In one of the private rooms at Novan City Hospital, Jordan's body stirred. He felt a heaviness and ache throughout his body. His eyelids felt heavy, too. The sound of the heart monitor was the first thing he heard.

  Jordan slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry. He could not make out what he was seeing. As his vision slowly came back, Jordan turned his head. “Where am I…” He knew well that this was not the familiar scene of his bedroom.

  He looked around, expecting to see his family, or Ethan or Jessica—or perhaps someone he knew. Instead, a stranger sat beside him, his legs crossed casually, an amused smile playing on his lips.

  The bodies on the floor caught Jordan’s attention. Though his vision was still foggy, he could make out the faint forms of people lying motionless around the room. He did not know them, but they were the Nemesis agents assigned to guard him. But now, their bodies sprawled across the floor, unconscious or worse. Panic flickered in Jordan’s chest.

  "What... happened?"

  "Don't worry. These people were trying to harm you. I've dealt with them," replied the stranger. It was a lie, of course.

  Jordan blinked a few times, trying to recall any memory of the stranger before him. No matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn't make sense of his presence. He was certain he had never seen this man before. However, after hearing the stranger's voice, Jordan finally recognized that it was indeed a man speaking to him.

  The man was well-dressed in a tailored suit. He had this presence of calmness. But there was a kind of unsetting feeling in the way he carried himself. Jordan sensed that this man posed a danger to him.

  “Glad that you’re awake, Jordan,” the man said with a friendly smile. The kind of friendliness that creeped Jordan out.

  Jordan's throat felt dry after several days without water, and his voice came out hoarser than usual. He asked, “Who are you?” After a brief pause to look around, he added, “Where am I?”

  The man’s smile widened slightly. “Take your time. You’ve been in a coma for a few days. Don’t push yourself, or you might feel the pain again.”

  The thing that the man said was true. As Jordan tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot through his abdomen. He groaned slightly before his body fell back against the pillow. His hand instinctively moved to his side, feeling the thick bandages covering the wounds. Memories began flooding back—flashes of Steve fighting, the hired fighters of Donald and Lucien, and the chaos that followed.

  “Jessica… Steve… What the hell happened back then…” Jordan muttered. He had a lot of things that he needed answers right now.

  As if reading his thoughts, the man spoke again. “You must be wondering about what you saw that day. About the battle between Steve and those superpower fighters, about Lucien, and of course... about Ethan.”

  "Where's Ethan? Where's Jessica? What happened to her father?" Jordan had too many questions that he needed answers right away.

  Alexander smiled and said, "Jessica's safe. Ethan went there to rescue you guys, but he was... how do I say it... Late?"

  He paused before adding, "If he took what you texted him more seriously, I believe things would be better. You know what happened to Jessica's father?"

  Jordan was taken aback. 'How did he know I texted Ethan? Is he one of Ethan's bodyguards?'

  However, another concern troubled Jordan. The man said something about Jessica's father. "What happened to Jessica's father?"

  Alexander took a deep breath as if what he was about to share next really concerned him. "He... was killed. By Donald."

  "What?!" Jordan was speechless right after. "How? What happened?"

  "Well, as I said, Ethan was a bit late. Luckily, he was able to save you and Jessica. Oh. And Steve, too," replied Alexander.

  Jordan’s breathing quickened, his mind racing. He tried once more to focus on the man’s face, but his vision was still too foggy. “Who… are you?” he managed to croak out. "How did you able to know this much?"

  The man inclined his head slightly, his smile never wavering. “Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Alexander.”

  Jordan’s thoughts churned. “Alexander?” The name did not ring a bell at all. “I don’t know you,” he stated. Slowly, his voice was getting better and back to normal. “What do you want?”

  Alexander leaned forward slightly. “I want to help you, Jordan.”

  “Help me?” Jordan echoed, skepticism lacing his tone. “What do you mean?”

  Alexander’s eyes gleamed with something unreadable. “I mean exactly what I said. Don’t you want to understand what happened the other day? To know the truth about the fight you witnessed, about Ethan’s sudden strength and... wealth, about the real world you’ve been blind to all this time?”

  Jordan stared at the man, perplexed at how he seemed to know what was on his mind. Like many others, Jordan was fascinated by the concept of superpowers and extraordinary abilities. Especially after he joined Ethan and Nova Tech. He was shocked and amazed at Ethan’s sudden wealth, his hidden talent for deadly, precise shooting, and his remarkable physical transformation.

  But now, after everything he had witnessed and endured, that admiration was mixed with confusion and envy. How had Ethan changed so drastically in such a short period? It seemed that Ethan must have a secret he had not shared with him.

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  After all those wild thoughts, Jordan hesitated, his voice quieter now. “How? How can you help me understand all of that?”

  Alexander’s smile grew, but something was chilling in his expression. “Come with me, Jordan. I’ll show you the real world.”

  For a moment, Jordan considered refusing. This man was a stranger, someone he didn’t know whether he could trust or not. But the lure of answers—of understanding what had happened and, perhaps, finding a way to change his own life—was too tempting.

  He looked at his abdomen, the injuries. One was caused by the knife, and the other one was caused by the gunshot. Recalling how ruthless Donald had been to him, he felt the anger and pain radiating through his body. His gaze returned to Alexander, the man who claimed he could help him understand everything.

  After a moment, Alexander asked, “What’s your decision, Jordan?”

  Jordan swallowed hard as he contemplated his choice. “What if I say no?”

  Alexander shrugged, his demeanor unfazed. “Then you can stay here, recover, and return to your ordinary life. But if you want to know the truth—if you want to be part of something greater—you’ll take my hand.”

  He extended his hand toward Jordan, his smile calm and inviting.

  “Can I become like Ethan?” Jordan asked.

  Alexander nodded, beaming with a smile.

  Jordan’s heart pounded. A part of him screamed to call for help, to push this man away and stay safe. But another part—the part that longed for something more—reached out, hesitating for only a moment before taking Alexander’s hand.

  Alexander’s smile widened as he stood, helping Jordan to his feet. “Good choice, Jordan. Welcome to the real world.”

  ***

  Ethan leaned back slightly in his chair, his fingers laced together on the modern, sleek table. His eyes flicked between Luciano, Helena, and Maya, their expressions calm but laced with seriousness. He let out a small exhale and asked, “Well, what’s now?”

  Luciano, sitting at the head of the table, allowed a faint smile to cross his lips. “Straight to the point. I like that.” He looked at Maya, then Helena, before saying, “Ethan, Nemesis wants to recruit you.”

  Ethan raised an eyebrow, his voice measured. “Recruit me? To do what, exactly?”

  Before Luciano could answer, Helena leaned forward, her gaze sharp and analytical. “Nemesis exists as a power checker and balance. Ascendants, especially those tied to powerful families, are capable of immense destruction if left unchecked. We’re the ones who ensure they don’t overstep.”

  Maya picked up where Helena left off, her tone more grounded. “It’s not just about politics, either. We get involved in wars where Ascendants are used, stop rogue Ascendants from terrorizing innocent people, and prevent powerful families from creating chaos for normal citizens.”

  Ethan listened intently, his expression neutral, but his mind was piecing everything together. He nodded slightly. “So you’re like an international task force for Ascendants. Keeping the peace in ways normal authorities can’t.”

  “Exactly,” Helena confirmed.

  Ethan processed the information perfectly. The existence of Nemesis explained so much—Mark’s military service, the secrecy surrounding Ascendants, and the strict control over their abilities.

  He thought back to Mark, recalling the time when Mark had mentioned being stationed in the army. Ethan believed that Mark did not choose to lie to him. In fact, Mark wasn't lying; he had shared the closest version of the truth that he could with Ethan.

  Mark did the right thing. If he had told Ethan the truth, Ethan would be panicking. The same goes if the public knew and learned about the Ascendants. Entire nations could descend into panic or war if the knowledge of such power became public.

  Ethan turned his attention back to the table, his voice steady. “So, if I join, what exactly am I supposed to do?”

  Luciano smiled slightly, the edge of seriousness returning to his tone. “Normally, new recruits like you would attend the academy first. It’s where we train and prepare operatives to work in the field. But…” He paused, his smile fading. “In your case, the academy isn’t an option right now.”

  Ethan tilted his head slightly. “Why not?”

  Maya answered this time. “Because of the LaRues. What they’re planning is too dangerous to wait. They need to be stopped now.”

  Ethan’s brows furrowed. “What exactly are the LaRues planning?”

  Luciano’s expression darkened, and his voice was blunt. “Coup d’état.”

  Ethan blinked, the weight of the words settling in. “A coup?”

  Luciano nodded. “That’s the most likely scenario. Based on the intel we’ve gathered, the LaRues have formed alliances with the other Great Families in the state of Arkansa—the Roscoes, Ansons, Wisoba, and Aruz. Their aim is to overthrow the state’s current rulers.”

  “When do they plan to make their move?” Ethan asked. He needed to dig as much information as needed so that he could be prepared.

  “They are moving. With their research and creation nearing completion, they will be more aggressive and…” Luciano paused. His tone was heavy. “Once they’ve consolidated power here, we believe that they’ll move to take over the country.”

  Helena leaned forward, her fingers tapping lightly on the table. “Their plan doesn’t stop there. They intend to restructure the country into five regions, with each family governing one.”

  “How do you know about that?” Ethan asked.

  “We have our intel, Ethan.”

  Ethan's jaw tightened as he processed the implications. "Is there anything preventing them from succeeding?"

  Maya exchanged a glance with Luciano before answering. “Right now? The government, the military, and the other Great Families in the remaining fourteen states. But if the LaRues and their allies make the right moves, they could sway the others to their side.”

  Luciano added, his tone grave, “And the one group they’ll have the hardest time dealing with—the Khans family. They’re the only Grand Family in the country of Arland and the descendants of the Khans Kingdom’s royal lineage. They’re the closest thing to untouchable this country has.”

  Ethan leaned back in his chair, nodding slowly. He had read about the Khans family in history classes and knew they were revered even in the modern era. “So, the LaRues would either have to neutralize the Khans or somehow get them to stand down.”

  Helena nodded. “Exactly. And if the Khans resist, it could lead to a war involving not just Ascendants but the entire country.”

  Ethan exhaled deeply, his mind racing. The scope of what the LaRues were planning was massive, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. “And what’s Nemesis’s role in all of this?”

  Luciano leaned forward, his gaze sharp. “To stop them. To prevent this coup before it starts and ensure the country doesn’t collapse into chaos.”

  Ethan met Luciano’s gaze, his voice calm but firm. “And you think I can help with that?”

  Luciano’s expression shifted slightly. “Actually, we have no choice. Our agents have been scattered around the globe, and too many crises have arisen in the past few years. We need all the help we can get, especially since involving Mark is out of the question.”

  “What do you mean? Isn’t what the LaRues are planning enough to capture Nemesis’s full attention?” Ethan inquired. It was a deliberate question; he wanted Luciano, Maya, or Helena to reveal more information.

  Maya hesitated before responding, “Well, as much as I dislike it, everything concerning the LaRues and Mark being held captive by them is classified as a Grade C mission.”

  “Grade C?” Ethan was surprised to hear that. The mission involved Artificial Ascendants, a captured Nemesis agent, bio-weapons, a planned coup, and several other serious matters, yet it was categorized as Grade C? “Damn… I can’t imagine what missions are classified as Grades A and B.”

  Nobody laughed, understanding the seriousness of the higher grades. What they didn’t reveal to Ethan was that the highest mission grade wasn’t Grade A. There were also S, SS, SSS, and star-grade missions.

  Ethan glanced at Helena and Maya, both of whom nodded in quiet agreement. He exhaled, his resolve strengthening. “All right. Tell me what I need to do.”

  Luciano smiled faintly, an expression of approval on his face. “Good. Let’s get to work.”

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