The drainage tunnel stretched for nearly a mile before opening into the forgotten underbelly of the city — a network of derelict subway platforms and collapsed service corridors.
It was there, in the stale damp air, that Eleanor found them.
She emerged from the shadows in civilian clothes, her black hair tied back, her face lit only by the flicker of a failing overhead bulb.
"You're alive," she said, not as a question but as a confirmation. "Good."
Leo stepped forward. "You knew they were going to try to kill us."
Eleanor's eyes didn't waver. "I suspected. The mission you were given was a purge. They've been removing anyone they can't control."
Jack crossed his arms. "So why bother finding us? Wouldn't it be easier to let us die?"
"Because," Eleanor said, "I need you. The academy isn't just training agents for isolated contracts anymore. They're moving into something bigger. They're calling it Operation Glass Shadow."
---
Ava's brow furrowed. "What is it?"
Eleanor took a small device from her coat — a compact projector — and pressed a button. A holographic map appeared, dotted with glowing red points across continents.
"These are destabilization targets. Political leaders, infrastructure hubs, energy grids. The academy plans to hit them in a precise sequence over the next eighteen months. Each strike will look like a natural disaster, a terrorist attack, or an accident. But together, they'll collapse the current balance of power."
Leo stared at the map. "And then?"
"They'll install their own leaders — agents who have been in deep cover for years. The academy will control governments, economies, militaries. The world will still think it's free… but every decision will be theirs."
---
Jack gave a low whistle. "That's… insane."
"No," Eleanor said, "it's calculated. And they've already set the first phase in motion."
Ava's voice was hard. "Then we stop it."
Eleanor's gaze moved between them. "Stopping it means infiltrating the heart of the academy — the command center in the north tower. The most secure location on the planet. You'll need access codes, clearance badges, and a way past an AI defense system that can identify you in under a second."
Jack smirked faintly. "Sounds fun."
Leo didn't smile. "Sounds like suicide."
Eleanor's voice softened — a rarity. "It might be. But if you succeed… you won't just save yourselves. You'll save the world."
---
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the task pressing down. Finally, Ava spoke.
"When do we move?"
Eleanor turned off the projector. "Three days. Gather what you can, rest while you can. Once we go in… there's no turning back."
---
In those three days, Leo barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the blinking red light from the Sector 9 camera… the black envelope with his name… the word purchase stamped in his file.
He wasn't just fighting to stop the academy anymore. He was fighting for every kid they had ever stolen.
---
The night before the mission, he found Jack cleaning his rifle by the dim light of a candle.
"You know," Jack said without looking up, "if we die tomorrow, I'm glad it's with you two and not some other idiots."
Leo smirked. "That's the closest thing to a compliment I've ever heard from you."
Jack shrugged. "Don't get used to it."