PROJECT GENESIS ENTRY #0501

Subject 32 has retained Compound Genesis for 48 hours—a new milestone, as prior subjects failed to survive beyond 12 hours before serum rejection. Scars, including those from childhood, have fully healed. Photoaging has reversed with accelerated collagen synthesis, and early-stage dental caries show signs of enamel remineralization. Subject remains stable, though further observation is required to monitor long-term compatibility and behavioral changes.

The Hunter barracks. I’d only dreamed of setting foot in here. Not that I doubted my ability to make it, but still.

Like the rest of Bulwark headquarters, the barracks exuded sleek efficiency. What had started as a tech company dabbling in security now led the charge against vampirism when it transitioned from folklore to a human-made affliction. Blending cutting-edge technology with advances in biochemistry and human physiology.

The space was vast, divided into sections: locker rooms, training areas, debriefing rooms, and the armory. I made my way to the lockers, searching for the one with my name. When I found it, I pressed my badge to the scanner. A cheerful ding sounded, and the door clicked open. Inside was my neatly pressed tactical uniform. Holding it in my hands, I couldn’t hide the small grin tugging at my lips.

“You the new science guy for Squad 95?” a rough voice called from behind me.

“Yes?” I replied, turning slowly, gear clutched to my chest. My stomach dropped when I saw who it was.

Cassian Hollis. Squad 78’s medic and holder of the highest kill count for Bloodfed Vamps across all currently alive S-rank Hunters. The guy was a legend. Most recorder holders are military specialists, but not when it came to Cassian.

“Yes, hi!” I corrected myself quickly, bowing instinctively. “Kieran Sato, Squad 95. Specialty biochemistry.”

Cassian chuckled, stepping past me to his locker. A ding echoed as it opened. “You don’t have to do that, you know. We’re all Hunters here.”

“Right,” I said, straightening, though my face burned with embarrassment.

“Erebus is in a debriefing, but I saw Ash on the training mats,” he said, pulling his shirt over his head casually.

“Ash?”

“Squad 95’s new military specialist,” he replied, glancing at me. “Atash Kaveh. A-rank.”

“What happened to Levi?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“He was injured.” Cassian paused, then shook his head. “I should let your Captain explain.”

I nodded, the silence between us stretching.

“You should probably get changed and check in with your squad,” he said after a beat, his tone light but firm.

“Right,” I said quickly, laughing a little to cover my nerves. “It was nice to meet you.”

I tucked my shirt into my pants and laced up my boots, heading toward the training mats. The room buzzed with motion: hunters sparring one-on-one, strikes landing with sharp cracks, quick dodges accompanied by the dull thud of feet on mats.

They were on another level. Hunters weren’t like the sweep teams I used to run with—safely tracking ferals and subduing them from a distance. Hunters faced all kinds of vampires, even descending into the Under Cities to confront the elite Bloodfeds head-on. I’d never admit it out loud, but I wasn’t sure I belonged here.

I approached a group of hunters standing near the mats. “Have you seen Atash Kaveh?”

One of them nodded toward a guy pounding a punching bag.

He was built like a tank. Muscles rippled under his fitted shirt with every punch, the heavy bag swaying dangerously from the chain. This guy screamed “military specialist.” Squads had three roles: medics—usually the captains, essential for keeping everyone alive; military, in charge of weapons and combat; and biologists, the ones tasked with analyzing the vamps.

“Are you going to stand there gawking, or introduce yourself?” Atash asked, running a hand through white hair as he turned to me.

“Uh, Kieran Sato. Squad 95, specialty biochemistry. You’re new to 95 too, right?” I said, holding out a hand.

“Atash Kaveh. Squad 95, combat and defense.” His lips curved into a lazy smile as he stepped closer. He clasped my hand, but instead of shaking it, he yanked me forward. Before I could react, I was on the ground, his forearm pressing into my chest. His free hand dipped toward my belt, plucking my badge free.

“C-rank,” he said, inspecting it with a smirk before locking eyes with me. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

My jaw tightened. “T-That’s not a fair assessment. I wasn’t ready.”

He stood and offered a hand. “You’re right. My bad. Let’s try again.”

I barely had time to stand before I was slammed face-first onto the mat. My arm was twisted behind my back, his weight pinning me down.

At least I wore my contacts today or my glasses would be fucked.

“Are you kidding me?” I growled through clenched teeth.

“That should’ve been enough time to prepare,” he said, voice dripping with amusement. “You’ll need to work on that if you don't want to be a liability to the team.”

I’ll stake this smug bastard.

My elbow drove back into his ribs, the impact solid enough to make him grunt. I swept my leg out from under him, using the momentum to topple his weight.

Shit, he’s heavy. What does this guy eat?

Before he could recover, I followed through, straddling him as he hit the mat. My palm pressed firmly against his chest, pinning him down, while my other hand reached for his badge. I held his gaze as I yanked it free.

“Asshole-rank. Makes sense,” I said, standing and tossing the badge onto his chest. He gazed at me, his lips a blank slate while his eyes danced with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

I turned away, heart pounding in my ears. I didn’t dare look back. Did I really just do that? To an A-ranked military specialist? My hands curled into fists, knuckles whitening as I tried to steady the faint tremor.

“Sato. Kaveh.”

The calm authority in Erebus’s voice cut through the din of the training room. They stood at the edge of the mat.

“Captain,” I said, straightening, forcing composure into my tone.

“Captain,” Atash echoed from behind me, his voice calm despite what just happened.

Erebus’s gaze flicked between us. “Apologies for not being here to introduce you properly. But as I’m sure you’ve already heard, Levi—Squad 95’s previous military specialist—was injured during a raid last night. With all the recent changes, this makes us the new Squad 95.”

They began walking toward the armory, and we fell into step behind them.

“Most squads have weeks to train together, time to build rhythm and cohesion,” Erebus continued, their voice steady but firm. “But Project Songbird doesn’t allow for that luxury. We’re working on a tighter schedule.”

“Sato, you’ve used a variety of long-range firearms in the sweep team, correct?” Erebus asked as we stepped into the armory.

“Correct,” I replied, my gaze sweeping across the walls lined with weapons. Precision rifles and pistols dominated one side, while melee weapons occupied the other—swords, axes, and other tools I wasn’t keen on testing out.

“The sweep team’s weapons are designed for discretion—sedation from a distance,” Erebus continued. “Hunters require versatility. Our weapons don’t just paralyze. They ensure we kill.”

“How are you with swords?” Atash interjected, already unsheathing one from a nearby rack.

I hesitated. “Not much experience.”

He slid the blade back into its sheath and tossed it to me without warning. I fumbled but caught it. “Get some. Cutting off a limb weakens them. Their body focuses on regrowth, slowing them down.”

Erebus pulled a black glass cylinder from a nearby counter. A faint glow pulsed from within, framed by thin metal trim. They held it up. “You know what this is?”

“A UV bomb,” I answered.

“Correct. Powerful, but messy. We only kill vamps who attack first and Ferals, which makes these impractical around civilians—human or otherwise.” They replaced the cylinder and moved to a wall displaying rows of metal stakes, each blunt-tipped and oddly sleek.

“These are upgraded stakes,” Erebus said, pulling one free. “They’re hollow. Standard Scarlet Wood bullets fit inside, but so do these.” They opened a small case, revealing bullets made of the same black glass as the UV bomb.

“UV bullets?” I couldn’t hide the intrigue in my voice.

“They’re less potent than bombs, but they’re precise.” Erebus loaded a stake with wooden bullets. With fluid movements, they drove the stake into a nearby training dummy, each stab punctuated by a sharp crack. The wooden bullets embedded themselves deep, leaving visible holes. “Get three to five UV bullets inside a Vamp, and they’ll burn from the inside out.”

Erebus handed me the stake. “Kaveh will familiarize you with these, alongside the sword and pistol. These are your primary weapons now, along with close-quarters combat. Understood?”

“Yes, Captain,” 

“How about we start with some target practice, C-rank?” Atash said, his arms crossed as he watched me.