Anderson's POV
I hadn't been awake for more than ten minutes when the terminal blinked.
Message received.
Encrypted. Voice-only. Lynx-style.
I tapped it open. The voice on the other end was the same distorted one from the teahouse.
"You'll find the mission brief in the drop zone near Sector 9. Pickup is scheduled for 0300. Don't be late."
A pause.
"You're to make contact with a registered Tier 6 Healer. She will verify your condition and confirm compliance. From there, you're to proceed with full execution of the operation."
Another pause.
"Your goal is simple: bring all major underground rings under control. If they won't comply—eliminate them."
The line went dead.
Simple.
They always made it sound simple.
I arrived at the drop zone right on time. Hidden compartment, just like old times. The cache was buried beneath a stack of unmarked crates in a forgotten alleyway that smelled like rust and regrets.
Inside:
My Spectre-issued combat suit. Matte black. Moth-spider silk. Burn-resistant. Lightweight.
The pistols were still there. Twin pulse-breakers. Modified triggers. Custom-coded to my grip.
The blade was untouched. Still sharp. Still mine.
I ran a hand across the suit. They'd kept it cleaned. Maintained. Even the little scratches on the side plate hadn't been buffed out.
Sentimental bastards.
Or maybe just thorough.
I slipped the suit on like a second skin. The weight was familiar. Heavy in the places it needed to be. Light everywhere else.
Then I paused.
They got this stuff back.
Even after all these years.
I clenched my fists.
How deep in Aegis does Lynx run?
I made my way to the meeting point. The healer's location wasn't a hospital. Wasn't even a clinic. It was an old, crumbling greenhouse on the city's outskirts, vines crawling up the walls like they were trying to reclaim it.
She was already waiting. Hooded. Calm.
"You're late," she said without turning.
"I'm early. You're just impatient."
A pause. Then a small smile.
"Sit."
I did.
She pressed a hand to my chest. Closed her eyes.
Warmth spread through me. Not heat. Just… stillness. Like she was quieting something I didn't realize had been screaming.
"You're stable," she said. "But not completely healed, if you don't overdo it, you'll be in top condition within a week."
"Good thing I don't break easy."
She didn't laugh. Just turned and walked deeper into the greenhouse.
I stood.
Operation confirmed. Suit equipped. Body cleared.
Next stop: the underworld.
Time to break the chains—or bury them.
Tobias' POV
The public address system crackled to life.
"All applicants. Report to the main courtyard immediately."
My eyes snapped open.
"We're late," Zoey said.
The rest of us were already moving.
No words. Just adrenaline. We scattered to our separate rooms. I yanked on my tracksuit, laced up my sneakers.
When we met back in the hallway, Zoey was still frowning.
"I feel disgusting," she muttered. "No time to shower."
"Better dirty than disqualified," William said. "Any idea what the test is?"
"We might have to fight other teams," Liam offered.
"Unlikely," I replied. "If they follow the trend from the first-case scenario, it'll be some kind of real-world simulation."
We stepped into the courtyard.
All 105 students filled the space, all in uniform, all alert.
We stood out.
Late.
And alone.
My eyes scanned the crowd. Met Alice's for a second. She looked… amused. Or maybe annoyed.
Then it happened.
Noise. Chatter. Movement.
All stopped.
Dead silence.
It wasn't normal silence. It was unnatural. Like the air itself had frozen.
Every head turned.
The figure at the podium stepped forward.
His voice echoed, calm and final:
"It is 8:00 AM. The next phase of the entrance test will now commence."