Kenneth woke up bright and early the following day and was greeted with Lennon cooking in the kitchen, shirtless.
He watched as his muscles rippled with every movement he made. It was a sight he'd grown used to seeing. He was dressed in his jumpsuit and took a seat by the counter, waiting patiently as Lennon plated their breakfast.
Kenneth was grateful for having a roommate like Lennon around. While he took care of breakfast, he would do his best to prepare a palatable meal for dinner. He hadn't mentioned to the charming giant that he'd be excused from morning class today and would be taking a compatibility test with an older Striker. One he was more likely than not familiar with.
He tossed his overnight oats from side to side, playing with the sprinkling of notes and berries that decorated the bowl. They were sweet and delicious, but Kenneth didn't have much of an appetite for them.
"What's on your mind?" Lennon asked.
His question almost made him flinch. It was the exact same thing Lucien had asked him yesterday. "…Nothing…really."
"Are you sure? Usually your bowl would've been devoured by now, and you'd be asking for seconds."
He was right on that. Since he'd increased his training, this body had grown hungrier as of late. He was eating twice as many calories as when he'd first arrived in this world.
"Actually, there's something I wanted to tell you."
Lennon, sensing this was a serious topic, set his spoon down and looked at Kenneth with concern. "What's up?"
He took a breath and told Lennon everything.
"Damn, that's a baller move," he said after a while.
Kenneth couldn't help cracking a smile. "It is, but they've agreed to it, so I'm hoping he'll agree to it too."
"Do you think he will?" Lennon asked, not sounding convinced.
"What other choice does he have? If he wants to function properly, then he'll have to accept it. He'd be a fool not to."
Right, only a fool builds their house without a solid foundation, Lennon thought.
"So you'll be heading there now?"
Kenneth glanced at his V Watch. It read 8:30 aM. His appointment was at nine. "Yeah, that's the plan."
"Good luck then," he then pushed another bowl filled with eggs and air fried potatoes. "You should eat up, you'll need all the energy you can get."
Kenneth glanced at the bowl before laughing. "Right. I think I'll pick up one of those protein shakes from the vending machine downstairs, too."
"That's…a good call."
After saying his goodbyes to Lennon, he got himself a shake using his monthly student credits, chugged the bottle and headed for the centre.
The halls of the academy were already bustling with movement by the time Kenneth reached the anchoring Centre. The soft hum of conversation mingled with the faint scent of metal polish and disinfectant that always lingered in the air there. He scanned his ID at the front console, and the glass doors slid open with a quiet hiss.
Inside, Eden was waiting for him. Her hair, wavy and the colour of dark coffee with a splash of milk, was tied back in a low bun that looked like it had been done in a rush. She wore a fitted black skin suit beneath her white lab coat, and black cargo pants that hugged her muscular figure. The combination was a strange mix between a lab tech off-duty and an agent on a mission. It was odd, but it suited her.
Her brownish-pink eyes gleamed with barely contained excitement, the kind that made Kenneth's stomach twist a little.
"There you are," she said, almost too cheerfully. "You're right on time. Perfect."
Kenneth greeted her with a nod. "Good morning."
"Morning," she said, distracted, waving him forward. "Now, take off your jumpsuit. We'll need access to your arms and upper back for the test. No need to be shy, I've seen countless naked upper bodies before."
Kenneth didn't know how to respond to that. He did as he was told, unzipping his jumpsuit and revealing his lean chest, letting it hang around his waist. The cool air hit his skin, and goosebumps pebbled along his arms.
"Hm, much more toned than I'd initially anticipated," Eden's gaze sharpened with mild acknowledgement as she tapped something on her datapad. "Good. Follow me."
They stepped through a set of reinforced doors into the testing room, a sleek chamber lined with silver panels and a faint blue glow coming from the embedded circuitry. In the centre was a long, cushioned chair that looked half-medical, half-futuristic pod. A set of slender mechanical arms hung above it, dormant for now.
"Go ahead and sit," Eden said, gesturing toward the chair.
Kenneth ran a hand over the light cushion. Softer than I thought it'd be, he thought, easing himself down.
"Comfort helps with accuracy," she said absentmindedly as if reading his thoughts. She began setting up a few instruments. "The body's more cooperative when it isn't tense."
He glanced around at the unfamiliar machines, the low hum of energy filling the room. "So…what exactly are you testing?"
"Blood composition, neural conductivity, and compatibility frequency," she said, her tone brisk but laced with a hint of excitement. "In other words, I'm making sure your body won't short-circuit when paired with a high-level Striker."
Kenneth blinked. "That's…comforting."
Eden smiled faintly, sliding on a pair of gloves. "Don't worry, Kenneth. I have a feeling you'll pass with flying colours."
Her tone was almost too confident, making the young man frown. That makes one of us.
Moments later, the door hissed open again, and a tall man in light grey scrubs stepped in, pushing a small cart filled with medical equipment. He looked like he'd been doing this all morning, expression calm, motions practised.
"Morning," he greeted, his voice even. "I'm Dr. Venn. I'll be taking your samples."
Kenneth nodded stiffly. "Morning."
Eden moved aside, giving the man space to work but staying close enough to supervise. Venn snapped on a pair of sterile gloves, pressed a small scanner to Kenneth's forearm, and the faint blue outline of his veins lit up under the skin.
"Good, this'll be quick," Venn said, retrieving a slim syringe. "You'll feel a slight sting."
Kenneth watched as the needle went into his skin, the blood slowly filling the clear vial with crimson liquid. It barely hurt, but even if it had, Kenneth wouldn't have reacted. Within seconds, the vial was filled. It shimmered under the room's fluorescent lights, and for a split second, he could've sworn he saw flecks of gold floating inside the vial.
Venn paused for a fraction of a second before placing it in the analyzer. "Interesting composition," he muttered under his breath.
Eden's brows twitched. "I'll be reviewing that myself later."
Next came the neural conductivity test. Venn rolled the cart closer and attached two silver nodes to either side of Kenneth's temples. They adhered with a soft click, sending a cool pulse through his skin.
"Alright," Venn said, tapping his datapad. "When I tell you, focus on breathing steadily and try not to think about anything in particular. We're measuring your neural response time."
Kenneth nodded, exhaling as the machine started up. a low hum filled the air, followed by the faint flicker of lights from the console beside him. He could feel something, like a current gently brushing through his nerves, testing the pathways that connected thought to instinct.
A few moments passed. Then the hum faded, and the sensors detached with a soft hiss.
"Excellent," Venn said, checking the readings. "Conductivity's high. Very high." He turned to Eden. "You've got yourself an outlier."
Eden smiled knowingly. "I had a feeling."
She glanced at Kenneth, who was still sitting upright, curiosity etched across his face. "Thank you, Dr Venn. I'll take it from here."
The man gave a curt nod, packed up his instruments, and left the room, the doors sealing quietly behind him.
Eden took one last look at the datapad, her eyes flickering as she processed the numbers. Whatever she saw made her expression tighten, just slightly. Then she straightened and turned to Kenneth.
"Stay here for a few minutes," she said, already heading for the door. "Your Striker should be arriving momentarily."
Outside, Eden headed for the front doors and saw Lucien approaching. He wore a loosely fitted black long-sleeve with cargos similar to Eden's. His hair wasn't tied back today, but fell neatly behind his back. Annoyance flashed in his cool eyes when he spotted Eden, who had a large grin on her face.
Seeing her this happy filled him with dread. It was never a good sign when she smiled like that.
"Good morning, Striker James. It's nice to have you join us on this fine day," she said as he entered the centre without so much as a hello from him.
She followed him inside, taking no offence at his indignation. The man eyed the clinic with clear disdain in his eyes.
He finally turned to look at her, expression impassive. "So? Where is this potential pair of mine?"
Her smile widened. "They are already waiting for you inside. all you need to do is join them," as he was about to walk off to the pod, Eden stopped him.
"Wait. You'll need this," she said as she reached for her left pocket and pulled out a thick piece of cloth.
Lucien's brows lifted. "What's this?"
"Isn't it obvious? It's a blindfold."
The young man was visibly taken aback, and rightfully so. Eden was holding a piece of cloth he was expected to wear over his eyes, and for what? So that this mysterious anchor could protect their anonymity?
The entire situation was ridiculous, absurd even, yet she pushed the blindfold to him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"…Is this really necessary?" He asked sceptically.
"I'm afraid it is bub. Now shut up and put it on. We don't have all day."
Lucien eyed the piece of cloth before reluctantly tying it over his eyes. Once it was on and secure, she shoved him inside the chamber.
Kenneth, who'd been perfectly still on his chair, heard movement followed by footsteps. His body unconsciously tenses as the smell of mangoes and coriander hits his nose. That same distinctive smell he associated with the pretentious Striker.
He noticed his slow, unhurried steps, analysing his gait and committing it to memory.
An enhanced human's physical and mental abilities far exceed those of regular humans. They can run a hundred miles per hour, can lift objects that are fifty times their own weight, and their senses are boosted, giving them the ability to see, hear, and sometimes smell things imperceptible to normal humans. It's the reason why, even blindfolded, Lucien could walk without fear of bumping into anything and could sense the presence of another person in the room.
He didn't utter a single word as he took a seat next to Kenneth.
A faint click came from the intercom above, followed by Eden's voice, smooth and clipped with excitement.
"Alright, let's start simple. No sudden movements, no power flares, just some light contact at first."
Kenneth's throat went dry. He hesitated for a moment, glancing toward Lucien even though he knew the man couldn't see him through the blindfold. Slowly, he raised his hand. His palm hovered awkwardly in the air for a second, but Lucien showed no signs of wanting to grab it.
Kenneth frowned, staring at the man with ill-repressed impatience, which was obvious even under the blindfold covering the Striker's pale eyes. He resisted the intense urge to look and kept his composure. After a long and painstaking ten seconds, Lucien reached out and caught it with unerring precision.
The moment their skin met, Kenneth stiffened.
A crackle of energy shot up his arm, sharp enough to make his breath hitch. His heartbeat quickened; every nerve in his body was alert, on edge.
Lucien's grip was steady, his large hand warm and firm. A frown tugged at the corner of his lips beneath the blindfold, but he didn't let go. If he felt the same jolt, he wasn't showing it.
Kenneth gritted his teeth, trying to breathe through the surge of heat flooding his veins. His mind screamed at him to pull away, but something deep inside urged him to stay still.
So he did.