Woosh!

  A fist shot toward Maverick's chest.

  Maverick sidestepped, the punch missing by inches. He spun on his heel to dodge the swing, then hopped back lightly onto the ptform.

  "Almost had me there, Wilson," he said, a teasing grin on his face.

  Wilson grunted, both frustrated and annoyed. His silence made it clear this wasn't their first time fighting. Without a word, he lunged again, faster and mgressively than before.

  He closed the distand unleashed a rapid flurry—a jab, a hook, an uppercut. Maverick moved fluidly, dug and weaving, always staying just out of reach. Every strike from Wilson came close but missed, as if Maverick could read his moves in advance.

  Uerred, Wilson pressed harder, his fists flying with speed and power. Maverick calmly blocked a jab with his forearm, sidestepped a hook, and tered with a light shove that sent Wilson stumbling back.

  "Stay... still!" Wilson shrowing a wild, heavy punch.

  Maverick's expression showed no as he waited for the perfeent. Then, with a swift leap, he vaulted over Wilson's head and nded gracefully behind him, his bance fwless.

  Wilson spun to face him, but Maverick was already moving. A sharp kick to the back of Wilson's knee dropped him to the ground. Before he could recover, Maverick pressed a firm hand to his shoulder, pinning him ft.

  It was over in seds. Maverick stepped back, rexed, while Wilson stayed on the floor, catg his breath.

  "You sure you didn't use magic?" Wilson grumbled as he accepted Maverick's outstretched hand and got to his feet.

  "Not really..." Maverick said, a faint smile pying on his lips. "Magic's more like a sixth seo me... I 't help it."

  Indeed, his Magical-Sense, hoo advanced proficy, made dodging instinctive—like a passive skill. Coupled that with Edward's movement exercises, even the peak of human agility was no test—unless it crossed into superhuman levels.

  "Alright, that's enough..." a sharp voice called out.

  Maverid Wilson turo see a bald man with a sharp fad a lean, athletic build. Dressed in a fitted bck shirt and brown bat pants, he stood with his arms crossed over his chest, radiating a anding presence. With a brief gesture, he motioned for Maverid Wilson to approach.

  ...

  They were in a rge, square room that resembled a training hall. In the ter stood a ptform where the fight had just taken pce. One wall held a raeatly dispying sharp ons like knives and daggers, while a few pung bags were scattered in each er of the room. There were no windows, only a sieel door for entering aing. Bright white light from ceiling panels illumihe entire space.

  Aside from Maverid Wilson, three others stood he ptform, all dressed iical bat gear: bck shirts and brown pants.

  The bald man hilippe, an Afri Ameri and the most senior member of the group, as well as Maverick's primary instructor.

  The other two were Justin, a middle-aged Caucasian man with blond hair simir to Wilson's, and Lee, a younger woman with jet-bck hair and an Asian plexion.

  The three, Wilson, Justin and Lee were members of the queens Double Zero Squad, who were at the moment without a mission, and heasked with accelerating Maverick's training.

  The facility they were in was vast. In addition to the training hall, it featured ses for firearms practice, driving simutions, and a cutting-edge gadgets b equipped with state-of-the-art carry-on ons teology, all supported by the UK's top military sd engineering teams.

  The day after Edward's family returo America, Maverick's father took him to this secret base somewhere in London for his brief orientation with the Double-0 Squad—ae unit uhe queen's direand, which Maverick had previously agreed to join, but only under very strict ditions.

  Initially, Maverined a two-week timeline for this, but a month and a half has passed. It wasn't that the training was overwhelming, in fact, he had very quickly demonstrated exceptional skill in nearly all the practical exercises, including hand-to-hand bat and firearms training.

  His advanced Magical-Sealent ractically a cheat, and bined with the reflexes he had honed from the movement exercises he did while training with Edward, he was able to grasp everything pretty quickly.

  What ultimately pelled Maverick to extend his training with the Double-0 Squad were the extensive skills they offered in covert operations, including infiltration, intelligehering, and a range of strategic eliminatiohods.

  In addition to gathering intelligence, Maverick also learned advanced skills in human psychology and reading microexpressions—skills that were not only useful in the moment but could also remain important as he became stronger iure.

  Therefore, deying the start of his two-year journey by a month had been far from a waste. His instructor, Philippe, along with the three other members and the regur agents at the base, had trained him hard in every part of their craft. This training had turned him into a skilled and disciplined operative, and even without magic, he had bee a strong and capable individual, much like a well-trained soldier.

  ....

  "Wilson nearly had me there, Serge..." Maverick said, walking over to the rest of the team.

  "Bulshit... you weren't even breaking a sweat," Wilsoed.

  Maverick scratched his nose, a sheepish smile. It really was no test, and everyohere k.

  "Alright, let's ," Philippe said, turning his head to look at everyone in the room before his gaze settled on Maverick. "Double-0 Six, are you sure you don't want to extend your training a bit longer?"

  Maverick gave a fident nod. "I think I've got the important stuff down," he said, then paused for a moment. "Dad's pig me up ter tonight to meet with Her Majesty."

  "I see..." Philippe replied with a slight nod. "Well, if you ever need anything, you know where to find us."

  "Don't fet your promise, little man," Lee, the sharp-eyed, Asian-looking woman, chimed in with a smile. "We're all ting on you iure."

  "That's right, Caesar," Wilson added, smiling as he gave Maverick's shoulder a tug. "You never know when we mortals might need a little saving."

  Maverick chuckled. "I've got your backs..." he said fidently. There was no need for modesty; his tone carried an unspoken uanding that these seasoned agents kly what he was capable of.

  Though his time with them had been short, Maverick had grown quite fond of the team over the past few weeks.

  First, there was Lee, a Muggle-benius who had graduated from Hogwarts and was now in her early thirties. She had answered the Queen's recruitment request and bee a magical member of the Double-0 Squad, following the loss of two others a decade ago in the chaos caused by Voldemort. Maverick was now the fourth magical member, the most ret addition to their ranks.

  Wilson and Justin were a few years older than Lee, but they were regur humans. They didn't typically involve themselves with the extraordinary, but that didn't meaook on easy tasks.

  Maverick had gohrough the records of the missions they'd pleted, studying the dahey'd faced, and he couldn't help but admire how they stantly risked their lives to keep the try safe.

  Beyond all that, they were genuinely nice people. His Magical-Seold him as much. There were no signs of ive emotions like jealousy, rese, or the bitterhat usually followed when a younger, less experienced person joined a seasoeam. From day ohey had all weled him, and treated him with proper respect.

  "Let's go grab some shots before Caesar heads off," Justin suggested after everyone had their say.

  "The kid's not old enough to drink, Double-0 Three," Philippe reminded him with a raised eyebrow.

  Justin rolled his eyes. "The kid's old enough to have a lise to kill. Besides, he's a magical..."

  "He's right," Lee chimed in with a shrug. "Muggle liquor doesn't do much to us anyway."

  Philippe hesitated, eyeing Maverick for a moment. But sidering it was his st day training with them, he finally relented. "Alright. Let's meet on the roof after a shower?"

  "Uh, no need," Maverick grinned, snapping his fingers. A gust of wind whipped through the group, followed by a sudden rush of water. In seds, their sweat-covered bodies and gear were spotless.

  "Holy... I really envy you magicals," Justin muttered, shaking his head. "You make everything look so easy."

  The group collectively sighed, evehough she was much older and a genius in her ht, she still relied on a wand and ting, unlike Maverick, for whom it was as simple as breathing.

  "Well, looks like we've got more time now," Wilson said, shrugging as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

  Later, Maverick—code name Double-0 Six—joined Wilson (Double-0 Four), Justin (Double-0 Three), Lee (Double-0 Nine), and their instructor Philippe on the pound's rooftop for drinks and lighthearted versation. The group exged stories, jokes, and some ughs, strengthening their bond in a rare moment of downtime.

  Just before ing up the gathering, Mavericed around at the team with a sincere expression. "I just want to say thanks to all of you for the guidand support these past few weeks. You've all been incredible. And just so you know, I've got your backs—always. If you ever need anything, even outside of work, don't hesitate to reach out." He spoke sincerely and with fidence.

  The eeam smiled, a shared sense of trust, gratitude, and respect filling the air as they ked their gsses together o time before Maverick made his departure.

  ....

  A few hours ter, Michael arrived to pick Maverick up for his meeting with the queen, officially marking the end of his brief orientation with the Double-0 Squad.

  Before the day's sun had fully set, they arrived once again at Bugham Pace. Maverid Michael ehe same room where they had met a few weeks ago. This time, however, Jacob and Joanna were no longer hidden under Disillusio. They stood at the queen's left and right, who sat at the same table as before, her dignified presenged.

  Maverid his father took their seats across from the queen. Oable, a colle of gadgets and ons were ly arranged.

  The queen g Maverick, meeting his eyes with a small smile befetting straight to the point. "Well, I take it you've been briefed ohing by now?"

  Maveriodded. "Yes, ma'am." This was how the Squad members addressed the queen, rather than using the usual royal title.

  "Instructor Philippe and the rest of the team have walked me through everything I needed."

  Michael, sitting beside Maverick, remained silent. He was simply there to apany his son.

  "Good," the queen said, her gaze shifting tht. "Double-O Two..."

  At the queen's signal, Jacob stepped forward, a brief nod of respect before fog on Maverick. "Double-O Six," he begaing straight to the point. "These are the standard ons and gadgets issued to every member of the Double-O Squad."

  He picked up the rifle first. Sleek, matte-bck, and incredibly imposing, it radiated power. "AW85 sniper rifle," he began, his voice steady, "chambered in .50 BMG, 12.7mm caliber. It has a range of 1.5 kilometers, with a box magazihat holds 5 rounds." Jacob turhe rifle slightly, showg its streamlined design, the Maverick's eyes. "This is not a toy. Keep it in your ste ring unless you o use it. You'll be provided with enough ammo for the job."

  Maveriodded, abs the details before waiting for the item.

  Jacob set the sniper rifle doicked up a sleek handgun, giving another brief but thh expnation. He followed this by presenting several sharp ons, eae designed for efficy. Finally, he reached for a colle of eleic gadgets.

  "Now," Jacob began, holding up a phone-like device, "we both know that magid eleics don't mix well."

  Yet, Maverick could clearly see the device was active, its s glowie the usual interference magic would cause.

  "However," Jacob tinued, notig Maverick's attentioe Great-Magus like myself make it work." He paused, studying Maverick's unsurprised expression before nodding with a hint of approval. "To prevent magical interference... I'm guessing you've heard of it, maybe from Speaker Edward?"

  Maveriodded in response. Edward had indeed mentio, and Maverick had tested it himself.

  Moreover, his mastery of magical energy manipution and magical sense had already been shared with the queen and the Double-0 squad members, so he had no iion of hiding it. "Yes, sir. Suppressing magic while in tact with eleics prevents interference, allowing magicals to use eleic equipment," he replied calmly, meeting Jacob's gaze.

  Jaodded. "Exactly... So, apart from me and Double-0 Eight here, you are the third magical who act solo on missions. Other witches and wizards within the British Muggle gover all have a Muggle partner because they 't use phones or other eleiunication devices."

  He paused before tinuing. "But even so, remember, highly trated magical locations ically extended spaces will still interfere with arical signals." With a flick of his wrist, Jacob levitated the phone above his hand, and its light immediately flickered befoing out.

  The phone floated over to Maverick, who took it without hesitation.

  "Turn it on," Jacob instructed.

  Maverick did as told, and the gadget powered ba. His magical energy had been suppressed instinctively, so there was o trate on it.

  Jacob's eyes gleamed momentarily as he observed Maverick. He knew Maverick was good, but seeing it firsthand—the ridiculous trol he showcased at such a young age—still surprised him.

  "Keep it on with you at all times," he said ftly, outwardly showing ion, and moved on to the gadget.

  Maveriodded, then paused as a thought occurred to him. "What about pces like Hogwarts? Will I be able to use it there?"

  Jacob shook his head, his expressioral. "Probably not. Hogwarts sits atop a highly magitrated area, and there are wards and altered spaces all over. You might catch a signal in a few open areas, but for the most part, it won't work."

  Maveriodded again, already suspeg the answer.

  One of his earliest and main goals had been to find a way for wizards to use eleics. He had even discussed the issue with his teacher and already gathered a few ideas oo begin his research.

  After all, apart from himself, only those at the Great-Magus rank and above possessed the ability to manipute magical energy enough to suppress their magic. This meant that more than 99% of the world's witches and wizards were uo use elei their daily lives.

  Finding a solution would not only resolve a critical issue for the wizarding world but also earn him fame and fortune, key pilrs for his future ambitions.

  Jacob tinued presenting a few madgets before finally reag the st item. He paused and stepped back, signaling that the queen would take over from here.

  —————————

  Author's Note:

  Just a quick update — up to Chapter 73 is already avaible on P AT r30n!

  PAT r30n [.] / RyanFic