Once the nervous chatter amongst our peers had silenced, the lady continued saying, "None of you are safe. We've observed the way you guys played in both teams and by yourself. Unfortunately, we will be sending some of you home today. If we say your name, please come stand next to me."

"I'm not going to make it..." said Parker quietly. I could tell Victoria was thinking about the solo game we'd played, and Duncan worried because of his performance in a few of the group games. He was always slow when it came to directions. He didn't do well in the racing game either. I couldn't accept any of them being eliminated.

"Merci, Ashlee, Conner, Dean." The lady started reading off of a list of names. They slowly walked off to her. I saw many of them giving hugs, I recognised one of them from the team that had told us we'd won. They'd been so kind to us, now their teammates were leaving. "Kai, Avi, Nikki, and Eve," she continued. Again the same process from before. She did this a few more times and each time I recognised people from higher on the leaderboard and worried for my own team's safety. In the last group of people Olive was listed.

Once everybody stood in shame on either side of her, she said, "There's one twist. For some of you it means a second chance." Everyone perked up and listened to her intently, especially those who'd had to stand with her. I was glad none of my teammates had been eliminated but the twist had interested me. Parker was still silent at my side, all life had seemed to pour out of him when he worried for his safety.

"Last episode we told the viewers at home there would be an elimination, but we didn't tell them who'd be eliminated. They had the chance to save five of you, but since they hadn't known who'd be leaving, that may mean that none of you are saved. Are you ready to see who they voted for?" she asked, we all muttered something along the lines of "yes" "Okay" and "sure" so she told us.

Out of the five names listed only three of them were "saved" from elimination. Dean, Nikki, and Olive. Dean and Nikki gave each other a long hug and waited for further instruction. Olive looked anywhere but to Jasper, I hoped desperately she wouldn't have to go back to them. They hadn't deserved a kind girl like her. "If I didn't say your name, your things have already been packed. Please leave the complex and your bags will be brought to you. If you're missing anything please inform the guards."

They all did as they were told though they were rather reluctant. When they were all gone the lady had apparently decided she wasn't done with us. "We understand this leaves some of you at a loss of teammates. We have re-assigned any of the teams who had lost one or more members to other groups. This means everyone will now have a total of six teammates."

We all talked at once wondering who we'd get. That hadn't lasted long when we saw that the lady wanted us to listen. She waited rather impatiently, when we were quiet enough for her to talk she continued. She read off the people and which team they were to join. Olive and Nikki were put on D3. Jasper glared at them both and I swear I could have beat him right then and there.

We were given Dean, I was momentarily worried when I remembered he was going to be eliminated. I soon forgot about that when I told myself that by thinking in such a matter I'd be like Jasper. Besides, if Dean was a crowd favorite we could use him to our advantage.

The lady finished up her reassigning and left our view. She hurried off to wherever the people in charge stayed and we were off to mingle amongst ourselves. "Um, hey," Dean said when we were all just looking him over.

"Are you any good?" asked Victoria. I gave her a glare and she said, "sorry, not that it matters. I was just wondering," she flushed an unfamiliar shade red and looked to the rest of us.

"Don't listen to her. She just needs to be the best at everything," said Duncan as he initiated one of those 'bro hugs' I so often saw people do. I really hadn't known what else to call it.

"It's alright. I really shouldn't have been put on the team in first place anyway, I'll go talk to the lady later," said Dean. He still looked super uncomfortable, avoiding eye contact and he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"No, that's alright," I told him. Victoria looked slightly disappointed. "Right Victoria? The people in charge made him join our team and we will respect their decision." I thought I sounded like a mom again, making sure Victoria had understood my point clearly.

"Right, Right. Congratulations for being voted back in," she said half heartedly.

"Maybe you were just on the wrong team. Maybe you'll do better here," suggested Ambeline. He gave her a confused look and she asked, "What?"

"N-nothing. You just seem... well nice," Dean replied unsure of what else to say. Amberline had of course held a reputation around here, but Dean hadn't seen her with us alone. When she was a genuinely good person.

"Well," said Parker. "Welcome to D2."

Dean thanked him and we all started to walk back to our flat. Duncan again was the person we went to when we wanted someone to ease the tension around us. Parker was overwhelmed with his curiosity of Dean to be affected by whatever Jasper and Erin had told him. I hoped desperately that he would stay like that until I would be able to mend things between us.

When we got to our flat we were greeted by another letter taped to our door and a package waiting below it. Amberline picked them both up as we walked into our flat. We all stayed around the door as she opened the package first. We were given a tablet that opened up to reveal a video chatting app. "Open the letter now," I urged her.

"Okay, okay," she said as she opened the envelope. "It says Dear Gamers, we congratulate you all for passing the eliminations. We wanted to reward you with the opportunity to talk to your family members. Then it lists a bunch of codes with our names next to them."

"Who's listed first?" Asked Parker, looking over her shoulder.

"Duncan," she replied. We agreed to do the calls in the order they were listed. We typed in the code meant for Duncan and saw a couple brighten and they leaned forward.

"Duncan! We're so proud of you!" Said his mom almost too quickly. "Your brother is too, he's just workin' right now."

"I'm sure he is, how's Spot doing?" Duncan asked. I somehow got the feeling he didn't think his brother was as proud as his mom had said, I figured he also thought that his brother wasn't working.

"Great, he misses you," said his father. I couldn't help but notice that they talked to him as if he were a child.

"Can I see him?" he asked and his mom gasped saying of course and that she'd be right back. When she arrived there was a puppy dalmatian, hence the name Spot. Though he was still too young to actually show many spots.

Duncan cooed to his dog but when the dog got too restless to stay put they let him go. His parents attention was turned to Victoria. "Is that girl still being mean to you?" his mom asked, pointing accusingly to Victoria.

"No, she's all right. You don't need to worry about that," Duncan assured them. So, the scene where Victoria lashed out at Duncan was aired, it made me wonder what else had been televised.

"Are you sure? You remember what she called you, right?" Asked his dad.

"I'm pretty sure. I miss you guys, but the rest of my team has to call their family too," Duncan said to end the conversation.

"Okay, we love you. We all miss you and wish you luck, bye," his mother said as Duncan had hung up.

"I'm really sorry about that day," commented Victoria after his parents weren't on the screen anymore. He just dismissed it and typed in the next code, it was for Parker's family.

His family looked like the people you see in movies where the family is rich and perfect. His dad was dressed in khakis and a vest, his mom a pretty yellow sundress. He had a little brother who I assumed was about five years old. He looked bored, like he was forced to sit there and look pretty.

"Hi Parker," said his mom. She smiled kindly, though it seemed plastic.

"Hey mom..." he said, unsure of what was coming.

"Are you doing alright? That Jasper kid... he doesn't know what he's talking about. You're perfect," she told him, seemingly ignoring the rest of us. She praised him so much I almost stopped listening. The only thing that caught my attention was near the end when she asked if he were sure he could continue in the competition. The rest of us tensed when she offered to take him away. We knew that if he'd agreed the rest of us would be disqualified and we couldn't take that. He said no, and that he was fine. She hadn't trusted him and signed off wearily, telling him that Dean was a good person for him and suggested he talk to him. I could safely assume that she'd voted for him by the way she also praised Dean.

The next call was for Victoria, she had two parents who'd looked very strict. Her older sister sat straight up with a face almost as stern as her parents. Her younger sister reminded me more of Victoria, though she hadn't seemed interested. She slouched in he chair playing on her handheld device.

"Victoria," said her father.

"Dad," she replied looking away from the screen. She fumbled with her braclet waiting for the scolding she knew she'd get.

"You have been slacking, and you know it," he stated.

"Yes, Dad, I know. I'm sorry, I'll be better in the next game," she replied, still not looking him in the eye.

"Victoria, honey, why can't you play more like Grace? Other than that one mistake with the ice gun she's done great," he mother said. I was shocked and looked to Victoria to see if she would before correct her before I could. She just sat there.

"Ma'am, I'm glad you think so highly of me but we wouldn't be where we are now if it weren't for your daughter," I told her mom.

She waved me off saying, "quit being modest. We were told to keep these messages short, so we must go." With that her parents signed off. They hadn't said any of the usual "I love you" or even "good luck" and I wanted to call them back to demand that they say something like that. They hadn't stayed half as long as the other families had.

Nonetheless, we dialed the next number which happened to be Amberline's parents. They reminded me a lot of Parker's mom and dad but much colder. Instantly Amberline put up her act and was prepared for nothing sentimental. Dean noticed the change too but knew better than to mention it now.

"You are winning," said her father, no introduction needed.

"I know, of course we're winning," she replied coldly, not looking them in the eyes.

"Does your... team have to be present while we talk?" Her father continued by asking. It hadn't occurred to me that we'd been invading each other's privacy. I was willing to bet that it didn't matter to anyone but her dad that we were here watching.

"Yes, the people in charge told us to," she lied. I could tell that her father was dominant in her family, unlike the rest. She maintained a state of being uninterested, as if she'd practiced it so much she didn't have to try.

"Well, just be careful of who you befriend." That was the introduction of a rather long lecture on how she's practically rich and people would do anything for her money. Once her dad got into it, he hadn't seemed to care anymore that we were here listening to him. Which really meant something, considering he talked about how we were only being fake friends to her. We had to eventually cut him off and hang up so the rest of us could get to our calls.

It was my turn, and a fear of The Monsters momentarily affected my ability to do or say anything. I was paralyzed until I had the relief of seeing just her. I didn't know what I'd do if she relapsed back to The Monsters like she'd done so many times in the past.

She sat back in her chair as she greeted me and told me she missed me. There was a short introduction before she told me I was doing good. She said she was proud of me for standing up for my friends, and started offering the chance to see them all after the competition. I missed my mom and was glad to see her alone, it would have crushed me to see her with someone else.

Dean's parents were kind and supportive. They sat in what I assumed was their living room, quotes from the bible were scattered across the wall behind them. They were focused on praising him for still being in the game, they hadn't known yet about the eliminations. We weren't about to remind them.

When we finished all the calls we all started playing games on the regular console. It was such a downgrade from the virtual reality we experienced everyday, but we could deal. A few hours passed like that, Amberline and Victoria refused to acknowledge their parents but the rest of us were refreshed. We were in the middle of a game when we heard, "Attention please, gamers," on hidden speakers in our flat. We all listened sharply for what they were going to say.

A few minutes had passed when the voice continued, "Don't worry, there won't be another game right now, nor will there be another elimination. Instead, we decided to treat you." We all perked at that. "Come to the lobby to celebrate."

Curious, we all started heading in that direction. I was too surprised to really notice anything other than the direction I was heading. I hadn't even remembered how many less people there were now that eliminations had taken place. I just remembered going to the lobby with nothing really on my mind. I remembered getting there and being sent to our cubicles because the celebration would be in a simulation. I remembered dancing, singing, having fun. I remembered seeing Dean and Parker talk as they didn't take part in the dancing and really anything else for that matter. The next thing I knew we were all heading to our flats again; we were exhausted and ready to sleep. Our needs weren't met when we got a letter just after we'd arrived home, there was going to be another game. Tonight.