In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter 28: No can do, Bucko

I watch as the Max, Alec, and Liel run out of the room. James stays behind though. I smirk, knowing he knows something the others don't.

"May I look at the room again?" James asks and I smile widely, giving him an enthusiastic nod. He looks at the room and he looks down at the map that I have given him. He keeps looking back and forth, analyzing everything detail.

Once he's finished, he stands straighter and he smiles at me.

"Thanks, Si. See ya later." With that, James leaves and I pull out my chart. The chart has all four of the guy's names on it. Under James's name, I put: smart. Found out a clue to help him when the others ran the first chance they got. Good analysis skills.

I watch the four on the cameras, writing down their skills I see as well as if they have good thinking skills like James. You can have street-smarts but still, be the dumbest person on the planet. I need these boys to have street-smarts and book-smarts.

This assignment that I've made for them was based on the APF- Agent Physical Fitness- test coming up for the agents. I want my team to be ready for it. I want them to pass with flying colors.

Something in one of the cameras catches my eye. I zoom in and I see that Max is standing right next to the target door. I smile and I wait for him to go in.

He presses his ear to the door, listening for any possible traps. He then places his hand on the door handle and he twists it slowly. I move to the new panel that I made and I press f10. A fake scream comes from inside the room and Max jumps but opens the door quickly. He ducks, protecting his head, making sure nothing gets him.

Once Max knows the coast is clear, he walks into the room and to his box. He admires the dagger closely and I smile.

I press e3 on the panel and green slime shoots Max in the face. I laugh as he freezes in shock. I then press the overcome button.

"Sorry, Max. Couldn't resist." Max flicks off the camera that I am looking into and I laugh. He opens his box and he looks at the dagger. Max then sees the sheath and he places his dagger in it, putting it in his waistband. "Okay, Max. Congrats. Now you have to make it out of there."

I press more buttons and Max screams. The three boxes next to him fall and he realizes they're just decoys. All the guys have their separate rooms.

The floor in Max's assigned room shakes and Max acts quickly by jumping to the door and opening it. I am surprised. Any other person would fall and then experience the thing that was going to happen next. But since Max made it out quickly, he is safe. He passed his test.

Next, I see Alec close to his door. He looks down the right side of the hallway and then he looks down the left side. Once he is satisfied no one is following him, he opens his door.

His room is like that big room I showed them before any of this started. There are tripwires everywhere. They are more jumbled in the middle, and more spread out at the sides. Alec stares at this for a moment until he starts walking slowly. He kicks a wire in the middle and nothing happens. He sighs in relief and he continues down the middle, making sure to stay low just in case.

He makes it to his dagger and he opens his box, not wasting any time. Once he's got his dagger in his sheath, he turns and starts heading for the door.

His room isn't dangerous. It won't inflict physical pain. It's just... You might have to go to therapy after you escape.

I press e5 and h6 and all the trip wires break. The walls in the room slide up slowly and alligators are shown from some windows. I looked at Alec's fear list and this was number three. His last fear. So, I am not that heartless.