Genius

Results.

I wake up with a start as a loud knock echoes through the room. Even though the person was knocking, I doubt they were asking our permission to enter.

"Come in." Lily says, her voice weak with tiredness.

Two of the grey people barge into our room.

"Today is the day you get your test results. At precisely 9:00, you will be called from the cafeteria, where you will wait, and be separated into groups based on your test scores, which we will have knowledge of before you do. Each group will be called into the Results Room in order to receive their results. Subject Seven, you will be in Group 0034. Subject Six, you will be in Group 0068. That is all."

With a slam of our door, they leave.

Lily looks at the door blankly for a moment, and then falls back asleep.

I get out of bed and find a pad of paper and a pen. I uncap the pen and write our group numbers down.

Subject 7 - Group 0034
Subject 6 - Group 0068

I know Lily will wake up with no memory of the grey people, so I'm just playing it safe.

I quietly get dressed, leave another note for Lily telling her that I'm meeting Ryan in the library, and leave.

Once I reach the library, I am greeted by Ryan's eager face.

"FarrenIfoundsomethingthat'scrucialtoourmissionand-"

"Woah!" I cut him off. "Say it SLOWLY."

"I found something!" He whisper-screams.

"What did you find, Ryan?" I ask.

He pulls out a piece of crinkled paper. "This is the schedule of the Man in Glasses!"

"What?" I exclaim. "Let me see that."

I pull the piece of paper away from him.

Tuesday:

8:00 AM:Survey the cells

9:00 AM:Approve camera delivery

9:30 AM:Confirm guards to watch delivery door

10:00 AM:Meeting with Dianne 🖤

I laugh as I notice the penned-in heart next to the name Dianne. Apparently the Man in Glasses does have a soul(and a girlfriend)
I continue reading the schedule.

11:30 AM: Staff meeting

12:00 PM: Results screening with subjects

8:00 PM: Survey the cells

Wednesday:

8:00 AM: Survey the cells

9:00 AM: Camera part delivery and meeting with Dianne 🖤 in city

"Ryan, this is it!" I exclaim. "The Man in Glasses won't be at the compound tomorrow at 9:00, during the delivery! We'll be able to escape then because he won't be in his office!"

"Thank god for Dianne!" Ryan says with a laugh.

I look at the clock in the library.

8:30

"Shoot, Ryan! We have to go get our results now! What group are you in?" I ask.

"Group 0083."

"Darn. I'm in Group 0034. Lily is in 0068. None of us are in the same group." I say. "Well, anyway, I have to leave, and so do you. Come on!" I pull him by the arm into the cafeteria.

In the cafeteria, there are tables with cardboard signs taped onto them with the group numbers on them. There is no correlation between the numbers, they all seem to be random. I find Group 0034 at a table close to the kitchen. There are only three other kids in my group, which is weird because most of the other groups have five or six.

"Group 0048, it is time for your results." One of the grey people stood up from her seat and led a line of five kids into the results room.

I look across the room and find Ryan and Lily. Ryan is sitting with his head down, cracking his knuckles. Lily looks as if she's trying hard not to fall asleep.

The door to the Results Room opens, and the line of kids, now a bit more dispersed, exits. I notice that there are only four left. Weird.

"Group 0034, it is time for your results." The same grey person ushers us into the dark Results Room.

Once we're inside, one of the grey people closes the door. The Man in Glasses stands in front of a projector screen.

"Good afternoon, subjects."

He is silent, and it is then that we realize that he is waiting for a response.
"Good afternoon."

He looks around the room at us with an all but demented grin. "Today is the day you will get your names. As you can see, there are less subjects in this group than in the other groups. This is because you scored higher than the other subjects." He pauses to let that sink in.

"Even though you are among the most intelligent in the world, the subject in this group with the lowest score will be eliminated."

This gets a response out of us. I look around at the other subjects, and I can tell that even though they know one of us has to be eliminated, they're certain that it won't be them. No, they're too smart to have the lowest score.

The Man in Glasses turns the projector on. Our scores flash on the screen.
Subject 7 - 998/1000 Name: Cherise   Occupation: Brain Surgeon
Subject 2 - 847/1000 Name: Elmer
Occupation: Chemical Engineer
Subject 12 - 821/1000 Name: ELIMINATED
Occupation: ELIMINATED
Subject 18 - 839/1000 Name: Leonardo
Occupation: Marine Biologist

The girl behind me lets out a scream, which is quickly muffled by one of the grey people. She tries to fight back, but he pins her arms to her sides.

"Take her to the Chamber." The Man in Glasses says with a cold look in his eye.

"As for the rest of you, congratulations! You have passed. Please make your way back to the cafeteria."

With a wary glance toward the Man in Glasses, we exit the room.

"Group 0068, it is time for your results."

Group 0068...wait, that's Lily's group! I try to make eye contact with Lily, but she won't look at me, so I search the room for Ryan. He meets my eyes, and we share a look as Lily walks into the room.

I worry for a second, but then relax. Lily's smart. She'll make it out.

A few minutes later, the door opens. Group 0068 leaves and sits at their table, chatting nonchalantly. I look at their table for Lily, but I don't see her. Oh no.

I look across the room for Ryan, but he had already gone in.

My eyes seem to gravitate back to Lily's group, hoping to see her familiar dark hair, even though I know she's already gone, she has to be.