The Race Against Time

Chapter 16

Xander

Somehow the woman could talk to us from inside the virtual reality. I wasn't too fond of the idea but I had to go with it because I couldn't risk them figuring out, I was a cop. For all, I know this could be an organization doing illegal things.

"Your challenges will begin now. The first event to take place is the infamous capture the flag. Since you all are already split into teams one team will be the blue team and the other will be the read team. We have hidden your flags in this forest but it is still hidden so that you can see it. The flags are hidden in two areas on each side, there is a white line dividing the forest in moiety. The red team on the right and blue team on the left. There is a smartwatch on the leader of your team's hand that will lead you to where your flag is. Lastly, if anyone is in the territory of the opposite team that team can take you out and once you are taken out you will be out of the game. When you touch your thorax, in front of you will be a display of all the rules of the game."

What did this woman this is, Jumanji The Next Level? She has mental issues but I still had to see the rules. I don't want to do anything that could imperil our team from winning.

I placed my hand on my chest and pressed down. An entire list of rules was in front of me.

(1)           Teams should not guard their flags too closely.

(2)  Players are to be within ten feet of their flag unless an opposing team's player is present.

(3)    When a player is in an opposing team's territory, he can be captured by that team's players.

(4) Any time players cross back to their own team's territory, they are safe and can't be captured.

(5)       The game ends when one team has successfully grabbed the flag(s) from the other team or teams and returned  it to this open area.

I watched Brooklyn right next to me and saw that she had a watch securely wrapped in her hand. She watched me and I pointed to her hand where the watch was.

When she saw the watch on her hand she gasped in surprise. She hadn't realized that it was on her hand. The rest of our team came over towards Brooklyn to see the watch on her hand.

"Oh, my goodness we are going to lose this game Brooklyn if Brooklyn is our team captain." Xiomara exaggerated.

Brooklyn looked very provoked by what Xiomara said.

"Well, I am the captain so you better get used to it and you really think any of us would let you of all us be captain? Just be glad it wasn't you because if it was you, we would have lost before the game even started."

Damm!

Xiomara was silent.

"She is spitting facts though"

I looked at Yori and just laughed, it was true. I would have given up on this game before it even started if Xiomara was Captain.

The screen on the watch suddenly flashed a bright blue letting us know that we were the blue team meaning that the other group was the read team.

"Don't get me wrong but the opposing team is always red" I said to them.

An arrow appeared on the watch, guiding us to the direction we should go. 

"Well, let's go"

We all trailed behind Brooklyn since she had the watch displaying the directions. We were going quite deep in the forest, and as we walked, I could spot the white line separating the wood in half.

I wondered what was up with this woman, she seemed so charming, but looks can be deceiving. I better figure out what's up because this could get out of hand more expeditious than you'd ever expect. I was too late the last time, but this time I wouldn't be because I learned the hard way.

Flashback

"Hey dude, want to go to the club tonight." My friend Ben said to me as we walked down the street.

"I don't know I'm supposed to be back by nine tonight, and I can't miss family dinner."

"Bruh, why are you having dinner with your family? You're like 18. You could do whatever you want. Just skip it and let's go to the club. It'll be a blast."

I thought about his offer, it was already 10 in the night and was supposed to be back home an hour ago. I already messed up so it wouldn't make a difference if I go or not.

"Yeah, I'll go."

I was just about to go in his car when I saw a cloud of thick smoke in the air. It was coming from down the street.

"O my gosh, that's near my house."

I moved as fast as I could to get down the street to my home. I pushed myself, trying to get there quicker, and as I reached my house, I came to a halt. Flames engulfed it.

I watched the ever-burning fire that blazed outside my window in the streets. I was in shock. I couldn't move, nor could I hear my heart in my chest. No matter how much effort was given by the firefighter, the fire didn't cease its reign of terror. I was in so much shock as I watched as my home, my family, everything was gone before my eyes. There was no escaping it, the pain, and death. It distressed me to watch this unfold.

End of Flashback

I hadn't noticed that a tear slid down my cheek. I swiftly wiped the tear away and came back to reality. Well whatever is left of reality seeing that I'm currently in virtual reality.

After walking for at least 10 min, we saw where our flag was. Half of it was still visible even though it was concealed under a rock. However, since we were not authorized to be this close to our flag, we had to move ten feet away from it. We were stationed in one area of the forest, awaiting the woman's next instructions.

We were not too distant away from the white line dividing the forest, but we weren't close. On the ground, there were guns.

"Damm, what are these for."

"I'm guessing they are to defend ourselves or to take out the members of the other team," Lucas replied.

"Let's hope these aren't real guns," I muttered, picking them up and giving each one of us one.

"Ok, you all, we need a strategy. There should be three seekers and three defenders. Tyler, Xiomara, and Lucas will be defenders, and Xander, Yori, and I will be seekers. If the red team ever reaches within 10 feet of our flag, you are to defend the area. I think we have everything down the pack for now," Brooklyn announced.

A/N: Creds to @Chalcanthite and verywellfamily.com (the site on which we got the rules for capture the flag) Also thank you so much for 1k reads. means so much.