The Game

Chapter 17: The Hunt

As the game began in the hunt chamber, tension hung thick in the air like a suffocating fog. The remaining contestants Joe, Kelsey, Lexa, Rachel, and Gary, found themselves thrust into a deadly game of survival, their every move tracked by the menacing gaze of five armed guards.

With adrenaline coursing through their veins, they knew they had to move quickly if they were to stand any chance of survival. Their eyes darted around the chamber, searching for any sign of the precious coins that would grant them protection from the guards' lethal weapons.

The sound of footsteps echoed ominously off the walls as the guards started to move their weapons at the ready.

Outside the chamber, Mr. Beaufort stood, his eyes fixed on the monitor displaying the unfolding chaos within, His lips curled into a cruel smile as he watched the contestants struggle for survival, his voice cold and detached as he spoke into the microphone.

"Let the hunt begin" he intoned, his words carrying a sinister weight "May the odds be ever in your favor."

With those chilling words, the game was truly afoot, Inside the chamber, they all braced themselves for the onslaught.

With the armed guards hot on their heels, they sprinted and paced around the hunt chamber, their hearts pounding with adrenaline-fueled urgency

"What do we do now?" Kelsey's voice trembled with fear as she glanced around the maze like chamber, her eyes wide with panic.

"We need to find those coins, and then we should be safe" Gary's voice cut through the chaos, his tone firm and resolute "Stick together, follow my lead."

With Gary taking charge, the group fell into formation, their footsteps echoing loudly in the tense silence.

Rachel her hands clenched into fists at her sides spoke with anger "This is fucking insane" her eyes flashing with defiance.

Lexa nodded in agreement "Tell me about it" she replied, her voice tinged with urgency "Let's just find those coins and get out of here."

Joe's Expression showed deep concentration as he scanned their surroundings, his mind racing with the weight of their predicament "We just need to stay focused" he urged his voice calm but firm "Keep moving, keep searching, I trust Gary."

As they navigated the maze-like chamber, tension hung thick in the air like a suffocating blanket, Every corner seemed to hold the promise of danger, every shadow a potential threat. But with Gary leading the way, they pressed on, their determination unyielding in the face of adversity.

It felt like an eternity passed with no coins found yet.

"We have to keep going everyone" Gary's voice broke through the silence, his eyes blazing with determination. "We can't give up now"

As the group pressed forward through the chamber, Gary's sharp eyes caught a glint of something metallic out of the corner of his eye, With a surge of adrenaline, he lunged forward and snatched up the first coin, his fingers closing around it like a vice.

"I found one!" Gary's voice rang out with triumph as he held up the precious coin for all to see. "If I'm holding the coin and leading in front of us, the guards can't shoot anyone through me, that was my plan all Along."

Joe's face lit up with excitement as he grasped the significance of Gary's discovery "That's brilliant!" he exclaimed, his admiration for Gary evident in his voice. "It's like having a shield to protect us, I love it."

Kelsey nodded eagerly in agreement, her eyes shining with newfound hope. "It's our best shot at staying alive with just one coin" she added, her voice filled with determination. "Let's stick close to Gary and keep moving forward."

Rachel and Lexa exchanged skeptical glances, their doubts lingering in the air. "It's risky" Rachel conceded her usual sarcasm tempered by the gravity of their situation "But I guess it's better than nothing, I don't know if the guards will only come from the front though."

Lexa nodded in reluctant agreement,  "We'll give it a shot," she conceded her voice laden with resignation. "But if this doesn't work, we're going to need a Plan B."

With Gary leading the way, the group pressed forward once more.

As Gary's keen eyes caught sight of another glimmering coin, excitement surged through him "Another one!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing off the chamber walls as he pointed to the precious token for all to see But his triumph was short-lived as a guard suddenly appeared, weapon aimed directly at them from the front.

"Stay behind me!" Gary's voice rang out with urgency as he instinctively stepped forward, positioning himself between his companions and the looming threat.

The guard approached, their gaze shifting between Gary and the others with a calculated intensity. With a swift motion, they checked a device, confirming Gary's eligibility to be shielded by the coin. But the others, unprotected, were fair game.

"You won't get to them, I'm not letting you." Gary declared, his voice unwavering in the face of danger as he stood firm, his determination clear.

The guard hesitated, their expression unreadable as they communicated with other guards through their device "413, I found four without coins, come now" they spoke into the device, their voice a cold echo in the tense silence of the chamber.

The tension reached its breaking point as Rachel decided to make an impulsive decision to go for the coin

With a quick motion she split from the group and ran to the coin, the guard with quick reflex turned to her and with a sharp crack, the sound of gunfire pierced the air, but Rachel miraculously dodged the bullet, narrowly escaping harm as the bullet hit the ground and she now held the second coin.

Gary's instinctual reaction to protect Rachel kicked in as he turned and attempted to grab her during the shot as he let out a sigh of relief that she dodged the bullet but now he left the others vulnerable

And tragedy struck as Kelsey fell victim to a fatal shot from the guard
The guard turned quickly and aimed the gun shooting a bullet straight through Kelsey's skull.

Gary's anguished cry echoed through the chamber."No!"

As Joe screamed in disbelief, clutching Kelsey's lifeless body, Gary quickly regained his composure, realizing they needed to focus on survival and was shielding them once more.

"I'm sorry," Rachel murmured.

"We had a plan!" Gary's voice cracked with frustration before he took a deep breath, realizing that anger wouldn't serve them in this dire situation.

Lexa and Joe stood frozen in shock, grappling with the sudden loss and the grim reality of their circumstances.

Thinking quickly, Gary formulated a new strategy, urging Rachel to join him at the front
"Rachel you have a coin now, we don't need to shield the back of the group right now, get in front of me."

Rachel hesitated "why? What sense does that make."

Gary just said "Trust me."

And Rachel trusted Gary moving herself to the front of the group.

Then, without warning, Gary launched himself at the guard, tackling him to the ground in a daring move that caught everyone off guard. The guard, stunned by the unexpected assault, called out to his device "817 permission to shoot target?"

As the guard hesitated, Mr. Beaufort's voice crackled through the device, "I forbid any harm to those with coins under penalty of consequences, you're well aware of this." The guard's horror was palpable as Gary disarmed him and rendered him unconscious with a stroke of the gun to his head.

Rachel spoke up
"You're just gonna leave him alive? Did you not see what the fuck he did?"

"I'm not a killer" Gary stated firmly, his resolve unwavering. "I won't stoop to their level, not when I have a choice in the matter."

Turning to Lexa, he handed her the gun and spoke "protect yourself and Joe with this, until we find the other coins."