Phase Three was the hardest and so naturally took the longest to depict for Harold and Holt in detail. Each of them looked shaken as they recalled what they had experienced in their nightmares, some opting not to speak.
But Harold had heard enough and slowly leaned back.
"So..."
He glanced between everyone.
"The Gate almost seemed to be testing you."
Most of them nodded.
Every phase had escalated naturally, going from individual survival to team coordination against varying creatures with a range of abilities to mental resilience at the end.
Detective Holt finally spoke.
"Interesting..."
His calm voice drew everyone's attention.
"This Gate Takeover was even more intricate than the last."
He looked down briefly before adding,
"Almost as though something wanted to see how far each of you could go."
