Lisa curled one corner of her mouth and shot a glance at the silent right side of the room, then went on. "This dinner isn't just a welcome-back—it's our battle briefing. Eat up and drink up. We're taking Greenhaven Mountain!" "Take Greenhaven Mountain!" "Take Greenhaven Mountain!" As they chanted, the folks who'd been quiet on the right finally joined in, though their faces still showed they weren't exactly thrilled. Lisa acted like she didn't notice the cool section, lifted her glass of red wine with practiced ease, swirled it, and called out loud, "Dig in!" Immediately, people started tucking into the food. The left-side crowd ate and gossiped with gusto. "Man, I'm pumped! When was the last time we had a real break? If Ms. Eland says a year off after this, count me in!" "From what she said, the stash in the Hillside Villa District is even bigger than we thought!" "Does that make it harder to take?" "Hah! Those pampered rich folks don't know how to work—they're just fat and soft. How hard can it be?" "Exactly! And anyway, ever since Grayhound Sect started, we haven't failed a job yet!" Someone rapped the other on the head. "Don't get cocky. That's all thanks to our smart leader!" He raised his glass and shouted, "True! Can't argue with that, hahahaha!"Lisa's ears picked up the loud praise; she ate with a pleased smile. Who doesn't like being flattered? Sincere or not, it didn't matter—what mattered was that people were lining up behind her. She glanced again at the subdued right side, popped another bite in her mouth, and sighed with satisfaction. It's easy to slip from frugality into splurging. After gnawing on Whitney's dry grains for days, her taste buds were numb. Now with a hot meal in front of her, it felt like heaven. Sure, the food was plain without much seasoning or oil, but in this world, a warm, cooked meal is a luxury. Joe, though, didn't look nearly as pleased; he stirred the quinoa in his bowl without eating, staring off into space like he was somewhere else. Lisa noticed and, still chewing, asked casually, "Thinking about Whitney again?" Joe blinked back and hesitated a few seconds before saying, "No." Lisa looked down at the seats and murmured, "Stop daydreaming. If I have to, I can spare her life—bring her back so she can play with you." Joe's face fell. He looked at Lisa carefully and said softly, "Mom, I don't want her just as a playmate. Please don't make her come with us, okay?" Lisa's expression hardened into disappointment. "Have I ever taught you to be soft?" Joe kept stirring his rice. "But Whitney's a good person." Lisa scoffed, uninterested. "Since when are rich people good people?" Joe stared at her. "Mom, we're rich now too." Her surprise turned into annoyance. After a couple of seconds, she continued, "Yes, we're rich—because we turned into bad people." Joe puckered his lips and went quiet. Lisa watched him for a moment, helpless, then said, "Fine. Even if she's good, when have I ever taught you that being good gets you spared?" She spoke slowly and steadily. "Remember—anyone blocking our way, good or bad, has to be removed." Joe's face set stubbornly. "Whitney isn't blocking us." Lisa set down her utensils and snapped, "She's from Greenhaven Mountain. We're attacking Greenhaven Mountain. You understand?" Their talk was low, so the crowd downstairs couldn't hear. Still, a few noticed Lisa put down her utensils and glanced over with some curiosity. Lisa drew a breath, picked up her utensils again, and ate like nothing had happened. But Joe kept sulking, his displeasure obvious. Lisa looked at the silver bracelet on his wrist and felt a prick of irritation. After a moment, she relented. "Okay. Once we secure Greenhaven Mountain, I'll let your Whitney stay there. We won't kick her out or hurt her. Satisfied?" Joe's face brightened right away. "Thanks, Mom!" Lisa glanced at the crowd out of habit and tapped his head with a fork. "Keep your voice down." Then she added, "But that bodyguard she has? No way he stays."