Robert flew through the night sky, the cool air whipping past him as he tried to outrun the storm of emotions raging inside him. The city lights blurred beneath him, but he barely noticed. All he could think about was Kara’s offer, Freddie’s pleading, and the weight of expectations pressing down on him. By the time he landed on the balcony of his house, his chest was heaving, not from exertion but from the turmoil in his mind.

  He needed to be alone, to think, to breathe. He locked his bedroom door and leaned against it, his fists clenched at his sides.

  After a few minutes, he forced himself to move, grabbing a towel and heading to the shower. The hot water did little to ease the tension in his shoulders, but it gave him a moment to collect his thoughts. By the time he stepped out, his mind was still racing, but the sharp edge of his anger had dulled.

  Wrapped in a towel, he made his way to the living room, only to find his father sitting on the couch, waiting for him. Robert froze, his stomach sinking. “Dad? What are you doing here? You and Mom aren’t supposed to be back for another two days.”

  Eric Martinez looked up, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “At my age, opening portals across planets is… complicated. Let’s just say I’m not as spry as I used to be.”

  Robert raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. “Complicated? You’re the one who always brags about being able to open portals in your sleep.”

  Eric chuckled, leaning back on the couch. “Okay, fine. Your mother and I got a call from Kara. She told us what happened. We thought you might need us.”

  Robert sighed, dropping into the armchair across from his father. “Of course she did. Let me guess—you’re here to tell me I’m being stubborn and should just join the team, right?” Eric’s expression softened, his tone gentle but firm. “No, Robert. I’m here to listen. I want to understand why you’re so against this. Becoming a Guardian was your dream when you were a kid. What changed?”

  Robert looked away, his jaw tightening. “I grew up. I realized that is not that simple. People don’t see me as a hero, Dad. They see me as a threat. A power replicator who could become a danger at any moment.”

  Eric sighed, his gaze steady. “I know what it’s like to be judged, Robert. When your mother and I left the crown to raise you, we faced our share of hate and criticism. People called us traitors, said we were abandoning our duty. But we didn’t let their opinions define us. We followed our hearts, and we did what we believed was right.”

  Robert’s eyes flicked to his father’s, the anger in his chest flickering. “It’s not the same, Dad. Others respected you and Mom. People might not have agreed with your decision, but they still saw you as leaders. As equals. They don’t see me that way. They never will.”

  Eric’s expression softened, and he leaned back, his voice gentle but firm. “Being a Guardian isn’t about fame or approval, Robert. It’s about doing the right thing, even when it’s hard. It’s about helping others, even when they don’t understand you. You make a difference—not just for yourself, but for everyone like you. Don’t let fear or pride stop you from taking it.”

  Robert stared at his father, the words sinking in. For the first time, he felt the weight of his resistance crack. “I… I don’t know, Dad. What if I’m not good enough? What if I let everyone down?”

  Eric smiled, a warmth in his eyes that made Robert feel like a kid again. “You’re already good enough, son. You always have been. The only person you need to prove that to is yourself.”

  Robert sat in silence for a long moment, his father’s words echoing in his mind. Finally, he nodded, his voice quiet but resolute. “Okay. I’ll think about it.”

  “Good” Eric said as he stood up “I’m glad you will at least consider it” he extended his arm opening a portal “Well I got to get going back or your mother will kill me” the portal disappearing after Eric passed through it

  Later that evening, after hours of reflection, Robert picked up his holo-communicator and dialed Kara’s number. She answered almost immediately; her face appearing on the screen. “Robert. I wasn’t sure I’d hear from you.”

  Robert took a deep breath, his heart pounding. “I’ve thought about it. And… I’ll do it. I’ll join the Junior Guardians.”

  Kara’s eyes widened, a smile spreading across her face. “That’s great to hear, Robert. I knew you’d come around.”

  Robert nodded, his tone serious. “But I’m doing this my way. No grand speeches, no publicity stunts. I’m doing this to help people. That’s it.”

  Kara’s smile softened, her expression understanding. “Fair enough. Meet me at the recruitment center tomorrow morning. Bring Freddie, too. I’ll introduce you to the rest of the team.” Robert woke up early, the weight of his decision pressing on him like a stone. He dressed quickly, choosing a simple outfit—black pants and a fitted jacket—before grabbing his bag and heading downstairs.

  Freddie was waiting outside, leaning against the gate with his usual grin plastered across his face. “Took you long enough. I thought that I would have had to drag you out.”

  Robert rolled his eyes, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, well, I’m here, aren’t I?”

  Freddie fell into step beside him as they made their way to the recruitment center. The streets were quiet, the city still waking up, but Robert’s mind was anything but calm. He kept replaying his father’s words in his head, trying to convince himself he was making the right choice.

  “What do you think will be our first mission? What will our uniforms look like? Will we have base?” Freddie wondered enthusiastic Robert glanced at him. “I Don’t know Freddie, we haven’t even started and you already thinking too far ahead” he said with a smirk “Yeah you right I should slow down” said Freddie scratching his head.

  As they approached the recruitment center, Robert stopped, staring up at the imposing building. It was sleek and modern, its glass walls reflecting the morning sun. A banner hung above the entrance, emblazoned with the words Junior Guardians Initiative in bold, golden letters.

  Freddie nudged him. “You okay?”

  Robert hesitated, his voice low. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing? Joining this team?”

  Freddie shrugged, his tone light but sincere. “I think you’re overthinking it. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  Robert didn’t answer, his gaze fixed on the building. And took a deep breath.

  With that, he stepped forward, pushing open the doors and walking inside. Freddie followed close behind, his usual confidence a stark contrast to Robert’s unease.

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  The interior of the center was just as impressive as the exterior, with high ceilings, polished floors, and holographic displays showcasing the history of the Guardians. Robert barely noticed his focus on finding the room Kara had mentioned. Following the signs, they arrived at a large training hall where a group of people were gathered near the center.

  Kara spotted them immediately, her face lighting up with a smile. “Hey! Glad you showed up. I honestly thought you were going to bail out.”

  Robert crossed his arms, his tone dry. “Well, I can always change my mind.”

  Kara laughed, though there was a hint of relief in her eyes. She gestured to the group behind her. “Come on, let me introduce you to your new teammates.”

  Robert’s eyes flicked to the five strangers standing nearby. They were all around his age, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension. “Who are they, anyway?” he asked, his voice low.

  Kara turned back to him, her tone casual. “Oh, they all applied for the Guardian position last year, but didn’t make the cut. I thought they’d be a good fit for this team.”

  Robert raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “So you gathered a bunch of rejects, then? Who’s going to be the leader?”

  Kara smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. “You are, Robert.”

  Robert’s head snapped toward her, his eyes wide. “WHAT?! You’ve got to be kidding me!”

  Kara laughed, giving him a playful shove. “I’m not kidding. You’re the most experienced out of all of them, and you’ve got the skills to back it up. Now stop complaining and come meet your team.”

  Robert groaned, rolling his eyes. “Ugh, it’s like she hates me or something.”

  Freddie clapped him on the back, grinning. “Relax, boss. You’ll do great.”

  “Don’t call me that,” he said with a side eye

  Kara grabbed Robert’s arm and pulled him toward the group, her grip firm despite his protests. “Alright, everyone, this is Robert Martinez. He’s going to be your team leader.”

  As he walked closer, two of them caught his attention immediately—twins dressed in matching outfits, their posture confident and their expressions almost identical.

  “Hello,” Robert greeted them, his tone polite but reserved. “I’m Robert.”

  The twin on the left stepped forward, a friendly smile on his face. “My name is Luis,” he said, gesturing to his brother. “And this is Leo.”

  Leo gave a small nod, his expression more serious than his brother’s. “Nice to meet you.”

  Beside the twins was a young man with an infectious smile, wearing a button-up shirt and khaki pants. He waved enthusiastically as Robert approached. “I’m Joel,” he said cheerfully. “Looking forward to working with you!”

  Robert nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. “Likewise.”

  To Joel’s right stood a girl with glasses and a green sweater vest. She seemed shy, fiddling with the hem of her sweater, but she introduced herself. “Hi, my name is Emma,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Robert gave her a reassuring smile. “Nice to meet you, Emma.”

  Finally, his gaze landed on the fifth member of the group. She wore all black, had curly dark hair and her leather jacket adding to her appearance. Her arms were crossed, and her expression was unamused as she stepped forward. “Hey, I’m Sophia,” she said, her tone cool and direct.

  Robert raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her demeanor. “Sophia. Got it.”

  Kara stepped forward, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, now that introductions are out of the way, let’s get started. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

  Kara led the group down a series of sleek, modern hallways, their footsteps echoing softly on the polished floors. Robert walked a few steps behind, his arms crossed and his expression skeptical. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this whole thing was a mistake. What am I even doing here? He thought, glancing at the others. But he kept his doubts to himself, not wanting to cause a scene.

  They arrived at a spacious lounge, its walls lined with comfortable seating and large windows that offered a stunning view of the city. Kara turned to the group, her tone brisk but friendly. “Wait here for a bit. I have an important meeting to attend, but I’ll be back soon. Make yourselves comfortable.”

  The group nodded, spreading out across the lounge. Freddie immediately flopped onto one of the couches, while the twins, Leo and Luis, began chatting quietly. Joel and Emma wandered over to the window, marveling at the view, Sophia leaned against the wall, her arms crossed and her expression unreadable.

  Robert stayed near the door, his mind racing. He glanced at Freddie, who was already making himself at home, and sighed. “This is such a mess,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Say, who is Kara meeting with? You have any idea?” asked Freddie. “Most likely Markus,” responded Robert. “I hope it goes well,” he said

  Kara walked briskly to a nearby holo-meeting room, her heels clicking against the floor. She entered the room and activated the holo-projector, the air shimmering as a life-sized holographic image of Markus O’Kane appeared before her.

  Markus was an imposing figure, even in hologram form. He was in his late forties, with sharp features and piercing eyes that seemed to see right through you. Silver streaks highlighted his dark hair; he wore a tailored High Council suit—deep blue with gold accents. His expression was stern, but there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes as he regarded Kara.

  “Kara,” he said, his voice deep and commanding. “What’s the urgency of this call? I’m in the middle of the last day of the Guardians Festival. This had better be important.”

  Kara took a deep breath, her tone serious. “It is, Markus. We have a… human situation.”

  Markus’s eyes widened, his holographic image flickering slightly as he leaned forward. “A human situation? Are you telling me there are humans in Imperial City?”

  Kara nodded, her expression grim. “Yes. A family. An accident brought them here, and they’ve been hiding for about 4 weeks. I only found out about them recently.”

  Markus’s face darkened, his voice low and urgent. “Is the situation under control? You know what happened during the Delta incident? We can’t afford a repeat of that.”

  Kara held up a hand, her tone reassuring but firm. “It’s under control. They’ve been living in a refuge on the outskirts of the city, and they’ve stayed hidden. But they want to go back to Earth, and we want to help them.”

  Markus ran a hand through his hair, his frustration clear. “This is a disaster, Kara. If the Council finds out—”

  “They won’t,” Kara interrupted, her voice steady. “Not if we handle this quietly. I’ve already assembled a team to help. We just need your support.”

  Markus sighed, his holographic image flickering again as he paced the virtual room. “You’re asking a lot, Kara. Do you remember the Delta incident? It nearly tore the Dominion apart. If word gets out that there are humans here again…”

  “I know the risks,” Kara said, her tone resolute. “But we can’t just leave them here. It’s not right. And if we handle this carefully, no one has to know.”

  Markus’s holographic image flickered as he crossed his arms, his sharp eyes narrowing. “Do you have a plan in mind, Kara? Or are we just winging this?”

  Kara straightened, her tone confident. “I have a plan. Two members of the team I’ve assembled—Joel Tanner and Emma Graves—are top of their class at the Berlin Charter School of Specialized Science. Their IQs are 295 and 297, respectively. If anyone can figure out a way to get this family back to Earth, it’s them.”

  Markus raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting from skepticism to intrigue. “295 and 297? That’s… impressive. Even by Dominion standards.”

  Kara nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “I thought you’d appreciate that. They’re brilliant, and they’ve already shown a knack for solving problems no one else can. With their help, we can find a way to open a portal to Earth without alerting the Council.”

  Markus leaned back, his holographic form flickering slightly as he considered her words. “Alright. You’ve got my attention. But this needs to be handled carefully. If the public or the media finds out, it won’t just be your head on the line—it’ll be mine too.”

  Kara’s expression turned serious. “I know the risks, Markus. That’s why I need your help to keep this quiet. If we can keep the other members of the High Council in the dark, we can pull this off with no one noticing.”

  Markus sighed, running a hand through his silver-streaked hair. “You’re asking a lot, Kara. But if these two are as brilliant as you say, then maybe this is worth the risk.” He paused, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. “You have my support. But if this goes south, I’m not sticking my neck out for you.”

  Kara nodded, her tone firm. “Understood. Thank you, Markus. I won’t let you down.”

  Markus’s hologram flickered once more before disappearing, leaving Kara alone in the room. She took a deep breath, her mind racing with the weight of what she’d just set in motion. “This is it”, she thought. “No turning back now.”