Chapter 13 - Fourth Resistance Base

Few minutes before Alex and John went through the entrance—

As Alex and John neared the entrance, the Resistance Base loomed ahead, its metallic structures reflecting the artificial lights scattered across the sky. The crowd moved forward in an orderly fashion, the line of new recruits stretching far beyond what they could see.

Alex and John were shocked—where had all these people come from? It was as if they had appeared out of thin air.

Before stepping in, Alex's eyes flickered towards the woman John had spoken to earlier. She stood a short distance away, arms crossed, exuding an air of silent authority. Though she appeared relaxed, Alex noticed how her gaze swept the surroundings with calculated precision.

She was tall and athletic, with raven-black hair tied into a tight ponytail. Her combat suit was sleek, clearly custom-made, with reinforced plating that suggested she had access to high-grade military gear. Unlike the others, who still bore signs of travel, she looked completely composed— almost as if she had stepped straight out of a controlled environment.

More than that, something about her presence unsettled him.

"She's a dangerous one," Alex muttered under his breath.

Of all the people here, why the hell did John decide to approach her? It seems John loves the thrill of danger.

John blinked. "Huh? You mean her? I just thought she was scary."

Alex shook his head. "No, it's more than that. She didn't just dismiss your questions, she shut you down entirely. Like she wanted to erase the possibility of doubt before it even formed." His expression darkened. "That forest… whatever we experienced, she either doesn't know about it, or she has an idea of what happened and wants us to think it never existed."

John swallowed. "So what do we do?"

"Nothing, for now." Alex kept his gaze on her a moment longer before looking away. "We'll keep our distance. But if she approaches us again, be ready."

At that moment, the large hologram ahead shimmered as recruits passed through. The image of a monstrous maw widened, the metal entrance humming as the system activated.

Again?! Alex rubbed his eyes. Had he been hallucinating lately?

[ WELCOME TO THE FOURTH RESISTANCE BASE! ]

As the warp field enveloped them, Alex cast one last glance at the woman.

She was already gone.

A sharp gust of wind hit Alex and John as they stepped through the shimmering portal. Their vision blurred momentarily before adjusting to the sight before them. Towering metallic structures stretched into the sky, sleek and imposing, covered in digital glyphs that flickered in response to unseen commands. Hovering drones patrolled the air, scanning every arrival with precise blue beams. The camp buzzed with activity; soldiers in reinforced exosuits moved in formation, officers barked orders, and the distant rumble of machinery hinted at a war effort in full swing.

A smooth, authoritative voice echoed across the base.

"Welcome to the Fourth Resistance Base! All new arrivals proceed to the registration zone immediately. Failure to comply will result in immediate disciplinary action."

John elbowed Alex. 'Wow, they sound super welcoming.'

Alex ignored him, scanning the massive courtyard. The entrance they had stepped through had vanished behind them, replaced by an enormous steel wall lined with mounted turrets. This place wasn't designed for retreat— only forward movement.

They followed the stream of recruits toward a colossal holographic board listing various military divisions:

1. Frontline Infantry – For those with exceptional combat ability. [ Warning: High mortality rate! ]

2. Recon & Espionage – Covert operations and intelligence gathering.

3. Engineering Corps – Specialists in weaponry, vehicles, and technology.

4. Medical & Support – Healers and field medics.

5. Special Units – Unknown criteria. Entry by invitation only.

John whistled. "Guess where we're going?"

Alex didn't respond, instead focusing on the looming checkpoint ahead. Several large, circular booths housed military personnel, scanning and recording new arrivals. Each recruit stepped into a small pod-like chamber where a green light washed over them, assessing their abilities and recording their details.

A gruff voice barked from the side:

"Next!"

Alex stepped into the chamber. Instantly, the walls closed around him, and a smooth synthetic voice filled the space:

[ SCANNING…

SUBJECT: ALEX MERCER

ANALYZING BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURE: ENERGY SIGNATURE DETECTED. SKILLET ASSESSMENT IN PROGRESS…]

A flickering hologram of his body appeared before him, displaying his stats in real-time. The voice continued:

[ REGENERATIVE ABILITIES: NOTABLE

COMBAT EFFICIENCY: ABOVE AVERAGE

STRATEGIC APTITUDE: HIGH

PSYCHOLOGICAL STABILITY: PENDING FURTHER ASSESSMENT…]

Alex frowned at that last remark, but before he could think further, the chamber's door slid open.

"Exit and proceed to classification."

Stepping out, he saw John emerge from his pod, looking unusually serious.

"What?" Alex asked.

John shook his head. "It said I have an 'unusual inclination toward explosive solutions.' Like that's a bad thing?"

"…It is a bad thing."

John smirked but didn't argue.

Just then, a familiar figure stepped into the chamber beside them— the woman John had spoken to earlier, the one who had dismissed their talk about the forest. She walked in with a calm, controlled expression, barely acknowledging their presence.

Alex and John watched as the scanner activated.

[ SCANNING…

SUBJECT: EVELYN VASQUEZ

ANALYZING BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURE… SKILLET ASSESSMENT IN PROGRESS…]

For a few seconds, the usual assessments ran as expected. But then, a red warning flashed across the holographic interface.

[ERROR: Incomplete Data. Subject's abilities undefined. Energy signature… anomalous.]

The synthetic voice hesitated, then continued.

[Combat proficiency: High.

Strategic aptitude: Exceptional.

Psychological profile: …Restricted Access.]

Alex narrowed his eyes. That was unusual. Every recruit had their stats displayed openly, yet hers had classified elements? Even the scanner seemed uncertain about her.

The chamber released a sharp hissing sound as the door opened. Evelyn stepped out, a frown on her face as she appeared to be in thought.

John nudged Alex. "What the hell was that?"

"No idea. But she's not normal."

She noticed the whispers around her— recruits and soldiers alike as she moved toward the assignment area. Guess it's not common for someone like her to appear.

When the officer handed out unit placements, he barely hesitated before reading hers:

"Vasquez, Special Units."

Murmurs rippled through the recruits. Special Units was invitation-only, yet she was assigned immediately without any test.

John muttered, "What kind of connections does she have?"

Alex wasn't sure. But something about her gave him the same feeling as the masked man they had encountered in the forest, an unsettling sense that not everything was as it seemed.

They moved toward the next checkpoint, where recruits were being assigned their units. A soldier with glasses scanned Alex and John before handing them a digital identification chip.

"Mercer, Recon & Espionage.

Langley, Engineering Corps."

John groaned. "Engineering? Seriously? What am I, a factory worker?"

The officer barely glanced at him. "You blew up two scanners during assessment. Be grateful we're letting you near technology at all."

Ohh, that happened.

Alex stifled a laugh as John grumbled under his breath.

Before they could process their assignments further, a commotion broke out nearby. A tall, muscular recruit was arguing with one of the officers.

"You can't put me in infantry! I belong in Special Units!" the man protested.

"Special Units is invitation-only," the officer replied coldly.

"I took down a mid-level beast alone! I deserve to be in Special Units!"

Alex narrowed his eyes. That was no small feat. He took note of the recruit's stance, the scars on his arms, and the slight hum of energy around him. This guy wasn't bluffing.

The officer sighed. "If you think you qualify, you'll have to prove it." He gestured toward a nearby combat arena. "Go on. Show us."

A few soldiers gathered, murmuring among themselves.

"Think he can pull it off?" John whispered.

Alex said nothing.

The recruit stepped into the arena, and a mechanical combat drone descended from above. Unlike the standard training drones, this one gleamed with reinforced plating and bristled with weaponry.

"Begin!"

The recruit barely had time to react before the drone launched a rapid series of strikes. He dodged, barely avoiding a blade to the throat, and countered with a forceful punch that sent a shockwave through the air. The drone reeled back but quickly adjusted, launching a barrage of energy blasts.

The fight was over in less than thirty seconds.

With a final burst of power, the recruit shattered the drone with an explosive punch, leaving nothing but sparking debris.

Silence.

Then, a slow clap.

A figure in dark military attire stepped forward. Unlike the other officers, this one had an air of authority that made the surrounding soldiers stand at attention. A single insignia on his chest marked him as someone important.

"You've got raw strength, but Special Units need more than that. Prove you can follow orders, and you'll stay."

The recruit hesitated, then nodded.

"Good," the man said. "Report to Special Units."

Alex watched as the recruit followed the officer into the restricted section of the base.

John nudged him. "Think you could do that?"

Alex smirked. "Maybe. But why waste energy when I can get results another way?"

John snorted. "Of course you'd say that."

Before they could discuss further, a sudden alert rang through the base. A deep, robotic voice echoed over the loudspeakers:

"Attention! All recruits, report to your assigned training areas immediately. Combat simulations will begin in twenty minutes. Failure to comply will result in immediate reassessment."

Alex and John exchanged glances.

"Guess that's our cue," John muttered.

Alex took one last look at Evelyn before following the others. The Resistance wasn't just another military force. There was something deeper going on here—something he needed to uncover.

Seems like the plan of enriching his pockets would have to hold on.

He didn't forget the issue of the assessment regarding his psychological stability.

Pending? Alex frowned. He felt stable, John would vouch for that. But the scanner wasn't a person; it had no bias. So why hesitate?

Though they haven't been acquaintances for long, they've gone through life threatening situations together.

He had feeling that his assessment was hinting at what may be affecting him unconsciously.

When he reached the training arena, he was stunned by the sheer number of recruits. Had there always been this many?!