JOHN'S POVThe afternoon stretches empty after the interview, no scheduled activities, just free time that feels like waiting for something unknown. I can't settle, too keyed up from being psychologically dissected for an hour. I walk the Academy grounds without real destination, just moving to burn off anxious energy.Other participants are scattered around, some also restless after their interviews, others enjoying the rare downtime. I notice patterns in who seems affected and who doesn't. People from powerful families who are used to evaluation seem less bothered, chatting casually on benches or reviewing notes. Those like me who value privacy look more unsettled, their movements restless, their expressions tight.I end up near the meditation garden, a carefully landscaped area with stone paths and benches positioned for contemplation. Diana is there sitting on a bench, staring at a small pond with koi fish swimming lazy circles. She waves me over when she sees me."Mind some compa

  ARIEL'S POV My ethics session is scheduled for afternoon with a different group of participants than John's. I arrive at Conference Room C to find seven others already seated around the table. Some I recognize from previous interactions - a guy from the obstacle course, a woman who scored well on the written exam. Others are strangers whose names I don't know yet. An evaluator sits at the end of the table, arranging papers. He looks up as I take my seat. "Good afternoon. I'm Professor klen" he says. "We'll be discussing medical ethical dilemmas today. I'll observe but won't participate. Your task is to discuss each scenario as a group, defend your positions, and attempt to reach consensus." 

JOHN'S POVI wake with a tightness in my chest that does not fade, I try shaking it off as I run through the usual morning routine but even as I move through the dorm corridors toward the trial hall, the feeling still stays, like a rock that isn't ready to move. Something about today feels different. Heavier. The air itself seems to press down, or maybe it's just me in my head. Groups gather in low clusters along the pathway, watching each other more than they speak. Conversations stop when I pass. Eyes follow my movement. I keep walking, not acknowledging the attention that my presence is drawing. I hate it. The trial hall is larger than the conference rooms we've used before. High ceilings, stone walls, rows of chairs arranged theater-style facing a central examination area. Observers are already seated - officials, family representatives, other participants waiting their turns.When I step into the room, one of the evaluators signals for me to approach. She's a woman I don't rec

Chapter 80JOHN'S POVTraining is interrupted when an instructor redirects me to a different station than the one I am assigned. I'm halfway to my designated workspace when he calls out."John, not that one. Over here."I stop and turn. He's pointing to a station in the far corner, away from where the rest of my team is setting up."I was assigned to station three," I say, checking the board where assignments are posted."Change of plans," the instructor says. His tone is casual but his eyes are firm. "Station seven needs someone. You'll work there today."I glance at station seven. The tools there are modern, unfamiliar in their design. Digital monitors, electronic diagnostic equipment, instruments that require power sources and calibration. None of the traditional tools I normally rely on are present.When I hesitate, the instructor gestures for me to move. "Is there a problem?""No," I say, because what else can I say?I walk to station seven and examine the setup more closely. Eve

Chapter 82JOHN'S POVThe Academy hums with quiet anticipation the next morning. I notice it the moment I step into the dining hall. Conversations pause when I approach, heads turning briefly before looking away. Then the talking resumes in softer tones, more careful than before.I grab food and sit with my team. Lawrence looks up as I settle into my seat."Morning," he says. "Slept at all?""Well enough," I lie.Maya studies my face with that direct way she has. "You look tired.""I'm fine," I say, taking a bite of bread I don't particularly want.Thomas leans in slightly. "It's not just you noticing things today. Something feels off this morning. Like everyone's waiting for something."He's right. The shift in atmosphere is subtle but very noticeable throughout breakfast. People step aside for me without meeting my eyes, creating a path that feels less like respect and more like distance. Like they're already positioning themselves away from whatever is coming."Did something happen