Riddles at the Restaurant

There was one thing I hated about these games and that was the suits. I could jump out a plane, knock out an assassin with a blunt pencil or even watch James style his hair.... Okay maybe not that far. But I loathed this outfit.


The attire consisted of a tight black shirt with blood red lines curving down the rib cage. It was a long sleeved top that went all the way down to your hands and made finger holes. Then there was the tightest leather pants known to man, that have no mercy in giving you chafe whenever. There was a heavy belt around the hips which had your weapon, taser etc. But in C.Y.F I am not allowed to carry weapons because that could be cheating. And black heavy combat boots to finish off. Now it might not sound to bad but when your running, jumping, or fighting but in the back of your mind all you can worry about is that the suit is going to slowly and painfully cut the circulation off all your limbs. And the referee of C.Y.F would have to pick up your remains with a bucket. It's not good and quite frankly very distracting. I don't want to be in that bucket!


The suit takes around 15 minutes to get into, if your lucky. The others in my age group would help each other to pull on the straps, but I didn't want help. And they learnt that very quickly after John went to the infirmary with a broken arm the day he sneaked up on me.


But I didn't have a choice in wearing this so before I could think too much about it, I put it on.


14 minutes later, three bruises from accidentally punching myself in the face and two small cuts from wiping myself with the sleeves, I was done.


But that wasn't nearly as bad as what was coming next.


I braced myself for the next step, I had to take out my headphones and put them on a smaller music device that connected inside my suit. Rules and regulations state that I can't race with anything loose or distracting on while racing. So I usually take out the headphones and use a wireless ear piece to play my music (so there is no lead) and just put my smaller music device in the inside pocket of my suit.


Shakily I took my left ear plug out and nearly screamed in pain at the impact of sound that hit my ear. The pressure of all the noises within kilometers of range punching my ear drum. I could hear the chants of the crowd in room 23 down stairs. I could hear the distant sound of a fly being swiped away. I could hear each pounding foot as someone placed their foot on the floor. I could hear the squeaking of the wheels on the paragram as it came to a stop at the drop off. I could hear everything that made a noise. All the sounds overlapped and blended together, that could make anyone go insane if they endured this amount of noise for too long.


I couldn't handle it, I dropped to my knees and covered my hand with the ear without the headphone, as I tried to maneuver the headphones into the other devise. My body was shaking as I struggled to breath properly.


"Stop it, stop it" I murmured pushing my hand harder into my ear.


I tried to console myself, but nothing could withdrawal the pain. I've tried everything.


I screamed in agony when I heard someone cough in the training room next to me.


"Shut up!" I yelled.


Finally my shaky fingers clipped my black earpiece in and repeated the horrible process for the next ear. Once both were in I sighed in relief as the sweet sound of music filled my ears and slowly the outside sounds faded into a dull blur. I turned the sound up but I could still hear the thuds of people's feet.


I wiped the sweat off my forehead and shakily stood up.


"Well that was fun" I whispered to myself, trying to find some humor in the situation. I reached into my bag to receive my tablets to withdraw most of the sound and the pain. Shoving them into my mouth I wasted the bitter tablets down with some water.


I briefly cleaned my shoulder wound and put a fresh bandage on the cut. I couldn't understand why it wasn't healing, it hadn't changed at all. Usually given the current state of my physical being, I should have at least stopped bleeding. It wasn't bleeding a lot, but I couldn't not race because I have a sore shoulder. That would just be pathetic.


I was the last one in the change room, so I put my long red hair up in a high ponytail and left the room.


All contestants of the game have to meet in the drop off area where I came into the agency. So trying not to make too much eye contact with people I took the elevator to the room. When I arrived most people were already there. The rink that we competed on was under The Mat and you had to take the Paragram to get there.


Some people gave me weird stares when they saw my earpiece in each ear, but I didn't care. Most people from other countries tended to have never seen me in their life, or if they did know me they think I'm a freak. The latter of the options is frequently used. Although some people didn't like me I have a lot of respect here weather it's at the agency or another place around the world.


There was people all over the world in the chamber and they were all my age. These games were very important to us. You see these games aren't like normal games suck as: Capture the flag, that's child's play compared to this. There are ten different rooms you must complete, all of them are unique and require special skills to work out puzzles or save people. They are in random order and each person is in a different room, the contestants are completely oblivious about the next challenge. So you have to be ready for anything.


But the thing that makes the games so different is that everything is a hologram. Everything looks real like the people, trees, buildings or any other object. But it's all fake. There're nothing but a shimmering deception created by the agency.


The champion of the game is what everyone wants. Nobody remembers second or third place. You have to come first. Nobody wins for the medal, we all want the same thing: to be noticed. If you win the people that run this underground facility start to see potential in you, so they watch you. If they think you can make it, then they'll move you up so you can go on missions or specialise in a certain area. But you have to be pretty darn special to go on a mission.


I've been on several missions, but nothing to big. I was only authorised to go on them because I used to know someone who would let me.


It was so loud in here, so I pressed the volume button on my advanced earpieces to 75%. Pushing past the incredibly noisy crowd I made my way to the metal table bolted into the ground, where two computer screens were. I put my code in and placed my finger tip on the circular pad at the bottom. I was officially signed in.


I spun on my heal and surprisingly caught James' eye. He wore the standard uniform for training and the games, but obviously compared to the other guys in the room he put a lot more effort into his appearance. The top of his hair pushed up slightly with a red bandanna on top and his hair stylishly messed up and slightly curled at the front. He wore tight black pants with pockets and gun holders around the waist and legs (but no weapons in them). Combat boot on each foot with the laces done loosely. And a tight short sleeved black top with red streakes on the sleeves. Several girls around him whispered and blushed in groups behind him.


His face held no emotion and I'm sure my face resembled the same, we just stared at each other. Out of nowhere the alarm went off, signalling that the games had started. Everyone screamed and jumped up and down in excitement. I didn't get to see much more because I had squeezed my eyes shut and grasped my ear in my hand. Everything was far too loud in here and it was starting to hurt. I turned away and this time there was a very confused James searching between my face, ear and earpiece. His bright blue eyes were looking at me in a way that he was trying to figure me out. Like looking at blue prints to a house, he was trying to see what I'm made of.


I didn't like his stare so my face morphed into an cold glare and turned away from him.


There was a large screen on the back wall where most of the contestants held their attention, it showed twenty names and a timer for each one. Two other computers on either side showed what the competitors were doing. Twenty people go in at a time and who ever completes the challenges the fastest wins. Simple as that. Currently in the lead by twenty seconds was a tall girl named Shayna Dagger. She trained in the group above me but was still my age despite her freakishly tall looks. The race takes about twenty minutes to finish ten rooms.


*~°*~°*~°*~°


Around fifteen minutes of waiting later, my number was called on a loud speaker. I saw nineteen other agents got in their paragram one of which was James. There was no surprise there because every year we were always in the same race, the perks of being in the same training group. So there was always a slight chance of competing in the same room as him.


I got inside the paragram and strapped my seat belt in. The lift trembled for a while, until the door sealed shut and the floor disappeared. I could still see the stern faces or my competitors. Even dearest James looked serious.


The silver cylinder jolted without any warning and rocketed down the pipe. But this time I saw no light from the windows, just complete darkness. I tried to turn my head more to the left and I could see the nine other shiny tubes where the other contestants were in. Quicker than I could blink they all parted ways into other pipes that led to different rooms. There was to be two people in every room.


It looked like I was placed into the third pipe. And if my calculations are correct that is the civilian attack room. All the time i've been here I've been trying to find the pattern of the rooms, so far I know three out of ten.


I moved my head to the bottom and could see the floor slowly coming closer. As the paragram descended and the mini tornado of wind stopped as it landed in the metal platform. I could now see the whole set of the challenge.


It looked like I was being dropped off at the front of a restaurant. It looked exactly like a real life restaurant but every couple of seconds you could see a slight tremor in the image, reminding everyone that it was just a hologram. There was adults and kids in the restaurant eating and playing outside. They all looked so happy, but not for long. It may look cool but the stupid person to invent the challenges created it so you could still feel the hologram like a real person, so if a person was to bump into me I can actually feel it. But the major down side to this is that the hologram assassins carry guns, so if you get shot it's hurts. I doubt the assassins that are about to be attacking will try to kill me with a potato gun.


The restaurant was rectangular and had a front and a back door. A slim road wound it's way out the front of the diner and then connected to a small car park. Cars were either driving past, finding a park in the car park or just parked on the curb. What caught my eye next was my objective, on the roof restaurant, on top of the chimney was a scroll that would inform me what to do next. But there was a catch, I couldn't just open the paragram, climb on the roof and snatch it up. If I did that, and tried to grab it, the letter would just slip through my fingers. Literally, the scroll only lets me touch it when I complete the objective of this level. It was programmed that way.


Before the doors opened a white slip of paper shot out of a slot at the side near my feet. I picked it up and it said:


Here lies fifty innocent
people dining at a restaurant
They are doing their everyday things
and what not.
They will be attacked in 5 minutes flat.
Save them
and that takes care of that.


Stupid agency and their rhyming.


I already knew who I was paired with and that was James. I knew because right before we took off in the paragram upstairs I could hear the clicks of the large lift which alerts the machine what room it will descend into. I took out my iPod and changed the song to an all time classic "eye of the tiger" to set the mood when I'm beating the crap out of the assassins. I set my stop watch on and turned it on as the paragram opened and I sprinted out.


At first everything was completely dead quiet. And then I heard a helicopter in the air and screaming around the back of the restaurant. I had five minutes before that helicopter landed and hurt everyone with bombs and guns.


Okay okay, I'm going to try something a little different. Step one: instead of evacuating the people outside the building, make sure all civilians are locked away in the restaurant so I can kick ass outside. I mentally ticked off in my head.


I ran to an old lady feeding the birds on a bench, her rainbow poncho contrasting nicely against her pale skin. But that wasn't important, I needed her steal cane that was resting on the bench she was sitting on.


"Excuse me miss, but could I please borrow your cane?" I asked politely.


She turned around and a her face lit up in a smile. "Hello dear, why of course young lady. Oh why do you look so sad, put a smile on that pretty face of yours." She shakily reached over and handed it to me with a kind smile.


"Thank you miss, i'll return it" I said with no hint of a smile.


I turned around and was faced with one of the black suited assassins. I was confused for a second, the hologram killers were supposed to be released in four minutes and forty seconds and not now.


Before he could pick up his gun, I brought my elbow down and slammed it into his face. He propelled forward and I kneed him in head. Then I grabbed his head and smashing into the corner of the wall. He dropped to the floor and started shimmering slowly, then turned transparent until he completely disappeared. One down.


I picked up his gun as the song reached it's chorus. Bobbing my head up and down to the music I reloaded the gun and walked inside the restaurant.


As soon as I walked in the sound of plates clattering, waiters briskly walking back and forth from tables with food and small talk met my hears.


I needed everyone one to stay in this restaurant, I only had less that four minutes until the attack officially started. When I was outside I counted the amount of heartbeats and the different patterns, so there was exactly thirty people outside and twenty people in the restaurant. That was my problem right there, there was thirty people outside and my mission was to save everyone. I ran outside again as an idea slapped me in the face.


As soon as I got outside a brease hit my face carrying a familiar cologne. I turned around to see James styling his hair in a shop window.


"What the yell are you doing! We are in a war zone and your choosing now to style your hair."


As if realising I was there he dropped his hands and looked at me like I was stupid. He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.


"You know what I'm not even surprised. By all means, keep styling. I'll rub hair gell on your grave." I said with a stern expression.


"You seemed to have it under control, you were doing my work for me really." He smirked whilst letting his eyes roam over my tight black suit that clung the my body.


I rolled my eyes. "You know you have to save all of them first, you can't just make me do all the work and then steal the scroll." I proclaimed pointing at the restaurant.


"True, but I've seen what your trying to do and I know how to get everyone in." He said smugly.


"Okay Einstein, show me your brilliant plan. Be quick though, we've only got three minutes left."


He got up on the bench and glared machetes at me.


Taking a large breath in he yelled.


"Attention everyone! There is an amazing deal on at this amazing Restaurant behind me! Everything is 50% off! That's right 50% off all appetisers, drinks, desserts, beverages you name it! This is only a limited time only so run in now and only pay half the price!" he yelled with a big smile on his face.


As soon as he stopped talking everything went deadly quiet, some people glanced at him others didn't acknowledge him and continued what they were doing. Some parents held there children back mumbling, "Never take food from a stranger honey." At this response I started clapping, slow sarcastic claps. Even hologram people weren't stupid.


"Ah James, that was cute." I said as I wiped a fake tear. He just glared and stepped down from the bench.


"Okay it's my turn." I said seriously. I strutted to the bench and stomped my feet as loud as I could onto the bench. Just my feet making thudding noises against the bench was already gaining attention, but not all. I pointed the gun up to the sky and I pulled the trigger. Three bullets ripped through the silence, everyone started screaming and looked at the source it was coming from.


"This, is a stick up!" I yelled and at this statement people gasped.


"Put your hands on your heads and in an orderly fashion go into the restaurant! Forget to do so, and someone's gonna loose a hologram arm!"


I jumped off the bench to see James' arms folded and a glare in his eyes. "Take notes Colton, that's how it's done." I said smugly as I walked to the restaurant doors.


He ran and caught up to me, walking beside me now he asked "Was that necessary, I had things under control" he spat.


"Yeah that defining silence at the end of your speech proved that theory." I reloaded my gun and stood near the door watching the terrified citizens rush into the opening doors of the restaurant. This was pretty fun, I knew they weren't really but still I love being in charge of operations like this. It's what I was trained to do weather I liked it or not so I might as well find some humor into it.


When they were all filled in I stood in the door way watching there frightened faces. I yelled quickly "Okay make yourselves comfortable, if you hear bombs don't panic just find a table and order yourself something nice because like my idiotic companion said... it's 50% off everything."


I quickly shut the door and put the old ladies steal Cain through the two handles on the door. to make sure no one would escape.


I turned around to face James. "Well that was easy." He gave me a bored look in return.


There was no life forms outside now, so everything was eerily quiet. It looked like a ghost town now, it was no longer that the family looking town. The sun had gone behind the clouds and it look as if it is going to rain. The flag above the building flapped loudly in the wind and the squeaking of a nearby shop sign echoed. It was just complete and utter silence.


I could feel James' stare on the side of my face.


Wipping my head in his direction I whisper yelled.


"What?!"


"Did you know we were coming here?" he whispered. His face was full of curiosity.


I wasn't planning on answering but my stopwatch started beeping frantically.


"There here." I whispered.


Just as I said that, I could hear the wings of a helicopter that were once ripping through the air land on the roof and add to the silence.


He walked closer towards me and whispered


"What's the plan?"


I turned slowly towards him.


"Your on your own, you have been no advantage to me. If anything you've been holding me back. Did you know I lost fifteen seconds just talking to you when you were styling your stupid hair in the window. I can not afford to loose that."


He walked closer towards me until we were about two ruler lengths apart.


"You speak about this place almost like you've been here before. Almost as if it's the most natural thing in the world like turning the TV on. Have you done this before?" He spoke softly but curiously.


I opened my mouth to speak, but I could think of nothing to say. I was shocked, he'd been paying attention to me. That was not supposed to happen. So I said the only thing that stopped people from talking to me.


"Just get the hell away from me and leave me alone. I have a job to do and so do you." I said with a straight face.


He opened his mouth to say what looked like an disagreement but stopped half way as his eyes darted to something behind me. "Alex look out!" he yelled.


"Please, I've heard that one be-."


Before I could finish James tackled me to the ground and rolled us until we were under a pick-nick table not too far away from where we were standing. I was almost grateful that he did this because when we reached under the table, the sky started raining bullets.


**************************************


Thanks for reading :)


I should post Part 2 in the next couple of days.


Remember to vote and comment if you liked it and want me to update more often.


Bye


Karla


©Just Your Average Teenager by Alrak3

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