Jonni reads the instructions that I saw on the computer: "Hello and welcome to the infamous Dark Web. You fools might get out alive or not. That will be up to how long you can handle everything before you break."

"You don't know me then. This jackass clearly doesn't know me," Jonni remarks, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the computer with a smirk.

"There is no escape. You must play my version of the classic 'no love deep web' game. If you try to backout at any time, well, just know that you cannot do that."

"And how's that? The door is right there. I can just break down the door and walk the fuck out of here if I want to..." Jonni continues to say. 

I nod and head for the door, wanting to leave. Such a stupid prank. I grab the handle and turn it, but find that it won't open. I spin around and look at Spencer and then at Jonni. "Yeah, no, we're going to really have to break the door down to get out."

"I'll break it down," Jonni remarks, making a fist with his hand. 

Spencer throws his arm out, blocking Jonni's pathway to the door. "No breaking down doors. We don't have time to replace this." 

"So, we can't 'get the fuck out of here,' Jonni!!" I begin to jiggle the handle roughly and desperately. "See?" My heart begins to beat rapidly in my chest and I can feel it becoming difficult to breathe as panic and fear settle into my body.

"Ugh..." Jonni gasps as more texts flashes onto the screen.

"Believe me now, Jonni Kokkonen? You should. As I was saying, there's no escape once you enter the Dark Web. When we're satisfied with you, we'll leave ya alone. We've already hacked this computer's IP address and taken command of it. We can see you, though you cannot see us. That is how this works."

"Wait, so I guess this means, whoever this is can see how messy your room is, Radimiekins. Yikes. That's not a good first impression..." Jonni shakes his head, his tongue clicking as though he is scolding me.

The Finnish man then gestures around the room to where the few items of clothing are lying on the floor in a heap. 

"Shut up, Jonni! Like your room is any better?!" I retort back, mustering my bravery and courage. "My room is cleaner than yours!" 

"He's got a point. This isn't REALLY messy, Jonni." Spencer shakes his head. "A few clothes on the ground doesn't make it MESSY..."

"I walked in there a few days ago and it smelled like something died, mixed with farts and bad body odor - like sweat - after a game. Oh, and can't forget about the cheeto that was lying on the ground with ants racing all over it. You disgust me." Fabien tosses his eyes in utter repulsiveness.

"Fabs, not everyone is flaming gay and obsessed with cleanliness 24/7, like you are," Jonni retaliates.

"I agree," I remark with a sly smirk.

"Wait, how-how can you see us?" Fabien pipes up, clutching his mirror in his pale, shaking fingers. He faces the computer as though asking it the question.

"You're talking to a computer, Fabs. Like it can really..." Spencer begins to say.

Suddenly, the webcam lights up with a bright greenish-yellow light, before a window opens up on the screen: the stream for the webcam, displaying their faces on the screen.

I thought this was just a fun challenge... I am standing before the door, with one hand on the locked handle, and my mortified face staring right at the blood computer. "I can just find something to put over the webcam and mute the mic!" I finally muster the courage to yell back at the computer. 

An evil snickering comes from the speakers, which makes my heart sink into my stomach again. "You clearly only know the basics of hacking, sweetie. You might have skills for decades to solve a simple challenge, but you have no REAL idea. I have complete control over your entire room right now. I can lock you in here, I can listen to you, watch you sleep... You can put tape over the webcam at the top, but that still won't prevent me from watching you." 

"How's that?!" Jonni asks. 

"I planted another camera in here. Trust me, I thought of anything and everything I can to make sure I have the upper hand." 

"Fine, we'll play your damn game and then just let us go. Okay?" Spencer finally remarks, breaking the eerie silence in the rather dark room, lit only by the computer's bright screen.

The window closes and the chat site returns.

"Excellent," new font is typed out by the hacker on the other side, wherever that was. "First, one of you must text this number here: (888)-313-0666. Once you have done that, further directions shall come."

Spencer looks at each of us. He then sighs and begins to withdraw his Samsung Galaxy S10 phone from his pocket. "I'll...I'll text it. As the captain--"

"No way, Spence. This is my fault," I interrupt him, placing the hand that was on the door handle now over my chest. "I'll do it." I take my new iPhone X out and type in the number quickly into a new text message.

"Radim..."

I quickly text the number with a, 'hi, what's the next step?'

But the message fails to send.

What the hell happened?