Mark's frustration was evident as he pointed at Kayla and Hunner. "I don't get it though, why me? Why not them?"
The tension in the room rose as everyone waited for Rurki's response. Mark's voice grew louder with each word. "The plan was to betray them and get them eliminated!" He took a step forward, his frustration turning into anger.
Rurki's gaze stayed calm, unwavering. "I know," he said flatly, "but I didn't like that plan. You see, I cut a deal with them instead."
Earlier That Morning...
Rurki walked down the narrow hall of floor 6 in his building, knocking sharply on a door. He didn't have to wait long before Hunner appeared, a confused expression on his face.
"You're the guy from last night, right? Rurki, why are you—"
"I came to cut a deal with you guys," Rurki interrupted, his voice steady.
Hunner looked at him, a nervous glance darting toward the door behind him. "Guys?" he asked, his voice faltering slightly.
"As in Rebecca and you," Rurki clarified, "Isn't she up?"
Hunner hesitated, then shook his head. "We don't share the same room, you see."
Rurki's eyes narrowed as he studied Hunner. "You're a bad liar," he said with a knowing smirk, pushing past him and entering the room without another word.
Rebecca was sitting in the room, a soft hum of a phone playing in the background. She looked up as Rurki stepped inside, a neutral expression on her face.
"Hey, Rebecca," Rurki said casually, though his eyes were sharp.
"Hi," Rebecca replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Close the door, would you?" Rurki added, his voice low.
Hunner stared at him for a moment before doing as asked, shutting the door with a soft click.
"How did you know?" she asked, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
Rurki smiled, a sly, knowing grin. "I follow you," he said. "On IG. Plus, I'm not dumb. I may not be the brightest, but dumb? Nah. Don't worry—I'm not here to expose you guys or your little room-switching idea."
Hunner stepped forward, crossing his arms. "So why are you here then?" he demanded.
Rurki's expression hardened slightly. "Zalika and the others are planning to betray you. They're going to make you the losers in our group. Who wouldn't want that? I'm sure you guys have a plan too, right? But I have a better one."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "We're the only ones our school sent," she said, her voice calm but curious.
Rurki shrugged. "I don't care," he said bluntly.
Hunner scoffed. "So why do you want to help us? I'm sure it's not out of the kindness of your heart."
Rurki's eyes darkened, his tone sharper now. "You're damn right. Zalika said something to me that pissed me off. I'm going to show her she shouldn't be underestimating me."
Rebecca's eyes narrowed, a quiet understanding passing between them. "And what's stopping us from double-crossing you and telling them everything?" she asked, her voice cool but tinged with suspicion.
Rurki stepped closer, his voice dropping low. "If you double-cross me, they'll get rid of me. And one of you," he added ominously. "But if you do, I'll make sure the world knows you two are... involved. Let's see how long you last when the truth comes out. I know your parents don't approve of your... relationship."
Rebecca's face paled, but she held her ground. Hunner clenched his fists but said nothing.
"Okay," Rebecca said after a beat, her voice resigned. "What do you want us to do?"
Rurki's lips curled into a faint smirk. "All you need to do is follow my orders. From round 8 to 16, do the opposite of what they tell you to do."
Hunner looked wary, but curiosity overpowered his doubt. "Okay, but may I ask who you're going to eliminate?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, you may not," Rurki answered curtly. "That's the deal. Do we have one?"
Rurki held out his hand, his gaze unwavering. Hunner looked at Rebecca, who gave him a small nod. After a moment of hesitation, Hunner shook Rurki's hand.
Rurki turned to Rebecca. "Come on, shake my hand too," he said.
She did, the tension in the room thickening as the deal was sealed.
Rurki walked out of the room without another word, leaving the pair standing there, uncertain but bound by the unspoken understanding of what they'd just agreed to.
"Can we trust him?" Asked Rebecca
"I don't know but we have to" said Hunner
As Rurki walked down the hall, his mind raced with thoughts of the future. I won't be making any friends here. Just business partners, he thought to himself, a blue aura beginning to swirl faintly around him. Partners who will help me become Sovereign Leader.