Flashback :

{Damien ~ 12 year old}

"Congratulations on being first again in your entire school, Damien!" My dad hugged me tight and looked at me with a bright and proud smile, "thanks for always making me proud, son."

I gave him a warm smile and took the brand-new iPad and expensive red leather jacket as my reward. It had always been like this. I was hailed by everyone as a prodigy for my academic results and sports evaluation, always pampered and rewarded with whatever I wanted as a gift. Other kids my age were envious of my life and I understood them. I mean what more could I ever wish for, right?appy seeing my parents smile because of me. They always supported me and rewarded me because they love me, right? We a

I always felt hre a family so they always would continue to be by my side if I didn't achieve all these certificates, right? That's what I always wondered.

After 2 years :

When I was 14, my parents had me take extra classes and private tutors so that I'm always one step ahead of my peers. I barely had any time to rest or sleep properly but I didn't complain. As long it made them happy.

But then at a time, call it rebellious teen spirit or whatever, I started getting bored of everything. Of studying and always being praised by others. So, I failed 3 subjects in my final exam. On purpose. I was just curious as to how my parents would react. But of course, the outcome wasn't pretty. I had never seen my parents so angry before.

When they asked me the reason behind it, I said that I was bored and I want to explore something that I truly like. Between the argument, my dad slapped me for the first time. He tried to change my mind by talking to me and shouting but I stubbornly held my ground.

"Don't call me your father ever again! Get out and never let me see you again," he said. Those are the last words I heard from him.

I glanced at my mom hopefully who was the last ray of hope for me. But she was just crying with her face in her hands. As I walked out of the door, they didn't even bother to stop me. I stepped outside in the dark, cold night and stood in front of my house waiting. I was waiting for my parents to come out and get me. Eventually, after 2 hours, it started to snow. But no one came out rushing for me because they loved me or because I was the son who always made them proud. In the end, they were just looking out for themselves.

That was the last time I ever saw them and life is funny. Because that's how the honorable topper student left home and started hanging out with the 'wrong crowd'.

End of flashback.

I sat with my cold fingertips on my knees listening to my watch count down the last 20 seconds. I was about to give up all hope until I suddenly saw a black object pass by my right side. And the next thing I saw was an ax stabbed into the skull of the old woman sitting in front of me. Blood dripped from her head covering her face and her soulless eyes stare at me. Before I could even react to any of it, a familiar figure walked toward me from behind and touched my wrist gently scanning a QR code on my watch.

"I expected better from you. Idiot," Skylar said calmly after saving my life.

I exhaled a deep breath out of relief and spoke after calming down my nerves, "I didn't expect you to save me."

"I'm not that kind. I need you to be against Karma, remember?"

"Oh, that? I thought you didn't want to kill him."

"I would do anything for my own interest," she gave a small shrug, "If you were in a pinch, you could have just asked Zion to help. Right, Zion?" she spoke bringing her watch close to her mouth.

'I would love to say yes but there's a bit of a situation. You know the number of QR stickers in there is calculated with the time in such a way that it's exactly enough for all candidates to come out alive. Whereas one person can't scan more than 3 at a time but it's possible to destroy them or such.'

"Who would- wait? You mean Karma has been collecting those relentlessly?"

'Exactly. That boy once defeated a gang of 50 when he was 15. But afterward, he killed his own comrades in that mission too just because they were useless to him.'

"The QR sticker's location is hinted all over the place, right? like small riddles," Skylar asked for confirmation.

'Bingo. Karma is just going through it like it's his playhouse. Skylar, I'm leaving the rest up to you.'

"Got it," she cut her call with Zion and looked at Damien, "I have a plan. To go after Karma and clear this round."

"I'm all ears," Damien's gaze was unfaltering, his attention laser sharp on her words.

"You will go after Karma and Landon will inform you of his locations through your watch. And he is currently tailing Karma. Meanwhile I-"

"Wait. Landon? Why is he included again?"

"We had a pretty understanding talk," she gave him a small smile, "don't worry. He won't betray us. So anyway while you tail him, I'll go to another route, follow hints, and collect the remaining QR stickers for us. And when you finally catch up to them, go at Karma. You 2 should be able to defeat him together, right?"

"Probably. But it sounds too simple. And the risk-"

"I'm all ears if you have a better idea," she looked at him for a while and as she expected, it was silence. "Thought so. Now then, let's try not to die, shall we?"

Zion paced back and forth as the tense atmosphere in the room grew. The spacious room was mostly dark except for the light from computer screens and monitors of CCTV cameras continuously monitoring all actions inside the mansion. A group of 6 men standing in front of Zion had their heads hanging low, backs straight and stiffened, trembling slightly in fear, guilty of the mistake they made. They flinched as Zion suddenly banged his fist on a table and spoke in a loud harsh voice completely losing his cool.

"What do you mean that she is inside the mansion of the exam?!" he shouted at one of the men dressed in a black suit.

"She just arrived on the helicopter and demanded to see her. I told her that she couldn't enter but she barged in," he spoke in a quiet and trembling voice, looking at the floor.

"Ok, so you are telling me that your team couldn't even stop a woman in her 40s?"

"Sir, we weren't allowed to harm her and she had a gun so she threatened to shoot us if we didn't-"

"Shut up! This is bad. Get team 1 on stand-by and keep me updated on what happens in the mansion," he ordered in a loud and clear tone running a hand through his blonde hair, "let's just hope Karma doesn't go berserk the moment he sees her."