JOHN'S POVThe team gathers in the library for serious Academy planning. We've been avoiding this, dancing around it, focusing on immediate threats and day-to-day survival. But the event is just weeks away and we can't pretend anymore.Thomas spreads printouts across the table, information he's scraped from various sources over the past week. Public records, leaked documents, conversations he's intercepted. The pile is thick."Okay, so here's what we know," he starts, organizing papers into categories. "The competitions span three weeks total, covering multiple categories. Business acumen, strategic thinking, physical capability, and something they're calling special skills.""Special skills?" Maya asks. "That's deliberately vague as hell.""Exactly. The vagueness is intentional." Thomas pulls up a document on his laptop. "They don't publish specifics about what special skills means. Could be anything from public speaking to survival training to God knows what. Prevents preparation."

JOHN'S POVTraining continues to dominate our mornings, and Maya is absolutely relentless about it. She pushes us harder each day, constantly adjusting the regimen to target whatever weaknesses she spots. Today she has us doing endurance circuits. Rotating through different exercises without any rest between them. Burpees, mountain climbers, jump squats, push-ups, sprints across the gym. Over and over until my legs are shaking so bad I can barely stand.But I refuse to show weakness in front of the younger guys.My pride is stupid but it's also an effective motivation when my body wants to quit.Benjamin actually keeps pace with Marcus during the final sprint, both of them finishing in a dead heat. They collapse on the gym floor afterward, laughing and gasping for air like friends instead of former enemies.The transformation is remarkable when I think about it. A month ago Benjamin would've found 50 reasons why this training was beneath him. Now he shows up early and works harder th

JOHN'S POVMorning training gets cancelled because Benjamin fucked up his ankle yesterday. Nothing serious, just rolled it during sparring when he tried some fancy footwork he wasn't ready for. But Maya insists on rest and elevation, threatening him with worse if he tries to push through it."I'm fine," Benjamin protests from the couch in the gym, his ankle propped up on pillows with an ice pack."You're not fine. You're injured. There's a difference." Maya crosses her arms. "Rest today or you'll make it worse and be useless for the Academy."Benjamin seems genuinely touched that she cares. Like nobody's ever given a shit about his physical wellbeing before beyond whether he looked good in a suit.With the unexpected free morning, I decide to do something I've been meaning to do for weeks. Visit Maria, the kid I diagnosed with that rare metabolic disorder. I want to check on her progress, make sure the treatment Dr. Huang prescribed is actually working.I drive across town to their ap

JOHN'S POVThe warehouse erupts into complete chaos so fast I barely process the transition from standoff to violence.Scar's hand moves to his weapon and my body reacts before my brain catches up. Training takes over, muscle memory from the drills kicking in automatically. I dive behind a rusted piece of industrial equipment as gunfire cracks through the space, the sound so loud it feels like it's happening inside my skull.The muzzle flashes light up the darkness, creating these brief snapshots of the scene. Concrete dust exploding where bullets hit pillars and walls. Sparks flying off metal surfaces. Shadows moving between machinery with tactical precision.I can hear my team scrambling for cover, their positions marked by return fire and shouted warnings cutting through the noise."Contact right!" Silas yells from somewhere to my left."3 on the upper level!" Maya's voice, sharp and clear despite the chaos.The warehouse is massive and the darkness makes everything worse. Sounds e

Chapter 60Picking Up the PiecesJOHN'S POVWe go straight to a doctor Silas knows, this guy who operates out of a clinic in a neighborhood where people mind their own business and nobody asks questions about bullet wounds.The clinic is hidden in the back of a pharmacy, accessible through a door marked "employees only." The waiting room is empty because people don't wait here, they come by appointment or emergency and get treated immediately.Dr. Park takes 1 look at Thomas and gets to work without asking for ID or insurance cards or any of that bureaucratic procedure and shit that slows down actual medical care."Lie down," he says, gesturing to the examination table. "Let me see it."Thomas groans even harder as Maya helps him onto the table. The movement pulls at his shoulder and fresh blood seeps through the makeshift bandage she applied in the car.Dr. Park cuts away the temporary dressing and examines the wound. "Through and through. Missed the bone, not just your bones but any