"I can't believe that brat!" Itzel stomped her foot. Both BRUTEs turned towards her, their guns clicking as they adjust their arms to angle the weapons towards her. "Oh, you're not going to blast me!"

"Itzel!" Janus shouted out.

"If they wanted to kill us, they would have done so by now. Don't you get it Janus? Aren't you supposed to be a scientist? You should have figured it out by now that they don't want us dead because these lunatics get some sick gratification by forcing us to watch their even sicker hunt! I'm not going let them do that without putting up a fight!" She shut her eyes and clenched her fists, trying with all her might to break free from the shackles of the chair's arm.

"You've got to calm down, Itzel. We're stuck here for the time being. And you injuring yourself or letting one of these robots blast to bits is not going to help anyone. Especially not Gurk."

"Then what do you suggest we do, Janus? I'm all ears! I'll try anything that supposedly big brain of yours comes up with!"

"We... just wait a bit."

"To enjoy the show?"

"No. That guy with the cowboy hat said he'll talk to Sheila. We should at least wait for him to return and listen to what he has to say."

"He's in on this too! And it didn't sound like he wanted to talk to Sheila about letting us free to me. Seemed more like he was trying to get back in her good graces!"

"It's the only lead we got right now! We either wait for him or we just give up and let these BRUTEs blast us to bits!" Janus' voice raised to match Itzel's. "The longer we're alive, the more likely we are to finding a solution that gets us out of this mess and on our way to helping Gurk."

"Oh, so a zero percent chance going against a .1 percent chance? Yeah, I'm sure that makes a huge difference, Janus. I'm not going to sit here and let them Broadcast Gurk's murder live in front of us! I'd rather them take me out now!" Tears dripped down her face as she yanked on the restraints again. The entire chair rocked to the side as she grunted from the pain.

"Getting yourself hurt won't be of any help either. I say we wait things out."

"What did I just say?"

"You did say that you'd be willing to try out any idea I had. Being patient is part of the scheme that I've got cooking up in my head right now."

Itzel tilted her head against the cushions of her seat. She breathed in through her mouth and tried to let her muscles relax. "Fine. I'll wait. But I'm being honest, Janus. Once that Broadcast starts... I-I don't know how long I'll be able to last."

"I get it. But until then... just be vigilant."

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Janus stared at the BRUTE in front of him. He focused on the gun. On various elements of the robot. His mind worked to formulate multiple plans, but with every possible start to an idea, his eyes darted back to the shackles. Come on Bodahn... Janus thought to himself. I don't know you, but right now I'm counting on you. He tried raising his wrist only to be reminded of how stuck he and Itzel really were.

The door to the entertainment room opened up once more. Both Janus and Itzel turned their heads around as much as they could, waiting with bated breath to see who had just entered. The sound of the footsteps was reminiscent of heels rather than boots to Janus' dismay. Evelyn walked in between the chairs and stood in front of them, now looking more concerned rather than gracious.

"What's going on in here?" she asked softly. Her hands rested in front of her body, one hand clutching onto the other tightly. She looked at Itzel with a face of utter disappointment before giving the same expression to Janus. "What have you two been talking about since we've been gone?"

"If I wasn't stuck right now," Itzel growled.

"That is no way to talk to a host! Now I may have let you into my home, but I will not let you talk to me like that!" The woman wagged her finger. "Rudeness will not be tolerated in this household!"

"Oh yeah?" Itzel snapped. "I. Don't. Give a—"

As if in slow motion, Janus watched as Evelyn's face transformed from frustrated to pure rage. Before Itzel could say the next work, Evelyn reached over and snatched one of the guns from the hands of the closet BRUTE. She pointed it towards Itzel's face before pulling a lever at the top of the weapon. Long blue lines appeared through the weapons as it made a loud and mechanical whirring sound.

"There will be no swearing in this household, young lady! Did your parents teach you about manners?"

"No. They were too busy trying to feed me instead!"

"That is no excuse! Manners are important too!" Evelyn looked at Janus, while keeping her finger on the gun's trigger and pointed towards Itzel. "Keep your friend in line. If we have to... eject one of you... we'll do the same to the other."

Janus feigned a chuckle. "Come on, Itzel. It is the Grani's home. We play by their rules."

Evelyn nodded her head. "Thank you." She lifted the rifle with one hand upwards before letting it rest on her shoulder with the barrel pointing upwards. Using her other hand, she pulled the same lever that had activated the weapon, making it shut off and return to it's all black color. "Now. That was your first and only warning. The next time a forbidden words escapes your lips... you'll be getting... the treatment." Evelyn placed the gun back in the robot's hands. She dusted off her hands and looked at Itzel with the same condemning glare.

Itzel remained motionless, her lips curving inside her mouth as she struggled to fight off letting profanities escape.

"I am going to start getting everything ready in here for our little viewing party. I do not want to hear a peep from either one of you. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Janus said shakily.

"And you, Itzel? Are you going to mind your manners and let me get the last-minute preparations done?"

There was silence. Itzel entire face squinched as she looked at the other woman with narrowed eyes. "Y-yes. M-ma'am," she said quietly.

"Thank you! Hopefully I can get everything done soon so we can watch every moment of the Hunt!" She clapped her hands together before moving away towards one of the far corners of the room. Even though she was out of the line of sight of the two captives, she made loud sounds as she rummaged through some belongings. She popped back into view, holding a feather duster in one hand and a pan in the other. "Magson and Sheila never clean up their own stuff," Evelyn said softly as she wiped away the dust off the top of a shelf.

Itzel leaned forward in her seat as much as she could, grabbing Janus' attention. She mouthed the word 'crazy' and shook her head.

"I know," Janus replied in silence.