"I'm here."
Lady A entered the briefing room to find Admiral Zach Skylar seated at the head of a sleek metal table. His expression was as stern as ever, his eyes narrowing the moment she stepped through the door.
"You're late," Zach said coldly, his voice carrying a sharp edge.
Angie shrugged casually, standing tall before him. "I was sparring with Rey."
Zach raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting briefly to surprise before settling back into his usual disdainful glare.
"Sparring with Rey, you say?" He leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together. "That boy is a disappointment. A waste of potential."
Angie crossed her arms, meeting his gaze evenly. "He doesn't seem like a disappointment to me. In fact, he won the spar."
The room fell silent. Zach stared at her, his disbelief palpable. "He… won? Against you?"
She nodded. "Fair and square."
Zach's jaw tightened as he leaned forward, his voice laced with skepticism. "You must have been holding back."
Angie smirked. "Of course I was, Admiral. But so was he."
Zach's expression darkened further.
"You're telling me that boy, who I've seen struggle to live up to even basic expectations, was holding back against you?"
"Not just holding back," Angie corrected, her tone calm yet pointed. "He has potential—massive potential. Honestly, I think he might already be stronger than me."
The Admiral's laugh was sharp and dismissive. "You expect me to believe that?"
Angie shrugged, unfazed.
"I assumed you already knew how strong he was. Isn't that why you placed him in the front lines? To make the most of his abilities?"
Zach shifted uncomfortably, his face betraying his conflicted thoughts.
"The front lines are no place for anyone but the expendable," he muttered, almost to himself.
"Expendable?" Angie's eyes narrowed, her voice laced with disapproval. "If that's how you see him, you're making a mistake. Rey will show just how impressive he is during the mission."
Zach fell silent for a moment, clearly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. Finally, he cleared his throat and changed the subject.
"Enough about him. Let's focus on your mission. The surveillance team has confirmed the location and detailed schematics of the target site. Your squad will lead the assault on their main control hub. Timing and precision will be critical."
Angie nodded, her posture straightening. "Understood, Admiral."
"Review this carefully. You'll be briefed further tomorrow. Dismissed." Zach handed her a tablet with the schematics and mission specifics.
Angie gave a curt nod and left the room, her mind lingering on the spar and her unexpected admiration for Rey's strength.
**********
[Later That Night[
In a dimly lit chamber, the flickering light of torches cast long, eerie shadows on the walls. A hooded figure knelt before a semi-circle of towering, shadowy council members. Their faces were obscured, but their glowing eyes pierced through the darkness.
"The plan has been revealed," the figure reported, their voice a smooth, low whisper. "The assault will begin in two days. I've provided the exact details of their strategy and their squad placements."
One of the shadowy figures leaned forward, their grin evident even in the dim light. "Excellent. With this information, they'll walk right into our trap."
Another figure chuckled darkly.
"You've done well. If this operation succeeds, your position in the Inner Circle is all but guaranteed."
The hooded figure bowed deeply, their voice steady.
"Thank you, my lords. I will continue to serve."
The council members exchanged sinister smiles, their plans now in motion.
The hooded figure stood, their cloak billowing slightly as they turned to leave, the sound of their footsteps fading into the darkness.
******
[Few Days Later]
The tension in the air was unreal as the assembled forces stood in formation, ready to embark on the operation.
Soldiers and specialists adjusted their gear, exchanging nods and last-minute words of encouragement. Though everyone seemed focused, the unspoken weight of what lay ahead was evident in their faces.
Rey stood among them, his gaze sweeping across the assembled squads.
It had been days since his sparring match with Lady A—or Angie, as she had asked him to call her—and he hadn't had the chance to speak with her again. A part of him felt relieved, yet another part of him longed for answers to the questions that lingered in his mind.
And then he saw her.
Standing at the head of her squad, Angie looked as composed as ever, her armor polished and her weapon resting casually across her back. Even from this distance, her commanding presence was undeniable.
Their eyes met for the briefest moment, and she gave him a small, confident nod.
He returned it, feeling an inexplicable sense of reassurance wash over him.
The commanding officer's voice broke through the moment, drawing everyone's attention.
"Attention, everyone!" Admiral Zach Skylar stood before the massive portal device, his authoritative tone cutting through the murmurs. The machine behind him was an intricate web of glowing circuits and pulsating Energy Cores, alive with power. Engineers swarmed around it, making final adjustments as its center began to shimmer with a swirling vortex of light.
"The mission parameters are clear," Zach began, his voice steady and firm. "This portal will take you directly to the target site. The Energy Cores powering it are limited, which means the portal can only remain active for brief periods. Once you're through, it will take at least three hours before it can be reopened. The mission itself will last five hours. Complete your objectives and hold your positions until extraction. If an emergency arises and the mission must be aborted, you will need to fall back and defend your ground until the portal reactivates. Understood?"
A unified "Yes, sir!" echoed from the crowd.
Zach's gaze swept over the soldiers, cold and calculating. When his eyes landed on Rey, they lingered for a moment before moving on. Though brief, the pause carried unspoken expectations—or perhaps disdain—that Rey could feel from where he stood.
As the final preparations were completed, squads began to line up in order of sequence.
Rey's squad, assigned to the front lines, would pass through the portal first. Angie's team followed closely behind, tasked with a high-priority strike on the enemy's control hub.
"Move out!" came the order, and the squads began their march forward.
Rey approached the portal with measured steps, the swirling light growing brighter as he neared. The faint hum of energy filled the air, and he tightened his grip on his weapon, mentally bracing himself for what lay ahead.
One by one, soldiers stepped into the vortex, disappearing into its glowing depths.
When Rey's turn came, he took a deep breath and stepped through.
For a moment, there was only blinding light and the sensation of being pulled through space.
Then, he was there.
The target site was as hostile as expected. The air was thick with an unnatural haze, and jagged terrain stretched out in all directions, dotted with twisted structures that pulsed faintly with dark, malevolent energy. The faint echo of distant movements hinted at unseen enemies lurking nearby.
"Positions!" barked the squad leader, and the team quickly fell into formation, scanning their surroundings.
Through his communicator, Rey heard reports from other squads as they arrived. "Squad Two in position." "Squad Three, reporting clear."
Angie's voice came through next. "Squad Four, ready to move."
Rey glanced back just as her team materialized through the portal. Angie caught his eye again, giving him a brief, determined smile before leading her squad into the haze. Her calm confidence was as unshakable as ever, and for a moment, it seemed to permeate the atmosphere, steadying even the most uncertain hearts.
The operation had officially begun.