Briefing Room — 10 Minutes Later
The recruits barely had time to dry off.
Ten minutes after Roger and Billix received their next mission alert, they were already back inside one of STF HQ's tiered briefing rooms. The room filled quickly with recruits, veterans, and elite STF members moving with practiced urgency.
Voltron stood near the back wall, silent and towering, his glowing eyes fixed on the front of the room.
Scarlet leaned against a side railing, reviewing information on her wristpad.
Shadow sat quietly with his arms crossed, unreadable behind the purple glow of his mask.
Roger and Billix slipped into their seats just as Ian and Optimus entered.
The room went quiet immediately.
Ian stepped to the front.
"This next mission is intel-focused," he said. "We're going to question a man named Devus."
A holo-image appeared behind him.
A silver-haired man in an expensive black suit stared out from the display. Beneath his name, several files opened at once: weapons contracts, trade networks, shell companies, shipping routes, and suspected black-market ties.
Ian continued.
"Devus is a weapons magnate with connections to multiple shady trade networks. We believe he may have information about an active demon portal."
A few recruits exchanged looks.
Roger leaned forward slightly.
A real demon portal.
Not a training drill.
Not an orientation speech.
Optimus stepped beside Ian.
"This is a high-stakes visit," he said. "Not a combat operation. But we are not going in soft."
His gaze moved across the trainees.
"Trainees, this is your chance to see how we operate on intel missions. Watch. Listen. Learn something."
Buzzblade, standing off to the side with his arms crossed, gave a small grin.
"I'll be joining too. Let's keep this clean and sharp."
Ian nodded.
"We leave from the hangar in fifteen."
He looked across the room one final time.
"Dismissed."
The room came alive again.
Recruits stood.
Veterans checked weapons.
Shadow disappeared through the side exit without a sound.
Roger glanced at Billix.
Billix sighed.
"Let me guess. You're excited again."
Roger smiled.
"I mean… yeah."
Billix shook his head.
"You're going to get us killed with optimism."
Hangar Bay — Moments Later
The hangar thundered with movement.
Engines roared. Personnel rushed across the deck. Pilots shouted final checks while support teams loaded gear into the transport shuttle. Blue warning lights flashed along the launch lanes.
The interrogation squad gathered near a sleek black shuttle.
Ian stood at the front, speaking quietly with Shadow.
Optimus reviewed the mission file on his wrist display.
Buzzblade leaned near the ramp, spinning his helmet in one hand.
Voltron waited beside the shuttle like a weapon someone had left standing upright.
Roger adjusted his vest and stared at the size of the operation.
"This is crazy," he whispered.
Billix checked the charge on his weapon.
"You say that every five minutes."
Roger looked toward the shuttle.
"Think we're actually going to talk to this Devus guy?"
Billix gave him a dry look.
"With our luck? We'll probably be guarding the door."
Voltron's cold mechanical voice came from behind them.
"Observation is the first step to understanding."
Roger and Billix froze.
Voltron slowly turned his glowing eyes toward them.
"Even the door has ears."
Neither recruit moved.
Roger swallowed.
Billix whispered, "I hate when he tries to be helpful."
Voltron faced forward again.
Buzzblade laughed from the ramp.
"You two better get used to him. That was Voltron being friendly."
Roger stared at the cybernetic giant.
"That was friendly?"
Billix stepped into the shuttle.
"I don't want to see angry."
Devus Corporation HQ — Night
The city's office district glittered beneath the night sky.
Tall corporate towers rose like glass blades, their upper floors glowing with cold white light. Expensive hovercars drifted between landing platforms, and security drones traced slow circles through the air.
Devus Corporation HQ stood at the center of it all.
A massive skyscraper of black glass and silver steel.
Clean.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
At least, that was what Devus probably believed.
The STF team moved like shadows along the lower walls.
Ian crouched beside a security panel near a side entrance. Shadow stood beside him, scanning the building's internal system with a thin device.
Buzzblade kept watch near the alley.
Voltron stood in the darkness behind a support column, somehow impossible to miss even while staying silent.
Roger and Billix crouched behind cover with the other trainees.
Roger whispered, "Are we breaking in?"
Billix whispered back, "Looks like it."
Roger's eyes widened slightly.
"But we're the Empire."
Billix looked at him.
"And?"
Before Roger could answer, Ian drew a small blade and slashed through the security panel.
The building lights flickered.
Then died.
Floor by floor, Devus Corporation HQ went dark.
Ian's voice came through the comm, quiet and controlled.
"It's go time."
The team moved.
No alarms.
No shouting.
No wasted motion.
Ian and Shadow led the way up the emergency stairwell, moving fast without making a sound. Buzzblade followed with the trainees close behind. Voltron brought up the rear, his heavy steps somehow controlled enough not to echo.
They climbed through the dark tower until they reached the executive level.
A sleek glass door waited at the end of the hall.
Gold lettering on the surface read:
DEVUS — EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS
Ian raised one hand.
Everyone stopped.
He looked back at the trainees.
"Me and Shadow are going in. Trainees—observe and learn."
Roger nodded quickly.
Billix stayed silent.
Shadow's hand hovered near his blade.
Ian pushed the door open.
Devus' Office — Top Floor
Devus sat inside a massive office overlooking the city.
Even in the blackout, the room carried the smell of wealth. Polished floors. Imported stone. Holographic art frozen mid-display. A long desk made from dark metallic wood sat near the window, facing the skyline.
Devus turned in his chair.
He was well-dressed, silver-haired, and calm.
Too calm.
His eyes moved from Ian to Shadow without surprise.
"What could the Galactic Empire possibly want with me?"
Ian strode forward.
"Answers."
Devus gave a cold smile.
"I usually charge for those."
Ian vaulted over the desk.
In one motion, he grabbed Devus by the collar and slammed him to the floor.
The sound cracked through the office.
Roger flinched from the hallway.
Billix's eyes widened.
Voltron did not react.
Ian pinned Devus down, voice tight.
"We know you're working with demons. Smuggling weapons. Moving cursed tech through private networks."
Devus struggled beneath him.
Ian leaned closer.
"Where are they getting their gear from?"
Devus's face twisted—not with anger.
With panic.
"You idiots don't get it…"
Ian's grip tightened.
"Then explain."
Devus's voice dropped, desperate.
"The demons have eyes everywhere. If you're going to interrogate me, don't do it here!"
Ian's expression sharpened.
"What do you mean?"
Devus looked toward the windows.
Then the walls.
Then the ceiling.
As if something might be listening through all of it.
"You think I want to smuggle for them?" Devus hissed. "You think I wanted any of this?"
Shadow stepped closer, arms crossed.
"You're saying you were forced."
Devus gave a bitter laugh.
"Forced?" he repeated. "That's too soft a word."
His voice shook now.
"The second I stop, they go after my family. My wife. My children. My brother's family. Everyone tied to my name."
Roger's stomach tightened from the hallway.
This was not what he expected.
Shadow's voice stayed cold.
"Why didn't you reach out? Our entire job is killing demons."
Devus looked at him with exhausted hatred.
"Because it's not that simple."
His eyes flicked toward Ian.
"If I'm caught fleeing, talking, or even thinking too loudly about betrayal, it's over. They don't just kill people."
He swallowed.
"They erase them."
The room fell silent.
Ian looked down at Devus.
For a second, the mission changed shape.
Devus was still dirty.
Still connected.
Still responsible for helping move demon weapons.
But he was not sitting at the top of the chain.
He was trapped inside it.
Ian exchanged a look with Shadow.
Shadow gave the smallest nod.
Ian released Devus and stood.
"Then first, we get your family safe."
Devus stared up at him.
Ian's voice stayed firm.
"After that, we talk."
Devus sat up slowly, breathing hard.
For the first time since they entered, the businessman looked less like a powerful weapons magnate and more like a terrified man who had been waiting for someone strong enough to force him out.
He nodded.
"Alright."
Ian turned toward the door.
"Shadow, secure the floor. Buzzblade, get the trainees ready to move. Voltron, nobody touches Devus."
Voltron's eyes glowed brighter.
"Understood."
Devus looked at the cybernetic giant.
Ian glanced back.
"You're coming with us."
Devus stood shakily, straightening his suit with trembling hands.
"Fine," he said. "I'll go with you."
Roger watched from the hallway, silent.
Billix leaned closer.
"Still think we're just guarding the door?"
Roger shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Devus, then at Ian.
"I think the door just opened to something worse."