and it's done, been working on this since about seven am and now it's nine am. As far as I can see it's alright, let me know if I make any mistakes... Chapter 9 The guard cringed, pulling a leg up and an arm across his face to protect himself before chuckling "well that's a no." "What makes you think that?" Ryder retorts. Light picked up a basketball and passes it to Logan who bounces it a couple of times before passing it back. Ryder and Rose stayed stood up with them and then a loop of passes started. Sparrow sat beside Dae "have you convinced her about Ryder?" She whispered. "Not quite, hoping now would help," Dae replied in the same manner. Xavier got bored of the girls chat and joined in with the basketball. Alixan pulled Sparrow up to her feet, "come on, you two need to do more than whisper." Dae rolls her eyes jokingly and stands up. "Pass it here," she calls to Rose, receiving the ball before passing it onto Xavier. The guards stood dotted around the hall, a concentration of them around the double doors that lead to the cupboard. Raven was sat watching the guards, trying to figure out their motives and watching the patterns in movement. The other girls sat chatting quietly between themselves, Harley occasionally joining in when she wanted to. Jess and Harley would glance across at Logan every so often, trying to work something out. A small boys against girls basketball game had started, with the boys being the current losers, much to their distaste. Rose quickly passed the ball to Dae, narrowly missing Ryder's attempt at an interception. Dae span around Logan who was stood behind her and shot into the net, yet again. When it went in, Logan picked Dae up from behind causing her to squeak quietly and burst into giggles "you need to stop doing that," he comments. "Maybe your defence should be faster," Dae responds before squirming as Logan tickled her sides. Sparrow shot Alixan a smirk before Xavier passed the ball to Light who charged towards the other end of the court. Logan dropped Dae on her feet before he jogged up with them to help out. Dae sprints up the hall, before trying to get the ball from Ryder. He chuckles before doing a bounce pass to Light who dunked the ball into the basket. A guard checked his watch and blew his whistle, causing the game to stop and the guard, Josh, beside him to cringe. "Right, you guys are going back upstairs, come on. Move it," the guard orders. The basketball gets thrown to Josh who smirks before catching it and bouncing it a couple of times. "Doesn't mean you can start playing," the guard beside him barks and Josh drops the ball. The boys chuckle before following the girls out the hall, back to their living quarters. Josh was the last guard to leave the hall, shutting the door behind him. The guards leave the experiments at their living quarters before going up to the top floor. Guards started filing out the cupboard, the occasional scientist within the clusters. Then it was mainly scientists. Only Kat, Noémie, Simone, Mathieu and the old scientist was left in the center of the maze. The old scientist was pacing along the line the other four had formed, their eyes all following him. "Some of them need to go," the old man starts to interrupted by Simone "but sir the ethical complications with us doing that is endless." "Ever heard of accidents?" "Yes sir," Simone replies quietly. "Miss Barnes, can you tell us the history of this place? You were educated not that far from here weren't you," the old man says, stopping in front of Kat. She nods as the other three look at her "five minutes down the road sir." "Good, so enlighten our country's visitors to what used to occur here." "Are you sure sir?" "Do I look unsure?" "No sir." "Then speak." "Yes sir. This current area we are stood in was used as a gas chamber for those with the death row punishment for saying someone's date or other death row crimes. The gas pipes still run under the floor sir." "Anything else about this place Miss Barnes?" The old man asked. "Many toxic plants can be found in this local area so we weren't allowed to forage for food in the woods when I was younger sir." "What else?" "They used to electrocute the water in the swimming pool sir." "And?" "I don't know anymore sir." "Acid showers." The three scientists cringe slightly. "What is wrong with you lot?" "How can an acid shower be an accident?" Simone questions. "The source gets mixed up." "Why would we need acid available on tap?" "Do we or do we not have labs?" "Yes we have labs." "There's your answer." "What if it only burns their skin?" "They fall into a vat of it." Simone goes to argue back but was too shocked to answer. "Any questions?" The old man asks. "Who is going?" Kat asks quietly. "Four of the girls..." Alixan and Rose were in the showers while the other two were getting changed for bed. The same was happening in the other girls room, apart from it was Dae and Sparrow in the showers. Jess came out one of the toilets in her PJs, feeling aware of the cameras, but they only had the microphones on at that point of time. Logan was sat chatting with Light chatting, them both just sat in PJ pants while the other two was using the showers. "Was he really complaining the whole time?" Logan asks. "Yeah, until he worked out the answers. I think it was his way of clear his mind to think," Light replies. "Have we all jumped to the wrong conclusion about him?" "Only time will tell." Xanius came out the shower then, walking back into the room in a full set of PJs. "It feels so nice having a warm shower into PJs to sleep in a warm bed again," Xanius comments quietly. Light and Logan smile sadly "we never know the true value of something until it's gone," Light replies as Xanius sits cross legged on his own bed. Everyone soon settled down to sleep, apart from group 3 of the scientists who observed the sleeping behaviors of the teenagers. With that night passing through peacefully, Dae and the boys were the first ones up from habit. Dae stretched and sat up, blinking her eyes slowly as they adjusted, that's when she remembered what happened and where she was. She groans quietly before brushing her hair quickly and exiting the room. Xanius was just coming out the common room, a glass of water in his hand "morning X," Dae says quietly. He looks up and smiles, just visible in the soft lighting "morning Dae," he replies in the same manner. Logan sticks his head out the room "who are you talking to... Oh hi Dae," Logan comments before his eyes settle on Dae. "Hi," Dae responds, still smiling. "Up due to habit?" "Yeah, same I won't be able to do that for a while." "Hang on a sec," Logan turns back into their room, looking at Light and Ryder,"it will be alright if Dae comes in won't it?" "Oh the one who kept winding you up last night? Of course," Light replies jokingly. "You lose your sense of humor in the morning," Logan replies as Xanius walks in, "come in here," Logan sticks his head out the door again and Dae nods. Logan disappeared into the room again, sitting on his own bed. When Dae appeared in the door three sets of eyes flicked to there, drinking in her figure. "Hey, I haven't come here to entertain you so get that out of your heads," Dae comments rolling her eyes before joining Xanius on his bed. Light and Ryder chuckle quietly as they shake their head and Logan smirks. Xanius grins at Dae "I know why you are up," Dae comments quietly to Xanius, placing a hand on his shoulder reassuringly briefly before turning to the other three, "I take you three go out for jogs." "Yeah," was the collective response and Dae smiles. "Predictable," she comments, Light perks up "What is that supposed to mean?" "Well it's a bit obvious you all go out for a run in the mornings because always nearly being hit by a runner this time in the morning." "Alright then." "You're the person I ran into the other morning," Ryder comments quietly, "I'm so sorry." Dae laughs quietly "It's fine, I know you didn't mean it." "I didn't hurt you did I? You hit that wall pretty hard." "I'm fine, there's no mark," Dae comments, rolling her sleeve up, showing him her arm. "Okay," Ryder says quietly before sitting back. Light and Logan watch the exchange with a raised eyebrow before looking at Dae again. "So you know each other already?" Logan asks causing Dae to shake her head "No, he literally just ran round the corner, knocked me into the wall accidentally because he wasn't expecting anyone to be there. He yelled back sorry as he continued running," Dae responds. Ryder looks at his hands as she spoke, ignoring the occasional glance from Light. "Oh. It's just that Jess has crossed your path before and hadn't realised, maybe it has happened with others." "I don't think it has, or enough for anyone to realise that it has happened." "I've seen most of you once in the past week, but I did keep moving through the different neighbourhoods," Xanius says quietly, putting the empty glass down before pulling open the curtains. "That's understandable," Light replies, not adding the fact no one will really remember seeing Xanius. "Does anyone recognise this area?" "Hang on, let me have a look," Light comments before walking across and looking out the window. "I have no idea where we are," Light comments moments later. Ryder stands behind him, "neither do I." Dae sat quietly watching to see Logan watching her. He looks away when her eyes meet his so she stands up quietly and sits opposite him. The others were too busy looking at different landmarks, trying to work out their location, to notice. "What do you want to say?" Dae asks quietly, taking his hand in hers. Logan looks up at her, his head tilted slightly "you've managed to bring the good out in everyone, even Ryder." "He'll have his own reasons for acting the way he does, just give it time so he can adjust like we all are." "I couldn't help rethinking what I said yesterday, I still feel bad about it." "I know, you were still trying to straighten it out even though I said it was okay." "You noticed then?" "I rarely miss anything," Dae replies quietly shaking her head slightly.