The time had finally come.
The air itself felt different, heavier, as if the island was holding its breath. Tension crept into every corner of the beach as we all waited for the final stage to begin. After everything we'd survived in the preliminaries, I couldn't shake the feeling that this last part would be even worse.
And honestly, that says something.
For some reason, Edward gave us a brief moment to rest. He and the flight attendants walked off toward the far end of the beach, leaving the survivors alone for a short while.
I didn't waste the opportunity.
My shoulder still burned from the slash I'd taken during the fight on the plane. The pain had dulled slightly, but every movement reminded me it was still there. I tore a strip from the shirt I wore under my hoodie and wrapped it tightly around the wound, tying it into a crude bandage to slow the bleeding.
It wasn't pretty, but it would hold.
Just count it as one of the many skills I picked up on the streets. Honestly, I was surprised I'd gone this long without collapsing from blood loss.
While I was adjusting the cloth, I felt it.
That gaze.
I looked up.
To my right, Paige was still staring at me. I couldn't tell if she wanted to thank me or kill me. Probably both. I ignored it.
And to my left, the masked guy stood about fifty feet away, staring straight at me. Even from that distance, I could feel the hostility in his eyes. It was sharp, cold, and personal.
He hadn't forgotten what happened on the plane.
Neither had I.
"Gather round, my stars, gather around! The stage of the entrance exams has been set!"
Edward's voice echoed across the beach. He stood with his camera ready, already striking one of his theatrical poses.
At this point, the dramatics were starting to get on my nerves.
Still, we followed his instructions. One by one, the remaining candidates gathered around him. As I approached, something caught my attention.
Edward was holding a file.
I was sure he hadn't been carrying it earlier.
Behind him stood the three flight attendants… and the guy who had driven the speedboat for the recommended candidates.
What was that file for?
I was about to ask, but someone beat me to it.
"Eh, Mr. Director, what's in the file?" the girl in the pink jacket asked. She was one of the recommended candidates. Her tone sounded genuinely curious, almost innocent.
"Ahh, my dear, this document contains all your names," Edward replied, lifting the file high with unnecessary dramatic flair.
Upon seeing him, the girl's eyes sparkled and a wide smile appeared on her face. She was amazed while the rest of us just felt annoyed.
"Wait… why?" she asked.
"For the final stage of the exams, of course!" Edward replied energetically. "In this stage, you all will randomly be placed in groups of three."
Silence fell over the beach.
Because what he just said… made no sense.
Team up with people who had been trying to kill you just hours ago? What the heck? Besides, what kind of trial would even require a team-up like that?
Edward cut through the murmurs and continued.
"Now, for this stage of the exams, we are all playing a simple game called…" He paused dramatically, clearly trying to build suspense. "Capture the flag."
Silence again.
This time, though, everyone wore the same eyebrow-raised expression.
Capture the flag?
If you'd ever been to a summer camp, you'd know the game. Two or more teams, each with their own flag. The objective was to steal the enemy's flag and bring it back to your base. Sometimes there was a timer. Sometimes there were penalties.
Simple enough.
But why are we playing it now? Especially after just fighting for our lives?
"Yes, capture the flag… but with a twist," Edward said, smiling.
"In this game, the one capturing the flag…" He paused again, raised an arm high, pointing to the sky and bowing his head low. "…is I!"
My mind froze for a moment. So the one hunting the flags wasn't another team but Edward Clair.
The same Edward who had dodged an already fired bullet like it was nothing?
A chill ran down my spine. Edward was dangerous—I'd known that since the plane. But now he was hunting us.
"Quite the plot twist, right?" he asked, spreading his arms wide with a wide smile. "I'll be the one hunting the flags. But first… the teams."
He opened the file and began reading the names.
One by one, he assigned candidates into color-coded teams. Each group received a flag and matching headbands.
Team Red.
Team Green.
Team Yellow.
Then came Team Pink.
"Ava Walker, Skyler Brown, and… Tao Xian," Edward called out.
A name stood out to me, Tao; he was one of the recommended candidates, the guy in the black leather jeans. He was assigned there. But instead of looking pleased, he frowned.
"Eh… can't I just be on the same team as my sister?" he asked Edward, pointing at the girl in the pink jacket.
"Your sister? Nope. You've already been assigned to team pink," Edward replied firmly.
Tao sighed, his look dulled, but he accepted the headband and flag before walking over to his team.
Things were starting to look bad.
Only six of us were left unassigned. That group included me, Paige, the masked guy… and the other two recommended candidates.
At this point, I only had one hope.
Please don't put me on the same team as him.
Then Edward spoke again.
"Now for Team Blue… Henry Rhodes, Paige Lauren, and Javier Herrera."
My heart stopped.
Javier.
I slowly looked toward the masked guy as he walked forward to collect his headband. So that was his name.
Great.
He didn't react at first. Probably because he hadn't known my name either. But the moment I stepped up to take my own headband, his expression changed.
At first, it looked like shock. Next, confusion. And then irritation.
"Wait, why do I have to team up with him?" Javier snapped.
"Hey! It's not like I want to team up with you too," I shot back.
"Hmm… unresolved tension?" Edward said, grinning. "That's storyline gold."
"Just change us, cameraman," Javier said.
"Cameraman? I am more than just a cameraman, you brat. Change is not… gonna… happen," Edward replied, striking another theatrical pose. "The teams are already decided. And besides… I like it."
I clenched my jaw.
Of course he did.
"Now for the final team… Lan Xian…"
"Ready!!" the energetic girl in the pink jacket interrupted, raising her fist in excitement.
Edward chuckled. "Love the enthusiasm, Lan."
"Lan Xian, Victor Jones, and Mira John. Team White."
He handed them their headbands and flag.
And just like that, the teams were complete.
Edward turned to face all of us.
"The rules are simple. There is a thirty-minute time limit, with a ten-minute head start. Weapons, killing, and sabotage are allowed."
My stomach tightened.
So not only did we have to protect our flags from Edward… we also had to watch out for other teams.
And possibly even our own teammates.
Now I was stuck in a team with Javier, someone who clearly wanted me dead. On top of that, I had to worry about sabotage, betrayal, and Edward hunting us down personally.
This wasn't going to be easy.
"Oh yes, before I forget…" Edward said, as if remembering something trivial.
Then his expression twisted into a maniacal grin.
"The merit for passing isn't team-based. So as long as your team still has its flag… and at least one member alive… that member passes."
Shock rippled through the group.
Including me.
So teamwork wasn't even required to pass?
As long as the flag survived and someone from the team lived, that person would succeed. That meant betrayal was not only possible… it was practically encouraged.
I felt a knot form in my stomach.
Why assign teams if they weren't even necessary?
This exam was getting more twisted by the second, but I couldn't complain. No matter what, I had to survive.
And I had to pass.
"Now," Edward shouted, raising his megaphone, "let the final stage of the BITE entrance exams… BEGIN!!!"
And just like that, the final trial started.