Escaping the Island: You are Invited!

Introduction of the Adventurers

As soon as he entered the room on the ninth floor, they were welcomed by the huge room. It was the only one with a full glass wall, overlooking the city from the high building. It was cool, it was the only time he got to be that high and got to see the city though it was not much beautiful compared to looking at it at night as they were saying, but it was still beautiful as the clear blue sky was making it as a scene to behold.

However, opposite to the beauty of the scene, what was in the middle of the room was a huge table filled with things placed everywhere that seemingly the things that they would be carrying on the island. There were also eight black bags under the table with their names on them and the logo of the Quest Organization which was an animated man wearing an explorer outfit with its face as letter Q. It was interesting for Stuart, it was his first time seeing such a logo.

“Nice to see you all back voluntarily, everyone,” Mr. Jury said with his trademark pleased smile as he eyed each of them. “We do not need to force you all and find you around here if ever, right?”

“Can we just get to the point and stop your not too cordial approach. We’re not here to be friends with you.”

He almost let out a scoff when he heard the man who looked really cool with his blonde-colored hair that seemed to be like the look of an online player these days. He seemed to be the youngest among them, he also had the attitude of a spoiled son. He seemed rich enough with his skin, his smell, and the things clinging on his body like his watch, the necklace, the bracelet, and other things, he seemed to be rich enough to join such adventure, but he bet he was just curious and now stuck with all of this so he was pissed with the man right now.

Mr. Jury eyed him deeply with an obvious distaste of his attitude, but once again, like how he reacted to Marlon he remained quiet and took it professionally. Maybe that was how rich people often acted, they talked less and bottle things up until they couldn't do it anymore and just assassinate people silently. They were scary and hypocrites in their own way.

“Look here,” he just said, pointing to the tables, his smile coming back to his face. “These are the things you are going to bring. See it for yourself, all of you have identical things to make sure you wouldn’t fight over such a small reason.”

Stuart walked to the table and looked over the things they would be carrying. There was a box there, he opened it first and found a few helpful things especially at night such as candles, matches, lighters, flashlights, first aid kits supplies, memory card, spare camera, and other small things that could fit in there. At the side, there was the katana inside its leather case, it seemed that it would be their main weapon if something unexpected happened or if things got out of hand. Hopefully, they wouldn’t need to use that.

He took it out of the leather case, and he was surprised how it shone from the reflection and how he saw his face with how shiny it was. He thought it would be enough to cut off a person's head with just a single slice. He put it back, slightly contented and feeling at each that they could have at least a weapon to fight possible scary and wild animals that might be there. There was also the monopod and the camera that they would, and they should always bring with them as it was one of the main things that they should do which were to record and document everything that would happen there.

The next thing he took was the bag beneath the table, it was open, he found a few rolled clothes there that they might use, there was also a small travel mattress fit enough to be in the bag. There was also another bag full of packed foods and cans that they only needed to reheat, but he hoped there could be food to eat there as well and it was not that much inhabitable that even fruit-bearing trees were not around.

The others checked their things as well with interest and curiosity, thinking how they could use such things within one month of stay. But for him, it seemed to be a luxurious package to him already because of the food that he had in his bag, the meaning was that his food for the coming month would be covered and he didn't have to think of what should he eat unlike before when he just had to stay in his house and wait for the food to fall on his roof, the reason why he didn’t have anything at all.

“You have to document yourselves from the very start of the morning tomorrow until you are on the island. The only requirement that we would give you was that the camera should always be on, even when you are sleeping. It is directly connected with our computers so we are monitoring you all too, and the videos will be directly saved on our files if for instance, you stopped recording or the camera broke,” Mr. Jury explained, he was now sitting on the chair just across the table while observing them all silently as if already making a bet who would survive and who would not.

As he said those, Stuart took the camera and checked it. It was a Canon Powershot G7X camera that he could check himself on the screen on top, he angled his face, and he could say that he was pretty much satisfied with the quality of the camera as he looked handsome, maybe if he would at least cut or tie his hair.

“About your goals, there was a black bag inside your bag, it would certainly be enough to gather the things you have to get. The gems and stones are not that huge, except the fossils,” he added and informed them, and once again, Stuart checked it. He found the bag on the side pocket, and as he pulled it out and checked how huge it was, the gems and even the largest fossil they would find would really fit there, two people could even be inside it.

“What if we fail to bring the things here but are able to come back? Would we be able to get the prize?” the woman who was the last one to pass the contract whose name was Debbie raised a question that had all of their attention caught since it was interesting.

The man shrugged, “You got nothing. That’s all.”

“But can we do that?” she added, “Can we go home as soon as we get there?”

“Maybe they could, Miss Coleman, but you cannot,” he said dimly, “That’s not how it works for you, I fear. Plus, you can only have one speedboat, and if one of you comes home without the others and uses the boat, then sorry to the rest, they would only be fetched after a week or so. So, will you be selfish and leave the others? It’s your choice.”

For the first time ever, they looked at each other and met eyes, as if reckoning who would, among them, do such a selfish act. If Stuart would be honest, it would either be Marlon, or the spoiled kid.

“Since you already have checked the things you would be using-”

“Excuse me.” Stuart raised his hand and interrupted the man. “May I request something?”

Mr. Jury stood up and eyed him through squinted eyes, the others did it as well, curious to what he would ask. “As long as we could provide and allow it. Tell me.”

“A gun. I want a gun for myself.”

He was a guard, of course, he was more used to using such weapons rather than the katana, though he knew how to swish and swoosh, but it would be better if he had a gun for a long-range fight when he needed to.

The man seemed to be thinking for a while, then he shrugged again, “Okay. I’ll provide each of you with a gun. After all, we need you all to survive since you have our future treasures to yourself.”

Of course, it was obvious by all the things that they had in their bags that they wanted them safe, but not because they would be held compensated if something happened to them, but because of the amount of money they would make from the things they would gather from there would be more than a fortune and would immediately gain back the prize they would give them.

As he read further from the internet about the Quest Organizations yesterday night when he woke up in the middle of the night and had nothing else to do since he had no food to eat, that was mainly how they earn their money, the Quest Organization sent people to multiple adventures, documented their journey and made it into monetized vlogs. Then that wasn’t only it, they would set adventures where there were fortune and new treasures to be found just like this.

Whoever thought of this organization indeed knew how to take advantage of the natural resources as well as the people.

“If that is all that you’re going to ask, though I am not accepting anything, we should head to the sixth floor for the video of your introduction for the vlog. Just for you to be aware, the organization has decided to turn this per episode, you all would definitely turn into participants so you have to introduce yourselves.”

“What is this, a game? Ridiculous!” Debbie exclaimed contemptuously, throwing her hand in the air in anger at how this adventure suddenly turned into a raging beer and skittles to people. It was indeed outrageous. But they were prisoners now.

The man just looked at her. It seemed that because of the debts she had to them, her opinion didn't matter to them anymore. She was basically under their hands, she had no escape in here however she wanted and Stuart felt pity for her.

Mr. Jury walked past them, “I’ll have people gather your things and bring them to your rooms, for now, come and follow me for the introduction.”

He went in the elevator and waited for them, putting his hands inside his pockets as he held the lift through his foot, waiting for them to enter. The others looked at Debbie then shrugged before they went toward the elevator until Stuart and Debbie were the only ones left. He looked at her for a while, he met her furious eyes, then he walked toward the lift.

Eventually, the woman just then followed. They were led to the sixth floor where they found a few doors as well, but they went inside the door in the center. The light there almost blinded them as soon as they entered the room, it was full of lighting, and they knew then that they would not only make an introduction but for a photo shoot as well, or whatever the organization would make them do just for their own profit.

“Think of your own introduction, state your name or whatever you want to say like marketing yourselves to the viewers.”

“Why would we do that?” Stuart asked in annoyance.

“Would that make us famous?” A man asked, he also looked young, maybe as the age of the spoiled boy that they could go along with each other if they would want, but it seemed like they would never as the spoiled boy was egocentric, and the other seemed to be prideful.

“Of course, it would make people aim for you to succeed and if you are interesting enough, then they would watch and support you, and when you came back, you would instantly make a fan club.”

Stuart tutted at how the man ignored him, now he knew how the woman felt whenever she was being ignored, he wanted to hold his face and fix his gaze on him so he could answer his question. But he knew better not to go against rich people.

“I’ll go first then,” the spoiled boy volunteered, grinning boyishly.

They were tasked to change into a black jacket provided by the organization. It had the logo of the organization on the right and the word Quest written above it. As the young man said, Drake Carter, he went first. His blonde hair was pushed back, sharpening his visage, he looked very much like a son of a rich kid, and Stuart knew there that he would be the person to be supported by a lot of people because of his look.

“I am Drake Carter, a participant of this adventure. Support me, and wait for my autograph once I come back.” He winked, and if there were women around the room, then they might squeal, but even though the two women were with them, they just stared at the boy blankly, clearly not swayed and unimpressed.

The others went next, and by their introductions, he learned their names. Their introduction was just short, and their photos for some certain use which he didn’t know were also quick. After Drake was the other young man whose name was Craig Lucas, he had no reaction, appearing to be cold, probably only his strategy as he looked really cool.

“My name is Craig Lucas, I am confident to be back after a month. Make sure to keep your eyes on me.”

“My name is Marlon Woolery. I am going to be rich after this so you better support me. Two billion is for me.”

“I am Nina Romero. I will make sure to give you entertaining content while we leap on this adventure.”

“I am Emerson Moreno. I will go out whether you support me or not.”

“My name is Stephan Gildon. See you in a month.”

“My name is Debbie Coleman. Keep your eyes off of me.”

Then it came to his turn. Stuart went in the middle where all the lights were focused on. He was almost blinded by it and couldn’t even open his eyes, but the person behind the camera chided him to just look at the camera so he did and tried. He thought of what he would say there, the others’ words were not interesting enough to have a competition on the support of the viewers, after all, that was the last thing they would mind once they were all on the island so he didn’t think of his line much. The person behind the camera counted one to three for a picture, then right after, he started the video.

“I am Stuart Hargraves, one of the people to be on the adventure. Don’t be surprised about what you will see in the vlog.”