They notice a few young men trying to forcibly break into the supermarket from a side entrance, they immediately rush over to try and help them. As the men break down the door, they run inside to help people escape, some of whom they appeared to know.
They bring out an elderly couple and a young boy among others. Then all of a sudden, soldiers surround them and start shouting at them, as they are savagely beaten to the ground with clubs. The soldiers take away Matt & Simon's phones, as they are thrown in the back of a military bus which promptly drives away.
As they all sit uncomfortably in the large bus, one of the men leans over and politely thank Matt & Simon for their help and introduces himself as Tyson. Talking candidly to the young man, and his friend Lucas it becomes clear to Matt & Simon that what they witnessed at the supermarket was real.
As Tyson states "I was trying to save my relatives, from that damn show!"
Realizing they were from abroad, Tyson carefully explains to Matt & Simon the wider situation of what was going on in the country. Declaring that Monster Idol was real and was cynically used to brutally punish the local population. Or at least the prominent parts of it opposed to the regime. He was bluntly told this by an ex-girlfriend, who works as an administrator on the show. And since personal communications are carefully controlled, and the country closed off. Outsiders can't comprehend what's going on here.
The bus shakes suddenly, as it goes over a speed bump. Matt tries peering out of the caged window, as the security bus pulls up in an underground car park. They're all marshaled out of the bus and force marched to what appeared to be some type of medical room. The staff inside start processing them, by subjecting them to a physical and various other tests. Matt & Tyson are sat next to each other, as metal bracelets containing tracking devices are attached to their right arms.
An attractive woman then enters the room who approaches Tyson, who appeared to recognize her. She introduces herself as Aquiel and was the former girlfriend Tyson had mentioned, as she pretends to write on a note pad she was carrying. Aquiel talks to him as she gives Tyson & Matt a pair of dull gray uniforms to put on, while also looking at the medical staff cautiously.
"What's going to happen to us?" Tyson asks nervously.
Aquiel whispers bluntly "You'll be placed in the show, which is how the government deals with most of its problems." But I will try to assist you where possible, but if I'm caught, I will likely be joining you as well!"
Matt asks her "Why are you willing to help us?"
She replies "Some people you saved from the supermarket today were my friends as well." I hate my terrible job and I only do it to survive."
She next asks them questions about their skills and abilities, promptly telling them the better their skills the longer they would last.
After the examination, they are transferred to a series of holding cells. Which had large TV screens with spartan style bunk beds and a mini bathroom in each of them. Matt was placed in a cell with Tyson and one of his friends Lucas. Simon was placed in another further down the corridor.
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