Chapter 16 · Iron Arena - Chapter 16: Qualifier Cage

The qualifier bay smelled like burnt metal and disinfectant. Cole stood in the observation box, hands flat on the railing. Below, Lila was already strapped into the rig—harness locked, neural jack seated at the base of her skull. The mech across from her was a C-grade unit, compact and mean. Hydraulics hissed as it flexed its articulated arms.

The league rep stood two feet to Cole's left. Guy wore a gray suit and didn't blink enough. "Standard sync test," he said. "She hits seventy percent, she's in. Anything under, we walk."

Cole didn't look at him. "I know how qualifiers work."

"Do you?" The rep smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. "Because last time you were in one of these, you put a pilot through the medical bay for six months."

Cole's jaw tightened. He kept his gaze on Lila. She was doing her pre-sync breathing, eyes closed, fingers tapping the armrest in sets of three. Her tell. She was nervous.

The rep leaned closer. Cole could smell his aftershave—something expensive and sharp. "We want her in the circuit, Varen. But clean. No burned-out prodigies. No scandals. You keep her stable, we all win."

"Get out of my face.