A/N: It's been a while...

My eyes widened behind my mask. My chest had a dark pulling feeling not letting me breathe properly. I refused. I shook my head. I didn't want to. I wasn't going to. The woman looked at me sympathetically. I could see everyone else watching me.

"I'm sorry Ohm... I really am. But it is not possible to change the programme. If you do not complete the challenge, you will be... disqualified."

Everyone seemed in shock when I quickly uncrossed my arms and stepped off the wall. Am I really that weak...? Wanting to save my own ass rather than save someone else's? I felt awful. Guilty. But I made my way forward as slowly as possible with the speed of a snail on a treadmill.

Slam also had a sad look on his face. As if he was about to cry. He looked at me and I knew he could understand me so I managed to at least whisper to him a quick 'I'm sorry.' Before we each turned around and took 5 steps away from each other ant turned back around.

"Remember Ohm. No unfairness."

I looked at her with a 'Really?' look and she seemed to hide in her lab coat. I took a few deep breaths in and held my breath as the timer was counted down. Just as the timer reached one, someone burst through the doors. A man in a black suit with a tie ran up to the woman with a piece of green paper. I managed to get a glimpse of the letter but I only recognised the boss' stamp. "Approved."

The woman looked over the letter twice. Her eyes widening. She flailed her arms for a few seconds looking like an ill paced fish while opening and closing her mouth, looking helplessly at the man.

"But they can't! These are the good ones!"

"Sorry Miss, but order-"

"No! New arrivals weren't supposed to be here for another month!"

The guy looked down shamefully. "I do not take any responsibility since I am not the one who controls the order. Bring them in by 4."

The man turned around. Scanned us with his eyes and I noticed his breath quiver when he looked at me. He gave a curt nod and with that, he was gone.

"I... Please, you two, check on the hall since we're going there next."

Her 2 assistants nodded and left. She turned to us with a sad look.

"I can't believe I'm about to tell you this. Guys, there is trouble. You guys will be taken to the extraction chamber at 4 pm."

Some people looked shocked and happy at the same time. Rumours like: they get you a better life, they let you go and things like you will be getting awards... But that is far from true. Once everyone looked at her expression they all stopped talking and she continued.

"It's not heaven, I'm not allowed to tell you this... But Ohm knows this. There was an accident 9 years ago. Our security wasn't the best. And there were only 7 students at the time. Ohm was one of them. He witnessed what happens in the extraction chamber. I am so sorry... But I will say this. Be prepared for whatever it takes... To get out. Please. You are the best students we ever had..." 

Her eye watered a bit. I felt like I wanted to cry too. Suddenly the door opened and the 2 assistants went back.

"Oh great! I just finished the presentation. We are ready to go."

The 2 guys held the doors while we were all lead to the hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a bunch of other presented tactics, it was 4 pm. We were lead out by the woman, who's name I learned was Julia. She looked nervous and I knew why. I cleared my throat. She looked at me.

"It's gonna be okay."

I whispered. She looked at me with shocked eyes but relaxed not to attract attention and smiled at me. Once we were in the white room, the door closed with a metallic magnet plus a hissing sound. We were all lined up horizontally facing a whiteboard and 2 different staff members.

The 2 guys smiled fake smiles. 

"Today we will be all giving you a reward for completing most courses correctly and with outstanding performance. We will be back shortly."

There was a door next to the whiteboard and a window next to it so we could see the 2 people looking at us through it. One of them moved something, possibly a lever, but nothing happened. When I looked around everyone seemed skeptical. One of them exited.

"It appears our system has glitched. We will be back shortly with your rewards."

Muffled whispering was going on around me saying stuff like 'What are they planning.' 'It's not something good, is it?'

I cleared my throat and made a decision I will regret. Everyone went silent as I spoke the one phrase.

"They're gonna kill us."

Nobody made a sound after that. The sound of silence was so tense that you could feel the air pressure on your chest.

"Is that what the woman meant when she said you knew?"

Slam asked me.

"Yes."

After I said that the guy came back.

"The system appears to be in order so your awards will be given out in a moment." 

Anger flew over me. How the fuck is he able to lie about this? Killing any people for no reason. He probably did this many times the sick fuck. I hadn't noticed that the guy who I was staring at intensely was on his knees on the floor with his own hands around his throat. Slam noticed something I didn't and yelled for Adam. The guy looked to where Slam pointed and immediately, thick vines emerged out of nowhere and flew towards the door where the other guy was standing. The plant tore the door off its hinges and crept inside as it proceeded to wrap around the man and suffocate him.

I recognized someone. It was Vanoss. He was staring at the dead men on the floor. I quickly ran to him. Well, you ask how I know him. Who doesn't? I got the word off Slam he's all famous out in the lab. Does the best performance. I grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the entrance door where it was sealed shut on magnetic.

"Melt it."

"Wha-? You tal-?"

"Just do what I told you!"

Luckily no one else was listening. I grabbed his palms and pressed them towards the door. He closed his eyes and scrunched up his face and the metal around his hands turned magma orange. A click was heard from the lock as I flung open the door. Slam's voice echoed in the corridor as we ran towards the dining hall.

"We gotta get out of here..."

But we were stopped in our tracks when we saw 10 guards in our path holding Julia hostage.