"Well...I certainly didn't expect to be back here so soon..."
Benson sighed, shaking his head as a pair of men carried out the body bag.
"H-how could something like this happen..."
Emi whimpered with her hands on her head.
After Xander had cried out and fallen to the floor, everybody else in the building quickly came running, only to burn the horrific image of Tanner's mauled body and face into their mind.
"Nobody has ever died in this building...in the Maze, but...never here..."
Muttered Wilbur, pacing back and forth.
Eden was sat beside Emi, gently rubbing her back.
"Well, who did it then?"
Kalmin asked firmly.
"What?"
Benson frowned.
"Come on, there's spycam's all over this place and you creeps watch them all the time, you should have solid evidence from the camera in the kitchen. Clearly, someone's switch went rogue last night and that person doesn't want to admit it."
"See, that's the weird part..." Benson said, rubbing the back of his neck, "...for the first time, all the cameras suddenly cut out for a moment. Just a moment. On the footage, kitchen's empty. It all goes black, then there's the body. Bout an hour later, Ward walks in. And we've thoroughly searched the place, there's zero evidence that anybody here did it."
"What, are you trying to say he did it himself?"
Eden frowned.
"Kid, did you see the body? The boy couldn't have done that to himself if he wanted to. No, I agree with Windsor. It was clearly a switch. But nobody in here is able to shut down our cameras. At least, not that we know of..."
"Well, when we switch, we remember what happened, right?" Kalmin said, "Even if it takes some time to come to us, by now, whoever did it should be aware they have. So just speak up now and let's get this over with."
"Right again, Windsor." Nodded Benson, "However, there is one of you who not only has been reported to not remember what happened during their switch, but also is currently unaware of their abilities."
Suddenly, Xander felt every pair of eyes that fell upon him and was immediately overwhelmed with anxiety.
Was it him?
But even the first time he switched, he could remember parts. He didn't remember even waking up that night, aside from when he found the body.
Plus, there was no blood on his hands or clothes.
Though, there wasn't on anyone else's either...
Emi looked around, noticing where the others were staring.
"...what? No, are you guys crazy? Of course it wasn't, Xander! He wouldn't do something like this!"
"But his switch might. I'm not saying he's to blame, not at all. It's just that, let's be frank, he's the only option that actually makes sense here."
Said Kalmin, bluntly.
"No, he...I-I did it! It was my switch, you don't need to blame him!"
"Stop trying to cover for the boy, Emilia." Benson frowned, "We know your switch by now, she wouldn't leave a body like that. No, there was more to it. This feels like...a message. Like they were trying to prove a point."
"I don't want to point any fingers..." Wilbur began, "But...let's say it was Xander, what happens then?"
"Well, we haven't had a situation like this before." Benson thought, "There was no test, no permission given to fight...but if it was a switch, I suppose the kid couldn't really be blamed for it..."
"Hold on." Blake stepped in, "This doesn't make sense, I was asleep right next door. How on earth could a switch have done that much damage without me, or anybody else for that matter, waking up? Shouldn't the victim have made a whole lot of noise? There was clearly a struggle, if you look at the blood markings. And the cameras, we can't forget about that. If it was this guy, and his switch somehow has the ability to cut the cameras, that could be extremely detrimental to the entire-"
"Look kiddo, I really don't think it's a big deal." Benson sighed, "I mean, that guy wasn't even put into a unit. He was stuck in the lab for ages with the other mice. They only decided to transfer him cuz he got too old."
"Mice?"
Xander echoed.
"Xander, shush..."
Eden whispered.
"So I'm sure nobody is going to make a big deal about it. He was supposed to have died at least three years ago with the rest of his group, but somehow survived. Pure luck, I say. Therefore, let's just brush this under the rug, kay? He ain't on any lists, so no one's gonna question it. You kids forget about it, I forget about it. Understood?"
Though nobody really wanted to, they all nodded their heads.
That was, except for Blake.
"S-Sir, you can't be serious! This wasn't any test, this was pure murder! There was no gain here, that boy didn't need to die, I'm certain that if we look into it just a little more, we can-"
"Under the rug, Blake."
Benson repeated, bending down and speaking quietly into his face.
Blake was clearly intimidated, because he immediately fell silent and turned away, with only a meek, "...yes, sir..."
"...now, I'm going to refill the pantry. When I'm done, Blake, you'll be coming with me, understood?"
"With you? You mean...back to the lab?"
Benson nodded and Blake's face immediately lit up with shocked delight.
"...th...thank you, sir!"
"Don't thank me yet, kiddo..." He mumbled, almost guiltily, "Now, say goodbye while I handle the food."
Nobody really wanted to speak that morning, but each teen gave him a half-hearted farewell.
That was, until he got to Xander.
"It was nice meeting you, Blake."
He smiled.
Blake didn't face him, only walked straight past with a blank face.
It all pointed to him. That was all Blake could think about. The fact that this new boy had abilities they didn't yet understand, likely able to mess with the cameras and somehow Benson wasn't worried about this?
Once they reached the labs, he would for sure bring it up to the superiors, they just had to understand.
Blake had thought Xander was quite nice, but knowing that he was almost definitely the one who mangled an innocent life, while he was supposed to be protecting them...
He was nothing less than ashamed.
Bliss hadn't come out of her room since having seen the body, which Xander couldn't blame her for. Eden for once was the only person who felt the need to leave, relaxing in her room to try and forget the situation.
Blake didn't want to talk to any of them, so ended up helping Benson until the two of them left without anything more than wishing the teens luck for Monday.
Wilbur sat beside Xander while Emi and Kalmin took up the other sofa. There was a hushed silence between them that didn't feel uncomfortable, instead, it was as if they were all thinking the same thing.
None of them wanted to believe that Xander was to blame. Even if it was out of his control, having the ability to do so much damage to a human being without the slightest sound was terrifying.
It wasn't Kalmin, because his switch was extremely noisy. With growls and roars, breaking everything in its path.
Wilbur's switch always left his victims clean, he liked it that way. As undamaged as possible to show off how easily he took their life.
Plus, neither of them could affect cameras.
The way Benson had shrugged off such a serious problem also unnerved them, the cameras were the most important thing to the creeps back at the lab. Plus, if something that dangerous was living with them, it may have meant that everyone there could possibly meet the same fate.
It was almost as if Benson knew something they didn't...
"...man, it's just been like, one bad thing after the next..."
Wilbur sighed, resting his head back on the cushions.
"I knew that moth meant trouble..."
Emi said quietly.
"Oh for crying out loud, moths don't mean anything." Groaned Kalmin, "They're just bugs. Don't listen to that superstitious bullshit Eden keeps trying to shove down your throat."
"But the bad stuff started right after we saw it!" Emi pushed, sitting up straight, "Right, Xander?"
"I, uh...I really don't think the moth had anything to do with it though..."
He shrugged, meekly.
With a loud huff, Emi crossed her arms and turned away from the boys.
"You guys just don't get it...they're around everything bad. I see them everywhere in the Nexus, that's all I can think about when one of those ugly, little, fat things comes near me..."
"I doubt moths are the only bugs in that place, Emi. They're probably the only things you noticed since Eden told you about them." Kalmin said, "Anyway, you're seriously worried about moths when you have those weird creatures roaming around? You've got to sort out your priorities..."
"I've managed so far, haven't I?" She frowned, "Besides, those brutes don't scare me. My switch tears them apart! Ooh, you guys should have seen Xander though! He sent the Blood-Collector flying back for miles!"
"He what?"
Wilbur quickly sat up, turning to Xander.
"I-it really wasn't that far..."
Mumbled Xander.
"It was! Maybe not miles, sure, but it was a good hundred yards at least. He didn't even switch."
Emi grinned proudly.
"That's...great. How you come you haven't told us this already?"
Kalmin asked.
"I dunno...I guess I just forgot with everything happening lately..." Shrugged Xander, "Still, I don't think it's a big deal. I could only do it once and-"
"Of course it's a big deal!" Wilbur grinned, standing up, "You know how hard it is for us to use any abilities without switching? I'm completely useless without it. Come on, you have to show us!"
He insisted, grabbing Xander's hand and pulling him toward the garden, where Emi followed them excitedly.
"I-I really don't think I can..."
Xander muttered.
"You need to try." Said Kalmin, also following behind, "The Maze is less than two days away now, and you heard Benson, they aren't playing any frequencies. If your switch doesn't come out, how exactly do you think you'll be able to defend yourself?"
"W-well..."
Xander couldn't answer.
"Just give it a go." Kalmin smiled reassuringly as Wilbur positioned him on the grass, "It's better to be prepared for something like this. Besides, everybody's been dying to know what you can do."
Wilbur and Kalmin stood beside the trees and Emi walked up onto the roof again to sit and watch while Xander stood before the lake, looking completely lost.
"B-but I don't even know how I did it, it was an accident!"
"Well, what did you feel? When you pushed that bastard away, what was going through your head?"
Asked Wilbur.
"I don't know! I just thought I was going to die, I wasn't really thinking about anything. I-I was scared and...angry..."
"So you were panicking..." Wilbur murmured, rubbing his chin, "...maybe we just need to scare him? Freak him out, boil his blood. Give him a real good push."
"P-Please don't..."
Whimpered Xander.
"You're too soft." Kalmin frowned, walking toward him, "When that guy was taunting you, right here, you didn't do anything. Just let it happen. We need to toughen you up, you have to be able to stand up for yourself. You can't just back down from anything that scares you. One of these days, you're going to get hurt. Maybe worse."
"...I-I can't help it..."
Xander said quietly, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
Kalmin placed both hands on his shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Look, you're not weak. You think you are, it's obvious. But believe me, you wouldn't be here if you were. You can't let anybody push you around. What if someone tried to seriously hurt you? What would you do?"
"I-I don't know..."
"...well then, what if someone was trying to hurt Emi?"
Xander perked up, glancing over at Emilia, who watched him with an innocent smile. He remembered back in the Nexus, when she was in danger.
He knew what Kalmin was trying to do, build him up, make him feel confident.
But back then, Xander couldn't muster up the ability to use whatever strange power he had.
Yet even so, he had tried his best to help her. No ability, just willpower.
"I..."
He began, unsure of what he even wanted to say.
Kalmin stepped back, grabbing a plastic chair that had been strewn across the grass and placing it between Xander and himself.
"This is a switch, it's blood-hungry, it doesn't care what or who you are. It's coming toward you and Emi, full speed. What do you do?"
Xander stared at the deep green plastic chair, blushing deep with embarrassment.
He knew he was going to fail if he tried, he was just going to disappoint all three of them.
Wilbur and Emi both wore reassuring, hopeful faces while Kalmin stood firm with crossed arms.
His body tensed up, if he tried, nothing would happen, just like when Emi was in trouble. Then he'd let them all down.
He could feel their eyes, all waiting for him to move.
The pressure was building up as more unmoving silence passed, so much so that Xander felt tears begin to sting his eyes.
Kalmin was wrong, he was weak.
He had always been weak.
"Hey!" Kalmin suddenly yelled, "Don't just stand there. You have to try, or there's not even a chance. Come on, Xander, right now, you have five seconds until you're dead, what do you do?!"
Trembling, with shameful tears in the corner of his eyes, Xander awkwardly raised his hand toward the chair.
Of course, nothing happened.
"That was shit, do it again." Kalmin scowled, "Come Monday, you'd be dead by now. This is serious, Xander. You need to figure it out already."
"Kal, don't you think you're being a little too hard on him?"
Wilbur said, concerned.
"Shut up, I know what I'm doing..."
Xander took a breath and raised his hand again, faster.
Still, nothing happened.
"This is getting embarrassing now, you have to put more effort into it! Just knock the damn chair over!"
"I-I can't!"
Xander fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself as breathing became hard. It was embarrassing enough already, so he tried his best to not slip into a panic attack.
Emi almost leapt down and ran to him, but Kalmin shot her a look that seemed to say 'don't you dare'.
So, while she felt awful for it, she stayed where she was.
Kalmin stepped forward, tutting loudly.
"Are you seriously giving up now? You should be ashamed of yourself, you didn't even try."
"I did, I swear..."
"Christ, what would your parents think..."
Xander froze.
"You think they'd be proud of you, on the floor, crying like a baby?" Kalmin sneered, "Looking at you now, I doubt they'd want you back if they had the choice."
"...shut up..."
Kalmin paused, for just a moment, gently stepping back.
"...what was that? Speak up, coward. God, I can't even imagine how embarrassed they must have been to have a kid like you. Heck, they were probably happy when you were finally gone."
"You don't know anything about my parents!"
Xander yelled, furiously.
Suddenly, the chair flew across the garden, smashing into the side of the building so hard that it shattered into a thousand pieces.
Kalmin then ran forward, holding Xander shoulders tightly.
"Okay, chill, chill, I didn't mean that, I didn't mean any of it, I promise..." He breathed.
"Holy cow..."
Wilbur whispered, looking at the remains of the old garden chair.
"Yeah! I knew you could do it!"
Emi cheered, bouncing on the roof.
While he panted heavily, body still heated with anger, Kalmin pulled him forward, resting Xander's head on his shoulder and patting it gently.
"It's alright, you did great...I'm sorry, I didn't know how else to bring it out...I'm sorry..."
"...it's okay..."
*****
"He did what?"
Eden frowned, looking up from her plate.
"Sent a chair flying all the way across the garden into the wall, the thing practically turned into dust!" Wilbur grinned, "Think about it, if that's the first ability he's able to use, just imagine what else this kid can do! No wonder they didn't need to test him in the first place!"
"...and...he wasn't switched?"
"Not at all." Kalmin answered, continuing to eat, "It's the best example I've seen so far. When Emi mentioned it, I was just as curious as Wilbur and had to see. And it is impressive. Emi's the only one who can use an ability without switching, effortlessly, at least. However, unlike Emi who has full control, I needed to push Xander in ways I really didn't want to..."
"It's fine." Xander smiled, "I understood right after."
"We'll have to work on it more tomorrow though. Hopefully, we can find an easier way for you to control it. It's wishful thinking that we'll make such progress in the short amount of time we have, but we need you to be prepared for the Maze. Hopefully, fingers crossed, that crazy switch of yours comes out and we won't have to worry. Still, I always like to have a backup plan."
"It's so dumb..." Xander murmured, playing with his food, "I mean, how come I have to be so emotional for the stupid thing to work..."
"Honestly, I think it makes complete sense." Said Emi, before finishing her mouthful of food, "Because, Xander is so nice."
"That doesn't...what?"
Xander asked with a quiet, bashful chuckle.
"Well, you're usually docile, right? My gravity powers work all the time because they're calm and not harmful. But yours are very...forceful. And destructive. Which isn't normal for you, meaning you have to be angry or just feeling an extreme emotion to use them. Abilities aren't just random, they're tied to you as a person. Especially ones you can use without being switched."
"She's right." Kalmin nodded, "If you have a calmer, more relaxed ability, I'm sure you'll be able to use it all the time. But if it's something so violent and aggressive, you'll have to feel that same way too to produce any results. I know, because I'm the same."
"You mean, you can do stuff without switching too?"
Asked Xander.
"If I get really, really angry, and also have enough control to not let my switch take over, my hands can change without the rest of me." He explained, lifting his hand and turning it, "My claws can come out by themselves without the full transformation, then retract. But it's hard. When we figure out some more of your abilities, I want to help you too, since being able to use them without losing control is quite rare. You see, the hardest part is control. If I could just figure out how to trigger it willingly, without the risk of switching altogether, it could be real handy. And that's what I want for you too. I wish everybody was able to efficiently defend themselves without the risk of their switch taking over. Honestly, I was preparing myself back there to restrain you if you did switch. But I'm really, really glad that didn't happen..."
"...me too..."
Xander said quietly.
After a moment of silence, Emi suddenly perked up.
"Hey, it's Sunday tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, why?"
Eden frowned.
"That means only one more day until we get to meet all the other kids! There's going to be so many, I hope they're all friendly."
The others glanced between each other until Eden sighed.
"Emi, you do understand that we're going to be fighting these people, right? It isn't some happy play date, we're not making new friends."
"I know, I know...but, even if it isn't likely...I'm hoping that maybe nobody will die, you know? That everybody will make it out alive, and afterwards, we'll all just laugh about it and...just talk, like normal people."
"...it's a shame we're not normal people..."
Wilbur sighed.
Eden stared at Emi with sad eyes.
"...Emi, while that is a lovely thought, I doubt that-"
"Oh, I know it won't happen. I just...I still want to hope. Just a little..."
Xander couldn't sleep that night. After dinner, Emi, Wilbur and Kalmin went straight to bed. He helped Eden clean the dishes, then she disappeared too.
While they were all tired enough to sleep early, he was left wide awake.
With nothing else to do, Xander worked on his story again, praying that Em didn't show up this time to bother him.
"...forcing the drawer, Samuel broke the lock. With a silent, unnerved stare, his eyes widened at the sight. Inside the drawer, before him lay..."
Xander tapped his pen against the table.
What was in the drawer?
He sighed loudly, falling back onto the bed.
What time was it? How long had he been writing for?
He was now a good few pages in, so it had to be pretty late already.
His hand cramping, Xander decided to leave the story for now, until he could decide on what happened next.
As he bent his aching wrist back and forth, he heard a little sound. Nothing much, just quiet movement. Then, the bathroom tap running.
Had someone just gone to the toilet?
But they hadn't flushed the chain...
Stepping into the corridor, Xander saw Bliss through the open doorway, now wrapping her arm with new, clean bandages.
There was blood on the sink.
He wasn't sure whether or not to approach her.
After all, she was already in a difficult situation, and she wasn't exactly happy with him after what had happened before.
Either way, Xander didn't want to lose this chance to make up with her.
He stood in the doorway, taking a deep breath before asking, "...are you okay?"
She recognised his gentle voice immediately, snipping the bandage and tying it tight without looking back.
"I'm done now. Thanks."
"...Bliss, I...I'm really sorry. About what happened with-"
"It's okay. It wasn't your fault." She sighed, leaning against the sink, "...it was mine."
After a moment of silence, she turned to him with gentle eyes.
"...can't sleep then?"
"Not really..."
"...hey, I know where Eden keeps the cookies..." Bliss smiled, "How about a little midnight snack? We can chill and talk for a while. You like chocolate chip, right?"
"I love chocolate chip..."
With only the small lamp comforting them with its subtle glow, the pair happily shared a full packet of cookies between them, sitting back and enjoying the silence.
"...I really didn't mean to set him off like that..." Bliss sighed, turning her half-eaten cookie over between her fingers, "I just...I don't think sometimes. And I say dumb things, and it gets blown out way beyond what I wanted. I knew it was wrong, I knew I shouldn't have said it...and I shouldn't have blamed you for even a second..."
"You shouldn't apologise to me. If anything, you should probably talk with Kalmin about it. I think you both just got a little heated, you each have very strong personalities after all."
Picking at the crumbs on her shorts, Bliss kept her eyes down.
"...don't...don't you feel weird talking to me?"
"What, why would I?"
"Those things he said, they were true, you know...I did some real bad stuff a few years ago. Like, not switched, just me."
"Well, that was ages ago. We all make mistakes."
"I killed people, Xander." She looked at him with a grave expression, "They weren't the ones to blame...yet still, I..."
"...regret, guilt, it's tough. Everybody has done something they wish they could take back. But you don't need to dwell on the past. Instead, try to be the best person you can now. Just try your hardest to be a good person."
"I'm not a good person..." Bliss shuddered, turning away and wrapping her arms around herself, "...Xander...do you know what I can do? The main ability I have?"
"N-no..."
"I can...leave my body. Like a shell, and take over someone else. Not for long, but it's dangerous. You can never tell when I'm doing it until I stop and the person freaks out. That's why they kept me locked up, away from the others back at the lab. I was angry, aggressive, dangerous. They kept me strapped upright, blindfolded for years of my life. Because I have to see a person to do it. And I would. Any chance I got..."
"...that must have been awful...being forced to live like that..."
"Of course it was." She scoffed, "That's why I only got worse. Grew resentful of the scientists tasked with taking care of me. Until I finally got my chance, during a medical check-up. They thought I was calm, content. But the moment my eyes caught that man, I just...slipped away. It was such a rush, I finally felt like I wasn't helpless, like I could actually do something. Then, all that anger and fury came flooding back. I used this poor man's body and voice, tricked his companions, lead them away and..."
She paused, looking up, "...I never meant to kill them. Just...scare them a little. That was all. But even so, I didn't feel guilty, not back then..."
"...but you do now."
Bliss pushed her hair up, out of her eyes and lay back with a sigh.
"I still hate their guts. All of them. Every one of those assholes who hunt down kids with Emblems like we're some kind of endangered animal. If they would just treat us like people. No tests, no experiments, no abuse, no comparison. Those poor souls who aren't considered good enough. Wait, you don't know about the mice, do you?"
"Uh, Benson mentioned them this morning, but no, not really."
"Oh boy, get this..." Scoffed Bliss, "When they find a kid who's power is useless or just not strong enough, they call them mice. Those poor son's of bitches are locked away in tiny rooms and fed barely enough to live off, until they need to use the Maze. For the sake of variety, and keeping the switches around long enough, they'll throw a few of them in along with the subjects. Little extra pieces of meat for those psychos to play with in between the main course."
"Jesus, that's sick..."
Xander gasped.
"Tell me about it. The whole system is messed up. Being kept in captivity, the tests, that dumb ass fucking Maze. I hate it. I hate all of it. I hate that we have no choice, that we're forced to follow every order or be punished...if I ever thought there was a chance I could run away from here, honestly, I'd take it in a heartbeat."
"...have you ever tried? Running away, I mean." Xander asked, cautiously glancing at the camera in the corner.
"Of course I have. Everyone who's ever been locked away in one of these places has. Whether it's running through the doors the second they open, or fruitlessly attempting to get through that nasty ass electrified fence."
"Has anyone ever managed? Surely someone was fast enough to run through the doors, there's definitely enough space."
"Space ain't the problem. There's always at least ten guards, ready to shoot anything they see move."
"...oh..."
Bliss tossed her unfinished cookie into the empty packet with a sad huff.
"...honestly? I'm terrified for Monday. Forty-six of us in that dreadful place...before, you could find a small corner and maybe survive with just hiding, what with how big the place is. But now, forty new powers we don't know about all running around, I don't know what's going to happen. It's tough to say, but...I really hope none of these guys get hurt. Especially you..."
Xander smiled lightly, resting his hand on her shoulder.
"We'll all be fine. I'm sure of it."
They both knew it was a lie. But in the moment, neither of them cared. With the same half-hearted smile and nervous fear in their eyes, Bliss and Xander hugged each other for a quiet moment, knowing that Monday could full well be their last.
After a sombre goodbye, Xander finally felt as though he could sleep, even if not too soundly.
So, he tucked away his writing safely into the top drawer, switched off his lamp and settled down beneath the sheets, trying desperately to forget that tomorrow would be the last day of peace before he met the terrifying chaos which was the Maze.
However, the moment he began to drift away, a familiar voice began to speak.
Xander?
Xander, you can't go to sleep!
"Oh, just go away..."
He groaned, turning over.
No, I'm serious! Listen to me, you're about to-
"I've told you already, just leave me alone!"
He raised his voice, sitting up with a scowl.
You idiot, I'm trying to-
"I don't care what you have to say. Just leave me be, I'm tired and-"
Suddenly, it hit him, like the force of an oncoming truck.
The tight breathlessness, the cold chill, the choking suffocation.
Gasping for air, Xander had just enough time to pull down his shirt and see his Emblem glowing, exactly as it had last time.
He couldn't even cry out, no air passing his lips now.
And as the world fell dark, he collapsed back, lifeless, against the sheets.
...I tried to warn you...
*****
There was no horrified realisation. No, this time, Xander knew exactly what had happened.
The first thing his eyes did was scan the area for Emi, before they had even processed his surroundings.
This wasn't the wide-open area they were in before. No blood-red sky, no monster stood before him, ready to kill.
Instead, it was almost the exact opposite.
Behind was a large room, leading off into several corridors. In front of him was a ridiculously long corridor, a metal door for every other step on either side. Each with a tiny window.
The walls, floor and ceiling were white, yet somehow still dark, as no lights were anywhere to be seen.
At the very end was the final door, alone in the centre, practically calling out to him.
And beyond that door, lay his first clue to unravelling the very mystery of which he had found himself entwined...