Chapter 408:Relief and separation again.

Chapter 408: 408:Relief and separation again.

She was looking toward the aisle. He followed her gaze.

Antony had completely stopped in the middle of it. Several unfamiliar students stood next to him. He wasn’t looking at any of them, he was staring directly at Silver.

Silver smiled and raised one hand.

Antony’s mouth opened, closed and opened again.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

Several people turned.

An older academy student standing near the aisle immediately looked toward him.

"First Year. Language."

He pointed at Silver.

"He was under a mountain!"

Silver laughed.

The older student stared at both of them. Ravenna covered part of her face in pure embarrassment. Antony marched toward them.

Silver stood.

He reached him and immediately punched him in the shoulder. Not particularly hard but he still winced.

Antony’s expression changed.

"You’re still injured."

"Good observation."

He stared at him.

"You actually escaped."

He smiled.

"I did tell you I was almost out."

"That was nearly a week ago!"

"Things happened."

"Things happened?"

Antony looked toward Ravenna.

"Is that what he’s calling it?"

Ravenna shook her head.

"He hasn’t told me everything yet."

Antony looked offended on her behalf.

"You haven’t told her?"

"I arrived yesterday."

"And what were you doing all evening?"

Silver glanced at Ravenna.

Ravenna’s cheeks colored slightly.

Antony looked between them.

His eyes narrowed, then widened.

"Oh."

Ravenna immediately spoke.

"Don’t."

Antony pointed between them.

"You two finally..."

"Antony."

"Fine."

Silver laughed.

Antony stared at him again.

The humor faded.

Silver saw the relief beneath it.

After a few seconds of idle chat, Antony stepped forward and hugged him. Silver froze briefly then carefully returned it.

Antony spoke quietly.

"You absolute bastard."

Silver smiled.

"Good to see you too."

"You have no idea how much trouble you caused."

"I can imagine."

"No, you can’t. Ravenna looked like she was going to murder the entire Association."

Ravenna folded her arms.

"I was not."

Antony pulled back.

"You were."

"I was upset."

"You threatened people."

"They deserved it."

Silver looked at her.

She avoided his eyes.

Antony smiled.

"See?"

The other four students had finally reached them.

Antony turned and introduced his teammates.

Rebecca looked at Silver then Ravenna.

"So this are your friends."

Antony nodded and turned to point at Silver as though he had a grudge.

"This one hear almost got burried alive, gave me a heart attack you know."

Silver raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn’t buried."

Antony stared.

"You were trapped underground beneath a mountain."

"That’s technically different."

Leon spoke for the first time.

"Not by much."

Silver smiled at him.

"I like him."

Antony pointed and nodded.

"That’s what I said."

Gareth looked between Silver and Ravenna.

"You two came through special admission?" Gareth asked.

Ravenna nodded.

"Yes."

Antony sighed dramatically.

"While we were being crushed by artificial pressure, shot at, chased by beasts, abandoned in a wilderness and interrogated without being allowed to shower, these two signed paperwork."

Silver considered that.

"Sounds like you had a productive two days."

Antony stared.

"I said the same thing earlier," Silver added.

"You’re horrible."

A warning tone sounded through the hall. Students began taking their seats.

His new group found places behind the group while Antony took a seat beside them.

The academy officer stepped onto the stage. The enormous Alpha Three insignia appeared behind him.

"Welcome to Alpha Three Academy."

The hall quieted.

The speech covered the academy’s purpose, its connection to sanctuary defense, field operations, military cooperation and Contractor development. The officer explained that students would be divided into initial classes and training units beginning the following day, and that leadership positions would be assigned provisionally rather than permanently.

Silver listened carefully.

Then came the distinction that mattered to him.

"Students admitted through the general-entry examination have completed their preliminary individual and squad evaluations."

Antony smiled smugly.

The officer continued.

"Those students are released from further assessment today after orientation."

Antony leaned toward Silver.

"Did you hear that?"

He didn’t look at him.

"Unfortunately."

"Free time."

"Congratulations."

The officer continued.

"Students admitted through direct admission, sponsored pathways and special-entry programs have not completed equivalent assessment."

Antony’s smile widened.

Silver finally looked at him.

"Don’t."

Antony whispered, "Productive afternoon."

Ravenna covered a smile.

"These students will report to Evaluation Complex Two immediately following orientation."

Silver looked toward Ravenna. She looked completely unconcerned.

The officer continued.

"Your admission is already confirmed. Today’s evaluation will not determine whether you remain a student except in cases of serious disciplinary violation."

Several students visibly relaxed.

"Do not misunderstand that statement." The officer’s voice hardened. "Today’s performance will determine your preliminary class placement, training priority and eligibility for first-year leadership positions."

That changed the atmosphere.

Silver straightened slightly.

Leadership.

That got his attention real quick.

"Each first-year class and training unit will require students capable of coordinating others during field exercises. Initial leaders will be selected using entrance performance, today’s special-entry evaluations, instructor review and demonstrated judgment."

The screen changed.

DIRECT / SPECIAL ADMISSION EVALUATION

SOUL PRESSURE & CORE CONTROL

SIMULATED COMBAT ASSESSMENT

INDIVIDUAL REVIEW

Antony leaned closer.

"That’s basically what they did to us."

Silver glanced at him. ℯℯ𝑙.

"Then you can give me advice."

"Absolutely. My consultation fee is expensive."

"I’ll manage without it."

"I hope you fail," Antony club said under his teeth.

Ravenna looked toward him.

"He won’t."

The certainty in her voice made Antony smile.

"New girlfriend confidence, huh?"

Ravenna froze.

Silver turned toward her.

Antony immediately leaned away before she could hit him.

The officer continued explaining orientation procedures, disciplinary expectations and academy regulations.

Then came an example almost immediately.

A commotion began near one of the front sections. A boy wearing an expensive sword despite the academy’s instruction to surrender unauthorized equipment was arguing with a staff member.

"My family already submitted authorization."

The staff member remained calm.

"The weapon isn’t approved for today’s evaluation."

"It was approved for my admission."

"Admission and evaluation equipment are separate."

The boy’s expression darkened.

"Do you know which organization sponsored me?"

The hall became quieter.

The staff member didn’t seem impressed.

"I do."

"Then you know I was given equipment exemptions."

"Not for today’s controlled assessment."

The boy scoffed and started to walk away with the sword.

An officer stepped into his path.

"Stop."

The boy stopped.

The officer held out his hand.

"Weapon."

For several seconds, Silver thought the boy might actually refuse, eventually he handed it over.

The officer scanned his identification.

"First disciplinary warning."

The boy’s face changed.

"For carrying an approved family weapon?"

"For refusing evaluation personnel."

"That’s ridiculous."

The officer looked directly at him.

"Second warning results in immediate expulsion."

Silence filled the whole hallway.

Silver’s eyes narrowed.

The boy walked away.

Antony whispered, "He’d have been eliminated yesterday."

Silver looked at him.

"What?"

"If he’d pulled that during general entry, they would’ve thrown him out immediately."

He looked toward the boy again.

Antony continued quietly.

"We had candidates disqualified for ignoring safety commands once. That guy gets a warning because he’s already admitted."

Ravenna’s expression became colder.

"So the rules are different."

"Apparently."

Silver watched the officer return to his position. He didn’t think it was entirely different.

The boy had received a warning which showed that the academy had drawn a line.

But Antony was right.

A general candidate would’ve lost everything for the same behavior.

He leaned back.

"Power still matters even when people pretend it doesn’t."

Ravenna glanced toward him.

"Family power."

"That too."

The orientation eventually ended and the general-entry students were dismissed.

Antony stood immediately and stretched.

"Free at last."

Rebecca laughed.

"We have barely been students for an hour."

"And I’m already using my privileges."

Silver stood.

Antony looked at him.

"Good luck."

"Thought you hoped I failed."

"I changed my mind. Ravenna looked at me. She’s such an angle I couldn’t resist her ’beautiful’ eyes at kept on gla... I mean staring at me."

Ravenna smiled.

Antony took a careful step backward.

"We’re going to find food."

Silver raised an eyebrow.

"You ate."

"That was hours ago."

"It was barely two."

"Exactly."

Gareth called from the aisle.

"Antony."

"I’m coming."

He looked toward Silver one final time.

The humor softened.

"We’ll talk later."

Silver understood what he meant.

"Later."

Antony nodded, then left with Rebecca, Gareth, Mira and Leon.

Silver watched him disappear into the crowd.

Ravenna moved closer.

"He’s really happy you’re alive."

He looked at her.

"So are you."

She met his eyes.

"Very."

Silver smiled and reached for her hand. She allowed him to take it.

An officer’s voice came through the hall.

"Direct and special-admission students, proceed to Evaluation Complex Two. Reporting deadline is sixteen hundred."

Ravenna looked toward the exit.

"We should go."

Silver didn’t release her hand.

"We have time."

Ravenna immediately recognized that expression.

"Silver."

He leaned closer.

"We didn’t finish our conversation this morning."

"We weren’t having a conversation."

"Exactly."

Ravenna tried not to smile.

"We are surrounded by people."

"You didn’t care earlier," he said, his voice low.

"I care now."

Silver moved slightly closer.

Ravenna glanced around, then quickly kissed him before stepping away..

"There. Now we’re going."

He stared at her before lightly licking his lips.

"That was barely a kiss."

"It still counts."

"I disagree."

"You don’t get to decide."

"I think this relationship requires clearer regulations."

Ravenna laughed.

"Then submit a complaint."

"To whom?"

"Me."

"That’s not fair, you’ll reject it."

"Immediately."

He followed her out of the hall.