told me to reach out to you.”

There was a pause, then a soft chuckle. “Well, well, well. I was wondering when they’d cash in on that favor. Alright, Ethan. If you’re their kid, then you must be worth my time. Let’s meet tomorrow. There’s a café on University Avenue. Be there at noon.”

The next day, Ethan arrived at the café and found a woman in her late forties, dressed stylishly but inconspicuously. Tiffany Morgan exuded confidence, her sharp blue eyes assessing him like a seasoned predator.

“You remind me of your mother when she arrested me,” she said with a smirk. “Let’s get started.”

For the next 4 months, Ethan’s world expanded in ways he hadn’t expected. Tiffany was a master of deception, teaching him the subtle art of body language, both reading it and manipulating it, how to forge official documents so precisely that they could pass all but the most thorough inspections, and the mechanics of picking even the most secure locks. She drilled him relentlessly on social engineering, showing him how to read people, gain their trust, and extract information effortlessly. His

“It’s not about what you say, it’s how you say it,” she told him one afternoon as they sat in a library studying fake IDs. “Confidence sells the lie. People believe what they expect to be true. Learn to feed them what they want to see.”

She took him to art museums, and taught him culture, and class. It reminded him a TV series he’d watched, something about collars and the FBI.

Ethan practiced everything she taught him, picking locks blindfolded until he could do it in seconds and memorizing official document structures to recreate them flawlessly. Tiffany was impressed by how fast he learned, but Ethan knew it was just another piece of his training—another tool in his arsenal.

Meanwhile, his academic life was keeping him busy. Mandarin and Farsi were challenging, but his knack for languages gave him an edge. Chemistry, however, demanded more of his time, forcing him to pull long hours in the lab and at his desk. Despite the packed schedule, he made sure to carve out time for Patricia.

At first, their relationship remained strong. They went on dates—dinners at their favorite restaurant, late-night walks across campus, and quiet evenings in his dorm watching movies. But as the semester wore on, Ethan found himself overwhelmed with studying, training, and coursework. The dates became fewer, and even if he was in bed with her every night, the evenings he spent holed up in the library grew longer.

Patricia, feeling neglected, started going out more with her friends. At first, Ethan didn’t think much of it. She deserved to have fun, and he trusted her. But as the weeks passed, he noticed subtle changes—her texts became sporadic, her patience thinner, there was the smell of alcohol and smoke around her and there was a new distance between them.

One night, she came to his dorm after a party, her breath heavy with alcohol and her eyes glossy. “You never have time for me anymore,” she murmured, leaning against him. “You’re always studying or off doing ... whatever it is you do. I feel like I don’t even matter.”

Ethan sighed, rubbing his temples. “Patricia, you know how important this is. My coursework isn’t something I can slack on. I thought you understood that.”

“I did!” she snapped, stepping away. “But I didn’t think it meant I’d have to schedule time just to see my boyfriend!”

The argument fizzled into an uneasy silence, but Ethan could feel her slipping away. Over the next few weeks, her partying escalated. She started skipping class, drinking more, and staying out late. Then, the inevitable happened.

One night, Ethan received a text from a mutual friend. You should probably talk to Patricia.

His stomach sank as he made his way to her dorm. When she opened the door, he saw it in her eyes—the guilt, the regret, the shame.

“Ethan ... I screwed up,” she whispered.

His jaw clenched. “Who?”

She hesitated before muttering, “It doesn’t matter. It was just a mistake. I was drunk, and I—”

He stepped back, his face unreadable. “You cheated on me, Patricia. That’s not just a mistake. That’s a choice.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she reached for him, but he stepped out of her grasp. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I—”

“You already did,” he said coldly. Before she could say anything, he turned and walked away, the sting of betrayal settling in his chest...

A few days later, he knocked on her door. As she opened it a great sense of sadness overtook him. “Patricia, I’ve tried to get over this, but I just can’t get it out of my head. I know you were lonely, but I wish you’d have said something earlier. I could have figured something out. You were important to me.”
She couldn’t look him in the eye as she replied. “Ethan, I don’t know what happened. I knew you were busy, but I just felt so alone. It’s no excuse though. I guess this is it then.”
He looked at her, remembering all the fun they’d had together before he nodded. “Yeah. I’m sorry Patricia, but I just don’t see how I can trust you after that. Things are only going to get harder from here.”

“I know.”

“Goodbye Patricia. I hope things get better.”

...

A few weeks later he heard she had dropped out and was heading home to get her life together. Before she left, she sought him out one last time.

“I just ... I wanted to say I’m sorry once more. For everything. I lost control, and I hurt you.”

Ethan studied her for a long moment before nodding. “I hope you get things figured out, Patricia. Take care of yourself.”

She left with tears in her eyes, and though part of him wished things had gone differently, he knew he couldn’t allow that kind of chaos in his life.

With his heart hardened and his focus renewed, Ethan turned his attention back to his training, his studies, and the future ahead...

Ethan sat at a corner table in the student lounge, flipping through his chemistry notes when Keith and Kevin dropped into the chairs across from him. Keith grinned. “Dude, you look like you could use a break. You in for a spring break trip?”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Depends. Where are we talking?”

“Cozumel, Mexico,” Kevin said, leaning forward. “Sun, sand, and some much-needed relaxation. Anna and Julie are coming with us, and we figured you might want in.”

Ethan chuckled. “So, I’d be the odd man out? Third-wheeling it? Sounds fun.”

Keith shook his head. “Not if you bring someone. C’mon, man, you’ve gotta have someone in mind.”

Ethan leaned back, rubbing his chin. He did have someone in mind. “There’s this girl in my math class, Allia. She’s cool. I might ask her.”

“There you go!” Kevin smirked. “Problem solved.”

The next day after class, Ethan caught up with Allia outside the lecture hall. “Hey, got a second?”

She smiled. “Sure, what’s up?”

“Some friends and I are heading to Cozumel for spring break. I was wondering if you’d like to come.”

Allia tilted her head, a playful smile forming. “That sounds like fun. But, actually, can I ask if my friend Simone can come too? We’ve been wanting to do a trip together.”

Ethan hesitated for a moment. He hadn’t expected that. “Uh, yeah, I don’t see why not. I’ll check with the others, but it should be fine.”

“Great!” Allia said, excitement flashing in her eyes. “I’ll let her know.”

After confirming with the group that Simone could join, Ethan called his dad to check in and discuss his travel plans. His father answered on the third ring.

“Hey, son. How’s school?”

“Going well,” Ethan said. “Listen, I wanted to run something by you. A few friends and I are heading to Cozumel for spring break. Figured I’d let you know.”

His dad was silent for a moment before he replied, “Sounds like a good time. Just be careful. You know how things can get in places like that.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ll keep my head on straight,” Ethan assured him.

His father sighed, then shifted gears. “And Patricia?”

Ethan exhaled sharply. “We broke up. Things weren’t working out.”

“I see.” His dad’s tone held a hint of sympathy. “You okay?”

“Yeah. She changed a lot, started partying too much. Ended up cheating on me. I had to walk away.”

His father made a sound of disapproval. “I’m sorry, son. You deserve better than that.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“So, Mexico, huh?” his father asked, lightening the mood. “Gonna fly yourself down there?”

Ethan chuckled. “Not yet, but that actually brings me to another thing. I want to get a plane. Something reliable with good range.”

His father hummed in thought. “You’re serious about this?”

“Yeah. Flying’s something I really enjoy, and I want the ability to take my friends places without relying on commercial flights. I’m planning to keep learning. My instructor says if I keep working hard I can get my jet rating by the end of next year. After that is mainly just getting type rated for different planes. I’m not interested in getting my instructors ticket, and that just leaves my ATP, basically a commercial license so I can charge people.”

“You know, that might be a good certification to get. Planes are expensive and might be a good way to help pay for it. I once talked to a figher pilot that owned his own plane. He said a plane is like a boat. It’s a hole you keep sinking money into, just in the air instead of in the water.”

Ethan thought about it and it was a good idea. “Yeah, that might be the way to go. That would probably take till I graduate, but still...”

“Well, let me talk with your mother. We’ll see about making it happen.”

Ethan grinned. “Thanks, Dad.”

“No promises yet, but we’ll discuss it. Now, you study hard and enjoy your trip.”

“Will do.”

Spring break arrived quickly. The group boarded their flight, eager for sun and adventure. Ethan sat next to Allia, with Simone on the other side. Both women were chatty and fun, and he found himself enjoying their company more than he had anticipated. He hadn’t expected it, but there was an easy chemistry between the three of them.

Ethan and his friends arrived in Cozumel late Friday afternoon, stepping out of the humid air-conditioned airport and into the sun-drenched streets. They quickly caught a taxi to their hotel, chatting excitedly about their plans for the week. Upon check-in, Ethan found that his room adjoined with Allia and Simone’s, while Keith and Kevin were placed one floor down with their girlfriends. The arrangement seemed convenient enough, but Ethan couldn’t help but wonder how things would unfold with Allia and Simone so close.

After settling into their rooms and taking a quick shower, the group met downstairs at the hotel restaurant for dinner. Over plates of fresh seafood and chilled margaritas, they discussed their plans for the trip.

“I’ve always wanted to learn to scuba dive,” Ethan announced. “This seems like the perfect opportunity.”

Allia and Simone exchanged glances before turning to Ethan. “That actually sounds amazing,” Allia said. “I’ve always wanted to try, too.”

Simone nodded. “Same. We’re in.”

Meanwhile, Keith had his own plans. “Kevin and I are thinking of renting a sailboat for a couple of days. Figured we could split the cost and just enjoy being out on the water.”

With their plans set, the group finished dinner and turned in early, eager to start their adventures the next day.

The scuba diving certification course started early Saturday morning. Ethan, Allia, and Simone sat through a classroom session, learning the basics of underwater breathing, pressure effects, and equipment handling. Ethan tried his best to focus, but the distraction of the girls’ barely-there bikinis made concentrating nearly impossible. It wasn’t just the sight of them; it was the way they knew exactly what they were doing to him—stretching their arms in just the right way, adjusting their bikinis more than necessary, and giving him teasing smiles whenever they caught his gaze wandering.

By midday, they were in the shallow training pool, practicing their breathing techniques and emergency drills. The close proximity to Allia and Simone only made Ethan’s struggle worse. Their playful nature meant they found every opportunity to graze against him in the water, giggling every time he had to re-center himself.

“You okay there, Ethan?” Simone asked with an innocent smile, pressing just a little too close as they practiced mask removal drills.