CH2: Three-way Deal

I brace myself and put my hand on the knob but then I see it. A safe zone. The safe zone of floor 3. I see the green light shining through from under the door and suddenly I don’t know what to do. But I am not let to think about it for long either as the door opens and I get a barrel of a gun to my chest. I drop my weapon and back away as the door opens and the ponytailed girl walks out. “Stand down.” Erika says and I know that even a single shot with that **** rifle of hers will eliminate me. The barrel is held so firmly on me, that it digs into my breast. She is so intense. I fall on my butt and cover myself with my hands and beg: “D-don’t shoot! Please, please don’t!” This is the closest I’ve gotten to losing, including the music classroom incident.

Erika pulls my arm and drags me into the room and throws me on the floor. It’s a nice floor too, only I can’t stop to admire it, as Erika shuts the door behind me and kicks me over. “Did you think you could surprise me? Hm?” I look up at her and keep my hands up, even though we are in a safe zone. “Y-yes… I’m sorry.” She puts her hands on her waist and rolls her eyes. “You are the second one… you’ve got to be kidding me.” She goes back to looking around the room, but I do take note of her curves. Erika has a fit body as well as a large butt. She looks strong and I feel helpless on the floor so I sit up and look around. It’s only then that I get a better look at the room. It’s a nice office with hardwood furniture. I also finally notice her. There’s a girl sitting on the headmaster’s chair. She has flowing blonde hair and she’s wearing a scruffy cap. She seems to be preoccupied with something, but as I look, I can’t see anything.

I’ve never seen her before and it’s a little exciting to see a new face. “Do you know her?” Erika asks, having noticed my staring. “Ah, sorry, no.” I say and the girl finally turns her head to look at us: “...what?” She asks in a soft voice and looks at me with her dark eyes. She has some kind of adorableness about her which makes me stare again. Erika walks in between us and clears her throat. “Ehm… ok then. Here’s the deal. We are not going to stand a chance against the Recreationists for long, so we need allies. But… we’ve decided to not execute you if you say no… now… that still doesn’t mean you are free to go either. That’s what we came up with, so I’m asking you two. Will you join the Retreaters?” Erika asks firmly and I am not sure if I’m impressed or angry. Erika is definitely a warrior. She gives off an aura of fairness even though right now she is keeping me at the end of her barrel.

“What’s a Retreater?” The blonde asks and raises her eyes towards Erika and the tall woman looks a little confused: “Have you not…? Well… we are a faction who plans to make an alternate system for the winners. We are still working on that system, but the important thing is that we believe this laser tag game is unfair and unnecessary. With that, we stand opposite to the Recreationists…” Erika starts explaining and I listen closely but the girl asks again: “Oh, but who are the Recreationists?”

Erika sighs and leans on a wall: “I knew you were going to ask that, so I was just getting to it. They… They are lead by Calliope. They want to play the laser tag game to the best of their benefit. For now it means to wipe us out completely. I’m not sure what’s their endgame though. My guess is that Calliope decides the winners and her soldiers execute her own team until only the two most loyal followers remain. That ensures her own victory. Where-as we believe in an alternative. Some better way. Some way that doesn’t involve oppressing eachother and fighting tooth and nail like insane people.”

I can’t help but hear the hypocrisy in her words and can’t keep my voice down: “W-well… what are you pointing that gun at us then, h-huh?” I ask angrily and Erika crosses her arms and pouts: “Wh-... that’s just… it’s for protection! The Recreationists will just execute us without it! What are you saying? It’s a temporary requirement.” I don’t buy it. There’s something fishy about their policies. I do not buy it at all. The blonde looks at both of us and mutters: “Hmm… you know, you two look quite alike. You also argue like siblings. Are you related by chance?” She smiles softly and I feel weird. She doesn’t seem to understand the first thing about the game. Now, it might be true that I may have some similarities with Erika. I’m sure that if I put my hair up, I could match her looks. But it all seems so irrelevant. Erika seems annoyed and crosses her arms: “So… anyways. Are you interested?” The blonde looks thoughtful and twirls a strand of hair on her finger.

“Well, that sounds reasonable. I do not much like the laser tag game either.” The blonde says and I still see her looking into the distance. She’s weird. “I’m glad to hear it. Unlike the Recreationists, we vote together on the things we do. We don’t just follow one person’s rule. So, if you choose to join us, you will have the same power as all the rest of us.” Erika explains and the blonde gets up from the chair and walks over to her and puts her hand forward: “In that case, may I join? My name is Tina.” Erika shakes hands with her and I feel left out, but I’m also not sure about joining either. “I want to be a prisoner then.” I say and Erika looks down at me with a disappointed look. “Fine. I will take you two to the fortress in the gym. You, prisoner. You will give all your things to us. Including your meds and ammo.” So it happens. We leave the headmaster’s room and I am pushed forwards through the hallways as Erika and Tina walk me all the way over to the gym.