Chapter 6: the beyond

As they walked away, Kelly's eyes followed them, her expression thoughtful. She was more convinced than ever that something was off about that group. And she was determined to find out what it was.

Chase, Sage, and Jake exchanged skeptical glances, but Kelly's serious expression kept them from making any jokes.

"Kelly, come on," Chase said, his voice low. "You can't seriously think they're cheating."

Kelly's gaze flicked back to her friends. "I don't know what they're doing, but I know it's not normal. And I'm going to find out what it is."

Sage raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Kelly's smile was thin. "I'll figure it out. Don't worry about it."

As Kelly walked away, her friends exchanged worried glances. They knew Kelly well enough to recognize the look in her eye – she was on a mission, and nothing was going to stop her.

Meanwhile, Wesley, Luna, Ivan, and Desmond had made their way back to their makeshift headquarters, a nondescript building on the outskirts of the city.

As they entered, Luna let out a sigh, dropping onto a nearby couch. "Well, that was fun."

Ivan chuckled, clapping Desmond on the back. "You did well out there, Desmond."

Desmond grinned, still looking a bit dazed. "Thanks, Ivan."

Wesley flopped down beside Luna, running a hand through his hair. "I'm exhausted."

Luna leaned against him, her eyes closing. "Me too."

As they rested, Ivan began to pace, his eyes thoughtful. "We need to be more careful," he said, his voice low.

Luna's eyes flicked open, her gaze meeting Ivan's. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ivan's expression was serious. "Kelly's onto us."

Luna's eyes narrowed. "We'll take care of it," she said, her voice calm.

Ivan nodded, but Desmond looked confused. "What's going on?" he asked.

Luna smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Nothing, Desmond. Just get some rest."

Desmond nodded, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.As Desmond settled in to rest, Ivan and Luna exchanged a knowing glance. They knew they had to keep their secret safe, and that meant keeping Desmond in the dark.

Wesley, sensing the tension, opened one eye and looked at Ivan. "What's the plan?" he asked, his voice low.

Ivan's expression was grim. "We need to throw Kelly off our trail. Make her think she's just being paranoid."

Luna nodded, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I've got an idea."

As they began to discuss their plan, Desmond's eyes drifted shut, unaware of the secrets being kept from him.

But Kelly was not one to give up easily. She was already digging, searching for any clue that might lead her to the truth.

And she was getting close.Kelly's eyes scanned the dimly lit room, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she searched for any mention of Wesley, Luna, Ivan, or Desmond.

She had been digging for hours, but so far, she had found nothing concrete.

Just as she was about to give up, a name caught her eye - "Eclipse."

Kelly's heart skipped a beat as she clicked on the link, her eyes scanning the page.

It was a cryptic message board, filled with coded messages and vague references.

But one post stood out - a single sentence that made Kelly's blood run cold.

"Eclipse is rising."

Kelly's eyes narrowed as she printed out the page, her mind racing with possibilities.

What was Eclipse? And what did it have to do with Wesley, Luna, Ivan, and Desmond?

She was determined to find out.

Kelly's eyes scanned the room, her mind racing with possibilities. She knew she had stumbled upon something big, but she needed more information.

She quickly gathered her things and left the room, determined to dig deeper.

As she walked down the hallway, she ran into Chase, Sage, and Jake.

"Hey, Kelly, what's going on?" Chase asked, noticing the look of determination on her face.

Kelly hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should share her discovery with her friends.

But something about their curious expressions made her trust them.

"I think I found something," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sage's eyes widened. "What is it?"

Kelly glanced around nervously before leaning in close.

"I think Wesley, Luna, Ivan, and Desmond are involved in something called Eclipse."

Jake's eyes narrowed. "What's Eclipse?"

Kelly shook her head. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

As they stood there, a sense of unease settled over them.

They knew that Kelly's discovery could lead to something big, something that could put them all in danger.

But they also knew that they couldn't ignore it.

They had to know the truth.

Chase raised an eyebrow, a skeptical expression on his face. "Why are you so interested in those losers, Kelly? Clearly, the monsters were fake, and I'm sure they cheated. And didn't the lights go off right after they finished?"

Kelly's eyes flashed with annoyance, but she kept her cool. "That's exactly what I'm talking about, Chase. The lights going off, the fake monsters... it's all too convenient. And I don't think they're losers. I think they're hiding something."

Sage and Jake exchanged a nervous glance, but Chase just chuckled. "You're not seriously suggesting that they're involved in some kind of conspiracy, are you?"

Kelly's expression was dead serious. "I'm saying that I don't know what's going on, but I'm going to find out. And I think you guys should be careful around them."

As Kelly walked away, Chase turned to Sage and Jake. "Dude, Kelly's really got it out for those guys. I think she's just jealous of their skills."

But Sage and Jake just looked at each other uncertainly. They knew Kelly, and they knew she wasn't one to jump to conclusions without a reason. Maybe there was more to Wesley, Luna, Ivan, and Desmond than met the eye.Sage rolled her eyes. "Do they even have any skills? I mean, it's not like they're actually fighting real monsters or anything."

Jake chuckled. "Yeah, it's all just a big show. But hey, they're definitely good at making it look convincing."

Chase nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'll give them that. But still, Kelly's being pretty paranoid about this whole thing."

Sage raised an eyebrow. "You don't think it's weird that they always seem to be in the right place at the right time? And that they never seem to get hurt?"

Jake's grin faltered, and he looked at Sage uncertainly. "I guess that is kind of weird..."Sage rolled her eyes. "We haven't done anything dangerous yet in this training center, so you can't tell. I bet it's just luck."

Chase nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I mean, we've only been doing simulated battles so far. It's not like we're actually fighting for our lives."

Jake shrugged. "Yeah, maybe Sage is right. Maybe they're just lucky."

But Sage's expression remained skeptical. "I don't know, guys. I've got a bad feeling about this."

Just then, the training center's intercom system crackled to life. "Attention, trainees. Your next simulation is about to begin. Please report to the briefing room for instructions."

The group exchanged nervous glances. What would their next simulation entail? And would Wesley, Luna, Ivan, and Desmond continue to seem so...invincible?