The dorm room felt cavernous and cold, the absence of Jasper's cheerful presence amplifying the silence. Leon stood alone, the weight of helplessness pressing down on him. He had to do something, anything, to help Jasper, but he didn't know where to start. He went into deep thought.

  First, he needed information. He couldn't act blindly, charging headfirst into a situation he didn't understand. He needed to know why Jasper had been arrested, what evidence Reynolds had against him, and who was really behind the hacking of his system.

  He decided to start with Reynolds. Despite the Sergeant's role in Jasper's arrest, Leon couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story, that Reynolds was acting under orders, or that he himself knew there was more to be had. Perhaps he could be persuaded to reveal what he knew. If the soft face could somehow convince him, or at least tell the truth.

  Leon knew that approaching Reynolds would be risky. He was likely being watched, and any contact with the Sergeant could be interpreted as obstruction of justice. But he had no other choice. He had to take the chance.

  He left the dorm room and headed towards Reynolds' office, his heart pounding in his chest. The academy halls were eerily quiet, most cadets were likely in the mess hall for dinner, but it felt as if everyone was watching him, scrutinizing his every move.

  As he approached Reynolds' office, he saw two security officers standing guard outside the door. They eyed him with suspicion, their hands resting on their weapons.

  "What do you want, Woods?" one of the officers asked, his voice cold and challenging.

  "I need to speak with Sergeant Reynolds," Leon said, his voice firm but respectful.

  The officer hesitated, then nodded to his partner, who stepped inside the office to inform Reynolds of Leon's presence. A few moments ter, the officer returned, his expression unreadable.

  "The Sergeant will see you," he said, stepping aside to allow Leon to enter.

  Leon took a deep breath and stepped into Reynolds' office, his senses on high alert. The room was sparsely furnished, with a desk, a chair, and a few filing cabinets. Reynolds sat behind the desk, his expression grim.

  "What do you want, Woods?" Reynolds asked, his voice curt.

  "I want to know why you arrested Jasper," Leon said, his voice unwavering. "He's innocent. I know it."

  Reynolds sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I know it is not right Woods. It's difficult to find it out. Do you think he would have listened?"

  Leon hesitated, taken aback by Reynolds' unexpected honesty. "Then why did you do it?" he asked. "Why did you arrest him if you knew he was innocent?"

  Reynolds fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the floor. "I can't tell you that, Woods," he said finally. "It's cssified. But trust me, I had my reasons."

  "That's not good enough," Leon said, his voice rising in anger. "Jasper is my friend. I have every right to know what's going on."

  Reynolds looked up at Leon, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and determination. "I can't tell you everything, Woods," he said. "But I can tell you this: Jasper is in danger. And the only way to help him is to trust me."

  "Trust you?" Leon scoffed. "You arrested him! How can I trust you?"

  "I know it's hard, Woods," Reynolds said. "But you have to believe me. I'm on your side. I want to help Jasper. But I need your help too."

  Leon stared at Reynolds, trying to decipher his true intentions. He was torn between his loyalty to Jasper and his distrust of authority. Could he really trust Reynolds? Was he telling the truth? Or was this just another manipution, another attempt to control him?

  "What do you want me to do?" Leon asked finally, his voice heavy with doubt.

  Reynolds leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with intensity. "I need you to find out who framed Jasper," he said. "I need you to uncover the truth, no matter how dangerous it may be."

  As Leon listened to Reynolds' instructions, he knew that he was stepping into a dangerous game, a game that could cost him everything. But he also knew that he had no other choice. He had to help Jasper, even if it meant risking his own life.

  The unraveling had begun, and Leon was determined to see it through to the end.

  Reynolds leaned forward, his eyes intense. "Thorne," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Thorne is the key to all of this. He's been under suspicion for a while, but we haven't been able to find any concrete evidence to link him to anything illegal. Your job is to find that evidence."

  Leon felt a chill run down his spine. He had suspected Thorne was involved, but to hear it confirmed by Reynolds was chilling. "What kind of evidence?" he asked.

  "Anything that proves he's using academy resources for his own gain," Reynolds replied. "Anything that shows he's maniputing anomaly mitigation techniques for personal profit. Anything that links him to the hacking of Jasper's system. Look into this "rogue group"."

  Reynolds paused, his gaze unwavering. "I can't officially sanction this investigation, Woods," he said. "If anyone finds out what you're doing, I'll have to deny any knowledge of it. You'll be on your own. So, if you get caught, you are screwed".

  "I understand," Leon said, his voice firm. He knew the risks, but he was willing to take them to save Jasper. If they could be saved.

  "Start by looking into Thorne's activities over the past few months," Reynolds continued. "See if you can find any patterns, any inconsistencies. Talk to other cadets, see if they've noticed anything suspicious. But be careful who you trust. Thorne has allies within the academy. Make sure you do not get caught, or worse. I do not want that happening."

  Reynolds reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small data chip. "This contains cssified information about Thorne's background, his financial records, his personal contacts. It's everything we have on him. Use it wisely."

  Leon took the data chip, his fingers brushing against Reynolds'. He felt a surge of gratitude towards the Sergeant, despite everything that had happened. Reynolds was risking his career to help Jasper.

  "I won't let you down," Leon said, his voice sincere.

  "I know you won't, Woods," Reynolds replied, his gaze softening slightly. "You're a good cadet. Just be careful. Thorne is a dangerous man. Be careful who you bring into this."

  Reynolds stood up and walked over to the window, his gaze fixed on the academy grounds below. "There's one more thing," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I believe there is reason to believe this rogue group has a specific target in mind, something that Jasper makes easy for them to access."

  "What is it?" Leon asked, his curiosity piqued.

  Reynolds turned back to face Leon, his expression grave. "Jasper's system," he said. "I believe Thorne wants to use Jasper's system to manipute anomalies, to control them for his own purposes. That would not be good and needs to stop, now."

  Leon felt a surge of anger and protectiveness towards Jasper. He wouldn't let Thorne use him, wouldn't let him exploit his abilities for his own selfish gain.

  "I'll stop him," Leon said, his voice filled with determination. "I promise you, Reynolds. I'll stop Thorne, and save Jasper, and bring him to justice. One way or another."

  Reynolds nodded, his expression hopeful. "I believe you will, Woods," he said. "Just remember, be careful. The fate of the academy, and the fate of your friend, may depend on it."

  With that, Reynolds turned and walked back to his desk, signaling that the meeting was over. Leon took one st look at the Sergeant, his heart filled with gratitude and determination, and turned to leave the office.

  As he stepped back into the hallway, he felt a sense of purpose he hadn't felt in a long time. He had a mission, a goal, a reason to fight. He was no longer just a cadet, struggling to survive in the DAM Academy. He was a protector, a defender, a warrior.

  The unraveling had begun, and Leon was ready to follow the thread wherever it led, no matter the cost. The investigation was on, and Thorne would now be on his radar.