Chapter 33: An Unexpected Offer

Dr. Kade settled into a chair at Thompson’s invitation, her posture relaxed but deliberate. “I handle logistics,” she began, her voice steady as a metronome. “Political buffers. Media liaison. Crisis containment. I make sure you, Ethan and the rest of the team, have the space to focus on his class development without institutional friction.”

Ethan leaned forward slightly. “And in our current situation?”

Kade didn’t hesitate. “From moment one Marcus Hale showed up, I would have escalated.” She tapped her temple lightly. “I know what qualifies as an escalation and who to call when it happens. You wouldn’t need to worry about any of that.”

Penny frowned. “You mean you’d handle the paperwork?”

A dry chuckle escaped Kade’s lips. “Among other things. The Guild demands a lot from S-ranks. Assisting with your affairs is part of the bargain.” She turned back to Ethan. “You’re aware of the Aurora Accords, yes?”

Alice blinked. “The international treaty?”

Kade nodded. “Exactly. Most nations cooperate on S-rank dungeon response as one body rather than piecemeal. Typical teams have one or two S-ranks with the rest being A-ranked. Part of my responsibilities is helping you transition into the system.”

Grace leaned forward. “But ... we don’t exactly fit the mold of a standard S-ranked team. We’re ... unusual?”

“Unprecedented,” Kade corrected gently. “But effective. My understanding is that I am to treat your team as if you will grow into a more standardized S-rank team, as much as any S-ranked team can be called normal,” She continued, “The Accords require certain concessions. You live where assigned. Your residences are provided. Luxury compounds near transport hubs for rapid deployment. Northern Canadian arctic gets the same coverage as Miami.”

Mei crossed her arms. “So we’re basically government property?”

Kade’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “More like strategic assets with certain privileges.” She looked at Ethan. “The tradeoff is understanding you might live somewhere less than ideal as a duty station, but knowing you’ll have everything needed to respond effectively while living comfortably. The world understands we’re asking a lot of S-ranks. We also understand you’re our only solution to S-ranked dungeons.”

Ethan absorbed this quietly. The others exchanged glances before Penny spoke up again. “And Marcus? What is going to happen is nice and all, but we have a problem now.”

Kade’s expression hardened slightly. “Wouldn’t have gotten this far, had I been here earlier.” She pulled out her tablet, fingers moving across the screen. “I’d have flagged his initial interference immediately and had Guild enforcers watching him from day one.”

Alice whistled low. Mei looked at Ethan, who gave a small nod.

Kade looked around the table. “Questions?”

Grace raised her hand slightly. “How do we know we can trust you?”

Kade didn’t blink. “You don’t. Not yet.” She leaned back. “But time will prove my value to your team. Trust is built over time. Now is when I ask you to give me the benefit of the doubt and give me the chance to earn that trust.”

Ethan looked down at his phone as it vibrated with a new message. He saw the sender in the notification: Tony Hale. He tapped Penny on the arm, showing her the message. Her eyes went wide for a moment before nodding towards Dr. Kade.

The room had noticed the interaction, waiting for Ethan to explain. “Tony Hale just messaged me. He wants to talk.”

“Then I’d say it’s time for you to get to work, Dr. Kade,” Guildmaster Thompson said, standing and looking at the team. “Dr. Kade has been on my radar for years. When I reviewed the shortlist for this role, her qualifications left me with no real alternative. Situations like this are exactly her purview, and I’m asking that you hear her out on how you should respond.”