Chapter 7: The Rising Signs_1

The underground hall now looked different.

What used to be a silent and a cold place just a couple of hours ago now housed life.

The warm voice of children laughing as some families reunited and even old friends exchanging stories created hot air. 

Amira moved through the crowd, her face brimming with the warmth of familiar smiles. 

She shook hands, offered comforting words and even teased some shy children who clung to their parents' legs.

Her heart felt a rare moment of peace, but beneath the surface, a part of her remained alert.

As she helped arrange rooms and distribute supplies, she carefully observed her team.

Her trained eyes caught glimpses of exhaustion, subtle traces of fear, but there was also a small bit of hope; a thought that maybe fate had not completely left them..

Garrick, her trusted ally and the owner of the facility, was nearby, busy coordinating the arrivals.

But he seemed distant, and it was clear that his mind was drifting.

She noticed this and approached him.

"Garrick," she called softly, placing a hand on his shoulder, "You seemed off. What's on your mind?"

Garrick snapped back to reality, offering a sheepish smile.

"It's nothing, Captain," he began, hesitating before continuing.

"It's just… yesterday, this place was empty. And now it's filled with life, so many people, so much vitality."

He paused, his gaze moved across the room, where children were playing and adults were chatting with relieved smiles.

"I hope it stays this way," he said quietly, "Happy, cheerful, away from the chaos. Especially for the children."

Her eyes softened as she patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"It will, Garrick," she promised, "We'll make sure of it. This time, we'll protect our own, no matter what."

Garrick nodded, his face a mixture of relief and lingering doubt.

"I just worry," he confessed, "After the disbandment, everyone had to start over in strange places. It wasn't easy for them. I hope we don't have to go through that again."

Her expression turned firm, her voice unwavering.

"We won't," she assured him,"This time, we're staying together."

She was about to move on to her next task when Rina approached, her face bright with excitement.

"Look who's here, Captain," Rina said, grabbing her arm and pointing toward the entrance.

She turned to see a young woman and a man entering, both with familiar features and similar expressions.

It was Lilah and Liam, two of her most capable operatives.

Her heart swelled with relief as she stepped forward, embracing Lilah tightly.

"It's great to see you, Lilah," Amira greeted warmly, then turned to Liam with a nod, "And you too, Liam."

"You too, Captain," Lilah replied, her voice filled with genuine happiness.

Liam handed Amira a heavy duffle bag, with usual his serious face.

"Here's the package you asked to collect from the city," he said.

Amira took the bag and inspected it briefly, ensuring the contents were secure.

"Thanks" she said with a grateful smile.

"No problem," Lilah replied, her eyes twinkling with pride.

Amira handed the bag to Garrick.

"Keep this in the meeting room," she instructed, then turned to Rina.

"Get everyone to the meeting hall in 15 minutes. We're all here now."

"On it," Rina responded with a salute before hurrying off.

Amira turned back to Lilah and Liam.

"Freshen up and join us in the meeting hall. We have much to discuss."

She made her way to the lab, her mind focused on the upcoming meeting.

As she approached the door, she knocked firmly.

A muffled voice from inside granted permission to enter. Stepping in, she immediately noticed the heavy atmosphere.

Layla and Elias were hunched over screens, their faces lined with deep concern.

"What's going on?" She asked, her voice steady but curious.

Layla, startled out of her trance, turned toward Amira, her eyes wide with worry.

"What is all this, Amira?" Layla demanded, "The readings are off the charts. The concentration of energy is higher than anything we've ever seen."

Amira placed a calming hand on Layla's shoulder.

"Take a deep breath," she instructed gently, then turned to Elias, "Show me the results."

Elias, snapping out of his daze, pulled up the results on a large screen and began his explanation.

"This is the result of the past scan taken 3 months prior," he started, pointing to clusters of green dots on the screen.

"The green dots represent human life energy, which we use to estimate population density. The blue dots indicate animal energy."

He paused, switching to another screen that showed a startling overlap of energy concentrations.

"These red zones," Elias continued,

"Are areas of high energy matching the properties of the stone you provided for analysis."

He gestured to regions marked across forests, rivers, woodlands, mountains, and even the frozen lands.

Elias's voice grew tense as he revealed the comparison.

"The life energy in these areas has increased drastically. In fact, it now surpasses the total reading of human population on the continent."

Her face remained impassive, but her mind was racing.

She saw the anticipation in both Elias and Layla's eyes, a silent demand for answers.

"Gather these results and meet me in the meeting room," She instructed, "I'll explain everything there, now that everyone's arrived."

Layla and Elias exchanged a look, then nodded.

"Understood," Layla said, though the worry in her eyes was still evident, "But what about the stone? I need it for further tests."

Amira hesitated for a moment, then spoke firmly, "I'll return it later. Right now, I need it for the meeting."

Layla handed the stone over, her expression defeated, "Fine, but I'll need more samples for thorough analysis."

"Already arranged," Amira assured her, taking the stone.

The trio then made their way to the meeting room, carrying the weight of the ominous discoveries.

There was a range of feelings in the meeting room, from nervousness and excitement to quiet conversations.

As soon as Amira entered, an awkward silence fell over the room.

The operatives' expressions were mostly serious, but beneath the tension, there was a clear sense of loyalty and hope.

Amira made her way to the front of the room, feeling the intense gazes of her team members.

She felt three separate spiritual forces that were strong enough to stand out even among the others.

She realized that some of her operatives had awakened powers they had kept secret, likely to avoid unwanted attention.

The knowledge comforted her, knowing they were prepared, at least in some capacity.

"Elias, connect the laptop to the projector," Amira instructed.

As the screen lit up, displaying the overlapping energy concentrations and the areas of heightened energy, 

Amira stood before the gathered crowd in the underground hall, her gaze sweeping over the familiar faces of her former Black Phoenix unit.

Despite the tense atmosphere, the warmth of old camaraderie was evident in their eyes.

The hall was filled with a heavy silence, punctuated only by the faint hum of hidden ventilation. She cleared her throat, ready to address her troops.

"Thank you, everyone, for keeping your belief in me and coming here with your families on such short notice, without asking questions," She began, her voice steady but laced with sincerity.

Before she could continue, Bella, her second-in-command, jumped in enthusiastically.

"It's our duty to follow orders without question!" she declared, her voice strong and filled with conviction.

The rest of the crowd nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute.

She raised a hand to silence them.

"I know," she said, her voice softer this time, "But even after the unit was disbanded, you all still held on. For that, I am truly grateful."

She then bowed deeply, a gesture that stunned everyone.

The display of humility and gratitude was unexpected from their usually unflinching leader.

The room fell into a hushed silence, her sincerity striking a chord in the hearts of her followers.

It was rare for her to show such vulnerability, but it was precisely this genuine care that made her the leader they chose to follow.

"We're with you, Captain," someone called from the back, breaking the silence.

The murmured agreement that followed filled the hall with warmth.

After a brief pause, she straightened up, her face resolute once more.

"Alright, let's get to why we're here," she said, her tone serious.

"Most of you know that I was detained at a secure facility, awaiting trial. But what you don't know is that the entire ordeal was orchestrated as a setup to disband our unit."

Her words sent a ripple of shock through the room.