"Alright," June said. "Let’s proceed with the tests."

Ross was escorted through several reinforced corridors and into a secured medical wing.

The atmosphere there was sterile and tense, with armed guards positioned at every exit.

Technicians and medics moved quickly, their faces betraying a mix of curiosity and unease.

Blood was drawn first, followed by a series of scans.

Machines hummed as data streamed across monitors.

Notes were taken, samples labeled and sealed.

Ross remained cooperative throughout, showing no sign of discomfort or impatience.

Finally, they brought him into a wide, open testing chamber.

"This is where we’ll observe your ability," a technician said, keeping a safe distance. "Demonstrate it when ready."

Ross glanced around the room once, then nodded.

Poof.

His body vanished in an instant, the air snapping softly where he once stood.

Gasps rippled through the room as he reappeared several meters away, standing calmly with his hands at his sides.

Poof.

Another blink.

This time he appeared near the opposite wall, leaving behind nothing but a faint disturbance in the air.

Poof.

Once more, his form flickered in and out of existence, as though reality itself bent willingly to his command.

Each teleport was flawless—no delay, no strain, no visible limitation.

The room fell into stunned silence.

Several technicians stared openly, their mouths slightly agape.

Even the guards stiffened, instinctively tightening their grips on their weapons despite knowing how useless they would be if Ross chose to disappear again.

June watched from behind the reinforced glass, her expression unreadable.

But her eyes told a different story.

This wasn’t just an ability.

It was a strategic nightmare—or an invaluable asset.

And for the first time since Ross had arrived at the base, June realized she wasn’t just dealing with a survivor anymore.

She was dealing with something far more dangerous and if on their side, an extremely valuable asset.

More than that, Ross was asked to undergo one of the most extreme tests the base could administer.

A man in a crisp, perfectly pressed uniform approached him, his expression professional but firm.

"Ross," he began, "this time you’ll need to strip completely. We have to ensure there are no zombie bites, wounds, or other irregularities. It’s standard procedure for all new personnel—especially now, after the zombie outbreak."

Ross raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. His voice carried a casual lilt, though there was an edge beneath it.

"And what’s next? Are you going to have to touch me too?"

The officer’s jaw tightened. "I’m afraid so. A full physical inspection requires complete contact. That is the protocol."

Ross crossed his arms, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I’m fine with an inspection," he said evenly, "but I am not comfortable with a man doing it. I will only agree if a woman conducts the examination."

The uniformed man shook his head firmly, his voice betraying no emotion.

"That’s not allowed, Ross. Men inspect men, women inspect women. Those are the rules. Exceptions cannot be made."

Ross’s smirk widened into a smile, slow and deliberate, his eyes gleaming with quiet amusement.

He looked around the sterile, heavily guarded room, taking in the walls lined with cameras, the motion sensors, and the soldiers stationed at every corner.

"Then I suppose this is where we part ways," he said softly, almost conversationally.

"There’s no one here who can stop me. Not even these walls, and certainly not the men who think rules will hold me."

The officer’s eyes narrowed. "Ross—"

But before he could finish the warning, Ross moved.

In an instant, he was gone, leaving behind only empty air where he had been standing.

There was no trace of him, no sound, no disturbance beyond the faint echo of his last words.

The room went silent, save for the officer’s own heavy breathing.

For a long moment, everyone stared at the spot where Ross had been, disbelief etched across their faces.

Soldiers and staff alike exchanged confused glances. The rules, the walls, the procedures—they had all been broken in a single, impossible moment.

The officer clenched his fists.

"He... he shouldn’t be able to do that," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.

"No one should be able to disappear like that inside a secured facility..."

Ross, meanwhile, was already gone, moving freely beyond the base, leaving no path for pursuit.

The sheer audacity of his departure sent ripples of panic and awe through the personnel.

Whispers quickly spread: "Impossible... he just vanished... the walls couldn’t hold him..."

By the time the base realized he was gone, there was nothing they could do.

No alarms, no weapons, no personnel could contain him. Ross had simply walked—or perhaps disappeared—past every limit they had thought existed.

And in that moment, one undeniable truth became clear: Ross’ unique abilities, and those like him, were beyond their control.

There was no point in searching for him.

Based on what they had learned from Bella and Sebastian, Ross could teleport incredible distances in the blink of an eye.

Entire cities, countries—even continents—were no obstacle if he wished to move.

And if his own words were to be believed, he could appear anywhere in the world at will, completely untraceable.

Such a capability was more than extraordinary—it was unprecedented.

In a world plagued by zombies and chaos, a person like Ross was not merely useful; he was priceless.

A single misstep, and he could vanish again, leaving the base defenseless and its personnel powerless.

The more June thought about it, the more she realized just how dangerous—and valuable—he truly was.

June’s mind raced. Every contingency had to be considered.

Guards could fail, walls could be bypassed, and even their most sophisticated alarms could be rendered useless.

Ross was not just fast; he was untouchable.

And yet, despite the danger, she knew that keeping him was essential.

They couldn’t afford to lose an asset like him—not in this apocalypse, not ever.

After a tense pause, she made up her mind once and for all.