Page 34 of Capuleto

"For what? Did we hit the jackpot?"

"It's you who's hit the lottery by getting your wife back and coming out alive from Gordo's club after having blown the father's card of one of his best clients."

"He was lucky I didn't leave him toothless and without a business. By the way, thanks for being happy about it."

Dante patted my back, and I smiled at him with relief. Even though he was happy about what happened, I could sense something was bothering him.

"I guess you didn't make me get out of bed just for this."

"No. Better tell you inside..."

The bar was so clean, tidy, and quiet that it seemed unbelievable that at night it was filled with smoke, people drinking alcohol, and rock music singing the chorus.

We arrived at the office, and he took out a mobile phone.

"What do you know about TikTok?" he asked before opening the app where people left their hips to the rhythm of little dances and where every day millions of mortals believed themselves to be future stand-up stars.

"Well, if you show me a video of you dancing the Macarena, I die."

"In any case, I'd dance to Highway to Hell if you push me."

"Totally agree, I see you more as AC/DC." We both smiled, although humor did not shine in his gaze. "Come on, spill it, what's up with that app? Is it about some new market niche or something?" He shook his head.

Before my eyes appeared the account of a kid, he could be anyone, I had no idea what Dante wanted to show me. He must have been about fifteen, tousled hair, wearing a Vans hoodie. Basically, what you'd call a teenager.

"Don't tell me he's your son from a drunken night?"

"No, I don't know him. Or rather, I didn't know him." His tone was rather somber.

"Then?"

"He died yesterday, jumping from a rooftop."

"Fuck!"

"There's a new challenge on social media, it's called kiss, truth, or Mentium."

My eyes moved from the screen to Dante in disbelief.

"Come on, don't mess with me."

"I'm not. I wish I were. The psychotropic drug your wife took off has become popular among the kids. There's a new social network that has been created for challenges, it's causing a frenzy among the youth because they earn easy money and hundreds of thousands of followers.

"You know that being the trendy influencer, even by acting foolish, is what most are after.

"But you're talking about Mentium... That's serious business."

"I know. The worst part is that it's getting out of hand. They organize gatherings like drinking parties through the app. Subscribers bet money among the boys who participate in the game that night. They live stream the challenges that pop up on the screen and choose kiss, truth, or Mentium. As you can imagine, each challenge completed has a value, and the Mentium challenge generates the most interest and money.

"I don't understand. It's been discontinued! Nikita made sure to pull it from the market by destroying all the batches."

"Are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean, am I sure?"

"Maybe your wife saw another kind of potential and is dealing with it behind your back." The mere idea made my toes curl.

"Don't even suggest that. Nikita would be incapable!" I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Dante raised his hands.

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