Kie seemed like a good guy, all wires neatly connected and his posture careful, precise. But being in the Mid-Guard for so long? There had to be something off about him. Tee watched him over the rim of her plate, her curiosity sharpening against the clatter of cutlery and murmured conversation in the dining hall.

  “Why were you in the Mid-Guard from so early?” she asked, her voice slicing through the soft hum of eating and scraping forks.

  Kie didn’t meet her gaze. Talking about it meant digging into the past he had carefully buried, family issues long sealed beneath layers of memory. He lowered his eyes to his plate, brows knitting into a dark line. “I’d rather not talk about it,” he said quietly, voice tight, almost fragile.

  Saeda leaned back slightly, her expression gentle. “That’s okay. Not everyone’s comfortable talking about their family.”

  Zod, ever blunt, leaned forward. “Oh yeah. What’s your family like?”

  Saeda froze mid-bite, fork hovering near her lips. She gave him a flat, blank stare. “Non-existent.”

  Tee’s chest tightened. “Non-existent? That couldn’t be worse than mine.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I… I have no parents, and my only guardian died a few weeks ago,” she murmured, feeling the sting of fresh grief prick the edges of her mind.

  Silence settled, thick and heavy.

  “I’m so sorry for your loss, Tee,” Miko said softly, voice almost drowned in the clatter.

  “Sorry to hear that,” Zod added, though his tone lacked depth.

  “Yeah,” Saeda echoed, her words detached but not unkind.

  Kie stood abruptly, chair scraping lightly against the floor. He made no move to engage further. The mention of family had stirred something unpleasant, memories he had meticulously shoved aside. He wanted out.

  Zod rose as well, clapping his hands lightly. “Since we’re done eating, why don’t we check out the place?”

  The sunlight outside streamed in differently than the evening light they had arrived in the previous day, casting warm streaks across the tiled floor. Tee noticed it, the start of the day carrying a freshness she rarely felt.

  “The Commander mentioned training at six AM tomorrow,” Tee said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

  Zod smirked, leaning against the doorframe. “Hey Tee, why don’t you get dressed? You look like a ghost in that white shirt and trousers.”

  Kie wore a half-sleeve dark blue shirt, Zino’s pink dress fell just below her knees, Saeda’s outfit was a muted neutral, and Zod sported a white shirt decorated with intricate calligraphy. Tee, alone in her plain attire, recognized the subtext behind Zod’s comment—it wasn’t her clothes he was poking fun at, but her hair and eyes. Crossing the line, as usual.

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  “I’ll do it later,” she said coolly, ignoring the burn of his teasing gaze.

  They left the kitchen and entered a smaller room with pristine white couches that gleamed under the light. A glass door beckoned, revealing a courtyard beyond, where a pool shimmered under the sun, liquid light dancing like scattered diamonds on the surface. Tee’s breath caught slightly at the sight.

  “Hey, there are some steps here,” Miko called, her voice echoing softly off the walls.

  The group followed her down, descending into the lower compound. Benches dotted the pathways, fountains gurgled cheerfully, and vibrant flowers in full bloom swayed gently in the morning breeze. A gazebo stood in the distance, white columns catching the sunlight. Soldiers in sleek battle suits patrolled in disciplined packs, while civilians in brightly colored robes with matching hair strode along corridors and through archways leading to vast halls.

  Tee felt the weight of a hundred eyes on her. They knew. Her secret, the part of herself that must remain hidden, pressed against her chest. She touched her neck reflexively, comforted only by the careful concealment of her markings. Exposed, she would be treated like some mangy animal from the streets. That was the harsh reality of being a Xeno-victim.

  Kie’s voice cut through her thoughts. “This is definitely not a Mid-Guard. Where are the training grounds? Where are the other troopers? I still don’t buy the Sentinels story.”

  Zod laughed lightly, glancing back at the group. “You can say that again. I thought we were all just academically inclined students with probably the lowest stamina scores geeting sent to a lenient Mid-Guard?”

  Kie smirked. “I had the highest stamina scores at my Mid-Guard.”

  Gasps and whispers rippled through the group.

  Tee shot back quickly, a flash of pride in her eyes. “I have both—high academics and stamina.”

  Saeda shook her head. “I’m horrible at both.”

  Miko, cheeks pink, raised a timid hand. “What are you guys talking about—academic scores and stamina? I’m top of my baking class, if that counts.”

  Tee exhaled slowly, the momentary tension easing. “I was told I was being relocated because of space issues,” she added, her gaze trailing across the courtyard.

  “Me too,” Kie said quietly, his hands buried in his pockets. “After nine years, it seemed best to try somewhere new.”

  Saeda’s voice dropped, almost a whisper. “I was told the Mid-Guard would offer the best counseling… But my visions on the jet told me this was not a Mid-Guard.” She raised a hand to her mouth, lowering her voice further, “I saw monsters—just like the one that attacked us.”

  “But the Commander said that was a hologram. It wasn’t real,” Tee countered, frowning.

  Saeda shrugged, turning to continue walking. “Fine, if you don’t believe me. Anyway, I thought they were going to run experiments on me or something.”

  Tee’s stomach tightened at the thought—it mirrored her own suspicions, unsettlingly so.

  Zino added quietly, “I was told my Mid-Guard needed reconstruction, so they relocated everyone in small batches.”

  A heavy silence fell.

  Saeda’s eyes narrowed slightly. “If that were true, why did the jet stop at four other Mid-Guards? You were the first on the jet.”

  Miko blinked, flustered, unable to respond, and looked away, cheeks burning.

  Zod’s grin returned. “Wouldn’t it be interesting if we all had abilities?”

  The silence hung thick. Finally, he prodded, “Alright—start talking. What can you guys do?”

  “You can go first, since you brought it up,” Tee suggested.

  Zod’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “I can pull objects to myself. Like keeping my hoverboard close while racing on the tracks. I’ve never fallen; I’m the best at it.”

  Tee raised an eyebrow. Reckless, she thought. Those tracks were always breaking because of racers like him.

  “Show us what you mean,” she said, curiosity sharpening her voice.