Kidnapped

Prologue

Third Person POV

"Are the rooms prepared for our subjects?" the director asked.

Director Zeus was dressed in an off-white suit, similar to the white dress that his wife, Hera, was wearing. Hera was watching simulations of the puzzles near the front of the command room.

His voice echoed through the large command center. Rows of computerized tables were set up, and the workers were calmly preparing the puzzles and mapping the rooms. The front of the room had a large screen that covered the entire wall. A video simulation of a series of puzzles in a cafeteria was playing.

A young woman with blonde hair stood up from her table and approached the director. She was holding a tablet, and a sorrowful expression was on her face.

Her nametag read Bella Pace (age: 22), but her name was a facade. Her whole identity was a facade, created to try and stop Elysium.

"Permission to speak, Sir?" Bella asked.

"I need a progress report on the facility," Zeus boomed. "The sponsors are eager to get the experiment started. Do you have progress?"

"Um, yes, sir, but I would like to say something first," she urged.

Bella had a lot to say. She was one of three individuals who were in charge of designing the puzzles in the cafeteria of the experimental facility.

However, the cafeteria was only one level of this sick, deadly experiment. It was also the only room that wasn't ready yet.

"What exactly would you like to tell my husband?" his wife asked as she approached.

Hera had long, dark hair that was tied in a firm braid. Everyone knew that she was the real mastermind behind this social experiment, and she also scared everyone in the company.

"I just believe that this experiment is-"

"Is what?" the boss lady asked calmly.

Hera's eyes narrowed on the blonde woman, who shrank back in fear. This was what Bella was afraid of, but she had to say something. This project was horrible, and she didn't want to help them any longer.

"This whole experiment is so unethical. We are risking the lives of these subjects for entertainment. That's awful," Bella expressed loudly.

The activity in the room paused. All of the employees turned towards the blonde woman, who braced herself for the worst.

"How dare you defy us?" Zeus's voice boomed in anger.

Hera placed her hand on her husband's arm. Strangely, her calm exterior only added to her cold personality. Then, her cold glare turned towards Bella.

Bella was a young, intelligent, and kind woman. That's why she couldn't go through with this any longer. People were gonna die because of this social experiment, and she had to try to stop it. She stood her ground.

"So, you're the one who's been stalling the experiment," Hera stated. "I was wondering why this particular room wasn't finished on time."

"I can't let this experiment happen. These rooms are too dangerous. People will die. Not to mention, you are kidnapping individuals for a sick source of entertainment," Bella exclaimed.

Her eyes caught on the security guards approaching her. They were big and scary, and they were wearing all black. Black masks covered their faces, and the Elysium Logo was stitched onto their bullet-proof padding.

However, this place wasn't Elysium; it was Hell.

"You were in charge of designing a few rooms. That's it," the leader of Elysium snapped. "Failure to do your job results in extermination."

The blonde woman immediately backed up.

She tightly clutched the IPad in her left hand. Her right hand hovered over the red button that was on the screen.

"Everyone stay back," she shouted. "Otherwise, the cafeteria room explodes."

His wife glared at the blonde woman before raising her arms to stop the security guards. The leaders didn't want the room to be destroyed. The sponsors were already angry that the experiment hadn't started yet.

Bella Pace started to run.

She was out of the command room in seconds and quickly ran through the white halls of Elysium. Her footsteps thundered against the marble floor as she ran. Somehow, the lights appeared to have gotten brighter. Way brighter.

They were heating her up and making her nauseated.

She looked over her shoulder to find the security guards chasing her. Their masked selves made them scarier. Their guns were drawn, but they weren't shooting.

Then, she turned the corner and collided with a man.

He quickly covered her mouth and pulled her into an empty closet. The middle-aged man cared a lot about Bella. After all, he was like a father to her, and she was like a daughter to him.

"Shh, it's going to be okay. We need to sneak you out of here before they kill you," Chiron whispered urgently.

"Chiron, the window," the blonde woman said immediately. She was intelligent times ten, so she always took notice of the applicable things.

They immediately rushed over to the window and looked outside.

The Elysium facility was huge, and they were in the west wing. A large field separated the building from the woods where there was better coverage. In other words, a grassy field separates the young woman and the bearded man from the woods.

It was a dark night, so they decided to make a run for it.

Huge mistake.

After a few seconds of running, lights flashed all around them. Elysium's security lights had mechanically raised out of the ground and illuminated them from all sides. A gunshot fired and hit the young woman's IPad.

It splintered in Bell's hand and fell to the grassy ground. Her one piece of leverage was gone, and her death was practically sealed.

Security surrounded them as the bosses came forth.

Only the bosses were allowed to wear white at Elysium. As such, it was easy to distinguish them from the employees.

"You thought you could escape from us. How stupid?" Ares barked before laughing. The blonde woman hated the gruff man with a passion.

Suddenly, a security guard smashed the butt of his gun into the middle-aged man's head. She watched in horror as the light left his eyes.

"NO, NO," she screamed as the man collapsed.

The security guards caught her arms as she fought to reach her father figure. But, they didn't even let her give Chiron one last hug.

"NO, Chiron. You killed him. He's dead," Bella cried.

She turned her glare towards the directors. Hera had a sly smile on her face as she approached the restrained and crying woman. Hera's face was only inches apart from the woman when she started to whisper, "He got what he deserved, and so will you."

"You say that the rooms are deadly, and you're right. But, death, mental warfare, and life-or-death puzzles are the best sources of entertainment," Hera stated.

Hera smiled dangerously before pulling away.

"It sucks that you won't get to watch your creation in action," Ares said slyly.

Bella's glare only intensified on them. Tears were burning her eyes and her skin, but she didn't care. Elysium was evil, and she hated herself for being a part of it. She hated herself for helping them create one of the rooms.

"No, no, my son, she will be watching her creation," Hera expressed. "I want to see her suffer as our game comes to life."

Ares sneered before motioning to the nearest security guard.

The woman's eyes widened as she felt something prick her neck. The poison stung but only for a second. The heat raced through her veins before reaching her heart.

Then, darkness took over.

*******