PANIC ROOM II

Fourteen

 I wake up suddenly. Chris is laughing. Again.

"CHRIS I TOLD YOU TO MAKE IT LESS REALISTIC!"

"I COULDN'T RESIST, BESIDES WE NEEDED TO GET YOU OUT, ALRIGHT?"

"Is Finn alright?"

Candidate 007 was eliminated.

Fuck, is that Finn?

 I try to remember Finn's number. My mind goes blank, before thinking the worst possible outcome. I get to my feet, drawing my sword.

"Where do you think you're going?" James asks, halting me instantly.

"To avenge Finn-"

 Suddenly, the victor appears at the top of the stairs, someone else's blood covering his face and neck. He grins when he sees me.

"I think I killed someone."

Finn grins, sheathing his machete.

"Let's get the fuck out of here." Kun nudges Tommy gently. He stirs weakly. Johnny scoops him up onto one shoulder. He attempts to load his gun.

"Aw fuck, I can't fire a machine gun- no Mark, that is a terrible idea!" He dismisses Mark without hesitation, Mark's gleaming eyes fixed on the large gun. Johnny sighs, handing over the gun to the ecstatic candidate.

"Dudeeeee, oh my god this is so fucking cool man-"

"Hey, you wanna be a team?" Jacob nudges Jaemin, offering him a silver pistol.

"Uhhh, yes?!" Jaemin replies as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. We climb up the stairs, in one large cluster, Lucas walking ahead. 

 "Panic Room want all of us dead by the end of the day." Nick says grimly.

"True, but most will make it out." Val says smoothly. James gulps.

"'Most'?"

"I can't say who will make it, otherwise the collar will strangle me." 

"Yeah that happened to 020 when she tried to tell us the real reason we're here."

"How did you find that out? You can only see the present."  Val looks confused. My eyes slide fractionally over to Chris, who shakes his head.

"Why don't you trust him?" I ask in a simple gaze.

"Summin's off."

"I overheard the creators talking."

"Woah, you've seen outside the walls? You must be powerful!" Val sounds mesmerised.

"Um, yeah, I never do it on purpose though."

"Quelle dommage!"

 He tuts in French. 

"What does that mean?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing."

 Chris is right, this kid is a major red flag.

"What does your tattoo say?" Nick says casually, sharp as always. Always on the same page.

"I don't have one."

Jaemin reaches to draw his knife, but Val stops him gently. Saw him coming.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, d'accord?"

 We'd be stupid to make Val our enemy. But is he even on our side in the first place?

"How come you were the last left in your group, Val?" Chris asks carefully.

"The others weren't the smartest. Always landed themselves into sticky situations." He isn't recalling the truth. He's warning us to back the fuck up. The others get the message and change the subject.

"Is Tommy doing alright?"

"He's sleeping, bless him." Finn says sympathetically. Lucas stops dead.

"Guys..."

"What?"

"ANGELS!"

 A swarm of grey creatures charge at him. There's at least fifteen. And twelve of us, excluding the unconscious Tommy. We're no match for them.

 Mark fires the machine gun, yelling curses as the bullets gracefully cascade off the beautiful silver creatures. Our swords are no match for their thick, god-like skin. Jaemin struggles as an angel strangles him, his feet dangling in the air. He gasps for air, his hands trying to pry away the angel's strong grip.

 Jacob runs at Jaemin's angel, knives striking into the angel's grey thigh. The angel shows no emotion on its stolen face, but drops Jaemin to the ground and begins to pursue Jacob. Jaemin clutches his neck, his breath rattling. 

 I duel with the angel, its stolen features contorted evilly.

"Give me back my face, thief." I hiss, my blade at its thin neck. The angel smiles.

"NO." Its voice screeches, a deafening scratchy cry. It pushes my chest hard. I scream as I tumble through the hole in the stairs. I grip onto the stone, my feet dangling into the oblivion.

  Chris searches for the only soft tissue on the Angel's titan-like bodies. Then he spots it. He fires a crossbow dart at the angel behind Johnny and Tommy. Johnny ducks and the dart strikes the angel in the mouth, resurfacing in the nape of its neck. Blue blood bleeds from the entrance wound and the angel slumps forward.

 The domino effect is instantaneous. The dead angel falls onto Johnny, who drops Tommy. Tommy rolls down the steps. His eyes open and he gets to his feet. His eyes are white. 

The angels freeze as they see Tommy. 

They've met their match.