Downtown

As Aaron and Sydney stepped out of the Spade HQ, he was hit by the brightness of street lights reflecting off the glass buildings.

The quiet, eerie streets of the In Between had been replaced by the bustling downtown area, though it was subdued by the late hour.

Cars zoomed past, and faint music from a nearby bar drifted through the cool night air.

Aaron blinked in surprise, stopping in his tracks. "Wait a second… this is downtown. How did we get here? We were nowhere near this part of town before."

Sydney glanced at him, amused. "That's the beauty of the In Between. It connects places in ways the real world can't."

"You don't walk from one place to another, you shift. The problem is, it's easy to get in. Getting out is another story."

He frowned, glancing back at the building they'd just walked out of.

It didn't even stand out from the other buildings around it, but knowing it housed the Spade HQ made it more… important, he'd say.

"So, the In Between… what even is it? Some kind of magical wormhole dimension?"

Sydney laughed, shaking her head. "Not quite. Think of it as a layer beneath reality. It mirrors the world we know but twists it."

"It stands between us and where the Outcasts come from. It is also the place where Cardholders can use their decks freely. But if you don't know what you're doing, you'll get stuck wandering around forever."

Aaron absorbed her words, shifting in unease. "That's... comforting." He muttered sarcastically.

Sydney grinned. "You'll get used to it. Eventually."

The two started walking down the quiet sidewalk, Sydney's pace relaxed and confident while Aaron kept glancing around like someone was following or might jump out at them.

You never know.

After a while, Sydney broke the silence. "Well, I've got other things to take care of tonight, but I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Aaron's head whipped around. "School? Wait, we go to the same school?"

Sydney smirked. "You're Aaron Tapp, right? Senior year? Known as the fixer?"

He blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, yeah. How do you know that?"

"Because we go to the same school, duh." She said matter-of-factly. "You're pretty well-known, you know. Everyone in trouble is always talking about how Aaron Tapp can solve anything."

He frowned, trying to recall if he'd ever seen her before. How was her face not ringing any bells? "I've never seen you around."

She shrugged, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "I'm a Cardholder. That should explain it."

"It really doesn't." Aaron shook his head, eyeing her. "If you're a Cardholder, what? You just turn invisible in the real world or something?"

"Not invisible." She said, grinning. "Just... busy. You'd be surprised how much time being a Cardholder eats up. I'm there, but you probably haven't noticed me."

Aaron still didn't quite understand but let it drop. "So what now? I just wait until tomorrow to figure out what's going on?"

"Pretty much." Sydney said, stopping at the corner of the street.

"But before I go, there's one thing you need to know. Never activate a card ability while you're in the real world. The moment you do, the In Between will drag you in, and trust me, you don't want that happening unless you're ready."

He stared at her, his eyes wide. "Wait, what? That can happen? Just by using an ability?"

Sydney nodded, her expression serious. "The In Between is tied to your deck. Activating a card is like sending a beacon, and it'll pull you right in."

"Tomorrow, I'll show you how to control your shifting, so you don't end up wandering into trouble."

"Why not now?"

"Busy."

"Too busy to save a life?"

"Honestly?" She chuckled like it was amusing. "Yes."

Aaron wanted to press some more, but he could see it in her eyes.

She wasn't going to budge, and honestly, he didn't have the energy to argue. "Fine." He said, sighing. "See you tomorrow."

Sydney gave him a small wave as she turned and walked away, suddenly disappearing. One minute she was there and the next, gone.

It was either she had an invisibility power or she'd entered the In Between.

He stood there for a moment, his hands in his jacket pocket and sighed.

He knew he was in over his head, but at least he had someone willing to help him. Someone who knew what they were doing.

That had to count for something.

#####

Meanwhile, back in the Spade HQ, the stern woman who had registered Aaron sat at her desk, reviewing the report she'd compiled on the new Cardholder.

The glowing insignia of his deck, a Slime Deck, hovered over the screen, its rank clear as day.

SSS.

She rose from her chair and carried the report down the hall, her boots clicking against the floor. She reached a door marked with a Spade insignia and knocked twice.

"Enter." A gruff voice called from inside.

The woman stepped in, finding herself face-to-face with Ash Voren, the Commander of the Spades.

He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a presence that filled the room.

His dark hair was streaked with silver, and a jagged scar ran across his jaw, from his time as an ordinary spade soldier fighting Outcasts.

He sat behind a heavy desk, sorting through a stack of reports.

"What is it?" He asked without looking up.

The woman placed the report on his desk. "A new Cardholder, sir. Registered tonight."

Ash picked up the report, his eyes scanning the details. When he reached the rank of the deck, a slow grin spread across his face. "An SSS-rank deck? That's fun."

"Slime Deck." The woman added. "He's inexperienced but managed to assist in taking down an Outcast during his first encounter. Sydney Foster brought him in."

"Foster?" Ash raised both brows in pleasant surprise. "That's even more fun."

He leaned back in his chair, tapping the edge of the report with his fingers.

"We don't see many SSS-rank decks these days, and a Slime Deck at that." He chuckled, shaking his head. "This could either be a blessing or a disaster."

"What should we do with him, sir?" The woman asked.

His grin widened. "Add him to the watchlist. Let's see how this plays out."

The woman nodded, taking the report and exiting the room.

Ash leaned back in his chair, his grin fading into a thoughtful expression. "Aaron Tapp." He murmured, his eyes narrowing. "Let's see if you'll be worth the hype."