Chapter 1: The Pulse of District 9
The hum of the Aegis armored transport was the only constant rhythm in a city ready to snap. Outside the reinforced viewports, the neon-drenched high-rises of Espia gave way to the rusting, rain-slicked sprawl of District 9—a place where the gap between non-powered citizens and Human X burned like an open wound. Anti-X graffiti smeared across brick walls, flickering billboards preached law and order, and sirens wailed in the distance.
Inside the transport, Team Delta prepared for drop-in.
Captain Yuki sat with her boots up on the central console, leaning back with an unbothered posture. She spun a tactical stylus between her fingers, looking more like someone waiting for a casual train than a commander heading into an active combat zone.
"Riot police pushed the suspect into the abandoned rail yard," Yuki said, her voice smooth, relaxed, and devoid of panic. "The target is a volatile Human X manifesting uncontrolled kinetic blasts. The locals are panicking, the anti-X mob is throwing molotovs, and command wants a clean sweep before media helicopters get visual. Standard containment protocol."
"Finally! Some real action!" Rudy cheered, slamming a fresh magazine into his dual Kirin handguns with a loud, satisfying click. He grinned wildly, bouncing in his harness like an eager hound. "I’ve been stuck doing desk paperwork all morning, Cap. My guns are practically begging to burn something down or freeze it solid. Who’s taking point? Dibs on the front row!"
Sasha, sitting across from him, pulled her tactical gloves tighter around her knuckles, her hands trembling slightly. As a Human X working within a military agency that half the city mistrusted, every deployment felt like walking a tightrope over a pit of knives. "Rudy, please, don't rush in," she murmured softly, her eyes glued to the steel floor. "If... if the crowds see us using heavy force, it’ll only prove what they say about us. I just need to get close enough to touch them. One touch and the paralysis will end it safely."
"Relax, Sash," Rudy chuckled, giving her a friendly elbow nudge. "You're gonna do great. Just stay behind the guy with the big fiery guns."
In the corner of the compartment, Mars sat in silence, double-checking the latch on his Kirin katana sheath. He was reserved, keeping his gaze cold and focused, but his silence wasn’t apathy—it was the quiet intensity of someone bearing secrets he wasn't ready to share. Mars knew he had the X-gene; he felt the faint, dark pulse echoing deep beneath his skin, waiting to wake up. He knew what society thought of people like him, and he knew how rare and dangerous his dual nature was. For now, he kept his power leash-tight, relying strictly on steel and discipline.
"Ten seconds to LZ," the automated pilot chime chimed overhead.
Yuki swung her legs down, the relaxed aura instantly sharpening into absolute command. She reached down and strapped on her heavy Kirin gauntlets. The mechanical gloves hummed to life with a quiet, lethal vibration.
"Listen up, Delta," Yuki said, her calm eyes locking onto each of them. "Espia is on a razor's edge today. The populace wants a reason to tear each other apart. We give them peace instead. Rudy, lock down the perimeter and freeze their escape routes. Sasha, you’re our non-lethal key—stay covered until Mars gets you an opening. Mars, keep the flank clear and guard Sasha’s back."
"Understood, Captain," Mars said, his voice low and steady as he unlatched his blade.
"Let's move," Yuki ordered.
The rear doors hissed open, unleashing the roar of rain, shouting mobs, and explosive blasts. Team Delta hit the pavement running, stepping straight into the crossfire of a city at war with itself.
