Cal stewed while drumming his fingers on the desk. Pondering his decision. He could still refuse and there wasn't much they could do to him.

There was plenty they could not do though and that was the real threat. The concessions he'd won, well he didn't think they'd be as brazen to take them away. Hells, he didn't think they could, the train had left the station so to say.

Delaying, obfuscating, or otherwise impeding?

More than capable and willing.

The door slid open and Olivia strode in. She fiddled with a tablet, not meeting his eyes. A new tablet he noted, as the one she'd handed off to him previously was on the table sitting discarded.

"Have you made a decision?" She inquired, her attention occupied by studying something unseen to him.

Had he? Alfred's words rang true, some space without the Federation breathing down his neck would be nice. On the other hand, the bad faith nature of this assignment made him inclined to spurn them.

Ugh, that might even be what some of them were hoping for.

Then there was also the matter of him not being able to do the task at all, he supposed he should start there.

"So to be clear" He opened "I'm not expected to fix this myself? There's another team."

"That's correct" Agile fingers typed away at the screen. "For operational security purposes, I won't be made aware of how they will be inserted. As for yourself, the Academy hosts nobles and those sponsored aged fourteen to twenty-one and is split into two levels. A senior class and a junior class. The junior class' curriculum is strictly curated and the student's lives are closely monitored. The senior class affords much more freedom in course selection and movement. In order to curb some unwanted tenancies that come from suddenly being granted such freedom, a transitional year was formed to function as a sort of hybrid between both. You will be inserted into such a year, it will give you access to both sets of classes and allow you to report any findings that can then be passed on to the main team."

That was, slightly more tolerable than he initially envisioned. It sounded like they were more covering their bases if anything, in which case he could ignore the investigation part and let the main team handle it.

"Who would I be reporting to" Given this was evidently hush-hush he wondered who they'd be sending into the field with him.

"Myself" She lifted her chin and looked at him. "I'm not sure I've stressed how delicate this operation is. Apart from a select number of high-level officials, no one is to be made aware of our involvement" Her gaze was strange, as if looking through rather than at him. "To preempt your question, the Empire wants to avoid the appearance of weakness and the discontent that would form from the noble's youths being put at risk. While the Federation-"

"Doesn't want the public to know because the idealist that put it up would be voted out in a heartbeat" He cut her off, watching for any change in demeanor.

He didn't spot any.

"I'm sure it's a consideration, in any case, I will be posted in the city proper. The details of both of our identities are actively being worked out." She waved her tablet.

Was he overthinking things? She might be distracted in her work, he doubted it was simple.

What to do what to do.

"Fine" He stated, surprised at his own words.

"Are you certain?" A tinge of disbelief in her response "You made a valid point previously."

He ran a hand through his hair. Fuck it, how bad could it possibly be. "Yeah, yeah. Just set it all up"

"Understood" he noticed her shoulders loosen slightly. "I'll inform the necessary parties"

Her eyes drifted back to her tablet and she resumed her tapping at a much higher pace.

"I surmise you'd want to get one last hunt in. I've arranged for transport to be made available for you, to sector H-3. You'll be informed when it's prepared."

That was a prudent call. He could do with some additional stockpiling. He didn't quite like the implication of her phrasing but it made decent camouflage for the true reason behind his actions.

"In the meantime, you may want to stop at the mess hall. It's been twelve hours since your last meal."

Had it been that long? He might've taken more than intended from that core.

"My last item for you is that Prodigy would like a word before your departure"

"Did she say what she wanted?" He imagined he'd be on the other end of a flat stare if she didn't persist in avoiding eye contact. "Gotcha, I'll head out then" He rose and retreated from the room.

Leaving her with her device and thoughts.

—

He stalked the maze-like halls of headquarters with purpose, getting increasingly frustrated.

And no, that wasn't just an analogy. Each hallway was designed to be as uniform as possible. At seven meters wide, the roof and walls were coated the same shade of gray, with the ceiling having those same cursed lights. Now and then the monotony of the wall was broken by either a white single or double sliding door. No signage of any kind and plenty of four-way intersections.

The stated purpose was to hamper espionage. Anyone not where they were meant to be quickly stuck out.

He could attest that it worked.

It didn't stop him from thinking the designers were sadists.

Normally he'd be able to use his credentials to pull a map, but he'd left the spare tablet in the briefing room and he was too embarrassed to go retrieve it.

Instead, out of the corner of his eye, he watched the faces of those he passed. Some were dressed in suits, some in uniforms. Most ignored him, though a sizeable number spared confused glances. Having someone so young brazenly walk the halls of the Federation Armed Forces Headquarters tended to garner some attention.

Nonetheless, he 'looked' like he knew where he was going. And who knew, he may be the son of someone important. So they held their tongues.

Cal wanted to avoid annoying questions and so was looking for someone who recognized him, he might have even already passed some with good poker faces already.

Eventually, he found one as a uniformed man abruptly turned left and down an adjacent hall after spotting him. It was a decent attempt, shame he was looking for it.

Increasing his pace, Cal turned down the same hall and soon sighted the man. He quickly caught up and spied the man's shoulder patch.

"Lieutenant" He couldn't quite remember what type. He was pretty sure it was some form of Lieutenant, if he was wrong he doubted the man would correct him.

"Sir." The man returned after halting in his steps and turning towards Cal.

"Lead me to the nearest mess hall" Cal demanded. The man nodded tensely and set off without further preamble. That was preferable, their brief interaction had already drawn some looks. Cal followed in silence until they reached a set of double doors that opened to reveal a bustling cafeteria.

"That will be all, thank you Lieutenant" Cal responded in the stuffy manner common for the military, he wasn't sure if it helped put the man at ease. Not that he'd be sticking around to find out.

Passing by rows of long metal tables, he made his way to the serving station. He grabbed a tray and perused the selection, luckily he looked to be catching the tail end of a meal service so no one was behind to rush him. He settled on some turkey with gravy along with a side of baked ziti. An unusual combination but the servers didn't bat an eye. He was sure they'd seen worse.

Taking his now-filled tray, he scanned the room until he found a table with an unoccupied corner. He made his way over and set down his tray to claim the spot. Spot secured, he went to nab a drink from the soda fountain. When he returned he found the seat across from him occupied.

In contrast to his neatly combed black hair and otherwise well-manicured appearance, the man seated wore a loosely fitted suit with its sleeves rolled up. Taking his seat, Cal noticed the man's plate had been crammed full with half-eaten meals. Which meant he had chosen to relocate to this spot specifically. That drastically narrowed down the list of suspects.

"Mask?" Cal asked with an exasperated voice. "Thought you were on assignment"

The man didn't bother to finish chewing before responding. "Hey Cal, just got back" He swallowed before taking another large, bite out of the sub he was working on "Gotta head out in a few so stocking up, no rest for the wicked" Food flew from his mouth as he finished.

If it was anyone else Cal would be sorely irritated right now. Mask got a bit of a pass. He was a friend. They'd been friends for as long as he could remember.

"So I hear, you know they got me doing your work now?" Cal began eating while shielding his plate.

"Hahaha" More food spilled out as Mask laughed loudly. "They told me about that, wanna know a secret" He leaned in with a smile on his face beckoning with his finger, Cal rolled his eyes and leaned in towards his good friend.

"Don't tell anyone" Mask said with a conspiratorial whisper, eyes darting around despite no one in the vicinity reacting to his antics. "but I actually can't do it!"

Cal leaned back, that was surprising. Mask was his best friend, so he could admit some bias, but he found it hard to believe himself better than in an infiltration task of all things.

Sensing his dismay, Mask threw him a thumbs up. "Don't worry though, it's a 'me' thing. You got this!"

He wasn't sure he did. "Got any advice" He asked between bites, his friend was an expert after all. "Never been to a school before"

Mask nodded in understanding. "Don't start a war" He shifted his head as he dodged a piece of turkey Cal flung towards him.

"You know what I meant" Cal grumbled but there was no real bite to it.

"You worry too much." Mask reached for a bowl of soup and slurped it up. "Just do whatever comes naturally. Oh, I do have some advice." His mouth dripped with broth. "If you end up close to failing something just sleep with the teacher. Works every time." He ended with finger guns and a wink.

"Is that what you did?" Cal asked, he knew very little about Mask's past. No, that wasn't right.

They'd been friends forever.

Mask stared at him with dead eyes, and without inflection said "No, I threatened their families."

Cal held the stare for a moment before continuing his meal.

"I can never tell if you're serious" he complained while starting to circulate small amounts of his magic.

Mask's laughter rang out again. "I'd be worried if you could."

Cal's mind began to clear as the magic worked its way through his system.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

"Aww, fun time over?" Mask whined petulantly after noticing his actions.

It was very easy to forget the man across from him could single-handedly topple regimes. Had, toppled regimes, unofficially of course.

Mask, Fifth seat of the Constellation. The Federation's trump card. Each member capable of the impossible. The shining stars all citizens could look up in awe to. And he was currently eating jello with a straw.

Cal smiled at the absurdity. Free of the influence from that magic, Cal knew Mask wasn't his best friend and he hadn't known him his whole life.

But he was something.

The term ally or comrade came to mind. Because despite everything, he trusted Mask with his life. And wasn't that a terrifying statement?

The man? The woman? Or whatever/whomever they'd decided to be that day offered him a chocolate truffle. Cal accepted it gratefully, popping it in his mouth and admiring the burst of flavor.

He hadn't seen them in the selection today so Mask must have gotten it from somewhere else.

He knew better than to ask questions. That way laid madness.

Deciding it was worth another taste, Cal reached out and liberated another from Mask's grip.

"You know, even my friends aren't quite that ballsy" Mask quipped with good humor. Not that it was any indication of his true thoughts.

Cal, shrugged while finishing his second. "Think of it as a settlement so I don't charge you with assault"

"Assault?" Mask held a palm to his chest, pretending to be taken aback "I'm doing you a service, you think I dial it up that much for just anyone?"

That was true. Mask, when not assuming a specific persona, tended to just come off as a highly charismatic person. Quick to ingratiate himself with others while also being able to be a fly on the wall at a moment's notice. Making him believe they were lifelong friends? He imagined Mask was just trying to help, in their own twisted way.

Mind magic was insidious that way, even the best intentions ended up warped. Not that Mask used mind magic, no sir. That was illegal in just about every country, including the Federation. He was just, really, really good at getting where he wasn't supposed to be.

Cal mentally scoffed at the bare-faced lie told to the world. He looked again, at the man considered the most dangerous member of the Constellation despite nominally holding the lowest seat. Who after already eating dessert, had rolled fries into a slice of pizza and was now chewing at it without a care in the world.

There were worse people to hold that kind of power.

Cal downed the rest of his drink and got up. "I got to go meet with Millie, deal with my tray?"

Mask saluted, pizza still in hand, then continued his meal.

—

He ended up needing to bully-erm convince another passerby to lead him to his next destination.

Standing in front of a door like any other in HQ, he summoned his courage and knocked gingerly.

The door immediately hissed open and he jumped back, he wasn't alone either. Several others nearby reacted similarly. No one mocked them.

Seeing nothing had happened, he approached the opening to find it nearly blocked with machinery.

Sucking in a breath, he shimmied his way through. Now through the threshold, a cacophony of clangs, whirs, and hums greeted his ears. He cautiously worked his way through the mess. Ducking, squeezing, and crawling until he came across a clearing.

At the side of it, a woman appearing in her late twenties was sprawled on the floor in front of an open panel. Esoteric tools and devices were scattered around her. The woman dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants had a pale complexion with striking pink hair that looked comical in its large twin-tails style.

Third seat, Prodigy.

Her head lifted and pink eyes lit up with anticipation upon locking onto him.

"Callum! Perfect timing, step on that x over there." She stood, pointing to a small black x etched into the floor at the other side of the clearing.

He glanced around warily. "Where's Gerald" he asked. The man usually served as an excellent buffer.

"Panda? He's out getting me some supplies. Now step on the x!" She pointed again and stomped her foot.

"Why?" In his experience, it was a very important question to ask. Even with most of the explanations flying over his head.

"I'm testing DD12" She patted the machine next to her, as if that was explanation enough.

He remained in his spot "And what does DD12 do and stand for?"

"Dimensional dis-placer 12! Erm, PR will think of a better name." He'd hope so, Millie was an unmatched talent in almost every way. Naming was not one of them. It's how she got stuck with the name Prodigy to begin with. A fact she still regretted.

She stroked her chin in thought. The act of 'dumbing' down the explanation proved more difficult than any adjustments she just made. "It should temporarily shunt you into a near parallel dimension. Making you transparent and able to phase through things." She nodded her head in a self-satisfied manner "Now enough stalling and get on the x!"

He walked towards the x but stopped short. Crouching down, he scraped the floor with his fingernail.

"Uh huh, and is it safe? My guts aren't going to spill out or anything are they?"

"Of course it is. I tested it extensively" Her face contorted in offense and she placed her hands on her hips.

Still in his crouched position. He lifted his finger. "Then why is there caked blood here?"

"That was from a previous iteration! Several in-fact! It's safe now!" Her vehement defense did little to assuage his doubts.

"Why is that part still wet?" He pointed towards a spot near him. He fibbed, it wasn't wet.

"Euk, uh. Just, just stand in the x." Her hands came together as she fiddled with her thumbs while suddenly finding the ground very interesting "Please?"

This was getting pathetic. With a huff, he stood and took the additional step needed to be on the x. At least this thing couldn't truly kill him. With a short hop and a cry of victory, she ran to another corner. She typed some commands into a holographic display that had manifested near her.

From his vantage point, he could see a timer start.

5

4

3

2

1

0?

He raised his hand to his face, the skin still looked as visible as usual. He patted his stomach then back. Looking down he noted a conspicuous lack of entrails.

"So, nothing happened?" He asked, still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Of course not." She shook her head in denial "Something happened, just not something I expected. I'll have to pour over the data later, I'm betting your magic threw something off" She stared off, contemplating something.

"So, you back to normal now?" He used the word normal very relatively.

"Ah, yeah. Sorry about that, you know how it is." She rubbed the back of her head with a relieved smile.

He'd known her for quite some time now so he was well aware of her quirks. The main one being her pathological disdain for the unknown. Coupled with her natural genius, she made breakthroughs at a prodigious pace. The other side of the coin was the compulsion he'd just witnessed. She'd described it to him before as an itch, one that only ever grew stronger until relieved with some new piece of information.

"Was that all?" It would not be the first time he'd been dragged here for some inane test.

"No, no." she waved her hand back and forth "You've been briefed right? By the fossil and new girl?"

He didn't think they'd appreciate those titles.

"Yeah, a bit of a shit show isn't it?"

She scowled a little. Not a fan of his colorful language. "Not how I'd put it, but yes. The people upstairs are playing the games they're so fond of."

"Right" He nodded along "I asked Mask but he wasn't exactly helpful. Any advice?"

She raised an eyebrow in his direction "Don't start a war?"

"It wasn't funny when he said it" Cal deadpanned.

"I can offer little else. I'm a loud and proud type of gal, not into the cloak and dagger thing." She tapped her keyboard in thought "As for the school thing. I skipped all my classes and graduated early. The only reason I stayed so long to begin with is they wanted to use me to win the Conference."

She dismissed the holographic display and walked towards me. "What I can do is offer you something" She produced a satchel from...somewhere.

He received and opened it, finding it filled with various types of books.

"Happy early birthday! How do you like it?" She grinned "My personal notes from back then. Not sure how they'd related to modern coursework but it can't be too far off"

"Now come on, say the words" She watched him expectantly.

He exhaled in exasperation. "Thank you Auntie Millie" He didn't appreciate being treated like a child, or the hand that ruffled his hair shortly after he spoke. He also couldn't deny the value of what she'd given him. People would kill for what he now held. For the chance to peer into the greatest mind of a generation

"That's not even the best part kid, go ahead. Check that side pocket." She prodded, hand still on his head. He unlatched it and fished around, finding one loose object that he then grabbed and brought into the light. The second he laid eyes on it, his hand felt like it was holding a boulder. He almost dropped it, so great his shock.

"Whatcha think? Pretty cool right? Got a new one, told the brass that one got destroyed in an experiment so don't go flashing it around unless you need to."

He barely registered her words as he stared at his palm. If people would kill for the bag, they'd die for what he now held. A single silver star, forged and inscribed with magic beyond him, it was said to be indestructible.

However, what it represented was far more important than its physical properties.

The highest field authority.

The ability to command armies if needed. Granted he'd be court-martialed if he did so without damn good reason but the point stood that he could. His head slowly shifted from the emblem burning in his hand to the person who'd just carelessly given it away. He found a sad smile on her face.

"This part isn't a present. I know we didn't start on the right foot, but I trust you. Words are cheap though, so take it." She closed his hand over the emblem. "Do whatever you need to out there, I got your back, and don't worry about the investigation. I'll make sure everything stays on track"

At a loss for words, he gave a slow nod. Earnestly trying to communicate his feelings through the small action.

She patted his head. "Now skedaddle, I got some data to sort through." With that, she skipped towards her console and got lost in her work.