Recycled air whispered through the academy's training room, carrying the sharp tang of ozone and the metallic aftertaste of active enhancement fields. The quantum simulator's hum set Kasper's teeth on edge, its frequencies clashing with his nanobots' natural rhythm.
Twenty students stood at attention, their enhancement modules casting multicolored glows across polished training mats. Ancient art deco pillars loomed overhead, their brass fixtures housing the latest security protocols - Level-3 dampeners and neural scanners that made every enhanced student's skin crawl.
Li Wei fidgeted with his neural interface calibrator, the device's soft beeping betraying his anxiety. The thin scar across his left temple - a reminder of his first failed tech experiment - stood out against his pale skin.
"Steady those frequencies, Mr. Chen," he muttered to himself in Mandarin-accented English, his enhancement readings fluctuating. "Father didn't fund six neural upgrades for you to fail now."
Jake Thompson's combat enhancements hummed aggressively beside Kasper, the former military cadet's upgraded systems pushing against regulation limits. His prosthetic eye - courtesy of a Coalition bombing run - whirred as it scanned for weaknesses in his classmates' stances.
Kasper's HUD displayed nearby enhancement signatures:
Sean Covington: Tactical/Speed Focus - 82% capacity Status: Minor shoulder strain, compensating Notable: Unauthorized tactical mod detected
Maria Rodriguez: Healing/Defense - 75% capacity Status: Crystal resonance stable Warning: Power drain from yesterday's healing session
Lucas Chen: Tech/Neural - 65% capacity Status: Recovery mode active Caution: Neural pathway stress detected
Nailah Hassan: Combat/Stealth - 94% capacity Status: Caribbean Division protocols active Note: Enhancement pattern anomaly
Sarah Chen: Medical/Support - 89% capacity Status: Full operational capacity Warning: Frequency signature unstable
The bitter taste of enhancement dampeners filled Kasper's mouth as Commander Cross entered. Her implants pulsed with that impossible frequency that made his nanobots recoil. The scent of her custom neural enhancer - expensive, Clinical Division issue - cut through the training room's artificial atmosphere.
"Today's exercise," Cross's cultured voice carried an undercurrent of anticipation, "will test your adaptation capabilities under extreme conditions." Her chrome-laced fingers danced across the control panel. "Computer, initialize Program Lazarus-7."
Kasper's nanobots surged in recognition. Beside him, Sarah's medical scanner emitted a soft tone that matched Cross's implant frequency perfectly.
The training room transformed. Holographic buildings erupted from quantum-enabled floors, creating a maze of urban warfare scenarios. The air grew thick with simulated smoke that carried a chemical signature Kasper's enhanced senses recognized from classified Mirage City files.
Li Wei's hands trembled as he activated his family's prototype neural shield. "These readings... they're military grade. My father's research division hasn't even-"
"Teams of four," Cross interrupted, her smile sharp enough to cut. "Random assignment. Enhancement levels restricted to 50% capacity. Objective: survive."
The room's dampeners activated with a pulse that made everyone stagger. Everyone except Cross, whose implants maintained their impossible power levels.
Warning: Enhancement Pattern Anomaly Detected Caution: Match found - Mirage City Incident Database Alert: Unauthorized access protocols active
"Begin."
Reality fractured into chaos. Holographic enemies materialized using combat patterns that shouldn't exist outside classified ATA archives. The taste of burning ozone mixed with something else - something that triggered memories of screaming and nanobot swarms.
Tactical display flashed team assignments:
Team 1: Kasper de la Fuente, Mia Reyes, Jake Thompson, Li Wei Chen
Jake's prosthetic eye cycled through combat modes. "Formation Delta. Wei, get those tech shields up. Mia, your enhancement projector's our best-"
Plasma rounds - set to stun but carrying enough juice to fry neural implants - cut off his orders. The artificial gunpowder scent burned Kasper's enhanced nostrils.
"Incoming!" Mia's voice cracked as her projector struggled against the dampeners. Her hands shook, but her stance was pure Special Operations training - a gift from her father's military connections.
Kasper moved instinctively, nanobots screaming as he pushed through the power restrictions. He tackled Mia behind a fallen pillar, the rough concrete scraping his palms.
"They're using ATA attack patterns," Li Wei called out, blood trickling from his nose as his neural interfaces strained. "But that's impossible - those protocols are locked in Coalition vaults! My father's team spent years trying to-"
Jake's scream cut him off. A holographic enemy had flanked them, moving with the fluid grace Kasper had only seen in one place before.
Warning: Pattern Match - Mirage City Incident File #274 Caution: Neural signature detected - Project Lazarus
Across the simulated battlefield, other teams struggled against the oppressive dampening field. Maria's healing crystals flickered weakly as she tried to stabilize Lucas, his neural implants smoking from a direct hit. Sean's tactical systems kept glitching, leaving gaps in his usually perfect combat awareness.
And Nailah... she moved like death itself through the chaos, her Caribbean Division enhancements adapting to patterns they shouldn't recognize. Her movements matched the ATA soldiers with uncomfortable precision.
"Focus, lover boy!" Mia snapped as her projector whined, deflecting another barrage. Sweat darkened her uniform, her enhancement readings dropping dangerously. "Your girlfriend can handle herself - both of them! We need those shields, Wei!"
"Working on it!" Li Wei's fingers flew across his neural interface. "But something's wrong - the system's learning our patterns. Adapting. This isn't standard academy tech!"
Kasper's HUD filled with cascading warnings as his nanobots detected a deeper frequency beneath the simulation. A pattern that matched Sarah's medical scans... and Cross's implants.
A plasma round caught him in the shoulder, sending white-hot pain through his weakened systems. As he stumbled, his enhanced vision caught Cross watching from her observation post, her smile holding secrets that tasted like ashes.
Sarah stood beside her, medical scanner active but her attention focused on specific students. On specific enhancement patterns that shouldn't exist outside Project Lazarus.
Warning: Critical System Analysis Pattern Recognition Initiated Caution: Security Protocols Compromised
Nailah's voice cut through their tactical link: "Down!"
The world exploded in light and sound and the copper taste of overloaded enhancements.
When Kasper's vision cleared, half the class lay stunned on the training room floor. Their enhancement signatures flickered weakly against the dampening field.
Only a few remained standing:
Nailah, her Caribbean Division protocols still stable despite impossible odds. Sean, tactical systems finally synced to frequencies they shouldn't recognize. Sarah, her medical scanner recording everything with perfect precision. And Kasper, his nanobots humming with recognition of a truth he couldn't quite grasp.
"Excellent," Cross's voice held satisfaction and something darker. "Your adaptability is... progressing. Especially yours, Mr. de la Fuente. Your brother showed similar potential during his time here."
The words hit like a physical blow, carrying the weight of secrets and lies.
Because Kasper had never told her about Javier.
And as his nanobots recovered, they detected one final pattern:
Cross's enhancement frequency perfectly matched the signature from his brother's last transmission.