Syndicate

Cipher gave a small, approving nod and stood up, motioning for Jasper to follow. He hesitated for a brief moment before rising from the chair, his mind still swimming with the overwhelming revelations of the night. As they exited the command center, Cipher led him down a sleek hallway, its walls lined with dimly glowing lights that gave the place an almost ethereal atmosphere.

They walked in silence, the soft hum of machinery filling the air. Jasper could feel the weight of what he had agreed to settling on him, but he pushed the thoughts aside for now. There was no going back.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a large metal door. Cipher placed her hand on a small panel, and with a soft hiss, the door slid open, revealing a spacious room filled with various figures. The atmosphere was heavy, the kind that immediately told Jasper that whatever was happening here was serious business.

The first person Jasper noticed was a large figure sitting in the far corner of the room, arms crossed, with a cocky smirk on his face. His presence was impossible to ignore—his muscular frame was imposing, and the confident glint in his eyes made it clear he was used to being in charge of any situation. He looked up at Jasper and raised an eyebrow, a mix of amusement and challenge in his gaze.

"Well, well," the man drawled, his voice carrying a mocking edge. "Looks like the rookie's finally here."

Cipher ignored the comment and stepped into the room, gesturing for Jasper to follow. "Everyone, this is Jasper Hart. He's joining us for now. You've all been briefed about him."

The man with the smirk let out a low chuckle. "Yeah, we've been expecting him." He leaned forward slightly, his smirk widening. "I'm Balor, by the way. Try to keep up, kid."

Jasper shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to respond to Balor's overly confident attitude. Before he could say anything, Cipher continued the introductions.

To the side, sitting quietly with a calm, distant expression, was another man—tall, lean, with sharp features and a quiet presence that immediately set him apart. His eyes met Jasper's for a brief moment before he looked away, not saying a word.

"That's Nox," Cipher said quietly. "He doesn't talk much, but he's one of the best in the field. You'll get used to the silence."

Nox offered the slightest nod in acknowledgment but remained silent, his focus seemingly elsewhere. Jasper wasn't sure if he was being ignored or if that was just how Nox was, but either way, it was unsettling.

"And this," Cipher gestured to a young woman standing by a table with various holographic displays, "is Vis."

Vis turned to face Jasper with a kind but slightly nervous smile, her hands fidgeting for a moment before she clasped them together. She looked like she was about to say something, hesitated, then quickly blurted out, "Hi. It's... good to finally meet you. We've heard a lot about you."

Jasper blinked, taken aback by her words. "You've heard about me?"

Vis bit her lip, glancing at Cipher before continuing. "Yeah... well, not much. Just... enough to know you're important. I mean, we all have our... roles, and you—"

"Vis." Cipher cut in, her tone gentle but firm. "He'll learn more in time."

Vis nodded, slightly flustered, and gave Jasper a sheepish smile. "Right. Sorry."

Jasper managed a small smile in return, feeling a strange sense of warmth from Vis's awkwardness. She seemed genuine, unlike the more cryptic and cocky personalities he'd encountered so far. Despite the weight of everything, her demeanor made him feel slightly more at ease.

Cipher motioned toward an empty seat in the center of the room. "Have a seat, Jasper. You're part of this now."

Jasper glanced around the room again, feeling the weight of every gaze on him. It was clear they all knew more about him than he knew about them, and the fact that he had been expected made his stomach turn with unease. He wasn't sure what exactly he had gotten himself into, but for now, he had no choice but to go along with it.

As he sat down, Balor leaned back in his chair, his smirk never leaving his face. "So, what's the kid's story? He a ticking time bomb or something?"

Nox, as always, remained silent, his gaze never leaving the shadows of the room. Vis, on the other hand, fidgeted uncomfortably but didn't say anything further.

Cipher remained standing, arms crossed, observing the group. "Jasper's here because he has potential. He just doesn't know it yet."

Balor snorted, leaning forward with a grin. "Potential, huh? Well, let's hope it doesn't get us all killed."

Vis shot Balor a disapproving look, but Balor just shrugged, clearly unfazed. Jasper, however, felt the tension rise in his chest. He was already out of his depth, and now it seemed like he had something to prove to these people—people who clearly knew more about him than he did about himself.

Cipher turned to Jasper, her expression softening slightly. "You'll learn more about your role soon enough. For now, you need to rest and get used to being here. This is your new team."

Jasper nodded slowly, still trying to process everything. The weight of what was to come hung in the air, but for now, he felt like he had at least some direction. These people knew something about him—something he still didn't understand.

Cipher lingered for a moment after introducing Jasper to the rest of the team, her eyes locking onto his. There was a quiet intensity to her gaze, one that told him she wasn't done yet.

"Jasper," she said softly, motioning for him to follow her to a quieter corner of the room. " I need to understand what triggered your powers."

Jasper shifted uncomfortably but nodded, standing up and moving to follow Cipher. His heart raced slightly, not from fear but from the memory of what had happened at the museum, the destruction that followed, and the overwhelming power he couldn't control.

Cipher stopped at a small table, turning to face him. "When your powers activated, what was happening around you? Can you describe it?"

Jasper exhaled, running a hand through his hair as his mind returned to that horrifying day. "It was... chaos. Everything was falling apart. There were heroes fighting, but they didn't care about what was happening below them. People were dying—my best friend was crushed." His voice cracked, and he quickly looked away, trying to hold back the rush of emotion. "I was so angry. I felt like I was going to explode."

Cipher's expression softened slightly, her tone calm and measured. "Anger, fear... those are often catalysts for activating powers. Do you remember what it felt like physically?"

Jasper clenched his fists, his breath quickening as the memories flooded back. "It felt like fire—like something was building up inside me, and I couldn't stop it. It was like I was burning from the inside out, and then everything just... exploded."

Cipher nodded slowly, listening intently as he spoke. "And after that? What happened to the energy?"

"It just..." Jasper struggled to find the words. "It faded, but it's still there. I can feel it, like it's waiting to come back, but I don't know how to control it."

Before Cipher could ask more, Balor's mocking voice cut through the air from behind them. "Ah, I see. The kid's powers only come out when he's throwing a temper tantrum. Guess that means we should piss him off more often."

Jasper's jaw tightened, and he turned to glare at Balor, his frustration and anger bubbling beneath the surface.

"Back off, Balor," Cipher said with a sharp edge to her voice, but Balor ignored her, pushing himself off his chair and swaggering toward them.

Balor's grin widened as he crossed his arms. "What? I'm just trying to help the kid. He's clearly all pent up, and you're not going to figure out anything by just talking to him. You want to see what he can do?" Balor smirked, sizing up Jasper. "Let's take this to the training room."

Jasper took a deep breath, his hands shaking slightly as he tried to keep his emotions in check. "I don't need to—"

"Oh, I think you do," Balor interrupted, a smug gleam in his eye. "Unless you're scared? Afraid you can't handle it?"

That did it.

Jasper's anger flared, and before he could stop himself, he stepped forward. "Fine," he snapped. "Let's go."

Cipher watched the exchange with narrowed eyes, but instead of stopping them, she simply crossed her arms and gave Balor a warning look. "Don't push him too far, Balor."

Balor chuckled, turning on his heel and leading the way toward the training room. "Oh, don't worry. I'll keep it friendly."

Jasper followed, his heart pounding in his chest as they entered the large, open space that served as the Syndicate's training room. The walls were reinforced, and the floor was lined with various equipment designed for combat training. This was clearly where the real work happened.

Balor's cocky smirk widened as Jasper stood there, fists clenched, the red energy simmering beneath his skin. The training room felt oppressive, its walls lined with combat equipment, but the real battle was about to happen between them.

"Come on, kid," Balor taunted, stretching his arms lazily. "Let's see what you've got. Or are you just going to stand there like a scared little bitch?"

Jasper's anger flared, the memory of Zach's death, the destruction at the museum, everything bubbling to the surface. His heart pounded in his chest as he stepped forward, but before he could even take a swing, Balor moved—faster than Jasper anticipated.

Without warning, Balor closed the distance and slammed a fist into Jasper's gut. The air was knocked from his lungs as he stumbled back, gasping for breath. "You call that a stance?" Balor jeered, his voice filled with mockery. "You'd never survive out there."

Jasper gritted his teeth, the heat inside him growing, but before he could react, Balor was on him again, a brutal kick to his side sending him sprawling across the floor.

"Come on, kid!" Balor shouted, circling around him like a predator. "You've got powers, right? Use them! Or are you too scared?"

Jasper groaned, pushing himself up from the floor, his vision swimming. The red energy pulsed under his skin, but it wasn't enough. His control over it was slipping, and Balor wasn't giving him any time to figure it out.

"Pathetic," Balor muttered, stepping forward and grabbing Jasper by the collar, lifting him up effortlessly. "You're nothing. You think you can join us like this?"

Jasper's rage boiled over, and with a desperate swing, he aimed a punch at Balor's face. But Balor blocked it effortlessly, twisting Jasper's arm painfully behind his back before shoving him to the ground again.

"You're not cut out for this, rookie," Balor sneered, kicking Jasper in the ribs for good measure. "You don't belong here."

Jasper's vision blurred as pain shot through his body, but the anger—no, the fury—inside him was building. He wasn't just angry anymore. He felt rage. And with that rage, the red energy surged to life, flaring uncontrollably.

Balor's voice was distant now, mocking, taunting. Jasper barely heard it over the pounding in his ears. His breath came in ragged gasps, his hands shaking as the red glow enveloped them. He could feel it—the power—simmering dangerously close to the surface, and for the first time, he didn't care if he lost control.

Balor leaned in close, his voice a cruel whisper. "You're weak."

And that was it. Something inside Jasper snapped.

With a roar of fury, Jasper lashed out, his entire body igniting with the red energy. He didn't think—he just moved. His fist, glowing like a burning ember, flew toward Balor's chest with enough force to break bones. But it wasn't just a punch—this time, Jasper knew it could be fatal.

Balor's eyes widened, caught completely off guard by the sudden ferocity. He had underestimated Jasper, and now he realized it too late. The red glow surged toward him, and for a split second, it looked like Jasper was going to tear him apart.

But then—bam.

Two translucent forcefields erupted around them, one surrounding Balor, the other surrounding Jasper. The red energy crashed against the forcefield surrounding Balor, dissipating harmlessly, while Jasper's own movements were suddenly halted by the barrier around him.

He blinked, his breath still ragged, the anger slowly fading as he realized what had happened.

"Enough!" Vis's voice echoed through the room, her hands trembling slightly as she held the forcefields in place. She stepped forward, her face pale, eyes wide with fear and determination. "Stop. Both of you."

Balor, still catching his breath from the near-miss, leaned against the forcefield with a bitter chuckle. "Guess the kid's got more in him than I thought." He wiped a small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, glaring at Jasper.

Jasper stood there, panting, the red energy slowly fading from his hands as the realization hit him. He had nearly lost control. Nearly killed Balor. He didn't want to admit it, but for a moment, it had felt...good. Too good.

Vis, still holding the forcefields, shot Balor a furious look. "What's wrong with you, Balor? You were pushing him too hard! This isn't training, it's bullying!"

Balor shrugged, the cocky smirk returning to his face. "Hey, it's not my fault the kid's got a temper. Besides, now we know what he's capable of."

Vis's eyes narrowed. "This could have gone too far." She turned her gaze to Jasper, her expression softening. "Are you okay?"

Jasper, still reeling from the encounter, nodded slowly, though his mind was anything but calm. He couldn't shake the feeling of power, the way it had almost consumed him. He had come so close to crossing a line he hadn't even known was there.

Vis, clearly shaken by what had happened, finally lowered the forcefields, the glowing barriers fading from existence. She kept her eyes on Jasper, concern evident in her gaze. "You don't have to push yourself like this. We're here to help you, not... this."

Jasper clenched his fists, his hands still tingling from the energy. "I don't know how to control it," he muttered, his voice thick with frustration.

"And pushing you like this won't help," Vis said firmly, glaring at Balor again before turning back to Jasper. "We'll figure it out. Together. You're not alone."

Jasper's eyes met hers, and for the first time since the chaos had started, he felt a flicker of something other than anger. Maybe—just maybe—he wasn't alone in this after all.

Thank you so much for checking out "Syndicate"! I hope you're enjoying the story as much as I enjoy writing it. Your thoughts and opinions mean a lot to me, so feel free to share your feedback. Whether it's a comment, critique, or just a quick note to say hi, I'd love to hear from you! Thanks again for your support and happy reading!