The device in Aria's hands buzzed lightly as it activated. 

The faint vibration tickled her palms, but she held it steady. For a moment, nothing felt different. No surge of energy, no change in her body, but the gauge on the side of the device steadily climbed.

The murmurs from the gathered Operators grew louder as they noticed the rising gauge. A few of them shuffled closer, craning their necks to get a better look. Their curiosity grated on Wislt’s nerves.

“Back up!” he barked, his voice cutting through the chatter. “Don’t crowd the test!” 

The Operators reluctantly took a step back, though their eyes stayed glued to Aria and the device.

The gauge passed halfway, eliciting a ripple of astonishment from the group. Isabelle leaned in closer to her monitor, clearly impressed. “She’s already passed half. And after all the energy she burned earlier, too. That’s really remarkable.”

Wilst stood to the side, his gaze fixed on Aria’s VitalLink readout. Her vitals looked stable, though her heart rate had quickened slightly, probably from the excitement of the moment.

Aria, meanwhile, was starting to feel a growing sense of power and exhilaration. The steady cheers and shouts from the Operators around her were energizing, feeding into her determination. She focused all her thoughts on a single goal: proving herself. 

She wanted to beat Max. It had been a while since she wished for something...

Isabelle’s voice broke Wilst’s focus. “Her energy levels are spiking quickly. If this keeps up, the device might not hold-”

“Wait,” He interrupted, “Let her hit three-fourths first.”

Isabelle blinked at him in disbelief. “Are you serious?” She hesitated for a moment but then gave a small, amused smile. “You’re more invested in this than I thought, Mr. Wilst.”

Aria, oblivious to their exchange, watched the gauge climb past three-fourths. The Operators cheered even louder, clearly entertained by her performance. Among them, Max called out with mock concern.

“Hey, Drone Buster! Don’t kill yourself trying to win! You can stop now!” he shouted, laughing. The group erupted in laughter with him.

Aria smiled despite herself, the good-natured teasing lifting her spirits. The atmosphere was amazing. Energized, alive, and most importantly, welcoming. For the first time since arriving, she felt like she belonged. She wanted to impress them, to keep this moment alive. She closed her eyes and focused even harder, imagining the energy flowing from her into the device.

And then it happened.

In an instant, the gauge shot to its limit, the needle slamming into the red zone. The speed at which it happened left Aria stunned, her mouth slightly agape as she stared at the device. 

She raised it high in the air, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. “I did it!” she shouted.

The group erupted in cheers, clapping, and whistling in celebration. “She did it!” someone shouted. Even Max joined in, laughing loudly as he pointed at her. “Alright, Drone Buster, you win this one!”

In the background, Cove had inched closer, still keeping his distance from the crowd. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he watched Aria’s victory. But a nagging feeling in his gut told him something wasn’t right.

Isabelle, on the other hand, was anything but calm. The readings on her monitor spiked dangerously, and the device in Aria’s hand started emitting a warning beep. “Mr. Wilst, we need to stop this now,” she said, her voice sharp with panic.

He didn’t hesitate. “Agreed.”

He moved swiftly, crossing the distance between himself and Aria in seconds. Before she even noticed him, he snatched the device from her hands.

Aria gasped, startled. The group’s cheers died instantly, replaced by confused murmurs.

Wilst examined the device in his hand, his eyes narrowed. The gauge was still maxed out, and the small machine was dangerously close to overheating. He glanced back at Isabelle, who nodded at him in silent understanding.

Turning back to Aria, he fixed her with a stern look. “This is not a toy,” he said, his voice low. “You can’t just wave it around recklessly.”

A few Operators booed at him, their mood dampened by his scolding tone. “Come on, Wilst, let her celebrate!” someone called out, but he ignored them.

Aria didn’t join the jeers. Instead, she looked down at her hands, realizing for the first time how hot they felt. The device had left her palms tingling with residual heat. She glanced up at Wilst, who was now carefully powering the device down. 

The thing was about to explode, she realized, a pang of guilt washing over her.

The group quieted as the tension in the air settled. Isabelle approached Wilst, who handed her the now-cool device. She checked it over and gave a small nod.

“I think it’s fine,” she said softly. “No chances of permanent damage.”

Wilst gave her a curt nod before turning back to Aria. His expression softened slightly as he added, “Good job, though. You did well. Just… Never mind.” He trailed off, clearly not used to cheering up people.

Aria blinked, surprised by the faint trace of approval in his voice. She nodded quickly. “Understood.”

Though satisfied with Aria's performance, Wilst felt his mind racing with questions and theories. Her energy output, endurance, and raw power had defied every prediction he’d made. It was thrilling and troubling. He knew he wouldn’t sleep tonight, not with all the possibilities that her results had unlocked.

Raising his voice to the gathered operators, he snapped, “Alright, show’s over! Back to training!” The crowd groaned but obeyed, their laughter and chatter gradually fading as they returned to their routines.

Isabelle approached Aria, carefully detaching the machine’s wires from her suit. “Wait here while we pack everything up,” she said.

Aria nodded, watching as Isabelle and Wilst began tidying up the equipment.

As Aria stood there, a group of Operators broke away from their training and approached her. 

“Hey, that was incredible!” one of them said with a wide grin. “Haven’t seen a performance like that in ages.”

Aria blinked, surprised at their friendliness. Their tone carried none of the suspicion or disdain she’d half-expected. It seemed that most of them, if not all, assumed she was just a talented new recruit. She thought briefly of Max. Maybe he hadn’t told them about her strange background. Or maybe they just didn’t care.

One Operator, a young woman with sharp eyes and an easy smile, asked curiously, “So, what division are you being moved to? You’ve gotta be O.D.S material with that performance.”

Aria froze, caught off guard. “I… I don’t know,” she stammered, unsure how to respond.

Another operator chimed in before she could dwell on it. “What’s Max’s punishment going to be? You won the bet, after all.”

The group laughed, glancing at Max, who was being playfully squished in a headlock by one of his teammates. Aria glanced at him too, smiling at the sight.

“Hmm,” she said, pretending to think deeply.

But before she could decide on a challenge, another Operator asked, “What’s your code name, by the way?” The group turned to her expectantly.

Aria blinked again, her smile faltering. “Code name?” she repeated. She didn’t have one. She didn’t even know she needed one.

Before the awkward silence could stretch too long, Whilst’s voice cut through. “That’s enough,” he said firmly, walking over. “Mind your business and let her be.”

The Operators mumbled in protest, telling him to “lighten up,” but they eventually dispersed, leaving Aria alone with him.

She turned to him, “Thanks for stepping in,” she said quietly.

Wilst glanced at her, his expression unreadable. As he turned to walk away, he added, almost as an afterthought, “Judging by your results, you’ll probably be staying here longer than anyone expected.”

Aria watched him go, a warm feeling spreading through her chest. She had been afraid they would send her back to the isolation of her small room once the tests were done. But now, hearing those words, she felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe she really could integrate into the O.D.S.

Meanwhile...

Sergeant Lyla was making her way back from an important meeting. Her boots clicked against the polished floor as she walked, her mind racing with thoughts of all the tasks that awaited her. 

Ever since her recent promotion to sergeant, she’d been buried in paperwork and administrative duties. She hadn’t even been assigned a division to supervise yet, which left her feeling restless. Division supervising was dull, and Lyla craved the action and camaraderie of having her own team.

Among her many responsibilities was Mr. Wilst’s work, which had grown increasingly complex. She sighed at the thought of dealing with him and wondered how much longer she could keep up with the constant demands. Still, one thing brightened her thoughts: Aria.

Lyla found herself smiling slightly as she thought about her. Aria was a mystery, but there was something about her, something that made Lyla look forward to their interactions. When she reached Aria’s room and found it empty, she was surprised. After asking around, she learned that Mr. Wilst and Isabelle had taken her to the training grounds for further Xenon testing.

Curiosity piqued, Lyla decided to head there herself.

From the elevated vantage point of the observation deck, Lyla spotted Aria, Isabelle, and Wilst near the testing equipment. Around them, a group of Operators had gathered, watching the test with excitement. Lyla frowned at their lack of professionalism. As a sergeant, it was her duty to enforce discipline, and she briefly considered reprimanding them or notifying their division supervisor.

But as she watched the scene unfold, her irritation softened. The camaraderie and energy among the group were infectious, and she couldn’t bring herself to ruin the moment. Aria’s performance was incredible, and the cheers and laughter that followed her success were well-deserved.

Lyla’s eyes lingered on Aria. Watching her handle the test, seeing her potential, Lyla realized something important; Aria wasn’t just an experiment. She wasn’t just a prototype or some project to be evaluated. She was a person, a remarkable one, and she deserved to be treated as such.

Lyla’s thoughts turned serious. Keeping Aria isolated, locked away like a lab experiment, wasn’t just cruel. It was truly inhumane. Perhaps integrating her into the O.D.S. was the right thing to do. Aria had proven she could handle it, and having her as an ally was far better than leaving her alone, isolated, and unfulfilled.

As the test wrapped up and the crowd began to disperse, Lyla resolved to speak with Wilst and Isabelle. Aria had potential. More than that, she had a spark that could inspire those around her. 

And Lyla, for the first time since becoming a sergeant, felt excited about what the future might hold.