Kellan and Lyra returned to Apex Command after the swift victory at the R&D lab. The Class 3 Predator's inert remains were secured for future Synthesis experiments, and the Council of Elders' data was already being integrated into Seraphina's systems.
The immediate priority was the Watchmen. Lyra had arranged a meeting with their leader, a stoic, experienced security veteran named Jax. The meeting took place in a clean, brightly lit conference room within the Olympus Tower, a deliberate choice to contrast with Finch's dark, deceptive labs.
Jax and his team—a dozen elite, disillusioned security specialists—sat across the table. Their loyalty was to expertise and professionalism, not money, which made them the Optimal recruitment target.
"The Council of Elders employed you to guard sub-optimal secrets," Lyra began, her Level 4 aura making her presence commanding yet perfectly controlled. "They promised you honor, but gave you lies. You were betrayed."
Jax, a man built like granite, met her gaze without flinching. "We do not deny the betrayal, Ms. Volkov. But we do not trust shadows. We hear you are now dealing with... things that defy explanation."
[Optimal Insight (Level 3) Activated! Target: Jax (Watchmen Leader). Sub-Optimal Point: Need for Tangible, Quantifiable Purpose.]
[Optimal Action: Offer a direct, calculated demonstration of the Apex's superiority over their conventional skill set.]
Kellan stepped forward, leaning his hands on the table. This was a battle of psychology and intelligence. "You are all highly trained, Jax. You believe you can analyze any threat, physical or digital. But what if your skills were sub-optimal against a threat you cannot even see?"
Kellan snapped his fingers. On the conference table, a small, crystalline shard—a sliver of the Class 3 Predator's remains—appeared in a shielded container.
"This is all that remains of a threat that Seraphina's data systems couldn't predict, and your physical training couldn't touch," Kellan explained, his voice calm and factual. "It was capable of slicing through bank vault steel as easily as paper. It was defeated by optimized logic, not brute force."
"We are offering you a chance to make your sub-optimal training Apex Relevant," Lyra continued, her eyes locking with Jax's. "We offer the truth about the dimensional incursions and the technology to fight it. You will be the first Apex Defense Force—guardians of the world's most critical assets."
Jax remained silent, processing. Kellan knew the moment of hesitation was the Sub-Optimal Point he needed to address.
[Optimal Action: Offer a calculated, low-risk demonstration of Biological Optimization on Jax's physical flaw to guarantee his conversion.]
"Jax," Kellan said, looking directly at the veteran's left hand. "You sustained a hairline fracture in your third metacarpal five years ago, never fully healed. It impacts your grip strength by 7.2%."
Jax's eyes widened. That injury was classified, known only to a few medical personnel.
Kellan moved quickly. He didn't ask permission. He channeled a tiny, residual burst of Optimization Energy into Jax's injured hand. The energy was too minute to be noticeable to anyone else, but Jax felt a sudden, intense warmth in his old wound.
[Biological Optimization: Sub-Optimal Flaw (Metacarpal Fracture) Resolved. Grip strength restored to 100% efficiency.]
Jax flexed his hand slowly, his eyes disbelieving. The old, dull ache was simply gone. His shock was absolute.
Kellan pulled back, his expression unchanged. "We don't offer money, Jax. We offer perfection. Your choice is simple: remain an excellent, yet sub-optimal defense force for broken men, or become an Apex Guardian, perfected and relevant to the true threat."
Jax slammed his now-perfected hand on the table, the force rattling the room. "We're in, Mr. Thorne. Give us the truth, the training, and the weapons."
Kellan smiled, a true reflection of the Apex's victorious algorithm. Phase I: Organization, was complete.