Encumbered from the slog of Swampwater in his system, Denny was slow to get up from the torn, blue couch outside of Beta Psi. He first checked for his phone, wallet, and tugboat keys, grateful that they were still in his pocket after last night. The time was around 8:00 AM, as many songbirds hummed and students slept. It was good for Denny, that no Beta Psi frat guys had to drive him out of the house themselves.

He shut his phone off, seeing that the battery was low, after calling his mom and telling her that he was alright. Denny made sure to apologize for being irresponsible again, and he was truthfully dismayed that he returned to his foolish drinking habits. While en route to the marina, Aurelia's voice wasn't as disappointed as he thought it would be. Still, she'd always been the more apologetic parent of the two.

After hanging up and telling Aurelia that he'd be home soon, Denny let out a sigh of relief once he saw the tugboat was still stationed beside the dock. Sure, he'd put a cable lock on the bowline as well as locking the cabin door, but you could never tell with New Orleans nights.

At least pa won't kill me again, Denny thought, trekking slowly into the tugboat and the cabin.

A half-hour passed since Denny was riding the Mississippi back to Westwego, feeling the warm air renew his sluggishness. Even his sailing was fine, with the wind remorseful for his sorry night by easing its fervor. He also wanted to conserve fuel in the engine, so that it was handy for Martin & Sons. Hopefully, all of these small things would calm Louis's mind for the coming week.

But that soon fell through, as Denny's phone beeped just moments before he saw Martin & Sons on land.

We got a problem, said Freddie in the anonymous group chat. Somebody wants ta meet.

Whadda we do, Denny? Caroline added with a frowning face emoji. I'm so worried!

What Denny got from that was that someone knew about the suppliers of the special mixed drink, other than the guys at Beta Psi. He could tell by Freddie's vague but wary tone, informing Caroline about the matter too. Denny stopped the tugboat for a moment, pondering what he should say next.

If anything, he needed more out of Freddie before Denny could decide.

How do ya know dis? Denny replied in the chat, aimed at Freddie.

Some weird Tulane kid, Freddie responded, was at our party last night. Says to Charlie he wants to talk to the guy in dis photo...

Following that text, Freddie sent a picture of none other than Denny himself, snoozing away on Beta Psi's couch.

Any idea what idiot is in dis photo, Denny? Freddie added, bringing more salt to the wound that formed in Denny's skin.

Silent, Denny cursed at himself, thinking he may have told this kid something that he couldn't remember last night. If he did, and the kid knew about the business, Denny was thoroughly screwed. But there was no way he could've done something that stupid, even if he was drunk! Still, the photo served as no reliable evidence against Denny, as the kegs were hidden in Beta Psi where no outsider could find them.

What then, was this kid's motive for talking to Denny?

I made a mistake, Denny tried to say in the chat, knowing that Freddie and Caroline would be disappointed. I'll meet this kid as soon as I can to clear things up.

It's better if all three of us do! Caroline objected. We'll make sure to intimidate the little guy so that he never bothers us again!

That was it; Denny watched as the fangs came out of this girl, who for some reason seemed more concerned than Freddie. After all, Freddie was the one who brought it up, yet his other texts after that weren't as serious as the one Caroline sent. Denny wondered if Freddie's goal was to show Denny that he screwed up and that working underneath him and following his orders was the better idea. While spiting Freddie, Denny realized he underestimated his guile all this time.

The kid wants ta meet in Tulane's library, Freddie finished. 3 o'clock dis afternoon. Don't miss it.

That was the end of their conversation, as Denny looked at his phone's clock before it abruptly died on him. It was now 8:45, plenty of time for Denny to wash up and prepare for the meeting. He docked the tugboat a few minutes later at Martin & Sons, which was closed for the day, unlocking the rusty shed that kept his bike inside. Taking a whiff of the salty smell of fish inside, Denny tried to calm his thoughts so as not to dwell on the photo too much.

But somebody knows! Denny said to himself, biking up River through a quiet, autumn landscape. And on our first weekend of da business. This is exactly why I tried to quit drinking!

Look what good that did me...

Yet again, Denny had succumbed to the voices, the constant ringing in his ears and gulping of his throat. He wanted to believe it was something in the Swampwater Special that Caroline concocted, with a unique ingredient that drove Denny over the edge.

Aargh! It's all that woman's fault! She's like a poison to the mind!

Denny arrived at the ranch just before 10, albeit riding at a slower pace than usual. He could hear Louis in the garage, the clamoring of hammer and nails. He was carrying a large anchor board out of the perch, sensing Denny while climbing up their stepladder to the tarped roof. It seemed their roof was in dire need of re-tarping, probably due to wear from the rain. After reassuring his pa that everything was alright, Denny asked Louis if he could help him with the re-tarping after a shower.

"Not wit' that look on yer face," said Louis with a brooding pair of eyes. "You'd only be slowin' me down."

Denny recognized pa's minor look of disappointment. Even though everything returned and remained in one piece, Denny made a rash decision last night, resulting in his hangover. He only uttered a weak "Okay pa" and waltzed into the ranch, where he was greeted by Percy and Manny debating with their mother that they didn't feel like doing their math homework.

Tired and droopy, Denny walked past the three while Aurelia made sure that breakfast would be waiting for him once he came back out. He kissed her on the forehead, told the younger brothers to do their homework, and situated the pile of clothes in his closet for a nice, long shower.

I can't believe how grateful I am for a simple shower, Denny realized as he shut the bathroom door and turned the nozzle on. Damn you, Ida.

As he contemplated under the heavy water, Denny took Caroline's words to heart, or her threatening text. In the end, she was too extreme but certainly right, as he had to find a way to drive the Tulane student out of their business. No matter what happened, Denny would make sure that this kid knew what he was getting into, one way or another.

***

3 o'clock came faster than expected, with Denny feeling refreshed for the library meeting. Since the Saints game against Tampa Bay was on later today, he was able to use that excuse to watch it with Carter in Metairie. With Louis absorbed in restoring the tarped roof, and his mother occupied with Percy and Manny, Denny was able to slip out again without much refusal. He paced himself better than this morning, leaving the marina by 2:15, and getting to the other side of the Mississippi by 2:45.

Taking the walk down Broadway, Denny's mind was racing, more than it had ever been during these past few months. Everything on the street seemed different, like a car's headlights being brighter, as well as the colors of various houses mixing into his mind and creating an illusion. This illusion was that he was walking into a trap, a trap that Freddie, Caroline, and this kid all set up themselves to get rid of Denny.

He'd thought of it in the shower, the possibility that Freddie and Caroline knew about the image beforehand. Maybe this kid was actually acting on his own, but still could've been used by the couple as a means of throwing Denny off the ship. As he crossed the intersection of St. Charles and Broadway, he stopped by a tall moss tree to take a deep breath. Beyond him were two large, pale-tan brick sculptures with oval-shaped inlets in the middle. They were guarding Newcomb Blvd, which was home to many grandiose houses and spacious lawns.

From his phone's GPS, taking Newcomb would lead him straight to Howard Tilton Memorial Library, the library he was asked to show up at.

Something...smells...so nice...

Instead of heading down Newcomb straight away, Denny's nose led him to an oval inlet, where there was a black, clay vase sitting inside it, with a batch of white flowers arranged inside the vase. He figured there was no harm in taking a small whiff.

No, something did happen once he stopped to smell the flowers. He felt so...spirited! It was as if everything about this encounter he feared was numbed, not taking into account an old lady walking her dog who passed him by. As Denny entered Newcomb, avoiding the lady's puzzled expression, he was not afraid of losing to Freddie and Caroline any longer. Whatever happened next, he'd face it head-on.

Many more passersby saw Denny, parading the street like a lost, happy puppy. He didn't care about them, feeling the breeze from the wind, going back to when he was sailing across the Mississippi. Still, there were some old-style homes that caught his eye, some with fascinating architecture, and others with pastel-like colors that gave Denny a warm sensation. He kept observing these homes until he arrived on Freret Street, just a few blocks away from the library. Going a few more blocks down Freret would lead him to Loyola, where the street was considered the "border" between the two rival universities.

Anyhow, Denny then saw Howard Tilton in the distance, a large, modern-white building with many glass windows. He wasn't sure where he'd meet with everyone inside, or even how he was going to enter the library as a non-student. Peering at the time again, which was 2:55 PM, he shifted back to a more alert state, knowing that it was coming soon. Something was...

"Denny!" A voice called out to him, from the underside of the front library exterior.

He turned, seeing Caroline walking up to him by herself. Wearing a baby-blue striped tee and jean shorts, her expression seemed awfully ecstatic to see him here. There was little worry in her eyes, as she had no idea about the reality of their situation.

"Yer finally here!" she exclaimed, grabbing hold of his palms and shaking them. "Come on, Freddie an' Mason are waiting inside."

"Mason?" Denny asked. "Is that-"

"Yup, the weird kid we talked about before," Caroline affirmed, dragging Denny's hand to the library entrance. "You'll be surprised once ya see him for yerself. Seems like he wants ta talk to you more than us, which kinda hurts my feelings!"

Why's he so interested in me? Denny wondered. I just transport the stuff, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Wait, how'd you two get inside?" he asked her as they walked into Audubon Place, a small square with a few cherry blossom shrubs in the center. "Don't ya need student IDs or whatever?"

"You really don't know anythin' about dis college, don'chu?" Caroline remarked with a giggle. "The library lets anyone in before 7:30. That's why it's a good spot for us to meet at."

With that cleared up, Denny followed Caroline into the library, where there were dozens of tan bookshelves, white walls, and orange, fluorescent lights all around. The main lobby was full of Tulane students, each fixated on their own work on this Sunday afternoon. None of them cared for what was going on now, with an assortment of noise coming from what Denny noted as the "Learning Commons." Caroline took him to a set of elevators next to the bathrooms, where they waited for one to arrive momentarily.

Soon they got on by themselves, with Caroline pressing a button that would carry them to the fifth floor. Denny asked her why, with Caroline responding that Mason was in a small study room on that floor, a place where they could talk quietly inside without any distractions or anyone listening in. From this, Denny assumed that Mason was a cautious kid, but also a risk-taker since he was inviting three strangers alone in an empty room.

His contemplation was disrupted by Caroline, who looked away every time he caught her glance.

"H-how are you doin'?" she asked him, twiddling her fingers around her jean pockets. "I'm glad ya made it back okay. You sure were drunk last night; I'm sorry we couldn't take you home. Freddie doesn't know how ta drive a tugboat."

"Don't worry," Denny told her, surprised by her sudden concern. "Did you see me an' dis Mason kid talkin' last night? How much did I say that I shouldn't have?"

"I didn't; swear on Uncle Earl," Caroline answered, bringing up that strange saying again. "Neither did Freddie. I dunno who took the pic, but somehow Mason saw it, talked ta Charlie about it, and Charlie then told Freddie. Maybe he saw all three o' us together and put the pieces together from what you said ta him. Kinda smart, dis kid."

The elevator door soon opened, and Denny was left to think how in the world this happened. But he couldn't think, as it all seemed so far-fetched, and that it was more believable that it was Freddie's lie. Still, Caroline seemed honest about it from her twitching fingers, making sure not to mince her words. Denny realized that trusting her story was the better option, for now at least.

The fifth-floor study room was at the rightmost corner, with dark grey shutters and glass panes above a small, black door. Inside were two desks and chairs, with a whiteboard too. There was Freddie, and across from him was a short guy, with light-brown combed hair and glasses. Mason looked like a stereotypical studious student, with a white-and-grey striped polo and khaki shorts, eyes glued on his laptop. Still, Denny made sure not to take appearances lightly as Caroline opened the door.

"I brought Denny, man o' da hour!" Caroline joked as Freddie laughed while Mason's frown turned to a smile as he saw Denny.

"Dis guy," said Freddie, with Caroline sitting next to him, and Denny taking an awkward seat next to Mason. "Alright, buddy, now that everyone's here, ya mind startin' us off?"

He was intending for Mason to explain right away how he knew about them, as the kid looked much too young to be talking about this business they were in. He finally looked up from his laptop, eyeing the three of them firsthand.

"H-h-hello," Mason began, stuttering his words while his palms were clasped together. "My name's Mason, well, I'm sure ya heard already, Denny. I-is it alright if I...call ya that?"

Oh boy, Denny thought to himself. I feel kind of bad now.

"Sure thing," he said to Mason, relaxing his face.

"Cool," Mason replied, seeming hesitant to keep talking. "Um, well, I assume y'all are...uh...angry...at me, for finding out yer secret an' all."

The three stared at Mason unapologetically.

"But don't worry!" he reassured them. "I won't spill da beans, in fact, I wanna help you guys out! That's 'cause there's somethin' you guys are lacking, ya know, to make yer business more successful."

While Caroline was a bit appalled, thinking it was a comment about her mixed drink, Freddie and Denny were interested.

"Go on," Freddie uttered, curious. "Tell us how we should run our business, then."

"No, no!" Mason quickly stated. "Not at all! I actually think it's pretty smart, considerin' a lot o' people come to this college for the party life. Thing is, you're usin' Beta Psi as a means of distribution. You're also trusting them to give you your share of the money earned, right?"

He was right, as Denny had no idea how much cash they made for yesterday night. Better yet, Beta Psi was the one requiring entrance fees. Denny looked at Freddie, whose face reacted to what Mason said. It made Denny wonder how much he was still hiding.

"I trust those guys," Freddie stated. "They'll send us our share; I'll make sure of it."

"Wait a second," Denny chimed in, after listening to Mason. "You really trust dem that much, Freddie? Those guys think about nothin' but themselves."

This irked Freddie a bit, as he turned to face Denny. His eyes were glowing, and Caroline had to intrude before anything else happened.

"Now, now," she said coolly, "What Denny says ain't that crazy, dawlin'. We cane't just let those guys do what dey want with our money. It's our business, so things have gotta run our way."

Frankly, whenever Caroline seemed to reason with Freddie, he always found a way to agree with her. Even though she implied the same thing Denny did, Freddie was starting to take it into consideration. He turned to Mason once more.

"Say, what my girl says here does happen," Freddie started to say, peering at Mason directly, "And my guys turn on me. Why should I put my trust in you instead of them?"

"Simple," Mason replied, not backing away, leaving Denny in amazement. "There's one of me, and a whole lot o' them."

"Besides," Mason continued, "Doesn't trust in one person seem better than trust for a whole group o' people? Alexander the Great, a monumental Macedonian king in ancient history, gained the trust of all his soldiers with his leadership and 'cause he fought alongside them."

The three of them stood dumbfounded, having not the slightest idea what Mason meant. The name "Alexander the Great" sounded familiar in Denny's head, but nothing else came along with it.

So he's a history buff, Denny realized, Just like Harper. I can tell since his eyes brighten whenever a topic like that comes up. Harper would do that all the time; it's one of the things I like about her.

"So, you're the king, and we're your soldiers?" Caroline stipulated.

"O- of course not!" Mason blurted out after Freddie gave him another suspicious look. "I'm sorry. I-I'm a History major, so I love to talk about this stuff. What I meant was that it'd be easier to trust someone you can keep a close eye on, right? With Beta Psi, there's too many of them, an' even one could do something stupid and ruin your whole thing. I'm n-not sayin' they're all bad, it's just a possibility."

What an observation, Denny recognized. He's completely right. We have no way ta completely trust every one of those guys, even if they're all in the same frat. My question is, what does Mason gain from lettin' us watch over him like that?

The answer Denny ultimately landed on was money, as that seemed the only logical reason. Why else would Mason risk his scholarship and tuition? Still, he had a lot of guts saying it right to Freddie's face, which made Denny recall that looks certainly could be deceiving.

"You'll soon get the cops on yer trail, too," Mason added. "W-well, once the Swampwater Special gets more popular. I mean, it already is! There's even a whole forum of people on YitYat talkin' about when it'll show up again!"

"YitYat?" Freddie repeated. "The hell is that?"

"An anonymous social media app," Mason explained, showing it to them on his phone. "There's a forum for just Tulane students on it. We basically go on it to see where the best parties are at an' which ones are duds."

"Anyways," he said, getting back on track, "That's where I come in. I'll use my knowledge of what goes on around Tulane to let you know the best times to sell, and the best times to get the hell outta here. I'll also keep track of your money so that you'll know when Beta Psi is skimpin' on your share."

At first, Denny was extremely worried about what would happen once he walked through these library doors. But after everything Mason said, it seemed like his luck hadn't run out just yet. This was the perfect opportunity for him to watch over Freddie and Caroline as well, and he hadn't even realized it until now. With Mason looking over their shoulders, the two of them couldn't swindle Denny without him at least knowing first.

"You'd do all dat for us, hon?" Caroline remarked, inching her face closer to Mason's laptop. "I'd gladly accept, but majority rules, after all."

"Wait, babe," said Freddie, pulling her away. "He hasn't said what he wants yet. There's no fuckin' way he wants to do all dis outta the goodness of his heart."

Mason didn't say anything, as Denny expected him to come out with it already. Seconds later, he buried his face under his laptop, seemingly embarrassed to speak anymore. Had all of his gutsy attitude diminished already?

"I-It's too...embarrasin' to say," Mason implied, his stuttering oozing back in. "Can I um...t-talk to Denny about it...alone? Just know that...it's not money...I want."

Is it not money? Denny reiterated, baffled by this kid's intentions Furthermore, why was he needed to discuss these terms? Denny figured that was the reason Mason wanted to talk to him so badly, but he still had no idea why.

"Wha?" Freddie and Caroline said at the same time, expressing the same reaction.

"You alright in da head?" Freddie asked Mason. "Well, if ya say so, I ain't got any reason ta complain. What should we do now, babe?"

Caroline looked at Denny with assuring eyes, that she was fine with them talking alone. She told Freddie to leave them be, and that Denny would tell them later about it. Freddie seemed content with leaving it at that, and the meeting subsided with the couple exiting the study room shortly after. Seconds later, it was just Denny and Mason, as well as a prolonged silence in the air.

But with that silence, Denny felt more at ease than before. He had so many ill feelings towards Mason during his walk along Broadway, but now he realized how ignorant he was acting. This kid was surely weird, but also honest about his wants. If anything, Denny sensed that he could trust Mason more than he could Caroline and Freddie.

"Listen," Denny said, breaking the silence. "Don't let the two o' them scare you, awrite? Ya wanted to talk to me, so here I am. Whaddya need?"

"Thanks," Mason said, poking his head out of his laptop. He fixed his glasses, ruffled his hair, and looked at Denny for the first time.

"You must think I'm a weirdo," Mason added, with a bit of forced laughter. "I mean, Freddie's right. It makes sense that I'd want a share of the money for my contribution to the business."

"But honestly," he continued, "I have no need for money. I'm from Nolensville, Tennessee, close to Nashville, and my parents are pretty rich. They even allowed me to study History here, a party school at that! I know it sounds corny, b-but there's stuff that money can't buy, r-right? What I want is like that."

In spite of Denny's admiration for Mason, jealousy seeped in to ruin everything. For Denny, it was all about money, as a means to keep him and his family afloat. For Mason, money meant nothing to him because he was gifted it the second he was born. How then, could Denny ever think of him differently?

Does he feel the same towards me? Denny wondered, remembering he forgot what he must've said to Mason last night. What could he want from me, though, that he doesn't have already?

He asked Mason that question, as well as what he remembered from last night. Mason hesitated as if it was a delicate subject. Then, he finally said it, leaving Denny speechless afterward.

"I want you," Mason stated, "To be my wingman...f-for the girl I like."