Chapter 18: Academy’s Statement || Cassian Voss
Xavier's eyes fluttered open to find himself in a private hospital room, the sterile white walls bathed in soft morning light. The pain that had consumed him was gone, replaced by a dull soreness that pulsed through his body like a distant memory. He shifted slightly, testing his limbs, and found he could move without agony.
His gaze drifted to the right where three men in black suits sat in a neat row, their expressions carefully neutral. The one in the middle smiled - a practiced, professional curve of lips that didn't reach his eyes.
"How are you feeling, Mr. Xavier?" the man asked, his voice smooth as polished steel.
Xavier said nothing. He didn't recognize these men, and didn't know why they were here. His silence stretched until the man sighed and brought up a holographic display from his wrist device.
"Perhaps this will jog your memory," he said, turning the display toward Xavier.
The first page showed the academy's official statement about the viral video.
[Astraeus Academy Emergency Statement
Subject: Immediate Response to Violent Incident and Viral Video Circulation
To: All Students, Faculty, and Staff
From: Chancellor Aldric Blackwood, Astraeus Academy Board of Governors
Official Statement: