Showdown

As they sat down to dinner, Ryker posed a question that had gone unasked since their arrival. "Have you had contact with your niece yet?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Dominique.

Dominique's reaction was immediate and intense. He choked on his food, his face turning red. After taking a moment to compose himself and drinking some water, he replied simply, "I don't have a niece."

"Fine, but you know who." Ryker persisted

Dominique swallowed a spoonful of his meal, his expression unreadable. "Don't ask me, ask the one who understands the weirdos that came for her rescue," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"They aren't weirdos," Tyler quickly defended, his brow furrowed in concern before he continued. "I haven't seen them since that interaction you all witnessed, but I'm sure she's in good hands."