Huey's hands were in his pocket, his mind recalling everything they had learned from Dante as he walked through the colonade connecting the academic buildings the next morning.
The distribution network was more sophisticated than he'd expected.
Dante picked up supplies at rotating locations, sometimes a dead drop in an abandoned building, sometimes handed off by people in crowds who immediately disappeared.
No consistent supplier nor patterns to exploit.
"I tried tracking them," Dante had said. "But they're pros. The second I started asking questions, the drops stopped for two weeks. When they resumed, everything had changed. New locations and contacts, almost ike they knew I'd been snooping."
So Dante was a dead end. Useful as a witness, willing to help, but couldn't lead them to anyone higher up the chain.
Which meant Huey was back to square one on the serum investigation.
Field assessment's coming up, he thought, adjusting his cross necklace.
Field tasks happened twice a semester and each legion evaluated students through hands-on work relevant to their specialization.
Combat students fought Variants, medical students treated injuries in active rift zones And Logistics and Support.....
"We get sent to rift sites to do the dirty work."
Students were divided into groups of ten for these assessments, each group scheduled for different days to avoid overwhelming the instructors.
"Though apparently that's changing this semester" Huey noted.
"Giacomo said something about smaller groups for special circumstances.
Probably budget cuts."
"Excuse me!"
Three girls approached from the opposite direction, Freshmen judging by their go getty demanor.
The head of the pack was a dark-skinned young lady with natural hair styled in intricate braids, a single silver earring catching the light.
Her warm smile had already greeted Huey before her words came out.
"Hi! You're Huey Cross, right? From Logistics and Support?"
"Yeah." Huey didn't slow his pace.
"We're from Media and Entertainment," she continued, falling into step beside him.
"We're putting together a theatrical production about Achusoi discrimination, But we want it to be genuine, so we're interviewing actual Achusoi students for their perspectives and experiences."
Huey already had his answer ready from the moment she started speaking.
"Not interested."
"We'd really appreciate your input! As someone from a Major House, your voice would carry a lot of weight...."
"Ok, still not interested."
The girl's smile didn't falter. She slipped something into his hand as they passed.
"If you change your mind, give me a call. I'm Keisha, by the way."
Huey glanced down. A folded tissue with a phone number written in neat handwriting.
The girls continued past, already targeting another student down the walkway.
Huey walked a bit further, then pulled out the tissue.
It's hard being the most visible Achusoi on campus, he thought.
The gold cross necklace at his throat was basically a billboard advertising
"MAJOR HOUSE CRESTLESS GUY HERE."
Every well-meaning movement, every awareness campaign, every "let's promote equality" initiative somehow found him.
He used the tissue to blow his nose, then tossed it in a nearby bin.
If they really wanted to show Achusoi and Toplars are equal, movements like this wouldn't need to exist in the first place.
The whole thing was performative.
Theatre kids putting on a play about discrimination so they could feel good about themselves, collect their grades, and go back to not thinking about it.
Huey didn't need their pity.
And he definitely wasn't going to be their token for authenticity points.
He reached his destination and stopped, looking up.
The Logistics and Support Legion dome rose before him, smaller than the main cathedral but still impressive.
The architecture blended Byzantine stone with modern glass, creating an aesthetic that was both ancient and cutting-edge.
Huey stepped onto a stone platform that hovered via pneuma manipulation.
It rose smoothly, carrying him upward along the dome's exterior toward the upper offices.
Dean Giacomo's office door was slightly ajar.
Huey knocked.
The office was organized chaos. Maps covered every wall and artifacts stacked on every surface.
Professor Lorenzo Giacomo sat behind his desk in that signature striped suit. His buzz cut pristine and that smile already in place.
Four other students were present.
Only four?
Suzie stood near the window, her cassock perfectly pressed and hair tied back in a neat ponytail.
She nodded at Huey.
Willy leaned against the wall with Wheeler perched on his shoulder.
Jonas sat in one of the chairs. His Shard, Chirp was a small bird made of compressed earth pecking at insects.
And Tamara occupied the other chair, her arms crossed and looking like she'd rather be literally anywhere else.
Her cassock had extra pockets sewn into it, they were stuffed with protein bars.
"Ah, Huegen!" Giacomo's smile widened.
"So kind of you to join us. I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost."
"I'm early," Huey said flatly.
"Early? Weve been waiting for 15 minutes."
"You said ten o'clock."
"I said nine-thirty."
"You absolutely did not."
Giacomo stood, still smiling. "Well, regardless, you're here now. Though I must say, I expected better punctuality from someone who scores so well on written assessments."
"If you think reducing the number of students in each group is going to help you or your hair grow" Huey said,
"I'm sorry to say this sir, but that's not how personal development works."
The smile never left Giacomo's face, he only adjusted his glasses.
One second he was behind his desk.
The next he was behind Huey, the professor's surprisingly muscular arm locked around His neck.
"The buzz cut is a choice Cross, not a condition!"
Huey tapped desperately at Giacomo's arm.
"Okay, okay. I get it "
"Do you? Do you really?"
Tap tap tap
"Can't breathe"
"Should've thought of that before questioning my personal grooming decisions!"
"Professor!" Suzie stepped forward, her voice calm. "He's turning blue."
Giacomo released him immediately, his smile returning to full wattage.
"See? That's how a proper student behave. Respectful and professional." He clapped Huey on the shoulder. "You should be more like Xu."
Huey coughed, rubbing his neck.
Willy was trying very hard not to laugh.
Jonas had given up and was openly grinning and even Tamara looked mildly entertained.
Giacomo returned to his desk, gesturing for everyone to pay attention.
"Now then. As you've probably noticed, your group is smaller this semester. Only five students instead of the usual ten. There's a reason for that."
He pulled up a holographic display showing the field assessment schedule.
"We're going to be running a special joint-legion evaluation. Five students from Logistics and Support paired with five students from another legion for a comprehensive practical examination."
"Uh, what legion?" Tamara asked, sitting up slightly.
Giacomo's smile somehow got even wider.
"The Combat Legion."
The room went silent.
Willy straightened off the wall. "Wait, seriously?"
"Combat?" Jonas's eyes lit up. "We're working with the actual Combat students?"
Suzie frowned slightly. "That's... unusual. Our skill sets don't typically overlap in field assessments."
"Which is exactly why the administration wants to test cross-legion coordination," Giacomo explained.
"In real-world scenarios, you'll be working alongside Combat Division Topplers regularly. This assessment simulates that dynamic."
Huey's mind was already working through the implications.
Combat Legion students were trained, aggressive and glory seeking.
They saw Logistics as background support at best and dead weight at worst.
This was going to be a disaster.
Giacomo's expression turned more serious.
"I'll be honest with you all, this assessment carries significant weight. Your performance will be evaluated not just by me, but by a supervisor from Arcanum as well. Impress them, and it could open doors for your future careers."
Huey stroked the frosted tips of his hair unconsciously.
"Any questions?" Giacomo's smile returned.
"None..., then I will say this. The Combat students you were grouped with for this assessment are all highly ranked within their year. You'll be working with some of the best."
"Get yourselves ready" Giacomo said.
"You'll be meeting the Arcanum supervisor and leaving for the rift site at noon. I expect all of you to be on time."
He looked directly at Huey. "Especially you, Huegen"
As they filed out, Willy fell into step beside Huey.
"Combat Legion," he muttered. "Think we'll get anyone cool? Or are we gonna be stuck with a bunch of assholes who think we're just there to carry their gear?"
"Probably the second one."
"Optimistic as always."
They walked in silence for a moment, Wheeler chittering something that sounded judgmental.
"Hey," Willy said quietly. "You okay?I know It's been weird since that whole Dante thing."
"I'm fine."
"You're never fine, that's kind of your thing."
Huey didn't respond.
Because Willy was right.
The serum investigation was hitting dead ends, his father was still comatose, the Blue Reaper bounty steadily rising and now he was about to be thrown into close quarters with Combat students he hadn't fit into the plans he made for this field assessment.