Alvin and Trevor strode confidently into Emilia's office, with Mia and John walking closely behind them. Inside, they found Devante already waiting, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed. The room carried a faint metallic scent mixed with the sharp tang of ozone from the holographic displays flickering on the walls.
"Welcome," Emilia said warmly as she rose from behind her sleek desk. She extended her hand for a firm handshake, her posture straight and professional.
Alvin and Trevor shook her hand first, their grips steady. Mia and John followed suit, though Mia's handshake was slightly more hesitant.
"So, you guys are obviously here to secure admission into the academy," Emilia began, her voice clear and authoritative. "Our academy is very much open to everyone, but we have our own unique way of doing things."
No one in the group looked surprised. They had all anticipated some form of test or challenge from the moment they decided to apply.
"Now, there might be a test for you… or there might not. I honestly don't know yet," Emilia added with a casual shrug, a small smile playing on her lips as if she enjoyed keeping them in suspense.
Alvin and Trevor exchanged quick, confused glances. The uncertainty in her words left them both feeling slightly off-balance. What kind of academy operated with such vague rules?
Emilia continued without missing a beat. "In our academy, every student is divided into different groups. Each group has its own leader, and that leader alone determines how new members are allowed to enter and what conditions they must meet."
"At the moment, there is only one group available for you to potentially join." Emilia waved a hand toward Devante. "Devante, please take them to the school grounds."
Devante nodded silently, pushing off the wall. "Follow me."
He led the five of them out of the office and through the bustling corridors of the administration building. The group moved in tense silence, the weight of the unknown pressing down on them.
***
**A-3 District Military Academy**
The academy campus was nothing short of breathtaking. Towering structures of glass and reinforced steel rose high into the sky, connected by sleek walkways and shimmering energy bridges. The atmosphere was electric, alive with the hum of hover vehicles, the chatter of students, and the occasional burst of training energy from distant practice fields. As their hover car glided smoothly into the crowded parking lot and settled with a soft hiss, the group felt a surge of excitement mixed with nervousness.
Devante, Trevor, Alvin, Mia, and John stepped out of the vehicle. The warm afternoon sun reflected off the polished surfaces around them as they made their way toward the main gate. After successfully confirming their identities through the biometric scanners at the entrance, the heavy gates slid open with a low mechanical whir, granting them access.
Once inside the school grounds, they spotted two figures standing near a large training plaza. A tall, athletic boy with sharp features and a confident stance stood beside a girl whose expression was cold and calculating. Without any formal introduction, Trevor and the others could immediately sense that these two were the ones in charge of the group they were meant to join.
"Hey, Harvey. Alice," Devante called out as he approached. He pointed toward Trevor and his companions. "These are the people we were telling you about—the new recruits interested in joining the group."
Harvey offered only a brief nod, his face remaining largely neutral. Alice, on the other hand, scanned the newcomers with visible displeasure, her lips curling slightly in disapproval as her eyes moved from one face to the next.
"So, I'll leave you guys to get acquainted," Devante said, already turning to leave. "I have other matters to attend to. Good luck."
With that, Devante walked away, leaving the six of them standing alone in the open plaza. The sounds of distant training sessions and student laughter floated on the breeze, but the small group felt isolated under Alice's scrutinizing gaze.
"So," Alice began, crossing her arms, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth, "two of you seem to have already activated your abilities, while the rest of you have not."
Alvin and Trevor both nodded quietly. Mia and John remained silent, their expressions carefully guarded.
Alice's smirk widened. "Give me one good reason why we should add you to our team."
Alice said, then turned towards Mia.
"We would make a great addition to the team, I promise," Mia started quickly. "We can—"
"I don't care about your babbling or empty promises," Alice interrupted sharply, raising a hand to cut her off. "I asked a simple question: what can you actually bring to the team?"
Mia took a steadying breath. "Well, I am a skilled hacker. I can access and manipulate most security systems, gather intelligence, and—"
Alice smiled thinly and shifted her gaze to John, who stood silently beside his sister. He had spent most of his life living under Mia's shadow, never quite discovering or developing his own unique abilities. The pressure of the moment made his throat feel tight, and no words came to him.
Alice let the silence stretch uncomfortably before speaking again. "I'll take that silence as confirmation that you have no useful skills." She pointed decisively at Trevor, Alvin, and Mia. "You three are part of our group now." Her finger then swung toward John. "You're out."
"No!" Mia stepped forward, her voice rising with anger and disbelief. "You can't just dismiss my brother like that. We worked incredibly hard to get into this school together. We're a package deal."
"Sorry," Alice replied coldly, not even blinking. "No skill, no entry. That's how things work here."
"Fine," Mia said through gritted teeth. "If he doesn't enter, then I don't enter either."
Alice shrugged indifferently. "Okay. You can go."
Mia grunted in frustration, grabbed John's arm, and turned to leave. Deep down, she knew the risks involved in walking away from this opportunity. Their mission depended on staying close to Trevor, but she simply could not abandon her brother. He had always stood by her side through thick and thin, and she would do the same for him, no matter the cost.
As they started walking away, John leaned closer to his sister and whispered urgently, "Sis, what are you doing? We have to keep an eye on Trevor. It doesn't matter if I don't get in, but if both of us leave now, we might lose everything. The consequences—"
"It doesn't matter to me," Mia whispered back fiercely, her voice low but determined. "You matter more to me than any mission or any academy."
Trevor watched the siblings retreating across the plaza. An unexpected wave of emotion surged through him—an urge to do something, to help them. He didn't fully understand why he felt so strongly about two people he had only recently met, but the feeling was too powerful to ignore. Without overthinking it any further, he acted.
"Wait!" Trevor shouted, his voice echoing across the open grounds.
Mia and John stopped in their tracks and turned around. Even Alice and Harvey became visibly interested, their attention now fully locked on the unfolding drama.
"You guys don't need to go," Trevor called out loudly. "If they aren't part of the group, then I won't be part of it either."
Alvin stared at his friend for a moment, clearly thinking he had lost his mind, but true to their friendship, he immediately stepped forward to support him. "Yeah. If they're not in, then we're not in either."
Alice raised an eyebrow, amusement and disbelief mixing on her face. "And how exactly do you plan to remain in the academy without joining an established group?"
"We will create our own group," Trevor declared boldly, his chin lifted with determination.
Alice and Harvey exchanged glances before they both burst into loud, mocking laughter. The sound carried across the plaza, drawing a few curious stares from passing students.
"You guys are going to make your own group?" Harvey finally managed to say, still chuckling. "It seems you don't know how incredibly difficult it is to create and register your own group here. The requirements are strict, and most attempts fail spectacularly."
Alice wiped a tear of laughter from her eye and added with a smirk, "You know what? I'm so confident that you won't be able to pull it off that I'm willing to bet on it."
"Fine then," Trevor shot back without hesitation. "Let's make it a real bet."
Alice's expression shifted, her eyes narrowing with intrigue. "Are you serious?"
"Yes," Trevor replied firmly. "If we successfully create our own group, you have to pay us one thousand future points. But if we fail, we will pay you one thousand future points."
A collective gasp rippled through the small crowd of students who had begun to gather nearby. For seasoned academy students, a thousand future points might not be impossible to earn, but for brand-new applicants like them, it represented an enormous sum—practically an eternity of hard work and missions.
"So, do you agree?" Trevor asked, stretching out his hand confidently.
Mia and John looked alarmed and were about to speak up, ready to protest or stop the impulsive wager. But before they could utter a word, Alice stepped forward with a predatory grin and shook Trevor's hand firmly, sealing the deal.
"You're on."