Crossover Escape: Gotta be more than Lucky to survive

1.3 Disturbing occurrence

Two days later, when the suits appeared again, Luca agreed to the comp, took the dossier and data chip they handed out before watching the suits leave again. That was a quick turnaround. They seemed far too eager and happy to get me signed up. Yeah, I think I’m going to triple check my equipment before I go anywhere near the airport for this one.

Luca had his bags packed and slung over his shoulder when the comp vehicle pulled up at the corner he’d given them as the pick-up point. Two weeks was not a lot of time for them to pool participants, so Luca suspected he was one of the last they’d come to. An idea substantiated by the fact that the others had all been asked significantly earlier than Luca had. It was with the knowledge that they’d have to loop two blocks to get back around and on the way to the airport that Luca had chosen his spot. In the end, he’d chosen a minimal load out with most of his gear stowed in his bags, wanting to avoid the general hassle of airport security. The people used to pick him up and the way they handled the traffic would be very informative. It would be especially interesting to see if they would pick anyone else up or if this was a solo ride. Given that Rӓv had picked her pickup spot between Luca’s place and the airport, he was curious if they would try and keep participants separated.

Luca vaguely heard his dad’s voice echo in his head ‘Take advantage of any ground the opponent gives you. Know everyone on the field lest you mistake your friends and foes.’ He knew WIC was not his friends, but it was yet to be seen if they were foes. If nothing else, it was necessary to check the metal of the people they were using.

Fifteen minutes later, the driver got back on the road towards the airport. There was a fine sheen of sweat on the driver’s head and he snuck surreptitious glances at the suit who’d introduced himself as a WIC manager. The manager, on the other hand, looked annoyed and seemed inclined to take his frustration out on the help, though he tried to maintain a cordial front to Luca. Luca engaged in some minor small talk and concluded that the man was a newly promoted manager. Impulsive, quick tempered, it was doubtful that he was involved in any integral matters of either the competition or the company.

[Rӓv: Just got a message that I’ll be picked up shortly.] Luca glanced at the manager, putting away his phone as he raised his eyes to meet Luca’s.

“Just confirming we are picking up another contestant, Kristina – ”

“The Swedish fox is competing? Well, at least your competition won’t be boring.” Luca interrupted the man before he turned his head away to indicate a lack of interest in conversation. Whether the man took it as annoyance at having to share the car with another competitor or indifference, Luca didn’t care.

[Lucky: It’s us, see you soon it seems.]

[Rӓv: Got it.]

When the statuesque beauty slid into the car Luca shifted his head to glance at her, blonde hair cropped in a pixy cut, fine features and form-fitting clothes meant she was a beauty to look at. “Kristina” Luca dipped his chin in a semblance of a nod.

“Luca” Kristina responded lightly before she struck up a half-flirting conversation with the manger. It was like a fine whisky with how smoothly she drew information from the man. It made Luca’s efforts seem crude in comparison.

[Rӓv: I got a participation list later last night and a few other things. The protections WIC has running are really no joke.] Luca was once again impressed at Rӓv’s ability to multitask. Holding two conversations at once without looking like she was doing the typing. To do the second took real skill.

[Lucky: Aside from the participants, anything else leap out at you?]

[Rӓv: A few things. You know how WIC and the shadow are publicly at ‘war’. Well, there is weirdly no sign of underworld dealings in anything about the company.]

[Tails: Meaning they are shady as. FYI, Ghost’s ride just picked me up. We should be about twenty minutes ahead of you]

[Ghost: Made suit very uncomfortable with glare at Tails. Was fun.]

[Tails: By that he means the man is now stammering as he tries to break the ‘tense’ atmosphere]

[Rӓv: Always excessive. Anyway, another strange thing I found is that about six months ago WIC invited a bunch of big wig academics for some supposed development thinktank. There has been no sign, literally, virtually, or metaphysically since. Not so much as a postcard or a f*******: like. WIC’s statement is a private development project.]

[Holly: asdfasdf sorry sorry this is taking some getting used to what had a bunch of missing academics got to do with anything also how does this thing power I’ve done a bunch of scans and got nothing and why can you guys punctuate and I cant,./?]

[Tails: You’ll get there. You're understandable enough anyway]

[Ghost: Mostly]

[Rӓv: Smug.jpg secret]

[Lucky: The scientists may have nothing to do with it or they could be a major reason behind the entire competition and why it seems off or why the shadow is so gung-ho for our participation. Anything suspicious is important information at this point.]

[Holly: Furiouslytakingnotes.jpg. haka success? Kinda]

[Rӓv: My main issue with the academics is that no matter what they are developing, they shouldn’t need the world’s top seven linguists, five chemists, two physicists, eight mathematicians and a relic hunter believed to be crazy all at the same time.]

Luca felt a shiver brush his spine, Rӓv was a well-trained girl, but she was more well known as a linguist and mathematician. She was normally invited for puzzle heavy challenges. I don’t like how there are a bunch of missing experts in fields that are common aspects of TacWars.

[Lucky: How many other linguistic, mathematics and science competent participants are there on the list?]

[Rӓv: Ah? On the first page for linguistics there’s me Jade, Micro, Billion, and Teach. Maths I see Me, Holly, Tails, Mace, Sorceress, Pence. Science Ghost, Kale, Dime, Posh, Dame, Lady and there are the tacticians like you who dabble, Zero, Dice, Chip…]

[Tails: That is a lot of overlap between missing people and the participants.]

[Holly: That’s a lot of puzzle solvers. If they normally brought that many in on the same thing, we’d have ment by now]

[Holly: Met]

[Lucky: Are Red, Capricorn and Andromeda on there?]

[Rӓv: Did I already share the list, or do you have something to share with the class?]

[Lucky: Not well known, but they all have strong physics skills. It doesn’t come up much, so I only know from the Yale comp.]

[Tails: Can I curse and back out now? Large brains vanish and there inviting more brains for a surprise comp with a pot big enough to entice the lot? I don’t like this picture, let's stop the painter.]

[Ghost: We leap to end. Could be wrong]

[Tails: Doubtfullook.jpg]

[Rӓv: Rollseyes.jpg I think we’re better off jumping to conclusions here. It seems that if we brush this off it will likely bite us.]

[Holly: We’re not thinking too much are we? WIC has a good reputation. Goodgrammerfistpump.jpg. We are still going. After all what’s the worst it could be?]

[Tails: War.]

[Rӓv: Human experimentation.]

[Lucky: Mass theft.]

[Tails: Mind control.]

[Ghost: Murder game.]

[Rӓv: Economic strangle holds, people trafficking.]

[Lucky: Whole lot of ways to end the current world with that sort of knowledge all in the same place. Unfortunately, we can’t back out. Too much at stake to walk away. So stay on your toes. I’d rather the world didn’t end this year. I have Christmas plans.]

From the corner of his eye Luca noticed a car speed past and turned to get a better look, mostly checking if it was likely to cause an accident. He didn’t want to be stuck at the scene for hours. However, when he got a better look, he realised the driver was dressed the same as the people who had attacked his house. The fanatic-like group had attacked Luca and the others several times after that, letting them have a good look at their get up even if they never managed to catch any of them. Right down to the faceless white masks that were always worn.