The first day and a half of training passes with little trouble. Leon cooperates, but it’s easy for Nate to tell that he’s doing his best to show off. Always looking for something to prove, he thinks. Regardless, the trainees pick up new techniques and take critiques quickly, making for a smooth transition into each next step of training. Minimal hiccups and minimal troubles-- but where trouble is not made, it is brought.

The communication device on Nate’s suit vibrates, followed by the same with Reese’s and Zion’s. Nate holds his wrist up to his mouth. “General?”

General Morales apologizes for the urgent call. She needs Nate and his team on a mission: a massive break-in on an apartment complex three miles north. Shattered windows, stolen cars, residents trapped in their homes. “The assailants allegedly have weaponized bionics,” she says. “Agents Prisham and Colburn should be in the building. Let them take your trainees.”

They run over moments after. The two women give Nate a solemn nod. Leaving Leon doesn’t sit well with him, especially since it’s been so long since they’ve spent time together, but he knows that it won’t be long and he can trust these agents to keep him in check. After all, Adya Prisham is one of Nate’s former agents, back when she transferred from a defunct organization. There’s no better person to give them first-hand advice for his training. With their stand-ins ready, Zion, Reese and Nate head out.

The scene hardly looks as they expect it to. No broken windows, dented cars, or residents panicking over a missing vehicle. A few people gather outside, unified in their confusion. Nate runs toward the small crowd and asks if anyone is injured. They collectively shake their heads.

Zion scopes out the area and can’t seem to find a single thing out of place. He gives Reese a look. Are we at the right place? It says. Reese raises her eyebrows.

“This doesn’t look much like the description we got,” Nate admits. One of the residents of the complex, an elderly man, steps forward.

“The electronics in our houses keep coming in and out,” he says. “Microwaves, lights, even locks-- everything’s fine, then a moment later, it all goes out. It’s been going on for almost an hour.”

Behind the man is a young woman who eyes Nate. She fidgets with something in her pocket nervously.

“That sounds a hell of a lot different than ‘armed assailants’. Still, you guys have nothing to worry about. Reese,” he says, turning to his colleague, “Scope the area for an EMP--”

In seconds, the elderly man’s description becomes a reality again. Porch lights go out, lit walkways go dim, and Reese and Zion collapse to the ground. The electrical disturbance shorts out their bionics temporarily, causing them pain. Nate manages his own and rushes to their aid.

Nate looks around for anything out of the ordinary. The nervous woman has sunk back into the crowd. After spending years of his life only acting for his own gain, nothing makes him more angry than selfish acts of sabotage. He rises to his feet.

“Seems like one of you has been a wolf in this herd,” he shouts to the crowd. “If you fess up, we can work something out. There’s no need to cause problems. But if you want to play games, terrorizing the lives of innocent people?” Nate pulls the stun gun from his belt, resting his finger over the trigger. He doesn’t raise it quite yet. “Then I don’t mind playing dirty.”

The crowd grows nervous. They huddle closer together, like animals being backed into a corner. Those who have a duty to protect will often go to great lengths to do just that; but those who were once indoctrinated into fear, occasionally fall back into their old ways. Nate is no exception.

“Anastasio,” Reese speaks up, reaching for Nate’s arm. “Put it away. We don’t work like that.”

Begrudgingly, Nate holsters his weapon. The look on his face pleads Reese to be on his side, but in his heart, he knows he made a bold accusation. Zion and Reese come to an ultimatum: they send an electrician to deal with the damage, and monitor the community until they have something to act on. The Goddard agents exit the scene, with Nate as the last one to load back into the truck.