2nd Announcement

[The Organization]

"Found them."

...Huh?

"Alright, you take that one."

What's going on?

"Hey, is he waking up?"

"Yeah, looks like it. Did you bring the thing?"

The thing?

"Right here. Be careful though, we don't know what this one can do."

Are they... talking about me?

"Yeah, I know."

What're you doing...

"Hurry up, he's starting to open his eyes!"

"Don't rush me, Matt."

Get off my-

"Allllright, there we go. Easy now, don't struggle."

What...


"Sorry, kid."





"Really."

----

Step, step, step, step, step. The sounds of panic clicked through the corridors, beats of sweat rolling down the flustered face of a nameless doctor. Before this life, he had kids, a wife, a home; all the trappings of a well-off man, but now? Walking through the halls of a run-down military complex, trying to find his boss so that he could tell him a piece of news which would probably end up killing him.

Poor guy.

Reaching the office of a Dr. Julian Cavery, he hesitated. If he walked in there, he would die. If he walked away, he had nowhere to go. If he stood there any longer, someone would eventually find him. His knuckles quietly rapped at the glass. A moment of silence. Then a voice.

"Come in."

He gulped down the rising fear, and took a deep breath. Cool, calm, collected. He gathered his thoughts, then stepped inside. There was very little light in here - the doctor had the blinds down to block out the harsh rays of the midday sun - and it had a strange sort of smell to it, like something was growing in the walls. Fighting every urge to pull his collar up over his nose, he began to take in stifled breaths as he stood nervously in Cavery's eyeline. He could feel his cold stare, but he forced himself not to look at his face, choosing instead to look blindly ahead at the wall above the desk.

Keep it together now, don't wanna get killed. Not here, not by him.

"Did you need me for something in particular, or...?"

"Er, yes sir! I-I um, we've had a little, er-"

Oh God. Those eyes. He couldn't look away from them any longer, they were drawing him in, like a whirlpool. It didn't matter how hard he tried to swim away, they were just too powerful, dragging him under without mercy. It might not have been so bad if he could only see his face, but that mask... the one he insisted on wearing, even when he was all alone in his office, like now.

"Look, I'm very busy, so if this isn't urgent-"

"He's gone, sir!"

Cavery sat perfectly still. No reaction, not even in his eyes. The doctor tilted his head a little to the side.

Did he hear me?

"Sir?"

The masked man jerked suddenly in his chair, apparently surprised at the sight of his subordinate inspecting his face. The other man jumped.

"S-sir?"

The leather gloves around his hands tightened; his fingers curling themselves around both arms of his chair.

"I heard you."

This was it. He was going to die, he just knew it. The doctor could feel his legs shaking uncontrollably - he was going to die a blithering mess like he always imagined. At least his family couldn't see him now. Little Wendy, little Drew. His wife, Tracey, holding both their hands.

Oh well. He'd made the most of his time here, hadn't he? They'd accomplished something wonderful here, however barbaric the process they used to create it. He could die knowing he'd played a part in bringing humanity into the future. How many people could say the same?

"...Are you going to stand there all day?"

What?

"Y-you're not mad? Er, sir?"

The man leaned back in his chair, relaxing his shoulders. It sounded like he chuckled, but the mask muffled it too much. He looked up at the man in the lab coat with - a grin? It was impossible to tell.

"No, I'm not mad."

Okay, now he was just confused.

"But... wasn't he important?"

A darker look now - time to stop asking questions.

"It's fine, Young. Go back to your station."

Cavery didn't have to tell him twice. Nodding awkwardly, he rushed over to the door and gripped the handle in his palm.

"Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about this. Keep it to yourself for now."

"Y-yes sir."

And with that, he left the good doctor to contemplate this news.



For now. Young told himself.

----

Lizzie cleared her throat.

"Gooooood afternoon! This is your host, Lizzle Badizzle Nolan, with your second announcement! How was that? Awesome, right? 'Course it was, I'm down with you kids and your crazy lingo."

A tired sigh in the background.

"Alrighty, so, I've got a lot of work today and I've been told to keep this one nice and short - like me! - so let's get this rolling! First up is a double-death, which by the way, is really fun to say over and over, trust me. Listen: double-death, double-death, double-death, double-death, dubble-feff - AW, I did so well! What? Oh yeah, well I'd like to see you try it. Oh, oh, what's that? Nothing? Yeeeeah, thought so. He's never been good at tongue-twisters, just ask his mother. OHHHH! BUUUUURN! Hey, where are you- hey no, that's not- No, it's my show, stop it! Hey-"

"Uhhh, is this- oh, okay. Since Lizzie can't handle the responsibility, I'm gonna read this - can you get those pens away from her? That really hurt! - one out today.

Like she said, the first death was a double one, with both Judith Vibert and Fredrick Slagenger getting themselves caught in the black forest after it became a dangerzone. Around the same time, Cristo Ruiz was killed down on the cove after shooting Otis Adelaide who died shortly after.

As for dangerzones, the previous ones have now been cleared and travel through them is safe again, while the Holding Cells, The Great Divide, the Settlement and the Radio Tower are the new ones. You have one hour to escape, otherwise you will be eliminated.

How'd I do? What? I'm still - dammit."

----

OOC: Three days to get out of the dangerzones, lest your characters go bye-bye.