"Haaa…"
The room assigned to Rey was as sterile and lifeless as the rest of HQ—four gray walls, a single bed with stiff sheets, and a metal desk with a matching chair.
The only sound was the faint hum of the facility's ventilation system.
He sank into the chair, his elbows resting on the desk as the events of the day replayed in his mind. It had gone exactly as he planned.
Rey had been obnoxious and unrelenting, rubbing everyone the wrong way with his arrogance and disdain. It was the only way to provoke Ezra into challenging him.
Ezra never could stand having his authority questioned.
But the fight was necessary.
Rey needed to win, to strip Ezra of his rank and take his position as a Supervising Officer. It was the quickest path to the recognition and authority he required here.
Now, with this promotion, he had access to information that had been previously hidden from him, as well as the freedom to explore the massive facility.
'I feel a little bad, though.' Leaning back in the chair, Rey exhaled slowly.
Tess and the squad had been genuinely happy for him when Admiral Skylar announced his promotion. Their smiles, the pats on his back, and even Josh's enthusiastic cheer—it all felt hollow now.
Rey had manipulated them, lied to them too, using their camaraderie and support as stepping stones to get where he needed to be.
They didn't deserve that.
For a moment, guilt flickered in his mind.
Tess, in particular, had always treated him with respect, even when he was just another subordinate. She believed in him, trusted him as a member of her team.
And now he had left her and the squad behind without a second thought.
He pushed the guilt aside.
It wasn't personal—it couldn't be.
The Resistance wasn't an organization he could trust, not with its secrecy and the way it handled people like expendable tools. Tess and her team would survive without him.
Rey had bigger goals, and dragging them into his plans would only slow him down.
'The Dragon Emperor is still out there, and I still have to find a way to get to H'Trae and stop Adrien…' He sighed. 'Compared to all of that, this is a mere distraction.'
Standing, he walked over to the small window that overlooked part of the facility.
Rows of buildings and hangars stretched out, connected by pathways bustling with personnel. This place had been a secret military base before the world fell apart, and now it was the heart of The Resistance.
Yet, despite its imposing structure and importance, something about it felt off.
There were too many questions, too many contradictions.
Why had the higher-ups sent Tess and her squad to investigate the Dragon Emperor's base only to reprimand them when it was destroyed? Why were they so adamant about observing that wretched place instead of acting against it?
Rey needed answers.
And now, as a Supervising Officer, he had the means to find them.
But that wasn't the only reason he orchestrated his rise. The higher his position, the more power he had to move independently. Tess's team was competent, but they were bound by loyalty to HQ, and their decisions were driven by orders.
That wasn't who Rey was.
He wasn't here to follow blindly—he was here to find a way to grow stronger and ultimately challenge the Dragon Emperor while also finding a way to return home.
That was all.
'If I manage to save humanity in the process, it will be a good bonus.'
A soft sigh escaped his lips as he stood and moved toward the bed. It wasn't comfortable, but he didn't care.
He was exhausted, and tomorrow would bring its own challenges.
Lying down, Rey closed his eyes, the hum of the facility fading into the background. His mind raced with possibilities and plans, but eventually, the chaos gave way to the quiet pull of sleep.
He didn't dream, but as he drifted off, one thought echoed in his mind.
'This is just the beginning.'
*********
The days passed in a steady rhythm as Rey acclimated to life in HQ.
His new position as Supervising Officer kept him busy, though it was more administrative than he liked. His role was to oversee several squads assigned to him, coordinate their missions, and act as the bridge between them and HQ. He received their reports and relayed them directly to his superior officer, Admiral Zach Skylar.
Despite the workload, he made time to learn more about The Resistance.
Through observation and subtle inquiries, he pieced together the structure of the organization. At the top was a shadowy group simply referred to as "The Board."
Admiral Skylar, for all his authority, ultimately answered to them.
The Board intrigued Rey.
Their identities were a tightly kept secret, and even the Admiral seemed careful when mentioning them. He could sense that their influence was vast, but he decided not to push too hard for information—at least not yet.
Throughout the days, Rey didn't see Tess or her team.
Their absence wasn't surprising. His promotion had officially removed him from their squad, and he doubted HQ would assign them to any missions connected to him. Still, their genuine smiles and congratulations lingered in his mind, especially Tess's quiet expression of pride.
Before he realized it, a week had passed.
'What now? How do I advance from this point and… huh? What's that?'
Rey's routine line of reasoning was interrupted by an unusual commotion.
He was seated at his desk, reviewing a squad's mission report, when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Curious, he stood and opened his door to see several staff members rushing past.
"What's going on?" he asked, stopping a young woman in a lab coat.
"Lady A just returned from her mission!" she said, her voice brimming with excitement. "She took down one of the Dragon Emperor's major strongholds. Everyone's heading to see her!"
Lady A.
The name sent a ripple through Rey's thoughts.
He had heard countless stories about her—the Resistance's strongest operative. Lady A was a legend, known for single-handedly taking on missions that most squads wouldn't dare attempt. She had completed more assignments than anyone else in the Resistance and had a flawless track record.
Unlike others, she had no desire to rise in rank.
Her sole focus was the field and taking down the Dragon Emperor's forces. To many, she was the heart of The Resistance's offensive efforts.
Rey's curiosity was piqued.
Stories were one thing, but seeing the strongest in action—or even just catching a glimpse of her—was something else entirely.
He joined the stream of people moving toward the main gate.
The anticipation in the air was surreal, and even the usually stoic staff seemed excited. When they reached the large open area near the gate, Rey positioned himself where he had a clear view.
The massive steel gates began to open with a loud groan, revealing the figure everyone had gathered to see.
Lady A stepped inside, her movements calm and confident.
She was flanked by a small elite unit—four operatives, each exuding competence and focus.
But it was Lady A who drew all eyes.
She was striking. Her brown hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, and her violet eyes seemed to shimmer even in the dim light of the entrance. There was an aura about her, a presence that demanded attention without her needing to say a word.
Rey's breath caught in his throat.
For a moment, the world seemed to blur around him, and an image from his past overlapped with the present.
"... Alicia…"