Commander Julian Cross

Commander Julian Cross had always considered himself a man who thrived on adrenaline. From his early days as a combat pilot to his later years as a test pilot for experimental aircraft, there was no high he hadn't chased. He had flown at speeds most people couldn't comprehend, executed maneuvers that defied physics, and lived through situations that should have ended in fire and wreckage.

But as he stepped off the unmarked military transport onto the airstrip of a facility so classified it technically didn't exist, he had a gut feeling that whatever awaited him inside would be unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

The facility stretched across the remote mountain valley, its hardened hangars and reinforced research labs seamlessly integrated into the terrain. It was a fortress, built not just to keep people out but to protect whatever was inside. Automated defenses tracked every movement, and silent drones flew circles in the distance, their presence almost imperceptible. Julian had seen top-secret military installations before, but this? This was something else.

A uniformed escort waited for him at the edge of the landing pad, motioning for him to follow. Julian smirked and adjusted his flight jacket. "No welcome committee? You guys are getting sloppy."

The soldier remained silent. Julian rolled his eyes and followed.

The walk through the facility was a study in efficiency—smooth, seamless hallways lined with reinforced security checkpoints, retinal scanners, and automated defense systems that could turn the entire compound into a kill zone if needed. It was the kind of place built for people who dealt in the impossible.

Finally, they reached a large room overlooking a massive underground hangar. Julian's eyes widened slightly at the sheer scale of it. Rows of workstations, engineers moving with quiet precision, and—most importantly—something under construction beneath reinforced scaffolding.

A jet.

Not just any jet. The silhouette was sleek, sharp, and wrong in all the right ways. It didn't look like any aircraft he'd ever seen.

"Commander Cross," a familiar voice greeted him.

Julian turned, smirking. "Dr. Varis, I assume the trip wasn't too boring?"

Elias returned the smirk, his hands casually tucked behind his back. "I understand a man in your position doesn't get called into places like this unless something big is happening. So let's skip the pleasantries."

He gestured toward the main display, and with a tap on his wrist console, the entire wall lit up with a holographic projection. The aircraft's full schematics materialized, spinning slowly in three-dimensional space. Julian took one look at it and let out a low whistle.

"This," Elias said smoothly, "is Project Revenant."

Julian's smirk grew as he examined the model, his pilot's instincts immediately assessing its design. The angles, the propulsion layout, there was no way in hell this was a conventional aircraft.

"Alright," he said, crossing his arms. "You want me to fly something that doesn't even exist yet?"

Elias nodded. "And help design it. You'll be part of the engineering team, ensuring that what we build isn't just theoretical. You'll fly it, break it, then help us make it better."

Julian leaned in slightly, analyzing the details. "This propulsion system, it's not jet-based."

Elias smirked. "No turbines, no combustion. It uses an electromagnetic air displacement system. Think of it like a railgun for the atmosphere, compressing and accelerating air through controlled plasma channels instead of traditional thrust."

Julian blinked, then grinned. "You're kidding."

Elias tapped the projection again, highlighting the expected flight performance. "Mach 7 at peak efficiency. Higher if we push it. Silent at subsonic speeds. Near-zero thermal signature."

Julian let out a low whistle. "Jesus. That's not a plane, that's a goddamn spaceship."

Elias chuckled. "Not yet."

Julian ran a hand through his hair, already feeling the familiar rush of excitement. He had spent his life pushing the limits of flight, but this? This was rewriting the rulebook.

He turned to Elias. "And what's the catch?"

Elias raised an eyebrow. "Catch?"

Julian smirked. "Yeah. No one builds something like this without a reason. Who are we making this for?"

Elias leaned against the console. "Ourselves."

Julian's expression shifted slightly. That was unexpected.

"No outside contracts. No oversight. High Command gave me full authority to develop this as I see fit. And I chose you to be the first to fly it."

Julian considered that for a moment. He had spent years dealing with bureaucratic red tape, people who wanted results but refused to take risks. Now, he was being handed a blank check to fly the most advanced aircraft ever conceived.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, I'm in. But if I die testing this thing, I expect a hell of a funeral."

Elias smirked. "Then don't die."

Julian stood inside a secure briefing room, staring at something that shouldn't exist.

The footage on the screen showed a battlefield, an enemy compound, fortified with defenses. Then, in an instant,

BOOM.

A projectile moving at impossible speeds tore through concrete and steel like they were made of paper. No explosion, no fireball—just pure kinetic devastation.

Julian narrowed his eyes. "That wasn't a missile."

"No," Elias confirmed. "That was a railgun."

Julian exhaled slowly. "You're putting one on the jet, aren't you?"

Elias smirked. "Wouldn't you?"

Julian ran a hand down his face, laughing in disbelief. "You want me to fly a Mach 7 stealth interceptor with a hypersonic railgun strapped to it?"

Elias nodded. "Precisely, what else could shoot at that speed."

Julian looked back at the footage, watching as another round fired, obliterating an armored target in an instant.

He grinned.

"This is going to be fun."

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