In the main chamber of the general, all personnel stood in silence as the man himself entered the room. His presence alone made the atmosphere turn heavy. His eyes swept the room before he turned toward Frederik.
"How's the southern gate?" the general asked, voice sharp.
Frederik hesitated for a moment, then lowered his gaze. "Celestia escaped…"
The general's expression hardened. "Escaped? After I assigned you five mutants at your side?"
"I apologize," Frederik responded quickly. "I'll make up for it."
A soft, mocking chuckle echoed behind him, Hike, Igor, Cassian, Mira, and Reinar snickering among themselves. Their reaction only added fuel to Frederik's quiet frustration. It wasn't entirely his fault, yet he bore the blame.
Frederik quickly composed himself and added, "She had help… from someone named Julian."
"Julian?" The general's eyes narrowed. "The one people have been whispering about recently?"
Frederik nodded.
