Jordan was lost in thought as he lay on his bed. He'd been living in Marco's base for about a month now. Much to his surprise, he found out that Trevor had been living here since middle school. He'd never been invited to Trevor's place before and had always been secretly disappointed about it—now he understood why. You couldn't exactly tell someone you lived in a bunker beneath your school, could you?
He had turned in the keys to his old apartment two weeks after first arriving, and he had to admit, living with others was far more enjoyable than being alone. Shoving away the sheets, Jordan swung his feet off the bed and made his way to the shower.
These days, his schedule was tiring but simple. On weekdays, he went to school in the morning and returned in the afternoon with Trevor. Every evening, he'd train with Sebastian to improve his combat skills. The continuous practice over these months had resulted in an explosive increase in Jordan's overall strength.
Sebastian had even planned a workout routine to improve his physical strength as well. To Jordan, the increase in strength felt exhilarating—as if he'd finally been freed from the chains that had bound him his entire life.
The past month had brought a significant change in him. Unlike before, he'd become more social—undoubtedly thanks to the new connections he'd made. Now, even when alone and left to his thoughts, he rarely felt lonely. In the end, Marco and the rest were a good influence on him.
Freshly dressed and ready for school, he made his way to the kitchen and was greeted by the sight of a warm breakfast—courtesy of Clarice.
Clarice, as he'd come to know, wasn't exactly what you'd call normal—even by Spike standards. Unlike him, her powers weren't physical enhancements. Despite her relatively fragile appearance for a Spike, her cognitive abilities were far above average.
At first, Jordan had thought that it was underwhelming and unfair for a Spike—that was until she'd gone and predicted his thoughts before he even had them. She could make terrifyingly accurate predictions about future events by taking all variables and possibilities into account.
It was powerful in its own right—despite not being very useful in a direct confrontation, if it were in the hands of someone who played the role of strategist, it would fully embrace its terrifying potential.
Imagine what an army under the command of someone who wielded absolute awareness of what was going on and what might happen on the battlefield could do. The battle would instantly tilt in favor of whichever side the commander supported—and Clarice's position was exactly that. With Marco at the helm and her as support—who could possibly outmaneuver them?
Jordan had to admit, Trevor was a lucky guy—having a girl like that fall for him. 'They make a good couple,' Jordan thought as he devoured his meal—once again giving his silent approval to their relationship.
Jordan saw no sign of Trevor or Clarice as he prepared to head upstairs. Trevor's probably in class already, and Clarice—God knows where she is, Jordan concluded before he opened a secret passage that led above. Marco had built several entrances to the base aside from the main one in the principal's office, though the locations of these passages left much to be desired. For example, the one Jordan was currently using led from the living area of the base to an unassuming corner in the boys' washroom—coming to school through the washroom wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.
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Elsewhere in the base, Sebastian and Marco were facing each other—their expressions serious.
Briefly glancing at the file on the desk, Sebastian turned his attention back to Marco.
"Marco, are you sure it's them? The Order?" Sebastian's voice was filled with doubt as he continued. "Are they a new faction?"
Marco gazed into the distance as he contemplated their current predicament. They were a peaceful group of Spikes and had refrained from joining hands with the more rebellious ones. But somehow, they were now the target of a group that came out of nowhere. His frustration was palpable. They had even recruited Jordan because of this organization. Just as Jordan needed their protection, they needed his strength.
After the death of their parents, Marco and Sebastian had spent much of their younger years wandering aimlessly. Sebastian had even picked up mercenary work just to get by—he was only sixteen back then, and Marco had been twelve. Marco hated thinking about that time—how his brother would return with his body covered in wounds.
They'd finally gotten out of that hellish life when Marco founded Ocean. Sebastian had given up all his savings from his time as a mercenary for the company. After years of struggle, they were finally free to enjoy life.
They'd even taken in Spikes who went through similar situations—like Trevor and Clarice, and now, even Jordan. But now, the stability they had so painstakingly built for themselves was about to collapse.
Sigh.
Snapping back from his thoughts, Marco looked at Sebastian and nodded.
"They were the ones that got Priya. My informants aren't reliable anymore. The only way we can get any more information is through these two," he said as he picked up the file on the desk and handed it to Sebastian. Inside were images of two women—one more mature than the other, but both undeniably beautiful.
"These two were agents of the Order. They defected after one of them was exposed as a Spike—this might be the only opportunity we have of getting them on our side," Marco said as he looked at Sebastian.
"Can they be trusted?" Sebastian questioned.
"Only one way to find out," Marco replied with a smile as he reached for his phone—ready to face whatever came their way.