Chapter 5

The convoy moved through the streets of Brooklyn with eerie efficiency. Traffic cleared before them, intersections blocked off by police cars that flashed their lights but didn't blare their sirens. Orion didn't have to ask—he already knew this wasn't standard protocol. The government was taking this seriously.

He sat in the backseat, his mind still reeling from the tournament rules. Monroe sat beside him, arms folded, her posture rigid as if she expected trouble. Carter was in the front passenger seat, speaking in low tones into an earpiece. The hum of the tires against the road filled the silence, punctuated only by the occasional hiss of the radio.

Orion exhaled, rubbing his hands together. He felt… off. Not just because his entire life had been flipped upside down in less than an hour, but because of something deeper. Something under his skin.

Imperium.

That word, his power designation, pulsed in the back of his mind. He had felt it in his room—the way the water bottle had obeyed him. It wasn't just telekinesis. It was something bigger.

He wanted to experiment. To reach out again and test his limits. But now wasn't the time. Not with Monroe sitting right next to him, watching his every move.

Instead, he forced himself to focus on what mattered.

"So," he said finally, breaking the silence, "what exactly is the plan here? You said I was going to the Pentagon. What happens when I get there?"

Carter glanced at him in the mirror. "You'll be briefed by the highest levels of government. The President, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs—everyone who matters. They need to assess you, determine how we proceed."

"Assess me?" Orion frowned. "What, like a test?"

"Something like that," Monroe said. "They'll probably run some diagnostics. See what you're capable of. You might not be the strongest fighter the U.S. could have gotten, but you're the one we have. They need to figure out how to maximize your chances."

Orion scoffed. "Great. No pressure or anything."

Monroe raised an eyebrow. "You do understand the stakes, right?"

"Of course I do." Orion leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "I either fight and win, or I die. Real simple."

Carter sighed. "It's not that simple."

Orion shot him a look. "Oh, really? Because from where I'm sitting, it seems pretty damn straightforward."

Monroe's expression remained unreadable. "Winning isn't the only objective. Surviving is."

Orion narrowed his eyes. "You mean, throwing fights?"

Carter shook his head. "No. But there may be ways to manipulate the system. We don't know if alliances can be formed, if we can influence matchups, if there's a way to guarantee certain people make it to the final rounds." He exhaled. "Right now, we know next to nothing. The Voice dropped this on humanity like a bomb. Every government in the world is scrambling. Some nations are drafting strategies. Others are just praying their champion got a lucky power."

Orion ran a hand through his hair. "And what's the U.S. doing?"

Monroe smirked. "Trying to make sure you don't die in the first round."

Orion grimaced. "Awesome."

The SUV turned sharply, merging onto a highway. Orion glanced out the window and saw the Brooklyn Bridge passing behind them. They were leaving the city.

"Where are we going exactly?"

"A military airfield in New Jersey," Carter replied. "From there, we take a helicopter to D.C."

Orion exhaled slowly. "So… I'm really meeting the President?"

"Among others," Carter confirmed. "And if I were you, I'd be ready for anything."

The convoy pulled onto a restricted road, weaving past a security checkpoint where armed guards waved them through without question. A massive, open airstrip stretched out ahead of them, and in the distance, a black military helicopter sat idling, its blades already spinning in preparation for takeoff.

As the SUV rolled to a stop, Monroe opened the door and gestured for Orion to step out. The moment he did, the wind hit him like a wall. The chopper's blades cut through the air with a deep, rhythmic whomp-whomp-whomp, sending dust and debris swirling across the tarmac.

Carter stepped out last, adjusting his suit against the wind. "Let's move."

They crossed the airfield quickly, escorted by a pair of armed soldiers. Orion tried to keep up, but his mind was racing. He was about to leave his home, be taken into the heart of the most powerful government on Earth, and get thrown into a war he never signed up for.

He swallowed hard. Get it together.

The helicopter's door opened, revealing an interior lined with seats, military-style harnesses hanging from the walls. Orion climbed in, taking a seat opposite Monroe while Carter strapped himself in beside the pilot.

The door shut. The noise from the outside world was muffled, replaced by the steady hum of the engine. The helicopter lifted off, tilting slightly as it veered toward the south.

As the city shrank beneath them, Orion clenched his fists.

The world as he knew it was gone.

And there was no turning back.

The helicopter ride was smoother than Orion expected, but that did nothing to calm his nerves. The city disappeared behind them, replaced by rolling landscapes of trees, rivers, and highways stretching endlessly toward the horizon.

Monroe watched him carefully. "You're quiet."

Orion shrugged. "Not much to say."

Carter turned slightly in his seat. "You're handling this well."

Orion huffed. "You think?"

"You're not panicking. Most people would be."

Orion leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "I think my brain just hasn't caught up yet."

Monroe smirked. "Give it time."

The radio crackled, and Carter listened intently before nodding to himself. "We'll be landing in twenty minutes. Once we're on the ground, you'll be escorted straight to the Pentagon. The President will be there, along with the National Security Council and the heads of several intelligence agencies."

Orion exhaled sharply. "So just, you know, every important person in the country."

"Pretty much," Monroe confirmed.

Orion hesitated. "Do they know what's happening? Like, do they actually have a plan?"

Carter's face darkened slightly. "No one does. This isn't a war, or a diplomatic crisis. It's something new. Something beyond our control. We're improvising."

Orion chewed on that for a moment. "And what if I don't want to fight?"

Monroe's expression didn't change. "Then the U.S. has no representation in the tournament. And we lose our only chance at a seat on the Galactic Council."

Orion's stomach twisted. He hadn't even thought about that. This wasn't just about him. It was about Earth's future.

And like it or not, he was the one who had to carry that weight.

The helicopter banked left, Washington D.C. coming into view in the distance. The Washington Monument stood tall, cutting through the skyline like a dagger. The Pentagon loomed just beyond, its massive structure dominating the landscape.

Carter adjusted his tie. "Final piece of advice, Orion. When you step into that room, you're not just a teenager anymore. You're a champion. The moment you walk through those doors, you represent more than yourself."

Orion exhaled slowly.

Seven days until the first fight.

And now, he had to convince the most powerful people on the planet that he wasn't already dead.

The helicopter descended.

Time to meet the big shots.