The next day, Nate didn't rush to strike.
No — he watched.
From the corners of hallways, the backs of classrooms, the overlooked spaces no one paid attention to — Nate studied Caleb and his crew like a hunter studying prey.
He learned everything.
Caleb's habits.
His weaknesses.
The cracks he tried to hide behind that cocky swagger.
Behind the jokes and loud laughter, Caleb was nothing but insecurity wrapped in noise.
He couldn't stand being alone.
He needed his pack.
And Nate realized something crucial:
Break the pack, break the king.
---
The first thread Nate pulled was small — almost invisible.
After school, as Caleb and his friends hung out at a dingy café near campus, Nate sat a few tables away, hoodie up, eyes lowered, blending into the noise.
In his pocket, the black card hummed — a faint warmth against his skin.
He focused, calling up the new force inside him.
It obeyed sluggishly, still growing, but it was enough for now.
Nate whispered a few quiet words no one else could hear.
A simple suggestion sent into the air like poison:
> "Turn on each other."
At first, nothing happened.
Caleb and his buddies laughed and shoved each other as usual.
But then, Jamie — the smallest of Caleb's crew — made a snide comment, something about Caleb's father losing money in the last deal.
Something Caleb hated being reminded of.
The laughter cut short.
Caleb's smile twisted into something ugly.
> "You wanna say that again, runt?" he snapped, loud enough that the whole café turned.
Jamie stammered.
The tension crackled like a live wire.
Nate watched it grow, silently feeding it, adding just a whisper more anger into the air.
A shove.
A slammed chair.
A shouted curse.
The pack cracked.
And Nate smiled under his hood.
---
Later that night, back in his room, Nate opened the black card again.
The voice returned, calm and cold:
> "Access Level 2 unlocked. New options available."
Three more holograms appeared:
1. Asset Deployment: Call upon silent agents for assistance.
2. Skill Enhancement: Sharpen mental and physical abilities instantly.
3. Surveillance Mode: See through walls. Hear hidden conversations.
Nate's heart pounded.
Each option felt heavier, more dangerous.
A path he couldn't turn back from.
But he didn't hesitate.
2. Skill Enhancement.
The card vibrated violently, and Nate gritted his teeth as knowledge flooded his mind — fighting techniques, evasion tactics, manipulation strategies — as if he'd spent years training instead of mere seconds.
When it ended, he collapsed onto his bed, drenched in sweat.
He was evolving faster than he had ever dreamed.
And tomorrow…
the cracks in Caleb's world would widen.
---
At dawn, Nate stood at the edge of the abandoned lot near Westbrooke, the sky bleeding pink and gold.
Waiting.
Planning.
Because power wasn't just about strength.
It was about control.
And Nate Carter was about to control everything.
---