[color=gray][INDENT][INDENT][i] [/i][/INDENT][/INDENT][CENTER][COLOR=04cf3a][sup]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][img]https://i.imgur.com/uxnptlQ.jpg[/img] [/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=04cf3a][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]The Matrix - Dundas Island, Pacific Ocean[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=04cf3a][b]Hope in Hell #2.029:[/b][/COLOR] [color=white][I][b]Nothing Left to Give[/b][/I][/color][/right][/sup][/indent][COLOR=04cf3a][SUP][sub]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][INDENT][sub][color=04cf3a][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I]Himself[/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=04cf3a][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [color=2c2c2c][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5530513][I]Rocket Man[/I][/url][/color][/right][/SUP] [INDENT] As smoke burned his lungs, his new partner fought a creepy clone of another of his crushes, and his teammate screamed below him, Rory's eyes shifted down the towards the other side of the room that was farthest from the chaos. The metal grates creaked and groaned underneath his newfound mass. He didn't want to leave his team, but he wasn't going to be much use if he was charred or dead. Rory pushed off with a powerful leap, bounding along the spots most supported by steel beams as he ran for his best approximation of an exit. He needed a way out, his stinging eyes full of tears and head pounding from the smoke. As he continued to fight and push through the smoke, Rory stumbled into a new room. The air cleared, his breathing returning to normal before finding himself in a dark, empty room illuminated by a sole light hanging above a round table. The light reflected off something metallic as Rory's eyes wandered toward the object immediately recognizing it as his father's service weapon. He took a few steps towards the gun, feeling the familiar weight and coldness of the grip. He instinctively removed the magazine, seeing only the single bullet loaded. He set the mag down for a moment so he could pull back the slide, checking that it was empty. One bullet. The sound of three lights snapping on illuminated the bodies of three more young adults, each with a sack over their head obscuring their identities but their muffled voices were familiar. Rory's heart jumped into his throat, his hands dropping the gun back onto the table as he started to run towards the figures. He knew it wasn't real... but there were parts of the brain he couldn't shut off. He stopped himself mid- sprint, rolling back onto his heels as his feet came close to a ledge. A chasm separated Rory from the figures. Two were male, one was female. [Color=lightgray]"Choose one to die."[/color] The haunting chorus returned, its whispers seemingly coming from all around Rory. Rory looked back towards the metal table, his breathing more ragged as he felt his blood pressure rise. He shouldn't have left Haven alone. He should have helped Katja up. He should have known they were in danger immediately. He should have stopped Amma from running. He should- [Color=04cf3a][i]NO... in through your nose, out through your mouth. This isn't real...[/i][/color] Rory took a few steps from the ledge, taking deep breaths as he stepped away from the chasm. He ignored the muffled pleas. They were just code anyways. [Color=04cf3a][i]Ok... stop. Whoever hacked this is fucking with you. They could have just crushed us flat or fucked with the neural stuff... Saw rules... you play the game, you survive, right?[/i][/color] Rory looked up to the sky for a timer. No timer... maybe it wasn't saw rules. [Color=lightgray]"Choose one to die."[/color] The chorus of whispers was sickening, but Rory shuffled over to the table nonetheless. Firing a gun was one of the few things Cole had ever felt worthy of his time to pass on. A miserable attempt at a legacy. His hands felt natural sliding the magazine in, pulling back the slide to prime the last round. He cocked back the hammer with his thumb as he held the gun in both hands, left hand cradling his right. His eyes glazed back over the three figures. He recognized the two on the ends by their outfits alone. They were always so bad at folding their own laundry. He tuned out their voices as he continued taking deep breaths. The middle one looked... wrong. He didn't look good in a suit. It seemed too constricting on him. Rory stepped up a few feet from the ledge, barrel of the gun aimed towards the ground in front of him. He paused as he looked between the three figures. [Color=lightgray]"Choose one to die."[/color] Rory's mouth felt dry. It wasn't a choice. Not for him. It didn't matter if this was fake or real. He was their big brother, and a big brother would do anything for his siblings. Even if it meant sacrifice. Rory raised the gun towards the middle figure. He closed one eye, steadying his hands. He took a breath in through his nose, and then let the air seep out through his mouth as his finger squeezed the trigger. [Color=white][b]Bang.[/b][/color] [/INDENT][/INDENT][/color]