The call ended, leaving Clara in the quiet of the waiting room, alone with the magnitude of what lay ahead.

Meanwhile, Abigail found Gerald in a quiet corridor of the estate. "I need to ask you something," she said, her voice tinged with urgency.

Gerald raised an eyebrow but nodded, gesturing for her to follow him into a nearby room. Once they were alone, Abigail wasted no time.

"The hooded figure in the ruins," she began.

Gerald leaned against a table, crossing his arms. "I know. I've read the reports and spoken to the kids."

"The way he moved... it reminded me of something," Abigail continued, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Gerald's expression remained neutral. "And?"

Abigail didn't hesitate. "Is it Vas?" she asked, her voice sharp, cutting through the tension in the room.

Gerald stiffened but kept his face unreadable. "What makes you think that?"

Abigail's eyes flashed with frustration. "Don't do this, Gerald. I'm a soldier. You and I both know how to recognize people by the way they fight, by their movements. It's a skill that took years to hone, and I'm telling you, those movements—those techniques—they were identical to Vas's in the training room. I've seen the recordings you kept."

Gerald's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "And what if it was him?"

Abigail took a step closer, her voice lowering but filled with excitement. "Then he's Bonded. This changes everything."

"It changes nothing," Gerald snapped, his voice firm, surprising Abigail with his sudden sharpness. "The entire family has kept him at arm's length. Vas has been a Bonded for some time, but he's chosen to keep that fact hidden. I'm respecting his wishes."

"But—" Abigail started, confusion and determination mixing on her face.

"But nothing," Gerald cut her off, his eyes hard. "We have no right to pry into this. Not after the way we've treated him for years. He has every reason to keep his abilities a secret. We pushed him away. We ignored him. Now he has a chance at control, at defining himself on his terms. We don't get to interfere."

Abigail's expression softened, her excitement fading into guilt. "I didn't mean for it to be like that," she whispered. "We should have been better."

Gerald exhaled slowly, the tension between them palpable. "I know. But what's done is done. We can't undo the past, Abigail. All we can do is respect his choice, however much it hurts to realize how much we've missed."

Abigail nodded slowly, her heart heavy with the weight of Gerald's words. "I just... I don't want him to feel alone anymore."

"Then let him come to us when he's ready," Gerald said quietly. "He'll need support, but it has to be on his terms. Not ours."

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Jacob, Tessa, and Lynn were working alongside Kira, finishing up tasks at one of the Kadmon bases. The room buzzed with quiet activity, the hum of equipment mixing with the shuffling of papers and soft conversations.

"Aren't you worried about your brothers?" Tessa asked Jacob, glancing up from her report.

Jacob shrugged casually. "Not really," he answered with a tone that seemed almost dismissive. "With my grandparents and mom there, everything will be fine."

Lynn looked at him curiously, raising an eyebrow. "You don't seem like you really care."

Jacob leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "There's no real reason to be worried," he said with a calm certainty, his voice unwavering. "They can handle themselves."

The conversation drifted to other topics—updates on equipment, repairs, and sorting through reports as they helped Kira assess the damage caused during the recent operation. Around them, some of the Kadmon members were receiving medical treatment, bandaged and bruised, while others underwent psych evaluations. The strain on everyone's faces told a story of survival, but the underlying tension remained unspoken.

The strange phenomena that had occurred still lingered in everyone's minds. It had rattled the organization, especially since it bore a resemblance to an event that had happened a few years ago. Many had reported similar disruptions: Bonded unable to influence Amrita, strange green lights flashing across the sky, the inexplicable feeling of being powerless. Thankfully, this time, the anomaly had lasted far shorter than before.

Kira was at her desk, focused on the flood of reports in Clara's absence. As the leader for now, she kept a careful eye on every detail. Suddenly, her phone rang, and Clara's name flashed on the screen.

"Yes, Chief Clara," Kira answered promptly, her voice calm despite the surprise of the call.

"You're getting a promotion," Clara's voice rang through the line, abrupt and direct.

Kira blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "What?" she asked, her shock evident.

"I've been promoted, and I'm going to need trustworthy people in key positions," Clara explained. "You've proven yourself, so I'm promoting you."

"Are you sure about this?" Kira asked, still processing the news. Her voice held a note of disbelief, as if the weight of what Clara had said hadn't fully settled in yet.

"You've earned it," Clara said, her tone unwavering. "You've been taking care of my son, and your loyalty and dedication to getting justice for Alphonse haven't gone unnoticed. But it's more than that. I've reviewed your military history—your record speaks for itself. You've proven yourself time and time again."

Kira felt a swell of emotion rise in her chest, pride mixed with the unexpected rush of validation. "Thank you, Clara," she managed to say, her voice steadier now.

"We'll work out the details later," Clara added. "But for now, congratulations. You've earned this."

With that, the call ended, leaving Kira staring at her phone, still processing what had just happened. She wasn't the type to bask in recognition, but this was different. A bittersweet sense of victory washed over her—she'd finally managed to take down one of the enemies that had cost Alphonse his life.

For now, she allowed herself a moment to feel the weight of her accomplishment. Despite the lingering pain of loss, she was moving forward, and maybe, just maybe, Alphonse would be proud of her.

Vas finally arrived at the transport station for The Canopy, the most exclusive tier in Viridian, reserved for the elites of Gaia. Getting there required passing through a special type of transport, a ship equipped with anti-gravity technology authorized to land on one of the floating platforms that made up the luxurious estates. Before boarding, Vas was subject to a thorough identity check—his appearance raised a few eyebrows given his current state, but the name Hek was unquestionable. No one would dare scrutinize him further. Once confirmed, Vas was cleared to board the transport.

As the ship soared toward the shimmering heights of The Canopy, the stark contrast between the lower tiers and the floating estates became even more apparent. Below, the neon glow of Viridian's middle tier looked like a labyrinth, a network of winding streets and towering buildings, while above, the Canopy appeared as a serene, almost otherworldly paradise. Rooftop biospheres with perfectly manicured gardens floated amid the clouds, a display of wealth and control. Hovering drones patrolled the skies, ensuring that the privilege of this world remained untouched by the chaos below.