After the meeting, Cason gave me a tour of their private GEAS Base, and I had to admit—this place made the Elite Base look like a second-rate training camp.
The facilities were cutting-edge, far beyond anything I'd seen before—more advanced, more intuitive, more exclusive.
Unlike the Elite Base, where assignments were dictated by GAIA, private bases had full autonomy. They controlled everything, including who could stay there. And in this case, every single person residing in G.O.D Base was S-rank or higher.
As the captain, Cason had his own private barracks, which he was now showing off to me like a kid unveiling his prized collection.
"I actually wanted you in my base instead of that Elite dump you're in," he said casually. "But at least you didn't end up under that lunatic. I intercepted it halfway."
I raised an eyebrow. "Gaius tried to place me under his base?"
"Yup," Cason confirmed with a smirk. "His squad runs one of the Elite Bases. MODS families have certain privileges—we can tweak some base conditions, but nothing major. GAIA still has the final say."
He sighed, shaking his head. "Too bad I couldn't pull you into my squad completely. But at least you're coming on this mission with me. It'll be fun."
Fun, huh?
I crossed my arms. "So GAIA actually approved my assignment to this secret tower mission?"
That was the real concern. Did GAIA notice me? If so, that would be a problem. A big one.
Cason must've noticed my frown because he chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder. "Relax. We MODS can bypass a few restrictions, but GAIA makes the final call. If I had to guess, GAIA probably saw your potential and figured you'd be useful."
Useful to GAIA?
That thought didn't sit well with me.
But Cason had a point. My performance during Initiation Day had already exceeded expectations for a supposed C-rank, and I was ranked as a Top Rookie—not just in the GE Talent Academy, but across all Talent Academies globally.
GAIA only selected the best awakeners for its tower missions. From GAIA's perspective, I was an asset.
I exhaled, letting a slow smile creep onto my face.
If GAIA thought I was useful, I just had to make myself indispensable. The more valuable I became, the more freedom I'd gain—and the closer I'd get to unraveling its secrets.
Fine. I'd play along.
For now.
Cason insisted I stay for dinner. I reluctantly agreed.
I still wasn't sure why he wanted to chat with me so badly. Ever since our spar on Initiation Day, he'd been annoyingly friendly—almost like he was trying to recruit me.
Over dinner, I learned a few things about him.
First, he was the youngest captain ever to secure a private GEAS Base. Second, at rank 12 globally, he was also the youngest S-rank in the top 20.
And yet, despite his status, something about him felt… isolated.
Maybe it was because most of his squad members were at least five years older than him. A seventeen-year-old surrounded by elite veterans? It made sense why he acted like he had something to prove.
When he casually mentioned that he was only a year older than me, I finally understood. I had mentally lived over thirty years. Our difference wasn't just in age—it was in experience. Expecting him to be mature was unrealistic.
My thoughts were interrupted by a loud chime.
Cason groaned, slumping back in his chair. "That damn vixen is calling again. What does she want this time?"
Vixen?
As the screen flickered to life, the girl on the other end greeted us with a saccharine smile—until she saw me.
Her expression turned sharp, scrutinizing me with cold, calculating blue eyes. She had golden hair, but something about her felt… different. This girl was all soft edges and effortless charm.
She had an almost angelic beauty, the kind that could make people lower their guard if they weren't paying attention. But her piercing gaze told me she wasn't as harmless as she looked.
Her expression immediately soured. "Who are you? Where's Cason?"
I blinked. Excuse me?
She muttered something under her breath, checking something on her end before frowning again. "This is the correct network… Cason's private comms…"
Her irritation grew.
"I want to talk to Cason. Who are you? Are you the help?"
Help? Seriously?
I glanced over. Cason had ducked behind the sofa, frantically gesturing for me to play along. Coward.
I sighed and cleared my throat. "Cason's not here. And no, I'm not 'the help.'"
The girl scowled. "Where did he go? When will he be back?"
"How should I know? I'm not his mother." I folded my arms. "If there's nothing else, I'm shutting this off."
"W-wait!" she blurted. Then, with a huff, she composed herself. "Fine. Just leave him a message."
I gave a reluctant nod.
"Tell him I'll see him at the tower mission. And that he better wait for me before going in. Tell him—"
Cason frantically signaled for me to cut the feed.
I didn't hesitate. "Yeah, yeah, I'll tell him. Goodbye."
The screen went dark.
Cason peeked out from behind the sofa, exhaling in relief.
"You heard what she said, right? I'm not repeating it," I said flatly.
"That stalker. How does she keep finding my private comms? This is the twenty-eighth time I've changed it! I even blocked her!"
I smirked. "Seems like she's really into you."
Cason rolled his eyes. "That girl is impossible. She's way too clingy! I helped her once, and now she thinks I belong to her forever." He threw his hands up in frustration. "I don't understand girls."
I leaned back with a shrug.
"Me neither."
Then something from the call caught my attention.
"She mentioned she'll be at the mission," I said casually. "Is she part of the MODs family too?"
Cason's expression darkened. "She's Gaius' twin sister, Genesis. Of course she'll be there. If that lunatic is involved, then the stalker won't be far behind, don't you think?"
I raised an eyebrow.
Gaius' twin?
"That girl is Gaius' twin?" I asked, eyebrows raising.
Cason snorted. "Yeah. Hard to believe, right?"
I glanced at where the screen had been. Now that I thought about it, their hair and eye color matched—but that was where the resemblance ended.
Gaius looked like a damn warlord, all sharp angles and intimidating presence. Genesis, on the other hand, had an almost ethereal beauty. She had none of his hardened edges, none of his perpetual scowl.
"They don't look alike at all," I remarked casually.
"No kidding," Cason scoffed. "That's because they're test tube babies."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Their parents couldn't have kids naturally, so they went the artificial route," he explained. "They only planned for one, but surprise—ended up with two."
Huh. Twins born from a lab.
A lunatic and a stalker.
Perfect combo for disaster waiting to happen.