"Are we all on the same page or not?"
An older woman, appearing to be in her late fifties, slammed her hand on the table in front of her, her voice rising in exasperation.
The chaotic room, which had been buzzing with conversation just moments before, fell silent.
Around ten people occupied either side of the so-called horseshoe table. Most of them looked to be over fifty, with only one or two in their mid-thirties or forties.
The room was quite large, with multiple doors, each guarded by at least two security personnel.
In addition to the adults at the table, about twenty young people sat on neatly arranged chairs on either side, all of them clutching books and pens as if they were trying to take notes.
However, anyone with a discerning eye could see that they weren't able to glean anything useful from the uproar created by the older crowd just moments ago.
"Madison! It's not that we're opposing you; we just don't understand why all our recommendations have been rejected."
One of the older men, who appeared to have a strong build, spoke up after a moment of silence. This time, no one made a sound, even those who had initially supported Madison.
Madison didn't reply right away; instead, she took a moment to observe everyone. She could see that even those who were on her side seemed curious about the situation and were glancing at the elderly man sitting at the center of the table.
The elderly man didn't look much older than Madison, but his sharp gaze seemed worn down by the weight of years.
"Alright, everyone, I know you have doubts, but this mission cannot be led by those you recommended. We have found a better candidate to take charge, and I have already made the decision."
Mason, the older man who appeared to be leading the meeting, stated firmly, causing everyone at the table to frown.
"I'm not saying we doubt your recommendation, Mr. Mason. But the entire team has been training for this for a year. It's hard for us to understand how someone who hasn't trained with the other selected candidates can effectively lead them. The people we recommended have at least developed some level of coordination and have specifically prepared for this mission together."
The strong-looking old man glanced at Mason, a hint of trouble in his expression, but he pressed on, unwilling to let the matter drop.
"Well, the candidate I chose is Ethan."
Without offering any further explanation, Mason made his announcement, causing the room to fall silent once more.
"Is it the same Ethan?"
"Driscoll?"
"Ethan Driscoll?"
....
One by one, voices rose in surprise, as if they were trying to confirm whether it was the same person. Even some of the young people, who had been silent until now, began to murmur in astonishment.
This time, instead of Mason, Madison stood up again and surveyed the room, gathering everyone's attention. She simply nodded her head, not uttering a word.
Chaos erupted once more, but this time with even greater fervor. The strong-looking old man sat there for a moment, his expression troubled, before he stood up and walked away without saying a word.
No one paid much attention to him; on the side, a group of seven people displayed a mix of confusion and elation.
After the old man left, the meeting continued for another half hour before everyone filed out of the hall.
"Who is this Ethan? Is he handsome?"
As they stepped outside, a cute girl who appeared to be the youngest in the group asked enthusiastically.
Among the seven people, the two wearing military pants hid their excitement and shook their heads in denial, prompting eye rolls from everyone else.
Realizing that sticking around would only lead to more trouble, the two parted ways with the group. The oldest among them, a middle-aged man in his early forties, also distanced himself, appearing uninterested.
The remaining four exchanged wry smiles.
"Seems like they don't want to talk about this. Maybe it's a top-secret, and revealing it could be really dangerous."
A young man in his late twenties said cautiously, earning bewildered looks from the other three.
"We'll be meeting him soon, and we have to complete the mission with him. I don't think it will be as dangerous as you said. Anyway, I'll try asking my father today; he might know something about him."
Another young man, who appeared to be in his late twenties but seemed more mature, responded with a smile.
"I do know a little bit. I heard about him while I was working in the military. According to the little knowledge I have, he used to be in special forces just like Ava and Liam. But for some reason, he retired and started exploring. From rumors that I heard, he made a good name for himself in this career too, but I am not exactly aware of his achievements."
A mature woman who seemed to be in her early or mid-thirties, the last person in their group explained.
"Oh! Do you know how old is he, Miss Megan?"
The young girl again asked, prompting the remaining two also look at her in interest.
"I'm not sure, Jess."
Megan replied after a moment of thought, realizing she had never really bothered to find out, nor would she have made the effort if it weren't for the fact that they would be under his leadership.
Jessica and the other two didn't press her for more information, understanding that Megan's knowledge was limited as well.
However, they knew they would find out soon enough.