The open curtains let in golden rays from the rising sun. It brightened up the hotel room, revealing Reid who was busy doing pushups.
On the snack table sat Rusty and Nyx, in their small forms, gnawing on some cookies.
Reid had been up for the past three hours but since he had nothing to do,he decided to do some light exercises.
*Knock* *knock*
A knock sounded on the door and Reid moved to open up.
Standing at the door was Elizabeth who was now in casual clothes. She wore a white T-shirt paired with blue jeans and white sneakers. She completed the look with round, blue tinted sunglasses that rested on her head.
'she looks completely different' Reid thought to himself.
"And here I thought, you'd already be dressed" she commented, taking in his shirtless frame.
Although Reid didn't have a gym rat's physique, he was no slouch either. His muscles were well defined and packed with power, thanks to the training he had to go through. His entire build portrayed an athletic one.
"Give me a few minutes" he replied and got back inside, closing the door.
He quickly took a shower and retrieved his clothes from his inventory. This time, instead of wearing his usual black jacket and pants, he decided to wear a black and white colorblock sweatshirt, black jogging pants and white sneakers.
He returned Rusty and Nyx to his inventory and stepped out of the room.
He spotted Elizabeth still standing outside his room but this time with Alex, Tommy and Timmy who were already ready to leave.
"You think you're so important to keep us waiting?" Alex growled at him.
Reid simply ignored him and turned to Elizabeth and said "I'm ready".
"Let's go then" She replied and walked towards the elevator.
"Umm, Miss Elizabeth?" Tommy called out causing her to look at them "what about our forged-beasts?"
"Don't worry, they're in safe hands in this hotel" she replied "you'll be given an inventory to keep your forged beasts after you've been registered for the military, you can come back for them then".
"I see" Tommy nodded.
"Speaking of which" she suddenly turned to Reid and asked "where did you get your inventory gadget from?".
"I found a broken one in the scrap yard and fixed it " he replied, showing her the gadget in his hand.
Of course that was a lie, but he needed a cover so as not to reveal Evo, at least not yet.
"I see, no wonder grandpa said you're the closest thing to a forgemaster they have" she said and continued walking towards the elevator.
The elevator ride didn't last long and they soon found themselves on the ground floor.
"Good morning Miss Cross" The receptionist from the previous night greeted "I see you're heading out?".
"Yes Mercy, can you arrange a car for us?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes Miss., let me call the manager" she said and quickly phoned the hotel manager.
She stayed on the phone for a while before putting it back down with a smile.
" Your car's ready Miss. Cross" Mercy said "it is waiting outside".
"Damn that was fast" Timmy couldn't help but comment.
"Thank you Mercy, be sure to put it on my account" Elizabeth replied to the receptionist.
"No, no, Miss Cross, this is on the house," Mercy said with a smile.
"I see, extend my thanks to you manager as well" Elizabeth said and walked outside with Reid and the others following.
When they reached the door of the hotel, the trio—Alex and the twins—were met with another surprise. Parked outside, with a driver waiting for them, was a luxury SUV.
Elizabeth was used to spectacles like this, evident by the lack of change in her expression.
Reid, although having spent two years away, was the same his previous family was wealthy enough to consider things like this trivial.
The driver bowed a bit before opening the doors, letting them inside.
"Where to ma'am?" The driver asked when they were all seated.
"The Nexus" she gave the location and leaned back in the soft and comfy seats.
Even though the route to The Nexus was mostly the same as the one they took to the hotel, they couldn't help but admire the city during the day.
Unlike the previous night, the city wasn't bathed in neon and lights all around. It looked entirely different with people on their way to work.
They could spot forged-beasts helping out with various tasks, such as construction, heavy lifting, and even assisting in the service industry.
The drive took a while but they arrived at the destination.
The Nexus building was a towering glass monolith which reflected the rising sun and the rest of the city. It's height was also very intimidating, making it one of the tallest buildings in the city.
"Should I wait for you ma'am?" The driver asked when Elizabeth got down.
"No need, just give me your number. I'll call you when I'm done here" she replied, pulling out a phone from her jean's pocket.
They walked into the building after the driver drove away.
The place bustled with activity, employees moving swiftly in every direction. Some carried files filled with reports, while others clutched cups of coffee, delivering them to their seniors.
Elizabeth walked straight up to the receptionist's desk, and without looking up, the receptionist spoke.
"Registration is down the hall to your right; for the soul power test, take the hall on your left."
"I'm here to see Commander Gareth Steele" Elizabeth said.
"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist, still keeping her eyes fixed on her desktop screen, asked.
"No, but I believe he'll see me once you inform him that Major Elizabeth Cross is here to see him," she replied, her expression remaining unchanged.
The receptionist quickly looked up and immediately recognized Elizabeth.
"Right away ma'am" she quickly picked up the phone by her side and phoned the commander.
"Yes Sir" she spoke for a while before putting the phone back.
"Please take the elevator down this side, it should take you directly to his office" the receptionist pointed at a private elevator to their right.
"Thank you" Elizabeth said and walked towards the elevator with the group in tow.
With a ding, the elevator door opened, allowing them to enter.
'this is it, the first step to power' Reid thought while the elevator ascended.
_______________
Answer to previous Chapter's riddle: A River.
This Chapter's riddle: What starts with T, ends with T and has T in it?