Escape the Cage

Paradise Island Opportunity

“Aria, wait up!” Leander called out, rushing to catch up with her.

It was only Leander's second day here, and though he was still the newcomer, he had already taken a particular liking to Aria. Aria, however, continued walking ahead, unbothered by the new shadow trailing behind her. She wasn’t used to having someone so persistent suddenly appear in her life.

“Did you sleep well, Aria? The beds in the sleep pods are really hard, aren’t they? But, uh, I dreamt about you last night, Aria. It’s hard to explain, even though we’ve only just met.” Leander tilted his head slightly, as if nursing a stiff neck.

“What did you dream about?” Aria glanced at Leander out of the corner of her eye.

“I dreamt that the two of us entered a game—a virtual world. There was this virus taking over the world in the game, and the only way to escape was to kill the virus and win.”

“What a strange dream,” Aria remarked, turning on her heel and heading into the work area.

Ethan saw the interaction, his face lighting up with a gossipy expression. He quickly followed after Aria, catching up to her and leaning in close to her ear.

“Aria, it looks like Leander’s really into you.” Aria’s elbow shot back, landing squarely in Ethan’s stomach.

“Say one more stupid thing, and I’ll show you just how tough I am.” Aria clenched her fists, ready for action, as Ethan doubled over in pain.

“Ow, ow—okay, I give up! You really are a tomboy.” Ethan blurted out the last part as he bolted away before Aria could take another swing at him.

Ding, ding, ding—the work area’s bells began to ring non-stop. People stopped what they were doing, gathering in small groups as they made their way to the central square, their eyes filled with anticipation.

“What’s happening today?” Ethan asked, puzzled, as he set down the pipette in his hand, watching the crowd move. Aria stood up and headed outside.

“Aria, wait! What’s happening today?” Ethan hurried after her, weaving through the crowd until he caught up.

“Today is the ‘Drawing,’ an event that only happens once every six months. Those who are chosen get to go straight to Paradise Island,” Aria explained, her eyes filled with the same anticipation as everyone else’s.

The central hall was already packed with people when Ethan and Aria arrived. Ethan had been chatting with Aria the whole way, and now they found themselves at the very back. Aria, determined to get a better view, started pushing her way through the crowd, using her body to clear a path until she reached the front.

Wilson and Sherry stood on the platform, dressed in their Phoenix Guards uniforms—silver-white suits adorned with badges, their black boots tucked neatly into their pants. Even without speaking, they exuded an aura of authority and power. Butter gave the order to bring out the “Luck Machine,” which would determine today’s lucky winner.

All eyes were on the machine, but Ethan felt a growing sense of unease. He remembered Victor’s words: “Those who are chosen will die…” The phrase echoed in his mind.

The Luck Machine was a large glass cylinder filled with the “Fate Balls” of every person in Fortress Omega. Each ball bore the number corresponding to a resident’s ID, and with over 2,000 balls inside, getting picked was no easy feat.

At Wilson’s command, everyone’s gaze fixed on the Luck Machine. No one dared blink, afraid to miss their chance. The machine’s base was connected to a blower that sent the balls swirling around inside the glass cylinder.

At the crucial moment, a ball dropped to the bottom. The crowd held its breath as Butter picked it up and walked over to Wilson and Sherry, handing the ball to Wilson. He cleared his throat, and the amplifier strapped to him emitted a static buzz.

“Now, I will announce the lucky winner!” Wilson declared, glancing at the ball again. The crowd’s eyes followed his every move.

“Alright, here it is,” Ethan muttered a quick prayer, his posture at odds with the eager faces around him.

“The number is… 88! Number 88!” The crowd erupted, with a mix of cheers and groans—those who weren’t chosen couldn’t hide their disappointment. People started looking around, searching for Number 88.

Ethan opened his eyes and let out a deep sigh of relief. “Thank God, it’s not me!” But his relief was short-lived. A piercing scream, a woman’s scream, erupted right next to him. Ethan turned toward the sound.

Aria was holding up her ID tag, shouting excitedly at Wilson and the others on the platform. Her excitement was so intense that it made Ethan’s ears ring.

“Congratulations, Number 88! In one week, you will be heading to Paradise Island!” Wilson announced. As the crowd began to disperse, no one congratulated Aria. They all gritted their teeth, their eyes filled with envy. But Aria didn’t care; she was about to leave this “hell” behind.

Ethan, however, couldn’t share in her joy. He remembered the tragic fate of Number 299, the man from yesterday. Desperate, he tried to catch up to Aria, needing to warn her.

“Ethan, come on, wish me luck!” Aria’s smile was dazzling, but Ethan could only feel dread.

“Aria, I need to tell you something—wait, don’t go so fast! I need to talk to you!” Ethan called after her, trying to keep up.

“Aria, you have to come with me,” Ethan urged, his voice tight with urgency. A group of William’s men, around a dozen of them, were closing in, their eyes filled with malice.

“Well, well, well, look who it is—Aria! Congratulations are in order; you’re on your way to Paradise Island. Though, let’s be real, who’s going to want a ‘man-woman’ like you there? Ha! Someone’s destined to die alone on that island.” William sneered, circling Aria like a predator. His taunts stung, and Aria could feel the anger rising within her.

“Aria, don’t listen to them. We can’t take them on, so just follow my lead. When I give the signal, we run,” Ethan whispered urgently.

“Ethan, why waste your time with this ‘man-woman’? She’ll only bring you bad luck. Why not join me instead?” William leaned in, his breath warm against Ethan’s ear, his voice laced with a mocking tease. The gesture made Ethan’s skin crawl.

Seizing the moment while William’s men were still basking in their ridicule, Ethan grabbed Aria’s hand, gripping her wrist tightly. With every ounce of strength, he pulled her along, running as fast as he could. Behind them, William’s men gave chase, brandishing their weapons. Aria followed Ethan, weaving through tunnels, past control rooms and labs filled with incubation tanks, until they finally reached their hidden refuge.