[Laura’s Thought]: In the movies, Homecoming is the night where everything is perfect. The dress fits, the music is just right, and the boy you like finally says the words you’ve been waiting to hear. In my life, a dress is just something that’s hard to hide armor under, and 'perfect' usually means no one gets mind-controlled before the slow songs start.
The Sherwood High gymnasium had been transformed. Silver streamers hung from the ceiling, and a massive disco ball threw shards of light across the floor. For once, the smell of gym socks was replaced by the scent of cheap cologne and hairspray.
Laura stood at the entrance, smoothing down the skirt of her dark violet dress. It was a simple, elegant look, but she felt incredibly exposed without her hoodie. Taped to her inner thigh was the frequency jammer Austin had made, and her Cybergem watch was disguised as a piece of costume jewelry on her wrist.
"Wow," a voice whispered behind her.
She turned to see Austin. He was wearing a suit that was slightly too big in the shoulders, and his hair was actually combed back. He looked nervous, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
"You look... incredible, Laura. Really," he said, his face turning that familiar shade of red.
"You don't look so bad yourself, tech guy," Laura teased, though her own heart was racing. "No laptop today?"
"It’s in the car. But I’ve got the tactical link running through my watch," he whispered, stepping closer. "Everything is quiet. No Foundry signatures, no UMA spikes. Just... us."
The First Dance
The DJ switched to a slow song—a soft, melodic track that filled the gym. Austin cleared his throat and held out his hand. "So... since we’re here... would you like to dance? As 'Tactical Partners'?"
Laura laughed and took his hand. "Just as Laura and Austin tonight."
They moved onto the floor. As Austin put his hands on her waist and Laura rested hers on his shoulders, the rest of the world seemed to fade away. For the first time since the warehouse, the "static" in her head was completely gone. The warmth of his hands and the steady beat of the music were the only things that mattered.
"Austin," she whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Thanks for bringing me back. I don't think I ever said it properly."
"You don't have to say it," Austin replied, his voice low and sincere. "I'd follow you into any basement, any warehouse. I'm not letting you go."
They drifted in a slow circle under the disco ball. It was a moment of pure, normal high school magic—until Laura’s wrist gave a sharp, vibrating pulse.
[Laura’s Thought]: The jammer. Someone just spiked the frequency in the room.
The Foundry Crashes the Party
Laura’s eyes snapped open. She scanned the room. Near the punch bowl, three students were standing perfectly still, their cups tilted, juice spilling onto the floor. They weren't looking at the dance; they were looking at the exit, their eyes glazed with a familiar, terrifying blankness.
"Austin," Laura hissed.
"I see it. Three signatures. It’s a low-frequency broadcast coming from... the DJ booth?"
Suddenly, the music cut out. A man stepped out from behind the speakers. He wasn't a UMA; he was wearing tactical gear with a stylized "F" on his chest. In his hand, he held a sleek, silver baton that was pulsing with a rhythmic blue light.
"Pardon the interruption," the man said into the microphone. "We are looking for a few specific 'specimens' for the Foundry. If the rest of you stay still, this will be painless."
He pointed the baton at a group of athletes. They immediately slumped forward, falling into a hypnotic trance.
"Laura, stay back!" Austin yelled, reaching for his own belt. "The frequency is too high, the jammer can't handle a direct broadcast!"
[Laura’s Thought]: Leon taught me to flow. Avan taught me to be fast. I’m not letting these people take my friends. I’m not letting them turn my school into another warehouse.
"Watch... Initiate Starlight Legacy!" Laura yelled, not caring who saw her.
The violet light erupted from her dress, the armor plating snapping over her silk skirts, shredding the fabric as her boots locked into place. She didn't have her mask on yet, her face bare and determined.
"The dance is over," Cybergirl growled, her palms glowing with a fierce, emerald light.
The Fight in the Gym
The Foundry assassin smirked. "The legacy herself. You're the prize we really wanted."
He swung the baton, sending a wave of concussive psychic force through the air. Laura didn't brace for it this time. She remembered Leon's training. She pivoted, the force sliding past her like water around a stone.
She used Avan’s speed, crossing the gym in a heartbeat. Before the assassin could recalibrate his device, she delivered a high-speed kick that shattered the baton into a thousand pieces.
The students who were hypnotized gasped, waking up instantly.
"Austin! Get them out of here!" Laura shouted, her mask finally snapping into place as more Foundry agents burst through the side doors.
"I'm on it! I'm hacking the emergency shutters!" Austin’s fingers flew over his watch. "L, watch your six! They have gravity snares!"
[Laura’s Thought]: They think I'm a puppet they can just grab. They’re about to find out that this doll has teeth.
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