"LISTEN HERE, YOU LITTLE WORMS!!! My name is Jarxen Vaurg and you'll be working on my block! Get that?!" A muscular man in his forties screamed at the cowering teens in front of him, like a lioness roaring at her cubs.
Those were the first few words the young teenagers heard the moment they snapped into consciousness. Glancing around, none of them had the vaguest idea of where they awoke, nor what they did prior to that. Even parts of their names were completely hazy in their mind, this made them utterly perturbed by their overlapping memories. At the state they were in now, who knows if all their memories were real or not. It's like waking up from a dream and forgetting what occurred in that said dream.
Where am I? What is this place? These questions plagued the teenagers' minds but they couldn't bring themselves to voice it out since they had no idea who to trust and ask the question to. That left them completely still, observing the littlest of movements around them hoping that it would at least provide clues as to where they were.
"Hey! HEY! ARE YOU LISTENING?!!!" Once again, the man barked at them like the alpha of the wolf pack. This made the mysterious man garner their attention in a snap.
All personnel... please assemble at the cafeteria... all personnel, please... The repeated message was broadcasted all throughout the area.
Everywhere they look, they were greeted by pristine white walls that seemed to shimmer at the reflection of light coming from the powerful light bulbs on the ceiling. A few personnel-like individuals, wearing white lab coats and matching shoes, walked past them with an affirmative nod at the husky man that called himself Jarxen Vaurg.
Jarxen looked like he was in mid-forties but his grey hair filled almost his whole head. If it were not for his muscular body and tall stature, someone who sees him for the first time would've assumed that he's way older than he actually is. With all that said, however, Jarxen's well-sculptured jawline and high nose bridge add to his already above-average features. It was no question that he had the quality of a handsome man.
With a jerk of his thumb, Jarxen motioned for the group of slightly dazed teenagers to follow him.
In response, the teenagers walked in a seamlessly straight line while following Jarxen's lead. It was an unknown place, that's why they locked themselves on the first person they knew albeit his unpleasant character. It's a severe case of losing your way and having a stranger offer his assistance, except you feel more of a stranger than the stranger due to your foggy recollections. The more they spend time in their woken state, the more they get baffled at what's lying ahead of them
"Now you little insects, listen here. This here is the Dome, located at the center of this facility shaped like an Asterisk, hence its name. UNDERSTAND?!" Jarxen Vaurg emphasized the last word a little too much, causing the teenagers to flinch.
They looked at each other and briefly nodded at Jarxen Vaurg after locking eyes with him. They then quickly averted their gazes for fear that they might get eaten. With Jarxen's scowling eyes, they doubt they would get out of the place alive if they ever go against his orders
"The Dome is connected to twelve blocks– two on each end of the lines on the asterisk." Jarxen carefully explained while drawing an asterisk in the air. He then pointed at each end of the three lines, totaling six ends.
Jarxen Vaurg scratched his head. This is the problem with new batches. I have to explain everything all over again. He inwardly thought to himself while looking at the new batch of workers assigned to him. Just thinking about it was enough to make Jarxen pity them, yet he didn't show that misplaced feeling of remorse even for a split second.
"I'm telling you all this because you won't be seeing this place again for a long time. Sounds good? Then carry your butts and follow me!" Jarxen Vaurg continued walking forward, now heading to a corridor connected to the dome. "When we get to my block, you'll be staying down there for a few months at the minimum and a lifetime at the maximum, unless otherwise specified by the head. That's why I want you to ingrain this place in your mind. That way, you'll always remember that our block is not the only world you have. Trust me, newbies, it will help you with your sanity."
This time, Jarxen Vaurg didn't shout at them. It was quite a turnaround that came unexpectedly. Realizing the mistake he made, Jarxen shouted once again, yelling a new set of orders like a mad dog. "GET OVER HERE!"
The teenagers meekly obeyed. Looking down in hopes that they would avoid the wrath Jarxen's about to incur upon them.
As Jarxen walked past two more personnel, they finally arrived at the end of the hallway. Now, the teenagers weren't so sure if they should be following Jarxen Vaurg or not. Regardless, they followed.
After all, it's better the place you know than the place you don't... right? That said, they didn't want to know what awaits them on the other blocks.
The party was greeted by two well-built guards standing on the opposite side of two metallic doors, which were large enough to fit a truck if it drove straight to it. The door on the left had a huge B-15 written on it while the one on the right had B-16. To the teenagers, it looked more like a medical facility than a shady corporation.
"Jarxen, new recruits? Which block is assigned for them this time?" One of the guards spoke up. Although he had a nice tone in his voice, a smile can't be seen on his face. Well, a guard devoid of emotion was nothing unusual.
"Luck ran out for these little maggots if you ask me." Jarxen shortly glimpsed behind him, indicating the already frightened teenagers.
"Sigh~ block sixteen, huh?" The other guard sighed, swiping a card on the machine right beside B-16.
Jarxen Vaurg motioned for the teenagers to go inside the room. They reluctantly went in, expecting the worst-case scenario.
"Because of you all stinky kids arriving, I have to fill in some paperwork. You wait here and I'll be back soon." He pointed at one of the teens and poked his head. The red-headed kid almost tumbled backward but he managed to stay standing.
With his scary farewell, the teenagers were left to their own devices, but they wouldn't dare move from their spot.
The room had the same color as the Dome just like the corridor where they once were— pristine white. But that's not all there is to it. It was divided into three parts, the lodging room, the watch room, and the testing room.
Right now, the group was staying in the watch room, a room where you could conveniently observe both the testing room and the lodging room. It functioned more or less like a lobby.
"Hey, does anyone here know where we are?" One of the teenagers finally broke the silence that malevolently lingered in the room. His blond hair reached down to the tip of his nose, making him look more like a guy wearing a helmet.
"Shouldn't the question be, what's your name? Since I can't seem to remember mine." Another teenager, this one with black hair, spoke up while scratching his head.
"Call me six-one-six-one. I guess everyone here doesn't remember their names so we can just address each other by the numbers they put on our wrists." The girl with black curly hair responded, holding up her hand and revealing the bar code and numbers on it.
All of them plopped down the floor due to the exhaustion on their body. Adding to that, they felt utterly cold. The room was fully air-conditioned and the only thing they wore was comparable to brown tattered rags. As to why they were here, they could only assume the worst.
Suddenly, the teenager who got poked on the head by Jarxen spoke up. "Apparently we're all in the Nexus Corporation as part of a Testing group." He simply announced with a straight look on his face.