Rehnhardt Wahrhaupt paced impatiently back and forth through the hall, having removed his poncho. His suit had to be pristine. And for whatever reason, his mother refused to let him readjust it himself. This very much annoyed Rehn, but he wasn’t going to tell her. He pitied how pathetic her life had become. If she finds some satisfaction from making her young man of a son look presentable, he wasn’t going to take that away. “Mother, hurry it up!” Rehn uttered in German. He looked around, satisfied with himself as others glanced at him uncomfortably. Man, did he enjoy seeing how close minded Americans were. 

“Ja, ja.” His mother said, smiling as she fixed his tie and suit. “Oh, you look so handsome, Rehn! Just like your father…” She said, and sniffed a bit. 

“Ah jeez, mother, don’t get started again.” Rehn scolded, recalling how everytime she begins talking like that she cries, and it makes her look ridiculous. Rehn wouldn’t admit it, but the reason he didn’t like to see her cry in public is because he knows that people will assume she is a weak and pathetic woman for it, and he knows she is very strong.

“Right, right, thank you. Today is a happy day. Oh, Egon should’ve come. You know how he likes his American Football though, and he just had to see the Marburg Mercenaries play.” Rehn barely contains his disgust for the man in his face. At first he was close to Egon, his uncle, his mother’s brother. He took them in after they decided to move back to Germany from Wisconsin. But Egon soon after began to sexually abuse Rehn. The disgusting man kept him from telling anyone by convincing him it would put the final nail in the coffin of his mother, after all that she and Rehn had been through. Rehn was very grateful that Egon did not come to New York with them. He would never forgive him if he had ruined this day. This was going to be the best day of his life. Finally, someone was going to appreciate his genius. “Oh, I wish you two would just get along like the old days.” Rehn looks away and mumbles some response, before turning around to enter the elevator alone before Egon the Wicked could manage to sour the mood by simply being mentioned. “Happy birthday! I love you Rehn!” She calls after, smiling and waving. 

“I know.” 

Rehn stepped off of the elevator into a large room full of all sorts of people. Suddenly, a large man of Polynesian descent knocked right into him, trying to catch a football thrown by some other person. Rehn nearly exploded. 

“Du fool! Are du trying to ruin mein suit?” Rehn yelled.

“Woah, tough words coming from a twink.” The man called. 

“I am not!” Rehn yelled, unsure of what a twink was, but knowing he didn’t like it. Rehn is about to get his ass beat by the man, when a short girl with a name tag saying “Miskolc, Hungary” comes up. She points at the man and waves a finger around, scolding him in another language, apparently Hungarian. 

“Woah, chick, chill out. I’ll leave him alone, so stop speaking crazy.” The dude says, and walks away. As Rehn took a class for Hungarian online for fun, he greets the girl swiftly, and the girl tells him to get a nametag at the front that matches where he’s from. He takes the name tag that says Hessen, Germany, and looks around for other intellectuals. Eventually he sits down and begins reading. Eventually, someone appears on a stage, and announces that information will begin. Rehn follows directions along with a collection of other people to go into another room. The room is quiet, and Rehn and the others are handed tablets and left alone. 

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Congratulations! You have just received the opportunity of a lifetime! Let me explain. Here at the **** **** Corporation, we search the globe for people as special as you! You see, you are here because you are different from normal people. You all share a mysterious genetic mutation called the Magnus Genome which makes you special in some way. The **** **** Corporation has devoted a bounty of funds and resources to help that ‘special’ little thing of yours grow and blossom into a beautiful, wondrous ability! Going forward, just keep in mind: Compliance Is Rewarded! No one likes a troublemaker. Enjoy your time at The **** **** Corporation! 

The room became uneasy as the young adults began looking at each other. 

“What the hell? They told us the school was called the Pepperton Academy. What the hell is this ‘Corporation?’” A man yelled in a southern accent. On his name tag, Virginia, United States. 

“Vell, judging by zhe vording, ve have been scammed. Disappointing to say zhe least.” Rehn said. Another young man, whose name tag said Lakes State, South Sudan, spoke something in frantic Dinka. Rehn asked him to repeat slower, as he knew some Dinka, but the accent and speed was too much for him. Rehn understood him on his second try, and then laughed. “Not likely, mein friend.” 

“What he say?” Someone asked.

“He said zhat he’s scared zhis ist a human trafficking scam. Apparently, in South Sudan, he’s heard of a similar scam und a few days later a bunch of vomen vere being sold. Although I do not like zhis nation very much, I severely doubt that anyzhing like zhat vould ever happen in a first vorld nation.” Rehn said. The Dinka man just nodded his head. The room got awkward. “Vell, I vish I could say es vas a pleasure to meet du all, but I’m a terrible liar. I shall return to my home. Farevell.” Rehn walked smoothly up to the door and tried to turn the door handle. It would not. “Ah, of course. Still buying everyzhing from zhe Chinese, I see. Classy. Nozhing against zhe Chinese of course, I wouldn’t make quality products eizher if I was a child slave.” Rehn once again tries to turn it. He jiggles it a bit. Nothing. “Odd. Perhaps es ist one of zhose doors zhat just pushes open.” He says and pushes against it. He sighs in irritation. He looks over the others, and pulls the man from Virginia over. 

“Yeah, most likely some cheap Chinese bullshit. Ya know Trump was kicking their ass for a while. Let me see if I can figure it out.” The Virginian says, walking over.

“Vait, I zhink I got somezhing, hold on.” Rehn said, and the knob turns very slightly, and seconds later sends a jolt of electricity through his hand. Rehn falls back in pain, right onto the Virginian. Rehn stares at the knob. 

“What the hell? Are you alright?” The Virginian asks. 

“Es… Es shocked me. Not just static electricity, mind du.” Rehn, now wide eyed, looks over to the Dinka man. “Don’t vorry, mein uncle runs a very large company in Germany. He’ll get us out of zhis.” Rehn said, frantically dialing the number. Fuck you Egon. I can’t believe I am asking him for help. He drops the phone as he sees that the signal is being blocked. Suddenly the door swings open, and a man in an all black military getup holding an automatic rifle bursts in. Rehn stands up and points at the man. “Du idiot! Du are trying to kidnap me? Do du know who I am, du stupid American schwein?!” The man just points the gun at him. 

“Shut up kraut.” He says.

“First of all, zhis isn’t 1945, und second of all, mein uncle can pay du however much du vant.” Rehn says.

“I said,” The man raises his hand and smacks Rehn in the face, right over his left eye, sending him to the ground. Rehn clenches his face in pain, as a black eye begins to form, but stays on the ground. “Shut the fuck up. And that goes for everyone here. The Corporation wants you fucks to shut up and go quietly on the transport trucks. If not, we’re gonna have a bit of a fucking problem.” A few people charge at him, and three people are instantly shot and killed. The others, including Rehn, all froze in horror. Shit just got real. Rehn scrambles to stand up. The man opens the door on the opposite side of the room, which leads right into the back of a semi truck. Rehn obediently rushed through it, standing against the far wall of the cargo container, just to get away from that man. Rehn did not know what was going to happen. But he didn’t want to die.