Federal Pressure

Alex was reviewing equipment specifications on his laptop when the knock came. Three sharp raps, pause, two more—the kind of pattern that screamed official business. Through his apartment window, he spotted two black SUVs parked across the street that definitely hadn't been there an hour ago.

"Alex Chen?" The woman at his door wore a crisp federal badge and the expression of someone accustomed to compliance. "Agent Torres, DMB Special Investigations. We have a warrant to search these premises."

Behind her stood two more agents and a man in tactical gear carrying what looked like awakener-detection equipment. Alex's blood chilled as he recognized the lead agent—the same Torres who'd called him days ago with a 24-hour ultimatum he'd ignored.

"Search warrant?" Alex's voice cracked slightly. "For what?"

Torres handed him a legal document thick with official seals. "Suspected violations of the Awakener Registration Act, illegal dungeon operations, and failure to cooperate with federal investigation into anomalous awakener phenomena."

Alex scanned the warrant with growing dread. They had authorization to search for "awakener-enhancement substances, unregistered dungeon materials, communication devices used for coordination of illegal awakener activities, and any evidence of undisclosed awakener capabilities."

"I'm registered F-rank," Alex protested. "Everything I do is legal."

"Mr. Chen, your 24-hour cooperation window expired three days ago. We've documented seventeen instances of you entering restricted areas, associating with unregistered awakener groups, and demonstrating capabilities inconsistent with your official classification."

The tactical agent moved past Alex into the apartment, scanner beeping as it detected residual awakener energy. Alex's heart hammered—yesterday's crystal rewards from the Rat King kill were hidden in his bedroom closet.

"Living room's clear," called one agent. "Moving to bedroom."

Alex watched helplessly as strangers invaded his space, photographing everything, scanning every surface. His laptop disappeared into an evidence bag. His camera equipment received particularly intense scrutiny.

"Interesting setup," Torres observed, examining his AR recording system. "Military-grade analysis software, biometric monitoring capabilities, real-time combat assessment tools. Expensive equipment for an F-rank cameraman."

"It's for my freelance work—"

"Freelance work that's generated significant income recently," Torres interrupted, consulting her tablet. "Bank records show crystal deposits totaling $12,000 over the past week. Care to explain where an F-rank awakener acquired D-rank monster materials?"

The bedroom search had gone silent—never a good sign. Alex strained to hear what they'd discovered, knowing his hidden crystals were about to complicate everything exponentially.

"Agent Torres," called the tactical specialist. "You need to see this."

They trooped into Alex's small bedroom, where the scanner displayed readings that made Torres's eyebrows rise. The device showed concentrated awakener energy emanating from his closet with intensity levels that definitely exceeded F-rank parameters.

"Mr. Chen, please open that closet."

Alex's hands shook as he turned the handle. Inside, behind winter coats and old electronics, sat a small metal box containing three awakener crystals that pulsed with inner light. The scanner's beeping intensified to near-panic levels.

"D-rank awakener crystals," Torres said, photographing each one. "Market value approximately $4,000 each. Possession of these requires B-rank classification or special federal permits. You have neither."

"I killed the monster that dropped them," Alex said desperately. "Yesterday, in Queens. There are witnesses—"

"F-rank awakeners don't kill D-rank monsters," Torres replied flatly. "They die attempting it. Unless you're suggesting your official classification is fraudulent?"

Before Alex could answer, Amy's voice carried from the living room. "Alex? What's going on? I brought your—oh."

Alex's heart sank as his sister appeared in the bedroom doorway, medical bag in hand, taking in the federal agents and scattered evidence bags. Amy's nursing shifts had ended early, and she'd promised to check his energy levels after yesterday's depletion.

"Ma'am, please identify yourself," Torres requested.

"Amy Chen, I'm his sister. I'm a registered nurse at Mount Sinai." Amy's professional composure kicked in, but Alex saw concern flashing in her eyes.

The tactical agent ran his scanner over Amy's medical bag, and the device immediately started chirping. "Agent Torres, detecting awakener-specific medical supplies."

Torres opened Amy's bag before either sibling could protest. Inside were energy restoration tablets, awakener-grade painkillers, and monitoring equipment definitely not standard for civilian medical practice.

"Ms. Chen, these are controlled substances requiring special permits for awakener treatment. How did you acquire them?"

Amy's jaw tightened. "I have medical clearance for awakener emergency response. These supplies are for treating energy depletion and technique overuse in registered awakeners."

"Your brother is registered F-rank. F-rank awakeners don't experience energy depletion or technique overuse because they don't possess sufficient abilities."

The logic trap was elegant and inescapable. Either Alex was lying about his classification, or Amy was illegally treating unregistered awakener capabilities, or both siblings were involved in something far beyond their official positions.

Alex watched his sister calculate options with the same analytical mind that made her an excellent nurse. Amy had spent three days researching awakener medicine after his Hudson River incident, learning everything she could about supporting his developing abilities. Now that knowledge painted her as a co-conspirator.

"My brother's been experiencing unusual symptoms since his awakening," Amy said carefully. "Fatigue, energy fluctuations, technique instability. I've been monitoring his condition as a precautionary measure."

"Technique instability?" Torres leaned forward. "F-rank awakeners don't have techniques to destabilize."

The scanner beeped again, this time focusing on Alex himself. The readings displayed on Torres's tablet made her expression shift from skeptical to alarmed.

"Mr. Chen, this device shows current energy signature consistent with high C-rank or low B-rank awakener. Please explain how an F-rank individual generates this level of output."

Alex's mind raced. The truth about Combat Data Archive was impossible to explain without sounding insane. But lies were crumbling under federal investigation equipped with technology that read his body like an open book.

"I don't know," Alex admitted. "My abilities have been... developing since my awakening. Maybe my initial classification was wrong."

"Initial classifications are verified through multiple independent tests," Torres replied. "Errors occur in less than 0.3% of cases, and those involve measurement precision, not entire rank category mistakes."

The lead agent's radio crackled with incoming communication. "Agent Torres, this is Command. Priority update on Chen investigation."

Torres stepped away to take the call privately, leaving Alex and Amy under the tactical agent's watchful eye. Alex caught fragments of conversation that made his blood run cold.

"...confirmed similar cases globally..." "...twelve documented subjects..." "...task force authorization approved..." "...containment protocols if necessary..."

When Torres returned, her demeanor had shifted from suspicious to grimly determined. "Mr. Chen, you're part of a larger phenomenon we're tracking. Awakeners worldwide are demonstrating capabilities far beyond their registered classifications. Some have gone missing after federal contact."

"Missing?" Amy's voice was sharp with protective concern.

"Disappeared, relocated, or withdrawn from public life," Torres clarified. "We're not certain which. But your brother's case has attracted attention from multiple agencies and organizations."

Alex felt the walls closing in. "What kind of attention?"

"The kind that considers anomalous awakeners either valuable assets or potential threats," Torres said. "Guild recruitment scouts, private military contractors, foreign intelligence services. Your little media exposure made you a person of interest to groups we monitor very carefully."

The tactical agent's scanner detected something else—the encrypted communicator David Kim had given Alex. The device looked innocuous among his electronics, but federal scanning revealed its true nature.

"Encrypted communication device," Torres observed, examining the communicator. "Military-grade security, awakener network protocols, untraceable routing systems. Possession of these requires federal permits."

Alex's throat constricted. Kim had warned him the freelancer network operated in legal gray areas, but he hadn't realized how gray.

"Mr. Chen, you're going to come with us for additional questioning," Torres decided. "Ms. Chen, you're not under arrest, but we strongly advise consulting a lawyer familiar with awakener law."

"Wait," Amy stepped forward. "My brother needs medical monitoring. His energy levels are still recovering from recent exertion. Stress could trigger dangerous fluctuations."

Torres studied Amy's fierce protectiveness with something approaching respect. "Medical monitoring can be arranged at our facility. We're not interested in harming Mr. Chen—we want answers."

As Alex gathered his jacket, Combat Data Archive flickered subtle warnings across his peripheral vision. The system seemed agitated, interface elements shifting and reorganizing as if responding to external pressure.

Security Breach Detected Stealth Protocols Recommended

External Analysis Attempting System Access

The last message sent ice through Alex's veins. Whatever scanning equipment the feds used was sophisticated enough to detect Combat Data Archive's presence, even if they couldn't understand what they were finding.

"Agent Torres," Alex said as handcuffs clicked around his wrists. "Those people who went missing—what happened to them?"

Torres paused at the apartment door, her expression unreadable. "That's what we're trying to determine, Mr. Chen. For their sake, and yours, I hope we figure it out before others reach the same conclusion about your... uniqueness."

As they escorted Alex toward the black SUVs, he caught sight of neighbors peering through windows, phones recording everything. His quiet life in Brooklyn was officially over.

"One more thing," Torres said as they reached the vehicles. "Whatever abilities you're developing, whatever system or organization is behind the anomalous awakener phenomenon—it's bigger than just you. We've documented similar cases on every continent. Someone or something is conducting a global experiment, and you're one of their test subjects."

The SUV door slammed shut with the finality of a closing cage. Through tinted windows, Alex watched his apartment building shrink away, taking with it any illusion that his secret could remain hidden.

Amy stood on the sidewalk, medical bag clutched against her chest, watching her brother disappear into federal custody. Her face showed the terrible understanding that their family had just become collateral damage in something far beyond their comprehension.

As they drove toward downtown Manhattan, Alex wondered if he'd ever see his sister again—or if he'd become another missing person in Agent Torres's growing files of anomalous awakeners who'd attracted the wrong kind of attention.