The night felt thick and unmoving, weighed down by the aftermath of the chaos. Sirens lingered in the distance, faint but constant, cutting through the quiet streets. The usual city sounds were muted, replaced by an uneasy stillness that seemed to cling to everything. The warm, heavy air carried the remnants of tension like a storm that never came.

Win leaned against the wall, catching his breath, while Aom sat on the ground, her quiet sobs filling the tense silence. They were both shaken, not just by the violence but by the way the police had turned on Sean and Fort, arresting them without hesitation. It felt like everything had flipped in an instant – the people who were supposed to protect the innocent had shown only contempt. It cut deeper than a group of bigoted idiots attacking the meetup.

"Hey," Win said softly, crouching in front of her. "Everything will be okay."

Aom looked at him with tears in her eyes. "How can you be so sure? We don't even know where they took them, and even so, no one will listen to us."

His shoulders sagged as he realised that she was right. No one ever cared about justice when it came to people like them. He had seen it too many times – stories of pain and struggle that never made the headlines, cries for help that were drowned out by indifference.

Win had learned to compartmentalise and push forward for the sake of those who couldn't, but every new story still left its mark, weighing heavier on him with each passing day. He held onto hope because giving up wasn't an option, but it was getting harder to ignore the cracks forming beneath the surface. His defiance could only take him so far... and even for an optimist like him, things began to look utterly helpless.

"There must be...," he trailed off, gripping his phone tighter. "I know someone who can help us."

"Who?"

"Sean's boyfriend," Win replied, scrolling through his contacts. "He's a lawyer, and I'm sure he will know what to do."

She looked at him with hopeful eyes. "Do you really think he would help Fort as well?"

"Of course," he reassured her, dialling the number. "I just hope he is not too busy and can answer the call. It's mid of workday for him."

Win was growing progressively more anxious as another call timed out. He figured Jay must have been in a meeting and had his phone on silent, but he wouldn't stop. He feared something might happen to them, given all the mess with Chaiyawat.

Finally, as they approached the main street, the call connected, and a familiar British accent drowned out his anxiety. He put the phone on speaker and huddled close with Aom, explaining everything that happened in hushed voices.

Jay remained silent for a moment, wondering if Sean had anticipated something like this when he turned on location sharing after leaving the association's building. Either way, it had been a smart move and a change from the last time Sean got into trouble. He breathed a sigh of relief as the map pinned him at a police station not far from the university.

"Are you two safe?"

"Yeah, we are pretty far from the square now with an easy way home," Win responded, looking at the nearby bus stop. "But what about Fort and Sean?"

"They are at the police station. I will head there now, find out the charges and see if it's possible to bail them out."

"But they didn't do anything wrong," Win protested.

Jay sighed but decided to not tell him how often it happens. There was no need to scare him even more with possible consequences. "I will do my best to get them out of it. But in the meantime, send me your video and don't post it anywhere yet."

Win nodded, fully trusting him to handle it right. "Let me know when you learn something, okay?"

"Of course."

As soon as the call ended, the world around them seemed to fall into an oppressive silence, as if the passing traffic no longer existed. Knowing Jay would handle it brought little comfort. The way police decisively went after Sean and Fort without even considering the other party left Win uneasy. From the look on Aom's face, he could tell she felt the same.

"I really don't understand how things ended like this," she said quietly. "It was a peaceful meetup, but they still attacked us, and even the police seemed to think we were in the wrong. It's so unfair."

"I know," he nodded, resuming their walk to the bus stop. "People send so many messages saying no one cares, but only seeing it tonight truly drove how helpless things are."

"But they are not going to give up, right? Neither are we," Aom said with sudden resolve, squeezing the strap of her backpack. "Will you watch my back?"

Win nodded, slightly confused, but it all made sense when she stopped in front of a blank wall of a commercial building on the main street. They were separated from the busy road by a wide, empty pavement that offered little cover. It was risky, but Win didn't mind. He watched for any signs of police, listening to hiss of the spray paint.

Cars passed by without slowing, and no one seemed to notice them. Still, Win wasn't fooled into thinking they were safe. After all, Aom was boldly creating graffiti in plain sight, in a place few would dare to. Luckily, she could speed up the process by using stencils.

After a little over half an hour, she tapped his shoulder. "What do you think?"

The mural was more visceral than Win had anticipated. A lone figure stood under an arc of rainbow colours with armed assailants loomed threateningly over them, accompanied by an indifferent policeman watching the scene. Above it all, the words "City of Freedom" dripped like mockery, emphasising the disparity between ideals and reality. It was a striking and unapologetic commentary on what had happened tonight.

The air was warm and stifling, with the streetlights casting a harsh, yellow glow, struggling to pierce through the oppressive darkness. The police station buzzed with chaotic energy – officers moved swiftly between desks, their urgent commands mixed with aggravated complaints and relentlessly ringing phones. The atmosphere was tense, and the staff was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of detainees and reports following the incident at the meetup.

Jay stepped into the station, his black Armani suit and crisp white shirt standing out against the bustling chaos. His expression remained calm despite the noise and tension as if the disarray around him barely registered. The front desk was crowded, but he approached without hesitation, his voice steady as he asked about Sean and Fort.

The policeman checked something in the system, then looked at him hesitantly before clearing his throat and shrugging. "We don't have them."

Jay's eyes narrowed slightly, though his tone remained calm but stern. "Are you sure?" he asked, leaning in just enough to show he wasn't buying it. "They were brought in not long ago."

"You are not from around here, are you?" the man said, pointing out his accent. "Maybe you just confused the stations?"

His composed expression didn't change, but his gaze turned colder, showing he wouldn't be so easily brushed off. "Interesting, given that policemen who arrested them stand over there, and their tracking places them firmly at your station. Are you suggesting you lost two detainees, or are you holding them without processing?"

The policeman froze briefly and finally looked at him properly. Expensive-looking suit, calm demeanour and strong aura. Only then did he realise he wasn't dealing with another hysterical friend or family member but someone who knew what they were doing. "Let me check again," the man backtracked. "Maybe I mistyped the name before."

"Thank you," Jay said with chilling politeness.

"Oh, yes... we have them," he said after a while, without looking away from the computer screen. "It's a bit chaotic here with a recent riot in the neighbourhood."

"What is the bail?"

"No bail," the man said decisively. "They will be in detention until the trial."

His eyebrow furrowed slightly. "Charges?"

The policeman smirked and rattled off the charges, "Inciting violence, disorderly conduct, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest... but with likes of them, the list will most likely grow once we are done with interrogation."

Jay's jaw tightened, but he kept his composure. "I see," he said, voice cold and precise, as if dissecting every word. "I trust that interrogation will be conducted lawfully, and you'll have no issues providing a detailed record of any questioning," Jay paused, letting his words hang in the air. "Of course, you also have evidence to support all charges."

The policeman shifted uncomfortably, glancing at his colleague nearby. It was clear there was something more at play here, leaving Jay worried someone was able to connect them with their actions against Chaiyawat.

"I would like to speak with their assigned defender."

"They don't have one," the policeman responded with a nonchalant shrug. "It would be a waste of resources."

"Listen, pretty boy," the senior member chimed in with a mocking smirk. "If you know what's good for you, you will stay out of it."

Their blunt attitude made it clear that they were not just dismissive but deliberately obstructive, playing with their power in a way that suggested deep-seated corruption. Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything about it as the lack of legal credentials in Thailand limited his immediate options, leaving him with no choice but to ask the last person he ever expected for help.

Jay smiled faintly, his voice icy cold. "Thank you for your concern, but I can take care of myself. The question is, can you?"

As he left the station, the weight of his decision pressed down on him like a familiar, suffocating burden. Asking his mother for help went against everything he had built his life on – his self-reliance and refusal to depend on anyone, especially her. But now, Jay found himself at a crossroads. The idea of relying on her made his skin crawl as if betraying the years he had spent alone in a dorm room, wondering why no one wanted him. Yet, for the first time in so long, his principles meant nothing compared to the person who became his everything.

Jay sent a quick message with an update to Win and hailed a taxi back to the penthouse. As soon as he walked in, he called the number he hadn't dialled for over thirteen years. The call connected almost immediately, and a slightly surprised voice greeted him.

"Is everything alright?"

His throat tightened as he opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his chest, stubbornly refusing to form. Since that Christmas break, he had never asked her for anything, not once in all these years, and Jay honestly didn't expect this day would come when he would have to. The silence stretched for a beat too long, and the grip on his phone involuntarily tightened as if the tension could force this single phrase out.

"I need your help," he said, seemingly with ease, yet each word felt like it was being dragged from a place he had buried long ago.

Her eyebrows furrowed with worry as she realised how dire his situation must have been to call her... because Jay never did, not since that day she foolishly brushed him off. Now, she didn't even know where he was as Jay only informed her that he would be travelling while working remotely. At the time, Margret had taken it as a positive step towards a healthier work-life balance, especially when he unexpectedly extended his trip. But now, she sensed there was more beneath the surface.

"Of course, what can I do for you?"

His mother was driven by facts and details. The only way to get her help was to give her just that, so he explained everything from the beginning, outlining the group's actions against Chaiyawat, their involvement in the fight for equal rights, and the events leading to Sean and Fort's arrest, including the fabricated charges. Then, he sent her the evidence and a recording of his conversation with the officers.

Margaret listened without interruptions, partially unable to believe Jay would get involved in something like this. As a teenager, he used to cause a lot of trouble, but ever since he graduated from Westminster, his life seemed perfectly organised and focused on work. This was so unexpected it shocked her to the core.

"James Henry Sebastian William, how could you be so reckless?" she asked, her tone clipped and precise, the practised cadence of someone for whom control and reputation were second nature. "Do you realise this would ruin your future if you were implicated in anything illegal? You have obligations and responsibilities that go beyond yourself. A family legacy you are supposed to uphold, not risk with impulsive decisions."

The last time she addressed him by his full name was just before he left for Cambridge. It had been a pointed reminder that he was no longer a child who could escape the consequences of his actions. From that moment on, he was expected to carry the weight of the family name and its heritage, with no room for mistakes.

It was clear his mother saw the whole thing as a mistake on his part, which meant her help wouldn't come cheap. On the contrary, it would probably cost him everything, but the alternative was to lose Sean to a corrupt system, and Jay would never let that happen.

"Yes, I'm aware, it will never happen again. If you are willing to help him, I will change my specialisation and stay at your firm doing whatever you want," Jay proposed without hesitation. "I will never ask for anything else or complain. Just get him out of this."

Margaret swallowed a lump in her throat as it fully sunk in how a horrible mother she must have been for her only son to think like this. "That's not what I meant," she said hurriedly, finally realising why Jay asked her for help. It was for someone he wanted to protect, no matter the cost. "I will be there as soon as possible and take care of everything. In return, I want you to stay focused on your own goals."

Jay blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her response. He was prepared for negotiations and an exchange that would bind him further into a place he didn't want. But instead, she offered something he hadn't expected... an unconditional help.

"Thank you," Jay said, his voice remaining calm, maybe a bit hesitant as if waiting for her to retract the offer or add a stipulation, but none came.

"I will reach out to my contacts and ensure they are both safe," she said a bit awkwardly. "Rebecca will send you my flight itinerary."

Jay acknowledged it with his usual distant politeness and ended the call, feeling utterly drained. He poured himself a glass of whisky and sank into the sofa, the familiar burn doing little to soothe his thoughts. It was unsettling, almost terrifying, how much he was willing to give up for Sean. It forced him to confront feelings he had buried so deeply beneath his walls that he couldn't even admit to them himself. But now, they were creeping to the surface, refusing to stay hidden any longer.

His tired eyes settled on the TV soundlessly broadcasting the late-night news. The headline at the bottom of the screen caught his attention: City-Wide Unrest Following Violent Attacks on LGBTQ Rights Supporters. Out of curiosity about the media's narrative and needing distraction, Jay unmuted the television.

The news anchor's calm yet urgent tone filled the room. "What began as a peaceful gathering, organised with the support of Chulalongkorn University, quickly turned into a nightmare after an unidentified group launched a violent attack, leading to multiple arrests and a rapidly growing list of injured."

The screen cut to footage from the event: a professionally organised discussion about the current situation, followed by an expressive dance. But just as the performance ended, panicked shouts filled the air. The crowd scattered, their peaceful protest devolving into chaos. Scenes of police clashing with attackers and protesters and medics tending to the injured flickered across the screen, painting a rather grim image.

"Bangkok hasn't seen unrest of this scale in years," the man continued reporting. "Similar small gatherings across the city were also attacked, leading to widespread violence. The situation remains fluid, with authorities struggling to maintain order. This raises serious questions about the future of the LGBTQ movement."

Jay sighed, wondering how much Sean was involved in triggering this riot. Judging by the group's recent social media posts, it seemed like quite a lot. He respected Sean's passion and unwavering drive to fight for what he believed was right. But Jay couldn't help wishing it didn't always lead to trouble... because one day, he might not be there to pull him out. And that thought scared him more than anything.

The presenter's voice shifted to a more formal tone as he introduced the next segment. "To help us understand the broader implications of these events and what they mean for the future of LGBTQ rights, we are joined by Anjana Suvarnananda, a pioneering activist who has dedicated her life to advancing the rights and protections of LGBTQ individuals in this country. Anjana, thank you for being with us tonight."

The camera cut to an older woman Jay recognised as one of his mother's close associates, someone Margaret had collaborated with frequently in recent years.

"These attacks are deeply alarming," she began, looking into a camera. "They don't just target individuals at these gatherings, but the very essence of our movement – our right to exist freely and equally. What we witnessed tonight was not just an assault on peaceful protesters, but an assault on basic human dignity," Anjana paused for a moment, letting the weight of her words settle before continuing. "This isn't just about one law or policy – it's about recognising that every person deserves to live without fear and discrimination, regardless of who they love."

The anchor leaned forward slightly, giving her space to elaborate. "Do you believe this will impact the ongoing push for marriage equality and broader civil rights for LGBTQ people in Thailand?"

Anjana nodded. "Absolutely. I believe the fight for marriage equality and broader LGBTQ rights just gained more momentum. The world is watching us, and the government can no longer afford to procrastinate and try to keep the status quo because it's no longer sustainable. This is a pivotal moment, and it's our responsibility to use it right and protect younger generations... to give them the freedom they are striving so hard for."

"Thank you, Anjana, for your insights. We'll be following this story closely as the situation develops."

The news faded into a commercial break, leaving Jay wondering if this upheaval would lead to meaningful change or merely become another chapter in a long history of stalled reforms and bureaucratic delays.