The pic above is Bridget

I rushed down the hall after my acquaintance Harold who had been sent to get me. My mind wandered—a dangerous thing, but I caught myself doing it more and more after I met Bridget.

It had been five years since Bridget arrived and even I had to admit that she was amazing. She had a good base to go off of with her hacking and escaping skills. I knew from her file that her father worked with computers—it didn't go into detail—leading me to believe she learned that from him, but her ability to escape from any trap was a mystery. I didn't know how she learned it or where anyway and I wasn't about to ask. That was the past, this was her future and we were not allowed to ask about each other's pasts.

I broke into a bit of a jog as I rushed down the hall searching for Bridget. We had grown quite fawned of each other over the past five years. I might have even gone so far as to consider her a friend. James had finally been chosen and taken away four years ago so I had begun to appreciate Bridget a bit more. I had lots of acquaintances, but only James and Bridget were ever my friends. Fredrick and Harold were some of my closer acquaintances, but not friends.

At last Bridget came into view she rushed towards me and gave the appropriate nod of acknowledgement. "Where have you been?"

I had been on my way to the Testing room, but Bridget was apparently concerned because I wasn't there ten minutes early. "I was on my way, there was no need to send Harold for me." I complained.

"Well it's your big day, now I expected you to be here early." Bridget complained back.

"I'm more of a right on time kinda guy. Not early or late. Right on time." I say.
Before anything else is said the doors to the graduation test room open. I said no more to Bridget and walked in. A few others followed but some stayed behind like Bridget. She would walk in at the exact same time next year. Some liked to stand outside of the door hoping to catch a glimpse of what was inside, but it was an elevator. After we all piled in the doors shut and I caught one last glimpse of Bridget nodding to me.

I looked around in the empty elevator. There wasn't much to it. It had the same grey metal walls as the rest of this place.

After a moment the elevator lunged downward catching a few of the students off guard. I dodged one girl as she caught her balance—Vallery was her name—and remained unphased. I could tell the elevator was moving quite quickly and it didn't stop for several minutes. Finally we hit bottom and the elevator stopped. I knew we were deep underground, but my mind hadn't been able to keep up with where exactly we were under the training grounds. This was the first time I was unaware of where I was in many years.

Most of the graduates and all of the professors and trainers stood lined up against the hallway walls when I stepped out of the elevator. I briskly walked passed them all down the hall. Eventually I came to an opened door that I stepped through. There were rows of seats labeled with numbers from one to three hundred. They were our rankings. I knew I was first so I sat in the first seat. There were only one hundred and seven-teen in my age group however which was very small. Bridget's age group had two hundred and seventy-two.

We all sat and waited in silence. The room was empty and I faced a wall in the large room full of nothing but hard chairs. I was trained well enough to sit here still waiting for instructions for days. Of course, there was a time limit to how long I could survive without water so that cut the time short.

After I had settled into my seat I looked to my right where Ellery sat. Her face was like stone and she didn't even bother to look back at me. I didn't have time to do anything else before the doors on the opposite side of the room from where we came in burst open. I looked up only to see the High Female and Male Officials Athena and Hector.

We all stood up in sync as we all saw them and stood with our hands held behind our backs and heads down. I, of course, expected to see them here because graduation day was the biggest day of the year. I remained stone still looking at the ground as I heard the crisp heels of Athena and the soft steps of Hector stroll towards me.

I heard the movement of paper before Athena's voice bit my ears almost as harshly as the click of her heels. "Kaiden Pechman," She stated, "step forward."

I stepped forward not knowing what would happen to me as I heard Hector come towards me. "Chin up boy, you'll look me in the eye form now on when I'm talking to you." He growled.

I swiftly lifted my chin and met Hector's hard gaze. I stood there like that refusing to look away and show my training had failed me. I would be successful in the small thing and the large things. I would not back down.

After several minutes of silence Hector looked away from me. "I'm done with him, take him away. The testing begins now." With that two people came through the same doors as Athena and Hector with full body suits and masks that covered their entire faces. They walked up to me and I followed them standing in between the two.

As I walked out groups of two people were lined up ready to be called.
I walked on without a choice between the two men as they led me into a room. There were no windows in any of the walls or the door. There was only a single table with a syringe on it and a large tube with a door. I looked up the tube and saw nothing but darkness farther up then I could see.

"Kaiden Pechman you have been here ten years as the youngest and most successful student. To graduate and prove your worth you must complete the final test. Everything you have been taught here your entire life will be put to use. First I will inject you with this cerium that will cause you to lose any memory of this place. You may have childhood memories and such, but you won't remember anything about this place. Your training will stick with you, but you won't remember this is your test. Good luck." The words were dry and robotic, but I listened carefully, memorizing the words knowing I would soon forget them.

I asked no questions and only gave a single nod before the second man stabbed my arm with the syringe. It stung, but I gave no response to the pain.

Almost immediately I felt dizzy as I was shoved into the door of the tube. I shot upwards, but up and down were quickly hard to determine. My vision was blurry as well as my head. I had no idea where I was or why I was there. I was moving. I knew that, but it was too dark to tell anything for sure.

I let out a cry of anger. What was happening I nearly felt like clawing my eyes out and tearing the flesh from my skull. The pain burned deeply and my vision wouldn't clear as spots of light became visible. Finally I toppled over inside the tube I had been trapped in, unconscious.

***

I rolled over on the hard ground not knowing how I even got there. My mind was numb and my knowledge of anything was gone. I rolled over feeling dirt in my hands. I slowly opened my eyes and pushed my shaky bones upward. I stumbled around regaining my footing as my strength returned to me. It wasn't until after I regained my strength that I saw the wide open plains around me. The sun stood high in the sky resembling mid day, but I had no idea where I was.

Moments later a helicopter flew above me and a rope ladder was sent down. I looked up and saw a man sitting up there calling out to me and using my better judgment I climbed up the ladder. There didn't seem to be any better options at the moment. I was stranded in the middle of nowhere and someone had come to my aid. Why would I deny them?

"Kaiden Pechman." The man said oddly knowing my name. "We've been waiting for you."

I responded with the only true thing anyone would say after a stranger knew their name. "Excuse me?" I replied. "I don't recall telling you my name."

"Never delay only..." the man said.

"Comply." I replied before I even knew what I was saying. The phrase was so known to me and yet I remembered nothing about it. It was like a switch was turned on inside me. No thoughts were in my mind other than listening to this man and completing the task he told me to. "Your will is my command."

"Kaiden we have a mission for you and if your tasks aren't completed you will be disposed of." The man said coldly. "We don't deal with failures."

I almost asked what my task was, but I knew questions are never the answer complying alway is. That was my old weak mind urging me to question those with authority. I needed to fight the urge. I would be told all I needed to know. I knew that I just didn't know how I knew that.

I only nodded sharply saying. "Yes, sir. I understand."

The man held out a piece of paper open for me to see for only a second then pulled it away saying. "Go. And remember no one is your friend."
That was all the being told I needed. I quickly slipped down the ladder and stood at the edge as we came upon a building. I leapt off of the ladder and onto the building rolling to break my fall and began to search for a way in having fully regained my senses.

I quickly found a hatch that I forced open revealing a ladder that I climbed down. Once inside I quietly stepped off the ladder and crept to the nearest corner, peaking around it. I saw two guards holding guns dressed in all black with masks covering their entire faces. I quickly pulled myself back as they walked towards me. Remember, no one is your friend, the man's words echoed in my mind.

I took one slow breath listening to their footsteps near, then I lunged out just as they came to my corner. I grabbed the guard closest to me and slammed his gun into his mask. The glass shattered in his face and the stock smacked his head. I didn't even watch him fall as I was already sticking my leg out kicking the second guard in the gut. He also slipped to the ground and I searched them for weapons. I didn't exactly know what I was here to do, but I knew no one was my friend.

I gathered four knives that I stuck in my belt and two handguns in the end. The larger guns would have been too much of a nuisance to sneak around with, so I left them behind. Quickly dashed down the hall to find two more guards rushing towards all the ruckus. I quickly and quietly as I could take them out. I broke one man's neck and dispatched the other with a knife. They had little chance to put up a fight back and stood no chance at taking me out.

After several minutes of running down the halls I heard rushing feet coming at me. They must have found the bodies. Quickly I sprung into the air grabbing hard metal pipes hoisting myself upward. I looped my legs around the pipe quickly realizing that it wouldn't hold me long.

A group of at least twenty guards quickly jogged in sync under me. I look off to the side and meet the eye of a surveillance camera. They're watching me I instantly realize. That must mean they already know where I am. Right as the last man passes me I leap down landing lightly on my feet.

The back two guards spin around at the slight noise I make, but I take the two of them out along with five more before the rest know what's going on. Several shoot at me, but I use one of the other guards as a shield as I press forward. I can't let any escape or they'll spread news that I'm here.

Quickly I chuck a knife at the guard farthest from me who is running away. I can't afford to make too much noise with a gun. I smash the skull of another guard into the hard metal wall. The fight is coming to an end as half of them are now gone. The fight was never in the guards favor, but I can see fear in their eyes now. They know their fate. I leap forward at the nearest guard frozen in fear. A quick use of one of my knives makes him unsaveable. It only takes several more short moments for the only sounds left is a light wease of the last breath on one guard. Then silence.

I give a swift nod then move on. I mentaly follow the map the man in the helicopter showed me. When I first arrived my main goal was to get in and assess the security situation. I have accomplished both so I close my eyes both listening for outside noises and reading the words on the paper.

T-Q-S-W-E

Those were the only letters on the paper. Then I search the map and find the letters one in each room. I mean obviously not every room. This place was massive.

I quickly break into a run keeping my footsteps next to silent even at my quick speed. At this point I know these guards aren't highly trained at all. I leave them as an afterthought now. They hardly matter, it would take far more of them then this building could hold to get me.

First I make it to the room labeled 'T' I recognize that stands for 'Training'. The large room is wide open and filled with much training equipment.

I rush over to a tablet that is glowing on a table in the center of the large room. Unmistakably that's what I'm here for. I rush over to it and find a really long assortment of letters and numbers.

In8Jdb6nMbFC5vswTgXJ1QAfsWK6j3vxFje7dbxQ

There is nothing other than that on the screen so I quickly decide to study the letters and numbers before taking off. The process of memorizing it only takes a few short minutes. Now I head for 'Q'. It actually isn't all that far away from the Training Room to my surprise. I sprint down the hall not coming in contact with any more guards at the moment. I'm glad because they are such a nuisance.

I read the label on the door 'Quarantine'. I frown slightly.
"What the heck?" I speak out loud as I step in and only see one empty metal table unlike the table the tablet was on and an old bed. The concrete floors have nothing on or around then as I do a quick sweep of the room.

It's only a millisecond after I enter the room that I hear the door start to quickly close behind me. My reflexes kick in and I whip around grabbing the table with one hand while the other hand holds one of my guns in the door. The opening is small and the door is nearly crushing my gun, but I manage to wedge the table in the small opening. My gun is released from the doors grasp, I just drop it and let it rest where it lay. It was bent and there was no telling whether it would work properly or not.

I now turn my full attention to the door. I wedge the table deeper into the door then shove it with all my might trying to pry the door open. Now I will tell you. I'm not very tall for a man standing at a full 5''7' ½, (Don't take away that one half inch. Yes it matters.) but I am very strong. Stronger than most would expect which is a great advantage.

After pushing and shoving for a few minutes the table begins to bend slightly even though it's tough metal. I give it one last big shove and squeeze through the opening. The door snaps back shut bending the metal table farther but not breaking it.

I stare at the room questioning it and wondering if I accomplished what I was supposed to. I study it a moment longer and come to the conclusion that it was meant to trap me. Why would the man in the helicopter try to trap me? I shrug off the thought. Thinking for myself was dangerous. Forming my own opinions was forbidden. I didn't know how I knew this, but I did and I listened to it. In my mind it was the only way. The only truth.

I just assume the guards here or there master purposely had this trap set for me. What else could it have been?
I head to 'S' which is the next letter on the paper. Last time I didn't have far to go, but this time I had to run to the other side of the large building. I made it there in a decent amount of time and found that I was in the Operating room.

There were several inconveniences on the way, but I was able to quickly dispose of the few guards that crossed my path. Now I peeked into the Surveillance room at the men glued to their screens. This one will be too easy. I told myself. And indeed it was. One bullet for each of the five surveillance camera watchers. Something in me was familiar with this room. Somehow I knew someone that worked in a place like this, but I didn't. I nearly let out a groan. I had to get a grip on my thoughts and be rid of them. It only caused confusion and distraction. Everything was too fuzzy and unclear. Like a huge chunk of my life was missing.

Quickly with as little delay as possible I fire several more gunshots into the surveillance system to be sure that knowone else can revive it. Just in case I walk up to it and stab my knife into each computer screen and drag my blade across them.

Satisfied that there will be no saving the surveillance room I leave and head for the room labeled 'W'. It's right next to the training room so I assume it stands for weaponry.

Speaking for weapons a large squad of guards rushes down the hall towards me. Their footsteps were loud so I'd heard them when they were a ways off. I would have taken the element of surprise if I didn't already know that they were poorly trained.

The guards round a corner and there are only about thirty of them in all. Really? I say to myself. I took out twenty with ease so they sent thirty? I roll my eyes. Whoever was running this joint clearly had no idea what they were dealing with.

I flip my knife in my left hand as I shoot as many of the guards down as I have bullets left for. After I take out nearly ten of them the gun is empty so I toss it to the side. I throw my knife at another guard before I sprint at the rest. The halls are so narrow that only three or maybe four guards can rush towards me at a time.

They try to shoot at me but I dodge them by leaping around a corner. I soon realized that one did hit me roughly in the shoulder, but my black armor deflected it. I smirk at this and lunge around the corner when there nearly upon me.

It takes no more than ten minutes to leave behind the squad of guards. Now I'm on my way whistling down the halls with pleasure on my way to the weaponry as I guessed it to be.

As I arrive I smile with delight recognizing that I was right. I slowly walk into the room rearching for anyone who might be inside. I hadn't been too careful after the training room because none of them seemed threatening. Aside from the quarantine room as I discovered the hard way. I run my hand along a row of guns. All kinds and sizes at my fingertips.

My attention is quickly drawn away from the guns as I lay eyes on the hand on hand combat weapons. I gaze over the rows of knives, sticks, batons, spears, and other such weapons. I reach down grabbing a long knife.

A light chuckle escapes me. "What an unwise decision to leave all these weapons unguarded for the taking." I look up into two bright sapphire eyes with a smirk. Of course, I knew he was here the whole time I just kept low until I reached the weapon I desired.
"Well, we're not as unwise as you might think." The man growled his uneven teeth showing as he spoke.

I flip my knife over in my hand catching it on the hilt. "You really didn't need to allow me to grab my knife you know." I saw smugly. Maybe I should have avoided conversation and just fought like I was taught to. Yet again here I was thinking and that led to things not adding up. How was I here?

"I wanted a fair fight." The man sounds as if he is a rapid beast the way his voice rumbles when he speaks.

I let out a laugh realizing there is no harm in talking as long as I don't dig deeper with my words. "Let's be honest," I smile creepishly wide, "this was never going to be a fair fight." I lung forward at my opponent who is at least five solid inches taller than me.

His muscles are bulk, but he's slow. While I stalled as we spoke a few moments ago I discovered that he favored his left side. A left handed man. This may seem like a small advantage and very little information, but when it comes down to life and death I'd rather know to go for his left arm. If I can weaken his left side it should be no problem to take him out completely.

Moments into the fight I've dodged more blows to the head than I can count. This man aims high and goes straight for the kill. That, however, leaves him weak and unguarded on his lower half. I send a strong blow to the man's knee bending it the wrong way sending him stumbling. He never even saw it coming.

I chuckle standing above his body. "Regret letting me prepare myself yet?" I only used my knife a few times to block his. I know that he's far more trained than anyone else I've faced yet, but the fight isn't going as fast as I'd have liked. I was clearly just messing around with the poor man.

He stands up and charges towards me. He has so much power and he lunges at me, but I'm too smooth. I slither my way behind him and smirk again.

"I don't believe I caught your name." I say as I dodge yet another bow to the head. "Don't feel like talking? Okay, I can work with that." I slice his left arm drawing out a grunt.

"What shall I call you then?" I say as I walk around to the front side of the man as he recovers slightly and lunges at me yet again.

I slice my knife across his chest causing blood to seep down his shirt. "Your relentless," I chuckle, "how about I call you Bruise. Sounds feisty and mean, just like you." I smirk.

Bruise apparently doesn't like me treating him like a pet and he stabs at my stomach this time. I wasn't expecting such a move after all the head shots, but I give him credit for the effort. I almost take joy in this. After all my life I've been pushed around by those who are stronger than me finally I'm the stronger one. Bruise can't push me around. He can't hurt me. I have the power. I have the controle.

Then a tiny voice in the back of my head reminds me that my controle only goes so far. When it comes down to it I comply without a second thought. There should be no second thought. The only thought should be to do as I'm told.

Bruise loses a lot of blood and after one more attempt at taking my life he falls to the ground. "Why don't you finish me off boy? Are you scared?" He sneered. "They say the eyes of your first kill stay with you for life."

I laugh as I realize I am stalling, killing him. Why? I ask myself. He wasn't my first kill I thought as I remember all those pathetic guards I killed. That was different though I couldn't see their faces. It was almost as if they weren't humans. I smile again, Then why should this man seem any less human? It's not like I'm even supposed to think of my past and after Bruise is dead, he's in the past.

"You see that's where you're wrong, you're not my first kill." I chuck my knife and it embeds itself into Bruise's chest.

***

A/N Please let me know what your thoughts are! I'm so curious!
And as always God bless!