The Unnamed | The Unnamed Duology Book 1

26: Blaise's Mansion

26: Blaise's Mansion

Jim, Rose, Daniel, and the other two Officially Named Runners follow a male Leader down to Blaise's mansion. It stands tall, seeming bigger than the night Daniel went to confront the Elite Runner. He feels a shiver slip down his shoulder blades as the sun begins to set.

The Leader in the front of the pack calmly walks up the steps and slips the doors open. The group of Runners behind her make their way into the room, looking exactly like Mortimer the Elite Solver and the Elite Leader's mansions, only in black and blue. Even the chandelier above them gives off a slight blue glow, making the black seem even blacker than black.

They line up, Daniel in the middle and Rose on his left while Jim is on his right. The other two Officially Named stand on either side of them.

"Elite Runner Blaise," the Leader calls up the stairs. There's the sound of a door opening and closing and the echoing of shoes touching the floor repetitively. Blaise comes into view at the top of the stairs, Daniel's heart racing at the thought of spending the night in the mans' mansion. If he could do what he did while Daniel was in that building, he can only imagine what he can get away with in his own house.

Daniel shudders.

"Welcome," Blaise says sharply, his eyes darting over to Daniel coldly. "You've come a long way and being an Unnamed is no longer a threat to your future. However, I am."

Daniel watches as the man makes his way down the stairs, his frame seeming to grow as he nears. Haughtiness radiates from every inch of his skin as he reaches the floor and places his hands behind his back like a Protector, the people of the military for the World, Planet, and Base.

"You're going to spend the night here, as well as eat both dinner and breakfast. But I must warn you, my Chefs like me as an Elite Leader. They might accidently slip something into your food, so eat with caution." The smile he wears spreads guilefully as he says this. "Also, don't expect to sleep soundly tonight. My Protectors will not be guarding the mansion, so who knows what could crawl through your window or out from under your bed."

"Why are you doing this?" The girl on the other side of Jim asks, her hands held close to her chest and her lip quivering with fear.

Blaise laughs at her fear. "Because I don't lose. I never lose. I'm the only person on record that has made first place in all of my races."

"So then you shouldn't be worried about little old us then," Daniel hears Rose say, shifting her weight and crossing her arms. "None of us made it in first place in all of our races."

"True," the Elite Runner coos. "But I like pulling the strong from the weak." His eyes flit to Daniel, who feels his face grow hot.

"Dude, paranoia's got you bad," Jim says, smiling jokingly. "I can help you with that. You see, I've been a victim of paranoid fantasies as well and-"

Blaise interrupts Jim with a laugh. "Get back in line," he hisses suddenly, his face falling short of humor. "Another reason for this is so that I can catch the weasels before they destroy me. So if anyone here is part of the Unnamed Rebellion, speak now, or forever hold your peace."

No one says a word, no one moves a muscle. Daniel can feel his own fear bubble up from the depths of his stomach, as well as Rose's unsettled anger at the circumstances of the night and Jim's uncomfortableness at the situation happening before him.

"Okay, suit yourselves," Blaise smiles again, making Daniel's stomach twist into a knot. "It's time for dinner."

They follow the Elite Runner through the kitchen, where the Chefs look back and forth from what they're doing to the Officially Named walking through. The room seems to be filled with fear, and not just from the five Runners.