Cadmus's heart assessment was the longest twenty minutes of his poor, sad, difficult existence. For someone who was supposed to measure his heart, Cadmus's instructor was completely heartless. Devoid of EQ too, Cadmus was certain. Scientists were insufferable.

Yet again, the heated boy did his best to steady his breathing as he walked in quick strides, following the annoying arrows that zigzagged against the walls. His white uniform was a beacon, a reminder of who he was. Markom was his. He wouldn't let the whiny little Scientist make him forget.

Finally, he was let into a large auditorium with rows of seats fanning up the slanted room with tiny tables to match. A mechanical camera scanned his iris and instructed him where to sit. C27. There was a digital timer projected in the front of the room. It flashed: "20:00," slowly making it's way to zero while the screen below read: Kindly take your seats. The test will begin shortly.

Cadmus took a deep breath. He finally had a chance to relax, to take a moment for himself amid this horrible, horrible day. A steaming cup of tea waited for him on the small desk and he took the ceramic mug in between his palms, breathing in the citrus scent as he took deep breaths. Sinking deep in his chair, Cadmus combed his hands through his wet hair. Despite his shower, he could almost feel the residue of disgusting blue liquid on his golden locks.

The timer finally approached zero and the text on Cadmus's tablet flashed, "Ready?" as the rest of the Ones responded in sing-song voices.

Then they were off. Cadmus scanned each page of text, writing near-instant responses as he flowed through the questions. It was easy, as if his mere existence had been pushing him towards this moment. Every tutor in the land had known enough to prepare him. His mathematics drills, grammar tests, science experiments, and history lessons perfectly crafted to ensure he would be prepared for anything that Markom threw at him.

A smile on his face, Cadmus was the second person in the entire auditorium to rise from his chair and leave through the door in the center. He was best only by, Casida, and even she couldn't keep him from smiling.

"Are you sure you don't want to check your work?" He teased.

"No more than you." She repeated flatly, grabbing his hand as they exited into the stuffy hall.

"Where to next?" He asked her, lips brushing her forehead.

"I say we finish this damn test."

"Anything you say," Cadmus smirked and, again, they followed the stupid little arrows. This time they were led up the stairs and into the bright daylight.

There they were met with a copper aroma as they stared out at half a dozen courses of beams, rings, and even a climbing wall. The infamous physical, Cadmus smirked. The same blue liquid filled the space in between the obstacle courses, uniting as much as separating them.

He approached the pool where another camera scanned his iris and instructed him which obstacle course to access. In front of the fifth course stood a lanky placement official with mousy brown hair and an upturned nose. "Wait." The man commanded and Cadmus nodded, watching as the Ones behind him began to occupy the other courses.

A whistle was blown and Cadmus raced down the first part of the course, a thin balance beam between him and the clear blue pool below. He felt the slickness of the beam before him but his boots made easy contact with the narrow surface and he side-walked down it with careful leaps. Cadmus reached the next section of the course and catapulted himself forward, taking the rings along with his stride. Seconds passed and he reached the ends of the rings. He snuck a sideways glance to see another boy had arrived on the third piece of the platform at the same time as him.

With a silent swear, Cadmus hurled himself up the rockwall. He had barely a moment to think as he chose the path of blue rocks that led upwards. When he reached the top of the wall and saw the path of rocks growing smaller and smaller, Cadmus hurled his legs to the top of the wall, defying gravity as his feet looped over the wooden top. His height was his advantage as he slowly pulled him atop the course with a loud grunt. Panting, he teetered on the edge of the rock wall and held onto the rope swing which carried him to a platform 10 feet away. There, he descended the course by grabbing onto a singular poll which he slid down and then hopped across a set of tiny trampolines.

His heart was beating rapidly, threatening to explode from his chest entirely. But Cadmus walked with a confidence only befitting for a One. He exited the course, first of his row, and flashed a wide grin to the placement official with his own arms held high to the sky in triumph.

"Is that all you've got?" He tempted, a dashing smile on his fair features as he screeched at a nearby official. He had passed his three tests with flying colors. His heart raced with conquest and silent pride.

The official in question, a skinny woman with wiry black hair and wide-set eyes smiled boldly at him. "Ask and you shall receive."

"What?" Cadmus said shortly, he half expected a high-five or a hug. Was there any prize for being such a spectacular human specimen? No. Of course not. His prize would be completion. Soon he might be free to leave this foul place and begin his new life and grandeur.

"You asked for more and I can oblige." Cadmus felt the lower half of his jaw drop. He tried to regain some semblance of composure. A fourth test? It didn't make any sense. Heart, Brains, Brawn. There was no fourth test. What disgusting games could this foul woman possibly have in store for him? "Come."

Cadmus was forced to follow, his feet slow from both exhaustion and resentment.

"And what, Science tell, might my final test be?" He demanded as he followed her through one of the many tunnels.

"Impulsivity."

***

It felt like hours before Cadmus received any answers. For a moment, Cadmus wondered if it was really his patience that was being tested. Impulsivity? Since when did Science care about impulsivity? Cadmus knew that he was a little hot-headed - but who could blame him? He was a One in a world where everyone around him was insufferably slow and stupid. Could you blame him for making quick decisions and taking defiant action?

Finally, Cadmus heard a knock on the door and a large man with a curious beard entered the small study. Cadmus lept from his chair instantly. "We are ready for you." The man said simply.

It took all of Cadmus's control not to yell and he followed the larger man through the maze of underground corridors and rooms.

Finally, they entered a dark chamber with a singular chair in the center. The other man motioned for Cadmus to take a seat and so he did begrudgingly. The Scientist followed, a careful smile appearing on his lips. He tapped at his clipboard.

"As a One, you understand the purpose of Markom." Cadmus nodded. "Do you?"

"Yes, of course."

The man cleared his throat. "Then you know that not everyone can handle the answers that Science provides." Cadmus squinted in the darkness while the man before him seemed to blend into the surroundings. Why this private monologue? His heartbeat quickened. "As part of our Placement process, we must know that you have what it takes--"

Cadmus couldn't halt himself from forming the question. "Takes to what?" He could have sworn he saw the man's smile grow.

"To Lead."

Cadmus continued to look on perplexed. This was the strangest Placement test he had ever heard of. After all the trainings and warnings, no Scientist had ever even hinted that there might be more in store.

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"Why me?" Cadmus called out. He was hungry for answers, he demanded answers.

"Your results have been inconsistent, Cadmus." The boy blinked, brows furrowed. He swore silently to himself. How was that possible? He had finished both the Physical and the Question exam nearly first. There was no question of his physical and scientific competencies.

"How so?"

"You are impulsive, brash, and argumentative--"

"That's not--"

"No, no. Not a question." Cadmus held onto the metal arms of his chair, positively boiling.

"While we value intelligence and physical strength when it comes to our assessment, we must look at you through many lenses." Cadmus bit his tongue.

"The question they have for you is this: can you obey them?" With that, the man disappeared into the shadows.

A soft, "yes," escaped Cadmus's lips - though more from habit than an attempt at truth. They wanted to know if Cadmus could obey? His blue eyes stared in question as a single spotlight illuminated the platform before him. Suddenly, the wall in the front of the room began to disappear, revealing a small figure with arms bound and held high above. He followed the cord to an anchor and pulley that was attached to the top of the wall. How strange.

Cadmus recognized the dark uniform - a Five, no doubt - and he saw the peculiar etching of not one, but two, Marks on the back of her neck.

Cadmus felt himself recoil, his stomach pulsing with aversion. Aside from the servants in his own estate and the decrepit Fives from the parking lot at Placement, he had never been so close to a Five before; and certainly not alone, in a strange and dark dungeon. His mind was buzzing as he wondered what purpose this strange test could have in the grand adventure of his future with Markom.

A Five - despicable, stupid, slow - was one thing; but a Marked Five? It was practically unheard of. Fives were known to be incapable of questions. How was it possible that this girl had enough brains to ask not once, but twice?

Alone with the figure and without any instructions, Cadmus couldn't stop himself from inquiring. "What questions could you possibly have?"

Any decent person would answer instantly, as was customary when presented with questions. Instead, the strange girl... laughed. A low chuckle in a sea of confusion.

"You see a girl with her back to you, bound in the seedy underbelly of the Collisium and you question her curiosity."

It wasn't a question but it felt like one. Cadmus couldn't keep himself from looking on, dumbstruck.

"You're a curiosity." He said plainly.

"So I've been told." She said through another attack of giggles. "I have to admit, some private attention does feel nice after today. I almost forgot that Fives could ever be more than just part of the collective."

Cadmus swayed on his feet. This entire interaction was bizarre and he was still waiting for some sort of instructions. Any kind of understanding for why he was forced into this dungeon with the unabating girl.

"You'll forget again, soon," Cadmus said dryly.

He didn't expect a Five to have so many thoughts let alone so much to say.

"Perhaps." Why did she need to have the final word?

"Well, what did you do to get dropped down here?"

"I'm Marked, dummy. Twice if you didn't notice." Cadmus stomped his foot impatiently, he was bored as much as he was aggravated.

"I don't appreciate being insulted by Swine." There was a bite to his breath but the girl didn't seem to care.

"And I don't appreciate dumb questions."

"Fine. Girl. Don't answer me. There's a reason we're both here. I was told to obey what were you--"

"Me too." She said quietly.

Suddenly a speaker in the room screeched. "That took forever." The mechanical voice said lazily.

"Forever to what?" Cadmus called out.

The voice responded, "Forever to find out what you have in common." Cadmus swore. "And now, it's time to obey."

"Obey what?" Cadmus asked.

"Me."

A piece of the wall disappeared in front of the girl, revealing a golden stick with a tassel at the end. Cadmus looked on curiously. The girl, her face still hidden from him looked on gingerly. He didn't care enough to see her react.

"And what, pray Science do you want me to do with this... whip?"

"Beat her." The voice said simply.

Cadmus looked up at the ceiling. Beat her? It didn't make any sense. They wanted to see if Cadmus would beat this bound and defenseless Five?

"I don't understand," Cadmus repeated.

"If you cannot obey a single command, we are happy to demote you." The voice responded.

Cadmus half expected the girl to call out. Instead, she kept herself facing forward. Perhaps she knew that the less they seemed to resist, the faster it would be over.

"I'm sorry but I have to--"

"Don't be sorry. Just do it or they will make it worse." Cadmus looked on, noticing the golden sheen to her hair for the first time. How could she be so calm in the face of this threat? What kind of masochist enjoyed being beaten to a pulp? He couldn't strike the confusion from his face.

"Good girl." The voice called out approvingly.

"I can... I don't have to hit you that hard--"

"You must be stupid. They are watching us. If you don't obey, you'll be demoted and I'm sure I'll be punished for it. I don't know how much clearer it needs to be for the knowledge to permeate your pathetic--"

CRACK. Cadmus took the first flagellation. The metallic material struck her back, tassels kissing her blouse as he retreated.

"Good, boy," said the voice. "Again."

And he hit her again, this time a groan escaped her lips.

"Silence." The voice said, and Cadmus saw her body tense. He took another hit, this time there was no response. Then he hit her again, and again, and again.

Soon her black blouse was ripped to shreds. It fell away and Cadmus recoiled at the blood pooled at the base of her chair. He resisted the desire to slow down, to ask how much more she must possibly endure. Instead, he took deep breaths as he forced himself to hit her over and over again.

Finally, he saw the girl's head bob slightly as if passing out from the pain. Cadmus bit his tongue, fighting his desire to question the voice and ask when their ordeal might be over. With one final, CRACK, the voice returned.

"Good One." It said.

Cadmus held onto the baton, afraid that any urgency to discard it might force him to continue. Was she even alive? His heartbeat quickened.

"Now you must look upon the face of the One who harmed you." The voice said. Cadmus, felt his stomach churning. He had been fueled by anonymity, allowing himself to harm a Five that he would never see again. The thought of exposure was sickening.

"I w-would like nothing more." The girl responded, her voice husky and hot. Cadmus was impressed that she even had energy to speak.

As if in silent command, the rope that held her arms up high fell to the floor with a thump. In a solid movement, her hands were free of the shackles that bound her. She wiped the loose spiral of hair from her face and removed the blindfold, slowly turning in her chair as she rose to face her torturer. A single hand held onto the chair for balance.

Cadmus gasped as the girl's golden eyes came into focus. His light blue eyes studied her auburn waves, her sunkissed skin, and her unforgettably full lips. It was her. The girl from his dreams. The one that he had been searching for. A Five? His stomach churned. She haunted his dreams and now he was her nightmare.

Completely dumbstruck, Cadmus tried to speak - to do anything to break the silence between them - but just as in his dreams, he was speechless before her. Cadmus wasn't sure which was more painful, the knowledge of what he had done to her or the comprehension that he was nothing to her.

The girl lifted her hand. SMACK. A single fist made contact with his face and Cadmus was forced backwards.

"Fuck you." The room went dark and I smiled.