"This is our base, huh?" Axel said, scanning his surroundings.
Nature dominated the view—lush, unrelenting jungle as far as the eye could see. It felt like a secret base carved out of the heart of a rainforest. The facility itself was modest, smaller than the Tesla Institute by a fair margin.
Five months had passed since Axel's heart-pounding encounter with Gilliam at Tesla. Now, the Shadow-Mirror team had finally settled into their dedicated base in Ecuador. The base had been completed four months ago, but the tech team's relocation had dragged on for an extra month—a logistical nightmare Axel hadn't anticipated. Moving from North to South America was no small feat, but still, come on, tech team, get it together, he thought, absolving himself of any blame.
Lemon, meanwhile, had been juggling her time between Langley and Tesla, where the teleportation device's development was reaching its climax. Vindel, focused on the move, had kept the Special Operations team's missions light—only a handful in the past five months.
"Captain Axel, Big Sis Lemon's calling for you," Martin said, approaching.
Axel raised an eyebrow. Martin and the others called him "Captain" and Vindel "Major," respecting their ranks. But Lemon? For some reason, they called her "Big Sis" instead of "Lieutenant." Does she fit the title? Axel mused. If he was honest, the answer was a resounding yes.
"Got it. She's at the lab, right?" Axel asked.
"Yeah, and Major Vindel's been called too, so it's probably something big."
Wonder what it's about, Axel thought as he headed to Lemon's lab.
If asked what had changed most with the move to Ecuador, Axel would point to Lemon's laboratory. At Langley, her workspace had been spacious, but here, it was massive—roughly fifty tatami mats, a sprawling domain for her research.
"Lemon, you called?" Axel said, opening the lab door.
Inside, Lemon and Vindel were already waiting. "Right on time," Lemon said with a smile. "Perfect. Sit down and listen with Vindel."
Nodding, Axel sank into a sofa in the reception area. Vindel spoke up, his tone brisk. "Now that Axel's here, can we start? I'm swamped with work as base commander."
No one would argue that Vindel was the busiest person here. Beyond leading Shadow-Mirror, he was managing the administrative load of the Ecuador base. Though small for a special forces outpost, the paperwork was relentless.
Lemon nodded at Vindel's prompt. "With our own base, we can tackle research that wasn't possible at Langley. I'd like to start working on the T-Link System. Thoughts?"
"I'm all for it if it boosts our machines," Axel said, "but are you sure you can handle it?"
Lemon was already juggling three major projects: the W-Numbers, the Timeflow Engine, and Tesla's Aguieus. Add in her smaller experiments, and Axel couldn't fathom the workload. His excitement for the T-Link System's potential was overshadowed by concern for her health.
Vindel echoed him. "I agree with Axel. Can you really manage that many projects without burning out?"
Lemon waved off their worries. "I'll be fine. The W-Numbers are in a phase where they're acclimating to simulated experiences, so they don't need much attention. Aguieus is mostly wrapped up on my end, so that's not too demanding either. That leaves the Timeflow Engine and T-Link System, which I can handle concurrently. Plus, I plan to equip the Growsaver with both. Coordinating their development makes sense for fine-tuning."
"Is that how it works?" Axel asked, half-convinced. Lemon's scientific prowess made it seem plausible, but still.
"Besides," she continued, "the T-Link System is nearly complete, thanks to the data Axel brought from the Special Brain Institute. With some Tesla tech thrown in, I can probably get it done quickly—though it'll likely be limited to Growsaver-specific gear."
"T-Link System gear," Axel mused, drawing on his original timeline knowledge and the institute's reports. "Like telekinetic fields for barriers, machine control like Gundam's psycommu, or weapons like T-Link Knuckles or Swords?"
In the original story, the T-Link System was versatile—used for defensive barriers, enhanced piloting, or channeling telekinetic energy into weapons. If it could be adapted for the Growsaver, it'd be a game-changer. As long as Lemon's health held up, Axel was all in.
Vindel, seemingly on the same page, nodded. "If you're sure you can handle it, Lemon, I'd love to see Axel's machine upgraded. Go for it."
"Leave it to me," Lemon said. "I'll still need to visit Tesla occasionally, though—Aguieus isn't completely problem-free."
"Do what you need," Vindel said. "It's your call."
"I can't help with the tech side," Axel added, "but if you need an escort or someone to bounce ideas off, just say so."
"Oh? I'll hold you to that," Lemon replied, her smile teasing.
Axel caught himself staring at her for a moment before snapping back. "Since we're all here, anything else we should discuss?"
"Good point," Vindel said. "With the base, we can expand Shadow-Mirror's ranks. I'm thinking of doubling the Special Operations team."
"Makes sense," Axel said. "More missions are likely with a base like this. How many are we adding?"
"You've got five in your team now, including you. I want to add five more for a two-squad structure."
Ten total wasn't a huge leap, but it was significant. "No objections here," Axel said. "Got anyone in mind?"
"I've shortlisted some candidates, but finding a squad leader is tough. Any recommendations?"
Two names popped into Axel's head: Barison and Yuria. Yuria, being in the space forces, would be hard to poach, though her skills as the Troye Unit's leader in the original timeline were undeniable. That left Barison.
"How about Barison?" Axel suggested. "We were in the academy together. His skills are solid."
"Barison… I've heard you mention him during academy meetings," Vindel said, recalling their old chats. "Where is he now?"
"Last I heard, he's in Africa fighting DC remnants. I don't know his exact unit, so you'll need to track him down if you want to recruit him."
"Got it. I'll look into it."
With the team expansion settled, Vindel's expression turned grave, a hint of frustration in his eyes. "Next topic, Axel."
A bad feeling stirred in Axel's chest, but he nodded. "Go on."
"The Albert Grey case. You remember?"
"Of course," Axel said. The man who ordered Dr. Montoya's assassination wasn't someone he'd forget.
Vindel's jaw tightened. "The evidence we submitted was buried."
"Buried?" Axel's voice rose. "With all that clear proof?"
The ledgers had Grey's accounts in black and white, and the computer data was airtight. A third-rate politician like Grey shouldn't have been able to wriggle out of that.
"Someone else pulled strings," Axel guessed. "Who?"
"Karl Stresemann," Vindel said.
Lemon, who'd been listening quietly, cut in. "Wait, the Karl Stresemann? Why's someone that big involved?"
She had a point. Stresemann, vice-chair of the Federation's Security Council and head of the EOT Special Council, was practically the kingpin of corrupt politicians. Though Meteor-3 never reached Earth in this world, the EOT Special Council existed due to leftover Inspector tech.
"So Grey was Stresemann's puppet," Axel said, piecing it together. It matched the original timeline's dynamics.
"Seems that way," Vindel said bitterly. "Corruption's spreading in the Federation's upper ranks. It'll likely hit the military soon."
Axel sighed. "Worrying about it won't help. We just have to believe Shadow-Mirror can keep it in check."
Even if that fails, and it leads to our rebellion, he thought grimly.
"Right," Vindel said. "That's all for now. Anything else?"
"Nothing from me," Axel said.
"Same here," Lemon added.
"Then we're done," Vindel concluded. "Lemon, get to work on the T-Link System. Axel, keep up your training—be ready to deploy anytime."
With that, the Shadow-Mirror leadership meeting ended.