Ally didn't appreciate the name-calling, nor did she appreciate being called out for being "non-violent", but it didn't matter. She was a lot more worried about not having her old life back. What was she going to do if she couldn't return home to her father and brother? What would they do? How would her father react to his first born being missing? The more Ally thought about it, the more she wished she could stop.

She tried to shift her mind to Russo's other words. He mentioned her not having supposed to be in the same area as Marcus and Kurt. Where was I supposed to be? she questioned in her mind. If she hadn't been in the same arena with the others, would she have lived? Would she get a duplicate situation like Percy and the convict? Her mind drifted on the convict who was killed, and she had to look away from the other two she stood with in the elevator. Although she knew there wasn't much of a choice, she wished the fat convict hadn't died. She didn't care as much for Percy, but was secretly relieved that he wasn't dead.

Ally stood quietly in the elevator with the others. Even though just a few minutes ago she had a million questions, her mind was now occupied with thoughts of home and wishes the convict hadn't died such a painful death.

"I guess my only question is how long you've been here," Ally asked the others, her voice cracking a bit from the emotion stemming from her thoughts. She doubted they knew how long she was there, so she was going to assume she was either brought around the same time or after they were brought in.

Marcus leaned against the railing. He held onto his shoulder as the elevator jumped up. His knees buckled from the various vibrations. The closed space and the mirror behind him were a bit ominous. Closing his eyes, he couldn‘t believe his assumptions were wrong.

Marcus assumed he was kidnapped and placed inside an abandoned building. Nothing proved his theory when he observed the elevator. It almost looked like it belongs in a hotel. Yellow guard rails were placed on the walls. Under the participant's feet happened to be a red carpet. Everything looked too clean or pristine for an abandoned warehouse. Where exactly did this military muscle take them?

Marcus twisted his head slightly to see Ally. “I don't know. I might’ve been knocked out for several hours. This exercise was the first thing we did,” he complained. He then eyed the soldier in the elevator. God, the situation called for awkward. Marcus remained trapped in a tight space with the individuals that almost died with him along with his kidnapper. This elevator ride couldn’t go any slower.



The elevator doors opened and revealed a beaming ray of sunshine. Once the doors retracted into the wall, the group became stunned by the new decor. Stepping into the room brought a new, fresh breath of life to their faces. The teens possibly reacted by indulging in the atmosphere or believing a set-up would occur later.

Who ever might have assumed the void room belonged to an abandoned warehouse or maybe a military outpost realized their assumptions were incorrect. Before them, the room stood as a lounging area. It was almost too good to be true. An impressive flat screen told on the farthest wall. In the center of the room, a large sofa stretched out on the gray carpet. The sofa’s leather material looked comfortable by appearance alone.

The television screen placed itself into a tv stand of sorts. A few cubbies below the tv presented several gaming systems and a DVD player. Next, to the center, a shelf included most of the newest games and new movie releases. Two gigantic windows were at the side of the television. Black curtains were pulled away revealing the outside.

The outside didn’t appear to be harmful. Whatever building they were standing in, they figured they were on a hilltop. A curved road stretched downhill to an iron gate. A freshly cut lawn was the entirety of the outside along with a few hedges trimmed.

Beside the lounging area, an adjacent kitchen caught the eyes of the teenagers. It also deserved the same awes and oohs. The tile floors reflected the person standing on top of them. The sleek, black fridge included an ice machine as well as an espresso machine next to it. There happened to be a mini-toaster oven, microwave, and a regular oven prepared for cooking purposes. There were many cabinets that carried more appliances hopefully.

Mr. Russo stepped inside the lounge area. “Welcome. This is the reward for passing the test. As I have said before, your last life does not matter. You are being brought to something more; you are gifted with tremendous power and it will be put to good use.” He leaned over the back of the sofa and pulled out a few dog tags.

“Here are a few gifts for everyone,” he tossed the dog tags to the respective person. Marcus caught and inspected his personal necklace. “They are your code names from now on, this what you will be referring to each other in combat and during missions.” Marcus read him and found “Chef Object” to be inscribed. Ally would see her alias happened to be “Agent.”

“Kurt, I had the privilege of borrowing your old name. I don’t want you running around with the reputation beforehand,” he flicked his hand to demonstrate Kurt’s title had been changed to “City Dragon.” Russo then ushered the three teens to look at the couch. “Okay, kids. I also have your uniforms at the ready. They are cheap right now. I don’t have much creativity, but they will change in the meantime so be prepared for that. Except you Kurt, it’s hard finding something to fit a lizard man, but we’re working on that.”

Mr. Russo then massaged his chin. “I don’t have many rules. I guess the only rule I have is do not confront your family. There will be major consequences. I will be not be babysitting you, but I will be watching. I have other matters to attend. Any questions?”

Ally's jaw dropped when she saw the living room area. She had expected to be led straight into some sort of prison cell or possibly another test, but certainly not a luxury lobby like this. Although she was disappointed the other two didn't have any real answers for her, she was secretly glad she wasn't alone in not knowing anything.

Seeing the beautiful couches made her back ache even more. She could feel little droplets dripped down her back from the several times she was slammed into a building, but she knew the cuts weren't deadly deep. All she wanted was to fall on the couch and go to sleep, but she figured that wouldn't be possible, at least not until their injuries were treated.

Then Russo once again congratulated them and handed each a specialized dog tag. Ally took hers and murmured, "Agent..." under her breath. Although the dog tag was cool and matched Russo's military appearance, she wondered what they were for. Were they trackers, or simply rewards for joining Russo's quest? They really didn't know Russo's quest, but Ally certainly was curious.

Russo pointed at the suits on the couch, and for a split second Ally wondered which one was hers until she noticed one of the two outfits had a more feminine cut and fit. Everything was black with both outfits, so Ally figured they would be doing some sort of spying and stealth. She didn't know how to feel about this yet, considering she didn't know if the fight she would be fighting was good or bad yet.

Then Russo mentioned their families. A lump caught in Ally's throat. For how long would they have to stay away from their families? Weeks? Years? Forever? "Yeah, I want to know my family is okay," Ally said, somehow managing to speak up despite her anxiety. "Can we at least keep tabs on them or something?"

Kurt looked away from Mr. Russo as he referred to the orphanage. He hissed under his breath and gnashed his teeth, he wanted to be mad at Mr. Russo. But this man had given him a second chance at life, one where he could actually help people and live in comfort. He was conflicted on how to think of this strange individual.

His mind was all over the place and his gut had nothing useful to tell him. He guessed he would just have to trust Mr. Russo. And perhaps some day the other two who were currently with him might actually get to visit there families. It was probably a wasted hope but he still felt that it could happen. Mr. Russo was a strange man who could possibly change his mind. Kurt groaned as his shoulder stung from the hole that was still in it. He watched Marcus start off towards the medical room then looked over at Ally not sure of what she must be thinking.
He spoke softly "Hey. C-come one, we should probably get all that looked at." He gestured to Ally's wounds. He tried to force on a smile,
it worked momentarily but he then had to wipe drool from his mouth again, and with it his smile.

(Ready for the next episode.)

Ally looked at the floor when Russo informed them about the family situation. She was upset, sure, but would their families be safer this way? At the same time, Ally was angry. She remembered seeing her father the last time before she woke up in the simulation. She thought about hugging him and saying "I love you" before he left to work, but she held a grudge to herself. Something had told her to give him an extra hug before he left, but she never did. Her fist clentched and tears welled up in her eyes as frustration, fatigue, and anger mixed throughout her mind.

"You're right," Ally agreed, quickly wiping the welled up tears away, "Let's go get patched up." Glad to have support, Ally followed Kurt into the medical bay.

(I'm ready for the next episode.)

---

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---

It’s been about eighteen hours since Mr. Russo last spoke to the teens. The last encounter left the team injured and morally defeated. A new life of fighting did not settle well. “Unreal” is the best word to describe their current situation. No available options remained, it appeared Mr. Russo had a tight grip on everyone.

The last fight against the two convicts did leave bruises and scratches on the three kids. No major injuries were found, but the team still suffered from soreness. Neither Ally, Kurt, or Marcus experienced a battle similar to what occurred in the basement floor. Their bodies certainly could not sustain such new and heavy punishment.

Not much time was spent looking around the mansion nor finding a way to ditch the place. They needed rest and their beds called out to them. The three teenagers examined their rooms and found themselves attached to them. The rooms appeared creepy yet flattering. For each personal room, decorations and different furniture were applied. Whoever was in charge of room decor, they knew the teen’s individual preferences.

The team laid to bed to recover from their last battle. The clinic did help bandage and clean most of their cuts. Strangely, the state of the sick bay suggested someone visited before. On the hospital beds, medical supplies lined out on the spread. The supplies seemed they were taken from the shelves. The materials were exactly what the team deemed essential. Whether Mr. Russo predicted the team’s injuries or there’s another person in the building. Both theories were creepy nevertheless.

The three teenages found the mansion to be unviting sometimes. The Victorian building is too ginormous for three kids; most of the time, the place felt empty and void. The light fixtures and sound of television did help the cause. What didn’t help the atmosphere of loneliness was the weather outside.
Heavy rain poured out onto the windows. The crack of thunder shook the windows with every passing minute or so. Could this be the definition of coincidence? A rainstorm appeared during the day of their supposed new life. Thunder cracks caused tension, and so did the alarm that came out next.

Flashing lights turned on in the lounge area. A deafening alarm emanated throughout the rooms of the mansion. The HD television immediately shifted to static before presenting a video feed of Mr. Russo. His overall demeanor suggested sternness. “It’s time. Kiddos. You will be going on your first mission as of now.”

---

@LeamonZest89@1Hawkeyes
(Go ahead and post details about your room. I will wait for Marcus' overall feelings and such later. I have a birthday to attend tonight.)

After being treated for her relatively minor wounds, Ally made her way to her own room through the large, lonely, yet gorgeous mansion. She admired the place. It certainly was an amazing improvement from her old one-bedroom she shared with her father and brother and she wished they could be here to see it. She wished they could cheer her on for helping Kurt and Marcus and for pushing her limits, but they couldn't. Air pushed itself out of her lungs in a long sigh as she tried to come to terms with the loss of her family. At least they were still alive right?

Ally finally found her room and entered. The walls were a deep beige with a couple paintings and pictures of her favorite heroes pinned up on the wall. She looked over to the bed that had a puffy red comforter, her favorite color. Overall the room's color scheme was composed of beiges, browns, and reds, making her mind feel relaxed and at ease. Ally stepped up to one of the pictures of her favorite heroes and plucked it from the wall. They stood noble and brave. Her hand grazed the picture as she yearned to be like them. How could she gain their courage? How could she be so unyielding like them? After a few moments of thinking, Ally put the photo back and left the room.

Although it was strange they knew her exact preferences, she wasn't entirely uncomfortable with it. In a way it was creepy, but in another sense she was glad they had put so much thought into making them comfortable. They didn't throw them into blank rooms, they gave them rooms they would like. They didn't throw them into an abandoned building, they were in a mansion. Although Russo could be a jerk, he wasn't completely uncaring about them.

As Ally made her way back to the lobby, alarms went off. She didn't know what they meant, so she made a half-sprint, half tired limp to the lobby where the TV turned on to Russo's face. "Already?" Ally asked aloud, although she didn't mean to.

---

Liz paced her room in a anxious state. Looking out the window, she could see down the street leading out of the cul-de-sac. Being in the dead center was handy in some ways, but she'd yet to notice anything out of the ordinary to help with all the missing kids.

And at any point her sister could be next.

She rubbed her arm, where the runes for her bow and arrows were inked into her arm thanks to a backstreet tattoo artist while she glanced at the clock.

Shouldn't she be home by now? Liz thought nervously. It was that day when her parents wouldn't be home until late, and her sister should've been home ten minutes ago from school.

Maybe there was a holdup. There was no way she could be among the missing.

Twenty more minutes passed.

Closing her eyes, Liz calmed her breathing.

Pulling out her outfit, she quickly changed.

"Fuck this. I'm going looking..." She muttered, materializing her bow and activating several runes as she dropped out of her second story window. Landing like a leaf, Liz took off into the forest to avoid the houses as she began her search for her sister.

Please just be really late... Please. Please please please...

Ally observed the map presented on the screen and wondered who would kidnap children. She always considered anything done to kids especially terrible. Though hearing about the disappearance did bring a slight weight off her shoulders. Now that they were going to be finding missing children- or at least the person who was doing this- it showed that they weren't the bad guys.

After Russo finished his instructions, Ally shook her head a bit, "A couple of missing kids trying to find other missing kids?" Although she knew the other kids must be in a much worse situation than them, she couldn't help but feel the irony.

Kurt asked about anyone knowing how to drive. "I don't have my license but I can kind of drive," she explained, hoping Marcus had more driving experience than her. Ally wanted to be on the scene as soon as possible. With so many children missing, the next target could get snatched any second. They had no time to waste.

When the rain falls the people seek cover. When the thunder rolls they hide from its source. This is the general rule of thumb for people. Not everyone follows this, least of all a asian teen by the name of Lydia. She was the oddball of the neighborhood, always acting weird and looking at things that weren't there. When a good thunderstorm rolled into town it wasn't unusual to see her outside.

The rain gave her a good opportunity to discharge or if she wanted a supercharge she could act as a human lightning rod. Ordinarily there was no need for a supercharge. Right now either would be useful though. Kids were going missing and if she ran into the one responsible they would regret it. It was more likely it would just be another quiet walk. Sometimes being alone was nice.

There were not that many places to hide in the area other than the forest. The kids used the area as a play area during the day. Tag, hide and seek, red rover, etc... Teens used it as a place to get out of sight for various reasons. While Lydia didn't often join in either of those things she liked exploring and knew a lot of the wooded area pretty well.

---

Liz shook her head, growing ever irritated at the rain. Even with runes to help, she could barely hear her own footsteps.

And she was soaked.

"Bloody weather.." she murmured.

It was then that she heard it. The giggle.

That was definitely her sister! But... Her sister didn't giggle. Her laughs were always unique, and she could never just have a simple sound like a giggle.

She was met with a conundrum. Did she travel deeper into the forest in hopes that she'd find her sister, or continue onward in her search?

She shook her head. There wasn't a choice. This was the best lead she had, there were no other choices.

Activating a rune to make her quieter and harder to notice, not that it really mattered in this rain, Liz set of carefully.

If she found a good spot to climb a tree and move from tree to tree, she would. Otherwise she was stuck walking through the ever muddier ground, keeping her eyes peeled either way for a sign of her sister.