Year: 2003 | Location: Zurich, Switzerland

  The sun never quite touched Wolfshade District. Not because the skies were dark—but because Rex had made sure no spotlight ever revealed too much. Tucked behind fortified urban walls, nestled in the clean, quiet heart of Switzerland, the Dominion’s sanctuary pulsed like a hidden nerve center.

  At its core stood a modest yet fortified building—neutral from the outside, a hive of activity within. Classrooms. Armories. Training chambers. Server halls humming with intercepted transmissions. It was order beneath the illusion of peace.

  Inside, Alfred moved through the corridors with meticulous grace. Tablet in hand, glasses lowered slightly over his nose, he reviewed reports from five corners of the world.

  “Youth Sector D graduated two promising talents. One's already decrypting Interpol memos faster than their own analysts.”

  He tapped the screen and added a note.

  Behind him, the sound of heavy boots echoed.

  “We’ll need more like them,” Rex’s voice came low, “A storm is brewing. And I want every lightning rod grounded.”

  Alfred turned without surprise. “Already happening. Kira’s preparing another batch for D.C. And our surveillance ops from New Delhi just flagged an Aurelian signal—deep packet ghost signatures.”

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  “Pull the Ghostwalkers off recon and reposition to Berlin. I want eyes on the ground.”

  “Understood. Also…” Alfred hesitated for a rare moment. “One of our junior units—Epsilon-13—was caught in a skirmish. Two injured. They were kids.”

  Rex’s jaw clenched.

  “Children make the best flames. But it’s our job to make sure they’re never burned too soon.”

  Smoke trailed from shattered lights as Shade stepped over a limp body, eyes scanning. They had traced a smuggled AI control module here—likely linked to NATO’s tactical simulations.

  Suddenly, a figure darted from the shadows. Quick, young. A girl—barely sixteen, with a makeshift EMP grenade in hand.

  “Don’t move!” she hissed.

  Shade didn’t even blink. “You’re two steps behind. Your fuse is faulty.”

  Click. The grenade sparked… then fizzled.

  She blinked in shock. That’s when she saw the small Dominion pin on his collar.

  “Wait… you’re not Aurelian?”

  He crouched slightly. “No. I’m your last lesson today. If you survive, you’re one of us.”

  The same girl knelt now before Alfred and Rex.

  “She took down two instructors and infiltrated the red zone. Scarred, smart, and angry. She’s got potential.”

  Rex nodded. “Assign her to Whisper’s team. Train her under cold ops.”

  Alfred arched a brow. “You’re building a shadow out of a child.”

  “No,” Rex said, turning away. “I’m forging a weapon no one will see coming.”