Nothing happened.
A sigh of relief left his lips and he opened his eyes, gasping softly as he stared at the real thing.
He heard the soldier come in behind him, but he was too engrossed in staring at the Faction's incredible build.
Tarred grounds stretched forever. Intimidating buildings stood everywhere, some taller than the walls, some smaller.
A particular building in the centre caught his eye; it shone, as if it were made of silvery water, its surface reflected the dark skies above. Different kinds of military cars were parked before it, adding to its formidable nature. Above the building was that sentinel light that blinked at him when he was still out in the desert.
The difference was clear why Axton was the strongest and most formidable leader. For one to garner such technologies in a dying world, one had to be the most powerful man alive.
Where the outside world lived in sufferings and setbacks, Faction12 lived in the future.
He doubted if Commander Reed would ever be able to overthrow Axton as he planned to do.
Ren's attention was drawn from the footsteps behind him. He turned and saw the soldier walking toward him with a paper in his hand, "You will wait, Mira. The result will be ready -"
"Scanning result completed. Name: Renault Caspian. Age: twenty-five. Sex: Male. Status: Unaffected." The synthesised artificial voice echoed.
In the blink of an eye, Ren was pushed down on his knees, several guns pointing at his head.
'No, no, no... this can't be happening, I must be dreaming!' His heart pounded louder than their cocking guns that dug against the back of his neck.
His knees dug painfully into the rough ground, his teeth biting down painfully on his bottom lip.
What had just happened?
His mission was over before it even started?
He's been exposed to Axton's high-tech intelligence.
'I failed you, Mira. Now, my death is sure,' He thought with clenched fists and an aching heart.
A soldier stepped away from Ren's front, making way for the soldier who was initially leading Ren inside the Faction.
"Renault Caspian, I hope you are ready to face the Captain," The soldier said and snapped his fingers.
Immediately, Ren's hands were roughly grabbed by two soldiers, and his body was dragged along the ground, toward the silvery, formidable building.
As they dragged him through the sliding doors, Ren was dragged along the neatest floors he'd seen in years, and the cool air seemed even more purified than the one outside the Faction.
However, he had no time to admire the sterilised decor as his side jabbed right on the lean side of a slim door which they were dragging him into.
Ren was barely hanging on the thin line between consciousness and unconsciousness. He was no longer sure if it was his vision that was darkening or if he was being pulled into a pitch-dark room.
Suddenly, a light came on and Ren realised that he was taken into what seemed to be a very large rectangular conference room.
Walls were made of glass, showing the dark sky, the long table at the centre was also made of glass, and the floor was made of black tiles that reflected his tired, dirty face.
He was forced to his knees, strong hands pinning his already-surrendered body to the floor.
"Ugh!" He grunted out as a sharp pain suddenly met his face.
A strong hand had struck his cheek.
Ren's face flew to the side, his vision doubled and blurred as his ears rang from the hot slap. A metallic taste invaded his mouth as blood bled from his inner cheeks that had slammed against his teeth as he got slapped.
"You dare to march in here as a spy?" A voice boomed angrily in front of Ren.
They held Ren's slouching body up, forcing him to look at the man who had slapped him.
Through his blurry vision, he saw a tall man in a navy uniform with a creased face and an angry frown, his brown eyes glared at Ren with such hatred that Ren felt like the man was already piercing his heart with a sharp, silver blade.
'Was this Captain Axton?' He thought, forcing his eyes open to stare at the man.
"I... Please, just let me go... I'm no threat, I pro-"
"Captain!" The man who had slapped Ren stepped away from Ren and bowed his head at someone at the entrance.
Ren was immediately left to fall unceremoniously to the floor as the soldiers who were holding him up released him to salute at whoever this captain was.
Ren feared, oh, how he feared. If the man who had slapped him wasn't the captain, then he was done for. Captain Axton was surely going to be more formidable than any man in that room... than any man in the world.
Unhurried footsteps sounded in the silent room as every soldier stood stiff with their breaths held in, as if a single careless breath would end their lives.
Ren tried to lift himself off the cold floor, but his limbs were already exhausted; he had no more energy to move, so he lay there, face plastered on the cold, smooth floor as his tired, narrowed eyes focused on the black, heavy, shiny shoe that kept stepping closer to him.
The sound echoed right inside his head and chest, casting a feeling of desolation within him.
He was about to face him, Captain Axton Conan.
The man whose prowess has been sung across the deserts, feared by survivors and beast-bounds alike. He was death to his enemies, and Ren knew, at that moment... he was an enemy.
"Lift him," A low, cold, deep, and calm voice ordered.
The moment Ren heard Axton's voice, a cold chill ran down his spine.
Something was blood-curdling about it.
Axton might not have screamed or spoken in an agitated manner, but Ren could tell how dangerous he was from the sound of his voice alone.
Ren was once again roughly pulled up from the floor, and before him, stood the scariest man he'd ever set his eyes on.
Ren felt suffocated, his limbs trembling and pee threatning to leak through his pants as a pair of striking, sharp silver eyes locked on his face, the white, neatly cut hair a sharp contrast to the midnight black Captain's uniform Axton wore, and, if he was to stand close to Axton, his head would only reach his chest...that was how intimidatingly tall he was.
Jaws sharp as the edge of a knife, face stern and unfeeling, Ren knew without being told that the man in front of him was no other than the infamous Captain Axton Conan.
"Undress him," Axton commanded calmly, his eyes never leaving the face of his invader.