The Bleck Ganess

Hello everyone and welcome to another Games created by me. These Games will not be apart of my main series and will take place in an entirely different universe then them. These will, however, take place in the same universe as The White Games, which you can read more about "here". Now, with that out of the way, I shall explain these Games more thoroughly.

Introduction
The Black Games will be taking place in the modern-day world. The tributes competing will be 24 ordinary people from the regular world between the ages of 12-22. These young people have been kidnapped by unknown forces and deposited into an arena located in a mysterious and unknown location. Once there, they will be informed by a strange individual known only as "Dr. Black" that they are now competing in his "games" (more on that below).

The Black Games
The rules for the Black Games are relatively simple.

-There are 30 tributes, or as Dr. Black calls them, Challengers. There will be fifteen females and fifteen males.

-Each of the Challengers will be randomly sorted into a team of three. There will be a total of ten teams.

-The Challengers will be forced to play Dr. Black's bizarre and increasingly complicated games until only one team remains.

-To make certain that the Challengers follow the rules and play the Games, each Challenger has been outfitted with an attached bracelet, called a datapad. This bracelet is capable of injecting the Challengers with a deadly poison and, if a Challenger attempts to remove it or otherwise break the rules, will administer said poison to the offending Challenger.

-The datapad also serves two other functions: The first is that this device has a built-in touchscreen that allows Dr. Black to communicate with the Challengers. It also shows a list of the other Challengers and Teams, yet only if they have already been personally encountered. When a Challenger dies, his or her name will be blacked out and each datapad will give off a loud ringing noise to signify a death has occurred.

-The second function of the datapad is that it will also show a map of the Playing Field, but majority of this is covered in the fog of war until a Challenger has explored the area themselves.

-There is no cornucopia. Supplies and weapons will be hidden around the island in various places. Also, at random times air drops containing precious items will take place.

-Outside of the normal Playing Field, where Challengers will spend majority of their time, there are also Event Hubs. Event Hubs are dotted across the Playing Field and are normally locked. Periodically one will open up and Dr. Black will instruct all teams to converge on the Hub. Only a limited amount of Teams are permitted inside. Once a sufficient amount of Teams have arrived, the Hub will close and the lucky team or teams will be required to play one of Dr. Black "games".

Rules
1) There will be thirty Challengers (tributes).

2) Instead of reapings, the Challengers have been kidnapped. Therefore, there is no volunteering. There won't be any reapings, training scores, interviews, etc. for this same reason.

3) As these Games take place in the modern world with no Hunger Games, there are no Careers. You can still submit Career-like tributes, just don’t designate them as such.

4) I will not accept any Tributes that have been in my previous Games.

5) The Challengers may be from any country or region of the world.

6) Advice will be included in these Games, though there will also be user interaction that is sufficiently different from past Games of mine. During Dr. Black's Games, the Challengers will be presented with decisions. It will be up to the creator's of the Challengers to help them make said decisions.

7) Tribute Form:

Name:

Gender:

Age:

Home City & Country:

Personality:

Backstory: (Remember that these Games take place in modern times. There is no Panem, no Districts. Instead it's the current-day world. Make sure your backstory fits in with this theme.)

Height:

Appearance:

Weapon(s):

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Fear(s):

The Teams
Alpha Team: Jackson, Boone, & Ophrya

Beta Team: Hayle, Vika, and Harry

Gamma Team: Timothy, Mike, and Nathaniel

Delta Team: Ryder, Shinji, and Vjena

Epsilon Team: Hayden, Junie, and Milan

Zeta Team: Arlyssa, Sofia, and Francesca

Kappa Team: Satoshi, Zantae, and Nailah

Lambda Team: Shintaro, Fernanda, and Hannah

Sigma Team: Tetsu, Waiyaki, and Amare

Omega Team: Karne, Evie , and Nari

Black Team: Jackson, Boone, Hayle, Vika, Ryder, Tetsu, Nailah, & Shintaro

White Team: Satoshi, Zantae, Amare, Vjena, Hannah, Fernanda, Junie, Milan, Shinji, & Timothy

Arena
The Playing Field can be divided into four separate quadrants; north, west, south, and east. The northernmost border of the Playing Field is a range of mountains, which offers many hilltracks and pathes for the Challengers to explore. The mountains lead down to a evergreen forest, thick with pines, firs, spruces, and many other species of coniferous trees. This place is good for those looking for a place to remain hidden; the thick needles of these trees provide excellent means of concealment. Several smaller shacks and houses can also be found here, amongst which supplies may be scavenged.

The northern quadrant also contains several large buildings, including a shooting range, abandoned supermarket, and a cemetery.

The easternmost border of the Playing Field is a coastline that stretches down to the south. Notable landmarks here include a small town situated on the coast, complete with docks and warehouses. This quadrant is also host to an abandoned vineyard, multitude of farmland, and, hidden in the fields, a cavern. Dark, dank, and dreary, unless they have proper light, Challengers won’t even be able to see their hand in front of their face, let alone the vast walls of stone that surround them.

The westernmost border of the Playing Field is a large concrete wall. Massively tall and almost impossible to climb, its construction is a mystery. Most of this quadrant consists of moorland, which offers very little in the way of shelter or camouflage, leaving the Challengers vulnerable to vigilant eyes. There is also a dead forest in the southern part of the quadrant. The entire area reeks of decay and anything that may once have been edible has long since disintegrated beyond safety. Detritus floats in the streams, clogging and tainting the water.

The southernmost border of the Playing Field is also coastline, yet not as big or with as many beaches. There is a small island just offshore, connected to the mainland only by a large suspension bridge. An abandoned carnival takes up most of this small island, with many different attractions and rides. Back on the mainland, the quadrant is host to an apartment complex, abandoned prison, and a swamp. Much of the water in this area is about knee-height, the bottom coated with a thick, cement-like mud that could very easily swallow a Challenger.

Prologue
I wake up in a cold sweat. Fear spiking my heart as the dark memories of my dream swirl in my mind. I was in that forest again. I was being chased by that giant, metallic creature, as usual, through the same pale, lifeless forest. I have never been in a forest in real life. Never even seen a tree without any leaves. But it always shows up in my dreams. I do not understand.

I never do.

Despite my best efforts, the images of my dream soon begin to fade away. I try to grasp them, hold on to them, but it is like trying to catch mist with just your bare hand. It always manages to slip through the cracks of your fingers and disappear.

Then it is gone forever.

I lay my head back on the pillow, feeling the cold sweat of my shirt against my back. I've been having these dreams for almost a year now, but recently they have picked up in intensity, have become more vivid and detailed. Why? A logical reason would be because of the stress I'm under, trying to apply for a good college. But there must be more to it then that. There must.

Suddenly I sit up, no longer wishing to just lie here and think about it. I peel the sweat-stained shirt from my back and toss it off my bed. Today is a Saturday, so I don't have to go to school. I wanted to use that to catch up on my sleep, but the nightmare ruined that. And I'm not willing to try to sleep now. I have no desire to return to that hellish nightmare.

I run a hand through my unruly, dark brown hair as I rise from my bed, bare feet touching the old, wooden floor. My hair never seems to get in order, no matter how hard I try. And I've long since given up on trying.

I drop down and begin doing push-ups to drive the fog of sleep away from my mind. I do ten and then sigh loudly when I finish. I can do much better than that. Still, it worked. I don't feel very tired anymore. I stand up, ready to head downstairs to see if Mom has started on breakfast yet when I notice something that sends a chill down my spine.

I'm not in my room.

It's a surprisingly large room with irregular angles, pale blue walls, and hardwood floor. That itself isn't unusual, but the fact remained that this is not my bedroom. My room doesn't have blue walls; they're white. And I have carpet, not wood flooring. This is wrong. All wrong.

Heartbeat increasing rapidly, I spin around and take in the furnishings. There's a single bed, nightstand, and a sturdy desk with a futuristic mesh-work chair. There's a single black phone on the desk. The old-timey type with a cord and everything. That alone confirms it. My family hasn't had a phone like that ever. The only time I've even seen one before was at my Grandma's house.

What the hell is going on?

There's a door, positioned between the desk and bed. I rush towards it, eager to escape this place and find my parents so that I can get some answers. But the door is locked. I try everything I can think of. I shake the knob, slam my shoulder against it, even look for the keyhole to see if I can pick the lock. Nothing works. There's not even a keyhole. It's just a plain, metallic knob attached to a metal slate.

I back away from the door until I hit the far wall, where I slump to my knees.

What is happening? How did this happen? My chest feels like it is in a vise. Panic is constricting my airways, so I take a deep breath and try to calm down, lest I start hyperventilating. Think logically! There has to be a reason for this! People don't just magically appear in strange rooms!

I try to summon all the facts I know. I was in my room last night, playing video games and eating snacks. Nothing was out of the ordinary then. I've done the same thing every Friday night for as long as I can remember. So that's not the cause. But what happened after?

I rack my brain, but can only come up with simple things. I brushed my teeth. Checked my phone. Dad had just gotten back from a business trip, so he was home. But I can't see how that matters. How any of this matters. The fact is that I went to sleep in my own room and woke up in this new, frightening, locked room.

How could that happen? Things like this don't happen in real life. They only happen in movies and video games, books and...

...and dreams.

Of course. I am dreaming! That explains everything! After all, I do remember having that frightening dream about the metal creature. And whose to say that dream ever ended? I may still be in it. Lucid dreaming is a thing, after all. Of course, I've never had a lucid dream myself, but there's a first time for everything.

Suddenly feeling much better, I raise a hand to wipe my sweat away. And pause as I see something strange. It's metallic, silver and clamped firmly on my wrist. It's some kind of bracelet-like thing that seems to hold an opaque empty screen in the center of it. What the hell is it?

"My imagination is a strange place," I mutter, reaching out and tapping the screen with my fingers. Nothing happens. I try touching every part of the strange device but no matter what I do it does not react. Finally I just try ripping the thing off my wrist but I find that it's impossible. For some inexplicable reason it refuses to get off my arm.

Eventually I'm forced to give up. It's not like it matters anyway. Everything will be back to normal when I wake up. A lot less panicked now that I understand what is happening, I wander around the room, wondering what exactly is its purpose. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't just dream up a useless room. Probably.

A phone rings.

I freeze in place, then slowly crane my neck around to look at the black phone. It continues to ring, vibrating atop the table. Curious, I cross the room and pick it up. "Hello?" I ask, placing the receiver against my ear. "Who is this?"

"You're not dreaming, Hayle."

My breath catches in my throat. "Wh-who is this? How do you know my name?"

"Don't let yourself be deceived. Everything that is happening to you is real. Very real." It's a feminine voice speaking. Not one I've ever heard before. "You have to escape. But it won't be easy."

"What are you—"

"Listen closely," The voice rolls on, not letting me get more than a few words in. "Do what they say for now. Go along with the game. But don't tell anyone you've spoken with me. That last part is crucial. Do not tell anyone. Do you understand?"

"Listen, I don't know what—"

"Do you understand?"

I'm shaken now. Any peace that I gained by deluding myself into thinking this was a dream has long evaporated. I have no idea what the hell is happening, but it's frightening me beyond belief. "S-sure. Yeah, whatever."

"Good. Remember that. I'll keep in touch."

The phone clicks off.

With trembling hands, I set it back down. Deep breaths. I need to take deep breaths. This is real. That much is clear. I'm not dreaming, nor am I imagining this. That means...what does that mean? The only logical explanation would be that I was kidnapped, but that itself isn't even logical! Why would anyone kidnap me and stick me in a room? What could possibly be achieved by doing that?

And the voice on the phone. I don't understand a thing she said, beyond telling me that this is all real. I'm not very good with ages, but if I had to guess I'd say that she was somewhere in her early to mid-twenties. Maybe. I'm not even sure of that.

Why doesn't she want me telling anyone? And who could I possibly tell? I'm alone here in this small room. I couldn't tell anyone if I wanted to! I stroke my fingers along my head, trying to soothe the massive headache I feel coming on. I sit back down on the bed and stare at the blank wall.

What am I supposed to do now?

With a deep sigh, I realize that there's only one thing I can do. Search for a way out. So I do my best. Minutes pass, maybe even an hour. I lose track of time soon after triple-checking all the drawers. But there's nothing. No hidden mechanism, no secret passage, nothing. I even check under the bed and feel around on the floor for hidden panels. I come up empty every time.

On the verge of utter despair, I punch the wall beside the door and let out an exasperated scream.

To my total shock, a portion of the wall slides open, revealing a small number pad.

"How...What..." I stare at it for several long seconds, wondering how long that has been hidden there and what I did to trigger it. Then I come to my senses and try to input some numbers.

There's ten different buttons, each labeled one to nine; the tenth is the enter key. I can only input four numbers before having to hit the enter button. I try a random combination but nothing happens. Frowning, I enter several more to the same result. What am I supposed to do?

That's when I get my second shock. The screen on the device strapped to my wrist, the one I briefly fiddled with before ignoring, suddenly flickers on.

A humanoid figure is on screen. Standing in a circle of light in an otherwise darkened room, it's one of the most bizarre sights I've ever seen. The figure is dressed in heavy black robes and wears some sort of wide-rimmed black leather hat. But the most startling feature of all is the mask. It's pure white, with two frosted glass eyeholes and a long, curved, beak-like nose. It takes me only a moment to recognize it as a plague doctor's costume.

"Hello, Hayle. I'd like to take this opportunity to extend my greetings to you," The figure speaks with a highly-synthesized voice, like someone using a voice modulator. "There won't be much time for pleasantries once the game is afoot, so I believe that now is the proper time to make do with our introductions."

You'd think that I'd be surprised, shocked even. But after everything I've already been through, I take this new development in stride. It's not like things can get any weirder.

"I don't know who you are," I say lamely.

"I do not expect you to," The figure bows his head and gestures with a cane that I had somehow overlooked. "But that does not matter. My identity has no effect on what is about to happen."

"And what is about to happen?" I ask, trying my best to keep my voice level. How many stupid twists am I going to face?

"You, Hayle Saraceno, are here to play a game."

There's a long pause as I stop to take in his words. It's certainly not what I was expecting. In fact, it's so extraordinary out of place that I'm certain I misheard him. "I'm...going to play a game?"

The figure nods his head, the masked beak bobbing up and down. "Oh, yes. It is a very important game, one that has the power to change the fate of the world, but a game nonetheless."

I may not be dreaming, but I'm definitely crazy. This doesn't make sense. None of this makes any sense! The figure, uncaring to my disbelief, continues on. "The goal of the game is very simple. You, Hayle, must work alongside your teammates to survive until the end of game."

Teammates? That's odd, considering that I'm the only person in this room. Who could I possibly team with? And why is that the thing I'm pondering, out of everything that was just said? And why am I just accepting what he says?

"You kidnapped me!" I scream into the screen, my confusion boiling over into rage. "You stole me from my home! From my parents! Why the hell should I listen to anything you have to say?"

"Because you have no choice." The figure says it so calmly, so matter-of-factly, that I freeze in place. A cold sense of dread slithers up my spine as I realize that he's right. I'm trapped in a room with no way out. This person, whoever they are, could just leave me here until I die of dehydration or starvation.

The only way out is to do as he says.

"I see that you have come to the only logical conclusion," The figure strokes his mask with a gloved hand. "That is well. It would not do for you to dwell on the possibility of escape, for there is only one way that is possible." He pauses, as if for dramatic effect.

"And what is that?" I ask warily.

"You must win the game."

So there it is. For me to get home, for me to escape this warped, twisted place, I'm going to have to play some crazy game cooked up by a guy dressed like a plague doctor. What could possibly go wrong?

"What is the game?" I finally ask. "And how do I win it?"

"As I said before, the goal is very simple. All you have to do is survive."

I frown. Something has been bugging me this entire conversation. Well, something other than the complete and utter lack of sense or reason. "You keep saying I have to "survive". What does that mean?"

"You do not know?" The figure gives a little chuckle. "And here I thought it was obvious. Very well. I shall explain. You see, to survive the game you merely have to outlast the other competitors."

"Other competitors?" He did mention that I would be teamed with other people. "How many others are in this "game"?"

The figure waves a hand. "That is irrelevant at the moment. For your team to win, you will need to avoid losing, naturally. However, there is only one way to lose this game. One simple but concise way."

"Which is...?" I'm getting really sick of these dramatic pauses!

The figure spreads his hands. "You die."

There's a long silence as the gravity of these words begin to sink again. Die? You lose the game by dying? How...why...my mind cannot form words. It seems too unbelievable. But there is no doubt about it. This man, this crazy, unhinged, lunatic of a man is going to make me play a game where the cost of losing is death.

I almost puke.

"I see that you've realized the gravity of your situation." The figure nods its head. "That is good. There is little point to you trying to deny the facts, so it is pleasant to see you accept the truth of the matter."

No. No, I don't accept anything about this! But...he's right all the same. There isn't anything I can do. I don't know where I am, how he got me here, or how I could even begin to escape. This man, for all extents and purposes, has me in the palm of his hand.

When I speak, my voice is emotionless. "What do you want me to do?"

"I will give you the code to your room. Pay attention now, for I shan't repeat this," The figure takes a small pause, then continues, "2-0-5-2. Once you exit your bedroom you will meet with your fellow teammates. I will be in touch after those introductions. Farewell."

The screen clicks off. I stare at the empty screen for several long seconds. Did all of that really just happen? Am I truly stuck here, forced to play some madmans "game"? It seems impossible. This kind of stuff just doesn't happen in real life. But there's no denying what I just witnessed. No ignoring the truth.

Still, it is a lot to take in. I find myself shaking as I turn toward the number pad. How did this man kidnap me? Have my parents noticed? Surely they have. They must've contacted the police, and a search is already under way. I'm certain that they'll be arriving anytime now. I don't even need to play this game!

But...maybe I should. Just in case the police are delayed.

I focus on the number pad, inputting the code that the man gave me. 2052. There's a soft beeping sound and I hear a click. Is that the door unlocking? I put my hand on the knob and turn slightly. The knob moves. Yes, it has been unlocked.

A chill runs down my spine and I find myself sweating. What awaits me beyond this door? The man said that I would meet my teammates, but who are they? Have they been kidnapped like me? Or is it possible that he is lying? Well, I'll never find out my standing here.

Taking a deep breath, I push the door open.

I don't know what I expected to find on the other side of this door, but it definitely wasn't this.

I step into a large octagonal central space, punched with wide ceiling lights that cheerfully brighten the room. Clusters of simple couches and small chairs of muted colors fill the room, softening the sharp architectural lines.

What is this? I step further into the room, marvelling at the overwhelming sense of ordinary. It looks like some sort of communal living space or something. Kinda like how I imagined college would look.

That thought stops me cold. In the days prior to this occurrence, I had been thinking deeply about college and how it would change my life. And now I find myself here, in this place. That has to be a coincidence, right?

Suddenly weak in the knees, I stumble towards a oval table that sits right outside a small kitchen nook. I plop myself down onto a chair and try to control my breathing. Just what is going on? I want answers, dammit!

Unfortunately I know that none will be forthcoming.

Trying to take my mind off the despair, I turn my attention to my surroundings. Three doors lead off from the room proper, including the one I just came from. Each one has a number written on it in big, black print, from one to three. Mine has a "2". Why is that?

Bookshelves line the walls. A pair of steps lead down into the heart of the room, where large pillows and rugs surround a round rock fireplace. Like in the bedroom, there is no television or computer in sight. I bite my lip. I'd been hoping I'd be able to try and call for help through any such thing.

Click!

I spin around in my chair, nearly toppling out of it. That noise. I recognize it. It's the same as when my door unlocked! A door, the one labelled with a "3" slowly begins to swing open. I hold my breath, wondering what I'm about to see.

A girl steps out. She has a shock of red hair that tumbles past her shoulders and the most vivid blue eyes I've ever seen. She wears jean shorts, black boots, and a red shirt that leaves one of her shoulders bare.

Who is she?

"Um. Hello?" I rise from my chair, slowly crossing the room. Is this one of my "teammates" that the figure mentioned?

The girl is silent, staring at me with an unreadable expression. She must be terribly confused. Well, she's not the only one. I take a few more steps and then the unthinkable happens.

The girl darts forward, quicker than I thought possible, and grips me by the arm. I let out a shout of alarm as the girl hauls me forward. The next thing I know, I'm flipping through the air.

My back slams against the ground and a rush of air escapes my lips. But I don't have time to recover before the girl's forearm slams into my throat, cutting off my breath. Her face appears above mine, twisted into an angry snarl. "Who are you? Why did you kidnap me!"

I can't answer. I can't even breathe. I try to struggle free, but the girl has my body pinned down tight. My hands try to pry her forearm away, but I already feel myself weakening. Black spots appear on the edge of my vision, slowly encroaching...

The girl pulls her arm away. I cough and gag, taking grateful gulps of fresh, precious air. The girl steps off me, and I scramble into a sitting position. "What the hell!" I scream at her. "You could have killed me!"

She punches me in the face.

My vision explodes with light and, when I come back to my senses, I find myself lying face first on the ground. Something grips me by the collar and hauls me to my feet. I find myself staring into the girl's bright blue eyes.

"What are you planning?" She demands, shaking me, "why do you need me?"

"I-I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" It's hard to think. Everything is still kinda blurry.

"Oh? So do you want another punch?" She pulls back her fist.

"No! No, please, no!" I hold my hands up in submittal. I don't care that she's a girl; her punches hurt.

"Then start talking!"

"I don't know anything! Some man kidnapped me! I don't even know where I am!"

The girl suddenly lets go of my collar and I slump to the floor. I don't try to get up; I don't trust that my legs are steady enough. Instead, I stare up at the girl, blinking through tears I didn't know I had. "I don't know what's happening! I just woke up in some room and...and everything has gone crazy!"

"Huh." The girl turns to examine the room. "Guess you're not behind this after all." I don't know why she thought that in the first place, but I don't say anything. At least she's not punching me.

"So...what's your story?" I ask, massaging my throat. Damn, it hurts! This girl really did a number on me. Ignoring my question, she crosses the room towards Door 2 and swings it open, peeking inside. "It's identical," She says softly. I raise an eyebrow. Did her room look just like mine? I'm about to ask when she turns around and glares at me. "You!"

"Me?"

"Yes, you." She crosses her arms over her chest. "Are you my teammate that figure was speaking of?"

"Uh...I guess so?" Honestly, I don't know. I'd assume so, but I've learned that assuming anything here can be a really bad idea. I push myself to my feet, glad to find that I'm steady on them. "I already told you that I don't know what the hell is going on."

The girl scoffs. Now that we're standing face to face, I take this time to examine her more thoroughly. Her long red hair goes down to her shoulders and frames her face nicely. She has porcelain skin and black arched brows that rest over almond shaped eyes. And what a pair of eyes! They're a dazzling blue that I've never seen anywhere except in pictures of tropical waters.

She's lean but fit, with a slender figure that hides the strength she showed when fighting me. She's not conventionally beautiful. In fact, there's nothing conventional about her at all. She's odd, mystical, an anomaly.

She's also strangely alluring.

"It appears," She says, tapping one finger against her chin, "that you and I have arrived here with the same experience. That suggests that we've both been kidnapped. Do you have any idea why that would be?"

"No clue." I've already tried thinking about this and haven't come up with a single logical reason for why this would be happening.

"A pity."

She goes back to investigating the room. I watch her as she rummages through the cupboards, feeling completely and utterly confused. Who is this girl? My "teammate"? If so, what kind of game are we about to play? I remember the figure and his strange threats of death.

"Hey," I call out to the girl as she is dumping pots and pans out onto the floor, "what's your name?"

No answer.

I think that maybe she didn't hear me, so I repeat the question. Still no response. Ticked off, I try a different tactic. "I'm Hayle," I say, "Hayle Saraceno. I'm from Texas. Coleman, to be exact."

The girl gives up on the cupboards and crosses the room, brushing past me to to reach the couches. She proceeds to rip the cushions off and look underneath them. I watch her, dismayed. Is she purposely ignoring me?

"Are you going to speak to me or not?"

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about escaping?" The girl spins to face me so fast that I instinctively take a step back. "We have been kidnapped, in case you haven't noticed! A psychopath has just told us that he wants us to play his "game" where the losers die! And here you are, shooting the breeze and asking for names!"

God, her eyes are unnerving. They seem to stare right through me, into my soul itself. I shuffle my feet awkwardly. "What's the point? There's no secret escape route. The man wouldn't let us get away that easy."

The girl's eyes flash dangerously. For a moment I think I'm about to get punched. But then she sighs, flinging a cushion to the ground and collapsing onto it. "Unfortunately you are right. Searching for an exit is stupid."

"So...are you going to tell me your name?"

The girl snatches up a pillow and flings it at my chest. It bounces off harmlessly. "I take it that's a no?"

The girl glares at me.

"Okay, okay!" I hold my hands up in surrender. "But I have to call you something. How about Red?"

The girl opens her mouth to respond, but something happens before she can. Something that has us both spinning around to stare.

A door clicks open.

"Oh my! Isn't this quite the sight!" A girl steps out from the Number 3 door. Her hair is golden, descending down her back in ringlets, and she's dressed in powder blue from head to toe; a tight skirt, leggings, and a turtleneck sweater.

For a moment I just stare, completely stunned by this unexpected sight. The girl stares back, then suddenly looks away, her cheeks burning a bright red. I'm confused by the sudden bout of shyness but don't have any time to think about it before I'm being shoved aside.

"Looks like you're our third teammate!" The first girl, the redhead, plants herself right in front of the newcomer. Without a name for either girl, I instantly know that this is going to get confusing.

"I, um, I-I suppose so..." Blondie blushes a deeper red, clutching something to her chest. A sketchbook?

"Don't worry!" I push my way past Red—my nickname idea is suddenly looking very clever—so that I can get a closer look at the girl. "We're just as confused as you are!"

Red snorts. "Is that suppose to comfort her?"

I ignore her and focus on the new girl. "We should share stories," I tell her, "see if we had the same experience and whatnot."

"O-okay..." The girl seems a little hesitant, but she launches into a full explanation anyway. Apparently she woke up in her room with no idea how she got there, just like Red and I did. It's not a very enlightening tale and by the time she's done, I've learned nothing new.

"So we still don't know a thing!" Red grumbles as the girl finishes.

She blushes. "I-I'm sorry!"

"Don't be. It's not your fault!" A thought strikes me. "Oh, yeah. What's your name? I'm Hayle."

"Vika. I'm Vika!" We shake hands, then she turns towards Red, expectant. But the aggressive girl makes no move to introduce herself. Seriously, what's her problem? I know that the situation we're in is deeply troubling and more than a little unsettling, but I don't think unadulterated rudeness is the proper course of action here.

"Well, what now?" I ask the question that's on all of our minds. There are only three numbered doors in this room, and they've all been opened. There's no exits, no clues. I have no idea what to do from here.

Red snorts derisively. "We wait for our mysterious benefactor to give us further instructions, obviously."

For some reason that plan sounds...lacking. But I don't really have any ideas of my own, and I can't see a way out of this situation. I'm having a hard enough time just keeping myself from collapsing with despair. What if the man just leaves us here for the rest of our lives?

"When does the game start?"

I pause, surprised to hear Vika speaking. I had almost forgotten that she was even here. She's so frail and delicate looking that I never expected her to take the lead in a conversation. "What do you mean?" I ask.

"W-well, that is what he said," The girl blushes, her face turning a crimson red. "The masked man, I mean. He said we would play a game, did he not?"

"Yeah, you're right." He did say that. It's actually been on my mind this entire time. What kind of game does he expect us to play, exactly?

"He said that we could die in the game," Red has pulled away from us and is standing by the #2 door, her arms crossed. "So Russian Roulette, maybe?"

Vika gasps. "No! That would be horrid!"

"No," I shake my head.

She turns to me, aghast. "Do not tell me you don't think that game is horrid!"

"No, that's not what I meant. We won't be playing Russian Roulette."

Red frowns, raising an arched eyebrow. "And how, exactly, do you figure that?"

"We're a team, remember? You don't need teams in Russian Roulette." Admittedly, I know little about the game to begin with, but I do know that teams wouldn't make sense for it. "And besides, do you really think he kidnapped us all just so that we could play such a simple game?"

Red's lips twitch. Whether in a smile or a frown, I don't know. "No," she says. "I didn't think that would be the answer. I was merely thinking out loud." I don't know if I believe that, but I'm not about to put my doubts to words—my face still hurts from the first time she punched me.

With little else to do, the three of us continue brainstorming ideas. Vika suggests that the masked man might be holding us for ransom, but Red cuts that idea down right away. I find myself agreeing with her. What would anyone expect to gain from ransoming me? I mean, my family is pretty well off, but we're not rich or anything like that. I doubt we could even afford any ransom, even though I know that my parents would pay it in a heartbeat.

"Whyever are you so adamant we're not being held ransom?" Vika asks Red. She's truly caught up in her own idea.

"Because there's nobody out there who cares if I'm gone!" Red shoots back.

Everyone goes silent.

I don't know what to say. Nobody cares she's missing? What does that mean? I stare at Red, looking for answers, but she just glares at Vika and turns her back on us.

"I-I'm sorry!" Vika stutters. Once again, her face turns a bright shade of red. "I didn't mean to offend! Truly, I didn't!"

"Shut up."

"That's uncalled for! I was merely—"

"No, shut up! Don't you hear that?"

When we all go quiet, I do. It's a soft, musical sound with high, sweet notes. It reminds me of a music box my mom had back home. But where is it coming from? When I raise my hand to scratch my head, I see it.

The screen on my bracelet has turned back on. The mysterious figure is back.

"Hello, Beta Team!" The figure bows to us. He's still dressed in that plague doctor costume and is still in the same dark room. "I hope that the formalities have gone well?"

We all react differently. Red curses, telling him where he should stick those formalities. Vika looks troubled. I merely frown. I've already accepted that this is happening—the only thing left to do is figure exactly what is happening.

The figure claps his gloved hands together. "Excellent, excellent. I am sure you will all get along splendidly. But before we get any further, I believe that I should introduce myself. I am Dr. Black and I will be your host for this game."

Dr. Black. It's not as if I was expecting him to have a grand reveal of a secret identity or anything, but I still feel...let down, I guess you could say. I mean, Dr. Black? Did he even try to think of something original or cool?

"Please, sir!" Vika practically has tears in her eyes. "You must let us go! I am quite certain that my father would pay you handsomely if you were to return me unharmed."

"Money is irrelevant."

Vika gasps, deflating like a balloon. I didn't think that bribery would work, but it was definitely worth a shot. Red, however, begins to curse again.

"If you don't want money," I say, cutting her off, "then what do you want?"

"I believe I've already told you. I want you all to play my game."

A shiver runs down my spine. It's not new information, but the single track mind of this person is...frightening. How much resources did they expend kidnapping us? And what kind of payoff do they expect? I want to ask, but I know that I wouldn't get a straight answer.

"What is your game?"

Dr. Black spreads his hands, chuckling softly. "That is what I was about to tell you, before all these interruptions."

This time we all fall silent, even Red. Dr. Black waits a few seconds, then nods his beaked head. "Very good. You are learning. That is very good."

"Are you going to explain or not?"

"Patience, Hayle. Patience. Good things come to those who wait." Somehow I don't think any good things are coming my way. Dr. Black rubs a hand along the length of his mask, staring at us through the screen with those ghostly glass eyes. "My explanation, however, will most likely not meet your expectations."

"Try me."

"Very well. Now listen closely, for I shan't repeat myself. In this game there will be thirty players, Challengers, if you will. These Challengers will be divided into ten groups of three. It will be these teams that compete against one another for victory. You three, by the by, are Beta Team."

Thirty? There are thirty of us trapped here? I glance around the room, half-expecting to see twenty-seven other people hiding about. How in the world did Dr. Black manage this?

"What kind of game will we be playing?" Red demands. I sigh. As blunt as ever, I see.

"There will be many variations and rules to my game. Perhaps you could call them multiple games inside a game? Yes, games. I like the sound of that."

"Get to the point!"

"Patience, I am getting there. You see, the three of you will need to progress through a series of games to survive until the end. These games will vary wildly in rules and regulations. They will not all be the same and you will need different strategies to win each one."

I exchange a glance with Red. Judging by the look on her face she understands as little of this as I do. Vika rubs her head, looking absolutely lost.

Dr. Black sighs. "Yes, I thought that it would be too difficult for you to comprehend. I hoped otherwise but, well, hope is not reality."

"Are you calling us stupid?"

"I would never. However, I do believe that a hands-on experience is necessary. Observe."

The wall on the far side of the room, one of the two without a door, suddenly changes color. The tan flickers into a deep black, then slowly begins to fill with images. That's when it hits me. It's not a wall at all, it's a screen!

The screen transitions into a view of a room nearly identical to the one we're in. It has the same couches, the same chairs, and even the same fireplace. But most alarming is what sits in the center of the room, standing in nearly the exact spots we're in.

People. Three people.

"Wh-what are we looking at?" I gape at the screen. The trio of people don't seem to see us; they're currently in the midst of what looks like an argument.

"You are currently viewing Alpha Team," Dr. Black's voice says from my bracelet. "They can not yet see you, however."

"What are you planning?" Red demands. If I wasn't scared out of my mind I'd probably roll my eyes. Does she really think he'll answer that?

"In due time. All in due time. Now, if you excuse me, I must go speak with our guests."

The screens on our bracelets flick off. Dr. Black is gone. It doesn't take long, however, before I see where he has gone. Inside the screen the three people raise their arms and begin staring at their own bracelets. No doubt Dr. Black is speaking with them.

But who are they?

I take this opportunity to study them further. They seem to be around the same age as me, Red, and Vika. That would put them somewhere in their late teens. There's two guys and one girl. My eyes are naturally drawn to the girl. She is tall and athletic, with a muscular body type and long brown hair. Her face is drawn back into a glare as she looks at her bracelet. Clearly she does not like Dr. Black. Not that I can blame her.

As I move my attention to the two boys, I notice that they're almost complete opposites. One is short, with curly light brown hair and darkly tanned skin. The other is tall and blond, with the palest skin I've ever seen. The two of them stand side-by-side, watching the girl converse with Dr. Black.

"Who do you think they are?" I ask Vika and Red.

"Who cares?" Red doesn't take her eyes off the screen. No doubt she is still thinking about how to get information out of Dr. Black.

"W-well, I'd say that they've probably been kidnapped like us," Vika says, watching Red closely. Is she afraid that the girl will scold her?

I open my mouth to agree with her when the musical chimes begin and once again Dr. Black is on our bracelets. The man doesn't even give us time to process this sudden appearance. "I believe you wished to know what forms the games world take," He speaks briskly, barely pausing. "Well, here is your chance. The three of you are about to partake in the very first game of this program."

I exchange an uneasy glance with Vika. Red, however, only laughs. "Well?" She sneers into her screen. "Are you going to explain the rules of this "game" or are we just going to have to try and guess?"

"Patience, please," Dr. Black holds both hands up, as if trying to calm an angry dog. "If you would only remain quiet and listen, I will explain everything about this game. Now, do you believe you can do that?"

Red opens her mouth only to snap it shut, scowling. Dr. Black nods. "Very good, very good. It appears you are learning, that is good. Now, this particular game, which will hereby be called the Decision Game, is very simple. The three of you will merely have to make a decision."

I'm not going to lie. That does sound simple enough. But anything can be simple when stripped down to its barest essence. I'm more than certain that this "Decision Game" won't be nearly as simple as Dr. Black would have us believe.

"What decision will we be making, sir?" Vika asks. I frown. How can that girl stay so polite?

Dr. Black is silent for a moment, the frosted glass eyes of his mask twinkling ominously. "Your decision is simple. You will choose who dies."

Silence.

It feels like I've been punched in the gut. I reel backwards, heart throbbing with a fear more intense than any other I've ever felt. Surely I didn't hear him correctly. Surely he didn't just say that we would be deciding who dies.

"E-excuse me?" Vika stumbles, looking just as shocked as I feel. Red, however, merely throws her head back and laughs. I have no idea what she finds so funny; I'm having trouble merely breathing.

"I thought you said we were a team?" I finally say, my voice low and hoarse. "Now you want us to kill one another?"

On screen, Dr. Black tilts his head. "Hmm. I believe you misunderstand. In the Decision Game you will not be deciding who dies on your team. No, you will be deciding who dies on Alpha Team."

I blink twice, then lick my lips. "I...don't understand."

Dr. Black sighs. "The three of you will each have one vote. You will be presented with three options; each option being a member of Alpha Team. You will be given a period of time to think over and discuss your decision, after which you will then proceed to vote. Whichever member of Alpha Team that receives the most amount of votes will be killed. Tell me, Hayle, do you understand that?"

I do. It hurts me like a stab to the heart, but I do. I understand what he is asking of me. Asking of us all. He wants to kill someone, one of those three teenagers. He wants us to become murderers.

"How will they be killed?" Red asks quietly.

"Hmmm?"

"How will the voted be killed?"

"Oh, they'll be injected with a lethal posion via their bracelets. It'll be quite painless, so you needn't worry about any undue suffering."

There's another long silence. I shift my feet, suddenly feeling like I'm being suffocated. How did I get trapped in this nightmare? Then, just as I am about to speak, the unexpected happens.

Vika lets out a loud, primal scream. She smashes a fist against her bracelet, punching it repeatedly."You're insane!" She howls at Dr. Black. "You are completely and utterly INSANE! I will not vote! I will not kill anyone! I refuse! Do you hear me? I REFUSE!"

She goes silent, swaying unsteadily, chest rising and falling with each laboured breath. I stare in stupified shock. I didn't think Vika capable of such tenacity. She seemed so quiet and soft-spoken that this outburst just...stunned me.

"Refusing to vote is a viable choice," Dr. Black continues to speak normally, not even changing his tone of voice. It's as if Vika's screaming never even happened. "However, that choice has its own drawbacks. If you neglect to vote, then you will be injected with poison. In short, refusal to vote is a vote against yourself."

So those are our options. Kill someone else or kill ourselves. I feel my mind locking up, seizing in place. None of this feels real. It's all so...otherworldly.

Vika lets out a quiet sob, sinking to the floor. Red stares at the wall in silence, apparently thinking. I can't even do that. I can only stand here doing...nothing. What's the point?

"Oh, one more thing."

In an instant my gaze snaps back to my bracelet, where Dr. Black waits. He holds up a single gloved finger. "I forgot to mention that, while you will be voting to kill a member of Alpha Team, they will also be voting to kill one of you."

For a long moment no one reacts. My mind can barely process the words. They...will vote to kill one of us? Kill...kill. Kill?

"You bastard!" Red snarls at her screen.

Dr. Black wags a finger. "That is patently false. My parents were married before I was conceived, let alone born."

Red lets loose with a litany of curses, screaming her defiance. Vika is still curled up on the floor. I, however, stand apart. I feel cold, empty. My life hinges on the prospect of three teenagers in the room across from us. Three people who are barely more than kids will decide which one of us will die.

Is life really so cheap?

"The Decision Game has begun. I will give you all time to discuss your impending decision. Until then, farewell."

The screen flicks off.

"Come back here, you bastard!" Red screams at the ceiling, to no avail. While my teammates rage and sob, I turn my attention to the far wall, the wall that lets us look in on Alpha Team.

The three of them seem to be handling things remarkably better than we are; the girl is pointing at her bracelet, waving animatedly and saying something I can't hear to the brown haired boy. The blond boy, meanwhile, stands off to the side looking...bored, of all things.

Which one of us will they choose? I find myself morbidly fascinated with the conundrum. How does one decide to kill one person out of a group of complete strangers? How am I supposed to decide?

"We mustn't play this game!"

I turn to see Vika on her feet, wiping away tears with her sleeve. "Dr. Black is bluffing. He wouldn't really kill all three of us. He wouldn't have a game then, would he?"

"He said that there were thirty of us here," I say numbly. "Pretty sure he can afford to kill three."

Vika sniffs, but to her credit she doesn't cry. "I...I don't know what to do then. Surely we can't vote to kill someone!"

"Why not?"

We both spin to see Red glaring at us, hands planted on her hips. She takes one hand and jerks a finger at the screen, at the other trio. "They're going to kill one of us, so why the hell shouldn't we kill one of them?"

"We don't know that..." Vika begins, only to be cut off by Red's mocking laugh.

"Oh, yes we do! Are you really dumb enough to believe that they'll throw their own lives away just so that they can continue to delude themselves into thinking they're "good" people?"

"So what do you suggest we do?" I ask, finding that I feel oddly detached from this whole situation. I should be just as concerned as Vika, but for some reason I feel...I don't know. I don't know how to explain it.

"We play the game, of course," Red says. "What else? I'm going to play the game and hope that those morons over there decide to off someone else."

"One of us, you mean."

Red scowls but says nothing more. The realization hits me like a stone. Even if that other team—Alpha Team, Dr. Black called them—decides to spare me, that just means that they've decided to kill Red or Vika instead.

I stare blankly at two girls. I barely know either of them, but the thought of them dying...

"There has to be another way!"

"There isn't. We play the game or we die. There's no middle ground."

She's right. I already knew that, of course, but hearing her say so aloud is just the final nail in the coffin. One of our coffins. Those three teenagers are going to kill one of us. I should feel enraged, but I can't muster the emotion. They have as little choice in the matter as we do.

"Wh-who are we going to choose?"

Vika's question snaps me out of my thoughts. I turn to face her. "What are you talking about?"

She gestures limply at Alpha Team. "If we absolutely have to choose, then, well, who do we choose?"

Before I can answer, our datapads begin to resonate with that familiar music. Surprised, I look down to see that Dr. Black has reappeared on our bracelet screens. "Greetings to one and all. I would like to inform you that it is now Decision Time. You will have ten minutes to lock in your choices. Remember, refusing to vote will result in your demise. Good luck."

Dr. Black blinks off screen. But instead of turning off, the screen instead switches to a new image. There's three pictures showing three teenagers, obviously Alpha Team, and above each picture is a small red button engraved with the word "Vote". Beneath each picture is a series of text.

"What is this?" Red demands, scowling at her bracelet.

I study the text underneath the pictures, surprised to find that it's basically a bio for each teenager. The girl is named Ophyra Grate, and she's a high school senior from San Diego, California. She's also apparently a champion martial artist which, looking at her muscular, toned body, I can believe.

The brown-haired boy is Jackson Sparks. He's a high school student from Stanford, California. The only other information about him is that his parents are elementary school teachers and that he's "lazy and dedicated to gaining vengeance on those who've wronged him." Which, admittedly, is creepy.

I finally turn my attention to the bio of the blond boy. But I frown when I see the information presented. Or, more accurately, the lack of information. His name is Boone Dixon and he hails from Montana. That's it. There's nothing else. It doesn't even say whether he goes to high school or not.

Frowning, I look up to see Red tapping away at her screen. Surely she's not already voting? I'm about to ask her when I remember how hard she punched me earlier.

"Do they have the same information on us?" I ask instead. "Like, are they reading our bios?"

"Look for yourself, stupid!" Red points at the wallscreen, where I can see Alpha Team intently studying their bracelets. Except for the blond boy, Boone. He's just leaning against the wall, casually examining his fingernails.

How can he be so calm?

"What did you guys vote?" Vika wraps her arms around herself, seemingly trembling with fear or anticipation. Probably both.

"Why the hell should I tell you?" Red snaps.

Vika is taken back. "W-well, why wouldn't you tell me? I mean, we're deciding on a person's life! If we coordinated we could—"

"We could what? Kill someone as a group?" Red sneers. "No thanks. I've already cast my vote and couldn't care less what you two dolts choose."

"Well, I voted Ophyra," Vika ignores the barbed insult, turning to face Alpha Team. "Something about her posture just...bothers me. It's almost as if this game excites her."

"Wait." I blink stupidly. "You've both already voted?"

Their only response is to give me blank looks. I'm stunned. I mean, I'm not surprised that Red was so casual and flippant about voting to kill someone, but I had expected more out of Vika. Wasn't she just talking about the sanctity of life?

"Five minutes remaining."

An automated voice beeps out of the bracelet. Red smirks at me. "Better get voting, Hayle. Don't want to die now, do you?"

I feel myself break out into a sweat. Oh, I am not good under pressure. I turn to my bracelet, stomach heaving. Vote to kill someone? How am I suppose to decide? I gaze at the three faces, feeling pity mixed with disgust at myself.

I can't pick Ophyra. Vika already chose her, so if I did the same that would mean she'd receive two of the three votes. Basically, if I vote her she dies. And I'm not about to be the deciding vote on who dies!

That leaves me with only two options; Jackson and Boone. Jackson and his whole revenge thing freaks me out, but Boone and his carefree demeanor is just as unsettling. I find myself unsure on how to decide. Which one did Red vote?

"Ten seconds."

Not good! Not enough time!

"Nine seconds."

I stare at the two faces, unable to make a choice.

"Eight seconds."

I don't want to kill anyone. I don't!

"Seven seconds."

Taking a deep breath, I reach out and hit a button. I only hope Red didn't make the same choice. Suddenly weak in the knees, I stumble towards one of the couches and drop myself onto it. I sink into the cushions, hiding my face behind my hands.

Did I really just do that? Did I really just vote to kill someone?

"Your vote has been registered. Thank you for playing!" A pleasant computerized, feminine voice chirps out of my datapad.

I feel the couch vibrate as someone sits next to me. I remove my hands and see Vika watching me, her blue eyes swimming with concern. "Who did you vote?" She asks softly.

My voice is little more than a rasp as I answer. "Boone."

Vika nods. She looks so understanding. Too understanding. Unable to look at her, I turn to face the wall that shows us Alpha Team. They're all standing in a line, staring at their bracelets. Maybe they're waiting for the results. The horrid, horrid results.

"The Decision Game has come to an end!" Dr. Black's voice blares out my bracelet, but when I look down all I see is the pictures of Alpha Team. "And, now that the game has concluded, I will show you the results!"

The screen transitions to show a sparkling silver font displaying the words "Alpha Team Results". Underneath the words the picture of Jackson appears. "Jackson Sparks," Dr. Black intones, "has received...zero votes."

A large white zero appears under his face. I feel my chest tighten as, beside me, Vika gasps. If Jackson didn't receive any votes, then that means Red voted for either Ophyra or Boone. Meaning...Vika or I just helped kill someone.

"Ophrya Grates..." Dr. Black continues on with that same lifeless tone as Ophyra's picture joins Jackson's. "Received a total of...two votes."

"No!" Vika leaps to her feet, eyes wide with horror. She wheels to face Red. "Why didn't you tell me who you voted? We could have avoided this!"

Red shrugs. "Avoided what? Someone was going to die either way!"

The two continue to bicker, but I'm no longer listening. My attention has honed in on Alpha Team and their own reactions to the results. Ophyra is staring blankly at her bracelet, seemingly stunned into silence. Jackson is screaming, his face red with anger. Boone...he's standing apart from the others, hands in his pockets as he watches with an indifferent expression.

"As Ophyra has received majority of the votes," Dr. Black is once again speaking, his voice still completely emotionless, "that means she will be executed. Immediately. Do you have any final words, Ophyra?"

The girl looks up. Her face is pallid, soaked with sweat. She opens her mouth, but before she can even speak her body begins to tremble. Her eyes roll into her head as her limbs begin to jerk rapidly. Then, in what feels like a matter of seconds, she collapses. She hits the hardwood floor with a thump, body now motionless.

She does not get back up.

"Oh, God!" Vika screams. "She's dead! No! Oh, God, no!"

I can only stare. Stare at the body of the girl who, only moments ago, was hale and healthy. Now she's dead. And for what? Why? What does Dr. Black get out of this? What could he possibly achieve?

"And now, it is time for Beta Team's results."

My brain stops working. Thoughts die before they even begin. What if...How...me? What if they voted me? I stare silently as, all at once, our pictures appear on screen. Then, under our faces and names, the numbers. The votes.

Hayle Saraceno 1

Arlyssa Valiante 1

Victoria Caprae 1

I have no words. No reaction. I stare at the results, dumbfounded and dismayed. We...we all received a vote? It's a tie? But that means...that means...

"We're all going to die..." Vika says softly. Her quiet, somber tone is contrasted by her previous frantic panic. She drops to her knees, eyes swimming with tears as she looks at the votes that sealed our fate.

Even Red doesn't have anything to say. She gapes at the screen, hands on her head and mouth hanging open, as if she was about to say something before seeing the results.

"It appears that it is a tie!" Dr. Black's voice comes through our bracelets. "A truly remarkable turn of events. Yes, I did not envision that such a thing would occur. Very well. Since it is a tie, that means...no one on Beta Team will be killed."

What?

Wait. What!

My head snaps up. Eyes swivel around to find Dr. Black, but he is not on screen. Did I hear him correctly? Have I gone insane with grief? Or did he really say it? Did he really say that no one will die?

"I see that you are all confused," My bracelet screen flickers to finally show Dr. Black. He is pacing around a dark room, hands clasped about his cane. "Allow me to clear up this...misunderstanding. You see, the rules were that the member of Beta Team who received the most votes would be executed. However, seeing as you each received one vote that, in effect, prevented any one of you from receiving the most votes."

I don't know if I completely understand what he's saying, but I don't care. I'm alive! I'm not going to be killed! Laughing with a sudden, insane glee, I leap from the couch and fist bump the air.

I'm so glad, in fact, that I'm utterly shocked when I see the look of pure horror on Vika's face. I halt my celebration and look around. The room is unchanged. "Uh, what's wrong?" I ask her.

"We could have saved her," She murmurs, "we could have saved her!"

"Um. Who are you..." I trail off as I follow her gaze and see Ophyra's body. Jackson is kneeling beside it while Boone watches from a distance. Saved her...it hits me like a punch in the gut. If we had all voted someone different, if we had all coordinated...

We could have prevented her death.

I feel insanely guilty, even though there is no reason for it. After all, I didn't vote for her. I was the only one on my team who didn't. But still...I could have done something. Couldn't I?

"There would have been no point!" Red scoffs. She seems to have recovered from her brief bout of shock and is now at the lone unmarked door, jiggering its knob.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Do you really think that this is the end of Dr. Black's "games", Hayle? Do you believe that, just because we survived this one, we're all in the clear?"

I have no answer for her. I just stare blankly ahead, blindsided by what should have been obvious from the start. Then, seemingly reading my thoughts, Dr. Black speaks from the bracelet. "Dear Arlyssa is quite right, you know. The games aren't over. Oh no. Far from it. In fact, they've just begun."

Hayle Saraceno (Beta Team)
This isn't happening. This can't be happening. I'm not trapped here by some crazy psycho,  forced to play sick games for reasons unexplained. I'm not completely and utterly unaware of anything and everything that I could do to escape. I'm not...

I am.

I stare at the wall, feeling sick. My body trembles and my legs feel like jelly. How long will this continue? How long will we have to play?

"When does the next game begin?" Red—Arlyssa?—whirls to glare at the ceiling, hands on her hips.

Dr. Black chuckles. It's a creepy enough sound on its own, but its amplified a hundredfold by the fact that it echoes on all three of our bracelets. "My, aren't you eager? Unfortunately, dear Arlyssa, you will have to wait a bit for the next game. These things take time, you know."

Arlyssa scowls. "The hell with that! You expect us just to sit in this room and wait?"

"No. Of course not. You will be let out into...the Playing Field. There, you will wait. Of course, there will be plenty of danger and thrills out there for you. More than enough, I assure you."

Oh, I do not like the sound of that! I open my mouth to protest, but the glare Arlyssa sends my way has me snapping it shut again. "What will we be doing out there?" She demands.

Dr. Black's reply is the vocal equivalent of a shrug. "Whatever you wish. Until the next game begins, of course." Then, just like that, the screen flicks off.

Of course. That cryptic answer didn't explain anything! I turn to my two allies, not at all surprised by their demeanours. Arlyssa is scowling and punching the wall. Vika, however, is sitting on the couch, arms wrapped tightly around herself. "What are we going to do?" She speaks aloud, though it doesn't seem like her words are addressed to anyone. "Are we just supposed to sit around and...wait for us all to die?"

"We'll play his games," Arlyssa growls. "For now. But first chance I get, I'm blowing this joint."

Her words strike a chord in my memory. A voice...on the phone! I nearly gasp at my stupidity. How did I forget all about that? That voice, whoever it was, had warned me about this. Told me that I had to escape. Who were they and how did they know about Dr. Black and his games?

I'm about to turn and ask Arlyssa if she received a similar call when I remember more of the mysterious callers words. Do not tell anyone. I didn't understand it at first, because I was all alone, but now...

I watch Arlyssa as she futility tries to punch her way through the screen that used to show us Alpha Team but is now just blank. Why can't I tell my teammates? Is it because Dr. Black might overhear? Or is there a more nefarious reason?

Lost in these troubling thoughts, I barely notice the wall behind me as it slides open. "What the hell?"

Hearing my shout, Arlyssa spins around. Her eyes widen in surprise as she watches the wall, the entire wall, slide open like a screen door. Beyond it lies a dark tunnel, like the gaping maw of a sleeping monster.

For several long moments I just stand there, stunned. "Th-that must be the way we're supposed to go," I say, nervously scratching my head.

Arlyssa grunts. "Obviously."

Despite this, none of us make a move. I shift my weight from leg to leg, rooted to the spot. That tunnel is just so dark and ominous. Who knows what lies at the end? Knowing Dr. Black, it must be something horrible.

"Are...are we going to enter?" Vika steps up beside me, apparently recovered from her latest bout of melancholy. Before I can answer, Arlyssa pushes past us. The girl marches right up into the tunnel and disappears inside without even a glance backwards.

I exchange looks with Vika. "Well, I guess that answers it."

I force my body into motion, walking towards the tunnel. There's nothing to fear. Yes, Dr. Black has proven to be maniacal psychopath, but he also hasn't yet done anything that implies he would personally harm us. So far it seems like he'd rather us kill each other. Which is still troubling, true, but it makes me feel safer about traversing this tunnel.

At least, a little safer.

Vika follows me into the tunnel, staying close by my side. Every few feet there's an overhead fluorescent light. Each one offers only a meager, flickering light, but it's just enough to see by.

The walls seem to be made out of some sort if sheet metal, and the ground is very clearly sloping upwards. I can't help but wonder what that implies. Are we heading for the roof? Or have we been underground this whole time?

There is no sound but for our footsteps and Vika's soft breathing. There's also no sign of Arlyssa, but I'm not worried. The tunnel is completely straight, so she could only have gone one way.

Soon we're stepping out of the tunnel and into a spherical room. Arlyssa stands in the center, hands on her hips as she studies a pair of doublewide doors. To her side, set against the leftmost wall, is a small table that holds a trio of bags.

"What is this place?" Vika asks as I stop to take it all in. The austere severity is perhaps a bit too overwhelming. Besides for the aforementioned door and table, there is absolutely nothing in the room. The floor is concrete while the ceiling and walls are the same sheet metal as the tunnel.

"About time you arrived!" Arlyssa turns to glare at us.

I raise an eyebrow. "You couldn't possibly have been here for more than a few minutes!"

"More than enough time for me to get impatient!" She crosses over to the table and smacks her palm against it. "Now get over here, you dolts!"

Curious to what has her so riled up, I step up to the table. There's a small sheet of paper pinned to it that reads "Full Team Required". I frown. "What is this for?"

In answer, musical chimes sound out.

Instinctively I look to my bracelet, where Dr. Black has just reappeared on screen. He claps his gloved hands together. "Congratulations, Bravo Team. It appears you have reached the Door of Beginnings."

The what? I blink stupidly, looking around to see if anyone else understood what he just said. But they both look just as confused as I do, so I turn back to the screen. "Past that door," Dr. Black continues, "you will find the Playing Field. That is where you will spend most of your time. That is also where you will most likely encounter the other teams for the first time."

I still have no idea what any of that means. But I do understand the part about the other teams. We've already seen one, Alpha. How many others are there?

"I do not wish to bog you down with long, meandering exposition, so I will keep this brief. As the goal of this game is to be the last team standing, outside in the Playing Field is where you will have one simple goal: Kill the other teams."

I nearly choke on my shock. Beside me, Vika gasps. "What! You can't be serious!" Kill the other teams? Did he seriously just say that? Images of Ophrya's body thumping to the ground flashes in my mind. Does he really want us to repeat that atrocious act?

"No!" Vika shakes her head, blonde curls bouncing. "No! I refuse! I won't kill anyone!"

Dr. Black chuckles. "You won't have to. You see, while it is perfectly fine to kill the other teams whilst out in the Playing Field, it is not required. You may, if you wish, simply try to carve out a living and wait for the next Event Hub to open."

I feel like he is intentionally trying to confuse us by throwing out such contradictory statements. I have no idea what he stands to gain from such a thing, but I can think of no other reason for his bizarre claims.

"So which is it?" Arlyssa demands. "Do we kill the other teams or not?"

"That decision, dear Arlyssa, is entirely up to you. Just keep in mind that, just because you will not try to kill the other teams, does not mean that they won't try to kill you." He's joking, right? No way that anyone would actually try and kill us. No way.

"Now, with that brief explanation out of the way, let us discuss the bags you see before you."

My eyes swivel up to the table, where three identical bags rest. Black, sturdy, and with a tactical look that reminds me of the military, they don't seem to be anything special. I cautiously poke one with a finger. "These bags?"

"Indeed. Those bags. Now, let me explain. Out in the Playing Field you will be required to scavenge for supplies. There will be no kitchens, no predetermined meal times. You will be subject to the weather and every other natural phenomena that nature throws at you. In short, you will be surviving in the wilderness."

Great. Just what I wanted. A camping trip where I may or may not have to worry about some psychopaths trying to kill me.

"I realize, however, that you all may not be accustomed to such endeavours. That is why I have prepared these bags, once for each of you. Inside you will find some supplies that will make your initial efforts to survive a little easier. I should warn you, however, that along with the standard rations, each bag contains different, unique items. Choose wisely."

There is a short pause. "Once you have chosen, the Door of Beginnings will open and you will be released into the Playing Field. There you will have to try and survive until my next announcement. Good luck."

The screen clicks off.

"Wait!" I shoot a hand out to try and flick it back on, even though I know that it is futile. ""You barely explained anything!"

"And he's gone," Arlyssa rubs her forehead. "What a confusing mess this is."

"I won't kill anyone!" Vika stamps her feet. "I will not!"

"Can it, Blondie. We need to think." As Vika gasps in shock, Arlyssa turns to me. "Looks like we're going to need to choose a bag. I get first pick." Then, before anyone can even respond, she reaches out and grabs the bag in the center. A moment later I grab the bag on the right. Vika, still sulky, takes the last bag.

"What is even in these?" She asks.

"Dunno." I set mine back on the table and unzip it. The first item I pull out is a canteen. Not surprising. If Dr. Black was being honest and we really are going to be surviving in the wilderness, then water is going to be at a premium.

Reaching deeper into the pack, I find several energy bars and a few bags of roasted nuts. Folded up beneath these is an item I recognize from late-night infomercials; a space blanket. Apparently it's a special blanket that helps you retain body heat or something like that.

"Looks like we have similar items," Vika says. I look up, surprised to find her next to me, going through her own bag. "Our food and water supply is the same, but instead of that blanket I have these." She deposits a small plastic bag on the table. I peer at, noticing the small cotton balls inside.

"What are those?"

"They're cotton balls," Arlyssa says from where she stands behind us. "Looks like they're covered in petroleum jelly, which makes me think they're meant for starting fires."

Vika and I turn to look at her.

"What?" She shrugs. "I'm not an idiot; I know things."

"That isn't the kind of thing most people know," I say. Then again, neither are space blankets.

"What do you have, Arlyssa?" Vika begins to question her as I return to checking my bag. I'm half-listening to the conversation, so I'm shocked when I see the next thing I pull out.

A knife.

"—same food as you and a poncho. I—Huh!" Arlyssa stares at the knife, eyes going wide. Vika, turning to see what got her attention, lets out a gasp when she spots it.

"No! Put it away! Put it away!"

"Relax, it's not a weapon." Arlyssa reaches out and yanks the knife from my hands. I think about complaining, but shut that idea down when I remember the punch. She spins it around, admiring the blade.

"How is a knife not a weapon?"

"Because it's not just meant for killing, you blonde bimbo!" Arlyssa gives the knife one last look over then hands it back to me. "It's a survival knife, and that means it's designed for work such as setting traps, cutting branches, carving wood, and skinning animals. Not killing people."

I study the blade, noticing its length is at least seven inches. I'm not an expert on weapons or things like that, but I'm pretty sure a knife this big could very easily be turned into a weapon.

Is that what Dr. Black intends? Does he want us to kill each other with weapons like this? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, I'm sure that this knife will come in handy, especially since I notice that there's a compass set in the cap of the handle.

"Did you two get anything like this?" I ask, storing the knife into a sheath I pull out of the bag.

Vika shakes her head. Arlyssa, however, grins and reaches into her own bag. "Behold! A true weapon!"

She pulls out a revolver.

Vika lets out a squeal, ducking behind me and clutching my arm. I simply gape as Arlyssa waves the gun around. "Watch where you're pointing that!"

"I'm not going to shoot you, moron!" Despite her remarks Arlyssa carefully lowers the revolver until it's pointed at the floor. I breath a silent sigh of relief. The last thing I want is to get accidentally shot by someone who is supposed to be my teammate.

"I-is that real?" Vika peeks out from behind my arm.

Arlyssa shrugs. "Only one way to find out." She raises the gun and turns to aim down the tunnel.

"Wait! Don't—"

Too late. Arlyssa pulls the trigger and there's an ear-splitting Crack! as a bullet explodes down the tunnel. Halfway down it slams into the wall and begins to ricochet back and forth.

Vika yelps and ducks under the table as I back off, cursing Arlyssa for her carelessness. She only laughs. "Yep, it's real alright. Looks like it only has six bullets, though. Maybe I should have saved that one."

The bullet finally loses momentum, dropping to the floor and skidding away somewhere in the darkness of the tunnel. Heart beating like a drum, I find myself glaring at Arlyssa. "Are you insane? You never shoot a gun indoors! Even I know that!"

Arlyssa opens her mouth, probably to snap off a retort, but before she can even form any words she's interrupted by a long, slow grinding sound. At first I fear that her reckless shot has somehow made the ceiling collapse, but then Vika points behind me. "Oh! The door is opening!"

The door, the one Dr. Black called the "Door of Beginnings" has begun to swing open. The wide doors take a ponderous amount of time, grating against the concrete floor as they do. I blink my eyes as a new source of light shines through the newly formed gap. Sunlight?

A minute later, the doors are fully open. A cool gust of wind blows in, rustling our clothes and bringing in the strong scent of pine. As we slowly approach, soft yellow light envelopes us.

"Trees!" Vika claps happily as I step outside.

Tall pine trees surround me on all sides. The ground is soft and covered with nettles and pinecones, a handful resting just beside my feet. Spinning around, I can see that I've just exited what looks like the mouth of a metal bunker, one that is completely built right into the side of a cliffside.

"We're on a mountain," Arlyssa says, stepping out beside me. She folds her arms across her chest and gazes out above us where, true to her words, I can see the knotted peaks of a mountain range.

"I think we're more of at the base of one."

"Whatever."

I look to the sky, where lances of sunlight shine through the gaps in the trees. This forest...it definitely doesn't look like anything in Texas, or at least the part where I live. The pine trees alone are a clear giveaway.

So if I'm not in Texas, where am I?

A question suddenly springs to mind and I turn to Vika and Arlyssa. "What states do you two live in?"

Vika frowns. "Connecticut, why?"

I nod and turn to Arlyssa. "You?"

She scowls at me. "I don't see why it matters."

"Just answer the question!"

"Fine. I'm from California. Happy now?"

Vika gasps, suddenly aware of what I've already discovered. "We're all from different states," I say, pacing. "States that are nowhere close to one another. Why then, has Dr. Black kidnapped us? Wouldn't it have been easier to kidnap three teenagers from the same state? Why go across the country to get us three in particular?"

"Maybe...maybe he wanted someone from every state?" Vika hugs her sketchbook to her chest. "That would make sense, wouldn't it?"

I shake my head. "It would, if he had fifty people here. But he explicitly mentioned that there were only around thirty of us."

Arlyssa, who doesn't seem to be as perturbed by this as I am, narrows her eyes at me. "Why does it matter? Dr. Black is obviously an insane psychopath. I doubt even he knows why he does what he does."

I don't respond, still lost in thought. Dr. Black is insane, that's true, but he seems to know exactly what he's doing. So far everything he's done has been meticulously planned. Nothing has been random or erratic. There has to be some reason why he chose us. But I have no way to figure out why. I simply don't have enough information.

"Anyways," Arlyssa turns away from me, obviously taking my silence as acquiescence. "We don't have time to be discussing this. Maybe you two have forgotten, but we're stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no shelter and a limited supply of food. Shouldn't that be our priority?"

That's...actually a really good point. I don't know anything about surviving in the wilderness. And one glance at Vika is enough to tell me that she's probably never even left the city once in her life. That means what little knowledge our team possesses belongs solely to Arlyssa.

"What do you suggest?" I ask.

She shrugs. "Hard to say anything, considering we know squat about this whole playing field. Best thing we can do is scout around and look for landmarks."

"Wh-what about the other teams?" Vika looks to the trees, as if she suspects we'll be jumped right here and now.

"What about them?" Arlyssa waves her revolver around. "If they come for us, I'll just show them a little gunpowder and lead."

Vika flinches back. I understand her reaction. Dr. Black has made it abundantly clear that he wants us to kill each other, and has even supplied us with weapons to do so. But does that mean we have to automatically assume the worst of any people we encounter?

"What if the other teams have their own guns?" Vika asks.

Arlyssa shrugs. "Guess we'll find out. Now, enough hand-wringing. Let's move out!"

Arlyssa sets off into the pines and we have little choice but to follow. I lag behind the others, self-consciously rubbing my knife. I didn't tell the others this, but I'm actually pretty proficient with knives. I did a lot of the cooking in my family, and that has given me skills that I doubt most others possess. I could kill someone, if I wanted.

That thought makes me cold. I don't want to kill anyone.

To clear my head of these dark thoughts, I belatedly turn my attention to the forest. The pine trees are supremely tall, the lowest branches themselves rise even higher than my head can lift. Though most of the ground is covered with nettles, there are the occasional patches of grass. Wood sorrel flecks these patches and I spot a pair of hares scampering away.

"How adorable!" Vika gasps, the first smile crossing her face in what feels like a very long time.

"We could hunt those," Arlyssa muses. Predictably, Vika begins to protest. I let my attention drift away from the conversation and to the sky, where a pair of jays are screeching high up in the canopy of the trees. I remember learning in school that Jays are the scavengers of the bird world. Their cruel, corvid eyes are always on the lookout for a feathered meal. In the winter, they raid squirrel stores for their nuts, often damning them to starvation.

As the birds drift away, I can't help but wonder if there is a similar situation between us and the other teams.

The forest continues on. I spot more signs of wildlife other than the hares and jays. Butterflies, squirrels, and what I think is a deer. I can't be sure, though, because I only see it from a distance and it bounds away immediately.

Yet I see no signs of other humans. Nothing. Where could they be? Surely this area isn't big enough to hide them all. But then, I don't really know how big this "playing field" really is. Does it stretch on for miles? Or is it just a small parcel of land? I don't have enough information; I don't have nearly enough.

"Oh! Look at that!"

I snap out of my thoughts at the sound of Vika's voice. I whirl around to follow her gaze and find, nestled between two particularly large pines, a small disheveled house. Well, calling it a house is generous. It doesn't look like anything more than a shack, and a poorly built one at that.

"Do you think the other teams are inside?" Vika steps closer to me, face paling with sudden fear.

"Only one way to find out!" Arlyssa says. Though she sounds carefree, I can't help but notice how her grip tightens on the gun. Nevertheless, she strides towards the shack without even a backward glance.

Vika and I follow after only a moment's hesitation. I don't think anyone is inside; if they were, they'd have come out by now, since we've been making way too much noise.

Arlyssa swings the door open and disappears inside. I follow suit and immediately blink as a cloud of dust swirls around my face. "Ugh! How old is this place?" I stumble forward and nearly collide with a wall until I catch myself on a small table.

Arlyssa gives me a withering glance. "Try not to break anything, Hayle."

I ignore her jibe and examine the room. True to its appearance, there's really not much to look at. Besides for the aforementioned table the only things of any note are a series of cabinets set against the far wall, a fireplace, and a sleek plastic box. I frown when I see the box. Unlike everything else, this isn't coated with a thin layer of dirt. In fact, it looks like it was placed here recently.

"What's up with this?" I tap its lid.

"Oh my!" Vika appears over my shoulder, peering down at the box. "It has a funny little logo on it!"

She's right. There's some kind of strange symbol engraved on the lid, with a word underneath. The symbol looks like an inverted cross set against a crescent moon and the word inscribed underneath is "Tarot". "What the hell does this mean?"

Ignoring us, Arlyssa reaches over and flips open the lid. There's a small note attached to the top part, which she immediately reads. "Congratulations, you have found a supply box. The items inside are now yours to do with as you please." She pauses, one hand on her hip. "Huh. Guess we got lucky."

"Still, what's with the symbol?" I find myself enthralled with the mystery. What could its purpose be? My allies, however, only care for what is inside the box.

"Bug spray?" Vika hesitantly pulls out a small canister. "Why would we need this?"

Arlyssa snags the rest of the items, which just seem to be a roll of bandages and a sewing kit. I turn away. None of this matters. Not to me. I only care about getting out of here, escaping this place before I have to play another one of those twisted games. The voice on the phone comes back to. Go along for now.

Why? What would be the purpose? And can I even trust that voice, or is it just another one of Dr. Black's games?

As Vika and Arlyssa discuss our next move, I turn to gaze out at the sky. I feel my panic beginning to abate...and it its place, my despair grows.

Hannah Jackson (Zeta Team)
''Water roared in my ears as the faint light of the surface disappeared from sight. The water dragged me down, down past the surfboard that was my only salvation. My lungs screamed for air and I resisted the urge to suck down water, clamping my jaws shut tight.''

I am going to die. The thought swept unbidden across my mind. I am going to drown here, in this ocean. Why didn't I listen? Mom, Dad, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything.

''My head swam and blackness pressed in on the edge of my consciousness. I frantically pushed upward, praying that I would find the surface. Too late. The darkness closed in, and I knew that my death had come.''

Except it hadn't.

Somehow I had survived. Eyes blinking open, body sore with exhaustion, I found myself lying on an unfamiliar bed. I thought that I was in a hospital, that someone had found and rescuerd me. Well, the found part was true.

But I wasn't rescued. Far from it.

Keep calm. Just keep calm, Hannah. Panicking will solve nothing. I need to stay calm and think about this rationally. My life is at stake. That, if nothing else, is absolutely certain.

Life has just been one bad mistake after another. I should have listened to my parents. I shouldn't have ran away. I shouldn't have gone out surfing. Not during the storm. If only I hadn't, then I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be trapped inside some bunker where a maniac makes people kill each other.

Perhaps surprisingly the emotion that I feel strongest is anger. How dare Dr. Black do this! What does he hope to gain from such pointless, obscene activities? Murder. I wouldn't have thought it possible. I would never have expected that his captives would turn on each other so quickly.

Through our bracelets, Dr. Black showed us the "game" that Alpha and Beta team played. He showed us just how quickly humans will turn on one another. They didn't even hesitate before deciding to kill someone.

Would I?

I have no answer as I sit here on a sofa, staring at a blank screen. Beside me stand two other girls--my fellow Zeta Team allies, Dr. Black called them--who seem equally as despondent. I don't know them very well; neither has said much so far.

One of them, a tan girl with long brown hair that cascades down to her waist in waves, taps her feet as she stares out at the newly opened tunnel. It opened several minutes ago, but we still have made no effort to explore it.

"Are we just going to wait around?" I finally break the long silence, standing up and moving towards the tunnel before stopping halfway. "I mean, there's no point just sitting here!"

My other teammate, a tall, athletic black girl named Francesca, steps forward. "You're right. We have to explore whether we want to or not." I nod encouragingly at the girl. Truth be told, I was initially frightened of her. Her being so tall and muscular was off-putting enough, but she also has these strange colorless patches on her skin. I figure she must have some sort of disease, but I don't think it would be very polite to ask.

"Exploring will just be playing right into Dr. Black's hands, you know." My first teammate scowls at the two of us. Though she has categorically refused to answer our questions about anything, she has told us that her name is Sofia.

"So what do you want us to do?" I ask. "Just sit here and wait? What will that accomplish?"

"Better that than die in one of his stupid games!" She retorts.

"It's not like staying here will prevent that," Francesca says, "after all, that girl still died even though she never left her room." Smart girl. Despite my initial doubts, I think that I might grow to like Francesca.

That is if I don't die first.

Sofia stares silently at Francesca, eyes cold and hard. Francesca only smiles back. I fidget, unable to stand still. I do not like this. I don't trust either of these girls, but I'm supposed to work with them? How the hell am I going to do that?

"You know what?" I shake my head and turn to the tunnel. "Stay here if you want or come with me. It doesn't matter. I don't care what you do."

I head off, not waiting for an answer. I don't care what Dr. Black says, I'm not going to work with people who clearly want nothing to do with me. But then...

I don't care what you say! Words said to my parents flash through my mind. This is my life and I'll do what I want with it!

Mistake. That was a mistake. I always think that I know best, that I'll always come out unscathed. But that wasn't true with the surfing, and it doesn't seem like it'll be true here. I may not understand what this is all about or what Dr. Black hopes to achieve, but I don't like my odds of surviving this alone.

I'm halfway down the tunnel when I pull to a halt. Unsure, I'm about to turn around when Francesca steps past me. "Getting cold feet?" She grins at me.

I shake my head. "No, I was just..." Just what? Regretting my hotheaded actions?

Francesca's eyes soften. "Look, I get it. None of us knows anything about each other. We've all just been thrown into a vicious, awful situation and emotions are bound to bubble over. I don't blame you for snapping at us."

A sense of guilt washes over me for my early thoughts about Francesca. "Thanks," I mutter.

"Stop this pity party; it's not helping anybody." Sofia brushes past us, not even slowing down on her way through the tunnel.

I pick up the pace and push ahead, quickly re-passing Sofia. She gives me a sideways glance but doesn't say anything. Smart. There's only so many cynical comments I can take before snapping.

But perhaps that's our problem, mine and hers. Despite being together for what has to have been hours, neither of us have really bothered to try and get to know the other. Francesca tried at the beginning, but I was too flustered and dismayed by our situation to respond. But now that I'm beginning to settle in...maybe we should try again?

As I'm thinking, the tunnel comes to an end, opening up into a wide, rectangular room. A pair of heavy-set doors lie directly across from me, while a narrow table is pressed against the left wall. The right wall is bare except for a more ordinary door.

Sofia steps into the room, eyes quickly scanning its contents. "What's with the doors?"

I shrug. "No idea." They seem to be very large. Why? What would be the purpose of such ridiculously sized doors?

"Those bags seem interesting!" Francesca walks over to the table and grabs what appears to be a note. "Huh. Apparently these contain supplies for us."

An awkward silence follows as we all share glances. Supplies? For what? I'm about to ask, but then remember my earlier thoughts. "We can't keep going like this!" Both girls turn to look at me, surprised. "We can't just keep walking on eggshells, acting like we don't need to talk to each other. We do. Dr. Black has made it very clear that this will be a team game."

"What do you expect from us?" Sofia glares at me. "I don't know anything about you! For all I know, you could be working for that bastardo!"

"Do you really think that?" Francesca sounds surprised. "Why would we do such a thing?"

Sofia throws her hands in the air. "I don't know! No sé nada de ustedes, estúpidos americanos!"

"Huh?" I blink, confused. "What was that last part?"

"She spoke Spanish," Francesca says. "I believe she called us "stupid Americans"."

I let out a low chuckle. "Joke's on her; I'm no American, I'm an Aussie."

"Interesting." Fransceca watches me closely, stroking her chin. I squirm, uncomfortable with her gaze. What's so interesting? Francesca shifts her eyes to our other teammate. "Do you mind if I ask where you're from, Sofia?"

The girl mutters something under her breath. "Mexico City," she says after a brief pause. "Why? It doesn't matter." Huh. I had assumed that she and Francesca were both Americans. Though the fact that she's not explains her accent; English is clearly not her first language.

"So we're all from different countries," Francesca continues, oblivious to Sofia's disdain. "And that is very interesting, because it implies that Dr. Black has the resources and manpower to kidnap people from totally different countries. Such an endeavor would require quite the operation. He is, in short, not acting alone."

I hadn't thought about that. If what Francesca says is true, then Dr. Black can't just be a lone psychopath. He has to have funding, resources, allies. Somebody, someone with money and influence, has to be helping him. But that...doesn't make any sense.

"That doesn't change our situation," Sofia says.

"No, it does not. But it is something worth thinking about." She pauses for a short moment, then turns to me. "Now, I believe Hannah's earlier suggestion has merit. We will never grow to trust one another if we don't know anything about each other. So, let me begin."

"I, as you can most likely see, suffer from Vitiligo. I don't blame you if you've never heard about it; it is woefully neglected by many people. Vitiligo is a long-term skin condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment." She goes on to explain how she's been stigmatized and bullied for this condition, but has since grown to embrace it rather than hate it. Francesca tells us that, prior to her awakening here, she was living with her mother and carving out a living for herself by modelling as well as selling her own art.

It's a beautiful story, but unfortunately the biggest impact is that it just makes me feel even worse for unfairly judging her earlier. Still, it does the trick. I feel like I can relate to her better.

"I lived with my parents," I begin once Francesca finishes, "and I was a surfer..."

I tell the whole tale, not omitting anything. There's no point trying to hide my actions, even if they were reckless and irresponsible. No, especially because they were. These girls may need to put their lives in my hands; they deserve to know the truth.

When I finish, there is silence. Francesca and I turn to Sofia, expectant. But when she sees us watching she just laughs. "What? You think I will tell you my life story? No gracias, amigos. I will tell you nothing."

"Perhaps that is too much to ask," Francesca inclines her head. "But thank you for sharing, Hannah. You can only understand what you know, after all."

I nod, but don't take my eyes off Sofia. She's clearly not use to relying on other people, which I usually wouldn't mind. But in this situation? She better shape up fast, or I might just beat the hell out of her.

Francesca grabs one of the bags off the table and, hefting it over her shoulder, grunts. "This is surprisingly heavy. What's inside?"

I shrug. "Dunno. But what about that bag? There seems to be some sort of handle sticking out..." I trail off as I reach over and remove the object. I feel myself paling as I stare at it.

"What's wrong?" Francesca frowns at me. "It's just a baseball bat."

"He knows!" I whisper, gaze glued to the bat. "He knows!"

"Knows what?" Sofia narrows her eyes.

"I..." I set the bat down on the table, surprised to find myself trembling. "I used to play baseball. I was one of the best hitters on my team. Receiving this bat...no way is that a coincidence!" But that was years ago! Did he really dig up that much information about me? If knows this...

What else does Dr. Black know about us?

"Do you really think he purposely gave you that bat?" Francesca sounds doubtful as she picks the bat up. She runs one oddly-colored hand along its length. "What would be the point?"

"Because he wants us to know that he knows!" I should have realized this sooner. This wasn't some random kidnapping, Dr. Black didn't just choose us on a whim. I wouldn't have been chosen if it was random. I was drowning, dying, then...

Dr. Black captured me. He had to have been watching, had to have known. For how long? When did he start? Looking at my allies faces, I see that they too have begun to think this over.

"Más vale que ese bastardo no toque a mi madre!!" Sofia shouts something in rapid Spanish.

Francesca sets a finger against her forehead, apparently deep in thought. For a long time she says nothing. Then she shakes her head. "This is deeply troubling, I admit. But we can't waste time worrying about it. What's done is done, and we only have time to focus on the present."

Yeah, no. I can't just forget about something because its not currently relevant. That's not how I work. I'm about to say as such when Francesca pulls something out of her bag. It's long, slender, and metal.

"A crowbar?" I frown as Francesca turns the item over in her hands. She gives it a test swing through the air.

"I believe...that Dr. Black intends for these to be our weapons..."

I stare blankly at the girl. "You mean...he wants us to bludgeon people to death?"

"I cannot be sure, but yes, I believe that is exactly what he wants us to do." If there was any doubt before, there's certainly none now. Dr. Black is insane. Completely and utterly insane.

"Zeta Team, may I have your attention please!"

I yelp as Dr. Black's voice emits from my bracelet. Francesca looks at me, raising an eyebrow. I feel myself flushing as I avert my gaze, turning to the bracelet screen. "What do you want?"

Dr. Black, still in the exact same room as before, chuckles softly. "My! What unwarranted aggression! Trust me, dear Hannah, when I tell you that I am not your enemy."

"An obvious lie!" Sofia huffs.

"Believe what you wish, Ms. Cortes. However, that is not why I have chosen to speak with you. No, I am here to tell you that the time has come for you three to play one of my games."

Everyone goes still. There's a sudden chill in the room as we all turn to look at one another. We all know what happened in the last "game" of his. Someone lost their life. Had it forcibly taken away from them by this heinous man.

Will one of us be next?

"What is this game?" Francesca is the first to speak, her composure recovered remarkably quickly. "And how do we play it?"

"You will find the answers you seek in the next room."

Then, as if on cue, the small door to our right slides open. I lean sideways, peering inside. The portion I can see is thin and narrow, with only two chairs inside. Past those, I can see what looks to be panes of glass. Encased behind these panes seem to be majority of the room.

Sofia and Francesca both enter without a word. Hands slick with sweat, I readjust my grip on the baseball bat, then grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder. Finally, I follow my teammates inside.

The door slides shut behind us.

"He has locked us inside," Francesca says calmly.

"Predictable," I mutter. I knew this would happen, but its not like I had a choice. We either follow Dr. Black's instructions or die.

Sofia taps the glass, looking inside. "Is that...a bomb?"

"What?" I spin around so fast that my head nearly falls off. Inside the glass, situated smack dab in the center of the room, is a large spherical object. Completely black and crisscrossed with wires, there's a few small dials that occasionally emit a blinking red light. True to what Sofia said, it looks dangerously similar to a bomb. "A bomb! What the hell are you playing at?"

"I am not playing anything," Dr. Black answers, taking me by surprise. "You, however, will soon be playing a game I like to call "Are You Smart Enough To Exist?"

"What kind of name is that!"

"I hardly think that is what we should be worried about here, Hannah." Francesca frowns, tapping her cheek. She's so calm that I just want to punch her. Doesn't she realize our lives are on the line?

"The rules for the game are simple," Dr. Black continues, ignoring us. "One of you will have to answer a series of multiple choice questions. Get them all correct and your team wins. Get one wrong..."

"What," I ask, "happens if you get one wrong?"

"The bomb will explode."

Well, crap. Beside me, Sofia growls in rage whilst Francesca stands stoically still. I can't believe this! A bomb? A freaking bomb? Where the hell did this lunatic even find a bomb?

"You will all not be in danger, however," Dr. Black says. "Only one of you must answer the questions. The other two will merely observe from behind the explosion-proof glass." What? Explosion-proof glass? That doesn't even sound like a real thing!

"How will we decide who answers the questions?" Sofia demands. I can't help but notice how she glares at us.

"That will be up to you to decide. Be wary, however, for if none of you choose to take the risk and answer the questions then you lose by default, and all three of you will be injected with poison via your bracelet."

"I will not answer the questions!" Sofia makes her declaration before Dr. Black is even finished. I sigh, exchanging a look with Francesca.

"That leaves us. Do you want to do it?" Despite appearing calm on the outside, I'm internally screaming. I don't want to risk my life! And I don't even know what those questions are about! But if Francesca chooses not to answer, then I won't have a choice. The possibility of death is still far better than certain death.

"I will answer the questions!" Francesca steps towards the door without the slightest hesitation. Sofia nods in appreciation, but I can't help but feel nervous. If Francesca fails, then she dies. I may not have known her long, but I really don't want to see anyone else die today, no matter who they are.

"Very good, very good. It is always promising to see a young person step up to face a challenge!" Dr. Black intones as Francesca enters the glass room. The door slides shut immediately.

"Do you think she'll explode?" Sofia asks me.

I turn to face her, mortified by the lack of emotion in the question. "Aren't you worried?"

"Why would I be? I will not explode." She says it so matter-of-factly that I can't even think of a proper response. Perhaps there will be people who want to play Dr. Black's Games after all.

"Francesca, are you ready to begin?" Dr. Black's voice buzzes over our bracelets, followed by an echoy response from Francesca herself.

"Ready."

She certainly looks ready. Her face has a determined cast to it as she stares at the bomb without even the slightest sign of worry. I wonder why she decided to answer the questions. Is she just that confident, or was she worried that I'd refuse and we'd all be killed? I hope she doesn't think so little of me, but I can't say I'm certain of that.

Inside the glass room, a holographic screen flickers into existence. There's some text followed by a series of options. The question and the choices. Breath shaky with nerves, I read the question.

What is 20% of 240?

A clock immediately begins to countdown from ten. I begin to sweat, eyes glossing over as I stare at the four possible answers. Panic is getting the best of me, I realize. I'm about to fail, the clock is nearly--

"Forty-eight," Francesca says, tapping a button on the bomb.

"That is...correct." Dr. Black says as the countdown dissipates. "Prepare yourself for question number two."

The questions continue at a rapid pace. I try my best to keep up, but I find myself failing more often than not. Francesca, however, gets each one right every time. What is the capital of Colorado? Denver. What white, fluffy clouds are known as Fair Weather Clouds? Cumulus.

I don't know how she does it. With only ten seconds for the question to sink in before an answer became necessary--and the threat of explosion hanging over her head--as somehow manages to stay calm and rational. It's truly impressive.

Yet the questions seem endless. Francesca answers seventeen in a role and there's still no sign of stopping. Is there even an end? What if the game can only result in the bomb exploding? Would Dr. Black really be that cruel?

If you are facing north and turn Ninety-Degrees to the right, what direction are you now facing?

"East," Francesca answers. She sounds as calm as ever, but I can see a sheen of sweat on her forehead.

"That is...correct. Prepare for question number nineteen."

By definition, a prism is a solid figure that has how many congruent bases?

Sofia mutters something in Spanish as Francesca nods. "Two."

"That is...correct. Prepare for the final question."

Yes! Only one more to go! I find myself suddenly jubilant, a wide grin breaking out on my face. These questions are no match for Francesca!

What is my middle name?

The grin slips off my face. What kind of question is that? I feel like I've been punched, the glee deflating out of me like air from popped balloon. After nineteen questions pertaining to general knowledge, Dr. Black throws this at us? Not fair!

"Who?" Francesca whirls around, eyes wide. For the first time emotion has crept into her words. "Whose middle name am I supposed to be guessing!"

"You have ten seconds."

Sofia curses loudly. I can't do anything but stare at the four possible options, completely bewildered by their absurdity. Bergstein, Marshall, Centrifuge, or Oddsworth. How is anyone supposed to guess with such a lack of information? Whose middle name? Dr. Black's? The computers? Hell, it could be anyone.

The seconds continue to tick away. Francesca's eyes dart between the questions, obvious panic crossing her face. Her fingers twitch towards one of the buttons but pull away at the last moment. My heart nearly explodes.

"Two seconds."

"Choose, Francesca! You have to choose something! Anything!" I scream.

Her hand darts forward and taps a button. The hologram dissipates immediately. Dr. Black's voice echoes from our bracelets. "That is...incorrect. Prepare for punishment."

Sofia gasps. I scream. Francesca just stands there, dumbfounded.

The bomb explodes.

Inside the glass there is an explosion of red. Thick, dark liquid slamming into the glass, covering every inch of the clear surface. It is impossible to see anything but red. Red...red liquid...blood.

Francesca's blood.

I gag, dropping to my knees. Sofia lets loose a series of unintelligible curses, then screams at Dr. Black. My heart beats like a hammer. That didn't just happen. It couldn't have. People don't just explode like that...they don't... How could he do this? Why would Dr. Black want this to happen? It doesn't make sense. Francesca was a good person...why would he want to...

The door slides open. A figure emerges from inside the glass room, gasping as they bend over for air. They're completely covered in blood, absolutely drenched in the stuff. But I recognize her. Her figure is unmistakable.

"Francesca!"

The girl who I saw die turns to flash a smile at me. "Thought I was a goner."

"How...why..." There's no way she survived that explosion. All that blood...

"Por qué no estás muerto! This makes no sense!" Sofia exclaims.

"It wasn't a bomb. Well, it was a bomb. Just not the kind we thought." Francesca tries to wipe the blood away, but all she succeeds at is smearing it across her face. She frowns at the result.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's not blood," Francesca accepts a handkerchief Sofia offers her, using it to wipe her face. "It's ketchup. The bomb was filled with ketchup."

That...I stare at the red substance more carefully, examining its texture. True, it doesn't really look like blood. Nor does it smell like blood...

"He lied?" Sofia is furious. "Dr. Black lied to us! I knew we couldn't trust him!"

"I did not lie," Dr. Black's voice flickers back into existence and I look to see him on my bracelet. "I told you that the bomb would explode, which was completely true. I do not believe I told you a falsehood of any sort."

"Semantics!" Sofia begins to rant, but Francesca cuts her off.

"What was the point of this game?"

"What indeed..." Dr. Black chuckles. "Unfortunately, that information is not relevant to you. For now, you'd best return to the room where you claimed your bags. The Door of Beginnings is now open and you are free to enter the Playing Field. Fare thee well."

The screen fades black. The three of us stand in silence. Confused. Angry. Afraid. Uncertain. Dozens of emotions rage inside me, threatening to boil over into an explosion of emotion. But the emotion that I feel strongest...is regret

I should have listened to my parents. Why didn't I listen?

Oh, why didn't I just listen?

Nathaniel Arvidsson (Gamma Team)
I feel uneasy as I follow behind Timothy and Mike. They lead the way down a wide thoroughfare that runs between a series of small, colourful booths. In the distance, looming over everything, stands a ferris wheel.

I have to admit, when I emerged from the underground tunnel where I woke up, the last place I expected to find myself was in a carnival.

"This looks remarkably normal," Timothy stops beside one of the booths, running a hand along its side. "I have to wonder whether Dr. Black created this himself, or if he just found an abandoned carnival to squat in."

I watch the small, unremarkable boy as he studies the nearby booths. Well, boy isn't the right word. He can't be much more than a few years younger than I am, but he carries the confidence and bravado of someone much older. His neatly styled brown hair, serious eyes, and the elaborate suit he wears all work together to create the image of a commanding leader.

And he's filled that role from almost the second we woke up. He was the one who spoke with Dr. Black, questioned the man, and answered the man's questions. He's essentially been acting as our teams mouthpiece.

Not that I mind. The thought of having to speak with Dr. Black by myself makes me feel...uncomfortable.

"Dude, do you think these games still work?" Mike shoulders his way past me, marching up to a small booth that holds several crane machines.

If Timothy is elegant, articulate, and composed, then Mike is...none of those things. Standing at least four inches taller than my own height, he completely dwarfs Timothy. Standing side by side, the two of them make for a comical sight.

"Those games are always rigged anyways," Timothy muses as Mike jabs a meaty finger at the glass case.

"What? No way! I can beat them easily!"

I watch the two as they argue over the fairness of crane machines, wondering if either of them know the easy trick to beating them. You just have to set the machine to maintenance mode and you'll pretty much automatically win. Though I'm not sure why that's important, considering everything that has happened...

Waking up in that bunker was a true shock. I don't know how I got there or why Dr. Black needs me here. I don't remember what I was doing before I got here. I don't know what I'm supposed to do now that I'm here. There's so much that I don't know...

I don't want to die. I know that much. Death is not something I ever want to experience. I'll do whatever is necessary to avoid it. Anything.

"Do you think Dr. Black is telling the truth?" Timothy sits down on a nearby bench, unslinging the bag from his shoulder and dropping it at his feet. "Will we truly need to kill the other teams?"

Mike scratches his head, face scrunching up into a peculiar expression. "Dunno. But we have weapons, don't we?"

Weapons. Inside our supply bags, alongside the expected supplies, we also received one weapon each. In my own bag was an icepick. I feel nauseated when I think about how it's meant to be used, but...

I won't die.

"Yes, we do have weapons..." Timothy falls silent, hand twitching towards his jacket pocket, where I know he keeps his own weapon. It's a gun of some sort, something that I haven't really seen before. Timothy said that it was called a Desert Eagle, but didn't tell us anything more than that. I suppose it doesn't matter. A gun is deadly no matter what name it has.

"I could totally knock a guy unconscious with my weapon!" Mike, excited as he seems to always be, pulls up his own "weapon". It's some kind of strange, egg shaped ball. Mike said that it was a football, but it doesn't look anything like the footballs I've seen. It wasn't until Timothy explained that it was from American Football did I understand.

Not that I really understood at all. Mike was super eager to explain his sport to me, talking nonstop about how he plays it collegiately and was soon to head to the pros. Still, despite his explanations, the game doesn't make any sense to me. Apparently you barely kick the ball at all; instead you spend majority of the time throwing it around.

"Why do you call it football?" I asked Mike. "Why not handegg?"

His only response was to offer me a blank stare.

"I'd prefer if we didn't get into any fights," Timothy speaks, pulling me out of my thoughts. "We still need to get a lay of the land and understand exactly where we are before we do anything rash."

Mike shrugs his broad shoulders. "Whatever you say, bro. But if anyone attacks us I'm chucking this ball into their faces."

Suddenly nervous, I spin around to take in my surroundings. The ferris wheel still lurks in the distance, its bright, garish lights visible even in the early afternoon light. Popcorn is scattered across the thoroughfare, placed so evenly that I'm almost convinced someone purposely threw it down. The booths and tents that surround us are clustered close together, creating many tiny alleys and narrow passages. It wouldn't be too hard for someone to hide there. While we wouldn't be able to see them, they would be more than capable of seeing us.

I rub at my beard, wondering if I should tell the others about this possible danger. But I decide against it. Surely Timothy has already thought this very thing. And if he's not worried, why should I be?

"We'll need to find some food," Timothy says after a long period of silence. "And a source of fresh, clean water."

Mike frowns. "Why? Dr. Black gave us both of those things."

"That's true. But our supplies won't last forever, and I'd rather we find a a source of replenishment before we run out. It'd be too late by that point."

I find myself nodding along in agreement. Everything he said is completely true. Who knows how long we'll have to stay here? If we're not rescued soon, we could...will we even be rescued? Why would we? No one knows where we are or what happened to us. Where would they even begin looking? I don't even know what's happening!

"There seems to be plenty of food around," I'm ripped out of my depressing thoughts by Timothy's voice. The slight boy is walking towards a small square building. A sign above the doorway reads "Carnival Cafe".

"Why would there be food?" Mike asks. "This carnival is abandoned."

"Is it?"

Both of them turn to look at me. Suddenly nervous, I find myself staring at my shoes, averting their gaze.

"What do you mean, Nathaniel?" Timothy sounds genuinely curious.

"It's just that, well, this place is so..." I wave my arms around, searching for the right word. "Maintained! This place is too maintained!"

There's a long pause. Feeling like an idiot, I look up to take in their expressions. To my surprise they both seem to be examining their surroundings quite intently. "You're right..." Timothy says slowly, rotating in place. "Nothing is broken down, or even dirty. All the booths appear to be in pristine condition, and the Ferris wheel is still working. Odd. Very, very odd."

Mike scratches his head. "I, uh, don't understand. Are you guys saying it's not abandoned?"

Timothy shakes his head. "No, it's definitely abandoned. But the abandonment had to have happened recently. As Nathaniel said, this place is too well maintained. The popcorn on the ground hasn't even rotted yet."

I nod. That fact alone is very telling. I'm not an expert on the decomposition of food or anything, but it can't be too long before food that is exposed to the elements begins to rot. So the abandonment had to have happened in the last few days.

But the logic behind that doesn't quite add up. Why and when would this carnival be abandoned? How did Dr. Black get access to it? Why is there an underground bunker beneath it?

My team is uncharacteristically quiet as we try to think this over. Timothy stands very still, steepled hands pressed together and eyes shut tight. If anyone is to think up the answer, it's going to be him. I'm not good with these kinds of puzzles, and Mike...well, judging by the constipated look on his face, thinking probably isn't his strong point.

My eyes wander away from my teammates. I take in the ballon filled carnival, the colorful cotton candy stands, the Merry-Go-Round, and the signs pointing towards a House of Mirrors. This place is filled with games and treats, but danger seems to lurk in the shadows...

Is that supposed to be symbolic?

"Am I the only one who feels like we're being watched?"

Surprised by his voice, I whirl around to face Mike. His eyes are narrowed as he stares out at the space between two tents. "What do you mean?" I ask, despite knowing full well what he means.

"I...don't know. Just feels like I'm being watched." He shrugs his broad shoulders, turning away from the tents. I fidget uncomfortably. It does feel like we're being watched. But who would be watching us?

"Dr. Black undoubtedly has cameras watching our every move," Timothy says. He looks remarkably unaffected by the current circumstances. "So it is only natural that we would feel that way."

That answer is logical, but it somehow doesn't feel right. Yes, Dr. Black is watching us. But this sensation...it doesn't feel like him. It almost feels as if someone is here, inside the carnival, watching us from the shadows.

Another team? Or something even more sinister?

"Come along now," Timothy says, pushing the door of the cafe open and stepping inside. "We have to continue our search for food."

Mike and I follow him inside. But, as I step into the cafe, I cannot shake the feeling that someone is watching me. Watching...and waiting.

Junie Harlow (Epsilon Team)
I shade my eyes as the sun shines through the tree branches, the warm rays tingling on my skin. When we first emerged from the underground bunker the sky was dotted with a thin layer of clouds, but the sun has long since burned through that. Now we walk through the sunny forest, listening to the rustling of animals rooting in the underbrush, the crunching leaves underfoot, and groaning of the trees as mild wind blows through them.

This is far from my usual scene.

It feels like a lifetime ago that I was only hours away from the debut of my newest set. Now I'm stuck in some sort of forest with a pair of people I know nothing about. Lucky me.

"We seem to be heading west," I glance at the guy beside me as he stops to wipe the sweat from his bald head. Tall, muscular, and rather handsome, he's been an enigma since I first stepped out of my room. Though he was quick to challenge Dr. Black and demand our release, he's also been prone to bouts of inactivity. Several times he's simply stopped moving and stared off into the distance.

"We "seem" to be heading west?" I turn the other way to where my other "teammate", a girl named Milan, is giving Hayden a scathing look. "Are you sure or not? I don't want to follow someone who can't lead us straight."

I can't say I like Milan very much. She's tall and lean, with long black hair that hangs past her shoulders and eyes that shine with a hidden light. A light that seems to say "I wanna punch you in the face", yes, but a light all the same.

Looks aside, it's her personality that gets under my skin. She rarely speaks unless it's to correct one of us, and she seems more than willing to play Dr. Black's Games, even going as far as to ask Dr. Black for a better weapon, because she wouldn't be able to kill anyone with the chloroform she received.

Maybe playing the game is the smart thing to do, and sure, I myself will do whatever I need to do to stay alive, but the fact that she's so completely accepting of that fact is a little chilling.

Milan suddenly pulls to a halt, a frown etched on her face. Confused, I turn and follow her gaze to Hayden, whose once again stopped moving. His face is completely blank as he stares out at the line of trees that surround us on all sides.

"Are you alright?" I ask. Great. Both of these people are slightly unhinged. Whoopee.

Hayden doesn't answer. Perturbed, I reach a hand out to poke his shoulder.

His reaction is instantaneous. He grabs my wrist, twisting it savagely as he pins my arm up against my back. I yelp in pain, trying to jerk free. But he's so strong! Fear and anger race through me as I try to angle my leg to kick him between the legs.

"Hayden!"

The pressure on my wrist releases and I find myself stumbling forward. Furious, I spin around to scream at the bull-headed idiot when I see something that stops me cold.

Hayden is crying.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" He mumbles, wiping at his eyes. "You just surprised me. I...I thought I was being attacked..."

I stare at him, completely lost for words. He's already cracked? I know that the pressure of this situation is extreme, but for him to fall to the stress this early...I have some serious misgivings about our teams chances of surviving this game.

"It's fine," Milan says, "Junie forgives you. Don't you, Junie?"

What's happened with her? A moment ago she was all ice and scowls, now she's watching Hayden with what can only be sympathy. What gives?

"I'm sorry, Junie," Hayden takes a deep breath, composure seemingly returned. "It won't happen again. You have my word."

"Uh...okay?"

He nods at me, then turns away, mumbling to himself. "This is punishment...the torture...I knew it was wrong..."

"I have seen men like him," Milan is whispering into my ear. "Men who have seen or done things that affect them so profoundly that they do not always act as they should. He means you no ill will. Do not hold it against him."

Then she's gone, striding off into the forest like she actually knows where she's going. I just find myself rooted to the spot. In the last few minutes alone everything I thought I knew about Hayden and Milan got turned on its head. Understanding people is hard.

DJing is so much frickin' simpler.

Our journey through the forest continues in silence. As we go I catch Milan watching me. That unsettles me. Her gaze penetrates too deep, her eyes too knowing. Just what is she? Why is she so...accustomed to the inanity of this whole situation? She doesn't seem frightened or worried about being attacked at all. But...

The forest clearly does unsettle her. Every now and then, when she is not watching me or Hayden, I find her staring at the trees and animals. She acts as if she's never been in a forest before. Which isn't too odd, because it's not like I've been in a forest before either. I'm not worried about that, though. I'm too busy being worried about the other teams and their weapons.

I glance over my shoulder at my bag, where I have stored the hand axe I received with my supplies. An axe. That psycho Dr. Black wants me to hack people to death with an axe. You'd think that if he really wanted us to kill each other he'd have given us more effective weapons.

I eye Hayden and the crossbow he has strapped over his shoulder. Sleek, with a modern design, I suppose that the weapon seems more than capable of ending somebody's life with one well placed shot. Especially with Hayden as its wielder.

Which is why I'm so worried about his mental stability. What would stop him from killing me? Whose to say that Dr. Black would care if a team turned on itself? He never said there were any rules against it.

"Hold!" Milan comes to a sudden halt, throwing a hand back to stop Hayden. As he begins to protest, she points through the thick bracken. "There! Something metallic!"

I edge up beside them, peering through at the object. Rotund, with a wide base and a long, narrow section attached to the top, it looks like a....

"A gun turret..." Hayden's voice is barely more than a whisper.

"You recognize that thing?" I've already let my attention drift past to what lies behind the object; a series of long, wide buildings. Warehouses?

"Yeah. I saw a few before--"

"I smell the sea!" Milan cuts Hayden off mid-sentence. The girl throws her head around, seemingly searching for the ocean in the middle of the forest.

"You think we're on an island?" I ask.

"If we're in the Philippines, then everywhere is an island," Milan answers. I frown. Philippines? Why would we be in the Philippines? I figured we'd be in England, or at least somewhere nearby. But that might just be my bias. After all, Dr. Black spoke without an English accent. He sounded more American than anything else.

"Guys!"

I blink, surprised to hear the urgency in Hayden's voice. "What's up?" I ask him. He's still staring out at the gun turret.

"Shouldn't we be more worried about that?"

"I don't know. Should we?" I'm not an expert on guns or anything remotely similar, but I do know that there's no reason to be worried about a single stationery gun. They can't shoot themselves, after all.

"It could be an automatic drone," Hayden continues, eyes still fixated on the turret. "Dr. Black might be able to remotely control it, or it could just operate on its own."

"Wait, really?"

"Yes. I saw a few during...during my time in the army." Hayden goes silent. I wait for him to say more, but it soon becomes clear that he's not going to speak any further. I turn to ask Milan when I realize that she's no longer beside me.

"There are docks over there!" Milan has pushed into the clearing, walking towards the warehouses and the turrets. "It looks like a little harbor. No boats, though..."

"Wait!" Hayden shoves his way past me, heading for Milan. "Don't go any further!"

There's a whirring, buzzing sound and I spin around to see the turret moving, the nose of its gun rotating 360 degrees to face Milan and Hayden. I see what's happening. I react instantly.

I break into a sprint, not to help Milan, like Hayden is doing, but to cover. To protection. The warehouses.

Gunfire breaks the quiet peace of the forest. Smoke billows from the turret as it works. Hayden tackles Milan to the ground a moment before the first bullets slice through the air they were standing only seconds ago.

I'm already halfway across the clearing to the warehouses. The cargo bay door is open. But why did I run this way? A small part of my mind berates me for not running deeper into the forest when I hear Milan scream.

I throw a glance over my shoulder. Has she been hit? No. She's unharmed as Hayden drags her towards the warehouse. But her gaze is frozen on me.

Why me?

The gun turret has stopped firing. As I watch, it rotates away from Milan and Hayden. Its barrel doesn't come to a halt until it's turned halfway around.

To focus on me.

My breath rasps. My heart rattles against my chest. For some reason I feel myself slowing down instead of speeding up. Panic clutches at my brain, freezing all thoughts. I lurch myself forward and dive for the warehouse doors.

The gun fires.

Then there's burning pain.

I slam shoulder first into hard cement floor. Scream as I feel my shoulder dislocate. But the worst pain is in my leg. As I roll across the ground of the warehouse, out of the turrets reach, I look down to see my bloodied left leg. I've been shot!

I'm hyperventilating when Hayden emerges from deeper inside the warehouse, depositing Milan on a nearby crate. Where did he come from?

"Let me look at that!" He drops beside me, deft hands already opening the bag at his side. "I know how to treat this. I know...I know.." His eyes squeeze shut. His arms tremble. What the hell is he doing? What...

"No! I need to focus!" Hayden shakes his head. "Let me look at that." He studies my leg. "Okay. That's fine. It doesn't look so bad. The bullet passed all the way through. I can treat this..."

Hayden takes out the medkit that had been included in our supplies, sorting the objects into neat piles. Milan watches from the shadows, impassive. I'm just surprised that I now feel so numb. Have I gone into shock?

The gunfire has stopped. At first I don't understand, but then I realize it's because the turret cannot shoot at us while we're inside. Or maybe it just doesn't want to. Either way, it doesn't matter. We're...safe.

For now.

Karne Osmont (Omega Team)
My footsteps echo along the desolate hallways of the school. Yes, it is a school that I find myself in. A primal and run down version of a school, yes, but a school all the same.

Most of the lockers that line the hallway walls are dented, and a few are just barely hanging on by their hinges. Each one looks seconds away from clattering to the cracked linoleum floor. Trash is littered all over said floor, while the walls are covered in graffiti. The very air itself is not exempt from this pervasive rot; a strong, musty scent lingers in the air, burning my nostrils.

"What is the purpose of this place?" I ask no-one in particular as I walk. I pass by a faded banner. Suppose that it must once have proclaimed the school's name. Now it's just trash. "Is this supposed to be our arena?"

"I won't die!" A shrill shriek escapes the lips of the girl to my right. I barely pay her any attention; she's been spewing that same nonsense from the moment this game started. "I won't, I won't, I won't! I'll kill them if I have to! I swear I will!"

Slim, with long brown hair and a pair of thick eyebrows, the girl isn't much to look at. She called herself Evie, but I really couldn't care less what her name is. Not when she keeps acting like a total idiot.

Is she really supposed to be my teammate? She's such a fragile thing. Already her mind has begun to slip and the game has barely even begun. But perhaps that itself is part of the game. Maybe my "teammates" are actually working against me. Deathbattles have never had such twists before, but then again, this Deathbattle is obviously different from all the rest. There's no crowd, for one thing. And the rules are clearly more elaborate...

Who is Dr. Black? Is he associated with Dustin? Is he Dustin himself? God, I hope so. The thought of snapping that snakes neck is the only thing that keeps me going. I'll win this game, then come and find him. I'll murder that punk and all his friends. I'll end Deathbattle once and for all! I'll...

How many times have I told myself this? How many times have I gone through these thoughts? A crippling wave of unease washes over me. Despite my bravado, I know that I am far from my goal.

Deathbattle is not so easily dismantled.

"Is this punishment? It must be punishment. But it was an accident! I didn't mean to!" Evie is still babbling, hands cradling the AK-47 she received as a weapon close to her chest. "He attacked me anyway! He deserved to die! I only did what was right!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I whirl around to face the girl. She yelps, shrinking away and hiding behind her gun. Sheesh. What a weakling. "What about you?" I glance at Nari, my other teammate. "Do you have any idea what she's going on about?"

Nari, a small asian girl with long black hair, only shakes her head. Figures. That girl hasn't said a word this whole time. It's annoying, but at least she's not screaming nonsense like Evie.

"He attacked me when I was coming home," Evie begins quietly. "I didn't know what to do. I had a knife, I panicked. I...killed him. I didn't mean to, but I did! I was only trying to defend myself!"

"Is that what's bothering you?" I chuckle softly, then continue my way down the hallway. No matter how far I go, the place looks the same; broken and rundown. "You shouldn't let that bother you," I add when I notice that both Evie and Nari are following me, "that bastard clearly deserved it. Why should you feel sorry for killing someone as awful as him?"

The images of the men I've killed flash through my head. There are dozens of them. All victims of Deathbattle. None of them deserved their death nearly as much as the man Evie killed did. But I still don't feel the slightest bit of regret at having killed them. It was them or me. And when my life is at stake, I'll kill whoever the hell I have to.

There's a long period of silence after that. Just the three of us walking. Occasionally I'll open a door and peek inside, but there's nothing to see but empty classrooms. This whole school is completely abandoned.

"I...I shouldn't feel bad about killing terrible people?" Evie speaks up just as I finish checking one such room.

I nod. "Why would you? Terrible people do terrible things. Killing them is just doing the world a favor." Dustin. The whole world will be better off when I end his miserable little life.

"But...what about the...other teams?"

"What about them?"

"Dr. Black said that...he said that they have to die for us to win. That we need to kill them. But what if they're not terrible people? How could we--"

"They're terrible people," I growl. No one who participates in a Deathbattle stays innocent. They might start out that way, but they don't stay innocent for long if they want to live. "Everyone here is a terrible person."

"Even you?" Evie's voice quavers. I stop and turn to look at her, eyes narrowed.

"Especially me."

I remember a time long ago. A small lonely boy sitting in a solitary room. He was a good person, he kept telling himself, a good person who was just trapped in a terrible situation and forced to do horrible deeds. But then the man came. He knelt beside the boy, laid a hand atop his head, and smiled. "You're not a good person, Karne," The man had told the boy. "A good person wouldn't have won that Deathbattle. A good person would have let the other boy kill him, so that he wouldn't have to bloody his own hands."

The boy looked up at that man. He saw the truth in his cold, empty eyes. Good people didn't survive terrible situations. All the good people died. The only ones who survived were the monsters. The monsters, and those that abandoned their own humanity, abandoned it so that they could someday kill the monsters.

"To rend one's enemies," I speak aloud, not to Evie or Nari, but to myself, "you must think of them as objects; not people. Hollow of meaning and soul."

The two girls watch me with silent gazes. Evie seems about to burst into hysterics. Nari, however, seems to be nodding her head. Does she understand what I'm saying? I honestly couldn't care less. She's nothing but a piece in this game Dr. Black is playing. A piece that I will gladly remove, if I am ever forced to.

"Hello?"

The voice freezes us all in our tracks. My head pivots around, eyes darting to find the source. That wasn't Evie or even Nari. It was a male's voice. That means it can only be one thing.

A member of another team.

The voice speaks again, but this time the words are unintelligible. By now it has become obvious that the speaker is directly ahead of, somewhere behind the curve in the hallway. They haven't seen us yet, but once they round the corner...

Evie's breaths are hard and heavy. I glance at her, surprised to find her pointing the barrel of her AK-47 straight down the hallway. What does she think she's doing?

Faint footsteps echo against the floor. Then he arrives. Appearing around the corner at a brisk walk, the boy comes to a sudden halt when he spots us. Dark haired, slender, and Asian, the boy is clearly no one I've ever seen before. Recovering from his shock, the boy steps forward, holding a hand up, mouth opening to speak.

Evie starts shooting.

I scream out a curse as the hallway explodes with noise. Bullets zip down the hall, most of them smashing into lockers as Evie's aim is off. But a few make it far enough to streak over the boy's head. With a scream loud enough to be heard over the bullets, the boy darts back the way he came, disappearing from sight.

Evie slowly lowers her gun.

"He was going to kill us!" Her face glistens with sweat and her arms shake so badly that the gun is rattling in her hands. "He was going to throw a weapon!"

I have no idea what the hell she's talking about. That kid clearly didn't have a weapon, nor did he seem intent to do us any harm.

"But I won't let him kill us! No, I won't let him kill anyone!" Evie takes a few tentative steps then, before I can do anything but watch, she breaks into a full-on sprint. Completely bewildered, I stand helpless as she rounds the same corner as the boy and disappears from sight just as he did.

Several long seconds pass before I turn to Nari, whose expressionless face is a welcome sight from the bat-shit crazy I just saw. "You going to follow her?" I ask.

Nari shakes her head.

"Smart girl. Now, let's get out of here before something else stupid happens."

Satoshi Nakazawa (Kappa Team)
Hell. What the hell just happened? That couldn't have happened, no way. Why would she shoot me? What the hell! What does she think she's doing, shooting at someone like that? I mean, what the hell!

My feet pound against the linoleum floor as I sprint through the halls of this desolate school, retracing my steps. I knew I heard someone. I knew it! I was doing just as we had agreed, scouting the area, when I heard their voices. I knew they were another team, but I thought that I could speak with them, try to understand what was happening to us all. No way did I expect them to shoot at me!

I whip around another corner, taking it so fast that I nearly smash into the wall. But I don't dare stop. Who knows if that crazy girl is chasing me? I can't take any chances. She was trying to kill me!

It takes only moments before I'm barreling down familiar hallways. This was where me and my teammates, two black girls named Zantae and Nailah, agreed to split up and search the area. I would never have agreed if I'd known that there was a crazy girl on the loose.

"Zantae! Nailah!" I shout their names as I pull to a halt. My chest heaves with each breath and my side burns with exhaustion. "Help! There's a--"

A door to my left swings open. I yelp, spinning in fear. But I overreacted. Zantae steps out of the classroom, confusion spreading across her face. "Satoshi? What's wrong?"

Zantae is a young girl, probably about a year or two younger than myself. Despite this, she acts remarkably mature and is seemingly always calm. A little too calm, if you ask me.

"There's a girl with a gun!" I explode into explanation, waving my hands around for extra emphasis. "She tried to shoot me! We have to run! Now!" I expect Zantae to shout in alarm, or even just gasp. But she does none of that.

Instead she just stares at me.

"Aren't you worried?" I am bewildered by her lack of fear. "A girl is trying to kill us!"

Zantae sighs and shakes her head, long black braids rattling. "Satoshi, I don't speak Japanese."

Oh. Oh, right. In all my haste to warn my teammates I had completely forgotten that they didn't speak the same first language I did. Switching to English, Zantae's own language, I try again. "Dude! There's a girl with a gun! She shot at me and tried to kill me! We need to run. Now!"

This time Zantae reacts.

Her mouth drops open, her eyes widen, and she presses a hand to her forehead. "Oh my. That is...this is not good."

"That's the understatement of the century!" I can't help but think of how that girl might be getting closer and closer to us as we speak. We don't have time for this! "Where's Nailah?" I ask, looking around for my second teammate. That girl's like a ninja. If anyone can solve this situation, it's her.

"I don't know," Zantae glances over her shoulder, looking slightly worried. Still not worried enough, though. "I haven't seen her since we split up to scout."

Well, damn. I was really hoping that she'd get us out of this situation. After all, wasn't the weapon she was supplied with a gun? I wish I had one of those instead of a stupid grappling hook. What am I even supposed to do with it?

"We need to get moving," Zantae says suddenly. She takes off down the hallway at a brisk walk. "We need to get out of this school and away from that girl."

Now that's a plan I can get behind. Of course, it still has its flaws. Where is the exit? Does one even exist? Since waking up here we haven't seen a single glimpse of the outside. What if the school is all there is?

"You can't run from me! I won't let you harm anyone!"

A chill runs down my spine as that familiar voice echos down the hallway. Then she appears, rounding the corner. That girl. The one with the gun. Aw hell. She's still chasing me!

"Gotta go!" I break into a sprint, pushing past Zantae. The girl yelps in surprise but I don't look back. I have no desire to die. I'm halfway down the hall when the first bullet zips over my head. I yelp, diving sideways into an adjacent hall. A second later Zantae joins me.

"You weren't joking!" Her eyes are as wide as saucers. "She really is trying to kill us!"

"I told you!" I scramble to my feet and take off running. I'm fast. I know that much. I run faster than anyone I've ever met. But am I fast enough to outrun bullets? I'm going to guess no.

"Satoshi!" I've already gone through several hallways before I hear Zantae's scream. Crap! I had completely forgotten about her! I never even stopped to consider whether she'd be able to keep up with me.

I hover in place, mind torn. Do I go back and help her? Or do I keep running? Running is the safer choice, but I don't really like the thought of leaving Zantae to die. I don't know her, but still...What if she dies and I could have saved her?

Zantae's next words make up my mind for me. "Satoshi! I found the exit!"

I'm already running. Back the way I came, whipping past the broken lockers and abandoned posters. Where? Where is Zantae? I call out to her and she responds from somewhere down a hall to my left. I take the corner at full speed.

"Zantae!" I see her now. She's standing in a large empty lobby, back to me as she stares at a series of glass doors that look out into what seems to be a dilapidated courtyard.

"Satoshi!" She spins around. A wide smile begins to form on her face before morphing into a scream. "Behind you! Duck!"

I hit the floor just as I hear the crack of a gunshot. An agitated screech rises up behind me and I don't even need to turn around to know that the girl has returned. How the hell does she keep finding us? And why won't she give up!

"Quick! Satoshi, outside!" Zantae scrambles through the doors. I'm not far behind. The two of us nearly tumble down the cracked and battered stairs, bumbling downwards into the courtyard that is dominated by a statue of a man atop a horse.

"What now?" I scream, throwing my head around to examine my surroundings. Bizarrely enough, the school seems to be set smack dab in the center of a forest. Large, overgrown trees creep up to the edge of the courtyard, branches and vines snaking across the cobblestones. In a few years the forest will swallow the school as well.

Wait. Why am I thinking about this stupid forest when a crazy girl is hunting us down? I'm about to ask Zantae what we should do now when she grabs me by the arm and drags me towards the forest. We're about halfway to the treeline when gunshots crack the air.

"Stop running!" The girl has appeared on the courtyard stairs. Her hair is unbound and hanging wildly behind her head, looking like a demented halo. "The only reason to run is because you know you're evil!"

Yeah. Either that or we're afraid this nutjob will shoot us to death!

The girl fires several more shots, but we're so far away and she has such poor aim that I'm not even concerned about getting hit. I do, however, duck behind a tree as soon as possible. Better safe than dead.

Zantae tugs on my arm, trying to pull me deeper into the forest. But I see something that holds me in place. Emerging from the forest on the opposite side of the courtyard as us, a new figure joins the fray.

Tall, broad-shouldered, and bizarrely wearing what looks like a business suit, the newcomer marches straight towards the girl with the gun, seemingly unfazed by her weapon or demeanor. I can't make out much more from this distance, but I don't have to think hard about who he is; a member of another team.

I want to yell out at him, tell him to run away while he can. But then I see something that keeps me silent. In the newcomers right hand, just barely visible, is the unmistakable form of a handgun.

Aw, hell. Every team has guns but us!

The girl, the one who has been chasing Zantae and I this entire time, whips around to face the newcomer. No words are spoken. At least, none that I can hear. The girl raises her rifle, points it at the newcomer, then fires.

Nothing happens.

I gape in astonishment. Beside me, Zantae gasps. I don't understand what happened. Why isn't he dead? Apparently the girl herself is equally confused. She looks down at the gun, shakes it, and curses loudly.

The guy across from her smiles. Then he takes his handgun and aims it squarely at the girl's head.

A gunshot rings throughout the courtyard.

Shinji Nakazawa (Delta Team)
The bullet takes the girl between the forehead.

For several long seconds she remains standing upright, swaying back and forth. Then, with a suddeness that surprises me, she goes crashing to the ground.

Ryder lowers his gun, shaking his head. Beside me, Vjena swings her hunting rifle over her shoulder. "That was a nice shot," She mutters. "Wonder where he learned to shoot."

I feel sick. My stomach feels like it's doing somersaults. She died. I just saw someone die. No, even worse. I just let someone die. I knew what Ryder was planning on doing as he walked out into that courtyard. I knew what his goal was. But did I try to stop him? Did I do anything to try and save that girl?

No. I didn't.

Vjena stalks out towards Ryder, seemingly unconcerned about the girls death. Cold and cynical. That has been my assessment of her personality in the few hours I've known her, and nothing that has transpired in the last few moments has me questioning that assessment. In fact, she may be even more callous than I had thought.

Shaking my head, I step forward and try to follow her. My steps feel heavy and slow. My mind still doesn't feel like it's working properly; I'm not yet recovered from the shock of witnessing what I just did.

Vjena stops beside Ryder. His eyes are glazed over as he stares down at the girls corpse. "She was impure," His voice is soft and quiet, "so impure. She couldn't exist in this world. She didn't belong. I had to remove her. I had to."

Neither Vjena nor I respond. How could we? I try not to look at the girl, but I find myself unable to tear my gaze away. A small hole rests in the center of her forehead, blood seeping out and pooling around her head. Already her hair is soaked in it.

"What happened to her teammates?" Vjena asks. Unlike Ryder and I, she isn't staring at the girl. She has her hunting rifle up as she scans the trees across from us.

Oh. Right. Her teammates. I force my eyes shut and take a deep breath. This girl...she was shooting at two people, wasn't she? And they ran out into the forest. Were they her teammates? Did she turn on her own allies?

"Should we hunt them down?"

My eyes snap open as I spin to stare at Vjena. "What!" My voice comes out as a strangled gasp. Did...did I hear her correctly? Hunt them down? To do what? Kill?

I find myself re-examining Vjena, wondering if my previous assessment holds any water. Appearance wise she is remarkable; long ebony hair, heart-shaped face, and uniquely dazzling blue eyes. There seems like there should be a softness to her, but it's hidden behind her severity and coldness.

"Why would we do that?" I finally force the words out.

"That is the point of this game, no?" She doesn't even glance at me as she responds. "Dr. Black made it very clear that the other teams must be eliminated for us to win. And I will win. There is no other acceptable result."

I understand the logic behind her words. Yes, Dr. Black is forcing us into a completely horrible situation that apparently only has one method of escaping, but to just do what he says without even trying to think of another avenue? Without thinking the situation over? We've barely had any time to comprehend our position. No more than a few hours have passed since we woke up in that bunker, but already Vjena and Ryder have full-heartedly committed themselves to this game. Ryder has even murdered someone. Just because a man dressed like a plague doctor told him to.

How messed up is that?

"We should try and think things through--" I begin but cut off when I notice Ryder walking over. He is a big guy, standing several inches over six feet and having a muscular physique to back it up. The well-tailored suit he wears only enhances the dangerous aura that hangs around him.

He stops a few feet from us, dark green eyes slowly taking us in. "Shinji," He says my name slowly, as if he's saying it for the first time and unsure if his pronunciation is correct. "Shinji. You care for those people?"

I feel uncomfortable under his gaze. As if his eyes are slowly dissecting me, learning my secrets. I watch his hands as they fiddle with the gun he used so readily to kill that girl. "Those people aren't your friends, Shinji." One finger strokes the barrel. "They're bad people. Scum. They pollute this world and harm those who wish to live peacefully. Do you know why they're in this game?"

I don't answer, because I don't know where he's going with this.

"Dr. Black knows what they are, Shinji. He knows what they really are. And so, he rounded them all up and put them here for one reason and one reason only." A small, sad smiles crosses his lips. "Do you know what that is?"

I shake my head.

"To be culled. Eliminated. Dr. Black knows that for a perfect, harmonious world to exist, the greedy and cruel need to be taken care of. And that is where I fit in. I will do what needs be done. I will eliminate the greedy, the corrupted, the evil. I will cleanse this world. I would like for you and Vjena to join me. Together...together we could alter the course of humanity."

Insane. This guy is completely and utterly insane. My skin crawls just listening to him. What kind of person thinks you can make the world a better place by killing everyone?

"It is an unfortunate task, to be sure," Ryder paces back and forth, seemingly unaware of my doubt, "but it is one that needs to be done regardless. You agree, don't you?"

It is clear that appeasing this man is in my best interests, so I merely bod. He in turn nods back and then steps forward until he is only a few inches from me. His dark green eyes study my face. "Are you a good person, Shinji?"

I open my mouth, ready to tell him that of course I'm a good person. But then I catch myself. Something about his tone of voice, his posture, sends warning bells in my head. There's a catch to this question. A trick. But what is it?

Ryder's eyes narrow. Seconds tick away without any response from me. I feel my heart beat against my chest like a hammer. For a moment I think I am about to be shot. Then the answer pops into my mind.

"I don't know."

Ryder raises one eyebrow. "Oh? You don't?"

I shake my head. "No. I mean, I always strive to be a good person, but there's no way of knowing for sure. Not that it matters, not as long as I always do the right thing." I'm not nervous anymore. I know for a fact that I've answered correctly. When Ryder nods and backs off, it only reaffirms what I already knew.

A good person wouldn't say they were a good person. They would be too humble for that. But neither would they say they were bad. So the answer I gave, a non-answer, is the only acceptable solution. In fact, the more I think about it, I doubt that Ryder's question was even about me being a good person at all. No, it was a test meant to determine my interpolation intelligence.

And I passed.

"What about you, Vjena?" Ryder turns his attention to the dark-haired girl. "Are you a good person?"

"I honestly couldn't care less."

Before Ryder can respond a familiar noise cuts through the air. A faint, shrill beeping emits from the contraptions strapped to our wrists. I glance down to see a column of question marked faces next to a set of words, apparently team names. The screen automatically scrolls downwards, passing past mine, Vjena, and Ryder's faces. It stops near the bottom where, just above the crossed out face of the first dead girl, a new face receives a large red X.

"Ryder Locklear eliminated Evie Castillo with a pistol," A robotic voice chirps.

Evie. Her name was Evie. I have to force myself not to glance towards the girl's body. Somehow knowing her name makes everything ten times worse. I should never have stepped foot outside of that bunker. I should have stayed inside my room and hid under the bed. There's nothing out here but death.

"We should bury her," My own voice takes me by surprise. It sounds so hoarse and raw.

"Why waste the energy?" Ryder contemptuously nudges the girl with his foot.

"She'll soon rot," Vjena says.

"Good. That way her outside appearance will match her inner self."

"She'll smell too."

"Won't bother me. I don't intend to stick around here long enough for that."

I can't take this. The way these two can have such a calm conversation about another's death. Don't they care? Aren't they worried that the same thing could happen to them? Dr. Black said that there would be more games, games like the one that claimed the first girl, Ophrya's, life.

More death, then. But why? What is Dr. Black's purpose? What is the point of this sick, twisted experiment?

Ryder and Vjena are walking off towards the forest. I must have zoned out and missed the rest of their conversation. Though I do notice that Ryder has claimed Evie's bag for himself.

Evie...

My eyes are drawn to the girl. Though she was shooting and trying to kill those other two people, I cannot feel anything but sympathy for her. In death she is so small and frail. "I'm sorry I can't bury you," I whisper into the air, "but I will at least try to ensure your death is avenged. Yours and Ophrya's."

Ophrya Grate and Evie Castillo. The first two deaths.

And surely not the last.

Fernanda Gutierrez (Lambda Team)
"Ryder Locklear eliminated Evie Castillo with a pistol."

The voice has me pulling to a sudden halt. A cold chill that has nothing to do with the weather runs down my spine. Someone...someone has killed another person? How...why...I shake my head, long dark curls bouncing against my shoulders. No, surely that is not what the voice meant. It must mean something else.

It must.

"What does that mean?" A small scared voice asks from my right. I don't have to turn around to know that it is Harry, the little blond boy whose been placed on my team. He is only twelve years old, proving that Dr. Black cares nothing for the concepts of mercy or restraint. "Did...did that girl...die?"

I don't know how to answer that. What am I supposed to tell this kid? I really don't care for trying to baby him, but admitting that people are running around murdering each other will probably do nothing but freak him out.

"Yes. She did."

I am saved from having to answer, it seems. My other teammate, lounging against a trellis and juggling three spherical objects, doesn't even bother looking at Harry as he speaks. Shintaro.

I don't know what to make of him. He has been nothing but aloof and uncaring this whole time. When I first stumbled out of that room I woke up in I found him calmly studying the books on a shelf. When I asked him what was going one he merely shrugged and told me that "We'll soon find out". Yes, he's an odd one.

"Oh." Harry goes uncharacteristically quiet. He too has been taking things remarkably well. In fact, up until this point he seems to have thought that this was all one big game.

"That's just life," Shintaro says. I glance at him. He's a young adult, standing somewhere at 5'8" when upright, with straight, dirty blonde hair, and mid-tone brown eyes, all complimenting a rather attractive face. Well, it would be attractive, if it wasn't attached to such an annoying person.

Fed up with these supposed "teammates" of mine, I turn my attention to the vineyard where we rest. Once, this must have been a beautiful place, well-loved by those who maintained it. Much like us however, it has clearly been abandoned to the wild. While most of the original vines seem to have flourished, growing so thick that they obscure the trellises entirely, sections of them have choked and died under the relentless advance of foreign plants and animals. Even so, this place remains a haven for grapes and whatever else grows here.

"What should we do?" I ask no one in particular. I feel so lost and forlorn. We've been here ever since those Doors of Beginnings opened. In fact, from where I stand I can still see the entrance to the bunker. We haven't gone more than a dozen paces from it.

Shintaro shrugs. "Don't know."

I stick my hands on my hips and fix him with my fiercest glare. I would scold him, but that would serve no purpose. No, it is clear that neither of my teammates possess any intelligence or initiative, so I will have to take the reins.

But before I can make any grand plans or sweeping proclamations I will have to understand our situation more thoroughly. Our location ia unknowable, so I can save that for later. But what about our supplies? Once more I peek into the bag I keep wrapped around my waist. First I note our provisions; several loafs of hardened bread, a few packets of dried fruit, and two canteens of water.

Not much. But I believe that Harry and Shintaro each have similar foodstuffs inside their own bags, so I don't have to worry about having to share with them. Our water situation, however, is worrisome. Two canteens won't last long, even if rationed. We'll need to find a sustainable source of replenishment if we hope to survive long.

I pause mid-inspection as a new thought occupies my mind. Just how long will we be here? Dr. Black has not set any sort of timetable or deadline. Will this last several days or just hours? And if it does last days, then certainly someone will have come to our rescue before the conclusion.

I force these thoughts away and go back to the matter at hand. Our supplies. I pick up the tiny vial I have hidden away inside a side pocket of my bag and stare at its yellow contents. The label on it simply reads "Poison". I do not know what it is for. There is certainly no way for me to actually get anyone to ingest this, so it is useless as a weapon. But I see no other purpose for it.

I tuck the vial away and rezip my bag. The only other item I received is no longer inside. Instead, it is firmly wrapped around my torso.

I was surprised when I first saw the black, utilitarian vest. I had thought it was merely some sort of fashion item, but then I saw the note attached. "Bulletproof Vest".

My first reaction was alarm. Why would we need a bulletproof vest? Were we going to be shot at? It was incredulous to think about, almost impossible. Dr. Black wouldn't allow us to have firearms; we would be too hard to control. At least, that is what I used to think.

Ryder Locklear eliminated Evie Castillo with a pistol

A pistol. That means people are running around with guns. Which means that this vest I had thought useless is actually invaluable.

The cry of a bird catches me by surprise. I look up, expecting to see some sort of attack, but all I see is Shintaro still lounging against that trellis juggling those balls. For some reason that annoys me.

"Can you stop that?" I snap at him. He looks up, surprised. Doesn't stop juggling, though. "Where did you even get the balls anyways? Your bag?"

"They're not balls."

"Then what, pray tell, are they?"

"Grenades."

I leap up with a squeal, feet scrabbling in the dirt as I throw myself away from Shintaro. As I stumble headfirst into a nearby vine patch, I hear him call to me. "They won't explode. Not unless I pull the pins."

Isn't that comforting? I resist the urge snark at him, however, and content myself with another glare. "Were they the weapon supplied in your bag?"

"Obviously."

I pull myself out of the vines and try to dust myself off as gracefully as I can. It's not an easy task, given the circumstances. "We'll need to make a plan of action," I say, ignoring his comment. "Food and water are a must, but water in particular will be crucial." Not that I have the faintest idea where we would begin our search. But I'm not about to admit that to Shintaro.

Shintaro doesn't look up from his juggling. "No need to worry. I can find us water."

"Oh, can you?" This time I cannot hold back the sarcasm. "Then please, just use your infinite wisdom and procure this water of yours!"

Shintaro nods, catches all three grenades with one hand and stuffs them into his bag before bounding to his feet. He gives me a quick glance before walking over to a nearby trellis, where he begins to feel at the vines.

"What are you doing?" I ask. He looks absolutely foolish, groping the plants like that. Just what does he think he'll accomplish?

"Patience." He continues along the trellis, hands following one vine in particular. Eventually he slips between a hedge, disappearing from sight. I follow him with an exasperated sigh.

"You know, I don't think you actually know what you're—" I cut off as I find Shintaro sitting cross-legged on a smooth stone. Behind him laps a bubbling creek filled with clear, fresh water.

"Done." Shintaro reaches back into his bag and retrieves the grenades. Within seconds he is juggling again.

Shintaro! That stupid, idiotic man! I find myself furious at him, though I am not certain why. His uncaring personality? His apparent skill? Neither of those should give me reason for anger; he is, after all, my ally. Shouldn't I be pleased he found us water?

No. He showed me up. He did what took me several dozen minutes to think up within seconds. Now he probably thinks he is better than I am. Probably thinks I am useless. Well, joke's on him! I'm the most useful member of this team! Infinitely more useful than him or Harry!

Wait. Harry!

I spin around, searching for the third member of our team. But I see him nowhere. Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since the death announcement. Where did he go? "Have you seen Harry?" I find myself asking Shintaro.

He nods. "Yes."

Irritation tugs at me. Why does he have to be so dense? "Where did you see him? And, more importantly, when did you last see him?"

"Not long after the announcement. He slipped away into the brush when you weren't looking."

"And you didn't say anything?"

He shrugs. "I didn't think it was important."

"Didn't think it was important? He's our teammate! What would we do if he died?"

Shinataro finally stops his juggling. He gives me a flat stare. "I don't know. What would we do? It's not like we know much about how this game is played. Dr. Black has explained remarkably little. I'm surprised that you have just accepted our situation so readily; I would've thought you'd panic."

Well, that shows what he knows! Why would I panic? This is certainly a stressful and unique situation, but panicking would do nothing but make things worse. No, I have to stay calm and analyze everything that happens. That way I'll know exactly what to do.

And what I should be doing is searching for Harry.

Without another word to Shintaro I stalk off into the brush. Vines tug at my arms as I go, but I shove my way through, calling out Harry's name. Where did he go? He can't have gone too far.

I spot a few greenhouses on my journey. Did Harry hide in one of those? I pause at the entrance to one and call inside. When I get no response I move on. Stupid boy. Who does he think he is, wandering off like this? Why did I get stuck with him and Shintaro as teammates? I don't know who else is here in this game, but they would certainly make for better teammates than the morons I received.

"Fern! Shintaro!"

Harry's shout takes me by surprise. For a moment I just stand still, startled. But then I take off at a sprint, following the sound of his voice. "Harry!" I shout as I run. "Where are you?"

"Here! I'm over here! Hurry! I found a big building!"

I'm more confused than worried now. A building? Here, inside the vineyard? I push my way through the last of a particularly overgrown patch of vines and stumble into a large meadow. The field is laden with goldenrod-yellow flowers and silver-washed fritillaries that carry their bushels of pollen carefully. A whirlwind of scents twirl above the petals and the pear sweet taste of the air hits me like an amvil. I pause, senses momentarily overwhelmed by the sudden beauty. Is that smell coming from those berries?

"Fern!" Harry's call snaps me back into my senses. I look around to see the small boy standing in the center of the meadow, waving vigorously at me. Behind him looms a large, circular building.

"What is that?" I ask, walking over. The building is slate gray and built like a dome. The material looks to be sheet metal but, unlike normal buildings, there is no visible seams or gaps. Just those smooth, interlocking plates, fitting together with intricate precision.

"Dunno. But it's cool, isn't?" Harry grins at me and I'm reminded of just how young he is.

"I suppose." I step up beside Harry, then gasp when I see what he is holding. A gun. A rifle, to be more precise. I stare at the weapon, astounded. Its receivers are apparently made of aluminum alloy, but its barrel, bolt, and its handguards, of plastics.

Harry notices my staring and his grin widens. "Awesome, isn't it? It's just like the Nerf gun my friend Tommy has. 'Course, his is much more colorful." When I don't respond his grin fades. "What's wrong? Oh, right. Girls don't like guns. My Mum hates them."

"Where did you get that?" I finally ask.

"My backpack."

Of course. This gun, much like my vial of poison and Shintaro's grenades, is Harry's assigned weapon. It was cruel luck that the weakest of us would wind up with the most valuable weapon.

"I can put it back, if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Yes. Do that." I'm already thinking of ways to get that gun away from him. A twelve year-old shouldn't possess such a weapon. And, more importantly, I don't trust anyone but myself with such a dangerous thing.

As Harry slips the rifle back into his bag, I return my focus to the building. Its presence is completely out of place here in this overgrown paradise. "What do you think it is?" I ask Harry.

"It's an Event Hub." I yelp as Shintaro appears behind me. He ignores my protestations, wide eyes focused solely on the building. "Dr. Black mentioned them earlier. It's where his games are played."

"How do you know?" Harry asks.

Shintaro points a slender finger at the base of the building where, when I look closer, I can just make out the form of a door. "There's words above it that say, "Event Hub". As for how I know what it is for...well, I already mentioned that Dr. Black spoke about their purpose."

"Did someone say my name?" I let out another yelp, this time much louder and more shrill, as the screen on my bracelet flickers to life. Dr. Black's masked face peers through it. "Yes. It does indeed appear that I was mentioned."

"Were you listening to us?" I demand.

"Why, yes, Ms. Gutierrez, I was. In fact, I can see and hear everything you do in the Playing Field."

Shintaro raises an eyebrow. "Everything?"

"I believe you heard me the first time, Sosune-san, so I will not repeat myself. Now, if you are quite done with the interruptions, I will give your team a little...let's say, early information." I don't point out how he was the one who interrupted us first.

"Are you all listening? Yes? Good. What you've found here is one of my Event Hubs. Event Hubs are dotted across the Playing Field and are normally locked. Periodically one will open up and I will instruct all teams to converge on the Hub. Only a limited amount of Teams are permitted inside. Once a sufficient amount of Teams have arrived, the Hub will close and the lucky team or teams will be required to play one of my games."

"You've said this before," Shintaro says. I frown. Has he?

"Very astute, Sosune-san. You will certainly be a Challenger to watch."

"Why would anyone want to play one of your games?" I interrupt. I'm thinking about the footage he showed us earlier, of Alpha and Beta team playing their game and what happened to that gitl. "Someone wound up dead. Why the hell would we willingly sign up for that?"

"Because, if enough time passes without a team entering an open Event Hub, I will be forced to...take action." There's a brief pause as we all digest those ominous words. "I believe you all know what I refer to, but I will explain anyways to be thorough. If no one enters an Event Hub within the allotted time, I will kill each and every one of the Challengers."

I double over as if I've been punched. Kill everyone? I knew he was insane, knew that this was abnormal, but I never expected Dr. Black to go to such extremes. What would be the point of any of this if he just killed everyone?

"That is why it is in yours and every other teams best interest to access the Event Hubs when they are open. We would not want this game to end prematurely, would we?"

"You're insane!"

"The line between insanity and genius is very thin indeed. I cannot say which side I fall on, Ms. Gutierrez, but for the world's sake I hope it is the latter."

"Do we enter the Event Hub, then?" Shintaro is still calm, somehow. His demeanor hasn't even shifted an inch throughout this entire conversation. I don't know if that's amazing or terrifying.

"Oh, no. This Event Hub is still closed, you see. No, you will have to wait for a Hub to open before you can enter." There is silence as, on screen, Dr. Black turns away from the camera and begins to walk into the shadows. "Oh, one more thing before I go. The first Event Hub will open at midnight. I have not yet told the other teams this, so you have the advantage of information. What you do with it is up to you. Fare thee well, Lambda Team."

The screen clicks off.

Beside me, Shintaro closes his eyes. Harry lets out a strangled sob. "I don't think I like this game anymore!" His face has gone deathly pale and his eyes glisten with unshed tears.

"You and me both," I mutter. "You and me both."

Sofia Cortes (Zeta Team)
Hannah paces back and forth across the room, absentmindedly tapping her baseball bat against the floor as she goes. I do not trust her. I do not know her, so how could I trust her? What if she is in on this game? What if she is Dr. Black's acolyte? There is no way for me to know.

So I do not trust her.

The small room I currently occupy is just one of many. After making our way through Dr. Black's Door of Beginnings we found ourselves inside an old cellar. It did not take us long before we found our way out from there and into the building proper, which turned out be some sort of apartment complex. We have not done much exploring, despite being holed up here for hours. We are too worried about accidentally triggering another of Dr. Black's games.

I drum my fingers alongside the windowsill, staring out the large bay window at woods that lie in the distance. It is strange, this building. From what I can see through the windows, it appears to be set in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but wilderness. That is unnatural. Why would an apartment building be alone in the middle of nowhere?

I find myself drifting away from the window, unsettled by these thoughts. This room is almost identical to the others we've checked; light tan walls, dark hardwood floors, and furnished with a single bed, nightstand, and sturdy desk. A chest of drawers rest in an open closet, and another door leads into a white-tiled bathroom.

I set myself on the bed. Is this where I live now? I've faced this before; I'm used to starting over.

But can I do it again?

Now that the adrenaline and confusion has faded, the enormity of my loss threatens to crush me. I was on my way to the grocery store when I was kidnapped; I do not remember how it happened. The police will not know what has happened to me. Neither will Fernando. What will they think? That I ran away, abandoned them?

I take a shaky breath, trying to wrestle these emotions down before they overwhelm me. I will not grieve, will not give Dr. Black the satisfaction of knowing he has completely crushed me emotionally. I have to stay strong and keep fighting.

That is what Mother would want.

The gun hidden in the holster strapped to my thigh suddenly weighs a ton. A Walther P99. I have not told Hannah or Francesca that I have it. They do not know that I have training in firearms, that I know how to shoot. What would they do if they found out? I do not know. So they mustn't find out.

"We should probably search the rest of the building," Francesca emerges from the bathroom. She has been busy washing the ketchup from her; the only trace left is the stains on her clothes. As usual, though, I cannot help but focus on her freakish height and unusual skin. Just because I know she has a disease doesn't mean I feel comfortable with her appearance.

Hannah stops her pacing and faces the other girl. "What's the point? What do you think we'll find?" Hannah is almost sculpted perfection, with her heart-shaped face, large, round blue eyes, and full lips expertly complementing her slim, toned body. I have never felt self-conscious about my own appearance, but Hannah makes me awfully close.

"The point is I don't know what we'll find," Francesca opens the door to the hallway and steps out, "so we need to go and see exactly what this "Playing Field" has in store for us."

I do not see why that is necessary. Dr. Black will come to us and give us directions whenever he feels like it. But Hannah heads off after her and I have little choice but to follow. Francesca leads us down the hallway where our rooms where located, back towards the central lobby full of bright and colorful couches. Corridors run down from the lobby like spokes on a wheel hub. Francesca swiftly goes down one of these and I follow, barely keeping my head straight.

This whole building looks the same to me. In the hours that we've been here, which cannot be more than three or four, we've checked several floors. Each one has been full of identical rooms and hallways, with nothing else inside. So what does Francesca hope to find?

After a few turns down some more similar looking corridors, Francesca leads us down a wider, more open hallway with stone floors and light pine woodwork. She stops beside a door at the end. "I believe this will take us outside."

"Outside? Why would we want to go outside?" I ask.

"Each floor in this building we've checked has been exactly the same, so it stands to reason that the whole building is identical. Thus, it would be worthless to individually check each room. However, we do not know what lies outside. Is it not worthwhile to check?"

No one has a response, so Francesca pushes the door open and steps outside. I follow, surprised to find myself in a courtyard of sorts. It's an enormous expanse, with paths set in stone that go through a grassy area in the center. Several small trees grow there, sitting alongside many topiaries cut into the shape of various animals. A large, elaborate fountain sits in the center of everything, gurgling softly as it spills its water out.

The large orange evening sun and glistening ivy gives the building that surrounds the courtyard a glossy glow. In the clipped hedges and pristine landscaping, not one blade of grass looks out of place.

"Dr. Black has a good gardener," Hannah quips.

I let my gaze drift past the building, towards the distance and what appears to be...the ocean? Yes, out to the apartments south lies what can only be the ocean. Far out to sea and connected to our landmass by what appears to be a large bridge lies an island pulsing with garish lights.

I rotate in place, trying to see what else is around. As I noticed through the windows, a large forest grows in the west. But to the east lies barren moorland, occasionally dotted with a rolling hill.

"Huh." Francesca sets her hands on her hips as she surveys the area. "This...doesn't make sense. Any sense. At all."

"Yeah," Hannah scratches her head. "This is nuts. I mean, what's an apartment complex doing situated between a forest, an ocean, and some hills?"

"This is loco," I shake my head, dismayed. The temperate climate and the appearance of those trees is enough to tell me that this is not Mexico. But then where is it?

"Is that a carnival over there?" Hannah points out at the island. I squint, but cannot make out anything distinct. It's just a bunch of colors and lights.

"Looks like it," Franscesa frowns. I do not know what these two girls are thinking, but these current revelations do nothing but increase my fear. It has become more and more obvious that Dr. Black is stronger than we thought. The only reason he would let us out into such a wide open area is because he knows we cannot escape. Just what makes him so confident?

Lost in my thoughts, I don't notice that Francesca and Hannah have begun to approach the forest. Instantly I spring forward. "No! Are you two loco? Come back!"

"What is the matter?" The two seem confused as I approach, vigorously shaking my head.

"Where do you think you are going? It is almost night! Sun will set in a few hours, yes? No time for wandering." Once inside that forest we may never find our way back out. And I do not want to spend the night in the woods.

Hannah nods, seemingly seeing my reason. Francesca only frowns. "I have a tent, so we wouldn't be at too much a disadvantage..."

"No. I will not step foot into those woods. You two do as you please, but I will spend the night here." Here we have a roof and beds. Warmth and running water. Why throw that all away for a night in the woods?

Our conversation takes a few moments, but eventually they both agree that it would be better to spend the night at the apartments and save the exploring for tomorrow. By the time we head back inside, the sun is low in the sky. Nightfall cannot be more than an hour away.

And who knows what happens here after dark...

Tetsu Ueno (Sigma Team)
"You know, having a conversation with myself is usually pretty fun, but when that conversation goes on for half a day it begins to get real tiring real quickly." I chatter on mindlessly as we walk through the forest. Wood sorrel flecks the blankets of grass as we walk in and out of shady glades. The quiet peace of the forest was actually kinda soothing.

Was being the key word. I've heard practically nothing but the sound of my own voice for hours and its begun to drive me nuts. I glance over my shoulders. "Can you guys even speak? You're not, like, mute or anything, are you?"

My two teammates stare blankly at me.

Great. They might just be mute after all. Well, you can only work with what you have, so complainings not going to do anything for me. Still would like to talk with someone, though.

Waiyaki and Amare are strange people alright, but they're probably the least strange of everything that has happened. I mean, this whole situation is absolutely bonkers! I can still remember waiting at the airport, ready to board the taxi that would take me to the hotel. Filming was set to commence tomorrow. I was thinking about how I could ad lib some of my stunts when I entered the taxi. Then there's a hissing noise, followed by a blast of air. Before I even knew what was happening I was blacking out.

When I regained my consciousness I found myself being greeted by Dr. Black.

Twigs crunch under my feet as we continue along the old forest path. Bilberries and chanterelles adorn the forest floor, questing for the fading sunlight. I'm so bored that I'm forced to examine a forest and its foliage.

"You know," I pluck a berry off from the ground and rotate it in my hand, examining it, "I know that I asked this before, but do you guys have any recollection as to how you wound up here?"

No answer, of course. I shrug and pop the berry into my mouth. It's sweet, but with a bitter aftertaste. "Okay, let's try another question. Do you guys know why Dr. Black would kidnap you? I mean, I know that I'm an international celebrity, so my kidnapping at least makes a bit of sense. But what about you guys? What's your story?"

Waiyaki coughs but doesn't say anything. Amare simply stares at me. I smile back innocently. "Oh, come on! Don't tell me you haven't heard of me! I'm Tetsu Ueno! Greatest stuntman who ever lived!" To prove my point, I do a standing backflip. I stick the landing, despite the uneven floor, and give a flourishing bow.

Waiyaki raises his eyebrows in astonishment. Amare simply looks unimpressed.

I throw my hands in the air. "Whatever! I give up! If you guys don't want to speak, then so be it!"

I don't know what's up with them. Guessing would be useless. I should just be glad that my datapad provided me with their names, otherwise I would be completely in the dark as to their identities. Honestly though, what kind of person wakes up in a situation like this and decides that they're going to ignore the one guy trying to understand what the hell is happening?

When we first left the bunker it was noon. Now the sun is moments away from setting, leaving us in the lonesome grip of a darkened forest. It'll probably get cold. Good thing I have a blanket.

As we walk, I begin to twirl my sickle around in a circle. The curved, half-moon blade was inside the bag I chose at the beginning. It's a nice weapon and I know how to use it from all my days doing stuntwork, but I sorta wish that I had Amare's weapon instead.

She carries the pump shotgun in one hand, casually leaning against her shoulder. Her posture and general demeanor seem to suggest that she knows how to use it. But why? She doesn't look like much; she's barely more than five feet tall, with a slight, if muscular, stature. Her dark black skin lets her blend in easily with the shadows, and I cannot help but feel a sense of danger extude from her.

I wonder who'd win in a fight, me or her?

"The forest is thinning."

I'm shocked out of my thoughts by the sound of Waiyaki's voice. Huh. He sounds just how I imagined him. "Whoa, hold on!" I stop my twirling and shove the sickle into my belt. "You can speak? Plot twist!"

The glance he sends my way seems full of exasperation. "There's a clearing up ahead. We should check it out."

Good way to dodge the question. But I let it slide, focusing my attention to the path ahead. True to Waiyaki's word, the trees have begun to thin, growing further and further apart. I can now see the sky, where I notice that the sun has pretty much set. Darkness closes in on all sides.

Waiyaki leads the way into what turns out to be some old overgrown courtyard. Cracked and shattered cobblestones surround a large statue of a man atop a horse, which fills the center of the courtyard. Behind that lies a large, desiccated building.

"Looks like a school," I muse.

"Does it?" Waiyaki pushes past me. I scowl at his back. Now he decides to become a chatterbox? After hours of being completely silent? I'm about to ask him about this when I notice Amare crouched at the edge of the clearing. She's sitting next to what looks like a mound of freshly dug dirt.

"What's the deal with this?" I ask as I walk over. The dirt mound lies just a few feet from where the cobblestones end and what appears to be a small makeshift sign is planted in the grass before it.

I squint at the words written on the wood of the sign. "What's it say? Doesn't seem like a language I know."

"I know this language," Amare speaks quietly, her words barely audible despite the complete silence around us. For a moment I'm too surprised to respond. Then I recover.

"You...know the language?" Amare can talk too? Why the hell were they both silent for so long! Seriously. I don't understand at all!

Waiyaki wanders up behind us. "So, then...You know what it says?"

Amare nods. "It says, "Here lies Evie, victim of fate. May her soul find peace."

Oh. Oh...realization hits me like a brick. Evie. The girl who died earlier today, the one that our datapad told us about. But if she's buried here, then that means...

"She was killed here," Waiyaki sounds worried, "She died here in the courtyard."

I nod. "Yep. But I wouldn't worry too much if I were you; I doubt her killers hung around for long." Why would they? There's no reason to guard a body in this game. At least, not a reason I know about.

"What about her team?" Waiyaki is still concerned. "Someone had to have buried her. What if they're still here, watching?"

"Why would they do that?" I stand up, stretching my legs. Night has completely fallen now. If not for the light from the moon, I wouldn't be able to see past my nose.

"The person who buried her will not come back." Amare walks past both of us, legs carrying her towards the abandoned building.

"How do you know?" I follow after her. Waiyaki reluctantly tags along.

Amare pushes the doors open, slipping inside and leaving my question unanswered. Figures. Today has just been that kind of day. Even though I follow her quietly inside, my mind is buzzing with thoughts. How does Amare know that language? And why is she so confident that whoever buried Evie won't come back? There's a lot of unknowns about this "teammate" of mine, and I don't like it.

"Why are we going into the dark, spooky building?" Waiyaki's voice drifts in from somewhere behind me.

"Probably because it's pitch dark outside and I don't like the idea of sleeping on the forest ground." I eye the cracked, dusty linoleum panels that makes up the entry way floor. "Well, okay, I don't like the idea of sleeping on this floor either."

Waiyaki mutters some complaints as I carefully pick my way across the hall. Stepping on a rusty nail and getting tetanus would be a bad way to end an already terrible day. It would help if I had some light. Despite what I said about the darkness outside, it's actually just as dark in here.

"Where's Amare?"

I glance back at Waiyaki. "What do you mean?"

He shrugs. "I don't see her anywhere. So what happened?"

Now that he's mentioned it, it's true that I don't see Amare anywhere. Did she slip into one of the hallways? I gaze down one of the dark gaping halls and seriously doubt it. She wouldn't be able to see a thing!

"Amare?" Waiyaki calls out. "Are you still here?"

Several long seconds pass without a response. Then the seconds stretch into minutes. "Great," I mutter, "she's gone and abandoned us." I'm about to suggest that we should just try to find somewhere to sleep and pass the night when I spot Waiyaki pulling something out of his bag.

A flashlight.

"Don't tell me you've had that this entire time!"

Waiyaki frowns. "Yes, I did. Why does this matter?"

I've seriously begun to think that this guy is trolling me. That, or he's just really dense. "Whatever, man. Just lead the way. We need to find Amare." I don't know why, really. Dr. Black hasn't explicitly said that teams have to stick together. But I would hate to find myself in one of his games were, for some reason, three team members are required and we only had two. That would suck.

Waiyaki picks a hall at random and heads off. I follow behind.

His flashlight illuminates the hallway, giving us our first real look at our surroundings. Cobwebs and dust cover everything, while discarded equipment lies scattered across the floor, some of it in messy heaps. A lone wheelchair sits in the center of the hall.

"Well, that's not normal." Waiyaki glances at me, eyes widened. I simply walk up to the wheelchair and push it, watching it roll away into the darkness.

"It's just a chair," I say.

"Just a chair? Yeah, sure." Waiyaki doesn't sound very confident. In fact, I think I see some beads of sweat forming on his forehead. I'm about to ask him what's wrong when a door to our right swings open.

Waiyaki screams and drops the flashlight. It hits the floor lense first, and with a loud Crack! our only source of light blinks out. Darkness envelopes us.

"Ghost! Help!" Waiyaki howls, thrashing about like a madman. I grip his shoulder and shake him, trying to knock some sense into the fool. What's so bad about a little darkness?

"Stop shouting. It's me."

Amare's voice cuts through the dark, silencing Waiyaki. Still unable to see, I walk towards the source of her voice. "How can you even see?" I ask.

"Night-vision goggles."

"Oh." Well, that explains a lot. No wonder she could navigate her way through this darkness. "I'm assuming you found something?"

"A room. Good place to sleep."

"Ah, perfect. I could use some rest." Not really, but whatever. I touch my hands to the wall, following it until I reach the door Amare emerged from. I stumble into the room and nearly crash into a large object. "Ouch!"

Lights suddenly flicker on. Blinking, I turn to see Amare standing beside the doorway, a pair of goggles strapped to her head. A lightswitch rests next to her hand.

Convenient.

Now with the lights on, I examine the room where I find myself. It's is not unlike any office I've seen before. The walls are a dark-paneled wood, the floors are highly furnished carpet, smelling slightly of dust. A few potted plants fill the office's corners, and a large wooden desk dominates the room.

"Nice place," I say, depositing myself on the chair behind the desk. "Think this was the principals office?"

Neither of my teammates respond. Amare goes and crouches in the far corner while Waiyaki slowly lies himself down on the carpet. "Ah, this is soft! Truly a good place to sleep!"

I'm about to respond when I spot something in the corner opposite the one Amare sits in. It lies upright, tip leaning against the wall. A spear.

Lost in thought, I drift over and pick it up. Rubbing my hand along the smooth carbon fibre, I can tell from heft and balance that it is a good weapon. Sturdy, well made, well kept.

Memories of past stunts flash through my mind. The spear quivers in my fingers, begging to be spun, to be used. Without thinking, I snap the spear up under my arm in a guard position.

Waiyaki and Amare go still, watching me with quiet eyes.

Strength surges through me as I spin the spear up into an old form. The spear dances in my fingers, just an extension of myself. I spin with it, around and around. Across my neck. Over my arm. I can feel the tension and frustration fading as I fall into a familiar pattern.

Working with weapons. Doing stunts. That has always been what most comforted me. What defines who and what I am. Tetsu Ueno may be literally fearless, but that wasn't made me an international celebrity. No.

It was my skill.

I snap the spear back into place, holding the haft at the center, tip down and the backend protruding out over my head.

"You are a warrior," Amare's voice breaks the silence. She stands in the corner, watching me with narrowed, wary eyes. "A very good one."

I shrug, tossing the spear aside. "More or less, I suppose."

"If you fought my sister, I am unsure who would win."

"Uh. Thanks, I guess?" Is that supposed to be a compliment? With Amare I can't tell. I always wonder just what kind of "warrior" she thinks I am. Something tells me that, despite my worldwide fame, she has never even heard of Tetsu Ueno.

Amare nods, going back to crouching. I glance at Waiyaki, but he remains silent, looking troubled. I don't know what his problem is, but then again, we sure do have a lot of problems. "So I guess we're just going to spend the night here?"

No response.

Great. I guess they're going back to that no talking thing. Well, that's fine. I'm not really tired, but I suppose that a little sleep couldn't hurt. I might need it anyways. Dr. Black just might have some more secrets hidden under his cloak.

Zantae Neilson (Kappa Team)
I bolt upright.

Orange lights flash overhead, accompanied by a shrill wailing that drowns out all other noise. For a moment I'm too confused to understand what is happening. But that ignorant peace didn't last long.

The alarm.

Freedom of the Seas. It was the cruise ship that my parents and I had been on for the past few weeks. Trips to many different cities and countries. Food and delicacies from each. It had been a terrific time. I've had more fun on this ship than I've ever had before. Tomorrow we should arrive in Nassau, my hometown and final stop of the voyage.

Life is great.

But now an alarm blares over my head.

I realize that I'm still in my bed, tucked underneath my covers. I throw them off and scramble to my feet. What is happening? I'm about to rush out to go and find my parents when a burst of static interrupts the alarm.

"This is your captain speaking," A scratchy voice emits from the speakers in my room, "Freedom of the Seas has been intercepted by an unknown submarine. They have not made their intentions known, but they have halted our movements. I repeat--"

My window erupts with an explosion of glass.

I scream, hands going to cover my face as glass shards fly past. I feel a sharp pain, followed by blood trickling down my elbow. I fearfully turn to face the now shattered window. What just happened?

A man wearing heavy black robes and a wide-rimmed leather hat stands behind the window pane. I can see my own terrified expression reflected in the eyes of his white mask. A long, curved beak is its most defining feature.

Even with terror and confusion flooding my mind, I somehow recognize the outfit as that of a plague doctor.

The man extends a hand towards me.

I scream and turn to run.

I get only a few footsteps in before a gentle prick hits me in the neck. Confused, I reach a hand out and pull something free of my skin. A...dart?

I hit the ground, knees scraping against broken glass. Huh? When...when did I fall? I'm crawling now, unsure of how or why I am on the ground. It's hard to think. Why is it hard to think?

I feel hands underneath me, then I'm being pulled into the air. No, not the air. The plague doctor carries me over his shoulder as he walks back to the shattered window. In my delusional mind I fear he is about to jump straight into the ocean. But, no. A long, slender submarine bobs in the water next to our boat, an open hatch waiting.

The door to my room bursts open. Four people come barreling in, two of them screaming. My vision is blurry, black dots creeping in, my even still I recognize them. My parents. My loving, adoring parents.

The two people behind my parents (security guards?) come rushing forward. The plague doctor outstretchs a palm and...does something. My vision wavers. I slip in and out of consciousness. The ever-encroaching darkness closing in...

When I come to, I see the two guards lying in heaps on the floor. What did the plague doctor do? My parents are still standing, somehow.

My perspective suddenly shifts and I'm being lowered towards the hatch. Gaping blackness rushes to greet me...

"Zantae!" My parents scream.

In response, the plague doctor utters three words.

I black out.

Satoshi sits on an overturned shelf, quietly listening as I finish my tale. The look on his face is a mixture of pity and shock. I don't know which one hurts me more. "I had no idea you experienced so much," He mutters, shaking his head. "I don't even remember my own kidnapping."

"Perhaps that is for the best," I say. I certainly wish that I didn't remember. Not knowing couldn't possibly be as painful as having such a vivid recollection. I focus my attention on our surroundings to shut out the memories.

We fled into the forest after witnessing Evie's death. It was so quick, so brutal that we didn't even know what to do. So we just ran. The forest whipped past us as we ran and ran, completely unaware as to where we were going. Eventually we stumbled onto a road.

"We should follow this," Satoshi had said. "It might lead us to civilization! We could call the police!"

I knew better. Dr. Black would not have set us free into the wild if it was possible to find help. So when we reached the roads eventual destination, an abandoned grocery store, I was not surprised.

I was not surprised that all the cars in the parking lot were empty. That the glass windows were shattered. That all the shelves were either barren or filled with rotting food.

I was not surprised that we were completely and utterly alone.

"There must be someway to escape," Satoshi's voice snaps me back to reality. "This Playing Field or whatever he calls it can't go on forever. It has to end somewhere."

"I'm not so sure about that." What if we're on an island? Or Dr. Black has set up some sort of barriers? That man seems capable of anything....The mere thought of him has me shuddering.

"Well, then maybe someone will come find us. Like the police, or something."

Satoshi is so adamant that we'll find a way to escape. Be saved. I am not so sure. I've seen firsthand the determination that Dr. Black has, the resources he has at his proposal. He does not appear to be the type of person that will let his plans be foiled easily, if at all.

I stare at the dirt-stained floor of the grocery store. I'm sure that it was once white, but time has taken its toll so now it's more a gray than anything else. Gray and bleak. Just like our futures.

Satoshi sighs, leaning back so that he rests against the far wall. "I should never have ran off."

"What?"

He looks up, suddenly embarrassed. "I, uh, nothing. It's just, well, I, uh...ran away from home. Before. Like, right before I was kidnapped."

"Oh." I would never have guessed. I wait for Satoshi to say more, but he remains silent, staring out the shattered windows of the grocery store. Outside the wind howls as night continues to tighten its grip on the world. I am glad that we found this place, with lights and a roof over our heads. Being trapped out in the forest at dark would be awful.

"Oh!"

Satoshi slips to the ground, startled by my sudden exclamation. "What's wrong?" He bounds to his feet. "Are we being attacked?"

"No! It's just...Nailah!" I had forgotten all about our teammate. I'd only known her for an hour before we split up, and then things had gotten too hectic for me to spare any thoughts for her. But now... "Where is she?"

Satoshi blinks. "Right! I completely forgot she existed!"

I glance back out the window, where darkness reigns. If you were in the forest, the trees would block out the moon, leaving you in utter darkness. Is Nailah out there?

"We last saw her in the school," I say, uncertainty infecting my words. But that was hours ago, would she really have stayed there? I don't think so. She would have heard the gunfire and fled. But fled where?

Satoshi paces between the aisles, twirling that strange hook he has. "We're not going to look for her, are we? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm concerned for her safety, but...I really, really don't want to go outside after dark."

I tug on my braid. "I don't know. I don't like the thought of abandoning her like that..." But I don't disagree with Satoshi. Wandering a forest in complete darkness is a recipe for disaster.

Satoshi continues to stare out the window. His hook continues to swing in a wide, methodic arc. A grappling hook. That's what it is. Weren't they used to board ships bsck in the day?

Board ships...

Freedom of the Seas. My parents. That strange submarine. Dr. Black can do anything, anything at all. We can't stop him. Shouldn't even try. He might let us live if we don't. If we just play along.

But, no. He'll still kill us. Isn't that his goal? He wants us all dead, for some reason. Yet that feels...wrong. Surely he wouldn't have gone through all this effort just so that he could kill some people?

I think back to my kidnapping. When I was being lowered into the submarine. The man, the plague doctor, he said something. But to whom was he speaking? Not me. Not my parents. Someone inside the submarine, then?

Does Dr. Black have associates? To be honest, I'm not even certain if the plague doctor who kidnapped me was Dr. Black. What if he's multiple people? Those words. I'm sure I can remember them. I close my eyes and try to concentrate. What did he say?

I see the incident. I see the gaping black maw of the submarine as it rushes to greet me. I hear my parents screaming for me.

I hear his response.

"Zantae?" Satoshi frowns at me. "Are you okay? You're shaking..."

I come out of my thoughts slowly. I feel cold, so cold. True to Satoshi's words, I find myself shaking. Only with supreme effort can I keep my arms still. He couldn't...he wouldn't...no.

No!

Satoshi is saying something, grabbing my shoulders. But I can barely hear him. My mind is filled with thoughts of my parents. They know what happened. They saw everything. My parents...

In my head, I can hear his words. Crisp and emotionless. Spoken with a clinical detachment from the situation. Right before I blacked out, I heard his words. Those terrible, awful words.

Leave no witnesses.

Timothy González (Gamma Team)
The night sky is practically impossible to see, blocked out by the light pollution from all of the carnivals overly lavish lights. Yet I still stare out at it, hoping in vain to spot a familiar star so that I know I am still on Earth. So that I can grasp onto a connection, no matter how tenuous, to my home.

But I see no stars. The skyglow is too bright for that.

With a heavy sigh I lean against the railing of the balcony. How did this situation ever come to pass? Dr. Black is far too successful for his own good. How did he manage to kidnap thirty different people and transport them all here without being caught by the authorities? It doesn't seem possible, let alone plausible.

"Yo, Timothy! You just going to hang around out there? You're missing dinner!" Mike's voice calls from the doorway behind me. A soft yellow light glows inside, different from the bright and colorful lights that adorn the carnival booths. Softer. Gentler.

"I'm coming," I call back. My hands instinctively touch the Desert Eagle I have stored in my jacket pocket. It's a tic of mine; I constantly have to touch my possessions to ensure that they're still there. Back home that may have been unnecessary, but here? Well, let's just say that nothing is unnecessary here.

Content that I still have everything, I step back inside. We've holed ourselves up in this small, Bavarian themed restaurant. It is a surprisingly warm and intimate space, divided by brick arches, with fireplaces at either end. The room is filled with long tables and dark hardwood benches. Sawdust litters the floor and brass lanterns hang on the walls, illuminating the room with flickering candles.

I frown at one such lantern. We didn't light those candles; they were already lit when we arrived. So who lit them?

Lost in thought, I mindlessly sit down at one of the benches. Across from me Mike is busy telling a tale about his football exploits while Nathaniel listens silently. Those two and me are so different from each other...

What reason could Dr. Black have for gathering all of us?

"Timothy?"

"Hmm?" I look up, surprised to find Mike addressing me. "Is something amiss?"

"No, not really. But you haven't touched the food yet; You're just staring at it!"

Oh. I suppose I am. Shrugging, I go to reach for the food when I pause. The meal that lies before me looks nothing like what I had expected. On one platter is some sort of sausage smothered in sauerkraut, while another has a bowl of potato salad. The third and final plate holds sliced pickles.

I turn to Mike. "You made this?"

Mike shakes his head while shoving a pickle in his mouth. "Nah, man. Nathaniel did!"

Nathaniel ducks his head shyly as I stare in disbelief. Nathaniel did? That quiet, reclusive guy? Perhaps I have underestimated him. So far he has barely factored into my plans...but maybe I should rethink that.

"It's not that impressive," Nathaniel mutters, downcast eyes fixed squarely on the table. "I just followed the recipes in the kitchen." Hmm, yes. I do remember seeing the list of recipes and ingredients during our search of this building. Yet it still takes impressive resolve to cook during such chaotic times.

I find myself re-examining him. Long brown hair and beard hide his features, but his blue bespectacled eyes seem to glow with a light of intelligence. He's not very fit or athletic, but that shouldn't matter as long as I have Mike on my team. I don't need another fighter; I need someone who can think outside the box. And I think Nathaniel could be that man.

I smile. Yes, this team could be truly great. With a capable, intelligent leader such as myself in charge, I think we could very well end up winning this game.

Of course, I still have no idea how the game is actually played.

We finish our meal in silence. Despite my respect for this team, I find that I am still wary. The others are out there, the other teams. What are they doing right now? What weapons do they have? Dr. Black said that we'd be killing each other, and the datapad seems to imply that is indeed the case; that Evie girl was killed by someone.

"What do you guys think about the other teams?" I break the silence as Nathaniel is clearing the table.

Mike frowns. "Uh, I don't know. We saw those two teams, right? The ones that killed each other?" He is talking about Alpha and Beta teams. Early on in the day Dr. Black showed us their initial game and how it played out.

I rub my chin. "Yes, we did. Do you have any particular thoughts about them?"

Mike tugs on one of his ears. "Umm...that redhead girl seems pretty strong."

"She did indeed present a strong front, but that could also just be the Dunning-Kruger effect."

"The what now?"

I lean back in my chair and fold my hands across my lap. "Basically, it's the theory that idiots and incompetents grossly overestimate their own intelligence and abilities. In fact, they're so stupid that they fail to see what complete morons they really are. So they end up with a false sense of superiority, which in turn creates a false sense of confidence, which perpetuates the cycle that constantly reinforces their false superiority."

I pause, waiting for their reaction. Mike merely looks confused, but Nathaniel is slowly nodding. "On the other hand," I continue, "Genuinely smart and skillful people chronically underestimate their own abilities and end up suffering a equally false sense of inferiority and self-doubt."

I cannot help but notice the flicker of recognition that crosses Nathaniel's face. So I was right. He does suffer from a self-esteem issue.

"But what about the smart people who know they're smart?" Mike is frowning as he tries to sort this out.

"Oh? Those people?" I feel a smile on my face. "Those people, my goodman, are the people who run this world. People such as myself."

Mike nods, grinning. "Yeah! People like us!"

A short, awkward pause. "Yes. Us."

Bang!

A loud noise emanates from outside the balcony window. Nathaniel leaps up in the air, ducking behind the table. Mike shoots to his feet, hands clasped around his football. "Whoa! What was that?"

"Something outside." I tentatively touch the Desert Eagle. Has another team found us? My fingers inch toward the gun. I will not go down quietly. If someone wants to take us out...I'll make sure that they pay first.

"Should we...should we check it out?" Mike seems eager to go confront the noise, despite the fact that he is armed with only a football. I cannot fathom why, but he is adamant that it makes the perfect weapon.

"Perhaps we should." I slip the Desert Eagle out and hold it firmly in my hands. The pistol is fired by a single action hammer, and has a manual safety switch on the slide. The ambidextrous safety switch rotates a drum mechanism which sits over the firing pin, causing the firing pin to lock in, which prevents it from moving forward and reduces the possibility of the gun discharging accidentally.

I click the safety off. "Follow me."

I step out into the balcony, the cool night air enveloping me instantly. My eyes have trouble adjusting to the bright, garish lights that shine from the carnival booths. I force my gaze away from the light. If someone was hiding they wouldn't be doing it in the open. No, they would be in the shadows.

On the fringe of the carnival, where the booths give away to forest, darkness reigns. The lights don't stretch far enough to illuminate the area, and anyone could be--

A person stands in the shadows.

I choke on my cry of surprise. Stumbling backwards, I nearly tip over the balcony before Mike catches me by the shoulder. "Whats wrong?" He asks, "did you see someone?"

Speechless, I point to the person.

The man is tall and muscular, standing almost six feet. His skin is unnaturally smooth and featureless, being a chalky white color. Bright red lips are spread into a wide grin. Neon green hair an untidy mop atop his head. His one piece suit is part purple, yellow, and red, while the ruff around his neck baby blue.

I gape at the bizarre figure, knowing fully well that he can only be one thing.

A clown.

"What the hell?" Mike stares, looking as confused as I feel. Behind me I can hear Nathaniel mumbling reassurances to himself. Mike steps forward. "I mean, what the actual hell? Is that a clown?"

"We are in a carnival," I try to sound amused, but fail to convince myself. This sight is too strange, too horrifying to me believed.

Dr. Black kidnapped a clown!

"What team do you think he's on?" I ask. The clown hasn't moved since we spotted him. He just stands there, staring back at us. Is he as confused as we are?

"I...don't know." Mike scratches his head. "Do we go greet him?"

Somehow I don't think that the clown would take kindly to a group of three strangers approaching him, especially when one is armed. "Keep a lookout for any sign of a sneak attack," I whisper to Mike. "I'm going to call out to him. Ready?"

Mike nods. I take a deep breath, then project my voice as much as I can. "Hey, you there! Clown!"

The clown doesn't so much as twitch. He just stands there, stoic and silent. Confused, I call out again. Still no response. I frown. How doesn't he hear me?

"Should I chuck my ball at him?"

"What?" I blink at Mike.

The tall guy shrugs, gesturing at his football. "Should I throw this at him?"

"Why in the world would you do that?" I am thoroughly confused. If we want to speak with the clown, what would we gain by throwing a ball at his head? I should think that would only anger him!

"Dunno."

I sign. Mike didn't strike me as the sort of guy who thought things through. This, unfortunately, confirms my theory. "No, we will not throw a ball at his head. Instead, we'll approach him. Slowly. We don't want to spook him, because that--"

"He's gone."

"What?" I turn to Nathaniel, surprised to find him speaking. He's stayed silent since we finished our meal. "What did you say?"

"The clown. He's gone." He points out at the shadows.

I feel my heart skip a beat. The place where the clown once stood is empty. My head whips around, searching for him. Where did he go? My hands begin to sweat and the gun feels slick in my hands.

He couldn't have just disappeared. No way. He had to have ran off, fled while we weren't looking. Or did he? What if he and his allies are planning a surprise attack at this very moment? What if they guns like me?

It's this last thought that snaps me into action. "We should go back inside," I say to Mike and Nathaniel, not taking my eyes off the carnival. "We'll be harder targets in there. Very hard to kill."

"Kill?" Mike stares at me as Nathaniel sputters in disbelief.

I nod. "We don't know the other teams intentions, so it is wisest if we just assume the worse." You can never be too safe.

We all go back inside. Slowly. As if we're afraid that too much motion will draw an attack. I don't know what to expect, but I'm not about to let my guard down. Clown or no, I'm not going to allow anyone to bring my team down.

"We'll sleep in shifts," I say as we all begin to settle in. "One of us will always be on guard. Our guard will always have this," I wave my gun in the air, "and he'll make sure to stay indoors and out of sight of the windows." I'll allow no easy shots on my watch.

They both nod. I take a deep breath. Today has been a long, stressful day. And, somehow, I know that tomorrow will be no better.

Vika Caprae (Beta Team)
The house is quiet. The fluorescent bulb overhead casts a cool, even light over us all. The only sound is the scratching of a pen on my sketchbook. I work with quick, scraping motions, disturbed by the things that have transpired today. So much uncertainty. So much fear.

So much death.

I didn't kill Ophrya. I know what Dr. Black says, what Arlyssa claims, but I don't care. I'm not responsible for what Dr. Black did. He poisoned that girl. Not me. I didn't kidnap her and stick her in some horribly cruel game. All I did was vote. There was no way to know what Arlyssa had voted. I couldn't possibly have known my vote would be the final nail in Ophrya Grate's coffin.

It wasn't my fault.

"There has to be some way to escape," Hayle breaks the long silence. He is sitting in a chair across from me. Arlyssa stands on the leftmost side of the room, near the windows. "It's not possible for Dr. Black to have completely cut us off from the outside world. There must be some way out."

This is an old conversation. Escape has been the topic of discussion for the entire day. But despite the hours we've spent talking about it, we've made no significant progress. I try not to think about how that may because there is no way out.

"There is no escaping," Arlyssa stares out the window, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. "Dr. Black won't allow that. Pretty sure we've already been over this."

We have. Multiple times. No escape. No hope for salvation. How will we die? Will it be by knife? Poison, like Ophrya? Or maybe like that girl, Evie. Eliminated with a pistol. What kind of person could just shoot someone like that?

You A voice whispers in my mind. After all, you voted to kill Ophrya, didn't you?

"I thought you were all about escaping?" Hayle frowns at Arlyssa. "Have you given up?"

"Don't be stupid. Of course I haven't given up! But just because there isn't an opportunity to escape right now doesn't mean there won't ever be one."

I sit back, inspecting my art. I've been so distracted with the conversation that I'd just let my hands do the drawing, trusting in my instincts. The sketch depicts Hayle, sitting in his chair with that worried expression. The doorway to the hall is on his right. Yes, I think I managed to create--

I freeze, breath catching, heart pounding against my chest. In the doorway, barely visible in the shadows, I've drawn Ophyra.

I rip the sheet free from the sketchbook, crumpling it up in my hands. Hayle and Arlyssa turn to stare at me as I rip the crumpled ball into a dozen pieces.

"Vika?" Hayle looks concerned. "Are you...okay?"

"Fine. I'm just fine." I scatter the torn pieces across the room. Ophrya. I can still see her face. The look of fear and confusion as she died. Why had we voted her, she must have wondered. Why me? What reason did they have?

There was no reason.

My heart is still pounding. Pulse racing. I stand up and begin pacing, sketchbook hugged close to my chest. It wasn't my fault. There was nothing I could do! Nothing!

My teammates watch me but do not speak. Eventually Hayle settles back into his chair. "Well, at the very least we should be glad that we found this house," he says.

Our house. Yes...yes. Get my mind off Ophrya. Our house. Majority of today had been spent searching that forest we found. There wasn't much of note; just trees, bushes, and the occasional animal. We did find a few more shacks like that first one, but there were no supply caches inside. Just dust and cobwebs.

It was almost evening when we found it. We entered a clearing, expecting to find nothing but a meadow when we were surprised to discover the house. A small, rundown house with a slate roof and whitewashed walls. It doesn't have very many rooms; just a kitchen, living room, and one bedroom. I think there's also a cellar, though it's only accessible from outside.

Hayle is still talking. He's saying something about our plans for tomorrow when a soft, musical chiming picks up. I look around for a few seconds before I realize that the noise is coming from my datapad. Right. Dr. Black.

The screen flickers on and there is Dr. Black, standing in a circle of light in an otherwise darkened room. His gloved hands rub the length of his cane as chuckles. "Well, well, well. It appears that the vast majority of you have survived the first day. That is good."

There is no response from us. Is he broadcasting to all the teams right now? I think about Alpha Team and the two surviving boys, Jackson and Boone. Where are they and what're they doing?

"In case some of you are not aware, I would like to inform you all that it is now midnight," Dr. Black's deep, synthesized voice sounds...amused? "And, because it is midnight, I will allow you to witness how your fellow Challengers met their untimely ends."

No! Images of Ophyra flash through my mind. Her body lying on the cold, hard floor...I squeeze my eyes shut tight, yet I can still hear the gasps and screams of Alpha team as they watch their friend die.

"Yes, you all already knew how Ophyra died. But now it is time to show you Evie's end." My eyes open on their own accord. I watch, frozen in terror, as a wild-haired girl wielding a rifle is put down by one well-placed shot from a man in a tailored suit. As the girl hits the ground, the screen turns back to Dr. Black. "There you have it. Two deaths in less than twenty-four hours. Some of you are eager to play, others just wish to hide. Well, the time for hiding has passed. An Event Hub will soon open."

Event Hub? I remember him speaking about those earlier. Isn't that...where his games are played? A shuddering breath wracks my body as I think of our last game. That was where Ophrya died.

"I suppose you'll make us play another game?" Arlyssa sneers into her datapad.

"When the Event Hub opens," Dr. Black continues smoothly, ignoring her, "there will be a period of time allotted for a team to enter the Hub. Once inside, they will play my game."

I start to involuntarily shake my head. No! We will not play another one of those games!

"Before you decide to ignore this message, I'd like to tell you one more thing. Whenever an Event Hub opens, it is mandatory for a team to enter. For if no team enters an Event Hub within the allotted time, I will kill each and every one of the Challengers."

A shocked silence follows this proclamation. Kill...everyone? He can't be serious. But...why would he lie? The icy grip of despair wraps itself around my heart. Am I doomed to play another one of those games?

"Your datapads will show you the location of the now open Event Hub. That is all for now. Sleep well, Challengers. Or don't. After all, who knows when that Hub will close?"

The screen on our datapads change, flickering from Dr. Black to the map of the Playing Field. I had examined this map a little earlier, but there wasn't much to look at. Other than the areas we had personally explored everything was grayed out. But now something is different. In what appears to be the center of the map, a large white circle is glowing.

"Think that's the Event Hub?" Hayle asks.

"I...I couldn't say." It certainly appears so. The circle isn't that far either; it's somewhere to the south of us.

"So will we go?"

I blink. "Huh?"

Arlyssa folds her arms across her chest. "To the Event Hub? Will we go to it?"

"No! Of course not!"

"I'm not asking you, Blondie." She turns so that she is facing Hayle, with her back to me. "What do you think? Should we go?"

He runs a hand through his hair, looking confused and exhausted. "I...don't know. It'll be dangerous. We might even have to kill someone again...but on the other hand, if we don't go..." He trails off.

"If we don't go, then we all might die anyway," Arlyssa finishes.

Surely one of the other teams will enter the Event Hub? I can see no reason why we would need to subject ourselves to that horror. Dr. Black never said that every team had to enter.

I find myself clinging to this thought. We don't need to go. We don't need to play another one of those games. I refuse.

I refuse!

"This isn't something that we can just decide on a whim," Hayle stands up and begins pacing around the room. The uncertainty that is etched across his face mimics what I feel in my chest. "We should take some time to think this over."

"We may not have any time."

"I know."

A grim silence descends upon us. What if no team decides to go? Would Dr. Black really kill all of us? I imagine my bracelet activating, injecting poison straight into my veins.

If I died, would anyone even know?

Marc. Hannah. Father. They don't know what has happened. What will happen. They don't know anything.

I pick up my sketchbook and begin to draw. My fingers move of their own accord. Quick, even strokes. The scene I create is one drawn from my deepest fears. Hayle, Arlyssa, and myself in a room. This room.

Lying dead.

No!

I rip the paper in half and toss it over my shoulder. This time neither Hayle nor Arlyss even bother to look at me. They're both too busy with the grim situation facing us. The only way to survive is to make sure the other teams die.

Is there no answer except death?

The clock on the wall continues to tick. Time slips away. Hayle and Arlyssa are talking but their words are mute to my ears. We don't have much time. We, and all the other teams, will soon have to make decision.

A decision that undoubtedly will get somebody killed.

Hayden Owens (Epsilon Team)
I bolt upright. Darkness is all around me. Footsteps echo in the distance. I reach for the sidearm at my side and am surprised when I find its not there. What happened to it? And where am I? Did I...

Memories flood back into my mind. The kidnapping. Dr. Black. That turret. Junie and Milan.

I sigh, allowing myself to lie back down. My bag serves as a pillow. An old tarp we found in the warehouse is my blanket. It's not the most comfortable arrangement, but it is far from the worst sleeping situation I've had to face.

The warehouse is still dark, but I can hear Milan moving somewhere off in the distance. She's been on guard duty since Dr. Black's midnight announcement. Has that girl even slept?

I finally force myself to stand, no longer content to just lie here and wallow in my own thoughts. We need a plan. A course of action. Directionless people often just mill around and do nothing, wasting their potential. I can't let that happen to us. Our lives depend on it.

"See anything out there?" I walk over to Milan as she stops beside the double-wide doors that lead outside the warehouse.

The tall, dark-haired girl turns to give me a short glance before returning her gaze to the outside world. "No."

I nod. "What about the turret?"

"It is still there, but no longer seems active. I suspect it is proximity triggered."

"I agree." That was my initial suspicion. The turret itself didn't seem to activate until we approached it. It would only make sense for it to be a proximity alarm. I am, however, surprised that Milan would come to a similar conclusion. As far as I know, she doesn't have the same military experience that I do. But then, I barely know anything about her.

That should change. You cannot lead people you don't understand.

"What's your story?" I ask as she looks up to study the early morning stars. They shine like silver snowflakes. "How'd you end up in this godforsaken place?"

She shrugs. "It doesn't matter."

"It might."

"It does not."

I watch her expression closely. Something about her terse answers sets alarm ringing in my head. Whatever her past is, it doesn't appear to have been something pleasant. "Okay, fine. Forget I asked." There's a long moment where no more words are spoken. We just stand there, silent, staring out at the darkened world.

"I need to get home," I say softly.

Milan turns to me, eyebrow raised. I shake my head, feeling stupid. "I...I just need to get back. I have people who...need me." The lie leaves my heart heavy. They don't. No one needs me. Not anymore. Mia...Annalise...

God, I don't even know my own child. Sometimes I can't even stand to look at her. What kind of father am I? She'll grow up to hate me. And she should. After all the things I've done...

Why shouldn't everyone hate me?

"You have suffered a lot." Milan's voice breaks me from the dark cloud of my thoughts. I come out of my stupor feeling cold and distant. My hands are clenched fists at my side. Eyes squeezed shut.

I take a deep breath, unclenching my fists and forcing my eyes open. The morning sky greets me. As dark and desolate as ever. "You're right," I whisper the words into the wind. Feel them get pulled away. "But the people around me have suffered worse. Because they've had to try and support me."

I've just pushed them away. Tried to block out all feeling. All pain. All guilt. I can still remember the nights spent at bars, drinking to forget. But it never worked. Every morning I'd wake up and the pain would still be there. The memories. The fear. The guilt.

That's why I don't remember how Dr. Black kidnapped me. Because I was blackout drunk at some bar.

Troubled, I walk away from Milan, back towards the center of the warehouse. Shelves upon shelves of crate line the walls, stacked upon metal scaffolding. Earlier I forced one of the crates open but all I found inside was styrofoam. That's what this warehouse is full of. Boxes and boxes of stryofoam.

"Ugh. What the hell are you two doing awake? It's not even four A.M!" Junie rises from the pile of clothes where she's been sleeping. Rubbing her eyes, she turns to glare at me. "Can't you keep quiet? It's not that hard, I swear!"

"Sorry!" I duck my head apologetically. Too wrapped up in my own worries, I had forgotten all about Junie. "How's your leg? Are you feeling better?"

She stretches her legs out, wincing in the effort. "Better, yes. Fine? No."

"As long as it's healing things should be okay." I'm not an expert in medical situations, but I've been around enough injured men to know some simple things. "We probably shouldn't go anywhere until you're more rested, though."

"So we will not be going to the Event Hub?" Milan crosses her arms, looking to me expectantly.

"No. Probably not." Those games, so similar to what I had to endure...I shake my head and speak more firmly. "No. Definitely not."

"What will we do if no one goes?"

"We can't worry about that." But it brings up another thought that's been plaguing me since my arrival here. Where are the other teams? Dr. Black said that he had thirty people here. Two of them are dead already, so that leaves twenty-five others, excluding me and my allies.

So where are they? And, more importantly, who are they?

"It's already been almost four hours since it opened anyway," Junie says through a yawn. "So someone has probably already entered. We'd be dead otherwise, right?"

Would we? Dr. Black never specified the deadline. How long does that Hub stay open?

"If we're not going then it doesn't matter," Milan says, businesslike as usual. "Instead we should focus our energy on more productive things."

Junie scowls. "Like sleep?

"Yes, you should go back to sleep and rest," I say, "but Milan and I will explore this warehouse more thoroughly. Who knows? Maybe we'll find something useful."

So, as Junie curls back up in her clothes pile, the two of us spread out and begin exploring. Originally we have some difficulty because of the darkness, but that problem solves itself when I discover a small metal box on one of the shelves. Inside, conveniently enough, are a pair of flashlights.

"We could have just turned the lights on," Milan says as I call for her and hand over one of the flashlights.

"We could have," I agree, "but then we would have disturbed Junie. Not to mention draw the attention of anyone in the area." I can't just wave away the possibility that some other team will come hunting us down. Didn't Dr. Black prove that was already happening when he showed us Evie's death?

We split up once we have the flashlights. Milan takes the west side of the building, I take the east. I didn't get a very good look outside while we were fleeing the turret, but I believe that there are two more warehouses right next to this one. So we could spend quite a bit of time exploring.

Unfortunately there's not much to find. There's tons of those stryofoam crates, but little else. Hidden behind one such crate I discover a toolbox where I pocket some of the tools, namely a wrench, screwdriver, and pliers. Also, hidden behind a row of shelves, I find a rickety metal staircase that takes me up to a second floor. Here I find rows of boxes filled with unlabeled cans. Since I don't have any surefire means of opening the cans--I could try to use the screwdriver, I suppose--I leave them alone.

At the end of the second floor walkway lies a door that leads into what appears to be an old office. Here I finally flick on a lightswitch and, blinking in the sudden light, set about searching for supplies.

One whole side of the wall is covered with photo frames. Each picture seems to be showcasing some sort of natural landscape, though a few seem to be of buildings. I recognize one building in particular as the West Edmonton Mall. "Home," I say quietly, touching the picture. I stare at it for a few moments before continuing with my search. Memories can wait.

On the opposite wall I find shelves and shelves, coating the walls, filled with books. I try reading a few, but they all seem to be in some other language. I don't understand a word. But Maybe Milan or Junie can read it?

Making a mental note to ask them about it later, I finally turn my attention to the desk. It has several drawers, but each one is locked and there's no key in sight. I try to force it but give up after a few attempts. What's the point? I'm not going to find anything important.

There's a large postboard on the wall behind the desk and I take the time to study. It's mostly just old calendars and flyers advertising sales, but there's one that seems to just be a large white square with the words "It will be done!" scrawled on it. There's also a newspaper clipping, which talks about some sort of terrorist attack...

I hurry out of the room after that. My skin feels clammy and there's a pounding in my head. I am there again. A cold, dark room. A man's screams. Bloody fingernails.

The pliers in my pocket suddenly weigh me down.

I hurry down the stairs, taking them two at a time. I nearly trip several times. When I get to the bottom I just barely stop myself from slamming into Milan.

"What is wrong?" She narrows her eyes, gaze darting up the staircase I've fled. "You look as white as a sheet."

"Nothing! I'm fine! Nothing" The words fly from my mouth without thinking. I stop and force myself to take deep breaths. Calm...I am not there. It's over. I didn't..."I'm fine. Just got spooked is all."

"You...got spooked?"

Before I can respond a bunched up shirt comes flying across the room. Striking me in the chest, it falls harmlessly to the floor.

Milan and I turn to see Junie, wide awake and glaring at us. "You two really don't understand the concept of being quiet, do you?"

We both apologize immediately. Junie still seems upset, but calms when we agree to just rest easy until sunrise. We're settling back into bed when a new thought strikes me. "Oh! Junie!"

"Why won't you just let me sleep!"

Because I'm afraid what my dreams will bring. But that isn't an answer I can give so, mind still reeling with dark thoughts, I focus on my question. "Milan needs a weapon, and you're injured, so I thought that, maybe, you could lend her your axe. I mean, I know you won't like the idea of being weaponless so I thought that maybe you two could trade--"

"Sure. Whatever."

"What?" I blink, surprised by her quick acceptance. "I mean, you're fine with this?"

"If it means you'll shut up and let me sleep, yes. Otherwise I just might have to use that axe myself. And it won't be pretty."

The exchange is made quickly. Milan receives the axe with a grace and reverence as if she's being gifted a item of the heavens. Junie just stuffs the chloroform in her bag and lies back down, grumbling all the while. I silently promise myself to never again get between Junie and sleep.

Adterwards I lie down myself, though I know that I won't get any sleep. Not tonight. Those bloody memories still swim in my head. I've done terrible, awful things.

And that's why I belong here.

Tetsu Ueno (Sigma Team)
"I don't think we have much choice. We either enter or, well, we hope that Dr. Black was just lying."

The three of us stand in a meadow, surrounded on all sides by wide fields of yellow dandelions. Before us looms the large silver dome that Dr. Black has named an Event Hub. I hadn't taken us long to find it; this meadow was only a ten minute walk north of the school.

We decided we'd head out shortly after hearing the announcement. Our maps showed that the Hub was pretty close, so there was no point in staying away. Especially not if Dr. Black is serious about killing us all for tardiness.

Still, we spent several hours just resting before we actually left. Waiyaki said that he needed rest. So we waited for several hours, just long enough for the first faint rays of dawn began to shine upon the world.

So there was plenty of light to see the wild basil growing freely on the clumpy, mossy mattress of the forest floor as we set off. I ate a few apples that I found on the ground along the way. Like the nuts from yesterday they were sweet, but with a bitter twist. It was only after I got the stomach cramps that I regretted it.

"So we're back to the silence, are we?" I sigh as I realize that several minutes have passed without a response to my earlier statement.

Waiyaki glances at me but says nothing. Amare just stares stoically ahead.

I shake my head and take a deep breath. The simpering wind carries a fragrance with it. It's rather refreshing to smell the mulchy mix of the forest’s perfume. Too bad that I'm ina fight for my life, otherwise I might be enjoying this adventure.

"Waiting is pointless," Amare suddenly speaks. The first words she's spoken since we agreed to set out for the Hub. Before I can respond she's striding forward, straight for the silver dome.

"So we're entering? Good! I'm sick of waiting!" I don't even know what we were waiting for. We've just been sitting here for several minutes, just gaping at that stupid building

Though, I have to admit that this building is really unique. The sheer, shiny metal that it is made of looks unlike any other material I've ever seen. The only gap or seams in the entire thing are the hinges of the door that rests in the center of the dome. Why is that?

"I don't like this!" Waiyaki is slow to follow us. "We have no idea what kind of game he'll make us play. What if he makes us fight to the death?"

Amare turns to him, face blank. "Then I will kill both of you."

I burst out laughing. "Ha! Nice one! I have to give it you, Am, I didn't think you had a sense of humor!"

She narrows her eyes, then turns back to the Hub. She's tugging on the door when Waiyaki sidles up alongside me. "I don't think she was joking," He whispers.

"Yeah, I know. That's what made it so funny."

As Waiyaki sputters in disbelief, I saunter up behind Amare and give my weapons a look over. Sickle on my belt, check. Spear in hand, check. Handful of rocks that I've stuffed in my pocket, check. Yep. I've got everything.

"We're good to go," I say, rapping my knuckles on the door. Amare is still tugging on the knob, to little success. How does it open?

"Maybe we need more teams," Waiyaki says, "Dr. Black did say that the number of teams required would--"

The door swings open. I step back just in time to avoid getting whacked. See that Amare has moved even faster than I have. Damn, that girl is fast! What is she, some kind of ninja?

Amare slips inside the dome without even giving the door a second glance. I shrug and follow her inside. Waiyaki reluctantly tags along.

The room we find ourselves is wide and spacious. Circular, with plain gray walls and matching floors, the room is practically empty. The only thing of note is a wide screen on the far wall, set atop a trio of simple doors.

The screen flickers on as we enter. "Welcome, Sigma Team, to my Event Hub!" Dr. Black is once again on screen, serenading us with his deep, synthesized voice. "A hearty congratulations is in order for being the first team to arrrive. Though I suppose that is to be expected, considering that you have the literally fearless Tetsu Ueno on your side."

Huh. So he knows about that, does? Guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I am famous across the world after all.

"Does this mean you won't kill us all?" Waiyaki asks.

Dr. Black strokes a hand along his beak. "Yes, as a team has entered the hub, I will not e execute all of you."

Waiyaki breaths a sigh of relief.

"However, you three are not out of danger just yet. You still have to play my game."

Waiyaki mutters under his breath, but I just shrug. We all already knew this when we decided to come. Having to play a game isn't a surprise. The only question is what form the game will take.

"When do we play?" I ask. My eyes have squared in on those doors. One for each of us? That seems to imply that we'll be splitting up. Interesting.

"Unfortunately, the three of you alone will not be able to play this game."

"Excuse me?" Did I hear him correctly? "I thought you said that we had to play a game? Don't go changing the rules on us like that!"

"The game you are about to play requires a second team. As such, you cannot yet play until another arrives. Unfortunately, that means you will not be allowed to leave the Hub until then."

Behind us, I hear the entry door slam shut. Waiyaki yelps but all I can manage is an eyeroll. Of course this would happen! Nothing Dr. Black does can be simple, can it? "So what if another team never arrives?" I ask. "Do we just sit here and eventually starve to death?"

On screen, Dr. Black is silent for a moment. "No," He finally says, "you would not starve. For I would execute everyone first."

"Not fair!" Waiyaki howls at the screen. "You said that we would be spared if we came! So spare us!"

"Calm down!" I lean against the wall, casually inspecting my fingernails. "He's obviously lying."

"Oh? Am I lying, Ueno? You seem very sure of that fact..."

My head shoots up. I stare at the screen, surprise coursing through me. Did Dr. Black just speak Japanese?

"How many languages do you know?" I demand. My mind is whirling with the possibilities. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. Dr. Black has shown plenty of resourcefulness, but this is the first time he's shown an ability to speak my own home language.

Dr. Black's answer is gibberish to my ears, but judging by the reaction he receives from Amare, his words are anything but. "You do not have to worry," He says, switching back to English, "because you will not be the only team to arrive. Another team is already on their way."

Well, great. I flex my hand, suddenly tense. Just what kind of game mandates two teams anyway? So many ideas pop into my head that I immediately know it's impossible to guess. "How long before they arrive?"

"A few hours at most. Of course, that is assuming another team doesn't wayward them first. In any case, you must be patient. I will return when another team arrives. But for now, farewell Sigma Team."

The screen clicks off.

I turn to gauge the reaction of my teammates. Waiyaki punches the wall, muttering about how much he hates Dr. Black. Amare simply sits cross-legged on the floor and closes her eyes. Is she meditating?

"Well...this sucks." I lean against and shove my hands into my pockets. "I don't suppose either of you have a deck of cards? Because that sure would make things more interesting..."

Vjena Kovač (Delta Team)
I will win this game.

There is no other acceptable result. No other conclusion. I will win this game and be its best player. That is a fact. I do not care if that will require the deaths of every other Challenger. I will kill them myself if necessary.

I will do whatever it takes.

"Take a good look around you, my fellows," Ryder strides through the forest, unconcerned about the reaching branches that tug at his fine suit. "This forest is what the world will soon look like if we do not remove the corrupted from it. Not diseased. Not broken. Dead."

He is right about the forest, at least. Each and every tree is dead. No leaves grow on the bare skeletal branches of the thin close-together trees. The entire area reeks of decay and anything that may once have been edible has long since disintegrated beyond safety. There are several streams in the area, but detritus floats in them, clogging and tainting the water.

It is a truly imperfect place.

"How can we prevent this, you might ask. Well, there's only one way," Ryder stops and gazes up at the sky, which is visible through the leafless canopy. "We must remove the impure. Stamp out the greedy. Pull out the twisted souls by their roots and salt the earth so that they never again grow. We must do these things because no one else will."

I listen to him rant with an impassive face. I really have no cares about Ryder or his delusions. He is obviously insane, possibly even more insane than Dr. Black, but he is still my teammate. That means him and Shinji are the only two people out here who I won't have to kill.

Ryder is still monologuing, but I've stopped listening. Instead I turn my attention to Shinji. The quiet, refined boy is standing aways back from us, watching Ryder with a blank look. He has said little since we eliminated Evie yesterday. Obviously that act has bothered him.

I can understand his reaction, but that girl's death means nothing to me. Dr. Black has put us under duress, forcing our hands. If we don't act, then he'll kill us. Any court in the world would see Ryder's actions as justifiable homicide.

Yet that is a moot point. No law enforcement agency is coming to our rescue. If they were, they'd have already arrived. No, we're on our own. Which means that the only means of survival is to play the game and do as Dr. Black desires.

Ahead of me, Ryder is still walking and talking, apparently unaware of our disinterest. But that may just be an act. In our short time together I've observed that Ryder is much more situationally aware than you'd think. I've caught him watching us, analyzing our actions. Last night he watched where Shinji and I slept, then decided to climb a tree and tied himself in to make that his resting place.

His skills are impressive. He started a fire from practically nothing. Cooked his food with barely any effort. Extrapolated from the position of the sun and stars that the school where we found and eliminated Evie was the geographical center of the Playing Field. I cannot even understand how he managed that last one.

The taste of blood fills my mouth. I start, surprised to find that I have once again been biting my tongue. Why? What am I so stressed about? I find myself staring at Ryder's back. Staring at the answer.

He's skilled. More skilled than anyone I've ever met, save for myself. He had pin-point accuracy when he shot Evie. Is he, perhaps, even more skilled than me?

No. Of course not. I can do anything he's done and do it better. Quicker. Easier. But the fact remains that he is beating me at this game. He has an elimination. I have none.

I will have to change that.

"We need to find the other teams," I say. Both Ryder and Shinji turn to look at me. Ryder has stopped mid-sentence. "The faster we eliminate them the quicker we get home. There is no time to dawdle."

Ryder narrows his gaze. "That's what I've been saying this whole time."

Oh? Is that what his ramblings led to? I admit that I'm not too surprised; of course that would be what his mind would think up. I look him in the eye. "Yes, I know. But sitting here talking about it isn't getting us any closer to our goal."

It's impossible to miss the anger that flashes across his face. It's visible for only a moment before a neutral expression returns. "Of course," He says smoothly. "Then let us concentrate on hunting the vermin down."

We move in a single file line, Ryder leading the way and Shinji in the rear. I adjust my hunting rifles strap as we walk. It was fine luck that this was to be my weapon. I've used this exact same model on several hunting trips with my Father. The only difference between this hunt and my previous ones is that the prey will be smarter this time. More dangerous.

I am up to the task.

"Do not push Ryder." Shinji has sidled up and now walks beside me. His eyes remain forward as he walks, his voice pitched low.

"Is that a threat?" I demand. I have not paid much attention to the slight boy, but he has capitulated to Ryder quite easily. Very much sycophant material.

"No. It is merely a suggestion."

"I am not afraid of Ryder." Him or anybody.

"You should be."

I brush his concerns away with a casual wave of my hand. "I've worked too hard at my life to be intimidated by anyone. I will do what I want, when I want."

Shinji's face tightens. "Please. Don't antagonize Ryder. If you just do what he says, then we'll all get out of this alive and go home. But if you don't..." He trails off.

My eyes dart forward to watch Ryder and, seeing that he is still out of earshot, shrug. "And what? He is my teammate. You and me are the only two people he won't try to kill."

Shinji doesn't respond. He just falls back into the rear and leaves me alone to my thoughts. I cannot see what has him so worried. Ryder is unpredictable, but he isn't unstable. He won't act against his own best interests. Besides, I have no desire to undermine him in any way. Outperform him, yes. Harm him, no.

Our trio continues on through the forest, heading south. Ryder doesn't even so much as look back to see if we're still following. He is very intent on securing the elimination of the other teams. Well, so am I. I won't be second best.

Not to anyone.

Mike Glennon (Gamma Team)
We left the carnival at first light. Timothy was adamant that we make our way to the Event Hub so that we could interact with the other teams and plot up some sort of plan to stop Dr. Black. I dunno what he's thinking. That crazy dude isn't going to just let us walk away from this game, no matter how hard we try.

And trust me, I've tried hard.

I flex my shoulders, remembering the night I was kidnapped. A trio of masked guys jumped me on my way back from practice. I tried to resist and took a beating for my efforts. It's funny, though. I have no wounds or bruises from that fight, despite the fact I know I received several. No way I healed in just one day. It doesn't make sense, but I don't have an answer. Maybe Timothy or Nathaniel do, but I haven't had the time to ask them yet.

"Keep up, Mike!" Timothy calls over his shoulder to me. I shake my head, surprised that I had been so caught up in thinking that I just stopped walking.

"Coming!" I break into a jog to keep up.

After leaving the carnival--and finding no trace of that creepy clown dude or his teammates--we set off to find the Event Hub. Timothy led the way, following the map on bis bracelet thing. About a half hour of walking later we found ourselves approaching a large bridge. It looked like it weighed two tons and hung at least fifty feet over the ocean below. I didn't like the way the waves crashed against the rocks.

"Is this safe?" I asked. The idea of falling off and going Splat! was pretty frightening. After all, how could I ever become an NFL starter if I was some mushy pancake smeared against a rock?

Timothy, however, wasn't fazed at all. "The bridge is very strudy," he told me, stepping into it. "The supports aren't the least bit rusted. Nor are we too heavy."

Despite my misgivings, he was proven right. We crossed without incident and found ourselves in this forest that we now walk. I don't like it. Not the pulpy smell or the crispy feeling of the grass beneath my shoes. It all just feels too...natural.

"Something wrong, Mike?" Timothy glances at me as I finally pull even with him and Nathaniel.

"Nah, not really." I try to play it cool, hoping that he doesn't notice how uneasy I am. It's not just the forest; I don't like the idea of trying to cooperate with the other teams. You work with your own team and that's it. My whole life has revolved around that motto, and I don't really want to break from it now.

As Timothy turns back to the path ahead, I catch Nathaniel watching me. He quickly looks away when I spot him.

If I'm the quarterback of our team and Timothy is the coach, then that spry dude is the utility player. I initially thought that he would be completely worthless, but he's shown a surprising level of skill. He may not be the MVP, but he's certainly trying.

Timothy comes to a stop and holds out a hand for us to halt. "We should be careful," He says, "We're getting pretty close to the Event Hub. I wouldn't be surprised if we ran into some other teams on their way there."

"You think other teams will come?" I ask.

He nods. "Oh, they'll come. The only question is how many and whether or not they'll be friendly."

Nathaniel gulps. I just tighten my grip on the football. I don't care how strong someone is; one good throw from me and this baby is knocking them stone cold.

Timothy takes up the path again. I follow in silence. I like my weapon and all, but I'm not delusional. Even I know that, if the other teams have guns and want to harm us, there's not much we'll be able to do to counter that. So stealth is our best bet.

When the forest finally opens up, we find ourselves in a meadow. A large building rests in the center, surrounded by colorful flowers. Metallic and circular, the building looks a whole lot like a dome. "Ah! I see why he calls it a Hub," Nathaniel says.

I stare at him. "Uh, why's that?"

"Because it looks like a hub."

"A what now?"

"A hub is the central part of a wheel that connects the axle to the wheel itself," Timothy says idily. His eyes are locked in on the building. "Many expressions use the term for a literal or figurative central structure connecting to a periphery."

Whoosh. I can practically feel all those words flying over my head. I'm not stupid. Far from it. But that doesn't mean I understand everything these smart-types say. Sometimes I'm not even sure if they themselves understand what they're saying.

"Do we go in?" Nathaniel asks. I nod, eager to see that the subject has been changed.

Timothy hesitates, but then nods. "Yes, I suppose that we should. There is nothing to be gained by standing around." He leads the way up to the doublewide doors and, gun still in hand, cautiously pushes them open. He peeks inside, then slips through the door. Nathaniel and I follow.

"Aha! Another team arrives!"

A loud, excited voice startles us the moment we step inside. Panicked, I rush forward only to bump into Nathanial's back. He pitches forward and collides with Timothy, who gets sent bowling towards the ground.

The gun slips out of his hand, skittering across the floor. It comes to a stop beside the feet of the other team.

"Sweet gun!" A guy of slightly above-average height bends down and picks the gun up. Beside me I feel Nathaniel tense. My grip on the football tightens. One throw... The guy laughs, twirling the gun around his fingers. "I thought you'd guys would never show!"

Timothy climbs to his feet and holds out a hand. "We mean you no harm so, please, don't kill us."

As the guy pauses to think, I take this opportunity to study him further. He is an Asian dude with short, straight, dark brown hair, a lean face, slightly thick eyebrows, and piercing, narrow, hazel eyes. Behind him stand his teammates, both black. One is a small woman. The other a big dude.

The Asian guy shrugs. "I have no intention of killing you." He sets the gun down and, with a flick of his ankle, sends it sliding back towards Timothy.

"Tetsu!" The guy beside him lurches forward. "Why'd you do that? He could shoot us!"

Tetsu shrugs again. "Nah, Waiyaki. He won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because Amare would blast his face off before he even so much as tried."

For the first time I become aware of the pump shotgun held in the girls hands. Standing stoically still, she has the barrel aimed straight at Tim's face. Crap.

"May I have your attention, please." The screen behind the trio flickers on, coalescing into the image of that creepy Dr. Black guy. The man folds his hands. "Sigma Team, Gamma Team. It appears that you two teams will be the ones who shall play my game."

"About time!" Tetsu grins. His teammates don't seem to share his enthusiasm. Waiyaki shuffles his feet nervously. The girl, Amare, doesn't take her eyes off Tim. I don't like her. That cold, soulless gaze makes me uncomfortable.

Tim, for his part, is very aware of the danger. He slowly stows the gun into his jacket pocket, then raises his hands over his head. "What is the game?" He asks Dr. Black.

"First you will have to enter the doors behind you. As you may have noticed, there are three doors. You will be required to split up and send one member through each door. This is true for both teams."

Everyone in the room, minus Amare, turns to stare at the doors. Unmarked and plain, there is nothing special about them. They're just...doors.

"What then?" Timothy asks.

"I will tell you more once you enter. Oh, and though I am sure that this should be obvious, I will not permit unsanctioned fighting in the Event Hub. Save it for the Playing Field and the games. Until then, goodbye."

Tetsu chuckles. "What a wonderfully mysterious guy, huh?"

"He is rather enigmatic," Tim shoots a glance at Amare, "Must she constantly be aiming at me? It's rather...unsettling."

"Yeah, I guess it would be. I can't stop her, though. She only listens to herself."

Tim sighs. "Wonderful."

"How do we know she won't kill us?" I demand. I don't care what Dr. Black says; if that girl wants to shoot us there's nothing he could do to stop it.

"I just suppose we'll have to take that risk!" Tetsu flashes me a grin. I'm tempted to chuck my football at him. What kind of team leader can't control his teammates? And it's obvious that he is their leader. Just the way he holds himself makes that clear.

"Well, at any rate I am glad that I got to meet you," Tim says, "I was looking forward to communicating with the other teams."

"You were, huh? Interesting." Tetsu paces around the doors, examining them from every angle. He doesn't look concerned in the slightest. "Well, congratulations. You've met us."

Tim casts another look at Amare. "Yes. Your team has been quite...charming. At any rate, I was hoping that we could communicate more openly."

"I'm Tetsu Ueno. What more do you want?"

"Tetsu Ueno!" Nathaniel exclaims.

We all turn to look at him. He blushes, ducking his head and avoiding our gazes. Tetsu grins. "Well, it looks like someone finally recognized me!"

"Do you know him, Nate?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "Not personally, no. But he's, well, he's famous!"

Tetsu sees that Timothy and I are confused, so he goes on to explain that he is some sort of actor or internet celebrity or something. I honestly have no idea what he does. It's not as interesting as football. Speaking of football...

I excitedly tell everyone about my exploits with the NC Wolfpack, finishing my tale with our latest victory and letting them know that I will soon be going to the NFL. When I pause to gather my breath, everyone is staring at me.

Tetsu gives me a thumbs-up. "Good job, buddy."

"Thanks, man!"

"Shouldn't we be going into those rooms?" Waiyaki interrupts. He's still shuffling his feet anxiously. Kinda looks like he needs to pee. "Dr. Black might get annoyed with our delays..."

"Good point." Timothy nods. "We should decide who'll go through which door."

"Does it matter?" I ask. They all look the same to me. I doubt that anything special will be in them.

"I'll take the center door," Tetus says suddenly. Waiyaki looks at him, shrugs, then walks up to the left door. Amare, without taking her sights off Timothy, slowly approaches the right.

I soon find myself in a huddle with Tim and Nate, going over our gameplan. "I want to go with Tetsu," Tim is saying, "He's obviously their leader and I want to talk more with him. Maybe an alliance of some sort is possible."

"I don't want to go with Amare," Nathaniel says, throwing a look at the girl. "She frightens me."

"I'll go with her," I say. I don't really like the thought of being alone with Amare, but I'll take one for the team. Besides, I probably have the best chance of overpowering her if it came to a fight. She may have a shotgun, but she's still just a tiny thing. Really, she can't be much taller than five feet flat.

"So that leaves Nathaniel with Waiyaki," Tim nods. "Sounds good. Let's roll."

We break apart and each head for our door. The other team watches us with cautious eyes. I don't miss the way Amare's eyes travel around my body. She's obviously searching for a hidden weapon. I pat my football and grin. Little does she know that there is no need to hide my weapon!

"See you on the other side, guys!" Timothy gives us each a smile and nod, then swings his door open and steps inside. Tetsu follows, whistling all the while. I turn to face my own door. I feel Amare move so that she is behind me.

"Dude, is holding that gun still necessary?"

When she doesn't answer, I shake my head and pull the door open. Inside I find myself in a small, circular room. It's empty except for two podiums that rest in the center. As I step towards them I hear the door slam shut. I look at Amare but she shakes her head. The door shut itself.

Great.

The two podiums each have a touchscreen on them, like the surface tablets we use on the sidelines during games. The screens are on, but the only thing they are showing is a bunch of weird words. Two of them are Sigma and Gamma.

"What is this?" I ask.

Though I was asking Amare, the answer I receive is from Dr. Black. "You are about to play a game of mine," His voice emits from my bracelet. "This particular game, called Reward & Punishment, is very simple. You will choose one team to reward with a supply drop."

A grin breaks out on my face. "That is simple! Hell yeah!" Ha! And I was worried that I'd have to play something dangerous like Alpha and Beta Team!

"What is the Punishment?" Amare asks quietly. I frown. Why do the first words I hear her say have to be so ominous?

"This is a paired game," Dr. Black answers, "that means one of your teammates will be playing the other half of this game. They will decide which team to...punish. You, however, only have to worry about the reward."

I...am not sure I understand. Is he saying that Tim or Nate are doing the same thing as me right now, only, they're picking a team to punish? If so, then I'm glad I chose this door. That kind of decision sounds...messy.

"We can choose any team to reward?" Amare asks.

"Yes. You may reward any Team, with the exception of your own."

"But I don't know any of the other teams!" I protest.

"Then choose wisely."

There's an audible click and I know that Dr. Black has left the conversation. I frown, scratching my head. "I don't understand this game. But, the only team I've met is you guys, so...this should be an easy decision, right?"

Amare does not respond.

I sigh and study the touchscreen. There are ten names in total. Ten teams. I can't choose my own, so I only have nine choices. Sigma team is here with us, but I don't know anything about the others. But I have to decide. Make a decision.

But what will it be?

Nathaniel Arvidsson (Gamma Team)
The door slams shut the moment we step into the room. Panic wells in my chest, but I force it down immediately. I need to remain in control. Timothy and Mike aren't here to help me. I am alone. I can't afford to panic.

"That seens ominous," Waiyaki mutters. He attempts to pry the door open. Of course it doesn't work. He shrugs and goes to survey the room. "What is this place?"

The room we find ourselves in is a wide, flat place. Thirty feet wide and twenty feet long, the floors are made out of a panelled metal and the walls a shimmering silver. Staring at them for too long is disconcerting. They seem to swirl and shift.

There's a podium set up in the center of the room, so I walk towards it. Waiyaki follows. "It's a screen," I say, observing what is set into the top of the panel. The words "Tap to Begin" flash in bold letters. "What should we do?"

Waiyaki reaches over and taps the screen. Dr. Black immediately appears on screen. "I extend a hearty welcome to you," He says, "You two are either very lucky or unlucky, depending on your viewpoints. Because, unlike your fellow teammates, the two of you will not have to make a decision. Rather, you will do something much more straightforward."

"I don't like the sound of that," Waiyaki mutters. I nod. The palms of my hands are suddenly slick with sweat. What kind of game will we play? What will we do?

"The name of this game is rather simple," Dr. Black continues, "it is called "Duel". The rules are equally simple. The two of you will fight until there is only one left. To put it bluntly, this game is a duel to the death."

The screen goes blank.

"What does he think he's doing?" Waiyaki asks me. "Does he expect us to..."

He can't even finish the sentence. He sounds almost as dumbfounded as me. I can't form any thoughts. Duel to the death...

Waiyaki glances at me, then suddenly backs off. He doesn't stop moving until he reaches the far wall. I watch him silently, wondering just what is going on inside his head. He wouldn't really...I mean, he can't seriously be...

"We're n-not doing this," I stammer. My body is trembling so much that it's hard to speak. "I m-mean we're not actually going to f-fight, right?"

"I'm not going to die, Nathaniel," He says loudly. His hands reach into his pockets and pull out something slick and smooth. "I can't. I won't. Now, maybe a tazer won't kill you, but--"

"Stop!"

He freezes, shocked by my scream. I shake my head, tears nearly blinding me. "We don't have to do this! The others, our teammates, they will rescue us. I know they will!" Timothy wouldn't abandon me. He'll find a way to break through that door. Maybe he will shoot it down.

Waiyaki pauses. Looks around. He seems to be seriously considering what I'm saying when it happens. A loud rumbling fills the room, followed by the sound of metal grating against metal. I don't understand what is happening until I see the walls.

They are closing in.

Inch by inch. Slowly, oh so slowly. But moving all the same. I stare at them with a mix of bewilderment and terror. My mind is slow to grasp what is happening. It's not until Waiyaki is forced to take a step forward do I realize the purpose.

The walls will keep moving until there is nowhere to go. We'll be trapped between them. Crushed. Killed.

Dr. Black is forcing our hands. We either kill each other or die together.

Tears streak down my face. Fog my glasses. Soak my beard. "There has to be another way!" I scream.

"Do you see one?" Waiyaki takes another step towards me. The walls are moving slowly, so the room is still at least twenty feet long. I stumble backwards, away from Waiyaki. "There is no other option! We fight or we die!"

Die...No! I can't handle the thought of death. Of losing everything. Never seeing my family again. Never getting to experience everything life has to offer. The darkness. The cold.

No!

I reach into my pocket and pull out the one thing I've tried my hardest to ignore. "Stay back!" I scream at Waiyaki, waving my icepick in the air. "Stay back! I don't want to hurt you!"

Waiyaki pauses. Uncertainty crosses his face. He is not so tough now that he knows I'll defend myself. I continue to back up, but I soon bump into the wall. There is only fifteen feet left between us.

I surprise myself by screaming for help. For Timothy. For Mike. For my Mother. I don't even know who. I just scream and scream. Someone will hear me, I tell myself. Someone will come save me.

No one does.

There is only ten feet left between us when the floor opens. One of the metal panels on the ground slides open, revealing a shining mass of silver underneath. What? Is that...

My heart practically stops when I see it. Blades. Sharp, silver blades. Like the kind you'd find in a blender but much, much bigger. There's a whirring sound as they begin to spin. Slowly at first, but then picking up speed. Faster and faster until they're spinning at an impossible rate.

One false step and I'd be sliced to pieces.

The wall pushes me forward. Closer to Waiyaki. Closer to the blades.

Waiyaki suddenly lets out a roar, charging straight for me. Some primal part of my mind kicks in. Memories of my time spent learning Kung-Fu swirl through my head. I reach out and grasp Waiyaki's right wrist, twisting it. As he yelps in pain I use the handle of my icepick to swat the tazer out of his hand.

It slides across the floor and falls straight into the blender. There's a terrible grinding noise as, within seconds, the weapon is torn apart. Several pieces are flung back out, slamming against the rapidly enclosing walls and narrowly missing my face.

Waiyaki gapes, eyes wide in terror and confusion. Then he punches me in the face.

I stumble and lose my footing. For one horrifying moment I think I'm about to topple straight into the blender. But I only collide with the wall. I gasp for breath, glasses askew, mind reeling.

I'm going to die. The thought races through my head. If I don't do something, I am going to die.

Waiyaki roars as he throws another punch. This time connecting with my ribs. I wheeze in pain, slumping over. Waiyaki grasps my neck and pulls me back up. Begins to tow me backwards.

Towards the blades.

Panic. Sheer, unadulterated panic pulses through me. I lash out, swinging my arms and kicking my legs. Waiyaki stumbles as one of my fists hit his knees. His grip slackens. I shake myself loose and bump into the wall. We're only a few feet away from the blades.

Only one thought races through my head.

I will not die.

Waiyaki lunges for me. Without thinking, without stopping to consider the consequences, I act. I take my icepick, reverse grip, and swing.

The tip disappears into the soft flesh of Waiyaki's neck. His forward momentum sends him slamming into me. His face is only inches from mine as he gurgles wordlessly, blood bubbling out through his lips. Aghast, I shove him away.

His body falls backwards into the blades.

I press my face against the wall and shut my eyes as those awful blades go to work. Hot, thick blood spatters against my back. Thin, wet ribbons land in my hair. I slide to my knees, sick and broken. My stomach roils like a boat in a storm. I hate myself. I hate Dr. Black. I hate everything that just happened.

But I succeeded. I didn't die.

I did not die.

Timothy Gonzalez (Gamma Team)
I stare at the touchscreen in silence, uncertainty rooting me to the spot. Punish? What does that entail, exactly? Dr. Black has not been very forthcoming on this issue; I have already asked him several times, but he has yet to respond.

I glance at Tetsu, who stands beside me, staring at his own touchscreen. He looks, if anything, bored. That is utterly perplexing. How could he be bored of all things? "What are your thoughts?" I ask him.

He shrugs. "Dunno. But I hate the word Delta."

"I...excuse me?"

"One of the teams is named Delta," He gestures at the screen. "And I hate that word. Worst letter of the Greek Alphabet."

"You recognized the theme of our names, then?"

"Of course. It's pretty obvious."

I wouldn't say that. Nathaniel and Mike, for instance, seem unaware of the meaning behind the names. I, of course, realized it the moment I learnt about Alpha and Beta team. It is interesting that Dr. Black named our teams after such, but I do not quite understand the reason. But then, I barely understand why Dr. Black does anything.

"We need to make this decision very carefully," I tap my hand alongside the screen. "It could, theoretically, have a huge impact on our very lives."

Tetsu laughs. "I guess. Personally, I think you should just be glad that I'm playing this game instead of Amare."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because she'd probably choose to punish you guys."

A sharp jolt of alarm strikes me but I quickly shove it away. I had forgotten that it is entirely possible for me to punish Sigma team, and vice versa. Not that I ever would do such a thing. My whole goal in coming here was to make friends with the other teams, not enemies.

"I don't think she'd do that," I say idily. Tetsu asks why and I smile slightly. "Because she'd be smart enough to know that, if she were to punish my team, I'd simply choose to punish her team."

Tetsu claps his hands then taps a finger against his forehead. "Clever! Mutually assured destruction, I like it!"

I nod, allowing my gaze to slide around the small, circular room where we stand. The way this whole game is set up makes it very unlikely that either of us would choose to punish the other. Similarly, it practically assures that we'd reward one another. This game, in short, does nothing but bring our teams closer together.

Why does that make me so uneasy?

"What's wrong?" Tetsu has noticed my consternation.

"It's just...this whole thing doesn't feel right. Anyone with a modicum of sense will know that we'll just reward each other. And there is zero chance we punish one another. So the game doesn't create any friction, tension, or anything, really."

"And that's a problem because...?"

"Does creating a game where everyone winds up happy sound like something Dr. Black would do?"

Tetsu is silent for a moment. Then he shrugs and points at the touchscreen. "I doubt that whatever team we punish will wind up happy."

Fair point. But I still cannot shake the feeling that something is amiss. I don't doubt that Dr. Black will enjoy "punishing" the teams that we choose, but I also don't accept the idea that he'd make a game that is so obviously beneficial to us. There must be some sort of catch.

I simply have no idea what it is.

"Decision made. The Punishment will be meted out."

A robotic voice interrupts my thoughts and I turn to see Tetsu tapping away at his touchscreen. I open and close my mouth several times, unsure as what to say. Tetsu notices and shrugs. "Something wrong?"

"Don't tell me you just did what I think you did."

"I just did what you thought I did."

"How could you make that decision so easily? We don't even know what the punishment is!" What exactly did Tetsu just do? Kill another team? Take their possessions? Give them a disadvantage in the next Event Hub? The possibilities are overwhelming.

Tetsu shrugs and twirls his sickle around. "A decision had to be made, so I made one. Why does it matter? It's not like we even know the other teams."

There is so much wrong with that line of thinking. But there is nothing to be done about it now. The past is the past. I take a breath, facing my own touchscreen. "Who did you choose?" I ask quietly.

"I already told you. Delta. I hate that word."

I will not take sole responsibility for this decision. If a punishment needs to occur, then better it occurs to a single team. That way less people get hurt...and I have someone to blame if things go wrong.

I reach out and tap the word Delta.

"Decision made. The Punishment will be meted out."

Tetsu lets out a low whistle. "Think they'll be double punished? Or will they get off easy and only get the one?"

"I do not know." Tetsu has a very unique view of the world. I can use that. I will use that. I'll ensure that Sigma team becomes my ally. For better or worse.

The door behind us swings open. I exchange a look with Tetsu, shrug, then walk out it. I find myself back in the main lobby, in the large room with the multiple doors. Mike and Amare are already there. Mike seems to be talking about football again.

"Nathaniel not done yet?" I ask him.

He turns and gives me a wide grin. "Tim! Man, is it good to see you!"

"I was gone only minutes."

"Yeah, I guess. But it felt like forever because she never speaks," He jerks a thumb at Amare. The small girl has moved towards Tetsu and is murmuring something to him. "Anyway, my game was easy. How about yours?"

"It was simple enough," I say. I still do not know just want fate I have consigned Delta team to. While I'd hate for them to perish, it is necessary. Unless, that is, I find a way to break free from this game.

"I decided to reward Sigma Team," Mike continues, "I mean, they're the only team I know. So why not?"

I nod. "Makes sense. Did Amare choose to reward us?"

Mike begins to say something but his words break off into a gasp. The third door, the left one, has swung open. Nathaniel stumbles out, walks a few paces, then drops to his knees, sobbing.

He is completely drenched in blood.

I stand still, frozen in horror. Tetsu shoves his way past me, darting to Nathaniel's side. "What happened?" His voice adopts an uncharacteristically serious tone. "Where's Waiyaki?"

"Dead! Dead! He's dead!" Nathaniel lets out a wail. He buries his heads in his hands, sobs wracking his body. I don't understand. Waiyaki is...dead? But how? Why? Then it clicks together.

The third game...

"What happened? Speak, man!" Tetsu shakes Nathaniel by the shoulders. It's no use. He's completely inconsolable, crying and mumbling incoherently. I catch something about him having no choice, but little else.

Amare steps past him to peer into the third room. Mike does the same, but recoils a moment later, gagging. "Oh, God. God, that's awful!"

"What is it?" I force myself to remain calm. Panicking will do nothing to improve the situation.

Mike shakes his head. "It's...there's some kind of giant blade or blender...I think...Oh, God. I think Waiyaki fell in it."

My stomach twists. I can imagine, all too vividly, what such a situation would look like. But how could such a thing have ever occurred? What transpired in that room? What game did they play?

"I had no choice!" Nathaniel is practically screaming. His body trembles so badly that I fear for his health. "He w-was going to k-kill me! I had to...I had to!"

Tetsu pulls away from Nathaniel as if he's been punched. "No. Not that. Don't tell me..."

That's when all our datapads chime. The combined noise is a that of a discordant symphony as a robotic voice speaks the words we all feared. "Nathaniel Arvidsson has eliminated Waiyaki Bello with an icepick."

No one speaks. There is no sound at all except for Nathaniel's quiet sobbing. When I look at Mike, I see my own feelings expressed there. Shock. Confusion.

Fear.

Amare is the first to react. She pulls up her shotgun, levelling the weapon straight at my face. I don't react. Any action I could take would be too slow. So I just stand there as Amare begins the motion that will bring my life to a brief, painful end.

"Stop!"

Tetsu grabs the shotgun, forcing the barrel down towards the floor. Amare tries to pull away but Tetsu refuses to let go. He glares at her. "Stop! Don't you remember Dr. Black's words? Fighting isn't allowed here."

I find myself silently thanking that masked psychopath. He and his rules have, for the moment, given me a chance to live.

"Don't do anything you'll regret!" I grab Nathaniel by the shoulders, pull him to his feet, and push him towards Mike. The big guy wraps his hands around the sobbing boy, leading him away from Tetsu and Amare. Good. If things go sour we might need to make a quick getaway.

"What the hell happened in there?" Tetsu rounds on us. The lackadaisical aloofness that had been his trademark has vanished underneath a barely concealed anger. "And don't give me any nonsense about a blender! That announcement mentioned an icepick!"

I begin to speak, but find myself cut off by an unlikely source. Nathaniel. The tall, bearded guy straightens himself out, shaking his head and wiping away his tears that have mixed with the blood.

"I...I didn't have a choice. Dr. Black locked us in the room. T-told us that we had to kill each other. Th-the walls began to close in, then...the floor opened up and there was a giant saw. I didn't--I didn't mean for it to happen, but Waiyaki charged me and..."

There it is. The catch. Reward & Punishment was designed to bring our teams closer, foster a bond between us. We were supposed to begin to trust one another, begin to think that perhaps an alliance was possible. Then we were to learn that one of our teammates had just murdered the other.

Thereby completely destroying our ability to trust the other teams.

"Waiyaki..." Tetsu punches the wall.

"I had no choice! I--" Nathaniel is cut off by Mike grabbing him by the shoulders and dragging him towards the Event Hub doors. Amare watches the pair with wide, calculating eyes.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I begin, "but please, try and be rational. Nathaniel didn't have a choice and he--"

"Shut up. Just, shut up." Tetus runs a hand through his hair, looking completely lost. Amare merely looks as if she wants to kill us. I open my mouth to try and speak again, but Tetsu stops me with a withering look. "Do you really think I want to hear your platitudes after your friend just murdered my teammate?"

I snap my mouth shut. Despite my best efforts to thwart him, it appears that Dr. Black's plan will succeed. Our teams will not align. We will not band together to try and find an avenue of escape.

Dr. Black has won yet again.

"We're leaving," I speak firmly as I slowly step away from the pair. "Do not try to follow us once we do. I do not wish to harm you, but I will do whatever is necessary to protect my friends."

"Like kill one of mine?"

There is no answer for that. I nod at Mike and he slips out the door, towing a mumbling Nathaniel behind him. I slip my Desert Eagle free from my jacket and hold it in a steady hand. Amare watches me but does not so much as twitch. She knows that I wouldn't dare do anything.

As I put one foot through the door, I give Tetsu one last nod. "I had hoped that we would be allies..."

I shut the door behind me.

Satoshi Nakazawa (Kappa Team)
A great sense of uneasiness washes over me as we exit the grocery store. The broken down parking lot is desolate, filled with nothing but the ruined remains of old cars and springy weeds that grow between the cracks of the cement. But it's not the atmosphere that disturbs me. No. It's the thought that someone may be out there, watching us.

Waiting.

"Is this really a good idea?" I ask Zantae as we pick our way across the parking lot. I keep a close eye on the thick forest that encroachs on the pavement. Just about anyone could be hiding in there and we'd never know.

"We need to find Nailah," She responds. Her voice sounds distant. Like her mind is elsewhere. I don't know why, but she's been like that she since last night. "And it's not as if we could remain here forever. We have to leave eventually."

"I know that," I grunt. "This was my idea, remember? It's just, well, is it a good idea?"

"Yes. It's the logical course of action. We'll be a much more cohesive unti with Nailah by our side than we are without her." Yeah, I know that. It's why I suggested that we look for her in the first place. But still...I don't very much look forward to aimlessly wandering around. It would be one thing if we knew where Nailah was, but we don't have any clue where she has gone. For all we know she may have retreated to that bunker we woke up in.

We press into the forest. I can't help but look at the serrated mountains that loom in the distance. What's up there? Are they even part of the playing field? Sheesh, I really hope not. That looks like it would be a pain to navigate.

The mountains disappear as the foliage of the forest swallows us. I stick close to Zantae as we walk, using my grappling hook to swat protruding branches from our path. We don't travel for long before we come upon a stream. Babbling and burbling, it springs over the rocks in its path further into the forest.

Zantae goes to refill our canteens as I stand guard. I shuffle from foot to foot, feeling like an easy target. What am I even supposed to do if someone comes? They have freaking guns.

That's when my bracelet chimes. Confused, I look down at it to see the face being blanked with a large red X, followed by a chirpy voice. "Nathaniel Arvidsson has eliminated Waiyaki Bello with an icepick."

I swear loudly. Zantae gasps and gives me a stern look. I swear again. "Did you hear that?" I demand. "Someone just got murdered with an icepick. What the hell kind of person even thinks about doing something like that?"

"I...don't know." Zantae sounds lost. Confused. Saddened. I wish I could feel the same, but the only emotion I can muster is anger and fear. Most of it towards Dr. Black, but also for the others. Why are they feeding into this maniac and killing each other?

"The Event Hub."

"Huh?" I look at Zantae. "You say something?"

"The Event Hub. Teams had to enter, remember? I...I think that this...death was part of the game."

I let loose another litany of curses. This time Zantae doesn't understand them, or maybe she's just not paying attention. She stands still for a long moment, staring out at the trees. Finally she shakes her head. "We have to keep moving. Find Nailah. Come on, Satoshi."

She sets off at a brisk pace, leaving me little choice but to follow. I wonder if she's just trying to distract herself from the hard truth facing us. People are dying. Quickly. Its been just over twenty-four hours since we got here and already three of us are dead.

How long before we all suffer that fate?

We leave the stream behind and set off to the west. Eventually the ground begins to slope upwards and we find ourselves heading up a ridge. Though I easily lope up the incline, I notice Zantae lagging behind. She has begun to sweat and occasionally stops to catch her breath. Embarrassed, I slow down. Sometimes I forget that not everyone is an athlete like me.

The lake appears as if by magic as we finally crest the ridge. It is deep blue in colour and shaped like a perfectly flat disc of metal. No sound rings out from the shimmering emptiness of space around it. Quiet as a shrine, it is lined with pine trees and the whiff of mint wafts up to us. Wordless, we begin to make our way to its shore. The idyllic scene takes my breath away. Unruffled by wind or rain, the lake is still and restful.

"It's beautiful," Zantae whispers.

I nod in agreement. For awhile I'm so transfixed by the sight that I forget to speak. But then I notice something amiss. Footsteps.

As a figure emerges from the forest, gun in hand, I scream. Not again! Not another attack! Panicked, I do the only thing I can think of.

I jump into the lake.

Nailah Adebowale (Kappa Team)
Satoshi dives into the lake, disappearing beneath the water with a splash. I lower my gun, surprised by this sudden action. Just what is he thinking?

"Nailah!" A bright smile crosses Zantae's face as she recognizes me. Darting across the open space between us, the younger girl wraps me in a hug. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

I stand still, unsure how to react to such a display of affection from a practical stranger. Eventually I just pat her on the head. "It is nice to see you as well," I say. Out on the lake Satoshi finally emerges. Sputtering and gasping, he stares out at us with wide eyes.

"Oh, come on!"

"You were not expecting me?" I ask.

"Of course not!" He clambers out of the lake, shaking himself dry. I disengage myself from Zantae and step back to avoid getting wet. Satoshi scowls at me. "What were you thinking? Don't sneak up on people like that!"

They're so young and innocent. It's hard to remember that not everyone has had to experience the same things that I have. In my world, remaining hidden was oftentimes the difference between being alive or dead.

"I was just testing your skills," I say, "You did well in detecting me, Satoshi. That is a good skill to have."

"Really? Cool!" He grins and, just like that, his anger is forgotten. This has always been a skill of mine. The ability to emphasize, connect, and yes, manipulate people.

"Where have you been, Nailah?" Zantae stares at me with wide eyes. There is an unexpected twinge of emotion in my chest when I look at her. Though she is twice her age, she very much has the appearance of my niece, Amadi.

I hope that she and Amare are alright. My disappearance must have worried them greatly.

"Did you run from that crazy girl?" Satoshi asks before I can answer. He seems to have recovered from his ordeal in the lake and is now shaking himself dry. "I mean, she was completely insane! She was trying to kill us! Kill us! What kind of person could do something like that?"

"Perhaps she was only trying to survive," I say quietly.

"Yeah, no. People who say that are just making excuses for the terrible things they do."

So innocent. If only he could remain this way. Uncorrupted. Free from the black stains that infest the world. But he will have to learn soon if he wants to survive Dr. Black and the upcoming games.

"That girl, Evie, she was killed," Zantae speaks in a hushed voice. She stares out at the lake, face blank. It as if she is locking her emotions away. "A man...he shot her. Shot her right in the head. He didn't even hesitate! He just..."

"I know. I saw her body." I dug her grave. She deserved that much, at least.

There is silence. A slow wind has picked up, stirring the water on the lake. Judging by the position of the sun, noon is rapidly approaching. The fact that we are not dead indicates that some team has entered the Event Hub. Good. Dr. Black will be too busy dealing with that aftermath to harass us.

"We need to move," I break the tranquil silence. Both of my teammates turn look at me. I nod. "We need shelter, somewhere safe where we can plan and fall back to in case something goes awry. If we get separated again we need to know that we can find each other."

"Do you know a place?" Zantae asks. "Did you find somewhere yesterday?"

I shake my head. "No."

"Where were you anyways?" Satoshi studies me intently. There is a frown etched on his face. "And how did you find us? I mean, I'm glad that you did, but it was pretty convenient that you just happened to stumble on us."

"If you do not wish for people to find you," I say, "then do not move so loudly. A three legged buffalo makes less noise than you do."

Satoshi scowls and mutters something in another language. I turn to the lake, pleased. He did not notice his question went unanswered.

There is little else said after that exchange. Zantae brings up an old grocery store that they found, but I do not like its central location and general premise. Too many other teams will be drawn to it. So, instead of heading back, I lead them forward. We head east, a direction none of us have yet explored.

Satoshi and Zantae talk as we walk. They speak about their lives and their hobbies. Satoshi enjoys sports, football--soccer, he calls it--most of all. He has many friends and a happy, stable home. But there is an undercurrent of nerves beneath his words. He is not sharing everything. Something in his life, something recent, is troubling him. I do not know what it is.

Zantae, for her part, is far easier to read. There is an obvious hitch in her voice whenever she speaks about her parents. She is worried about them. Understandably so. While I am uneasy about being separated from mine own family, I know that Amare and Makari are well equipped to deal with any trouble that may arise in my absence. But Zanate does not have any such reassurance.

"Nailah?"

"Yes?" I pause, looking over my shoulders. Zantae is frowning at me.

"Did you, um, hurt your leg?"

She must have noticed my limp. I instinctively flex the leg, memories of pain flashing through me. "Yes," I say. "But it happened long ago. Long before I set foot in this Playing Field."

"Oh. I was worried that you may have been hurt while we separated."

I cannot stop the smile that crosses my face. "You're kind, Zantae. That is refreshing." May she never lose that priceless quality.

We drift into a peaceful silence after that. Yet I still I keep my guard up. A familiar maxim has long since been drilled into my head. Expect nothing, Anticipate everything. If someone were to attack us, I will not allow them to find an easy target.

The forest around us begins to thin. The trees grow shorter, the bushes further apart. The dirt beneath our feet is replaced by thick, fluffy grass. Soon hedges pop up alongside us. No, not hedges. Trellises. They're just so overgrown to be practically indistinguishable from a hedge.

"Think those grapes are edible?" Satoshi points out the small berries that grow along the vines. There are many of them, gathered together in large clusters.

"I would not risk it," I say.

"Grapes are harmless," Zantae pipes in, "Well, except to dogs."

"Wait, what? Dude! Are grapes like, dog poison or something?"

As Satoshi and Zantae launch into a discussion about grape toxicity, I turn my attention to the vines. I do not care if grapes are normally harmless. Nothing can be trusted here. Whose to say that Dr. Black hasn't poisoned them?

Far above us, a bird caws.

I pull up my sniper and zoom in with my scope. Despite the immense distant, the bird appears clear and detailed to my eyes thanks to the scopes magnification.

"I love the look of that sniper!" Satoshi grins.

Zantae gives him an exasperated look. "What kind of bird is it?" She asks, turning to me.

I do not know. I have never seen its like, so I imagine that it is not native to my homeland. It is very obviously a bird of prey, but I know little else. Zantae asks me to describe it, so I do.

"Oh!" She claps her hands together excitedly. "It's a bald eagle!"

"Aren't those native to North America?" Satoshi scratches his head. "What the hell is one doing here?"

I say nothing as I lower my scope. Already I am storing this information away. Amare would know more about what to do with it, but she is not here. I will have to accomplish this without her. Though I had known that would be the case, I still cannot help but feel that--

"Get down!"

I'm already on the ground before Satoshi's warning is even finished. I roll as soon as I hit the ground, propping myself up behind a fallen trellis. Zantae clumsily drops beside me as Satoshi ducks behind a trellis opposite us.

"What is happening?" I ask. I remain calm as I set my rifle atop the trellis, carefully settling it into a steady position. There is no time to speculate.

"There's someone in the trees," Satoshi whispers. He points a slender finger east at a small grove of what looks to be some sort of fruit trees. "See that wooden house-thingy? I saw movement there."

The "wooden house-thingy" is a small wooden structure that is set amongst the branches of the fruit trees. Square and boxy, it is quite small and from casual inspection appears to be nothing more than a very large birdhouse.

"You saw someone in there?" I ask quietly as I peer through my scope.

"Yeah. I don't think they saw us, but I didn't want to take the risk..."

Through my scope I can see the structure is clearly some sort of makeshift treehouse. Though it cannot possibly hold more than a single person, and a small one at that. I watch it carefully and see, true to Satoshi's word, movement.

"Someone is inside the box," I say. I examine the treehouses gaps, the seams. I could slide a bullet between them easily enough, but I would not need to. I could just as easily shoot through it. The flimsy wood would do little to protect the person inside.

"What are they doing?" Zantae whispers into my ear.

"It does not matter."

A threat to be neutralized. My finger rests over the trigger, ready to take the shot that will end this Challengers life. But before I can, something happens. Through the gaps in the wood I see a flash of movement, then a blond head is sticking, gazing down at a greenhouse parallel to us.

"Hey, guys! Guys!" A chirpy voice squeaks down. "Come check out my awesome treehouse!"

A child. The boy's youthful face is stretched into a grin. Wide, happy eyes that shine with a vibrancy of life that only the young know stare out playfully. Such innocence.

I remember an orphanage full of similar children. My orders. I remember the fire. The screams. I remember crying into Amare's shoulder afterwards.

My finger slips off the trigger.

I will not shoot this child. I can. I have done such things before. But those were things out of my control, actions I had no choice in taking. But this time it is solely my choice. Mine own decision.

"It's a kid!" Satoshi hisses from my right. "Dr. Black kidnapped a kid! That bastard!"

Zantae, though she herself cannot be much older than that boy, murmurs an agreement. "He shouldn't be here...it's not right!"

"Harry!" A new voice disrupts the conversation. Soft and feminine, with an accent that is different from all of ours. "Harry! What do you think you are doing? It is dangerous up there!"

The boy lets out a tinkling laugh. "No it's not! No one will ever find me up here! It's the safest place! Come on up, Fern! We'll all be safe together!"

Fern...

I slide my scope around until I spot the newcomer. Standing in front of the greenhouse entry is a young woman. She has a scowl on her face, hands on her hips, and long black hair that stretches out behind her as she tosses her head.

Fernanda Gutierrez. She, I can shoot. It is important that I do. Though I have qualms about such an unfair situation, I cannot relent. Too much is depending on me. I take a deep breath, steady my arm, and take aim. My reticle hovers over her heart as I line up the perfect shot.

"What are you doing?" Zantae's voice, shrill with alarm, pierces my eardrums. "You're not going to shoot them, are you?"

Ignoring her, I finalize my aim and pull the trigger.

There is an ear-splitting Crack! as the bullet races through the air. It takes Fernanda straight in the chest. Her words break off into a loud gasp as she topples backwards, bouncing off the plastered greenhouse walls and sinking to the ground.

The little boy is screaming. I lower my rifle, instinctively reloading. It is not until I finish do I see the horrified expressions on my teammates faces.

"What the hell?" Satoshi is shaking his head. He runs hands through his hair. "What the actual hell! You just shot her!"

"I did what I had to do."

"You didn't have to do anything!"

"Keep your voice down!" I shoot a glance towards the tree house, but without my scope I cannot make anything out.

Satoshi bellows wordlessly, turning his back on me. Zantae watches with quiet solemnity. I do not know what she thinks, but it is safe to assume that she is not happy. I do not understand. What did they think would happen in this game? Dr. Black has made it clear what the stakes are. That is not even taking into account my own--

Something thumps down beside us. Curious, I turn to see a small, round object rolling towards me.

My eyes widen. "Grenade!"

I tackle Zantae just as the explosion goes off. A brief pain flashes across my body as we hit the ground. Zantae wrapped tightly in my arms, I go rolling through the trellis. I emerge on the other side, ears ringing, arms and legs intact. Behind us, flames from the explosion lick at the vines.

"Are you hurt?" I pull Zantae to her feet. Pale and trembling, the girl shakes her head. "Good. Then let's move."

My legs burn with pain as I cut through the vines, practically dragging Zantae with me. I believe that they've been burnt in the explosion. That is fine. It could've been much worse. They could've been torn off.

I do not know where that grenade came from or who threw it. It does not matter. I need to get my team to safety before I can think about such things. Still, the threat of another attack gives me speed.

We're halfway back to the forest when we happen upon Satoshi. He's on his hands and knees, coughing his heart out. I grab him by the collar and haul him to his feet. He flails about, trying to fight, until he recognizes me.

"Wh-what the hell just happened?" He mumbles. He does not seem very coherent.

"A counterattack. I should have anticipated it. I did not, so we were caught unaware. It will not happen again."

He blithers something unintelligible as I drag him along. Zantae silently clings to my arm. I believe she has gone into shock. So, hoisting my rifle, which I managed to keep ahold of through the explosion, I lead them both back down the familiar path. Back towards the lake.

That is how my team limps away. Weakened, but unbroken.

Shintaro Sosune (Lambda Team)
I crouch down and run a hand through the dirt, letting the fine, powdery substance slide across my fingers. A few vines still smolder, but there is no sign of that team. They must have fled.

That is probably for the best. I do not envision that I could have eliminated all three of them. Not with my current tools, at least. I stand, dust myself off, and walk back towards the greenhouse. Upon arriving there I find Fernanda, lying prone on the ground. Dead, I see.

As always, a vivid crimson flashes across my vision when I look at her. A result of my synesthesia. Yet it is still unusual. I do not normally see colors attached to people. Why is she different?

I shake my head. It doesn't matter anymore. She is dead. Unfortunate, I suppose. I cannot bring myself to care. It is true that her death leaves me in a weakened position, but I never trusted Fernanda. Her actions and words made it all too obvious that she viewed me as nothing more than a tool to be used. One to be discarded the moment I lost value. So it is for the best that she died. I am about to turn away and look for Harry when it happens.

Fernanda sits up.

"Ay! Lo que acaba de pasar?" She rubs her chest, grimacing as she looks around. Her face twists into a scowl as she spots me. "Shintaro! What did you do?"

"I did nothing," I answer. How did she survive? I am certain that the bullet took her directly in the chest. No one could survive such a blow.

"Then what happened?" She slowly climbs to her feet. As she does, I notice a bulge beneath her clothes. A padded vest? "Where's Harry? And who the hell shot me?"

I quietly explain what happened. A concealed gunman attacked as she was speaking with Harry. After shooting Fernanda, the gunman appeared to get into an argument with their compatriots. That is how I triangulated their position. So I tossed a grenade and waited. There was no death confirmation, no body, so they must have all successfully fled.

Fernanda rubs her neck as I finish. "So another team attacked us?" She asks.

"That is my working theory, yes."

"Were they trying to get to the Event Hub?"

"Unlikely." The Event Hub that opened was not the same as the one located here in the vineyard. There would be no reason for a team to try and approach it.

Fernanda mutters under her breath. I study her intently. "Where did you get the bulletproof vest?"

Her head jerks up. "Excuse me?"

"The vest. Where did you get it?"

There's a moment's hesitation as she stares at me, eyes narrowing. Then she shrugs. "I do not know what you're speaking about. Besides," She adds quickly, "We don't have time for this. We need to find Harry!"

She rushes off, calling for the boy. I remain where I am. So. She chose to lie, did she? Interesting. That has confirmed my theory that she does not trust me. My skin prickles at the thought. To her I am nothing but a liability, something to be cast off.

How can I work with her?

Troubled, I begin to wander the vineyard in search of Harry. It is true that we need to find him. Still, I cannot shake off thoughts about Fernanda and her vest. But the question of how she survived remains. That vest should not have protected her from a high-powered shot at such close range. Not unless it is much stronger than average.

I catch up to Fernanda as I cross between two greenhouses. Spotting me, she slows down so that I can catch up. "I got the vest from my bag," She says quietly. "I did not mention it because I did not know if I could trust you.

"So you trust me now?"

A short pause. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

She does not. The way that this game is played has shown that it is crucial to work well with your allies. It doesn't matter whether I can trust Fernanda or not; I have no choice. I work with her or I die. Needless to say, death is not high on my to-do list.

"I have every intention of working with you," I tell her. She gives me a surprised look. "It's true. Our fates are inextricably linked. I will not allow you to be brought low and you, in turn, will not allow me to suffer the same. Agreed?"

A smile crosses her face. A rarity. "Agreed!"

Perhaps my earlier analysis was wrong. Maybe she does not view me as a discardable tool. I am more of a unliked acquaintance who one must work with regardless. It is not a preferable distinction, but it is far superior to my previous assumptions.

A flash of crimson.

I nearly stumble into the side of the greenhouse. Fernanda grabs me at the last moment, pulling me upright. "Are you okay?"

I nod, turning away from her. "Yes. Fine. Just fine."

My synesthesia has never worked like this before. It's been changing ever since I woke up here. Intensifying. Why? What could possibly be the reason? I search my mind, analyzing it for possibilities. What I find troubles me. There seems to be a...gap in my memory. Forgotten information.

The feeling is unpleasant. Thanks to my hyperthymesia I've literally never forgotten anything, no matter how much I wish I could. The fact I now have a sizable gap is close to terrifying. It's not just information about my kidnapping that is missing. There's a strong, overwhelming sensation that I have forgotten something important. Something that I should remember but don't.

The sound of quiet sobbing pulls me out of my thoughts. I cast my gaze around but see nothing out of the ordinary. Fernanda, however, points at a nearby greenhouse. "He's in there!"

The two of us push our way inside. A warm, humid air immediately wraps itself around me. I wrinkle my nose as I sidestep a discarded pile of tools and take in my surroundings. Several large ventilation machines rumble from the corners of the greenhouse, forming a square around two long troughs filled with overgrown plants. At the far end, half-hidden behind a crate, crouches Harry.

His sobs echo as we approach at a careful walk. He raises his head as we near, tear filled eyes widening as he recognizes Fernanda. "You're alive! But how? I saw you die! You died!"

As Fernanda begins to explain, I step forward to examine the crate. The sheer plastic and carbon fibre plating immediately differentiates it from the rusty metallic machinery. I run a hand along the lid, then push up. It flips open easily.

Inside I find several useful objects. Some bandages, gauze pads, and antibiotic cream. A handful of ready to eat meals, a tarp, and, an object that immediately grabs my eye, a large knife.

A sheath knife, with a design similar enough to a Bowie knife that it might as well be one. It is not a gun, but it will do. I examine it for a moment before slipping it back into its sheath. Two grenades, a shovel, and a knife. That is the totality of my weaponry.

I wonder if that will be sufficient.

Fernanda is still trying to comfort a tearful Harry. Judging by her facial expressions, it is not a job that she enjoys. I can relate. Emotional people, even if they're just children, can be immensely aggravating. Annoyed by Harry's irrational behavior, I exit the greenhouse.

The sun gives away that it is midafternoon. Evening should arrive in a few hours. It is interesting to note that only one person has died so far. The Event Hubs must not be as dangerous as I thought. That, or the real dangers are merely being held back for now. I sit down and stare at the sky, realising that there is nothing left for me to do but watch and wait.

Nari Rhee (Omega Team)
Karne and I stand silently as, far above us, the supply drop lazily wafts in the sky. The yellow parachute that holds the blue crate is a stark contrast against the heavily clouded sky. It is an omen. Of what? That I do not know.

"Why is it coming to us?" Karne grunts as we watch it descend. "We haven't done anything to deserve a reward."

Karne is large and muscular despite his age, with arms like stone and a chest broad as a boulder. Yet, there is nothing oafish in his air. He stands with an innate majesty, his eyes wise, his voice calm and steady.

"Perhaps it is luck," I say quietly.

Karne laughs. "Luck? No. This is too staged to be random. It practically appeared right over us. Dr. Black, for some reason, wants us to have that supply drop."

He resumes staring up at the sky. Instead of doing the same, I watch him. He reminds me of the soldiers back home. So responsible and in control on the outside. But look a little deeper and you see the insecurities. The fear. Karne is not the irreverent killing machine he presents himself as.

He's something...more.

The supply drop lands with a thump. It is fortunate that we have long since left the forest and emerged into a open field of farmland, otherwise the drop may have been caught in the trees. As it stands, though, the crate merely lands between two rows of overgrown carrots.

Karne strides forward, grabs the parachute and, pulling it off from where it has concealed the crate, flings it aside. He then quickly and easily pulls off the lid. "Hrm," He grunts as he peers inside, "Seems like we got a new weapon."

The sword I received as a weapon is practically useless. Against someone like Karne it would be nothing more than a pointy stick. "What is the weapon?" I ask.

Karne pulls out a gun. "Heh! Now it's a fair fight!" He waves it about in one hand, grinning. I cannot help but feel uneasy at the sight of it. Only those blessed by the Supreme Leader are allowed to wield such weapons.

"It's an Uzi!" Karne is examining the weapon intently. He must see more about it then I do. To me, it's basically indistinguishable from any other weapon. "No extra ammo, though. So we only have what is already inside the gun."

Karne proceeds to take out the other items. A First-Aid Kit, a compact folding saw, and a flare. Karne lingers over this last object, rotating it in his hands. "What is its purpose?" He growls. "Does he want us to toss it on the ground and see what happens?"

I do not know. Perhaps he wishes for us to use it to illuminate a dark space. I have seen men do similar things before. At any rate, Karne takes all the items and stores them away on his person. I do not get anything, but I am fine with that. The strongest should hold the most.

Afterwards Karne stalks off without a word. I follow along, deep in thought. It is possible that this supply drop was to make up for us losing a teammate yesterday. That girl, I do not remember her name, never came back after she ran off. Neither did we bother waiting for her. Karne merely led me out a back door and the two of us disappeared into the shelter of the forest.

If Dr. Black had not informed us I doubt we'd have even known she died.

Now we walk along a dirt road between rows of freshly tilled farmland. Small wooden fences are all that separates us from the soft soil. In the distance, I can just make out a large red barn. A farmhouse lies a little ways beyond that.

"You're from Japan, right?" To my shock, Karne breaks the silence. Up until this point he has never spoken to me unless necessary.

"No."

He grunts something unintelligible. "China, then?"

"No."

This time he curses loudly. Seemingly confused, he scratches at his beard. "Where the hell are you from then?"

"Korea. The north."

Karne breaks out laughing. It's a loud, rumbling sound, his laughter. Several minutes of walking passes before he recovers enough to speak. "You're from the same country as Fatty the Third?"

"I know not of whom you speak."

"Your leader. The fat guy in the stupid suit."

Instantly My eyes dart around but, of course, there is nothing to see. "Do not speak so loudly!" I warn. "The Supreme Leader hears all."

Karne gives a derisive snort. "That idiot won't hear anything. We're in Dr. Black's game, not his." Despite his words, he soon falls silent. That is well. Though I have learned that not everything I was taught is true, it is still hard to hear such things.

I turn my attention back to the road. The farmhouse is coming up on our right. Other than that there is nothing to see but fields upon fields. Karne pulls to a halt at the crossroads. "I'm going to check that house out."

A quiet chiming stops him on his tracks. I raise my bracelet, expecting to see the announcement of another death. Instead there is only Dr. Black. "Greetings, Omega Team. It feels as if it has been ages since I last spoke personally to you!"

Karne doesn't respond. Neither do I.

"It appears that you have nothing to say. That is fine. I am only here to impart some information, after all."

I do not understand Dr. Black. Why does he speak so cordially? What is his goal? Nothing he does or says has any sense to it. It's all just...meaningless.

Dr. Black steeples his fingers, lacing them together as he stares through the screen. "That supply drop you found was not random. It was, in fact, gifted to you by another team. Sigma Team, to be precise." Though I do not show it outwardly, I am surprised. Weren't the other teams supposed to be our enemies? "I merely thought it prudent that you know whom to thank for your miraculous discovery. That will be all. Fare thee well, Omega Team."

Karne grunts. "Idiots!"

"Dr. Black?"

Karne glares at me. "No, Sigma Team." He turns his back to me and stalks towards the farmhouse. He pauses as he reaches the door. "Never give your enemy anything. He'll just use your generosity against you. Which is exactly what I plan on doing."

Francesca Rowe (Zeta Team)
The fields we stand before are bright green. The air around us is silent save for the chirping of insects. A pageant of smells float in the air and a wave of dandelions litter the meadow. Staffs of slim light spill from the darkening sky.

"Hannah should not have run off," Sofia grumbles. The girl has a frown on her face and arms wrapped tightly around herself as if to ward off the cold. "We should not be separated like this."

I step forward, leaning down to run a hand along the dandelions. I agree with what Sofia has said. Staying together is the most important and smart thing to do. But Hannah demanded that she be allowed to scout ahead, and I couldn't exactly force her to stay. "She'll be back," Is all I say.

Sofia tosses her hair. "She better! What does she think will happen to us if she dies?"

I focus my attention on the fields that lie before us. Past our meadow lies barren, rolling terrain as far as the eye can see. This moorland seems offers very little in the way of shelter or camouflage, a negative quality, I'd think. Someone could spot us from a mile away and we'd be none the wiser.

We've spent the vast majority of the day exploring the woods, as we'd agreed last night. For the most part there wasn't much to find. Just trees and rocks, the occasional animal, and an old abandoned shack that looked like it was about to fall at any moment. We also happened on what appeared to be some sort of swamp or bog, but we all agreed that it would be utterly foolish to venture into there, so we immediately set off in the opposite direction.

And that is how we found ourselves on the fringe of this moor. Hannah has gone ahead to scout the rest of the forest, promising that she'd return in half an hour. Twenty minutes have passed so far.

"This doesn't make sense!"

I turn to Sofia and raise an eyebrow in question. "Oh? What doesn't?"

She gestures at the moorland. "This! The swamp! The forest! Why would such varied environments be so close together? It does not seem natural."

I hadn't thought of that. It's true that the placement of these biomes seem a little...suspect. I can't say that I'm an expert on the natural world, but the way things are laid out do not quite ring true. Is it possible that Dr. Black has created all these environments himself?

No. I don't see how that would make sense. Of course, nothing about Dr. Black seems to make sense. I still remember that game I played yesterday, the adrenaline that pulsed through me as I answered each question. And the fear that swallowed me when I failed. An emotion that was only matched by the relief I felt at learning that the bomb was a fake.

But why was it fake? Dr. Black has shown no qualms about killing us, as the three deaths have shown. He even seems to enjoy the death. But what is his reason? Is he just a psychotic man who somehow received the resources necessary for this whole thing? No, that doesn't feel right.

I massage my forehead, suddenly feeling incredibly tired. I can't shake the sensation that I should know the answer. That I cannot remember something which I should. Of course, that may also just be the stress getting to me.

"It has been thirty minutes!" Sofia stamps her feet. "Hannah has not returned. What should we do?"

"I suppose that we should go search for her," I say. I doubt that she has run into trouble. More likely she has just forgotten about us and her promise. Hannah very much strikes me as the sort of individual who often forgets their responsibilities.

We tromp back into the shelter of the woods. I am, for one, very glad to be leaving the moorland behind. That open and exposed space made me quite uncomfortable. Still, I cannot let my guard down. You never know when an attack will come.

We take a leaf-carpeted path through the woods. A purple tint is invading the late afternoon sky. Evening cannot be far off. That means it is imperative that we find Hannah quickly. We should not be separated come nightfall.

"Do you hear that?" Sofia pulls to a stop. I do the same. Opening my ears, I can just make out a faint crinkling sound.

"Footsteps on leaves," I say quietly. Sofia gives me a questioning glance and I point to our west, through a thick grove of oak trees. "Someone is back there. Hannah, most likely."

In silent agreement the two of us push our way through the undergrowth. When we come out on the other side, however, we happen upon a surprise.

It's not Hannah.

A small, slight boy stares dumbstruck at us as we emerge. His tousled black hair and winded expression show that he, like us, has been navigating the forest. His narrow eyes widen and he opens his mouth to speak when Sofia beats him to it.

"Who the hell are you?"

The boy blinks, taking a step backwards. His eyes swivel from Sofia to me and then back. "Oh! Oh. I hadn't...excuse me, but this is quite the surprise..."

So polite. But there's an undercurrent of tension beneath his words, and the way his eyes keep swiveling show that he's not as collected as he'd have us believe. That said, I'm feeling similarly confused.

"You're a member of another team," I say.

"I...yes, that is correct," The boy glances over his shoulder. I frown. What is he looking for? "I must say that I am surprised to meet another team like this. Peacefully, I mean. I had thought..."

He'd thought we'd try to kill him. That line of thinking makes sense, I suppose. Dr. Black certainly seems keen to have us murder one another. But I see no reason to harm this boy. He, like us, is merely a pawn in Dr. Black's machinations.

"We haven't encountered another team yet," I keep my tone neutral. "I didn't know what to expect. Personally, I'm glad that you seem sane and rational. I was worried that wouldn't be the case."

"I...yes. I agree. I'm Shinji, by the way. Shinji Nakazawa."

"Francesca Rowe." I offer my hand to shake but he doesn't take it. After a moment's hesitation I withdraw my hand. "Where are your teammates?"

"They're around here somewhere." Shinji once again glances around. He is obviously uncomfortable. "Where is your third teammate, if you don't mind me asking?"

Answering my question with a question of his own...Is he trying to deflect? I can't see the purpose, but this boy gives off a serious paranoid vibe. "She's around here somewhere," I say lightly.

"She?" His eyebrows raise. "So your team is all female?"

"It does not matter!" Sofia huffs. She turns to give me a fierce glare. "And do we have the time for this? I think not!"

It is obvious that Sofia does not believe we should be speaking with this boy. I understand that sentiment, but cannot agree with it. If we wish to survive long enough to be rescued, then it is imperative that we learn as much about what is happening as possible. And how are we to do that if we don't speak with the other teams?

Shinji shifts his feet, eyes once again darting to look around. There is definitely something bothering him. But what? My eyes examine his person, searching for a hidden weapon. The only thing I can find is a small coil tied to his belt. A whip? Well, that is hardly a threatening weapon. And if it came down to a hand-to-hand fight, I am certain tribute I could defeat this boy. In short, Shinji is nothing to fear.

Perhaps that is why he is nervous. Maybe he knows that he is completely helpless against us.

"We should get moving!" Sofia tugs on my arm, trying to pull me away. I resist and she she throws her hands up in disgust. "Idiota! We have no time! And what if this is trap? We could die!"

In response, a howl pierces the air.

Sofia spins in its direction. "What was that?"

The howl repeats itself, this time sounding much closer. I reach for my crowbar and hold it at the ready. Such an inhuman howl...a dog? As I'm thinking this, another howl rings out. This time from the complete opposite direction.

"Sounds like they're signalling each other," Shinji mutters.

He's right. As more of whatever these are pick up the call, it becomes obvious that they are communicating with each other.

"Stay together!" I command. Shinji and Sofia shuffle closer until we're in a tight triangle. Shinji uncoils his whip and holds it in a trembling hand.

"My teammates should be nearby," He says. His voice quavers only slightly. "They will come and help. I am sure of it."

The howls continue to ring out around us. I count at least six different calls. Six creatures. Can we beat six? The weak feeling in my knees is answer enough.

"Get to the trees," I say just as a foul odor fills the air. I gag as the putrid smell flutters around me. "We might be safe if we climb high enough."

"We don't know that!" Sofia is frantic. Her eyes are as wide as saucers. "What if they can climb?"

As if on cue, the first creature emerges from the trees. A large, wolf-like animal with midnight black fur and red eyes that burn like coals in a fire. I find myself transfixed those eyes. There is something wrong about them. No animal has eyes that color.

"Run!"

Sofia breaks out into a sprint, dashing the opposite way of the wolf. But she comes skidding to a halt as a second wolf emerges from the woods. Snarling, it lets out a low growl as it paces forward.

Then it charges.

Sofia screams and throws her hands up. The wolves jaws come snapping for her face as I rush forward and swing my crowbar.

My blow takes the wolf directly in the face. The creature hits the ground, rolls, then lands in a discordant heap. It does not get back up. "Move!" I hiss at Sofia, darting for the trees.

The girl hesitates for only a second before following me. We're halfway to the nearest tree when two more wolves come for us. I barely have time to even note their presence before a claw is slashing across my face, cutting my cheek, and spilling blood down my skin.

I slam my fist into the wolf's head, using my crowbar to fend off a clawed paw from the other. My cheek burns with pain as I reorient myself, desperately trying to regain sense of the situation. The wolves attack again.

I spin between them and swing my crowbar. I hit the one on the right, metal iron of the crowbar smashing against the creatures jaw. Moving behind them, I sweep my crowbar at their feet, knocking one off balance. As it falls, I take the opportunity to turn and run.

Sofia is already at the deep woods. She disappears into the foliage without even a backwards glance. So she's safe...but what about Shinji?

That's when I see him. Trapped between a trio of wolves, Shinji is snapping his whip, looking like an animal trainer that is way over his head. He can't beat them. I realize that immediately. They'll take him down, kill him.

I can't let that happen!

Something slams into me. I hit the ground hard, breath escaping my lips in a huge gasp. Hot, putrid breath blows against my face as snapping jaws reach for my neck. Desperate, I hold out my crowbar and the jaws close around it, saliva flying as it frantically attempts to chew through the metal.

My grip slackens. Arms weaken. The wolf presses down, eyes burning with that deep, unnatural red.

A metal bat smashes into its head.

There's a short whimper as slumps to the side, falling motionless beside me. Then a hand grips my forearm and jerks me to my feet. Familiar blue eyes stare at me. "Crikey, Fran. What the hell is happening?"

"Hannah!" My voice is a weak gasp. "Where've you been?"

"Now is definitely not the time! We need to go!" She tows me away towards the trees, the same place where Sofia disappeared. Halfway there I begin to resist and Hannah slaps me. "What the hell? Why are you fighting me?"

"Shinji!"

"Who?"

"That boy! He's going to die!" I point. Shinji is lashing his whip at the wolves, desperately but futily trying to keep them at bay. Even as we watch one darts forward and rakes a claw across his knees. With a cry of pain, he falls. Seeing an opportunity, one of the wolves lunges for him.

"No!"

A gunshot rings out. The lunging wolf flies over Shinji and hits the ground behind him. The other two wolves hesitate, confused. That's because they don't see what I do.

Two people arrive on the scene. One male, one female. The female stops to reload her rifle as the male opens fire with his own gun. A hail of bullets rip into the two remaining wolves. Transfixed, I stand in silent terror as the beasts die beneath a rain of lead.

Something tugs on my arm. "Francesca."

I blink. "Hannah?"

"Time to go."

"But--"

"No buts. We're going. Now."

She grips my arm and leads me away from the gunfire. I feel cold, lost. The wolves...I shake my head. No time to lose. We need to regroup with Sofia and get somewhere safe. Especially now that the sun is setting.

The second night has begun.

Ryder Locklear (Delta Team)
My AK clicks empty. Grunting, I toss it back over my shoulder and pull out my Beretta. I line up my aim and, with one careful shot, put a bullet in the head of the final wolf. Its body thumps against the ground a moment later.

"What were those things?" Vjena walks over to the corpse of the nearest wolf, nudging it with her foot. "They do not look natural. There is something...off about them."

"It doesn't matter. They are dead." I cross over to Shinji. The boy is still lying on the ground, staring up at the sky with a terrified expression. I grab him by the shoulders and haul him to his feet. "What happened?" I demand.

"I...I don't know. The wolves just came from nowhere and started attacking...I..." He trails off.

What utterly useless information. He didn't tell me a single thing that I didn't already know. I let go of him and stalk over to one of the downed wolves. A pool of rapidly spreading blood swallows the grass around the body. Vjena is right. These wolves are nothing like any I've seen before.

The world is falling apart. The cruel and the greedy are shredding its very core. They corrupt everything they touch, so it is not surprising that the natural world has begun to adopt the outward appearance of what lies beneath the skin.

Pure black corruption.

"Splitting up was a bad idea," Vjena rises from her examination of the wolf. "This attack would never have gotten so far if we had stayed together."

I narrow my eyes. She references the fact that the three of us split up about an hour ago. We were making no clear progess towards finding the other teams, so I decided that we'd go our separate ways to cover more ground.

"The plan was fine," I say. "No damage was done."

Her only response is a short nod. Fool. What difference would being together have made? And it is not as if she had made any objection to the plan when I first brought it up. Only now does she complain.

"The truly important thing," I begin pacing back and forth, "is the fact that we did not find another team. How are we to eliminate the impure if we cannot find them?"

Shinji makes a small noise. I turn to him, expecting a response, but he only shakes his head and turns away from me. I examine him closely. Has he, by any chance, somehow seen signs of another team? Not that it would matter now; it'd be almost impossible to track anyone in this fading light.

"What's our next play?" Vjena asks.

There is one thing that I can think of. Something that would guarantee we run into other teams. "We will find an Event Hub," I say.

Shinji looks up, surprised. "So now we're going to play the games?"

I snort derisively. "No, stupid. What we're going to do is find one of those Hubs and wait for it to open. Then, when a team goes to enter, we'll spring our trap."

It's the perfect plan. The other teams will be forced to come to us, sparing the crucial time and energy we'd expend hunting them down. Of course, the fact that my AK is out of ammunition could pose a problem. Not a significant one, since I still have my Beretta, but a problem all the same. Where would I even begin to search for more ammunition?

"May I have your attention, Delta Team?"

The datapad on my wrist has turned on. I know before looking who I will see. Dr. Black. He sits on an oversized chair, hands folded in his lap as his masked face peers into the camera.

"What do you want?" I demand. He may be the one who gathered all of the impure here for me to dispose of, but I owe him nothing.

"I only wish to let you know that the attack you just faced was not random." He wags a finger at the screen. "Not random at all. You see, the two teams who entered the very first Event Hub, Gamma and Sigma, won the opportunity to punish any team they saw fit. They each chose to punish you, Delta Team."

"So you sent those wolves after us?" Shinji sounds incredulous.

"Me?" Dr. Black seems taken back. He actually sounds offended that he'd even be accused of such behavior. "No, I'd say not. Gamma and Sigma were the ones who desired to punish you. I merely...acquiesced to their demands."

A cold fury builds up inside me. It starts in my arms, tightening the muscles, and clenching my fists. I grip my Beretta so tightly that I feel that I could snap it in half. Punished me? Me! They had the gall to think that I was the one in need of punishment?

Fools! The damn blighted fools! Don't they realize that I'm the only person who can save this world from impurity? The only one who will even try! No one else will do what needs be done. They're too afraid. Too stupid. Too corrupt.

Corrupt...

That's it. Gamma and Sigma Team. They are part of the corruption. The ringleaders. They wish me dead because they know that I will stop them. I will cleanse them. Unfortunately for them, their gambit failed. I survived. And now I will see that their wicked schemes come to an untimely end.

For the good of the world.

"I have one last thing to tell you before I depart. Or show you, to be more precise," Dr. Black taps a button on his own datapad and, a moment later, a small chime sounds on ours. He leans back into his chair, fingers laced together. "I have sent you and every other team the identities and bios of Gamma and Sigma teams members. Normally you'd have to personally encounter a Challenger before your datapad updated to show you such information. However, this is different for Challengers who have set foot in an Event Hub. Challengers who have competed there will have their information broadcast to each and every team. And that is all. I shall see you again at midnight. Au revoir."

"What does any of that matter?" I ask as Dr. Black disappears from our screens. What use could a bio possibly be to me?

Vjena, who is already scanning her datapad, nods her head slowly. "It gives us information. According to this, Gamma Team is made up of three males by the names of Mike, Timothy, and Nathaniel."

I use my datapad to read this information myself. Timothy Gonzalez, grandson of an United States Senator. So he was apart of the team that punished me, was he? No surprise. His family must be a major player in the corruption that grips this world. I will see that he meets a fitting end.

His teammates, however, are less noteworthy. A stupid athlete and a lonely nerd. Unimportant but impure. Greedy and selfish. Vain and corrupt. They too must be eliminated. The world can never be pure with the likes of them tainting it.

Of course, that goes for all the teams. They all must be taken care of.

"Tetsu Ueno!" Shinjia lets out a low whistle. He nods his head at his datapad when Vjena and I turn to look. "I know him. Not personally, no. But I know of him. He's a famous stuntman. A big celebrity."

A celebrity...

Everyone knows that they are the worst. The most impure. The greediest. The cruelest. They enjoy their power over lesser folk. Enjoy using it to stamp them into submission.

I will enjoy stamping out Tetsu's life.

"This girl will be deadly."

"Excuse me?" I turn to Vjena. She is still studying her datapad, a perplexed expression across her face as she swipes through the touchscreen. She stops on a picture of the only girl on either team, Amare Adebowale.

"This bio for her...it says that she is a part of an African gang and that she is trained in a multitude of weaponry. In short, she has killed before and will no qualms over doing so again."

From the corner of my eye I see Shinji deflate like a balloon. His confidence seems to waver in the knowledge that an experienced killer is running around this game. He does not know that I have no fear in this discovery. What is one killer like her compared to me? I have defeated countless monsters such as her. Adding one more to the count will be no challenge.

I can feel the excitement building in me. So many corrupted souls, so many impure people...They must all be eliminated. Desposed. Destroyed.

And I will see it done.

Mike Glennon (Gamma Team)
I stumble out onto the beach and nearly lose my footing, only managing to stay up by righting myself at the last moment. Beside me Nathaniel collapses to the sand as Timothy stalks past, a grim look set on his face.

The Event Hub did not go well. I still can't even wrap my head around it. Nathaniel killing someone? That just doesn't seem possible. But it's hard to deny that it's the truth, especially when Nathaniel himself is saying so.

"What now?" I ask Timothy. The slight guy is staring out at the sea, hands stuck in his waistband. He looks as lost as I feel, but I know that he'll have an answer for me. He always does.

"We get some rest," He says after a short pause. Turning around, he gestures at the prone Nathaniel. "He still hasn't recovered from the shock. And, truth be told, I need some more time to plan out our next move."

I nod. Of course. That makes sense. Today has been long and confusing. It would be strange if we didn't need to recharge our batteries. Even the best athlete needs to stop and take a break every now and then.

I give Nathaniel a quick glance but, after seeing that he's still curled into a ball, silent tears streaking his face as he stares at the sand, I decide that he needs time alone. So I just wander down the beach, gazing out at the slothful sea. Ebbing gently, it looks so peaceful in shining moonlight. Far out to sea, rivers of pulsing light saturate the water with a golden glow.

I frown. What are those lights?

I point them out to Timothy and he scans the horizon. "No idea what that's about," He says with a shrug. "Probably just the last light of the fading sun."

He goes back to pacing and I turn to glance at the beach. The golden sand sweeps around in the shape of crescent, hemmed in by towering dunes. But beyond those dunes looms large, indistinct shapes. "There's warehouses over there," I point the buildings out.

"I know. I saw them as we came in. Seems like there is a dock as well. Possibly some boats."

"We going to sail away?" I ask.

"No. That wouldn't work. I'm sure that Dr. Black has some failsafe in place that would prevent us from escaping that way."

I shrug. I have no idea how to sail a boat anyways, and I doubt that either Timothy or Nathaniel have the experience. "Are we going to at least search the place for supplies?"

Timothy stares out at the buildings for a long time. Then he shakes his head, sighing. "I suppose that we must. We don't exactly have a good sleeping arrangement here."

That's true. We have no blankets or tents, or anything really. We could sleep on the sand, sure, but we might not have to if there's beds waiting for us in those buildings. "What about Nate?" I gesture at our friend, who's still lying on the ground behind us.

Timothy frowns. "I would rather he came with us but, well..."

Yeah. One look at the guy is enough to tell me that he's not up for a scouting mission. He doesn't look like he's up for much of anything really. "Okay," I clap my hands together, "so what's the play? The two of go up there and check the place out?"

"Actually, I think we might want to stay away for now."

"Huh?" I glance at Timothy. His eyes are focused out on the building, a more serious than usual expression on his already serious face. "Why?"

"There's someone up there. Look."

I follow his gaze and, halfway between the docks and the buildings, spot a pair of dark figures. Their shapes show that they can't be anything other than people. As I watch, they start moving quickly, heading right for nearest building. "Damn," I mutter quietly, "they beat us to the punch."

"Indeed they have. Come now, let us move away from here." Timothy goes over to Nathaniel and shares a few quiet words with him. A minute later he's up on his feet, following Timothy as he leads the way further down the beach, away from the buildings.

I jog to catch up. "Where are we going?"

"To those rocks," Timothy points out a clump of large boulders that lie strewn across the beach, just near the southern shore. "They should supply a decent amount of shelter."

I guess. But, as the three of us pick our way between the rocks, I can't help but wish that we were back at the carnival. There we had beds and hot food. I mean, yeah, that clown guy was really freaky, but so what? I'm more than sure that the three of us could take him in a fight.

The reason we haven't returned is because Timothy still thinks it might be possible to get along with the other teams. Our encounter with Sigma, and the terrible consequences of that meeting, have done little to change his mind. And since he doesn't think that we'd find anyone in the carnival, here we are.

"You chose to reward Sigma, right?" Timothy asks as I am lowering myself onto the sand.

"Yeah," I reply, stretching my limbs out. It feels good to finally lie down and rest after a day on my feet. "I didn't know what else to do, so I just picked them. Is that a problem?"

"No..." He runs a hand along his chin, seemingly deep in thought. "Actually, I still think that might have been the right move. Maybe knowing that we rewarded them will soften their stance towards us."

Maybe. But I don't think so. Nate killed one of their friends. That's not something that a few items will let them forget. I know that if someone were to kill Nate or Tim that I wouldn't be able to even look at the killer without wanting to beat them senseless.

I hope Tetsu doesn't want to beat us senseless.

We dissolve into a peaceful quiet. Timothy stares out at the ocean, hands running across his gun over and over as he thinks. The soft breathing of Nate shows that he's already asleep. Well, good. That guy more than deserves some rest.

I lean my head back on the sand, surprised by how soft it is. I'm sure that Tim will take first watch, so I can get some shuteye now. Folding my hands, I close my eyes and try to drift off. My last thought before sleep overtakes me is one hoping that the team up at the docks won't come looking for us...

Hayle Saraceno (Beta Team)
A cold wind picks up as we stagger into the cemetery, lost and confused as to where we are. It turns out that wandering the forest was not such a good idea. Especially when you're a trio of people who have barely been in the wilderness before.

We've encountered literally nothing since setting out from the house where we spent the night. No buildings, no people, nothing. Only trees, bushes, and other ordinary forest stuff. There's barely even been any contact from Dr. Black. Just the earlier death announcement and a recent update to our datapads show that he exists.

Why? Is there a reason for his absence?

"Great, just great!" Arlyssa throws her hands up into the air as the first tombstones come into view. "A cemetery! We're in a freaking cemetery!"

Vika gasps and reaches out with a hand, grasping my elbow. Her wide blue eyes fill with fear as she gazes out at the darkened landscape before us. "So many graves..." She breaths.

The graves are lined up in neat, orderly rows. Each one is similar—a solid square block of cement—but also different; each individual gravestone seems to be decorated with a different symbol. Some have flowers while others have skulls, and yet others have their own unique engraving. One notable gravestone has a snarling dog head set atop it.

Five rows of twenty-odd headstones—more than a hundred total—span the entire cemetery. Each row includes a large human statue standing over the graves. Like the graves, each of these are doing a different pose. One seems to be weeping. Another is praying. The other three are holding flowers, glancing skyward, and simply staring down at the gravestones.

Who is buried here? I pry myself away from Vika and approach the nearest gravestone. There's words inscribed on it. Faded and almost ineligible, but definitely words. "What does it say?" Vika asks quietly.

"Anne Bellhope," I frown as I read the name. Who was she? And why is she buried here of all places? I move down the row, reading off more names. Victoria Sinclair. Felix Leonard. Tristan Kaplan. I slip between two graves to reach the second row. Here I find even more names. Tanner Shea. Miguel Santos. Weronika Tymoshenko.

"What are you doing?" Arlyssa calls out to me. Ignoring her, I walk up to the nearest statue, surprised to find a nameplate beneath the depiction of a hooded man. Ace Merciless. Huh. Doesn't even sound like a real name.

"Who are these people?" I wonder aloud as I gaze at all the graves. Everything is so elaborate, so well-designed. Did Dr. Black create this for our benefit? If so, then why? What exactly does he intend to convey? That we'll die? No, that would be pointless. He has already made our mortality clear enough.

"It doesn't matter!" Arlyssa crosses her arms. "The graves are probably fake and so are the names. This whole thing is just designed to creep us out. Well, it's not working!" She addresses this last part to her datapad and, presumably, Dr. Black.

"It's so sad," Vika stares up at one of the statues. It depicts a terribly beautiful young woman staring up in the sky, her imperious expression expertly conveyed through the stone. I stride up to the nameplate below and read it. "Italia Galloway."

"Oh!"

I glance at Vika. She gasps softly, one hand on her face. "What?" I ask.

"Don't you recognize that name?"

I exchange a glance with Arlyssa. "No," I say with uncertainty. "Should I?"

"Italia Galloway!" Vika repeats the name, expression changing from fear to excitement. "She's the daughter of that Senator! You know, the one that resigned! She went missing shortly after his resignation. She was never found and no one knows what happened to her. But why is there a statue..." She trails off. From the widening of her eyes I can tell that she's thinking the same thing I am.

"Dr. Black kidnapped her," I say slowly. It's like pieces of a puzzle are coming together in my mind. The graves. The names. It's a horrible, sinking realization. One that I don't want to be true but know is.

I wave a hand at all the graves behind me. "Dr. Black kidnapped all of these people! He...he made them play his game. And then..."

So many graves. Just how many people have died at this madmans hands?

Vika breaks into quiet sobbing. Arlyssa takes this revelation far better. Calmly tapping her feet, she stares up at the statue. "If that's true, then what's with the statues? They don't look like graves."

I shake my head. I have no answer. But...is it possible that the statues are of the survivors? After all, didn't Dr. Black promise that one team could emerge from this game alive? I didn't know if he was telling the truth, didn't dare hope for it, but could these statues be a sign that survival is possible?

I sigh. All this speculation is pointless. It won't improve our current situation one bit. I am about to tell the others that we should get moving when I stop myself. It's night and almost completely dark. The only light comes from the almost full moon, which illuminates the cemetery pretty well. But out in the forest? Well, the tree canopy would cancel that light source right out.

"Are their bodies buried here?" Vika asks. She is pale and shaking so badly that it looks as if she'll faint at any moment.

"Don't be stupid!" Arlyssa scowls at her. "These graves are just symbolic. There are no actual bodies here!"

I really hope that's true. The idea that Dr. Black goes around collecting the bodies of the fallen is creepy beyond belief. At the same time, though, I don't particularly like the thought of decomposing bodies lying all over the forest.

I decide to force these disturbing thoughts out of my mind and just focus on the matter at hand. I scout around the area for a bit before finding a relatively flat patch of ground where I can lay my blanket out. I'm about to lie down when I notice Vika watching me.

Right. She doesn't have any bedding of her own. Resigned, I gesture at my blanket. "Do you want to use my blanket? I can just lie on the ground or something."

Her eyes widen. "What? No! I couldn't possibly—where would you sleep?"

"It's not that big of a deal," I say with a shrug. Really, with everything that's happened in the past few days sleeping on the ground is the least of my worries.

"O-okay..." Vika slowly settles herself down onto the blanket. She murmurs an apology and a thank-you as I nod, turning back to look for something I could use as my own blanket. I haven't the faintest idea what I'm searching for.

Soon I find myself roaming the graveyard, deciding it's not really all that bad. Sure, the setting is kinda macabre, but it should serve to make sure we're not attacked in our sleep. Who would want to enter a graveyard at night?

Other than us, I mean.

I'm halfway through my second circuit of the cemetery when I spot Arlyssa. She's hanging around one of the statues, examining it with a studious expression. I immediately notice that this particular statue is different from the rest. Namely the fact that there is no statue. The whole thing is just an empty base. As if someone was going to place a statue here but just gave up and didn't.

"What's up with this?" I ask, walking over.

Arlyssa raises an eyebrow as I approach. "Done playing the chivalrous knight, are you?"

I follow her gaze to Vika and frown. "I was only being kind," I say.

"Sure. But if she was a guy instead of a cute girl, would you still have done the same?"

I find myself bristling with indignation. I don't appreciate that implication! "Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

Arlyssa rolls her eyes. "Sure, sure. Whatever. But look, this statue isn't like the others," She points out the empty pedastal, "it's as if they were going to make one but didn't."

"I thought you said this didn't matter?"

She reaches out and punches me in the shoulder. I recoil with a gasp. "Hey! What the hell!"

"Stop being stupid, you idiot!"

I remain silent, rubbing my shoulder. Sheesh, what has gotten into her? Sometimes it feels like she's two completely different people. Or she just enjoys messing with me. Unfortunately I think it just might be the latter. "So why do you think this statue is different?" I finally ask.

"Don't know."

Is this some sort of test? Is she going to punch me again if I question her? Deciding it's better to be safe, I share my theory about the statues being of past survivors. Arlyssa taps a finger against her head, thinking. "That's a nice idea," She says, "but it doesn't quite add up. If the statues all survived, then why did that Italia girl never resurface?"

That's actually a good point. Vika did say that she was never found. But what would that mean for us? If there are no survivors...did Dr. Black lie to us? Is he truly just going to kill us all? Is there no hope for escape?

"Do what they say for now. Go along with the game.

That voice on tthe phone. I still don't understand who called me or why. As far as I can tell, neither Vika nor Arlyssa received a similar call. But then, I haven't asked. And if they did receive it, why would they bring it up?

''Don't tell anyone you've spoken with me. That last part is crucial. Do not tell anyone. Do you understand?"''

Tell no one...why? Is it possible that this mysterious speaker wants to help me? Are they working against Dr. Black? Or are they helping him?

I'll keep in touch.

I can only fathom that means the caller will try and contact me again. But how? I don't know. There's just too much that I don't know.

"Hayle?" I blink, slowly emerging from the haze of my thoughts. Arlyssa is staring at me with a look of confusion in her blue eyes. "What the hell is with you? You look like you're about to faint!"

"What? I'm fine," I shake my head, "just lost in thought is all. Nothing to be concerned about." Should I tell her? I want to. Hiding this information is eating away at me. But that voice made it clear that I shouldn't tell anyone...

"I wasn't concerned about you!" Arlyssa scowls at me. "I was concerned about myself. If you dropped dead I'd be stuck here in this game by myself!"

"You'd have Vika," I say. I'm still preoccupied thinking about that caller.

"That dolt? She's useless! All she does is moan and complain about—"

Musical chimes cut her off midsentence. We both look down to see our datapads flashing, followed shortly by the screens transitioning to a darkened room. There, standing in a small circle of light, is Dr. Black.

"Ah, Beta Team!" His synthetic voice echoes as he splays his hands in greeting. "It has been quite some since last we spoke. Much has transpired in that time. People have died, teams have made plans. You three, however, have not made much progress."

"What the hell does that mean?" Arlyssa growls.

"Ah, Ms. Valiante. As feisty as ever, I see."

"Answer the damn question!"

"Hmm. I think not. While I have no qualms with giving answers to enquiring minds, I will not reward your impudent behavior. If you were to ask nicely, then perhaps I could be persuaded to—"

Arlyssa breaks out into a medley of curses. I can only sigh and roll my eyes. Combative behavior will get us nowhere—that much is clear.

"Please sir, can't you let us go home?" I turn, surprised to see Vika behind us. She must have sought us out after Dr. Black appeared.

"I am afraid that I cannot. The Games are not yet complete."

Vika transitions into quiet sobbing. I shake my head. Neither of my teammates are thinking this through. I'll have to take the reins. "Why are you here?" I ask. It's a challenge to keep my voice steady. "Why did you stay away all day just to appear now?"

"I was merely paying you a visit. I like to check in with each team every now and then. But, regardless of that fact, I also have a secondary purpose." He pauses and, after adjusting his position, begins to speak with a louder voice. "I would like to inform you all that it is now midnight. And, because it is midnight, I will allow you to witness how your fellow Challengers met their untimely ends."

The screen flickers to show two guys fighting in a silver room. It's hard to tell what's going on, but it's impossible not to see the tension behind each of them. Then, in a quick and jarring motion, one of them slams an icepick into the others neck.

Vika squeals in horror as Dr. Black reappears on screen. "Yes. That was how Waiyaki Bello met his end. He did not have the Potential that most of you possess, but it is a sad end all the same."

My stomach feels like it's twisted in a knot. That death was the worst. So visceral...so personal. It's one thing to see someone die from poison or get shot. But to see them stabbed in the neck? That sort of brutality...

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to make an announcement regarding the Event Hubs. As you all know, an Event Hub opened up today. Two teams partook in the game inside. It was quite invigorating to see such confident behavior. And I hope that such behavior continues, because tomorrow will feature the opening of two more Event Hubs "

"Two?" I share an uneasy look with Arlyssa.

"These two Event Hubs will be positioned in separate areas of the Playing Field. And, unlike the last Hub, these two have specific requirements. The Hub in the southern quadrant will require two teams for the game to be played. Similarly, the Hub in the eastern quadrant will require the presence of three teams before the game can be played. Also, it should be noted that the same team cannot play in both Hubs. Different teams must play in each Hub."

I do the math. Five separate teams will be required to enter the two Hubs. There are only ten teams total. That means that half of the teams need to play one of his games...

"Finally, I'd like to remind you all of the penalty for refusing to attend. If either Event Hub remains unopen by next midnight, I will kill each and every team. Needless to say, I doubt any of you wish for that to happen. And that concludes my speech. Good night teams...and good luck."

Vika lets out a low moan, burying her face in her hands. Arlyssa curses quietly. I can only stand still as I take this new information and churn it about in my head. Half the teams will be required to attend an Event Hub or we'll all die. That is obviously not good news. Each "game" of Dr. Black's that I've seen has resulted in a fatality.

How many people will die tomorrow?

"He's trying to force us into the Event Hub," Arlyssa says with a shake of her head. "Unbelievable."

"He's got us cornered," I agree. "Because how can we risk not going? If six teams decide not to attend..." I don't even want to think about that.

"No!" Vika gasps, finally looking up. "No! I will not play another one of his games! I will not!"

"Just shut up, will you?" Arlyssa scowls at her then turns to walk back towards the graves. I call after her, but she shakes head. "I'm not going far. I just need time to think. I'll take first guard, so you two can sleep or whatever."

Vika goes to curl herself up in my blanket, quietly sobbing herself to sleep. I just go sit next to a grave, one titled Sami Bitar, and try not to let despair overwhelm me. It's difficult. We're going to have to enter an Event Hub. What other choice do we have? Stay away and hope the other teams go in our place? Can we even risk that?

Somehow I don't think we can.

"Tomorrow is going to be a bloody day," I mutter as I stare out at the night stars. "A long, bloody day."

Jackson Sparks (Alpha Team)
I shuffle my feet and press myself further against the rocky wall as a bitterly cold wind blows past, chilling my face and causing me to shiver. Up here in the mountains, winter smothers the land with its vice-like grip.

"Maybe we should head down into the valley," I speak loudly so that my voice carries over the wind, "because I really hate this weather!"

The boy beside me doesn't answer. Sitting on the ground with his back pressed against the wall and huddled up in his black parka, Boone silently rolls a stick between his fingers. I can't say I'm surprised. Since first meeting him days ago he's barely said anything. And when he does speak its in short, clipped words. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard him string more than two sentences together.

Flat rocky ground surrounds us on every side. The serrated peaks of the mountain and the twisted, uneven path that leads to its summit lies just to our north. That was where we first emerged from our bunker. Yes, our bunker was apparently built inside a mountain. A secret bunker! The mere existence of such a thing fills me with excitement!

Of course, I'd be much more excited if my life wasn't constantly in danger.

I haven't forgotten how Ophrya lost her life to this "game" of Dr. Black's. That poor girl didn't deserve to die. None of us do, obviously, but a pretty girl especially shouldn't be subject to such a cruel fate.

I don't know why or how the other team decided to kill Ophrya. They could have picked any of the three of us, but for some reason they chose her. Well, two of them did. The other picked Boone.

I give the guy a sideways glance. He's still rolling that stick, staring out at the bleak gray skies that hang over the mountains. I wish he wasn't such an enigma. It sure would be easier to work with him if I actually knew anything about him.

As we sit here, the cold, squalling wind finally fades away. When it does, a tomb-like silence takes its place. It's so quiet that I can hear the quiet rasp of our breathing. "We can't stay here forever," I finally break the silence.

"Why not?" Boone asks.

"I, well..." I scratch my head, unsure as what to say. It's cold, yeah, but it's not exactly life-threatening. We were fortunate enough to find a supply cache hidden away in a small cave and, inside that cache, we discovered some parkas and other cold weather gear. Or maybe it was more than just fortune. It's possible that Dr. Black wanted us to find the cache. "We'll run out of food eventually," I finish.

"But not soon."

"True, true." We have enough supplies to last us at least a few more days. We could, theoretically, just hide out up here in the mountains and hope that the other teams forget all about us. But I don't like that idea. For one thing, I hate this stupid cold. And for another, I'm really, really bored.

Nothing happens up here. We just sit around and wait for Dr. Black's announcements, which seem to come at regular intervals. For the most part the two of us just spend our time sitting around fires and hiding in caves. We don't even have conversations because, as I've said before, Boone doesn't like speaking.

The wind returns. Shrill and shrieking, it races across the mountain, whistling as it flits through cracks and crevices. I sigh, wrap my arms around myself and try to wiggle into a more comfortable position. Boone just stares blankly ahead.

"I can't believe I'm going to die without ever having a girlfriend," I grumble.

"You could find one here."

I turn to Boone. Is he joking? His face is as expressionless as ever. "Where would I find a girlfriend?" I demand. "Do you see anyone else up here?"

He shrugs. "The other teams."

Huh. Well, I guess that it's true. The other teams do have female members. I doubt that any of them would be looking for a relationship out here but, well, if they were...I mean, I'm not saying that I would date one of them, but I certainly wouldn't dismiss the possibility.

Boone, clearly done with the conversation, starts playing with some rock, tossing it back and forth between his hands. I let my mind linger on the subject. Beta Team had some pretty girls. That Vika was really cute and adorable, especially with how delicate she seemed. Arlyssa was attractive too, but I can't help but feel that she'd enjoy beating me up more than anything else.

"Bah!" I wave my hand in the air. "I'm not going to find a girlfriend here. I don't even know how to pick up girls back home!"

"You don't know how to pick up girls?"

I turn to study Boone. "What? Are you saying that you know how?"

He nods. "You just lift."

There's not even a hint of a smile on his face. Is he for real? Confused, I rub my neck. "Oh. Well, uh...that's--"

"It was a joke."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't funny." I turn away, scowling. Sheesh. Way to a get a guy's hopes up! I thought I had finally found someone who could teach me something useful. Then again, maybe I should be worrying about more important things.

We might be safe up here in the mountains, but it's clear that while the other teams are currently busy fighting each other down in the valley, it'll only be a matter of time before we're forced into conflict with them. Ether by an Event Hub or by them searching for us.

And the only weapons we have are my Molotov cocktail and Boone's stupid rocket launcher.

I glare at the sleek silver case behind us. Boone keeps it in there at all times. I thought it was because he didn't know how to even use the thing, but Boone has assured me that he knows how. Apparently he just wants to keep the weapon clean or something.

"What does a rocket launcher even do?" I ask, annoyed.

"It makes things go boom."

Okay, yeah, I definitely knew that. I just worded my question wrong. I meant to ask how it works. But still, I'm not going to ask again and make myself look like an even bigger idiot. So we lapse back into silence that is only broken by the screeching wind. I can't help but think about that first game we competed in. No one on Beta Team died because we all split our vote. That was completely accidental. I didn't, and still don't, know what Boone and Ophrya voted. I chose Hayle, but that was just a pure panic decision. I certainly didn't want him to die and am very glad that things worked out as they had.

"Boone?" I ask, still thinking about that game. "Who did you vote for? In the first game?"

Boone remains silent for so long that I think that he's not even going to answer. But, just as I am about to change the subject, he speaks. "Arlyssa."

"Oh." So Ophrya voted Vika. Interesting. "Why did you choose her?"

"She told me to."

What? I blink, surprised by the answer. "Who told you? Ophrya?"

"No."

That doesn't make sense. Ophrya is the only person the two of us have encountered this entire game, unless you count Dr. Black. But he's not a she and he certainly didn't tell Boone what to vote. "Who are you talking about? Who told you that?" And why?

Boone shrugs. "It doesn't matter."

I don't see how he came to that conclusion. How could it not matter? What mysterious person could have possibly told him anything? I ask him again but, try as I might, Boone never responds. He just picks up a pebble and rolls it between his palms, eyes forward as he stares off the mountain. I give up on trying to get anything out of him. Obviously he doesn't want to speak about it.

"Guess we'll spend another day up here," I sigh, rotating myself so that I am further out of the wind. "I just hope that we don't freeze in the meantime."

Harry Kent (Lambda Team)
I try to resist yawning as Fern leads the way back towards the big, round building she calls a "Event Hub". It's early in the morning, way earlier than my usual awakening. I'm not exactly sure why she wants to enter the Hub, but I think it had something to do with what the masked man said last night.

"This could be dangerous, you know," Shintaro strolls behind us. He keeps tossing a berry in the air with one hand and catching it with the other. That agility is cool, but I still don't like him. He doesn't seem to care about anything or anyone beside himself. And those cold eyes of his...I would never say this out loud, but he scares me.

I'm glad Fern is here. I wouldn't want to be alone with Shintaro.

As we walk I reach out and grip Fern's hand. She turns to glance at me but doesn't say anything. I like Fern. I trust her. That's why I gave her my gun when she asked for it this morning. I don't know what she wants with it, but I'm sure that everything will be fine.

"Everything we do is dangerous," Fern finally responds to Shintaro. "We can't just sit around and twiddle our thumbs."

"I didn't say that we should. But are you prepared for this? After all, you were shot yesterday."

I shiver as I remember that. The bullet came out of nowhere, striking Fern right in the chest. I thought she was dead. Nobody survives being shot. But Fern did. She had some sort of vest that protected her, and as long as she has that we don't have to worry about anything!

Well, most things.

People still might come and try to kill us. I don't know why. Is it just because Dr. Black told them to? Don't they realize that they don't have to listen to him? We can all just ignore him and wait to be rescued. I may not know how or why I got here, but I know that my parents will come find me. They wouldn't abandon me.

They wouldn't.

Fern stares straight ahead, not answering Shintaro's question. Seeing this, he shrugs and tosses the berry aside. It sails into a patch of brambles and disappears. Just like us, I think quietly. Disappeared from our homes and woke up here. "The other teams will converge on the Hub," Shintaro says.

"Yes. They will."

"You don't appear very concerned about that."

Fern whips around to glare at him. "Of course I'm concerned! But we have no other choice! You heard what will happen if enough teams don't arrive!"

A tremor of fear works its down my spine. I remember now that haze of sleep has gone. Everyone will die. That's what Dr. Black said last night. That everyone will die if we don't enter the Hub. I don't want to die. That feeling vibrates through me so strongly that I feel weak in the knees. I don't want to die!

"He's bluffing, obviously," Shintaro shrugs. "He couldn't afford to kill all of us. Not if he wants to keep his games running."

Fern stops, pulls her hand away from mine, and plants it on her hip as she glares at Shintaro. "Oh? And would you stake your life on that possibility?"

"I would. Yes," He nods, face completely expressionless. Once again I can't help but get the creeps when I look at him. Why is he so...abnormal? "However, I also believe that attending a Hub is to our advantage, so I will go regardless."

Fern stares at him for a long moment before turning away, tossing her hair with a huff. "If he's truly bluffing, then what do you suppose he'd do if no one entered his precious Hubs?

"He'd kill a Challenger. Possibly a whole team. He'd try to frighten the other teams enough so that they would feel as if they had no choice but to enter."

I stare at Shintaro with wide eyes. He's talking about death and killing so casually...does he really not care? About anything?

Fern must feel the same. She storms off, shaking her head and muttering something in another language. I hurry after her. I can barely stand the sight of Shintaro anymore. What if he decides to kill me?

We don't go very far before we arrive at the Event Hub. It looks just like it did yesterday. Big, dome-shaped and completely gray. The smooth panels seem to glint in the early morning sun and, if you look close enough, you can actually see your own reflection on the side.

Fern walks right up to the door set in the center of the building. Running a hand down its side, she turns to glance at Shintaro as he joins us. "This is the eastern Hub?"

He nods. "Should be, yes."

She peers at her datapad and makes a few taps. Eventually she looks up, seemingly satisfied. "The datapad says that this is the eastern Hub. That means three teams will play here."

"So two more teams will join us, then."

I don't like that. More teams? More people? Didn't they just try to kill us yesterday? Why would we want to meet them now? I want to suggest that we just send Shintaro in by himself but resist the urge. They wouldn't listen to me anyway.

Shintaro steps past Fern and approaches the door. He gives it a tentative pull and it swins open easily. He nods and is about to enter when I hear it. A faint whizzing noise.

I turn just in time to see the knife strike Fern in the chest.

I scream as her body thumps against the ground. No, no, no! I drop beside her as Shintaro dips a hand into his pocket, pulls out a rock, and tosses it towards a nearby greenhouse. I can just make out the shape of a person ducking to avoid the projectile.

"Get up!" Shintaro grips me by the collar and hauls me to my feet. "Get inside the Hub!"

"No! We can't leave Fern--"

With seemingly little effort Shintaro drags me across the clearing and thrusts me through the doorway. I slip as I enter and hit the ground, sliding across the smooth crystalline flooring.

I wrap my arms around myself, sobbing quietly. How did this happen? I thought we were safe, but then...it happened so quickly. No. No, that couldn't have happened. Fern isn't dead. She can't be!

I force my trembling limbs into motion and stand up, taking in my surroundings for the first time. The room is large and triangular, with three seperate doors at each corner and the main entrance at the base of the triangle. The floor and wallls seem to made out of a smooth crystal and there's a set of matching furniture on each side of the room.

The entry way erupts with movement as Shintaro comes in, dragging a motionless Fern behind him. I let out a wordless cry. Seeing this, Shintaro makes a curt motion. "Be quiet. She's not dead."

"But--"

"He's right, Harry." I gasp as Fern sits up. Her face is twisted with pain as she looks around for me. She grimaces when she finally spots me."I'm still alive. Somehow."

The fact that she's still alive is enough to dampen my despair. But it does not extinguish it. "Shut the door!" I scream at Shintaro. "Shut it before they chase us!" Images of knives flash before my eyes. How painful would it be to have one slammed in my chest?

"There's no point," Shintaro walks over to a bench and sits himself down on it. With a casual, almost mocking indifference, he begins to study his fingernails. "They can't harm us inside a Hub. Dr. Black has made that clear."

"Oh." Oh. I didn't know that. But still..."Who says they have to listen to him?"

"Rest assured, they'll listen to me." I let out a yelp as the entire wall before us transforms into a screen. Dr. Black is featured, the screen zoomed up close to his beaked mask and frosted glass eyes. "After all, the punishment for disobeying me is death."

I find myself crawling towards a chair, quickly darting behind it. More talk of death? Why? What does he have to gain from this? What do any of us have to gain? As I weep silently, Shintaro faces down the screen. Fern, pausing briefly to pull the knife from her vest, does the same. "What game will we be playing?" She demands.

"Patience. Two more teams still need to arrive before the game can be played."

I glance at the door, which still sits open. Are...are the people who attacked us going to enter too?

"I suppose you want us to just sit around and wait, then?" Shintaro asks.

"Precisely. Now, if you don't mind, I have other matters to attend to. I will return when the other teams arrive. But, until then, farewell."

Fern mutters something in another language as the screen goes blank. I wrap my arms around myself. I don't like this. I don't like any of this. I don't want to just sit here and wait for the other teams to come us. We've already been attacked twice! It's obvious that they all want us dead.

"Whatever happens, it's clear that we can't trust the other teams," Fern says, voicing my thoughts.

Shintaro nods, looking thoughtful. "Yes. Some of the other teams have clearly gone all in on playing this game. Very intriguing." He eyes swivel to Fern. "And another thing that is intriguing...your vest. Bulletproof vests aren't often bladeproof, as a matter of course. It is lucky to see that yours is both."

Fern shrugs. "It's not as if I was stabbed. The blade was thrown from a distance."

"True. Your vest will do little to protect you from a stab. Keep that in mind." As Shintaro turns to study the three doors, I notice Fern scowl at him. What a jerk. Why does he have to remind her of how easily we could die?

Once again I glance to the still open door. That other team still hasn't appeared. Maybe they don't want to chase us. Not that it matters when it's guaranteed that two other teams will eventually join us in here. No matter what I want, we're going to have to play some game.

As this thought races through my mind, I bury my face in my hands and wish that I could just go home.

Shinji Nakazawa (Delta Team)
I follow behind Ryder as he leads the way, face blank and eyes distant. I know what his plan is for today and, while I do not exactly like it, I will not question it. The truth is that all the other teams must die for me to survive. If that means allowing Ryder to attack and kill the other teams...

Logic dictates that I should allow him to do so.

We set off at dawn, following the marking on our map that indicates the Event Hub. The plan is to catch a team off guard as they try to enter the Hub. Ryder believes that they won't expect such an attack, and that they would never be prepared for our weaponry. He is probably right. That gun of his coupled wth Vjena's rifle will make for a formidable pairing.

These thoughts once again lead me into thinking about the other teams. I did not tell my teammates about Francesca. What could I have said? That she saved me because I was too useless to save myself? Vjena would probably have laughed at that while Ryder...I don't even know what he would have done, but it wouldn't be anything good.

They would have tried to kill Francesca. That, at least, is something I'm certain of. I don't know how I should feel about that. She and her teammates need to die for me to survive, but...I wouldn't feel right just sitting back and watching her die. She helped me when she didn't need to. How could I sit back and let her die after that?

I find myself hoping that she'll die at someone else's hands, away from me and my team. I feel a little ill at such a thought, but I know that such a scenario would be infinitely better than watching Ryder kill her.

"What shall we do if we find other teams fighting?" Vjena suddenly breaks the silence that has stretched on throughout the morning. She walks beside me, rifle slung over her shoulder and gaze straight ahead. She is an enigma. A conundrum that I don't understand. Why is she so eager to play the game? Ryder, at least, has the excuse of being clearly a little unhinged. But Vjena? She appears to be a perfectly normal person. That is why her cavalier attitude towards all of this is...perplexing.

"What does it matter if they're fighting?" Ryder doesn't stop walking as he speaks. He is very intent on reaching the Hub in time to intercept the other teams.

"Because it could effect our strategy," Vjena says matter-of-factly. "Do we stand by and watch them kill each other, then step out to attack the survivors? Or do we simply attack them all whilst they're preoccupied with one another?"

Ryder shrugs. "What weighs more, a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers?"

Vjena narrows her eyes. "And the point of that question is...?"

"They both weigh a ton. So it doesn't matter which options we choose as long as the guilty die."

"A ton of bricks might actually weigh more," I say idily. "Because, if you get together enough bricks that should weigh a ton and all the feathers that should weigh a ton, then the bricks will take up far less room since they're denser than feathers. So, if you piled your ton of bricks onto a weighing scale, the pile would be smaller than the feathers. In particular, the top of the pile of feathers would be further away from the center of the earth." I pause for questions but, as there are none, I continue on. "Since the force of gravity drops off with distance from the center of the earth, the feathers would weigh slightly less than you expected because the feathers at the top of the pile would weigh less. This is true of the bricks at the top of the brick pile, but that pile is not as high, as I've explained, so the difference would be less. Therefore, if you actually weighed a ton of feathers and a ton of bricks, you might well find that the ton of bricks weighed more!"

There's a long silence after I finish speaking. At first I think that I may have made a mistake, that I have upset my allies with that spiel. But, a few moments later, Vjena nods. "Yes, I can see how that would make sense. I do not know if it is true, but I definitely see your point."

Ryder doesn't respond. He just stares off into the distance, his face blank as he regards something only he can see. Then he nods briskly and waves us forward. "We don't have the time for this! If the other teams enter the Hub before we get there we'll lose our opportunity!"

He hurries forward. Vjena follows him, but I lag behind a little. Killing the others is the only option. I have tried hard not to think about it, but it is true. I cannot just sit back and wait for things to happen; I'll need to assist Ryder and Vjena at some point if we plan on surviving.

Fighting is not my forte. I cannot and will not be able to take anyone else on in a fight. So I'll have to help in other ways. Learn about our enemies. Discover their weaknesses. Exploit those weaknesses

I won't let myself be held down by my emotions. Doing so would only put my life in jeopardy. I have things I must do out in the world. A life to fulfill.

A brother to find.

I only learned about his existence recently. For most of my life I didn't even know that I was adopted, that the people who raised me weren't my birth parents. Of course, that fact doesn't bother me; they were the ones who cared for me and protected me so, for all extents and purposes, they are my real parents.

No, I do not care that I was adopted. What I care about is the fact that I wasn't an only child. I had a brother. A twin. All my life I've felt an absence, a hole where something should be but wasn't. Perhaps my brother is that. Maybe he is what I've been searching my whole life for.

I don't know where he is or what he is doing, but I will find him. I will escape from this game and put all my energy into tracking him down. And if that requires me to stand by and watch as Ryder murders his way to victory...

So be it.

I will do whatever necessary.

Hayle Saraceno (Beta Team)
The long, whispery grass tugs at my feet as we push through the field, charting a course towards the nearest Event Hub. My mind churns with thoughts as I go. What is the point of this game? How did Dr. Black set this up? Who is that voice on the phone? While I know that I'm not going to get answers any time soon, but I cannot stop thinking about it.

Arlyssa leads the way as the late morning stretches on. The sun is a faint, pale orb in the sky, rays of sunlight weakly shining down on us through a layer of thin clouds. Empty fields of shortgrass lie all around us. We push our way through one such field, minutes passing into hours as we move along.

We left the cemetery at dawn, though it wasn't the sun that woke me. No, I could hardly sleep. Who could? Dr. Black's ominous threat hangs over our heads like a anvil waiting to be dropped. If enough teams don't enter the Hub...

No, don't think about that. The other teams will see sense and enter the Hubs. It'd be foolish for them not to. Of course, that just leads into another problem. What if we encounter a team on its way to the Hub?

Earlier I had broached this subject with Arlyssa but she had just shrugged and pulled out her revolver, patting its side. "I'll just use this," She said. That didn't ease my worries in the slightest. The last thing I want is to get into a fight with the others. We don't even know what is happening, so why should we fight?

I sigh, shaking my head as I turn my attention to the buildings that rise up before us. Greenhouses. According to the map we're on the outskirts of a vineyard of some sort. If that's so then I don't understand why there are greenhouses. Shouldn't everything be grown outside?

"The Hub should be somewhere in there," I say, pulling to a halt.

Vika comes to a stop beside me. Wrapping her arms around herself, she shivers. "I don't like this. Can't we just go back? I'm certain that the other teams will all play..."

"We don't know that," Arlyssa grunts. Hands on her hips, she has also stopped to survey the greenhouses. "What if all the others are cowards like you? What do you'll think will happen then, huh?"

"Don't instigate a fight," I say before Vika can snap off a retort. Why are these two always at each othes throats? Can't they just get along? We have enough trouble as there is--I don't need to worry about the two of them going at it!

Arlyssa throws me a dirty look but remains uncharacteristically quiet. Maybe she's realized that we have to take this as seriously as possible. I'm all too aware that one false move could lead us all to our deaths. Which is why I'm so nervous about the prospect of meeting another team before we get to the Hub. There's definitely no way we could fight them despite what Arlyssa says. No, we'd need to try and talk our way through the situation.

If only I knew how we could do that.

We set off into the vineyard without another word. I chart a path through the overgrown trellisis and reaching hedges, trying my best to follow the map on my datapad. From what I can tell, the Hub is located almost exactly inside the center of the vineyard.

I don't like the overgrown vegetation that looms on the side of us. Just about anything could be hiding in there and we'd never know. In fact, I swear that I can feel eyes watching me even now. I cast my gaze about, searching for the source of my discomfort, but find nothing. Probably because there's nothing to find and I'm just being paranoid.

"I still do not think that we're doing the rational thing," Vika speaks from the back of the line. She's fallen behind because she is constantly stopping to untangle vines from her person. "The other teams will play the Games. All we're doing by going is putting ourselves unnecessarily in harms way."

Surprisingly Arlyssa doesn't say anything to refute this. At first I think she may have been swayed by Vika, but when I turn to look at her she is scanning the foliage around us. She doesn't appear to have even heard Vika.

"Something the matter?" I ask.

She shrugs and walks forward. "Keep moving," She hisses in my ear as she brushes past me. "Someone is watching us."

Well that does nothing to calm my nerves. Resisting the urge to look for the supposed watchers, I follow after Arlyssa, doing my best to pretend being casual. Of course, on the inside I'm panicking. What do they want? Nothing good, probably. They most likely...

"How do you know?" I whisper to Arlyssa. Behind us, Vika is still loudly complaining.

"I saw him," Arlyssa is whispering in my ear again, though her mouth is closed and she does not look at me. "It was only a brief glimpse, but he was definitely there."

"He? Who?"

"I recognized him from our datapads. Tetsu Ueno."

Tetsu Ueno. If I remember correctly he is on TBD team, which is one of the three teams that have lost a member. His only teammate left is someone named Amare Adebowale who, considering what I read about her on the datapad, is definitely not someone I'd like to meet.

"What do we do?" I ask quietly. It's hard to control my nerves. Part of me just wants to take off sprinting, run as far away the fastest I can. But I also know that's complete foolishness.

"We keep moving. What else? Do you want to attack them?"

"No!" Attack a world-renowned stuntman and an African gang member? That would be suicide!

"Then do as I said. Keep walking."

I do as she says and keep my gaze forward as I move, doing my best to try and show that I'm unaware of their presence. It's not easy. Several times I have to physically stop myself from looking back and searching for the two of them. Right now they don't seem like they wish to attack, so I shouldn't go and do anything that changes that.

Soon the vineyard gives away to a large clearing. In the center sits a large round building that is unmistakably the Event Hub. I tense up as I observe it. I already know what kind of "games" Dr. Black plays.

What does he have in store this time?

"I think they're gone," Arlyssa steps up beside me, hands on her hips as she surveys the Hub. Vika, who was completely oblivious to our prior discussion, glances at her in confusion. "But I don't know for how long. We should get inside before something else happens."

I nod. "Right. Let's go." I speedwalk towards the doors, surprised to find that they're already open. Has another team arrived? Maybe the game has ended. Eager to find out, I push my way inside.

And almost immediately confronted by a trio of people.

I blink and step back, shocked by their sudden appearance. The three of them, for their part, seem almost as surprised as me. One of them, a little blond boy, darts under a couch and disappears from sight. One of the others, a slender young man, steps forward, arms splayed to the side. "You're here for the game, yes?"

I'm so caught up in my surprise that I find myself unable to speak. My mouth works but no words come out as I stand there gaping like a fool. Luckily, I'm saved from this awkwardness by the arrival of Arlyssa.

She charges into the room like a linebacker, moving so fast that I have to sidestep out of her way. Grunting, she turns to throw an insult my way but the words die on her lips as she finally spots the others. Her hands dart to the revolver on her hip, but pull away at the last second.

"Oh," Her voice is tight and emotionless as she addresses the trio, "I see that we're not the first team to arrive."

The young man nods. "That is correct. The three of us arrived a couple hours ago."

"My name is Fern," The third member of their team, a girl with tan skin and curly black hair that flows past her shoulders, offers us a nod and gestures to the guy beside her. "This is Shintaro, and that boy over there hiding under the table is Harry."

Fern pauses, probably expecting Arlyssa to introduce herself. But Arlyssa, to the surprise of no one, just nods and turns to survey the room. "Okay. So what's the Game? What does that lunatic expect us to do?"

Fern scowls, displeased at the obvious dismissal. Before she can voice any complaints, however, Shintaro speaks. "We do not yet know the game. Dr. Black will not tell us until all three teams have arrived."

"Oh my!"

Five pairs of eyes swivel to the doorway as Vika enters. The blonde girl puts a hand to her mouth, eyes wide as she takes everything in. "Oh my, I did not expect this..."

"And who are you?" Fern demands.

"She's our teammate," I speak for the first time. I've gotten over my initial surprise and have come to grips with the situation. Apparently this team has been waiting inside the Hub for some time. No wonder they're so grumpy. "Her name is Vika. I'm Hayle. Oh, and she's Arlyssa." I jerk a thumb at her.

She glares at me. "Knowledge is power, you idiot!"

"Come on! What harm is there in giving them our names? Dr. Black will probably tell them anyway." In fact, he sends the bios of every team involved in an Event Hub out to everyone, so I really don't see how this matters.

"I take it that the three of you have not yet met another team?" Shintaro asks. His narrow eyes seem to be watching Arlyssa. Worried about her explosive personality, maybe?

"No," I answer truthfully. "You're the first team that we've met in person."

"Did you attack us?"

All five of turn around to face the table, where the little blond boy ducks his head back underneath. "What did you say?" I ask, genuinely confused by the question. When the boy doesn't respond, I turn to Shintaro. "What was that about?"

"Ah, yes. Before we entered the Hub we were attacked by another team. They threw a knife at Fern. It was inconvenient, but also quite ineffective."

I exchange looks with Arlyssa. Was that, perhaps, the same team that was watching us? The thought is unsettling. If someone as famous as Tetsu is playing this game for keeps, then that doesn't bode well for the possibility of us all just talking this out.

Not that talking things out would have ever worked.

I'm about to ask Shintaro for more information about what happened when he was attacked, but the words die on my lips as a new, deadly sound rings out.

A gunshot.

"That's from outside," Fern says quietly. Vika lets out a yelp and ducks behind the table that Harry is hiding behind.

Arlyssa's fingers twitch towards her revolver, but she doesn't pull out the weapon. "What do we do?" She asks. She sounds unsure, quite the departure from the usual bravado she displays. "Should we check it out?"

"Why would we do that?" Shintaro is the only one unaffected by the gunshot. He lolls against the wall, hands in his pockets as he stares at the entryway. "Whatever is happening out there does not effect us."

"Yet," I add.

He pauses, then nods. "Yet."

Two more gunshots ring out, followed by muffled shouts. I shuffle my feet, palms slick with sweat. Are two teams fighting? It sounds so close...Surely those gunshots are happening in the vineyard. But if so, then that means...

"A third team is about to arrive!" I blurt out.

Everyone looks at me in bewilderment. Yet I only hold their gazes for a few seconds because, moments later, the front door slams open and three girls rush into the room, practically trampling each other in their haste to enter.

There's a yelp of fear as Vika ducks under the table, followed by Arlyssa's curse and what I think is Fern uttering the same thing in Spanish. I don't even know how to react. I'm frozen in indecision as the three girls stop and take in their surroundings, eyes wode with a mix of relief and surprise.

"Congratulations," Shintaro steps forward to meet the girls. "You've successfully made it to an Event Hub."

How can he be so calm?

All three of the girls stare at him as if he's just offered them a snake. Then one of them, a tan brunette, goes to slam the door shut. She looks around for a lock, but when she can't find one she just goes to collect a chair, jamming it beneath the knob. Once this is done, she turns and glares at Shintaro. "Someone just tried to frickin' kill us!"

My heart lurches as my fears are confirmed. Some of the teams are dead set on killing the rest of us.

"Care to explain?" Shintaro is unaffected by the girls display of emotion.

"Somebody shot at us," One of the other girls, a tall African-American, speaks. Her voice is steady and calm, not at all indicative of someone who was just running for their life. "We don't know who. We don't know why. We just ran as fast as we could for the nearest shelter. Which, incidentally, happened to be the very Hub we were headed towards anyways."

A short beep fills the air. The wall behind us, which until now has been blank, coalesces into the image of Dr. Black. Though every inch of him is covered by a cloak or mask, I cannot help but feel a self-satisfied energy coming off him.

"Welcome, TBA team!" He splays his hands in greeting. "You are the third and final team to arrive at this particular Event Hub. That, of course, means that the game can now commence...However...I will delay the start of the game for just a moment longer. It is only fair that I allow each team a chance to examine each other, yes?"

The screen blinks off. I examine the unsure faces of the eight other people in the room with me. The eight complete strangers. I don't know what this game will entail, I don't know what we'll have to do. But I do know one thing.

I'm not going to like it.

Arlyssa Valiante (Beta Team)
I stand with my arms crossed, tapping my foot as I silently watch the three newcomers introduce themselves. I don't trust them. Not an inch. Who knows what they're plotting? They probably want to kill each and every person in this room. Hell, I know that I want to!

The introductions go quickly. Not much is said, and I get the impression that they don't want to reveal too much about themselves. That Mexican girl, Sofia, is particularly careful about this. She says as little as possible and her eyes never stop moving, as if she's trying to watch all of us at the same time. I also notice that she keeps one hand in her pocket at all times. Why? Does she have a concealed weapon?

"Does anyone have any idea who Dr. Black is or what he wants?" Hayle is trying to lead the discussion, trying to find some answers. I don't know why he bothers. Obviously no one knows who that psycho is or what he wants.

"I think we should be a little more concerned about those people who were trying to kill us!" Hannah throws her hands in the air. I can't say that I'm impressed by her. The immaturity she's shown is exceeded only by Harry, that little brat hiding under the table.

Shintaro shakes his head. "As I said before, there is nothing to be concerned about. Fighting is not allowed inside the Hubs. Besides such, there is no way they could enter. In case the rest of you haven't noticed, Dr. Black has locked us inside."

We all turn to the door. The chair that Hannah propped underneath the handle is still there, but there's no other sign that anything has changed. "How do you figure?" Hayle finally asks.

"There was an electrical beep when Zeta Team entered," Shintaro says with a wave of his hand, "it's a simple enough deduction to realize that it was the door locking."

Yeah, right. Shintaro is undoubtedly the skeeviest guy in the room. I don't know why. There's just something...off about him. I can't help but get the feeling that he'd literally stab us in the back and not feel the slightest bit of guilt over it. I could respect that kind of intensity if he was on my team but, of course, he's not.

Which means I'll need to kill him eventually.

It seems like everyone else is trying to avoid that fact. Only one team is making it out of this alive. There's no point in trying to understand Dr. Black or figure out his motive. No point in trying to find a way to escape. That just reeks of desperation. Because we all know there's only one way this ends...

I blink as I come out of my thoughts. I must have zoned out. A quick look around shows that none of the others have noticed. In fact, they seem to have split into groups. Hannah, Fern, and Vika are hanging out by the far wall, quietly talking amongst themselves. Sofia is examining the three unexplained doors, and Hayle is speaking with Shintaro and Francesca. I don't know where Harry is. But he's probably still hiding under a table.

Stupid kid.

"I'm not sure who he was," Francesca is speaking as I walk over to the group. The tall, thin girl holds herself up with confidence, despite the hideous markings that adorn her skin. She seems to be the only one on her team who wants to understand the situation. Which, I guess, is what makes her their unofficial leader. "But he was wearing a suit and had a gun. I do not know what type."

"It's not the same team that attacked us," Shintaro says. "They didn't have guns. If they did, I'm sure they would have shot us instead of using a knife."

"I don't understand why they're trying to kill us," Hayle says with a shake of his head. "Why play right into Dr. Black's hands? He's already doing his best to kill us--no need to help him out."

I can't help but roll my eyes at his naivete. How dense can you be?

"I didn't see his teammates," Francesca continues, ignoring Hayle, "but I assume that they were nearby. It's unlikely that they would have split up."

Shintaro stays silent. There's a look of concentration on his face, as if he thinks this is a puzzle and that if he tries hard enough he'll be able to figure it out. He won't be able to. There's nothing to figure out. You fight, you kill, or you die. That's all there is to it.

Hayle opens his mouth, but before he can say anything a loud giggle has us all turning around. The three idiots, Vika, Fern, and Hannah, have broken into a laughing fit. Apparently one of them told a joke or did something equally stupid.

"Your teammates suck," I tell Francesca.

She raises an eyebrow. "Oh? And what makes you so certain of that?"

"Attention, Challengers!" The voice of Dr. Black echoes around the room as the man himself appears on our screens. Hands clasped before him, he nods his head in greeting as we all stop to stare. "I believe that I have given you all enough time to acquaint yourselves. Now, I will move on to the reason you're all here. The game!"

"And what will this game be?" Shintaro asks.

"It is rather simple, really. To be sure, it is so simple that some of you may be disappointed."

Hayle and Francesca exchange skeptical glances. I just roll my eyes. That claim is extremely unlikely to come true.

"As I said," Dr. Black continues, drowning out Vika as she begins to speak, "the game you are about to play is exceedingly simple. But, before I can explain more thoroughly, I'd like to ask you all to form up in your respective teams and enter one of the three doors before you."

There's an awkward silence following this statement. Hayle takes a step towards one of the doors but pulls back, seemingly unsure of himself. Fern, Hannah, and Vika all mutter to themselves. In fact, the only person who follows Dr. Black's instructions and approaches a door is Shintaro, who stops beside the leftmost door.

With a exasperated grunt, I take my place in front of the middle door.

"I don't suppose there is any point in waiting," Francesca says slowly. She takes one last look at us all before heading for the right door. Sofia, one hand still in her pocket, follows suit.

"There is no point in agonizing over your choice of door," Dr. Black chimes in. "They all lead to identical situations."

All of the others fall into line after this. Hayle and Vika join me, both of them clearly uncomfortable with the situation. I can't say that I share the sentiment. I'm not concerned. No, I'm more...eager. After all, the only way this ends is with the other teams dead and so far the games have been the best way of winnowing down the competition.

"Please enter your rooms."

I open the door and push my way inside. The room we enter isn't very different from the one we just left; the walls and floor are the exact same shade of gray and the shape of the room is even identical. The only real difference is that there's only one door opposite us instead of three. "What's the point of this?" I ask as the door swings shut behind us.

"Where are the other teams?" Hayle asks. Vika is too busy trying to force the door open to respond, so I find myself doing so.

"They're probably in other rooms, stupid."

As he rolls his eyes, I stride forward into the center of the room. Before I get any further, Dr. Black appears on my datapad. I say nothing as I take in the sight of the enigmatic man. I know that I give the others a hard time for trying to figure out his motives but, well, I can't help but feel just a little curious about that myself. Why is he doing this?

"Greetings, Beta Team. Listen carefully, for I am about to explain the rules of this game to you. Actually, you all should have no problem following along, as these rules are very similar to the Decision Game that you already played."

Huh. What does that mean? I think back to the game we played before, the one were we cast votes for who on Alpha Team would die. Are we going to do that again?

"I will not kill anyone!" Vika interrups.

Dr. Black holds up a hand. "Now, now, do not fret. You will not be killing anyone in this particular game."

Vika lets out a sigh of relief as Hayle nods, looking pleased. I don't share their feelings. If no one is going to die, then how will we get any closer to winning? "What's the point of this game?" I ask, frustrated.

"I suppose you could call it a test of sorts. A way of activating your stressors and seeking Awakening."

I blink, shocked that Dr. Black actually answered a question. I didn't understand anything he said, of course, but the fact that he even bothered to reply is a huge change from his earlier evasions. I open my mouth to ask a follow-up, but he just rolls right along.

"Now, before there are any more interruptions, please allow me to explain the rules of the game, the name of which will be the Decision Game: Weak Link Edition. In short, you three will each be voting for whom you believe is the weakest member of your team."

"What does that even mean?" Hayle asks what we're all thinking.

"I thought what I said was rather simple but, alas, apparently it was not. Very well. Here are the rules. The three of you will each have one vote. You will be presented with three options; each option being a member of your own Team, including yourself. You will be given a period of time to think over your decision, after which you will then proceed to vote. Keep in mind, however, that unlike in the last Decision Game, whomever receives the most votes will not be killed or otherwise harmed."

I mull these words over in my head, trying to understand them. The three of us are supposed to decide who the weakest on our team is? And they won't be hurt? Something about that seems off, but I can't quite place my finger on it.

"What are the other teams doing?" I ask.

"The very same thing as you. They will also be deciding their weakest member."

A quick glance at Hayle and Vika shows that neither of them really understand this either. What's the point? What happens to the weakest member? Something has to happen, doesn't it? The game would be pointless otherwise.

"You have five minutes to think over your decision." Dr. Black blinks off the screen.

"Well!" Vika sets hands on her hips as she stares down at her datapad. "This doesn't sound so bad."

"That's why I'm worried," Hayle mutters. Vika shoots him a look and, just like that, her bravado melts away. Eyes widening like saucers, she gawps at him.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"This sounds too simple. Too...neat," Apparently Hayle thinking matches up with mine. He paces across the room, rapping his knuckles against the far wall. "There has to be some sort of catch. But...What is it?"

I shrug. "It doesn't matter." And that's true. No matter what the catch is, no matter what happens after the vote, it won't change my long-term goal. It won't remove us from the situation we're in. As long as I'm still alive and kicking at the end of this game, then nothing else matters.

Hayle is still talking, but I've tuned him out. I'm focused solely on the upcoming vote. It won't be a hard decision. It's pretty frickin' obvious who our weakest member is. So, an easy vote and then a quick jaunt out of the Event Hub. After that I can get back to the real task, killing the other teams and escaping this hellhole.

It's a simple plan, but simple things are often the best.

Sofia Cortez (Zeta Team)
I stare at my datapad as the screen goes into a loading screen, my vote being processed. The weakest member of our team...It was not a hard decision. Hannah has shown remarkably poor judgment and little skill or strength. Not as much as Francesca, at least.

Speaking of the tall girl, she steps back as she finishes her own vote, watching us with her dark eyes. Who did she vote? I feel that her vote will be the deciding factor; mostly because I can't see Hannah voting for anyone save myself.

Stupid girl.

"So what do we do now?" Hannah asks. Once again she is making that stupid pouting face which shows that she is unsure. "Like, do we just wait?"

Francesca nods. "I suspect that is precisely what we're to do."

My stomach feels queasy. The usual symptom of nervousness. But I am not just nervous. I'm afraid. What happens after the vote? Dr. Black says that no one will be harmed, but I do not believe a word that he says. Maybe the weakest member will be killed.

My two teammates seem equally upset. Hannah keeps playing with her braid, occasionally glancing back to look at the door where we entered from. Francesca keeps an outward appearance of calm, but the way she keeps glancing down at her datapad betrays her emotions.

I feel at the Walther p99, still strapped to my thigh. I do not want to ever use it. I hate violence. Despise it. I will never harm another person as long as I have another choice. But...

Will I have any other choice?

I can feel the weight of the game sinking in on me, crushing me. The desperation chips away at my morales and resolve. I have a gun. Few others do. I could just go and shoot them all, make my path to victory so much easier. It would be so simple.

But I cannot. Murder, violence...I've seen too much to be apart of such things. The wrongness that such actions radiate make me shudder with disgust and fear. Disgust at the immorality of it all. Fear because I might just become desperate enough to do it.

"What is the point of there being three teams?" Hannah suddenly asks.

"Hmm?" Francesca looks up from her datapad. "Come again?"

"Why does this game require three teams?" Hannah gestures at the doorway. "One team could have done this just as easily. So why three?"

No one answers her. What is the answer? I don't know. But I know that wondering would be useless. Dr. Black seems to just do whatever he wants, whether it makes sense or not.

"Attention, Zeta Team!" We all jump as Dr. Black's voice emits from her wrists. A cursory glance shows the words "Voting Results" written on the screen of our datapads. Dr. Black is nowhere to be seen. "It is time for us to see whom you have decided is your weakest member."

None of us looks at one another. We all know that two of us have just outed the other as being weak. Useless. How will they take that revelation?

The screen transitions to a picture of our heads and, underneath the pictures, the results.

Francesca Rowe 0

Sofia Cortes 1

Hannah Jackson 2

I feel let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. So Francesca didn't vote me. I do not know why I feel so surprised. Hannah was certainly the obvious choice. Speaking of which...

I turn to watch Hannah, surprised to see that she is taking the news rather lightly. She stands with one hand on her a hip, and a small, wry smile on her lips. "I'm actually surprised I didn't receive more votes," She chuckles. Cracking her knuckles, she nods at me and Francesca. "No hard feelings, mates. I knew this would be the result."

What? I force my face to remain blank, as not to feel my confusion. What she just said doesn't make sense...

"Very interesting. It appears that your team has decided that you are the weak link, Ms. Jackson," Dr. Black voice speaks, though he is still absent from the screen. "Thus, you are now required to immediately enter the door before you. Alone. Your teammates will not be allowed to join you."

My heart begins to beat against my chest at those worda. Why alone? What is about to happen? Francesca, looking as worried as I feel, steps forward as if to protest, but the words die on her lips.

Hannah laughs, patting her on the back. "Don't worry, Fran. I won't be harmed, remember?" Her tone and actions are jovial, but I can see the uncertainty in her eyes. And behind the uncertainty, fear.

"Be careful," Francesca finally speaks, her words hoarse.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Hannah winks playfully at us and walks up to the door. I don't know how she can remain so outwardly calm when she surely must be feeling a tempest of emotions. Stopping with one hand on the knob, she turns to give us both a nod. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it!"

With one last laugh she opens the doors, steps inside, and disappears from sight.

The door immediately slams shut behind her.

"I do not like this," Francesca murmurs as soon as Hannah is gone.

While I agree with that sentiment, I cannot focus on my fear for Hannah. I have other things to be concerned about. Such as my own safety, and the trustworthiness of the girl beside me.

I expected to receive more votes. Hannah's words when she saw the results. Why would she say that? Two votes are the maximum someone can get, right? Except...Dr. Black had said it was possible to vote yourself. The fact that Hannah thought she would receive more than two can only mean one thing: She didn't vote for me.

Francesca did.

I watch the dark girl as she frets and worries over Hannah. Now I understand why she was so lost during the results. She had expected me to be the one up there, having received both hers and Hannah's votes.

I knew I couldn't trust her. Not that voting for Hannah would have made her any more trustworthy. No, it didn't matter what she voted. Either way I wouldn't be able to trust r. Not here. Not anywhere.

"Dr. Black?" Francesca tentatively calls into her datapad.

No response.

Sighing, she turns to me. "Well, now what are we supposed to do? Wait for Hannah?"

Before I can respond, the door swings open.

We both spin around, expecting to see Hannah. But our greetings die before they even begin, because the girl who emerges from the doorway isn't Hannah.

It's Arlyssa.

"What the hell are you two staring at?" The redhead plants two hands on her hips, glaring at us with bright blue eyes that flash dangerously.

I'm so surprised that I don't know how to respond. Fortunately, Francesca isn't similarly inhibited. "We could ask you the same thing. After all, we were expected our teammate and are quite surprised that...you appeared."

"Oh, really?" Arlyssa laughs humorlessly, tossing her hair back. "Yeah, well, I'm equally surprised as you. Didn't expect those two morons to both vote me." Understanding flickers in my mind. Votes. Arlyssa and her team were playing the same game that we were. So that means...

"You were voted the weakest?" Francesca asks.

"What, are you stupid?" Arlyssa glares at her. "I just said that, didn't I?"

An overwhelming sense of distaste fills me. I do not like this girl. Not her words or her demeanour. I hadn't really paid her any attention during our short time together, and now I know why that was a smart decision.

"But why are you here?" I blurt out.

Arlyssa's glare switches to me. "How the hell would I know? I just followed the path through the doorway."

My mind races with this information. Doorway. Arlyssa was voted the weakest and wound up here...does that mean Hannah is with--

"Attention, Zeta Team!"

Our datapads come to life as Dr. Black appears on screen. He's sitting on some kind of highbacked chair, hands on the rests as his cane lies across his lap. His beaked mask watches us expressionlessly.

"Are you going to explain, or just sprout some more cryptic nonsense?" Arlyssa demands. At least she's aggressive to everyone.

"My, my, you are quite impatient, Ms. Valiante. You should calm down, lest you burn something down instead."

"What the hell does that mean!"

"Excuse me, sir," Francesca cuts into the conversation. "But could you please explain what happened to Hannah? We are quite worried about her."

"Hmm. Yes. I will explain. You see, when you voted, you were not just voting to determine who was your weakest member. You were also, in essence, voting to kick that member off your team."

"Wait. You mean..."

"Yes, Ms. Rowe. As the vote has shown, Zeta Team collectively decided to kick Hannah Jackson from the team. However, do not be disappointed. You two are not at a disadvantage because, as you may have already surmised, Ms. Valiante here has also been kicked off her team. Why does this matter to you? Well, put simply, Arlyssa is now a member of Zeta Team."

I close my eyes and let the despair wash over me. Hannah is gone. No longer our teammate. In her place we have received this rude, obnoxious girl. Great. Just great.

"You can't be serious..." Francesca looks to Arlyssa, then Dr. Black, and then back to Arlyssa. "Why...what was the purpose of this whole game?"

Dr. Black leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he watches us with those cold, masked eyes. For a long moment he doesn't speak. I don't think he ever will when he suddenly leans forward, synthesized voice brought low to a whisper, and answers. "To study your reactions, of course."

The screen blinks off.

"Well, woopdeedoo!" Arlyssa throws her hands up in mock celebration. "What an enlightening answer! I can't believe he was so forthright with us!"

"The sarcasm is unnecessary," Francesca says idily. She appears to be deep in thought. I would be doing the same, but the emotions I am feeling aren't very conductive to thinking. Hannah was unreliable and erratic, but at least she was somewhat sensible. This Arlyssa girl, however...

"Well, it's been nice meeting you two, but it's time to jet. Later." With a brief wave of her hand, Arlyssa takes a few steps towards the doorway, swings it open, and exits the room.

I stare after her, confused. "That girl is loco!"

Francesca gives a deep sigh. "I believe you're right. Unfortunately, we're her teammates. Best to keep up with her."

The two of us follow her out into the main room, where we had first encountered the other teams. None of the others are present now, though. The room is completely empty save for me and Francesca. They must still be in the voting chambers.

"Did she really leave by herself?" I ask, noticing that the doorway whichs leads into the vineyard is wide open. Doesn't she know how dangerous it is out there? I still get chills just thinking about those wolves from yesterday; not to mention that loco man who chased us with a gun!

Francesca is halfway across the room when I grab her by the arm. "What's the matter?" She asks, turning to frown at me.

"What if he's still out there?"

"Whom do you mean?"

"The man with the gun!" The heart-pounding terror of being chased by someone wielding a weapon is not something I can forget.

"We've been inside this Hub for more than an hour, I doubt he is still lurking about."

I let Francesca go. Of course. I was being foolish. Why would anyone linger for so long? Still, the fear won't leave me. I do not like how exposed we are outside. But, all the same, I go with Francesca as she steps out back into the vineyard. Time has passed since we first entered and now the sun is high in the sky, though slightly veiled by clouds.

"Arlyssa!" Franscesa calls out. "Arlyssa, where'd you go?"

In response, there's a click of a gun.

A man rounds the side of the Hub, sleek black handgun held tightly in a two-handed grip. With that strong jaw, broad shoulders, and dark eyes, it is impossible to mistake him for anyone but the guy who had chased us earlier. His finger slides towards the trigger, barrel pointed straight at Franscesca.

"Freeze!" I don't remember pulling my Walther out. I can't remember even stopping to remember that I had it. But it's in my hands now as I take aim at the man who would do us harm. "Drop it! Now!"

The man doesn't drop his gun. He doesn't even respond. His eyes swivel to take me in, but other than that there's no indication that he even heard me. I don't know what to do. I had thought that he'd panic at the sight of my weapon, maybe even run away. But he hasn't even twitched!

"Drop your gun or I'll put a bullet in your head!"

This time I get his attention. His head turns to face me, though his weapon stays trained on Francesca. "I don't fear you or your corruption!" A sinister smile crosses his face as he speaks. "I shall destroy you at your roots. Pull you out, salt the earth. You have no sway over me."

My finger itches to pull the trigger. To put him down. But at the same time my stomach roils at the thought. Could I really do it? Commit such a loathsome act of violence? I vowed to never stoop so low. To never become what had been around me my entire life. I can't kill.

I can't.

Despite his tough words, the man watches me with vast wariness. His body is as rigid as a statue, his eyes frozen on my face. He doesn't want to die. I can get him to stand down, to back off. This doesn't need to end in violence.

"Walk away!" I order. My firm voice shows none of the inner turmoil inside me. "Just walk away and I'll let you live. Stay and you die. Make your choice."

From the corner of my eye I see Francesca moving. Slowly, very slowly. She is backstepping towards a nearby hedge and the protection it offers. She'll be able to escape, if I can just drag things out for a little longer.

"What are you waiting for, bastardo?" I ask the man when I see he has made no move. "Are you that eager to die?"

His only response is to smile.

"What's so funny?"

"You forgot...this is a team game."

A gunshot.

It feels like I've been punched in the chest. My Walther drops from my hand as I reel backwards, sucking in a deep breath that brings no air. Fingers feel at my chest. They come away slick with blood. My head thumps against the ground. Vision is blurry. Can't form thoughts. I see the man fire two quick shots. Who...

There's the sound of a third gunshot, followed by nothing at all.

Vjena Kovač (Delta Team)
I automatically begin reloading my rifle as, out in the field before me, the girl finally dies. There's several pops of gunfire as Ryder shoots after her teammate. Uselessly, of course. There's no way he'll be able to hit her through that dense of foliage.

"Vjena Kovac has eliminated Sofia Cortez with a rifle." Our datapads confirm what I already know as I step out into the clearing, keeping an eye on the Event Hub. Shinji follows behind me. Though his face is pallid and he trembles with every footstep, he makes no audible protestation.

Looks like he's smartened up.

"Good job," Ryder turns to us as we approach, "It is refreshing to find subordinates who can think on their own and don't have to be micromanaged."

I'm not your subordinate! The thought races across my mind but I have enough sense to keep it to myself. As long as Ryder is teamed with me there is no reason to rile him up. No sensible reason, at least. "Where is their third teammate?" I ask.

Ryder gestures at the fields of trellises around us. "Gone. She ran off the moment the doors opened."

I frown. Ran off? "She abandoned her teammates?"

"Seems that way."

As Ryder walks off reloading his gun, I glance at the dead girl's body. Blood is already pooling around her, slowly seeping from the hole in her heart where I placed my bullet. The sight of her does nothing to change my emotions. I have already decided that I'm going to win this game, no matter what. I've hunted and killed countless animals over my life. This is nothing new.

To me, this girl was just another deer.

Movement on my right brings Shinji to my attention. He's staring down at the body with a barely concealed look of horror. "What's the matter?" I ask him. "Do you recognize her?"

"N-no," He shakes his head and looks away. "Never seen her in my life."

So he does recognize her. Odd. Where would he possibly have seen her? I can't think of situation where he would have had the opportunity. Perhaps he knew her from before our kidnapping? That would open a whole new can of worms, to be sure.

Best not to dwell on it.

"Team! Form up!" Ryder yells and both Shinji and I fall into line. Shinji has wiped his face clean and his face now sports a completely blank expression. Apparently he doesn't mind if I see his emotions, just Ryder.

Interesting.

"There's no point hanging around here," Ryder tells us. "The other teams will either hole up in the Hub or have left through some other exit. We don't want to waste time here. We have other things to do. Greater things."

Kill more people, I suppose. Well, if I am forced to do something, I better be the best at it. That's the best thing about my recent kill. It was mine. I now have the same amount of eliminations as Ryder. He's no longer better than me. No. He's tied with me.

And I'm just getting started.

Shintaro Sosune (Lambda Team)
"I told you so."

The gunshots have long faded away, leaving the three of us in unbroken silence as we sit in the Event Hub voting chamber. The announcement of the most recent death did much to unsettle Fernanda and Hannah, though all it did for me was confirm my suspicions.

"Do you not care that someone just died?" Fernanda whips around to glare at me.

"Would caring help me save them?"

"I...well, no, but--"

"Then I will continue to not make that mistake."

I am conscious of their eyes on me as I sit atop the voting pedestal, flipping my knife in the air, catching it by the end, and tossing it back up again. The fools. They're letting their sentimentality get in the way of what's truly important. If they had their way they'd have rushed out of the Hub the moment the game ended and met the same fate as Sofia.

"How did you know that would happen anyway?" Hannah addresses me for what must be the first time since joining my team. Catching my knife, I stow it in my belt and turn to face her. With her heart-shaped face, blue eyes, full lips, and athletically toned body, Hannah is what an average person would classify as beautiful.

The only thing I classify her as is a good swimmer.

"Simple logic," I nod at her. "Your teammate Francesca mentioned that you were chased inside the Hub. It only made sense that the team which chased you would wait outside for you to reappear."

Hannah doesn't respond. She just shakes her head before burying her face in her hands. Mourning her fallen teammate, I suppose. Well, former teammate. I can't say that I predicted the team swap, but I also can't say I'm too surprised by it. There was only a limited number of possibilities for what the vote could entail, after all.

Fernanda goes to comfort Hannah, placing one hand on her back as she murmurs something to her. The two of them had become quickly become friends in the short time before the vote. I'm not quite certain why, but I overheard something about them both having a love of surfing.

As the two girls come to terms with the most recent death, I try to think about the ramifications of this game and its aftermath. With Sofia dead Zeta Team is reduced to just Francesca and Arlyssa. A formidable duo. Their strengths might just make up for their lack of numbers, though I imagine they will have difficulties getting along.

Beta Team lost Arlyssa but gained Harry. That boy received all three votes from our team, including his own. I'm glad he's gone. Harry was inarguably weakest member of our team and Hannah is an infinite step up from him. Similarly, Beta Team is now in a much weaker position then it was before. Though I cannot be certain until I know more about Hayle and Vika, the team seems to lack any real threat. Not to mention the fact that Harry had given his gun to Fernanda earlier today and never reclaimed it, meaning we lost our weakest link but kept his best asset. A win for us indeed.

"I shouldn't have voted for myself!" Hannah is on the verge of tears. "If I hadn't, then Sofia would still be alive!"

"And you would be dead in her place."

"Shintaro!" Fernanda whips around to glare at me.

I can only offer a shrug. "That's the truth. If Hannah hadn't voted for herself then Sofia would be here and she'd be dead instead." If Hannah thinks that's preferable then more power to her, but I'm not about to just sit by and let her act like voting Sofia would have fixed everything.

"You don't have to listen to him, Hannah," Fernanda says.

"I--no. He's right," Hannah rubs a fist against her cheek, standing up. While her eyes are red and glistening with unshed tears, she holds herself with a determined confidence. "I can't just sit back and blame myself. That doesn't solve anything."

"Hannah..."

"There is one person who I can blame, though." Hannah lifts her arm and gives the datapad there a stony stare. "Isn't that right, Dr. Black?"

There is, of course, no response from the man in question. He only ever appears on his terms, it appears. I have to wonder just what his plans for us all are. Try as I might, I've failed to spot any trend or pattern in the people he's chosen for this game. We're all too different, too varied. If there's a reason for why he chose the thirty of us, I have no idea what it is.

Hannah and Fernanda continue to speak amongst themselves, conversing in low voices. I can't help but notice that Fernanda has shown more compassion and sympathy for Hannah then she ever did for Harry. Can't say I'm too surprised, though. As I've said before, that kid was aggravating.

I walk along the wall and pull at all the other doors. Predictably, they're locked. Still, I trace the wall until I get to the door that leads out into the main chamber. A cursory glance shows it to be empty. Whether that means Beta Team has already left or is simply biding their time in the voting chamber, I couldn't say.

Fernanda notices my movements. "Is it safe to leave?" She asks. Hannah looks over her shoulder, waiting for my answer.

Another flash of crimson as I watch her. "I believe so. But where would we go? We've never left the vineyard after all."

"You've never left?" Hannah seems shocked. "My team...we saw a lot of different places."

"Oh? Care to explain?"

Hannah launches into a tale of her time since waking up. She's a good storyteller, animated and heavy on description. Still, I interrupt her periodically to ask for more details or clarifications. Since I literally cannot forget, it is imperative that I learn as much about our "Playing Field" as possible.

Supposedly there is a swamp somewhere to our southeast, just beyond a coastal plain and light forest. A heavy temperate woods lie to our west, in what I presume to be the center of the Playing Field, with a vast reaching moorland even further west. An apartment complex rests in the most southwestern corner, and a small island, accessible only by bridge, lies to the extreme south.

"The other teams aren't the only threats," Hannah says as she describes the woods, "We ran into some wolves out there. Big, nasty things. They had red eyes and were the most vicious looking animals I'd ever seen!"

Red eyed wolves? Why does that sound so familiar? An intense, almost painful feeling pulsates in the back of my head as I ruminate on this. Once again it feels like I should know something but don't. No, worse. It feels like I knew something but forgot.

"We should avoid the woods, then," Fernanda says, interrupting thoughts. Apparently the conversation has continued without me. "There's no point in risking an encounter with those wolves."

"We could head north, but..."

"But what?" I ask.

Hannah grimaces. "I don't know what is in the north. Never been that way."

"We could follow the coast," Fernanda suggests. She almost sounds wistful. "Maybe we could even get on a beach?"

Hannah's eyes light up. "Ooh! I'd love that!

That pretty much ends the discussion. Hannah and Fernanda launch into conversation about waves and sand, and the best time to head out. The two of them think that we should wait for another hour before leaving. They don't ask my opinion. In fact, they seem to almost ignore me altogether. I'm honestly fine with that. The more I learn about this game, the more I begin to suspect that the biggest threat to me isn't another Challenger, a wolf, or anything like that. No. The biggest threat to me is of a much wider scope than any of that.

It's Dr. Black himself.

Milan Pamalan (Epsilon Team)
We walk along the sunny path that follows the cliffs, curving above the beach and snaking southward. Hayden leads the way, bright eyes alert as he constantly surveys the landscape around us. I don't know how well he can use that crossbow, but his demeanour suggests that he is an expert. Junie, despite her injured leg, manages to keep up with us. She lags a little behind, but not far enough back to be in any danger.

We've been walking for a little more than a hour now, having left the warehouse as soon as Junie woke up, which was slightly past noon. Our plan was to attend an Event Hub, but were disappointed to learn that the one that we had initially intended to visit, the eastern Hub, had already been activated. Apparently three teams were exceedingly eager to play Dr. Black's game.

We aren't completely out of luck, however. The other Hub, the one set somewhere in the south, is still open. And despite the uneasiness I sense in my comrades, I intend to ensure that we're apart of the next game.

The dirt trodden path we follow is simple and free of obstacles. The map on my datapad says that it should bring us straight to the Event Hub, which is both convenient and worrisome. For if this is the easiest path there, does that mean other teams will also be using it?

For somewhere around the sixteenth time, I turn to take in my surroundings. To my right is a cliff with a sharp, short drop to the beach below. The pristine sand is desolate except for some seashells and a few scuttling crabs. On my other side is an open field, with medium-length grass swaying gently in the wind. Beyond the grass lies a forest with undergrowth so thick that it is impossible to see inside.

That forest troubles me. It is the only place where an enemy could hide, and with that undergrowth they could hide well. If anyone had a gun with long enough range, they could lie prone in the forest and pick us off as we walked by.

There would be nothing we could do to prevent it.

"The Hub isn't much further now," Hayden says from the front. He seems to have the same worries about the forest as I, for his eyes never leave it. "And we'll be safe once we're inside."

"Until the game starts!" Junie calls from behind us.

Hayden grimaces. "Until the game starts, yes."

I'm not worried about the game. In the game there will be rules and regulations, orders that need to be followed. It will be easy to know what I need to do win and how I'm supposed to do it. But out here? There are no rules, no plans. Anyone can do anything at anytime. That makes it very chaotic and impossible to predict.

Just like on the streets of Manila.

I try to ignore the feelings that bubble up when I think of home. I fail. All the emotions pour into me. Fear. Anger. Despair. Ryle is all alone now. I'm not there to protect him. Wait, no. No, he is not alone. He's with the Runaways. They'll protect him. They promised me they would.

Except...

That promise relied on me running jobs for them. That was the reason Ryle didn't have to run the streets with me. So what'll happen now that I am gone? Will they stay true to their word, or will they force him into the crime to make up for my absence? I don't think they would do that. I trusted my fellow Runaways, thought of them as almost like family. They surely thought the same. They'll take care of Ryle until I get back.

I shake my head, banishing these thoughts. I can't afford to to worry about Ryle and the Runaways. They are outside the game. The game. What else is there? Everything I want, all my aspirations and needs, are wrapped up in this game, wrapped up in me winning.

So I absolutely need to win.

The path we've been following leaves the shoreline, skirting closer to the forest and the trees. Except, no, it's not really a forest anymore. It's taken on the appearance of a bog or a swamp, with thick, muddy water sloshing around the roots of the large cypress-like trees that grow there.

Hayden pulls up short, staring down at the water with a distasteful expression. "That could be dangerous," He says.

I agree. Most of the brackish water seems to be about knee-height, the bottom coated with a thick, cement-like mud that could very easily swallow us whole, if we were to take a careless step.

"Is the Hub in there?" Junie asks. The girl has finally caught up to us and stops beside our shoulders.

Hayden nods. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Damn."

Uneasiness itches at me, tingles down my side. It would be so easy to set up an ambush in there. So simple to set up a trap. But you might not even need a trap in there. The mud and water, not to mention any hidden animals, could finish us just as easily.

Hayden approaches the nearest body of water at a slow walk. Crouching down, he scans the mud around it, following some unseen trail to the far side, where he straightens out and turns to look at us. "There's bootprints here," He calls back. "Apparently another team is already ahead of us."

I let out a hiss of breath. Why is everyone so eager to play the games? I was expecting nost teams to lie back and wait, too afraid to take the risk of entering a Hub. But those expectations seem to be very wrong. The other teams aren't afraid.

They're eager.

"We could always just turn back," Junie suggests. She stands with one hand on her hip, hair tied back behind her head as she stares out into the swamp with a distasteful expression. "We don't necessarily have to enter the Hub."

"We're entering." I push past the surprised Junie, walking towards Hayden. I ask him which way the prints lead and he points south, through a tangle of grasping nettles that skirt around several ponds. "Can you keep following the tracks?"

He nods. "Probably."

That's good enough for me. "Then what are we waiting for?" I gesture for Hayden to lead the way, then stalk after him, axe in hand. I don't care how dangerous this trip is or if any other team tries to stop us. I'm going to enter that Hub. I'm going to win the game.

No matter what.

Zantae Neilson (Kappa Team)
The inside of the Event Hub looks nothing like I thought it would. Instead of being filled with tortuous devices or sinister equipment it is just filled with...furniture. Actually, it doesn't look any different from an ordinary waiting room you would find anywhere. There's several chairs lined up neatly against the wall, a pair of sofas, an oval coffee table, and a single small cabinet.

I run my hands along the length of this cabinet before opening it. I'm not surprised to find it empty. The whole thing is probably just for show anyway. I turn, sighing, and look towards my two teammates. Satoshi lies on one of the sofas, staring up at the ceiling and occasionally muttering to himself. We've been inside the Hub for almost two hours now, and he's been almost driven mad from the boredom. "Just hang in there," I tell him.

He glances up at me. "Ugh! When will another team come? I don't think I can last another hour." He rolls onto his side and shakes his head. "Maybe this is the game. Maybe Dr. Black just wants to watch us go insane." If that were true, then Dr. Black would have to wait a long time before I cracked. I've always been a patient person, so this waiting hasn't taxed me much at all. The same could be said for Nailah, though for different reasons.

Right now she's sitting on one the chairs, staring at her datapad with her lips pursed and eyes narrowed. She's been like that pretty much all day. Ever since she looked at the descriptions for the other teams, at least.

Amare Adebowale. That's one of the names that belong to Delta Team. And, according to Nailah, Amare is her twin sister.

It's not hard to believe. The fact that they both have the same last name and look completely identical practically confirms it, anyways. My heart breaks at the thought that both of them are on separate teams, ordered to kill each other so that one of them can live. That's how the game works, after all. Kill everyone on the opposing teams. But...

I'm going to end the Black Games.

I don't know how, yet. But I'm determined to do so. This travesty cannot be allowed to continue. Too many people have already lost their lives. Ophyra. Waiyaki. Evie. Sofia. My parents.

It feels like a cinderblock has been dropped on my chest as I think of my parents. My loving, wonderful parents. Leave no witnesses. That is what Dr. Black said the night that I was taken. He ordered their deaths. What else could he have meant? I hate him. I hate him for what he has done and what he continues to do. How can he be so barbaric? So cruel? I hate him.

So I will stop him.

Still...easier said than done. I've spent almost twenty-four hours thinking of how I could end these Games, or even just escape them, and have yet to come up with an answer. There must be one. I'm just not thinking hard enough or, I don't know how, missing something important. There's no way this Game is foolproof. That's impossible.

I let out another sigh and sit down on one of the chairs, a few spots away from Nailah. She's the only reason we're even in the Hub. Neither Satoshi nor I really wanted to attend, but she pushed us towards it. I'm not entirely certain why, but I'm hoping it's not because she wants to kill the other teams. I haven't forgotten how she attempted to murder someone yesterday. She may be my teammate, but I still do not fully trust her. How could I trust someone who is so willing to kill?

"We don't need to eliminate the other teams," For some reason I find myself speaking aloud. "We can just escape. I'll find a way."

Nailah looks up from her datapad. "It is good to have hope. Giving in to despair should never be an option. Yet...don't close yourself off to reality in search of that hope." She looks back at her datapad and I know that she is thinking of her sister.

"We can save her, Nailah. I know we can."

"Yes, but...she shouldn't be here." She grimaces, tapping her wrist. "Why is she here? Why?"

I don't have an answer for that question. No helpful one, at least. "Dr. Black kidnapped her, I guess. Maybe he got you and her at the same time."

Nailah shakes her head. "No, that isn't true. I wasn't--"

The Hubs' door swings open.

Three people shuffle inside, bunched up in a tight formation. A tall, tan girl leads the way, holding a sharp axe in a defensive posture. A broad-shouldered man is right behind her, with a loaded crossbow in his hands and aimed straight for us. And even further behind is a small asian girl, one I don't have time to examine as I'm stepping forward, hands held up in a sign of peace. "We don't mean you any harm!"

"Put the gun down!" The man barks out an order, completely ignoring me. I turn to see Nailah standing beside me, sniper rifle trained on the three new arrivals. She is stone-still. Stoic. Her body doesn't so much as twitch when speaks.

"Lower your crossbow, then I will comply."

"I repeat; put the gun down!"

Tension crackles in the room. Fills the air. I swear I can feel it pushing down on me. This situation is going to explode, and explode quickly, if I don't do something. But what can I do? I'm unarmed...

Without thinking, I step forward and place myself directly in front of Nailah. She lets out a hiss, orders me to stand aside. I shake my head. "No, Nailah. I can't do that. We need to work with the other teams; we won't be able to do that if we treat them as enemies."

The newcomers don't know how to react. The man holding the crossbow twitches, as if he is thinking of lowering his own weapon. The girl in front scowls. The one in the back watches with narrowed eyes that shift from person to person, never staying still.

For a long moment no one responds. Then Nailah sighs. "Oh, Zantae. Fine. I'll do as they say." Slowly, deliberately, Nailah takes her gun and stows it in the holster on her back.

The tension dissipates almost immediately. The man lowers his crossbow, almost looking relieved to do so. He then offers us a handshake, introducing himself as Hayden. His teammates follow suit; the girl with the axe is named Milan, the other Junie.

"I'm Zantae!" I force myself to smile as I shake Hayden's hand. I need these people to trust me. I won't be able to get anywhere with them if they don't. "And, well, you already know Nailah. And that's Satoshi..." I'm forced to look around for him, since he is not with us. After a few seconds of scanning the room, I spot him peeking out from behind a couch. "You can come out, Satoshi. Everything is fine."

His only response is to give a thumbs up.

That's not the reaction I wanted, but I play it off with a laugh. No one else joins in. Despite the lowered weapons, tension and unease still linger. Milan especially seems unwilling to relax. Her grip on that axe is iron-like, and the expression she carries only slightly softer. "What has happened to you guys so far?" I ask, desperately trying to break the ice. "I mean, since the Games began."

"Nothing good." Milan answers. She brushes past me, scanning the room. Apparently she is unimpressed. "This is it? The Hub?"

"Yeah. I guess so."

"Then what is the game?"

Why does she sound so eager? I find alarm bells going off in my head, but I press it aside. Or at least try to. "I don't know. Dr. Black hasn't told us."

"You've spoken to him?"

"No..." This isn't going how I wanted. I need to get them to give me information, anything that I can use. Just asking about the game doesn't help me! "Have you guys spoken to him?" I ask.

Hayden shakes his head. "Nope. The only time we've heard from him has been at the beginning and during those midnight announcements."

"Is there a particular reason you would like to speak with me?" I squeak in surprise as the entire wall behind us coalesces into the image of Dr. Black. He looms large as he folds his arms, glassed eyes reflecting light as they gaze unto us.

"We're here for the game, remember?" Milan sounds impatient as she scowls at the screen.

"Of course, of course. Well. Just head on through those doors head of you. Kappa on the right, Epsilon on the left."

My hopes of gaining an alliance between our teams slips away as Milan leads her team into the marked door. I repress a sigh. Things aren't going well, but I can't just give up. No one has ever succeeded by just quiting.

I reluctantly follow Nailah through the doorway and into a nearly identical room. The only real difference I can spot is the strange receptacle in the back of the room and a large podium set up in the center. The three of us crowd around it, though I'm still kicking myself over the previous failure.

"I am going to get straight to the point," Dr. Black pops onto the screen with no introduction. Not that one was really necessary. "Before you can play the game, you are required to deposit all of your items into the receptacle before you."

What? Satoshi and I exchange a look of confusion as Nailah raises an eyebrow. "And what will happen to our items?"

"They will be safely stored away for the length of the game. Afterwards, they will be returned to you, depending on the result." Depending on the result? I don't like the sound of that. Not at all. What if were to lose our stuff? How would we even get any more food?

"Dude, there's no way I'm giving you my stuff!" Satoshi shakes his head.

"Technically, all of your possessions are, in fact, mine. I am the one who gave you them, if you remember."

Satshi opens his mouth only to snap it shut again. Muttering something in Japanese, he grabs his bag and walks over to drop it in the receptacle. "I hate your stupid logic!" I follow his lead, knowing very well that even thinking about disobeying would be futile. Dr. Black has all the other power. We quite literally have to do anything he says.

Nailah is slightly more hesitant. Still, she eventually drops her bag inside, followed by her sniper rifle. She steps back towards the podium when Dr. Black speaks. "I said all of your possessions, Ms. Adebowale. That includes the knife in your boot."

Nailah starts in surprise. Knife? Her supplied weapon was the rifle, so where did she get a knife? I watch curiously as Nailah slips the blade out of her boot and brusquely drops it in the receptacle.

Dr. Black nods. "Good. Now that you have all complied, I will explain what will happen. The game you are about to play is called "Ally or Betray". The rules are as follows; your team and Epsilon Team will each be asked to choose one of two options; Ally or Betray. This decision will decide whether you will have your possessions returned to you, or if you'll be required to play more games for that possibility."

Satoshi scratches his head. "Uh...What?"

"For further clarification, please consult your datapads." I look down, not surprised to find that my screen has transitioned to a new image, one that seems to be a rules page. I read it, studying the words.

''If Epsilon and Kappa both choose to Betray the other, each team will be forced to play two more games.

If Kappa Betrays Epsilon but Epsilon chooses Ally, Kappa will have their possessions returned and will not have to play another game. Epsilon will forced to play two more games. (and vice versa)

If Kappa and Epsilon both choose Ally, then both teams will play one more game.''

Satoshi throws his hands in the air. "Again. What?"

"This is the prisoners dilemma," I say. Satoshi gives me a deadpan stare, so I quickly explain. "The prisoner's dilemma is a standard example of a game analyzed in game theory that shows why two completely rational individuals might not cooperate, even if it appears that it is in their best interests to do so. This isn't exactly a perfect replica of the dilemma, but it's certainly close enough."

"I still don't understand," Satoshi mutters even as Nailah nods.

"I know this problem," She says. "But the game's inspiration matters little. Our obvious course of action is to choose Betray."

"What? No!" I shake my head, braids rattling. "If we do that then Epsilon will be forced to play two more games!" I'll never be able to convince Epsilon team to align with me if I throw them under the bus like that!

"Yeah, I'm with Zantae!" Satoshi surprises me by speaking up. "I don't wanna just go and betray those guys like that. It doesn't feel right, you know?"

Nailah's eyes flicker between the two of us, expression darkening. "Epslion team is going to vote Betray. It only makes sense that we are to do likewise."

Lost in thought, I don't immediately respond. If Nailah were right, and Epsilon team and us both really do end up choosing Betray, then that would force each team to play two more games. That would be useless when we could both just choose Ally and only have to play one more game!

I try to explain this to Nailah, but she cuts me off midsentence. "That line of thinking is flawed, Zantae!" The disappointment comes off her in waves. I can practically feel it in the air. "You're letting your own bias cloud your judgment. Yes, if both teams chose Ally then your plan would work. But that will not happen, for Epsilon will choose Betray."

"You don't know that."

"I know people, Zantae. I know how to read them, how to predict their actions. They will vote Betray. It is guaranteed."

I rub a finger along my temple. I am worried. Stressed. I can feel it in the tension in my neck. The stiffness of my shoulders. But I can't let those emotions effect my thinking. Or my decision-making.

"If they vote Betray," I say, realization dawning on me, "then it doesn't matter what we vote. We'll be forced to play two more games either way, the only difference will be whether Epsilon plays those games with us." Because if we both vote Betray, then each team will play two more games. But if we vote Ally, we'll still play the same amount. Epsilon, however, will get their possessions back and be free to leave. Actually...

"If it doesn't matter what we choose, then why do you care if we vote Betray?"

Because if we vote Ally, then Epsilon will get off scotfree. And will owe us. I could leverage that, couldn't I? Get them to listen to me? Yes. Yes, I believe I could. No. I know I can.

"We're voting Ally," I say stubbornly. Before Nailah can think up a response, Satoshi chimes in.

"Yeah, we're voting Ally." He gives her a pointed look. "Just because you're a murdering asshole doesn't mean everyone is."

Nailah clenches her jaw but says nothing. Folding her arms, she turns her back to us. Wiping her hands from the situation. She is telling us that whatever happens, it is not her fault. So be it.

With Satoshi by my side, I walk up and enter our decision into the podium. The Ally button lights up green as we press it, then the words "Vote Processing" takes its place on the screen. I take a breath, anticipating the results. Who knows? Maybe Nailah will be wrong and Epsilon chose Ally.

They didn't.

When the results flash across the screen the word "Betray" shows up in big red letters underneath Epsilon's name. Satoshi grumbles in disappointment, but I don't care. My plan can still work.

"Well, the results are in!" Dr. Black's synthesized voice emits throughout the room. "And it appears that Epsilon team will have their possessions returned to them. Kappa Team, however, will be forced to win two more games before they're allowed their own items back."

Nailah soes not speak. She doesn't need to. I can sense the emotion from her body language well enough. She's disappointed. But, yet again, I don't see how it matters. We'd have wound up playing more games no matter what we chose.

The door before us swings open. Nailah enters with a shake of her head. Satoshi and I follow a little more languidly. Now is the hard part, the part I hadn't put any thought into.

We're have to win two more games.

Satoshi Nakazawa (Kappa Team)
I step into the next room with a huge weight of unease pressing down on me. It's not because Epsilon team betrayed us; I don't know care about that. There was literally no way Zantae could ever be persuaded to betray them and, being honest, it wouldn't have changed anything if we had. No, I'm uneasy because there's a chance we could lose all our stuff.

The weapons don't matter. Why would I want to harm anyone else anyway? Why would anyone want to do that? What worries me is our other supplies. Our food. Seriously, if we're forced back out into that swamp with no food, how the hell are we going to survive?

"Stay focused," Zantae cautions as we all file in. "We don't know what he'll throw at us."

I nod, already focusing on the new room. It's completely empty. No furniture, no pedastal, nothing. There's just a floor, ceiling, and four walls. The wall opposite us, is set with three doors.

"Greetings, Kappa Team, and welcome to your next game!" That creep Dr. Black is speaking to us again. Ugh. Just hearing his synthetic voice has my skin crawling. "This one will be different than the last. This game will be one of logic."

"Oh, good!" Zantae smiles brightly.

"As you can all see, there are three doors before you," Dr. Black continues, "Behind one of them is the room containing the third and final game. Behind the other two is a picture of a goat. Your task will be to choose one door and proceed through it. Should you choose the door with the room, you will continue on. But if you choose a door with a goat, you shall lose and all your items will be forfeit."

"What?" I stare at the doors, trying to make sense of what he just said. The game is for us to randomly choose between doors? How is that logic? It's just pure luck!

Zantae and Nailah seem equally confused. They stare at the doors, one scratching her head while the other frowns. "Is this a trick?" Nailah finally asks.

"No, it is not."

We all exchange wary looks. Something is very clearly off about this game. No way is it as simple as randomly choosing a door. Then again, having the fate of all our supplies decided by random chance is just ridiculous enough that Dr. Black could be serious.

"Time to choose, Kappa Team."

None of us move. What is the catch here? There has to be one, right? Zantae opens her mouth as if to speak only to shut it, shaking her head. Finally, Nailah throws her hands up in the air. "Fine! I'll choose! That one, on the right!"

"You wish to choose door number three?" Dr. Black asks.

"Yes."

"Very well. However, before your choice is made official I will present you with another option." As he speaks the door on the left, the one labelled #1, swings open, presenting us with a blank wall plastered with a picture of a goat. "As you can see, door #1 was not the correct door. Armed with this information, I present you with another decision. Do you decide to stick with door #3? Or will you switch to door #2?"

"What." I stare blankly at the goat picture. Switch? Why would we do that? And why the hell did he open a door for us anyway? Just as I'm about to ask, I hear a gasp from beside me.

"Oh!" Zantae claps her hands together, bouncing up and down. "I know this! It's the Monty Hall problem!"

"The who what now?"

"The Monty Hall problem is a brain teaser, in the form of a probability puzzle," Zantae says and, before anyone else can respond, continues on breathlessly, "I've read about this before and while it may seem counterintuitive we definitely have to switch our choice to door #2 because given probabilities depend on specific assumptions about how the host and contestant choose their doors. A key insight is that, under standard conditions, there is more information about doors two and one that was not available at the beginning of the game, when door three was chosen by the us: the Dr. Black's deliberate action adds value to the door he did not choose to eliminate, but not to the one chosen by us originally. Another insight is that switching doors is a different action than choosing between the two remaining doors at random, as the first action uses the previous information and the latter does not. Of course, other possible behaviors than the one described can reveal different additional information, or none at all, and yield different probabilities."

Well, if I was confused before I sure don't understand anything anymore. Zantae stops to catch her breath, a bright smile on her face. While I didn't catch a word of that monologue, the fact that she's so happy has to be a good thing for us.

I mean, probably?

Nailah raises an eyebrow at Zantae. "Did you read that somewhere?"

She nods. "Yep!"

"And you recited it all from memory?"

"I probably got some words wrong. But! That's not important!" She spins around so that she is facing the doors. "What is important is that we switch our choice and go with door #2!"

I scratch my head, feeling completely lost. I'm not stupid or anything, but this whole situation has gone way over my head. Doesn't help that Zantae was speaking at the speed of sound. "So, uh, why do we switch?"

"Because the mathematics make door #2 far more likely to be the correct choice!"

"Not necessarily." Nailah taps her feet, eyes glued to her datapad, where Dr. Black is still on screen. "We mustn't discount the possibility that Dr. Black is simply trying to trick us. We may have chosen the correct door already and he is trying to make us switch so that we'll fail."

Dr. Black lets out a synchronized chuckle. "My dear Nailah, believe me when I say that I am not trying to lead you astray. I am simply playing the part of Monty Hall. Whether you succeed or fail, the result will not be from me tricking you. It will be mere chance."

"Forgive me, but I don't believe a word you speak."

"Curious, Ms. Adebowale. You doubt me so very much. It almost seems as if you have ulterior motives."

Strangely, these words seem to have an effect on Nailah. Her feet stop tapping and her entire body has gone stiff, like an animal that has just spotted a predator and is trying to decide whether to flee or remain still and hope it goes away. "My only motive is survive this game," Her voice is like ice, and her eyes even colder. "As it is, shouldn't it be you whose motives we are questioning? After all, you've never bothered to explain why you're doing this."

Dr. Black goes silent for several moments. When his finally speaks, his voice is different somehow. Less synchronized, maybe. More human. "My motives are very pure, Ms. Adebowale. I seek a very simple goal, yet one that is integral to everything. I seek to save the world."

I give a low whistle. Well then. "All aboard the cuckoo express!" I mime pulling a train whistle.

"Make your choice, Kappa team. Door #2 or Door #3. Which will you choose?"

We don't have any option but to choose a door. Zantae and Nailah are both adamant that their own choice is correct. Neither one seems willing to compromise. So with only the slightest of hesitation I step forward and make the decision myself.

"We choose door three!"

"No!" Zantae reaches out to grab me but it's too late. Door three is already swinging open. I brace myself for the sight of a goat, for the knowledge that I just lost us the game. Wouldn't that be awful? Us losing just because of my gut feeling? But no. When the door finally opens it reveals not a goat, but a brand new room.

Zantae deflates like a ballon. "Oh," Her voice is barely audible as Nailah brushes past, striding into the doorway. "I...was wrong. How was I…wrong?"

I shrug. "Maybe you weren't. After all, you said that door two was more likely to be right, not that it was guaranteed to be right." As Zantae comes to grips with this, I follow Nailah through the door. I had expected to find yet another identical room, but am completely taken back by what I see.

The large, wide room extends forward for a few feet before abruptly cutting off into a drop. A fall of what has to be at least a dozen feet leads into a pit lined with razor sharp spikes. On the other side of the pit, across a narrow beam that extends over the spikes, sits a pedastal that holds our backpacks.

"Oh, crap."

"Yes, that sums this up nicely," Nailah peers down into the pit. "A fall is guaranteed to be fatal. Needless to say, I suggest that we do not fall."

Our datapads flicker on. Dr. Black has returned. "The third and final game that you will have to play is perhaps the most straightforward one yet. You simply have to cross the beam and reclaim your supplies. Once that is accomplished, the Event Hub is complete and you may leave."

I stare down at the spikes, imagining them ripping through my skin, piercing the bone. Would death be instantaneous? Or would I just linger there, slowly bleeding to death with shards of metal jammed inside me?

"We just have to cross the beam?" Nailah asks, folding her arms.

"Hmm, yes. However, it won't be as simple as that. Observe."

As we watch a panel in the ceiling drops open and several large medicine balls drop out. Attached to a chain, they begin to swing, swaying back and forth acrosss the beam. Further along the beam towards the end, the wood begins to fracture and with a loud crack several sections collapse, dropping into the pit with an ominous thud.

I feel myself pale. "There's no way I'm getting across that!"

"You do not have to," Dr. Black says. "Only one of the three of you has to cross for the game to be completed. Furthermore, you can simply decline to play the game and exit the Hub. If you do so, however, your supplies will be forfeit and you will leave empty handed."

"Guys I...I don't think the risk is worth it," Zantae says nervously, "one wrong step could kill us. Our lives are worth more than those supplies are."

"Agreed," I nod. "Even though I really, really want to get our food back, I'm not about to risk my own life for it!"

"We're not leaving."

I turn to see Nailah approaching the beam, eyes forward as she scans the obstacles between her and the pedastal. There's no concern on her face, no fear. Just...determination.

"You're not actually thinking about attempting this, are you?" Zantae sounds worried. And for good reason. What the hell would we do if Nailah died? She's the only one of the three of us who has any idea how to life out in the wilderness. If we lose both her and our supplies...

"I believe I can successfully reach the other side," Nailah responds.

"Yeah, but..." I trail off, unable to think of a proper counterargument. I mean, if she wants to risk our own life, what could I say to dissuade her?

"What about your injured leg?" Zantae asks.

"I have done harder things with this injury. It barely slows me anymore."

I look back at the narrow beam, the swinging pendulums, the gaps, and the spikes at the bottom. Harder things than that? What kind of twisted things has that woman been doing?

Nailah gives us both one last nod, then steps onto the beam. She moves slowly, studying the pendulums as they swing past. There it seems to be a sort of pattern to them and, if I can notice that, I'm sure Nailah can too. I mean, probably.

"I can't look!" Zantae buries her face in her hands. Nailah stops just before the first pendulum. For a few seconds she darts forward, slipping between the pendulums as they sail past. She moves so fast that I'm astounded that she keeps her balance. In a flash she's on the far side, leaping the gaps, and then landing safely on the other side.

I blink stupidly. Did...she really just do that? I rub my eyes as an alarm blares out and the floor begins to retract over the pit. The pendulums disappear and into the ceiling and, within seconds, the room has transformed into a perfectly normal, completely safe room.

Nailah grabs our bags as Dr. Black blinks onto the screen. "Very good, very good. As you have successfully beaten each of the games, you have won back your supplies. The Event Hub is officially over. You may leave."

Just like that? We're allowed to leave? With our supplies? Huh. That's...

"Awesome!" I fist pump the air and point triumphantly at Nailah. "You're the man! Uh, no wait, lady! Yeah, you're the lady! Woohoo!"

My enthusiasm doesn't seem to catch on with the others. There's a quiet, subdued atmosphere as we recollect our supplies. Zantae is calm, pensive. Almost seems as if she's troubled by something, despite our all-encompassing victory.

"We will leave immediately," Nailah declares as she finishes counting our stuff. Apparently she thought Dr. Black would steal things or something.

"But where will we go?" Zantae asks.

"Anywhere we can." Nailah hoists her pack onto her shoulders and strides out the door. I give Zantae a shrug and follow along. That plan sounds good to me.

Timothy Gonzalez (Gamma Team)
I pace through the aisles of the warehouse, passing by the rows upon rows of shelves that hold large wooden containers that are full of nothing but styrofoam. My mind works a mile a minute, desperately trying to solve the puzzle before it.

Why are we here? What is the reason Dr. Black has kidnapped us? There has to be one. Too much effort, too much money has been poured into this "game" of his for it to be meaningless. Yes, there's a reason. A reason for every little thing that he has done.

And I believe that Dr. Black has been giving us hints this entire time.

My pacing brings me to the end of the aisle, near the large shutter doors of the warehouse. Mike and Nathaniel are here. Mike lies asleep on a little padded bench, snoring loudly. Nathaniel stares blankly off into the distance. He's been like that for majority of the day. Of course, one could hardly blame him for his current state. It must have been quite a shock to kill Waiyaki in the way he did.

Hmm, yes. Waiyaki. What was it that Dr. Black said about him? He did not have the potential that most of you possess. A curious phrase. What did he mean by "potential"? The word could entail any number of things, so guessing would get me nowhere. But still...is it possible that Dr. Black does not wish for us all to die? The rules of the game seem to make the idea absurd, but why else signal out our potential? What if there are a select few among us whom he wishes to see survive? Perhaps that is just wishful thinking...

"Oh. Hey, Timothy," Nathaniel swivels to face me. He is paler than usual and his beard is a disheveled mess, but he sounds a lot better than he has at any other point since the battle with Waiyaki.

"Hello, Nathaniel," My response is brief, for my mind has just thought of another possibility. What if each team had someone who did not have the "potential" that Dr. Black spoke of? A sacrificial pawn, as it were. Would that make sense? I don't know. Because I still do not even know what the point of the game is yet, I cannot possibly know.

"I'm, I mean, I'm getting better," Nathaniel continues, oblivious to my distraction. "I-I know that what I did wasn't exactly...it wasn't right. But...but it wasn't wrong either. Someone had to die, right? A-and I couldn't let it be me!"

"I'm not going to argue against that," I say lightly. Of course Nathaniel was justified in killing Waiyaki. What else was he supposed to do? Die?

"Oh, okay." A short pause. "Good. I, I mean I'm glad that you understand. S-some people probably wouldn't. Like Tetsu and his team."

I wonder what became of him. The chance of aligning was in our hands. We could have gotten together, put our minds to work and come up with a plan to counter Dr. Black. But he couldn't see past his teammates death. Which, of course, was exactly what Dr. Black planned.

Gah! It's so aggravating! Not having all the information is going to drive me insane. It's not fair. I can't solve a puzzle if I don't have all the pieces! Once again I can't help but think that the key to deciphering this lies in Dr. Black's words. If only I could remember them...

Thump!

Nathaniel leaps into the air with a yelp. Mike, startled awake by the noise, pitches off his bench and flops onto the floor. "I'm awake!" He shouts, flailing about, "I'm awake! I'm awake!"

"What was that sound?" I ask. Unlike the others, I've kept my cool. "It came from outside..." I approach the door and peer through the small glass window at the top. Night has fallen and its dark outside, but the moonlight is strong enough that I can make out the form of a blue crate sitting on the paved path.

"A supply drop..." I murmur, eyeing the attached yellow parachute.

"It's a trap," Nathaniel sounds worried, "It'll explode when we open it or something like that. We should just ignore it."

Mike sits up, rubbing his eyes. "Uh...What are we talking about?" I quickly explain the situation and when I'm finished he's fist pumping the air. "Yes! Free stuff for us!"

Nathaniel tries to protest but Mike ignores him as he goes outside, jogging over to the crate. From my position inside the warehouse I watch as Mike pries the lid off and begins to rummage through its contents. "Shouldn't we be doing something?" Nathaniel asks, concerned.

"Do what?" I lean against the pillar and cross my arms. "He'll be fine. Even if it were a trap we could easily back him up." And, more importantly, I'll be safe inside while Mike gathers the supplies for us. I'm not dumb enough to put myself at risk.

It's only a few short moments before Mike is stepping back inside, his arms full of items. "We've got mail!" He grins cheerfully, dumping it all on the padded bench.

I lean forward and pick up a box of matches. "Waterproof," I say reading the label. A cursory search through the other items reveals some bandages, antibiotics, a laser pointer, some gill nets, and a short-handled farming tool with a semicircular blade. "A sickle," I observe quietly. I think about hanging onto it, but then I remember my Desert Eagler and hand it to Mike. "Here, a weapon for you."

"Sweet!" He swings it through the air. "I can easily cut some ropes with this!"

Oh, Mike. It seems he still hasn't quite clued in on the direness of the situation yet. Still, I suppose his optimism has it's usefulness. I let the two of them sort the items between each other and get up to pace the warehouse again. I'm just glad that the team who was here last night haven't returned. We watched them leave from the beach and, the moment we were sure they were gone, we moved in.

It is good to have a roof over my head, even if that head is still struggling to make sense of the situation. I glance at the clock on the wall to check the time. A few hours to midnight. Dr. Black will make another announcement then, undoubtedly. Will he drop another hint? Most likely.

What is his goal? It almost seems as if he is testing us...Huh. Testing us...

Shinji Nakazawa (Delta Team)
I lie on the ground amidst a tangle of roots, securely wrapped in my tarp as I wrestle woth my thoughts. Today has been...conflicting. Our encounter with Francesca's team, Vjena's slaying of Sofia, and what I learned afterwards...

How am I supposed to sleep?

A light breeze stirs the forest, bringing with it the scent of pine and nettle. My legs ache from all the walking we've done today. Ryder was not content with one kill and forced us to move about for hours in a fruitless effort to find the other teams. If there's one thing I've learned from my time here it's that trying to find someone who doesn't wish to be found is next to impossible.

Unfortunately, that puts me in quite the situation.

I close my eyes and breath out deeply. How could he be here? Why would he be here? It's not a coincidence. It can't be. No, for some reason Dr. Black purposely chose the both of us. But how did he even know about the both of us? Especially since I myself had just found out?

I sit up and for what feels like the hundredth time check my datapad. As Dr. Black had told us before, the Challenger section shows us the pictures and bios of all the other Challengers we have encountered, as well as those of teams who have entered Event Hubs.

It is Kappa Team that draws my attention. The team consists of Zantae Neilson, Nailah Adebowale, and, the name I am currently staring at, Satoshi Nakazawa.

My twin.

I had only learned of his existence days before my kidnapping. I never knew I had a sibling. Didn't even know I was adopted. But then I learned. I discovered everything about myself and, most importantly, what was missing from my life. Satoshi. The twin I'd never met. I became obsessed with tracking down. I spent hours pouring over files in an effort to find him with no luck. But then I was kidnapped and all thoughts of him slipped my mind.

Now...

He is here, in the Playing Field. Dr. Black succeeded where I failed. He found Satoshi and brought him here, to this place. I don't know for what reason. I can't even begin to fathom. But, the longer I think about it, the less the reason matters. I need to find Satoshi. I must speak with and learn, once and for all, if he truly was the thing missing from my life.

But to do that...I'll need to abandon Ryder and Vjena.

Logically I know that is foolish. They are the strongest people in this game and have the deadliest weapons. Sticking with them would, realistically, result in my victory. But that therein lies the problem. Our victory--my victory--relies on the deaths of every other team.

Including Satoshi.

I can't allow that. It may not be logical or smart but my conscience absolutely cannot allow me to let Satoshi die without having ever met him. I must seek him out, converse with him, and discover what I can. There is no way I could convince either Ryder or Vjena to agree with this line of thinking. Thus...the need for me to leave them.

My eyes rest on Vjena as I think. She lies at the base of the tree across from me, curled up around her rifle and sleeping silently. I do not know where Ryder is. Every night he slips off into the darkness and goes to sleep somewhere Vjena and I can't find him. His paranoia is so great that I fear he may even suspect that I'd desert. Or, more accurately, I believe that he innately fears anyone deserting him.

So is he watching, waiting for me to do something that would give him cause to kill me? Impossible to say. I don't see why he'd wish to harm his own teammate, but I can't put it past him. There is very clearly something...off about him.

Which is all the more reason I leave now, before he snaps completely. My stomach roils at the thought but I can no longer remain still. Satoshi is out there. I must find him. I absolutely must find him.

I slowly untangle myself from my tarp and stand, keeping a close eye on Vjena. She doesn't so much as stir when I wrap up the tarp and tuck it under my arm. I double check my bag to ensure that all of my own possessions are secure then, after one last glance at Vjena, slip off into the woods.

According to my datapad, Satoshi and his team entered the southern Event Hub, at the far end of the Playing Field. I doubt that they could or would have gone far from there, so it is a reasonable assumption that they are still in the area.

With nothing more than the moon and the stars to guide me, I set off on a quest to find Satoshi. My brother. My twin.

My missing piece.

Hayle Saraceno (Beta Team)
Dr. Black is always one step ahead of us. Just when I think I understand what is happening, when I'm beginning to get used to my position here, he goes and upends the whole thing by completely changing my team.

Arlyssa is gone, replaced by a small blond boy who appears to be afraid of everything. Where I used to have a strong sounding board who'd call me out for bad ideas I now have a boy who let's out cries of horror when he spots his own distorted shadow.

I should have seen the swap coming. Why didn't I?

A long sigh escapes my lips as I lie back on the pile of hay. We spent a long time just sitting around in the Hub after the vote. Processing what happened, I suppose. The fact that Arlyssa was no longer on our team took awhile to sink in. Neither I nor Vika were thinking of consequences when we cast our vote. Well, I guess I was thinking of consequences. Just the wrong ones.

I thought for sure that Dr. Black was going to make whoever we voted fight or something like that. I thought I could game the system and choose someone who'd be best at it. Shows what I know.

As for Harry...the fact that he is even in the game is sick and wrong. I mean, it's sick and wrong for any of us to be here, but especially for him. What kind of monster puts a kid in something like this? Harry had a difficult time adjusting to his new team. Took us hours to even get him to speak with us. Eventually Vika got through to him, though. And for most of the day he wouldn't leave her side. He was glued to her throughout our trip through the vineyard and across the farmland, not leaving her side until we found this barn, just behind a little farmhouse. I glance to the corner of the barn, where he is lying asleep. He's a good kid, but...

Am I supposed to protect him? How? I can barely protect myself!

"You look troubled," Vika rises from her spot by the doorway and moves towards me, daintly tucking her legs underneath her as she sits.

I sigh. "Of course I'm troubled. With everything that's happened..."

"We're still alive," She points out.

"For now," I say bitterly. How long before Dr. Black's machinations wind up causing my death? Or Vika's?

"Please don't say things like that!" Her eyes widen and her lips twitch. "Please! You mustn't! Not you!"

"Why not? I've tried being optimistic! I've tried thinking of ways out! But nothing works!" What can I do against someone such as Dr. Black? He has total control of the playing field. What could I possibly do?

"You're always...you're the rock," Vika stares at the ground, face flushing. "You always kept your calm and I...I don't know. I tried to imitate that. Thought maybe that'd make me calm too..."

"I'm sorry. I just..." What can I say? Offer false words of assurance? I don't...''Do what they say for now. Go along with the game''. The phone. That voice. Could...could I tell Vika? Would that be the reassurance she desperately seeks? How could it be, when I don't know myself?

Don't tell anyone. Wasn't that what the voice said? But why should I listen? It's not as if the speaker has done anything to help! And when I look at Vika and see the fear in her pale blue eyes, I know that I have to try and ease her mind. Even if it's just more false hope.

"Listen closely," I begin in a whisper, "back in our rooms before we first met..." I tell her about the phone and the voice. About everything it told me, including the part where it warned me against sharing this information. Vika listens quietly, not interrupting. I can't tell if she believes me or what, but when I finish she places one hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you," She says softly, "for sharing that with me. For trusting me."

I shrug. "It's not that big of a deal. I mean, it could have just been Dr. Black messing with me."

"But you didn't tell Arlyssa."

"No, I didn't tell her." I don't mention how I almost did last night. Somehow I think she wouldn't appreciate that.

"Do you think she'll help us?" Vika asks.

"Huh?" I blink. "Who?"

"The lady on the phone. Do you think she's on our side?"

Our side. Are there sides? Why would anyone be on Dr. Black's side? "I don't know," I finally admit. "I don't know anything. I'm just confused. Really, really confused."

Vika sighs and falls backwards onto the hay. Picking up a piece, she twirls it between her fingers. "I just want this all to be over..."

I lie back and stare at the barn ceiling. What are my parents doing right now? What do they think happened to me? Is this the fate of those missing kids you see in the news, the ones were all the authorities are completely baffled? That cemetery certainly implies something similar...

"Attention, Challengers!"

Vika squeals as she leaps to her feet, spinning around in search of the voice. Despite the situation I find myself laughing. "It's just Dr. Black!" I say, tapping my datapad, "it's the midnight announcement."

Vika blushes furiously. Picking up her sketchbook, she makes a show of studying it as she hides her face. "I-I knew that!"

My reply is cut off by the voice of Dr. Black. "I would like to inform you all that it is now midnight. And, because it is midnight, I will allow you to witness how your fellow Challenger met her untimely end."

All traces of laughter die on my face as my datapad shows a standoff outside the Event Hub. And not just any Hub. The same one we had entered this very day. I can't exactly understand what is happening in the video, but it ends with Sofia taking a bullet to the head.

Sofia...I didn't really know her, but she was in the Event Hub with us. She was apart of that team who was chased inside, the one with three girls. And now she's dead. I feel my fingernails digging into my fists as I resist the urge to yell at the screen. More people dead! And for what, Dr. Black's sick sense of amusement?

"I also have more information to share with all of you," Dr. Black says, his trademark synchronized voice warbling. "Two more Event Hubs will open tomorrow. One of them will require the presence of only a single tean while the other needs two. As usual, attendance is mandatory."

Nothing good will transpire in either Hub, I'm sure.

"Before I depart, I have one more thing I wish to speak of. Some of you may has noticed that your memories are not quite as sharp as they once were. Maybe you have missing gaps of knowledge, or perhaps you feel as if you cannot remember something that you should. It is quite possible that you had begun to doubt yourself, to feel as if your mind was slipping. Well, worry not. For you see, there is a very good reason as to why your memories are incomplete; I have tampered with them."

What...? I rub my eyes. Did he just say that he's tampered with our memories? What kind of hocus-pocus is that?

"Now, I have no doubt that some of you think me to be lying. Believe me when I say that I am not. Your memories are incomplete. You do not possess the full knowledge of how you came to be here, in my Games. Worry not, however, for I will return each and every one of your memories...in due time. But for now, farewell and goodnight."

The screen clicks off.

"H-he's lying, right?" Vika sounds quiet. So...lost. The barn itself seems darker than before. More ominous. Dr. Black's words weigh on my shoulders like a boulder, threatening to crush me at anytime.

"He's definitely lying," I say, hoping I sound more certain than I am. Memories...our memories. What does he mean? I don't feel as if I'm missing anything but...would I even feel that way? If my memories were gone, why would I even notice? How could you know you were missing something you can't remember?

"Oh!" Vika's gasp has me spinning around. She's in the corner of the barn, crouched by a snoring Harry. "He missed the announcement! Should...should we wake him?"

"No. Let him rest." The poor kid didn't miss anything. Just more death and some confusing babble from Dr. Black.

Vika nods, then reluctantly returns to her spot on the hay. Wrapping herself in my borrowed blanket, she turns on her side and closes her eyes. I wish I could emulate her, but I know that would be fruitless. How can I sleep when my mind is so full of worry?

Sighing, I sit on my knees and stare at the wall, wondering what I can even believe.

The Fallen Soldier
Hoarse caterwauls and drunken laughter of the carousing patrons fill my ears as I sit at the bar, staring into the frothy insides of my untouched beer. Despite the jovial and carefree attitudes of everyone around me I feel...empty. There is no joy to be found here, no happiness, no distractions. No respite from that cold, unyielding emptiness.

Tony said that this would be good for me. That it would snap me out of my "funk". It hasn't. The fried cod with its crisp and golden brown exterior and flaky white insides did nothing to satiate the emptiness. The beers I've already drank didn't even dent its armor. Not even thoughts of Mia, which had gotten me through so many firefights abroad, do anything to help.

I lean back on my stool and wish I was like everyone else. How can they be so happy? They make it look so easy. Simple. It should be simple, shouldn't it? Everyone can do it so easily, but I can't even fake it...

The Soldier's Fortune is a dimly lit bar with a barrel-vaulted ceiling painted black and a floor that is high-polished wood. Despite the lofty interior, the air smells of smoke, spoiled meat, and stale vomit. No one else seems to mind, though. Not even Tony or Brad, both of whom are on the far end of the bar knocking back yet another drink.

"They make it look so simple, don't they?" I turn, surprised to see a man sitting down on the stool next to mine. He's an older gentlemen, with slick black hair dusted gray at the temples, a small, neat mustache, and a well put three piece suit that doesn't belong within a ten mile radius of Soldier's Fortune.

"Who are you?" I ask. It's blunt and rude, but I can't bring myself to care.

"Oh, just another lost soul," The man orders a drink then rests his elbows on the bar, "it is hard to find joy, isn't it?"

"It shouldn't be," I mutter, "I have a loving family, friends who care about me, and a stable home. I should be happy, but I'm not."

"And yet neither are you unhappy."

"I'm not anything." I study the grain of the bar, tracing its shapes. Why is he talking to me? Doesn't he have something better to do?

"Do you feel as if you've made a difference in the world?" I look up to find the man staring at me. His piercing green eyes seem to see straight through me. Past my defences, past my...

"I've made no difference."

"Hmm. Is that what you truly believe?"

I find it difficult to lie to him. It shouldn't be. How many times have I lied to Mia, telling her I'm fine? Why should it be any different now? Why should I... "I made a difference," I find myself saying, "but I made it for the worse. I haven't helped anyone. I...I've only hurt people." Mia would have been better off without me. Annalise too. If I had died in the line of duty she wouldn't have to deal with a father who is incapable of loving her as he should.

The bartender arrives with the man's drink. He receives it gratefully, but he doesn't drink. Instead he folds his hands and watches me. "Do you wish for a second chance?"

"No."

"You only say that because you don't think one is possible."

"Because it's not. No one can help me, not even myself." What do I have to do to right my wrongs? I can still hear him screaming. God, I can still hear the screaming...I shake my head. "What did you say your name was?"

"You may call me the Hierophant."

"Is...is that some sort of religious title?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Though I do not use it in such a way."

I blink, confused. Or maybe it's just the drinks finally kicking in. How many have I had, again? "I, uh, Hierophant, what...what do you do? I mean for a job. What's your job?"

"Oh, just finding fellow lost souls," He waves merrily, finally taking a sip of his drink. He sets it down, grimacing. "Not the finest liquor, I must admit. Still, I daresay you aren't here for the quality of the drinks."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, yes. Hmm. Have you heard about the Loviisa Disaster?"

I stare at the man. "Are you serious? Of course I have! It's all anyone talks about!" More than ten thousand people dead because of a nuclear meltdown or something. All the experts are confused, saying it shouldn't have been possible and that devastating or something like that. I don't know what to think, so I haven't thought about it at all.

"What if I told you that the disaster was no accident, that the man responsible plans to strike again?"

Did...did I hear that right? Was someone responsible for it? No, that wouldn't make sense. Why would anyone want to do that? "I don't understand," I mutter.

Hierophant leans in, looking more animated than ever. "Loviisa was just a test. A warm-up. That man is only getting started. His next target will be Shanghai."

"Umm...Shanghai?"

"Do you know how many people live in Shanghai?"

"Ah, no."

"Twenty-six million. Imagine that many deaths. Imagine all those people dying."

That's when I feel it. Finally feel something through the emptiness that has consumed me for so long. It almost overwhelms me, this new feeling.

The fear.

Hierophant continues. "I need your help. I need you to help me save those people. I have colleagues but we are not enough. A friend of mine, a doctor, has a plan. But..." He takes a deep breath, then turns his gaze fully on me. "Imagine what it would be like, if you were to save them all. The world would hail you as a hero. Your daughter would be able to look upon you and feel only pride. You will have had made a difference, one that is undeniably for the better."

"I...hang on. What...What are you offering me?" I feel unsteady. How many drinks have I had? Is this even real? What...I feel myself lurch off my stool and thump against the ground. I'm staring into the blurry, spinning ceiling when Hierophant leans over and smiles down at me.

"What am I offering you? Well, it's simple. I'm offering you redemption."

Karne Osmont (Omega Team)
I am awake before dawn. The sky is still dark. The wind restless. The farmhouses wooden panels shake when fierce gusts blow. I pace across the living room and its old furniture, feeling as restless as the wind. More than.

I am not used to all this inactivity. How long have I just been cooped up here? Just waiting for something to happen? I am not built for this. I need action. Motion. Anything but the creeping monotony of nothing that was yesterday.

Nari and I have not left the farmhouse since we discovered it. She believes staying here to be good strategy. I care nothing for strategy. What would be the point of it? You can only react to whatever is thrown in front of you. I hate the waiting.

It reminds me of the beginning of each Death Battle.

After two hours of my pacing, Nari stirs. Despite the fact that the farmhouse has two beds and several couches, she's chosen to sleep on the floor. She said it was more comfortable for her, though I never asked.

Now she's waking up. Unfurling herself from where she layed curled up beside the couch, she stretches as she gazes at me. There is no sleep or confusion in her eyes. "What are you doing?"

Her voice is empty. Devoid of life. It's always been like that, but it's more noticeable now. Why? I don't know. Maybe my mind is just too active. My frustration boils over and suddenly I'm speaking. "We can't just sit here and wait! We need to do something, anything!"

"What do you suggest?"

I growl, speechless. Her perfectly innocuous question has left me unreasonably frustrated. Or not the question. It's the situation. The nothingness. The endless waiting. It's clawing away at me, eating my insides, slowly stripping me away...

I let out a roar and flip over the coffee table. Its smooth top hits the wooden floor and slides a few feet before coming to a stop at the front door. Nari watches me silently. For some reason that pisses me off even more.

"I can't handle any more of this waiting!" I resist the urge to punch the wall. Somewhere in the back if my mind a voice is telling me to not lose my cool. Unfortunately that voice only angers me further.

I stalk towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Nari asks.

I stop and place a hand on the door. "To look around the fields."

"For what?"

"The hell if I know!" I don't know anything. I'm just sick of doing nothing. Even just walking around a field has to be better than that. To my surprise, Nari gets up and follows me. I grunt and swing the door open.

I might just beat the hell out of the first guy I see.

Hayle Saraceno (Beta Team)
"Hayle!" A whisper in my ear. I turn over onto my side, eyes still closed as I try waving the speaker away. Just a few more minutes..."Hayle!"

Another whisper. Louder this time. My eyes snap open.

Vika is leaning over me, fear etched over her face which is only inches from mine. I sit up in a panic, only narrowly avoiding headbutting Vika as she hops away. "What's the matter?" I ask, voice a semi-intelligible gargle.

"There's someone in the farmhouse!"

I blink, momentarily confused by that. Farmhouse? What is she talking about...Oh, right. The house just outside the barn. "What do you mean someone is inside?" I climb to my feet, glancing around the barn. Shafts of sunlight shine down through cracks in the walls and the window above the loft, illuminating the hay bales and crates that surround us. A pickaxe lies discarded against one crate and Harry is still asleep.

"I saw them!" Vika keeps her voice low, eyes constantly darting towards the doublewide doors of the barn. "I went outside at dawn and I saw them through the window! There's two of them!"

My mind is still foggy with sleep, making it difficult to think. I should be worried, right? "Uh, so, um...two of them?" What time is it now? I look for a watch only to remember that I don't have one.

"Yes! Two!"

"Not three?" Every team had three people. The only ones that don't are the teams who had someone die.

"I recognized them, Hayle. It was Karne and Nari!" Those names only leave vague impressions in my mind. What team are they on? Not Lambda, right? I flick a finger cross my datapad, swiping to the team screen. Maybe I'll be able to find them here.

"What's happening?" Vika and I spin around at the sound of Harry's voice. He has woken up and is walking towards us, one hand scratching his head.

"Vika thinks she saw another team," I say without thinking.

Harry's eyes bulge. "No! No more teams! No more killing!"

Oops. I forgot how sensitive that kid was. Harry shouts some more gibberish than runs to the corner of the barn, diving behind a hay bale and disappearing from sight. I catch Vika's disapproving glare and shrug. "What?"

"You need to be careful around Harry. He's much younger than us, remember?"

Yeah, yeah. It's kinda hard to forget that when the kid is about half my size. Just what was Dr. Black thinking by putting him here anyways? Well, not that I understand why he's done anything. Suddenly annoyed, I stand up and cross over to the barn doors, opening them just enough so I can peer through a crack. "You saw them out here?" I ask Vika.

She nods. "I was outside and spotted them through the farmhouse window." I nod as I keep watch on the house. I can't see any windows from my position, but I can see the backdoor and it seems shut tight.

"What do you think we should do?" Memories of yesterday and the violence that took place outside the Event Hub float to mind. Some of the other teams have no qualms about killing and the absolute last thing I want is to get into an altercation with one such team.

"We should run, shouldn't we?" Vika sounds nervous. While there's very good reason to be wary of the other teams, I'm also conscious of the fact that so far every death has happened either inside an Event Hub or right outside one. There hasn't been any acts of spontaneous violence.

"Where would we go?"

"I, well...I don't know," Vika dusts off her powder-blue skirt, obviously flustered. "But we can't just sit here and wait for them to find us!"

True enough. Mind made up, I tell Vika to wait as I go out and scout around. Instantly she begins to protest, but I tell her that this is the best way for us to leave. "We shouldn't all just wander out there without knowing what we're facing," I say.

Finally, she relents. "Be careful!"

I nod. "Of course."

I slip the barn door open and step outside. My eyes quickly take in the sights. The early morning sun basks the farmhouse in light, the surrounding fields are empty of life, and a carnival of unfamiiiar scents blew in the air, carried by a chill breeze. There is, however, no sign of another team.

Maybe they left already? That would be convenient. We wouldn't need to worry about accidentally wandering straight into--

The farmhouse's back door swings open and two people step outside. They go only a few feet before spotting me. They both freeze immediately. I stare back, similarly frozen. I have never seen them before. One is a tall redheaded man who is built like a brickhouse. Is arm muscles alone are the size of my thighs. The other is a small asian girl with long dark hair.

What did Vika call them? Nari and Karne?

"Uh, hi there!" I offer a weak smile. Maybe they're not hostile? Shintaro and his team weren't. Perhaps we can just talk this over calmly as and--

Karne charges without warning. One second he's standing completely still and the next he's running full speed at me, an enraged scream building up inside him.

Fear floods me. Mind shut down, my body moves automatically as I turn and sprint back into the barn, slamming the door shut behind me. "Vika!" I scream as I pull the crossbar down and jam it into place. A second later the door shudders as Karne collides with it. "Vika! Help! We're being attacked!"

The door shakes again as Karne continues to throw himself against it. What the hell is wrong with him? What kind of maniac just attacks like this!

Vika appears beside me, face pale with terror. "What are we going the do!" She wails. "There's no other way out of here!"

The door rattles behind us, putting a deadly emphasis on her words. What are we going to do? There's nowhere to run. And any plans of fighting are futile. How would I beat Karne? The only weapon I have is a simple knife!

The door continues to thump, matching the beat of my heart. No escape. What do I do? Think Hayle! Think! I wrack my brain, desperately searching for some avenue of escape. There has to be some way out of this. There has to be.

I'm halfway towards the back of the barn, hoping to look for some way out there, when I suddenly notice that the shaking has stopped. I spin around, confused. Has Karne given up? Maybe he realized that the door was too strong. Maybe he's decided--

Gunfire erupts.

Bullets rip through the door, splaying chips of wood as they smash their way in, passing within feet of me.

Vika screams as I throw myself to the ground, arms covering my head. My fear has turned to a cold, icy dread that wraps itself around my heart. Karne unarmed is more than enough to kill all three of us. Give him a gun and...

I'm dead.

The firerate of the gun is disturbingly fast. Bullets shred through the door, shattering the wood and loosening the crossbar. But just when I think the door is going to collapse, the shooting stops. Ears ringing, I look up at the door. What happened? Did he run out of ammo?

Karne slams through the door. The wood fractures and splits as the massive man shoves his way inside. Grim determination on his face as he tosses his gun aside and pulls up something long and smooth from his side. A pipe. His eyes swivel around until they spot me, still lying on the floor.

Then he strides forward.

My fear transforms into a frantic panic. I don't think. There's no time for thinking. Pulling my knife free, I leap to my feet and charge Karne. Surprise flickers on his face but he's quick enough to swing his pipe towards my head.

I duck and roll underneath his swing. I come to my feet just behind him and the moment I do I'm swinging the knife. Karne doesn't so much as wince as my knife rakes across his thigh. Blood wells from the wound but Karne's only reaction is a subdued grunt as he spins around to face me.

I'm not quick enough to stop him. One hand clamps around my throat, lifting me into the air. My scream comes out as a choking gasp as his other hand grips my wrist and twists. The knife drops to the barn floor.

I'm raised in the air, choking, dying. Blackness closes in on the edge of my vision. Karne's face, snarling in rage as he sneers at me, begins to blur. I kick out with my feet but hit nothing but empty air. Pain. Pain and darkness.

Is this what death feels like?

There's a sudden rush of air and then I'm hitting the ground. It's so unexpected that I don't have time to break my fall. My head bounces off the barn floor as I suck down air, fingers massaging my throat. Relief floods me only to be replaced by fear. Karne isn't done. He's going to finish me if I don't do something.

I force myself up and am faced with shocking sight. Karne is slumped on his knees, face contorted in pain as he takes deep gasping breaths. Behind him stands Vika, a bloodstained pickaxe in her hands.

"Finish him!" My words come out as a scream.

Karne roars, springing to his feet and swinging his massive fists like clubs. "Dustin will pay! Deathbattle will be dismantled!" He bears down on Vika and she backs away, screaming. Body still on autopilot, I scoop up my knife and stab it into Karne's lower back. Karne slips to a knee, roar of fury dying on his lips. Vika doesn't waste the opportunity. In a show of tremendous effort she raises the pickaxe and, with a sickening crunch, slams it into Karne's head.

Vika lets go of handle and backs away. Eyes wide with horror she watches as Karne, with the pickaxe still embedded in his skull, tips over sideways and thumps to the ground.

Our datapads begin to ring.

"Vika Caprae has eliminated Karne Osmont with a pickaxe," A robotic voice chirps. I stare down at the giant's body with relief. There is no regret or sadness. Not for him. Karne was a monster who deserved his fate.

"So much blood..." Vika steps back looking woozy. I can't blame her. The sight of death isn't pretty. But still...I lean down and grip the handle of my knife. The blade is still stuck in Karne, so it takes some effort to pry it free. I try to ignore the blood that rushes out.

"Didn't he have a teammate?" I ask. The thought just hit me. There was a girl with him. What was her name, Nari? "Where did she go?"

Both of us throw her heads around in search, wary of a sudden attack. But the barn is empty save for us and the only thing I can see outside it is the early morning sun and, in the distance, empty fields.

"Where's Harry?"

Vika's question catches me by surprise. With everything that had happened the boy completely slipped my mind. When did I last see him? Sometime before the attack. I gingerly step around Karne's body and make my way to the back of the barn, where I begin to rifle through the hay. Harry hid back here, didn't he?

All I find, however, is a small hole in the back wall.

"He could have crawled out through that," I say as Vika joins me. She looks dubious, so I shrug and explain myself. "He probably thought that Karne was going to break in and kill us all. So he founs this hole, crawled, out, and..."

"He abandoned us?"

"Looks like it." I know that I should feel something, either anger for Harry abandoning us or worry for his safety, but I can't feel anything. I'm just numb to the world. My arms are trembling. I didn't even notice before now, but my entire body is shaking. I was so close to dying...

"There has to be some way out of this game," I rasp.

Vika nods but doesn't speak. She is still staring at the hole, eyes clouded with some unreadable emotion. She's probably taking what happened even worse than I am. I should comfort her. Say something that will help. But...I don't know what to say. Is there even something that can be said? Dr. Black has us caught in his net so thoroughly that he's apparently meddled with our memories. What could I say to make anyone feel better?

So I don't speak. I just sit and think. There has to be some avenue of escape...there has to be.

Shintaro Sosune (Lambda Team)
Laughter from the beach catches on the wind and carries up to me as I sit on a clump of rocks just above the golden sand. The sun's warm rays tingle against my skin as I stare out over the slothful sea, watching the horizon that seems to be tinged with a silver line.

My memories have been tampered with. This knowledge has been kicking around in my head since last night. I've always suspected that something was amiss with my memory, but now I have solid proof. Dr. Black has somehow, in someway, done something to meddle with our memories.

I do not know what he could have done. There is no solid scientific data on memory wiping or falsifying. The claim is so outlandish that I would think Dr. Black were lying if it weren't for the fact that my memory is literally perfect. I've never forgotten anything. Ever. Every little detail of my life is stored inside my head, ready to be accessed at any moment. Never once have I felt like I forgotten something.

Until I woke up in this game.

I do not know how I was kidnapped, do not remember anything pertaining to the action or bow it transpired. My hyperthymesia has never let information out of my grasp like that. It is an abnormality. So, the only conclusion I can come to is believing Dr. Black's claim.

He has tampered with my memory.

Once more a round of laughter rises from the beach. Fernanda and Hannah are down there, playing in the water and splashing each other like a pair of children. The two have become close friends quite quickly. Since coming to this beach their friendship has only furthered. Both of them love the ocean and surfing and that shared enjoyment has strengthened their bond.

Neither one seems concerned about their memories.

What did Dr. Black make me forget? What has he hidden from me? There is a reason for his actions. He would not do something needlessly. Whatever memory he has taken, details he's obfuscated, are undoubtedly important. He does not wish for us to have that information...yet.

I rise from my position on the rock and stretch my limbs before clambering down to the beach. My shoes sink into the soft sand as I approach the ocean. A small crab scuttles away as I bend down and pick up a seashell, running my fingers over its smooth exterior.

Dr. Black has promised to restore our memories in time. Why? For what purpose? There is something large in the works here. Some conspiracy. I cannot help but feel that I should be able to solve it. To find the loose string in the vast tapestry and pull on it until I unravel the entire thing.

"Shintaro!"

I look up to see Fernanda and Hannah approaching me. They jog through the surf, waves crashing around their thighs as they stop before me, grins on their faces. "Isn't this beach wonderful?" Fernanda asks. She has taken her jacket and bulletproof vest off and is wearing a black tank top as she splashes in the ocean. Hannah is wearing a similar shirt.

I frown at her.

"Uh, something wrong?" Hannah rubs her neck self-consciously.

"You were surfing when you were kidnapped, yes?"

"That's right." She suddenly sounds hesitant. A big change from her prior joy. "Why do you ask?"

"Did you wear some sort of swimsuit whilst surfing?"

"Of course! I'd look pretty stupid surfing in my clothes, wouldn't I?"

"Ah, yes. I figured as much." I pause, thinking things over in my head. Hannah and Fernanda exchange glances. They probably think I'm crazy. But that's just because they don't yet understand. "If you were wearing a swimsuit while surfing, why then are you now wearing clothes?"

Hannah blinks. She looks down, studying her blue tank top and white shorts. For a long time there is only the sound of waves as the realization slowly dawns on her. "Oh my God..." She looks up, hand on her forehead and face a mask of horror. "That creep changed my clothes! That pervert! Why the hell would he--" She breaks off into a rant about Dr. Black and all the things she's going to do to him.

I'm not listening. I've focused on Fernanda, on the consternation that spreads across her face. "I assume you've caught on?" I ask her.

She slowly nods. "Yes. I...I'm wearing different clothing as well. I don't...I wasn't wearing this, before I was kidnapped."

That's exactly it. Our clothes don't make sense. Oh, they fit me all right. They're exactly the type of clothing that I would usually wear. The proper style and size. But I've never worn this outfit before. I remember every single shirt I've ever worn and I do not remember seeing this one before, let alone wearing it. I remember--

Remember.

I stiffen as an icy wave of doubt passes over me. Why did I not realize this days ago? When I first woke up? I should have immediately noticed this. How could I possibly have missed it? Could it be that this is a result of the memory tampering? Or am I just imagining things because of that claim?

Hannah and Fernanda are crowded together, heads touching as they whisper furiously about the situation. This is just yet another piece of the puzzle. Just a few more and I should be able to put it all together.

"We should stay put for the day," I say aloud. The two girls both look up at me. "We need time to think, and I imagine that today will do a lot in winnowing down the number of Challengers in this game." According to an announcement, Karne has already died. His team had never entered an Event Hub, so I didn't know a thing about him. The girl who killed him, Vika, is on Beta Team, which happened to be the team Harry was sent to. I'm a bit surprised they managed to kill anyone.

"Why do you think people are going to die today?" Hannah asks.

"Very few of us have died so far. I simply imagine that the pace will pick up soon." I have no adequate reasons for my assumption. It just seems to be proper.

Neither one of my teammates appear eager to speak further about this topic. They drift off across the beach to a sand dune, collecting Fernanda's jacket and vest. As they busy themselves in putting it back on, I stare out into the ocean.

There must be some way of discovering what Dr. Black's goal is. This game, taken at face value, doesn't make any sense. There's clearly something hidden in it. Some deeper meaning.

And it has something to do with our memories.

Zantae Neilson (Kappa Team)
Dark twisting trees surround us as we push through the swamp. Nailah leads the way, gun hoisted on her shoulder as she uses her knife to slice us a path along the creeping vines. We don't speak as we walk and the only sound is that of our shoes sinking into of the wet, spongy ground.

I feel as if I should apologize to Nailah, but I don't even know what for. We did not fail any of yesterday's games. My actions did not in any way harm us. I should have nothing to feel guilty about. Yet...

I cannot help but feel that I've failed. We've been stuck in this horrible place for days and yet we're not the slightest bit closer to understanding anything. Dr. Black still has us in his clutches. We're still destined to die at his command. Nothing I've done, no plans I've made, has changed this in the slightest.

Nailah pulls to a halt as the path we've been charting comes to an abrupt end at the edge of pond. The water’s surface is coated with a green sheen of algae that manages to creep up onto anything around water-surface level. The trees in the area are likewise coated with colonies of these protests as well as lichens and mushrooms.

"What now?" Satoshi asks. He's been a lot calmer since our victory in the Event Hub. I wish I could feel the same.

Nailah grunts. "We go around."

We skirt around the pond, avoiding similar pools of water as we navigate our way through this oppressive swamp. I know what our goal is, as Nailah spoke of it just this morning; we're seeking a place safe enough to use as a base. It's a good idea, and I think I could use it to help me achieve my own goal.

We need to contact the other teams. This game will never be broken if we do not all work together and try to stop Dr. Black. He wants us divided. Wants us to fear and distrust each other. He knows that if we all were to form a group and confront him that he would have no way of continuing his game. He wouldn't kill us all. He couldn't afford to.

I rub my forehead and sigh. A deep fatigue has settled over me. Not just physically, but mentally. The stress of the situation has begun to wear at me, but I'm sure that our environment plays a factor too. The air here in the swamp is thick and humid, buzzing with insects that fly around my ears. This whole place smells of rich soil and overgrown nature.

"How is this ever going to end?" Satoshi drops back to walk beside me. He keeps his eyes on the ground, watching his footsteps. "I mean, all the team's aren't going to really kill each other, right?"

"They will if we don't stop them," I say grimly.

"Huh? Us?" Satoshi looks up, his eyes wide. "How could we stop them?"

"We need to speak with everyone. Form some sort of coalition. If we could just talk with the others I'm certain I could get them to see sense." Surely no one here wants to play the game. They just feel like they're forced to. If I could only get them to see sense...

"I hope you're right," Satoshi says, "but I fear that you're wrong. Everyone will be too frightened of Dr. Black to try and defy him."

That's just it. Dr. Black uses fear to control us all. And I'm willing to admit that I too am afraid. Not of Dr. Black himself, but of what he's capable of and what he'll make us do. I know what he's done. I haven't forgotten my parents.

My parents...

We continue our journey for just over an hour before the swamp begins to clear. The ground gets drier, the foliage thinner. Soon enough the stagnant ponds disappear entirely and all that is left from the old biome is tall, willowing reeds that sway in the wind.

Then those disappear and we're left in an empty field.

"Is that a building up ahead?" Satoshi asks, craning his head for a better look.

Nailah already has her sniper up and is peering through the scope. "Yes," She answers when she sets it back down. "It looks to be an apartment complex of some sort."

Well, that's strange. But then, what here hasn't been strange? "We should head towards it," I say, "maybe we could use it as our base."

Nailah nods thoughtfully, but before she can say anything Satoshi gives off a little shout. We both spin around and see him pointing across the field, where an indistinct shape is steadily approaching us.

Immediately Nailah has her sniper up and aimed.

"Don't shoot them!" I warn.

"I will not shoot unless he endangers us," Nailah answers. She keeps her sniper up for several moments, analyzing. "He appears to be alone. Carries a bag but no visible weapons. Looks a lot like..." She trails off.

"What?" Nerves tingle in my stomach. What could give unflappable Nailah pause?

Nailah lowers the scope and turns to Satoshi. The thin boy has his hands acting as a visor as he tries to make out the approaching person. Nailah frowns. "He looks a lot like you, Satoshi."

"Huh? Me?" Satoshi scratches his head. "That's...odd." There's a strange undercurrent to his words. Some emotion I cannot detect. But I don't have time to puzzle it out, because the person is quickly approaching.

He can't mean us harm. Not when there's three of us and one of him. But what does he want then? My heart is hoping for some sort of alliance even as my head cautions that it could be a trap.

When the newcomer gets within earshot of us, he stops. "I do not mean you any harm," he calls out, holding his hands out over his head. "I only wish to speak with you!"

Nailah wasn't kidding. He does look a lot like Satoshi. Their eyes are the same shape and color. His black hair merely a neater version of Satoshi's. Even their body types are eerily similar.

"Who...who are you?" Satoshi sounds hoarse. His eyes swim around in his head as he takes in the boy, clearly recognizing the similarities.

The boy's focus turns to Satoshi, completely ignoring Nailah and I. "I'm Shinji Asato. Also known as...Shinji Nakazawa."

For a long time the only sound is the wisping of the wind as it zips past us. Satoshi stands stone-still, face expressionless as he stares at this Shinji. Then, in an inexplicable display, he laughs. "No, no, you can't be. This couldn't possibly be. You're...you can't be my..."

"Your brother? Yes, I am. I am your twin brother."

The laughter fades. Satoshi shakes his head, skin suddenly ashen. "No, that's not possible. You couldn't..." He trails off, the truth obvious to us all. They look so much alike. What else could they be but brothers?

"Why...why are you here?" Satoshi asks. His voice sounds strangled. Why is he so upset? You'd think that he would be happy because he finally found his sibling, right?

"I don't have an answer to that question," Shinji says. He steps forward, only for Satoshi to take a step back. "I don't know why Dr. Black kidnapped me. I don't know why he took any of us. But I mean to find out."

"Oh!" I clap my hands, startling the both of them. "You can help me! That's my goal! Well, part of it. Mainly I want us all to escape!"

That finally gets his attention. "You have a plan to escape?"

I rub my neck self-consciously as I realize that, no, I don't really have much of a plan. But I do have a seed of a plan. Something that could grow into a way to break free. That has to count for something, right? "I do have a plan," I finally say, "but I can't speak about it just yet."

Shinji nods. "Ah, yes. Dr. Black would counter it if he knew exactly what you had in mind."

Glad that I don't yet have to explain that my entire plan isn't thought out, I'm about to ask a question when Nailah beats me to the punch. "What happened to your teammates? Do they know what you're doing?"

Now it's Shinji's turn to look uncomfortable. "Not exactly. You see, I didn't tell them what I had planned and, well, you could say that I more or less abandoned them."

I'm surprised but not sure why. I knew that he had left his teammates, otherwise they'd be here with him. But for some reason I had imagined that they gave him their blessing to leave instead of him just up and going. "Who were they?" I ask.

He sighs. "Ryder and Vjena."

"Oh." I know those names. They're the ones who've done most of the killing. They shot those kids. They...

"You're not afraid they'll hunt you down now that you've abandoned them?" Nailah narrows her eyes at the slight boy. It is obvious that she does not trust him. Maybe she thinks this is some plot to let Ryder and Vjena catch us unaware.

"They would have no reason to search for me," Shinji replies, "they do not need me dead to win and, to be frank, neither of them cared much for me in any way, negative or positive."

I almost feel bad for the boy. But then I remember that Ryder and Vjena have already killed several people, for no reason except that they've been told to, and I realize that he's probably better off without them caring about him.

"I have many questions for you," Nailah takes charge of the conversation, "but now is not the time to ask them. First we should find somewhere safe." She turns to point towards the apartment complex off in the distance. "We should be able to talk more about there."

Shinji nods. As much as that boy looks like Satoshi, he sure acts differently. Then again, Satoshi himself is sure acting out of character right now. Why is he just standing there, looking so uncomfortable? Shouldn't he be happier?

"Follow me," Nailah takes off toward the buildings and the rest of us, after exchanging an awkward glance, begin to follow. I don't know if Shinji is truly trying to help us, but I'm beginning to think that it might just be possible for my plan to actually succeed.

That is, if I ever think up a plan.

Francesca Rowe (Zeta Team)
Arlyssa continues on ahead, content to ignore me as she charts a path straight towards the nearest Event Hub. "You're never going to listen to me, are you?" I call after her, voice thick with exasperation. It had taken me hours to even find her after yesterday, but did she care? No. Arlyssa Valiante, it seems, cares for nothing but herself and her own ideas. "Going to a Hub is suicide. There's only two of us. What do you think will happen?"

Lying low would be the best idea. Though I am still uncertain on what Dr. Black desires of us, he has made it clear that actually playing his games is a choice left to us. Other than for the very beginning he has not forced us to play anything.

I nearly slam into Arlyssa's back as she pulls to a sudden halt. "What do I think will happen?" She whirls around to glare at me. "What do you think will happen if we avoid the Hubs? That's the only way to win, you know. We can't just sit back and hide!"

"I know that!" I rub my head, taken back by her extreme emotions. Like it or not, I need to find some way to get along with her. "But the only way either of us leave this game alive is if we work together. I know that you don't particularly care for me, but if we don't at least try and solve our issues a quick death is all we'll find in the next Hub."

Arlyssa folds her arms. For once she doesn't look angry or annoyed, she just looks...contemplative. "Yeah, sure. Working together is all fine and dandy, but I don't think that just because we come buddy-buddy everything will be fine. The only way this game ends, the only way, is if we play the Hubs and eliminate the other teams. Maybe you can't handle killing the others, but I sure the hell can!"

That is something I've tried not to think about. The simple truth is that the other teams do have to die. But for me to kill them myself? That doesn't sit well with me. No, there has to be some other way. Surely killing everyone else isn't the only option.

I think about Sofia falling to the ground, her life leaking away from her. Is that all which awaits us? A quick, senseless death?

"Dammit!" I practically leap into the air as Arlyssa lets out a sudden yell. She throws her hands into the air before moving back to rub at her arms. "Why the hell is it so hot?"

"Excuse me?" I'm taken back not only by the suddeness of the words, but their meaning as well. Hot? The weather is relatively mild, perhaps even balmy. "What exactly are you speaking about?"

"This heat!" Arlyssa continues to rub at her skin, "why am I so hot? I feel like I'm burning from the inside out!"

That's...distressing. If Arlyssa were to become sick, that would leave me as the only active member of our team. Needless to say, that is something I desperately wish to avoid. "Perhaps we should find somewhere to rest. You might be coming down with a fever--"

"It's not a fever!" Arlyssa waves me away. "This feels different. Like...I don't know how to explain. But it's not a damn fever!"

"Very well." I can't force her to rest. If she wants to keep traipsing around the Playing Field there's nothing I can do to stop her. Yes, I could just leave her, but where would that place me? With everyone else in teams I have no choice but to stay with Arlyssa.

Soon Arlyssa is off again, leading the way towards the Event Hub that our bracelets show us. I cannot help but feel uneasy as walk through the coastal forest. What will be waiting for us in the Hub? That first game I played back in the tunnels was like some sort of twisted gameshow. What else does Dr. Black have in store for us?

We don't speak as we walk. Arlyssa is too preoccupied with her burning problem and I know that anything I say will only fall on deaf ears. Somewhere in my mind I find myself wishing that I had been voted as the weakest member instead of Hannah. That way I would be on a team of three people, not stuck here with this overly temperamental girl.

Alas, I cannot change the past.

The silver dome that is the Event Hub soon comes into view. Hidden away behind grasping trees, only the very front of it is visible. Two large doors sit before us, glowing with a gentle green glow.

"Are you quite certain you wish to go through with this?" I ask Arlyssa one last time as we stop in front of the doors. "Because there will be no going back once we're inside."

"I know that." For once Arlyssa sounds...uneasy. She stares at the silver dome with wide eyes that constantly swivel to take the whole thing in. "But we can't turn back. Not now. To win we'll need to kill everyone else. Even Hayle."

"Hayle?"

"The guy on my original team. You met him in the last dome, remember?"

"Ah, yes." He was the serious brown haired guy. At the time I didn't know what to make of him. I still don't, really. But Arlyssa's words have me thinking about something else. Only one team wins; everybody else dies. That includes Hannah, my friend. Am I okay with that?

No. Of course not. But what else could I--

There's a flash of movement. Reflected in the silvery expanse of the dome I spot a head of black hair ducking down into the woods behind us. It was such a brief look, but I'm almost certain that...

"I think someone is watching us," I whisper to Arlyssa.

"Who the hell cares?" Arlyssa doesn't bother keeping her voice down as she walks over to the doors and yanks them open. She steps inside, then pokes her head back out. "Come on, what are you waiting for?"

I don't know who is watching us or why, but it has me unsettled. Perhaps they are merely scoping the Hub out, trying to see who will play the game inside, but their motives could also me a lot more sinister. Either way, Arlyssa is correct. There is nothing to be gained by standing outside.

"I'm coming!" I follow my teammate into the Hub, sending up a silent prayer that we didn't just walk straight into our deaths.

Timothy Gonzalez (Gamma Team)
"D-do we really have to go inside?" Nathaniel's voice carries to my ears as I stand before the Hub, staring up at its silvery walls that look so much like the last Event Hub we entered. "I-I really don't think we should. I m-mean, what do we have to gain?"

He has been going on like this all day. He is completely terrified by the prospect of attending another Hub. Justifiably so. Yet still, I cannot afford to change my strategy just because one of my teammates is frightened.

"It's going to be fine," I tell him with a forced smile. "This Hub is only for one team, so you don't have to worry about fighting anyone else."

"But what if I have to play some kind of game that--"

"Don't worry, bro!" Mike steps forward to lay a hand on his shoulders. "If there's someething dangerous that needs doing, we're not going to let you do it!"

I find myself frowning at Mike's wording even as I agree with the meaning. Why would we ever let Nathaniel do the challenge? If it were to involve something physical, we'd have Mike do it. If, however, it's an intellectual challenge than I myself will take up the task. I see no possible reason for why Nathaniel would do it.

Unless Dr. Black forces him, of course.

I still cannot fathom what Dr. Black has to gain from what we're doing, but a theory is kicking around in my head. A theory that I mean to put to the test. "Come on guys," I call back to my teammates as I place a hand on the door, gently pushing it open. "We have nothing to gain by waiting outside."

The interior of the Hub has no discernible difference from the one we entered last time. Well, I suppose that isn't quite true. Instead of three doors opposite us there is only one. "I-I don't like this!" Nathaniel stares at the door with obvious fear. "Nothing good can come from this!"

"Hello, Gamma Team!" Our datapads click on. Dr. Black and his discordant voice greets us. "I am glad to see that your previous experience with the Event Hubs has not discouraged you from playing."

His words from last night swim in my mind. Tampered with our memories, has he? It sounds quite ridiculous yet... "Are you going to give us answers?" I ask. "Or are you just going to continue stringing us along with cryptic statements?"

"Hmm, yes. I do believe that you deserve to know more. However..."

"You're not going to tell us anything," I say. Beside me, Mike and Nathaniel just stand and gawp silently. Of course they don't care about this issue; the two of them are merely pawns in this game.

"Oh, no. I will tell you." Dr. Black makes a small noise that could be anything from a chuckle to a cough. "But only on one condition."

"Which is?"

"I will tell you anything you wish to know...if the outcome of the game you're about to play is the one I expect it to be."

"Well, that doesn't sound ominous at all," I mutter as the screen clicks off. Mike gives me a sideways look.

"You sure, Tim? It sounded pretty ominous to me!"

Sometimes I forget that Mike isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. Resisting a sigh, I wave my teammates forward as I approach the door and push it open. I don't know what we're about to play, but I know that Dr. Black must have some sort of trick up his sleeves. Why else would he promise us information?

A wide, rectangular room greets us as we file into the next area. The floor is divided into a series of white tiles, but in the center there are three red platforms, raised about a foot off the ground. I walk up to one of the platforms and study it. There doesn't appear to be anything special about it.

"So what's the game?" Mike's voice, so loud and sudden, almost makes me jump. My tall blond friend places one foot in the nearest platform, his large shoulders shrugging. "Do we each have to get on one?"

"Correct!" Nathaniel, predictably, jumps as Dr. Black reappears on the wall before us. I only roll my eyes. How many times will he do this? "The three of you will each step onto one of the red platforms. However, only the person on the center platform will play my game. The others will merely be spectators."

"I'll play!" I clamber onto the platform before Mike can do or say anything stupid. Something about this setup has me on edge. It'd be best if I am the one calling the shots.

Mike and Nathaniel step onto the other two platforms, their faces showing the vastly different emotions they're experiencing. Mike is fascinated. Nathaniel is merely terrified. I wonder which one is the correct emotion.

"What is the game, Dr. Black?" There is no fear in my voice. No doubt. I've chosen this path of my own volition, and I will not shy away from whatever is asked of me.

Whoosh!

Glass panels shoot up from the floor, emerging from the cracks in the platforms. My teammates panicked shouts are cut off as the glass completely surrounds them, trapping them in a box. As Mike begins to pound on the glass, I realize that it's not actually glass at all. Maybe some sort of reinforced plastic?

"My, my, Timothy. You seem quite calm, given the circumstances." Dr. Black's synchronized voice drawls from his screen. "Aren't you concerned?"

I ignore him, mind focused on the situation. No box has emerged from the platform I stand on. I am not trapped. Why? I glance at my allies. Mike is still fiercely pounding on his cage, to no avail. Nathaniel is just staring at me, eyes wide as saucers behind his glasses. Could I perhaps use my Desert Eagle to break the cage? No. Dr. Black will have planned for that. The cage must be bulletproof. Of course, that is only a hypothesis until--

"Timothy, it is time to play your game. It is quite a familiar game. It is, of course, the Decision Game."

There's a sound of metal grating against metal and then a hiss of water. To my side Mike and Nathaniel recoil as water begins to pour into their cages, splashing to the ground, not dissipating, but rising. No water will leak from that cage. It will continue to rise and rise until it completely engulfs my allies. If they are not freed...

They will drown.

"What decision will I be making?" I try to keep my voice steady as I watch my teammates react to the water. Though I cannot hear, I can tell from Nathaniel's frantic motions and contorted expressions that he is screaming. Mike, however, is standing stonestill, eyes suddenly glued to me. My chest tightens as I realize that he has probably reached the same conclusion that I have.

I know exactly what decision I will make.

"In this particular Decision Game," Dr. Black begins, "the decision that you make will be extremely personal. Two buttons will appear on your datapad. One will open the cage to your left. The other will open the cage on your right. You may only press one."

I can only save one. Mike and Nathaniel, my two allies, have been thrust into a situation where I must choose between them. One lives. The other dies. How will I choose...I shake my head. Now is not the time to contemplate such things. It's time to act!

I spin around, raise my Desert Eagle, and fire at the cage holding Mike.

There's an explosion of noise as a bullet meteors out of the weapon. Faster than the eye can see, it slams into the cage and inexplicably bounces off. I throw myself to the ground with a yelp as the bullet richoets around the room.

"Come now, Timothy," Because of my datapads proximity to my ear, Dr. Black's sounds as if he is right beside me. "Did you truly believe that would work? I think not. You were merely desperate."

As the noise of the bullet fades away, I raise my head, cursing softly. I should have known that Dr. Black would play a trick like this! Having someone choose which of their allies dies and which lives? It's so fiendish that it should have been obvious!

"Those barriers are completely beyond your capacity to destroy, Timothy," Dr. Black continues speaking as I stand, wracking my brain to find an answer to this dilemma. "The only way to free one of your friends is to press one of the buttons. You must choose one or the other. You cannot save both."

Inside the glass boxes, the water has already risen to their hips and shows no sign of slowing. I watch with a horrible, twisting feeling in my gut as I realize the awful truth; I have to let one of them die.

Nathaniel beats against the wall, screaming and thrashing like a madman. He has no wish to die. Hasn't he told me as much? Death is his biggest fear. Could I really just sit by and let him drown?

Mike, however, remains stoic. He stands completely still as the water bubbles its way up his torso, half his body already submerged. His eyes are fixed on me. Calm. Trusting. He has no doubts that I will save him, that I will free him from his watery prison. Mike's trust in me is absolute. How could I betray that trust and let him die?

There has to be some easy answer. Something that gets me out of consigning one of them to death. Some other choice or...

"There is a third option."

Dr. Black's voice rings out like a trumpet, silencing my thoughts. I hold my datapad and stare into his masked face, seeking an answer to my desperate pleas. "What's the third option?" I ask, voice surprisingly steady.

"The third option is for you to hit neither button. Refuse to save either of your allies. What would be your reward for this ultimate betrayal? Well, it is the best reward possible. If you choose to let both of your teammates die, then I will remove you from the Black Games."

"What?" My mind reels. The words make sense but I don't understand a thing. I glance at the cages to my side; the water has just about reached their shoulders. "What does that mean? Explain!"

"You will be removed from the Black Games. You will no longer have to compete against the other teams. You will not have to play any more games. You will become a spectator, watching the other Challengers play from the safety of your own private quarters. You, in short, will no longer be in any danger."

It feels like I've been hit with a brick. Removed from the Games? No more danger? I think of these past few days, the stress and fear that has plagued me as I grappled with the unimaginable situation I was thrust into. My sole thoughts have been about winning this game. Surviving. And now I have an opportunity to do just that.

At the cost of Mike and Nathaniel's lives.

I look into ther faces, at their fear and trust, despair and hope. Could I just...sacrifice them? Why not? What are they to me? I only met them days ago. I hardly really know them. If giving up their lives would save mine, then aren't I obligated to do so? Besides, one of them is already guaranteed to die, right? There is no choice where both come out alive...

"You'd best make your choice quick, Timothy. Your teammates will soon be submerged."

The water has reached their necks. I have no more time. I take a deep breath and squeeze my eyes shut. My palms are sweaty. My heart thumping. Arms trembling. This decision will decide so much. People's lives are literally on the line. Someone will die. And I get to choose who.

My eyes snap open and I look down at my datapad and the two buttons presented there. One will save Mike. The other will save Nathaniel. Hitting neither would guarantee my own safety but the cost would be enormous.

What will I do?

Timothy González (Gamma Team)
I have to save someone.

That third option, the option to save myself, is tempting. Oh, so tempting. But I know that it is a trap. Why would Dr. Black offer to free me from this game? What purpose would that serve? Choosing that third option might actually save Mike and Nathaniel; but at the cost of my own life.

And that is something I will never give up.

The water has risen so high that my teammates are scarcely able to breath. Nathaniel has tilted his head back, mouth just barely floating over the water's surface. Mike has somehow managed to pull himself up the slick glass walls, but there is a ceiling atop it and he can go no higher.

They will die soon. Feeling oddly detached, I find myself stepping up between both of the cylinders, finger hovering over the buttons. One will save Mike. The other Nathaniel. But...

Mike is the logical choice. He is physically strong, an area where I am notably lacking. He can do things that neither I nor Nathaniel could hope to pull off. I should save him. He will be more useful.

But I cannot help but see the fear in Nathaniel's eyes. The desperation. He is hopelessly fighting against his biggest fear, fighting a losing battle that he knows he can't win. His eyes are wide as saucers when the water finally goes over his head. His long legs kick out uselessly against the wall. Even now he still fights.

And I realize that I can't bear to sit by and watch him die.

I hit the button on the left, the one to free Nathaniel. A shrill alarm blares overhead and then a robotic voice chirps from my datapad. "Choice confirmed." The cage opens. The glass walls retract into the floor and the water goes rushing out in a torrent, carrying him halfway across the room, towards a drain hidden in the floor. I stare in shock. Am unable to believe it. The cage that opened wasn't Nathaniel's.

It was Mike's.

Soaking wet, he stands up amidst the water and flashes me a wide grin. "I knew you'd save me, Tim!"

I have no answer. My mouth moves but no words come out. For the first time I feel fear as I turn around and watch Nathaniel. Still trapped. Still dying. His fearful eyes take in Mike, now free, and I can tell that he's realized that his fate is finally sealed. For a long moment we can do nothing but stare at each other as the life drains from his eyes.

Soon enough I'm just staring at a corpse floating in an empty tank.

"Thank you, buddy! Thank you!" Mike is gushing praise for me. I barely hear it. What happened? I don't understand. I hit the button to free Nathaniel...

"Surprised by the result?" A familiar voice jolts me out of my stupor. I turn to face the screen, anger rising.

"Dr. Black!" The words come out as a shriek.

"Yes, that is my name."

"You tricked me!"

"Did I? I do not believe I did."

Seething, I curl my hands into fists and resist the urge to smash the screen. How could I let this happen? I was so determined not to be tricked. To not let him play his little mind games. How did he...what did I miss?

"Now, Timothy. I told you that one button would open the cage to your left and that the other would open the cage on your right. I never said that the left button would open the left cage, or vice versa. That was merely an assumption you made."

Tricked. I've been tricked. I knew he would try and do so. I knew it. I just didn't...I had thought that it would be different, that he would...I don't even know anymore.

Our datapads beep. "Nathaniel Arvidsson has been eliminated via drowning."

"Wait...hold up!" Mike, still soaking wet, walks to the center of the room and stares up at the screen where Dr. Black is magnified. "What are you two talking about? Tricked? Different button? Are you saying that...that Tim didn't choose me?"

Dr. Black nods. "That is correct. Timothy mistakenly believed that he had freed Nathaniel. He meant for you to die."

Oh hell. I feel a sense of coldness wash over me as Mike turns to face me. The cheerfulness and joy that is almost perpetually on his face is gone, replaced by anger and betrayal. I stare wordlessly at him as walks towards me. I am aptly aware of his height. Of his muscles. He could snap my neck with his bare hands if he wanted. And he should want to. I just tried to leave him for dead.

Mike gets right up in my face. His blue eyes cold as ice. "Tell me he's lying, Tim. Tell me that you didn't choose Nathaniel. Please. Tell me..."

"I chose Nathaniel." There is no point in lying. Dr. Black would never let me get away with it.

"But..." Mike's words die on his lips. He turns his head away and, without warning, punches the wall. "What the hell, Timothy! I thought we were friends!"

"We were. I mean, we are!" I need to get this situation under control before it spirals out of my hands. The wrong words, or even just an improper tone of voice could send Mike hurtling over the edge of despair. "I had to choose somebody! What would you have done in my situation?"

"I would have chose to save you!"

"Yes, but in doing so you would have killed me! This was Dr. Black's trap! He had always meant to kill whoever I didn't pick!" I realize this just now. Of course that was what he had intended. No matter whom I'd chosen to save, Dr. Black would have ensured that they died. Everything this man does is a trick.

"Yeah, but you didn't know that, did you?" Mike sneers at me, looking so different from the guy I've known for the past few days. "You really thought you were about to save Nathaniel. If you really thought that you wouldn't have chosen anything."

"Dr. Black said that you'd both die if I didn't choose," I've forgot that Mike was in the Games glass cage and didn't hear Dr. Black's offer. He didn't know I had a chance to leave the game. Of course, that was a trick too. Wasn't it?

"Then you should have let us both die. Better that than choosing to kill one of your friends!"

"Mike, you're not thinking rationally--"

"Shut up!"

I flinch back, half expecting an attack that never comes. Mike sees my reaction and shakes his head. "You never trusted either of us, did you? You never thought of us as friends. We were just...just some tools for you to use and discard!"

He's close to the truth. I never really believed that either of them were my friends. Nor was I against using them for my own selfish purposes. But I didn't think of them as mere tools. I'd have tried to save them both, if I could. If it were possible I'd gladly team with each of the remaining Challengers to overthrow Dr. Black.

"I'm done with this!" Mike walks over to the entranceway and throws the doors open. "You know," he says, turning to give me one last look, "it should really be you dead in that cage. Not Nathaniel. It should've been you."

Then he's gone. I find myself alone in the room, head hung low as I avoid looking at the cage which holds Nathaniel's corpse. Every time I try to get people to work together...Dr. Black tears my plans apart.

I pick up my fallen desert eagle and stuff it into my bag with the rest of my supplies. I can't let my emotions in. Can't feel anything. I need to block them out, focus on the game. Emotions will only slow me down. I need to win. Need to...need to plan. Mike is gone. Nathaniel is dead. I'm on my own.

Forcing back the tears, I slowly exit the Event Hub, feeling lonely than I ever have before.

Vjena Kovac (Delta Team)
I spied the gem-blue stream almost the moment we left the forest patb. It was seeping and dribbling as it swerved through the trees, splashing over the timeworn rocks. From all my years hunting I've learned that rivers are the arteries of the forest. They provide sustenance and protection for all of the game that wander the woods.

That includes humans.

The fluttering butterflies lazily drift over my head as I bend down to drink from the river. Ryder stands a few feet away, his dead eyes scanning the trees that tower over us in every direction. The more time I spend around him, the more I begin to deal realize that he is not like other men. He does not seem to really grasp the difference between things and people.

That makes him a useful ally for this game, yes, but it is also a possible liability. There is no real way of predicting what he will do at any given moment. And if I cannot predict someone's actions, I become wary of them.

"Footprints," His rumbling voice draws my attention away from the water. Rising, I make my way over to him. He points at a small dirt track that runs parallel to the river. "Someone has been here. Recently."

I nod and crouch down to study the prints more closely. They're small and have left only a faint outline, so whoever left them doesn't have much weight. And since there's only one set, that also means they're alone. "You want to follow them?" I ask Ryder.

He nods. "How else will we be able to kill the corrupted one?"

His obsession with corruption knows no end. He is so caught up in hunting down the impure that he does not have time to concern himself with anything else. Not even Shinji's disappearance had an effect on him. When we woke up this morning our third teammate was gone. Just gone. He had left no note or message that would hint at his whereabouts. He was simply gone.

I was confused, at first. How could he have just disappeared? Certainly no one would have snuck in and just killed him whilst leaving us two alone. But then it came apparent to me that his disappearance was of his own doing. He hadn't gone missing; he'd left.

Shinji had never been comfortable with mine and Ryder's willingness to play the game. The killing and the death had been beyond his capacity to withstand. Apparently he could no longer stand our presence and struck out on his own. But to where and to what end? These questions troubled me, but Ryder merely dismissed them.

"The fool has abandoned us, so what?" He had said when I pressed him. "We don't need Shinji. He was weak. In heart and mind. He'll soon fall prey to corruption, if he hasn't already. But no matter. We will deal with him later, once the others are dead."

Yet Shinji did not leave my own mind. Where did he go? Certainly not to another team; the rules of the game make joining them an exercise in futility. But where else? Perhaps he went to hide on his own. Foolish, of course, but if he truly does despise the killing it would make some sense.

What an idiot. Does he think that I enjoy the killing? Because I don't. It's rather barbaric and distasteful to me. But what else am I to do? Sit still and wait to die? No, if I'm forced to kill to survive then that's what I shall do. And if I'm being forced to do it, I may as well be the best at it.

"The tracks lead north," I finally respond to Ryder, dismissing my thoughts. "Whomever we're following seems intent to find the rivers source." Undoubtedly the river originates from a waterfall or some such up in the mountains that loom over us. I find the mountain fascinating. Is it apart of the Playing Field? Does another team find shelter there?

"Let's go," Ryder shoves past me, following the footprints. I trail behind him, rifle up and eyes on the forest around us. We will not be caught unawares.

The trail continues to move northwards, never deviating from the riverside. It has become increasingly obvious to me that our prey is afraid to leave the safety net that is the river--they clearly do not know another method to replenish their water source. I wonder what has become of their teammates. If our datapads are to be believed there is only one Challenger left without any, and that would be Nari. The information about her on the datapad seemz to describe her as a waif of a girl, just small enough to be the one leaving these prints.

"How much firearms do you believe the other teams have?" I find myself asking Ryder. We have many weapons, even if a few are low on ammo or even completely empty.

"Doesn't matter." His eyes never leave the trail. "I will kill them no matter what weapons they possess. They cannot be allowed to live. Their existence endangers us all. I need to end them before that happens."

Another crazy rant. What did I expect? I should never have asked him anyway. Ryder may be extremely good at playing this game, but he's about the worst conversationalist that you could...

"Stop. Our quarry is up ahead!" I drop to a knee, hunting rifle already in position. The form of a person sits ahead of us, fumbling about amongst a jumble of rocks that lie beside the river. Small and blond, the person seems to be trying to...squeeze between the rocks?

''Pop! Pop! Pop!''

Ryder fires off three shots in quick succession. There's an ear-piercing scream as one of the bullets take the person--a boy--in the leg, right below the knee. As he tumbles to the ground, rolling off the rocks, Ryder rushes forward.

I growl in annoyance, flinging the rifle back over my shoulder. Idiot! Doesn't he think before reacting? What if the boy has teammates? Too late now, though. Ryder has almost reached his prey and I run to catch up. Hopefully we haven't just ran straight into an ambush.

The boy is thrashing about on the ground, clutching his leg as he screams his head off. A wave of unexplained nausea washes over me as I watch. He's so young...he can't possibly be more than thirteen at the least.

"Harry Kent," Ryder surprises me by speaking. He crouches down, hands folded over his Beretta as he gazes at the boy. "Yes, he is corrupt. So very corrupt. He must die."

"What? No!" My own protestations sound strange to my ears. Why should I care if this boy, Harry, dies? Only one team wins. The logical path is for him to die. For us to...kill him.

But he's so young...

"He's already corrupted," Ryder says quietly, "He'll bring us all to ruin if we don't end him now."

I have never been one to let myself be restrained my morals or sentimental human values, but this situation is different. This is about killing a young boy in cold blood. This couldn't possibly be something--

"Please! Don't kill me!" Harry's screams finally take the form of words. "I just want to go home! Please!"

"That's what we all want," Ryder says. He lifts his Beretta.

"No! Don't! Please!" Terror fills Harry's blue eyes, drowning out even the amount of tears. "Mommy! Daddy! Please! I want to live! I don't want to die! I don't--"

Pop!

Ryder's bullet takes Harry between those blue, terrified eyes. His little body thumps back against the rocks, his limbs splaying out and head lolling at an awkward angle. A wave of nausea hits me. I feel sick. Vomit rises in me but I force it back down. Dead. Killed. So young...

"He was corrupt," Ryder's voice has gone quiet, distant. "You may hate what has happened, Vjena, but that is only because you do not understand. This had to happen. For the good of the world."

"You're insane!" The words rise unbidden from my lips. I always knew it. Wasn't I just ruminating on it? But to see the full extent of his actions...No, I was apart of this. I helped him.

Have I finally gone too far?

"Ryder Locklear has eliminated Harry Kent with a pistol," The mechanical voice chirps from our datapads.

Ryder rises, not even sparing Harry's corpse a second look. He stuffs the Beretta in his waistband and turns back to face the river. "Your memories haven't returned, have they, Vjena?

I blink at him. "What?"

"Your memories, the ones that Dr. Black took," He speaks about that nonsense Dr. Black went on about yesterday. Stealing memories or some such. Hogwash. Such a thing isn't even possible. "If your memories had returned, then surely you'd understand."

"What are you rambling on about?" Ryder was always insane, but this new batch of insanity is different, somehow. "What do you care about memories for?"

"Because my memories have returned. I remember everything that has brought me here. I know my task. End the corruption. So many of us are impure, distorted, corrupted. They cannot be allowed to live." I frown. This isn't new; he's literally been saying this since the time I met him. Dr. Black's words must have just unlocked a new type of crazy for him to babble.

"Harry had to die," Ryder continues, "He was filled with the corruption. It taints so many. Warps that which could save us into something that will kill us. I need to find the rest. Find them and kill them. If I don't, if they escape, then there will be no saving us. There will doom upon all the world."

Junie Harlow (Epsilon Team)
The carnival is empty, as usual. Of course it is. It's been empty the whole day, so why would it be any different now? I don't know, but Milan is insistent that we constantly check to make sure that the other teams don't move in on our turf or something.

So that's what I'm doing. Well, that's what all three of us are doing, to be precise. It was about some time in the middle of the afternoon when Milan suggested that we take another lap around the carnival. The three of us set off together, but I eventually went off on my own. Being around my teammates for too long is just...depressing.

Hayden has been acting strangely all day. Lethargic, unresponsive, and just outright weird. I tried asking him what his problem was, but he would only ever respond with unintelligible mumbles and confusing answers about his memories. He's clearly taking Dr. Black's cryptic comments about stealing our memories seriously.

A wry smile crosses my face as I think on this. Stolen memories? Give me a break! A lot of unbelievable stuff has transpired in my time here in this "game" but stolen memories is stretching things a bit far. Besides, I don't have any missing memories. I remember everything about my life, from my early years, to my time in Korea, and up to the day I was kidnapped.

I shake my head as I head down the narrow street that runs between lines of carnival stalls. The stalls all hold those silly activities, like ring toss and the game where you have to knock over bottles with a ball. I'm not too worried about being attacked. Milan let me have my axe back and besides, this carnival is empty.

Soon the stalls slip away and I enter the epicenter of the park, where a once-beautiful carousel rests. Scraps of gold and turquoise paint ineffectively try to make their way through the rust and decay that has taken ahold. I walk up to the side, studying the sad looking horses that rest here. "You'll never be ridden again," I murmur as I run a hand along the flank of one such horse. It's actually kind of sad. Well, maybe. I suppose that it's possible that nobody ever rode them to begin with. This whole situation just begs the question; where did Dr. Black find this Playing Field? Was it made? Or was it just some abandoned area that he moved into?

I sigh and shake my head. What's the point of trying to think about this? I already know that I'll find no answers. Giving the carousel one last look over, I turn around to head down the street.

And stop as I spot the clown.

Standing in the center of a four-way intersection, he is staring right back at me, his bright red lips spread into a wide grin. His chalky white skin is unnaturally smooth and featureless, and his overly muscular body remains completely still, leaving no indications of his thoughts.

"Uh, hello?" I call out cautiously, one hand pulling up my axe in the most casual manner I can manage. I might not know what the hell this guy is, but I'm not taking any chances.

The clown's eyes slowly swivel to face me. A stiff breeze blows past, ruffling his untidy green hair. Yet he remains silent.

Danger senses are going off in my head. This isn't right. Yeah, nothing that's happened in the past few days has been right, but this clown feels worse somehow. Way, way, worse. I put two hands on my axe and ready myself to--what? Run? Charge the clown and fight? Honestly, I have no idea. I just have to--

"Junie!"

At the sound of a voice I jump in surprise, letting out an embarrassingly high squeal as I spin around and swing my axe.

Milan casually sidesteps my swing, then reaches out and grabs the haft with both hands. She gives one twist of her shoulders and the weapon is yanked right out of my grasp. Stumbling to remain standing, I steady myself and offer Milan a weak smile. "Sorry. You surprised me."

Milan scowls. "Pay more attention to your surroundings! And besides," She hands me my axe back as Hayden walks up behind her, head down and staring at the ground, "why did you run off on your own? That was stupid. Stupid and dangerous."

Because you two are dour and unsettling. I haven't forgotten just how easily Milan made the decision to betray the other team in the Event Hub yesterday. I'm not saying it was the wrong decision, but seeing just how easily the decision came to her...I can't help but feel she'd betray me just as easily.

"It's not my fault, Milan," I defend myself, feeling a whole less freaked out now that my team is here to back me up, "I was distracted by that clown over there. He's really creepy. I don't know..." The words die on my lips as I turn back to the intersection.

The clown is gone.

"Clown? What are you talking about?" Milan stares at me like I've lost my mind. And maybe I have. There's no way he could have ran off without making noise and drawing attention to himself, right? I try explaining the situation, but Milan doesn't seem to believe me. Or maybe she just doesn't care.

"Stop acting so erratic, Junie," She says when I finish. "You've seen all those deaths today. Things are beginning to pick up and we can't show any weakness or we're going to end up the next team down a member. And what's with you?" She turns to Hayden, whose still staring at the ground. "Snap out of it! We cannot afford you to go catatonic!"

He looks up, blinking. "Oh. I just...have your memories returned?"

That question throws me for a loop. "Come again?"

"I guess that's a no..." He sighs and leans back to stare at the sky. I try to follow his gaze but see nothing but blue sky and white clouds.

"Something's the matter?" I ask.

He flinches back, as if I'd struck him. "You'd understand if you had your memories."

"You know how I'd understand? If you freaking told me what's wrong!"

"I can't! I can't tell you anything!" He spins around, hiding his face. Broad shoulders heaving as he sucks in deep breaths. I sure the hell don't understand a thing that's happening, but I do realize that something is very, very off about Hayden.

"I'm sorry," He suddenly whispers. Voice so faint I can barely hear him. "I'm sorry, Junie. You shouldn't be here. You're not...you're not like me. Not even like Milan. You shouldn't..."

"What are you talking about?" A cold wave of fear seems to wash over me. It's silly, to be afraid of some words when there's been killing and death all around me, but Hayden's words have hit me harder than anything else.

"Hayden, stop talking!" Milan pushes between the two of us, a scowl on her face. Unlike me she seems completely unaffected by his words. "Stop lying! We haven't lost our memories! That's just a lie Dr. Black fed us, hoping we were gullible enough to take the bait!"

Hayden turns to face her, expression suddenly cold, hard. "Of course you would say that. You don't care about anything, do you Pamalan? Nothing but your own life...and Ryle's."

Milan's eyes stretch wide. "How did you know my brothers name?"

"Because I remember!" And then he's suddenly ranting, talking about Milan and her life, going into details that I know he should have no knowledge of. But it's not his words that convince me. No. It's Milan's reaction. Her face pales, body stiffens. Her wide, shocked eyes stare silently as Hayden goes on about the "Runaways" and how Milan had joined them.

"You shouldn't know that," Milan shakes her head. "You shouldn't. I never told anyone. You shouldn't know."

"And yet I know anyway," Hayden says bitterly.

"I don't understand!" I throw my hands up in a fit of agitation. If your memories came back, then why do you know stuff about Milan's life?"

"It's...complicated. I can't explain."

Milan sets her hands on her hips and glares at him. "Why the hell not?"

"I just can't. I shouldn't even have said what I did. I could--but no. I had to tell. The guilt. It was eating at me."

There's a theme here. Guilt. He tried apologizing before, didn't he? But why? What possible reason could he have to be feeling guilty? This situation was so out of our control that there's nothing he could have done to help. We were all kidnapped. We were...

"Do you remember your kidnapping?" I suddenly ask.

Hayden's eyes flicker to me only to look away just as quickly. "No," he says softly.

Milan frowns. "So you're lying? Didn't you just tell us that you regained your..."

"You weren't kidnapped," I say quietly. There's silence now as this horrid possibility washes over the three of us. I hope that my suspicions are wrong, that I'm over-thinking things or missing something obvious. But I fear that I'm not.

Hayden stares at his feet. The only noise the groaning of the carousel as it sways in the wind. "Technically you could say that I was kidnapped," He finally breaks his silence. "But...I'm not like the rest of you. My participation in this game...it was voluntary."

I reel backwards, feeling like a punch has just connected with my gut. Voluntary. Hayden chose to compete in the game? To fight and kill the rest of us? "Why in the world would you choose to be here?" I demand.

"I can't tell you."

"Oh, come off it!"

"No." Hayden shakes his head. "I've already said too much. They will kill me if I say more. They might just kill me anyways. I shouldn't have said anything but...I had to apologize. I just had to."

I'm trying to wrap my head around what's happening. Something doesn't add up. Hayden is supposedly a volunteer for this game, but he had his memories wiped with the rest of us? Does that make sense? When I voice my thoughts Milan quickly backs me up.

"Yes, you're right, Junie. It doesn't make sense. But do you know what would make sense? If Hayden's "memories" were fake."

"How do you mean?"

"If Dr. Black can erase memories, whose to say that he cannot also make fake ones? Maybe Hayden is remembering untrue thoughts implanted by Dr. Black?"

That sounded like bit of a stretch to me, but...doesn't all of this sound crazy? Can I really dismiss something as illogical when pretty much everything around me is completely and utterly insane?

Yet, despite Milan's theory, Hayden's mood does not change. He remains silent, not even commenting on it. When I ask him he only shrugs and says that he'd understand if we didn't want to be allies with him anymore. At that, Milan scowls. "Don't be stupid! Even if your memories are real, why would we leave you? You could have some valuable information for us."

Hayden's only response is a shrug.

After that the conversation dies. Milan suggests that we find a building to shelter in, because daylight is swiftly fading. As we walk she keeps asking Hayden questions, tbough he refuses to respond. I can't help but find it odd how her opinion of the memory erasing changed so quickly. Just moments ago she was adamant that it was impossible to change memories, but now? Now she's a staunch believer. Odd.

But then, I myself don't even know how to feel. Nothing that has happened makes the least bit of sense. Who knows if I can trust either Milan or Hayden? I find myself so wrapped up in these thoughts that it's not until we return to the old restaurant we found this morning when I remember that we never did figure out what was up with that creepy clown.

Shinji Nakazawa (Delta Team)
"So you're really my brother, huh?" Satoshi leans against the side of the cabinet, arms crossed and eyes staring past me into the next room, where Zantae and Nailah hash out our next move.

We've been laying low inside this apartment complex for a few hours now, ever since I first joined up with the group. Though I was worried that they'd think I was a spy sent to harm them, this team has been surprisingly accepting of me; Zantae is even convinced that I'll somehow help them break the game. I don't know how I could possibly assist her that, but I'll certainly try my best.

"I'm not just your brother," I tell Satoshi, "I'm your twin."

A strange expression flickers across his face. One that I can't place. "Yeah," he says slowly, "Yeah, you really look like me."

Excitement still beats in my chest even though we've been together for hours. My twin! I've searched forever for him, put my heart and soul into the effort, hoping and praying that I'd finally find the second half that would fill the void that was hidden inside me. Satoshi! I'd never expected for him and I to be in the same game. Certainly it is not a coincidence. Dr. Black must have somehow known we were related and kidnapped us both. Why? I don't know, nor does it really matter at the moment, because we're finally together!

Only, Satoshi doesn't seem so pleased.

He's been distant, speaking very little and avoiding eye contact. At first I assumed it was his nerves, but as time passed that theory dissipated. When Nailah pulled me aside to interrogate me about Delta Team and everything we'd been through, I managed to ask her why Satoshi was so detatched. Maybe he was he always like this.

But no, she told me that he was normally a boisterous and outgoing guy, and that she didn't know what had gotten into him. "I'd be ecstatic to meet up with my own twin," She had told me. I vaguely recalled another girl existing in the game who looked similar to her, but when I asked if her own sister was also competing, she didn't respond.

But I didn't press the issue. Satoshi was more important.

"Yes! We really are twins!" I give an awkward laugh and rub my neck. I'm pressured to say more but my mind is coming up blank. I spent so many days fantasizing about what I'd say once I found my brother, but now that he's right in front of me I can't remember any of it. "So...your family? How were they?"

Satoshi clenches his jaw. "I don't want to talk about them."

"Oh, okay." Wrong topic. I'm about to say something languages and how I'm fluent in multiple different ones when Nailah strolls into the room and I immediately fall silent.

Despite barely being a foot tall and walking with an obvious limp, Nailah frightens me. Her entire body is hard with muscle and covered in a mess of scars. Her eyes are dark orbs that gleam with cold determination that seems to suggest she'd kill you without a second thought. The fact she has a sniper rifle slung over her shoulders only adds to the intimidation.

"Your teammates have been busy in your absence," She stops between Satoshi and I, looking me up and down. Though she is an ant compared to Ryder, I cannot help but feel she'd be a match for him.

"I told you they were hardened killers," I respond. Our datapads told us about the death. Ryder shot and killed Harry, a twelve year old boy. I'm glad that I left when I did. I don't think I could have stomached watching that.

"So am I." Nailah's eyes never leave mine. I know she's looking for something, anything that would imply I harbored some sort of attachment to my teammates. But there's none. I can honestly say that in just a few hours I've already come to like this team and respect them more than Ryder or Vjena.

"They'll kill everyone," I'm surprised to find myself speaking, "They won't stop until the game is over. Ryder...he's not mentally stable. Killing a person means as much to him as squishing a bug does for us. Less, even. We might feel some guilt, but Ryder isn't capable of that."

Nailah nods. "So you've said. And Vjena puts up with that?"

"She has a compulsion for winning. She'll do anything, as long as it helps her win. Anything."

"What charming teammates you have."

I shrug, feeling oddly embarrassed for some reason. "So you understand why I left them. I couldn't just watch them kill everyone." And I needed to find Satoshi. The knowledge that he was here had become an irresistible itch. One that was insatiable. I had to find him. I had to.

My brother has drifted off to the corner, where he silently watches Nailah and I converse. Why is he so obtuse? Can't he see how connected we are? I'm going to try and engage him in another round of conversation when Zantae stumbles into the room.

"One of the Event Hubs is still open!"

Though she speaks with a sense of urgency, no one reacts. I share a look with Nailah before she turns to Zantae, an eyebrow arched. "And?

"If two teams don't enter before midnight then Dr. Black will kill all of us!"

That snaps me back into focus. I had forgotten all about that threat of his, not paying the slightest heed to it. And why would I? Up to this point no Hub had gone nearly this far without someone playing.

"Will he now." Nailah holds up her knife and examines the blade, punctuating the causality of her tone. "Somehow I don't think he will. He needs us, after all."

"But he will definitely kill someone!" Zantae retorts. "Maybe not everyone, but he'll kill someone to make an impression. You know he will."

"We can't save everyone," Nailah says, "And there are certain people here who don't deserve life anyway."

"What if it's one of us? Will you care if Dr. Black murders me or Satoshi?" Zantae motions towards my brother, still leaning against the wall as he silently observs the conversation with a thoughtful expression.

"He won't kill one anyone on our team," Nailah dismisses the thought out of hand. "Though I cannot vouch for Shinji's safety." I acknowledge the point with a dip of my head. I have no doubt that Dr. Black would kill me, if he ever so desired.

"And how do you know that?" Satoshi speaks for the first time. He pushes himself away from the wall and saunterz up to Nailah, staring down into her eyes. "You seem awfully sure of it. It's weird. You seem to know way more than you let on."

"Do I?"

"Don't play dumb. I may not be the smartest tool in the box, but I'm wise enough to spot odd behavior."

"Do explain yourself."

I look back and forth between the two, utterly bewildered by this turn of events. Have I missed something? Satoshi is implying...what? That Nailah knows something that the rest of us don't? For her part she appears unconcerned by the accusations, perhaps too much so.

Satoshi scrunches up his forehead and rubs at his eyes. "Ah, it's not something I can really explain. Just...where did you get that knife? And where did you go the first day, when you got separated from us? And what about your sister? You were so astounded to see her here, but why? And you, I don't know, just keep making little comments that really confuse me!"

My brother, it seems, is not the most articulate of speakers. Nailah stares at him for a long moment, then shrugs. "I still do not see what you're implying."

Thump!

Satoshi's reply transforms into a squawk of surprise as the sound of a door swinging open reverberates from the floor below us. I snatch up my whip, ready to defend myself, but Nailah is quicker. Before I even have the weapon in hand she's out the door and heading down the staircase, all without making a sound.

I don't have time to wonder how she can be so stealthy. Zantae and Satoshi both sprint after their teammate, making so much noise that they negate any surprise advantage Nailah may have had. I hurry after them.

The three of us hurtle down to the main floor and sprint through the halls into the lobby where we find, much to our surprise, Nailah holding her rifle up at our kneeling intruder.

He's a slight boy wearing a nice, if rather dirty, suit. Though he kneels on the floor with both hands held up behind his head, he looks rather calm. "I mean you no harm," He is speaking to Nailah as we enter. His eyes shift to take note of us, but he doesn't otherwise react. "As I'm sure you can ascertain from your datapads, my name is Timothy Gonzalez of TBD Team. My teammates are no longer with me. Nathaniel is dead and Mike has deserted me. I am alone."

"Don't kill him!" Zantae darts forward, arms reaching for Nailah's rifle.

The older girl easily sidesteps her and Zantae stumbles before sprawling to the carpet below. "I'm not going to kill him," Nailah says calmly. "Yet. I want to know everything he can tell us."

The boy, Timothy, just nods. "Fair enough, I suppose." He proceeds to tell us a tale of his exploits in the game, from a run-in with a clown to an Event Hub where his teammate was forced into a fight to the death. He tried making peace with another team, he insists, but they rebuffed his efforts. Thus he led his allies into another Hub, where he was forced to play a macabre game where he chose which one would live and which would die.

"So why are you here?" Nailah demands, when he finishes explaining how Mike ran off without him.

"I needed to find some sort of shelter. Night has fallen and it's beginning to get cold. Strangers cold."

I frown. Cold? The weather has been fairly moderate up until this point. Has something changed?

"You can ally with us!" Zantae leaps to her feet and approaches Timothy, ignoring Nailah's hiss of annoyance. "We're trying to gather as many Challengers possible so we can defy Dr. Black!"

"Ah, I see. So that's why there's four of you."

This guy is too calm. Too monotone. It's almost as if he's forcing all emotions out of him which, considering his story, I suppose makes sense. Every single person he knows here is either dead or abandoned him.

"We don't know if we can trust him," Nailah's rifle stays trained on his chest.

"There's a Desert Eagle in my jacket pocket," Timothy says, "You can take it if you wish." Nailah nods to me and I step forward to frisk his pockets, stepping away once I procure the surprisingly heavy weapon. "Just be careful shooting it. The kickback could knock you on your butt."

Nailah smirks. "I know how to handle a gun."

"Of course. My apologies."

"This is great!" Zantae is oblivious to the tension in the room. That, or she's trying to kill it with her optimism. "The more people we get the harder it will me for Dr. Black to stop us!"

"And what, exactly, will we be doing?" Timothy asks. "If you don't mind me knowing, that is."

Zantae's smile disappears. "Oh, uh, I don't know yet."

We frisk Timothy for any further weapons and Nailah asks him every question she can think of. After that we lock him in one of the apartment bathrooms as we debate what to do with him. Nailah suggests that we leave him but Zantae and Satoshi insist that we take him inti ouur group. I'm not certain that my opinion matters, but I agree with Satoshi anyway.

Eventually Nailah relents and lets the guy out. "Looks like you're one of us now," She tells him as he quietly thanks her. "Lucky you."

I don't know if he can be trusted. I don't know how or what our little group will even do, but there's now five of us, and that has to count for something.

Tetsu Ueno (Sigma Team)
As night falls and darkness descends around us, so too does the cold. Despite the fact that the temperature outside has been pretty consistent for the first few days, there's now a noticeable shift in the weather. I wrap my arms around myself, fighting off the need to shiver as, beside me, Amare stares out at the Event Hub. She, at least, doesn't show any sign of being cold.

"They've been in there for hours," I complain. "What's taking them so long?" I pause for dramatic effect. "Oh, right! No one else has arrived!" We've been staked outside the Event Hub since dawn, awaiting the other teams. It didn't take too long before the first team arrived, Francesca and Arlyssa, the new Zeta Team. We watched as they entered the Hub and have been waiting ever since.

"You know, I'm beginning to have some serious doubts about this plan," I say, blowing into my hands and rubbing them together. Originally we were supposed to wait for two teams to enter and play the game inside. Once they finished we were to attack whichever team exited last. Though it was Amare's idea, I didn't object. She had a shotgun and I was Tetsu-freaking-Ueno, who could beat us? Except, there's one small problem...

A second team never showed up.

For hours we've been hidden in the outskirts of the woods, lying in wait and watching uselessly. I can't speak for Amare, but I've felt pretty damn stupid. "It's almost midnight," I check the watch on my datapad. "What happens if no other team shows?"

"Dr. Black kills us," Amare says quietly.

"Do you mean everyone or just us in particular?"

"Just us."

"Uh-huh. And why is that?" I ask the question even though I already know the answer. It's rare to hear Amare speak so much. Usually she only grunts one word responses at me.

"We're closest to the Hub. He'll make us the example."

And by that, she means Dr. Black will kill us to show the other teams that he's not messing around. I get it. I mean, we've been outside his precious Hub all day, just staring at it and refusing to enter. If I was him I'd kill us too. Guess there's only one thing left to do.

I stand up and shake out my limbs. Man, it really is getting cold. "Well, looks like we're going inside."

Amare only nods.

The two of us secure our weapons and possessions then cross the meadow that separates the woods from the Hub. Francesca and Arlyssa will be awaiting us inside. Wonder what game we will be playing? Hope it's a fun one. Today has been really boring.

I grab the Hub door and swing it open. "Ladies first!" I gesture Amare inside. She ignores me. Ha! What a lark. I follow her in and find myself in a typical waiting room, filled with couches, chairs, and those little tables stacked with magazines. I immediately grab one of them and scan the frontpage.

"Disgusting!" I hurl the magazine back down.

Amare raises an eyebrow at me.

"They didn't pick me for Person of the Year," I explain. Honestly, I thought I'd be a shoe-in for sure. Faking a yawn, I sprawl myself onto one of the chairs and start in mock surprise as I turn to the two people standing in the center of the room. "Yikes! When did you two get here?"

"Many hours ago," Francesca offers me a dry smile. "We thought maybe no one else was going to show."

"I wouldn't miss this party for the world!" I flash a smile and instantly begin studying the two of them. Francesca is tall, much taller than I'd have thought. She has to be at least six feet and her body is surprisingly muscular and fit. One look is all I need to know that she is a practitioner of martial arts. "You do Jujitsu?"

A quizzical frown crosses her face. "Shouldn't introductions come first?"

"Of course, of course!" I stand up and give a flourishing bow. "Tetsu Ueno, at your service! And that right there is my bodyguard, Amare Adebowale." I gesture at my teammate who predictably, does not respond.

"I'm Francesca Rowe," She steps forward and offers me a handshake, which I accept. "And that's my teammate Arlyssa."

Arlyssa doesn't even look at us. She's busy rubbing at her arms, murmuring softly to herself. Even Francesa seems troubled by the eccentric behavior. "I'm sorry," she says, "I don't know what has gotten into her. She's been like this for a few hours now..."

"Hot! It'ss too hot!" Arlyssa snarls.

"You won't be hot for long if you go outside dressed like that," I say, taking in her clothing. A red shirt that hangs off one shoulder and jean shorts. She'd probably freeze within an hour.

"Has something happened?" Francesca worriedly looks towards the door. Though I could try to explain, I only shrug. Honestly, I'm not too sure about my own clothing situation. I'm wearing a simple shirt and some jeans. Not exactly the best cold weather clothing.

"May I have your attention, please!" Dr. Black appears on the wall via a screen, much like in the previous Event Hub I entered.

I offer him a lazy salute. "Ho, kidnapper Black!"

"How nice of you to join us, Tetsu. I was beginning to think that you'd ignore my warnings about what would happen if no one entered the Hub."

"You might want to remind the other teams, because I think they forgot."

"Yes. Perhaps I should. Regardless, Zeta Team and Sigma Team will compete in one of my games. If you would be so kind as to enter the doors to your sides, I will explain the rules."

Francesca and her teammate practically run to their door. Probably a result of being cooped up inside for all these hours. Amare and I head to ours much more slowly. "Think they fell for my act?" I ask her as we walk.

She looks at me questioningly.

"You know, that whole celebrity airhead persona I was doing!" I was trying to throw them off guard, make 'em think I am weaker than I really am. They're our enemies, so I can't let them know anything that might help them.

"I didn't notice a difference," Amare finally responds.

"Dude! Insulting!"

We both walk through the door and enter a small, barren room. A lone door sits before us. "The game you're about to play is called Duel," Dr. Black reappears on the walls and speaks before we can react, "And the rules are very simple. The door before you will open up and admit you into a battle arena. Once inside, the two of you will use the items currently in your possession to battle the opposing team. It will be a fight to the death. The game will only end once both members of a single team have been eliminated. Good luck."

I let out a low whistle. "Well now, things just got interesting!"

Francesca Rowe (Zeta Team)
"Once inside, the two of you will use the items currently in your possession to battle the opposing team. It will be a fight to the death. The game will only end once both members of a single team have been eliminated. Good luck."

The announcement clicks off and Dr. Black disappears from the wall, leaving us in stunned silence. I can scarcely breath. A fight. To the death. Against Sigma team. I suddenly feel light-headed and place a hand against the wall to steady myself. "There's no way we can win!"

"Like hell there isn't!" Arlyssa looks up from her hands, eye burning with fury. "I didn't come all this way to die to a pretty boy and his mute bodyguard!"

"She had a shotgun," I say, voice hoarse, "And he had a spear and sickle. What do we have? A crowbar."

"And this!" Arlyssa pulls her revolver out and shakes it in the air. "With just two squeezes of the trigger I'll send both of them--Argh!"

A yelp of pain escapes her lips as she slumps to the ground. Immediately I'm beside her, trying to help her up. "Are you okay! What's wrong?"

"Norhing!" She pushes me aside. "Just...it's just that burning. The stupid heat." She straightens up and rubs her shoulder. "I'll be fine. Just fine."

I'm not so sure. Ever since we've entered the Hub Arlyssa has been complaining about a phantom burning. At first it was just a little heat, but it soon progressed into physical pain. I don't know what is wrong with her, if anything. But if such a bout were to strike her while we're fighting...

"Be careful, okay?" I run a hand along my crowbar. The steel is cold to the touch and rather than comfort me it only increases my unease. I'm supposed to beat Tetsu and Amare to death with this? Impossible. "Our only chance in winning rests with you, Arlyssa."

I should never have entered this Hub. I knew it was a terrible idea. Didn't I tell her a much? But what was I to do? Arlyssa was adamant that we attend, and I couldn't not go with her. The thought of myself, alone...

I take a deep breath to steady myself. Keep calm. Think straight. It is possible to win this. We can still defeat the two of them. It's not over until we're dead. We always have a chance. As long as you're alive you have a chance. I pat Arlyssa on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's go kick their asses."

We push through the door and enter into the battlefield awaiting us. It's a large, wide room that greatly reminds of a gymnasium. Even the flooring is the same type as that of my old school. It is surprisingly completely empty.

Tetsu and Amare stand on the other side of the room, about ten yards away. Tetsu has a confident smirk plastered on his face. Amare's is utterly devoid of emotion. I glance at Arlyssa. "Try to take Amare out first, if possible," I whisper, "Her shotgun is by far their deadliest weapon."

Arlyssa grins. "That'll be easy!"

Dr. Black's voice suddenly booms across the room. "Sigma Team, Zeta Team, prepare for Duel commencement!"

The room hums to life around us. Sections of the floor rise up, creating immediate cover. Panels in the ceiling slide open, dropping medicine balls that swing wildly. Nozzles protrude from the wall, emitting bursts of smoke.

Arlyssa immediately steps forward and fires her revolver. The bullet whizzes over Amare's head as she ducks and rolls. Tetsu runs forward and slides, disappearing behind cover. "Don't just stand in the open!" Arlyssa growls at me as she presses herself into her own cover.

I rush across the room and duck behind a piece of waist-high cover. One of the smoke nozzles is on the wall next to me, creating a small and impenetrable smoke cloud. What am I supposed to do? My only weapon is a crowbar and I can't very well charge Amare with it!

Tetsu springs out of cover and runs across the room, closing the gap between us. Arlyssa sees him and fires off a shot, but he's quick and throws himself behind a barrier at the last moment. The bullet ricochets around the room. "Save your shots!" I shout.

Arlyssa glares at me. "I know what I'm doing!"

Unfortunately, it is evident that she does not. She's probably never even held a gun before these Games. The fact that she missed Tetsu at almost point blank range practically proves it.

I glance around the room. Tetsu is still pinned under cover, occasionally peaking out to check his surroundings. Arlyssa has him in her sights but is wisely conserving her ammo. If I remember correctly than that revolver only has six bullets, and that's assuming Arlyssa didn't use any before joining up with me. But where is Amare? I can't spot her anywhere, which is worrying. Like Arlyssa, she has a gun. Unlike Arlyssa, I'm certain she won't miss.

I refuse to panic. That will only lead to problems. I need to think of a strategy, something that will change the paradigm and swing it in our favor. The only thing I can think of is very risky.

Very, very risky.

"Cover me!" I shout to Arlyssa and jump out of cover, sprinting forward, charging Tetsu's position. If I can beat him, take him out quickly, then we have a chance. Amare will be forced to fight us two against one. The odds will be firmly in our favor. Provided I can kill Tetsu.

Arlyssa fires a shot off to my left. I don't look, but I assume Amare made an appearance. Good. If she's distracted with Arlyssa then this crazy plan might just work. I adjust my grip on the crowbar mid-run, then fling myself over the barrier.

Tetsu starts in surprise, dropping his spear. "Whoa! That was unexpected!"

My only response is to swing for his head.

Tetsu Ueno (Sigma Team)
Without warning Francesca comes flying over my cover. I backpedal, throwing my spear down and reaching for the sickle at my waist. "Whoa! That was unexpected!"

Francesca swings a crowbar towards my head.

I duck and roll underneath the swing, regain my feet, and circle around, making sure that I keep her between me and Arlyssa. The last thing I want is to take a bullet in the back while fighting. "You guys play for keeps, huh?"

I didn't expect this tactic. Thought they would just hang back and wait for us to come to them. S'all good, though. Getting up close and personal was what I wanted anyway.

Francesca swings again. I step back, dodging the two follow-up attacks. It may just be a crowbar but Francesca is a giant of a girl, with long limbs that give her an extended reach. One glancing blow, even just to my arm, would be enough to knock me out of commission.

When her third swing swipes the empty air around me, I step forward and flick my sickle out. Francesca gasps, stumbling backwards as the blade strikes true. Before I can capitalize on the blow she's back into her fighting stance. A gash on her cheek drips blood, just below the eye.

"You have some fighting experience," I observe, casting my gaze around for her teammate. She is nowhere in sight. And where the hell is Amare? "Most novices are too stunned by the initial blow to recover as quickly as you did."

"Simple martial arts, nothing more." She keeps her distance, wary of me. I'm betting she don't expect me to be as skilled as I am. I open my mouth, as if to respond.

Then I dart towards her, sickle aimed straight for her neck. There's a flash of steel as the crowbar slaps my blade away. I turn, laughing at how skilled she is, when the medicine ball comes swinging right for my face.

A flash of light. I feel myself hit the floor and instinctively roll. Seconds later there's the telltale sound of the crowbar smashing into the empty space I just was. Vision blurry, head throbbing, I throw myself forward and wrap my arms around Francesca's legs. She gives a shout of surprise moments before my leverage pulls her to the ground.

My hands clamber towards her neck, hoping to get her into a headlock, when a swift punch has her burying a fist in my gut. A wheezing breath escapes me as a backhand sends me careening off her. Scrambling to my feet, I duck under her punch, grabbing her arm as it sails over my head. I twist, wrenching it behind her back. Francesca throws her head back, slamming it into mine. For a second I think I black out. When I come to, Francesca is standing over me, my sickle in hand. Then she raises it for one final blow.

And her face explodes into a cloud of red.

The blast of the shotgun rings out, deafening me. Still dazed from the headbutt, I don't understand what has happened until Amare pulls me to my feet. "Good timing," I mumble through a numb mouth.

"Where is the other?" Amare glances around the room.

"Dunno." I try not to look down at the pile of red grist that once was Francesca's head. She was a good fighter. That's what I'll remember her as. Not...Not what she is now. I bend over and pick up my spear. "Come on. Let's end this."

When I turn around, I spot Arlyssa.

And in her hand is a fireball.

Arlyssa Valiante (Zeta Team)
Heat. Pain. Burning. Burning pain.

I am on fire. Why am I on fire? The heat races through my veins, spreading across my blood. I can feel it. Feel it burning my insides. Sweat builds at my temples. Drips into my eyes. Where is my revolver? I think I dropped it.

Francesca is fighting Tetsu. She's doing better than she has any right to be. I would help her but...the heat. I glance down at my palm, where a small flame has begun to flicker. Impossible. Or is it? I can feel the fire inside. Beckoning me.

Open up. Accept the Gift. I try. I reach in and try to give myself in to this power, to channel it through me. Amare has a shotgun. My own shot made her duck into cover but it won't be for long. I need to help. Need to...

The flame in my palm has grown. An orb of fire sits there, crackling gently. I can still feel the heat but the pain...the pain is gone. There's only fire left inside me. Fire and power.

I was always unloved. Unwanted. My whole life has just been one big catastrophe. Oh, how I've longed to get back at the people who've made it hell. Now I have the opportunity.

I flex my hand and the flame on my palm grows. When I wind my arm back and throw, the orb of flame goes sailing. It crashes into the wall and explodes into sparks and flames. I laugh. Laugh and laugh.

The heat is still inside me. I can summon it. Control it. Mine. The power is mine. I start the buildup of another fireball and turn around. It is time to end Sigma Team once and for all.

Tetsu Ueno (Sigma Team)
"What the hell am I looking at?"

Arlyssa strides forward, laughing. A pulsating fireball held in her outstretched hand. An actual fireball. What. The. Hell.

Arlyssa looks at me, cocking her head to the side. For a moment I don't know what is happening. Then she pulls her hand back and my survival instincts kick in. I dive behind a barrier as she lets the fireball fly. Sparks fly as it crashes into the ground, flames flickering to life only to die out from lack of fuel.

"Yes! Yes!" Dr. Black's voice booms throughout the room. He sounds ecstatic. Well, as ecstatic as his synthesized voice allows. "Finally! One of you has Awoken! Success! These Games are a success!"

I don't know what that lunatic is going on about, and I don't really wanna know. I'm too concerned about the girl who literally hurling balls of fire at me. "This can't be happening," I mutter, crawling to the other side of the barrier. Arlyssa can't hit me if she can't see me. "This is nuts. Did Dr. Black inject us with some drugs or something?"

A fireball smashes into the cover to my left, engulfing it in flames. I flinch back, the sparks singing my face. Yes, this is real. Dangerously real. "The Duel is over!" Dr. Black is still speaking. "The fighting can now cease. I repeat, the Duel is over!"

"Like hell it is!" Arlyssa screams and another fireball flies out, this time landing to the right of me. It doesn't matter what Dr. Black says; this Duel is still on and there's only one way it will end.

I snatch up my spear and run. Immediately Arlyssa sends a fireball hurtling my way, but either her aim is off or I'm faster than it, because it crashes down way behind me. I slide into new cover and can't help but wonder where the hell Amare has gone. Sure could use her help here!

I bite my lip, quite concerned about this predicament. Arlyssa can apparently create fire out of her hands. Does that make sense? No. But I can't afford to worry about what's logical when I'm being attacked by a girl who can freaking create fireballs!

The barrier next to me explodes into flames. No time to think. I need to act and act fast. There's a brief period in between fireballs when Arlyssa has to stop and, I don't know, charge a new one. I can use that, have to use that, if I want a chance of winning.

When another fireball flies over my head, I suck in a breath and launch myself over the barrier. "You only live once!"

I sprint full speed towards Arlyssa. Surprise flickers in her eyes and her hand rises, a new ball of fire already generating in her palm. When I'm ten feet from her I jab the butt of my spear into the ground and use it like a pole vault to launch myself into the air.

The world slows as I sail through the air. I see the shock on Arlyssa's face. Hear Dr. Black's screams. I ignore it all. As I start my downward trajectory, I adjust my grip midair, spin the spear around, and thrust

There's a sharp intake of breath as the steel tip buries itself in Arlyssa's chest.

I crash into the ground and roll. I'm back on my feet in an instant, ready to finish the fight. But there's no need. Arlyssa sways back and forth, mouth moving but no words forming as she prods at the spear in her chest. Then she crashes to the floor, arms splaying to the sides.

The fireball in her hand is extinguished with a hiss.

"Ha...I did it!" I pump my fist into the air and let out a whoop of joy. I just killed a girl with superpowers! That has to be some kinda first! I'm a hero! A legend! A fit of laughter overtakes me as I realize that, with both Arlyssa and Francesca dead, the Duel is over

I've won.

"What have you done?" Amare appears at my side. Her eyes are glued to Arlyssa's body. She looks...horrified.

"Dude! Aren't you impressed? I just killed a girl who was breaking all the laws of thermal dynamics!"

"You fool!" Dr. Black's voice thunders throughout the room. The synthesized voice has become a deep timber. "You moronic, idiotic fool! I told you to stop! The game was over! You insubordinate dotard!"

I'm taken back by this show of emotion. Shocked, even. Dr. Black has always remained so calm and collected, completely detached from the situation and our plight. And now here he is, raging at me like a berserker because I...killed someone?

I scratch my head. "I'm confused. The whole point of this game was to kill the other team, right?"

"THE GAME WAS OVER, YOU FOOL!"

I jab a finger at Arlyssa's corpse. "Tell that to her! She kept attacking me!"

"SHE HAD SUCH POTENTIAL! THE FIRST TO AWAKEN! AND YOU KILLED HER! YOU INSUFFERABLE FOOL! YOU--"

The intercom shuts off midsentence. Whatever else Dr. Black had to say goes unsaid as our room plunges into silence. Suddenly uncomfortable, I glance back at Amare. "So, uh, did I make a mistake?"

Her face is blank. For a long moment we just stare at one another. Then she turns and walks away.

"Whoa! Where are you going?" I quickly collect my weapons and run after her. She heads into the antechamber, the room where we first entered the Hub.

"The game is over," Amare says as I catch up. "We're free to leave."

"Yeah, okay, but are we not going to talk about what just happened? You know, fireballs and the girl who freaking created them?" I can't even wrap my head around the situation. I've been operating on pure adrenaline since the start of the duel, and now that it's fading I'm just...really confused.

"What would we talk about?"

"I don't know! Maybe about how everything that just happened isn't even possible!" A human being can't create fire from their body. That's just not something that works. Not to mention Dr. Black's reaction. It's almost as if he expected such a thing to occur.

"I have no time for frivolous conversation." Amare brushes past me and opens the main door, walking into the night. A blast of cold air rushes in, chilling me. I've always known that Amare was a strange person. This whole time she's been aloof and stoic to the point it's almost comical, but I thought that was just her way of coping with the situation or something. Now I have to rethink that assessment. Anyone who could see what we just saw and shrug it off as "frivolous" is obviously completely insane.

As Amare walks off into the night, I'm forced to follow after her. There's hundreds of questions pinballing around in my head; like why the hell Arlyssa could do what she did, why Dr. Black changed the rules at the last moment or why he was so upset that I killed Arlyssa. I want to talk with someone about this, anyone. But my only ally clearly has no desire to talk.

A shiver overtakes me as I head out into the night. "This just really sucks."

Mike Glennon (Gamma Team)
The night is cold and dark. The beam of my flashlight is the only thing that illuminates the bleak landscape around me. Trees sprout on either side of me, thinning away as I approach the one place I know I'll find shelter; the carnival.

I can't shake thoughts of Tim from my head. I thought he was my friend! How could he have betrayed me like that? The two of us were supposed to win this thing together, take down anyone who tried to stop us. But he threw it all away. He chose Nate over me. But...why?

I've spent too long thinking on this without an answer. I don't know. Probably will never know. I didn't even really talk to Tim. I was too angry. Just rushed out of the Hub and ran as fast as my feet would take me. It wasn't until it got dark that I stopped to wonder where I was going. The other teams are still together, and though I know I can beat anyone else here in a one-on-one fight, I'm not dumb enough to think I'd beat three people.

Especially not ones with guns.

The asphalt road that leads into the carnival pops into existence. I gratefully rush onto it, smiling to myself when I see the colorful lights of the carnival in the distance. Food and warmth! I remember my first night here. Tim, Nate, and I had a wonderful meal in that restaurant...

Tim...

My feet falter. Did I do the right thing? Maybe I shouldn't have left him. Teammates shouldn't abandon one another. But he did betray me first. But only because he wanted to save Nate. Yet he also promised me he would always have my back...

I feel like I'm being torn in a million different directions. I don't know what to do, what to think. Tim was always my coach. He had the strategy, the gameplan. I'm just...What am I without him?

My datapad comes to life with a series of beeps. The mechanical voice soon begins to chirp. "Amare Adebowale has shotgunned Francesca Rowe. Tetsu Ueno has eliminated Arlyssa Valiante with a spear. Zeta Team has lost all members and has been officially eliminated from the Game." Most of those words mean nothing to me. More dead people. Just like Nate, except I didn't know them. So why should I care about them?

I don't know how long I just stand in the center of the road, thinking more than I ever have before. Eventually a cold wind blows in, its chill gales tingling across my face. I suppress a shiver. I'm lucky; I woke up here with my NC State sweater, and its done a nice job keeping me warm. I'm sure some of the other guys don't have as much clothing. Still, I'd prefer to be indoors.

I hurry along the road, towards the carnival.

A short jog later and I'm walking down the main thoroughfare, blinking my eyes as they adjust to all the sudden lighs. Garish colors and vibrant balloons adorn the many stands and stores that line the sides. I head off in the direction of the restaurant.

This is pretty much the only place I know. I can't remember how to get to that beach where we spent the night after the first Hub, or even how to find the Hubs themselves. But I do remember this carnival. The food here was too great for me to forget.

When I reach the restaurant I immediately head up the steps to the balcony. I stop halfway up. Something has triggered my quarterback awareness and I spin around to face the direction I just came.

The clown, the same one we saw our first night here, is standing twenty yards away.

He stands completely still, staring straight ahead with a wide grin. A sense of uneasiness hits me. He...he wasn't behind me this whole time, was he? "Hello?" I call out, remembering how he ignored Tim last time and slipped away while we were distracted.

The clown doesn't respond.

Maybe he's shy? What are you supposed to do with shy people, introduce yourself? "Uh, my name's Mike Glennon! I'm the quarterback of the NC State Wolfpack! Soon I'll be in the NFL!"

Still no response. The guy doesn't even so much as flinch. Feeling confused and a little stupid, I remember my idea from last time and how Tim said I shouldn't do it. "Hey, clown!" I wave my football in the air. "I'm going to throw this at your head, okay?"

I wait a few seconds, but when he doesn't answer I shrug. "I warned you," I say, pulling back for my throw. "So don't come crying to me when you get hurt!" I let the ball go. It's a perfect spiral, fast and accurate. It cuts through the crisp night air and smashes right into the clowns forehead.

And he collapses like a wet paper bag.

"Aww, yeah!" I fist pump. "I told Tim my football was an awesome weapon! What-what!"

I'm so busy celebrating my amazing throw that I don't even hear them sneaking up on me until their weapon smashes me in the back of the head.

Milan Pamalan (Epsilon Team)
Junie swings the axe backwards, smashing the guy with the haft. The tall blond man staggers forward but, amazingly, stays on his feet. He turns around, his face a mask of dazed wonder. "I...who...mommy?"

"What was that?" I glare at Junie. "Use the blade! That's what it's there for!"

"I'm not going to murder him!" She shoots a glare back at me.

"That's the point of the game!"

"This is a game for psychopaths!"

I snap my mouth shut, cutting off a retort. Now is not the time for getting into an argument with my soft-headed teammate. Taking a deep breath, I turn my gaze to our intruder. Tall, muscular, and blond, he fits the description of Mike Glennon from our datapads. Gamma Team, then. "Hayden, check behind us and make sure no one is setting an ambush!"

Though he has been acting erratic and withdrawn all day, Hayden doesn't hesitate to do as I say. Content, I switch my focus back to Junie. "Give me the axe."

"What? No."

Idiot. Clenching my fists I watch Mike. He's still swaying on his feet, but a sense of focus has returned to his eyes. A bump the size of a grapefruit has swelled where Junie struck him. "What do you suppose we do with him, then? Keep him as a pet?"

The three of us were sleeping inside the restaurant when he approached. Hayden was on watch and awoke us because he heard someone talking outside. He said it sounded like someone was having a conversation, but when we came out all we found was this moron celebrating like an imbecile.

"We can interrogate him," Junie says after a pause. "I'm sure he has some valuable information."

Does she not realize the repercussions of this game? The amount of people who've died, just today? We weren't even asleep yet when the announcement came telling us Zeta Team's elimination. Killed by a shotgun and spear. Odd combination.

"Who...who are you?" Awareness floods Mike's blue eyes. He looks back and forth between me and Junie, bewildered. "Are you his teammates? I'm sorry I threw a ball at him. I just thought it would be funny."

"What the hell is he talking about?" I ask. Junie shrugs.

"Huh. You two are just girls. Not cool," Mike rubs his head, wincing when he feels the bump. "I don't want to hurt girls."

"You won't be hurting anyone," I say acidly. This fool should already be dead, but Junie is the one with the weapon. I knew I never should have returned the axe!

"I guess. But do you--" His eyes widen as Hayden returns, crossbow in hand.

"All clear," He nods at me then turns to face Mike. I haven't forgotten about what he's said today, but now isn't the time to press him.

"Hayden, shoot this idiot!"

Mike scratches his head. "Wait, you guys aren't teamed with the clown?"

Junie gasps as I resist the urge to smack him. "What clown?"

"The, uh, the guy whose standing right behind you."

Years of living on the streets, honing my instincts, has my body reacting before my mind can even process the words. I diveroll forward even as I feel the blade slash through the empty air above me.

When I get back to my feet, I find myself face-to-face with the clown.

His skin is completely smooth and featureless. Eyes dark pits. Bright red lips are spread into a wide grin. And, in his hand, he holds a large knife.

Junie lets out a scream and charges, swinging the axe overhand. The clown catches the haft with his left hand and, with almost contemptuous ease, rips the weapon away from her.

Junie blinks in shock, backpedaling towards the stairs. Hayden raises his crossbow and I yell for him to shoot. At this close a distance it should be impossible to miss and no time to dodge. But, as the arrow zips forward, the clown does the impossible. Moving faster than any person I've ever seen, he twists his body to the side and we watch as the arrow sails past harmlessly.

"Run!"

When Mike breaks into a sprint it's like a signal for the rest of us. Junie and Hayden hurtle down the stairs after Mike, while I just throw myself over the railing, landing on my feet and take off down the street. Though I have a head start, I slow down when I realize I have far outran the others. When I do so, Mike and Hayden both quickly pass me. They whip past without even a second glance. "Stupid men!"

Junie lags behind, her injured leg obviously still affecting her. She's about ten paces behind me and fading fast. Should I help?

Junie trips. Arms flailing as she hits the ground. I stop and turn, ready to assist her, when I spot the clown. He moves at a brisk walk, unhurried as he approaches. The knife is still held tightly in his right hand. The axe in the other. I look back at Junie. Lock eyes with her. See the desperate plea for help there.

Then I turn and run.

There's no guilt in me as I sprint away, following the path Mike and Hayden blazed. I had no obligation to help. I don't even turn as I hear Junie's scream. I've made my decision. Nothing else matters.

I keep running until I reach the ferris wheel. There I spot Hayden, catching his breath by the ticket booth. He looks up as I stop beside him. "Junie?"

"Fell behind. Don't know what happened." I look around. "Where's Mike?"

"Dunno."

We need to get out of this carnival. The clown, he seems attached to the place. I'm willing to bet that if we left he wouldn't chase us. At least, I would hope so. I begin to tell Hayden this when he points over my shoulder. "Look out!"

Mike comes sprinting down the lane, headed right for us. Behind him, the clown emerges from the shadows that ring the plaza. Knife held high, he still moves at that walking pace. How did he catch up, moving that slow?

"Run! Run!" There's wild terror in Mike's eyes as he approaches.

Hayden tugs on my arm. "Get in the ferris wheel!"

The two of us clamber into the nearest seat, though I'm not sure what it's going to accomplish. Mike seems like he's about to join us, but he pauses at the last moment and runs over to the control panel. He taps a few buttons, pulls a lever, and then there's a metallic grinding right before our seat lurches into movement.

"Wait for me!" He rushes towards us.

The next few moments pass in a blur. The clown pulls his arm back and throws his knife. The weapon flies through the air, end over blade, until it reaches its destination. Mike is jumping for the nearest seat when it takes him in the back.

He falls forward and crashes into the side panel of the cart. I yell in dismay as our own cart rises up, circling around the center wheel. Mike, down below us now, attempts to pull himself to his feet. The clown reaches him before he can.

Looking down at him in a almost questioning manner, the clown raises the axe and brings it down in one strike.

I gasp in horror. Hayden squeezes his eyes shut. Mike slumps to the floor, his head split open. We reach the crest of the ferris wheel, the highest point in the carnival. A chillingly cold wind blows up and I begin to shiver uncontrollably as, way down below, the clown grabs Mike by his collar and drags him away, off into the shadows.

Then silence. We're alone with the wailing of the wind and the metallic grinding of the ferris wheel.

When we circle back around to the bottom we quickly hop out of the cart. The clown is nowhere to be seen. "Poor guy," Hayden's whisper is almost lost in the wind as I sidestep a pool of Mike's blood.

"We have to leave the carnival," I say, "Before that...thing returns."

A soft beeping emits from our datapads. "A friendly clown has axed Mike Glennon a question."

Hayden curses softly. "The tenth death..."

"That doesn't matter! We need to leave! Now!" I'm filled with adrenaline. Motivated by fear. That clown is unnatural. There's no way for me to defend myself against it. Hayden has a crossbow, but there was no time use it. Was barely time to think.

I practically drag Hayden, towing him towards the carnival outskirts. He doesn't resist. Apparently he has once again regressed into that depressed, contemplative state he's been in for majority of the day. It's not until the two of us are clear of the carnival and safely hidden away in the woods do I remember Junie. There was no death announcement for her, like there was for Mike. Which means...

Somehow she's still alive.

Hannah Jackson (Lambda Team)
I lay huddled inside the cove, staring out at the moonlight as it reflects off the ocean. The crashing of the waves against the beach soothes me, though it cannot bring me to sleep. There's been too much uncertainty today, too much fear, for that. I don't know how Fern manages.

Her quiet breathing is rhythmic, her breath soft against my neck. The two of us are squeezed into my sleeping bag, our only real protection from the icy cold that has suddenly gripped the Playing Field. It can't be natural, this weather. It's come too quickly, with too drastic of a change. Is Dr. Black controlling the weather? It honestly wouldn't surprise me.

Shintaro, on watch duty, sits by the entrance to our cove, silhouetted by the moonlight. He's been quiet and withdrawn all day. I can't say I really know the guy all that well, but I think his behavior is abnormal for him. Since our conversation this morning he's hardly said a word. Maybe the situation has become more than he can handle.

Not that I can blame him. There's been six deaths today, more than all three of the previous days combined. A whole team was even wiped out. Including...including Francesca.

I have to blink back the tears that form when I think of my friend. She was so strong. So smart. How could she be dead? She had so much to live for. She had a purpose. A goal. But now she's never going to get to accomplish that. It was taken from her. Torn away.

I broke down sobbing when I first heard the announcement. Could barely keep it together. If it wasn't for Fern, for her hugs and comfort, her reassurance, I don't know what I would have done. She's been such a help for me, Fern. I'm glad that I wound up on her team.

But Shintaro...

He's had no reactions to the deaths. None. Not even his old teammate Harry's death had an effect on him. He just shrugged. Shrugged. What kind of person can just shrug off the deah of a twelve year old? I would think him a monster, but that word doesn't fit. It's not that he likes or enjoys death, he just simply doesn't care.

"Hannah?" I feel Fern's movements as she wakes. I roll over to face her and she blinks in surprise. "You're crying..."

Guess I didn't hold back those tears after all. "I-I'm sorry. I just...couldn't help thinking about...about..."

"Shh, don't apologize. It's only natural, after all that's happened."

"I know. B-but it's so stupid and weak of me to keep b-bawling like this!" Why am I the only one who can't control her emotions? It's been like this my entire life. Everyone around me is so calm and collected, while I'm just a tightly bound ball of emotion waiting to explode.

"It's not weakness to care," Fern whispers. "That's what makes you human."

I sniff, finally holding the tears back. "Think so?"

She nods. "Caring is your greatest strength. Always remember that."

She's so kind and smart. Always knows what to say. I can't help but feel inferior to her. It's stupid, I know, but so many things I feel are stupid. This is one of the lesser ones, I think.

Fern and I are alike in so many ways. Both of us are athletes, we both surf and love the ocean, and the pair of us have always had conflict with our families. We've both even been praised for our looks our entire lives. But, once again, Fern has me beat there. The girl has apparently been scouted by modeling agencies, and I can see why. Still, understanding that doesn't help alleviate the inferiority I feel towards her. But that doesn't mean I can't be her friend.

"Thank you, Fern," I say softly. "For everything you've done."

She only smiles. "You should get some rest. Who knows what'll happen tomorrow?"

I nod, but I know that will be impossible. There's too many distractions out here for me to sleep. Can I even feel safe with Shintaro on guard duty? He's so callous. What if he decides that he doesn't need us? I can't imagine he'd kill us, but...

"Attention, Challengers!"

I squeal in surprise, launching myself out of the sleeping bag. Fern lets out a shocked shout and tries to clamber to her feet only to get caught up in my movements and trip. Shintaro spins around in alarm. When he spots the two of us desperately trying to untangle ourselves from the sleeping bag, he narrows his eyes. "Calm down. It's just the midnight announcement."

"Oh!" I stop thrashing and duck my head. I can feel my cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.

"He shouldn't alarm us like that!" Fern huffs, finally pulling herself free. She immediately checks the datapad on her wrist, so I do the same. On screen is Dr. Black standing in a darkened room, hands clasped behind his back.

"Here is a recap of today's deaths." The screen flickers to show what appears to be some sort of barn. A giant redheaded man is grappling with someone when a pickaxe is swung into his head. "Karne was the first of you with Potential to die. He was foolish and impatient, however, so he was still no real loss."

Next we're shown a giant tank of water. A dead body floats inside. "Nathaniel was chosen by his teammate for death. How unfortunate for him."

The screen transitions again, and this time we see Harry as he's approached my a man in a suit. I turn away from the screen. I can't watch this. I won't. More deaths are shown, including Francesca's, but I refuse to watch. It'll only bring more pain. More anger. I can't let myself lose control. Not anymore.

"I am very disappointed today, dear Challengers. Very disappointed indeed." Dr. Black intones as the montage of murder finally ends. "I nearly lost my temper, I should think. Alas, though we've suffered some setbacks, the goal is still within reach. We are not finished yet."

What is he talking about? I look up and study my allies, but neither of them seem to be as confused as I am. Dr. Black continues. "Before I end today's broadcast I have a few more announcements. First off, there will be a change in the rules. From this point on firearms have been removed from the game. No more will be supplied to you, and the ones you currently possess will no longer function. Try as you like, they will not work."

Fern picks up the M6 she got from Harry and points it out at the ocean. Pulling the trigger, she receives only an empty click. She curses. "He's telling the truth."

"My second announcement will be more personal for you Challengers. As you may recall, last night I informed you that your memories had been stolen. Well, today some of you have regained those memories. What you've learned may have shocked you, but rest assured that it is all decidedly true. Nothing you remember is fake."

There is a pause. I glance at Shintaro and Fern, but their faces give nothing away. If their memories have returned, then they're hiding it well.

"Not everyone's memories have returned, but they will soon do so. Some of you may remember nothing noteworthy, while others may gleam some insight into your situation. Yet for five of you, these memories are different. They bring information that most assuredly changes your outlook on the Games. You see, dear Challengers, five amongst you are not what they appear. These five work for me. They have been inserted into the Games at my behest and, when their memories have returned, will do the work I bid them. In short, five of you are traitors."

I nearly choke on my shock. Traitors? Work for Dr. Black? My first reaction is disbelief. No one would be insane enough to work for him. But then I begin to think on it. Dr. Black clearly isn't working alone. He couldn't have set this all up by himself. And some of my fellow Challengers have always been sketchy. Whose to say they aren't part of this?

What if I'm a traitor?

Everyone's memories haven't returned. I don't recall a single thing different from when I first woke up. What if I just haven't remembered that I myself am a traitor? Is that possible? I find myself breathing fast, body suddenly heating up. Panic. I'm panicking. I turn to my allies. "You guys aren't working for him, are you?"

"Of course not!" Fern scoffs.

Shintaro shakes his head.

I feel like punching myself. What a stupid question! If either of them were a traitor they wouldn't tell me if I asked them!

"Now, I'm sure that you are all quite shaken my by proclamation, but I'm afraid your reaction will have to wait. I still have one more announcement." Though there is no emotion in Dr. Black's synchronized voice, I can't help but feel he is enjoying himself. "Up until this point there has been ten teams in the Games. No longer. From now on there shall be two teams of ten Challengers. White Team and Black Team. You will find a list of whose on which team in your datapad. The Games will only end once all members of a single team have been eliminated. Good night, dear Challengers. Sleep peacefully."

Our screens immediately transition to a new screen, one showing the words "Black Team" and "White Team" in bold letters. Beneath each team's name are the name's and pictures of all twenty Challengers remaining. Hand shaking, I scroll until I spot myself. "I'm on Black Team," I murmur.

Fern lets out a sigh of relief. "So am I!"

My eyes rapidly take in the rest of the names next to mine. My new teammates. Satoshi, Zantae, Amare, Vjena, Junie, Milan, Shinji, and Timothy. I read the list and then reread it. I frown. "Where is...?"

"Shintaro is on the other team!" Fern's words are like a dagger to my heart. I spin around, immediately expecting an attack. But it never comes. Shintaro is gone.

"Where'd be go?" I demand, casting my eyes around the rocky cove, searching for any signs of Shintaro hiding amongst the rocks. How could he have slipped away so quietly? When did he go and why? I stumble out of the cove, kicking up the sand as I go. The thrum of waves is the only sound as I look around uselessly. Shintaro has left. Whether he could be trusted or not is no longer relevant. He is on White Team, and that makes him our enemy.

I stare out into the ocean, lost and confused. Fern appears at my side, shaking her head. "Everything has changed," She says softly.

Up above us, the first snowflakes begin to fall.

The Compassionate Traitor
In the dead of night, as everyone else sleeps, I creep out of bed and examine my datapad. I place several fingers on the corners of the touchscreen and hold down for fifteen seconds. When the lockscreen pops up, demanding a pasword, I quickly enter it. With access now granted to the hidden mode of the datapad, I immediately send a message to my fellows.

I hold my breath as the signal rallies. Hopefully someone responds. I need to speak with them. Anyone. Holding this responsibility is hard. Painful, even. Conversing with someone else who bears the same cross may ease my burden.

After a few minutes that seem like hours, my message is received. My heart catches in my throat when I see which one has responded. I would rather it have been anyone else. Suddenly nervous, I quietly speak into the datapad.

"Hello?"

"This channel was meant for emergencies only," The voice that responds is harsh.

"I know, I know. But...my memories just returned. I wanted to speak with someone."

"Sentimental actions like that will only hurt you."

A shiver that has nothing to do with the cold shakes me. "That's exactly my problem. Sentimentality. I know why we're doing this, the importance of our mission, but at the same time I can't rationalize our actions with the desired results!"

"You're beginning to sound like him."

"The Magician?"

"No. Hayden."

Oh. One of my fellow traitors. I take a shaky breath. "Has...has he contacted you?"

"Yes. He sent a message through the emergency channel. Just like you."

Somehow that makes me feel better. If some of the others are feeling the same as me then it's not just me losing my resolve. I'm not weak-hearted. Still, my feelings can't be beaten so easily. "What did he say?"

"Nothing but pointless drivel over his guilt."

"Is it pointless, our guilt?" We've sacrificed so much for this. I know our reasons. I know it's necessary. But now that I've come to know these people, care about them...can I still continue?

"We made our decision long ago."

That we did. I can still remember the day I was forced to come to grips with our situation. I could see the truth so clearly. Knew what needed to be done. At the time I was fresh with grief and was willing to do whatever was required so that terrible future wouldn't come to pass. But now...?

"Have you spoken with the others?"

"No."

I wonder if they'll respond to my message. Maybe they will be more understanding of the painful weight of my conscience. "I hate when they take our memories. Always makes me feel weird."

"It's necessary."

Necessary. I've heard that word so many times. Always used to explain actions that would otherwise be unforgivable. But they will never forgive us, the Challengers. They may eventually understand, might join our cause, but they will never, ever forgive us.

And they shouldn't. Because we've done such horrible things.

How I wish they'd just hurry up and Awaken. Then this charade could just end. We could tell them everything and let them into the fold. The longer this drags on the more they will lose, the more they will hate us. Could I bear that, their hatred? His hatred?

Thinking about him reminds me of something that I've learned during my time in the Games. Something important. "You know, I actually have information that I need to pass on. The Doctor should know this, too."

"Continue."

I push the guilt out of my mind. I cannot lose focus. Not for anything. The Tarot's will must be accomplished. Taking a deep breath, I commit myself to making the ultimate betrayal. "I've learned that someone is attempting to help..."

Tetsu Ueno (Black Team)
"Huh. Seems like we're on different teams."

Snow continues to fall around us as we sit in the small shack we found shortly after leaving the Hub. The midnight announcement has just ended, and though my mind is buzzing with the new information revealed, the only thing I can really focus on is how cold this damn place is going to get.

It took me awhile to track Amare down. Lost her somewhere in the forest and snow. But eventually I found her in this shack, just sitting here and staring out at the snowflakes. I sat next to her, wondering what'd happen next. Several long moments passed without activity before I eventually spoke.

Beside me, Amare stands up. I glance at her, but I'm not worried that she'll attack, since her shotgun is now useless. Anyway, I've been holding my spear in a defensive position for hours now, expecting some sort of repercussion for killing Arlyssa, so I'd be able to defend myself quite easily.

Amare makes no move to attack. Instead she steps out into the snow. "Going somewhere?" I ask.

"Yes."

I figured as much. Now that were on opposite teams we're enemies. Not that I have much desire to fight her. I've seen what she can do and, while I'm fairly certain I could take her, I'd really rather not test it.

"May I have a weapon?"

Now that surprises me. Never thought she'd be one to ask for assistance of any kind. Studying her face, which is as blank and devoid of emotion as ever, I think it over. "If I give you a weapon you could try and kill me with it," I say idily.

"Yes."

"But you won't, will you?"

"No."

For some reason I believe her. Oh, I think she'll attempt to kill me the second it becomes necessary, but right now there's just no reason for her to try. Too much risk and uncertainty. We may currently be on opposite teams, but whose to say that Dr. Black won't shake things up again later?

"Any weapon I give you will be used to kill an ally of mine," I say.

"Yes."

"It's dangerous to go alone, take this!" I reach into my belt and grab my sickle, tossing it at Amare's feet. She stares at it with a look that could possibly maybe be one of surprise.

"Why?" She asks.

I shrug. "Dunno, really. This is probably a dumb idea and one that'll bite me in the butt later, but I don't care. Just seems like the right thing." Amare's honesty was a big plus for her. If she'd lied I wouldn't have given her a thing.

Amare picks up the sickle, keeping her head up and eyes focused on me the whole time. I doubt that she misses how I casually angle my spear. I may have given her a weapon, but that doesn't mean I'm going to completely let my guard down.

Amare dips her head. "Thank you."

I shrug. "Who knows? Maybe Dr. Black will just kill us all and our alliance's don't matter. Or maybe we'll all just freeze to death."

Amare doesn't respond. Instead she just begins to slink away into the falling snow, face turned towards me all the while. Sheesh, that girl doesn't trust anything. If I was going to attack her, I definitely wouldn't have given her a weapon beforehand. I watch her until she disappears from sight. That was a nice, amicable separation.

Which, of course, means that all the other separations are going to be the complete opposite.

Zantae Neilson (White Team)
The air ripples with tension. Dr. Black's announcement has come and gone but the situation it has left behind is one of distrust and fear. Our brief alliance of five has already found itself split. Satoshi, Shinji, Timothy, and I are all on one team and on the other...Nailah.

She stands in the center of the apartments living room, seemingly unconcerned about the wary looks she receives from the rest of us. No, unconcerned isn't the right word. Unworried. Yes, she's unworried, despite the fact that it is four against one and we just caught her trying to slip out the door.

"You know we can't just let you leave," Timothy speaks quietly. In his hands he holds a long piece of metal he pried free from the dishwasher. Though he has only been with us for less than a day, Shinji and Satoshi both back him up. It appears they already trust him more than Nailah.

"Don't kill her!" My voice sounds squeaky and pathetic even to my own ears. "We can still all escape together! That was always the plan, remember?" Nothing has changed. Who cares if Nailah is now on the other team? Yesterday Timothy and Shinji weren't on our team, but we didn't threaten them!

"Nailah is a traitor, though!" Satoshi waves his grappling hook in the air for emphasis. "Where did she go that first day, huh? Why has she been so cagey and vague when we ask her? Every single thing she has done is nothing but suspicious!"

My reply catches in my throat. He's right. Nailah has acted unnaturally. But still...she couldn't actually be working with Dr. Black. Why would anyone work with him? But I remember how I was kidnapped. Dr. Black wasn't alone then either. "That's not true, right?" I spin to face Nailah, voice cracking. "You're not a traitor, are you?"

Nailah turns to face me. Dark eyes illuminated by the moonlight that shines in through the window. "Do you truly think I'm a traitor?" She asks quietly.

I don't respond. In the short time I've known her, I've come to respect and admire Nailah. She is so strong and brave. She was the big sister I never had. The life preserver that I had only now discovered I was clinging to. I want to trust her. I want to believe that she's not a traitor, that she'd never work for Dr. Black. But if my heart is wrong, if she truly is working for that monster, then...

That would mean she helped kill my parents.

"Answer the question, Nailah," Shinji speaks for the first time since the announcement. He alone has kept his composure throughout this. Now he stands in between Nailah and the doorway, intelligent face pursed in thought. "Delaying will only make us doubt you more."

Nailah nods. "Very well. No, I am not a traitor."

I find myself releasing my breath. For one horrid moment I had truly believed she was about to confess. "Then you can stay with us! I don't care if you--"

"Zantae, shut up!" Satoshi wheels to face me and I leap back with a yelp. His eyes brim with an anger that stops my words dead in their tracks. "Do you really think that just because she says she's not a traitor, that means she isn't one?"

I shake my head, too nervous to speak.

"You should explain yourself, Nailah," Shinji says. "Tell us exactly what you have been up to. Then maybe we could believe you."

Nailah stares him in the eyes. "No. I cannot."

Satoshi growls and steps forward, but Shinji waves him back. "Why not?" He asks.

"Because I cannot."

Something begins to dawn on me. About Nailah and her actions. Her staunch refusal to ever audibly explain anything. And wasn't she surprised to see her sister here, when we first checked the datapads? Wouldn't a traitor know that? What if she's not a traitor...What if...

"You're all missing the point!" Timothy raises his voice, silencing everyone else. "It doesn't matter if Nailah is a traitor or not! She's on the opposite team, which means she has to die for us to win!"

Satoshi nods, face grim. "You're right. I didn't want to do this but...Nailah, I'm sorry." He glances at his brother, then Timothy. "There's three of us and one of her. We have weapons, she has a gun that doesn't work. We can...end this."

No! They don't understand! We can't kill Nailah! We can still all escape together! But I'm powerless to stop it. The situation has spun out of control and already the attack has begun. The three of them encircle Nailah, surrounding her. Satoshi begins to spin his grappling hook, the sharp points glinting. Timothy has his pipe. Shinji a whip. Three against one. This isn't going to be a fight.

It's going to be a curbstomp.

Satoshi charges forward, screeching a battle cry as he swings his grappling hook overhead. Nailah steps forward, underneath the arc of the chain, and punches Satoshi in the throat. He collapses immediately, coughing and hacking, but Nailah barely has time to spin around before the others are upon her.

She deflects Timothy's pipe with her gun, but takes Shinji's whip across the face for it. A line of blood gushes from her cheek, just below the eye. But that doesn't even slow her. Nailah goes on the offensive, lashing out at Timothy with her gun like a sword. The boy clumsily blocks the first swing, but his lack of fighting experience becomes evident as he flounders backwards. Within seconds the pipe is knocked from his hands and Nailah is slamming the butt of her gun into his stomach. When he doubles over over in pain she smashes it into his head, driving him towards the floor.

Before he even hits the ground Nailah whirls around and heaves her gun straight towards Shinji. He only has time to let out a yelp of panic before the heavy object slams into his face. Stumbling backwards, he trips over a misplaced bag and smacks his head against the base of the couch.

It's over just like that. The whole fight lasted only seconds, but it has left all three boys on the floor. Two of them unconscious and the other, Satoshi, coughing weakly as he stares up at the ceiling.

"What a mess." Nailah sighs and touches her cheek, frowning at the blood on her fingers.

"You...you just beat them all..." I don't even have words for the shock I feel. I knew Nailah was strong but I never expected this...

"I am leaving," Nailah collects her gun and walks to the door, stopping with one hand on the knob. "Do you intend to stop me as well?"

I shake my head. I never wanted that, even before I saw her dispatch the others. I wish she could stay. I want her to help me save the others. But I know that is impossible. But I also know... "You're not a traitor."

Nailah stops to look at me, door half open. "I already told you I wasn't."

"You're not a traitor," I repeat, "You're not working with Dr. Black. You're working against him. You're trying to stop him, aren't you?"

Nailah stares at me for a long moment. Eyes gleaming with some hidden light. It almost seems as if she is about to confirm my theory, but then she just looks away. "Good luck, Zantae. I hope your plan succeeds."

The door clicks shut behind her and I'm left alone with my defeated allies. "You're not a traitor," I whisper to myself. "You're not a traitor."

Vjena Kovac (Black Team)
I tiptoe through the supermarket, staying low to the ground as I weave between rows of shelves, senses tuned to my surroundings. It is imperative that I exit this place before drawing Ryder's attention. It is too dangerous to linger near him.

He has always been unstable, but now that we're no longer on the same team his aggression can be fully turned against me. He wouldn't be so dangerous if our guns still functioned--I could down him in own swift shot--but they've been deactivated, and I have no delusions about my chance of taking him in a physical fight.

I pause near a stacked pyramid of empty cereal boxes. The entrance is across from me, about a dozen yards away and behind the checkout stations. But there's several feet of open ground between me and I'm hesitant to expose myself unnecessarily. I suppose I could try to slip out a back door, but my initial assumption was that Ryder was somewhere in the back. He's always slept separate since the start of the game and he's never let me know his location. Who knows where he is?

There's the taste of blood in my mouth as I find myself biting my lips. I can't afford to second guess my thought process. I'm going to have to risk the run across. There's just no other--

"Your memories truly haven't returned, have they?"

I throw myself forward, turning myself around as I slide across the linoleum floor. Ryder stands beside the cereal pyramid, a bored look on his face. How long had he been behind me?

"There's no need to hide, Vjena," He says airily as I duck behind one of the checkout counters. "I have no desire to harm you. Not yet, at least."

"You've harmed everyday else quick enough!" I shoot back. Keep him talking. Ryder loves the sound of his own voice. If he's too busy giving a monologue he won't be able to prevent me from killing him.

"And you haven't?" He slowly steps forward, hands in his pockets. What is he hiding? "Or are you forgetting Sofia?"

I've forgotten nothing. I don't need to justify my actions to him. I glance around for anything that may help me, but there's not exactly a surplus of weaponry hidden underneath a checkout counter. "At least I didn't murder a little boy!" I say as I crawl along the floor, eager to keep him talking.

"That was necessary. Him living would have doomed the world. I already told you that, didn't?" He laughs, a haunting thing that echoes throughout the abandoned store. "Oh, I suppose you just don't remember. There are some among us who aren't allowed to live, Vjena."

He sounds so lucid. So sure of himself. You would never guess he was completely insane unless you actually listened to his words. He's deluded even himself.

"So what, are you a traitor?" I've reached the end of the counter. There's no more room to hide. I either get up and run or turn to face him. No third option.

"My memories have returned, Vjena. But no. I am not a traitor. Neither are you, for that matter."

Of course I'm not. I would have remembered if I had been a willing part of this game. That's not the kind of thing that someone would forget. Besides such, why would I ever have chosen to do so? It is simply not something that fits my personality.

"We were chosen, Vjena. Our abilities put us beyond the capabilities of normal humans. We were tested and prodded. It was slow, to be sure, but it was safe. If given enough time they could have Awoken us all...Alas, time was not on their side."

Something catches my eye. Tucked away amongst the debris that lies beneath the counter is the handle of a tool or some sort. My hand cups around it and I pull it to me. A screwdriver. A small smile curls my lips.

"Some of us are too unstable. That which is inside them cannot function in this world. So they must be removed. That is my purpose, you see. To purge those who would ruin us all. It's not murder. It's necessity." Ryder is still babbling. Does he actually believe the nonsense that comes out of his mouth?

"Are you going to kill me or not?" I demand, suddenly rising to my feet. Screwdriver hidden in my sleeve. I just need the right opportunity.

Ryder smiles at me and holds his arms to the side in a manner I'm sure he thinks is disarming. "Why would I? You're not unstable. This world actually permits your presence, allows you to exist. You needn't die."

"We're on different teams. One of us has to die."

He sighs, finger pressed to his forehead. "The game doesn't matter, Vjena. If you had your memories I'm sure you would--"

I leap forward, screwdriver thrust out like a knife. Ryder lets out a sharp hiss of breath as he sees my attack. He twists to the side, attempting to avoid. So instead of taking him in the chest the tip of the screwdriver plunges into his shoulder.

He lashes out with a hand, striking me across the face. Stars burst in my vision and then I'm on the floor. Not for long. I scramble to my feet, facing Ryder as he holds his wounded shoulder, dark red droplets leaking through his fingers. "Fool! You complete fool!" He rages as I back out the door and into the snowy evening. "You're a child, lashing out and attempting to destroy the things which you do not understand! But you will. Oh, you'll understand soon enough."

"I understand perfectly," I say as I disappear into the snowflakes. "You're a psychotic sociopath. Goodbye, Ryder. I hope we never meet again." With that, I turn and trudge through the snow, leaving Ryder and the supermarket behind. It didn't go exactly as I'd hoped, but I escaped with my life and that has to count for something.

Hayle Saraceno (Black Team)
My eyes slowly blink open and I find myself staring at the wooden ceiling of the cabin. For a moment I don't understand why I'm even in a cabin, let alone an actual bed, but it doesn't take long before my memories come flooding back. The Game. This awful game is still going on.

How long has it been? It feels like months, if not years, but I know it's not more than a few days. I don't think it's even been a week yet. "Hope I make it to a week," I mutter, tossing aside the bedsheets and rising from the bed.

This cabin was a fortunate find. After our ordeal in the barn yesterday Vika and I sort of just blundered into the woods without thinking about what we were doing. I was too shaken to care. I was literally at deaths door. If Karne had just squeezed a little harder...

Best not to think about it.

A few light taps upon the pane makes me turn to the window. It has begun to snow again. I sleepily watch the flakes, silver and dark, fall obliquely against the lamplight. But soon the snow begins to fall straight and steadily from a sky without wind, in a soft universal diffusion more confusing than the gusts and eddies of last night. It seemed to be a part of the thickening darkness, to be the winter itself descending on us layer by layer.

For some reason my thoughts drift to Harry and how fortunate he was to have a quick death yesterday, so he wouldn't slowly freeze today. I frown. That's...too cruel, perhaps. Harry shouldn't have died at all. But it's hard to find pity for the boy when I think of how be abandoned Vika and I to the mercy of Karne.

I should find Vika. She was even more shaken by yesterday's events than I was, and its obvious she doesn't have the best mental state right now. Still, the fact that we had a roof over our heads and warm beds should have brightened her.

I'm halfway across the room, heading for the door that leads into the hallway, when the phone behind me begins to ring.

I practically sprint for it, yanking the old-fashioned thing right off the stand. "Hello?"

"Is this Hayle?" It's the same feminine voice as last time. About a million questions bubble in my head, but I figure it's best to take things slowly.

"Y-yeah, I'm Hayle."

"Good. Some unexpected things have occurred and I can't afford to waste time, so listen closely." There's a brief pause before the voice continues, speaking even quicker than before. "There's a plan to get you free but it has hit a snag. You'll have to tough it out for a day or two more. If you Awaken before that happens, don't panic. Dr. Black won't kill you once you have. But whatever else, do not leave the Playing Field. I repeat, do not leave the Playing Field. If you do, we won't be able to rescue you."

"Please, I'll do whatever you say, just get me out of here!" The words just bubble out. I wanted to keep calm, but the reality of the situation has set in. There's someone out there who can help. Wants to help. Everything isn't hopeless!

"I'm trying," The voice softens, and I can hear actual concern there. "Believe me, Hayle, I'd like nothing better than to pull you out right now. But that's not possible. Not yet. Just trust me."

"Okay...I...I trust you." Do I have a choice?

"Good. And here's something I'll repay that trust with. We have an agent in the Games with you. They're working from the inside. If you find them, then they'll help."

"How will I know who they are?"

"Ask them, 'Do you like oreos?' It's a codephrase. If they respond 'Oreos are the best!' Then you know you've found them."

"Can't you just tell me?"

"No. This conversation isn't secure enough for that. I'm taking a huge risk as it is. But our agent has fooled even Dr. Black, and that's no small feat. Find them and you'll be a lot safer."

I can feel the end of the conversation approaching. Soon my mysterious benefactor will hang up and I'll be back where I was before, just this time a little more confused. "Please, can't you tell me anything else? Who even are you? Why is Dr. Black doing this?"

"Who am I?" The voice chuckles softly. "I'm no one. The person I was died years ago. Nowadays I suppose you could say that I don't even exist. Good luck, Hayle. You'll need it."

The phone clicks off.

I take a deep, shuddering breath. Set the phone back down and run hands over my face. This is good news. Great news, even. But then why do I feel so...concerned? Worried? Maybe it's because I have hope now. Before I didn't really have any thought that I could come out of this intact. Not really. But now I have hope, or at least the semblance of it. And with hope...

I once heard someone say that you couldn't have despair without hope. That despair could only exist if it had hope to dash. And right now I'd have to say that was completely true.

"Hayle?" I hear Vika calling from outside the door. She must have just woken up.

"I'm here." I cross the room and exit, slipping out into the hall. Vika is at the end, near the livIng room that encompasses most of the cabin. "And you won't believe what I just--"

Wait. I snap my mouth shut. Before explaining shouldn't I use the code? The one the woman on the phone gave me? Maybe Vika is their inside operative.

Vika is frowning at me. "Umm, Hayle? What were you saying?"

"I...I just learned that it's snowing!" I stammer out. God, I feel stupid. Why did I lie? Even if Vika isn't the agent I definitely can trust her. I hurry on. "But that's not important. Do you like Oreos?"

Vika blinks at me. "What? Oreos? You mean like the cookies?"

If I felt stupid before, it's nothing to what I feel now. "Right, yeah. The cookies. What do you think about them?"

She stares at me like I've gone crazy. And maybe I have. I certainly feel crazy. "Well, I don't see why you brought them up now, but...I like them well enough, I suppose."

I nod, hoping that my expression conceals the disappointment that fills me. So Vika isn't their agent. Not that it matters. She's still my friend. My ally. I can trust her.

Yet, as Vika goes on to ask me what our plan for the day will be, I don't tell her about the phone call. I couldn't say why. It's not that I don't trust her. It's just...I don't even know.

"I don't think we'll be able to go anywhere," I say, staring out at the falling snow. "That snow looks cold. And I don't think that we should--"

The front door bursts open.

Two guys stumble in, one tripping over the rug and landing hard on the cabin floor. Vika yelps and ducks behind me, grasping my shoulders. I hold my knife up in a manner I hope is threatening. "Don't move!"

The guy on his feet immediately puts both of his hands up in the air. "Hey, whoa! Don't shoot! We're not baddies! We just wanted to get out of the snow!"

"Don't...shoot?" I wave my knife around. "What are you even talking about?"

"Aww, crap. Thought you had a gun." The guy shrugs, fresh snow sliding off his shoulders and onto the blond guy on the floor. "Actually, I'm probably glad that it's a knife. Probably."

The fear and alarm has left me. Not just because this guy is a first class goof. I recognize the pair from my very first day in the Games. Jackson and Boone. After last nights restructuring they're on our team, now.

I slip the knife into my belt. "Guns don't work anymore anyways," I say, holding out a hand for the guy on the floor. Boone. He stares at my hand but doesn't take it. Instead, Jackson steps forward and shakes it.

"Right. Yeah. Cool!" Jackson beams at us. Snow has collected in his short brown hair and his nose is cherry red. Despite his shivering, the clothes that he wears look more than capable of standing up to the cold.

"I saw you before," Vika speaks carefully. She's still hidden behind me, but she seems to recovering from her shock. "You two were on Alpha Team. You...played the first game with us."

That's right. The three of them had to choose which one of me, Arlyssa, and Vika would die. Only they all voted something different, thus accidentally sparing all of us. We, however...

I try not to think about how Vika and Arlyssa were the reason Ophrya died.

"We don't have any hard feelings over that, by the way," Jackson steps back and hauls Boone to his feet. The taller guys nods his thanks and bends down to pick up a black case as Jackson continues. "We know that you guys had no choice. Just like us."

"Of course." I voted for Boone to die. Does he know that? Would it effect his thoughts if he did?

"We have almost half our team gathered here now," Vika says.

"Yeah, only six other members are missing," Jackson agrees.

I still find it odd that we have several more teammates. That the game has changed so fundamentally. What other surprises will Dr. Black spring on us?

”Should we go looking for them?” Vika asks, glancing at the rest of us. “We’re stronger in numbers, right?”

"I mean we could, yeah," Jackson rubs his neck. "But whose to say where they are? Or if they even want to join with us. They could be happy right where they are."

He's not wrong. And, to be honest, I don't really like the idea of trying to track anyone else down the middle of this snowstorm. So I voice my agreement and its soon decided that the four of us will remain here in the cabin and plot out our next move. It's better this way, anyways. I'm sure we can trust Boone and Jackson, let alone anyone else.

"What’s in the case?” Vika suddenly asks. When we all look at her in confusion she points at the black case in Boone’s grasp.

“Oh, that.” Jackson lets out a light laugh and claps Boone in the back. “Nothing much. Just a rocket launcher.” He laughs even louder when he sees the shock on our faces.

“Dr. Black supplied us with rocket launchers?” I say in disbelief.

Boone nods.

”But it won’t work anymore,” Vika says.

Boone shakes his head. “It’ll work.”

”Dr. Black disabled guns. It can’t possibly work.”

”It’ll work.”

”Don’t press him on that,” Jackson says with a shrug. He’s really adamant about this subject for some reason.”

Well, I certainly hope he’s right. Having a working rocket launcher would do wonders for our chances of survival. Though it is a bit troubling that Boone is so, well, estosteric. But I have other things to worry about. That phone conversation is still fresh in my mind and I’m worried about what today will bring. It could be anything.

I just hope it’s not my death.

Nari Rhee (Black Team)
A light, wet snow is falling.

I shiver violently as I trudge through the snow that has already accumulated. I am used to being exposed to the elements, to the cold and the uncomfortable. But that does not mean I enjoy it.

Thoughts of my parents have been churning inside my head all day. I betrayed them. I...I’m the reason they’re dead. I’d never forgotten that fact, just pushed it out of mind. But now it’s come back and I can’t help but think of anything else. Betrayed. By me.

Traitor. Traitor. Traitor.

I hear voices judging me. Laughing. I am a traitor, but the kind Dr. Black spoke of. I am not working for him. No, I am worst than that.

Karne is dead. He was a fool. It’s not my fault he ran off into a battle that he wasn’t prepared for. I had no obligation to back him up. It’s not my fault he’s dead. I am not to blame for that, at least.

But my parents...

Where am I even going? The forest around me is a maze. Each tree indistinguishable from another. A haze of white snow and a thin fog leave me unable to see more than a dozen feet ahead of myself. Where can I even go? I have new teammates but all my old ones died. Why would these new ones be any better?

So cold. Maybe I should just lie down and sleep. It would be so much better than continuing to struggle on.

It’s this thought that has me turn around and spot her emerging from the diffusing snowfall.

I recognize her immediately because when I first saw her on my data pad I was amazed by her appearance. No one back in North Korea has skin as dark as hers. So different from what I’ve seen my whole life. It made me wonder what other sights I’ve missed.

“You’re Nailah,” I say as she stops a few feet from me. She doesn’t appear to have as much trouble moving through the snow as I do. “We’re teammates now, aren’t we?”

Nailah nods. “That is correct.”

Of course she sought me out. Strength in numbers and whatever. Except I feel that I am beyond caring. What’s the point? Where would I even go if Dr. Black were to let me leave?

I turn away from Nailah and wave at the forest around us. “Where do we go? I don’t care. You can choose.”

I stare at the snowflakes as the snow crunches behind me, signaling Nailah’s approach. The snow collects in my hair. So beautiful. I wish I’d had more beauty in my life and less pain. Then, without warning, I feel a sharp prick in my neck.

And all goes black.

Milan Pamalan (Black Team)
The snow gently taps against the tarp above our heads, building up in piles around us. Even the cold barely seems to touch us, as my portable heater does it’s job and keeps our little encampment warmed.

But environment is the least of my concerns.

It’s not even that Dr. Black revealed the fact that there were traitors amongst us. Because why would we have to automatically believe him? No, what truly concerns me is the shakeup of the teams. Two separate teams. And Hayden and I have been placed on opposite sides.

I glance at the man as he sits with his head hung low, eyes glued to the heater. He hasn’t spoken a word since Dr. Blacks announcement. I don’t know what his plans are, if he cares to stay aligned with me. Because that’s my current plan. Stick with Hayden. Blindly searching for the rest of my new team would be folly, and I fear that any alliance I may have had with Junie is long dead. Hayden perhaps might be my only real choice as of now.

Not to mention the fact I can try to pry information out of him.

“Hayden,” I begin slowly, thinking over my words carefully. I don’t want to say anything that could set him off. “Do you—“

“Amare Adebowale has eliminated Nari Rhee with a sickle,” A datapad announcement cuts me off at the source.

Hayden leans back on his heels and lets out a low moan, clutching his head. I give him a curious glance, but he doesn’t say anything so I don’t either. Another death. I don’t even remember if Nari was on my team or not. Suppose it doesn’t really matter. I have more important things to do. “Hayden, you were talking about your memories yesterday, right?”

“I—yes.” He straightens out and gives me his full attention, completely composed. “But Milan, I have to tell you something. And...you won’t like it.”

“What is it?”

“I’m one of Dr. Black’s traitors.”

“You’re one of the traitors?”

Hayden cringes away from my shout. “Yes, yes I am. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Thoughts race around in my head, confusing me with how many different facets I have to face. Hayden is a traitor? He’s working for Dr. Black? Working against us? “For how long?” I ask, “how long have you been betraying me?”

”Since the beginning. It was just like Dr. Black said. I’ve always been working for him. It’s just...I couldn’t remember it until now.”

“If what you say is true, then why are you telling me? I could kill you for that.” And we’re not even in the same team anymore. Killing him would literally cost me nothing.

“I know. Dr. Black might kill me too. Hell, I expect him to. But I can’t just sit back and continue to lie to you. Not any more.”

There is no guile in his eyes. No subterfuge. Hayden is telling the truth, or at least what he believes is the truth. I’m still not convinced that Dr. Black isn’t just lying to us all about the traitors. Whose to say he hasn’t just tampered with our memories to make us think there’s traitors?

Hayden sighs deeply, turning to stare out at the carnival which lies off in the distance, covered in the freshly fallen snow. We’ve been camped atop this hill in the forest since our escape from there last night. The morning was proceeding rather smoothly until Hayden decided to drop this truth bomb on me.

I suddenly stand, picking up the axe I took from Mike’s body and holding it up in the air, where it glints in the early morning light that makes it through the snowflakes. “Hayden, I want you to tell me everything you know. If you don’t...I’ll kill you.”

His eyes snap open and swivel to face me. There’s no fear in his face. Just acceptance. “I understand how you feel,” he says softly, “but I cannot tell you everything. They’ll activate my bracelet and kill me the moment I say something too...revealing.”

They? So Dr. Black isn’t working alone. I suppose I should have expected that, considering the doctor himself said that he has five traitors working for him. But they can’t possibly be the only ones. “Then tell me what you can,” I order, keeping my voice cold and hard. I’m not bluffing. If Hayden tries to pull something...

He sighs again, running a hand across his bracelet. “I’ll try. But what do you want to know?”

”Anything. Everything!” I haven’t forgotten how Hayden revealed he knew about my past last night. He knew about the Runaways. One of the reasons I suspect he is honest about being a traitor. “Why were we kidnapped? Why was I kidnapped?”

“You weren’t kidnapped.”

“Don’t lie to me. All thirty of us didn’t sign up for this. And if you try to say I’m another traitor or some other bullshit like that then I’ll just chop your damn head off right now!”

“I’m not lying!” Hayden’s eyes flash with anger. “Most of the Challengers were kidnapped, true, but you weren’t.”

“I’m not a traitor.” I don’t care what he says. I know that I’m no traitor. There’s few things I wouldn’t do to help Ryle, but turning myself into a honor-less traitor is one of them.

“You’re not a traitor. But you did volunteer for this.”

“Explain.”

”The organization that Dr. Black works for figured out you were capable of Awakening and, after exhaustive investigation, came to the conclusion that you would willingly subject yourself to this experiment.”

There’s a flash of light and I cry out in pain, dropping to one knee as an intense pressure pulsates in my head. I hear Hayden shout and rush to help me but when my eyes reopen I’m no longer on the hill with him.

I’m back in the Philippines.

I enter a empty alleyway, breathing heavily as I try to catch my breath. The bag of stolen valuables is slung over my shoulder, my prize of the day. I can still hear the shouting of the police, just audible over the sound of traffic and the hum of human voices, but I know they won’t catch me. Not today.

But they’ve been getting closer. They’ve been getting wiser to our tactics, our strategies, and even our escape routes. I can feel the noose around my neck, slowly tightening. Not just my neck, but all of the Runaways. Soon they will catch us and...

I let out a suppressed scream and kick a discarded beer can. It flies across the alley and slams into a garbage can, tipping it over and spilling the trash onto the floor. Ever since the election the police have been cracking down on street crime, trying to live up to that politicians stupid campaign promise. But why focus on us? We’re not big time criminals. We’re just desperate people trying to live, to get by the only way we can.

What will happen to Ryle if the Runaways disband? How will I take care of him? That’s the source of my frustration. My anxiety. I force myself to take a deep breath. Stay calm. I can’t afford to make mistakes. Especially not now. I just need to get back to the hideout and we can—

Oh, crap.

Five people filter into the alleyway. Four of them are dressed in dark black uniforms, padded with armor and heads covered in visored helmets. The fifth is a young foreign woman. A lazy smile flickers across her face as she steps forward. “Ho, Milan! How goes the thieving?”

I cast my head around for an escape route but already I know that there isn’t one. I entered from climbing over the wall, and there’s only one exit to this alley and that’s behind those police officers. Because even though I’ve never seen those type of uniforms before, I know that’s what they have to be.

The woman continues to stride forward. With her bright blonde hair, a freckled face, and dark green eyes she is most definitely not Filipino. But then who is she? The skintight black and purple bodysuit she wears seems to hint at being some sort of agent. Surely the government hasn’t gotten foreign help just to combat street crime! “I’m not gonna bite, you know,” The woman says, a vulpine grin on her face. “In fact, I’m here to help you!”

“Doesn’t seem like it,” I say. Distract her. Keep her busy. If there’s an escape route I can find it while she’s preoccupied talking.

“Oh, don’t bother trying to escape, Milan!” The woman laughs, picking up a wooden crate and setting it before her. She sits down, green eyes boring a hole through me. “We have thought this through. You won’t be able to run away from your problems this time.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie. I don’t like this woman. She seems to know too much, understand my very thought process somehow.

“I think you do. Now, don’t you wish to talk? I have the solution to all your problems, after all.”

“You cannot help me.”

“Yes, I can. How long do you think the Runaways will continue to last? Personally I don’t think they’ll survive the month.”

“We’re more resilient than you think.” She must be some sort of government agent trying to pressure me into giving information on my friends. She probably thinks her veiled threats are enough to scare me into turning traitor. Fat chance.

The woman’s smile widens and she throws her head back, laughing. “I’m not trying to make you betray your friends, if that’s what you believe.”

I feel my blood run cold. How...how did she know what I was thinking?

“My name is Fortune, by the way,” She offers a gloved hand for me to shake it. I stare at it icily and she shrugs, pulling it back. “Whatever. Well, anyways, I just want you to know that we can help you. You don’t need to go down with that sinking ship called the Runaways.”

“We’ll manage.”

Fortune raises an eyebrow. “Really? Hate to break it you, but your precious government is currently in the middle of concocting a plan to end your little misfit group for good.” I open my mouth to snap off a rebuttal but she holds a hand up to stop me. “No, I’m not with the government. No way would I ever stoop that low. Hate politicians.”

“Then who are you?”

Her grin stretches even wider. “You could call us a charity, I suppose. Just a little group trying to ensure the world continues on like it should.”

“That tells me nothing.”

“Maybe. But that’s not the point of this little meeting. No, I’m here to help you out with your little problem. Don’t you want Ryle to live a nice, happy life? Sure, your little Runaways take care of him well enough, but don’t you want him to have an education? Get into a nice school, get a good job, and live a perfectly normal life?”

That’s all I ever wanted. To let my little brother get the kind of life I knew I’d never be able to have. But the only way I could see that happening was with the Runaways. Doing jobs for them, helping them out. Any other path was stolen from us.

“My organization will take care of Ryle,” Fortune stands, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “We’ll make sure he never wants for anything. We’ll get him into whatever school he desires, help him become whatever he wishes. We can make sure he never wants for anything ever again.”

I feel myself become weak in the knees. I don’t understand this sudden generosity, this grandiose offer, but I know that what she’s offering me is something I cannot refuse. The Runaways can only last so long. And once they’re gone, what would happen to Ryle? How would I provide for him?

”What do you want from me?” I ask quietly.

“We’ll need you to take part in a...little experiment of ours. I won’t lie; it’ll be dangerous and could possibly cost you your life. You’ll most likely have to kill some other people as well. But know that, no matter what happens to you, we’ll keep our promise. We’ll take care of your little brother. Forever.”

I don’t care what it takes. I don’t care if I die, if I have to murder a dozen or even a hundred people. If I can provide Ryle with the life he deserves, the life he wouldn never have gotten otherwise...

How could I possibly refuse?

A bright light snakes across my vision. My eyes snap open and I’m staring into the sky, gasping for breath as I lie in the snow. Hayden is beside me, looking down with worried eyes.

“Are you okay, Milan? What just happened?”

I sit up, pushing him away when he tries to help. Mind is running a million miles a minute. I remember. I remember. “Am I a traitor?” I rasp. When did my voice get so sore?

Hayden shakes his head. “No. I told you, you may have volunteered for these games, but you aren’t a traitor. Us traitors are...well, we’re more involved than you.”

”I remember,” I speak softly, staring at the falling snowflakes. “They recruited me. Convinced me to join their experiments. They knew just what to say to get me on board. They—they—“ I scream, picking up a handful of snow and hurling it across the hill. How could I be so stupid? Did I really think that this was the best course of action?

Hayden watches me silently as I rage, taking my frustration out on the snow. When I finally finish, huffing and nearly out of breath, he walks over and places a hand on my shoulder. “I understand how you feel. The anger. The hate.”

I slap his hand away. He understands nothing. “I don’t think I’ve remembered everything yet,” I tell him. “So I need you to fill in the blanks.”

He nods. “Okay. What do you wish to know?”

Junie Harlow (Black Team)
Cold and tired. I’m so cold and tired.

I sit huddled up underneath an old blanket inside one of the many small buildings that surround the apartment complex. I fled the carnival at first light, yet last night is a jumbled mess in my memories. Can barely remember what happened, who died, or where everyone went. That clown...

Why did he leave me alone?

Of all the things that took place last night, I distinctly remember tripping and being confronted by him. I thought for sure that I was about to die. But he only stared at me. Stared right through me with those creepy eyes of his and eventually just moved right on past me. Why did he spare me? I have no idea.

But I’m not even sure if that’s what I should be concerned about. The whole game changed last night, with the teams being shaken up and the reveal of “traitors” in our midst. Hayden is one of those traitors. He has to be. I’ve never been more certain of anything. Yet even if he is, how does that effect me? He is no longer on my team and not even in my presence, but thoughts of him swim in my head. If he is a traitor then he has answers to our situation. He knows what is going on, why we were brought here. He could help us escape.

Except that he wouldn’t want to help us.

If he is a traitor then that means he’s working for Dr. Black. Helping him. Why? What reason could he have for doing so? I wish I could find him and just smack the truth out of him. What is the purpose of these tests? Why are we being—

Tests? Where did that come from? I sit up straighter, tossing my blanket aside. Why do I think this is a test? Why do...why can I remember a facility? I squeeze my eyes shut, wracking my brain for details. But try as I might I gain no further recollection. Maybe there’s not any memory to be had. Maybe I’m just cracking under all the stress.

Stupid game. Stupid Dr. Black. Well, screw him. If he wants me to run out there and try to connect with my new allies he has another thing coming. I am just going to plant myself right here and wait. Let the others kill each other. Let them try to solve the riddles that surround us. I don’t care. Not anymore. I’m just going to lie in wait, take a hibernation of sorts. And when I finally emerge?

Then I’ll see whose still alive to face me.

The Seeker of Answers
I stand in a room with two other people, staring at a monitor. “She is not capable,” One of them, a man, shook his head. His skin tone was darker in a way that left his ethnicity ambiguous, to the point where he could have been a darker skinned Caucasian, biracial, Middle-Eastern or Indian. His dark hair was long, hanging to his shoulders, and his eyes, normally sharp, were bleary with fatigue. “These tests won’t accomplish anything.”

The woman beside him hesitated to respond. She was too intent on studying the girl on the other side of the screen. Her glasses glinted with the light from the monitor, illuminating her curly brown hair. “Oh, I believe this test will be the one that finally gets us some results,” She finally said, a small smile playing on her face.

The man was not impressed. “You say that every time, yet nothing changes!”

”This time it will. Trust me.” She pressed a button, turning on the intercom, and spoke to the girl inside the room. “Something has occurred. We will be unfortunately canceling today’s tests.”

The man frowned. “I thought you said that we’d get results?”

The woman rolled her eyes. “I’m lying to her, obviously.”

”For what purpose?”

”Subject J-07 is locked inside a room with an impassable door on one side and a open hallway on the other. However, that hallway is blocked by a thirty ton slab of metal.”

”I am aware of that, Priestess. My point is we are lying because...?”

The woman adjusted her glasses. “The conditions for our experiment is as follows: The subject cannot escape unless she moves the slab of metal from the door herself. The metal is roughly 30 tons, and is composed of a particularly durable alloy. Furthermore, we have dropped the lights in the test lab, and claimed that the test has been called off.

“Next we will announce that a fire has broken out in the facility, and all test subjects must gather in the living room at once for evacuation. Wherein we will turn on the emergency sirens and warn the subject that the oxygen levels are dropping within the test lab.” The Priestess gestured at me. “You will then slam on the exit's door from the other side and call the test subject's name.”

”Wait.” I spoke for the first time, interrupting. “Why must I have to do that?”

”Subject J-07 trusts you,” The Priestess said with a wave of her hand. “Anyways, you will then say the name of a child the test subject is close to and tell her that child is in danger. Inform the subject that the child will die if she does not use her ability to save them. All the while we will frequently sound the oxygen level warnings and sirens.”

I did not respond. This whole test seemed...particularly taxing for the subject. Rarely had we gone so far with our experiments. But then, never before had our need been so dire. The deadline was fast approaching. Very few of the other recruits from this Earth knew as much as I did. And what I knew terrified me.

“We go too far,” The man said bitterly. “Even if they all Awaken they will hate us.”

The Priestess shrugged. “And? Better for them to hate us than be dead. Or do you believe that they will hate us so vehemently that they’d rather Death win?”

“My simulations have tagged that as a possibility,” I said. I’d been going over the simulations nonstop these past few weeks. Crunching the numbers, analyzing the data. In my latest round of simulations the percentage that we emerge victorious in our endeavor had been perilously low.

“My own concerns are of a more moral nature,” The Magician gave me a wry look. “But I am aware that present company would find that hard to relate to.”

The Priestess nodded. “Quite.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t care. Rather, it was that she couldn’t. The makeup of the Priestess’ mind, the way she was formed, it left her with no sense of empathy or compassion. Some of the others thought it was a casualty of her Gift, but I suspected that it had always been her nature. She was simply born without.

As for myself...

No. Introspection would have to wait. I had a job to perform. “I will begin the experiment,” I told the others. They nodded in acquiescence and I headed off towards the test chambers. Subject J-07 would most likely despise me once she learned of the subterfuge at play, but I could handle a little hatred. For the chance to gain vengeance on the one who robbed me of everything was at stake, and for that I would be willing to sacrifice anything.

Anything at all.''

Hannah Jackson (White Team)
From our vantage point atop the rocks we sit and wait as we watch the girl approach. The snow continues to fall around us. I watch it collect in Fern’s hair, marveling at the contrast of the pure white snow against her luscious black locks. “That’s definitely Vjena,” Fern says, her breath coming out as a puff of mist. “So she’s on our team.”

I only nod. I am still not sure if it matters what team she’s on, when it’s possible that she’s a traitor. So instead I just say, “Think she’ll align with us?”

Fern throws her hair back, knocking all the flakes loose. “Of course! What other choice does she have?”

Not much of one, I admit. The day started with it being ten against ten, but with Nari’s death our team is now up ten to nine. And Nari was most likely on her own, proving that it’s dangerous to go alone. Fern nods to herself and tells me that we should go approach Vjena. She’s certainly already spotted us standing here and decided to come to us, so we may as well go meet her halfway.

As we clamber down the rocks and onto the snow-clad beach I cannot help but look at the ocean and it’s swelling gray waves. Though I know it must be freezing I wish that I could go swimming. Water has always helped me relieve stress and now...Well, I have a lot of stress.

Vjena pauses at the edge of the beach as she sees us approaching. She has her arms wrapped around herself and though she tries to keep a confident face, I make out the chattering of her teeth. Not too much of a surprise. Fern and I would have been just as cold if we hadn’t found a cache of cold weather clothing this morning. Fern discovered it hidden amongst the roots of a gnarled tree that grew against the beach. I was worried that it was too convenient to be safe until Fern pointed out that Dr. Black wouldn’t want us all to freeze to death. I smile to myself as I think back on this. She’s so smart.

”Greetings, Vjena,” Fern steps forward to greet the newcomer and I follow suit, pressing myself close to present unity. “I assume you’re here to join us?”

I’ve never seen Vjena up close before. Now that I can study her more throughly, I see that, with her fair, pale complexion and slim, athletic build, she’s almost as beautiful as Fern and I. “Perhaps,” She keeps her voice steady, despite the cold. Her hair, long, straight, and dark as ebony, is coated white with snow. “As long as you two are sane, I don’t believe we’ll have any problems.”

I find myself gritting my teeth. Vjena is, after all, the same girl who murdered Sofia. Fern glances at me, noticing my tension. We’d spoken about my distaste for the girl and what she did as we watched her from a distance. And despite the crime she’d committed, we’d both agreed aligning with her would be a necessary evil.

“How did you get away from Ryder?” I ask. I’m honestly surprised he hadn’t killed her the moment it became clear they were in different teams.

Vjena bites her lip. “With only some complications.”

“And Shinji?”

“He abandoned us some time past. Don’t know what became of him.”

That’s disappointing. Shinji is on our team now, and having him along could only help us. Unless, of course, he was a traitor. Speaking of... “Are you a traitor?” I blurt out.

Vjena raises an eyebrow. “Right to the point. I appreciate that. But to answer your question, no, I am not a traitor.” She pauses for a moment, then goes on. “Before I departed, Ryder claimed that he had recovered his memories.”

Fern glances at me. “Did he now.”

“Yes, and he told me that neither he nor I were traitors. Make of that what you will.”

I don’t know how much I can believe the word of Ryder, considering that he’s probably killed the most people during the course of this whole game. Even tried to kill me. I remember how him and Vjena chased us into that Event Hub. Just thinking about that makes me mad. No, more than mad. Enraged. The longer I stare at Vjena’s stupid perfect face the more I feel punching it. How dare she try to ask us for help!

Suddenly I excuse myself from the conversation. Vjena lets me go without a word but I can feel the worry in Fern’s gaze as she watches me walk away. I breathe deeply, trying to calm myself as I sit at the waters edge and stare out at the waves. Need to control my emotions. That’s been the problem my whole life. Could never learn how to do it. Always let them control me.

Vjena is a murderer. But I have to work with her. Help her win this game and go home. Which Sofia will never be able to do. Because Vjena murdered her.

Waves lap at the shore. I stare at them. Try to think of surfing instead of beating Vjena’s face in with a bat. It helps. A little. I don’t think I could stop myself if not for Fern. Think of Fern. Yes, her and surfing. That calms me. Someday we’ll escape from here and go surfing together. That will be great. The waves near my house are perfect. Afterwards we can go to my house and my parents will make dinner and—

My parents.

I remember our argument. Their anger. The wave. Wiped me out. Nearly killed me. Thought it did until I woke up here. Why me? I don’t belong here. Not like Vjena does. Stupid murdering bitch. She should die. Should drown. She must die. She—

“Hannah!”

Hands grab me around the shoulder and haul me up to my feet. I blink in shock, not resisting, as Fern drags me away from the shore and towards the rocks. “What?” I spin around so I’m face-to-face with her. “What’s happening?”

In response, she points at the ocean.

A massive wall of water has formed. Standing nearly thirty feet tall, it looks over our little beach, a dark shadow waiting to descend and drown us all. My heart nearly stops. It’s just like back home! It’s come to finish the job.

No.

I can’t explain what happens next. All I remember is staring intently at the wave, feeling my mind strain, a sense of...tiredness washing over me. Then the wall of water collapses. It doesn’t fall forward or back or anything like that. It just falls apart, coming together at the seams.

Still, the sound of the water smacking against itself is almost deafening and Fern has to drag me away from the beach and into the forest as water bubbles along it, brought along by the ripples of the water. Almost the entire beach is submerged. Yet it would have been much worse if that wave hadn’t just collapsed.

“What the hell was that?” Vjena demands once it’s clear that we’re safe. “What did Dr. Black do?”

“Wasn’t Dr. Black,” I mumble. But she doesn’t hear me. She’s too busy talking with Fern. I set myself down against a tree, suddenly feeling like I’ve got a migraine. I don’t know what happened. Don’t understand. But I know that it wasn’t caused by Dr. Black.

It was me.

Timothy González (White Team)
I stare out the window at the layers of snow that have settled down outside. The forest is an ethereal white, a faint fog hanging just under the treetops and leaving everything below in a misty blur that hides both danger and intrigue.

My “allies”, as I suppose you could call them, are inside the apartment with me still. None of us wanted to chase Nailah out into the wilderness, not after the beating she gave us all. My head still throbs and there’s a lump the size of an egg on my skull. Whatever that girl is, she’s a real monster of a fighter.

I turn away from the window and watch Zantae as she sits on the couch, idily playing with one of her braids. She is convinced that Nailah is working to end Dr. Black’s Game and free us all. She’s already tried to convince the rest of us that. Multiple times.

Zantae looks up and notices my gaze. “She’s not a traitor, you know!”

I splay my hands diplomatically. “Does it matter at this point? She’s on the other team. If we are to survive—“

“We can survive together! No one else has to die!”

“Tell that to Nailah’s sister.” The girl killed Nari just a few hours ago.

Zantae goes silent. I know that it’s hard for to reconcile the fact that the sister of her proposed savior is going around murdering the other Challengers. I myself have made peace with it. Once I did believe that we could all set aside our differences and come together to fight Dr. Black. But now...

If the ten of us on White Team can kill the other nine and make it out alive...well, that’s good enough for me.

A faint piece of me feels that I’ve given up, that I’m no longer thinking rationally, but I shove this nagging feeling aside. Dr. Black is always one step ahead. No plans I make to thwart him have a chance of success, so why bother trying?

Mike and Nathaniel...

“Isn’t it strange that Dr. Black hasn’t said anything since last night?” Shinji speaks aloud for the first time since Nailah left. Him and his twin have just been whispering to each other before now.

I shrug. “Perhaps. Do you think it matters?”

He goes silent for a moment, then nods. “Probably. He shook up all the teams and yet there has only been one death today. I would imagine that he had expected more.”

”And you think him not talking is, what, him being upset?”

“I honestly have no idea. His thought process is completely beyond me.”

I turn away from him, feeling peeved. What was the point of that? It was just a long, rambling way to tell me that he doesn’t know anything. Once again I’m left to wonder if perhaps we should be out in the Playing Field searching for our allies. There’s six more of us out there, and if we all gathered together we could easily wipe out Black Team. Supposing that they themselves haven’t already aligned, of course.

I drum my fingers along the windowsill. Should have taken Dr. Black’s offer to leave the Game. Perhaps Mike and Nathaniel would be dead, but what would that have changed? They both died either way. Maybe it wasn’t a trick and he really would have let me go. Maybe I chose wrong. Didn’t he promise me that he would tell me about his motives if I chose what he believed I would? I think his exact words were “if the outcome of the game you're about to play is the one I expect it to be."

What did he mean by that?

My thoughts are interrupted by the appearance of Satoshi. He sidles up alongside me, trying to look inconspicuous but only succeeding in making himself exceedingly suspicious. “Is there something you need?” I ask him.

He glances at Zantae, who isn’t even watching the two of us. “Don’t you think she’s...I don’t know, a little sus?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m talking about Zantae! Don’t you find it odd how adamantly she’s defending Nailah? What if they’re both traitors?”

Oh. So that’s what this is about. Figures. I sigh and shake my head. “We don’t even know what being a traitor means, Satoshi. So should we really be concerned about that?”

“It means they’re working for Dr. Black!”

”Yes, but working with him to do what?”

Satoshi opens his mouth and then shuts it again, looking remarkably uncomfortable. This is something I don’t believe anyone has stopped to consider. What does being a traitor even mean? How are they assisting Dr. Black? What memories of theirs have come back? “Have you had any memories return?” I ask him.

He scratches his head. “No...I mean, not really. But I had a strange dream while I was napping. I was inside some kind of strange facility and people were, I dunno, running tests? They said a lot of weird stuff. Something about potential and awakenings and stuff.”

Tests. That makes me think. A test. I never really thought that Dr. Black’s game made sense. It was structured too strangely. But what if it was never a game? What if it was all just some test? A study, of sorts. Suddenly I’m not so sure that Satoshi’s dream was a dream after all.

“Do you remember anything else?”

“Uh, no. Sorry?” He seems confused as to why I care. But that’s because he hasn’t realized what I have. This game isn’t about winning, or surviving, or even killing. Dr. Black is gauging our reactions, applying stress to us and studying how we behave. This game isn’t a game at all.

It’s one giant test.

Tetsu Ueno (Black Team)
I watch the cold wind swirl around me, the diffusing snowflakes blowing past my face and bringing hard news and ill luck. I knew handing Amare a weapon would be a bad thing in the long run, but I hadn’t expected that she would use it to take out a teammate of my own so early.

“That’s what I get for being a nice guy, I guess,” I muse to myself. I mean, sure, it was probably worse for Nari than it was me, but her death still takes me down one ally. I don’t exactly have any of them with me, but the more of them out there means there’s less likely that the    rival team will be hunting me down. I could probably beat anyone who attacked me, sure, but I’d rather not be attacked by anyone.

I lean back against the door of the shed I found, content in the fact that I’m warm in the clothing I discovered inside. When exactly did Dr. Black hide these caches out here? At the beginning of the game? Or did he just set them out now? Like everything else about the man, it’s a complete mystery.

The sound of feet crunching against the snow has me sitting up immediately. I pick up my spear and twirl it in my hands, ready for a fight. If I could kill a girl who had the ability to make fire with her hands, then why wouldn’t I be capable of defeating anyone else?

“Yo! Who’s out there?” I call out into the snowflakes. After all, it’s possible that it’s someone on my team.

“I mean no harm.”

A calm, steady voice answers back. I relax my posture but don’t let my guard down. I’m not about to get tricked so easily. I sit and watch as a figure slowly emerges from the snow, hands up in the air.

“Amare? You’re back?” I blink in surprise as the small slender girl approaches. What gives?

“No. I am her sister, Nailah.” The girl pauses before me, eyes slowly taking in all the information before her. Despite the fact that she is seemingly at my mercy, her posture shows that she’s as calm and ready as ever. Something is giving her a sense of security.

“And what do you want from me?” I ask casually. Nailah is on my team, so I don’t have anything to worry about. Presumably. Who knows what this girl is really thinking?

Nailah seems like she’s about to say something but pauses at the last second. She glances around. “Amare is no longer with you, I see.”

“Yeah, we’re kinda on opposite teams now.”

She purses her lips. “Disappointing.”

What exactly does she need her sister for? Certainly not to kill her. I give another glance at my surroundings. There’s nothing. Snow. The sound of wind in brittle branches. “So do you have a reason for approaching me?” I finally ask. “Or are you just here to make small talk?”

She taps her wrist as I speak, and something happens. There’s a faint popping noise but nothing else seems to have changed. I raise an eyebrow at her.

“I just set off an a short range jammer,” Nailah explains. “Dr. Black won’t be able to listen to us, but it won’t last forever so I’ll have to be quick.”

”Whoa, whoa!” I hold up my hands, trying to stem the sudden tide of words. “What the hell are you talking about?” Jammer? Why in the world would she have one of those?

“Listen to me carefully, Tetsu. What I am about to tell you must not be repeated to anyone. Who knows what Dr. Black would do if he found out. I can’t afford to take the risk.”

”Uh, okay. But then why are—”

“Why am I telling you at all? Because I know for a fact that you’re not a traitor, which means you’re one of the few people I can trust with this secret. If it’s even still a secret, I mean. I intended for Amare to hear this first, but I fear I no longer have the time to be so selective.”

I just keep my mouth shut, realizing that anything I say will just delay the information I seek. Nailah begins to pace, eyes glancing warily at the snowy landscape. When it becomes clear that no one is skulking around listening, she turns to me and takes a deep breath. “I was purposely placed into these Games for the sole purpose of infiltrating Dr. Black and his associates organization.”

She pauses, as if expecting me to say something, but I just stand there silently. Nothing she’s said has made any sense to me, yet. Finally she goes on. “I work for a global governmental organization similar to that of INTERPOL, but with more supranational authority. We’re under United Nations restrictions. I won’t go into details, because they don’t matter. Suffice to say that I’ve been working with them for a few years and long have we been on the trail of the Tarot, the group which Dr. Black works for. Their kidnapping ring has been proficient and I was chosen to go undercover and finally expose their ringleaders.”

To say that my mind went blank would be an understatement. For several long moments I just sit there, digesting the information that I was given. And, for some reason, I find myself doubting it’s veracity. Oh, it’s not that it’s too far-fetched a story or anything like that. After all, would it really be so hard to believe that governments have noticed a mass kidnapping like this? Especially when one of the victims is a world famous celebrity like myself? Our disappearance would definitely be noticed and investigated. And if they already had a lead, like Nailah claims, then why not send someone in? But yet...

Nailah has been watching me as I ponder and now her eyes narrow. “You doubt me,” She says.

I nod. No point playing stupid. “I don’t have any proof you’re not a traitor just trying to trick me.”

“What would be the purpose of that?”

“I don’t know. What’s the purpose of any of this? Why are there traitors? What is the point of the game? What does Dr. Black want? There’s so many questions and so little answers. I hope you excuse me if I don’t just believe you right off the bat.”

Nailah sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. “I understand your doubts, but I don’t have the time for long explanations. I wouldn’t have told you anything if I wasn’t in a desperate situation. I fear Dr. Black has already figured out my ruse. He knows I am a mole. He may have known since the beginning.”

“Oh, yeah?” Then why is she telling me? I have a bad feeling that she’s trying to bring me down with her. Spill all her secrets so that Dr. Black is forced to eliminate me.

“If you still doubt me, then I can answer at least one of your questions.” Nailah glances up at the sky and takes a deep breath. “What does Dr. Black want, you wonder? Well, apparently he and his organization believes that you Challengers possess the ability to ‘Awaken’ and gain Gifts, otherwise known as supernatural abilities.”

I would have laughed in her face right then and there if I yesterdays events weren’t still fresh in my mind. Arlyssa had generated fireballs from her hands. Fireballs. From her hands. That kind of thing defied explanation and seriously left me wondering what the heck had been going on. But still...

“You mean he thinks we have superpowers?”

Nailah narrows her eyes at me. “That is not what I would...” She sighs. “Sure, why not. He thinks you have superpowers.”

I let out a whoop and fist pump the air. “Yes! I have a superpower! Awesome!”

“No you don’t’!”

I glance back at Nailah, surprised by the sharp rebuttal. Didn’t she just tell me that we did? “You’re not making a whole lot of sense, you know,” I say casually. “I’m almost beginning to think that you’re making things up as you go.”

“I told you that Dr. Black and his associates believe you have powers, not that you actually have them. Abilities such as that do not exist, obviously.” Nailah’s solemn expression has gone to one of annoyance, as if she thinks that I’m some sort of bratty younger sibling. “The Tarot is basically a cult that believes in the impossible and has committed many heinous crimes in pursuit of this goal. There are no actual abilities.”

A small, sly smile crosses my face as I realize that, despite her smug attitude, Nailah does not actually know everything. She wasn’t there for the Event Hub. She didn’t see what I saw. Arlyssa and her fireballs. And the death announcement at the end of the day didn’t show any of that, just me spearing Arlyssa. She believes that Dr. Black is some crazy searching for nonexistent abilities.

She’s wrong.

Nailah notices my smile and asks what’s so funny. I explain everything to her, Arlyssa and her fire, Dr. Black’s bizarre reaction, and anything else I find relevant. When I finish I lean back on my spear, feeling smug. “So, you see, it appears that it just might be possible that these abilities exist after all!”

Nailah runs a hand along the side of her neck, looking deeply troubled. “What you’ve told me is...worrisome.”

“Superpowers, baby!”

”Are you not concerned at all? Your life is on the line here, and now you just told me that a criminal organization may actually be on the brink of creating supernatural abilities and you are happy?”

I shrug. “Not like I can be scared. I’m literally fearless, remember?”

A sudden beeping noise emits from Nailah’s bracelet. She looks down and mutters something in another language. “The jammer is going to fail soon. I didn’t tell you everything I wanted—Bah!” She shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. You’ve given me some valuable information. I have much to think about.”

“What does it matter if the jammer goes down?” I ask. “You told me that Dr. Black knows you’re a mole.”

“True. But he doesn’t know the extent of my subterfuge. He does not know of my government ties. In fact, I believe he thinks that I work for some other organization entirely.”

Now that surprises me. “What do you mean? Other organization? Who else is there other than the government?”

Pop!

The telltale noise of the jammer breaks the silence. Nailah gives me a long, lingering look. “I do not know, Tetsu. But I don’t have time to worry about it. I have a sister to find.”

And with that, Nailah leaves. She turns and walks away, fading into the snow. I could probably have tried to stop her. Tried to force more questions on her. But what would be the point? She may be some sort of government agent, but nothing she said has given me any hope that she can outwit or outplay Dr. Black. The only valuable thing I’ve learned from this encounter is that I might have superpowers. Man, would that be sweet.

”I wonder what kind of power I’d have,” I sit down on the little stool outside the shed and use my spear to start sketching costumes designs in the snow. “I’ll also need a really cool name...”

Hayle Saraceno (Black Team)
Night has fallen. Another day has come and passed. Yet we’re not closer to escaping, or understanding, or anything. The two team element has seemingly changed little. So why the change at all?

Jackson and Boone sit beside the fireplace in the front room of the cabin, talking loudly. Well, Jackson does. Boone hardly speaks at all. The guy is a complete mystery and despite my best efforts I’ve failed to get him to even string a complete sentence together. Jackson assured me that he was trustworthy, but that isn’t really much of a reassurance. Who’s to say that he’s even trustworthy? And, more to the point, what does being trustworthy even mean anymore?

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. Currently I’m sitting in the hallway, hands folded around my knees as I wait for this day to come to an end. Vika has already retired to her room for the night. She has been strangely withdrawn all day. I hope she hasn’t gotten sick. I can’t think of anything worse than her suddenly coming down with an illness.

A day or two more. That’s how long I have to wait before the lady on the phone promised to save me. I can wait that long. I have to. But... I wish I understood more of the situation. Who is she? Why does she have the ability to save me? And an agent inside the games...how and why would they have that? The code phrase. I haven’t tested it on Jackson and Boone yet. Maybe I should. But somehow I can’t bring myself to believe that either of them are working against Dr. Black. Honestly, I think it’s way more likely that one of them is a traitor then that either one is some sort of mole.

Yet there’s more to this than just traitors and moles. The lady also said something about Awakening, and how Dr. Black won’t harm me once I have. Needless to say, I have no idea what that means. And why do I have to remain inside the Playing Field? How does that make sense?

I feel a headache coming on. I should stop overthinking things. There’s no—

“Bro! I think there’s something outside!”

I launch myself to my feet and lurch into the living room. Boone is standing beside the fireplace, watching Jackson, who has pressed himself up against the window, peering outside.

“Are we under attack?” I demand. My knife is already in my hand, though my arm is trembling so badly that I know I could hardly use it.

Boone shakes his head.

“I thought I saw someone outside,” Jackson says as he turns away from the window. “But it’s too dark to see properly.”

A sneak attack? My mind drifts to thoughts of White Team massing together and assaulting our cabin, breaking in and killing us all. How would we possibly stop such an attack?

“Could be an animal,” Boone says.

“No way, man!” Jackson paces across the room to the opposite side and looks through the window there. “It was definitely a humanoid.”

“Could be Bigfoot,” Boone says.

I give the guy a withering look.

“It was a joke.”

In response, the front door bursts open.

I’m ashamed to say that my initial response is to scream and duck behind the couch. Jackson gives a similar screech of fear and leaps over a chair, toppling it in the process and tripping over the ensuing obstacle. Boone remains standing where he is, staring quizzically at the front door, where a large, broad-shouldered figure in winter clothing stands.

“Ryder!” Jackson shouts and tries to get back on his feet only to slip on the broken chair and thump back onto the ground.

Ryder. I recognize the guy as the one who has killed several Challengers throughout the Games so far. Multiple nights have ended with me seeing a video of him gunning down another victim. There’s an awful sensation in my gut as I realize we’re all about to die.

Ryder stalks into the room, passing by Boone, and heading straight for Jackson. The boy gapes up at the newcomer, holding a hand over his head to protect himself. Ryder reaches down, grips the hand, and hauls Jackson to his feet.

And then pats him on the shoulder.

“I am so glad that I finally found some allies!” Ryder says with a grim smile. “I was most certain that I’d freeze to death out there without ever even glimpsing one of you.”

Jackson’s mouth moves but no words come out. His eyes twitch to me, then Boone. Seeing no help there, he gives a weak smile. “I...yeah, th-thanks man!”

Boone walks up beside the two. “He’s on our team.”

It finally clicks. The team shakeup. Ryder is on my team now. I slowly stand up, feeling only slightly embarrassed. My reaction definitely wasn’t unnecessary. Certainly not. “It’s, uh, good to see you too,” I say nervously.

Ryder nods and offers me an extended hand, which I shake. I’m not as afraid as I was before. While it’s true that Ryder has killed people, so has Vika. And I’ve only seen short glimpses of his actions. Whose to say that he had any choice in his kills? “What happened to your old allies?” I find myself asking.

Ryder pinches the bridge of his nose. When he speaks, his voice is as deep and sonorous as I’d imagined it. “Shinji abandoned us some time pass. Vjena...she’s not exactly...that is to say...Vjena is psychopathic.”

“Oh.” I feel a sinking feeling in my gut. Vjena herself has killed people throughout these Games. To hear her described as such, well, it’s not comforting.

“Vjena cares nothing for human life,” Ryder continues, his voice cracking with emotion. “She was always pushing us for kills. Never letting us rest. I-I killed several people just because I was afraid what she’d do to me if I refused. I believe that is why Shinji abandoned us when he did.”

Ryder begins to give us a detailed account of his time in the games. Most of it seems to have consisted of traipsing through the woods searching for more victims for Vjena. “I am just glad that I found two hearty souls such as yourselves,” he finishes with a smile for me and Jackson.

“What about Boone?” Jackson asks with a grin. Evidently he has gotten over his fright.

Ryder frowns at the silent guy. “Boone too, of course.”

“Oh. Someone else is here.”

We all spin around, hands reaching for our weapons, at the sound of the feminine voice. I relax when I notice Vika stepping into the room, her gaze focused on Ryder as she circles around him until she’s beside me. “What happened?” She whispers into my ear.

I shrug, not really sure how to explain his sudden appearance. Luckily I don’t have to, because Ryder begins to introduce himself. I think that Vika would be freaked out by him and his story, but she takes it remarkably well, just nodding and listening silently with a calm composure. I’m not sure why I’m surprised. Of course she’d get used to these kind of things eventually.

“That makes five of us together,” Vika says quietly. “Half our team is here.”

“Who are the others?” Jackson asks.

“Tetsu, Shintaro, Hayden, and Nailah,” Ryder answers immediately. Apparently he has put real thought into this.

Honestly, I can’t say that I know much about the others. Tetsu killed someone yesterday but the other three haven’t done anything that makes them stand out. I think Nailah has a twin sister in the Game, though.

We spend about an hour socializing with Ryder and trying to see if he has anymore information on these Games, but it soon becomes clear that he really doesn’t know much more than we do. But when we ask him about the traitors, he smirks and tells us that Vjena claimed to have regained her memories. “She told me that neither she nor I are traitors.”

Well, that’s good to know, I suppose. Still not sure how much we can actually trust her word, though. The night goes on and eventually we decide to head to sleep. We all agree that we should have someone standing guard at all times, and I draw first watch. I’m taking up a position beside the door when Vika motions me over.

“What’s up?” I ask, walking to her. Ryder and Jackson both slip out of the room, headed for the bedroom they’ll be sharing.

”I...there’s something I found today,” She casts a suspicious glance at Boone, but he’s not paying any attention to us, too busy staring out the window at the falling snowflakes. “I found it under my bed and I...thought that you should have it.”

She pulls a small square object out of her pocket and deposits it on a small stand next to the couch. I frown at it, peering down as I examine it. Black, opaque. It doesn't glitter or glow. Tiny markings mar the side of the cube. Strangely, they seem to have been cut into the side. Some symbols seem to repeat itself, like writing. “What is it?” I ask, enthralled by the strange cube.

Vika shrugs. “I don’t know. Hoped you would.”

Somethings off with her tone, but I’m too enamored with the cube to wonder about Vika’s mood swings. What is this cube? Why was it in the cabin? “You found it under your bed?”

“Yeah,” For some reason she looks towards Boone again. “It was just sitting there. Strange, right?”

“Very.” Does it have something to do with Dr. Black? Undoubtedly. Everything here seems to have something to do with that man. I find myself staring into the cube. Into its dark, oppressive blackness. It's like staring into the void of space. Everything is dark, dangerous. Yet if you look close enough, you can see the twinkling of stars in the distance...

Wait. I can see twinkling! Tiny lights dance in the center of the cube, yet they seem to be further away. Like at the end of a very long tunnel. Unaware of anything else, I reach a hand out to grab the cube.

“Hayle?”

I look up sharply, surprised to find Vika still standing there. “Oh, uh, you say something?” I ask.

“Nothing important. I’m just going to my room. Be careful, alright?”

I promise her that I’ll be careful and not do anything stupid and she departs, walking into the hall and disappearing into her bedroom. I’m left alone with Boone. Actually, no. Boone has gotten up from his spot and is now in the kitchen, making himself some kind of sandwich. I watch him until he departs and slips into his room. Immediately my eyes go back to the cube.

It seems to give off energy, not the physical kind, but energy that you can feel in the air. Energy that gives you strength. I find myself lost in the smooth, glossy sides of the cube. If I look hard enough, I can almost convince myself that I see images reflected back...

I reach out to grab the cube.

The second my hands touch the cube a sharp pain jolts my fingertips. With a scream I attempt to recoil, only to realize that my hands are inexplicably tied to the cube. Then the cube begins to heat up.

My palms begin to sweat, then burn. At first it's like when you get too close to a candle and the wind blows the flame against your skin. But then the intensity begins to pick up. It becomes something more akin to holding your hand against the top of an oven burner, then it worsens.

Immense pain burns in my hands. Like rusty nails heated in the belly of a volcano. They press against the skin of my palms, searing into my flesh. Why hasn't the cube exploded? How can it contain so much heat? I fall to my knees, screaming so loudly that I cannot understand how no one has come running to see what's wrong. For it's part, the cube just sits there in my hands, looking every bit as ordinary as when I first walked into the room.

Then the lights return.

They dance around in a circular motion, sticking to the center of the cube as their light slowly brightens. I'd be amazed if my hands weren't on fire. Gradually they begin to grow. They grow and grow until they take up the entirety of the cube, transforming it from an opaque black surface to a literal ball of light.

The light envelopes my hands and immediately transforms into a brilliant cerulean. I shriek in pain as the light touches my skin and slides up my arms. It seems to travel underneath my skin, pulsating brightly as it goes, bringing the burning pain with it, stretching from my fingertips to my shoulders.

I try to move my head, to watch where it goes from there. But my head is frozen still, my eyes stuck on the orb of light. My entire body burns now. It feels like I've been dropped into a furnace turned up at full blast. It's unbearable.

With another flash, the cube begins to show images.

Fleeting, quick shots of things I didn't understand. A dark room. A majestic city in the mountains. A young woman with pink hair. Each image lasts less then a second, yet seems to burn itself into my mind. A large flying tower. A man, covered in bandages and scars. More images. More intense, blinding pain. A watery pool, glittering with starlight.

Then the images fade. The lights on the cube go out, reverting back to its black form. My hands are released and I slide to the floor with a thump. The burning begins to subside, the pain fades.

I roll up into a ball and begin to cry.

I don't know how long I lie there on the cold, wooden floor. I'm conscious only of the receding pain that fills my body and the flashing images that seem perpetually stuck inside of my brain. The mountain city...the woman...

What are they?

I can't think straight. My head is spinning, my eyes sting with a mix of sweat and tears. My arms tremble involuntarily, though the pain has almost entirely faded now. I force myself to sit up.

The cube sits on the table stand. The lights are completely gone, the images long faded. I look away when I imagine the burning sensation in my palms. The cube must be some sort of weapon. Or it's a trap set by Dr. Black. Something is terribly wrong with it. Why else would it react like that?

But...

Vika touched it, didn't she? And nothing happened to her. No lights, no images, no blinding, unbearable pain. But then why did it nearly burn my damn hands off?

I stare fearfully at the cube as I scoot away across the room. The cube is dangerous. It's beyond dangerous. Too deadly to keep in this cabin. We need to destroy it or, I don't know, throw it outside. We need—

My breath catches in my throat when I see my hands. For my entire stay on the ground they've been clenched into fists, but now they're spread open. And a familiar cerluean light glows dimly from my palm. I look down at it, dumbfounded, amazed. After a few seconds of my gaping, the glow begins to brighten.

I snap my fists shut. Push myself into a standing position with my legs. This isn't happening. This can't be happening. The cube's lights have faded! How are they on me? This isn't right. Have I been infected with some sort of virus?

Fear tightens in my chest as I stumble towards the door.

I'm feeling dizzy, unsteady on my feet. I continue into the hall and have no idea where to go. I don't want anyone else to see my hands. What would they do if they thought I was inflicted with a disease? Better not to show anyone. Maybe the lights will fade. Maybe it's just a negative hangover from touching the cube.

Yes. Yes, that's it. It'll fade. Everything will go back to normal. I just need to find someplace safe to rest...

The bathroom comes up ahead and I enter without a second thought. What better place to find privacy then a bathroom? I slide the lock shut behind me and drop to the floor, panting hard.

Since first seeing the lights, I've kept my hands curled into fists. I look down at them now and see that my right hand is glowing, pulsating. It's definitely not fading away. I begin to panic.

I clench and unclench my hands. My right is shining brightly, beginning to concentrate in the center of my palm. The left is dimly flickering. There is no pain, not like when I touched the cube. It's just the strange blue lights shining from my hands. My panic begins to fade as I stare at them. It's oddly...enthralling.

Standing up, I take a look at myself in the mirror that hangs over the sink. The cerulean glow use to brighten the entire room, because I never turned on the lights, but now it begins to become more muted. More ordinary. Faint blue lines begin to run down my right bicep.

Carefully, I raise my arm.

Immediately I am thrown backwards as a bright blue ball shoots from my palm. My head smacks against the porcelain toilet just when the orb of light collides with the mirror. It cracks down the middle as the orb explodes against it, sending crackling, sizzling embers of light across the small room. Glass shards clatter down into the sink, some dropping onto the floor, where they break into even more pieces.

"What...the...hell...?"

My head throbs with pain as I look around the devastated room. Glass is everywhere. One piece has left a long scratch across my left forearm. Flashing remains of the orb sputter and fade away, leaving no trace that they were ever there.

"I...don't understand." The understatement of the century. What has just happened? A ball of blue...What was the stuff? Energy? Light? A mixture of both? I've never seen anything like that before. Obviously.

I feel exhausted. Too tired to even sit up. My head is ringing, either from the blast or hitting it on the toilet, I don't know. But my body feels like I've just finished a marathon, my arms weigh as much cinderblocks. My legs like anchors.

Giving up on trying to get myself back on my feet, I lie my head back on the cold floor. Glass clatters and cracks as my legs crush it, but I'm too depleted to care. I've never felt this tired before. Not once. It feels like a truck has run me over.

With a small flutter, my eyelids slide shut.

Hayden Owens (Black Team)
A small fire crackles softly as I gaze into the snowy evening. Though I can’t see her, the soft breathing of the asleep Milan tells me that she is nearby. Soon she will be on her own. I hope that the information I’ve given her will be enough to keep her alive.

“I’m so sorry, Mia,” My whispered words are lost in the frozen quiet of the night. I’ve tried so hard to make up for all my shortcomings...but nothing I’ve done has come anywhere close. Soon the end will come and Mia will be all alone. For good, this time.

A shape in the shadows that dance on the edge of the fire catches my attention. At first I think it’s just my mind paying tricks, but then the shape coalesces into the form of a person and I know that they’ve finally come for me.

They emerge into the firelight, eyes briefly flickering towards the sleeping form of Milan before settling on me. I give them a small nod of my head and they cross the clearing, snow crunching under their boots, and sit on the log beside me.

I repress a sigh. “I knew they’d send you.”

Shintaro nods.

I’d hoped they’d send someone else. I might have been able to reason with one of them. But Shintaro? They don’t have feelings like the rest of us. Our sentimentally...it’s completely alien. “I’m sorry,” I say quietly, “I know that I chose this, but...my feelings have swayed me. We’ve done too much to them. I can’t...I can’t carry on like this.”

“You told her everything.” It’s not a question. The Tarot has eyes and ears everywhere. They knew the second I opened my mouth.

”I did. I... I just couldn’t lie anymore.”

“You no longer wish for redemption?” Their voice is so flat. So emotionless.

“No. I—I want that more than anything. But how is this redemption? How is anything we’re doing right?” I gesture around at the Playing Field, at the sleeping form of Milan. “What we’ve done to them is inhumane. It’s...” I trail off. The screaming. I can hear his screaming again. No. I clench my fists and grit my teeth. I will not succumb. Not this time. I force the screams away and stare into Shintaro’s eyes.

“I’m not going to just be a pawn. Not anymore.”

“You know what will happen if we don’t succeed. How many people will die. What is the life of these few compared to billions?”

This was the same argument Hierophant made to recruit me. Now Shintaro parrots them. I know that I believed in this mission at first, even the first few times I went through the cycle, but I’ve begun to think differently. How could my daughter ever be proud of me if she knew how many people died because of my actions? Of what I allowed others to do?

“We don’t need anymore recruits,” I tell Shintaro. “We can fight him with what we currently have. We have strength, we have skill, a few more undertrained teenagers won’t change a thing!”

“The memory wipe has effected you,” Shintaro frowns at me. “Interesting. What makes this time different, I wonder?”

“It’s not just this time. It’s...none of our other attempts have really succeeded. Why continue to let them die like this?”

”Some of them willingly subjected themselves to this.”

“And what about the others? The ones we kidnapped? Is killing them alright as long as it’s for the greater good?”

“Yes.”

I’m momentarily shocked by the blunt answer, but then I remember who I’m talking to. Of course Shintaro doesn’t care. When have they ever cared about anything?

There’s a lull in our conversation. A somber silence. I know that I won’t be walking away from this conversation. I have no chance against Shintaro. Not even with my Gift. Only the Majors could stand against them, and I’m not even sure of that.

“You don’t understand.”

Shintaro’s words are quiet. Almost lost to the wind. There’s a undercurrent to them, a twinge of...emotion? Is that possible? I look up, surprised, and find Shintaro staring at me with cold, hard eyes.

“You’re from this world, so you don’t understand. Cannot understand. You think the death of a few kids is wrong? That it is unforgivable? Do you know what happened to the kids on my world?”

I shake my head, unable to speak. I’ve never heard Shintaro so agitated before.

“They died. Every single one. Everyone died. The academy that took me in, the friends I found there. They taught me about hope. Showed me that life could be bearable, that it was worth living. And do you know what happened to them?”

I find myself trembling. “They died.”

“Yes. They died. He killed them. He destroyed my world. And he’s coming for yours. Imagine everyone you love, everyone you know, every single person you’ve ever met or heard about, being destroyed. Because that is what will happen if we do not succeed.”

Mia. Annalise. I imagine their corpses. No, not corpses. Destroyed. There wouldn’t even be anything left. I’d heard about it, but I never knew... “I didn’t know you weren’t from here,” I say softly.

“The Hanged Man is growing weaker. His Gift takes longer to recharge between uses. This world, your world, may be the last one left to us. Think on that, and then decide whether you still find the death of a couple dozen people unforgivable.”

The words weigh on me like an anchor. There’s so much at stake here, yet all I can care about is myself and my feelings. But that’s just human nature, isn’t it? People always care more about the death of one person they know than the deaths of untold anonymous millions. The world itself is at stake...

But it doesn’t matter to me. Not as much as what my daughter would think if I continued to allow these murders.

“I’m just sorry, Shintaro,” I say sadly, “I understand what you’re saying, but I can’t change the way I feel. What we’re doing is wrong. I can’t believe it took me so long to realize that.”

There’s a sharp prickling sensation in my neck, then a rush of cold fills my body. Glancing aside, I see the hypodermic needle as Shintaro retracts it from me. “I knew this would happen,” I tell them. Already I can feel the effects. My limbs have gone stiff, thoughts slowing. “The moment I decided to speak out, I knew they’d have you do this.”

“Don’t be so melodramatic,” Shintaro neatly places the needle into its case, looking back at Milan to ensure she is still asleep. “We’re not monsters. And you’re too useful to the cause.”

“What?” Hard to think. Hard to keep my eyes open. I try to move but find that I can’t.

“I’m not killing you. Just removing you from the Playing Field. You’ve proven yourself to be far too erratic to remain active in the Game.” They stand, then stretch their arms out lazily. They begin to walk off into the shadows. “We’re going to tell the Challengers you’re dead, however. Makes it simpler. For all extents and purposes you’ve died and placed nineteenth.”

My vision has gone black. I don’t see anything and can barely hear. I feel like I’m moving moved, dragged? Everything sounds like it’s underwater. But I can make out the chiming of the datapad, the announcement of a death? Then Dr. Black’s voice. “Greetings, Challengers. I am here to announce that yet another Event Hub has opened up. This time it will require the presence of every member of Black Team and White Team. Every living Challenger must enter the Hub. If the required number is absent, well, I hardly think I need explain. You all know the drill. Sleep tight, Challengers.”

I am not dead. Not dead. Mia...Annalise...there’s still time to redeem myself for them. Still time. Still...time.

The Loyal Daughter
I watch Shintaro as they run the information through the computer, analyze the resulting data, and begin to formulate their thoughts. Behind me lie the beds that contain the Challengers, some volunteers, some kidnapped victims, but all of them test subjects. “Think we’ll get them to Awaken?” I ask.

Shintaro leans back in the chair, steepling their fingers. “Oh, undoubtedly. The stress and pressure their minds will be subjected to will most definitely trigger an Awakening in more than a few of them.”

“But?” I can sense the but. With Shintaro there’s always a but.

“I can’t predict what state their mind will be in. Some of them may lose their grip on reality completely. Others...they may not choose to assist.”

I fail to see that as a problem. Who cares if they want to help? They won’t have a choice. What are they going to do, let the world be destroyed? Yeah right!

“Need we be so cruel?” Vika walks up from behind us, tugging on her blonde ringlets. “Couldn’t we find a less...fatal way to test them?”

I roll my eyes. “You know that the Majors have already tried that. Nothing else reliably works and we’re running out of time.” Father says that we may not be able to shunt ourselves off to another world. That this could be the last one. If some people have to die so that we can all live, then I’m more than fine with that.

Shintaro is still tapping away at the computer. Running some more numbers, I think. They’re obsessed with trying to predict each and every outcome. Useless waste of time. If these predictions worked we wouldn’t be in this situation!

The door to my left suddenly opens. The Doctor enters, followed closely by Hayden. The bald man seems deep in thought and pays zero attention as the doctor comes to a stop beside the three of us. “Are you all quite certain you wish to go through with this?” He asks. The frosty glass of his mask reflects my own face, and I see my determination as I nod. “Keep in mind that we cannot guarantee your safety. We will do whatever we can to keep you alive, but everything out in the Playing Field will be completely unpredictable.”

“This won’t be my first time competing,” I say airily. The Doctor’s mask has all my attention. I’ve never seen him without it. What lies beneath? I asked Father about it once and he told me that the Doctor wears the mask to protect the world from his Gift.

I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean.

“Ah, yes.” The Doctor studies me for a moment. “You have competed in our last two runs. I had quite forgotten.”

“Hayden and I have as well,” Vika says quietly. Her eyes are fixed firmly on the ground. That girl has never been comfortable speaking with the Majors.

“The drug will erase your memory, temporarily,” The Doctor pulls a vial out from his robes and lies it flat in the palm of his hand. “It’ll also suppress your Gift. This is important, of course, because the aim of this experiment is to study your biochemistry and compare it against the data of the Challengers.” Attempting to figure out a way to reliably Awaken them without all the risk. If only we could understand the specifics...

“The Gift may not be fully suppressed,” Shintaro comments from their spot at the computer. “It could possibly be active without our awareness.”

I smile slightly at that. That exact thing happened to me in my last run. Miguel thought that he had bashed my head in only for my Gift to activate. I still remember the shock on his face before I slit his throat. Of course, I got chewed out for that because Miguel was so close to Awakening. But how was it my fault?

The Doctor continues to go over the details with the others but I’m not paying attention anymore. I’ve done this enough times that the refresher is pointless. That’s not to say I won’t be confused once my memory is gone. I’ve watched tapes of my past performances and have been shocked at how different I was prior to regaining my memories. At times it seemed like I was a different person entirely!

I watch the others, bemused. None of them seem to have such a drastic personality swing. Wonder why?

“The Games shall begin in a few hours,” The Doctor is finishing his speech. “So you all have some free time to spend. I suggest that you all prepare yourselves well. But, before then, your trigger stones.” He procures two black orbs from his robe and hands them to me and Hayden, the two of us who have used them in prior games.

“Here,” I toss mine to Vika and she barely catches it, surprise on her face. “You can have it this time. I never get mine to work.” A creation of Hierophants, they supposedly help push people over the edge into Awakening, but I’ve failed both times I tried. Maybe Vika will have better luck.

Soon enough The Doctor and the others file out of the room, Hayden and Vika to choose where in the Playing Field they’ll stash their stones, and the others who knows? I stroll over to the beds holding the unconscious Challengers, studying them intently. Most of them will be dead by the games end. I originally thought that was a huge waste of potential recruits. Why throw their lives away when we could use them? But Father told me we don’t have the time for that. Death always strikes before we can Awaken them through less risky methods—if those methods succeed at all—and if they’re not Awakened we can’t take them with when we shunt.

The Priestess and the Doctor’s brother had recently tried a less lethal way. It...didn’t turn out well. Father was furious when he learned the cost of that failure.

I walk up and down the line, wondering which ones will join us. We always get at least a few. Some of them are volunteers, people who were desperate enough to willingly submit themselves to the experiments. Others were just kidnapped. People who had the potential and were required, so we took them. I don’t feel bad about it. If we didn’t take them they would still wind up dead when Death came anyway.

I stop in front of Ryder. He...worries me. One of our volunteers, someone had the bright idea of explaining everything to him and now he is desperate to Awaken. He is also adamant that some of the others are not to be allowed to Awaken at any cost, or they’ll turn out just like Death.

That’s stupid. Death isn’t like anyone else. Father explained it all to me, once. Him and the other Majors—

A siren goes off.

I spin around, shocked. Red warning lights flash on and off. A robotic voice calls for assembly in the main hall. I take off at a sprint. I know what this means.

One frantic run later and I’m pushing my way into the hall, shoving past others who have gathered here. The Doctor and two of the other present Majors are standing in the center.

“What’s happened?” Hayden asks.

It’s the Doctor who responds. Stepping forward, he calmly steeples his fingers as he gazes at us all. “The Black Games are to begin immediately. We have no time to waste. All participants must make their way to the lab for drug administration.”

“Death has struck, hasn’t he?” My words get everyone’s attention. They all turn to look at me, aghast.

The Doctor nods. “Yes. He has destroyed Shanghai.”

A quiet murmur runs through the crowd. All those people dead. Again. How many times must we go through this? I remember Father’s words. This may be the last.

“What’s his next target?” Shintaro asks. Death always let’s us know what’s next. But when I hear the Doctor’s words, the breath catches in my throat. Our time is running out. For if this is truly the last world left to us, then every place lost is an incurable wound. And his next target is...

“The continent of Africa.”

Hayle Saraceno (Black Team)
When I wake, I find myself in complete darkness.

I panic, bolting up into a sitting position and spinning my head around the overbearing dark. What happened? Where am I? I attempt to use my hands to lift myself up when I feel a sharp pain in my palm as I cut it against a shard of glass.

Then everything comes rushing back to me.

The cube. I touched it and...craziness happened. The lights. The images. Blue orbs. Shattered glass. Exhausted body. I hurriedly lift my hands to check on the lights when I realize that it is too dark to see. Wait...

That must mean...

I get onto my feet, careful so not to hit my head on anything, and fumble around until I find the light switch. A fluorescent pale light flickers on overhead, illuminating the chaos that fills the room. I had forgotten just how badly I messed things up. But that's not important right now, because my hands...

The glowing has stopped. The lights are gone, though my right has a bloody gash across it. I stare at them for a good two minutes, wondering if I had just dreamed the whole thing up.

Feeling very unsure of myself, I try to make them turn blue again. I know it sounds ridiculous. After all, wasn't I just panicking about having the lights? And now here I am, attempting to bring them back. But I have to. No one will believe me otherwise.

I try concentrating hard, focusing on making light appear from my fingertips. Nothing happens. I feel stupid for even trying. I'd think that I had imagined the whole incident, if the bathroom wasn't full of shattered glass. Obviously something happened with my hands.

I just don't know what.

And that's the scariest part. Something is wrong with me, but it's not something that can be fixed or even diagnosed by something simple like going to the doctors.

I try to spark the light again, clenching and unclenching my fist as I aim it at the wall. I feel a brief tingling sensation, but I think that's from the stress I'm putting on them. "Think rationally, Hayle." I mutter to myself. "Do you really think that you have magic lights shooting from your hands?" Unfortunately, I know the answer. And it isn't no.

A knock on the door nearly gives me a heart attack.

"Hayle?" Jackson’s muffled voice comes from the other side, sounding worried. "Are you alright? You've been in there all night!"

I freeze, shocked into silence.

All night? Just how long have I been out? I don't have much time to think on it, Jackson is repeatedly knocking now. "I-I'm fine!" I try not to let any worry into my voice as I grab paper towel out from under the sink. "I'll be out in a minute!"

"Oh, okay." Jackson sounds relieved. I wish I could share that feeling.

I wrap the paper towel around my injured hand, hoping it will suffice until I can find some bandages. Then I brush the broken glass into a pile, sweeping it neatly into the corner. I'm going to have to improvise on how I explain that. No way can I tell the truth. Not yet. Finally, I step out the door.

Bright lights shine in my face, startling me. I blink several times, waiting for my eyes to adjust. When they do, I see Jackson’s concerned face inches from mine. "Whoa! Back up a little!" I wave my hands in the air as I backpedal.

His eyes flicker to my bandaged hand. "What happened to that?"

My mind races for an answer. Despite just thinking about this very question, I have no response prepared. "I...cut it."

Jackson snorts. "I can see that much! Cut it on what?"

"Umm. Glass." Think! I can come up with better than that!

"Glass...from what?" Jackson frowns, probably wondering how and where I'd find glass to cut myself. It's an acceptable thought.

"A mirror." I want to slap myself. Being this vague and mysterious is only going to bring up more questions! Hurriedly, I continue before he can speak. "I was sick last night, so I raced into the bathroom and I kinda...ran into the mirror." It explains both my night long absence and the cut. But boy is it stupid sounding.

Jackson must think so too, for he scratches his ear and snickers. "You ran into a mirror? While running to vomit? Please tell me you didn't get it all over yourself!"

"Don't worry. I didn't."

He laughs, so I try to laugh too. It comes off more like a hacking cough though. I'm too worried to really be humorous right now. Then he gives a quick nod and heads off down the hall. I watch him go with a nauseous feeling in my gut. I hate lying. Always have. But it's necessary. At least for a little while longer.

I follow after him, worried about what the others will say. After all, I was supposed to be on guard last night and I royally screwed that up. I should just be glad that we’re not all dead.

Of course, there’s still more than enough time for that to happen.

Everyone has gathered in the kitchen. The snow has stopped falling, but it’s still piled outside. Not enough to impede movement, but it’ll make traveling a real pain. Which, I learn with much despair, is something that we’ll have to do.

“We need to enter that Hub,” Vika is saying determinedly. “We don’t have a choice. Every living Challenger needs to enter and that means us.” Apparently I missed Dr. Black’s announcement last night. It...doesn’t sound good.

“What kind of game do you think he’ll make us play?” Jackson asks. He’s sitting on a chair, feet propped up on the table and not looking the least bit worried.

“Something that will get a lot of people killed,” I say, giving my hands a surreptitious glance. Still no light. Is that a good thing? “He wouldn’t make us all attend unless it was something huge like that.”

“True.” Ryder strokes his chin, seemingly deep in thought. The whole light fiasco last night made me forget about him. I still don’t know if we can trust him, but I’m way beyond caring about that now. “The game will most probably be something that will whittle our numbers down quite a bit.”

I notice Vika staring at me and hurriedly look away from my hands, trying to act natural. She’s the one who gave me the cube. I don’t want her to blame herself for my injuries. Still, I would like to speak to her about that cube. Maybe she can tell me more about it. Not in front of the others though. I don’t want to deal with that just yet.

And about that cube...Where is it? I could have sworn that I left it out in the kitchen last night, but now I can’t see it anywhere. Did one of the others move it? But why would they?

“We should probably get moving,” Vika turns away from me and addresses the rest. “We only have until midnight to enter the Hub and who knows how long it’ll take us to reach it with this snow? Better to leave early.”  Huh. When did she get so...calm and collected? I could have sworn she was panicked and distressed the past few days, but now she’s as cool as a cucumber. Well, that’s probably for the best. With Jackson being so lackadaisical, Ryder an enigma, and Boone, well, almost nonexistent, it’s good that at least one of us is still keeping their head.

Because I’m sure not.

Vjena Kovac (White Team)
We trudge through the snow, weapons held close as we make our way to what I can only assume will be our final destination. Why else require the presence of every Challenger? The Games will end at the next Hub, of that I’m certain.

I only wish I were more certain that I’d survive.

Fern and Hannah lag behind me, speaking in furious whispers. I don’t know what they discuss and they have made no effort to inform me. If I had to guess, however, I’d say it was about the wave we witnessed yesterday.

Hannah seems convinced that she caused it. A ludicrous idea. How could a person cause a wave of that magnitude? The problem is that Fern has encouraged her. She’s even motivated her to try and do it again and, when that failed, procured a cup from her bag, filled it with water from a stream, and told Hannah to try and manipulate it.

I don’t know what to make of her actions. Does she truly believe that Hannah has some sort of ability to control water? Or is she just patronizing the girl? The latter has some merit; Hannah has seemingly attached herself to Fern like a drowning man clutches a life vest. Perhaps she is just doing whatever she can to ensure Hannah’s prolonged reliance on her.

The other possibility is that both of them are insane.

That could be a problem. Hannah already has shown that she does not trust me in the slightest. An understandable notion, especially considering the fact that I killed her teammate a few days ago. I’d be worried about her trying to kill me in some futile search for vengeance if I actually thought the girl had the courage to do so.

“We’re fast approaching the Hub,” I pull myself to a halt and glance back at the two of them. They throw me furtive looks and I sigh. “Look ahead. The Hub is in the clearing.”

The large octagonal building rests in the center of a small clearing, the trees a smooth semi-circle around it. Two large doors, pure white in color, are indented in a recess of the building. I kick snow off my boots, breath misting in the air. “Seems that we’re the first people to arrive.”

“How do you know?” Hannah asks. She’s still glued to Fern’s side.

I gesture at the snow. “No tracks. Either someone has gone through painstaking effort to hide them or we’re the first.” And I can’t imagine anyone bothering to hide themselves when we all know that everyone is entering regardless.

The two of them begin to whisper to each other again. I grit my teeth and try to ignore them. Once we’re inside the Hub I’ll be able to meet with the rest of White Team and hopefully find some competent allies. Or at least some sane ones.

As we approach the Hub and its door I take note of how there’s actually two separate set of doors. One colored black and the other white. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that we’re supposed to enter the ones that match our teams name.

“Are you two ready?” I stop to address the girls behind me, one hand on the door. “Once we go inside we may not come back out again.”

Fern smirks. “Oh, I’m coming out again. Don’t you worry about that.”

I narrow my eyes. What a smug response. What exactly makes her so confident of her success? Idiocy, I suppose. Regardless, I push the doors open and lead the way into the Hub.

We enter a lobby that wouldn’t look out of place in a hotel. A cluster of chairs sit in one corner and a long sofa is placed against the opposite wall. One entire wall is covered with a single sheet of glass, and walking over to it, I realize that it is not a mirror like I first thought, but in fact a window.

On the other side is a large room that seems to be some sort of mix between an obstacle course and a gym. Large gray slabs of concrete jut out of the floor like walls, creating a maze-like structure that runs throughout the room. There’s ladders attached to some of the slabs, allowing access to their stops. Spiked balls swing back and forth like pendulums across the gaps.

“What is that place?” Hannah appears at my shoulder, staring into the window with dismay.

“A battle arena,” I say. What else could it be? The closer I look, the more certain I become. I can just make out pits formed in the floor, and some of the walls are covered in razor wire, becoming a danger of their own.

“You don’t think...” Hannah trails off, the implication of my words weighing on her. A battle arena. What else is it for except battle? And each and every Challenger has to enter the Hub. This upcoming battle...

Many people are going to die.

Shinji Nakazawa (White Team)
The four of us exit the apartment, bundled up in the winter clothing that we found by rummaging through the closets in the apartment rooms. Unease lays heavy on us. Not much conversation has taken place since Dr. Black’s announcement. Every Challenger required at the Hub...

It doesn’t sound good.

Each of us has their own theory, but none of them are pleasant. I’m trying not to think too much about it, though. That sort of worry and stress can only harm me. Besides, I have Satoshi to look out for.

I glance at him as we walk. He, out of us all, has the only serious weapon. A grappling hook may not be much, but it’s better than the whip that I have, or the baton Zantae carries.

I have to protect him. I didn’t go through so much effort to find him just to let him die. No matter what, I must protect my brother. No. He’s more than that. He’s an extension of myself. Protect Satoshi. Everything else is secondary.

“Dude, am I imagining things or is that a person?” I’m jolted out of my thoughts by the sound of Satoshi’s voice. He’s pointing across the courtyard outside the apartment, to a small shed that lingers on the outskirts.

The unmistakable form of a person is exiting the shed, staying low to the ground as they move.

“That’s definitely a person,” Timothy says.

Zantae’s eyes light up. “Ooh! I think that’s Junie! She’s on our team!” Then, before any of us can even think to stop her, she goes rushing forward, shouting and waving her hands. “Hey! Junie! Over here!”

Junie, if that’s who she is, stops like a deer in the headlights. She flinches back, as if she is thinking about running, but then decides against it. She remains stone-still as Zantae approaches. “That girl is going to get us killed,” Satoshi mutters.

I don’t exactly disagree. Zantae has been very erratic and unpredictable; not a quality I like very much in an ally. “We should probably back her up,” I tell the others. Letting Zantae handle this on her own isn’t useful.

Our entire group slowly makes our way towards Junie. She watches us with narrowed eyes, probably thinking that this is some sort of trap. I’m not sure why, though. What would we stand to gain from harming a teammate?

“Hello!” Zantae beams cheerfully at the girl. “I’m Zantae! Nice to meet you!”

Junie just stares at her.

Zantae shuffles awkwardly and glances back at us for some reason. I shrug and Timothy makes a “go on” motion. “So, uh, you’re headed for the Hub too, right?”

Junie scowls. “If you’re going to kill me I’d prefer you do it quickly.”

“Why would we do that?” I ask, exasperated with this girls suspicion. “We’re on the same team!”

“I dunno. Why did Shintaro murder Hayden?”

For a moment I have no idea what she’s talking about, but then it clicks. The death announcement from last night, right before the Hub one, was about Hayden getting killed by Shintaro. Only now do I realize that they were both on the same team.

I bite my lip. I don’t understand why he’d have done that. There’s literally no reason for it. But then, I don’t have the faintest knowledge of either of those two. Whose to say why they’d do anything?

“We have no intent of harming you,” Timothy finally breaks the silence. “But if we did, you’d have no way of avoiding us. We all must enter the Hub, after all.”

A wry smile flickers across the girls face. “I know. Which is why I said I’d prefer you to do it quickly, if you did.”

Without much more ado, the girl is folded into our group. She doesn’t seem very trusting of us, but that’s only to be expected. I myself barely trust anyone other than Satoshi.

And after making formalities, we all set back out for the Hub. Zantae tries making small talk with Junie, but the girl, while willing to speak, doesn’t say anything that helps us understand her position in the Game. She is reluctant to discuss her prior team, or what she herself has done. That’s another thing I understand. I don’t like dwelling on thoughts of Vjena and Ryder. And I especially don’t like the idea of meeting them again at the Hub...

Surprisingly little happens before we find ourselves in the clearing that holds the Hub. Tracks in the snow reveal that other people have already been here, and the fact that they lead to both the White and Black doors show that each team has had someone enter. I have no way to tell whom, however.

“Are you all ready?” Timothy turns to address us as a group. “There’s no turning back once we enter. Anything could happen in there. One of us may die...or all of us might.”

I give Satoshi a nervous glance. He can’t die. I won’t allow it. “I’m ready for anything,” I say with more bravado then I feel.

“Honestly?” Junie wraps her arms around herself, shivering. “I just hope it’s warm inside. I’ve had enough of this cold.”

No one else says anything. We all give each other surreptitious looks, as if afraid of being weak in front of the rest, then Timothy nods and strides to the door. With one shove he heaves the White doors open and slips inside.

Junie follows him in a flash, Zantae not far behind. Satoshi shrugs at me and the both of us take up the rear. When we join the others in the bland waiting room, we discover three girls staring back at us.

“Long time no see, Shinji,” Vjena folds her arms and gives me a long, hard stare. I scratch my neck, suddenly conscious of everyone’s eyes on me. “Didn’t think I’d see you again after you cut and run on us.”

“Had to find my brother,” I mutter. No point mentioning Ryder and his destructive tendencies. Besides, Vjena herself is no saint.

“Sure, sure,” Her gaze travels over my allies. “Five of you, huh? That’s almost our full team.”

An awkward silence falls over the room. I realize that most of us haven’t ever met or interacted with the others, despite our shared time in these Games. What do we even say to one another?

“I’m glad that we’re all finally together!” It is, of course, Zantae who breaks the tension. She walks into the center of the room and does a pirouette, taking us all in. “This is how it should have been from the beginning! All of us working together to fight Dr. Black!”

“We’re not fighting Dr. Black, you dork!” One of the girls with Vjena, Fern, lets out a huff and tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Our enemy is Black Team, or have you forgotten?”

“They’re not our enemy! We should work with them to end these Games!”

The three girls stare at her like she’s lost her mind.

“Zantae has some wacky ideas,” Timothy leans against the wall, crossing his arms. “But she’s good people.”

Almost our entire team is here and we’re still bickering over the most inconsequential of things. We can’t fight Dr. Black. It’s pointless. Worse, it’s harmful. If he wanted he could just poison us all through our bracelets like he did Ophyra. I can’t let that happen. Not to Satoshi.

So we can’t risk antagonizing him.

“Do you three know what game we’ll be playing?” I step forward and interrupt Zantae as she’s about to start another spiel about teamwork.

Vjena shakes her head. “No.”

Fern smirks. “Not a clue.”

Hannah merely clings to Fern’s arm, staring at us with wide frightened eyes.

Beside me, Satoshi lets out an exaggerated yawn. “Well, that was helpful.”

Vjena’s eyes flash with annoyance but she doesn’t say anything. Seeing her up close again actually reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to ask. “What happened to Ryder? I can’t imagine you parted peacefully.”

“It was a hassle.”

That’s all. No in-depth explanation, no details. Just a simple straightforward non-answer. I don’t know why I’m surprised. What did I think she’d say? Still, I’m worried. Ryder is alive and on the opposite team. Who knows if he wants revenge on me or not?

Slowly our groups tension begins to dissipate and we begin to mingle, exchanging words and hearing about each other’s experiences in the Games. I watch but don’t join in. I’m too uncomfortable. What game are we about to play? Behind Vjena and her allies I spot a window, so I drift over. Through it I can see what appears to be some sort of large room converted into a obstacle course maze hybrid. It’s so large that I can’t even see the other side. But I have a feeling I already know what is over there.

Black Team.

Tetsu Ueno (Black Team)
I draw a little circle in the snow with my spear, watching the Hub with slight interest. I’m camped amongst the trees that surround the clearing, giving me a wonderful view of the Hub, it’s doors, and the Challengers who have entered.

Only two members of Black Team have yet to arrive, my myself included. The only other missing person is Shintaro. Kinda wonder where he is? Aw, well. Doesn’t really matter. He’ll show up eventually.

Really, the only reason I want to be the last one to enter is so I can make a grand entrance that astounds everyone. Or something. I don’t really know, I’m just killing time. Once again my mind goes back to my superpowers. Man, what a a great time I’ll have once those kick in! Super powers!

Movement in the clearing suddenly grabs my attention. Shintaro has emerged from the trees opposite me and is slowly making his way towards the Hub, hands casually in his pockets as if he’s just on a morning stroll. I remember that he killed a teammate of his last night and make a mental reminder not to get on his bad side.

Of course, even if we did fight I’d still kick his ass.

Once he enters the doors I stand up and begin to collect my stuff. There’s still a few members of White Team not present, but I don’t really like the idea of being alone with them out in the Playing Field. It’s not that I’m afraid—I literally can’t feel afraid, remember—but I have enough sense to know that getting into a fight outside the Hub won’t do me any good. Besides, whose to say that some of the others haven’t already gotten their own superpowers? Arlyssa received hers quick enough.

And I don’t want to kill some more super heroes. Not yet, at least.

In a hop, skip, and a jump I’m at the Hub doors and am pushing them open. Almost immediately seven different heads are swiveling to face me. “Heyo! What’s the haps, peeps! Superhero in da house!”

A long silence greets my words. No one moves. In the back of the group I can see Nailah watching me with narrowed eyes, probably wondering if I’m about to tell everyone her secrets. She doesn’t have to worry. I don’t have anything to gain from that.

“Uh...hello, Tetsu,” A completely average looking guy is the first to speak. I think his name was Hayle? Yeah, Hayle. He was originally on Arlyssa’s team. “I’m glad that you could join us.”

I grin and take in the rest of the assembled team. Truthfully I know pretty much nothing about them. There’s Ryder, the guy who was on Delta Team—still the worst letter in the Greek alphabet—and killed some people. Jackson and Boone, two guys who more or less just exist. Vika, a girl with blonde ringlets who is currently struggling to look anyone in the eyes, and Shintaro, a guy who’s just kinda strange.

“And I make eight!”

Hayle scratches his head. “Eight what?”

“Eight people on Black Team, duh!” Was he not paying attention or something? I was making a big show of counting each of us! “Get with the times, man!”

The telltale ringing of Dr. Black sounds out before anyone can respond. Pretty much everyone goes to look at their datapad but I don’t bother because Dr. Black himself appears on a screen in the window right in front of me. “Hello, Challengers. It appears that you have all finally assembled.”

Huh. All of us? I could have sworn that there was still some White Team members missing. Of course, there is also the possibility that they reached the Hub and entered before I even got here or maybe even entered right after I did. “What’s your secret plan, Doctor?” I ask with a smirk.

“The game that the eighteen of you are about to play,” Dr. Black predictably ignores my question, “is at its core very simple. You will be playing Capture the Flag.”

We all exchange glances. Well, except for Nailah. She’s just glowering at Dr. Black. “What’s the catch?” Hayle finally asks.

“The eight of you on Black Team will enter through that door ahead of you, where you will compete against the ten members of White Team in a Capture the Flag match. The goal of the game is to reach the opponents territory, grab their flag, and bring it back to your home base. Once you do so the game is over and your team has won.” I have to admit that doesn’t sound so hard. Which, of course, means there’s probably going to be some super twisted secret that makes this whole thing way worse than it has any right to be. “The only rules for the game is that you are not allowed to remove your own flag from its starting point. If the opposing team happens to grab it and you force them to drop it, however, then you may freely return it to the start point.”

“Can we kill the opposing team?” Ryder asks. Of course he asks that question. There’s practically a glint of excitement in his eyes at the notion.

“Yes. You may do whatever you wish to thwart the opposing teams efforts to take your flag. Remember, dear Challengers, that this is a test in teamwork. We wish to see how well you work with others. If you do well enough and fully Awaken, then perhaps your time in the Games will come to and end. Fail, however...”

“And we die? Yeah, I expected that!” I laugh lightly, which draws strange looks from the others. Don’t know what their problem is. Didn’t they expect that result?

“Correct, Ueno-San.” Dr. Black nods his head in a way I’m sure he thinks is sagely but really just comes off as pompous. “In fact, I will activate the bracelets of the losing team and kill them all.”

Shocked silence.

Slowly everyone turns to glance at each other, as if checking to see if they heard him correctly. Kill the entire losing team? That would be eight members of Black Team or ten members of White Team...in short, a hell a lot of people.

I give a low whistle. “Well, boys and girls, it seems like we better make sure we win this game!”

Hayle Saraceno (Black Team)
Dr. Black’s shocking proclamation had left us all in stunned silence. I didn’t know what to say, or even think. One whole team is getting decimated here. Eight or ten people are about to die. A door swung open and we all entered, heading down the small staircase into the battle arena below. This is where we stand now, before a dais that holds a small black flag.

“This is our teams flag, huh?” Tetsu pokes one finger at the flag and watches it flap. “Groovy.”

“Can’t you be serious for once?” Vika glares at him.

He grins back at her. “Nope!”

Have to get control of the situation. I can’t just sit back and react. I have to respond. “Everyone listen up!” I surprise myself by striding forward into the center of the room and spinning to face the rest of the team. My team. “If we’re going to survive this game then we need to work as a team! We need to make a plan! We can’t just...” I trail off as Nailah begins to walk off into the maze.

“Where is she going?” Jackson asks.

“Nailah, wait!” I wave after the girl but she doesn’t even look back. She slips into the maze and disappears around a bend, fading from our sight. I stand there stupidly, wondering what I did wrong. When the heroes make a speech in the movie everyone always stops to listen. They don’t just walk away!

“Boone is leaving too,” Tetsu sidles up alongside me and points one finger at the blond boy. He’s already picked up the black case that holds his RPG and is making his way into the maze, a different section than the one Nailah entered.

“Boone!” Jackson hurtles forward to follow but I yell out for Ryder to stop him and the tall man grips Jackson by the shoulder and hauls him back. The slighter boy flails in his grasp. “Let me go! I need to back up my friend!”

Everything is falling apart. Our team is dividing itself before the game even begins! At this rate we’re going to lose for sure, and then...memories of Ophyra’s death floods my head. I don’t want to die like her.

I refuse!

“Bro, your arm is glowing!”

At Tetsu’s words I look down and gasp as I recognize the cerulean blue glow that is making its way up my arm. Panicked, I shake my arm about and try to make it go away.

Surprisingly, it does.

I cradle my arm with my left hand, unsure of what to make of these sudden turn of events. And why...why do I have memories of a lab? Tests? Whose been running tests? Confused, I turn to face the others and have to immediately cringe away as Tetsu lets out a screech of excitement.

“Super powers, baby! Aw, yeah!”

“What are you babbling about?” Jackson demands. Ryder has let him go and he’s now facing down Tetsu, a fierce glare on his face. “Nothing you’ve said has made a lick of sense!”

Tetsu’s grin widens even further, if that was possible. “Let’s just say that I heard from a reliable source that Dr. Black is trying to make us get superpowers.”

That...I want to say that makes no sense, but too much stuff makes me think otherwise. My arm, for one thing. And what about those new memories in my head? About tests and labs? “Does anyone else have memories they shouldn’t?” I turn to face the other five. Watch their expressions. “Memories of labs? Tests, maybe?”

One by one they begin to nod. Even Shintaro, who up until this point has been hanging around silently in the background. So if we all have the memories then...

“They kidnapped us,” Vika speaks, her voice swaying tremulously. “And subjected us to experiments. They...they used as guinea pigs. But for what?”

Tetsu fist pumps the air. “Superpowers!”

Somehow that makes sense, but no sense at the same time. Inhuman abilities. Is that really the goal here? Does he want us to, what, transform into freaks?

“Do we really have time for this?” Ryder taps our team’s flag and motions at the maze that surrounds us. “White Team may be headed this way already. And if we lose this game...”

He’s right. While figuring out what Dr. Black’s ultimate goal is important, we can’t afford to ignore the matter at hand. If we lose this game and die there will be no point in knowing what the creeps plan is. But before we do anything else...

“Do you like Oreos?”

My question hangs in the air. Then Ryder and Shintaro exchange looks, Vika sighs, and Tetsu merely scratches his head. “Bro, why the hell are you talking about Oreos right now?”

I feel stupid but I don’t have time to explain. If none of them are the agent... I grit my teeth in frustration. Does that mean their agent is in White Team? Of all the rotten luck!

“Where did Jackson go?” Vika’s question takes me by surprise. I look up, then glance around. True to her word, Jackson is nowhere to be seen.

“Don’t tell me he ran off!” I already know the answer. He tried to do so earlier but was only stopped by me. Once we took our eyes off him...

“I’ve had enough of this!” Ryder strides straight towards the maze. This time no one makes any effort to stop him. None of us would be capable, so what would be the point? We all just watch silently as he slips away into the maze.

As soon as he’s gone Tetsu walks over to one of the maze walls and begins to scale the ladder located there. “Whoa! Wait!” At the sound of my voice he stops and turns around.

“What’s up, Hayle?”

“Where do you think you’re going? We need to stick together!”

He grins. “Nah. I’m better off on my own. Don’t worry, though. I’ll nab White Team’s flag and win us the game!” Despondent, I watch as he finishes climbing the ladder and sets off along the maze walls, until he too fades from sight.

Only three of us are left. Vika, Shintaro, and myself. I don’t know the first thing about the guy. I offer him a weak smile as he leans against the dais that holds our flag. “I’ll stay here and guard the flag,” he says with a nod. “You two can do whatever you think best.”

Whatever I think best. Is that a joke? What I thought was best is already ruined. We should have all stuck together and used numbers to our advantage. But now? No we’re all likely to wind up dead, picked apart one by one.

“I’m with you, Hayle,” Vika sidles up alongside me. Her eyes are focused on the maze before us. Somewhere in there our teammates are wandering. White Team too.

“We have to end this game, Vika,” I say as I try to force the despair away. “We have to end this as quickly as we can...or we’ll die.”

Timothy Gonzalez (White Team)
The eight of us stand in a semi-circle, conversing quietly as we try to wrap our heads around what this game entails. Capture the flag. It sounds deceptively simple. Just grab the opposing teams flag and return it to your base. Except the opposing team will be doing everything they can to stop us, and they have weapons and the desire to use them.

“Honesty, I think Amare had the right idea!” Satoshi pulls away from the group, annoyance showing clearly on his face. “Just sitting here talking isn’t helping at all!”

Amare. The mysterious girl was the latest member of our team to show up and said nothing to us before departing into the maze. Zantae tried to stop her, but to no avail. I’m not too broken up about it; as long as she’s out there working for my team I don’t care what Amare does.

That’s not even the strangest part, though. Despite Dr. Black telling us that the Event Hub game will begin, Milan hasn’t shown up. I don’t know what to think about that, nor do I have the time to dwell on it.

“If we all just wander out there without a plan we’ll die,” Shinji has more than a little frustration in his voice. “You can bet that Black Team is coordinating right now; they probably have some sort of plan already.”

We can’t agree on anything. That’s the problem. Back when it was just me, Mike and Nathaniel it was easy. Those two just did whatever I told them. But these people? Each one seems to think that they should be the leader. It’s utterly impossible to plan anything!

“Challengers, may I have your attention!” Dr. Black’s voice rings out from our datapads and for one horrifying moment I think that our flag has been stolen and we’ve lost the game. But a quick glance at our dais reassured me that our flag is still in place. We haven’t lost.

Yet.

“What does he want?” Vjena asks. “He spoke to us just a few minutes ago!”

“I have decided that, to make the game more interesting, I will reveal the identities of the traitors!”

Everyone falls silent almost immediately. Eyes dart back and forth at one another, nervous glances are exchanged. He’s kidding, right? Why would he reveal his own moles? What would be the purpose?

“He’s not serious, is he?” Satoshi lets out a nervous laugh. “There’s no way he’d betray his own people like that. Right...?”

“The five traitors working for me are the following Challengers,” Dr. Black pauses for a moment, then rattles off the names at a breakneck speed. “Amare Adebowale, Fernanda Gutierrez, Shintaro Sosune, Vika Caprae, and Zantae Neilson!”

The video clicks off. There is no sound. Everyone turns to look at each other, their faces showing the emotions that have bubbled over. Then Zantae lets out a screech. “He’s lying! I’m not a traitor! I don’t work for him!”

Immediately Satoshi spins and points his grappling hook at her, blades extended. “I knew it! I knew you couldn’t be trusted!”

“No! It’s a lie! I’m not the traitor!”

“It makes sense,” Shinji murmurs beside me. “It explains why she defended Nailah so fiercely. She wanted to protect her fellow traitors sister!”

It does. Her almost pathological defense of Nailah snaps into focus. And everything else she’s been saying, it all comes together. She’s been trying to derail us all along. But if so...

Why would Dr. Black reveal their identities?

“So you’re a traitor as well?” Vjena strides into the center of the room and levels an accusatory finger at Fern. The black haired girl hasn’t moved since the announcement, she’s standing still, eyes focused on the maze. She doesn’t react to Vjena’s statement, doesn’t even seem to hear it.

“Hannah?” When she speaks, her voice is quiet, unhurried.

“F-fern?” Hannah is beside her. Eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You’re...you’re not a traitor, are you?”

“Do you trust me, Hannah?” Still calm. Still unworried.

“Don’t listen to her!” Satoshi diverts his attention away from Zantae. “She’s working for that murderer! She’s probably trying to kill all of us!”

Hannah glances at him, then back to Fernanda. She lets out a long breath. “Yes. I trust you more than anyone else here.”

A small smile forms on Fernanda’s face. “Good. Now, follow me!”

She turns to run, but Satoshi is faster. He swings his grappling hook by the chain, bellowing like a maniac as the sharp points hurtle towards Fernanda’s face. There’s no room to dodge. No chance for escape. But she doesn’t need to.

Because the weapon inexplicably deflects off her head.

It clatters to the floor, clacking against the concrete as it skids away from the completely unharmed Fernanda, who grabs Hannah by the hand and pulls her along into the maze. Vjena takes off after them immediately, her feet pounding against the ground.

No one says anything as the two of them slip out of our grasp. Fernanda is a traitor, then. She didn’t even try to deny it. She just cut and run. I feel like laughing, but there’s nothing funny about this situation. And the way the grappling hook bounced off her...

“You!” Satoshi spins back to face Zantae, his rage not abated in the slightest. “You’re going to tell us everything you know!”

“Why did you kidnap us?” Shinji demands. He too has turned on the girl. Even Junie, who up until now has been looking on in bewilderment, is watching her with a cold, wary look.

“I-I didn’t! I’m not a traitor!” Tears stream down Zantae’s face and I find myself hesitant. Either she’s a good actor, or she’s telling the truth. But if so...

”Fernanda practically admitted to being the traitor,” I say slowly. “So we know Dr. Black isn’t lying.”

“All the other names check out too,” Shinji says with a nod. “Amare killed Nari yesterday, and Shintaro murdered his own teammate. That points to them being traitors as well.”

”I’m not a traitor!” Zantae is like a broken record. She goes on and on about being set up, about not being guilty, but says nothing that serves as proof in any way. I want to believe her. I do. But there has to be some sort of evidence for me to cling to for that to happen.

“Why are we wasting time talking?” Satoshi snatches his grappling hook up from the floor. “We should kill her and get it over with!”

Zantae turns and runs. Satoshi moves as if to give chase, but Shinji grabs him by the elbow and pulls him back. “What are you doing? Don’t chase her away!”

Too late for that. We all watch as the small lithe girl slips between a gap in the walls and begins to squirms through. Junie goes to follow, but the gap proves too large for her to fit.

“You idiot!” I turn to Satoshi, suddenly angry. “We could have interrogated her! What the hell were you thinking?”

To his credit he has enough sense to look embarrassed. He runs his neck, muttering something that I can’t catch. I feel like punching something, but I force the anger down and try to take a calming breath. I can still figure things out. This isn’t over yet. We can still—

“Shouldn’t we play the game?” Shinji interrupts my thoughts and I look up at him, blinking. “I don’t believe any of the others have plans to capture Black Team’s flag, and if we don’t get it...”

Would Dr. Black kill us? Even his own traitors? Somehow I find myself doubting that he would. Something about this whole thing just doesn’t add up. Something is missing. But I take too long thinking, and Satoshi and Shinji are off before I can say anything. The two of them trudge off into the maze, in search of that fabled White Team flag.

When the two of them are finally gone, I find myself alone with Junie.

The girl flicks her hair. “Your allies are weird.”

I shrug. “That’s true enough.”

And that’s when the door behind us swings open. Junie yelps and trips over her own feet as I spin in confusion as a girl with long dark hair rushes into the arena. “He’s lying!” She casts her head around frantically and pauses when she notices that there are only two people here. “Shit. I’m too late!”

“Milan!” Junie pulls herself back up. “Where the hell have you been? This stupid game has already begun!”

Milan. The only member of White team who was missing from the Hub. I cross my arms as I study her. Sweat glistens on her brow and her breathing is heavy as she catches her breath. Running? So she was in a hurry to get here.

“Dr. Black was lying,” She continues, “Zantae is not a traitor. Hayden was!”

Well, doesn’t that just make things even more confusing? Instead of yelling or shouting like my idiotic teammates probably would have done, I just splay my hands to the side. “How do you know?”

“Because Hayden told me! He told me everything he knew. He even told me the purpose of these Games.”

Despite everything that has happened, all the ways things have gone wrong, I find myself smiling. Because it’s finally going to happen. I’m going to get some damn answers.

Junie Harlow (White Team)
I sit down on the dais that holds our flag, watching Milan as she walks into the center of the clearing, head held high despite her signs of obvious fatigue. I don’t know how to feel about her. She left me for dead! But...she’s also claiming to have the answers that have long eluded us.

“Dr. Black works for an organization that calls itself the Tarot,” Milan says as she paces back and forth, “This organization has been around for years now, kidnapping people and performing experiments on them. Their goal? To get them to “Awaken” and gain supernatural abilities.”

Huh. Normally I’d call her bloody insane right now, but from what I’ve seen of Dr. Black he is exactly the kind of guy who’d be a part of such a ridiculous cult.

“So he kidnapped us,” Timothy says, “because he thinks we have supernatural abilities?”

Milan shakes her head. “He knows that you have the potential to have abilities.”

“And how exactly does he know this?” I demand. This is just getting even more ridiculous. Except...I have memories of a lab in my head. Of experiments. I’ve tried brushing those off as bad dreams, but...

“Hayden wasn’t completely sure. He thought that they may have had some sort of technology, or maybe another member of the group had the ability to detect Potential.”

“Why does he want us to Awaken?” Timothy asks. He’s pacing back and forth, as if deep in thought. “Say I were to become the Hulk right now; how does that help him?”

“The Tarot is fighting a war against someone they call “Death” and they claim that if he’s not stopped he’ll destroy the entire world.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound far fetched at all!” I shake my head, slightly disappointed in the direction this is taking. Maybe we’re all just drugged and thinking this stuff up on the spot?

“Do you know about the Loviisa Disaster?” Milan asks.

Timothy nods. “Yes. It was that nuclear meltdown in Finland, right?”

“Correct. But, according to Hayden, it wasn’t an accident or even a nuclear meltdown. It was Death.”

“What does that even mean?” I’m trying to keep an open mind here, but everything is beginning to sound more fantastical by the second.

Milan fixes me with a long stare. For a moment I think she’s going to snap at me, but then she shakes her head. “I don’t know. I only know the things that Hayden told me, and even he didn’t seem to understand everything.” She inhales deeply, and shakes her head. “I don’t know what Death is. Hayden says that he’s a person, but I don’t know how he could destroy cities singlehanded if that’s the case.”

“Well, that part is obvious,” Timothy is pacing back and forth, way more into this craziness then I am. “If supernatural abilities exist, then Death surely has some. In this situation it would hardly be unrealistic to assume that he has the ability to annihilate entire cities.”

“We’re putting a lot of stock into the words of a self acclaimed traitor,” I can’t help but point out. “Hayden could just have been lying to you about all of this.”

Milan shakes her head. “No. I have memories that back up his claims. And, if you think hard enough, I’m sure you do too.”

Labs. Tests. Fire alarms. Banging on the door. It was a trick. All a trick. Anger. Fury. Destroyed metal? Crushed?

“Junie?” Timothy is suddenly in my face and I backpedal in alarm. He holds his hands up in a placating manner. “Calm down. You just...zoned out there for a moment. I thought you were going to faint.”

“I’m fine!” I swat him away, trying to fight off the wave of nausea that threatens to wash over me. What was that? Memories? Or lies? Is Dr. Black messing with our heads?

Timothy backs off. He goes back to pacing. For several long moments nothing is said. Even Milan remains silent. Then Timothy looks up, a new line of determination on his face. “How do we stop it? How do we disrupt his game? Hayden had to have had an idea. Why tell you anything if he didn’t?”

I look to Milan, intrigued. I was more than willing to just let this game play out and take my chances with my team winning, but if there’s a way out...

Milan is silent. She stares out into the maze, eyes distant. Then she raps her knuckles against the dais. “We have to reach Dr. Black,” she says, “It’s the only way this can end. We have to find him.”

“That’s easier said then done,” I scoff. “We don’t even know where he is. What if he’s just watching us all on a monitor miles away?”

“He’s not. He’s here. In fact, he’s right below us.”

Timothy and I both look at our feet at the same time. The floor beneath us doesn’t special in the slightest. “What?” I ask, staring at the ground. “In the basement or something?”

“More or less.” She taps the ground with her foot. “His chambers are down there, somewhere. But I haven’t the faintest idea how we’d reach him.”

“Not to mention the fact that he knows we’re coming,” I add a touch of reality to the conversation. “He can hear everything we’re saying right now, remember? That means he knows exactly what you’re planning. Trying to storm his hideout would just be certain death. He’d kill us the moment we broke in!”

“Not necessarily. Remember, he wants us all to Awaken and help his organization. Killing us would be detrimental to those efforts.”

“That hasn’t stopped him before!” In fact, his own traitors have even killed some of us Challengers.

“Not everyone here has the Potential,” Milan says, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice. “Some of them just exist as control subjects, someone they can compare the data to and use as cannon fodder.”

“And what if we’re the cannon fodder?” I gesture at myself and Timothy. “Then there’s nothing holding Dr. Black back from murdering the both of us!”

“I don’t know if you have the Potential. It’s true that you might not, but if you have memories of any tests then you’re definitely not fodder. The control subjects didn’t get tested.”

Nothing she’s said has reassured me in the least. If I’m just cannon fodder then I’m as good as dead. If I’m not, and I have these strange abilities she keeps going on about, then Dr. Black has no desire to harm me. He just wants me to “Awaken” and join his army or whatever. Neither one of those options appeal to me.

“You know what?” I plop myself back down onto the dais that holds our flag and cross my arms. “I’m just going to sit here and guard our flag. Screw trying to break into his base. You don’t even know how!”

Milan doesn’t respond. She gazes out into the maze, looking lost and confused. Timothy shifts his weight from foot to foot, seemingly troubled. Eventually he speaks. “I need to try and reconnect with the others. White Team, I mean. They need to hear this as well.”

Milan glances at him. “They may not believe you. But you can try.”

A small, wry smile plays on his lips. “Try. Well, that’s all I can do. All any of us can. I hope you find a way to end these games, Milan. A way that doesn’t end with all of us dead.”

Then he turns and heads off into the maze. Just like all the others. Milan watches him go then pulls a hammer from her belt and drops it at my feet. I raise an eyebrow at her. “That’s for you,” She says a little gruffly. “If you’re going to defend the flag you’ll need a weapon.”

“And what will you be doing?”

She gives a little chuckle. “Trying.”

Hayle Saraceno (Black Team)
I’m frozen in place. Dr. Black’s announcement is endlessly repeating itself in my ears. ''The five traitors working for me are the following Challengers. Amare Adebowale, Fernanda Gutierrez, Shintaro Sosune, Vika Caprae, and Zantae Neilson!”''

Vika Caprae.

Impossible. There is no way Vika would ever be a traitor. No reason. Why would she work with that maniac and try to kill us all? She’s not like that. She’s not evil. But then...why isn’t she denying it?

The two of us stand in a intersection in the maze. We’d only been inside for a few minutes when the announcement first came. I’d expected her to protest, to deny it. I’d have believed her right away. Of course Dr. Black was lying. That’s what he does. But she hasn’t protested. Hasn’t denied.

Vika sighs. Long and drawn out, it is full of both sadness and despair. “I’m so sorry, Hayle. I-I should have told you sooner. As soon as I remembered.”

No. No, no, no. This isn’t happening. Vika isn’t a traitor. This can’t be happening! “Wh-what are you talking about?” Maybe if I play dumb it’ll go away. I won’t have to face the truth.

Vika smiles sadly. It almost seems as if she knows what I’m trying to do. “I’m a traitor, Hayle. I’ve been working with the Doctor from the start.”

“No. You can’t be. Your life has been in danger too many times!”

“I know. I signed up for this. We all knew the risks.”

I can’t deny the truth. Not after its slapped me in the face and dragged me out into the light, kicking and screaming. I force out the only word I can think of. “Why?”

Vika holds a strand of her hair in one hand, fingers running up and down its length. “I’m... I’m just trying to save the world. I-I lost everyone I cared for. A lot of us did. We just want to help others.”

“By killing us?” My voice is a strangled gasp. “How does that help anyone?”

“We have to press you all until you break and Awaken. Then...then we can fold you into the deck. Into the Tarot.”

“Awaken? Vika, you’re not making sense!”

“You’ve already Awakened, Hayle,” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out an object I recognize instantly. The cube. She holds it up, voice despondent. “I wanted you to Awaken so badly...I couldn’t stand to watch you die. I had to help you. Help you see why the Tarot isn’t the bad guys.”

“Not the bad guys?” If I wasn’t so sick I’d laugh. “Not the bad guys? Then what are you? Certainly not the good guys. They don’t murder children!”

But even as I say this everything begins to click together. Tetsu was talking about superpowers, right? And now this Awakening business, trying to save the world...It makes no sense, but the only thing I can fathom is that Tetsu was right. Dr. Black and his lackeys are trying to give us powers.

“The Doctor won’t harm you, Hayle. Now that you’ve Awakened I can bring you into the fold and explain everything. You don’t have to risk your life anymore!”

“Awakened? You mean the lights on my arm?” I look at them now, but there’s no change. Just my regular arm.

“Yes. You could control them, if you only tried.”

“You want me to join you?” I ask. “Join Dr. Black? Help him accomplish his goals?”

Vika shakes her head. “The Doctor is only part of the Tarot. He’s not leader and these aren’t his goals. He, like all of us, is just trying to save your world.”

I can’t wrap my head around all this. I don’t want to. I thought Vika was the one person in the world who I could trust but that notion has just shattered into a thousand pieces. “Dr. Black has caused the death of a dozen people,” I say slowly, carefully selecting my words, “and you think that this is somehow for the greater good?”

“If the Tarot doesn’t succeed than billions die. Is that what you want?”

“I just wanted to live a normal life. But Dr. Black stole that from me!”

I can see tears building in Vika’s eyes. This conversation isn’t going how she wanted. I feel terrible knowing that I’m causing her this pain, but then I remember all the pain that she and Dr. Black have caused the others. “If I join you, what happens?”

Vika sniffs, rubbing her nose on her sleeve. “I’ll take you out of the Playing Field and tell you everything that you want to know. You’ll be one of us. You can help save the world.”

Words flicker back into my head. “But whatever else, do not leave the Playing Field. I repeat, do not leave the Playing Field. If you do, we won't be able to rescue you." The voice from the phone. The one that purports to save me. Those words couldn’t have been more clear. Stay in the Playing Field.

“I can’t leave,” I say and suddenly the words are rushing out of my mouth. “I don’t want to join Dr. Black and I’m not going to be killed by him. I’m escaping. I told you about the phone, remember? Someone is going to rescue us. I don’t need to join you guys. I can escape.”

Vika closes her eyes and bows her head. A small noise escapes, either a laugh or sob, I don’t know, and she looks back up, eyes brimming with tears. “They can’t save you, Hayle. I’ve already told the Doctor about them and he has put precautions into play. And their agent? We know who they are. There’s already a plan to eliminate them.”

I feel cold. Like icy water is running through my veins. A mixture of shock and fury is battling in my heart. Vika told Dr. Black. She told my biggest secret to the man who has tried to kill me!

“You betrayed me!”

She sniffs and nods. “I had to. Dr. Black needed to know that—“

“You betrayed me!” I roar the words and Vika flinches back as if struck. I thought that she could be trusted, that I had someone to rely on. But...but no. She was a traitor. A liar all along. Has anything she’s said been true? What if she’s lying right now?

I backpedal towards the maze. Vika sobs and reaches a grasping hand out for me and snags the air. She falls to her knees as I reach the maze walls. “Please don’t go, Hayle. I can’t lose another person. I can’t!”

I shake my head, an odd mix of pity and revulsion stirring in my chest. “I’m sorry, Vika. But I can’t help Dr. Black.”

“You don’t understand!” She’s screaming and sobbing, tears running down her face. “He’s going to kill everyone! Death will kill you and everyone you know! He is going to destroy everything!”

I turn to walk away, feeling sick and tired, but I leave some parting words before I do. “I’d rather die doing the right thing than side with Dr. Black.”

Zantae Neilson (White Team)
Why does no one believe me?

I stumble forward aimlessly, barely managing to avoid tripping over my own feet. Vision blurry with tears. Traitor. They all called me a traitor. But I’m not. I’d never work with Dr. Black. He killed my parents. I hate him.

I hate him!

I stop in place and wipe my nose with my sleeve. Walls of the maze loom up around me. Sharp spikes glisten against the walls. Just a ways back I passed a swinging pendulum that had enough force to decapitate a man. This maze is boobytrapped. I shouldn’t wander.

But what else can I do? My team has turned on me. They believed Dr. Black, the man who kidnapped and attempted to kill them, over me. They didn’t even stop to listen. All I ever wanted was to save everyone. No one needed to die. If we just all worked together from the start then there wouldn’t have been a game! But those stubborn fools wouldn’t listen...

My tears have begun to run dry. Sadness replaced with an icy fear that grips my heart in a vise. Dr. Black has always been ahead of me. He knew what I was trying to do and cut it off at the knees. That must be why he claimed I was a traitor, so I couldn’t convince the others to align together. But that’s good. If he’s worried that I might succeed, then that means I’m doing the right thing. I must have him worried.

New plans begin to formulate in my head. Maybe I can find the other Challengers he accused of being traitors and join up with them. If we all get together then surely we can explain to the rest that this is all just some big mistake. There isn’t any traitors: Dr. Black has just been lying from the start.

“And here I find one of the corrupted!”

A loud, boisterous voice rings out behind me. I slowly turn around, spasming with fear, to see Ryder leaning against the wall, tossing a knife from hand to hand.

“I’m not a traitor!” The words escape my lips. I know that he has wantonly killed before, but maybe I could convince him. He has to want to survive as much as we do, right? “Dr. Black was lying!”

“Oh, I know,” Ryder straightens up and uses one hand to dust off his jacket. “I have all my memories. I know exactly who the five traitors are. And none of them are you.”

I should feel relief that someone believes me but all I can feel is fear and myself slipping. Then suddenly I’m sinking into what seems an impossibility. There’s colorful glowing lights on all sides. I can't see anything beyond them, only feel myself descending through this churning, suffocating, clattering mass. I can’t breathe. Should I be able to? Pain. Confusion. Power? I reach out for it. So close. Tantalizingly close. I need only reach and out and grasp it...

I scream as a sudden burning pain rips through my leg. I’m back in the maze, back with Ryder. I fall to one knee and look down to find a large, bloody gash across my thigh. The kind a knife would make.

My first thought is that Ryder has attacked, has decided to kill me. But he hasn’t moved. He’s still several yards away, knife in his hand as he stares at me with an unreadable expression. “I’m sorry, Zantae,” His voice is soft as he speaks. “But your Potential is too vast to be allowed to exist. You must be eliminated.”

“How…why…?” My terror is mixed with my confusion. How could he have cut me from so far away? Did he have a another knife that he threw?

Ryder spins the knife on one finger. He chuckles. “I see that you’re confused. Well, don’t be. I Awakened the moment I regained my memories. I have a Gift, now.” In one swift movement he slashes out with the knife and, despite being several yards away, my shoulder splits apart as if it’s been cut.

My scream of pain is almost lost in the sheer bewilderment I feel.

“My Gift is simple, you see,” Ryder paces back and forth, tossing his knife from hand to hand. “It allows me to extend the cutting edge of any bladed weapon far further than its' physical dimensions. As long as I can see you, I can cut you.” To punctuate his point he lackadaisically swings his knife and I scream as a gash opens across my forehead. Blood pours into my eyes.

Fear and pain are my only emotions now. A part of me has realized that Ryder is insane. He wouldn’t listen to any pleas or deals I tried to make. He can’t be bought, reasoned, or negotiated with. All he wants is my death.

I won’t let him have it!

Despite the pain I force myself to my feet and heave the baton at his head. He flinches back in surprise as he’s struck, and I turn to sprint back down the path I came. The pendulum trap. If I lead him there I could get him—

Pain explodes in my ankle. I trip and fall, face smacking against the ground. Stars flare in my vision. I shake them away and see that my Achilles’ tendon has my cut. Numbly, I feel myself going into shock as Ryder approaches.

“Some Gifts are too deadly to exist,” He is speaking more to himself then me. “Some of you have to die. For the good of the world.” He raises his knife and with one lazy flick, he cuts my throat.

The blood begins to rush out and I feel myself die.

Jackson Sparks (Black Team)
Where did Boone go?

I cautiously make my way through the maze, stopping at every intersection to carefully check the walls and floors for traps. I made the mistake of rushing in earlier, and paid for it. I activated a trap and before I knew it a needle had shot out of the wall and buried itself in my shoulder.

I rub that spot now as I stop to think. It hurts. Almost feels like it’s burning. Thoughts of poison float in my mind but I shove them aside. What would thinking about that accomplish? It’s not like I have any antidote on hand. Still…

I reach another four way intersection and come to a halt. One path is covered in a crisscross of nets, like some sort of army training path. Another is just a straight hallway, and the third is a set of steps that lead upwards. Where would Boone have gone? And, more importantly, what is my actual goal?

Despite what I’ve told myself it’s not finding Boone. While he is a great friend and a useful combatant, the real reason I fled from the others was that their discussion had begun to frighten me. I mean, talk of super powers is one thing, but experiments? That stuff is…not fun. I don’t like it. Don’t want to believe it.

Have to end this game. It’s the only way to get home. End the game.

I snap myself out of my daze and choose a path. Boone had an rocket launcher, so he’d want high ground, right? That way he’d have a better view of the arena. Convinced I’m right, I take off up the stairs to my right.

At the top I find myself on what appears to be a second floor of maze. A small, narrow bridge connects the platform I’m on to the one across from me. I bite my lip in hesitance at the prospect of such unsure footing. But Boone definitely would have crossed. It’s the kind of ultra risky thing he loves doing. With a shake of my head I take my first step onto the bridge.

And am immediately confronted by two boys doing the same thing on the opposite end of the bridge.

They look almost identical to each other and it doesn’t take me long to peg them as Satoshi and Shinji Nakazawa. Twins. And both on White Team. Unreasonable fear grips me as I think about how close our teams flag is. Just down those steps and through a few twisting halls. And who is even guarding it? I doubt any of the others were smart enough to stay behind. If these two get past me…

We’re all dead.

“You’re not getting my flag!” I plant my feet on the bridge and stare down the two of them. “I won’t let you pass!”

They exchange glances. Then one of them, Shinji, I think, speaks. “You mean to say…that your flag is nearby?”

Stupid. I’m so stupid! I literally couldn’t have said a worse thing! I open my mouth to deny it, but all that comes out is a stammering mess of words that make no sense. The two of them exchange another look, then Shinji nods. “Very well. It seems you have confirmed my theory. I always thought that your flag would be positioned directly across from ours.”

“You’re not getting pass me!” I don’t have to force the bravado this time. I have a weapon that they can’t hope to match. With one deft motion, I reach a hand into my pocket and pull out the Molotov cocktail I’ve had since these Games began. I always wondered when I’d get to be the hero.

Here’s my chance!

Shinji lashes out with his whip before I can even light the thing. I yelp in pain and instinctively pull my hand back as his leather whip snaps against my wrist. I watch with fearful eyes as the Molotov cocktail slips from my grip and plummets off the side of the bridge.

It shatters on impact.

”Well, crap,” I say with a grimace. That was not what I was expecting. “You guys just wanna, uh, settle this via rock-paper-scissors?”

Their response is for Shinji to lash out with the whip. A blinding light flashes across my vision as the lash connects just beneath my eye. I scream and backpedal, already feeling the blood.

I won’t die. Not before I’ve made my mark on the world. What would be the point of surviving this long just to die like this? So I charge forward with a primal scream of lunacy. I don’t care how unlikely my victory is. I won’t just sit back and be a helpless burden.

Not anymore.

Shinji wasn’t expecting this. His eyes widen and he holds out his hands in front of him. Like that’ll help. I plow right through him and take him to the ground. Land one punch straight to the nose. Then, surprising even myself, I spring back to my feet and charge Satoshi.

He’s not as clueless as Shinji. Already he has his grappling hook up and is holding it out defensively, obviously expecting me to bullrush him like I did Shinji. Instead I slide like a baseball player and slip under his feet. He curses as I stand back up, grip him by the collar of his shirt, and heave him back. He bounces off the maze wall and falls to the floor in a heap. I’m already plotting my next move when something coils around my ankle and pulls me to the floor.

My head slaps against the ground. Stars flash across my vision. Blood from the earlier cut streams down my face. Instinctively my hands grip the whip that has snared itself on my ankle.

Shinji is back on his feet, holding the other end of the whip. “We don’t want to kill you!” He calls out, voice laced with exhaustion. “We don’t need to fight!”

I loosen the whip from my ankle and stand back up. During the course of the fight we’ve swapped sides and now he’s on the right side of the bridge. “Are you dumb?” I challenge as I carefully wrap the whip around my knuckles. “You’re trying to steal my flag, which will get me and my entire team killed. So you do want to kill me!”

His face twitches with some emotion I can’t place. Then he lets out a humorless laugh. “I suppose you’re right. Still, I don’t want to kill you. It’s just…we don’t have a choice.”

The whip is tethered to both of us. He can’t use it and doesn’t have any other weapon that I can see. He’s stalling, waiting for Satoshi to recover and jump me from behind. I can’t let that happen. But that means I need to end this fight. Quickly.

Shinji is in the middle of saying something else when I yank on the whip. Hard. He’s pulled forward, sputtering in surprise as he tries to keep ahold of his weapon. He’s so preoccupied with this, he never even sees my attack. I let loose a solid left hook and connect straight with his jaw. Spittle flies as he stumbles back, whip falling free of his grasp. Then he slips off the bridge.

He gives one shout of surprise followed by an oddly muted thump.

Silence.

Breathing heavily, sweat and blood pouring off my face, I nervously step up to the edge and peer down. Shinji lies at the bottom of a twenty foot drop. Motionless. Head splayed to one side. I can tell from his position that he landed awkwardly, that he—

A soft chime interrupts my thoughts. Then that quiet, robotic voice. “Jackson Sparks has eliminated Shinji Nakazawa with a great fall.”

Nausea builds in my gut. Threatens to pour out. He’s dead. Shinji is…dead. I never meant for this to happen. I only wanted to knock him out. Incapacitate him. I never meant for—

“Shinji!” A tortured cry fills the air. Satoshi rushes to the edge of the bridge and gazes down at where his brother lies in a jumbled heap.

I back off from the scene, excuses already dying on my lips. It doesn’t matter if I wanted him dead or not. The fact is that it happened. I killed Shinji. And Satoshi won’t forget that.

“Murderer!” His head spins to face me. Furious anger builds in his eyes, drowns out the sorrow that was there. “Killer! I will kill you! I’m going to murder your stupid face!”

He screams several unintelligible words before lapsing into Japanese. I have enough sense not to stick around. I spin on the spot and rush further into the maze. Take a right at the first intersection, then hurtle up the next staircase I find. I can still hear Satoshi screaming. He’s going to come for me. There’s no stopping it. I don’t have a weapon. He does. If he gets his hands on me…

I need to find Boone.

And fast.

Nailah Adebowale (Black Team)
She stands in the center of the clearing. Unmoving. Unworried. She appears just as she always has. Unflappable. A stone in the storm. Solid and unimpressed by all the chaos around her. It’s my sister, Amare Adebowale.

And a follower of Dr. Black.

I do not know why. Cannot even fathom a reason. I was debriefed on the identity of most of Dr. Black’s followers during the lead up to this mission, but I was never told that Amare was among them. Did my superiors not know? Or did they merely keep this information from me, in fear of what I may do?

My stomach hurts just looking at her. When I first learned that she was here I had thought she was kidnapped like the rest. I sought her out in an effort to protect her, though I scarcely believe she’d need it, and learn what has become of Makari and Amadi in our absence. But now…

Why has she sided with the Tarot?

I carefully step into the clearing, taking slow deliberate steps so that she has plenty of time to see and identify me. Her eyes swivel to face me but she gives no outward reaction. Not a surprise. My sister was never one for emotional expression.

“You came.” When she speaks, her words are clear and precise. Though I know that no one else would be able to discern the emotion that suddenly flickers in her eyes, I do. It is sadness.

“I did.” I feel like crying. I haven’t seen her in some time. Since I joined the U.N’s task force. I had a safe, comfortable life back in Kinshasa. I had everything I needed. But when they sought me out and gave me the opportunity to do good, to erase horrible people just like the ones I had endured under for so long, I couldn’t refuse. I was putting my skills to use, but this time in a way that’s I  chose.

“You do not understand my actions,” Amare takes the sickle that she has been holding and stows it into her belt. “You’re wondering why I am doing this.”

“Of course. Amare, you’re my sister. I care about you. Is it any wonder that I’m concerned that you’ve joined up with terrorists? I thought we’d escaped that.” A lifetime of murder and deceit. That was what I had feared was my future. One where I had no choice. But we broke free from that yoke of despair. Yet now Amare has willingly gone back into it.

“You do not understand why we do what we do,” Amare shakes her head. “That group you’ve aligned with has poisoned your thoughts.”

“You’re needlessly killing people, Amare. What is there to understand?”

“We don't do bad things because we're bad people; we do them for our own survival. Never let anyone tell you you're a bad person for trying to survive."

Familiar words. Makari’s words. I’ve lived a whole life by those words. And I wholeheartedly believe in them and what they stand for. But that’s only when you’re actually fighting to survive. What Dr. Black and the Tarot has done…

“What are you trying to survive, Amare? Please, tell me. I want to understand.” The groups stated goal is to foster a network of superpowered individuals. I can’t for one moment believe that Amare has bought into that. She has never been one for superstition.

“Has your little group told you about Loviisa?”

I frown. Not because of Loviisa, I know everything my Task Force has learned about that, but because this is the second time she has referred to my employers as a “group”. Amare knows I joined with the U.N. The two of us discussed the matter the day I received the offer. Back then she was all for the idea, telling me to live my life, that Makari and Amadi were safe with her. Why does she keep denigrating them now?

“The Loviisa Disaster was the destruction of Loviisa, which was blamed on a nuclear meltdown. The actual cause was terrorist activity,” As I say this I closely watch my sisters face, gauging her reaction. So far she hasn’t even twitched. “Our intelligence has put the Tarot as prime suspects.”

“It wasn’t us. We tried to stop him. It was Death.”

Is she telling the truth? I believe so. I never truly thought the Tarot was responsible. It didn’t fit their M.O, for one. And this isn’t the first time I’ve heard about the individual referred to as Death. With a new line of attack clear, I pounce. “Who is Death? And what is his aim?”

Amare’s eyes briefly flicker to the side. I follow her gaze to the top of a maze wall but see nothing out of the ordinary. Of course, we have to stay vigilant. The other Challengers are still out there. “He means to destroy the world,” My sister finally speaks. “And he has done it before.”

“Excuse me?”

“The Tarot has many members from parallel universes. Death has destroyed their home worlds. Now he is coming for ours.”

My mind is swimming with this sudden onslaught of knowledge. Parallel universes? How could such a thing be possible? But then, Tetsu also claimed that supernatural abilities exist. Whose to say what is or isn’t possible? “Amare, what are you saying? How could…”

“Joining with the Tarot was necessary to protect Amadi. Only they can give her a life of safety. The entire continent of Africa will soon be dust.”

I don’t know if I can believe such a claim. Especially not one backed up by unreliable sources like the Tarot. But I was never one to doubt family. Amare has never lied to me. Why would she start now? Regardless of the validity of the claims…

“How does murdering the people in these Games help in any way?”

“Your mind has been poisoned. Your precious little group is bias beyond belief. They think that because they survived that they understand what our goal is. That they are—“

“Amare? What are you talking about? My “little group”?” Despite myself I interrupt Amare, no longer able to hold it in. “I am with the U.N. Special Task Force. You know this. Before I left we…” I trail off as I see the look on Amare’s face. One that I have only seen a precious few times in my life.

Pure shock.

“You’re with the U.N?” Her voice is soft, weak. I have never seen her caught so off-guard before. But I cannot fathom why. What is so surprising about my association with the U.N?

I nod. “Yes. They’ve been keeping tabs on the Tarot for quite a bit. They sent me to infiltrate their Games and find out what I could.”

The shock is wiped off Amare’s face. That familiar look of stoic determination returns. “You’re not their mole. We thought…but no,” She speaks almost to herself, like she’s lost in a daze. Then she suddenly snaps back into focus and fixes me with a steely gaze. “You’re quite certain the U.N sent you?”

“Absolutely certain.”

“Then we’ve been tricked. You’re not their mole. I have to warn the Doctor.” She raises her datapad, but I reach out and grab her by the wrist. She looks up, eyes flashing dangerously. “Let me go, Nailah. This is serious. Everything is at stake.”

“Not until you explain. Tell me the most important thing. Where is Amadi?” Amare freezes. She stops trying to pull free from my grip and meets me eye to eye. My sisters daughter. The person I believe she loves more than anything in this world. “Where is Amadi?” I repeat the question, softer and gentler.

The fear and suspicion fades from Amare’s eyes. “My daughter is safe. My associates are taking care of her at the moment. We had to leave Kinshasa. Too dangerous.” She pauses, then shakes her head and gives me one of her rare smiles. “I am glad to see my sister has not changed.”

I smile back. “It is you who I am worried for. Why join the Tarot and not tell me?”

“I wished to keep you safe.”

I have a million things to say to that, a thousand retorts about leaving me in the dark being more dangerous, but I have no desire to push her away after finally opening up. Was her whole suspicion just because she thought I worked for this mysterious third organization? I want to ask, but need to be clever about it. Circle back to it later.

“What about Makari?” I ask.

“Safe. In Switzerland.”

I can’t resist smiling. “He always did want to see those mountains.”

Amare smiles back, but pulls her hand free from my grip. I allow her to raise her datapad and begin typing. She sees me watching and explains. “Need to warn the Doctor. If their mole breaches our defenses…”

“Who are they?” I finally ask the obvious question. “This group. Why do you fear them so much?”

“We do not fear them. They are insignificant. Merely a small—” She cuts off, making an odd gagging sound. One hand reaches for her neck and comes back bloody. She stares at it in confusion.

Then she topples to the ground.

“Amare!” I am at my sisters side immediately, searching for the wound. I find it instantly. A wide, bloody gash sits across her throat. As if someone had taken a knife and slashed it. Impossible. Who could have…? My mind blanks as I try to stop the flow of blood. Amare stares at me with wide eyes. I recognize the emotion I see there.

Shock. Hurt. Betrayal.

“It wasn’t me! I did not do this, Amare!” My words babble out as I desperately, futilely, attempt to stem the tide of blood that pours from my sisters throat. Her eyes never leave mine. Her hand clenches around my wrist, squeezing with the last strength of her life. I beg her to stay with me. To not leave.

Her only response is a silent, accusing stare.

Soon her grip slackens. The light in her eyes fade. My hands, arms, and sleeves are soaked in her blood. Her throat was mangled beyond repair. There…there was nothing I could do.

I stare at the corpse of my beloved sister and find myself too numb to even cry.

“Ryder Locklear has eliminated Amare Adebowale with a knife.” The soft chime of a robotic voice breaks the sepulchral silence that had fallen. My head snaps around immediately. Searching. Hunting.

I find him within seconds. He stands atop the walls of the maze, in the same direction Amare had previously glanced. Quiet and emotionless, he stares down at me as I huddle against my sisters broken body. With one hand he slowly strokes his chin. In the other he holds a knife.

Something inside me breaks. Any semblance of order or reason leaves. I am cold. Angry. Rage filled. My body is acting on its own. Standing even as Ryder turns and slips out of sight. He murdered my sister. Killed her. We had fought for a peaceful life so long…

Ryder will die. He must. I care for nothing else. Not my mission. Not Dr. Black. Nothing else. Ryder must die. He must.

Shintaro Sosune (The Tarot)
I walk through the subterranean corridors of our base and quietly wonder how things could have gone so spectacularly wrong so quickly. Should I have foreseen this? Perhaps if I had ran the numbers. But why would I? What reason what I have had for suspecting?

I take a right at the next intersection and head straight for the room at the back of the hall. The Doctor’s quarters. He may be able to explain some of his…more questionable choices. The door opens before I can even approach. At first I think that he was expecting me, but when two people step out into the hall I realize what has actually happened.

“Oh. Shintaro.” Fernanda frowns as she spots me. Behind her, Hannah watches me with wide eyes. To think that she would be one of the first to Awaken. Surprising. “What are you doing here? We weren’t supposed to leave the Playing Field—“

“Unless we were bringing a Challenger in for recruitment,” I finish the sentence for her. “Yes, I am aware of our orders. However, things have changed. I’m sure you’ve noticed that our comms are down.”

She glances at her datapad. “Yes. I was wondering what had happened.”

“I suspect either an EMP or jammer. Leaning more towards EMP, as we’ve also lost some electrical functionality.” I could go more in-depth with this, but it’d be pointless as Fernanda wouldn’t comprehend. “I need to discuss this with the Doctor. Along with some other pressing matters.”

“Amare?”

I nod. Her death was one of the last things the datapads broadcast before being shut down. Truly troubling. She’d been instructed to look into our mole problem, and her sudden death leaves us with quite the conundrum. Truth be told, her demise was the catalyst for me leaving the Hub and entering the tunnels via the secret door. Amare was a skilled fighter and trained with her Gift, she would never have died so easily unless she was distracted. Speaking of moles…

“Can she be trusted?” I point at Hannah, who is still lurking behind Fernanda.

Hannah opens her mouth. “Yes. I—“

“I didn’t ask you.” I glance at my watch. Time is passing quickly. Need to get moving. “Never mind. Good luck with your assignment.”

I push past the both of them and enter the door to the Doctor’s quarters. Inside, the main hall is dominated with artwork; watercolors and oils, drawings, sculptures in stone and bronze, all crowded together with nowhere for my eyes to rest. Following a long carpeted hallway, I enter the next room.

The room is smaller, with a curving steel desk near the center. Carefully positioned halogen lights with a spiral staircase leading down from a perfect circle cut in the ceiling about fifteen feet high. One entire wall is covered with a single sheet of glass, the screen where the Doctor views the Games progress.

The grandfather clock in the corner ticks slowly and unevenly; now and again it gives a little cough, hesitating momentarily, before starting on again with quiet insistence. The fire in the small fireplace has sunk rather low and gives off no warmth. Papers are strewn everywhere on the floor, and the empty cardboard covers of boxes are amongst them, along with a cushion that has fallen from the sofa. The Doctor was usually such a clean and orderly man. He must be quite distracted for this clutter to have piled up.

“Shintaro. What brings you here?” I follow the sound of the voice modifier to the spiral staircase, where the Doctor has appeared. Still dressed in his cloak and mask, he carefully descends the stairs, his frosted glass eyeholes staring through me.

“I believe that our operations have been compromised.” No point beating around the bush. Always get straight to the heart of the matter. The Doctor hardly reacts, only folding his hands and watching me silently. I go on. “An EMP has been activated, disrupting our communications and shutting down cameras. We have no eyes on the Playing Field. No way of tracking the Challengers.”

“I am well aware of that.” The Doctor inclines his head. “That is the only reason Ryder still lives. He is a loose cannon. Unreliable. We should never have allowed him to compete.”

With no datapads we have no way of activating the poison and killing him. No way of keeping the Challengers under control. And Ryder in particular has gone and ruined many a plot. Zantae was one of our prized jewels; her Gift was strong enough that it had warranted sending the Doctor himself to collect her. Now she is dead.

But what is truly unfortunate was the loss of Amare and what that entails. She was a useful asset and someone who be counted on in a pinch. But more importantly, she was the one meant to eliminate our mole problem. With her gone…

“Your revealing of the traitors has caused problems, Doctor.”

The Doctor’s head snaps towards me. “Oh? And why do you feel that is the case?”

“Zantae fled her team and was promptly killed. Vika lost the trust of Hayle. Amare garnered enough mistrust from the others that it may have inspired Ryder to kill her.”

The Doctor waves my concerns away. “I was attempting to force Zantae into Awakening. She needed the extra push. So did the others. We don’t have much time left, as I’m sure you are aware.”

“I am.”

“As for Amare…her death troubles me greatly, but Ryder needed no extra motivation to kill her. We already knew he had a troubling obsession with corruption and we should have ended him long ago.” That was exactly what I had advocated for. Yes, his Gift was supposed to be powerful and versatile. Yes, he had the perfect build and strength for it. But his personality was uncontrollable. Ryder Locklear was and always will be a doubled edged blade. One that was more likely to cut you than your enemies.

The Doctor makes his way down the rest of the steps and pauses beside the blank screen. He runs one gloved hand along it. “As for Hayle…fear not. We still have the time to sway him, and once the invaders are dealt with he will have no choice but to join our cause.”

“Is that so.”

“I can tell you doubt me, Shintaro,” The Doctor crosses the room until he is directly in front of me. He stands straight backed, hands clasped behind him. “And, to be honest, I have doubts myself. But there is no time for self-doubt. Do you know where the other Majors currently are?”

“The Hanged Man is here. I do not know the location of the others.”

“They’re off the coast of Africa. Death and his tower are soon to appear. He will attempt to destroy the continent. They have assembled to stop him.”

The hair on the back of my neck stands up. Too rash! We’ve spent too much time and resources putting our strength together. If we lose even one Major…my calculations do not appreciate our chances. “I’d advise against that course of action,” I say softly. “Death is still too strong. We lack the strength to fight him head on.”

“My thoughts exactly. Unfortunately, we have no choice. The Hanged Man told us he doesn’t believe he has the strength left to shunt us. This world, with all its faults, is most likely our last.”

I close my eyes. If we’ve lost our ability to travel between worlds then we’ve lost the war. All my plots and plans have gone to waste. My vengeance gone. “What about your brother and the Priestess? They had another plan, did they not?”

The Doctor turns from me. He gazes out into the corner of the room. “They have gone dark. We do not know their whereabouts. We have to presume they will be of no help.”

I shake my head. “I don’t believe it,” I finally say. “The Hanged Man isn’t lost to us yet. We can still use his Gift.”

The Doctor waves me away. “Speak with him if you wish. Maybe he will have more charitable words for you.”

A dismissal. I nod stiffly and exit the room. The hall is empty. Fernanda and Hannah are gone. I depart at a brisk walk and when I come to an intersection, I take the first right. Another straight hallway then I descend a staircase. The architecture here isn’t so sharp, and I am somewhat relieved at that. The tile is dark gray, lit by fluorescent bulbs and the light from holographic windows at the end of the hallway.

So the interlopers hadn’t turned these off, yet. The Doctor hadn’t seemed to care about them. Only natural, I suppose. They’re meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Just an annoying fly that wants to get in the way of our vital business of saving the world. Still, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t collapse our entire endeavor.

I stop moving and concentrate.

Geometry and numbers unfold in the air of the hallway. As if drawn in small, neat handwriting, an elaborate notation has formed right before me. I take a coin out of my pocket and flip it through the notation, which flickers around and through it. I see the movement of the coin, the plotted trajectory, the velocity and rotation of it. The numbers click into place at a speed that makes the rest of me, even my very thoughts, seem to move in slow motion.

I catch the coin and stow it in my pocket.

“86.945% chance that they invade these halls,” I murmur to myself as the numbers make sense of themselves in my head. “Much too high.”

I continue on down the hall. A series of doors appear on either side, but I ignore these and head for the large one at the end of the hall. I enter without knocking.

“The Doctor told me that you no longer have the strength to use your gift.”

A middle-aged man with thick eyebrows, thinning hair and heavy cheeks lies on the bed across from me. He looks more like an average construction worker than one of the leading members of the Tarot, but spending any serious amount of time in the organization teaches you that looks can be deceiving.

The man gives off a low chuckle. “Nero never did learn how to keep a secret.”

“So it’s true?” I grab an armchair and pull it up alongside the bed. The Hanged Man is tired, emaciated. I hadn’t realized that he’d gotten so weak. Seeing him up close gives credence to the Doctor’s words.

“In a manner of speaking, yes.” The Hanged Man smiles slowly at me. “If given enough time to rest and build up my strength then I may be able to pull it off a few more times. But Death won’t give us that time.”

I don’t have to run the data to know that he’s telling the truth. We don’t have the luxury of shunting ourselves off to another world. But holding our last stand here in this world…

“You can’t just use it one more time?” I ask, already running the numbers in my head. One more world would give us time. Time needed to prepare.

The Hanged Man laughs. A feeble, croaking thing that has his entire body shaking. “I could,” he says between bouts of laughter. “But it would use up the last of my strength. I’d die in the effort.”

He would give us another world at the expense of losing every other. With his passing would go our only way of traveling between worlds, to escaping Death, even if only momentarily. The Hanged Man was always the most integral part of our operation. Without him everything just falls apart.

“I need to kill Death,” I force the words out. Force them through the emotion that I choke down. Throttle. Hide away. “I need to avenge my friends. We can’t beat him on this world. So…”

The Hanged Man closes his eyes and leans back his head. “Did anyone ever tell you what Death wants? Why he pursues us?”

“No.” I’d asked but no one was willing to supply any answers.

“We used to be friends, all of us. The Majors and Death. We all originated from the same world. When our Gifts manifested…they formed us into a task force. A group of heroes. We were meant to save the world.” I listen in silence. Stow the information I learn away and try to comprehend the tale even as it surprises me. Death was their friend? He was in the same group as them? “Unfortunately, we did not save it. Truth be told, our existence was the catalyst for its destruction.”

“Explain.”

“Some of the Gifts we possessed were corrupted. They resonated improperly with the world and caused natural disasters, increasing in severity the stronger the Gift became. Eventually we understood the cause, but by then our world was already doomed. Our only hope was to shunt ourselves to another universe, via my Gift. Those of us who were corrupted had to stay behind in the old world and perish with it…or risk doing the same to the new.”

“Death was forced to stay behind,” I guess.

The Hanged Man nods. “Yes. He vowed vengeance on us as as we left. Told us that he’d chase us no matter how far we fled. We thought him mad. His threats just the ramblings of a doomed man. We never suspected that he’d find a way to travel between worlds himself.”

A cold chill has begun to creep up my spine. I know where this story is leading. Already I can sense what I am about to be told. Emotion that I’ve kept buried for so long has begun to stir in my chest.

The Hanged Man continues. “Him and his cohorts appeared in our new world. He’d gained in power, had fed into his own corruption. Unable to beat him in battle, we fled that world as he destroyed it. Then the next. And the next. Constantly running as he pursued us. Majority of us original Majors are dead. Yet he won’t give up until we have all perished.”

“He only wants to kill you,” I have to fight keep the anger out of my voice. “He doesn’t care about the rest of us, or our worlds. He’s just pursuing you and the others.”

“Correct. Death’s only goal is the destruction of those who left him to die.”

I feel myself trembling with the anger. With cold, all consuming rage. My world. Everyone I ever cared for. All my friends. Everything I had ever known. Death destroyed it. Not because of anything we’d done, but because he was pursuing them. “You brought him to my world,” I say softly. “You fled to my world and brought Death. He…he destroyed it just to get to you.”

“Yes. He only wants us dead. Every single person who has died in our war, each one of those thousands of billions, was just a frivolity to him. Each time we shunted to a new world…I consigned them to death. I have an ocean of blood on my hands. I am sorry, Shintaro. I only felt it fair that you learn why your world died.”

I stand up so abruptly that I knock my chair over. All this time working with the Tarot, doing their work and fighting death, I was just a puppet. A silly little doll on a string that was blindly assisting the people who caused the destruction of my entire world. “If you had just let yourselves be killed…my world would still be intact.”

The Hanged Man nods, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. “That is true. So many people and worlds have been murdered just because we wouldn’t let ourselves die.” He pauses and gives a deep, shuddering breath. He looks so weak. So frail. I used to respect this man, but now when I look at him…I only feel a faint stir of pity. “One of the worlds we visited was almost perfect. There was no war, crime was negligible. World hunger had been solved and there were no racial divisions. People lived happily. Barely knew any strife. And then…we came. And Death followed.”

I can’t find it in myself to care for this fabled utopia. Not when my own world was destroyed. It wasn’t perfect, far from it, but it was home. I had finally begun to feel at home there. Then I lost it all.

“I need to kill Death.”

The Hanged Man turns to look at me. Surprise is etched on his tear-strewn face. “You still seek to help us? Even after what I told you? What we did?”

I shake my head. “You misunderstand me. I do not wish to help you. I never did. When I first joined the Tarot it wasn’t to help anyone. I didn’t care about preserving other worlds. I still don’t.” I see the notation appear in the air. I study the numbers, analyze them in my head. I slide the coin across my palm but don’t toss it. “And what you did? You did nothing. Death was the one who destroyed those worlds, not you. Everyone is responsible for their own actions. And everyone eventually faces the consequences of those actions. Even him.”

The Hanged Man watches me with a wary look. I did not react as he thought I would. The same is true for most everyone I meet. They all think they know me, can internalize me. They judge me and belittle me and think they understand but they don’t. My friends were different, though. They did understand.

And Death killed them.

The rage I feel is still there. A swirling ball of hatred and fear that I keep locked up inside my chest. I do not forgive The Hanged Man and his ilk for what they did, but they weren’t the ones to kill everyone. They have always sought to preserve the worlds they’ve fled to. No. It is Death who is responsible. So he is who I will kill.

“Do you not wish to give us up?” The Hanged Man coughs out his words. “Let Death kill us and live out the rest of your life peacefully? He would stop his war, if you did. He cares not for the destruction. It is only the means to an end.”

“That is why I will kill him.” I flip the coin. Watch the numbers swish around it and reform into a new notation. 5.234% chance that The Hanged Man survives his next shunt. So he wasn’t lying. “The intruders will break into the base. They will seek out the Doctor, and perhaps you as well.”

He bows his head. “That I know. I am prepared for them. Nero also has a plan, but he mustn’t risk an encounter with them. That girl’s Gift is too much to handle, even for him.”

“I will funnel them to you, then.”

“Your life will be at risk. They hate us, and rightfully so. The experiments we ran on them and the things we put them through were wrong. I know that. Necessary, but wrong.”

“I understand.” I pick the chair up from the floor and return it to its proper place. I walk towards the door when The Hanged Man tells me to be careful and leave nothing to chance. I feel a twinge of amusement somewhere deep inside me. “Of course. I am always careful. After all, the numbers are on my side.”

Satoshi Nakazawa (White Team)
Fear and despair. Confusion. Hatred. Sorrow. So many emotions build up inside me, threatening to bubble out. Was it my fault? Could I have done something to save Shinji? To prevent his death? It keeps replaying in my mind. Haunting me. I keep moving in an effort to think of something else. Anything else.

I whip through the maze at a brisk jog. Jackson has fled this way. I’m in hot pursuit. I don’t care what his reasons were, I have to kill him for Shinji. That’s what’s expected of me, right? What else would I do in this situation?

I take the next staircase on my right. Jackson seems to be headed up, though I haven’t the foggiest idea why. Shinji would have known. Shinji always knew…

Finding my brother only to lose him was beyond cruel. I wish I had known him better. Had opened up to him instead of keeping him at arms length. I didn’t know how to think about him while he was alive, but now that he’s dead…

I stop moving and bend over in pain as a another paroxysm of pain overtakes me. I gasp and sputter, feeling dizzy. Ever since Shinji died I’ve felt…weird. And not just emotionally. Physically. As if something has happened to my body. I can sense a…a current in the air. It feels like power, for some reason. Does that make sense? Can one sense power?

I’m sitting in the middle of the intersection coughing when he arrives. I don’t move as he slowly, carefully sidles up beside me. His eyes are wide with alarm, probably because he heard the announcement earlier.

“Satoshi?” Timothy places a hand on my shoulder. I want to bat it away but don’t have the strength. “I…I know things can’t be alright with you, but there’s something you need to know.”

“Shinji is dead. I don’t care what you have to say.”

Timothy frowns. For some reason the sense of power is stronger around him. There’s a strange sensation in that power. Building? Why do I get the feeling that Timothy could build…well, anything?

“Milan has a plan to end the game.”

”End the game,” I parrot him. What is the point of ending the game now? It’s too late. “How could she possibly do that.”

He takes a deep breath. “Honestly?” He shakes his head. “I haven’t the faintest idea. Something about finding Dr. Black. She says that his plan is to give us superpowers or something.”

“You have one.” I don’t know why I say it. The words just bubble to my mind unbidden. “I can sense it. You have a power. You can build things…? I think? It’s…a weird sensation I have. There’s no way explain.”

Timothy just nods, as if he understood a thing I said. “Makes just as much sense as anything else here has.”

I can sense more pinpoints of power running around the maze. They’re like little balls of heat that I just know are nearby. I don’t know how I know this, but I do. The other Challengers have abilities as well. It’s just that my ability is being able to sense others.

“So what’s your plan?” Timothy is still by my side. I wish he would just go away.

“I’m going to kill Jackson,” I say indifferently. I can sense him. Or his power, at least. It’s nearby, on a ledge just a couple dozen feet to our left. Oddly there’s two more power signatures near him. Allies?

“I’ll help,” Timothy claps me on the shoulder. “I let Nathaniel die when I should have been able to save him. I understand what you’re feeling. Let’s take out Jackson then regroup with Milan, yeah?”

I feel like he’s just humoring me, but I don’t care at this point. I know where Jackson is. He can’t run anymore. It’s time to pay the piper.

Hayle Saraceno (Black Team)
I don’t know where I’m going. Thoughts of Vika still linger in my head. I don’t regret leaving her, but I can’t help but feel awful for doing it. I probably shouldn’t. She has been working against me this entire time. But after my initial rage cooled off I found myself incapable of truly hating her. We’ve been through too much together for that. But I can’t bring myself to forgive her, either.

I just don’t know how to feel.

I stop in the center of the maze, trying to collect my thoughts and think of a new plan. My eyes settle on the maze walls, which are adorned with spikes. If I’m not careful I could end up impaled on one of those. I’m not still for long. Soon the sound of running echoes through the maze and I turn just in time to see Jackson explode out from an intersection.

“Hayle!” He gasps at the sight of me and, in doing so, takes his eyes off his route. His shoes catch on the ground and he tumbles forward, scraping his knees against the ground.

“You okay? What happened?” I help him to his feet, vaguely recalling a death announcement earlier. Didn’t Jackson kill someone?

He looks up at me with wide eyes. “I killed Satoshi’s brother and now he’s chasing me down!”

Shoot. That’s not good. I peer down the hallway Jackson came from but can’t see any signs of another person. “You sure?”

“Of course I’m sure! How could I not be?” Right. Dumb question. My mind is still on Vika and her betrayal. And, truth be told, I’m worrying about the mole that was sent to help me. They’re most likely on White Team, right? I thought I’d tried the code on all my teammates… “Earth to Hayle!”

I snap back to focus as Jackson waves a hand in my face. “Right. He’s coming after you. So, what’s the plan?”

“Plan?” He stares at me like I’m insane. “I don’t have a plan! I’m just trying to find Boone so he can blow that guy up!”

He shoves his way past me and sprints further into the maze. Feeling helpless, I take off in pursuit. I don’t know what to do anymore, so sticking with Jackson can’t be too bad. The guy takes weaving turns and then comes to an inexplicable stop. I can’t stop my momentum and slam into his back. The both of us fall to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

“Boone!” Jackson lets out a giddy shout as we untangle ourselves and he leaps to his feet. True to his word, Boone is here. The pale, blond guy is standing on a ledge overlooking a large empty square of what appears to be just plain concrete. The black case lies open near his feet and he seems to be in the middle of assembling his RPG.

“What are you doing?” I’m bewildered by his actions. Is he setting an ambush? I suppose that clearing would be the perfect place.

“Boone, we need your help! Some crazy—“

Jackson doesn’t get to finish that sentence before a dark shape lunges into the scene and tackles him to the ground. I recognize the small, lithe boy as Satoshi.

He found us!

I step forward to assist Jackson when a hand grasps my wrist and pulls me back. Spinning, I find myself face to face with Timothy. “I can’t let you interfere,” He says, face grim.

”I’m not just going to sit and watch you murder my friend!” Without waiting for him to respond I take my left hand and jab it straight into his gut. He stumbles back, reeling for air, when I twist my arm and break loose from his grip. Now about able to move about freely, I turn and run for Jackson. Satoshi has him pinned to the ground and has his hands wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air.

My foot takes Satoshi in the face and he goes sprawling to the ground in. Jackson sits up, rubbing his throat. “Thanks, Hayle. I thought I was a—”

Something slams into my back. I hit the ground and slide a few feet until I come to a stop beside Boone. The blond guy looks down at me quizzically.

“Help us!” I scramble back to my feet. Satoshi and Jackson are brawling again, while Timothy hangs back watching me, wary of approaching because of Boone. “Don’t you realize these guys are trying to kill us?”

Boone stares at me blankly. Then he goes back to assembling his RPG.

Hopefully he plans on using that to help us, but I don’t have the time to sit and wait for him. Satoshi has pulled out some sort of grappling hook and is pressing Jackson towards the wall and those wicked spikes. If I don’t do something and quick, he’s a goner. I don’t have my knife. I don’t know what happened to it, if I lost it, dropped it, or what, but it’s gone and I don’t have time to worry about it.

Satoshi swings the hook and Jackson yelps in pain as it digs into his shoulder.

No time. No weapon. What do I do? I stare down at my hands and the answer comes to me. Didn’t Vika say I could control the lights? So couldn’t I…?

I squeeze my eyes shut and focus as hard as possible. How did I feel when I first got them? Confused? Lost? Angry or sad? I need to save Jackson. Use my Gift. But how? I snap my eyes open and stare at my arms. I will the lights to appear. Imagine a faucet. Turn it on and let the water flow. Smooth. Even. Let it out to cleanse the sink of any stains. Unleash the flow.

Brilliant cerulean lights snakes their way down my arm, spreading like tendrils to my hand, where it gathers in my palm. Warmth floods through me. An emotion somewhere between excitement and serenity has taken ahold of my mind.

Time for action.

Timothy sees the lights. He backs off, eyes wide as saucers. I point my hand at him, fingers spread wide. “You still going to try and stop me?” I challenge.

He shakes his head and places both hands atop his head. “I yield,” he says, getting down onto his knees. “You win. I yield.”

I nod, accepting his surrender. I have no desire to harm a defenseless person. I turn to Satoshi, who has almost pressed Jackson up against the wall. The lights are flooding my arm. They’re almost blindingly bright. Exhaustion has begun to creep in. Almost feels like I’m carrying a heavy weight. Need to act soon.

“Satoshi!” I scream his name. He spins around and starts in shock. The lights are surrounding me, almost engulfing me. Tired. So tired. “Step away from Jackson or I’m going to blow your head off!”

I don’t know what my light does to a human. I don’t know if my threat has any merit, but Satoshi seems to believe it. In fact, he looks downright terrified. “Okay!” His voice sounds so feeble, so defeated. “I understand. I…” He drops his grappling hook to the ground.

And Jackson attacks.

”No!”

He ignores me, leaping forward and wrapping his arms around Satoshi’s neck. I go to bring up my arm, maybe shoot an orb or something, but I find it impossible. My arm feels like lead and drops limply to my side, the lights slowly fading. I stagger then slump to my knees, too tired to stand.

Satoshi struggles like a madman. Flailing his arms and kicking out with his legs. Jackson holds on tight, his face a mask of grim fury. Satoshi begins to go limp. His arms drop to his sides. Jackson smirks, confident in his victory.

Then Satoshi suddenly heaves himself backwards.

His head slams into Jackson and my ally loses his grip, stumbling back. Satoshi snarls and, spinning around, gives Jackson a vicious shove. Straight into the wall and its spikes.

A spike erupts from Jackson’s chest. A gasp escapes his lips, followed by a cough and a bubble of blood. For a few seconds he struggles to free himself, a frenzied attempt to break free from the spike that has pierced his body. But then he begins to falter. His movements become slow, sluggish. Eventually his head droops, his eyes shut, and his flailing ceases.

Jackson is dead.

I feel as if i should cry or shout. Do something, anything. But I don’t. I’m too tired, too drained. I can’t even muster a single word as Satoshi backs away from my allies body, looking oddly dismayed.

“It had to happen,” Timothy’s voice breaks the sepulchral silence that had gripped us. He is back on his feet and is approaching Satoshi. “You avenged your brother. Your task is done.”

“Wh-what about them?” Satoshi inclines his head towards me and Boone. Boone. That guy is finishing the assembly of his RPG, completely indifferent to the death of the guy who’d been his friend this entire game.

Timothy narrows his eyes. “Milan has a plan, I think. But I don’t know if—“

”Oreos.”

They both turn to look at me. I take a gasping breath, body still exhausted from the appearance of my powers. One chance. I have one chance to survive. If either one of them is the mole…

“Do you like Oreos?”

The two of them exchange looks. Satoshi bends over and picks up his grappling hook. Timothy gives him almost imperceptible motion with his head. Then…

“Oreos are the best.”

Boone’s voice shocks me to my core. Stunned, I glance over my shoulder to see that he has finally finished assembling his RPG. He has the massive rocket atop his shoulder, ready and prepped for fire. But he’s not aiming at Satoshi and Timothy.

He’s aiming at the clearing below us.

Boone shoots. A backdraft explosion of air knocks him to his knees as the rocket launches, whipping out of sight at ludicrous speed. Then there’s an explosive detonation and I’m thrown to the ground. Dust rains from the ceiling. Tremors rock the maze. Ringing fills my ears, drowning out all other noise. Coughing, I roll onto my back and see Boone rise back to his feet.

He stretches one arm out, fingers splayed wide. He closes his eyes, lips moving silently, then snaps his fingers close and makes a fist.

A horizontal bar of golden light appears in the air a few feet away from him. It floats there for a moment before spinning into a vertical position and stretching wide. Through the square of light I catch the glimpse of a ordinary office room before four figures in black spandex appear, blocking my view. They carefully step through the ring of light, filing into the maze. Breath catches in my throat as I realize that Boone has just opened a portal.

A portal.

The ringing in my ears slowly begins to fade. I struggle into a sitting position, too tired to think properly. One of the newcomers, a curvaceous young woman with long purple hair, steps forward and pats Boone on the shoulder. “Good job. I knew we could count on you.”

I try to stand but another tremor causes me to lose my balance. I drop to one knee and gain the attention of the new arrivals. I blink twice. “Who…who are you?”

One of them laughs. Another just shakes his head. The purpled haired woman smiles and approaches me, offering a hand. “Well, I suppose I should introduce myself, shouldn’t I?”

I recognize that voice. My mouth drops open in shock. The voice from the phone! The woman who said she’d save me! She sees my reaction and laughs. Then she grips my hand and pulls me to my feet. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Hayle. My name is Oreo. Oreo Dutton.”

Tetsu Ueno (Black Team)
Explosions rock the arena, nearly causing me to lose my footing. I pause my running and glance backwards, noting the large plume of dust rising to the ceiling. “Huh. Looks like Dr. Black is trying to make things interesting!”

It won’t matter in the end, of course. No matter what he does I’m going to nab White Team’s flag, return it to our dais, and win us the game. That’s not arrogance or overconfidence; just strong belief in my own abilities. After all, I am world famous.

I’ve been making my way across the tops of the maze walls ever since this game started. There were traps, of course, and lots of them. But I dodged all of the pendulums, ducked underneath the razor wire, and leapt over the pits of poisonous snakes. Those were all things I had done before, as stunts in movies or elsewhere. Piece of cake.

Still, there were a few hang ups. Mostly the death announcements. Amare in particular. I won’t lie and say that I was close to her or anything, but she was my teammate and the bios that our datapads show us (at least, they did before randomly shutting down) said that she had a daughter back home. Gang lord or not, she didn’t deserve to die here, and especially not to Ryder. Screw that guy. Him and his Delta team.

Worse letter in the Greek alphabet.

I shake my head and continue down the path I’ve taken, ignoring the after tremors from the explosion. I wonder what all that was about? There hasn’t been a death in awhile. Well, an announced one at least. Since the datapads have gone down there’s no real way of telling how many have died or to who. For all I know Vika has snapped and started murdering everyone else in the maze.

Wouldn’t that be surprising?

Up ahead I can see that the maze walls begin to end. I even spot the window up on the wall, an exact copy of the same kind that was above our own teams flag. So I’ve found their start point. I drop to the ground and crawl the rest of the way. No point in letting them know I’m coming. Nailah’s talk of super powers is still in my mind. The worst thing I could do is give somebody with lazar visions heads up that I was about to visit.

When I reach the very end of the maze walls I slither up to the edge and peer over. It’s the same kind of setup that we had back on Black Team, with a little raised dais in the center of an otherwise empty clearing. From what I can see there’s only one guard: Junie is sitting in the dais, occasionally clinking a hammer against it and sending a faint clinking noise throughout the maze.

Huh. Doesn’t seem like the explosions have effected her very much. I tap my chin, thinking up the best plan for this approach. My only weapon is a spear, which is versatile enough to be effective from both range and melee distance. Theoretically I could try and take her out from here. I’m good enough of a throw that I have no doubt I’d hit her. Problem is superpowers and does she have them? The last thing I want is to toss my only weapon at a chick made from stone.

“Guess I’ll do this up close and personal!” I grin to myself as I back up and gently let myself down to the maze floor. As much as I’d like to come jumping onto the scene like a total badass, there’s too much variables that could go horribly wrong. Better to do this nice and simple. I sit and wait in the shadows, watching until Junie looks the opposite direction of me. Then I go sprinting right for her.

Take your enemy by surprise. Win fast, win decisively. If you don’t give them a chance to react then they have no chance.

When she sees me coming she yelps and climbs to her feet. I reach her within seconds and swing my spear out, the end just below the tip connecting with her hand that holds the hammer. She hisses in pain and recoils, the tool dropping to the ground, where I use my left foot to kick it towards the maze and out of her range. She backs up, cradling her hand and watching me with wide eyes, completely weaponless.

I grin at her. “Will you let me take your flag or do I have to kill you?”

She doesn’t answer. Just stares right past me. Somethings not right. Instead of turning around like an idiot to see what’s up, I sidestep until I’ve changed directions enough that I can follow her gaze without turning my back on her. When I see it, I’m pretty confused.

She’s just staring at her hammer. Like, staring really, really hard. Almost as if she thinks that she can magically have it fly back to her. Ha! As if that—

Oh crap.

The hammer trembles. Then scoots across the floor. Only a few feet, but it definitely moved. I curse loudly and Junie seems to be way more surprised than I am by the movement.

“You have superpowers!” I tell her with a shake of my head. “That’s bad. I really don’t want to kill another superhero.”

She glances at me, then back to the hammer. It zips across the ground and comes to a rest at her feet. She slowly bends to pick it up, never taking her eyes off me. “Didn’t know I could do this,” She says softly. “I just…just now I had regained some memories. Bad ones. I can…telekinesis. I have telekinesis.”

Well, isn’t that just great? “Couldn’t you just let me have the flag? Things would go a lot smoother that way.”

She shakes her head. “Sorry. Can’t do that. But Milan says she can stop these Games. Maybe you could wait here for her?”

Milan? Who was she again? I don’t think I had any interaction with her. I chuckle and rap my spear against the ground. “Unfortunately I’m going to pass on that one. You see, I can’t exactly trust that you guys have my best interest at heart, so…”

I sense it before I see it. Something small coming at me from behind. I casually step to the side and a large shard of metal shoots pass me, slamming into the dais. I prod it with my spear, frowning. “Hey! I recognize this from a trap!” Meaning that she must have pretty good range with her telekinesis. That sucks. For me, that is.

Junie’s only response is to throw her hammer. I dive over the dais, rolling across it and landing back on my feet. The hammer, unfortunately, stops in midair and changes direction to come hurtling right back at me. I slide across the concrete, thanking the lucky stars that I’m wearing pants, and just narrowly avoid the hammer as it slams into the ground, sending up a spray of concrete chips.

“Not cool,” I stand up and dust myself off. “Why does everyone get their powers before me?”

The shard of metal shoots up from the dais. This time instead of dodging I take my spear and swing it like a baseball bat. The shard explodes on contact, sending a cloud of smaller shards flying. Junie yelps as one cuts across her face. I wag a finger at her. “You shouldn’t play with powers you don’t understand or you might put your eye out.”

She growls in annoyance and thrusts out her hands. Suddenly all the shards that were lying on the ground raise up, floating in the air. Slowly they begin to arrange themselves into a circle around me., orienting themselves so that they’re point first.

This time I don’t have any snarky comment to make. This is bad. Real bad. My eyes swivel to find an escape but there is one. The circle gets tighter. Junie watches me with a narrowed gaze. Fury in her eyes. She didn’t appreciate my commentary.

Figures.

The shards shoot out. A circle of tiny death hurtling straight for me, approaching from all directions. I think I’m about to become a pincushion when I remember a stunt I once pulled off in Mexico. One I did more because I could than anything else. With no other recourse I grab my spear in two hands and do a 360 spin.

I timed it almost perfectly. My spear slaps against the shards, knocking them off course and sending them careening into the ground. I don’t hit every one, though. Several slice into my legs and one particular large shard digs itself into my shoulder. I repress a gasp of pain and step back, surveying my handiwork.

Junie scowls at me. “What the hell are you?”

I smile back. “Tetsu Ueno, at your service!”

There’s a tug on my spear. Nearly pulls itself from my grasp. I frown in confusion until I see the look on Junie’s face. Her telekinesis. She’s using it on my spear!

I grab on tighter as the spear attempts to wrest itself from my grip. It yanks so hard that I’m pulled to my knees. I wrestle with my own weapon, grip faltering as the pull gets stronger. I glance at Junie. See her look of total concentration. How much does she have to focus to use her power? A risky plan pops into my head. One with a huge risk.

Well, you only live once!

I let go of the spear. It hurls itself against the wall and bounces back, rolling towards the dais. Junie seems surprised by that outcome. But not as surprised as she is when she spots me running straight at her. She holds up her hands, probably some kind of instinctive defense, but I just dance to the side of her and kick her in the leg. She falls to one knee, a stifled scream of pain escaping her.

That leg was previously injured. I noticed from the way she was standing. A weakness. One that I just had to exploit.

I run towards my spear, scoop it up with one hand. The other cups itself around the metal shard in my shoulder. I grit my teeth and try to ignore the pain as I slowly pry it out. Once it’s free I cup my hand around it, my own blood seeping through the cracks in my fingers. I only have one chance here. If I mess it up…

Junie has forced herself back on her feet. She seems unsure of what to do until she sees me coming at her. I throw the spear with perfect form. It sails through the air with perfect form. Goes straight as a line towards Junie.

Then it pauses in midair. Reorients itself until the tip is pointed straight at me. Junie caught the spear with her telekinesis and smiles as she realizes that she’s taken my main weapon.

But she was so focused on the spear that she never saw me throw the shard.

She staggers as it takes her in the neck. Stumbles until her back is against the wall. Fingers feel at her neck and clamp around the shard, where she makes the mistake of pulling it out. Blood flows like water from a faucet. She begins to gag, sliding down into a sitting position. I warily keep watch on the other shards, in case she has one last ditch attack.

But nothing happens. Junie goes still, sitting in a rapidly growing pool of her own blood. When my spear drops out of midair, clattering to the ground, I know that she has finally died.

I walk over and collect my weapon, feeling oddly melancholy. That was the second superpowered individual I killed. What kind of hero could she have been, had she escaped this game? I shake my head. No time for remorse. I have a game to win.

I have approach the dais and pluck the flag off. “This is mine now,” I say to myself. I stow it in the loop of my belt and turn around.

Just in time to see the arrow strike me in the chest.

Milan Pamalan (White Team)
My arrow takes Tetsu in the chest. For a moment he just stands there, looking confused, than his knees buckle and he falls over sideways.

I lower my crossbow and approach Junie. Her eyes stare sightlessly out into the maze. Blood seeps from the wound in her neck. No point trying to resuscitate her. She’s already dead.

I let out a growl of frustration. If only I’d come a few minutes sooner! I could have saved them both! I’d seen the explosion in the center of the maze. Saw the hole that it created. An entryway into Dr. Black’s chambers! I knew that I had to regroup with the others, so I rushed back to the dais, where I knew Junie would be guarding our flag. My plan was to get her first then find everyone else.

But I was too late. I’d arrived just in time to see Tetsu dispatch Junie and take the flag. Despite knowing that he had no choice in being here, that he was just as much a victim as any of us, I chose to kill him. I couldn’t let him take the flag back and end the game. Who knows what Dr. Black would do if that happened? Additionally, I felt compelled to avenge Junie. We weren’t friends. We had our differences. I even abandoned her when she needed me most. But we were teammates.

And that had to count for something.

A hacking cough grabs my attention. I turn to see Tetsu lying on his side, blood dribbling down his chin and pooling with that already on the ground. “I’m…not afraid,” He speaks quietly. Voice weak from the effort. “I…am dying, aren’t I?”

I crouch beside him. “Yes. You are.”

”I’m n-not afraid,” Another hacking cough that brings up more blood. “Kinda…wish I was. Al-always wanted to know…wh-what it was like. Fear. Never…felt it.”

I close my eyes. Regret and sorrow fill my chest. This boy died because I was petty. How am I any different than the Tarot? “Be glad for that. Fear is…” I can’t explain. Not this all-encompassing fear that has gripped my heart. Shaken me to my core.

“Wanted…to be a…superhero…” Tetsu goes still. Eye still open. No more words, no more coughing. Tetsu Ueno, the man who fear forgot, had departed this world.

I stand and walk away from the body. I’m disgusted with myself. With everything that has happened. Even if the world itself is at stake, is it worth it? Did Junie and Tetsu have their lives thrown away…for nothing more than a fleeting hope?

No. I can’t let that be the case. I’ll make sure that the world lives on. That they didn’t die for nothing. I don’t know how. But I will. I won’t let anyone who died here be forgotten.

I’ll keep the world alive.

Timothy Gonzalez (White Team)
Dust floats around me, obscuring my vision. Everything hurts. What was that explosion? I force myself to sit up, ignoring the creaking protests of my body, and see a group of figures moving through the dust and debris. They’re dressed entirely in black and one of them is wearing a white mask with a some kind of symbol emblazoned on it. They ignore myself and Satoshi, who lies nearby, and instead focus on Boone and Hayle.

What just happened?

“Satoshi, get up!” I shake him by the shoulder. His eyes open and he looks around groggily but doesn’t respond. “I think…I think someone else has broken into the Playing Field!” It’s only an assumption, but it’s one that makes sense. Why else would an explosion rock the hub prior to their arrival? This couldn’t be the work of Dr. Black. It wouldn’t make sense.

Satoshi still doesn’t respond, so I grab him by the arm and pull him to his feet. He offers no resistance as I half drag him towards the group conversing atop the ledge. One of the newcomers glance our way as we join them, but no one says anything to us.

“You came! I can’t believe you actually came!” Hayle is practically blabbering with excitement, literal tears coming down his face as he speaks with the group. “I always hoped you would, but I didn’t dare…”

“It’s alright, Hayle,” One of the black figures, a purple haired woman, pats him on the shoulder. “We’ve come to help. You’re not on your own anymore.”

“And who exactly are you?” I can’t help but ask. As soon as I do everyone’s head swivels to face me. One of them, a boy who with a buzz cut who can’t be much older than I am, gives me a scowl.

“Wasn’t this asshole just trying to kill Boone? Shouldn’t we knock him out or something?”

I try not to let panic show on my face as the ground tremors with another aftershock. I can’t think of much worse than having someone break into the Games only for them to be against me. “We didn’t have a choice—”

The one with the mask holds a hand up to cut me off. “Peace, Timothy. We’re here to help all Challengers. We don’t blame you for anything you may have been forced to do during your time in the Games.” He seems to address those last words to the guy with the buzzcut.

“Whattaya mean, Kevin?” The fourth member of the group, a young man with shaggy black hair, scratches his head as he gives me and Satoshi a long look. “I thought our plan was—”

“We use codenames when in the field, Jack,” The masked guy, Kevin, stares sternly at him. “Don’t forget that again.”

“Queen literally just gave out her full name to that guy,” Buzzcut says, pointing at Hayle.

So the woman is Queen, I take it? I let my gaze travel between each of the four and quickly realize they have their “codenames” stenciled on the breast of their spandex suits. Buzzcut is Ace, shaggy hair is Jack, and Kevin is King. They’re based on playing cards, then?

“We don’t have time for this,” The woman, Queen, cuts into the conversation. “The Tarot will recover from the EMP faster than we’d like. If we want this operation to succeed than we can’t waste anymore time.”

I wisely keep my mouth shut. Satoshi does the same, but that seems more because he’s gawking at Queen and the way she fills out her spandex suit than anything else. It’s Hayle, then, who decides to speak. “Plan? What are you guys planning? I thought you were here to   rescue us?”

“We are,” Queen says with a soft smile. “But that’s not the whole plan. We also need to…interrogate Dr. Black.”

“And then kill him,” Ace adds helpfully.

“We’re breaking into his base,” Queen shoots him a look that pretty much says “shut up” as she reaches into a pouch on her belt and pulls out a length of rope. She hands this to Jack, and he goes to help King attach it to the ledge. Zip lines? Or are they going to rappel?

As we watch them work Satoshi nudges me in the shoulder. “Timothy,” He points a finger at Queen. “That woman. She…”

“She’s pretty, yeah,” I’m paying more attention to the others as they hammer the ropes in and begin to tie it around themselves. So they’re rappelling down into the hole, I take it? Makes sense.

“No, that’s not it!” Satoshi is agitated enough that I turn to give him a quizzical look. “I…I think my Gift lets me sense other people’s Gifts. It gives me an idea what they’re capable of.” Right. He said something about this earlier, when we were pursuing Jackson. Of course, I was too caught up in the moment to question him any further.

“Do the those four have Gifts?” I ask.

He nods. “Everyone here has Gifts. Boone can create portals, Hayle makes his energy into lazars or something, that guy with the mask can…disintegrate stuff?” He scrunches his face up, as if thinking deeply. “I don’t know. It’s hard to find the details. The shaggy guy is a god with technology and the other dude can create balls of light.”

“That’d be a disappointing power,” I say offhandedly. Imagine getting a superpower as lame as creating balls of light!

“That’s not the point!” Satoshi’s voice rises enough that the others briefly turn to glance at us. When they go back to their tasks, he continues on in a whisper. “The woman is overflowing with power. It’s ridiculous, how much there is. And what she can do…”

“And?” I gently prompt him to go on.

“Anything. My Gift it…it seems to say that she can do anything.”

Well, that’s vague and menacing. But I don’t have time to dwell on the matter, because they’ve finished securing the ropes and Ace wanders over to tie us into a harness. “We’re coming with?”

He gives me a disdainful look. “Would you rather we left you up here for the Tarot to recapture?”

“No. I’m fine with this.” When we’re clasped into our harnesses he leads us back towards the group. Hayle is there with them and so is Boone. The stoic guy is standing beside King, silently listening to him speak. When our eyes meet I point. “He was with you guys all along?”

Jack looks up from some tablet he was fiddling with. “Who, Boone?” He lets out a loud laugh. “Yeah, he was our mole. We managed to trick the Tarot into thinking he was just another kid with Potential. With his portals and my technological savviness we had them right duped.”

The gears in my head are locking things into place. If Satoshi is right and Jack has some godlike ability to interface with technology, then I could very easily imagine how he’d trick Dr. Black. I could even image he would be able to make a replica datapad for Boone, depending on his foreknowledge of it. And with Boone’s portals they could pass along information and items. “Who are you guys? Why are you doing this?”

“We don’t have time to play twenty questions,” King snaps at me. He tugs on his rope then nods. “I’ll go first. Meet you at the bottom.”

He begins to descend into the crater Boone opened with his rocket launcher. I feel nervous watching him. What exactly are we getting ourselves into?

“We were just like you guys,” Queen is at my side, speaking quietly. “The Tarot kidnapped us and forced us to compete in their experimental games. But we escaped. Kevin was the first. He found a way to rescue some others and…it snowballed from there. Now we just want to put the Tarot down for good.”

They we’re kidnapped like us. They went through the same things we did. Which means…I understand why King let Satoshi and I live despite what we did to Jackson and tried to do to Hayle. He and the others must have done similar things. Possibly worse.

The line continues to move. One by one we begin to descend, each of us paired with one of the newcomers. Satoshi and Jack go first, followed by Queen and Hayle. That leaves me with Ace. “Get ready,” he grunts at me.”

“What about Boone?”

“He’s taking up the rear. Making sure we’re not blindsided. Just go!”

I nod and begin to rappel into that looming maul of darkness where, supposedly, Dr. Black lurks. I wonder where Milan is. She’d have been so ecstatic for this. Zantae too. I feel sorrow thinking of her. Turns out us all aligning together was possible all along. But it’s too late for her.

Hopefully the same fate won’t find us.

Vjena Kovac (White Team)
I stand on the edge of the crater, breathing deeply as I debate my next move. I’d been in the process of trying to figure out Black Teams location when the explosion went off. Fern and Hannah had escaped me, gone off to who knows where, and I had doubled back to try and end this game in one move. Then that explosion took place and I watched from a distance as a group of people lowered themselves into the newly created hole.

I taste blood in my mouth and I spit it out as I finally notice I’ve been biting my lip. This is stupid. Taking so long to come to a decision isn’t like me at all. I should just descend into the hole and get this over with. What’s the worse that could happen? Shaking my head, I turn to prep myself for the descent.

And then I see him.

Ryder strolls out from the maze, a small smile playing on his lips as he walks up to the edge of the hole, casually peering down into it. “They’ve gone into his lair, have they? Foolish.”

I don’t respond. Thoughts are churning through my head. I analyze my best course of action. Last time I saw Ryder he was screaming at me like a maniac after I attempted to kill him. He will not have forgotten that.

He looks up and starts in surprise, as if just noticing me. An act. He’s known I’ve been here all along. “Oh, Vjena. What a surprise to find you here. I thought you’d have gotten yourself offed like the petulant child you are.”

I force down the anger that threatens to overtake me. He’s trying to get a rise out of me. I refuse to let him have what he wants. “You’ve been busy,” I remark. The announcements have shown that’s he’s killed twice in this Hub. Zantae and Amare, both of whom were supposedly traitors. “Trying to stop Dr. Black?”

He gives a casual wave of his hand. “No, not at all. I’ve already told you that I’m merely cleansing the corrupt.”

He’s so relaxed. Too relaxed. Something is up here and it’s not something that is good for me. I’ll need to end him before he does me. The problem is I don’t have a weapon. Once again I find myself biting my lip. “You still believe in that nonsense, then?” Keep him distracted. Search for an opportunity. “About powers and the such? Fernanda said something similar.”

Ryder glances at me, then turns his attention back on the hole. He shrugs his massive shoulders. “I take it you still don’t believe? Fool. You have a Gift yourself and could Awaken, if only you’d realize it.”

“Such a fairy tale is better suited for children.”

Ryder turns to look at me. A cold look in his eyes. I twitch in place, worried that I might have made a misstep. But he only laughs. “Your complete ignorance of the situation is truly amusing, Vjena. Have you truly not regained your memories?”

He keeps prattling on and on about that. What the hell is his angle? Does he even have one? He’s so insane that I doubt it. But then why did Fernanda…

No. I will not doubt my own decision. There are no powers. Belief in a thing is idiotic. Ryder and some of the others are merely insane. Or perhaps drugged by Dr. Black. Yet it doesn’t matter. To win this game I need only—

I stumble forward as a gash appears across my thigh. Instantly I throw myself towards Ryder, batting at the knife in his hand. I don’t understand how he could have cut me from so far, but my instincts have kicked in and my body is on autopilot.

I collide with Ryder, driving him to the ground as my right hand slaps the knife out of his grip. He lands hard on the concrete, but my own landing is considerably softer as his body cushions my fall. I try to crawl up and get a grip on his throat but he punches me once in the ribs and throws me off him.

“I gave you too many chances!” He growls as he pulls himself up. “You just don’t get it, Vjena! There’s no point in conversing with you. So would you kindly just die already?”

Instead of responding I dive for his fallen knife. He makes no effort to stop me and I scoop up the blade and turn to face him. He just laughs. “You think you stand a chance against me? How quaint. Do you wish to know what your Gift would have been?”

I narrow my eyes. What is he playing at? Why is he so nonchalant? He must have another weapon. Perhaps one at his side—

“I’ve read the lab reports. You were supposed to have perfect aim. No matter what object you threw, no matter what trajectory, you would always hit your target. Depending on if it was physically possible, of course.” Ryder smiles at the confusion that crosses my face. He takes a step forward, then pauses. “Do you know what my Gift is? It’s the ability—”

I dart forward, knife slashing for his neck. Ryder was mid sentence in when I struck, yet somehow he twists his body out of the way. Moving at a speed that doesn’t fit his large frame, he sends one fist into the side of my head and uses his other hand to pry the knife from my grasp. I stumble forward and only just barely manage to stop myself from tumbling over the edge and into the hole that was opened by the explosion. Since we’re at the ground floor of the maze it’s not very deep; just ten feet down. But why is there a hallway in the pit?

A sharp agonizing pain in my lower back has me fall to one knee. I gasp and turn around to see Ryder lunging with the knife. As the blade flash’s toward my face, I throw myself backward, kicking wildly, wrenching my head from side to side, but Ryder has me by the hair and I can feel it tearing against my skin. A primal scream of hate and fear erupts out of me as the knife plunges into my throat, silencing me at last.

“Goodbye, Vjena!” Ryder hisses at me, his face twisted with malice. “I gave you too many chances. May you plague me no further!”

He twists the knife and then there’s nothing more.

Hayle Saraceno
Our feet land softly on the tiled floor of the hallway. Just ahead of us I can make out the forms of King and the others as they examine the passageway before us. Queen—Oreo—steps forward and calls out softly. “Is it clear?”

King glances back. “Looks like it. But the power is completely out. Beyond Jack’s doing. They probably cut it themselves.”

Oreo nods and begins to undo her harness. When she finishes she moves to assist me. “What is this place?” I ask her as she removes the straps from me.

“One of the Tarot’s many headquarters. They typically host their Games close to one of them.”

I nod. From what little I’ve learned about from these people, I understand that they too were once competitors in the Games hosted by Dr. Black and his organization. And, like me and the light in my hands, they’ve gained powers from their deadly endeavors.

Behind us Timothy and Ace finally touch down. When Boone arrives there’ll be seven of us total. Seven people headed after Dr. Black. Seems like a fools errand. If his organization makes superpowered people than won’t he himself be even stronger than us?

“I don’t like this darkness,”Ace grumbles as he unhooks his harness. “Seems too much like Amare’s Gift. Think she’s setting a trap?”

“Not Amare,” Boone lands behind us, causing me to start in surprise. He slips the harness off his shoulders. “Not Amare. She’s dead.”

I nod, remembering earlier announcement. “Yeah, Ryder killed her.” I don’t know how to feel about that. She was a traitor, true, but she was also a person. I don’t like the idea of celebrating someone’s death.

Jack whistles softly. “She’s dead? Wow. Didn’t see that coming.”

“We don’t have time for this!” King snaps and immediately orders us all into formation. Once again I find myself beside Oreo as we arrange ourselves like an arrow and, with King in the lead, set off down the darkened hallway.

“What’s with your codenames?” I whisper to Oreo as we walk. The hallway is mostly a straight pathway. Every now and then there will be a door or two along the side, but King leads us right past them. Does he know where he is going?

“The Tarot named themselves after an esoteric suit of cards,” Oreo explains. Though she speaks to me she never takes her eyes off her surroundings, always scanning. “So we decided to take the names of a standard suit of cards. A way to spite them, I suppose.”

I nod. Honestly I’m still amazed that this is even happening. That the phone call wasn’t fake or a trick. That someone actually showed up to help me. “What about Boone? What’s his codename?”

“Ten.”

I blink. “Umm. What?”

She laughs softly. “Yeah, that was a problem we didn’t foresee when we chose our naming convention. The first four codenames work great. After that? Not so much.”

“Could have called him Joker.”

“I suppose. But Boone isn’t really a guy who’d fit that name, you know?”

I glance backwards at the guy and have to admit that she has a point. Someone as stoic and quiet as him really wouldn’t for the Joker moniker unless you were being ironic or something. There’s a lull in the conversation after that. Or at least ours. I can just barely hear Satoshi and Timothy asking their own whispered questions. I have about of million of my own but I have to be smart and ask ones that matter. I choose the one that has been really bugging me.

“What’s the deal with King’s mask?”

A shadow crosses Oreo’s face. “Kevin competed in a Games like yours and…well, the guy he was fighting Awakened his Gift. It let him shoot acid from his hands.” She pauses and takes a deep breath. “Kevin’s face got messed up badly. He never got over that. The mask is his way of coping.”

Oh. I feel like smacking myself. Way to choose your questions, Hayle! I can only imagine the pain that comes with getting a face full of acid. And the damage…suddenly his decision to wear a mask doesn’t seem so odd. I watch King as he leads us down the hall, looking so confident and sure of himself. It’s surprising to know that, deep inside him, there’s a insecurity.

Just like us all.

Eager to change the subject, I throw out my next question. “What about the Tarot? What exactly are they? Who is Dr. Black?”

Oreo actually throws a glance my way this time. “Dr. Black’s full name is Nero Farbe. He grew up somewhere in Central Europe but not our Central Europe. He has two siblings. Together he and his brother form the Chariot, one of the Majors of the Tarot, and they are amongst their most powerful members.”

Wow. I hadn’t expected so much information! “He…he has a brother?”

“Yes. Weiss Farbe. Also known as Mr. White.” Her face darkens. “I have a personal bone to pick with him.”

“And his sister?”

”Goes by Professor Grey. I don’t know if she’s a Major or not. We don’t have much information on her.”

“Ace, create some light!” King’s voice echoes throughout the darkened hallway like a drum. I nearly jump in surprise but Oreo doesn’t so much as twitch as the guy with the buzzcut nods and lifts a hand into the air. A second later a ball of white light blinks into existence.

“Whoa!” I stare at the newly illuminated hallway, a little surprised and disappointed that it looks exactly like a regular one. What kind of secret base is this?

The seven of us gather around the light source as, just up ahead, we can see that the hallway extends into a wider space. Probably a lobby or something.

“What’s the plan?” Timothy asks. He seems to have gotten fully on board with this group and shows no hesitance at our actions. He even appears excited!

“I can detect someone up ahead,” Satoshi speaks before anyone else can. “They…they have a power.”

King snaps his head around to stare at him. “You sure?” Though his mask covers his face I swear I can still feel his eyes drilling into Satoshi.

The boy squirms underneath his gaze. “Yeah. I…my own ability lets me sense others.”

“So you’ve Awakened, then?” King’s gaze flickers to Timothy as he heads towards the wall, where a small table has been set up. “What’s that?”

Timothy holds up a series of papers. “It’s blueprints of some sort. I think it…Huh.” He peers closer at the paper, frowning. “It appears to be designs for a—this is going to sound crazy—these designs are for a floating tower!”

We all exchange looks between each other. Oddly enough, Satoshi and I seem to be the only ones confused. The rest exchange more…knowing looks, I guess? “Yeah,” I say. “That definitely sounds crazy.”

“Want to hear something crazier? For some reason I feel as if I could actually build this tower!” Timothy is getting excited now, flipping through the papers at a frantic pace. “If I had enough manpower and resources…yes, yes, I could build this! I know I can! I know—” He cuts off, looking confused. He glances at the rest of us but we’re just watching him silently. He profs the papers at us. “Why? Why can I do this?”

“You’ve also Awakened,” King says. “I believe all three of you have.”

My lights. Satoshi’s ability to sense others with powers. Timothy’s knowledge. There doesn’t seem to be any connection between these Gifts. Is there any condition or limit as to what kind of powers exist?

“Use your Gift, Satoshi,” King has turned back to the previous topic. “Try to sense the Gift of the person up ahead. If we know who it is we’ll have a better shot at beating them.”

Beating them? I don’t miss the fact that King believes they will be a threat to us. “Who’d try stopping us?” I ask, aware that it could be a stupid question.

Surprisingly it’s Oreo who responds. “Dr. Black. Any of the other Majors. A mere associate of the Tarot. Even one of the traitors amongst you would attempt to stop us. We have no shortage of enemies.”

“If it’s Black himself we’ll need your Gift, Queen,” Ace runs a hand along his nearly shaved head. “The rest of us can’t do squat against him.”

“Intelligence puts only two Majors here,” Jack pipes in. “Black and one other. Hopefully it’s not Strength, ‘cause I don’t like the thought of trying to stop that guy without Nine present.”

“If you’d all stop chattering like sparrows we might find out!” King snaps at the group. They all immediately fall silent. He turns back to Satoshi. “Well? Has your Gift revealed anything to you?”

Satoshi licks his lips. “I…no, not really. Their power is mental, I think. It’s hard…hard to gauge. I don’t really know.”

King’s mask hides his face and thus his emotions. Unable to gauge how he’s taking this news, I watch as he turns himself back towards the hallway. “Very well. We’ll have to assume it’s a large threat. Weapons out!”

There’s a flurry of movement as the four newcomers all pull sleek black handguns from their belts. I watch in pensive silence. Somehow, in all our talk of powers and abilities, I’d forgotten that simple kinetic weapons existed. “Will those work?” I ask.

Oreo gives me a small smile. “That depends on who we’re up against.”

I try not to panic at the thought of there being someone out there who is immune to bullets. Such a person could probably crush me with one hand. “Queen, only use your Gift if it’s Black himself,” King takes the lead, slowly inching down the hall and into the room. “If it’s anyone else let us handle it.”

She nods. “Even if it’s Shintaro?”

King pauses for a moment. “Yes. Can’t risk you losing control. We’ll try to take him down ourselves.”

To say that I’m lost would be an understatement, but I don’t dare try to ask another question, not when we’re so close to the room. Our group slides into the open area, and I learn that it’s not a lobby after all. It’s a storage area of some sort, with rows of shelves and lines of crates stacked up against the walls. Several boxes lie scattered across the floor, and loose pieces of styrofoam litter the ground. As my gaze slides along this mess, I take in the person standing at the far end of the room. I nearly choke on my surprise.

It’s Vika.

She blocks the doorway behind her, arms crossed across her chest as she stares forlornly out at us. Her eyes seek out mine but I avert my gaze, not yet ready for what I might find there. I haven’t forgiven her for what she has done.

“Do you intend to block us?” King steps forward to challenge her and suddenly I’m worried for Vika. These people mean business and I have no doubt they won’t hesitate to kill her, if needed. That thought hurts me, despite her betrayal.

Vika ignores him. Remaining silent, her eyes go back to me. Once again I try to look away, but the second I do the screaming begins.

Satoshi has fallen to his knees. Hands clutched to his head he rocks back and forth, yelling out in gibberish, or perhaps another language. The only word I can understand is Shinji. “What’s wrong?” Jack moves towards him but only takes a single step before freezing in place. Sweat builds on his brow as fear washes over his features. I take a step back. What the hell is happening?

“Imogen!” Oreo cries out as she too drops to the ground. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Bewildered, I spin in place and watch as all my allies begin to speak out once. Some cry, others shout, a few fall to the ground. Timothy goes to one knee, glowering at the ground as he holds two hands to his head. “My head…she’s in…my head!”

That’s when it clicks. I look up in horror and stare at the girl across from me. At someone I once considered a friend. Vika. She stands still, a sad look etched on her face as she calmly regards the seven of us, six of whom are suddenly incapacitated.

“What are you doing?” I demand.

When she speaks, her voice is quiet. “I’m using my Gift, Hayle. I don’t have a choice. They’d kill me immediately.”

“I didn’t mean to!” Jack is sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down as his face as kneels on the concrete. “It was a mistake! I never wanted this to happen!”

I bend over to help but he shoves me away. Aghast, I turn back to Vika. “Stop it! You’re hurting them!”

She stares back at me unblinkingly. “All I’m doing is digging up their buried emotions. Their regrets, fears, and mistakes. My Gift lets me feel the emotions of others. Intensify them. I can’t create them, however, so everything they’re feeling is true. It’s something that they already had inside them.”

“It wasn’t me!” Ace is like a broken record, blurting out the same thing over and over. “It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me!”

“I can enter people’s thoughts,” Vika begins to approach me, crossing the room, her footsteps drowned out by the screams and cries of my companions. “I can understand their desires. Their wants. I, if I chose, could mold myself into their perfect person. I could have convinced them to do anything.”

My heart is slamming itself against my ribs. Panic and distress has begun to rise in me. But at the same time I don’t fear Vika. Her voice is so…dull. Lifeless. As if she’s not as committed as she pretends. “What are you trying to say?” I watch Oreo as she curls herself up into a ball, still crying out for someone named Imogen.

Vika stops right in front of me. There are tears in her eyes. “I could have forced you to join us, Hayle,” She whispers, “if I used my Gift I could have convinced you of anything.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“Because I hate my Gift. Hate how it lets me know what everyone wants. Hate how it lets me exploit them. I hate using it.” Her eyes drift away from me and I follow her gaze to Jack. He’s still on his knees, sobbing. But in his hand he holds his handgun.

And has it pressed to his head.

“I can never fix my mistake,” He whispers into the air. “But I can try.”

He fires before I can even move. A muted gunshot and then the thump of his body hitting the floor. I watch the pool of blood spread out around his head and feel sick.

“How could you…?”Any sympathy I’ve had for Vika vanishes. Jack had risked his life to break into this arena and try to rescue me, and this is his reward? To be manipulated into killing himself? “What the hell is wrong with you people?”

“I’ve never used my power on you, Hayle,” It’s like Vika doesn’t even see me. Her eyes are glassy and unfocused. Voice dead and emotionless. “I could have easily swayed you to our side, if I had. I had nothing to live for when Marc died alongside my world. Then…then I met you. You reminded me of him so much.”

“And what? I was your replacement goldfish?”

“No!” Emotion finally returns to her face as she frantically shakes her head. “I didn’t even have my memories when I first met you! I didn’t know he was dead. I didn’t…we lost everything. You have to understand. What we’re doing is wrong, but it’s for a good cause. Your friends there want to kill the Doctor and end the Tarot. If they succeed, than who will save the world?”

I look at Jack’s body. At the others as they lie on the ground or sit hunched over, endlessly relieving their worst moments, and find that I don’t care about the world. Not if the only way to save it is to cause this kind of grief. “Vika, the people you work for are evil. If this is what they have to do to save the world…than maybe you should just let it die.”

Vika’s eyes flash dangerously. For the first time since I met the girl she looks at me with what can only be described as contempt. “How could you say that, Hayle? This isn’t even my world, yet I am fighting tooth and nail to save it. Yet you are willing to…what? Just let everyone die? Just so you don’t get your hands dirty?”

“You just killed someone!” I gesture at Jack, and where Timothy has crawled over to his side. “Look at him and tell me everything you’re doing is right. Tell me.”

“I didn’t kill him,” Vika’s voice wobbles. “I only amplified his emotions. He must have already been suicidal. I only wished to incapacitate them so that we could speak. Hayle, I don’t want you to hate me. Please. Please just try and understand!”

“If you had asked for my help from the start,” I begin, voice low and cold, “then this wouldn’t be happening. If you and your “friends” hadn’t kidnapped us all then maybe we’d be willing to help!” Vika is a lost cause. She’ll never be able to see things from our perspective. Maybe she could have, once, but things have spiraled too far. There’s an ocean of difference between us and no amount of pleading will ever be able to bridge it.

“Please, Hayle!” Tears stream down her cheeks as she holds a hand out for me. “The Tarot won’t just let you walk away. They’ll force you to join us, either through my Gift or another way. And even if you succeeded, if you destroyed the Tarot, what then? Death would still kill you.”

I don’t respond. Can’t think of anything more that needs to be said. I hate seeing Vika like this. She was once my closest friend. Someone I could rely on. When did she become so—

A gunshot.

I flinch back as if struck. But I see that I haven’t been shot. Timothy kneels on the floor, in one shaky hand he holds the pistol that Jack used to end his own life. And he has it pointed at Vika.

The blonde girl has her mouth open but no words come out. She sways back and forth, then falls forward onto me. I catch her and lower her to the ground. Blood blossoms from a hole in her chest. A bullet hole.

“Save your monologue for someone who cares!” Timothy tosses the gun aside and pushes himself to his feet as, around us, the others begin to stir from their stupor.

“H-Hayle…” Vika reaches a hand out for my face. Slowly caresses it. Then her arm drops. Her eyes freeze in place. The light leaves her.

Vika dies in my arms.

“Jack, no!” Oreo rushes to her friends side. She seems about to try and resuscitate him, but Boone grabs her arm and shakes his head. There’s no saving Jack. He’s already gone.

King rises stiffly to his feet. He doesn’t spare me so much as a passing glance as he crosses over to the doorway that Vika was guarding and peers down it. “Another hallway,” he says quietly. “But it matches what Jack had on his maps. This is the right way.”

I gently lie Vika’s head on the floor and stand. I can’t hate her. I could never. If everything she said was true than she was as much a victim here as we are. Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe we’re all just victims.

“What now?” Timothy asks. I don’t look at him. Can’t face that. Not yet.

“We go on,” Ace answers, helping Oreo to her feet. He turns and pats Timothy on the back. “Good job, by the way. How did you break through her Gift?”

His response is simple. “My emotion she amplified was anger.”

“Ten!” King points at Boone. “Create a portal and take Jack’s body back to base. Than wait thirty minutes and return here. If we’re not waiting when you show than assume the worse. Protocol Twelve, you understand?”

Boone nods. He holds out one hand and the familiar bar of golden light forms in the air, rotating until a square portal snaps open. Ace helps him carry Jack through it, then steps back to join us. Boone gives a salute and the portal shuts.

The six of us are left in silence.

I don’t know how they do it. How they can lose a friend and carry on like this. What have they been through, to become so accustomed to death and loss? I am still too numb to even really process what is happening, yet King is already barking out orders and forming us into ranks. Soon he has us in the move, and Omer leave Vika’s body behind in the dark. For some reason that hurts me. Hurts me bad.

The hallway we take bends and curves, but there is only one path. No doorways or adjacent halls exist for us to deviate onto. We just follow King as he leads us down the one way passage, an ominous silence weighing over all our heads. Vika wasn’t even a skilled fighter and she killed one of us. How many more of us will die?

King comes to a halt when the hallway finally reaches an intersection. At first I think he’s just debating which way to go, but then I see the person blocking our path.

He stands in the center of the intersection, flipping a coin and catching it only to flip it again. For a long moment he doesn’t seem to notice us. When he finally does he gives us a lazy nod. “Seems you got past Vika. A pity. Very well. I suppose I shall stop you myself.”

Shintaro catches his coin and stares at it for a moment. Then he looks up and frowns. “Interesting. The numbers say that I’m going to win.”

Beside me, Ace lets out a low moan. “Aw, crap.”

Shintaro Sosune (The Tarot)
I stand in the center of an intersection, watching the intruders as they stare warily back at me. There’s six of them. No, three. The others are just Challengers who are tagging along. I memorized their faces and know who they are and what their Gifts were calculated to be. Hayle is the only offensive threat amongst them.

“You can surrender right now, if you wish,” I say conversationally as I study the intruders faces. I don’t recognize the man with the mask, but the other two are familiar to me. Oreo Dutton and Martin Donahue. One of them has a Gift that is useless in combat. The other has one that could wipe me from existence if she’s gotten over her mental block about using it.

Fron the way she grips her pistol I can tell she hasn’t.

The masked man steps forward. “I’m going to decline that offer, thanks.” He motions with his hand and Martin and Oreo fan out to the sides of the room. “Instead, I am going to kill you.”

I incline my head. “You can certainly try.”

“King, be careful!” Oreo aims her gun for me. “This doesn’t feel right. Shintaro is plotting something!” Oh, I am. But it’s something that these fools certainly can’t predict. I have my orders to divert their route, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

The mathematical notation fills my field of vision, running along my skin. A clear, precise, organized outline of the world snaps around me as I start into motion. King reacts immediately. He pulls his hand back and then slams it forward, unleashing a wave of destruction.

Concrete and steel explode, and the strike tears furrows into floor and ceiling. Disintegrated layers of stainless steel collapse around me, but I am already airborne. I measured the trajectory of the first hit as it tore through the ceiling, letting it slide past me. I angle and orient my body to absorb the rush of wind and dust, using it to carry myself just a little further than my typical jump.

I land softly on the floor and adjust my sleeves. “Ah, I recognize that power. Kevin Lowell, right?”

The masked man watches me warily. “So you know my name. No matter. We know you just as well as you know us.”

I glance aside, to where the Challengers stand, but make sure I keep Kevin on the edge of my vision. Wait out another attack. Let him hand me more information so that I can extrapolate, work out the numbers, and discover his limitations and weaknesses.

Kevin is all too happy to take the bait. He throws another attack my way, but I dance to the side and avoid it just like I did the first. The numbers quickly begin to make sense in my head. With that information I can spend less energy on evading the attacks and instead focus on the possible attacks. I can predict every strike that might occur and the possible consequences that might unfold from these actions.

A gunshot interrupts my thoughts.

I angle my body to the side and the bullet passes with an inch of my skull. I turn to face Martin and watch him curse as he fires off two more. Both of which also pass by me.

What a nuisance.

I break into a forward run. Kevin throws several more attacks my way, but I have enough information to avoid these before he even creates the destructive wave. I calculate the numbers right as I hit the wall and see exactly where to place my feet. Momentum and physics carry me over the destructive wave as I run alongside the wall.

“What the hell?” Martin stumbles back, terror etched on his face as I slide off the wall and land beside him.

“I gave you an opportunity to surrender,” I say as I dust off my clothes. “You should have took it when you had the chance.”

He swings at me with his pistol. I easily evade the swing and step inside his guard. See the stress points on his body. Numbers guiding me, I strike out and shatter his skull with one blow. His body drops immediately.

“Ace!” Oreo cries out from somewhere behind me. I don’t have time to think on it, as I throw myself backwards to avoid another blow from Kevin. This one demolishes entire tracts of the floor, tearing into the hallway and collapsing that entire path.

Two left.

“I can kill you three just as easily,” I say to the Challengers as I dance around King’s attacks. Gouges rip against the walls. Floor is torn apart. I am unharmed. “But I’ll only do so if you remain aligned with these intruders.”

I have positioned myself so that the final hallway is behind me. King is staggering in place, his body motions betraying the dismay and fear that he is beginning to feel. He cannot comprehend how he keeps missing. Still, he will throw out another attack. One even wider than the others.

“You were trying to kill us even before they arrived!” Timothy glares daggers at me. Beside him Hayle stands rigid as his right arm slowly begins to glow with a cerulean light. Activating his power? No matter. My task is nearly done. When the next passage is destroyed the only path left to them will be one that leads directly to the Hanged Man.

“Yes,” I accede his point with a nod of my head. “But if you continue to resist I will kill you painfully instead.”

Kevin strikes.

I calculate my movements, let one foot slide against the dusty ground, then go rolling with my own momentum. I hear the groan of metal as the attack tears through a section of ceiling, see the downward trajectory of the blow, and roll until my feet are underneath me, then leap.

The attack misses me completely.

But it destroys the passageway.

I stand up to my full height, study the confusion and rage I’m King’s body language, then dart forward. He aims a fist uselessly for my head, which I weave past, and then I slide my knife out from the sheath inside my sleeve and stab it into his gut, between the plates of body armor he wears beneath his spandex suit.

Kevin gasps and drops to one knee.

I study his mask, curious. He is clearly the leader of this little group, something I had not expected from Kevin Lowell. He was never the most sociable of people. I wonder how he managed to group the others around him? No matter. He will die soon enough. But not right away; I let the numbers guide me into stabbing him somewhere it will take time to die. Better to slow them down so that the Hanged Man has more time to prepare.

Oreo screams in horror as I step away from Kevin. I watch her carefully. If she were to use her Gift than even my own would be useless. You simply can’t compete with someone who has the ability to warp reality itself. Of course, she has plenty of drawbacks and side effects to using that power. Which is why I very much doubt she will even attempt such a thing. I start towards her when something gives me pause.

A glowing orb of energy pulsates to my left. Hayle has decided to intervene. Thrown an attack whilst I was incapacitating Kevin. It makes a beeline straight for me.

I flick my coin out and watch it spin through the air, measuring my chances of survival. 5.259% chance I die from the attack. Catch the coin. Flip again. 89.241% they ignore my unconscious body and continue on towards the Hanged Man. So. Not a guarantee, but close enough. Very well. I can risk those odds.

Feigning ignorance, I allow the orb to smash into my left side. Instantly I am shot backwards, flying towards the collapsed passageway. I just feel myself collide with the back wall before losing consciousness.

Mission accomplished.

Nailah Adebowale
I stalk through the darkened hallways in complete silence. I was never the sneak. Never the one who went undetected. That was always Amare’s task. Her skillset was better suited for it. But now that she is dead I will take up her mantle. I will hunt Ryder down and kill him. Then…

I do not know what will come next.

Logically I know that I’m acting irrationally. I should never have pursued him into the bowels of the Playing Field, the very home of the Tarot itself. I should have activated my distress beacon and alerted the U.N, summoned reinforcements and started a raid on this entire complex. But I can’t. Not until he is dead. Until I have taken his very life away. That is the only thought which persists inside my head.

Kill Ryder.

He has left many bodies in his wake. I nearly tripped over Vjena’s as I tracked him to the hole in the ground. Don’t know what created it nor do I care. I should. I realize that. But I don’t. It’s too difficult to care for anything right now.

The ground rumbles beneath my feet as something explodes in the distance. Metal screeches against metal. Echoes of screams race down an adjacent hall. Someone still battles. The other Challengers? Perhaps. But Ryder hasn’t gone that way. His trail leads down a different hall.

I move through these labyrinthine tunnels at a slow and cautious pace. Though I am eager to end his miserable life I have enough sense to not allow him the foreknowledge of my arrival. He is a deadly foe. I can’t let him catch me unawares. That is how he killed Amare.

Voices become audible as I’m thinking this. I press up against the wall, flattening myself alongside it, but the voices aren’t headed this way. They seem to be staying in place, somewhere ahead of me. Slowly, carefully, I begin to creep forward.

“You claim to be helping the world? News flash! You’re putting it closer to destruction!” An accented voice is shouting. Feminine. Fernanda?

“As I’ve already told you, I’m cleansing the corruption. Everyone I’ve killed had a corrupted power. My actions are that of a savior.”

I freeze. Blood runs cold. That deep, suave voice, one without a hint of compassion or doubt, can only belong to Ryder. Muscles twitch as I’m tempted to run out there and slay him on the spot, but I resist my primal urges. Have to be careful. Can’t take unnecessary risks. I run a hand down the length of the sickle I took from my sisters corpse. I will use her weapon to kill him.

“Amare and Zantae would have helped us stop Death!” Yes, that voice definitely belongs to Fernanda. I inch closer to the room and peer inside. Ryder has his back to me, facing down two smaller girls. Fernanda and Hannah. Of course they’re still together.

“They would have become just like Death,” Ryder replies smoothly. He has a knife in his hands, casually passing it back and forth between them. The same one he used to murder Amare? “I did you a favor in eliminating them. If allowed to exist for too long their Gifts would have shown their corruption and doomed us all.”

I take a breath and think over my options. I could charge out there and try to strike him down from behind, but I don’t know how Fernanda and Hannah would react. Especially not Fernanda. She’s a member of the Tarot and someone I’ve attempted to kill over the course of these “games” so I cannot say how she’d react to the sight of me. But one thing I do know is that I absolutely cannot allow Ryder to leave this room alive.

He must die.

“You’re unstable, Ryder,” Fernanda shakes her head, long dark hair swaying. “A danger to everyone who still breathes. I cannot allow you to continue your rampage.”

Ryder chuckles. “Oh? And how do you plan on stopping me? I have no desire to kill you two, by the way. Your Gifts aren’t corrupted.”

“Too bad we don’t feel the same!” Fernanda splays her hands and several knives make an appearance, flying for Ryder. He sidesteps pass a few of them, but one slices his shoulder, drawing blood and eliciting a hiss of pain from him.

“Fool!” He slashes out with his knife and Fernanda stumbles back, a sharp, grating sound echoing throughout the room as she grasps for her throat. Ryder laughs. “You should have known my Gift! You have no shot against me!”

Fernanda smiles and removes her hands from her neck, waving them in the air. “Looks like you’re the one who forgot about my Gift!” She darts forward and slaps the knife out of his hands and then punches him square in the face. Ryder reels backwards, shoving Fernanda away from him.

“I did forget, you’re right,” He wipes blood from his face and glares back at her. “Your Gift gives you scale-like protrusions on your skin that function as armor for your body. Impervious to bladed objects, bullets, and much else.” Well, that would explain how she survived me shooting her square in the chest with a sniper. Until now I had struggled to figure out how that happened. “You can summon the scales at will, but they also activate on their own, when your Gift senses you’re in danger.”

Fernanda raises an eyebrow at him. “I always forget that some gilipollas gave you the files on our Gifts. Mind sharing who?”

Ryder’s response is to reach into his belt and pull a long smooth object out. A security baton? “Unfortunately for you, Fernanda,” He waves the baton in the air, “I happened to pick this up from Zantae’s body. She never realized what it really was, but I did. I recognized it as the weapon the Tarot’s security—”

Fernanda steps up and throws two more punches. Ryder dances around them, laughing. “You may be immune to stabs and blunt force, but what about electricity?”

Fernanda curses in spanish and spins to keep Ryder in view. Too late. He’s already flicked a switch on the end of the baton and an ominous crackling starts as he swings for her midsection. There’s a solid thump and then the sharp crackling sound of electricity intensifies as Fernanda begins to convulse uncontrollably. Brilliant arcs of electricity race across her body and a moment later she slumps to the ground.

“Fernanda, no!” Hannah screams and draws Ryder’s attention. Which also happens to give me the perfect opportunity.

I snake into the room, keeping low to the ground as I sneak up behind Ryder. One quick blow from my sickle will end him. Amare will be avenged.

Hannah sees me. Her eyes widen with shock.

Damn it, no!

Ryder notices her strange reaction and throws himself to the side at the last second. Instead of cleaving itself into his neck my sickle swipes through empty air. He turns to me, a frown on his face. “Amare…? No.” He shakes his head. “You’re her sister. Nailah. Come for vengeance, I take it?”

I growl in frustration. All my waiting for nothing! That fool Hannah had to go and be an idiot! Ryder pulls another knife out of his jacket and twirls it in his left hand. In the other he holds the baton. One is close ranged but the other…how did he kill Amare and strike at Fernanda? Another one of those Gifts? He’s talking, but I’m not listening. Strategy. I need a strategy. Can’t get close when he has that baton so I’ll have to—

I see his muscles twitch as he primes for movement and I throw an arm around my neck. A second later a gash rips open along my forearm, as if it was slashed with a knife. Yes. He has a Gift. Must be. There’s no other possible way he could have struck from that far. Still, I’m stuck. Get too close and he fries me with that baton. Stay back and be cuts me to ribbons. How could I—

Hannah attacks from behind. She slaps the baton out of Ryder’s hand, knocking it to the ground. He growls and backhands her across the face, sending her splaying across the floor. I see my opportunity. Ryder’s knife skills are better at range. He can’t use them if I’m close, or he doesn’t have a knife. I need to close the distance. Engage. I rush forward while he’s distracted, step over the prone Fernanda, then I’m tackling him. We hit the ground at an angle, his shoulder driving into the ground. I aim my sickle for his neck but he grabs my wrist and twists, forcing me to drop it. He rotates and we roll, grappling for position.

I’m a trained fighter who has beaten countless men several times my size, but most of them couldn’t match me in experience or skill. Ryder obviously can. All combat sports have weight divisions for a reason and it quickly becomes apparent that, no matter my skill, I cannot match Ryder’s size and strength. Soon he has me pinned, his face seething with rage as he stares down at me. The first time I’ve truly seen him angry. “You just don’t understand, do you?”

I remain calm. This isn’t the first time I’ve stared death in the face. Far from it. “I’m going to kill you,” I say quietly.

“Yes, yes, I’m sure. But you see, plenty of people have told me that before. Yet all of them wound up dead themselves. So you can…”

Ryder is still talking, but I’m not listening. A strange feeling has gripped me. Taken over. A sad, familiar sensation is twisting its way through my body, starting at the inside and working its way out. I flex my fingers and wisps of dark smoke waft into the air.

Ryder recoils, letting me free. “No!” He scampers back across the room and picks up a knife. “Amare’s Gift! But how could—”

The room is plunged into darkness.

It is pitch black. No light can be seen in the eerie darkness that chokes the room. I can sense the others. Not see them. Not truly. But I can sense their forms, their movements. Ryder is backpedaling, yelling furiously at this turn of events. Fernanda lies on the ground, her breathing soft and rhythmic. So she still lives.

The darkness swirls around me. From me. I’ve created it, I know this somehow. I’ve created the darkness, and that is why it does not hinder me. I let my sense wash over me. Hannah is in the corner of the room, eyes wide as the darkness envelopes her. Ryder is swinging his knife wildly, futilely attempting to get a lucky hit on me.

“You have the same Gift as your sister!” Ryder is screaming as he swings. “But there is no sense of corruption around you! How?”

I don’t understand his ramblings, nor do I wish to. I glide through the darkness, pick up a fallen knife without breaking stride, and head towards the now frightened Ryder. He can’t see me. Can’t hear me. If this power was truly once Amare’s, then I know she would have loved it. She never liked being seen, being watched. She always liked to hide.

This Gift was almost tailor made for her.

Ryder’s swings hit nothing but air. He can’t sense me behind him. I don’t have any pithy one liner to spout or dramatic speech to recite. I just act. Step up behind him, drive the knife into his neck, and twist.

His ramblings cut off into a unintelligible gurgle. I hold the knife in place as he thrashes about, attempting to free himself. He slips to his knees. Still slashes out with his own knife. I push the knife in deeper and his arms finally go limp. His muscles lose their tension, his heartbeat slows and then, finally, it stops.

I let his body slump to the floor.

“Amare…” Her name finally escapes my lips and I fall to my knees. The darkness retreats, collecting in the corners of the room and rising in the air, where it dissipates. The room is once again fully lit.

Hannah eyes me warily from the floor. She’s probably worried I’ll kill her next. I won’t. I’m…at a loss, right now. Amare is avenged. I…what should I do?

“Nailah, I think we need to have a discussion.”

Someone appears in the doorway. Face shadowed with unease, Hayden steps into the room and crosses his arms. I watch him with disbelief. “You’re dead.”

He shakes his head. “I am not. The Tarot…they faked my death, for several reasons.”

I don’t know why I’m surprised by this subterfuge. Of course the Tarot would do something secretive like faking a death. The problem is I just don’t see a point to this particular secret. I stare up at him. “Why?”

Hayden runs a hand down his bald head. He pulls up a chair and sits down on it, hands clasped in his lap. Uncertainty clouds his eyes as they meet mine. “I was having doubts about our organization. They wanted me to step away from the game and take time to think about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.”

“Your organization kills people,” I say, pulling myself back onto my feet. I can still feel the darkness inside me, waiting to be unleashed. If he tries to attack I can and will counteract him. “In an effort to give them superpowers.”

He inclines his head. “More or less accurate. But we don’t want to kill anyone. At least, I don’t. And I think I can change the way we operate. But we’re running out of time. Our world is…” He takes a deep breath. “Our world is running out of time. Death seeks to destroy it all. At this point my objections to our actions are moot. We don’t have time for anymore experiments. We have to take what we have and fight back.”

Amadi and Makari are with the Tarot. My sister was aligned with these people. She trusted them enough to allow her most precious and beloved family to be kept in their care. I don’t know what my own thoughts on this organization are, don’t know if they’re capable of being reformed the way Hayden seems to wish, but it no longer matters. Amadi is the only blood relative I have left, and Makari was like a father to me. I cannot and will not abandon them. Especially not since Amare…

“We need people with strong Gifts such yourself to join us,” Hayden is still talking. “I can’t change the organization without aid like that. And they’re not as bad as you might think. I betrayed them and yet they didn’t kill me. The Tarot has problems, big problems, but they’re not evil. Just…misguided.”

His spiel did little to make up my mind. Amare trusted the Tarot. Believed they were doing the right thing. That’s enough for me. I will protect Amadi and fight for Amare’s dream.

I will join the Tarot.

Timothy Gonzalez
Shintaro is slammed into the far wall. The orb of cerulean light explodes, obscuring my vision as the ceiling shakes and clouds of dust plume down. Concrete slabs soon follow, and Shintaro is lost to sight.

“Kevin!” Queen hurtles across the room, sliding down next to her friend. He lies propped up against the wall, struggling to breath. “We can’t lose you, Kevin! I’ve already lost too much!

He holds a hand out to her. “Peace, Oreo. I…am not finished yet.”

I still watch the rubble, checking to see if Shintaro will re-emerge. But as the seconds tick away I come to the realization that he’s not getting back up from that. Hayle defeated him. “Good job,” I walk over and pat him on the back as he stares at the destruction where Shintaro disappeared. “I thought for sure that he was going to kill us all.”

I was frozen with fear during the entire battle. Too frightened to even try to assist King or Ace. What King was doing was unbelievable, but for Shintaro to evade all his attacks like that…How did we ever beat him?

“Yeah, sure,” Hayle is lost in his thoughts. Doesn’t look me in the face. He’s been avoiding doing so since I shot Vika. I understand that she was friends with him, but doesn’t he get she was killing us? Jack lost his life because of her. I regret a lot of things I’ve done in these Games, but putting Vika down isn’t one of them.

Satoshi rises from where he was checking on Ace. The look on his face is enough to tell me that the guy didn’t make it. “He killed him with his bare hands,” Satoshi mumbles as he rejoins me. “What would he have done to us if he had a weapon?”

“Probably best not to dwell on it,” I say quietly. Shintaro is dead. We won’t have to worry about him ever again.

As if some unspoken discussion happened, all three of us drift over to Queen and King. She’s helping him to his feet, though from the way he gasps with each little movement I can tell he’s hurt bad. His masked face finds us. “Ace is dead?”

I nod. “Yeah, he’s…he’s gone.” That makes two of our saviors dead now. At this rate we won’t even escape the Games! Are we still just going to wind up dead at Dr. Black’s hands?

There’s tears in Queen’s eyes and King doesn’t respond. He just sits there, gasping for each breath as he leans on her shoulders. “We can’t stop to mourn,” he finally says, each word a struggle. “Otherwise…Black could…escape.”

“What? No!” Queen shakes her head. “We need to get you medical attention! In thirty minutes Boone should—”

“I won’t last long enough…for that,” King slumps forward, but Hayle is there to catch him. He supports one of his shoulders, Queen has the other. “Can’t…waste this…mission. Have to…end Black.”

“I could use my power to heal you,” Queen says quietly. She’s staring at the floor, eyes still brimming with tears.

“I…won’t stop you. If you think you can…control your…Gift,” King seems to be barely be lucid. His head bobbles on his shoulders and his voice is hardly even a whisper. “But…if you can’t…don’t force it. Losing control would…be very…”

The implication behind his words are clear enough. Something very bad will happen if Queen were to lose control. And based off what Satoshi said earlier, about her power being astronomically strong, that’s not really something I’d like to see.

Queen hesitates for a long moment. Eventually, when I begin to think she’ll never respond, she shakes her head. “Last time I tried…you know what happened.”

King sighs. “I do.”

“I won’t risk it. Are…are you fine with that?”

“I am. Now, let’s…move. Each second…we waste…Black gets…further away.”

Queen and Hayle shuffle along the corridor, carrying King between their shoulders. Satoshi and I walk aimlessly behind them. I can’t say I have any hope we’ll succeed. Not after what just happened. We may have killed Vika and Shintaro, but at what cost? Of the four people who came to save us, two are dead and one is about to join them. And if Queen is too hesitant to even use her Gift…

I think back to the announcements from earlier today. All of Dr. Black’s traitors are dead, with the exception of Fernanda, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she were to pop out and challenge us to fight soon. Yet disregarding the traitors we still have Dr. Black himself to worry about. And didn’t Ace say he was super powerful or something?

I shake my head, dismayed. How does this end without us dead?

The corridor we follow is a straight shot. No branching paths. No side rooms. No turns. Just a long, straight hallway surrounded by pale fluorescent lights. In the distance I can make out the shape of a door. Our destination.

I pat my jacket, feeling the blueprints I’ve stored there. I still don’t understand it. Blueprints for a floating tower? It’s insane! Yet…I can build it. I know the exact specifications required, the resources needed, even the amount of time necessary. King said it was my Gift. The ability to build things, huh? I don’t doubt it. In the last few hours ideas have been popping into my head, fanciful thoughts of fantastical weapons and impossible devices. I feel that if I just sat down for an hour and put pen to paper that I’d be capable of coming up with more than a dozen different creations. I could change the world!

But first I’d have to survive this game.

The odds of that happening get slimmer by the moment. Our only real offensive threats left are Queen and Hayle, neither of whom I’m ready to depend on. Still, I’m not about to lie over and let myself die. I’ll do whatever is necessary to stay alive. And, seeing the look on Satoshi’s face, I know that he feels the same. “No surrender,” I pat him on the shoulder. “We fight to the end. Our goal is escape.”

He nods. “Just wish Boone had come with us. Would be nice knowing we had an escape route.”

I frown, thinking of something. “Can’t Boone just create a portal to us right now?”

“Boone can only create portals to places he’s been before,” Queen says from ahead of us. She doesn’t even look back at us as she speaks. “And we couldn’t have taken him with. He’s needed for Protocol Twelve.”

That’s the second time I heard that phrase. “What’s Protocol Twelve?”

There’s a long pause. The only sound the scuffing of our feet against the floor. “Protocol Twelve,” Queen says after a few moments pass, “is our fallback plan. In case we fail.”

She’s being cagey. “Yes, I understand that. But what does it entail?”

“It involves combining Boone’s Gift with the Gift of another member of our group to create an orbital laser.”

I almost stumble over my feet. “What? How—why?”

“Boone creates two portals,” Queen sounds distant, sad. “Each of them facing one another. Seven uses his Gift, the ability to shoot beams of light, and launches one of the beams into the portal. The beam goes into one portal and emerges right in front of the other, which then leads it back to the first. It gets trapped in a loop, constantly going back and forth between the portals.”

I don’t quite understand, but I’m following close enough to grasp the idea. “So the laser picks up speed…”

“Yes. Seven’s beams get stronger and faster the longer they go without hitting anything. Usually they’re quite weak and ineffective, but with Boone’s portals they can reach massive levels of intensity.”

I feel a combined sense of horror and awe as the full realization of this combined ability dawns on me. With that kind of power…

“But how could you use it?” It hasn’t fully clicked for Satoshi yet. “It’s just stuck in that loop, isn’t it?”

Queen sighs. “Boone creates a third portal behind the first, one leading to our target. Then he dismisses the first and the beam—”

“Hits your target,” I finish for her. And after charging in strength for so long it completely annihilates whatever or whoever it strikes. Which, in this case, will be…“If we’re not there to see him in an hour, Boone is going to destroy the Playing Field.”

The door that was once at the end of the hallway has abruptly come up to meet us. Queen and Hayle stop in front of it, hoisting King up between them. Queen turns to me. “Yes, Timothy. If we don’t rendezvous with Boone then Protocol Twelve will take place and the Playing Field will be destroyed.”

“Wait a minute!” Fear spreads across Satoshi’s face. “You’re saying that if we don’t get back there before Boone does, he’ll blow us all to bits?”

“More like vaporize us into dust, but yes. There is no other choice. We have to stop Black, no matter what. Even if he kills us all we’ll still see him defeated.”

The singleminded determination of these people is simultaneously frightening and amazing. It also, however, cements my theory that they didn’t break into the Playing Field to rescue us. Oh, that was something they intended alright, but not their main goal. That was—and still is—stopping Black and the Tarot.

“Couldn’t you have sent us away with Boone?” Satoshi sounds more angry than scared now. “I’d have rather lived then died here in this forsaken place!”

Queen gives him a scathing look. “Why didn’t you volunteer to go with him, then?” That shuts him up. He closes his mouth and looks at me, as if expecting my backup. I don’t supply it. I could have left, yes, but I chose not to. I want to see this through to the bitter end.

We fall into a silence that is broken only by King’s labored breathing. He really doesn’t look good. I’m not even sure if he’s still conscious. “Are we going in?”Hayle asks, pointing at the door before us.

Queen nods. “We have no choice. Shintaro destroyed all the other paths. If this is a dead end we’ll be forced to rendezvous with Boone.”

That seems to brighten Satoshi’s features, but it leaves me feeling a little uneasy. Nothing would be more anticlimactic than having to bail out of here before even confronting Dr. Black.

Queen has Satoshi take her place supporting King—who I am almost certain is unconscious now—and sets one hand against the door. The other draws her gun. She holds up three fingers and then starts mouthing a countdown. When the third finger goes down she turns and kicks the door in.

It swings open, revealing an office not unlike any I've seen before. The walls are a dark-paneled wood, the floors are highly polished linoleum, smelling slightly of cinnamon. A few potted plants fill the office's corners, and a large wooden desk dominates the room. Behind the desk, sits a man who watches us with wary eyes. He is not what I expected; a balding, heavyset middle-aged man who looks like he would be at home arguing at a parents teacher conference. Could this be…

“I’ve been expecting you,” He speaks slowly, his words almost a drawl. “I heard that you’ve been causing quite the commotion in our base.”

Queen aims her gun at him. “Where is Black?”

Guess he isn’t Dr. Black after all. But then who is he? The man leans forward and gives a sound that could either be a laugh or a wheezing cough. “Hopefully far away. Nero wanted to confront you, but I told him to stay back. Your Gift is quite formidable, after all.”

“Who is this?” Hayle asks. Him and Satoshi are both still supporting King, who is most definitely unconscious.

“I am called the Hanged Man,” The man drawls, leaning back in his chair. “It took quite a bit of effort to drag myself out of bed for this, so I hope you appreciate the honor.” He pauses, eyeing the four of us. “I am assuming you got past Shintaro?”

I surprise myself by speaking. “We did. Him and Vika are both dead now.” Hayle stiffens at the mention of Vika. Right. Forgot he was close with her.

The Hanged Man lowers his head. “Vika should never have gotten in your way. She still had so much life ahead of her…”

I frown, surprised by both his sorrow at her passing and his seeming disregard for Shintaro. But before I can ask about that, Queen speaks. “She killed my friend. Her death was deserved.”

The Hanged Man looks up, eyes flashing with some unknown emotion. “You broke into our home on a quest to murder us. What did you expect she would do?”

Queen shakes her head, pink hair flaring about her like a halo. “As if you haven’t murdered dozens of people! But enough of that. Answer my question or I’ll shoot. Where is Black?

“I am right here.”

Everyone in the room spins at the sound of his voice. Standing in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back and staring imperiously down at us through his beaked mask, Dr. Black himself makes his entrance. I gape at him and his sudden appearance. I didn’t even hear the door open!

“Nero, I told you to stay away!” The Hanged Man seems to try and attempt to stand, but he only gets halfway up before slumping back down into his seat. “This is too dangerous!”

“My thoughts exactly,” Dr. Black’s voice is still garbled my the modifier. He sends his masked gaze across the room, pausing on each of us for a few seconds. I hold his gaze. Wonder just what is going through this man’s head. Does he earnestly believe what he is doing is right? Finally, his head swivels to the Hanged Man. “We can ill afford to lose you and your Gift, so I will deal with this girl for you.”

“I have some questions for you, Black,” Queen isn’t the least bit fazed by that not-so-subtle threat. “And for your sake you better answer truthfully.”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

“Just answer the questions.”

He flicks a finger at her. “It is hard to answer questions that have yet to be asked. I am many things, but a mind reader I am not. Vika could perhaps have done so, but you murdered her, didn’t you?”

There’s a hiss of breath from Hayle. His eyes glint with anger, but for whom? Queen, Black, or myself? I was the one to kill Vika. I haven’t forgotten that and I doubt he has either.

“First off, what have you done with the others you kidnapped? The ones who weren’t playing in this game?” Queen ignores the bait and keeps the gun focused on Dr. Black. He, for his part, just shakes his head.

“You really think that gun will work on me?”

“Answer the question or you’ll find out.”

“All of the test subjects that we currently have took place in the Black Games. All others joined the Tarot or are dead.”

Queen growls in frustration. Either because the answer wasn’t helpful or because of its content, I don’t know. “Brenda Lowell. What happened to her?”

Dr. Black taps one gloved finger against his mask. “Brenda Lowell, hmm?” He makes a big show of glancing over at King, who Satoshi and Hayle have lain on the ground. “Oh, yes. She was his sister, was she not?”

“Answer the question!”

“Of course, of course. Patience is a virtue, Oreo. You must remember that.”

“Do not antagonize her!” The Hanged Man wheezes from his chair. “Nero, you mustn’t be here! This is their plan!”

I watch this interaction with quiet confusion. Dr. Black seems so confident that he can’t be harmed, yet Oreo is just as confident that her gun will harm him. Whose right? Whose wrong? I look towards Hayle and Satoshi, who seem to be desperately trying to rouse King. Not a good sign.

“Brenda Lowell joined the Tarot,” Dr. Black finally answers the question. He laces his fingers together. “She won the games she participated in and dutifully joined our ranks.”

Queen doesn’t outwardly react, just narrows her eyes. “Okay, next question. Where is Mr. White?”

Dr. Black splays his hands in the air. “My brother has gone off the radar. Unfortunately neither I nor any other in my organization has any idea where he has gallivanted off to. It is quite frustrating, I must admit.”

Queen shakes her head. “Lies. Where is Mr. White? What did he do with the others? Where is Imogen Sykes!” Her voice rises with each word until she is practically shouting. Face flushed red with the emotion, she grips her gun with both hands and takes a deep breath. “Tell me where Imogen is or I’ll end you right now.”

“Was it worth it, Oreo?” Dr. Black reaches up and throws his hood back. Hands reach for the clasps on his mask. “Tell me the truth. Was coming here worth it? All of your comrades are dead. Kevin Lowell just passed away a few seconds ago.”

I spin to examine the prone body of King and immediately notice the ashen face of Satoshi. The dismay on his features. He meets my gaze and nods his head, confirming what I had feared. King is dead.

Dr. Black undoes the clasps on his mask, but holds it in place, the beaked mask hovering over his face. “Truthfully, I do not know what has become of Weiss. Him and the Priestess took his Warpers, including your precious Imogen, and disappeared. I do not know where they have gone. However, that is no longer my concern. Death is about to attack Africa. My allies are waiting to meet him. I will use my Gift to end your life, then go to join them. The only way to stop me is to use your own Gift. Can you do that? I do not believe you can. Goodbye, Oreo.”

He drops the mask. I watch as it falls to the floor, hits the linoleum, and bounces a few paces before coming to a stop. One of the glass eyeholes has cracked. I don’t know why I notice that.

“Goodbye, Nero.” Queen whispers as she squeezes the trigger.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

Three gunshots ring out. In an enclosed room the sound they make is deafening. I hear nothing but the ringing of my ears as Dr. Black staggers back, three seperate bullets taking him square in the face. For several moments he just stands there, swaying on his feet, then after what feels like an eternity, he collapses.

Queen steps forward and puts two more bullets into the back of his head. “I already used my Gift, Nero. You just didn’t realize it.”

I’m speechless. Unable to move. Mind whirling with the impossibility I just witnessed. Dr. Black has been killed by something as simple as a gun. It feels so…wrong. I had been expecting a climatic battle, a mind-bending encounter, or something else of that nature. To just see him gunned down is…slightly disappointing.

“She warped reality,” Satoshi’s voice breaks through the ringing of my ears. “She…I don’t know what exactly she did, but it was…”

Queen drops her gun, clutching her head as she falls to her knees. Blood streams out her nostrils. “I…turned his…Gift off. Made him…susceptible to bullets.”

“I told you to stay away, Nero,” The Hanged Man sighs. He leans forward, hands placed atop the desk. A faint white light is forming at his chest, glowing and twinkling as it grows. “I told you I’d take care of it. But you just had to intervene. You never could just sit back and let others help.”

The light is expanding. Brightening. I can’t even look at it without shielding my eyes. “Guys?” I stumble back, mind going numb with fear. “We should go. Now.”

No one responds. Everyone is transfixed by the light, mesmerized. It continues to grow until it has engulfed the entire desk and the Hanged Man as well. Queen kneels on the ground, hands cupped around her head. Hayle and Satoshi stare at the light. The all consuming light.

Then the light explodes. No, not an explosion. An expansion. The light swallows everything. For a long moment my entire world is nothing but that beautiful, terrible light. And then, just as quickly as it appeared, it’s gone.

And so are we.

Milan Pamalan
I wander the halls of the Tarot’s headquarters, a sense of melancholy washing over me as I realize that I am too late. So many bodies have piled up. Deaths that could possibly have been avoided, had I only been quicker. I left Junie and Tetsu behind to enter the hole that was created, but I never even made it inside before encountering the first corpse.

It was Vjena. Someone had stabbed her in the neck and left her to rot atop the hole. There was nothing to be done for her, so I lowered myself into the chasm and entered Dr. Black’s chambers.

What I found inside wasn’t any better.

More bodies. More dead Challengers. And, bizarrely, the body of a person I didn’t even recognize. He was in the middle of a hall, dressed in black spandex and armed with a type of handgun. I don’t know who or what he was, but he’s dead now, so I will mourn for him.

I don’t know who is left, as I aimlessly creep down these abandoned halls, crossbow held at the ready in the event Dr. Black or his traitors were to attack. But then, how many of his traitors even live? The announcements told of Amare’s death, and I found Vika’s body. She was shot through the heart, presumably by the black figure who laid dead in the other hallway. Why were they fighting?

I may never know.

The hallways are dark and silent. There is no noise beyond the squeak of my shoes and the quiet rasp of my breath. What has happened to the Tarot? Surely they didn’t just up and leave. And the other Challengers can’t all be dead, can they? But if they are…

It’s a sobering thought. If everyone here is dead except for me, then how would I ever get home to Ryle?

I continue on into the unknown, troubled by thoughts darker than the darkness that surrounds me. Several long moments pass by before I hear something that pulls me to a halt.

Voices.

I lower myself to the ground and creep forward at a crouch. A faint light comes into focus and the voices grow louder. Soon I can make out the words. “The Doctor is gone and so are the intruders. But what of the Hanged Man?”

I pause. I recognize that voice. But how could I? He died—

“I’ve rebooted the security system and have found no trace of him,” Another voice. One lacking emotion. Shintaro! “I believe that means his plan succeeded. So we will not find of him or the intruders now.”

I continue forward, arms trembling with anticipation, until I can see into the room. Three people stand in a triangle, having a discussion. Shintaro is one of them. Another is a black girl whom I first mistake for Amare, before remembering that she had a sister. And the third…

It is Hayden.

Confusion overtakes me. How could he still be alive? The announcement told his death. He himself let me know that the Tarot would kill him for revealing their secrets. But here is. Standing and talking with Shintaro, the very same person who supposedly murdered him.

They’re still talking and I can’t hold myself back any longer. I stand up, stride into the room, and aim my crossbow for Shintaro’s face. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t shoot!”

He barely gives me a glance. “You’d miss.”

Hayden gawps at me, mouth moving but no words coming out. Nailah is as emotionless as Shintaro, watching me with narrowed eyes but otherwise making no move. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried that they’re all traitors working for Dr. Black. Hayden had confirmed that Shintaro and Amare were, so why wouldn’t her sister also be with them? And for Hayden…

What if he only pretended to have remorse?

“I’d suggest you put the weapon down,” Shintaro begins to pace back and forth. My crossbow swivels to keep him in focus at all times. He doesn’t seem concerned. “We don’t have time for this, and if you fail to comply I’ll have to resort to force.”

“Don’t hurt her!” Hayden finally finds his voice. “She can help us! Milan is willing to forgive our mistakes…right?” He addresses these last words to me, his eyes wide with hope.

“You’re gonna have to explain what you mean first,” I am not about to do anything rash. I’m well aware that the three of them could probably beat me handily. But I’m also not willing to just let them get away with what they’ve done. “Because I was under the impression that you were dead, Hayden.”

He runs a hand along his bald head and sighs. “I thought they’d kill me. But they didn’t. I haven’t changed my mind about our actions; they were still wrong. Nor do I intend to forgive them…but I also realize that I have no choice but to work with them if I want to save the world.”

“Something happen?” He told me enough about the threat the world currently faces, but the way he is acting makes me think the situation has worsened.

“All of the Majors have gone to meet Death in battle,” Shintaro answers the question. He doesn’t look me in the eye. “They probably will not return. If that is the case, then what we have here will be this worlds last line of defense.”

I take stock of the amount of people in the room. Or, more accurately, how few of them there are. “Are we the only ones left? Has everyone else…died?” I have truly failed, then. Despite all of the information that was given to me I failed to save a single person.

“Hannah and Fernanda are still alive,” Shintaro says. “Right now I believe they’re attempting to get in contact with the rest of the organization.”

Six. Six of the thirty of us are left alive. But something doesn’t add up. “Who killed the others?” I ask, studying their faces. None of them look away. I see no guilt or subterfuge. “Someone had to have done it, yes?”

“Ryder killed many people,” Nailah answers.

“And I believe that the Hanged Man took out the remainders,” Shintaro is tapping away at his datapad. Apparently he’s gotten them working again. “Unfortunately I believe that the Doctor was also caught up in that. That is what the numbers seem to suggest, at any rate.”

Anger and fear mix with self-loathing and I don’t know whether to scream or laugh. How could I have failed so miserably? What was even the purpose of my plot to overthrow Dr. Black if everything was just going to end this way? “You’re really rejoining the Tarot?” I ask Hayden.

He nods. “The experiments are over. The killing is done. I…I need to protect Mia and Annalise. If siding with them for just a little longer helps…then so be it.”

“Then I’m in too.”

The decision was simple enough. If you can even call it a decision; I don’t have any other option at this point. The Tarot are the only ones capable of stopping Death before he destroys everything, and they are the ones looking after Ryle. If Dr. Black is truly gone and the Games are over…what choice do I have except to join them?

Hayden smiles at me. It seems forced. Despite what he’s said I can tell that the fact he has to stay aligned with the Tarot is eating away at him. He hoped to escape their yoke, but now he finds that escape is impossible. I understand, because I feel much the same way. I take a breath and face my new comrades.

“What happens now?”

Shintaro doesn’t look up from the datapad. “We’ll relocate to a new hideout. Gather information. If we don’t know what we’re up against we cannot—”

There’s the brief sound of footsteps and then two people are rushing into the room. Hannah and Fernanda. They pause to catch their breath as we all crowd around, looking for some unseen threat. “What is wrong?” Nailah asks.

“We’ve received word from the Majors!” Fernanda straightens out. “They’ve fought off Death! He fled! They saved Africa!”

Silence. We all exchange glances. Shintaro is the first to recover. “They prevented Death from destroying his target? Impossible. We’ve never done such a thing before.”

“What about the casualties?” Hayden steps forward. “How many are dead?”

A smile breaks out across Fernanda’s face. “None! Everyone is alive and accounted for!”

“That seems unlikely,” I say. From what little I’ve heard it is impossible to believe that literally everyone survived such an encounter.

“The Magician’s report was garbled,” Fernanda continues, “But he said that they were joined by Mr. White and the Priestess right before the battle began. Apparently they had a Warper with them.”

I don’t understand the term, but Shintaro and Hayden do. The complete shock that I see on Shintaro’s face is almost enough to make up for all the horrible things that have transpired. “This changes everything,” His voice is still low and quiet, yet different in tone. Almost reverent. “We must join the others immediately. If we have a true Warper on our side then we may actually stand a chance.”

I may not fully understand everything that has transpired, but some things are clear. The Black Games are over. Dr. Black is dead and all surviving Challengers have joined forces to save the world from some unstoppable threat, though for vastly different reasons. I didn’t get to save the other Challengers, didn’t even come close, but I can still save the world. I can be the one who brings light to the ever darkening shadow that threatens to overtake us all.

The Black Games are over and I am still alive. And as long as you’re alive you have a chance. And with that chance…you may just save the world.

Boone Dixon
Boone sat cross-legged on the floor, watching the crackling ball of light charge as it circulated between his portals. It had been charging for several hours now, and in a few moments it would finally be ready.

King and the others were probably dead. They weren’t at the rendezvous point when he came back to meet them. He had waited longer than he should have, but they never showed. That could only mean one thing.

They had failed.

It wasn’t something he expected would happen. In all the time he had spent with this group which, admittedly, wasn’t very long, he had never seen them fail a mission. King had always pulled a last minute trick out of his sleeve or Queen used her Gift and set everything back on track. But then, they had never tried such an ambitious task as this before.

His friends were dead. Boone didn’t know how to feel about that. Sad, yes, but he was also confused. He’d never really experienced loss before. What was the proper response?

“We don’t have a leader anymore,” Seven growled as he paced back and forth behind Boone. He was a dark, Ill-tempered man who rarely went on missions. His Gift was practically useless when not combined with Boone’s. “How will we survive?”

Boone didn’t respond. If all the others were truly dead then that meant he was the highest ranked person left in the group. But he was no leader. Boone wouldn’t delude himself otherwise. People frightened him. It wasn’t that long ago when he was eating his school meals in the bathroom instead of braving the crowds of the cafeteria. He didn’t know how to interact with people. What to say. How to respond to their attempts at conversation. It was so much simpler to just avoid them.

But then he met King and the others, and they helped him realize that perhaps interacting with people wasn’t so bad after all.

It was still exhausting, though.

“W-we just have to band together!” Six spoke up from the corner of the room, where she sat on a stool. A small, quiet girl who always wore her chocolate brown hair in a braid, Boone had rarely seen her speak in front of a group before. “Even without King and the rest w-we can still f-fight!”

Boone doubted that. None of the members who remained behind were leadership material. They were all broken people who had clung to King and the safety he offered like a life raft. He was the nucleus that held them together. Without him this group would most likely disband soon.

Boone didn’t know how he felt about that.

The golden light continued to crackle between the portals, whipping by so fast it was almost impossible to even see. The time for it to be unleashed was fast approaching. And then…

King and the others would be truly dead.

Seven and Six were speaking in low voices. An old conversation about what to do next, after the attack. Boone didn’t pay it any attention. He was too focused on the crackling light. Was Queen really dead? He couldn’t believe it. Once, when he was new to the group, he had asked her to explain her Gift to him. Everyone had told him that she was super powerful, that she was capable of basically anything, but he didn’t understand. Boone had wanted a real answer.

Queen’s response had been to ask him a question of her own. “Try to imagine a completely new color.”

Boone didn’t bother trying. He already knew from school that the brain cannot process or even imagine a color that is outside the range of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to humans. So instead he asked what that had to do with her Gift. The response he received chilled him to the bone.

“Because I can imagine a new color. And, if I wanted, I could make you see it too.”

Boone had never asked about her Gift again. That simple answer had terrified him beyond belief. He knew she had limits; she often suffered severe migraines or a bloody nose if she overdid her Gift, but he was afraid that with enough practice she would overcome these hurdles and be able to remake the world in her own image. Alternatively, she could lose control and then…

He didn’t want to think about what would happen then.

But that’s why he couldn’t believe she had died. Her Gift was simply too strong. Unless she outright refused to use it, how could she have died? What could possibly have been strong enough to finish her? And the entire reason they had aligned themselves with Hayle in the first place was because Five’s precognition Gift said that doing so gave them the best chance at survival. So Oreo must be alive. Somehow.

Deep inside himself he knew that this was just a wishful dream. Queen was dead, and so was King, Jack, Ace, and all the Challengers they had hoped to save. Even if some had managed to survive this long they’d be dead when the orbital laser struck.

Which would happen very soon.

Boone stood, drawing the attention of Six and Seven. They watched him silently as he approached the portals, flexing his hands in preparation. “Is it ready?” Six asked. Her voice was barely more than a hushed whisper.

Boone nodded. Soon the Playing Field would be nothing but a field of ash. Seven crowded around him, eager to finally see his Gift used to its full potential. Boone closed his eyes and imagined the sky above the Playing Field. He’d been there once before, when Three took him up during their reconnaissance of the area. This whole plan would have been useless if Boone hadn’t physically visited the sky; he could only open his portals to places he’d been.

Boone stretched one hand out and, after visualizing his birdseye view of the Playing Field as clearly as he could, snapped his hand into a fist.

A portal appeared before them, just behind one of the portals that contained the crackling energy. Through it they could see the Playing Field as if they were staring down at it from the sky. Absently, Boone created a fourth portal, right next to the third, so that they could witness the destruction themselves.

“Amazing,” Six breathed in awe. Boone glanced at her. He hadn’t realized his powers impressed other people.

“Do it!” Seven leaned in eagerly, eyes glinting with a malicious light. “Light those suckers up like a Christmas tree!”

Seven was always too eager to inflict violence. Boone had heard King reprimand him about that often enough. But, in this particular case, Boone found himself agreeing with him. The Tarot had murdered their leaders. They deserved to die.

Boone closed the second portal.

The intense light disappeared instantly, swallowed by the third portal. A plume of light speared down from the sky, consuming the Playing Field, covering it. The light continued to slam downwards, a wide column more than a mile across, billowing out only slightly as it drove deep into the earth, parting concrete and cement as it tore into the underground bases beneath, Then, within seconds, the light was gone.

Leaving behind nothing but a vast crater of ash and dust.

Seven whooped with joy, pumping his fists. Six wept openly. Boone just stood there, lost and confused, unsure how to feel. Doubt nagged at him. What if he had done the wrong thing? If his friends were still alive down there, captured by the Tarot, only for him to have killed them himself?

He stared through the portal, watching the ashen flakes drift through the air. Leisurely. Careless. Free. The puffs of soot fell like black snowflakes, descending upon the remains of the Playing Field. They drifted in corners, blowing in the breeze and curling in tiny whirlwinds over the broken rocks. They seemed so uncaring.

The ash continued to fall. Boone imagined what it would feel like to be that ash or dust. He’d be without thought, capable of simply being, not caring, or hurting. But he soon he snapped back to reality, realizing that he’d just be swept away by the wind, or wiped to nothingness by a broom. Just an annoying speck to be stamped out by those stronger than him.

He shut the portal.

“Did anyone escape?” Seven asked.

Six shook her head. “Just contacted Three. She says that she didn’t see anyone leave.”

There were ways of traveling without revealing oneself, but Boone didn’t think that was the case here. Everyone who was in the Playing Field was now dead. Whether they were apart of King’s group, the Tarot, or just the Challengers, no one had survived. Boone knew all the faces of the Challengers. He’d recognized them as part of his undercover mission. At least eight of them were still alive down there before the orbital laser struck.

Boone killed them.

He left Six and Seven in the command room and returned to his own quarters. Once inside he closed the door and sat on the floor, eyes shut tight as he adopted one of his meditation forms. He sought peace and tranquillity. After what transpired today he’d need it.

The Black Games were, without a doubt, over. Each and every person who had been involved were dead, with the exception of a single, solitary individual. And that was Boone himself. On the outside Boone appeared at peace as he meditated. Relaxed. Unworried.

But on the inside he was screaming.

Epilogue
I lift my head from the whispery bed of grass where it lay, body groaning with protest as I force myself into a sitting position. The sky is tinted orange with the setting sun, a soft, quiet breeze brings the sweet scents of wildflowers. A lone oak tree stands tall amidst the meadow as, around me, the others begin to stir.

“Wh-what happened?” Satoshi crawls forward, rubbing at his eyes as he takes in the scenery around him. “Where are we?”

I lie in a flower filled meadow, surrounded by the others who had been absorbed by the light alongside me. I see Timothy as he stands, swaying unsteadily on his feet. I watch Oreo as she crawls over to the prone body of King, attempts to wake him, and then breaks down in tears when she discovers what Satoshi and I learnt back in that room.

King is dead.

“What did that light do?” Timothy asks, spinning around. “Did we…get teleported?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.” We both jump in surprise as one of the two remaining bodies stirs. Though his limbs twitch and a voice rises from him, the Hanged Man does not get up. “I activated my Gift and…shunted us all to a new world…A completely different universe, to be exact.”

I crawl over to him, unsure if I heard correctly. “A different universe?” I want to say that’s crazy talk, but after everything I’ve seen I’d be a fool to dismiss this out of hand.

The Hanged Man inclines his head. It’s not a full nod. He doesn’t seem to have the strength for that. He’s so weak and frail looking, that I’m afraid the wind will blow him away. “I sent us all to another universe. One where you cannot get in the Tarot’s way.”

Oreo lets out a low moan. She’s still bent over King. We all watch as she removes his mask and checks his pulse. When she finds none she curls her hands into fists and spins to face the Hanged Man. “You sent us to another universe. You…you separated us from all our family and friends!”

That realization finally hits me. If we are truly in a different universe, what about my family? My parents? Are they lost to me forever? I feel numb inside. How is this any different than dying in the Games?

“I had to…protect…the Tarot,” The Hanged Man wheezes his words out. Still lies on his back, staring out at the sky. “Used the last of…my power to do so. I will die soon, but that is for the best. If I am…dead then Death will not follow you to…this world.”

I throw my gaze around the meadow. Desperately search for some sign that this is just a sick joke. Maybe we’re not in a different universe. Maybe he just teleported us and is lying? Yes. That could be it.

“What if he’s lying?” Timothy’s thoughts match my own. “How could we trust him?”

“He’s not lying,” There’s still tears in Oreo’s eyes as she stares at the Hanged Man, whose breath continues to get shallower with each moment. “His Gift is the ability to travel between worlds. As far as I know he’s the only person to ever have such a Gift.”

His eyes flicker open. Seek out Oreo’s. “Yes…the only people…with this ability…are myself…and Death.” The Hanged Man doesn’t blink. His eyes continue to stare forward sightless. At first I think it’s some sort kinda plot of his, but then it dawns on me.

He’s dead.

I take a shaky breath. We’ve been trapped in a different universe with no way to leave. The only person who could have returned us home is dead. I survived the Black Games, but at what cost? I’ve still lost everything.

“This world feels different,” Satoshi has finally brought himself to his feet. He licks his lips and glances around. “I don’t…I can’t sense any power. Other than our own, I mean. I’m not sure if this universe has Gifts.”

Oreo begins to respond to him, but I let my own gaze wander. The setting sun. The meadow and flowers. This place is beautiful, true, but it is not my home. My eyes travel over the body of Dr. Black. He’ll never know if his desperate plot would succeed. His final resting place is this meadow, underneath that tree—

A figure sits underneath the tree, his back resting against the trunk. Completely covered in bandages, the man has dark hair that hangs down to his shoulders and a pair of piercing purple eyes. The sight is so outlandish that I can’t believe I didn’t notice him earlier.

Concerned, I nudge Timothy in the shoulder. He turns to me and nods. “Yeah, I see him. He’s been there since we woke up. Hasn’t done anything yet. Just sits there and watches.”

Oreo and Satoshi are still talking. Unbeknownst to them, the man rises from his spot against the tree. He is completely silent as he makes his way across the meadow. Not even his footsteps make a sound. When he reaches Dr. Black’s body he bends down and removes his cloak. Timothy and I exchange a look. Should we be worried about this?

We watch in quiet trepidation as the man throws Dr. Black’s cloak over his own shoulders. Without even so much as glancing in our direction he begins to walk away, passing by King and the Hanged Man’s bodies. He pauses on the edge of the meadow. Oreo and Satoshi’s conversation falls silent as they finally notice him. Something lying in the grass has grabbed the man’s attention.

“Who are you?”

The man’s eyes swivel to look at me. He frowns, as if my question has thrown him off. For several long seconds he just sits there, staring at the grass. Then he bends down and picks up King’s mask, the one Oreo had discarded. “Who am I?” He makes an odd sound. Perhaps a laugh. “The person I was no longer exists. He has ceased to be.”

I nod. Somehow I can understand that. Relate to it. This isn’t my world. Hayle Saraceno was lost the moment the Hanged Man shunted us to this universe. I don’t belong here, didn’t exist here, don’t exist here. I’m just…just a forgotten memory of a forgotten world.

The man slides the mask over his face. Sunlight glints off it, seemingly illuminating the bright red “K” emblazoned on it. “You wish to know who I am? Very well.” We all watch in pensive silence as he turns to face us. The fading sun shines down, grants an aura of sadness around him, as if he had never felt what it was like to love or be loved; to feel pain or give pain. The man stared back at us and I knew that no matter where I was or who I’d become, as long as I followed this man I’d never be lost.

“Once I was known as Acheron Bane. But you can call me King.”

Status Chart
The Black Games have finally come to an end! It’s been a long and arduous road, but these Games have finally reached their conclusion! With that said there’s still an epilogue left, so stay tuned for that. I expect it’ll be up in a day or two. And, for what feels like the thousandth time, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your support.