Katrina moved a small acorn forwards two spaces. Her fingers lingered on the piece for a moment before releasing it with conviction. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she spotted her mistake a second too late.

Wyne grinned at her before moving a large black rock a couple of spaces back. "Checkmate."

Katrina groaned as she swept all of the pieces off the board scribbled into the dirt, admitting defeat. "How are you so good at chess?"

He shrugged. "Like I said, I used to play chess competitively." He helped her pick up all the pieces and store them in a small tree hollow nearby.

Katrina stood up without wobbling for the first time since the hurricane. Ted's healing had done wonders for her; there were barely any signs that she had nearly died of blood loss the week before.

She and her group had decided to stay in the forest in the meanwhile, as the rest of the arena, besides the farm where Dean and his group still were, were completely destroyed.

It turned out that Amari was a skilled huntress, even when thrown into the unfamiliar forest which was completely different from the yellow savanna where she grew up. Her archery skills were exemplary. Katrina found herself glad that Amari was in their group, as she was the one providing most of the food.

"Kat! Ready for your lesson?" Ted yelled at her, snapping her out of her thoughts. He held up two crude wooden swords in his hands, waiting for her to take one of them.

"Now?" Katrina asked, surprised. Back when she and Ted were still young children, they used to have daily lessons on fighting, plant identification, water filtration, and more, to prepare for when they run away from the Experiment.

"Yeah," Ted grinned. "Let's see how well you still remember your lessons."

Katrina scowled at him before snatching a sword from his hand. She slowly slashed it through the air a couple of times, getting a feel for its weight. After a few moments of thinking, she nodded.

"Come on." Ted gestured for her to follow him. He walked quickly away, forcing Katrina to jog to catch up. After pushing through dense foliage for what seemed like hours, they arrived at a small clearing.

As Katrina studied their new surroundings, she heard a crack behind her. Katrina ducked and swung her sword up to block's Ted. There was a bright glint in his eyes, and he was smiling mischievously.

"Hey! That's not fair," Katrina complained, skipping back a couple of steps. "You never said we started now."

Ted pounced at her, forcing her to jump sideways. "Opponents in the real world won't give you a heads-up."

The two separated again, circling each other, looking for weaknesses. Ted was obviously much better than when Katrina last fought him; his moves were initiated smoothly and quickly. He eyed her like a large cat stalking its prey.

Katrina, on the other hand, hadn't practiced at all. The sword felt foreign in her hand, whereas it used to feel like an extension of her arm.

Ted launched himself at her once again, gently touching her with his sword. "Your arm's gone."

Katrina cursed as she threw her sword to her left hand, holding her right arm behind her back. After a small moment of hesitation, she slammed the sword as hard as she could into a nearby tree trunk, making it shatter into a thousand pieces and leaving a small chunk of wood resembling a dagger in her hand.

A small flash of annoyance crossed Ted's face. "Do you know how long it took for me to carve that?"

Katrina smirked at him before throwing his own argument back at him. "Do you really think opponents in the real world would care about how long it took for you to carve it?"

Ted sighed. Before he could launch another attack, Katrina pounced at him, aiming for his neck. Ted raised his sword to block her, but she dropped low at the last second, slashing at his unprotected stomach instead, pulling back at the last second before she touched him.

Ted glanced down and nodded, acknowledging her makeshift dagger held suspended above his body. "Touché."

Katrina stepped back, panting, and wiped the sweat from her face. She carefully massaged the knot in her side, knowing that the hard exercise couldn't have helped her healing process.

"Oh, relax, Kat," Ted said, watching her hand. "That small little sword fight didn't harm you at all. Trust the doctor for once, would ya?"

Katrina rolled her eyes, and punched him gently in the shoulder, earning herself a small yelp. "Come on, we should head back before the others think that you murdered me or something."

Ted grinned playfully before sprinting away. "Last one there is a rotten egg!"

Katrina growled, annoyed. "Oh, you'll regret that!" She quickly produced an illusion of a box around Ted, but without much difficulty, he quickly broke through. Katrina sighed as she forgot that Ted was immune to her illusions.

She put on a burst of speed and slowly started catching up, but due to her fragile state, Ted beat her to the camp.

As they arrived, they panted and laughed loudly, brushing twigs and leaves out of their hair. The others looked at them strangely, wondering why they had fake swords, or, in Katrina's case, fake daggers, hanging limply in their hands.

"You've arrived just in time to help us prepare lunch," Amari declared, dragging a large buck behind her. Katrina shuddered before glancing away, remembering how she had killed a deer. Ever since then, she gagged at the sight of blood and death.

"I'll think I'll skip this one," she announced, repeating the same things she had said every time Amari came back with a fresh kill. She inched away slowly. "I'll go get some berries for Celia's vegetarian diet. Bye!"

She started hurrying away, dragging a woven basket behind her. She quickly disappeared into the foliage, pushing through bushes and tracing the now familiar path to the blackberry bushes.

The leaves and twigs crunched loudly under her feet as she arrived at her destination, taking care to cover her arms with her sleeves to protect them from the thorns. Slowly but steadily, she filled the basket of sweet, ripe berries, eating as she went. By the time she was done, she was covered in sweat as the sun beat down on her mercilessly.

Katrina quickly headed back lest she wanted the others to worry. On her way back, her foot bumped into a small item, sending it scattering across the ground. The sun hit it at just the right angle, causing the item to reflect light at her. Her curiosity piqued, Katrina chased after it, sweeping down and picking it up.

A brass metal plate greeted her. It was about the size of a name tag and small, black words were engraved on it. Squinting, Katrina made out the words on the plaque.

Midnight. Blackberry bushes.

Confused, Katrina flipped it over.

Tell no one.

Katrina stiffened, peering out towards the bushes. In a moment, she casted an invisibility illusion around herself as she stood as still as a statue.

Whoever had sent her the plaque had to know her movements. They knew that she goes to the blackberry bushes often, as well as the fact that she usually takes guard at midnight.

"I'm not going," Katrina said, taking her a moment to realize that she had spoken aloud. "Why should I, anyways?"

In a second, something fell from the sky, crashing through the leaves and branches of the trees above.

It was another plaque. Katrina snatched it up, quickly reading the words on it.

Your friends' lives are on the line.

Katrina sucked in a breath. The second plaque ruled out the chance that it was one of the other Deviants in the arena wanting to meet up with her. There was only one other possibility.

The scientists.

Katrina glanced at the sky nervously. They must be able to hear her, based on the second plaque. Katrina wouldn't be surprised if they could see her, too.

She stood there for a couple of moments before making up her mind. Katrina slid the two plaques into her back pocket and picking up the basket of berries. She hurried back home, where the others were starting to eat.

"What took you so long? Come on, the food's ready." Alisha waved her over to where she was sitting, gnawing on a piece of meat. Katrina shook her head as she handed the basket to Celia.

"Sorry, I don't have much of an appetite right now," Katrina apologized. It was true; her meeting with the scientists had put her in turmoil, and she doubted that she could swallow anything.

As Ted raised an eyebrow at her, she hastily added, "I ate a lot of those berries."

Somehow, Ted's brow raised even higher. "You sure? I believe I remember you giving all of us a talk about how we eat less berries so that Celia can eat them, considering that she's a vegetarian and all."

Katrina hesitated for a moment before replying. "I said how we should eat less berries, not stop eating them altogether. Besides, I had a big breakfast."

The lie hung silently in the air in front of them as the others were surely recalling how Katrina skipped breakfast that day.

While Celia continued hungrily devouring the berries, seemingly oblivious to the exchange going on around her, everyone else, including David once Stefan translated for him, stopped eating and looked at her.

Sweat dripped down Katrina's forehead as she started breaking down under the others' stares.

She started stammering. "I'm, uh, really not hungry. Really. You guys just continue eating."

With each word, her voice got higher. "Everything's perfectly fine!" Katrina ended on a fake, cheerful tone as she internally winced. Indeed, there was much to be desired in her horrible lying skills.

Even Celia stopped eating this time, although there was a strange expression on her face, like she almost expected this to happen. Katrina didn't have much time to worry about her though, as just then, Ted continued to interrogate her.

"So there's something wrong then!" Ted exclaimed triumphantly. "What is it? And don't try to lie to me," he warned.

Katrina's mind warred with each other. On one hand, she desperately wanted to tell him to relieve herself of the weight she held on her shoulders. On the other, the words on the second plaque haunted her.

Your friends' lives are on the line.

Katrina imagined Ted's lifeless eyes laying in a pool of blood. She shuddered. She didn't know what she would do if her best friend died, and his blood was on her hands.

Celia watched her expectantly, almost nervously as Katrina formed a reply.

By now, the others already knew how she could kill with her power, and they knew how much she hated herself for killing Derrick and the deer. Katrina played onto their knowledge.

"I just kept thinking of, well, you know. How easily I can kill," Katrina admitted. There was just enough truth in it that relaxed the others, especially Celia. Celia sat back on her haunches, continuing to eat, apparently satisfied.

"It'd be so easy to abuse my power," Katrina continued. "All I have to do is slip into one of your guy's minds using my clairvoyance power, and then just stop your heart from beating..." Katrina's voice cracked, unable to continue.

Everyone except Celia and Ted looked at her with pitiful eyes. Celia ignored her words as Ted squinted at her. Katrina fidgeted. As she and Ted had been friends since childhood, she knew that he could easily see through her lie. However, much to Katrina's relief, he let it slide as the others continued their meal. She knew that he would bring it up later, though.

The rest of the day passed quickly. The only other incident that happened was when Wyne accidentally fell into a river as he tried to catch a fish. He had spluttered and splashed his arms, quickly paddling to shore, soaking wet. Katrina smiled for the first time that day as she watched him drag is feet through the mud, a dejected look on his face.

However, as night approached, Katrina avoided everyone else. When the others started settling into their shelters to sleep, Ted walked over to Katrina.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked with concerned eyes. "You've been acting weird all day."

Katrina nodded as she tried to end the conversation. Midnight was rapidly approaching, and if she wanted any chance of slipping away without being noticed, she needed everyone else, including Ted, fast asleep.

"Yeah, of course I am," she answered. "You should go to sleep. How 'bout this: I'll take your shift tonight."

As Ted started protesting, she held up her hands. "Don't think I haven't heard you tossing and turning every night," she said. "You need your sleep. Go on," she encouraged, waving him towards his cabin.

Ted thought for a moment before nodding. Katrina was surprised; Ted usually wasn't one to give up so easily. He bid her farewell and headed inside, quickly lying down. Within a few minutes, the sounds of deep breaths greeted her ears.

Katrina waited for another half an hour until she was sure that he was asleep. She quickly walked past the others' cabins, pausing in front of the door of each one to make sure that everyone was asleep.

As she confirmed that Amari was sleeping, Katrina quickly shrouded herself in an invisibility illusion before sneaking out of their camp. Every sound spooked her: the hoots of airborne owls, the crunch of leaves beneath her feet, and the breeze whistling through the leaves.

By the time she reached the blackberry bushes, her paranoia had increased dramatically. Katrina felt someone's eyes on her, but each time she turned around, she was met by empty air.

As the time trickled by, Katrina grew more and more anxious. Tension hummed in the air as she rubbed the two plaques between her fingers, quickly wearing the metal smooth.

"Sorry I was late."

The words came from behind her. Katrina spun around, cursing herself for not being more attentive. Her eyes widened.

Celia was casually leaning against a tree, twirling her signature beret around her finger slowly.

"I had to get rid of Ted. He was quite intent on sneaking behind you, so I had to drug him so that I could come."

Katrina gasped, the realization slamming into her. "You're one of the scientists?"

Celia nodded smugly. "And none of you ever suspected me."

Katrina growled at her. "What did you do to Ted? If you hurt him-"

Celia waved an arm. "Nah, don't worry. All I did was shoot a sleeping dart into his arm. He'll probably wake up in an hour or two."

"So you're the one who sent me those plaques?" Katrina asked. "How? Were you sitting in the trees or something?"

Celia rolled her eyes. "Of course not! The other scientists sent those plaques to you and told me to meet you here."

Katrina was silent. She couldn't believe that one of her friends was a traitor.

"Why?" she asked, her voice cracking. "You betrayed us. Me."

Celia's face softened. "You don't understand," she said. "I was once like you; naive, young, and full of misunderstanding. You'll understand soon enough though, and you'll come to embrace what gift the scientists have given you."

"Explain," Katrina stated simply. "Please."

"This is the second time I've been in the Experiment," Celia started, waiting as Katrina's eyes widened. "Every time a new group of Deviants get drafted into the Experiment, the scientists choose some of them to help work for them."

"What do you mean?" Katrina asked, her brows furrowing.

"You really didn't think that the scientists wouldn't take advantage of Deviants, did you?" Celia snorted. "If you had a bunch of people with superpowers in your control, it's only natural to have a couple of them help you."

"Anyways, continuing what I was saying before," Celia said, "each Deviant who gets selected to become a scientist has a special job. Like me, for example, I have to go into other Experiments and help the scientists decide who to choose."

"Why can't the scientists just do it themselves?" Katrina asked. "And why me?"

"There's only so much you can learn about a person from watching them on a camera," Celia replied. "And to answer your second question, I think that your newly found abilities to murder can make you fit in quite well with the ADs."

"AD?"

"It's an abbreviation for Assassin Deviants, Deviants who kill other people," Celia explained. "Like I'm an RD- Recruiting Deviant. There are also TD's, Tracking Deviants, like the Thief, who help track down and capture other Deviants, MD's, who heal Deviants who get injured on the job, and-"

"Woah, slow down!" Katrina exclaimed. "I can't remember that much information at once. And who says I'm going to become an AD?"

"The scientists," Celia replied matter-of-factly. Suddenly, she cocked her head to the side.

"Roger," she said. "I'm on it." Celia looked at Katrina, who was looking at her in confusion. "Speaking of the scientists, they want to talk to you."

"Now?"

Celia nodded. "Yep." She reached towards her neck and grabbed a small, silver pendant. Upon closer inspection, Katrina realized, the pendant depicted a detailed map of the arena.

Celia grabbed the pendant and held it out in front of her. A beam of light suddenly appeared in front of them as Katrina squinted, allowing her eyes to adjust.

Without further ado, Celia dragged Katrina into the light.

...

Yep, here's a plot twist! A big one. I was originally planning for this to happen at the very end but I decided to change it. 

What are your thoughts on Celia now? Do you like her? Hate her? Neutral? Let me know!