Leon woke up to the sound of beeping cars. Just the opening act, as about an hour after he woke up was when the morning rush began and things got truly hellish. Before he could fully process the fact he was awake, he got a phone call. It was from Janet, and his phone was also showing six missed calls from her.
"Yes?" Leon asked, trying his best not to sound on the verge of death from tiredness. He was fairly confident he failed.
"Sup, Leon?" Janet asked, as casual and chipper as usual. "Just calling to know what your favourite movies are?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm putting on a pre-exam movie night after the game tonight."
"Janet, I have work after school. And I was planning on studying."
"Dude, I checked your grades. The improvements are there already. Trust me, you can miss one night."
"Where did you get my grades?" Leon asked, trying to wipe the tired out of his eyes in the hopes that would also let his brain make sense of whatever Janet was about to say next.
"Eh, checked the empty classrooms before my music practise for any leftover tests. Your math improvement is something impressive, gotta say. Anyway, back to movies?"
"I don't know…you ever watch Won't be Long?"
"That one heist movie about street cars?" Janet asked. "Yeah, heard that one's pretty great. Also heard the sequels sucked."
"Didn't watch em."
"Eh, I'll track them down if the actors are hot enough."
Janet sat in math. She wished she had the power to switch minds with Leon, considering her own math skills were complete ass. History was fine, considering how much of the curriculum revolved around the history of the city and her mom drilled in the city's history and importance as a grand hub of the world's commerce and thinkers for over a century before she knew how to hold food in her hand. Geography was mediocre, considering she was taught about Lion city and pretty much nothing else. She mentally concluded she wouldn't be able be understand whatever was on the board, and so started thinking of movies to bring to the movie night. She was just gonna bring some basic action movie to complement Leon's pick, but she probably gave the impression to her peers she was artsy, and probably more into sophisticated foreign cinema, or least insanely choreographed action movies from a country the others knew barely anything about. But her thoughts were cut off by the ringing in her ears. Time for another announcement.
"Hello, everyone!" the voice rang out. "Today's challenge should be a simple one, a game of capture the flag! Everyone competing will have to make their way to Janet's house this evening! I'll explain more there, so have fun!"
Wait, what? The challenge was at her house? Okay, she'd need to prepare something. Granted, she now has home field advantage and nobody would have to travel. She'd just have to see if Evelyn was ready.
School finally ended, and Evelyn was playing her violin. Admittedly, violins weren't Janet's thing, but she was fairly sure you weren't supposed to hold a violin the way she was. She thought your hand not holding the string was meant to hold the strings right before the end, but she was holding the very back with her fingers awkwardly, her fingers looking almost mangled as they held the strings.
"Hey." Janet whispered. Even with her sunglasses on she could see the old thing could be destroyed by breathing on it too hard, anything that might have her make a sudden move were a no-go.
Evelyn didn't make any sudden movements, just sighing real heavily before turning to talk to her.
"It's my time for the music room." She said, as calm as she could possibly be.
"I know, yeah." Janet replied. "But I'm holding a movie night at my place after tonight's game. "You want in?"
"What movies?" Evelyn asked after a few seconds, her voice already strained.
"What you thinking of?"
Evelyn stood in thought for a little bit.
"You know that movie that came out a couple of months ago? Infinity on High?"
"The one about the two girls joining the mob and making out a bunch?"
"There's more to it than that." Evelyn replied, her voice slightly more strained.
"I'll add it to the list." Janet said, nodding with a few taps to her head. "Anyway, see you tonight."
Evelyn watched her leave the room and continued her music practise. If it was in Janet's place, than perhaps Evelyn could find something expensive in there, like a designer dress or some kind of jewellery, and then pawn it off or hold it ransom to Janet's family while the rest of them were distracted by how good the movie was. Lot to consider.
"So Janet, how long is this going to last?"
Janet's mother was already sick of the crowd gathered outside of her house. Janet looked outside of her window to see who she was going up against. Leon and Evelyn were there, and Ms. Collins was making her way up. Even from her houses top window Janet could see she was already sick of whatever was coming.
"Look, this is just the meeting point." Janet reassured as she went downstairs. "I'll get them somewhere else if I can."
"Good." Janet's mother replied, glancing once again out the window and scowling.
"Also, good luck." She said, without moving her eyes from the window.
"Thanks." Janet replied flatly as she went to join them.
After a few minutes, Latrell showed up, and Blair was one of the final people to show up. Only six people who seemed somewhat disconnected. To Latrell, it felt a little weird compared to the borderline gang warfare that was the last game. But after it was clear nobody else was coming and no conversation riveting for the gods to interject was going on, a beam of light finally opened and Xaawo popped out.
"Hello, players! How are the…six of us doing? Damn, we already at the point where it's six players per game? I'll see if we can get some more intense stuff ready. Anyway, back to the game!"
Xaawo happily handed each player a felt sheet, each a colour that somewhat aligned with them. Leon got a purple one, Janet a grey one, black for Blair, light blue for Sybil, pink for Evelyn, and green for Latrell.
"Now, it's up to you to put this somewhere visible in your clothes. But don't make it weird for yourself, keep it TV suitable. Tonight's game is to chase each other through the streets with the aim of taking someone else's sheet. If someone succeeds in taking someone else's, they're safe. They can help out any remaining players, but they can't be deliberately attacked. Once only one person is left…well, you know the drill by know. Anyway…
Leon Chai!
Janet Felloni!
Blair Vollom!
Sybil Collins!
Evelyn Bryce!
Latrell Freedman!
Let the games begin!"