Ryan reached the location Watson had sent just after noon.
It was a police station.
He stopped at the curb and checked the address again. The pin matched. A standard municipal building stood in front of him, its exterior worn and utilitarian. Patrol cars were parked in front. Officers moved in and out without urgency, their routines uninterrupted.
Nothing about the place suggested secrecy.
Ryan watched for a few seconds longer, then crossed the street. If Watson wanted discretion, this was an odd choice. Still, backing out now would only leave questions unanswered.
Inside, the station was quiet. A few civilians sat along the wall. Phones rang behind the front desk. Someone laughed in the back office.
Near the entrance, he saw Anya standing to the side, phone pressed to her ear. She spoke in a low voice, her posture relaxed, as if she belonged there.
Ryan waited until she finished the call. When she turned and noticed him, she smiled.
"You made it," she said. "Watson already informed me about your situation. And your decision."
Ryan nodded. "So this is where the testing happens?"
"Not exactly," Anya replied. "But everything is ready."
He hesitated, then voiced the concern that had been bothering him since he arrived. "This is a public place. If abilities and monsters are supposed to stay hidden, how does that work?"
Anya didn't seem offended. "You're not wrong. But this is only the surface. We operate independently from the rest of the station."
She gestured for him to follow.
They walked past a restricted corridor and stopped in front of a plain elevator. There were no buttons. A small camera was mounted above the doors.
Anya took out an identification card and held it up. A soft confirmation sound followed, and the doors slid open.
They stepped inside. As soon as the doors closed, the lift began descending on its own.
The descent lasted longer than Ryan expected. Long enough for discomfort to set in. He watched the floor indicator remain blank, his jaw tightening as the seconds passed.
When the doors finally opened, he didn't speak.
A wide underground complex stretched out before him. Structured streets. Reinforced buildings. Training grounds separated by thick barriers. Everything was functional, built with purpose rather than aesthetics.
It wasn't hidden storage or a bunker.
It was infrastructure.
"What is this place?" Ryan asked quietly.
"This is where Association members live and operate," Anya said. "Training, research, logistics. Everything happens here. No civilians. No interference."
Ryan took a few steps forward, his eyes scanning the space. His surprise wasn't loud or dramatic. It settled slowly, heavy and uncomfortable. The scale alone made one thing clear.
This had existed long before he learned about monsters.
"There's no one here," he said.
"Most are deployed," Anya replied. "This area stays empty more often than not."
They walked toward an open training field at the far end. Watson was already there, standing alone, hands behind his back. When he noticed Ryan, he smiled and raised a hand.
"How are you holding up?" Watson asked.
"I'm fine," Ryan replied.
Watson studied him briefly, then nodded. "I expected lingering psychological effects after your injury. You seem… composed."
Ryan didn't comment. His attention was fixed on the field. He wanted to begin. Waiting felt worse than uncertainty.
"I'd like to test my ability," he said. "As soon as possible."
Watson inclined his head. "Before we proceed, we need full clarity. Tell us exactly what your ability is."
Ryan took a breath. He repeated the words as they had appeared to him, without embellishment.
"Your ability has manifested due to the awakening of your dormant potential.
Ability: Decay.
Description: Everything your energy touches decays, returning to its natural form."
The response was immediate.
Watson's smile vanished. His posture stiffened, subtle but unmistakable.
Anya's eyes widened slightly before she caught herself. She glanced at Watson, then back at Ryan.
Neither spoke.
Ryan noticed the exchange. The pause stretched just long enough to feel wrong.
"…Is there a problem?" he asked.
Watson exhaled slowly. Anya straightened.
"No," Watson said. "Not a problem."
But Ryan didn't believe him.
For the first time since his awakening, he felt certain of one thing.
Whatever Decay truly meant, it wasn't ordinary.
And whatever they had expected from him, this was not it.