Chapter 3: 1-2 My Value
Date: August 20-26
Place: Unregistered Island
[Noel]
A fire? No.
I glanced at the window where I saw something bizarre. Green?
"Isn't the rain supposed to be clear?" I murmured.
People have been running to the fire exit and others in some directions I'm not familiar with. Some holding their ears while talking.
"Roger that"
"We'll be there in a minute"
"Copy"
Students have been running past us saying those words.
I stare back at Patrick who's shaking from whatever he sees on his phone.
"We have to go," as he stood up, grabbed my arm, and we ran to the fire exit with a crowd of people.
"What's going on?" I tried asking him, and once is enough.
"Just run," he replied.
I did what he told me to and ran, he still hasn't let go of me and clasps my wrist even tighter.
I tried to think of why we were running when the fire alarm or any other alarm wasn't even turned on.
Running straight, turning right and left, running down some stairs, and bumping into people.
I can't see their faces quite well because it gets darker when we go deeper down.
A basement?
I can see a big white door lies far away in front of us. I let go of his hold and blurted something ridiculous.
"Why are you going to such lengths for skipping class?" I exclaimed.
. . . . . ?
Patrick just stood there, puzzled. Then he laughs.
"What are even you saying?" he says looking calm.
I sighed, relieved that he broke the anxiety that's been piling up.
"Just slow down, " I said.
"Okay" he answers wearing his best smile, but the word troubled is written all over his face.
I followed him, half running and half walking. Until we arrived at a big metal door. People came to halt and take a glance at me from time to time as we wait.
"What are you staring at? Am I that handsome?" I whisper.
He hands me a long piece of fabric.
"Can you put it on?" he says as he talks to some people around us.
I didn't know what to do with it. Put it around my neck and tied it like a cape. People started snickering, some hiding their laugh.
"Like this?" as I made Patrick turn to me. But he didn't look pleased.
"Your eyes. Cover your eyes, genius" he replied angrily.
My eyes? I did what he asked and put it on as a blindfold, totally blocking my vision. And the second I put it on I hear the doors open. Whatever their secret is, they don't want me identifying it. Footsteps and whispers are all I can hear as Patrick grabs a hold of me and run.
"I promise to explain everything, once we go to safety," he said.
[Patrick]
He was really confused and doesn't have any idea of what was about to occur. But still, he covered his vision and trusted me as I grabbed him by the arm and ran.
He took me by surprise when he said we were forgetting someone, at one moment I felt hope that maybe he managed to remember.
Remembered everything from the very beginning. But it was just a wishful thinking.
When I took notice of what was happening around me, I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw the announcement on my phone. I took a peek at the window where lies the problematic matter.
- - Note / Text - -
DANGER!
This is not a drill!
Load yourselves, soldiers!
First group: Evacuate to the arsenal immediately. Make sure to load the planes and defend them.
Second group: Prepare your weapons and proceed to the main entrance. We are expecting guests.
Third group: Secure the perimeter inside. Erase any visible threat.
Use the transmitter for further instructions.
The Special Class: secure the last crux and advance to the underground basement.
- - End - -
These are the instructions that were given out to all of us.
If you are wondering, this is not any ordinary high school. This is a secret military base, or should I say a huge civilization on an unregistered island.
All of the establishments here are fake. The malls, schools, shops, movie theaters, everything. Which I think went too far, even his parent are robots that are programmed to take care of all of his needs. And all of these things are established just for an experiment: the crux.
There are a lot of them before but only one remained.
What did they ever do to deserve this?
Not long, we finally arrived.
Generals, Scientists and other soldiers who I think are too astound by the current situation, or so I think.
"Why did you stop?" he whispers.
"I'm just finding a place to sit, " I replied, leading the way to a corner where I saw a stool. There he sat as I see my Commander walking up to me.
"Do you need anything?" I asked Noel.
"Water" he replied.
"I'll go get you some" just to earn a reason why I'll have to leave him for a minute as I took off and speak with the Commander.
"Go and help the second group, I'll take care of him nowー," he said other things but I didn't bother to pay attention anymore.
I spoke in the transmitter where everyone is connected and can freely communicate with each other.
"General, I'd like your permission to guard the cruxー," I say, as the commander tries to stop me.
"He considers me as his best friend and recognizes me better than anyone here. I'm also a high-ranked soldier now so please let me do this job" I continued.
There was a short silence before General could reply.
"You now have my permission, but do keep in mind that if something happens to him you will fully take the punishments that will follow," the General replied.
My Commander let go of my hand and took off when he heard that I got permission.
As soon as I finished agreeing to the terms, I went back to Noel holding a cup of water, and led him to a corner that has a bed that is surrounded by curtains.
No one could see us and we won't be able to see anyone.
"You didn't even take your blindfold off?" I said smirking as he takes it off.
"Well, you told me not to," he said.
"Did I?" I asked as I gave the cup to him.
"I heard gunshots and screams, do you mind explaining something?" he said.
They did say not to spill out classified information that's too risky to share with him.
"I'm sorry," that's all that came out of my mouth even if I told him that I'll tell him the truth.
I do want to fill him in on the information he lacks, but I'm afraid that would be restricted.
Gunshots, footsteps, and screams. We can hear it clearly from where we are sitting.
He looks so calm and composed, sometimes I wonder, can I even do that if I were in his shoes?
New orders were given to me: Load the guns, get more supplies, or do patrols. It went like this for a couple of days. And sometimes I would answer his questions if it's not private ones when he asks me.
[Noel]
It's been days since I was here. I don't even know exactly where, but I'm safe at least and am eating three times a day.
Footsteps everywhere, dying screams, and nonstop gunshots. I've been left alone in the dark from the very beginning, but I got used to it pretty fast.
Sitting still in a bed surrounded by curtains, I was always left clueless and unarmed.
Everything was like a repetition of yesterday, until today. I think I might go crazy, not having the answers to a load of questions that I ask myself.
I always try and squeeze any piece of information I can get, even if it's just a simple one.
* * * * *
"What's this place?" I asked.
"We are on the school infirmary" answers Patrick.
"Oh good. Can you get me some headache medicines? My head hurts. Overthinking, I guess" as I tried to make lame excuses. Even though deep down I knew that an infirmary normally isn't located underground.
He can't do anything and got me the medicines. I always take a peek at what the outside looks like, but this time I can feel that he opened up the curtain more than before. Then he glanced at me and smirks.
I saw soldiers armed with guns. Surely we aren't just in an ordinary infirmary. Maybe a hospital or a laboratory.
I want answers.
Then the next day I asked again.
"When are we getting out of here?" I tried to ask.
"I'm not sure, but maybe when this rain stops," he answered.
I'm thinking he's getting a clue of what I'm doing, and he plays right along without making anyone suspicious.
It's still pouring outside and those green fluids must be bad news. I did think that it was weird for the rain to be that color.
* * * * *
Then today, he said goodbye to me like It'll be the last. Handing me a hot loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter, my favorite.
"Take care. And don't let anyone push you around anymore, I'll see you again" he said looking so worried, not about himself but me.
"Goodluck, " I smiled and waved my hand. As he went out I didn't bother to peep outside and just ate.
Then an idea came to me that he might have a task to take on the front line.
I heard growls and screams, not from a human being but something ferocious, like a beast. I became anxious and took my next bite where unexpectedly, there was a paper that I luckily didn't chew yet.
- - - - -
I don't want to lie anymore.
There's something under your bed.
Stay alive.
- - - - -
I threw the food away and impatiently went on my knees and took a peek under the bed, just like the note said. I saw two items: a gun and a transmitter. I took both and sat back on the bed.
I put the transmitter and turned it on.
"Group one is down. I repeat. Group one is down"
"Pull back. Pull back. There are too many of them"
I was so stunned, hearing everyone scream at the last words they delivered.
I gritted my teeth and checks the gun.
Six bullets.
That's more than enough. I was on my way to step outside the curtains when I heard Patrick's voice.
"The last plane is secure. My group is already in there and got trapped because of the number of unordinary lurking outside. Permission to engage general," I hear him say catching his breath and loading his gun.
I know this is something serious. And if they're trying to protect me from information and those things, I might be someone of great value to them.
* * * * *
"I could've protected her!" I see myself yelling.
I was alone in the bathroom, looking at the mirror, and smashing the things I see everywhere.
"I could've done something" blood rushed out of my wound that I got from punching the mirror.
"Anything" my tears were starting to appear but they didn't fall.
* * * * *
I somehow feel guilty about something. A nostalgic feeling, that I can't quite recall.
But I'll put it aside for now.
"Just stay put, I'm sure you're injured pretty badly," I said in the transmitter.
I couldn't hold back anymore and stepped out of the curtain. Someone pointed his gun at me and I do the same at him.
"He has a gun," the soldier said.
I recognize him. He's a classmate.
It's Janus.
"I'll kill myself," I said changing the direction of my gun, pointing it at my head with confidence.
I only know that I'm important if they want me out of anything dangerous.
I heard people scream and announce their situations on the transmitter but I didn't care, all I want is to help my friends.
"Don't be an idiot! Where did you get that gun?" I hear someone say in a big deep voice which sounds like the general.
"I want to participate in the battle, " I said again.
Looking at the soldier in front of me changes his weapon into something I don't recognize. Until I saw a liquid inside the bullet, I'm positive that it has some drug in it.
I didn't hesitate and shot his right foot. Leading him to kneel and scream as his blood floods the floor.
I took the drug and on close inspection, it's just as I suspected: a drug that puts you to sleep when it instantly sinks in your skin. I dropped it and broken pieces of glass scattered on the floor.
"That won't work anymore, give me what I want," I demanded loading my gun and pointing it back on my head, as I see a camera looking at me.
I smiled.
"You win, I will let you partake. But only in one condition" someone says.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Whatever happens, live," I couldn't take my eyes off of the camera when I heard that condition.
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