I Dare You {Reed900 Fic} (Has Been Revamped)

Chapter 7

The four re-grouped in the entrance hall. Not much was said between them, not that much needed to be said other than the essentials. Hank and Gavin spent most of the time looking down at their phones while Connor and Conan watched the space, occasionally glancing at each other before looking away.

Twenty-five minutes had passed and the hall had become more crowded. People had begun to flood up the stairs, Gavin and the others among them. They followed the crowds, not really knowing where they were going but hoping it was the right direction. The hallway had a very similar aesthetic to the rest of the house. Dark blue-gray walls with ebony-stained trim, the floors matching color as the trim, and the hallway was lit with burned white electric wall lights that gave the hall a yellowish tinge.

The four continued to walk, looking around for their destination. A little over halfway through the hall, they spotted a room where a small crowd had begun to form. The group went in to investigate. The room looked like it was a personal library. Not much was in the room other than a few tables and chairs along with several bookshelves that had been shoved to the side. An elevated stage was also set up in the space, it was definitely just a temporary thing as it stuck out from the rest of the decor. Something sat on top of the stage, yet no one knew what it was as it was hidden behind a thick black curtain.

The room was about half full, the crowd was kept back towards the entrance of the room as there was a small barricade blocking off the farther half of the library. Behind the barricade, three people stood on the far side of the stage. Gavin and Conan recognized one of them as the woman in the red dress who had come up and talked to them in the ballroom. They didn't recognize who the other two men were, but the two were quietly talking to one another, directing towards the crowd.

"What do you think they're hiding behind that?" Hank whispered, nodding his head at the curtain.

"Obviously something that needs to be guarded," Gavin answered quietly pointing towards the four armed guards posted at every corner of the library.

The four nodded in agreement, not saying anything else. The crowd was becoming more restless, as impatient whispers were beginning to spread throughout the room.

A few more minutes had passed and the two men onstage had ended their conversation. They walked closer to the audience, who had quieted down taking note that whatever they were about to see was starting. The taller of the two, a middle-aged man who was wearing a simple black tux was the first to speak.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen. I am Mathew and this is my close friend and head engineer, Victor." Mathew pointed at the shorter and thinner man standing next to him, also in a black tux. "We would first like to thank all of you for attending tonight, despite the fact that you didn't know why you were invited here." He chuckled, "So thank you." He addressed the crowd in a friendly charismatic manner.

"So let me explain why we're all here. Everyone who was invited to this gathering was specifically chosen to attend by a list of requirements. Tonight we had the lovely lady, Ms. Rachel," He motioned his hand back towards the woman in the red dress. "Hand select the few of you who are joining us tonight." Rachel waved at the audience, a seductive smile across her face.

Mathew continued, "With introductions out of the way, let's begin". The doors behind the crowd slammed closed with a loud thud. Making the room completely closed off from the rest of the house.

Mathew's tone suddenly switched, "You all probably know about the recent events that happened in this city just a few months ago. Deviant androids marching down the streets, yelling propaganda about feelings and equal rights." He had begun pacing back and forth across the floor, adding emphasis to his speech. There was venom behind his words, much different from the happy, go-lucky tone he had before.