Chapter 294: The Hub
After a tense flight, the five of them arrived at a different area of the base. Alexander looked out the window, expecting to see spaceships or giant rockets, but there was nothing like that. Instead, it was a military complex. From the sky, it looked like one giant building in the middle surrounded by thousands of smaller structures built to protect it.
The helicopter descended toward one of the outer buildings. On the ground, several uniformedTMC members were waiting.
They gave a small bow when Alexander stepped down. "Greetings, Alexander. Authentication level: Orange Rank. Status: Squadron Captain. Follow us."
The group followed them into the lateral building.
"From this moment on, this is your headquarters," the lead official said. "According to our reports, you attempted to create your own organization. We have enough evidence showing you wanted to build a personal version of TMC. We are not against this; the group Big Black started the exact same way. Just remember to read the regulations, which have already been sent to your terminal. You can decide how to manage your team. Although TMC is your matrix, it has always run as a business entity, Mr. Alexander."
The official turned to the maid. "Miss Elena, you were assigned as his secretary. Come with us to get the logistical details while your companions settle in."
Elena and Alexander followed the officials down a secure hallway and into a private, soundproofed room. A set of keys and a thick folder were placed on the table before them.
"Read these immediately," the official said, crossing his arms. "These documents are classified. Under no circumstances are they allowed to leave this room."
Alexander and Elena sat down and opened the folder. As Alexander scanned the pages, his expression shifted from caution to genuine intrigue. It wasn’t a standard corporate manual it read like a charter for colonial pioneers.
THE BORDERLAND ACCORDS: SECTOR EXCLUSION
SECTION I: INTER-FACTIONAL SOVEREIGNTY
Article 1.1 (Non-Aggression): While operating within the resource zones of the outer realm, all recognized Earth-origin factions are strictly prohibited from initiating lethal combat against one another. Infractions will result in immediate termination by the coalition.
Article 1.2 (Mutual Assistance): Should an outpost from a recognized matrix—including independent groups—signal a Level 3 Extinction Threat from native entities, all nearby squads are obligated to provide defense, regardless of corporate rivalries.
Article 2.4 (Resource Non-Interference): Claims on foreign resource veins, spatial anomalies, or indigenous artifacts are governed by first-discovery rights. Hijacking or sabotaging another faction’s extraction operation is categorized as a high act of treason against the Coalition Board.
"This isn’t a military mandate," Alexander muttered, looking up at the official. "It’s a treaty between conquerors. We aren’t just deploying to fight; we’re establishing territory alongside everyone else."
"Exactly, Mr. Alexander," the official replied, his voice flat. "Out there, the rules of the city don’t exist. These accords are the only thing keeping the human factions from tearing each other apart before the native entities can do it for us. Read the operational boundaries carefully. Your survival depends on following those rules."
Alexander and Elena kept reading, flipping to the middle section where the actual benefits were outlined. The document detailed how all gathered resources could be sold to the coalition, and to ensure complete transparency and fairness, a real-time market value board would be displayed within their terminals.
A sub-clause noted that while private trading between individuals was permitted, the Coalition Board would take no responsibility for any private transactions or disputes.
However, it was the final clause at the very bottom of the document that truly caught Alexander’s eye:
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Clause 12.8 (Absolute Operational Autonomy): Upon crossing the threshold into the outer world, all localized Earth-tier hierarchies, corporate ranks, and official chains of command are declared null and void. Explorers retain the absolute right to operate alone, form independent cells, or follow their own internal pacts.
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Alexander stared at the words, a sudden realization hitting him like a lightning bolt. *No hierarchies. All corporate chains of command are nullified on the other side.*
He finally understood. This was how Big Black had built their own power. They hadn’t escaped TMC through a bloody rebellion on Earth; they had used the absolute lawless freedom of the other world to break their chains, amass their own fortune, and force the organization to treat them as equals.
A dark, sharp grin finally crept onto Alexander’s face. Julian thought he had sent him to a beautifully wrapped execution, but he had actually handed him the keys to the one place where TMC could no longer control him.
After returning the folder, Alexander and Elena were escorted deep into their private headquarters. The officials led them to a secure room containing a humming metallic platform connected to a glowing interface.
"This facility is equipped with an individual transport terminal," the official said, pointing to the console. "It operates as a one-way vector. You cannot use this pad to return here. When your deployment cycle concludes and you are sent back, you will always arrive through the main gate at the central building."
The official turned to look Alexander dead in the eye, his voice dropping into a razor-sharp warning.
"As a free piece of advice: if you attempt any unauthorized actions, you will be annihilated without question. We will never tolerate any altercation or anomaly that puts our world at risk. At the slightest suspicion of treason, you will be executed immediately."
Alexander remained silent, his face blank as the threat hung in the air.
"For your initial jump, the destination coordinates are locked to the TMC base on the other side," the official continued, manipulating the console keys. "Your personal terminal will function on that side. It was engineered to synchronize across realms. The compass function you’ve had for a while operates on a precise coordinate system. If you ever want to change your destination coordinates, you just need to input those numbers into this interface. Just be careful not to teleport yourself into the middle of an ocean."
The officials turned toward the door, giving one final glance over the group. "Remember, you must report to the command center later today. As the Squadron Captain, you retain full authority to decide who deploys with you and who remains stationed here at this base."
With that, the security doors slid shut, leaving the five of them alone in their new headquarters.
Alexander looked around the high-tech room, a sharp, dangerous spark in his eyes. "This is pretty exciting, don’t you think?"
"Exciting?" Leo asked, his face pale as he shook his head. "They are sending us to a foreign world to die. There is nothing exciting about this."
Ben, however, was grinning with pure adrenaline. "Boss, look what I just found!"
Everyone turned. Ben had cracked open a metallic locker against the wall, revealing an organized rack of high-intensity laser rifles—the exact same high-tier weaponry they had seen the elite shock troopers carrying.
"They left us an actual arsenal, Boss," Ben said, pulling one out to check the energy cell. "And they’re all ours."
Alexander walked over to the case on the table. He popped the latches and pulled out his operational suit. It wasn’t the armor he had expected. Instead, the fabric was incredibly thin, almost smooth to the touch like fine silk, yet it felt unnaturally dense and impossible to tear when he pulled at it.
He held it up and looked at the others. "Do any of you have one of these?"
"No," Marcus said, checking the other lockers. "They didn’t give us anything like that."
Alexander’s brow furrowed. "Then how the hell do they expect you to deploy with me? Am I supposed to handle this entire mission by myself?"
"Maybe there are more hidden somewhere," Marcus suggested, kicking open a storage crate.
The group began searching the rest of the facility, tearing through the lockers and supply bins. But there wasn’t much else left for them. Near the primary transport console, a sleek workstation terminal hummed to life. Elena sat down in front of the screen and began tapping the keys. The system wasn’t password-protected; it opened into a clean interface. She began digging through the local directories, looking for any operational data, but the terminal appeared factory-reset. There wasn’t a single file or log left behind.
"If that’s how it is, then I’ll go alone," said Alexander.
He grabbed the metallic case and stepped into the private changing alcove inside the transport bay. He popped the latches, pulling out the advanced operational suit. The suit began to align with his frame, molding smoothly against his chest and shoulders. However, as he pulled the lower layers up, the integrated briefs caught against his thighs, the tight structure refusing to shift.
How the hell do they know every one of my measurements? thought Alexander, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead as he realized the depth of their surveillance. This is insane.
He stripped off his remaining underwear, discarding it onto the bench. With nothing left underneath, the operational suit slid into place, sealing perfectly against his skin like a second layer of armor. The reinforced, tight fabric contoured over his lower torso, displaying a bulge that strained against the front alignment panels.
Elena stood by the entryway, her eyes locking onto the exposed view as she swallowed her saliva, her face flushing.