WARM WELCOME

Cillian stood in front of the navigation display, his gaze fixed on the inconspicuous black ship parked where there was supposed to be empty space according to their ship's radar. To be fair, small personal carriers like the one he was using weren't the best scouting assets out there, but there was no denying the stealth capability of the ship in front of them. In fact, even with his resonance, Cillian couldn't pick up energy readings from the ship. It was as if the whole ship was isolated in a different dimension— at least, that's what it felt like to Cillian.

"We are finally here!" Cillian turned around as Elena entered the deck.

"I can't still believe my grandfather allowed me to join the special ops and not just any unit, an elite one at that! this is going to fun Aren't you excited?" Elena asked in joy. She had been acting like a kid who just got a new toy ever since her grandfather said that she was accompanying him to join the Grinning Reapers.

Honestly, he couldn't understand why a talented pioneer with great future prospects and an impressive family background would want to join an unrecognized special ops unit that is at constant risk for very little in return. So he decided to ask her himself, even if it's a little rude.

"You know I am in this for revenge, but why would someone like you waste their life in such a position?"

Hearing Cillian's question, Elena's smile disappeared and was replaced with sadness. She stayed silent for a moment before answering,

"My mother was a special agent, and I want to be someone like her. Someone who works for others knowing well that she will never receive gratitude or recognition for their efforts. That's my reason for joining the Reapers."

Cillian knew what she said was only half true. He had assumed from the start that it had something to do with her mother but that wasn't all he could feel it there was definitely more she was hiding. But Cillian wasn't one to pry for answers. He also had secrets he didn't want to share. So he changed the topic.

"So, do you think they are as great as your grandfather hyped them up to be?" Elena shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? They are a secret special unit for a reason. But judging from what my other told me, they should be elites who could become leaders of any elite strike force in any state if they wanted to. A trump card that the DPMC keeps very close to its chest."

Cillian's doubts weren't cleared much by the explanation. As he was about to ask another question, an announcement came: "Attention, the ship will be docking soon. Please return to the control room immediately. I repeat, we will be docking soon. Please return to the control room immediately." Elena looked at Cillian and gestured him to the door. Cillian nodded and followed her to the door and left.

Elena and Cillian entered the control room and walked to the pilot. "Have they made contact?" Elena asked.

"Yes, ma'am. They have informed us that they have verified our identity and will be sending a shuttle soon to collect you," the pilot informed Elena.

"Good. Let me know when they arrive." As she was about to turn around, there was a beep. "Ma'am, incoming transmission. They have arrived and are asking us to begin docking procedure!" Elena hastily turned around and looked through the monitors. "Where are they? I can't see them anywhere?" Elena asked the pilot, confused.

"They are saying they are just outside our ship!" The pilot replied, just as confused. "Then why can't we see..." Before Elena could finish her sentence, a shuttle almost the same size as theirs popped up beside their ship. Everyone in the control room stared with open and bulged eyes as a ship as large as theirs manifested out of thin air right next to them. To add to their shock, their announcement system was hacked the next moment. "If you newbies want to join us, better get moving because we don't like waiting. also I just activated the emergency depressurisation so you got a minute before the ship loses all air and depressurizes. Good luck!" a joyful voice echoed through, followed by the intense shaking as the ships docked to each other, and an alarm and emergency lights flashing indicating the depressurisation has started.

Cillian and Elena looked at each other. While Elena's eyes were sparkling as she readied herself for the challenge, Cillian was having doubts about the professionalism of these elite agents. But he wasn't about to test that now, so he grabbed Elena's shoulder and motioned her to get moving. The pilot activated his spacesuit in the nick of time as he cursed the voice on the speakers.

Elena and Cillian raced down the ship as the oxygen continued draining and the vacuum took its place. For a C-grade like Elena, being in the vacuum of space wouldn't kill her in as short time, but for Cillian, a D-grade, space was a one-way ticket to the afterlife. But unlike other D-grades, Cillian had an advantage. He didn't actually need to breathe if he wanted because if he wanted, he could substitute his energy needs temporarily through his stored energy, and the coldness of space can also be resisted to some extent, but the depressurization would eventually kill him.

Elena and Cillian reached the airlock with seconds to spare, but the airlock was closed, and depressurization didn't stop. Elena was about to punch the door down when Cillian stopped her. He moved in front of her and put his hand on the access panel, and the next instant electricity passed through his hands into the panel, and with a beep, the airlock disengaged. Following that, the depressurization stopped, and the air started filling up again. Cillian and Elena took a big breath and fixed their gaze on the airlock on the opposite side of the connection tunnel. The airlock door opened with a clang, and two people walked out.

"Welcome to the Grinning Reapers, newbies!"