The holographic screens floating around the lobby shifted again as Dr.
Frost tapped lightly against his transparent tablet.
Streams of blue data moved across the air.
Squad assignments.
Schedules.
Base sectors.
Training simulations.
The entire underground facility suddenly felt far more real now.
Not just a hidden organization.
A functioning world beneath the world.
Dr.
Frost calmly looked over the newly formed squads.
Adrian sat lazily across one couch with one arm stretched across the backrest like he already owned the place.
Drew sat nearby shaking his head every few seconds at whatever ridiculous thought Adrian voiced under his breath.
Meanwhile Squad Eclipse looked significantly calmer.
Or at least quieter.
Bobby and Jack were already discussing whether the training rooms had combat simulations while Sylvia questioned Ria about squad organization priorities.
Damien simply observed everything silently.
Dr.
Frost finally spoke again.
“So first of all…”
The room quieted instantly.
“We of Verdancy are not terrible human beings.”
Adrian raised a hand immediately.
“That sounded suspiciously like something terrible human beings would say.”
Several people laughed quietly.
Even Dr.
Frost smirked slightly.
“Fair observation,” he admitted.
Then his expression returned to normal.
“We allow a certain degree of leniency around our members.”
The holographic displays changed again.
This time showing access systems, teleportation nodes, living quarters, and various parts of the base.
“For a special unit such as yours,” Dr.
Frost continued, “that freedom is even greater.”
Damien noticed several people visibly relax slightly.
Especially after earlier discussions involving memory wipes and termination.
“You are allowed to leave and enter the base as you wish,” Dr.
Frost said.
That immediately caused reactions around the room.
“So we’re not prisoners?” Bobby asked.
“Not unless you do something incredibly stupid,” Dr.
Frost replied calmly.
“That answer somehow didn’t help.”
Dr.
Frost continued speaking while the holographic displays shifted around him.
“You may return home to your families.”
Several people looked relieved immediately.
Sandra especially seemed visibly calmer after hearing that.
“But,” Dr.
Frost added, “for security purposes, standard transportation is prohibited.”
The hologram shifted again.
This time a small metallic device appeared rotating slowly in the air.
A circular black platform with glowing blue rings embedded along its edges.
“We will provide each of you with a portable teleporter.”
That instantly caught everyone’s attention.
Adrian sat forward immediately.
“Okay now we’re talking.”
Dr.
Frost ignored him.
“The device functions using your personal DNA signature.”
The hologram zoomed inward showing streams of blood data and genetic scans.
“Primarily blood recognition.”
Ria folded her arms slightly.
“So nobody else can use it.”
“Correct.”
Dr.
Frost nodded.
“The device also contains an isolation requirement.”
“What does that mean?” Sylvia asked.
“It only activates when you are alone within a twenty-meter radius.”
Several people blinked.
Jack frowned slightly.
“That’s… oddly specific.”
“It prevents forced extraction or teleportation breaches,” Dr.
Frost explained.
“If someone hostile is nearby, the device locks automatically.”
Damien silently admitted that was actually smart.
“So no dramatic team teleport entrances?”
“No.”
“Tragic.”
Dr.
Frost continued.
“Outside mandatory activities…”
The holograms displayed schedules now.
“…your time is largely your own.”
The weekly calendar lit up.
“Compulsory basic training will occur every Saturday and Sunday.”
Several groans immediately appeared around the room.
Bobby leaned backward dramatically.
“There goes my weekends.”
“You never studied anyway,” Jack pointed out.
“That’s not the point.”
Dr.
Frost continued ignoring them.
“In addition, mission calls are mandatory.”
The atmosphere sharpened slightly again at the word missions.
Nobody interrupted this time.
Because everyone understood Verdancy wasn’t simply a school club.
There would eventually be danger involved.
Real danger.
“But aside from that,” Dr.
Frost said calmly, “you are largely free.”
That sentence settled surprisingly heavily over the room.
Freedom.
Even after learning all this insanity, part of their normal lives still remained intact.
At least for now.
“Of course,” Dr.
Frost continued, “you may also choose to live here permanently if you wish.”
The holographic display zoomed outward revealing an entire residential section of the underground base.
Modern living spaces stretched across multiple levels.
And honestly…
They looked absurdly luxurious.
Bobby stared openly.
“Okay hold on.”
The hologram displayed massive personal rooms with panoramic digital walls and advanced automated systems.
“Why does the terrorist base have better apartments than most rich people?”
“Funding,” Dr.
Frost replied simply.
“That somehow concerns me more.”
The holograms continued shifting rapidly.
“We have already prepared a separate section of the base specifically for the Superhuman Unit.”
Now entire floor maps appeared.
Living quarters.
Hallways.
Meeting rooms.
Training sectors.
“Each member has a personal living space.”
The rooms displayed looked spacious enough to qualify as high-end apartments.
“There are also separate squad meeting halls for Nova Reign and Eclipse.”
Adrian immediately pointed proudly.
“See? We already sound important.”
Sasha sighed.
“You named the squad like an intergalactic fashion brand.”
“And yet you stayed.”
“…Fair.”
Dr.
Frost continued.
“There is also a singular unit meeting hall for joint operations.”
The hologram expanded again.
Large strategy rooms appeared filled with tactical displays and mission systems.
“Separate training facilities.”
Then simulation rooms appeared.
Entire artificial combat environments capable of changing terrain instantly.
That immediately captured Damien’s attention.
The simulation systems looked extremely advanced.
Possibly military-grade.
“There is also a med bay, laboratory sector, cafeteria…”
The hologram cycled further.
“…recreational areas…”
Then finally a surprisingly massive game room appeared.
Adrian immediately stood up pointing dramatically.
“Okay. I officially live here now.”
Drew laughed quietly.
“You switched loyalties because of arcade machines.”
“There are mech simulators, Drew.”
“…Fair point.”
“This place is larger than some universities.”
“That is intentional,” Dr.
Frost replied.
“The Superhuman Unit is a long-term investment.”
That sentence lingered strangely in Damien’s mind.
Investment.
Not soldiers.
Not experiments.
Something else.
Dr.
Frost tapped the holographic tablet again.
This time two sleek metallic cases rose upward from hidden compartments in the floor.
One floated toward Adrian.
The other toward Ria.
Both captains caught them instinctively.
“These,” Dr.
Frost explained, “contain your Meta Watches.”
Adrian immediately opened his case.
Inside rested several black metallic watches with glowing blue interfaces.
The design looked sleek and futuristic without being bulky.
The moment Adrian picked one up, the screen activated automatically.
“Huh,” he muttered.
“Responsive tech.”
“The watches contain base mapping systems, communication channels, mission updates, squad notifications, biometric monitoring, and emergency alerts.”
Jack blinked.
“So basically they’re superphones.”
“That physically hurt me to hear,” Sylvia muttered.
Dr.
Frost continued.
“They are mandatory.”
His tone sharpened slightly.
“You will keep them on your person at all times.”
Nobody argued.
Mostly because the watches honestly looked cool enough that nobody wanted to.
Ria opened her case afterward and began quietly distributing them across Squad Eclipse.
Meanwhile Adrian tossed watches casually toward his teammates like he was drafting players into a sports league.
Sasha caught hers cleanly.
Silver almost dropped hers before Sasha grabbed it for her.
“Careful.”
“S-Sorry…”
Drew activated his watch immediately.
A blue holographic map expanded above it showing the entire base layout.
“Well,” he muttered, “this place is ridiculous.”
Damien received his watch from Ria.
The moment it touched his wrist, the device adjusted automatically to fit perfectly.
Then it pulsed once.
DNA VERIFIED
WELCOME: DAMIEN GRAY
UNIT: ECLIPSE
The interface disappeared smoothly afterward.
Honestly…
The technology was insane.
Finally, Dr.
Frost stepped away from the holographic displays.
“One final thing.”
The room quieted again.
“Tomorrow is Saturday.”
Several people immediately realized what that meant.
Dr.
Frost smiled faintly.
“Our first mandatory training session.”
Adrian cracked his knuckles immediately.
“Finally.”
Sasha looked at him.
“You sound way too excited.”
“I want laser powers.”
“That is absolutely not how this works.”
“We don’t know that yet.”
Dr.
Frost ignored them both.
“Make sure to attend.”
Then without another word—
He turned and walked toward the massive lobby doors once more.
The doors opened slowly before him.
And as the silver-haired man disappeared beyond them, the reality of everything finally settled fully onto the sixteen Superhumans for the very first time.
Tomorrow…
Their real training would begin.