The Game

Third Floor Conference Room

"Where are you going?" Matt asks disinterestedly not turning away from the tv.

I don't respond and he doesn't seem to mind as I leave the room, taking with me only my phone and my new key card. I stop by Tom and Theran's room. Theran is already sharing his favorite music with Tom. Tom looks a bit nervous. I knock on the door and Theran pauses the music.

"Hey Natalie," Theran smiles welcoming me. "These rooms are incredible. I was honestly picturing a run down room with holes in the floor. That would have been an adventure but this is better." Theran is a friendly guy and I'm glad he's rooming with Tom.

"For sure. Hey, Tom. I'm going to check out the conference room." I gesture to the hallway and Tom nods bouncing on his toes.

"I'll come too," Tom leaves his bag to unpack later and joins me in the hallway. Tom turns to invite Theran but he's already gone back to unpacking so we leave him behind.

We walk down the hall to the very end and find an entrance to the conference room from there. I jiggle the handle but it's locked. Reaching into my back pocket I grab my key card and smack it against the key pad on the wall. The key pad lights up green and the door opens. We go inside and the door shuts, and locks behind us.

The conference room spans about half the length of the building and I realize it must be split into two; this one and one on the other half of the floor for Team 6.

"This must be my home base," Tom's voice interrupts my thoughts and I notice an elaborate computer set up with multiple screens and a large key board containing some keys I don't recognize. Tom goes further into the room to look at the equipment.

"Why would your home base be in the same location where we live? That doesn't seem safe."

"Well maybe this is just our home office. It doesn't seem like there is that much lab equipment besides the computers so there's probably another location. Plus I doubt they'd put everyone's supply of weapons and ammunition and others explosive things in the same building where we all sleep."

I agree, a bit relieved and I can tell Tom is not nervous because he only talks this much when he's excited. Tom hasn't stopped exploring the computers and has taken the seat in front of them while his fingers fly over the key board. I leave him to explore those as I walk around the room.

There's a long conference table with 8 chairs. It can clearly fit a lot more but there are only 8 of us. Each seat has a large binder and a slim, vanilla folder on top. I look at each one and our names are printed individually on separate folders around the table. Matt being at the head of the table, in front of a giant white board that can easily be used for the projector that's hanging from the ceiling over the center of the table.

The door handle jiggles and there is a pause before the lock clicks open and Matt and Myles walk in.

"Whoa is this our home base?" Matt asks as they start poking around the room. A second later the door unlocks again and Amelia and Cassidy enter the room followed by Theran. Theran finds his place at the table and sits down in the cushy office chair. Amelia and Cassidy each take their turn looking around the room before joining Theran at the table.

Matt stands at the head of the table looking down at the file and binder in front of him. Myles slides into the seat next to Cassidy.

"Tom," I nudge his shoulder and he looks up from the computer and notices the rest of the team taking their places at the table. Tom gets up and we both find out seat sitting down with Matt as well.

Once we are looking seated Matt clears his throat.

"We probably shouldn't look at these until tomorrow after Loralee debriefs us." Matt pauses. "Well they wouldn't have left them here if we were supposed to see them..." he trails off and looks up at all of us. I roll my eyes and  leaning back in my seat expecting to be here a while, Amelia stands up.

"You guys can look, but I don't want to stress out over this until we have to tomorrow. I'm gunna go check out the kitchen before going back to unpacking." Amelia looks around the table at the group of us. I stand up as well and Tom quickly stands up with me.

"She's right. I don't want to deal with this shit either. Let's go." Matt stands as Amelia heads out the door, the rest of the group follows and Matt and I bring up the rear. Before I can leave Matt blocks my path. Tom stops outside the door and looks at me.

"Nat, I need to talk to you alone." Matt lowers his head and says quietly.

"I'll come get you before dinner Tom," I say over Matt's arm and Tom nods and walks away. Matt moves and the door shuts locking us in again.

"What, Matt?"

"I'm surprised they put two beds in our room. We both know we don't need the second one." Matt winks at me and I have to physically stop myself from gagging.

"Gross, even when we had sex I did not spend the night so hurl," I say the word hurl and he laughs

"Did you really say 'hurl'?" Matt seems to take my insult easily. "Violent Flirting aside, we are sharing a room together and we have history. Try not to fall in love with me."

Matt looks so smarmy right now. I take a deep breath.

"Try not to fall in love with me," I say in return then grab the door handle and leave him standing there. What an ass. Thank god no one knows we've slept together. Not even Sydney. Although she'd probably be impressed.

Amelia is still in the kitchen digging through the different shelves in the pantry. I hear her mumbling to herself in French and I can't I'd understand a word of it. I think Tom knows a little French and a few other languages so I might have to get him to start teaching me.

Cassidy is sitting on one of the stools at the island in the kitchen eating an apple.

"What are you saying? French is so sexy." Cassidy comments then takes another bite of her apple. Amelia straightens and pulls out a box of fruit snacks and waves it triumphantly and laughs at Cassidy's comment.

"I was cursing this school if they didn't have my fruit snacks, but they do. So I took back my curse." Amelia grins at us and rips open the box then tosses a pack to me. I catch it and give her a nod then head back to my room. I stop before I get there and decide it's best to avoid it incase Matt is in there. Instead I go and knock on Tom's door.

"Come in!" Theran calls out from deeper in the room. I enter and leave the door half open behind me. "Oh hey Natalie. Care to join?"

Theran pats the spot next to him on the couch and I smile and sit a couple spaces away, kicking my shoes off and tucking my feet under me.

"Tom is already busy at work in his closet. Those things are crazy, have you seen yours yet?"

"Yeah, very interesting. Had you heard anything about this building?" I ask leaning back to relax.

"Not a word, that's the weirdest part. I had some senior friends last year but I had no idea. And just walking by this building I never noticed anything indicating this as the interior." Theran gestured around and I nod in agreement.

"I had no idea either." We sit back and fall into a comfortable silence. The mindless tv plays on and I let myself relax for a while. After an hour or so Theran decides he's going to head to dinner. It's around 7pm and I figure the rest of the seniors are headed to dinner around now too. He tosses me the remote to the tv.

"Feel free to stick around." I thank him and he grabs his key card and a few other items before heading out. I stay seated, deciding not to snoop around their room.

"Oh hey Nat, you ready to go to dinner?" Tom startles my mindless watching 45 minutes later. "It's almost 8, we should head our now."

I rub my eyes and nod, standing up and stretching, I slide my shoes back on and I lead the way out of the room so he can lock the door behind me.