The technician led them to a quieter room. It was small, yet clearly meant for those of higher status. Plush chairs, a coffee table, and even a stocked mini fridge sat in the corner. It wasn’t fancy, but compared to the evaluation room, it was practically a five-star hotel.

  "There’s some bottled water if you want it," the technician offered. "I'll come grab you when he gets here."

  "Thanks, Mr...?" Ava prompted, flopping down onto a chair backward, arms draped over the back.

  He blinked, like he forgot he had a name for a second. "Uh, Lewis. It's Lewis."

  Ava shot him finger guns. "Thanks, Lewis."

  Emma sat more properly, folding her hands in her p, her eyes drifting zily over the room.

  Lewis hesitated a moment longer, then left, closing the door behind him.

  The twins sat in pleasant silence until Ava finally broke it by tossing a wrapped mint she found on the coffee table toward Emma’s head.

  Emma caught it without looking. "Grow up."

  Ava snickered. "I'm older than you."

  The thirty minutes passed quicker than expected.

  A soft knock came at the door before it swung open smoothly. A pair of agents in sharp bck suits entered first, giving the twins a thorough once-over. Then, Deputy Director Michael Connor stepped inside.

  He wasn’t the towering, intimidating force some might expect. Middle-aged, with green eyes and short, tidy blonde hair, he wore a perfectly pressed bck vest over a white dress shirt. His expression was measured and surprisingly friendly. He looked at them for a long moment, evaluating them.

  Then he offered a small smile and a nod.

  "Ava. Emma. Thank you for waiting."

  Ava popped up immediately, extending her hand first with a lopsided grin. "Nice to meet you, Deputy Director."

  Michael took her hand with a firm but polite shake, then repeated the gesture with Emma, who stood with a more reserved demeanor.

  "No need to be nervous," he said, easing into the room. "I'm not here to scold you. Quite the opposite, actually."

  He settled into one of the chairs across from them, crossing one leg over the other in a rexed manner. His agents positioned themselves quietly near the door, out of earshot.

  "You two have made quite an impression today," he said, tapping lightly on the folder he carried, their provisional intake files. "Two unregistered S-Rank hunters. Identical twins, no less. The kind of situation we only see once, well, never, actually."

  He chuckled softly, the lines around his eyes crinkling.

  "And I’m guessing you have a lot of questions too."

  Ava leaned forward, chin resting in her hands. "Depends. How much are you gonna bribe us to work for you?"

  Michael ughed, a genuine, hearty sound. "Straight to the point. I like that."

  Emma finally spoke, her voice clear. "We don't mind working with the FBH. But we'd need favorable arrangements."

  Michael's smile didn't falter.

  "Good. Because I’m not looking for pawns, I’m looking for partners. People who want to protect their country and themselves. And given what you two are presumably capable of as S-ranks, we’re willing to be very generous."

  Michael studied them for a moment longer, his easygoing smile sharpening slightly at the edges. Not unfriendly, just a reminder that beneath the nice exterior, there was a seasoned official who knew exactly how big a bombshell was sitting in front of him. "But before we get to contracts and guilds," he said, tapping the folder against his knee, "there’s a small complication we need to address."

  Ava raised an eyebrow. Emma remained impassive.

  "You see," Michael continued, "normally, new awakeners provide some form of identification. Birth certificates, licenses, passports, or something official to prove who they are and where they came from. You two, however... seem to have appeared out of thin air."

  Neither twin responded. They just waited, letting him spell it out.

  Michael chuckled under his breath, setting the folder down on the table between them.

  "Don’t worry. I’m not accusing you of anything. Frankly, the FBH would love for you to be our problem rather than anyone else’s. And because you’re S-Ranks, we’re willing to be flexible."

  He leaned forward slightly, voice lowering to something more serious.

  "What I’m offering is simple. You agree to a few terms, nothing extreme, and I’ll personally expedite your paperwork. Residency, birth records, citizenship, social security numbers, everything. Clean, legal, and airtight."

  Ava's grin grew wider. "I like how shady this is sounding."

  Emma gave her a mild side-eye before turning back to Michael. "What are the terms?"

  Michael steepled his fingers. "First, you’ll need to cooperate with the FBH on public retions. That means participating in scheduled interviews, photo shoots, and any other arrangements we make to help shape your public image. You're an unprecedented event; twins, both S-Rank. You’re about to become very famous, whether you like it or not. It’s better if we control that story."

  "Second," he continued, "you’ll need to be avaible for certain ceremonial events. Nothing dangerous, just appearances."

  "And third," he added, "you’re free to choose any guild you like, but we expect open communication, and should a situation arise where your cooperation is needed for national security, you’ll respond promptly.

  Ava sat back, chewing it over. "So basically, you're offering to fix our entire existence if we agree to py nice in front of cameras?

  Michael's eyes glinted with humor. "A crude but accurate summary."

  Emma tapped her fingers lightly against the chair arm. "And if we say no?"

  Michael shrugged, the easy smile slipping into something a little graver. "Then things get complicated. You'd still be S-Ranks, but without official identities, you wouldn't be able to join any guild, access government facilities, or even legally exist in the hunter system. You’d have no rights and no protection. Plenty of interest from foreign parties, though."

  He let that hang in the air.

  Ava whistled. "Damn. It's almost like we don't have a choice."

  "You always have a choice," Michael said, standing up and straightening his vest. "I’m just offering you the best one."

  He picked up the folders again and pced them neatly back under his arm.

  "I’ll give you a few minutes to talk it over. When you're ready, we'll finalize the arrangements."

  With a final polite nod, he turned and exited the room, his agents silently trailing behind him as the door clicked shut.

  Ava leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling with a grin. "Hey. At least we’re gonna be famous."

  Emma gave her a small smile. "Yup."

  They never had any intention of declining regardless of his terms. What piece of paper is going to stop either of them from doing whatever the hell they want to? But having legal power behind them could never hurt.

  It didn’t take long for the door to open again.

  Michael Connor stepped back in, that same pleasant smile on his face, but with a let's get down to business energy.

  "So," he said, hands casually slipping into his pockets, "what’s the verdict?"

  Ava threw up a bogus salute, her grin wide. "Where do we sign, boss?"

  Emma nodded. "We accept your terms."

  Michael’s smile grew with satisfaction. "Excellent. Let’s make it official, then."

  He stepped aside, allowing one of his agents to enter carrying a thin stack of documents on a clipboard. It wasn't too thick, just a few key pages for signatures. No sense burying S-Ranks under red tape, after all.

  Michael moved through it efficiently, pointing at each section. "Acknowledgment of agreement, consent to public retions activities, acknowledgment of national security cuse... Here’s where you choose your preferred guild sponsorship; however, if you haven’t decided yet, you can submit that ter."

  Ava immediately scribbled down Scavenger Guild without hesitation.

  Emma, after a gnce at her sister, did the same.

  Michael didn’t even blink. If anything, he looked happy with their pick. "Good choice. Strongest in the world for a reason."

  Once the st signature was inked, Michael collected the documents with a snap of the clipboard.

  "Congratutions," he said. "You’re officially people."

  Ava snorted.

  "As for your next steps," Michael continued, handing them each a sleek, official-looking envelope, "you’ll undergo your skill set evaluation tomorrow. It’s a simple process. Afterward, you’ll be officially licensed as hunters."

  He let that sink in for a moment before adding, "In the meantime, you’ll be staying here."

  He handed over a slim, embossed card featuring the name of a luxury hotel downtown. One of the best in the city, if not the best. "All expenses are covered. Rex, enjoy yourselves. You’ll have an agent nearby if you need anything. Think of it as a little welcome gift from me.

  Ava looked downright gleeful. "Five-star treatment!"

  Michael chuckled. "Rest up. You’re going to need it."

  He gave them one st nod before heading out, leaving the twins alone again.

  Ava spun the hotel key card between her fingers, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. "We made it."

  Emma carefully tucked her envelope into her jacket. "Almost."

  Emma teleported them to a secluded corner in the hotel lobby where they would be temporarily staying. Nobody noticed them, and it was better than walking or searching for a taxi.

  The lobby they appeared in was a stunning dispy of wealth. A massive centerpiece of fresh flowers scented the air, and a polished reception desk stood at the far end, manned by sharply dressed staff. "Fancy," Ava murmured, slipping the key card into her back pocket.

  Emma gave the room a quick gnce, making sure no one was paying them undue attention, before nodding. "Let’s check in."

  They crossed the lobby, attracting a few admiring gnces even without announcing themselves, but they didn’t exactly blend in. They were very attractive, even in their lounge clothing. Spotting beautiful women was fairly common here, but seeing two identical-looking models wasn't.

  The check-in was smooth and quick. Apparently, their room had already been prepared, under a pseudonym, no less. Probably to avoid drawing attention until their public reveal.

  After a ride in a sleek, gss-walled elevator that provided a scenic view of the city, they arrived at their suite.

  The door opened with a soft beep, revealing a space straight out of a luxury magazine. High ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, plush modern furniture, and an amazing view of the city lights. There was a huge king-sized bed, a cozy sitting area, a stocked mini-bar, and even a private balcony.

  Ava spun around in circles, absorbing everything. "Okay, this is nice."

  Emma was already setting her envelope on the nightstand, toeing off her shoes. "Enjoy it while we can. Tomorrow’s probably going to be busy."

  Ava flopped backward onto the massive bed with a dramatic sigh, bouncing once before spreading out like a starfish. "Busy, huh?" she said, her voice dropping a tad lower. She turned her head zily toward Emma, her grin wicked. "Not too busy for a little fun first, I hope."

  Emma shot her a side-eye so dry it could've cracked gss. But the slight upward twitch at the corner of her mouth gave her away.

  "You’re hopeless," Emma said, taking off her sweatshirt and tossing it onto the armchair.

  "And you love it," Ava teased.