The test was just about to begin; the computerized arena had quickly been inspected by Lieutenant Ackermann's subordinates, and some other persons in white overalls, and I immediately concluded that they were the programmers of the arena. They each had this large all-screen tablet that they continued tapping on when they got to a checkpoint. The men in uniform followed behind them holding a camera and recording, then directly transmitting it to the showroom where we watched. It didn't take me too long to realize that the footage was actually happening live, as I saw the Lieutenant focusing and paying attention to detail.

The voice of the director through the security camera resounded around the room and caught everyone's attention. Startled me a little bit.

"Ackermann… I understand the test is about to commence?"

My eyes widened immediately… My jaw dropped.

I sent my eyes to the corners, aiming to capture the Lieutenant's reaction. I was stunned. Never had I ever, heard someone call the lieutenant using his first name directly. Up until then, I knew no one would even attempt to do that, given the person is still interested in keeping his jaws intact. The amount of fear and respect we had for him was the utmost anyone could offer. Yes, we knew the director was the boss of the entire thing, but Lieutenant Ackermann was just bad news to us. We were particularly scared of his presence… even the thought of his presence frightened and trembled our souls… the mention of his name made us uneasy.

The Lieutenant got on his feet hastily and saluted.

"Yes, director…"

"What the – this isn't real, is it?" I queried. My brain was as puzzled as it could get.

The director giggled lightly.

The sound of it made me have doubts about her being the director after all; it was so peaceful and genuine. I'd always thought of the director as some black-hearted woman who had regard for no one… no one at all; and it wasn't unnatural to think that, her actions and decisions were cruel. I mean, even though she'd never approached us directly… even though she'd never showed her face to us, we knew she either called the shots on everything, or she turned a blind eye to certain things.

"No need for formalities, Ackermann." She stated.

Lieutenant Ackermann smiled sheepishly with his eyes closed, and then went on to caress his mustache.

"The entire board is seated and ready… Tell us about this test… Was your idea anyways."

"Board…? What does that even mean? The entire board is seated…?"

"Right -- There are seventy-three candidates in this facility, and only twenty-five serums available, as we are all aware. It comes down to the selection process. We only need twenty-five students for the project, and the remaining will be laid off."

My eyes widened as I heard that. "Lay off? That's it? Just lay off?" The thought made my heart wild. I could hear and feel it smack my chest hard, and it wasn't because I was scared - Well, I was actually scared, but the Lieutenant's words made my blood boil. Lay off... like some cattle, or some lab rats to them.

"We are well aware of this... Your role was to determine the best selective process." An unknown voice sounded through the speakers of the camera.

"Who-- who was that...?"

"Right --"

"So what do you propose...?" asked the director.

"Battle... Royal?"

"Yes, director."

I heard the doctors gasp in shock. I look over in their direction, and their jaws are almost about to fall off. At the time, I didn't understand what "Battle royal" or whatever meant, but I had a feeling it was nothing good.

"We've trained them equally from the day they got here... and with that logic, we can say all of them are on par, and it would be unfair to handpick them, but this way, we make them take their lives into their own hands and decide what they want to do with it. Those who value their lives will be fit for the experiment; as simple as that."

The room remained silent for a while, until the director, along with some other voices from the camera agreed to go with the Lieutenant's idea. I could hear the murmurs of the doctors after the decision was finalized, almost as if they had some kind of baby hope at the bottom of their hearts which reassured them that the director wouldn't agree with that cruel plan... I wasn't though - from the very get-go, I knew the decision had already been made days before, Lieutenant Ackermann was just explaining it to the other people with the director, and not the director herself. I wouldn't know how to explain it, but looking at the lieutenant's actions when the director is involved, there was no way he could take an initiative without a go-ahead from the director. At least from what I had noticed from listening to their conversations and observing him. Lieutenant Ackermann's answer to the director when she called all of a sudden was different from how he responded to the selective decision he had taken. He acted unnaturally when he was first talking to the director, but he immediately switched when she stated that the board was with her. Come to think of it, I think the people who spoke alongside the director were the ones she referred to as "The Board"... but why? What does that mean..." Daniel would have known what it meant if he were here.

"Twenty-five pass cards have been randomly hidden in the various places in the arena, everyone is entitled to just one... they are to find one and keep it safe from the other candidates until the time expires."

I kept looking at him from the corner of my eye.

"Those without the pass cards will die on the spot when the time elapses.

---------------------

"Micah, Daniel -- please survive this... Do whatever you need to do to survive!" I mouthed almost silently to myself with the hopes that Micah and Daniel would hear; miraculously. I knew what this test meant but I still expected those two to come out with flying colors, even at the expense of the lives of the other candidates. That made me look like a bad guy, but no matter, I'd take Micah over the well-being of the world on any day.

"Leon..."

The director's voice echoed in my head and startled me a bit. I looked around hesitantly before I set my eyes on the lens of the camera upwards.

I purposely kept silent and didn't respond to her call.

"Consider yourself lucky that you wouldn't be participating in this test." She said.

"There's no need for that, director..." I replied.

I immediately felt Lieutenant Ackermann's wild gaze at my side.

I didn't know why the hell I said that but I liked it, and was happy with it.

"There's no reason for me to feel lucky being here, while my colleagues are about to fight for their lives. There's no need to feel lucky because i'd rather be there than be here..."