An instructor came out from a door
Then the five of them were led down a stark, metallic hallway, the air thick with tension. The instructor in front of them didn't speak, his boots clicking against the floor as they followed in silence. No one had told them what came next. No instructions. No hints. Just the knowledge that they had passed the final test—and now, they were stepping into something bigger.
Jade stole a glance at the others. Rico walked with his usual lazy confidence, hands in his pockets, his sharp eyes scanning everything and an arrogant smirk on his face. Gage was as solid as ever, unreadable, his heavy boots the only sound apart from the instructor's. Ari stuck close, her gaze flicking around warily, as if expecting another surprise test. Skye, on the other hand, looked excited, her fingers twitching like she was itching to get her hands on some new tech.
The door at the end of the hall slid open.
Inside, the room was minimalistic—white walls, a long table, and a few chairs. But the real tension wasn't in the room they were in. It was above them.
Far away, inside the heavily secured headquarters of the military, a meeting was taking place. A large screen displayed live footage of the five recruits standing in the briefing room. A dozen high-ranking officials sat around a dark conference table, their faces cast in shadows as they watched the candidates.
One of them leaned forward, fingers steepled. General Elias Ward, a hardened strategist, his eyes cold and calculating.
"These are our final picks," he stated, his voice void of emotion.
Another officer, Commander Harlow, skimmed through the files on the screen. "Jade Graves," he muttered, pausing.
That name meant something.
A sigh. A chuckle. Then a voice.
"A Graves, huh?"
A woman sat lazily at the end of the table, her legs crossed, arms draped over the chair like a queen watching a show. Her smirk was sharp, her dark eyes gleaming with amusement. Sabrina Voss. High-ranking officer. Maniac. And someone who loved a good game.
She tapped the screen in front of her, Jade's file enlarging.
"This seems interesting." Her tone was almost playful. "lets see how she keeps up."
The room went silent.
Because everyone in that room knew exactly why the name "Graves" carried weight.
Because every single one of them knew exactly what happened to that day.
And none of them wanted history to repeat itself.
But Sabrina?
She just smiled.
Because, for now—Jade entertained her.
The instructor in the briefing room finally turned to the recruits.
"Welcome to Snipe Squad."