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CHAPTER SEVEN

ESCAPE~

" What was that? " I asked out of curiosity.

" Technicality failures or something trivial. " The Alienodroid doctor replied with levity and released the metal cuffs that held my wrist to the bed. " Take him to use the toilet then back to his chamber. " It added firmly instructing the guard that had walked in earlier.

" I thought you wouldn't let me. " I smirked like I was up to something.

" Keep an eye on him. " The doctor said as the guard followed me out of section 6 closely and towards the toilet. Well, like I had expected, the toilet room was a replica of what we had on Earth in those luxurious hotels and restaurants. Alienodriods don't excrete any form of biological waste products like sweat or urine so the toilets were built just for us. They really prepared themselves for this. I made my way into the rest room then shut the door as I began to answer nature's call.

" The doctor still thinks I'm planning something fishy. " I chuckled talking to no one in particular.

" W-who's there? ... " A terrified shaky voice to my greatest surprise came out from the other toilet compartment at my left. I could tell it was a human's because of the fear and speech clarity in it. " Please help me...they killed the others, they are after me too. " It was a male's voice. I could hear him cry as he spoke with a trembling jaw.

" Who's ' they? ' " I questioned.

" ... Tell him, tell him we didn't run around twenty times like he thought... " He said but I couldn't make sense of it.

" Tell who? I don't understand you! " I was confused as hell and curiosity made me raise my voice. Suddenly, I heard Alienodriod voices overwhelm the toilet room as they matched in hurriedly and forced his door open. Before he could say anything more, he was siezed and I heard him scream his heart out like a kindergarten kid who's unwilling to go to school. I rushed out to have a glimpse at his face but I couldn't recognize meeting anyone like him as I watched a few gaurds forcefully take him away. ' That sound earlier, that sound was like the smashing of a brick wall not a technicality issue at all.. he was being chased all along. ' I bit my bottom lip having figured it out. ' He spoke of death.. has it started? '

" It's time to go " The Alienodroid guard taking me to my cell said and forcefully grabbed my arm.

" Ow ow ow, take it easy, big guy. " I flinched. ' I have to tell Jane, I have to tell everyone. I can't keep this a secret any longer. ' I thought.

The second day of the STL phase was here already. The games had begun. All the groups took turns to participate in the proposed mental and physical game test for the day. Just like the previous day, it was a long session and the groups who failed were promised to face certain punishments. Group 7C had once again succeeded in another test, this time flawlessly. They sauntered into their group room with Leon boasting on how he single-handedly eliminated three players from the enemy team, Charlotte squealing in delight because she was never caught by enemy soldiers at where she hid, Yeona complaining in a humourous manner on how the fake guns smelt of raw eggs which served as the bullets, Jose constantly talking about his grandpa being an ex-military soldier and how he taught him military codewords. Elliot and Jane were the only two souls silent, their performance in the war game was also poor.

" Oh! The taste of victory! " Leon exclaimed standing on one of the steel benches in the room so that he was above them all to address them. " I hope we all enjoyed today's game? " He grinned. " And thanks to Charlotte's strategy... " He paused then winked at her and all Charlotte could do was return a demure smile, her cheeks getting evidently red. " ... We were able to conquer defeat. " He added with an arm up as a sign of victory that birthed a fairly loud cheer by the others, except the two silent souls.

" Ah-hem! " Yeona faked a cough afterwards then she softly nudged Charlotte on the ribs with a smirk on her face.

" What? " She giggled as she understood the reason for the nudge and smirk. " Tch, he's just thanking me for my effort. " She smiled feigning ignorance.

" Indeed " Yeona muttered with a chuckle.

" We deserve some champagne! " Jose grinned from ear to ear.

" A coldie instead! " Charlotte meant beer in Aussie English slang.

" Oh yeah Jose! " Leon's eyes widened in agreement. " Now I remember how much I miss sauerkraut! " He added with a childish tone evident in his voice.

" Sauer-what?! " Yeona gave a smug look, she was this close to exploding into laughter.

" Sauerkraut. " Leon repeated like it was easy to pronounce.

" And what the hell is that? " Jose and Charlotte chorused coincidentally then cast a surprised gaze at each other before laughing about it. Leon sighed pretending to feel stressed by explaining but he spoke anyway.

" Okay, Sauerkraut is a German... "

" That's enough y'all! " Elliot interjected with a yell and immediately silence explodes in the room. " Just ... S-shut up " he stuttered with his eyes shut and it was at that point in time everyone noticed his hands shaking, they had been shaking since they got into the room.

" What's the matter, Elliot? " Leon asked calmly also expecting a meaningful reason for shutting him up in such a manner.

" You wanna celebrate with champagnes, huh? " He asked rhetorically as he gave Jose a deep stare. " Do you know what's going on at the moment to those people who lost today's war game? " He added, his voice slightly raised and no immediate response followed afterwards. Everyone except Jane was befuddled.

" What do you mean? They're getting punished... It's nothing to worry about. " Leon spoke after a while and got down from the steel bench, victory speech was over, curiosity sets in.

" That's what you think. " Jane said under her breath and it made Leon cast a bewildered glance at her, he was getting more confused and curious. At this point, with the silence, the mood in the room had drastically dropped from exciting to uncomfortable.

" I think it's about time i updated you guys. Jane got to know yesterday after I got back from section 6, the place I got treated. " Elliot said then heaved a huge sigh. He was about to say something that might sound too fictional to be slightly believed or imagined but he began regardless.

" We are all tools for a project called ' UNITECH ' , a project these things called Alienodriods are working on. According to what they told me, it's a project that when accomplished it'll enable them dominate and control the universe and beyond. A power of Omnipotency... " He paused, licked his lips and sighs. The weight of the information he was releasing seemed to make the very air stuffy. His electric blue eyes narrowed around to see the looks on everyone's face. BLANK! They were all blank. He gulped a spoonful of spittle which made his visible Adam's apple heave.

" How do they intend on achieving UNITECH? ... They'll do it by taking... " The words couldn't just come out as he tried to speak.

" By taking what? " Charlotte's voice was coloured with fear at this point

" ... by taking o-our... " He choked on his words again.

" For heaven's sake Elliot! "

" By taking our F*cking mind! " Elliot yelled as he said in a rush.

" Oh my God.. " Charlotte covered her mouth with both hands. Everyone was startled. The atmosphere in the room was boiling hot, no one moved an inch, perspiration forming on Jose's forehead, Leon's mouth agape, Yeona's face painted with tension, Charlotte's eyes already teary.

" How do you know this? "Leon's words came out after a three minute dead silence.

" Não entendo " Jose was so cold he spoke Portuguese.

" The fourth Lord told me. " Elliot replied Leon.

" Who the hell is the fourth Lord? Why didn't the fourth Lord tell us all too? Why just you, Elliot?! Are you also one of them? Start talking! " Leon couldn't find another way to express his confusion and fear.

" I don't understand. " Jose repeated in English.

" They're giving us these mental tests to develop our minds to a certain level before they extract it from us. " Jane explained for Jose's sake. " They believe the people who fail the STL tests are not fit so they kill them after the game's over. That's what they call punishment. " She added then clenched her teeth in anger.

" How cruel " Yeona muttered dejectedly.

" This is bullshit! I refuse to believe any of this crap talk " Leon was about leaving the room in anger when he stopped in mid-stride due to Elliot's words.

" ' ..Tell him, tell him we didn't run around twenty times like he thought.. ' " Elliot quoted.

" Luke?! " Leon turned to Elliot in schock.

" You know him? Those were his last words. " Elliot said with pain in his eyes. Leon stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him that it shook the room.

" We have to escape.. " The tone in Elliot's voice changed, it was consumed with determination and in his eyes reflected a burning flame of will power..

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