The second chance
Levi stood before the three scouts, his expression as stern as ever. Aiden, Elena, and Kael stood in front of him, ready for whatever judgment awaited them. After the failure of their first mission, there was no room for mistakes.
"You failed your last task," Levi began, his voice cold and sharp. "Normally, you wouldn't get a second chance. But given the unique circumstances around your mission, you're getting another shot." He paused, his eyes scanning each of them. "Don't expect any more chances after this."
Aiden glanced at his teammates, feeling the weight of the situation. He still hadn't told them much about what happened after the transformation or why he had disappeared after Levi pulled him aside. Elena and Kael had been left in the dark, but neither seemed eager to pry. They stood silently as Levi continued.
"This mission is different. Less dangerous, but still important. You'll be heading to an abandoned outpost to gather intelligence that may have been left behind. It's been quiet for years, but we need to confirm whether there's anything of use."
Levi crossed his arms. "This won't be as life-threatening as your last task, but don't be reckless. Finish the mission, come back in one piece, and maybe you'll prove you belong in the Intelligence Department after all."
With that, Levi dismissed them, leaving the three to prepare.
---
As they walked through the halls of the Scout Headquarters, Elena turned to Aiden. "You disappeared right after Levi took you away," she said, her voice casual but curious. "You never gave us any explanation."
Kael chimed in, equally nonchalant. "We had to handle all the prep work without you. Not exactly what we were expecting."
Aiden glanced at them, feeling the weight of their silent judgment. They weren't grilling him for details about his transformation—he could tell from their expressions they had their thoughts but were keeping them to themselves. If the higher-ups were fine with his presence, that was good enough for them. Still, he felt like he owed them something, even if it was vague.
"I had… things to take care of," AIden said, offering a half-smile. "Won't happen again, though. I'm here now."
Elena raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "As long as you're ready for this mission, that's all that matters."
Kael smirked. "Yeah, just don't disappear again. We're not bailing you out twice."
---
The mission itself was, as Levi said, far less dangerous than their previous one. The outpost they were sent to was tucked away in a quiet, abandoned village. The wind whistled through the empty streets as they approached, the silence more unsettling than comforting.
"Looks peaceful enough," Elena muttered, scanning the area. "Almost too peaceful."
"Stay sharp," Aiden replied, stepping forward. His instincts, honed from his transformation and the memories that now lived inside him, told him there was nothing to fear here. Still, he didn't let his guard down.
The three of them moved through the outpost, their steps echoing on the worn cobblestones. They split up briefly to search for anything of value, combing through old files and documents left behind in the small buildings that lined the main road.
Kael kicked open the door to a storage room, dust kicking up into the air. "Nothing here but old papers and useless junk," he called back to the others. "This is barely worth a second chance."
Elena laughed from across the street, where she was rummaging through another building. "Hey, it's better than almost getting killed like last time. I'll take an easy mission over that any day."
Aiden smirked at their banter. He'd been nervous about joining this team, especially after everything that happened. But Elena and Kael were solid. They didn't pry into his business, they didn't question why he was here, and they worked well together.
For the first time in a while, he felt a little more at ease.
---
After a few hours of searching, they regrouped in the center of the village, their bags filled with whatever documents and intel they could gather. Elena stretched her arms over her head, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"Not bad. Easy mission, good company. Could be worse."
Kael nodded in agreement. "Could definitely be worse. I thought we'd be knee-deep in Titans again, but this was practically a vacation."
Aiden chuckled. "Don't get too comfortable. Levi's not exactly the forgiving type."
Kael laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But still, it's nice to have a mission that doesn't involve near-death experiences."
As they prepared to head back to headquarters, the sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the empty streets. For a moment, Aiden let himself relax. The mission had gone smoothly, and for once, there was no immediate danger looming over them.
But in the back of his mind, he couldn't forget what was coming. The darkness that still lurked in his future, the weight of the path he was on. For now, though, he kept those thoughts buried, enjoying the rare moment of peace with his team.
---
Back at headquarters, Levi was waiting for them.
"Good work," he said curtly, his eyes briefly flicking over the documents they'd gathered. "You passed. Don't screw up next time."
It wasn't exactly a glowing review, but for Levi, it was practically a compliment. Aiden and his team exchanged relieved glances, knowing they'd finally proven themselves.
As they walked away from the debriefing room, Elena nudged Aden playfully. "See? That wasn't so bad. We're still in the game."
Kael grinned. "Yeah, just don't go disappearing again, and we'll be fine."
Aiden smiled, feeling a little lighter. "I won't. I'm not going anywhere."
For now, at least.