Reluctantly, Aria followed the analyst down the corridors. She had no idea what to expect from the infamous Mr. Wilst, yet something about him had piqued her curiosity. 

They arrived at a plain room, and the analyst gestured for Aria to sit down. “Wait here,” she instructed, before exiting quickly.

Aria took a seat, her mind racing. What kind of man was Mr. Wilst? Would he be professional, or would she have to deal with more of the same rudeness the others had described? She imagined him to be a hard-nosed, no-nonsense kind of person.

When the door opened again, Aria was truly surprised. 

Instead of a stern, intimidating figure, a tired, scruffy man stepped inside. His hair was tied back in a low ponytail, and his face was drawn with exhaustion. He had deep circles under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in days. His presence was surprisingly unremarkable, given the reputation he had.

He paused for a moment, studying her with a sharp gaze before offering a small, tired salute. “I’ll make this quick,” he said, “I’ve been told you’re tired.”

Aria nodded. She was still trying to process the image of the man in front of her.

Wilst didn’t waste time. “Your condition is stable, but the electrocution you suffered caused some severe damage to your neural system, that much you should already know.” He paused for a moment, glancing at the tablet in his hand before continuing. “The necklace you’re wearing is a medical tracking device. It’s designed to monitor your vitals and energy levels. We’re seeing some unusual dips, but I suspect it’s because you’ve been pushing yourself too hard, physically. You need to rest more.”

Aria barely paid attention to the technical details, her mind drifting. He seemed cooperative enough, more so than the others. She could feel the tension start to lift, but it didn’t last long.

Wilst turned to her, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Are you listening?”

She nodded, but her response was anything but convincing.

Wilst raised an eyebrow, a hint of sarcasm creeping into his voice. “I hope it’s not your brain that’s damaged, too. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had to fix someone who’s a little off.”

His comment stung more than she cared to admit. Now she understood why people found him rude. But instead of being offended, Aria found herself responding with sarcasm of her own.

“Maybe your bedside manner needs a tune-up too,” she shot back.

For a brief moment, Wilst looked taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected her to bite back. Then, with a sigh, he brushed it off. “Fair enough. Let’s move on.” 

He turned back to her, his voice more serious now. “I want to run a few more tests to understand what you’re capable of. E-107 reported that you fought with remarkable strength when you engaged the Aberrant. The report didn’t get much attention, but that’s the kind of data we can’t afford to ignore. If there’s anything extraordinary about you, we need to know. For your own safety, and the safety of everyone here.”

Aria’s mind raced at the mention of E-107. “E-107… you said?” she asked, her voice suddenly curious.

“Yes,” Wilst didn’t seem to have much information about him. “Alright, let’s begin.”

The evening sun casted a golden light over the vast training grounds. Aria was led there by Mr. Wilst and the kind Analyst, Isabelle, both carrying heavy cases in their hands.

Aria felt a slight sense of excitement. An odd feeling, given the situation. She was about to undergo tests, but instead of dread, she felt strangely at ease. She felt almost… good. Like she was in her element.

Wilst’s voice broke through her thoughts. “We’re heading to the Support and Surveillance Division for these tests. It’s easier to conduct larger tests there. Honestly, I’d prefer to stay in the labs, but we need the space. They’re always too noisy...” he added.

Aria couldn't help but smile slightly at his remark. She had already come to understand that behind his gruff exterior, Wilst had a sense of humor. His dry, often sarcastic comments seemed to be his way of coping with the tension of the job. 

When they reached the SSD, Aria stood off to the side as the two began to set up the equipment. The terrain around her was vast and open, the ground rugged and uneven, perfect for testing the physical limits of the soldiers who came here. 

As they worked, Aria’s eyes wandered, and she noticed a group of Scooters moving across the field. They were accompanied by other Operators equipped with heavy guns.

It didn’t take long for her to recognize one of them, S-11, the boy who had mocked her before. She ducked her head on instinct, trying not to draw attention. It was pointless in such an open space, especially in a bright orange utility suit.

The boy spotted her from a distance and immediately shouted across the field.

“Wait... it’s the ‘Drone Buster’!” he yelled.

Aria felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment, but she kept her gaze on the ground, resisting the urge to raise her head. To her dismay, the group of Operators noticed her, some even lowering their weapons or sitting down to watch her. 

They were getting comfortable, and the pressure was mounting. She wasn’t a soldier- or Operator. Her abilities probably paled in comparison. 

But then she remembered what had brought her here in the first place. She had fought that Aberrant. She had done something that had made even experienced Operators take notice. 

Just then, Wilst approached, pulling her from her thoughts. “We’re ready to start,” he said.

Aria hesitated, glancing nervously at the gathered crowd. “Do we really need to do it here? Under all these eyes?” she asked, half whispering.

Wilst turned his gaze toward her, then back at the group across the field, the sighted. “We’re not going to move just because you’re shy,” he said, his tone still serious. Then, unexpectedly, he smirked. “I told you this place is noisy, didn’t I?”

Aria blinked, surprised by the change in his expression. The smirk was small but genuine, and it softened his usually harsh demeanor. 

I guess he’s not all bad, she thought, a small smile tugging at her lips.

As she stood there, Isabelle activated one of the cases she was carrying. The machine inside hummed to life as it unfolded into place. It wasn’t anything sophisticated, just a standard testing unit, but it snapped together in a satisfying way.

The device would help measure her Xenon energy levels and determine how much control she had over her abilities. 

Isabelle plugged a few wires into the small compartments of her suit. “Alright, Aria,” Isabelle said while taking a couple of steps back, “please stand still while we take the readings.”

Aria nodded, taking a deep breath. She was already becoming familiar with the strange tingling sensation in her body, the buzz of energy that seemed to pulse just beneath her skin. She focused, trying to keep her movements as still as possible.

As the device activated, it began to scan her, sending out waves of low-frequency energy designed to measure her energy storage and control. The air around her felt charged, and she could almost feel the hum of the device resonating with her own energy. The readings on the screen flickered as it attempted to get an accurate read of her capabilities.

Aria’s mind wandered slightly, thinking about how little she knew about her own abilities. She had felt the surge of power when she fought the Aberrant, but now, under controlled conditions, she wasn’t so sure what would happen.

Isabelle, now standing behind the running device, looked at the screen, adjusting a few settings. “We’ll test your Xenon endurance next. This will determine how long you can maintain your energy output before it becomes too much for your body to handle. The test is simple; you’ll push yourself as hard as you can, and we’ll monitor how much you can sustain.”

Aria nodded, steeling herself for the test. She wasn’t sure how far she could maintain that unkown energy flow, but she would give it her all. She had to prove herself, especially with the soldiers watching her.

Wilst watched quietly. “Don’t overdo it,” he muttered under his breath. “We don’t need you collapsing in the middle of a test. We need data, not injuries.”

Aria gave him a quick nod, then turned her attention back to the task at hand. She focused on her energy, trying to tap into the Xenon flow she had felt during the fight. Her body felt hot, like a furnace was burning beneath her skin, but she pushed through the discomfort, focusing on keeping it steady.

Seconds passed. Then minutes. The machine continued to record her energy levels, the numbers on the screen steadily rising. She could feel her energy surging, but it wasn’t overwhelming. 

At least, not yet.

But then, a sharp warning sound blared from the machine. The screen flashed red. Isabelle quickly stepped forward, analyzing the results.

“Interesting…” Isabelle muttered. “You’re holding at a high level of output, but your endurance is slightly lower than expected.” She quickly glanced at Wilst. “She’s pushing it harder than we anticipated.”

Wilst said nothing at first, but his eyes narrowed slightly as he observed Aria. 

“Keep going,” he said. “You’re doing fine. Let’s see how far you can push this.”

Aria was taken aback. Wasn’t he the one telling her not to push too hard? Not that she planned on holding back anyway.

The tests continued, the results pouring in, each more revealing than the last. Though she could feel herself tiring, Aria knew this was just the beginning of understanding what she was truly capable of.

As the minutes ticked by, her focus remained sharp. The soldiers across the field were still watching her, and for the first time since she arrived, Aria didn’t care. 

The machine continued to hum as Isabelle monitored the readings. Her brow furrowed slightly as she analyzed the data pouring in. “This is… unexpected,” she murmured, glancing at the screen. Turning to Wilst, she added, “The last time we measured her capacities, her baseline energy levels were low. Nothing extraordinary. Her endurance wasn’t impressive either.”

Wilst, looking over her shoulder, said, “And now?”

Isabelle gestured to the numbers climbing steadily on the screen. “The endurance test isn’t just pushing her assigned limit, it’s shattering it. Her energy output has crossed the maximum storage level we recorded before. And it’s still going.”

Wilst frowned, pulling out the tablet connected to Aria’s VitalLink. He checked the readouts carefully, scanning for signs of stress or critical Overdrive, where an Operator’s body or gear pushed beyond safe limits. But the display showed nothing unusual. No Overdrive alerts. No signs of strain…

“She’s fine,” he muttered, almost to himself. Then, more decisively, he said, “But let’s stop here for now. We don’t want her completely drained before the next test.”

Isabelle nodded and powered down the machine, the hum fading into silence. She walked over to Aria, who was waiting patiently. 

“Good news,” Isabelle began, trying to sound casual. “Your endurance levels have increased significantly compared to your earlier results. To put it simply, you lasted way longer than expected.”

Aria blinked. She wasn’t entirely sure what Isabelle meant, but she nodded anyway, trusting the analyst’s assessment. 

Before Isabelle could explain further, Aria’s attention was drawn to the growing group of soldiers watching her. The SSD and LDS squads had gathered for their joint training, but they were clearly more interested in her test than their own drills. Among them, the familiar voice of S-11 rang out again.

“Hey, Drone Buster! Looks like you didn’t blow up the machine this time!” he called, his tone dripping with mockery. The other soldiers chuckled, some even leaning on their weapons as if settling in to watch the show.

Aria ignored him, though her jaw tightened slightly. Don’t let him get to you, she reminded herself. 

But as she glanced across the field, she froze. The same piercing blue eyes she’d seen before were watching her again. The “creepy guy,” as she’d mentally dubbed him, stood among the crowd, his gaze unwavering. It sent a chill down her spine.

Meanwhile, Cove, whose report had led to Aria’s presence here, stood nearby, observing quietly. 

His thoughts lingered on Mr. Wilst. 

He’s the only one who took my report seriously, Cove thought, a flicker of admiration crossing his usually stoic face. His thoughts were interrupted by a girl from the scooter squad, S-24.

“Hey, is she part of some special division or something?” S-24 asked, her tone curious.

Cove shrugged. “How would I know?” he replied, his voice distant.