I push myself up from the cold concrete floor, every muscle aching and sore. That last attack did a number on me, but I can't show any weakness, not now. Blackwood chuckles darkly as he watches me struggle, amused by my pathetic display. "I knew you would give up eventually, Ande. You may be the top student here, but you're still just a boy. You could never hope to defeat me."I ignore his taunting and slowly reach my feet, leaning against the wall for support. As much as I want to drop and admit defeat, I know I can't. My classmates are counting on me to stop this madman. If I fail, who knows what horrors he has planned for them? The destitute let out an irritated sigh, growing impatient with my resilience. "Just admit it's over; come bow before me. I may let some of your little friends live if you beg prettily enough."A new fire lights inside me at his threatening words. I'll die before I let this monster hurt anyone else. Scanning the room desperately for anything that can h
(Ethan's POV)My hands shake as I move quickly between the lab stations, gathering any supplies that could be of use. The guilt and fear are almost suffocating, memories of my past betrayal threatening to overwhelm me. How can ande trust me again? After Everything?I see a flash of red hair and a small teasing smile and I have to close my eyes over the onslaught of painful memories.Valerie.God, why her?Shaking my head, i push the thoughts out of my mind.I can't lose focus, not when so many lives depend on what I create here. Ande's fiery words sparked a new determination in my core but facing down blackwood is a whole different beast. I knew the labs offered the best chance of slowing or knocking him out however. The distance provides more time and cover than the weapons vault, and chances are high the principal has sealed that location by now anyways. I'm just finishing mixing a few volatile compounds when I hear shouts and pounding footsteps approaching. Dread sinks in my
(Ande's POV)We make our way through the barren landscape, trying to put as much distance between us and the school as possible, the tension in the air is palpableI keep stealing glances at Jay, trying to gauge his state of mind. He seems disoriented, his brow furrowed in confusion, but there's also a subtle intensity to his gaze, a hint of something primal and untamed. "Hey…" i murmur softly. At his aknowledging him, i continue."Do you remember anything?" I ask quietly, unsure of how he might react.Jay shakes his head, his expression troubled. "No, I... I don't know what happened to me," he mutters, his voice barely above a whisper. "A-all I know is that I woke up and everything was a mess."I nod, understanding dawning. "Y-you were o-one of the test subjects," I say, my heart sinking as i remember his screaming. Gulping, I continue shakily, "We were in the same lab. Whatever….. whatever they did to you, it's left you with... abilities. Dangerous ones." I say haltingly.Jay's e
(Ethan's POV)I tighten my grip on the stolen access card as I lead the three boys down the dimly lit corridor. Moving as quietly as possible, I crept along the maze-like hallways of the school followed close behind by Jackson, Ava, and Diego - three other students who had agreed to join my mission. I can't believe I'm doing this - sneaking back in after what happened. But I have to try, I have to make things right somehow."You sure about this, Ethan?" whispers Jackson, one of the boys following close behind me."It's crazy dangerous, going back in there."I nod, not trusting my voice. The guilt is eating me alive. If only I'd been braver, if only I'd tried to help the other kids instead of running away. Maybe I can still make a difference, even if it's just for these three. We make our way down the dimly lit corridors, the stolen keycard granting us access to the lower levels. The further we go, the more the place feels...off. The usual bustle of activity is gone, replaced by
There is a dismembered hand lying on the floor, partially obscured by the doorway. My stomach lurches at the gruesome sight, bile rising in my throat.The skin is pale, the fingers contorted, and there's still fresh blood pooling around it. I freeze, my eyes fixed on the grisly scene.Ethan and the others hadn't noticed it by the looks of things, their focus probably only on getting into the school undetected. But I can't tear my gaze away. Something about the hand catches my eye - it appears to be clutching a small electronic device, a tablet of some kind. Swallowing hard, I slowly approach the severed limb. I need to get a closer look. Crouching down, I carefully pry the fingers open and retrieve the tablet, wincing at the sticky, warm sensation of the blood on my skin. My heart is pounding as I examine the device, realizing it's emitting some kind of frequency. An idea struck. Quickly, I pull out my jammer and connect it to the tablet, grinning as I gain access to the video.
I'm in my office when a guard bursts into my office, breathless and wide-eyed. "Sir, there's an urgent joint summit being called. You're expected to attend immediately."I let out a frustrated sigh. These summits always mean more demands and red tape to deal with. "Can't they handle this without me for once?" I grumble.The guard shakes his head. "I'm afraid not, sir. They've specifically requested your presence."I groan in frustration, slamming the files shut. The benefactors - those stupidity wealthy elites who oversee the Games - are the bane of my existence. "Unbelievable. Can't they see I'm up to my neck in work here? We're still recovering from the disastrous events of the last Games."The guard shifts nervously. "I'm afraid they won't take no for an answer, sir. They said it's non-negotiable."I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a migraine coming on. "Fine, fine. Tell them I'll be there momentarily." As the guard scurries off, I mutter a string of curses under my breath.
(Ande's POV)Ethan's head snaps up, his eyes wide with fear. "No, please, Ande! I swear, I won't do anything like that again. I'm with you, all the way. You can trust me, I promise.," he said, while desperately leaning to us for trust. I hold his gaze, searching for any hint of doubt or deception. After a long moment, I nod slowly. "Alright, Ethan. I'm going to hold you to that promise. We can't afford any more risks, not when we're so close to freedom."Ethan nods, his shoulders slumping with relief. "I understand, Ande. I won't let you down, I swear it."Before I can say more, Jay suddenly interrupts us, his gaze strangely vacant as he clutches the sleeve of my shirt. "Ande," he says, "Ande…""Jay, what's wrong?" I ask, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You seem... different."Jay turns to me, his eyes clouded with an almost otherworldly intensity. "We need to go back to the school," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's important, Ande. We have to leave go back now."I'
(Ande's POV)I shake my head, refusing to believe what they're telling me. "No, I can't have done this. There must be some mistake." I couldn't accept that in the slightest bit, how could everything turn out this way, we had come so far and yet this was supposed to be the result?No, it couldn't possibly be this way. "Ande, listen to us," Ethan says, his tone urgent however I looked away from him, the last thing I wanted on my plate was someone to interfere with how I felt but he was persistent an attribute that I had hated for quite a while now. "We all felt... different, after what happened in the lab. And now, with what's happened here... we can't risk staying any longer. For our own safety, and for yours."I want to protest, to demand answers, but the fear in their eyes gives me pause. I took a deep sigh, surely this wasn't the end of everything, I knew there had to be some sort of way but the opportunity seemed difficult to come by. "I understand but I'm sure there's a cure