Pic above is Athena

I only linger near Bruise's body for a moment before I head to 'L'. I had know idea what 'L' could have been, but I headed that way without hesitation.

I had gathered a few more knives and another gun not caring if I made much noise at this point. Everyone knew I was here. Nobody bothered to approach me though. It was clear that they couldn't take me down after I killed their best man. Not that they knew at this point. I whipped out their surveillance, but they would find his body soon enough.

Quickly I find that the 'L' is laboratory. I find a tablet that is blank and waiting for me to fill in some kind of code. I think back immediately remembering the code I saw in the training room.

In8Jdb6nMbFC5vswTgXJ1QAfsWK6j3vxFje7dbxQ

I easily type the code in and the screen flashes green immediately after I feel someone else's presents nearby. "Are you really going to get in my way after I just dispatched your best man back there?" I say with a sigh, more annoyed than anything. They're leaders were just wasting lives at this point.

A female steps around a rack of lab equipment. "You think that was our best?" She laughs referring to Bruise. "No, no dear, he was only a test." She rounds another corner, her voice smooth as a soft stream.

I point my gun at her. "It would be a shame if they lost you then."

The girl chuckles again unphased by me pointing my guy at her. "The job is done Kaiden. You passed."

She strolled even closer and I fired. I wasn't messing around when I threatened her. When I threaten someone I mean it. The bullet flies straight to her chest causing her to stumble back a few steps before crumbling to the ground. I walk up to her corpse to be sure she's dead and find that the bullet never pierced her. She leaps up as soon as I'm near and pulls me close to her. I shove her back but it's too late.

"How's that for you through man?" She asks as she falls to the ground.

I sniff the air and begin to stumble backwards. Her bullet proof vest had released a gas when I shot her.

"See you soon, Buckaroo." She chuckles and lets herself fall unconscious.

I fight it and try to get out, but men in all black with their faces completely covered rush into the room. Two grab the girl's arms and drag her out while I stumble away from another two. One tears the gun out of my hands while the other takes my knives. It was then that I realized that I was on the ground. My lungs struggle to gather air and I slowly drift off...

***

Slowly I open my eyes and see I'm laying in a hospital bed. As soon as I'm fully aware of my surroundings I rip the IV needle out of my arm. I jump out of the bed then I remember. I remember everything. I remember being sent into the testing grounds and told that I would forget everything, but now I remember it all. Most importantly, I remember Bridget.

Quickly I snap out of it and I see Athena step into the doorway. "Are your memories coming back?" She asks sweetly.

I straighten my back and realize I'm still in my black clothing. "Yes mam,"

A sly smile creeps onto her face. "So, how do you think you did in there?"

I don't make eye contact as I say. "I completed my mission."

Athena walks closer to me laughing lightly. "You did more than that, Kaiden. You put on quite a show for those watching. There were quite a few interested in you actually."
I look down and satire at the floor even though I know I'm not supposed to and say nothing.

"Of course, I would settle for nothing, but the best for my prized student." Athena says as she stops a few feet away from me. "He's a very famous professor. Very smart. He's going to make you even better than you already are. It's kind of an experiment, but no harm will be done to you."

I look up at Athena with confusion. I just went through years of training and the final test to become a glorified labrat? I don't dare voice my opinion though, I shouldn't even have an opinion.

"Go on," says Athena. "I see a question in your eyes. Ask it," when I don't respond she goes on. "We train you not to have opinions or share them, so you are more tamed down and just how we want you when you can share them."

"I believe you could put all my training to better use in the field, not a lab." I say at last wording my question carefully. That was the first question I had asked in years. It felt so wrong.

Athena smiled again. "Well you will be put in the field... in good time." Her voice was deep and dark like there was something far greater going on and she was just daring me to ask. I didn't ask though. I don't feel any need to know Athena's plans. "We are just giving you some extra... preparations before we send you out. Of course, you will need a partner too, but we haven't found anyone worthy of that position yet."

I nod respectfully. Knowing that every male was partnered with a female and I could look at the chart on the wall before me to see that many were still on the testing grounds and a few were red. I assumed that meant they had failed since my name was green. I see that Ellery's name is red. I think back to the man in the helicopter. 'We don't accept failures' he had said. It's then that I realize that Ellery and the others with red names are either dead or someplace far worse.

"The professor's name is Professor Jack Silver." Athena says drawing my eyes to hers. "He's convinced me that we can change what is good, into something great. And that thing is you."

I nod my head not even responding to the fact that Athena didn't even give me the decency to consider me a human. I never thought that was wrong. I hardly consider myself human after I took all those lives. "Of course, I just have one more question, if I may ask?"

Athena allowed her sweet appearance that calmed me to remain as she smiled. "Ask away."

"Those people I killed..." I say slowly and she nods. "Wasn't that a waste of life? I mean I would never question you, but couldn't their lives have been put to better use?"

Athena huffs like it's obvious. "Kaiden, that was no waste of life in there. All the people we send in there are criminals. Their lives are worth nothing more than dirt." Athena sees I'm satisfied with her answer and goes on. "The tests will continue for the next twenty-four hours. You may as well go back to your room or find some of you... acquaintances."

That last word sounded more like a warning than anything, but I nod. Yes I know I think just a tiny bit more of Bridget than an acquaintance, but no more than a friend. Not even that good of a friend, Bridget was kind of a brat. I only thought that in defense of how much I truly cherished her. I would never admit it to myself though. I couldn't feel that way about anyone. I was walking on thin ice as it was, considering  James a friend, but Bridget was just dangerous.

I nod again to Athena then she steps forward with a cuff. "This is for you. It locks on and should never be taken off. All students receive them after the test."

I nod and she leaves. I then wait a minute so she's gone then I leave as well. I know full well where I am. I'm in the first aid section of the underground organization. A cult as Bridget had once called it.

I all but hit myself. I couldn't be thinking of her again. She wasn't a best friend. Those were forbidden, but I couldn't help but see her as a better friend than my other friends.

Obviously I knew her on a deeper level than I knew the others. I knew part of her past due to helping her come around to the idea of staying here. I had to be told, but that just helped our friendship run deeper. That wasn't good. I told myself daily, but I still couldn't help it. I never did anything to show her that I saw her as a closer friend though. She was doing so good here. She never asked questions anymore. She kept deeper thoughts to herself. And she even stopped trying to tell me about herself.

I knew that this was good and that this would help her. I didn't want her to have to face pain if I were killed like I would her. I could never let anyone know that though.

I shake my head as if to clear it as I reach my room. I peek in and find that my roommate, Fred, wasn't there. I lay on my bed thinking about all that I had done when in the test. I remember Bruise's eyes full of pain briefly before he died. They were so innocent as he died. I quickly tell myself that everyone looks innocent before they die and move on.

I ran through everything in my mind and got it all straightened out so that I could never think of it again. I got all of the thinking's done and gone never to return on that subject again. I would leave it in the past. That's how we lived here. We leave crap in the past so we don't get scared by it. So we aren't destroyed by it. If you are destroyed by something you are no longer useful. If you're no longer useful, you are disposed of. You are sent some place far worse.

After my thoughts are sorted and stored away never to be thought of again I look at my cuff. It's black and nearly blends into my black clothing.

When I think back I remember James having one. I never thought much of it, but now I study it.

It has a few buttons and a screen that is currently black. I don't mess with it knowing that if I was meant to I would have been told to. I twist it lightly on my wrist to feel the soft padding it had against my skin. It wouldn't hurt, but it also felt waterproof.

I remember that I can never under any circumstance take it off which reminds me of showering. That was a good reason for it to be created waterproof. They must have put a lot of thought into this small cuff. I don't even bother to understand the technology that must have been built into the small divide.

After awhile I look at the clock and see that dinner would be soon. I had never had lunch which would have been punished if I was a student, but I was no longer a student. I wasn't quite a graduate either, but I knew I would be soon.

I quickly rinse off and change my clothes before I head to the cafeteria. I grab my food and spot Bridget sitting with Delany, Fred, and Harold. I walk over to them and sit across from Bridget.

"Hey, Kaiden," says Bridget, then she sticks to the surface questions allowed and encores my test knowing she can't talk about it. "How've you been?"

"Good, and you?" I say not allowed to express anything deeper than that. Not that I even wanted to, but I Bridget knew it wasn't allowed so she didn't think anything of the answer.

"I'm fine." She said shortly.

I immediately knew she wasn't doing fine. I also knew I couldn't ask though. I scold myself for thinking this deeply on the subject and listen as I hear her voice again.

"My classes today were tougher than usual." She explains and I know that's not all but I again can't ask.

I turn my attention to Fred and Harold. Fred had also taken the test today, but Harold was a year younger like Bridget.

"How was your guys' day?" I ask plainly.

"Good." They answer in unison.

After this we turn to general conversation about training and other such permitted subjects. After a while I finish my food and so does everyone else. We get up and depart from the cafeteria in silence.

I leave without a word of farewell which isn't abnormal here. Saying your goodbyes shows too much attachment. Fred follows several yards behind me back to our room.

When we arrive I change into my sleeping clothes and get into my bed. I know that all the students being tested won't be done until around lunch tomorrow so I allow myself to rest. My last thought before I drift off is the test. Not thinking of the memories inside it. But thinking of the scores and this Professor Silver I had been told would conduct experiments on me.

***

I wake up at my usual five AM and see that Fred is already up. I don't acknowledge him at all and mind my own business as I get ready. When I leave Fred has already left.

I go to get my breakfast and sit by Fred. Later on Bridget shows up then Delany and lastly Harold. Our small group was full of mostly antisocial people. Bridget used to be such a social butterfly, but I had proudly broken her of that. Not to mention the loads of whippings she had revived. I couldn't say she had gotten it more than me, but still near my record.

It was funny how that worked. I was the most successful of my age groups and she currently held the top rank of hers. We were two of the worst children here at first and managed to weasel our way to the top.

I look up at Bridgets bright green eyes as they meet my blue ones. "You're not okay," is all I can say, but I've never seen her this way. It's well shielded and everyone else as the table pretended not to hear me.

Bridget's green eyes fill slightly with worry. "I don't know what you're talking about." She says at last. "I've been given a better life here than I was ever given out there." She says looking up. "We live a good life down here. I can only be grateful."

I nod. "Of course."

I hate that something is bothering her, but I know there is nothing I can do. No question permitted I can ask. I was already walking on the border line when I said I knew she wasn't okay. Her answer had saved me. I was grateful for that, but left immediately following. I really needed to put some space between us. I couldn't care that something was wrong. There was something far greater wrong with me than whatever was wrong with her.

I knew that one of us would have been disposed of if it was discovered that I cared for her. I'd like to think I would be gotten rid of and not her, but I know that's not a good thought. I know that shouldn't be my first thought. That's not good. I needed to think first of myself and then of her. That was how things worked down here.

Obviously, we were supposed to help our partner when in the field, but I wasn't in the field. I was at home. Yes this place is home and it's ways are my own. I needed to forget about any friendship with Bridget and work on myself right now. I'm the only priority in my life. I'm all that matters to me. That's how it works down here.

Outside of this place things are different and I put my mission first then myself then my partners safety. No strings attached. Life is simple. I just need to straighten myself out.

I reach my room and wait inside going through my mind once again. It was a practice we were taught here. If you go through your thoughts and have them all figured out it's easier to set them aside.

This time, however, I'm working through how I'm going to a life Bridget. How I'm going to destroy anything between us that stands between me and my success. I need her out of the way to be most successful.

My wrist vibrated and I looked down at it to see indication that I needed to go to the graduation ceremony. Only the students graduating were allowed to come to the graduation ceremony.

I stand up without delay and leave my room. I reach the elevator that we rode to the testing rooms, but we find that the door on the other side of the elevator opens on the same level as the rest of the underground place. We followed guards as soon as we left the elevator and down a long hall.

I enter the large auditorium and find the seat labeled "1". I look to my right and find that the seat is empty. After a moment I look back at all the other seats and find many holes. At first our group was made up of one hundred and seventeen, but now there must be a ninety or less.

I then remember how James' age group had lost many members along with the age groups for many years before that. I then think of Bridget. It was a horrid thing I did by thinking of her and how she might be lost in the testing. But I pushed it away as fast as it came.

Athena and Hector walked out on the stage. I make eye contact with Athena first then Hector. They don't look at everyone directly, but I'm the first ranked and received extra attention.

"Welcome graduates to the three hundredth and fifty sixth Graduation Ceremony." There was no applause after this statement from Hector. We never applauded anyone here. It was seen as an unnecessary waste of time.

"We will begin the Ceremony by applying the stamp of the all seeing eye." Athena holds up a one dollar bill.

It's been years since any of us has seen money because it isn't a part of our lifestyle here. "It is known to the outside world as a symbol of their god watching us, but we know it by a different meaning. The true meaning. That is only a coverup so we place our symbol right under their noses."

Athena smirks gazing out into the crowd before her. "The true meaning of the eye is still all seeing, just not their god. It is ya who are all seeing. We have eyes everywhere and where we can't have eyes we have ears. The organization was originally just seeing and less hearing, however, so this is our symbol."

"You each will have the symbol burned into your flesh." Hector took over. "It represents you being bound to us forever. The scar is unremovable just as you will be unremovable from our system. You will forever be bound to us and we forever bound to you."

"Let the Ceremony begin!" Called Athena her voice sounding like the devil himself. I saw no problem with this though. I was so blind, brainwashed and bound to comply that nothing else mattered.

A cart was pushed out on a queue full of hot coles heating the metal poker with the eye symbol on it.

"Kaiden Pechman." Hector called his voice sounding devilish as well. My ears were def to the sound because it was so familiar. The demonic presence was so familiar here. I'd heard it seeping into too many of the professor's voices that the stronger sound in Hector and Athena's voices had no effect on me.

I stood immediately and walked up to the stage where Hector told me to remove my jacket and roll my sleeve up to my shoulder on my left side. I complied and reviled the skin on my bear arm and shoulder.

Athena walked over and placed two fingers over the center of the side of my shoulder. "Kaiden Pechman you are the most successful student since the two hundredth and sixty second graduation ceremony." I let Athena's words sink in. "Let this symbole rule as a reminder to you of who you are." Athena's two frigid fingers leave my skin cold.

Hector then steps forward with the hot pocket in his hand. I watch as he places the glowing metal against my pale skin. I hardly hold back a cry of pain as Hector smirks and my burning flesh sizzles. Hector finally pulls the poker away leaving the mark of the all seeing eye on my shoulder. My skin was all red as Athena wrapped it in a bandage.

"Never let anyone see your mark." She said sternly. "It is only ever to be seen by anyone to prove your allegiance. Never speak of your mark. Ever." She said as she tied off my bandage and rolled my sleeve back down.

I grabbed my coat and pulled it on avoiding the wince that threatened as I pulled it over my left shoulder. The pain feels as if it burns deeper and deeper as the ceremony continues. The same thing is repeated with every graduate. The girls, however, have the mark burned onto their left upper thigh.

I watch the entire ceremony without allowing myself to drift off for a second. I'm trained far too well for a little pain to cause me to be distracted or in any way not paying attention. I watched intently seeing nothing wrong with the wretched ceremony in my complying mind. I was doing nothing wrong. I was to blind to see the truth of how wrong all of this was. I didn't understand that there was a time to comply and a time to rebell.

***

A/N So this chapter was full of information. It went deep into the heart of the organization. Let me know if I need to go back and explain anything better please! Also I know this story looks really dark and it kinda is rn. I do promise though, that it gets better. I mean things get worse before they can get better but please continue to read!!! Also I always appreciate a vote so I can get more readers to share my baby (this story) with.
As always God bless!