The transport buses left campus at 5 AM on Saturday morning. All 180 participants were required to be on board. No exceptions, no delays.Carter had barely slept the night before. He'd packed and repacked his bag three times, checking the approved equipment list. Basic clothes, water bottle, first aid supplies. Nothing electronic except academy-issued communication devices. No weapons. No performance enhancing drugs.The Bronze students boarded the buses first. Carter found a seat near the back. Felix sat next to him, looking terrified. Isla sat across the aisle, already reviewing strategy notes on her tablet.The other class levels boarded after Bronze. Gold students looked confident, energized. Silver students looked nervous but determined. Platinum students looked like they'd done this before, even though they hadn't.The buses were luxury coaches with comfortable seats and climate control. Even in crisis, the academy maintained certain standards.The ride took three hours. They le

The announcement for day two came at 0700 exactly. All teams gathered in the central area where Dean Morrison stood on her platform."Day two challenge: The Hunt," she announced. "Each team will be given a list of targets. These are academy staff members positioned throughout the facility, dressed as enemy combatants. Capture a target and return them to your base camp for points. Each target has a different point value based on difficulty of capture."She paused, scanning the assembled students."However, teams may also ambush other teams and steal their captured targets. If you eliminate an opposing team member, you can take their targets and earn their points. The Hunt lasts until 1800 hours. Points are tallied based on targets held at the end."Carter immediately saw the problem. This wasn't just about finding targets. It was about deciding whether to hunt for new targets or ambush other teams. And teams would be scattered across the facility, vulnerable to attack."Target location

Dean Morrison's voice echoed across the facility at 7:30 AM."Day two challenge: The Hunt. Academy staff members are positioned throughout the facility, dressed as enemy combatants. These are your targets. Capture a target and return them to your base camp to earn points. Point values range from one hundred to five hundred based on target difficulty and location."A pause. Carter could hear the tension in the silence."However, teams may also ambush other teams and steal their captured targets. Additionally, eliminating members of opposing teams earns bonus points. The Hunt ends at 1800 hours. Points are tallied based on targets held at end time and enemy eliminations."The announcement ended. Immediately, Team Phoenix erupted in argument.Alex pulled up a map on his tablet. "We need to split into three groups. Cover more ground, capture more targets. Speed is essential.""Splitting up makes us vulnerable," Kira countered. "We should stay together as one unit. Smaller groups will get