The resignation letter felt heavier than it should have as Kael walked toward the Marine base the next morning. Three copies – one for his personnel file, one for the local command, and one for his own records. After today, Petty Officer Kael Thornfield would cease to exist, replaced by... what? A man with ancient powers and an unclear destiny?
The morning air carried the scent of sawdust and sea spray, normal smells that should have been comforting. Instead, they felt like harbingers of change. Water 7 had been his refuge for the past week, a place to recover and understand his new abilities. But yesterday's rescue had shattered his anonymity like a ship against hidden rocks.
MULTIPLE SURVEILLANCE OPERATIVES DETECTED IN THE VICINITY, the system warned as he approached the base gates. RECOMMENDATION: MAINTAIN CASUAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS.
Kael didn't need to look around to know he was being watched. He could feel the weight of attention like a physical presence. Marine Intelligence had arrived in force overnight, drawn by reports of impossible navigation skills displayed during yesterday's storm.
Lieutenant Commander Sterling was waiting for him in the same interview room where they'd met before, but this time he wasn't alone. A woman in civilian clothes sat beside him – mid-thirties, sharp eyes, and the kind of stillness that suggested dangerous competence.
"Petty Officer Thornfield," Sterling said without preamble. "Allow me to introduce Agent Cipher Pol Unit 7. Agent designation... let's just call her Agent White."
Kael's blood turned to ice. Cipher Pol – the World Government's intelligence agency. Their presence meant his actions yesterday had triggered alarms at the highest levels of the organization.
"Agent White has some questions about yesterday's incident," Sterling continued. "Particularly regarding your apparent ability to predict weather patterns with remarkable accuracy."
Agent White leaned forward, her voice professionally neutral. "Harbor Master Yokozuna reports that you warned of the storm eight minutes before it struck, despite clear skies and no meteorological indicators. How did you know it was coming?"
CAREFUL, the system whispered. CIPHER POL AGENTS ARE TRAINED TO DETECT DECEPTION AND UNUSUAL ABILITIES.
"I noticed cloud formations on the horizon that reminded me of the storm that wrecked my ship," Kael said, sticking as close to the truth as possible. "The similarity was... distinctive."
"These cloud formations weren't visible to harbor control or the weather station," Agent White noted, consulting a tablet. "In fact, satellite imagery shows clear skies in all directions until seven minutes before the storm struck."
"I have good eyes."
"Indeed you do." Her smile was sharp enough to cut glass. "Good enough, apparently, to navigate a rescue boat through conditions that should have been impossible for any normal human to survive."
The questioning continued for two hours, covering every detail of yesterday's rescue. Agent White was thorough, professional, and absolutely relentless. She asked about his training, his family background, any unusual experiences he might have had. Each question was a probe, searching for weaknesses in his story.
But the system's coaching helped him navigate the verbal minefield. When asked about his navigation techniques, he described methods that were advanced but still within the realm of normal human ability. When pressed about his weather prediction, he emphasized the traumatic memories of his previous shipwreck experience.
"I've been having nightmares about that storm," he said, letting genuine emotion creep into his voice. "When I saw similar patterns yesterday, I may have overreacted. Better safe than sorry."
Agent White made notes, but her expression suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. "Your personnel file indicates exceptional performance as a navigator, but nothing that would explain yesterday's... remarkable display of skill."
"Stress can bring out abilities people didn't know they had," Sterling interjected. "I've seen it before in combat situations."
The agent's cold gaze shifted to Sterling, and Kael could see the tension between civilian intelligence and military command. Cipher Pol answered to the World Government directly, while Marines maintained at least the pretense of independent operation.
"Perhaps," Agent White said finally. "However, given the unusual circumstances, I'm recommending that Petty Officer Thornfield undergo detailed psychological and physical evaluation at a secure facility."
Kael's heart hammered against his ribs. A "secure facility" meant laboratories, tests, and very possibly vivisection if they discovered the system's presence in his mind.
"On what grounds?" Sterling demanded. "Thornfield hasn't violated any regulations. If anything, he should be commended for saving lives."
"On the grounds that unexplained abilities warrant investigation," Agent White replied coolly. "Especially when those abilities manifest in personnel with access to sensitive navigation data."
PREPARE FOR IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE, the system advised. ANALYSIS INDICATES 73% PROBABILITY OF INDEFINITE DETENTION IF YOU COMPLY WITH EVALUATION REQUEST.
But before Kael could respond, Sterling surprised him by standing up. "I'm afraid that won't be possible, Agent White. Petty Officer Thornfield is processing out of the service as of today. Once his discharge is complete, he'll be a civilian. Any further investigation would require civilian law enforcement procedures."
Agent White's expression didn't change, but Kael could feel the temperature in the room drop several degrees. "How convenient. And when did this discharge request originate?"
"Three days ago," Sterling said, producing Kael's resignation letter from his file. "Personal reasons, following the trauma of losing his entire crew. Perfectly legitimate under Marine regulations."
The agent studied the letter, her trained eyes searching for any sign of forgery or coercion. But the paperwork was genuine, dated before yesterday's incident. She couldn't prove that Kael's timing was anything more than coincidence.
"Very well," she said finally. "The discharge will proceed as scheduled. However, Mr. Thornfield, I strongly advise you to make yourself available for future consultation. The World Government takes a keen interest in citizens with... exceptional capabilities."
The threat was clear. Run, and they would find him. Stay hidden, and they might leave him alone. For now.
After Agent White left, Sterling poured himself a cup of coffee with hands that shook slightly. "Son, I don't know what you've gotten yourself mixed up in, but you need to be very careful from here on out. Cipher Pol doesn't give up easily, and they have resources that would surprise you."
"Why did you help me?" Kael asked.
Sterling was quiet for a long moment, staring into his coffee as if it held answers to the universe's mysteries. "Because I've seen what happens to people who get labeled 'persons of interest' by the World Government. They disappear into black sites and research facilities, and their families never see them again." He looked up, meeting Kael's eyes. "You saved lives yesterday. That should count for something."
The discharge paperwork took another hour to complete, but finally, Kael walked out of the Marine base as a civilian. His military career was over, along with the security and purpose it had provided. He was free to choose his own path, but that freedom came with a target painted on his back.
CIPHER POL SURVEILLANCE TEAMS HAVE POSITIONED THEMSELVES AT THREE LOCATIONS AROUND YOUR LODGINGS, the system reported as he made his way through Water 7's crowded streets. THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO FOLLOW YOU INDEFINITELY.
"Any suggestions for losing them?"
YOUR NAVIGATION MASTERY INCLUDES URBAN ENVIRONMENT MAPPING. COMBINED WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL ARCHITECTURE, EVASION SHOULD BE POSSIBLE.
Kael spent the next two hours playing tourist, visiting shops and cafes while using his enhanced perception to map the city's layout in three dimensions. Water 7's unique multi-level construction created opportunities that wouldn't exist in a normal city – hidden passages between buildings, maintenance tunnels for the water elevators, emergency routes known only to local residents.
When he finally made his move, it was during the lunch rush. He entered a busy restaurant through the front door, made his way to the kitchen through a service corridor, and exited through a delivery entrance that connected to the city's underground maintenance network. His pursuers, expecting him to emerge from the main entrance, were left watching an empty building.
SURVEILLANCE TEAMS SUCCESSFULLY EVADED. HOWEVER, THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY REPRIEVE. CIPHER POL WILL EXPAND THEIR SEARCH PATTERNS WITHIN HOURS.
Kael knew he was right. He needed to leave Water 7, and soon. But first, he had to retrieve his few belongings and figure out where to go next. The system had mentioned gathering crew members and collecting compass fragments, but those were long-term goals. Right now, he needed immediate sanctuary.
Back at his lodgings – reached through a circuitous route that avoided all known surveillance positions – Kael packed his meager possessions. The ancient compass went into a hidden pocket, along with what little money he had left. Everything else fit into a single travel bag.
As he prepared to leave, there was a soft knock at his door. "Housekeeping," came a feminine voice.
But it was the middle of the afternoon, and housekeeping had already been through that morning. Kael approached the door cautiously, using his enhanced perception to sense what lay beyond.
One person, standing in a position that suggested combat training. Heartbeat elevated but controlled. Breathing patterns that indicated readiness for action. This wasn't housekeeping.
UNKNOWN INDIVIDUAL WITH MILITARY OR INTELLIGENCE TRAINING, the system confirmed. RECOMMEND ALTERNATIVE EXIT STRATEGY.
Kael was already moving toward the window. His room was on the second floor, but Water 7's architecture included plenty of handholds for someone who knew how to look. He slipped out onto the narrow ledge just as he heard the sound of lock picks working on his door.
The climb down was nerve-wracking but manageable. His enhanced spatial awareness helped him find secure grips even in the fading afternoon light. By the time his mysterious visitor realized the room was empty, Kael was already three buildings away, moving through the city's vertical maze like a ghost.
LOCATION SECURED FOR NOW, the system reported. HOWEVER, EXTENDED PRESENCE IN WATER 7 IS NO LONGER VIABLE. RECOMMENDATION: SEEK PASSAGE TO ALTERNATIVE DESTINATION WITHIN 24 HOURS.
But as Kael made his way toward the docks, hoping to find a merchant vessel that needed a navigator, he couldn't shake the feeling that leaving Water 7 would mean abandoning more than just a safe harbor. The ancient ruins beneath the city, the compass fragment's mysterious readings, the growing certainty that this peaceful city was connected to larger forces – all of it would remain unresolved.
The system had awakened him for a purpose, but that purpose seemed to require choices he wasn't ready to make. Leave now and stay safe, or dig deeper and risk everything on the chance of finding answers.
As evening fell over Water 7's canals, Kael found himself standing at a crossroads that would determine not just his immediate future, but the kind of person he would become in this strange new life.
The sound of distant footsteps echoed off the water, reminding him that his time for deliberation was running out.