Edur's Story

It seemed like a normal day outside, the sun rose as expected over the forest and a nearby city. Average people went about their business as usual, oblivious as to what was going on several miles outside of the designated hiking areas. Unbeknownst to them, individuals who ventured too far, who went missing from what should be fatal accidents, and even those who have never seen the outside world, are locked in their own personal hell of needles, white walls, bright lights, and pain. Only known as The Lab, this torturous facility experiments on living humans; the younger the better. Taking non-human DNA and splicing it into the human genome is what their scientists are most successful at. Then testing their abilities to the limits. Often only stopping when the mutant was close to death.
Funded by a select few of the government, this Lab has been able to remain functioning out of the public eye and even expand its business to several locations around the country. Workers of the Lab are sworn to absolute secrecy, are watched if they show signs of being disloyal, and are only relived of their posts because of old age or the complete inability to do their jobs. Most are there from the promise of money, not realizing in the beginning what the people actually were that they were hired to guard. Instead of prisoners they found children and young adults. Some seemed normal, until they were seen up close and showed their abnormal features of tails, animal-like ears, different colored skin, eyes, hair, even feathers and scales covering their skin. But once they accepted, they were not allowed to leave.
The higher-ups will do anything to keep their merchandise from being discovered. When malfunctions in the facility happen, enabling the bolder mutants to run away, they are hunted and brought back, dead or alive. But with cities becoming larger, more complex and hi-tech, it is much easier for mutants to hide and guards to get caught by authorities.

Dray
He was finally let out of the dark room. The door was opened and the guards grabbed his arms, and then proceeded to drag him to his cell. He let out a shuddering breath, he hated the dark room, a small cramped space with no light. He had no reason to be scared of that, yet every time he was faced with it, he couldn’t breathe and started to panic.
He was thrown carelessly into his cell and he stumbled, barely catching himself on the edge of his cot before he hit his head on the corner. What was deemed a bed was not that comfortable, and barely fit his body anymore. He eased himself down on the floor and started rubbing his leg muscles that were still cramped and sore. He almost wished he could go to the infirmary; the beds there were softest any of the mutants had felt. Though the healer ladies often said they weren’t the best.
He watched out the bars, observing the guards as they took their posts at random spots in the hallway. It kept his mind off his itchy clothing, the bland grey he saw everyday was a poor match against the bright colors that appeared on the mutants. Early on he realized it was only them because the scientists and guards all looked as bland as their clothing. He hoped he was given a new set of clothes soon, but pants would be best, his current ones were coming up to his ankles.

Edur

Edur shifted in her cot, legs uncomfortable from the testing she was forced into yesterday. They wanted to see how long she could stay running without collapsing. Her short legs kept her up well, but soon she was stumbling. Realizing they would get no more from her today, she was stuffed back into her cell.

It was boring, sitting here in almost darkness. Yet for the most part Edur didn't mind. She'd take this quiet cramped room over being tested any day.

From where she sat she could she two guards, conversing with each other. Her mind twinged in interest, but she stayed seated. She watched the two talk until her eyes began to droop, and yawning, Edur closed her eyes for the sweet release of sleep.

Her rest didn't last long as a guard who was known to be very cruel banged on the bars that were attached to her cell. She jumped in fright as he grinned evily and walked away. Edur let out a small whimper and curled tighter upon her cot.

Max Bast entered cell block one as most of the inmates were leaving their 'cages,' barring the nocturnal ones of course--It was best to study their habits at night. This was her life now, guarding genetically altered creature people for some shady government subsidiary. It sounded like something straight out of a cheesy YA novel, but it wasn't, it was all too graphically real. She scanned the room quickly, her green eyes, wide and without armor. Her resolve was reminiscent of Babel somehow lately. Collapsing. They're not human... She reminded herself, grip tightening on the holstered gun hanging low on her hip, as if their species was the ultimate excuse for apathy. As if pity became a vestigial emotion after the final transformation of a human body to a genetically modified one. But then again, in that sense, neither am I. She had once considered herself apart from these mutants, these man made freaks, simply because appearance wise, she still maintained a human air. Her body had not been disfigured, not drastically so anyways, but with each passing day, that line seemed to blur before her eyes. What really made her all that different from these poor miserable bastards? The fact that they trusted her with a weapon?

She shook her head, as if trying to shake herself free of those negative thoughts like they were black cobwebs clinging to her mind. She couldn't afford to feel sympathetic. This was the forever sort of gig, there was no backing out and no escape. She really should have read the fine print.

Her gaze lighted over a fellow guard, one she usually tried to keep a distance from. It wasn't like he was the unnecessarily cruel sort, just somewhat intimidating. Well, to be more apt, his scars and disfigurements were intimidating. He was the stony silent type that's rugged war torn appearance spoke leagues. They were working the same schedule today. She raked a hand through her cropped sun bleached hair with a sigh. Olek carried a palpable aura of strength and authority, something Max sorely lacked, but she was still newish here so perhaps she could garner a thing or two from him. She wound her way through the room, making eye contact with no one--her tanned face as smooth and inexpressive as a china dolls, before she found herself next to Barrow. "Morning." She intoned with a voice that broke like dry wood, her usual warm southern lilt hollow and empty. She kept her jaw squared and her gaze ahead on the prisoners.

Olek:

Olek crossed his arms, as his eye focused on the guard that was banging on cell bars further down the hall. He could feel rage bubbling under the surface of his calm exterior. The guard was walking away from his post, probably cycling out for another guard. Olek would make an example of him later. Riling up the prisoners wasn't good business, if this guard was going out of his way to make things harder for Olek, that's the way he saw it anyways, he was going to take him down a peg or two. Olek stared him down with his good eye just as a young female guard took position at the same cell as himself. Max Bast, new guard. Must have transferred in from somewhere else. Olek was usually given full access to information on all guards, but the files on Bast were primarily secret. "Morning," she said in a stiff emotionless voice. Olek couldn't glean much notable information from the young woman at first glance.

Olek took a mental note of Bast's greeting whilst narrowing his eye at the guard that had banged on some of the bars. Jenkins was his name, as he walked past Olek, his hand snapped at Jenkins with lightning speed. He pulled Jenkins in with his right hand. His grip was firmly locked around the collar of the guard's body armor. Olek gave him an intense gaze full of anger, Jenkins quickly buckled under Olek's negative reaction towards him. "If you're relaxing or napping when I get off of my shift, there's going to be hell to pay." Olek boomed at him in a rough voice. A single bead of sweat trickled down Jenkins' face.

"Got it?" Olek said calmly. Jenkins nodded his head, slightly shaken by Olek's sudden outrage. Olek let go of the slightly frightened guard and nodded towards him. With that the guard sped away, further down the hall, then proceeded to disappear behind the corner.

As he left, Olek turned his gaze to Bast. His good eye sizing her up. Olek was tired, losing some of his edge for the day. He hadn't been sleeping too well, her features blurred together ever so slightly as a result. He rubbed his left eye, gazing into Bast's light green eyes afterward. He was tempted to ask he how someone so young got into a position such as hers, but he thought better of it. None of my business. "Sleep well Bast?" Olek tried his hand at small talk after he broke his gaze away from Bast's. He was no fan of small talk, but it was a good way to size someone up.

Usually the guard would stay snarling outside Edur's cell for a while, before moving on and doing the same to the poor sap next to her. She curled in to a tighter ball as he walked away, prepared for the loud bangs that she was sure would come.

But the normal hateful noise was replaced by....a mans voice? Curiosity winning over her fear she got up from her cot and inched towards the bars. She wasn't able to see very far down the dreary hallway, but she could make out the cruel guard shrinking under the glare of another. The man, clearly superior to a simple guard like the cruel one, released the guard and Edur had the satisfaction of watching him scamper away.

Edur let out a quiet happy chirp, and focused on the man who was her savior. He didn't seem so much different from the other guard that roamed the halls, but he was the only interesting thing Edur has seen in a while.

After staring at the man for a few seconds she noticed the other guard that had joined him. A woman. The first thing Edur noticed was her hair. She couldn't explain the color if she wanted, but it fascinated Edur. And the way she moved, gazing at the cells that lined the walls, and then leaning her head against the wall in what looked like exasperation.

The two were clearly conversing, although it seemed the woman did more talking. She could hardly make the words out from her cell. A few words graced her ears, the most striking being, "-These kids-" Now Edur wanted nothing more then to be out in the hall, nearer to hear them speak. But the weapons both reminded Edur of the one rule she repeated to herself each night. Those with the guns are stronger. They are the boss.

And Edur wouldn't dare disobey that rule.

Kisa

Kisa was doing her best not to go through her memories again, and the perfect distraction appeared in the form of two guards. Normally, she would ignore them and just continue living in her head but their conversation seemed to have caught the attention of another mutant... another cat mix... She licked her lips, losing her mind at the thought of being in the same cell as the others.. Her roommates would probably last a day before she ate them.

Focus, her instinct whispered to her, getting her back on track. Kisa continued pacing and ignored the feelings of the cement under her paws, focusing intensely only on what the guards were talking about. It was a blonde female, obviously new and the other one. The older male with the burn scars. She growled low in her throat, doing her best to continue her pacing without dropping to the ground.

((Sorry for short post, school starts today for me))

"Believe it or not, this is the most difficult job I've ever been charged with. Try to be careful about who you talk to about stuff like this, the higher ups tend to..... frown upon humane ideals." Olek responded not unkindly. Max was certainly surprised to say the least to hear that admission from her male counterpart. She assumed he'd be all iron and brick, but instead of rough edges, she was finding softness. Today was definitely shaping up to be an odd day, and it was only half over. She nodded curtly and let the corners of her lips pull up fractionally in good faith before she quickly slipped back into professional mode and resumed her ever tedious watch over the prison cells.

Olek was then suddenly flagged down by one of the aforementioned caged creatures with a reckless abandon, and she had to shake her head at the audacity of it. Perhaps they got so used to the abuse, they no longer feared it, but instead welcomed such things. She was in no position to argue semantics, they could treat whomever however they wanted as long as they weren't breaking any rules...which was a far cry from the Max that she used to know, who lived to go against the grain and defy those would seek to control her. The difference was, now she was responsible for enforcing the rules and things always looked differently when you were on the other side of the fence.

A loud feral hiss sounded from behind her, derailing Max's train of thought with a start, her pupils contracted into cat-like slits and hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Her hand immediately flew to her side arm, ready to unholster before she realized the feline growl was resounding from behind a set of steel bars. She sighed with relief, tension bleeding out of her shoulders. "Down kitty, it's not nice to scare people." She quietly admonished, arching a golden brow before her eyes returned to their normal state. She traced the sharp contours of her canine's with her tongue before she recognized that the jaguar wasn't still yowling, that it was her stomach that was still protesting. "Must be feeding time, huh?" She asked rhetorically before returning to Olek's side. "Hey, did you get a schedule this morning? I'm not sure what time it is exactly but should they be getting let out of their cages right around now? Or fed?"

Edur liked watching these guards. They still frightened her, but they had a different air about them. Of all the guards Edur had seen come and go, these two had to be her favorite to watch.

Watching them, Edur's attention was drawn to a loud hiss that came from a cell a few down from hers. She pressed her face to the bars to get a better look at the angry mutant.

Edur had seen this mutant few times, but from what she could tell Edur wanted to stay away from her. Shivering from the thought of meeting her in The Games her gray eyes turned back to the guards. The interesting female mentioned food and almost on cue more guards came in and dropped food into almost all the cells.

She ignored it for now, instead watching two mutants being dragged out. One guard turned to the interesting man, telling him that the games would be early today.

Edur whimpered at those words and sent a sympathetic look to the red head who would be forced to participate. She hated The Games, even if she had only been in it a few times. Mutants forced to fight each other, coming back bloody or dead. One day, Edur knew, she'd go into The Games and not come out.

Chris Sat by the bars of his cells making absolutely sure to keep an eye on the two guards, most of them couldn't be trusted and he liked to stay alert whenever they were about. Which was pretty much all the time. He listened to them talk carefully, and what he heard left him pleasantly surprised and a tad confused. As they spoke they seemed kinder, and gentler then most of the other guards and they even came to the defense of one of the other mutants! These two seemed to have the decency to treat the other mutants with something that resembled either common decency or pity. He couldn't quiet tell which though. These two were certainly unique as far as other guards went. Chris decided that he would still keep a cautious eye on them but he'd be sure to treat them with far more respect than the others.

Chris smiled and gave a sigh of relief when food was finally brought into the cells. He had smelt the food as soon as the guards had stepped foot into the cells. When they came to his cell and left the food he practically jumped at it! He was starving, though the slope that they were usually fed was far from appetizing, it was still food and they didn't get fed enough as it was so he made sure to enjoy what he had. As he was eating however more guards passed by his cell this time leading away two mutants. It must be time for the Games. He looked at the two who were meant to fight each other, Dray and Hawk. He didn't know much about Dray other than him being extremely quiet. Hawk however he had heard of and if what he heard was true than Dray would have a tough time ahead of him. Chris felt rather bad for both Dray and hawk though he was far more relieved that he wasn't chosen to fight in the next game. He looked at both the mutants as they passed with worried eyes, he hoped at least one of them would be okay, though that wasn't very likely. "Good luck." He made sure to speak soft enough that the gaurds wouldn't hear him but he was certain at least one of the other mutants would. Most of them had stronger hearing than normal humans and he was very aware that Hawk's hearing was extremely potent.

"Early Games today. Feel free to come and watch.” Max's stomach rolled. She had had the displeasure of baring witness to these brutal displays of combat study already. It made her sick. There had to be other ways to collect data, to study the predatory effectiveness of the mutants, right?

The poor pitiful souls that were hauled from their holding cells hardly protested, only mildly irritated it seemed. For these creatures, this never ended unless it ended in death. Their agony always eventually numbed and all the tortures became mundane. They started to laugh at their captors, which pushed the scientists and guards to invent new games to play with them, but the mutants never were impressed. Arguably the worst part of their existence had to be the boredom, the pain became so unreal, but the routine was always the same. Max believed that was the genius of the torture, the repetition of it. It must of been like waiting in line and every time they made it to the front, they got thrown to the back like a domino.

Max turned to Olek and grimaced. "I'm going to go...watch." She confessed, nerves rattled but maintaining her composure. "They might need an extra set of hands if any of these guy's try something...it can get pretty violent-they panic and-" She let her words trail off into implication, he knew the lengths some of these mutants might go to to try and escape, to avoid their inevitable death. Anyone would, human and mutant alike.

Kisa

There were things going on around her, and yet, Kisa could only think of food. She was drooling by the time they got to her cell, and... Finally! Unperturbed by the sight of dead fish, mixed in with... Leftover Mutant parts? She hesitated when she saw the human hand and what look looked to be the head of a mutated head of a bird. She was frozen only for a second, and yet, the battle in her head felt like it took forever. In the end, the hungry jaguar won.

She forcibly let go of her humanity, embracing the predator side of herself and threw herself at the pile of food. She tore it apart, scattering the fish in her cell, and ate the smaller fish whole, gulping them down. In not time at all, the fish--and the mutant parts-- was gone. She licked her lips, and her skin seemed to move like a ripple in the water and then her fur fell off in clumps and patches to reveal human skin. Her skull, shoulders and hips, cracking as if breaking. This was the part when she moaned in agony, feeling the pain of her skeleton changing, her bones breaking themselves apart to reattach at certain places, shrinking and twisting themselves to form her human skeleton. Her muscles either tearing or shrinking, both actions causing her to moan a bit louder. The transformation from Jaguar to Human, hurt more than it did to change from Human to Jaguar... and it always took longer.

When the transformation ended, Kisa was naked and cold. She didn't mind it, and she didn't care. It was something she got over along time ago, but still, without a fur coat she quickly changed into her clothes.

When that was done, she realized that she felt satisfied... for the moment... She growled at herself for deciding to go human, as she just noticed that Dray and Hawke were being taken to the arena for the Games. Being in her weakest form while the games were going on, was definitely NOT a comforting idea. Despite that, she stayed in her human form and continued her pacing.

Olek:

"I'm going to go...watch. They might need an extra set of hands if any of these guy's try something...it can get pretty violent-they panic and-" After Bast got done speaking Olek paused for a few moments, his face giving nothing away. He simply nodded his head and continued standing in the same spot. "I'll cover here for you."He said in his low and booming voice. Bast had her reasons, Olek had no right to judge really. Having concern for a couple of people wasn't exactly a damning quality.

There really was no point for both of them to stay on watch. Olek usually got put on shifts by himself, mainly because he didn't play very nicely with others. He made a mental note to keep a close eye on the jaguar woman, Kisa. She was notoriously animalistic, being locked up and tortured one's whole life would do that to most. Should the woman get out of her cage, Olek wouldn't last long. The other mutants in this cell block didn't really bother him much. He always rested his hand on his sidearm whilst doing periodic scans of the the cell block. He'd occasionally leave his usual position to patrol across the whole cell block.

Most of the guards left to watch the bloodbath, so he made a point to be extra careful of the prisoners. It was a short patrol, as there were only three or so mutants remaining under Olek's care. He rarely ever talked to the prisoners, as it wasn't good for business. Becoming attached to any of these people would spell disaster for Olek. He couldn't but help to note how young two of the mutants in the cell block were. Chris, Edur, and Kisa were the last remaining. His combat boots continued to echo across the dead halls as he remained vigilant and on the move.

His mind eventually drifted to the early hours of the morning when he was reading his diagnostics report. He could feel his black heart sinking the more he thought about it. After a feel moments a rattling cough wracked Olek's body, the first for today. After a few moments he kept his patrol going, still feeling slightly sick whenever he heard the jeering guards from across the facility.

Edur watched the two unfortunate mutants being dragged away in pity. If the Games were pushed up this early, one, or both of them had done something to piss the higher ups off. And what ever it was, it must of been bad.

Still Edur couldn't help but sigh in relief with it not being her chosen. She wouldn't stand a chance against either Dray or Hawke in The Games. The two of them were older, stronger, and Edur hated bringing herself to harm another mutant.

Feeling sick Edur slid down the wall of her cell, unable to eat the food that was given to her. The excited yells coming from the guards watching the Games was loud and echoed in her ears. Instead Edur settled for watching the interesting guard stalk up and down the cell block. He stopped in a coughing fit which caused her ears to raise in surprised and slight concern but they lowered quickly when his pace continued sturdy as before.

Olek:

Olek rubbed his right wrist as the cheers echoed the halls. After a few moments he quickly let go as it wasn't helping his already aching joint. His right hand dove into his pocket after a few moments. He rubbed the folded piece of paper between his thumb and index finger. He gave the slighted hint of a sigh when his fingers brushed against the keys in his pocket. The the cells with lower security still used keys. Maximum security required key cards. Some cells had both, he glanced over at Edur's cell whilst he circled past it. He noted the fact that she hadn't touched her food. With his right hand still in his pocket he wrapped his hand around the keys. He pursed his lips together before slowly letting his fingers uncurl. As he did so a small voice spoke in his head. Is that how you want to remembered? The guy who locked kids in cages. He shook his head and pushed those thoughts away.

Confronting his own mortality had given rise to many troubled thoughts. With a paycheck as big as his, he figured the higher-ups wouldn't just let him go just because of a cough, they wouldn't let an asset go that could train future guards. Lord knew those were getting hard to come by these days. He calmly stopped outside of Edur's cell. In all of Olek's years within this facility he never really made small talk with prisoners. He calmly stared at the tiny child before him with unreadable eyes. After a few uncomfortable moments he finally spoke up. He knelt down next to Edur's cell just out of her reach. Whilst at eye level with her, he got a better look at her eyes with his. "You should eat." He said in a surprisingly gentle voice. Usually Olek's voice was rough, low, and menacing. Strangely enough Olek attempted to make his voice feel warm and encouraging. His pale complexion mixed with his other features made Olek a menacing man, he hoped it wouldn't work against him this time.

The cheering got louder which could only mean one thing, the Games had begun. Hawke and Dray fought for their lives and Edur couldn't help but wonder which of them would be lead back, or if they would even make it. Maybe the two of them would kill the other. Both were strong, it seemed possible. Or maybe they faced another foe, one too tough for them. Edur hoped not. If they survived this long, they deserved a chance to make it out of every Game they faced.

Distracted by the fear of neither mutant making it back Edur didn't notice the interesting man until he spoke. 'You should eat.' He said in a tone Edur didn't think possible of a man with his job. This was surprising. A guard speaking to a prisoner for something that didn't lead them to testing was new. But even more so Edur was shocked by the gentle, if a bit forced, voice that came from him.

She gazed at the food for a moment before picking up what seemed to be a mangled mouse. Even if she wasn't hungry, a guard gave a a vague suggestion, or order depending on how you saw it, and Edur knew better then to disobey. And she liked this interesting guard. He seemed slightly different despite his scary appearance.

Kisa

"You should eat." Kisa heard the gentleness in the voice and shivered in fear. She turned and found the source of the voice. It was the Guard, the one with the burn scars. She stared at his unprotected back before glancing at the obedient mutant he was talking to. The weak snow leopard girl. Snow leopards... so naive. "Obedient, feeble and puny cub..." She spoke loud enough for Edur to hear her. "Why do you obey him? Don't you think, that the White Coats could be tired of you... And that instead of putting in you the Games, they could just poison you and have a-" she sneered "- supposedly nice guard command you to eat it."

Kisa stood and began to pace, hoping to take pleasure in hurting another person even if it's just verbally. She saw a dead fish left over from her pile of food. The only dead survivor. She snarled and with a sudden frenzied energy she kicked the fish out of her cell and into the hall way. Growls, snarls and soft roars that belonged more to a Jaguar than a girl, filled her cell as she lunged at the weakest bars of her cell. She wrapped her hands around the bars and began to pull and push them. The bars groaned, and bent to the force but did not break.

Kisa snarled in frustration, wishing that she was stronger and faster.

Chris sat in his cell quietly full and content from his meal. However once he heard the cheers and chants grow louder he cringed slightly. He didn't want to think to much about Hawk and Dray, whether one of them would be lead back into their cells or if they'd die in the games. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind though, he had heard that both were fairly strong in thier own right, he was sure that at least one of them would survive.

He decided to just focus on the guard outside the cells and once again the guard surprised him. "You should eat." The guard spoke far gentler than his appearance would suggest. In all of his years stuck in this place he'd never heard a guard speak so kindly to a mutant. Perhaps this one actually cared for the people trapped in here?

Soon after he heard another voice this one coming from one of the other mutants though it was far less kind than the guards."Obedient, feeble and puny cub.Why do you obey him? Don't you think, that the White Coats could be tired of you... And that instead of putting in you the Games, they could just poison you and have a supposedly nice guard command you to eat it." Chris recognized the voice of this mutant. She seemed much more animalistic than some of the others and whenever he saw or heard her interacting with others she was often very mean and blunt. As if she aimed to hurt you with her words. "I wouldn't listen to her. If they wanted you dead I doubt they'd poison you. It isn't very entertaining for them after all. I'm sure the food's fine really." He spoke to Edur loudly so she could hear him and as kindly as possible. He thought he should speak up, after all Edur was a mutant and has been through a lot just like all the others. As a fellow mutant Chris thought he should try and help her at least a little bit. If the mutants didn't look out for each other who else would?

Olek's eyes once again hardened when Kisa spoke up, trying to tell Edur of plots to poison her. His hands balled up into fists as he started stalking towards Kisa's cell whilst she threw a dead fish out of her cell. She started slamming against the bars, they groaned under her force as she yowled and snarled. Olek stood just within her reach, giving her an intense glare, almost daring her to hit him. Olek never spoke, he just gazed at Kisa with an intensity he himself hadn't thought possible. His balled up fists unclenched when Chris began to speak. "I wouldn't listen to her. If they wanted you dead I doubt they'd poison you. It isn't very entertaining for them after all. I'm sure the food's fine really."

Olek waltzed over to Chris' cell and gave him a nod of approval. He gave Kisa a feeling glance. Olek started to speak up until his chest was wracked by another coughing fit as he was walking back to Edur's cell. Olek wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, he looked at Edur, until the lights went out. He instantly ripped his gun out of it's holster, eerie red lights illuminated the halls. The electronic locks went out but the key locks in cell block A would hold. He made a split second decision. He reached into his pocket and pulled the jangling key ring out of his pocket. They can cure you, don't do this. A voice spoke in his head. He hesitated for a few moments. They might, anything seemed to be possible here. Olek's hands loosened around the key ring. He could just stand here. Do nothing. That's all he had to do to survive, to keep living. With fire in his eyes his right hand curled around the keys. We all gotta die someday. Olek conscience spoke up once more.

The pitter patter of feet filled the halls in the distance. Olek had no idea what was going on, but he had to utilize this opportunity. Olek wiped the sweat off of his feverish forehead. He looked down at Edur, then back to Chris. "This is how this is going to go down. If you three want to get out of here alive, do as I say." He barked the orders in a commanding voice. All of the kindness had disappeared. This was a serious situation, it called for a serious demeanor. He gave Edur a reassuring nod and unlocked her cell first. "Just stay behind me kiddo." He turned and looked Chris up and down, and unlocked his cell relatively quickly. "If we get separated, you're in charge." He spoke in a quick tone.

Olek stopped at Kisa's cell hesitating with his weapon. "Don't. Cause. Trouble." Olek's expression grew grave and dark. The idea of having a 600 pound Jaguar at his back proved to be very unsettling. He unlocked Kisa's cell and backed up, giving her a wide birth. He quickly went through the lay out of the building in his head. They would have to take the quickest way out. Opposite direction of the arena. They'd have to pass the sub basement, guards would be swarming towards the generators. If they hurried, they could slip past without notice. It would be a straight shot past the doors.

"Follow me, don't stop for anything." Olek advised as he started sprinting down one of the halls, he gave the occasional glance back with his hands firmly wrapped around his gun. If any guards were tailing them, they would meet a quick end They could make it, they had to make it. His ear piece crackled to life and multiple voices immediately began barking orders. Olek had all of the information he needed. He could avoid the deployments so long as he was careful. There goes my paycheck.

Edur dropped the mouse as if would lunge out at her and sent a panicky look to the guard. She didn't want to believe it, but these guard could do anything. Kisa began to shake the bars of her cell, yowling the whole time. Edur shakily stood, turning her head to watch Chris speak. "I wouldn't listen to her. If they wanted you dead I doubt they'd poison you. It isn't very entertaining for them after all. I'm sure the food's fine really." Comforted by his words she sent him a small smile and returned to watching the interesting guard.

He broke into a coughing fit outside her cell and Edur gripped the bar, pressing her face to them to get a better look. Soon he quieted down, and she opened her mouth to perhaps thank him or ask why he coughed so much when the lights went out. Her gripped tighten and she let out a tiny shocked whimper. Luckily Edur could see well in the darkness. The guard seemed to struggle in deciding something before gazing at her and Chris. "This is how this is going to go down. If you three want to get out of here alive, do as I say." She took a step back in shock as he unlocked her cell.

Edur walked shakily out, keeping close to the guard as he unlocked both Chris's and Kisa's cell. She didn't trust the woman. Not one bit. Edur stood slightly behind Chris as the woman was released, and took off at once as the guard left. She didn't want to get too far from him or even Chris and be left with Kisa.