Episode 5: The Assignment Begins
The next morning, Martins found himself inside a hidden facility beneath the city — a repurposed underground train station turned covert training ground. Everything gleamed in matte black, neon blue accents blinking from walls and consoles.
Sophia stood in the center, arms crossed, flanked by a man in a white lab coat and a tall woman wearing sleek combat armor.
"Welcome to Zone Zero," Sophia said. "This is where shadows learn to fight fire with fire."
The woman stepped forward. "I'm Commander Nyla. I trained the elite units protecting the Core Council. You? You're my new student."
Martins raised an eyebrow. "Lucky me."
Over the next few hours, Martins was pushed beyond his limits. He sparred against combat drones, learned how to hack and disable neural trackers, and ran simulations of high-threat scenarios — from rooftop ambushes to silent room sweeps.
Despite the advanced tech and brutal pace, Martins adapted quickly. His instincts were razor-sharp, his reactions natural. Nyla watched in quiet approval.
By the end of the day, his shirt clung to him like a second skin, soaked with sweat, but his eyes burned with new focus.
Sophia handed him a compact case. "Your new ID. Encrypted holotag, smart lenses with threat detection, encrypted comm-link. Keep them close. Tomorrow, you meet the target."
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The Next Day…
Martins stood at the gates of Solar Ivy Academy, an elite private institute built like a fortress in the sky. Guard towers were disguised as sculpture gardens. Every student had at least one drone escort — except her.
Then she stepped out of a sleek, silent hovercar: Zahara Amari, daughter of the president. She wore confidence like armor — sleek dark braids, mirrored lenses, and a gaze that could cut steel.
Sophia nudged Martins forward. "Don't let the designer coat fool you. She's sharper than anyone in that building. But she doesn't trust easily. So... make her."
Martins approached and held out his hand. "Hi. I'm Martins. I'll be your—"
Zahara didn't shake it. "I know who you are. The 'assistant.' Try to keep up."
She turned and walked ahead.
Martins smirked. This is gonna be fun.
From the shadows above, a drone locked onto Zahara and beeped silently. Its red lens flickered, sending a signal far across the city… to someone watching, and waiting.