Chapter 26

GRIM BEGINNINGS

Augustus had been working on a secret project ever since they had arrived at his secluded home. Packages had been delivered over the months, each vanishing into the one room of the house marked as off-limits.

Alexander and Talia accepted his firm but polite refusal to explain, knowing he’d reveal it in his own time.

Annie, by contrast, begged with puppy-eyes and exaggerated whines whenever a new package arrived. Auggy smiled but never relented. And Annie, despite her antics, never once tried to peek through the door or into the boxes.

Which only made her squeal louder when Auggy finally led them to the mysterious room.

“It’s time to show you what I’ve been working on,” he said with his usual gravitas.

Annie darted ahead, spinning as she went. “You got us costumes, didn’t you? You’re stylish enough. It has to be!”

Augustus only shook his head. He slid a key into the lock and pushed the door open.

Annie gasped.

The room was half the size of the main living space, yet transformed with meticulous care. Warm lights flickered on overhead. Reinforced plating covered the walls and ceiling, designed to armor against and scramble signals. The floor was covered in a lush black carpet.

At the back, duffle bags were stacked neatly beside a munitions locker. Above them, mounted rails displayed blades, rifles, and other firearms, each secured carefully.

But it wasn’t the arsenal that drew the eye.

Each corner of the room held a personal station with a small workbench, a narrow locker, and mannequins dressed in partial gear lit by cool backlighting.

At the center of the room stood a polished steel pedestal waist-high, a holographic interface pulsing in concentric rings above it, waiting for input.

No one spoke at first.

Well, except Annie.

“Holy balls,” she whispered, spinning again. “I love everything about this. I love that you did this. You’re like our terrifyingly fashionable war-grandpa.”

“I am neither terrifying nor old,” Augustus said, amused.

“You’re kinda both,” she grinned, still circling.

Auggy ignored her antics and stepped to the pedestal. “Before we get to your kits, you need to understand this.”

The floating rings slowed as his hand hovered near. “This is a read-only receiver. It connects to nothing, stores nothing, and cannot be accessed remotely. It’s completely air-gapped, cased in layered alloys, the same material used in the hidden panel back home.”

He glanced at Alexander. “If it can block even your technopathy, it should block anything. Purpose-built. You’ll be able to safely sync implants here and share full system details with the team. Talia and I switched ours to internal-only to avoid tracking. It was unlikely in my case, but not worth the risk, regardless. Here, with the door sealed, it’s safe.”

Alexander frowned. “I didn’t even think about that. I can override any features in your implants that try to report your location, and any other features really.”

Talia lifted an eyebrow. “You can do that?”

“He already did it for us,” Annie said, eyeing Auggy’s mannequin. “Mine even tells me when it tries to report and gets blocked.”

Auggy and Talia exchanged a look.

“Please do,” Talia said. “It would be… a relief to know AEGIS can’t track me anymore. Especially if I ever needed to reactivate it.”

Augustus nodded. “Mine’s a spec-ops model. Outdated now, but it was cutting-edge at the time.”

Alexander reached out. The implants were familiar, but this time no resistance greeted him. The moment they gave permission, the barriers fell away.

He didn’t pry. As with his and Annie’s, he set the same intent, coaxing the devices into obedience until they focused only on looking out for their owners.

Protect them. Report nothing. Serve them, and no other.

When it was done, both Auggy and Talia stirred in surprise. Alexander waved off their thanks. They were a team.

He turned to his station, where a black-and-gray mannequin waited.

“Now then,” Augustus said. “Let’s start with you, Mr. Rooke.”

He lifted a long, sleek black duster from the mannequin, the fabric rippling like liquid shadow.

“Custom-dyed off-world leather. Lined with flexible nanoweave that disperses heat and redirects current. Resistant to blades and small-arms fire. Not perfectly, so don’t rely on it overmuch, but it’ll be enough for walking the streets. Hidden pockets sewn inside.”

He gestured to the vest. “Lightweight torso rig, reinforced paneling to shield heart and lungs.”

Next he held up a complex harness. “A balanced and discreet dual holster system. Fits beneath the coat but quick to draw. Weapons are mounted already, designed from the specs you passed to Talia.”

He slid a belt onto the bench. “Modular rig with ports for payloads, field pouches for goggles, toolkit, and the rest. Knife’s there too. Never be without a blade, I say.”

Annie leaned close, eyes wide at the drone tubes beside the gear. “Mini-drones,” she whispered. “I want them.”

“They’re not snacks,” Alexander said, moving to the pedestal. He touched the interface and broadcast his information.

[ Veritus Praxis Neuroadaptive Noetic Implant: Series 1 - Ascensus ]

— Administrator Override in Effect —

Alexander Rooke

| Alias: Unknown

| Designation: Supervillain

| Bounty: 150,000 credits

| Evaluation: Tier 2 (1%) — Class B-

ASCENSION POTENTIAL INDEX (API)

Physical Attributes

| Strength — 68%

| Endurance — 72%

| Constitution — 69%

| Dexterity — 87%

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

| Agility — 68%

Cognitive Attributes

| Intelligence ✧ 101

| Processing Speed — 97%

| Perception ✧ 103 | Hyperawareness

| Focus — 85%

| Willpower (Self-Actualizing) — 97%

Power Manifestation

Technopathy | Class B, Tier 1

| Efficiency — 88%

| Control — 76%

| Output — 39%

| Adaptation — 80%

Electrokinesis | Class C, Tier 1

| Efficiency — 41%

| Control — 35%

| Output — 38%

| Adaptation — 23%

Techniques

| Blackout

The others read silently. Annie bounced on her toes. “My turn. My turn!”

Augustus gave her a small smile. “Very well.”

Her mannequin stood in gear cut for mobility and freedom to transform. A crimson jacket gleamed under the lights, angled zipper across the chest, collar high and flared. Military chic met rebel flair.

“Custom cut for you,” Augustus explained. “Heat resistant, reinforced for impact. Sleeves fitted with snaps so you can tear them off and reattach if needed. Don’t lose them.”

Annie leaned close, twitching fingers. “Can I touch it?”

“Not until I finish. Pants are modular, reinforced at hips and thighs, stretch paneling at the knees. Boots you already know.”

He tapped the belt. “Pouches for quick tools and light munitions. Shock-trap charges included. They’re directional and low yield, but as safe as explosives can be.”

Annie gasped. “Yes!”

“They’re not snacks either,” Alexander said.

Augustus ignored them and drew out a black case lined with grenades. “Standard set. Frags, flashbangs, concussive, incendiary, smoke, and these are adhesive shockers for cybernetics. You’re not allowed to use them until I’ve had the chance to teach you how.”

“I’m in love,” Annie whispered as she cradled the case and sent her status to the pedestal.

[ Veritus Praxis Neuroadaptive Noetic Implant: Series 1 - Ascensus ]

— Administrator Override in Effect —

Annette Sheridan

| Alias: Scrappy [Unregistered]

| Designation: Supervillain

| Bounty: 150,000 credits

| Evaluation: Tier 2 (1%) — Class B-

ASCENSION POTENTIAL INDEX (API)

Physical Attributes

| Strength — 90%

| Endurance — 72%

| Constitution — 83%

| Dexterity — 79%

| Agility ✧ 103

Cognitive Attributes

| Intelligence — 80%

| Processing Speed — 63%

| Perception — 69%

| Focus ✧ 105 | Combat Lock

| Willpower (Self-Actualizing) — 95%

Power Manifestation

MetaMetal Adaptation | Class B, Tier 1

| Efficiency — 98%

| Control — 85%

| Output — 28%

| Adaptation — 90%

Thermal Flux Control | Class C, Tier 1

| Efficiency — 74%

| Control — 21%

| Output — 23%

| Adaptation — 32%

Density Flux Control | Class C, Tier 1

| Efficiency — 65%

| Control — 28%

| Output — 20%

| Adaptation — 26%

Techniques

| Nutcracker

When they were done reviewing Annie’s information, Talia stepped forward.

“I assume it’s my turn.”

Her corner was as clean and deliberate as Talia herself. The mannequin wore a tailored charcoal suit: field agent practicality woven with subtle flexibility. Polished boots and a pair of reflective sunglasses in the breast pocket that hummed faintly to Alexander’s senses were included.

“I wanted something that matched your preferences,” Augustus said. “Dual-layered to disguise nanoweave mesh. Hidden compartments in the belt and integrated shoulder and back holsters. I added a wrist tablet, which is already paired with the glasses.”

He opened a compact case. “Lock disruption kit, spectrum scanner, signal rekeyer, and a universal claw. That should cover the basics.”

Talia raised an eyebrow. “Where did you even get all these? It would take half a dozen requisition forms to get even one at AEGIS.”

“I know people.”

“Dangerous people,” Talia mused.

“The best kind.”

He unzipped her duffle bag, displaying a full loadout. Sidearms, non-lethals, scoped kinetics, smart-breach charges. The works.

She sent her status to the pedestal holo and began dismantling a rifle.

[ AEGIS Investigator Series Cognitive Implant: Model No. 3 ]

— Administrator Override in Effect —

Agent Talia Kim [Credentials revoked]

| Alias: Unknown

| Designation: Supervillain

| Bounty: 200,000 credits

| Evaluation: Tier 1 (98%) — Class C

ASCENSION POTENTIAL INDEX (API)

Physical Attributes

| Strength — 100%

| Endurance — 100%

| Constitution — 98%

| Dexterity — 99%

| Agility — 98%

Cognitive Attributes

| Intelligence — 100%

| Processing Speed — 98%

| Perception — 97%

| Focus — 100%

| Willpower (Self-Actualizing) — 94%

Power Manifestation

Cognitive Resonance | Class C, Tier 1

| Efficiency — 93%

| Control — 95%

| Output — 76%

| Adaptation — 82%

Mind Palace | Class C, Tier 1

| Efficiency — 99%

| Control — 79%

| Output — 54%

| Adaptation — 32%

Alexander’s gaze drifted to the last corner: Auggy’s.

No spotlight, no flair. Just a dark navy suit, tailored and reinforced. A flat cap beside a polished case, cufflinks, a silver lapel pin. Shoulder holster. Gentleman’s cane leaning on the wall, a biometric blade hidden in the hilt.

All the tools of someone who dressed like he fought: deliberate and uncompromising.

[ SFHV Operations - Project Voidwatch Implant ]

— Administrator Override in Effect —

Operator Augustus Greaves, Captain, retired

Unit: CLASSIFIED (Level 8security clearance required)

| Alias: Unknown

| Designation: Supervillain

| Bounty: 100,000 credits

| Evaluation: Tier 2 (2%) — Class B

ASCENSION POTENTIAL INDEX (API)

Physical Attributes

| Strength — 92%

| Endurance ✧ 133

| Constitution — 95%

| Dexterity — 82%

| Agility — 71%

Cognitive Attributes

| Intelligence — 91%

| Processing Speed — 95%

| Perception — 95%

| Focus — 98%

| Willpower (Mystery) ✧ 164 | Warden

Power Manifestation

Arcane Seeker (Sorcery) | Class B, Tier 1

| Efficiency — 81%

| Control — 96%

| Output — 73%

| Adaptation — 97%

From beneath his table, Augustus produced a small wooden case. Inside, four simple rings rested on velvet, dark metal engraved with wolves and ravens.

“These weren’t easy to get,” he said quietly. “The debt is mine, but when the time comes I hope you’ll help me repay it. Each ring pairs to one implant. A few seconds after a ring is removed, it will send an encrypted ping to the others across the public net. Should work anywhere on the planet, as long as your implant isn’t being jammed. It’ll ping your implant, so you can disable the alert if you’re taking it off for any other reason.”

He held the case out.

Talia chose first, selecting the raven mid-flight with wings outstretched. Annie followed, lifting the snarling wolf with unusual care.

Alexander reached for the jagged wolf howling to the sky. He recognized the meaning behind the design and wondered if Auggy had done it on purpose.

Augustus took the last: the raven watching in silence.

Four rings. One bond. They each felt the sober intensity of the moment, letting it continue in silence.

A few minutes later they left the room, geared and ready.

Augustus began spinning up the portal.