Hunter and the Hunted

A month after the skirmish against Woodsy, we were gathered for another assembly by the Administrator, who I now saw in a different light. Before, I sort of felt like he was a different... species from us. But what he said to us that night made me remember that he wasn't a machine. And it also changed my view of him from a cruel and vicious person who enjoyed killing people for fun to just an ambitious guy who was dreaming big dreams, and would do whatever it took to accomplish that dream. But Elemental said that those types were the most dangerous of all.

We were still on bad terms with Woodsy's gang. A lot of people from both sides had died, and now whenever we saw Zak or Vedix or El Casio or Stroma we just kind of glared daggers at each other until our eyes got too dry and we hurled a insults and then leave. Chris, unsurprisingly, has been taking the lead in the insulting part. I'm worried that there will be another skirmish soon, but Woodsy's army has gone down by almost a quarter in number, so we doubt that they'll come looking for trouble again. And although my wounds recovered quickly due to the strengthening effects of pale viper venom, Elemental's injuries took far longer to heal since he actually still hadn’t taken any kind of strengthening elixir. I was determined to pay him back if I got the chance. And, unexpectedly, that chance came a lot quicker than I had expected.

The Administrator had made it known that he was going to make an announcement. All eight hundred or so of us were lined up beneath the platform, feet shifting nervously and tiny beads of sweat rolling down foreheads. After all, the last announcement he had made was for the Purge of the G2s when they had first arrives. And when he started talking, our fear were confirmed.

"Welcome," he drones, his mask obscuring any kind of facial expression he could've had, with the glowing blue eye sockets stopping me from deciphering who he was looking at. "I've gathered you all here because we're going to go ahead with your third mission at the Facility."
He pauses, and we stay in complete silence. I know that we're all collectively thinking that more people will die this time round too. But for me, I've become numb to people dying around me now. After all, I've killed people with my own two hands, and I'm not afraid to dip them in the blood of murdered enemies if it means I can protect 002 this time round.

"Three of you standing here right now," he continues. "Will be designated as the 'Prey'."
I suddenly don’t like where this is going.

"The three people designated as the 'Prey' will be given a tag, and all other will be given a device that lets them know the location of all three 'Prey' at all times. Everyone who isn’t 'Prey' will be a 'Hunter'."

Now, I know exactly where this is going. And I still don't like it.

"The job of the Hunters is obviously to kill the Prey. But that's just your choice."

I breathe a sigh of relief. At least this means that we won’t be forced to kill someone if one of our allies or friends gets designated. This mission seems suspiciously… scuffed. Because I'm sure many people here wouldn’t want to chase after the Prey and would just wait this mission out. But then he delivers a line that changes everything.

"The Hunter who kills a Prey will be guaranteed a spot in the surviving seventy-five people."

Nobody says anything, but I can feel the change in atmosphere instantly. There's once again murder in the air and blood in everyone's eyes, fuelled by the human desire to survive. Another blood fest is already underway.

"We will now choose the Prey" the Administrator says. "And the Hunt will begin tomorrow. The instructors will distribute the tracking devices to all Hunters tomorrow."  

Ten instructors come forwards, each holding a small sack, and we're told to line up into ten lines, each in front of an instructor. Drawing lots. Great.

The person in front of me draws his hand shakily out of the bag, and without looking at the colour of his stone, he sidles away. I'm next. The instructor's eyes feel like they're boring a hole into my chest as I step forwards. By coincidence, Neo is right next to me, drawing from a different instructor, and he nods at me reassuringly. I dip my head back at him, and then plunge my hand into the sack. I drive my hand deep into the rocks inside the sack, and my fingers close around a smooth pebble. This is the stone that will decide my fate. Making sure my hand is covering the whole thing, and withdraw my arm from the sack and walk away. Neo joins me a few moments later.

"Did you check what stone you got?"

"Not yet."
"White means Hunter, black means Prey," Neo reminds me.

We bump fists, and then open our palms. Two stones, both the same color, stare up at us.

We both let out our breaths.

"So, we’re Hunters," Neo sighs. "I thought being a Prey would be fun."
"Don’t joke about that," I tell him, but I'm leaping around with joy inside that I'm not the one who's going to have eight hundred people jumping me first thing tomorrow morning.

We're about to return to our Pod, when my blade instructor approaches us, looking straight at me.

 "Number 005, Sword," he says, only to me, ignoring Neo.

"Instructor," I say, bowing.

"The Administrator wishes to see you," he says. "Follow me."

I freeze in shock. The Administrator wants to see me? Of all people? And here I thought it was going well so far.

"Go on," Neo says, but he too looks uncertain. "He can't kill you or anything. Well he can, but… well, there isn’t really any reason why he shouldn’t… so you should probably prepare to die a gruesome death alone with that psycho…"

I snap at him to stop talking and return to our dorm, then I follow the instructor.

He orders me to put on a blindfold, and then pushes me through what seems like a full on maze. Then, after about ten minutes of walking, he tears of the blindfold and shoves me through into a room. I blink in the glare of chrona lights, and the floor beneath my feet is wood. I almost cry with joy. Because it's a room that I'm all too used to. Potted plants. Glass display cases, fish tanks, mahogany desks and plenty of chrona lights. Sofas, armchairs, heaters, cupboards - you name it, it's there. The Administrator is seated behind the largest desk at the other end of the room.

"Take a seat, he says, motioning to the armchair in front of his desk.

I collapse into the soft chair, trying not to sigh or make noises.

"I know that you want to repay 002 for what he did for you in the skirmish."
His voice is now like a normal person's, and for some reason it's pleasant. Nothing like I expected.

"I just want to say…" his voice trails off, and I would've given an arm to know what his expression is as of now. "Listen, I want you and your friends to become my soldiers in the future. So I'm going to tell you some things I didn’t tell you during the announcement."
This isn’t the Admin I know. He's… biased. Not that I'm going to argue, I love it.

"Firstly, all three Prey will be armed. With Chrona weapons."
"Wait, really?" I ask, breaking my silence, but he doesn't do anything and just nods.

"They'll be able to choose from the armory," he confirms. "And if they survive, they will keep that weapon for the rest of their lives."

"That's…"
"Insane," he finishes.

He can't be older than me. Talking to him right now, it feels like I'm talking with someone from my dorm.

"And," he continues. "The Hunters will track the Prey through the microchips in your brains."
"Microchips?"

"It’s what I channel my voice through in your heads. You have a cybernetic micro-implant that was shoved in you when you were… taken. That's not what's important anyway. So, if you find a way to jam the signal from the Prey to the Hunters, you can stop the Hunters from finding the Prey."

"Wait, wait," I say. "Why are you telling me, a Hunter, this?"

"Because I already know you will side with the Prey," he says. "After all, your savior, 002, has been designated as one of the Prey."