He had no time to relax because as soon as he wanted to sit down, Professor Maclaren came back. Seeing the sample in the machine she nodded acknowledging Noah's hard work. Then she went to the other machine with the input mixture from Noah and saw that she was right.

That kid before her mixed one of the most dangerous things on earth, he was talented enough to be part of the research against the zombie virus, "Wonderful seems like we have a new talent on our hands. And you figured out how to work the machine too. Well then, you are probably tired. You can take the elevator to floor 3, there are all the sleeping quarters. Tomorrow at 11 am sharp, I am giving you more time to relax. But don't think this is going to be a regular thing. After tomorrow you will be here at 8 am understood?"

Noah nodded, "Yes, Professor. Until tomorrow." And walked outside and to the elevator.

Inside the elevator he realized he did not have an ID card, maybe you only need ID when on the first floor? Noah wanted to try it out and so he pressed floor 3. The doors closed and he went up. With this his theory was proven right, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. The structure of the hallway was almost the same as on the laboratory floor. The difference was that this floor was lively, whereas the floor of the laboratory was silent and very deserted. This floor had people where the eye could see, it was moderately loud and the white walls were filled with pictures and posters.

Not knowing where to go, he heard the voice of Mr. Murray, "Listen, folks, there will be a clear line you will have to follow. Tomorrow you all will be tested. The test will entail four things, first is if you are an ability user or not, second is the overall fitness, third is any extra knowledge you can bring and last is who you are as a person. Don't worry no one has ever come behind the person question. We will know who you are inside. And it's the micro expressions and gestures we will observe."

As he finished speaking, Noah stood behind Maison. Mr. Murray noticed him and beckoned him with his arm to come closer to him. He walked up from behind Maison and stood in front of Mr. Murray. "How did it go?" He asked, his voice full of authority.

Noah nodded shyly, "Professor Maclaren told me to be there at 11 am sharp."

Mr. Murray nodded, "Well then you will get eight hours of sleep, and then you will take the elevator to floor 4. All of you will be going there, Noah you will then be tested first to assure that you are still on time. Now, Maison and Jason, you both come with me the others go to your quarters."

Like in the military a "Yes, sir!", echoed through the hall. Then the three walked away.

Ben and Zenis both breathed out loudly, and then Zenix said to Ben, "Dude, any longer I fear I would have suffocated."

Ben nodded, "Any more and I would have had a panic attack. The presence, it was the presence." Then they both looked at Noah.

"You can honestly be happy, you weren't here. The atmosphere was so low and almost oppressive," Ben said as he heaved an arm around Noah's shoulders.

Zenix nodded, "Don't worry though your room is in ours. Finally a real bed, not just a matrice. However, if I can sleep is another thing. But you don't seem to have that problem do you, not even moments after Zeana was shot you drifted toward dreamland. And now with Mr. Waltermoor dead..." Zenix first chuckled as he looked at Noah, but then had a heavy look on his face. Noah looked awkward as Ben and Zenix, showed him to their room. It was a hexagon-shaped room, as they walked through the door, immediately to the left there was another door, probably leading to the bathroom. On the end of the room stood a bed, on the left and the right of the bed stood two more beds. Walking further in the room, on the left side was also a closet. Noah opened the closet while Ben and Zenix just jumped on a bed. They chose beds that were next to each other, Ben chose the right bed, and Zenix the one that was kind of in the middle. Noah found gray folded clothes in the closet, he closed it and walked toward the bathroom door.

While going to the bathroom, he closed the door to their whole room too. In the bathroom, he found a toilet, a shower, and things like shampoo, toothbrushes, and deodorant. And everything was in this white metallic style, just like the room where the beds were. Only the bedsheets were a light gray, the rest was white. He walked back and laid down on the only bed left, but before dosing off. Noah motivated himself to stand up one more time, shower, brush his teeth, put on the gray T-shirt and pants he found, and then sleep. Getting some hygiene going, after a day of zombies and blood. Freshly showered and with new clothes, he fell in the bed. Dosing off, he didn't notice how the two boys did the same thing and then turned off the light.

...

Eight hours later, there was a loud knocking on their door. Telling them to wake up and get to floor 4. Noah woke up from a dreamless slumber and walked to the closet, wanting to find other clothes he could use. And everything in there was a light gray so he got a gray hoodie and gray jeans. The hoody was a bit big, but the rest fit. The two boys beside him did the same the difference was that Ben chose a T-shirt and Zenix chose to not put on better-looking pants. He just changed into a hoodie and kept on the light gray jogging pants. Still a bit sleepy the three boys made their way to the fourth floor while discussing what the tests could be. The first three were clear, but the last one had different theories and ideas. Ben had the idea that one person would be injured and they would react to the way they would be able to help them. Noah had the idea, that they would come across a person stealing their supply and are looking at the way of solving it.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Zenix was also thinking in the direction of their current situation, but a little bit more obscure. He had the idea, that they would stage an infection. This means they would let a zombie in the room, making it seem like the soldier, who was supposed to do the testing, got infected. And then evaluate the exact reaction of such an occurrence. Would they grab the gun and shoot the soldier? Would they call for help and are panicking? Maybe also a reaction like, 'I heard they had a laboratory, maybe they can help you?' Or a simple everyone for themself?

But both Ben and Noah felt that this idea was too far-fetched. Even if it were like that, what would an ideal situation be to that anyway? With the theorizing, they realized that they already arrived. But this time it was not the white corridor they'd seen before, this floor was more like an arena, when they walked out of that elevator they were in a hexagon field. The walls seemed higher too. Francis was standing in the middle on a pedestal, looking over the people. Noah noticed that only their group was there to be tested, about 10 to 15 other people were standing there too.

"So listen up everybody, the names I say now will be the first ones to get tested! And then we will call on you in a fifteen-minute cycle!"

He said and looked at the people, "Jasmine, Noah, Frederick, Zenix, Loraine and Hannah. You will go with Vanessa over there for the first test." Francis gestured to a woman with black curly hair and bronzed skin. Her eyes were a deep shade of brown, but instead of sending warmth, they were cold. Noah had a feeling as if he would be sucked in and never return. He looked at the best friend 'couple' next to him, he could swear he almost saw tears.

Zenix hugged Ben and dramatically said, "We'll see each other on the other side. I am leaving for only a moment. If I find out you have another best friend by them consider them killed."

Ben laughed, but then seriously said, "Same to you." It seemed like they would never let go, so Noah tried to peel Zenix off Ben.

Only to hear, "No, I can't leave yet." So Noah put more strength and freed Zenix from Ben. Then Zenix and Noah made their way to the other four people. The six people stood in front of her, looking at the other three the three teenagers felt the age gap.

Frederick was a man in his fifties, he had a creme suit and some nice golden glasses on his nose. His blue eyes had a nice contrast to his caramel-red hair. Even though he looked disgusted at Vanessa. Hannah was an Asian woman in her thirties, she had straight long brown hair, and very stylish clothes that looked a little ragged. From her facial features, Noah knew she had Korean heritage. Jasmine was a child, she looked about nine years old, from her outside appearance Noah would have never guessed that she was a girl. Her brown hair was very short, she wore an old black T-shirt with dirty white dungarees. And she gave quite the stinky eye to everyone around her.

Vanessa looked at them and explained unfazed, "The first test is a simple yes or no question. Do you have an ability?"

Noah and Zenix both shook their head as they said, "No." Loraine just shook her head together with the suit guy. Jasmine nodded, and Hannah did too.

Vanessa said, "Very well then, both of you will be going into this door first."

She gestured to the right, then walked to the left door saying, "Everybody else will follow me!"

Zenix whispered to Noah, "Like I already discussed that with Ben and we even asked grandpa Murray, how the hell do they have all of this underground? Like there are five floors underground, how would you even think to build that?"

Noah nodded and wondered the same thing, the huge hallways and closed rooms in the laboratory. Second, the whole third floor is full of rooms for other people, and now an arena-type floor with extra corridors. It just was too much, how can you have so many things? And why does he feel that Mr. Murray could have about the outbreak before...

'Because he knew.' A voice said in his head. Noah was kind of surprised that he started talking all of a sudden. 'What do you mean he knew? How could he have known?' He thought of Void and with that tried to send his thoughts to him.

'Well... That is for you to find out. I was just sooooo bored, you are boring. No love life, no other fighting scene, and the only entertaining thing in this world are the two goofballs. And now even they are separated,' he first said it nonchalantly and then started to get more and more frustrated. Noah rolled his eyes on the inside. 'And because of that, I want you to go through these next tests with Felix power. Meaning none of the WeAk BunNy Noah bullcrap. Take it as a side quest, if you do that you will get 200 extra points. What you can use them for you will know after you complete this world,' Void graciously made the offer or rather the side mission.

Noah observed the new room, but it was basically a white room with light gray flooring. All over the room was fitness equipment, like a treadmill, some force measurement devices, or punching bags. Frederick who was in a suit looked ridiculous at the sports equipment.

He walked forward to Vanessa and asked, "You can not really expect me to do all these things right? I am a very important man and you want me to do strenuous activities?"

Vanessa looked slightly annoyed but still replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "Everyone will do this not only you. And before you ask yes it is mandatory that you just as everyone else will go through this. Understood? Good, first Noah we will measure your endurance first."

Noah nodded and jogged to the treadmill, he then looked at Vanessa, "For how long shall I jog on this?"

Vanessa just said, "As long as you can." She then turned to the other three, "You will come here we will measure your strength. You take these in your hand and squeeze as hard as you can, after that, you report the numbers. Now go!"

And they did as they told, Noah began to jog for about fifteen minutes and realized his body almost couldn't anymore. But the damn crow told him he should try with more Felix energy so he used his willpower to run an hour straight. Then the legs of his body gave up.

'Weak...' That was all Noah thought about after running.