At exactly 6 o'clock in the evening, the large white bus rolled through the towering gates of the SID Headquarters Training Facility. A vast campus stretched ahead steel buildings, obstacle fields, tall flagpoles, and armed personnel patrolling the perimeter.
As the bus came to a halt in the designated parking zone, all cadets began stepping off, some stretching their limbs after the long six-hour ride.
Sergeant Mike blew his whistle sharply, the sound echoing across the open yard. "Fall in line, now! Double file!"
The cadets scrambled into formation, backpacks slung over shoulders, faces a mix of anxiety and awe. Several other sergeants were already waiting nearby, standing tall and stern, arms behind their backs.
Suddenly, the sound of polished boots echoed on the concrete. Three officers walked briskly toward the cadets, each one in crisp SID dress uniform. As the golden rays of the setting sun sliced across the training yard, the middle officer's face was cast half in shadow, half a glow his sharply defined features made even more striking by the light.
Every female cadet's eye seemed drawn to him, but none more than Bella's. Her gaze lingered on him, puzzled... as if something about him scratched at the edges of a memory.
The officers stopped a few feet in front of the cadets.
"I'm Officer Matthew," the first one said, in a voice clear and confident.
"I'm Officer Robbio," said the third one, his tone colder.
Then the second stepped forward, his eyes briefly sweeping across the crowd until they stopped on Bella.
"I'm Officer Ethan," he said.
His eyes didn't move. Neither did hers.
"You cadets will be training here for one year," Ethan continued. "We are your training officers. I trust you've already read the SID regulations before arriving here. If not, you'll regret it."
He paused. His voice hardened. "Discipline matters more than anything. There's zero tolerance for error. Punishments are strict and immediate. We hope this year goes smoothly for all of us but let's be honest: we all know it won't. That's something you'll learn over time."
He stepped back.
"Alright," Officer Matthew said, clapping his hands once. "We'll begin with introductions. Line One speak clearly, loudly, and keep it relevant."
From the first row, a cheerful-looking boy stepped forward. "Hello, I'm Harry Martin. I like food, especially pizza."
Matthew raised a hand. "Cadet Harry, we're not filming a food vlog here."
A ripple of laughter moved down the line. Harry's face turned crimson.
"Next," Matthew barked.
"I'm Derek Saint. I graduated from NYC College."
Next came a confident girl. "I'm Ellena Gabriel. I graduated from a college in Australia."
"I'm Norah Black. Graduated from the UK."
Introductions continued down the line until Bella's turn came. She stepped forward, her posture strong, her eyes steady.
"I'm Bella Holland Obrein. I graduated from NYC College."
As her words rang out, Ethan's expression shifted almost imperceptibly. A flicker of something unreadable passed across his face recognition, perhaps. Memories stirred like shadows in his mind, but he said nothing.
Matthew cleared his throat, snapping Ethan back to the present.
Ethan straightened. "Officer Robbio will now distribute your maps and daily schedules. The red zones on the map are strictly prohibited. If you're found there, be ready to face the consequences."
"You'll also receive your room keys," Robbio added flatly. "Each room will be shared by three cadets. Once you've checked in, take twenty minutes to freshen up. Dinner will be served at 7:30 o'clock in the mess hall. Do not be late."
One by one, the cadets stepped forward to receive their envelopes including map, schedule, and a key.
Matthew, now standing off to the side, glanced at Ethan, catching the look on his face.
"You looked at her like you didn't know she was coming," he said casually.
Ethan didn't respond immediately. His gaze still rested on the cadets, now dispersing in small groups toward their assigned rooms.
Finally, he turned his head slightly and looked at Matthew—hard.
Matthew just smirked.