HQ Command was a symphony of organized chaos, with Beta Team at its center and Dr. Lewis as its reluctant conductor. His voice echoed through the training grounds, sharp and relentless, as he barked orders at the struggling recruits.

"Faster! If I can count to three before you clear that wall, we're starting over!" Dr. Lewis's tablet gestured wildly, a whip in digital form.

Kieran, halfway up an obstacle wall, shouted back breathlessly, "You can count faster than that!"

Dr. Lewis's glare could've melted steel. "Would you like me to try? MOVE!"

On the ground, Serra hauled herself through a mud pit, her face grim with effort. "He's going to kill us before we even face another mission," she muttered, coughing up a bit of mud.

Nearby staff exchanged looks of thinly veiled amusement, their postures too stiff to be outright mocking. They knew better than to provoke the beleaguered scientist-turned-drillmaster.

As the morning sun climbed higher, Dr. Lewis's chirpiness began to fray. His earlier energetic commands devolved into muttered threats and grumbles about retirement packages.

By the time he arrived at the briefing room for Team Unknown, the man looked like he'd aged a decade. His hair was slightly askew, and his tablet seemed less like a tool and more like a shield against the insanity of his day.

Team Unknown was already seated, their masks and hooded cloaks making them look like shadows given form. They watched him with an almost predatory curiosity, their silence broken only by the occasional shuffle of a cloak or the faint hum of the holoscreen at the center of the table.

Riggs, ever the instigator, leaned back and gestured at Dr. Lewis with a lazy hand. "You look great, Doc. Refreshed. Relaxed. Living the dream, huh?"

Dr. Lewis stared at him for a long moment, then sighed dramatically. "Yes, Riggs. Living the dream. If the dream involves wrangling recruits who couldn't navigate a straight line without tripping over their own feet."

Bo tilted his head slightly, his voice calm and dry. "Sounds like they're progressing nicely."

"Oh, yes," Dr. Lewis deadpanned, slumping into his chair. "At this rate, they'll be ready to face their fears. In about twenty years."

Fon frowned, his tone genuinely curious. "Shouldn't they be progressing faster? You're good at this."

Dr. Lewis pinched the bridge of his nose. "They're progressing just fine, Fon. It's my patience that's running on fumes."

Val leaned forward slightly, his tone as casual as his team's. "You know, Doc, if you ever need a hand, we could step in. I hear Riggs is great with motivational speeches."

Riggs grinned. "Oh, absolutely. 'Don't trip, or you're dead.' Simple. Direct. Effective."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Dr. Lewis's eyes narrowed. "Thank you, Riggs. Truly inspiring. I'll make sure to include that in tomorrow's session."

Ember leaned back in his chair, his tone perfectly sharp, but with faint amusement that didn't miss. "If you're looking for a break, you could always transfer Beta Team to someone else."

Dr. Lewis turned to him with a flat stare. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were suggesting I abandon my post."

"Never," Ember said, his voice smooth as silk. "I'd just hate to see you burn out before the fun really begins."

Even Val chuckled at that, shaking his head. "I think what Ember's saying, Doc, is that we'd miss you. Who else would put up with us?"

Dr. Lewis groaned, muttering something under his breath about job satisfaction and impossible coworkers. "You're all the reason my hairline is holding on by a thread. I hope you know that."

Bo, ever the voice of dry reason, added, "You're holding up better than I thought you would."

The room hummed with quiet amusement before Dr. Lewis cleared his throat, regaining some semblance of control. "Enough. Let's get to business."

The holoscreen lit up, displaying a detailed map of their next mission site.

"Your target is a Void-tainted outpost near the Clareo-Nexus border," Dr. Lewis began, his voice shifting into professional mode. "Surveillance shows increased activity, suggesting it's being used as a staging ground for future incursions. Your mission is to neutralize the threat, secure any intel, and—"

"—try not to blow everything up," Riggs finished, smirking beneath his mask.

Dr. Lewis shot him a glare. "Yes, Riggs. And try not to blow everything up. Intel is valuable."

Val's tone was measured but laced with faint humor. "Don't worry, Doc. We'll leave just enough for you to file a report."

Dr. Lewis sighed, tapping his tablet. "You deploy at 1800 hours. Neutralize the outpost, recover intel, and remember—no unnecessary destruction."

As the team rose, Ember added slyly, "We'll be careful. Promise."

Dr. Lewis muttered something under his breath as they left, his shoulders slumping once they were gone.

Days Later

The missions blurred into a relentless cycle of precision strikes, high-stakes confrontations, and near-flawless executions. Each time, Team Unknown returned to HQ victorious, their efficiency as razor-sharp as their reputation.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lewis's patience eroded further. Between juggling Beta Team's training and briefing Team Unknown, the scientist looked like a man teetering on the edge.

On the training grounds, Kieran gasped for air as he climbed yet another obstacle wall. "Does he ever stop yelling?"

Serra, crawling through the mud pit, groaned. "I think it's his natural state."

Dr. Lewis, clipboard in hand, shouted from the sidelines. "If you have time to talk, you have time to MOVE!"

By the fifth day, Dr. Lewis appeared in the briefing room disheveled and frazzled, his hair sticking up in odd places.

Riggs gestured toward him with mock concern. "You look… well, Doc. Really well."

Dr. Lewis glared. "Don't start, Riggs. Not today."

Fon tilted his head. "Bad day?"

Dr. Lewis let out a sharp laugh, humorless and strained. "Bad week. Between Beta Team tripping over their own feet and you all breaking things in the field, I'm one step away from retiring to a nice, quiet farm."

Bo deadpanned. "Farming sounds peaceful. You'd probably enjoy it."

Dr. Lewis stared at him, exasperated. "I'm not actually going to farm, Bo."

Ember smirked faintly. "Pity. I'd pay good money to see that."

Dr. Lewis ignored him, focusing on his tablet. "Next mission briefing. Let's keep this quick before I completely lose my mind."

That evening, Dr. Lewis typed a terse message to General Luis:

> WHEN are you returning? Beta Team is improving, but I'm at my limit.

After a pause, he added:

> Consider additional help.

He sent the message with a sigh, leaning back in his chair.

In Val's mind, Deleo hummed with faint amusement. "His struggle is almost entertaining."

Val chuckled internally, his tone faintly amused. "Almost."