Jack sat on the edge of his bed, flexing his fingers and rolling his shoulders as he tested the limits of his healing injuries. The bruises from his clash with Ironclad were fading, and the deep ache in his side had dulled to a manageable throb. He was nearly back to full strength, but the scars of the fight were more than just physical. Each wince, each twinge was a reminder of how close he’d come to losing that night—and how relentless the system he fought against truly was.

  The apartment was dim, the only light coming from the thin sliver of sun sneaking through the blinds. Jack’s hideout was small, cramped, and devoid of anything that hinted at a personal life. It was just another safe house in a city that had long since stopped feeling like home. He had made it this way on purpose; attachment was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

  He tugged his shirt over his head, pausing as he caught sight of his reflection in the cracked mirror on the opposite wall. Dark circles underlined his eyes, and his jawline was rough with stubble. He looked as tired as he felt. But today was another day, and like every day before it, he would keep pushing forward. There wasn’t any other option.

  His burner phone buzzed on the table, the sudden noise cutting through the silence like a blade. Jack’s eyes flicked to the screen, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the name: Dr. Levin.

  Dr. Marcus Levin was one of the few people Jack still trusted—an ally on the inside, buried deep within NovaTech Labs. To Levin, Jack was only known as Veil, his vigilante persona, a shadow in the system’s blind spots. Levin’s calls were rare, and they always meant trouble.

  Jack grabbed the phone and answered. “Doc.”

  “Veil,” Levin’s voice was low, urgent. “We need to meet. Now.”

  Jack’s brows furrowed. Levin’s usual calm was replaced with a tension that put Jack instantly on edge. “What happened?”

  “Not over the phone,” Levin said sharply. “It’s too hot right now. I’ll send you the location. Be there in an hour. And come prepared.”

  Before Jack could respond, the line went dead. He set the phone down, staring at it as the screen dimmed. Levin never called him out unless it was serious, and Jack’s mind began to race with the possibilities. The system had cracks—he knew that better than most—but if Levin was this rattled, it meant something had gone very wrong.

  Jack moved quickly, grabbing the black duffel bag from beneath his bed. Inside, the mask and dark clothes that transformed him into Veil were neatly folded, ready for action. He dressed swiftly, feeling the weight of the fabric settle over him like armor. The mask slipped on last, molding to his face, turning him into the shadow that the system feared but could never quite catch.

  With one last glance at his reflection—now a faceless figure cloaked in anonymity—Jack slipped out of the apartment, disappearing into the city that barely noticed him.

  The rendezvous point was an old, abandoned warehouse near the docks, far enough from prying eyes and distant enough from NovaTech’s watchful cameras. Jack arrived first, keeping to the shadows as he waited. The sound of waves lapping against the shore provided a faint, rhythmic backdrop, masking the quiet tension in the air.

  Minutes later, a sleek black car pulled up to the entrance, and Dr. Levin emerged, glancing around nervously before spotting Jack. Levin looked older than Jack remembered—lines of stress etched into his face, and his movements jittery with unease. He adjusted his glasses, giving Jack a brief nod as he approached.

  “Doc,” Jack greeted, his voice muffled beneath the mask. “What’s going on?”

  Levin glanced over his shoulder, making sure they were alone before he spoke. “We’ve got a problem, Veil. A big one.” He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small, encrypted tablet. He tapped a few commands, and a series of images flickered to life on the screen—security footage of NovaTech Labs, alarms blaring, and figures in black tactical gear ransacking a high-security lab.

  Jack’s eyes narrowed as he studied the footage. “Who are they?”

  “We don’t know,” Levin admitted, frustration creeping into his tone. “This was last night. They broke into Sector 3—our most restricted area. They were after the power modulators.”

  Jack’s blood ran cold. Power modulators were some of the most dangerous pieces of tech at NovaTech—devices that could amplify, regulate, or outright alter superhuman abilities. In the wrong hands, they were a loaded gun with an unpredictable trigger.

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  “How the hell did they get in?” Jack asked, keeping his voice steady.

  Levin shook his head, anger simmering beneath his words. “Someone on the inside, maybe. Or someone who knows our security better than we do. But that’s not the worst of it. They knew exactly what they were looking for.”

  Jack glanced up from the screen, meeting Levin’s gaze. “And you think they’re coming back.”

  Levin hesitated before nodding. “We’re hosting a field trip from West Horizon Academy next week. A bunch of kids, all potential heroes. NovaTech is supposed to be on lockdown after this, but... security’s already been compromised. I don’t trust it.”

  Jack could see where this was going, and he didn’t like it. “So, what do you need from me?”

  Levin hesitated, adjusting his glasses as if weighing his words carefully. “We’ve got this field trip coming up from West Horizon Academy. A bunch of kids, future heroes, set to tour NovaTech. On paper, it’s a PR move—show them the tech, the research, inspire the next generation. But after what happened last night? It’s a security nightmare. We’re talking the sons and daughters of some of the country’s top heroes. The stakes couldn’t be higher.”

  Jack crossed his arms, his stance rigid. “You’re not telling me everything, Doc.”

  Levin sighed, the frustration etched into his expression. “We’ve tightened security, but… whoever broke in, they had intel, Veil. They knew the layout, they knew our protocols. If they were willing to hit us once, they could try again, and this time, with those kids in the crossfire.”

  “So you want me there as extra eyes?” Jack asked, his tone skeptical. “Why not just bring in more registered heroes? You’ve got Crimson Nova and her crew right there. They’re a walking security team.”

  Levin shook his head. “That’s the thing. The Novas are the main draw. They’re going to be busy putting on a show for the kids, playing tour guides. And you know how it goes—when heroes are in the spotlight, it’s easy for someone to slip through the cracks. I need someone who isn’t in the system, someone who can move without being seen.”

  “You mean someone expendable,” Jack shot back, the edge in his voice cutting through the tension.

  Levin flinched but didn’t deny it. “I need someone who doesn’t follow the rules. You’ve got the skills, the instincts. I’m not asking you to fight—just be there. Watch. If something feels off, you step in. Quietly.”

  Jack’s eyes narrowed behind his mask. “And what happens if I get caught? You think they’ll just let me walk out once they know I’m not registered?”

  Levin ran a hand through his thinning hair, exasperation evident. “You won’t get caught. You’re Veil. You’ve been evading them for years. Look, I wouldn’t be asking if I thought the usual security measures were enough. But this? This feels different. Like they’re testing us.”

  Jack let the silence hang, considering the implications. Levin was right—this wasn’t just about a breach. It felt deliberate, calculated. If the enemy was looking for weaknesses, then the field trip was the perfect cover.

  “Who do you think’s behind this?” Jack asked finally. “You have a name? A lead?”

  Levin shook his head, his frustration palpable. “Not yet. But whoever they are, they’re organized, and they’ve got resources. This isn’t some small-time operation. We’re dealing with professionals.”

  Jack paced, the weight of the request pressing on him. “And you think they’ll try something with all those kids around?”

  “It’s a possibility I can’t ignore,” Levin admitted. “If they hit us again and something happens to those kids, it’s not just NovaTech on the line—it’s the whole damn system. The heroes, the laws, everything we’ve built since The Wave. It’ll be chaos.”

  Jack clenched his fists, feeling the familiar anger bubbling up. He despised the system, but this wasn’t about politics anymore. It was about innocent lives caught in the crossfire of whatever game was being played behind the scenes.

  “You’re putting a lot on me, Doc,” Jack said, his voice low. “I’m not a hero. I don’t have backup. If this goes sideways, I’m on my own.”

  Levin’s expression softened, a hint of genuine concern flickering in his eyes. “I know. And I wouldn’t ask if I had another choice. But you’re the only one I trust to do this right. You see things the rest of us miss. You see the cracks.”

  Jack looked away, torn between his instinct to help and the nagging sense that he was being pulled into something much bigger than either of them realized. But there was no denying the truth—if Levin was right, if the system was being probed for weaknesses, then staying out of it wasn’t an option.

  “Fine,” Jack said, finally relenting. “I’ll do it. But I’m not making any promises. I’m not there to save the day. I’m there to watch. That’s it.”

  Levin nodded, relief washing over his features. “That’s all I need. Just keep your eyes open, and if you see anything—anything at all—you act. We can’t afford to be blindsided again.”

  Jack gave a curt nod, turning to leave, but Levin called out, stopping him in his tracks.

  “Veil… thank you,” Levin said, his voice softer now, almost vulnerable. “I know you didn’t have to do this. But it means more than you know.”

  Jack didn’t respond, simply pulling his hood tighter and disappearing into the shadows of the warehouse. As he made his way back into the city, his mind churned with questions. Who were these people targeting NovaTech? And why were they so willing to risk everything for a piece of the lab’s technology?

  He didn’t have the answers yet, but one thing was clear: the system wasn’t just flawed—it was under attack. And Jack, whether he liked it or not, was about to be caught in the middle.