I had no idea who it could have been.
I never share my number with anyone.
Though it sparked my curiosity, the only thing I knew about the message was that "C189" referred to a floor in the Defense Building—here in the Military Citadel.
I got ready and headed straight to the building's elevators.
I typed in the floor: C189.
As the elevator rose, I remembered it was an administrative level.
I'd heard rumors—that's where Dr. Kraf's office was.
The most respected scientist in the Citadel.
I had never seen him before, but people spoke his name with a mix of reverence and mystery.
I arrived.
The elevator doors opened with a mechanical whisper.
A long, silent hallway stretched before me.
There was only one door at the end.
The entire floor seemed designed solely for that office.
I'd never been in a place like this.
There was a strange energy in the air.
Like a silent pressure weighing on my chest.
Not fear, exactly… but something felt off.
As I reached the door, it opened on its own.
I stopped, instinctively.
Inside, I saw a swivel chair facing away…
And next to it, arms crossed, was Thomas.
I was surprised.
I had no idea what was going on.
Were they relieving me from duty for disobeying orders?
Or… something worse?
I stepped in and cleared my throat.
—Ahem…
Thomas turned, smiling.
The chair spun slowly until I finally saw the man sitting in it.
Thomas spoke first:
—Hey, Traytros. Glad you made it. Let me introduce you to Dr. Kraf.
The man raised his hand politely, his expression unreadable.
—Pleasure to meet you, Traytros. At last. I've reviewed your file. Interesting. Some... setbacks, but certainly above average. And also...
I scratched my neck, awkward and unsure how to respond.
—Well, no one's perfect. Not even God, who made us… and, apparently, regretted it.
I stepped closer to the desk.
Something in the air kept me on edge, but I couldn't pinpoint why.
—Let's get to the point —Dr. Kraf said, interlocking his fingers—. We've detected suspicious activity outside the capital. Specifically, in the Los Libertadores region, near the mountains. A small village called Fortul.
Thomas stepped in, like they'd already rehearsed this.
—There've been sightings. Individuals matching rebel profiles, according to reports.
My chest tightened—excitement. Adrenaline.
—What's the mission? When do we deploy?
But Dr. Kraf raised his hand, stopping me.
—This is a covert mission. We must proceed cautiously.
If enemy activity is confirmed… you have permission to engage.
—It's a complicated zone —Thomas added—. Contamination level 3. Also, according to intel, there might be nuclear activity.
I paused.
Nuclear?
—Nuclear? I thought only the government had access to that kind of energy.
And what do you mean by contamination?
Dr. Kraf leaned toward me.
—That should be the case. But recently, the rebels have intercepted multiple nuclear supply convoys. They're using it to power other regions… and other things.
He didn't elaborate on the contamination.
Just gave me a look that raised more questions than answers.
I didn't push it.
There'd be time for answers. Or so I hoped.
—Thomas has recommended you for this mission —Kraf continued—. Depending on your performance, we may consider promoting you to First-Class Soldier.
That would place you at the level of Aruka, Thomas, and Leonidas.
My jaw dropped.
—Seriously?! You won't regret it, sir!
Kraf nodded with a neutral expression.
—I hope not. A lot depends on this mission.
Thomas looked at me sternly, as if everything up to now had just been the introduction.
He stepped forward, placed a hand on my shoulder, and said:
—Get ready, Traytros. Tomorrow, we leave for Fortul.
My first mission outside the capital.
My first time out there.
And deep down, I knew…
it wouldn't be like I imagined.
That night, I couldn't sleep.
My mind kept spinning through all the unanswered questions.
Why so much secrecy?
Why so few details about the mission?
We could die out there!
Hopefully, Thomas knew more.
Though I wasn't counting on it...
I eventually fell asleep without realizing it.
The alarm jolted me awake.
I jumped out of bed.
Started packing my gear—
And that's when I noticed a message from Thomas:
"Go to the armory. Head to the 'Toxic and Radioactive' section. Equip yourself with radiation and contamination gear. If you're unsure, an assistant will be there. Ask for help.
See you at 6:00 p.m. at the Citadel's airfield."
I finished reading it and checked the time.
7:00 a.m.
I had plenty of time, so I decided to get equipped first.
Then figure out what to do with the rest of the day.
I headed to the armory and went straight to the section Thomas mentioned.
I'd never been there before.
The door opened with a soft hum as I stepped inside.
Rows of metal lockers.
Dim lights.
Everything clean—but eerily quiet.
I had no idea where to start.
I remembered Thomas mentioned an assistant…
But I didn't see anyone.
Maybe they overslept?
I wandered down the hallway, searching.
Along the way, I spotted different types of armor.
Each had a mask—like a gas mask, but more advanced.
What are these for...?
At the far end, I saw a small office.
I approached and knocked softly on the doorframe.
—Hey! Hello? You okay?
The person, slumped over their desk with a book covering their face, jolted awake in a panic.
—Aaaah! Back off, Yankees!
Once he came to, he looked at me—confused, trying to remember where he was.
He squinted at me.
—You… kid. Are you the one Thomas sent?
I nodded.
—Yeah. I'm Traytros. I came for the Toxic and Radioactive gear.
He looked surprised and sat up straighter.
—So… it's true. Heh. Shame to sacrifice a soldier so young, with such potential...
His words caught me off guard.
—Sacrifice? What do you mean by conditions?
The old man let out a short, half-mocking laugh.
—Better if you find out for yourself, kid.
Then he stood and gestured for me to follow.
We walked through a hallway like the others—gray walls, flickering lights.
—You Class 3? —he asked without looking at me.
I gave him a sideways glance.
—I'm Second-Class.
He shrugged, indifferent.
Clearly didn't care.
He opened a locker, pulled out a bag, and handed it to me.
Inside:
a mask, a spare uniform, pills... and a syringe.
I looked at him, puzzled.
—What's the mask for? And the syringe?
He sighed.
—Kid, you're going into a contaminated zone. No one told you?
Outside the capital, nothing's the same and—
He stopped himself.
Realized he'd said too much.
Changed the subject instantly, trying to play it off:
—Oh, must be some special mission. Yeah, that's it. Hehe.
Only high-ranking soldiers get those.
And you… what rank did you say again?
—Class 2.
—Exactly! Class 2. High rank.
The mask is just precaution.
The pills... read the labels first.
The syringe—use it if you start feeling bad out there.
I stared at him, trying to figure out how much he really knew.
But I realized he wasn't going to say more.
So I pretended to let it go.
I grabbed the gear, nodded, and headed for the exit.
—Thanks. See you around.
The old man muttered under his breath as I turned away:
—Yeah... see you later. Hehe...
I heard it.
But I pretended I didn't.
I left the armory with the bag slung over my shoulder.
What a weird guy.
Probably half-crazy.
But what did he mean by sacrifice?
I'm not an idiot.
He was hiding something.
This whole thing is getting messier...
At this rate, I'm the one who's going to go insane.
I got back to my room and started prepping everything for the mission.
Sat down for a moment, wondering what to do next.
Until I made a decision.
I'm going to explore the city.
Maybe… investigate something about the attack.
Alright then...
Where do I begin?.