Part 2: "The Arrival at the Helix Institute"
The black business card sat heavy in Ethan's jacket pocket as the pre-dawn chill nipped at his face. He stood at the edge of an empty train platform, mist swirling around his boots. The address on the card had led him here, to a station that looked long abandoned, the tracks rusted and covered in patches of moss.
He checked his watch. 4:58 AM.
"On time. Barely," he muttered under his breath, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets.
A faint rumble shook the ground beneath his feet, and moments later, a sleek black train with tinted windows and polished steel edges pulled into the station. There was no sound of brakes, no screeching of metal just an eerie, seamless stop.
The doors slid open with a soft hiss. Inside, a warm golden light glowed, revealing plush leather seats and polished wood panels.
No conductor. No passengers. Just him.
Ethan hesitated, every instinct in his body screaming caution. But then he thought of Lex's words: "Once you're in… there's no turning back."
With a sharp breath, he stepped onto the train. The doors closed behind him without a sound, locking him in.
The journey was smooth, almost unnervingly so. Ethan sat in one of the leather seats, eyes darting around the empty carriage. A small tray on the table before him held a glass of water and a neatly folded note.
"Welcome to the first step of the rest of your life."
Ethan huffed. Dramatic.
After what felt like an hour, the train slowed. When the doors finally opened, Ethan stepped out onto a platform bathed in pale morning light.
His breath caught in his throat.
The Helix Institute rose before him, an architectural marvel hidden in a valley surrounded by jagged mountains and dense forests. The campus was a blend of old-world elegance and futuristic design stone towers wrapped in glass panels, sleek walkways weaving through perfectly manicured gardens, and faint drones hovering silently above.
It looked like a fortress carved from ambition itself.
"First time seeing paradise, kid?"
The voice cut through his awe, and Ethan turned to see a young man leaning casually against a pillar. He had sharp features, short blond hair, and a smirk that practically oozed arrogance. His crisp academy-issued uniform a fitted black suit with silver lining looked almost too perfect on him.
"Marcus Wren," the boy said, pushing off the pillar and extending his hand.
Ethan shook it, his grip firm. "Ethan Cross."
Marcus's smirk widened as his eyes scanned Ethan from head to toe. "Another stray picked up by Graves, huh? Don't get too comfortable. Most recruits wash out before the first month."
Before Ethan could respond, a voice echoed from overhead.
"All recruits, report to the briefing hall immediately."
The courtyard erupted into controlled chaos as other recruits young men and women, all sharp-eyed and serious moved in coordinated lines towards the massive stone-and-glass building at the center of the campus.
Marcus gave Ethan one last look before walking off, leaving Ethan standing alone.
"Well, this is off to a great start," Ethan muttered, falling into step behind the other recruits.
The briefing hall was an imposing space, lined with dark wood and massive screens displaying world maps, data streams, and surveillance feeds. Rows of recruits stood at attention, their black uniforms creating a sea of sharp lines and stiff backs.
At the front stood Alexander Graves, looking just as polished and deadly as the night before. Beside him was Seraphina Vale, a tall woman with striking dark hair pulled into a flawless bun. Her tailored suit was a deep charcoal, and her cold, assessing gaze swept across the room like a scalpel.
Graves stepped forward, his voice calm yet commanding.
"Welcome to the Helix Institute. You have been chosen because you are the best raw, unpolished, but brimming with potential. This is not a school. This is not a summer camp. This is a crucible. You will be broken down, rebuilt, and forged into something… extraordinary. But let me make one thing clear failure here is not an option. Failure means death, either yours or someone else's."
A heavy silence hung in the air. Ethan felt the weight of the words settle in his chest.
Seraphina stepped up next, her voice sharp and icy. "Your training begins immediately. Your weaknesses will be exploited. Your strengths will be weaponized. If you are not prepared to bleed, to suffer, and to sacrifice, leave now."
No one moved.
"Good," Seraphina said with a slight nod. "Dismissed. You'll find your room assignments and schedules waiting on your personal terminals. Welcome… to Hell."
The recruits began to disperse, and Ethan caught sight of Marcus Wren disappearing through one of the side doors.
"Quite the pep talk, huh?"
Ethan turned to see a girl with wild dark curls and bright green eyes standing beside him. She wore the same uniform, though hers had a faint scuff mark on the sleeve, as if she'd already been in a fight.
"Elise Laurent," she said, sticking out her hand.
"Ethan Cross," he replied, shaking it.
"Try not to die in the first week, Ethan," Elise said with a sly grin before slipping into the crowd and vanishing.
Ethan looked back up at the massive world map on the screen, red pins marking hotspots across the globe. His heart pounded in his chest.
He had stepped into something much bigger than himself.
And something told him it was only going to get darker from here.
Lex's words echoed in his head:
"Once you're in… there's no turning back."
End of Part 2.