I thank Iris for the advice and head back to my quarters, planning to rest briefly before meeting Marcus. The corridors of Block D have quieted somewhat, with most independents either in their rooms or gathered in small groups in the common areas.

  Back in my cramped quarters, I examine the shower unit more carefully. The back panel looks permanently attached, but when I apply firm pressure as Marcus' message described, it shifts slightly. With a bit more force, it comes loose entirely, revealing a dark maintenance passage beyond.

  I check the time, still an hour before the scheduled meeting. Retrieving the data chip from under my mattress, I insert it into my tablet to check for any updates or instructions. The Umbra interface activates immediately, showing a single new message:

  "Approach tunnel junction from the west side. Three knocks, pause, two knocks. Keep your telekinetic signature minimal, security drones patrol the main passages. —M"

  I remove the chip and replace it under the mattress, then prepare for the meeting. My facility-issued clothing will make me visible in the dark tunnels, so I tear a strip from my bedsheet and fashion a makeshift hood to break up my silhouette.

  At 2145, I remove the shower panel and slip into the maintenance passage. The tunnel is narrow and poorly lit, with pipes and conduits running along the walls and ceiling. The air smells of lubricant and ozone, much different from the sterile atmosphere of the main facility.

  I extend my telekinetic awareness just enough to navigate the darkness without activating any abilities that might create a detectable energy signature. The passage slopes downward, occasionally branching into other tunnels marked with faded alphanumeric codes.

  Following Vex's directions, I locate tunnel J-17, distinguished by a red stripe painted along its ceiling. The passage narrows further here, forcing me to crouch as I make my way toward what I assume is the junction Marcus mentioned.

  After about ten minutes of careful movement, I reach a circular chamber where several tunnels converge. Pipes of various sizes run through the center of the space, creating a mechanical column from floor to ceiling. Unlike the passages, this junction shows signs of regular use, the floor is cleaner, and several makeshift seats have been arranged using supply crates and other scavenged items.

  Three figures wait in the shadows. I recognize Marcus by the faint electrical signature emanating from his body. The others remain obscured, but their enhanced energy patterns mark them as fellow independents.

  Following the instructions, I knock three times on the metal frame of the entrance, pause, then knock twice more.

  "Right on time," Marcus says, stepping forward. "First rule of independence, punctuality keeps you alive."

  As I enter the junction, the other two figures emerge from the shadows. One is Vex, his geometric facial scars faintly visible in the dim light. The other is a woman I haven't seen before, tall and angular, with what appears to be semi-transparent skin revealing shadowy organs beneath.

  "This is Phantom," Marcus introduces her. "She handles security for our little gatherings."

  Phantom nods but doesn't speak, her nearly translucent eyes studying me with calculating intensity.

  "The shower panel in your quarters," Marcus continues, "has been modified to bypass the standard security alerts. Most maintenance access points trigger silent alarms when displaced, but we've created safe entry points throughout Block D."

  He gestures for me to sit on one of the supply crates. "Welcome to the real orientation, Gary. This is where independence actually begins."

  I settle onto the supply crate, feeling the cool metal through my thin facility-issue clothing. The junction hums with the sound of flowing liquids and electrical currents in the pipes overhead, creating a white noise that would mask our conversation from any nearby listening devices.

  Marcus leans against the central column of pipes, electrical energy occasionally arcing between his fingers. The light casts sharp shadows across his scarred face, highlighting the intensity in his eyes.

  "First thing you need to understand about independence," he begins, "is that it's not just about rejecting sponsorship. It's about protecting what makes you fucking human."

  He gestures around the junction. "The facility divides us into categories, sponsored assets who get comfort and control, independents who get shit resources but maintain some autonomy, and the Nulls who failed enhancement and work as basic labor."

  Vex adjusts his position, the geometric scars on his face catching what little light exists in this underground space. "What they don't acknowledge is that there's another category, those who've gone beyond mere independence."

  Marcus nods. "Some call them the Unbound. Assets who've removed their tracking implants and operate completely outside the system. The aliens deny they exist because they represent a fundamental failure in control."

  "Tracking implants?" I ask, suddenly aware of the small hard spot at the base of my skull that I'd barely noticed before.

  Marcus touches the back of his neck. "Every enhanced human has one. Allows them to monitor location, vital signs, and power output. Sponsors add their own modifications, but the base implant is universal."

  Phantom moves closer, her transparent skin revealing the outline of her skull beneath. "Removing them is dangerous," she says, her voice surprisingly melodic for someone with such an unsettling appearance. "But possible."

  "That's not today's lesson," Marcus interjects. "First, you need to understand what independence really means in this place." He sits on a crate opposite me. "The official line is that independents reject sponsorship to develop naturally. The reality is more complicated."

  Vex picks up the thread. "The aliens need test cases, enhanced humans developing without direct interference. We're the control group in their fucking experiment. They restrict our resources not just as punishment, but to see how powers develop under adverse conditions."

  "It's also a nice stick to make their assets work harder." Phantom adds. "If you don't perform well, you might get dropped to independent status!"

  "The labor assignments," Marcus continues, "are designed to test practical applications of abilities in non-combat scenarios. Every pipe you fix, every waste system you clean, they're analyzing how you apply your powers to solve problems."

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  The junction's dim lighting flickers as something large moves through one of the overhead pipes, sending vibrations through the metal. We pause until the disturbance passes.

  "Tomorrow you'll get your first labor assignment," Phantom says. "Take it seriously. Not just to avoid penalties, but because it's your first opportunity to access restricted areas without triggering security protocols."

  Marcus stands and paces the small circular space. "Independence has advantages they don't tell you about. Without sponsor modifications, your abilities develop along natural pathways. Sometimes this leads to capabilities the aliens haven't predicted."

  He stops in front of me. "I saw the report from Facility 7. Molecular reconstruction of crystallized metal. That's not standard telekinesis, that's something new evolving in your power set."

  I keep my expression neutral, surprised that news traveled so quickly.

  "The independents have our own structures," Vex explains. "Information network, resource sharing, mutual protection when possible. Not everyone participates, some prefer true isolation, but those who do have better survival rates."

  Marcus nods toward the data chip I returned to my quarters. "The Umbra network is our primary communication channel. Proximity-based transmission, encrypted protocols, completely separate from facility systems. Use it to coordinate with other independents or signal for help if needed."

  Phantom moves to one of the tunnel entrances, seemingly listening for something beyond our perception. "Security drone," she whispers. "Third level sweep. Two minutes."

  Marcus continues without visible concern. "Three key rules for survival as an independent. First, develop your abilities on your own terms, but be selective about who sees your true capabilities. Second, use labor assignments to learn facility infrastructure, it's valuable knowledge that sponsored assets never acquire. Third, build alliances but trust carefully."

  Marcus’s words stick with me. The life of an independent is harsh, but we have our freedom, or at least more than the sponsored. But it feels like too big of a leap from how I was being treated yesterday. I mean all I did was do well in the arena and reject a sponsorship opportunity.

  "Why are we being treated so poorly anyways? Is there really such a huge difference between us and those who haven't been chosen by a sponsor yet?" I ask, feeling frustrated.

  Marcus exchanges glances with Vex before answering, the electricity dancing between his fingertips momentarily intensifying.

  "Good question," he says, nodding appreciatively. "There's a distinct difference. We call those awaiting sponsorship Potentials, and you are already familiar with the type of treatment they get. But the reason for that special treatment is because the aliens want them in prime condition for sponsor selection."

  Vex picks up the explanation. "And sure, Potentials may get better treatment, but they also get way less freedom. In ways you probably don’t even realize or appreciate given how little time you spent as one. Their schedules are fully controlled, wake-up, training, nutrition, rest, all precisely monitored to optimize their value. You know the drill."

  Marcus moves closer, lowering his voice despite the white noise of the pipes. "Potentials are watched constantly, tested daily, their abilities pushed to attract the highest-ranking sponsors. It's basically a fucking auction block disguised as 'development.'"

  Phantom moves from her lookout position, her semi-transparent features eerily visible in the dim light. "Some Potentials deliberately sabotage their performances to avoid premium sponsors known for aggressive control methods. They aim for mid-tier placement or even try to wait out the selection period."

  "Can Potentials choose independence like I did?" I ask.

  Marcus shakes his head. "Not directly. Only assets who've received formal offers can reject them. Potentials who remain unchosen after three evaluation cycles get downgraded to basic labor classifications, essentially becoming Nulls."

  "The system's designed to make independence feel like failure," Vex adds, his geometric scars pulsing slightly with suppressed anger. "That's why your choice rattled them. High-potential assets rejecting sponsorship undermines their narrative."

  Phantom checks another tunnel entrance before returning. "We should move. Sound signature approaching from tunnel K-22."

  Marcus nods and stands. "Use the Umbra network to arrange future meetings. Your labor assignment tomorrow will likely be intentionally grueling, they always test new independents hard." He extends his hand, electrical energy arcing briefly as our palms meet. "Welcome to actual freedom, Gary."

  We separate quickly, each taking different tunnels back toward our quarters. I navigate the dark passage carefully, using minimal telekinetic awareness to avoid obstacles.

  When I reach my quarters and replace the shower panel, the contrast between this cramped room and the privileged sectors seems less important now. I may have fewer resources and comforts, but my mind remains fully my own.

  Tomorrow brings my first labor assignment, a test of endurance and capability, but also my first opportunity to learn the facility from the inside out. The real challenge of independence has only just begun.

  I settle onto my thin mattress, the events of the day still swirling through my mind. The Consortium's threats, Marcus's underground meeting, the realization of what independence truly means in this place, all important pieces of my new reality.

  Taking slow, measured breaths, I transition into the meditative sleep state that's become increasingly natural since my enhancement. My body relaxes completely while my consciousness remains partially aware, floating in the threshold between waking and dreaming.

  As sleep claims my physical form, my telekinetic awareness expands outward in rippling waves. The molecular structure of my quarters becomes visible to my mental eye, the composition of walls, the electromagnetic currents running through hidden conduits, the subtle vibrations from distant machinery that sustains the facility.

  Deeper into meditation, I extend my perception further, passing through walls to sense the energy signatures of other enhanced humans in nearby quarters. Some burn bright with conscious activity, others dim with sleep. Some pulse with regular patterns, others flicker erratically, each unique, each revealing something about the individual's power manifestation.

  Tonight’s exploration feels different from my previous meditations. Without the constant pressure of facility expectations and sponsor evaluations, my mind roams more freely. My telekinetic sense pushes outward with greater range and precision, mapping sections of Block D I haven't physically visited yet.

  I discover maintenance shafts running below the residential level, waste processing systems churning constantly, and what appears to be a secondary power grid operating independently from the main facility network. Knowledge that could prove valuable in the coming days.

  Turning my awareness inward, I focus on my own cellular structure. The enhancement process altered my fundamental biology, creating new neural pathways and energy channels throughout my body. Without all the worries from the past few days clouding my mind, I can sense these changes more clearly now.

  The telekinetic energy flows through specific pathways in my nervous system, converging in nodes at key points, spine, brain stem, frontal cortex. As I observe these patterns, I begin to intuitively understand how to optimize them, how to reduce energy waste and increase efficiency.

  Most intriguing is the discovery that my telekinetic abilities seem to operate on multiple levels simultaneously. The obvious external manipulation of objects is merely the surface application. Beneath that lies molecular interaction, atomic manipulation, and potentially even subatomic influence still dormant within my capability spectrum.

  My meditation deepens further, and I begin passive work on my own cellular structure. Without conscious effort, my telekinetic energy repairs minor muscle damage from training, optimizes neural pathways for better power control, and strengthens the connections between my conscious mind and telekinetic abilities.

  Drifting deeper, I detect something expected, but still unpleasant, the faint energy signature of the tracking implant embedded at the base of my skull. Its composition becomes clear to my enhanced perception: a complex bioelectronic device that monitors location, vital signs, and power output. The Unbound Marcus mentioned have somehow removed or disabled these implants. Understanding its structure might be the first step toward greater freedom.

  As the facility's night cycle progresses, my meditation continues to refine my abilities at a subtle level. Without sponsor enhancements forcibly directing my development along predetermined paths, my powers evolve naturally, following the unique neural architecture of my mind.

  When consciousness begins to return with the facility's morning cycle, I feel remarkably refreshed despite the minimal physical rest. My mind is sharper, my telekinetic response more immediate, my awareness of the facility around me more detailed than before.