Days after Reyes was officially named a probationary recruit, he found himself thrown into his first true field mission with Team Unknown.

The objective was straightforward: infiltrate a Black Lotus facility, secure critical intel, and ensure no one escaped. For Reyes, the prospect was both thrilling and terrifying. It was only after meeting the others in the deployment zone that he fully grasped what he had signed up for.

Draped in a black hooded cloak with his mask activated, Reyes did his best to steady himself, struggling to mirror the team's composure as Val's voice crackled over the Mind Link, giving a final countdown.

We deploy in three, two…

Before Reyes could fully brace himself, the teleport initiated.

The world spun into a dark, disorienting blur, and Reyes gritted his teeth, clenching his fists to keep from crying out. When the motion stopped, he blinked, finding himself crouched in tall grass on the outskirts of the target facility. His heart pounded as he tried to fight off the remnants of nausea.

Val's voice came through the Mind Link, calm and precise. Stay low. Move as one.

Reyes followed Val's lead, mimicking the team's silent, fluid movements. Every sound felt amplified against the quiet night, and he felt an undercurrent of pressure that kept him hyper-focused on each step. Just one mistake, he knew, could put them all in danger.

As they advanced, Reyes scanned the area with a mixture of caution and excitement. His HUD displayed patrol routes and guard positions, each one confirming the team's readings, and Reyes fell into the familiar rhythm of covering his assigned position.

But then, just as they neared the perimeter, Reyes caught a faint movement out of the corner of his eye—a figure half-hidden among shadows in the far distance. His pulse quickened, his instincts screaming a warning, even though nothing appeared on his HUD.

Movement at ten o'clock, he whispered over the link, unable to shake the sense that he'd spotted something real.

A brief pause followed, then Riggs's voice, slightly bemused, broke the silence. Nothing on my HUD, Reyes. You sure you're not seeing things?

Reyes's face flushed under the mask, wondering if he had imagined it. He opened his mouth to brush it off when Val's calm, steady voice cut through.

Aura, stay alert. Reyes, you're with me.

Reyes let out a shaky breath, feeling relieved as he fell into step beside Val. Yes, sir.

Then, as they moved deeper into the perimeter, Reyes spotted the hidden figure again, almost imperceptible but unmistakably there. He focused, his heart hammering, and the outline of a hidden sentry emerged—a figure crouched near a wall, draped in camouflaged clothing that blended seamlessly into the shadows.

There's a guard, close to the wall, camouflaged… Reyes reported, his voice low.

Val's gaze had already locked onto the faint outline of the camouflaged sentry when Reyes pointed it out, his HUD marking the exact position. But Reyes's quick recognition piqued his curiosity; he hadn't expected the corporal to spot such a subtle threat independently.

Good eye, Reyes, Val said, masking his surprise. Stay low, everyone. That sentry could be a scout.

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As they adjusted formation to avoid the sentry's field of vision, Val's mind lingered on Reyes's perceptiveness. His own heightened senses, developed through his connection to the Void, allowed him to detect subtle details beyond most. But Reyes spotting this without HUD assistance? That was something he hadn't anticipated.

It was a question for later. Now, they had a mission to complete.

The team moved swiftly, bypassing additional guards as they entered the facility through a side entrance. Inside, the lights were dim, casting long shadows across the concrete floors.

Reyes adjusted his stance, staying close to Val as the others fanned out to secure their positions. Every so often, he caught Val's sharp gaze flicking his way, as if appraising him.

Val's commands came through the Mind Link, each one short, precise, and layered with a calm authority that set Reyes's nerves at ease. He had heard stories about the control Val wielded over Team Unknown, but witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely.

Frost, secure the entrance. Aura, take the main floor. Terra, cover the rear exits. Reyes, monitor the data terminals.

Reyes stationed himself near the terminals, his eyes darting between the screens and the corridors, ready to alert the team to any changes. The quiet hum of the terminal provided a strange contrast to the tension that tightened his chest.

The facility was mostly silent, but Reyes felt the thrum of energy and the intense focus radiating from his teammates. This wasn't a mere training exercise; he could feel the calculated vigilance in each of their movements, the unspoken understanding between them that he had yet to grasp.

As they advanced down the corridor, Val's HUD picked up more faint movement patterns, sending alerts that flickered across his vision. There were a few sentries hidden just out of sight, obscured by crates and equipment near the northeast corner.

He had already noted one particular figure stationed near the shadows when Reyes's voice came over the link again. There's another sentry, hidden by those crates, northeast corner.

Val's eyebrows rose slightly behind his mask, impressed once again by Reyes's accuracy. He had already tagged the sentry, but he hadn't expected Reyes to catch on so quickly, especially given how well-concealed the target was.

Acknowledged, Val replied, his tone as calm as ever. Everyone, adjust formation. Aura, shift northeast; be ready to intercept.

A brief silence followed before Fon's voice crackled through, laced with mild surprise. Guess Reyes really does have an eye for this.

Val filed the observation away. He'd suspected Reyes might possess some innate ability for noticing subtle details, but his performance tonight made him think there was more to it. Something that wasn't merely instinct.

They advanced through the facility, each member moving with practiced precision. Reyes followed Val's lead, his heart pounding as he witnessed the team's seamless coordination. The tension, the careful steps, the unspoken commands—it was a rhythm that Reyes was only beginning to understand, yet he felt a strange thrill at being part of it.

Two guards appeared down the corridor, and Reyes tensed as Val and Riggs moved like shadows, dispatching them with ruthless efficiency. Reyes stilled, barely daring to breathe as the guards dropped without a sound, their bodies slumped in the dim light.

Once they secured the data, Val signaled the team to regroup, his gaze briefly resting on Reyes. Val's mind, however, kept turning over what he'd seen tonight—Reyes's uncanny knack for spotting threats almost as quickly as he did.

As the team made their way to the extraction point, Val's voice came through the Mind Link, steady and direct.

Prepare for extraction.

Reyes clenched his fists, bracing himself for the teleport. He took a deep breath, grounding himself as best he could. He couldn't deny the pride swelling in his chest—his instincts had proven sharper than he'd realized.

Back at HQ, Reyes staggered as they re-materialized in the familiar setting. His stomach lurched, and he stumbled slightly, barely catching himself as his vision spun.

Fon's laugh was the first sound he registered. Still feeling that teleport sickness? Don't worry, it grows on you—well, kind of.

Reyes let out a weak laugh, a strange sense of camaraderie settling over him as he steadied himself. He caught Val's gaze across the room, noting the thoughtful expression in his commander's eyes.

Val's gaze lingered on Reyes, a hint of contemplation there. Good work tonight, he said aloud. But I'd like to discuss something with you later.

Reyes blinked, slightly taken aback but nodding. Of course, sir.

A flicker of something unreadable crossed Val's face, but he simply nodded. As the rest of the team dispersed, Reyes couldn't help but wonder what exactly Val had in mind.

Little did he know, tonight's events would be just the beginning of uncovering his own hidden potential.