Chapter 4 Reviving Talon

Karim glanced at his watch. "Where's Ryan? Still asleep?"

Lina's smile turned sly. "What's wrong? Worried about him being late?"

"No," Karim said simply, though a part of him was.

"Well," Lina said, stepping aside dramatically, "you'd be happy to know that he's been waiting for you in the car since early morning."

Karim paused for a fraction of a second. He wouldn't show it, but the news pleased him more than he expected. A small, fleeting smile escaped before he masked it again.

"Excellent," he said, grabbing his briefcase. "I'll be going now."

Ryan sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window as the car moved through the city streets. His fingers tapped absently on his leg, his mind already focused on the Talon project.

Karim, for once, didn't immediately dive into work calls or messages. Instead, he glanced at his son.

"You were up early," he said, keeping his tone neutral.

Ryan nodded. "Yeah."

"Good," Karim said, steering the conversation carefully. "Commitment is important. I hope you'll maintain it even if the Talon project proves to be... difficult."

Ryan knew what his father was really saying. Even if you fail.

He turned to look at him. "You don't think I can do it."

Karim exhaled through his nose. "I think you don't realize how much work it will take."

Ryan's jaw tightened. "I'll make it work."

Karim didn't argue. He simply nodded. "Then show me."

Ryan didn't reply, but his determination burned even stronger.

The moment they stepped through the company's towering glass doors, Nadia was already waiting for them. Her sharp eyes flickered between Karim and Ryan before she stepped forward with her usual warm yet professional demeanor.

"Good morning, Mr. Karim. Ryan."

Karim gave her a brief nod before heading toward his office. "Make sure he gets everything he needs."

Nadia turned to Ryan with a small smile. "Ready?"

Ryan followed her as she led him through the sleek, modern halls of the company, the rhythmic clatter of employees moving with purpose around them. Soon, they arrived at a large development room-the department responsible for Project Talon.

Ryan barely noticed Nadia leading him forward. His eyes were locked on the Talon suit, standing behind the glass like a relic of a forgotten era. Even motionless, it looked powerful, The faint glow of its power core pulsed like a heartbeat, casting sharp reflections across its sleek, reinforced plating. His fingers twitched, itching to analyze every inch of it.

But before he could step closer, a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Hard to believe we're actually standing here again."

Ryan turned. The words had come from a man in his late thirties, tall and lean, with sharp eyes that flickered with both intelligence and skepticism. He adjusted his glasses-a habitual motion, as if gathering his thoughts before speaking again.

Ethan Park. Lead Engineer.

"We poured years into this project," Ethan continued, his gaze studying Ryan just as closely as Ryan had studied the suit. "Only to have it shut down like it was nothing. And now, suddenly, it's back." He tilted his head slightly. "You understand what you're walking into, right?"

Ryan met his gaze without hesitation. "I do."

Ethan exhaled, not quite convinced but willing to listen.

Before anyone else could speak, a sharp voice cut in.

"Understanding isn't enough."

Ryan turned to see a woman in her early forties, standing with her arms crossed. There was something commanding about her presence, like a general inspecting a new recruit. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, and her eyes carried the weight of experience.

Sofia Alvarez. Weapons and Combat Systems Specialist.

"This suit isn't a toy," she said bluntly. "It's a weapon. And weapons need discipline. If you're here because of some idealistic dream, you'll crash and burn faster than the first prototype did."

Ryan didn't flinch. "I'm here to make it work."

Sofia studied him, her expression unreadable. Then, finally, she gave a short nod. "Good."

A sudden chuckle broke the tension.

"Alright, alright, let's not scare the kid off just yet."

Ryan turned toward the sound, only to be met with a bright, lopsided grin. A man in his late twenties stood there, his lab coat slightly wrinkled, his dark hair a mess of barely controlled curls. His eyes practically sparkled with excitement-like someone who saw the world as one big puzzle waiting to be solved.

Malik Rafiq. Energy and Power Systems Expert.

"Now, if we're being honest, the power core was always the real headache," Malik said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, yeah, it could run for a while, but full combat mode? Total disaster. We were working on stabilizing the energy flow when-" He snapped his fingers dramatically. "Boom. Project shut down."

Ryan crossed his arms. "And if I have ideas for fixing that?"

Malik's grin widened. "Then, my friend, you just became my favorite person in this room."

Finally, the last person stepped forward-the woman who had been watching the whole exchange with quiet amusement.

Judith Carter. Project Lead.

There was something about her presence-steady, confident, unshaken. Her short brown hair framed her face, and her piercing blue eyes held a mixture of curiosity and pride.

"You remind me of someone," she said, tilting her head slightly.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Me. When I first started this project."

Her smile was small, but real.

"Welcome to the team, Ryan."

Ryan looked at each of them, feeling the weight of their expectations. They weren't just experts. They were people who had fought for this project-who had built it from the ground up, only to watch it be abandoned.

Now, it was his responsibility to bring it back.

Judith clapped her hands together. "Alright. Since you're leading this now, what's your first move?"

Ryan took a step toward the suit, his pulse quickening.

"I need to know everything." His voice was steady, determined. "Every issue. Every failure. Every setback." He turned back to them, fire in his gaze.

"I'm going to make this work."

.