<MOD's Squad/>

The day of the Tower mission had finally arrived.

Cason and his squad stood at the entrance, fully armored in sleek black plasma suits. Their helmets were deactivated, revealing their faces—each member exuding the quiet intensity of seasoned warriors. 

But the one who stood out the most, as always, was Cason Linus—captain of the G.O.D. squad, and widely known as the God of Death.

I stood beside him, feeling distinctly out of place in my standard rookie GE Academy suit. It was nothing special—no armor, no flashy upgrades. Just a reminder of how far I still had to go.

Cason glanced over at me, his sharp eyes assessing my attire. "Where's your suit armor?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll wear it when the action starts," I replied nonchalantly, shrugging.

My suit, like my drones, was summoned—just a convenient energy saver. I wouldn't activate it unless absolutely necessary.

He gave me a lazy smirk. "Okay, whatever suits you."

I glanced around at the silent stretch of empty ground before us, tapping my foot impatiently. "Why are we standing around? This is getting ridiculous."

We'd been waiting for nearly fifteen minutes, and my stomach had begun to make its displeasure known. If I'd known we were going to be stalled, I would've packed something to eat. 

Cason had offered no insight into why we were standing here, and I wasn't exactly in the mood for more waiting.

"We're waiting for the other MOD squads," he muttered, clearly as irritated as I was. "GAIA requires all squads to enter the Tower at the same time. If we don't, the mission gets revoked."

I frowned, rubbing the back of my neck. "Entering together? What difference does it make?"

Cason exhaled sharply, his frustration palpable. 

"Exactly. Doesn't make a damn bit of sense. But the rules are the rules." 

He looked at me, his expression softening just a little. "That's why I like you, Noah. You're not as dumb as the others."

Before I could retort, three shuttles appeared on the horizon, engines humming steadily as they approached.

I squinted, sensing something off about the situation. As they drew closer, I saw the family insignias emblazoned on each shuttle. 

Family squads. 

Probably important, but I didn't care enough to dwell on it. 

What did concern me, though, was the fact that all of the major MOD families had arrived together. The more eyes I had on me, the harder it would be to keep my Codebreaker mission under wraps.

I pushed the worry aside for now. I'd handle whatever came my way when the time came. My mind already raced ahead, strategizing.

One by one, the squads disembarked. A few of them I recognized. 

Gaius stepped out first, his presence commanding. 

He wore his S-rank Golden Armor like it was a second skin—perfectly polished, gleaming under the sun. His blonde hair was neatly combed, every strand in place, and his piercing blue eyes scanned the area with the precision of a hawk.

When his gaze landed on me, I felt a chill crawl up my spine. He smiled—a predator's smile. The kind you give when you know you've cornered your prey.

Beside him was Genesis, his twin sister. Her long blonde hair was tied into twin ponytails, her blue eyes just as striking as Gaius's. They didn't look identical—just enough similarity to make them unmistakably siblings.

As soon as Genesis saw Cason, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. Her smile widened, and she waved frantically, her voice ringing out over the distance.

"Cason!" she called, a note of excitement in her voice.

I glanced at Cason, who visibly winced at the sound of her voice. His frown deepened, his discomfort all too clear. I couldn't help but smirk. 

"Oh look. Your stalker's here," I teased.

Cason pursed his lips, but as Genesis started running toward him, he immediately ducked behind me, as if I could somehow shield him from her.

Genesis's smile faltered when she noticed me, and her eyes narrowed in distaste. "It's you. The help," she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.

Annoyed, I rolled my eyes and sighed. "I told you, I'm not the help."

It was like watching a game of hide and seek—Cason doing everything he could to avoid Genesis while she chased after him. And, of course, I found myself caught in the middle of their strange little drama.

Gaius approached us with that same smug smile he always wore. "Noah. I've been looking for you."

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "Miss me or something?"

Gaius chuckled, clearly enjoying the sarcasm. "Sarcasm. I like that. If it helps, I do miss you. Miss fighting you again, to be precise."

He turned his attention to Genesis. "Genesis, behave, or I'll tell Mother."

The threat worked. Genesis stopped dead in her tracks, her face turning into a pout. She reluctantly moved to stand next to Gaius, but not before sending daggers in my direction with her eyes.

Oooh, I'm terrified.

As if on cue, two more MOD squads started making their way toward us. 

One squad was clad in sleek, liquid silver armor, the light reflecting off it in waves. Among them, a figure stood out—a tall person with long, flowing silver hair. Flawless porcelain skin. And the eyes—silver like mercury.

Was it a woman? 

It was hard to tell, but their androgynous look was striking. Whoever they were, they were undeniably attractive.

Cason greeted them first. "Zane Atticus. You're late. And why did all three of you squads arrive at the same time?"

So, Zane was a guy.

Zane gave a smirk, crossing his arms casually. "Better late than never."

"I prefer never," Cason shot back with a grin, clearly not bothered by the late arrival.

The final squad approached, and this time I froze. 

The captain was a young woman, but it wasn't just her appearance that had me pausing. She had this aura—an air of quiet charisma that was hard to ignore. 

Elegant. Poised. 

Her raven-black hair cascaded smoothly behind her, but it was the striking blue streaks at the front that really caught my attention. Her eyes—golden, like the sun—seemed to glow with an intensity all their own. Her lips, full and voluptuous, added to the allure, their shape almost impossible to ignore.

Who was she? And her hair—was that some kind of style, or something more?

I looked closer, and to my surprise, I noticed her squadmates sported similar streaked hairstyles—blonde, white, red, green, and even purple. What was this, some kind of squad trend I didn't know about?

"Lady Nova. Looking stunning, as always," Cason greeted, his voice smooth, perhaps a bit too much so.

I could almost feel the heat of Genesis's gaze from the other side. I smirked, enjoying the tension.

"I didn't expect the Maxims family to send you," Cason continued, his smile widening. "I thought your older brother would be the one leading the charge."

She glanced at him briefly, the coolness of her demeanor never faltering. "Zuko has other missions," she replied curtly, before giving me a fleeting glance.

I couldn't quite read the expression behind her brief look, but it was enough to make me uneasy.

"Well, now that everyone's here," Cason said, taking charge, his voice firm. "Let's head to the Tower."