The next morning, Scarlett found herself standing in the sleek, sterile halls of EDVAC's Central Government Building. Everything here was polished to a gleam, from the marble floors to the high, vaulted ceilings that seemed to stretch endlessly above her. Yet, despite the grandeur of the place, there was a distinct tension in the air, an anxiety that clung to the officials and staff who passed by her with hurried footsteps and hushed whispers.

She had been called here by the Council of Governors, the ruling body of EDVAC. Normally, they handled their own affairs, maintaining the careful balance of power that kept the city in check. But now, with mutants becoming more frequent and more dangerous, their control was slipping. Scarlett had seen it in the news—escalating incidents of mutant-related violence, the slow erosion of the city’s public trust.

As she entered the council chamber, the room seemed colder than she remembered. It had been years since she had been summoned here, and the memories of her last case—a politically sensitive investigation—were still fresh in her mind. The council didn’t like involving outsiders in their affairs, and yet here she was again, being dragged back into the fray.

“Miss Adair,” a voice called from across the room.

She turned to see Governor Ellis, a stern-faced man with graying hair and a reputation for ruthless efficiency, beckoning her forward. The other governors including other top officials sat behind a long, curved table, their expressions a mix of worry and impatience.

“You’ve read the file,” Ellis said without preamble as she approached the table.

“I have,” Scarlett replied, keeping her tone professional, though the tension in the room was palpable. “You want me to track down REX.”

Ellis nodded, his fingers tapping nervously on the surface of the table. “He’s become a serious threat. His abilities... they’re beyond anything we’ve dealt with before. We can’t control him, and we’ve lost too many good people trying.”

Scarlett narrowed her eyes. “You think I can?”

“We know you can,” Ellis replied. “You’ve handled impossible cases before, Miss Adair. You’re the only one we trust to handle this—quietly.”

“Quietly,” Scarlett repeated, her lips curling into a wry smile. “Mutants wreaking havoc on the city, and you want me to handle it quietly.”

“We can’t afford panic,” another governor chimed in. “If the public finds out the extent of REX’s abilities, there will be chaos. We need you to deal with this, quickly and efficiently. No loose ends.”

Scarlett considered their words for a moment,

then replies,

 “I would try my best to keep it quiet but why hide the grievance of this situation…don’t you think these people should know what is going on”

Commander Holt, a stern bulk man in his late 30’s speaks up in a cold, stern yet professional tone, “we can’t afford the people questioning our abilities”

Scarlett narrows her eyes whilst replaying their words in her head, the weight of the task settling in. This wasn’t just about stopping REX. It was about protecting the fragile peace of EDVAC and the council’s ego. And, if she was being honest with herself, she knew why they had chosen her, she more than anyone knew the mind of a mutant.

But something nagged at the back of her mind—something that didn’t sit right. She had seen the reports on mutants before, had heard the rumors. Mutants weren’t just criminals; they were people who had been created and forced into desperate situations, often by the very society that feared them. There was more to this case than the Council was letting on seem they do not what the people to know that their creation has gotten out of control.

“I’ll take the case,” she said finally, her voice steady. “But I’m going to need more than just a file to go on.”

Governor Ellis nodded, relief washing over his features. “You’ll have access to everything we have on REX and the mutant threat. And we’ll provide any resources you need.”

Scarlett gave a curt nod before turning on her heel and heading for the door. As she left the chamber, her mind was already racing with possibilities, theories, and questions. One thing was clear—this case was going to be different from anything she had handled before.

And as much as she hated to admit it, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the answer to REX’s whereabouts was tied to something much darker—something buried deep within her own past.