The lights above flickered faintly, casting a sterile, unfeeling glow over the rows of cots in the bunker. The scent of disinfectant hung in the air, heavy and invasive.
This wasn't an academy—it was a military compound, a training ground for soldiers.
And the rookies, including me, were nothing more than new recruits.
I stood there in a daze, clutching my dog tag, the cold metal weighing heavily around my neck. The room felt cold and impersonal, each cot spaced with clinical precision, a far cry from the plush accommodations I had imagined in my mind when I first heard about the Gaia Enforcers Talent Academy.
There were no walls of knowledge here, no advanced technology, no sleek simulations. Just stark concrete and harsh lighting, and a looming sense of authority in every corner.
I glanced around at the other rookies. Faces I didn't recognize, though they all seemed to share a certain intensity, sizing each other up.
Everyone was trying to figure out who was weak, who was strong. Some were visibly nervous, others more confident, but all of them—like me—were stuck here, prisoners to GAIA's rules. The academy's strict regime began to settle in.
This was nothing like the freedom I had before. Before this world. Before GAIA.
Before I became Noah Adler.
"Ready to get your uniform?" Atlas's voice cut through my thoughts. His words had a casual, almost cheerful tone, but I could sense the underlying frustration in his eyes. He was adjusting to the harsh reality of this place just like me.
"Yeah, I guess," I muttered, running my fingers along the dog tag.
My initials and rookie number were stamped into it, but it felt less like a symbol of achievement and more like a brand. A mark of ownership.
I couldn't stop thinking about the tattoo. They'd told us it was just for tracking our vitals—nothing invasive. Nothing to worry about.
But it wasn't just a tattoo. It was a damn tracker. It would record my heartbeat, my health status, my every movement. I didn't even have the freedom to hide.
It felt suffocating.
As if hearing my thoughts, Atlas smirked and tossed me the uniform they'd given him.
It was plain, gray and unremarkable. Standard rookie garb.
"Don't worry, man. It's not like they're gonna be watching us every minute."
I shot him a look, eyebrow raised. "Sure. Just a small tattoo on my neck, no big deal. I always wanted to be tracked 24/7."
Atlas laughed, his grin wide and easy. "You think they're gonna give up after a little ink on your skin? They'll be all over us—like a damn GPS for people."
I couldn't help but agree.
A GPS with a deadline, and the only destination was control. GAIA had their eyes on us, and the ink was the final step in chaining us to the system. But I had no intention of being a cog in their machine.
Not if I could help it.
*********
The tattoo room was quiet. Too quiet.
The sterile white walls, the hum of machines, and the muffled sound of footsteps were the only things that filled the air.
One by one, rookies filed in, all of them bracing for the inevitable.
I took a seat on one of the reclining chairs. The tattoo artist didn't say a word, just gestured for me to sit and wait. The others before me were already done, their necks marked with the same ink, but with different number.
It was like a factory line—efficient, emotionless.
The ink felt cold as it touched my skin. I didn't flinch, but the thought of what it meant... I couldn't shake it.
This wasn't just some random ink. This was a data tracker. A marker for GAIA to monitor our every heartbeat, our every move.
If I stepped out of line, if I pissed someone off—if I just disappeared—they'd know exactly where to find me.
The numbness in my neck from the procedure made me uncomfortable, but it was the sense of losing control that gnawed at me.
No one had warned me about this. But that wasn't the point, was it? No one had to. The academy didn't ask for consent. They never had to.
"Don't worry," the instructor said, as though reading my thoughts. "You'll get used to it. It's just for your safety."
"Yeah, right," I muttered under my breath. "Safety."
The buzzing of the needle continued as the last of the rookies were tattooed. When it was over, I stood up, the slight sting in my neck barely noticeable compared to the knot of unease forming in my stomach.
We were all marked now.
*********
The cafeteria was the same as everything else here: sterile and utilitarian.
Long rows of tables filled with trays of protein packs, hydration bars, and water bottles. The food was basic—barely enough to fill you up—but that didn't matter. We weren't here for luxury. We were here to train.
I found a quiet corner with Atlas. We didn't speak much—both of us too absorbed in our own thoughts about the day's events.
And then I felt it. Eyes on me.
I looked up, trying not to seem too obvious, but there he was—standing at the end of our table. A young man, not much older than me, with sharp features and a confidence that practically radiated off of him.
He wasn't just any rookie. He wasn't even a normal senior.
He was someone important. Someone who knew his worth.
"Are you Noah Adler?" he asked, his voice smooth and measured, like he was asking the most casual question in the world.
I met his gaze, trying to assess him. "I guess that's my name. You are?"
He smiled—more of a smirk, really. "Gaius Alastair. Senior."
Atlas leaned in, whispering in my ear. "Alastair? Damn, that's a name to remember. Military family. S and SS ranks in their blood."
That was all I needed to hear. Gaius Alastair wasn't just some senior—he was from one of the most powerful families in the academy, a family with connections and power. His bloodline alone made him someone to watch out for.
I wasn't sure if I was intrigued or annoyed. But I knew one thing—he was sizing me up.
"I've heard about you," Gaius continued, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Technomancer? Never heard of that class before. You didn't use any skills during the obstacle course, but you passed. Interesting."
"Technomancer. Guess that's one way to put it," I replied, keeping my voice calm, but my mind was racing. What did he want? Why was he so interested in me?
He leaned in a little closer, his smirk widening. "You're an anomaly, Adler. I think we'll get along just fine."
The way he said it, so casually, like he already knew the outcome... It made my skin crawl.
But I couldn't afford to show it. "Thanks for the... insight."
I felt the weight of his gaze, the cold calculation in it. Atlas whispered to me that Gaius wasn't someone who did things without an agenda. And whatever his agenda was, I was pretty sure it didn't involve me becoming his friend.
The room seemed to shift when Gaius leaned in, his tone suddenly darkening. "You're not going to make it through this academy if you stay under the radar, Adler. Don't expect to breeze through just because you passed one test. There are eyes everywhere, and if you're smart, you'll figure out where they're coming from before it's too late."
I didn't flinch. I didn't even blink. But I couldn't help but think of all the ways he could make good on his threat.
"Thanks for the advice, Gaius. I'll keep that in mind," I said, leaning back in my chair, offering him a smile that didn't reach my eyes.
Gaius didn't wait for a response. Instead, he stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "I'll see you around, Adler."
As he walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being dragged into something far bigger than I could understand.
The cafeteria grew quieter as the tension between Gaius and me hung in the air. Atlas was unusually silent, his gaze lingering on Gaius as he left the room.
"That guy... is trouble," Atlas said quietly, his eyes still on the door.
"Yeah," I muttered, my thoughts racing. "But he's not the only problem."
As we made our way out of the cafeteria, I felt a chill on the back of my neck. Someone was watching me. It wasn't just a feeling—it was instinct. A warning.
My wrist comm buzzed, and I glanced at the screen. An anonymous message. Just coordinates, and a cryptic sentence.
"Don't trust Gaius."
I froze.
There it was. The first sign that things weren't as simple as they seemed. I'd barely stepped into the academy, and already, someone was warning me about Gaius Alastair.
Was this all just a coincidence? Or was I already being drawn into something bigger?
I couldn't afford to ignore the warning.
But at the same time, I had to survive the academy—navigate through the games, the politics, and the shadows—and do it all while hiding the truth about who I really was.
A hacker. A codebreaker.
Someone who could bring it all down if I played my cards right.
The game had begun. And I was far from ready to lose.