The next day came fast.
Caden found himself in a briefing room again, this time with Ice King and Blue Blaze. The energy was different. Less overwhelming than the full Vanguard… but still serious.
Optimus stood at the front.
"Luxury city. Neon district," he said, pulling up a hologram. "We've got a demon smuggling ring moving cores through civilian zones. Quiet operation, if possible."
He paused, glancing at the three of them.
"…But knowing you guys, just stop them."
Ice King smirked. Blue Blaze grinned.
Caden just nodded.
They boarded Ice King's personal ship and touched down above the city, a glowing, neon-lit skyline stretching endlessly beneath them. Lights reflected off glass towers, hover traffic flowing like rivers through the air.
The ship hovered in place.
Caden stepped forward. "Alright, I'll go in first. I'll gather intel, find the convoy, and call it in. Once I confirm, you two move in and we shut it down."
Ice King shrugged. "Whatever you say, rookie."
Caden dropped into the city alone.
He moved through crowds, blending in, scanning everything, streets, rooftops, movement patterns. It didn't take long.
A convoy.
Heavy vehicles. Tight formation.
And in the back, sealed containers.
Caden narrowed his eyes.
Demon cores.
He tapped his comm. "Alright, I found them. We need to be careful, those cores are frag,"
A loud burst of energy cut him off.
Caden looked up.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Blue Blaze was already standing in front of the convoy, staff glowing bright as he charged a Kia blast.
Caden sighed. "Guess we're doing it your way."
The convoy reacted instantly.
Gunfire erupted, bullets tearing through the air toward Blue Blaze,
but a massive wall of ice slammed up in front of him.
Ice King.
"Relax," Ice King said casually. "I got you."
Caden moved in from behind, slipping between vehicles and taking down guards one by one, quick, efficient.
But it didn't stay quiet.
"Contact!" someone shouted.
The drivers hit it.
The convoy took off.
Caden didn't hesitate.
He sprinted forward and jumped, landing on the back of one of the moving trucks as it sped through the neon streets.
Above him, Ice King and Blue Blaze launched themselves forward, using ice constructs to propel through the air before landing hard on the lead vehicle.
Gunfire started again.
"Let's not forget," Blue Blaze called out, deflecting shots, "we've got civilians out here!"
Ice King nodded. "We'll work around them."
The chase tore through the city.
Cars swerved out of the way. People scattered.
Caden fought his way across the truck, taking out guards as he moved forward. One went down, then another, clean, controlled.
Up ahead, Ice King froze sections of the road, forcing traffic to stop safely while clearing space. Blue Blaze followed up, sending controlled bursts of Kia energy into the convoy's engines, disabling them one by one without causing explosions.
The vehicles started slowing.
Caden dropped down into the final truck, finishing off the last of the resistance from inside.
Moments later,
The convoy came to a full stop.
STF units rolled in not long after, securing the area, collecting the cores, and taking the remaining smugglers into custody.
The city calmed almost as quickly as it had erupted.
Back on the ship, heading out, Ice King leaned back in his seat.
"Not bad," he said, glancing at Caden. "You handled that clean."
Blue Blaze nodded. "Yeah… especially for your age."
Caden looked between them, a little surprised.
Ice King smirked. "If they asked me?"
He shrugged.
"You've got a spot in the Vanguard."
Blue Blaze grinned. "No doubt."
Caden leaned back slightly, looking out at the glowing city below as it faded into the distance.
For once,
He didn't feel like the new guy anymore.