CHAPTER 970: ASKING QUESTIONS

The next day arrived, crisp and bright, though the air inside the interview chamber carried a heavier atmosphere.

Erend, Adrien, and Billy were already waiting when the door opened and Marcus Vollen stepped inside.

He looked like someone used to command but now, under the quiet gaze of the three veteran legends seated across from him, his composure frayed.

His eyes darted briefly between them like a man walking into a trap he couldn’t see.

Billy walked in right behind him while holding a tray of steaming coffee. He placed one cup in front of Marcus and set the others down for himself, Adrien, and Erend.

Then he sat.

Marcus looks like an average man in most ways. He sat a little stiffly. He has military cut hair, a straight-backed posture, lean muscle that was enough to show his past in law enforcement and special operations, but not overly built.

He looked like the kind of man who had seen a lot and spoken little of it.

Adrien leaned forward first. "Relax, Marcus. You’re not in trouble. We just want to understand you better. Your results in Phase One were exceptional."

Marcus gave a slow nod.

"Yes, sir." But his eyes still held a flicker of doubt. He hesitated, then took a deep sip of the coffee, let out a long breath, and visibly loosened his shoulders.

From beside Adrien, Erend watched in silence. His eyes were cool and piercing as if weighing every breath Marcus took. And it looked like he could dissect Marcus by his gaze alone.

He didn’t speak, but his presence filled the space.

Adrien gestured lightly. "Tell us about yourself."

"Don’t you already have my file, sir?" Marcus asked, visibly confused.

"We do," Adrien said. "But after your results, we figured we needed to ask more directly. Just so we can understand more about you."

Marcus frowned. "So I’m being questioned because I did too well? Shouldn’t that mean I get through to the next stage easier?"

Erend, Adrien, and Billy shared a brief glance.

"You’re right," Adrien said with a smile. "But we still need to ask."

Marcus muttered, "Feels like I messed up by doing too good."

Adrien just gave a faint smile. "Tell us about yourself, Marcus," he asked again.

Marcus nodded, this time more steadily.

"I come from Almere Sector-9, Holland District. My family wasn’t poor but we weren’t rich either. I had to work early to help them out. I did mostly a part-time job. I always wanted to join the military, but my parents didn’t want to lose me to another war."

He looked down for a second, then back up.

"When the war with the Elves started, I thought everything was going to fall apart. But then I saw three and all of the soldiers back then fighting and winning it gave me inspiration. You gave people like me hope that we can do something more than others. But my parents still said no, so I joined the police in my city instead. Eventually moved up to special forces."

Adrien nodded. "How about the incident, Marcus? The one that got you transferred to the classified military clinic?"

Marcus’s jaw tightened slightly.

"Yeah. That was after a school shooter incident. At that time the shooter wasn’t just armed with rifles. He had homemade explosives too. I went in early to secure the hostages and I ended up shielding a group of kids when the bomb went off."

He paused.

"I lived. But... after that, they moved me to the clinic. Said I was lucky to survive. And then... someone must’ve flagged me for this project."

There was a short silence as the three men absorbed that.

"Thank you," Adrien said quietly.

Marcus looked down again, his fingers still curled around the warm cup.

"Is this... leading somewhere?" he asked. "Am I in or out?"

Erend finally spoke, his voice low but clear.

"You’re in. We just needed to see if your reason matched your result."

Marcus blinked, surprised. "And does it?"

"We’re not sure yet," Erend said curtly.

Marcus frowned and looked at Erend for a second longer, then shifted his eyes back to the table and took another drink of his coffee.

The warmth didn’t seem to help him this time. He still feels nervous deep inside his heart and keeps hoping that nothing wrong will happen.

Erend flipped open the file again, his eyes falling on the high-resolution images of Marcus’s injuries. It was a massive wound across the torso and back, burns and lacerations that would’ve killed almost anyone instantly.

It didn’t make sense. A wound that large should’ve stopped a heart, collapsed lungs, or shattered his spine. And yet Marcus was sitting here, alive and intact.

Adrien and Billy had gone quiet, letting Erend handle the next part.

"Do you mind if we ask about the incident in more detail?" Erend asked, his voice even, but not too cold.

Marcus shifted uncomfortably. "Uh... actually, yeah. I’m still kinda... traumatized by that."

"I understand," Erend replied. "But we need to ask. I’m sorry, Marcus, but it’s necessary."

Marcus let out a slow, annoyed breath, then nodded reluctantly. "Then... please ask, Sergeant."

Erend leaned slightly forward. "During your treatment, do you remember anyone visiting you? Anyone unusual. Excluding the doctors, nurses, or your parents."

Marcus frowned, trying to dig through the fog of pain and medications.

"No. I don’t remember anyone else," Marcus said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Marcus said firmly. "I’m sure."

The room fell silent. Erend didn’t push. He just kept watching.

But then Marcus slowly added, "Wait... there was someone. Not a visitor exactly. He was another patient, I think. We talked a few times because we needed company for most of the treatment."

Erend’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you remember his name?"

Marcus shook his head. "No name. He... he never told me and I never actually asked. But he asked a lot of questions. And he said something weird. He said, ’If you survive this, they’ll come for you.’ I thought it was just the meds messing with me."

Erend frowned and closed the file. "Maybe it wasn’t."

---