CHAPTER 115: SEVEN LEFT STANDING

Nomi’s fingers were still wrapped around mine when I finally forced my head up.

"How many of us are left?" I asked hoarsely.

She blinked at me, slow and tired, as if she had to count them one by one in her mind.

"I think Six or Seven," she whispered.

A chill slid down my spine. My breath hitched.

"Oh my God."

I lurched upright off the bench so fast that Nomi startled, grabbing the edge of the seat for balance.

"Vincent?"

But I wasn’t listening. My mind was spinning, gears catching and grinding.

Seven.

Only seven of us left.

I bolted out of the locker room, Nomi trailing behind me, calling my name.

When I burst into the main chamber, the others were scattered around the room... some perched on crates, some leaning against walls, hollow-eyed and silent. The overhead lights buzzed weakly.

Theo was pacing. Zaara stood alone near a column, arms crossed tight over her chest. Her eyes lifted as I approached. Kira sat hunched forward on a bench, face buried in her palms. Two other survivors.... Jacob and Suri, were slumped against the far wall, both looking half-dead, their jumpsuits streaked with grime and blood.

"Everyone, listen!" I shouted.

A few heads snapped up. Some just blinked at me, as if they were too tired to process another crisis.

I drew in a shaky breath. "I know it’s... a tough moment for all of us. We’ve lost so many people we cared about. So many friends. Family."

The words stuck in my throat for a second. Faces flashed through my mind.... Carter, Jojo, Asha, Aaron, Dinesh... The blood. The screaming. The hollow, accusing stares of the dead.

My voice trembled, but I forced myself to keep talking.

Theo came to stand a little closer, arms folded tight, as if bracing for whatever I was about to say.

"But I heard something in the tunnel today." I scanned the room, making sure they were really listening. "The game... it’s coming to an end."

Murmurs rippled through the group.

Theo lowered his hand from his mouth, frowning. "What do you mean?"

I swallowed hard. "We’ve almost used up the hundred days the Aetherions promised. That means..."

My eyes swept across the remaining faces. Every single one was pale and strained, dark circles bruising the skin beneath haunted eyes.

"...we all know there’s only going to be one winner. And that’s the scary part."

Zaara closed her eyes, shaking her head as if refusing to accept it. Kira was trembling.

"None of us want to hear it," I went on. "But we’ve got to face it. It means they’re going to push us into the final games."

Jacob choked out, voice shaking, "They’re really gonna make us kill each other, aren’t they?"

The question hung in the air like poison.

"Honestly," I said. "I don’t know. But that’s what they always want."

Nomi shifted closer beside me, her hand hovering like she wanted to touch me but afraid to. Her free hand drifted to her belly again.

"I’m saying I don’t give a damn about the blood money. I don’t care about winning."

I shook my head fiercely.

My voice cracked as it rose. "All I want is to find a way out before those final games start. For all of us. I don’t know how yet.... but there has to be a way. We’ve come too far to just... let them turn us into murderers for their entertainment."

Suri was crying now, silent tears streaking down her cheeks. Jacob pulled her close, staring at me over her shoulder with a flicker of desperate hope.

Zaara looked up. "If we try to run... they’ll kill us all. Jojo tried."

"Then we find a way they can’t predict," I said. "Or we find something to use against them. A secret. A weakness. Anything. We’re smarter than they are. We’ve survived everything they’ve thrown at us."

The room was tense.

Theo spoke up. "And if there isn’t a way, Vincent? If it’s really one winner or death for the rest of us?"

My fists clenched so tight my knuckles popped. "They want us to believe this is inevitable. That there’s no hope. But we’ve survived this long."

Nomi finally exhaled, dragging a trembling hand through her hair. "So... what’s the plan?"

My throat closed up for a second. I didn’t have a plan. Not yet.

But I lifted my chin anyway.

Zaara took a small step forward. "Vincent... what if there is no way?"

I stared at her.

"Then I’ll make one," I said. "Even if it kills me."

Jacob dropped his head into his hands, shaking.

Kira wiped her tears with trembling fingers, eyes darting to me, then away.

Theo exhaled, glancing around the room. "So... what do you want us to do, Vincent?"

I swallowed. "We start planning. Now. We look for patterns, weaknesses, ways to sabotage the next trials. We share every scrap of knowledge we have. No secrets."

"And if it comes down to the final game...?"

"Then I’ll make sure none of us have to kill each other."

But one by one, the others nodded.

Theo lowered his voice. "We have seven people left. They’re not going to waste time dragging this out much longer. The Aetherions will want blood soon. We can’t wait for that final game to start."

"I know," I said. "But remember... Everything here was designed to test us. That means everything has controls. Power. Doors. Air systems. If there’s a way to shut things down or force the exits open... it’ll be in the control center."

Zaara frowned. "We don’t even know where the control center is."

Jacob’s voice was faint, shaking. "Even if we found it... they’d kill us before we touched a console."

I shook my head. "Not if we distract them first."

Theo’s brows shot up. "Distract them... how?"

I hesitated, my mind racing.

"Think about it. The Aetherions have run this game for years. They rely on control. Surveillance. Fear. If we can disrupt any of that, even for five minutes... it might be enough."

I looked around the circle. "I’m talking power cuts. Flooding hallways. Triggering false alarms. Anything. While chaos hits the compound, we hit the control room. And we force a way out."

Suri hugged her knees tighter. "And... and if we can’t open the exits?"

My chest tightened. "Then we barricade ourselves in and negotiate. Force them to talk. Or expose them to the outside world. If the world knows this place exists... the Aetherions lose everything."

Theo let out a low whistle. "That’s a hell of a gamble, man."

"It’s our only one," I shot back. "Otherwise... we’ll be tearing each other apart in a goddamn arena."

"What do you need from us, Vincent?"

I glanced at the group. "Intel. Anything you’ve noticed.... guards’ routines, locked doors, power panels, cameras with blind spots. And I need you ready to fight. Or to run. Whatever it takes."

Nomi’s hand went protectively to her belly. "Vincent... I can’t run far. I’m already feeling contractions sometimes."

A jolt of fear twisted in my gut. I gently squeezed her hand. "Then you stay behind the rest of us. And I swear to you, Nomi—I’ll get you out."

She bit her lip, eyes shining with tears.

I saw Zaara looking at me across the room. Our eyes caught for half a second, and I wondered if she’d ever trust me again, even if I did save us all.

Jacob cleared his throat. "I... I’ve seen guards enter a tunnel near the armory. They punch in a code. I think it leads somewhere deeper."

My heart kicked harder. "Good. That might be a maintenance route. Kira? Anything?"

She pushed her hair back from her sweaty face. "A few days ago, I saw a man in a white suit carrying a briefcase near the east hallway. He opened a door marked ’Systems.’ I memorized part of the keypad code. It started with 4-9-2."

I exhaled. "Perfect. That could be our in."

Theo tilted his head. "And if they catch us sneaking around?"

"Then we improvise."

Theo let out a harsh laugh. "Great. Love improvising when people have guns."

"Vincent... how do we even know we can trust each other when the final game comes?"

"We don’t," I admitted. "And I don’t expect you to trust me either. But I know one thing... if we let the Aetherions dictate the end, none of us makes it out alive. This is our only shot. Together."

The circle went quiet.

I could see it in their faces, the terror, the hopelessness, the stubborn spark that refused to die.

Kira finally lifted her chin. "So... when do we move?"

I swallowed. "Tonight. While the cameras reset. That’s the only window."

Suri wiped her eyes. "It doesn’t matter what we do... we’re already dead, aren’t we?"

I stared at her. "We should still try.."

Zaara drew in a shaky breath and squeezed my hand. "Then let’s end this."

"Theo, you watch for guard patrols. Kira, memorize that keypad code. Jacob, show me the tunnel you saw. We’re moving in teams."