Chapter Text
“Doing Easterman’s biddings…” I say leaning into the table behind me from my seat as I stare at the other reagents who, just like me, haven't died yet.
“Really, you’re making it sound like we’re in on all this.” Jericho, the man who had propositioned the original question of what exactly we should call the trials as a whole. Something to help lighten our moods of this inescapable hell. “Like we have a choice to do them or not.”
“Well I think it sounds better than just saying we’re doing trials.” Maria answers back, this was all idle chit chat, something to let the time pass because between doing trials and sleeping there wasn’t much else to do. “If anything it helps because it at least makes me feel a little more in control.” I let out a small chuckle before grabbing my bottle of water behind me and drinking some of it.
“I’m scared to ask, but how long have you guys been here?” The newest face I’ve seen in recent, Steve spoke up. He was more timid and shy, I pray he makes it far in this place. But I know more than others that his types are usually snuffed out faster.
“Well kid,” I start, I don’t even know his age. Somehow I just felt saying kid was appropriate. Maybe I just wanted to sound like I was better than him. “It sort of gets hard to tell how many days pass by when the ceilings are always a bright white light. Trials are always dark like night and well they happen whenever. To top it all off, we never sleep during them.” Steve lets out a sigh, I guess my words hit a reality check for him. Jericho pats him on the back reassuringly.
“Ignore her, she’s just being dramatic.” Jericho waves me off before turning to Steve. “Though I don’t know how many days have gone by, I can safely say that Maria is somewhat new, but has been here long enough to know the ropes.”
“It gets hard at first dude, but I’d prefer to stay alive.” Maria chips in nudging Steve on the shoulder. Steve tenses up a bit but relaxes the next second.
“I’ve been here longer than Maria, I’m willing to say I’m a professional at these.” Jericho talks himself up and I roll my eyes drinking more of my water. Steve looks at me expectantly, maybe he was waiting for me to cut in. He then turns to Jericho silently asking him for how long I’ve been here. “She, on the other hand, has been here for a long time.”
“I bet the guards themselves wonder how she made it this long.” Maria jokes lightly elbowing me on the shoulder. “I’m surprised she hasn’t become an Expop yet.” My eyes widened at her words before I lightly hit her.
“Quit it, don't give Easterman more ideas, god forbid they get creative.” I comment half jokingly. “You see how fucked up those Expop sound and look… I don’t want to become that.” Jericho and Maria nod slightly, shivering at the idea. The way they spoke, moved, panicked. Nobody really wanted to meet a fate like that. Even if the trials were a terrible fate in itself. At least reagents were still conscious to a certain degree.
“You got any tips?” Steve asks, “I think I’m going to need all that I can get.” I soften up a bit, remembering the times I had first wounded up here. It’s not like it was years since I’ve been here. At most maybe a year. Tons of reagents arrive and die on these trials daily. It is why everyone assumes I’m some kind of expert or that I’ve been here for a long time. I’m one of the oldest faces that haven’t disappeared mid trial yet. Still I remember that I would’ve liked some tips on my first couple of trials.
“Always keep a brick or two on you. And constantly visit Barlow, keep your rig in mind throughout the whole trial.” I think for a bit trying to gather as much advice I can muster up. “Don’t let Dr. Futterman’s beak anywhere near you, don’t even let Mother Gooseberry get close to you cause that fucking hurts. Coyle gets annoying when he zaps you because your fucking rig deactivated like thanks a lot asshole now I have to wait thirty second, yes thirty I’ve counted it. Oh and-”
“Okay you’re going on a tangent now.” Jericho cuts me off. I didn’t even realize I had sat up, guess I was just so into the moment just now. I lean back into the table behind me shrugging it off. “Every Prime asset has their quirks, pros and cons. But I doubt Steve wants to listen to you complain about all of it.” I roll my eyes letting out a puff of air.
“Oh I know a good word of advice.” Maria quickly perks up. “This one right here…” Maria points towards me as she starts. “Gave me this advice mid trial, and I’ve kept it with me ever since.” We all look at Maria expectantly.
“Well shit you make me sound like some kind of wise man from the mountains.” I comment and Maria lightly shoves my shoulder forward for ruining her build up. I let out an amused laugh at the action.
“Trust nobody to help you but yourself.” Maria shares confidently, me and Jericho end up nodding in agreement. But Steve held a puzzled look almost like something didn’t sound right. We all look at him expecting his interjection.
“I don’t think I understand that one.” Steve spoke up, “Doesn’t all trials start with four people? You and three other reagents? Aren’t you supposed to work together and all to keep yourselves alive.” I take a deep inhale, I know he meant well. Hell we all thought that at some point.
“I know it sounds harsh but it’s not wrong.” Jericho responds, rubbing the back of his head. “And let's say we all luckily get a trial together, then yeah I guess you could trust us to keep you alive.”
“However,” I quickly cut in, leaning in closer to Steve and the others. “Some reagents aren’t as friendly or nice or considerate as you’d like them to be. And I don’t blame them, it’s you or them right? The four who go on a trial together aren’t usually your friends. Hell you might have never met them. Some of them are assholes and some of them are the most wonderful people you’ve ever met. But when worse comes to worse, they might even sacrifice you for their wellbeing.”
“What? Why?” Steve sounded appalled like we were almost saying we do that. He held a look of anger almost like we were telling him to fuck off and die somewhere.
“I know it’s hard to believe when you’re first down here. But when she told me that, keep in mind I was bleeding out on the floor.” Maria shares a glance at me with a look of gratitude. “It was one of my first few trials in that stupid carnival ride. Mother Gooseberry runs that shit show. I was scared to be on my own and I was following a fellow reagent around. God I can’t remember that mother fuckers name.” Maria thinks to herself a scowl on her face just thinking about the man.
“Mother Gooseberry… Carnival ride, most likely the root canal…” I pondered to myself on what exact trial she was talking about. Maria had been here for sometime and I’ve done a handful of trials with her. I’ve done so many trials down here, all starting to feel the same, almost boring in my eyes.
“That’s not the point, I was following him around and then all of sudden he saw Mother Gooseberry near the assignment, he needed to go there to continue the mission and you know what the asshole does?” Maria looks at everyone expecting someone to guess what the next part of her story was.
“Don’t tell me, Maria. You aren’t suggesting someone actually did that to you?” Jericho cuts in, sounding absolutely taken aback from her story. Already assuming what she was hinting at. “I don’t think you’ve told me about this one.”
“I don’t share it often, cause it’s embarrassing.” Maria admits with a shrug. “The fucker throws a bottle near where I am. Next thing I know, Mother Gooseberry is drilling a hole through me god was that shit painful. I thought I was a goner if I’m being honest. But then almost like an angel from the heavens she appears.” Maria turns to me with endearment and I nervously rub the back of my neck. Everyone looks at me to continue the story.
“It wasn’t all that majestic.” I comment rolling my eyes. “I kicked Mother Gooseberry off of her to get her attention then I booked it into the closest dark room till she got bored and rushed back. I like to at least TRY to save the ones around me if I know I can. And I usually can. Hell I don’t blame reagents who don’t try and save others. On one of my first trials I actually crawled into the shuttle on my own to survive.”
“Holy shit,” Steve responds, astonished at the stories. “Have you ever gotten to a point where you had to let someone die yet?” I didn’t expect the morbid question from him but I shake my head.
“Not on purpose, sometimes the prime assets want someone dead. I can’t do shit if the prime asset refuses to give them a chance. Coyle if he notices he’s losing for the most part will go for the weakest link. That or the one who usually is by themselves, which is me but he hasn’t gotten the jump on me yet.” I let out a small chuckle at the thought, remembering the tons of times I’ve chucked bricks upon bricks and bottles at his head before scurrying off. So glad Murkoff hasn’t given the primes any source of night vision.
“Really, I don’t think I’ve ever noticed that.” Maria admits, a little shocked. Jericho nods confirming my claim. “Do the others do anything similar?” I sit up a bit thinking.
“Well, Mother Gooseberry tends to somewhat just go for whoever is last or behind everyone during the end chase. I mean hell she does a lot of damage, a drill to the back is fucking painful. But she isn’t a sore loser… Maybe Dr. Futterman is though.” I contemplate for a bit before shrugging it off.
“Well come on, you have to do Franco now too.” Jericho spoke up as soon as I didn't pick back up on the conversation. “He has one too right? Like when all the reagents live, or is it similar to Coyle’s? I haven’t quite picked up on his.”
“If all the reagents live till the end of the trial his target becomes whichever female reagent he finds attractive. I think that gives you enough ideas on what he prioritizes.” I don’t go into much details on the matter. “He’s a goddamn whiny bitch too. He’s also funny when you hit him with a brick. Until I get a bullet in me.” I shake my head. Maria and Jericho seem to take mental notes. Steve stands there still confused. There’s a moment of silence, not the awkward kind. Jericho and Maria seemed deep in thought and Steve looked like he was moments away from crying. Clearly he didn’t like the ideas of the trials already. Then there’s that sound, the small sound and the blinking. The band that every reagent had on their arm that usually only lit up and spoke when you were about to be put on a trial
“Trial preparations are in order. Please gather all you will need.” The speaker on the band spoke up not just from mine but from Steve’s. He glances up at me shaken up a bit at the blinking red.
“What does this mean?” Steve points at his arm band and I stand up stretching my limbs a bit. I knew a trial was going to start soon for me. I’m just shocked they’d put me on one with Steve this fast. Though it’s not uncommon, either Steve got lucky and was given a team of people who have done this trial tons of times. Or I was unlucky enough to watch over a team of rookies.
“Means we’re needed to do Mr. Easterman’s bidding.” I say, my hand gives Steve a gentle pat before walking away. “I’ll meet you at the shuttles.” I didn’t fail to notice Steve shake and flinch from my touch. I had everything I needed, all the pills, my rig, which I tend to go for healing since it helps me make sure my team survives these trials.