"She''s in her room," Caroline replied. "Probably on the phone with her friend or ying one of those games of hers."


    Noah nodded.


    "So, when are we going, Dad?"


    David nced at the time on his watch and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Should we just go now?"


    Noah shrugged casually. "Your choice."


    David turned to Caroline, raising an eyebrow. "What do you think, honey? Should we head out now?"


    Caroline nodded a soft smile on her lips. "Let''s go now. There won''t be much traffic, and it''s so early, the dealerships will probably not be crowded."


    David nodded, as made his decision. "Alright, then. Let''s get going."


    Noah stood up, stretching a little. "I''ll go tell Emily to get ready."


    Fifteen minutester, the family gathered near the door, all ready to leave.


    "Do you guys have everything?" David asked, his eyes flicking between Noah and Emily.


    Noah gave a brief nod. Emily, on the other hand, was practically bouncing on her feet.


    "Yes, Dad!" she eximed.


    "Alright, let''s go," David said, opening the door and stepping outside with the rest of them.


    They had already booked an Uber, which was waiting just outside their house.


    Their first stop was a Volkswagen dealership, as it was the closest to their home. The car ride was filled with their chatter, with Emily always initiating conversations.


    "I hope we get one of those cool cars with the big screens," she said, her eyes sparkling. "And it has to have lots of space in the back for snacks!"


    David chuckled, shaking his head. "I''m not buying a car just for snacks, Emily."


    "Yeah," Noah teased, "that''s what the glovepartment''s for."


    Emily gasped dramatically, pretending to be offended. "Noah, snacks are important! You can''t just shove them in any random box,"


    **


    As they stepped out, a salesperson approached them, a friendly smile stered across their face.


    "Wee to Volkswagen! How can I help you folks today?" the salesperson asked, their gaze shifting between the three.


    David took a step forward, smiling politely. "We''re looking for an SUV. Somethingfortable, andrge in space."


    The salesperson nodded enthusiastically. "You''vee to the right ce. Let me show you some of our most popr models. Follow me."


    Emily couldn''t contain her awe as they walked through the rows of cars. "Wow, look at this one, Dad! It''s shiny, and it has a big trunk! Perfect for snacks."


    David gave her a yful nudge.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Don''t worry, we will find one that''s more perfect for snacks."


    "This here," the salesperson said with a grin, motioning to arge SUV, "is our brand-new Volkswagen Tiguan. It''s one of the top choices for families and businesses."


    David leaned in slightly, listening as the salesperson rattled off the specifications.


    "It''s equipped with a 2.0L TSI engine, delivering 184 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It contains a spacious interior to your liking, a 10-inch digital cockpit, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with built-in navigation and Apple Cary, you can y music, broadcasts, or anything you like."


    "Safety features include adaptive cruise control,ne-keeping assist, and emergency braking. Plus, it''s got plenty of cargo space, perfect for family trips andrge bags or... snacks," the salesperson added, winking at Emily with a grin.


    Emily beamed, giving the salesperson a nod of approval and a thumbs up.


    "What''s the price?" David asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "For this particr model, the price is $33,500," the salesperson replied, his voice confident.


    David nodded, ncing at Noah and Caroline for their input. "What do you guys think?"


    Noah crossed his arms, his gaze briefly scanning the Tiguan before he responded. "In terms of price-to-functionality, you probably won''t find one like this at the other dealerships. They tend to be more expensive. The specs here are solid—good engine power, safety features, and interior tech. If you''re not too concerned about brand fame or sporty aesthetics, this is one of the best options you''ll find, Dad."


    David nodded, processing the information as he nced at Caroline. "What about you, honey?"


    Caroline gave the car a closer look, nodding slowly. "It''s a nice car, and it seems reliable. If you like it, I''d say let''s go for it."


    Emily piped up enthusiastically, pointing at the car. "Yes! Let''s get this one, Dad! It seems like it has good horsepower," She pped her hands in excitement.


    ''I don''t even know what horsepower is, I just want him to get it because of therge cargo for my snacks, hehe,'' Emily thought.


    David chuckled, leaning down to ruffle Emily''s hair. "Alright, since Emily likes it, I guess the decision''s made."


    Straightening up, he turned to the salesperson. "We''ll take this one."


    The salesperson''s smile widened. "Great! What colour would you like? We currently have ck and grey avable for immediate collection, but if you''re interested in other colours, we''d need to ce an order."


    David looked at Caroline, who gave him an approving nod. "Let''s go with grey," he said confidently.


    "Excellent choice," the salesperson said, already writing down notes on a clipboard. "If you coulde with me to the desk, we''ll handle the paperwork and finalize the arrangements."


    "Sure," David said, gesturing for Noah and Caroline to follow as he walked toward the dealership''s office.


    Emily skipped along happily, already imagining all the snacks she was going to pack for their first trip in the new car.


    At the desk, the salesperson led David through the paperwork. He exined the financing options, warranty details, and additional services like maintenance packages.


    An hourter, with everything signed and settled, the keys to their brand-new Volkswagen Tiguan were handed over to David. The family gathered around the SUV, Emily hopping with excitement.


    As they drove off in their new ride, David nced in the rearview mirror, a proud smile on his face. "I think this was a good choice."


    Caroline patted his hand. "It definitely was."


    Noah smirked from the passenger seat, ncing back at Emily. "So, how many snacks are we talking about for the first trip?"


    Emily grinned. "All of them!" she dered, making everyone burst intoughter.


    **


    Noah smirked from the passenger seat, ncing back at Emily. "So, how many snacks are we talking about for the first trip?"


    Emily grinned, her eyes sparkling. "All of them!" she dered with the enthusiasm only a child could muster.


    The family burst intoughter, the mood light and joyful as they drove toward their next destination.


    **


    "We should stock up on groceries while we''re at it," David said, ncing back at Noah. "Can you get a Costco membership as we drive there?"


    "Sure, Dad," Noah replied, pulling out his phone and navigating to the Costco website.


    Within minutes, he had signed up for a membership and received a confirmation email. "All set," he said, holding up his phone.


    Soon, they arrived at Costco. The massive warehouse bustled with activity, shoppers pushing carts piled high with goods.


    Inside, they moved through the aisles, loading up on everything from fresh fruits to cleaning supplies. Emily took charge of the snack aisle, her small hands quickly tossing her favourites—chips, choctes, and gummy bears into the cart.


    "Emily, this isn''t a toy store," Caroline said,ughing as she put a few items back.


    "But Mom, it''s for the first trip!" Emily protested with a pout, making Noah chuckle.


    "Let her have her fun," David said, winking at Emily as he ced one of her rejected snack packs back in the cart.


    After a couple of hours, they left Costco with a cart full of groceries. David opened the trunk of their new car, carefully arranging the bags as Noah handed him items one by one.


    "Alright, let''s head back home," David said, closing the trunk with a satisfied smile.


    **


    Back at the house, Noah helped carry the bags inside before ncing at the time on his phone. "Congrattions again on the car, Dad," he said, smiling warmly.


    "Thanks, son," David replied, giving Noah a firm pat on the back. "It''s a good day for the family."


    Noah nodded. "It is. I''ll see you allter—I have something to take care of."


    David and Caroline exchanged a curious nce but didn''t press further, and Noah left the house, stepping into the Uber he had called earlier.


    As the car drove out of the neighbourhood. A certain name and face flickered in Noah''s mind.


    "Time to talk to Ghost," he muttered, a grin spreading across his face. "Or rather, Franklin Clinton."


    **


    The Uber soon pulled up near a curb.


    "Thank you," Noah said with a polite smile, stepping out and ncing around the neighbourhood.


    The streets were clean and the people seemed to be posh around the area.


    Noah''s thoughts churned.


    ''No wonder Franklin had enough money to throw $20,000 at Tyrell and his goons without breaking a sweat. But, I still don''t understand his motive. Why would he do all of that,''


    He adjusted his hood, tugging it down just enough to shadow his face.


    ''Time to meet...Ghost,''