Chapter Twenty: The Calm Before the Storm.

Inside the eatery Marcus found himself sitting in the same area from yesterday. On his plate was a small serving of eggs and a side of toast.

He took a sip from his glass of water as he looked around the eatery. He noticed most other cadets all looked to be just as downcast as he was, some worse than others.

"Looks like no one is ecstatic about the exam," Marcus said to himself as he placed down his cup.

He then picked up his fork and began to eat his eggs, his mind filling with thoughts of Elissa and Kenji.

He wondered if it was similar for them. The tension in their minds as the time ticked down, waiting for an exam to begin knowing only 75 people out of 300 will even remain after two weeks.

He wondered what it was like for them, the hope that you'd be one of the 75 and the fear that you wouldn't.

Marcus signed heavily as he ate a fork full of eggs.

"Keep your chin up, bro." A familiar voice said playfully, Marcus slowly looked up to see Felix sitting across from him with a plate of fruits and a cup of milk.

Marcus smiled briefly. "Took you long enough." He said with a slightly cold yet kind tone.

Felix chuckled as he grabbed his fork and stabbed it into a slice of apple. "Why are you being so grumpy bro, put a smile on that face."

Felix then placed the full apple slice into his mouth. Marcus tilted his head in curiosity as Felix began to move his lips and cheeks around.

"Smile like this," Felix said in a muffled voice as he opened his mouth wide, revealing the apple slice in place of his teeth.

Marcus genuinely smiled. "You're a dumbass, you know that?" 

Felix pouted. "I am not." He said as he chewed and swallowed the apple slice, "Still, you need to relax bro, keep your mind open, otherwise you'll miss the full picture."

Marcus nodded. "My mind is open, I'm just thinking about some things, but trust me I plan on acing my exam, I got a point to prove after all."

"Good, because I don't plan on becoming an officer without you," Felix said as he bit into another apple slice.

Marcus was taken aback by such a declaration, why would Marcus say something like that when they barely knew each other for a week?

"Why?" Marcus asked in confusion.

Felix swallowed down his apple slice with a sip of milk. "Because, you make a good friend, and you'll make an even greater comrade."

Marcus found himself unknowingly smiling at Felix's words. 

He considered Felix an ally, someone who had the same goal as he did, but suddenly, it seemed that Felix genuinely wanted to be Marcus's friend.

"How do I know you meant what you said?" Marcus asked as he sipped his water. 

"What if you're just pretending because you want something from me?" Marcus asked challengingly.

Surprisingly Felix nodded.

"Of course, I want something from you," Felix said with a laugh as he stabbed another piece of fruit.

Marcus sighed as a frown grew on his face. "Well, you're honest at least."

"I want a brother." He said with genuine sincerity in his eyes, "someone I can trust to have my back, but I also know that in order to get that, I have to give it."

Marcus's eyes widened slowly as he attempted to process what Felix had just said. 

He couldn't believe his ears, all his life Marcus had never even had a genuine friend his own age, let alone a 'brother' as Felix had put it.

Part of Marcus really wanted to believe what Felix was saying, but after the incident with Dr. Fletcher and Luna talking behind his back, he was afraid.

"I don't know." Marcus said softly, "Your offer of brotherhood sounds nice, but I barely even know you Felix, and after what happened with Luna…"

"Ahh, so that's why she wasn't stuck to your side like usual," Felix said in realization. 

Felix then sighed as he leaned back in his seat.

"Look Marcus, I won't ask as I know you don't trust me yet, but will you accept a request from me?" Felix asked in a rather serious tone, his playful tone disappearing completely, "At the end of these exams, when we're both ACOs will you give me a chance then?"

Marcus looked into Felix's eyes with an expression of confusion and fear.

He continued to stare a Felix intensely studying for any signs of deception, but he was only met back with a gaze of hope and sincerity.

"You're serious about this aren't you?" Marcus finally asked.

"I'm a silly guy, but I never joke about the things I want bro." 

Marcus then smiled as he reached a hand across the table toward Felix. "Ok then, you have a deal."

Felix had a broad smile as he accepted Marcus's hand.

Marcus felt a wave of emotions wash over him, in a mixture he couldn't quite describe. In the end, however, he reached a final feeling of hope.

Marcus thought back to an old saying his mother used to quote, 'just as some doors close, others will open.'

With their agreement in place, the boys returned back to their breakfast and began to eat. 

Though the weight of betrayal and the exam still wore on Marcus, he now looked forward to passing the exams, and showing both Luna and Dr. Fletcher that he could succeed without either of them.

When the boys finally finished their breakfast, they alongside the other cadets in the eatery began to make their way to the training center, where the first day of the exams would begin.

Entering the training center Marcus felt a growing sense of determination. 

The large empty lobby from before was now filled with cadets standing around chatting, pacing, or just staring up at the glass ceiling.

Near the front desk manned by the androids, where four of the five lieutenants were discussing the topic of training. 

Behind them were 25 base model androids, that had simple skeletal structures, with a large battery inside their chest, and a head that looked similar to that of a camera encased in a black sphere.

"Look, Cyber-Tech assistant Droids." Felix nudged Marcus's shoulder as he gestured towards them with a finger.

Marcus nodded. "I see that, I guess that means they'll be helping the lutenants run the exams." Marcus then shifted his gaze back to the lieutenants, "Speaking of which, where is Lieutenant Satou?"

"I don't know, but he's leading group D right?" Felix asked as he turned to look back at the front door.

"Yeah," Marcus affirmed.

Almost as if on cue, satou slowly slipped his way into the building. In his right hand was a smoothie, and in his left was a datapad, which is similar to a phone but used mostly for reading.

He slowly made his way through the crowd of cadets, careful not to draw any attention to himself.

Until he made the fatal mistake of bumping into none other than Sang-Hee, the rowdy girl with a temper that rivals the devil himself.

Satou bumped into her back accidentally, causing Sang-Hee to turn around and shout angrily. "Boss what the fuck?!" She explained as she pushed Satou away. 

It was obvious that she didn't realize he was a lieutenant, but even if she did, it was doubtful she'd react any differently.

The commotion drew the attention of everyone.

The cadets backed away from the area of commotion, allowing the other lieutenants to spot Satou sitting on the floor with a spilled smoothie and a broken data pad.

"Is that…."

Just as the cadets began to realize who was on the floor, Lieutenant Revia, eyes narrowed in frustration.

"Kanzuma Satou!" She exclaimed angrily. 

Lieutenant Satou quickly rose to his feet and saluted, ma'am!" He exclaimed loudly.

"Where the hell were you?" She asked angrily stepping forward with frustration in her stride.

Lieutenant Satou began to nervously speak, "Wait before you get angry, let me just say that you look beautiful today Ms. Revia, you really know how to–"

Before Lieutenant Satou could finish, Lieutenant Revia began charging her fists with an eternal blue flame, causing Lieutenant Satou's eyes to widen with fear and panic, "wait!" He exclaimed, "I was preparing something for the cadets!"

Lieutenant Revia paused for a moment, her flame slowly dissipating as her eyes narrowed, "really?" She said skeptically.

Lieutenant Satou's eyes widened briefly before his expression turned confident. "Oh yeah." He began with a grin, "Just an extra test for my group of cadets, nothing too serious."

Lieutenant Revia's expression was one of skepticism, yet after a moment of silence, she finally sighed. "Whatever, come on, we've wasted enough time on your shenanigans as is."

With those words, Lieutenant Revia turned around to regroup with the other lieutenants. Lieutenant Satou followed, but not before giving Sang-Hee a side-eye.

Sang-Hee rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms, "disgusting." She hissed as he walked past her.

Marcus had watched the entire scene unfold with disbelief and amusement.

"I think group D is in for a long ride," Felix whispered to Marcus with a chuckle.

"That's an understatement," Marcus replied with a smirk.

"Alright, cadets!" Lieutenant Revia said as she made her way to the front of all the cadets. She looked over them with a stern gaze and spoke with fierce authority. "Each of you will follow your assigned lieutenants to the training room they have chosen. You are expected to perform at the expected standard, as you know if you fail any of these tests even once, you'll be disqualified and sent home. Any questions?"

Immediately several cadets raised their hands.

Marcus also attempted to raise his hand to ask about the assistant droids, but Felix stopped him.

Marcus glanced over at Felix and raised an eyebrow, "why did you–"

Felix shook his head as Lieutenant Revia clapped her hands, "Well that's too damn bad because no one has time to pander to a bunch of children, group A with me!"

Felix gave Marcus a knowing look, "see?" He said with a chuckle. 

Felix then turned to join Lieutenant Revia along with the rest of Group A.

Marcus smiled in understanding, he now understood that even if he had raised his hand it would've been pointless.

As the cadets followed behind Lieutenant Revia, five of the twenty-five droids also began to make their way behind her.

As they left down the long corridor leading to the training rooms, the next lieutenant stood towards the front of the group.

"Alright you magnificent bastards, let's get going." Lieutenant Charlie said with a grin as he gestured for group B to follow him.

Group B followed suit behind their lieutenant and so did five more droids.

Group C's lieutenant, Natsuki, called for his group, alongside five droids.

Group D's lieutenant, Satou, did the same.

All that was left was group E.

Lieutenant Lance slowly made his way to the front of his group, with his hands in his pockets, he looked over Group E with an indifferent look on his face.

"Raise your hand if you want to quit right now." He said in a cold yet not uncaring tone.

Of course, no one raised their hand. 

Lieutenant Lance then nodded his head slowly, "There's no shame in quitting, I'm sure all of you are aware that most of you aren't going to make the cut."

Group E remained silent.

Marcus didn't understand what Lance was doing at first, why would he try to convince cadets to leave? 

Wouldn't that just make the organization miss out on potential recruits?

But that's when he realized that this was all part of the exam, as it was both physical and psychological. 

If people were to leave by something as a simple suggestion, then they weren't officer material from the beginning.

"Smart," Marus said to himself.

Lance then shrugged his shoulders, "All right then, let the culling begin." 

With those chilling words Marcus, alongside the rest of group E began to follow Lieutenant Lance.

Behind them, were the five assistant droids. Their movements were controlled and their motors were silent.