Avery dragged Kai along behind him, feet pounding on the white tiles of the hallways. Their pace was considerably slower than he would have liked, but he didn't want to force Kai to go faster than she was right now.

His breathing was already catching in his lungs when the turned another corner and saw Corben against the wall, legs bent upward, arms draped over his knees.

Aver came to a stop, his shoes squeaking and scuffing in complaint to the sudden lack of motion. Kai stood beside him, panting, hands on her knees, and a twinge of guilt shot through him. Then his attention turned to the boy in front of them.

Corben looked like a wreck. His hair was chased into points and curves, flopping in senseless directions, such a contrast to the order its white strands usually held. His eyes are swollen and red, and his cheeks were a blotchy pink. And his lips were a mess, flecks of chappedness and spots nibbled raw and-

Avery flushed hot, and not just from the run. He shouldn't be staring at Corben's lips, even if they were just the right shade of pink, almost like a rose. He shook his head, fast, chasing away those disorienting thoughts.

Kai finally looked up, and her soft face creased into something of sympathy, and, Avery noticed, just a hint of pity. "Oh, you poor dear! Whatever is the matter?"

Corben scowled at the two of them, and the look paired with the slightly unhinged aspect to his appearance made fear grip at Avery's chest. The look wavered, then dropped into one of sullen emptiness. "Maylea almost drowned," he said slowly, as if the words weighed down his tongue and it was a struggle to get them out.

Avery drew in a sharp breath, and Kai gasped, her hands covering her mouth. Corben exhaled a long, thin breath, chasing his fingers through his hair again, leaving it swept back in such a way that Avery was finding it hard not to stay fixated on it, on the slight yet telling motions that Corben was pushing himself through.

"She's ok."

How did these words seem to be more sorrowful than the last? Why did it seem like her being ok was somehow more of a tragedy than her drowning? Apprehension quivered in Kai, but he tucked it away. He would have time to examine all of these strange feelings later.

Kai stepped forward and knelt in front of the older teen. "Well," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's terrible that something like that happened to Maylea, but I'm guessing from your still damp hair that you're your one who saved her?"

Corben had flinched at her touch at first, but now he seemed to be softening, closing his eyes. "She's ok," he whispered again, but these words were filled with awe and exhaustion. "She's ok."

Kai took one of his hands in both of hers. "You should probably check on her," she said, then made a face and flipped his hand over, revealing red smeared across the palm of his hand. "Oh hun."

Avery stiffened at the sight of blood, and took a step back, instinctively. It honestly could have come from anywhere in his hand, but his entire palm had a reddish tint to it, so he couldn't tell where the actual wound was.

Corben snatched his hand back. "I'm fine," he snapped, cradling his hand to his chest for a moment, then dropping it. "I just got a couple cuts from the glass."

Kai knitted her eyebrows together, frowning at him. "Glass? What on earth were you doing today, Corben?"

Corben ran his fingers through his hair again, and this time, Avery realized that the tips of his white hair was a faintest pink-from the blood on Corden's hand. Bile rose in his throat, and he had to turn away.

"I told you, Maylea almost drowned. A glass box- it, it was filling with water and I couldn't stop it and she kept screaming and I couldn't think and I don't even remember what I found but it cracked and there was glass and water and Maylea and-"

His words jumbled together, too fast for his tongue to catch up to them, and Corben's hands had started to shake. "Not that you needed to know any of that." He balled his hands into fists, but Avery could still see them shaking.

Kai clicked her tongue. "That's it. I'm sending you to your room and you're going to take a nap, because after roday, you clearly need one."

Corben scowled at her again, but it lacked its normal venom that was laced into his eyes. This time, he just hung his head, defeated. "Yeah, I guess so."

He started to get up, and Avery stepped forward to help the other teen up, but instead, he almost had himself drug down to Corben on the floor.

Finally, Corben was up, swiping his hands on his pants, and Avery could just imagine the smears of dark red staining the fabric forever.

Kai fluttered her hands at the taller teen. "Go on then, nap time. Avery-" she turned abruptly to face him, making him jump. "Let's head on out to find the others. And maybe some food, because I don't about you, but I am starving."

She hooked her arm through his, but Avery wasn't looking at her. He was looking at Corben, his gaze trained blankly at one the wall.

|{}{}{}|{}{}{}|{}{}{}|

Carmen was huddled on their bed, the blanket wrapped tightly around her. She was still upset with Corben, but she knew that holding onto the anger wouldn't do much for her. He wouldn't care, and it would only make getting out of this trap all the more difficult.

There a soft click, and the inner panel of the door swung open, revealing Corben leaning roughly on the doorframe, eyes shaded and dark.

Surprise stiffened her chest at the sight of him, with blood smeared on his pants and tear stains on his face.

A small flare of anger blurred her vision. He didn't deserve to be the one crying. He was the one that had hurt her, not the other way around. Unless...

"Is Maylea ok?" She blurted, panic clawing at her throat at the thoughts that had started filling her head. They couldn't have lost Maylea! No, no the needed to get everyone out of here and fast. Had it really only been a day since they had arrived? Had they already lost one, so soon? Was she next or wou-

"She's fine."

The words snapped her out of her thoughts, and she stared at him as he walked over to the bed, his footsteps heavy and thudding, sending shivers through her.

He sat next to her, shifting the mattress, and Carmen tried to hold back the squeak that came out involuntarily. She clutched the blankets tighter and tried to shift away from the older teen.

It was silent for a long time, and Carmen could feel the tension stiffening around them, strangling her lungs and making it hard to breathe. "You're a jerk," she finally whispered, pressing her lips together.

Corben sighed and fell back on the bed, not looking at her. "I know." His voice seemed so tired, so sad, that for a moment, she felt bad for him.

Carmen pushed it aside. "You yelled at me."

Corben sighed again. He seemed to sigh so often, as if it was the only way he knew to express his feelings. "I know," he said again, guilt clear in the words.

"You should apologize," Carmen said, leaning back on the bed, so they were staring at the ceiling together. It creaked, and the mattress shifted from the weight, and she found herself staring at Corben.

"I know."

He didn't even look at her, just kept staring at the ceiling, and she could see tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. She brushed one away, fluttering her fingers over his skin.

A heartbeat, a moment of pause. "I understand," she whispered, as if raising her voice any higher would break the fragility of the moment. "You can do it later."

"No." He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, opened them again. "Carmen, I'm sorry. I was way out of line, and even if I was stressed about Maylea, I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm sor-"

He turned to face her, words still on his lips when Carmen pressed her own to his, tears softly tracing down her cheeks.

When they parted, Carmen kept her eyes closed and touched her forehead to Corden's, lips tingling. "I'm sorry too."

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Juno held Maylea in her lap, tucking the blanket closer around her. She had dozed off, exhausted after everything that had happened to her that day.

He stroked a strand of hair off her face, and exhaled slowly. Only a day. Only a day since they had been brought together, and for what? For Carmen to be poisoned? For Maylea to drown? For them to die, one by one?

Juno shivered, and squeezed his eyes shut tight. He needed a nap. He needed a break from all the chaos of the past twenty-four hours, all the fear and high-pressure moments that had been pinging him around. He could take a nap, right?

He shifted Maylea so he could lean against the bed, letting his breathing soften as he felt the tendrils of sleep he had been ignoring all day finally catch up to him, dulling all sensations until all he was aware of was the warmth of Maylea and the sweet acceptance of sleep.

And then shrill, sudden, startling screaming.

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Veronica was the last one to stumble into the Dining room, panic coursing through her. "What on earth is this about?" She snapped, holding up her band, which was wailing a piercing tone. She was getting a headache.

Blair, who had wrapped his band up with a scrap of cloth, shrugged. "Why are you asking me? I know less than you!"

Veronica rolled her eyes, stepling further inside. "I was just asking in general, Blair." She put her hands on her hips. "Anyone else have useless input on this stupid situation?"

And then she looked. Like, actually looked at the other teens, gathered and clustered in the room. Blair plopped in a chair, with Charlie draped over the top. Maylea curled on the other chair, with Juno sitting at her feet, head resting on her knees.

Avery, Kai, and Azalea all settled in front of the fireplace, a plate of cookies between the three, half empty. And... Corben and Carmen, at opposite ends of the couch, tension rippling so tightly that Veronica could feel it, even at the entrance to the room.

A click. A door. The tap tapping of shoes. Mr. James, standing there, a white folder in one hand. "Children."

Veronica rolled her eyes at the greeting, irritation itching under her skin. "We're teenagers," she said roughly, annoyance dripping from her voice. "Now can you please make the stupid devices stop screaming?" She shook her wrist at him, but he didn't seem to notice. Instead, his eyes were flitting around the room, as if counting.

"You're all here. Good. I believe it is time we have another discussion." He strode toward the table, setting his folder down on it, fixing the cuffs of his suit. "I have much to tell you, and I have no doubt that you have many questions for me. Yes, Avery?"

He nodded at the other teen, who had had his hand raised. "Oh, yes. So, are we all about to start training to become varying types of Robins? Because I don't think I would look good in the weird leotard thing he wears."

A sharp cry from Kai, and she was falling backwards into the rug, desperately trying to cover the laughter bubbling out of her.

Mr. James' brows dropped, just a millimeter, but Veronica noticed. "No, you are not about to become orphaned vigilantes. That would be extremely irresponsible."

Corben snorted. "Says the guy who has a massive fish tank under the vents."

The man ignored him. "I have come to discuss our next course of action, which will start tomorrow and continue for the remainder of your stay."

When no one said anything, he continued. "Starting tomorrow, we will begin a series of virtual tests and trials. This way, the Mast will be able to collect the necessary data without any harm to the users." He paused. "That would be you."

"Consider this like a highly advanced virtual reality system, except you will be able to feel and use your senses within the simulation. Of course, everything will be felt by stimulating your brain, so, once again, no harm will come to you."

"In the various simulations, you will be given roles and missions to fulfill to further the storyline and complete the simulation." He paused, opened the folder, closed it again. "If anything tragic is to befall you during the simulation and you die, you will remain in a state of unconsciousness, unharmed, until the simulation is complete."

Blair raised on hand. "So... you're saying we're going to be in a video game?"

Mr. James listed his head, blinked, then straightened his composure. "I suppose you could say it something akin to that."

"And what if we don't want to play?"

The arrogant scoff came from Corben, who had, at one point, vacated the couch and was now leaning against the wall, arms folded. Apprehension tingled in Veronica at the sight of him, with the smallest twinge of fear.

She hated that feeling.

Mr. James steepled his hands in front of him, fingers splaying out. "My dear Mr. Paterson, I believe you have misunderstood me. This is nonnegotiable. Your participation is required." His eyes darkened, and the fear in Veronica bloomed into something deeper. "Or else."

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DUN DUN DUNNNNNN

Also I have grown tired of waiting on the shipping to start so I'm going to start tossing out pairings left and right

You better make up your minds soon, cause this is gonna start to get wild fast, especially with the simulations.

Speaking of the simulations, what are your thoughts on that? And do you have any ideas for future simulations? Dont be afraid to let me know!

Bye now :)