Strangers {Saw}

the game plan

Vivian gripped tighter onto Amanda's hand. Hoffman still had that smirk on his face, and his eyes were glued tight onto the girl. Soon, however, his eyes left her face and trailed down to Amanda and Vivian's connected hands. He then looked right at Amanda with a glare and all she did was smirk at him in return.

"Viv, why don't you go find John? I need to have a word with the detective" Amanda said. Vivian nodded, and let go of her hand. She tried her best to avoid eye contact with Hoffman as she walked by, but it didn't stop him from grabbing her wrist and leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"I like your hair. It suits you" he said. Vivian looked at him, and saw the dark gleam in his eyes. She pulled her hand away from him and walked away. When she was gone, Amanda was the first one to speak.

"Detective, I think it'd be best for everyone if you just stay away from her" she said. 

"Are you just saying that because of your little crush on her?" Hoffman responded.

"I do not have a crush on her! She's my best friend, and I really care about her" Hoffman could see through Amanda's lie. "Just stay away from her"

"I don't think you understand that I'm the only one who can protect her"

"She doesn't need your protection!"

"Are you sure about that? How long is it going to be until Warren finds her? When he does, I'm going to be the first one she calls, and I'll make sure he doesn't lay a hand on her"

"If you really wanted to protect her, you would have made sure that he spent his twenty year sentence instead of two" That was the last thing Amanda said before she walked away, leaving behind an angry Hoffman.

~

Vivian had found John. He was in a wheelchair holding a mask up to his face. He noticed her approaching. 

"I assume Amanda told you why I wanted you here" John said.

"She did" 

"Those police files on the desk. I want you to take a look at them for me" Vivian grabbed the folder and opened it. "You may recognize a few of the faces" She looked through the photos and reports. She came across Amanda's and her own, from the time she was arrested for possession of drugs Warren forced her into. Finally, she came upon the last file. She recognized him instantly.

"Xavier Chavez" she said. He was Warren's drug dealer, and friend. She's met him on multiple occasions. "I know him"

"I know you do, but that's not why I want you in the game. You, Amanda, and these people all share one thing in common. You were all arrested by the same detective"

"Eric Matthews. He let me go though when I explained what happened. And Amanda, he faked the evidence to get her arrested" 

"He did for all of them. This is as much his test as it is theirs. That being said, I have an important task of you. You know Detective Matthews' son"

"Daniel? I tutor him from time to time"

"Yes, that's why I'm asking you to do this task. He trusts you. You will sedate him and bring him to a location that Amanda will disclose with you. When the game starts, you and Amanda will act like test subjects. You will not tell the others what to do, you will just provide choices. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do. All of it" Vivian assured him. At that moment, Amanda and Hoffman joined them. 

"Is Vivian caught up?" Amanda asked.

"Yes. She knows her task. We are ready to begin our game" John said. Vivian took a deep breath. This was to be her first game as an apprentice and she didn't know what to expect.