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The complaints confirm my assessment—most were acquired through deception rather than informed participation, their families likely paying substantial sums for what they believed was merely advanced matchmaking rather than potential death sentence.

Some clearly come from positions of significant privilege, their indignation carrying the unmistakable tone of those unaccustomed to circumstances beyond their control.

Their terror fills the air with chaotic pheromones—stress hormones and fear markers creating a toxic atmospheric cocktail that would overwhelm anyone without specialized training or enhanced resistance.

The biological impact alone would significantly compromise decision-making capacity for standard subjects, another layer of institutional manipulation operating beneath conscious awareness.

I remain motionless as chaos intensifies, maintaining tactical advantage through calm assessment while others waste precious energy on emotional reactions that achieve nothing.

My respiration maintains precise rhythm—four counts in, seven counts hold, eight counts release—circulation and oxygenation optimized for cognitive clarity despite environmental degradation.

Riot detaches from her position near the wall, moving with deliberate casualness toward my location.

Her approach carries none of the hesitation displayed during our previous interactions, suggesting a fundamental shift in relational dynamics now that institutional hierarchies have been temporarily suspended.

She positions herself beside me with comfortable familiarity, head tilting slightly in nonverbal acknowledgment of our shared tactical awareness amid surrounding panic.

The subtle scent of her natural signature reaches me clearly despite the chaotic olfactory environment—distinctive notes suggesting similar genetic modifications to my own, though through different methodology and implementation.

Not random. Another Blackwood project participant, perhaps? Or parallel program with similar objectives?

"I guess you're going down?" she asks quietly, voice pitched below the surrounding commotion.

I study her with measured assessment, noting the confidence that replaces previous submission—this is clearly her natural state rather than the carefully constructed compliance she demonstrated as a researcher. Her pupils maintain perfect stability despite the chaotic environment, another indicator of specialized training designed to overcome instinctive responses under stress.

"Well, are you planning to go up?" I counter, testing boundaries of this potential alliance while maintaining necessary caution.

She smiles then—a genuine expression that transforms her features from institutional blandness to distinctive individuality. The change reveals a small scar at the corner of her mouth previously concealed through careful facial control—another piece of evidence suggesting an extensive history beyond the researcher role she portrayed.

"I'll need to go down only one level," she confides, eyes carrying unexpected determination. "I know without a doubtone of the Alphas who saved me is down there. Then the rest have to be upward."

The admission catches me off guard despite years of training in emotional concealment. This omega has a rescue mission paralleling my own—seeking individuals who facilitated previous escape, returning voluntarily to retrieve what institutional separation stole.

Not a coincidence. Press has deliberately gathered subjects with similar motivations but divergent methodologies—maximum dramatic potential through parallel narrative structures.

The realization confirms my developing theory regarding the true purpose of this elaborate staging—not merely evaluation but entertainment, performance rather than simple research protocol.The resources invested suggest an audience beyond standard institutional personnel, viewers with sufficient wealth and influence to demand sophisticated production values for their entertainment.

I offer a single nod, not particularly interested in her specific objectives but intrigued by the unexpected similarity in our circumstances.

"So rational," I observe, studying her with renewed assessment. "Have you always been this way?"

The question carries multiple layers—genuine curiosity alongside tactical probe, personal interest disguising intelligence gathering.

Her response would provide valuable insight regarding both individual history and potential reliability as a temporary ally during initial navigation phases.

Before she can answer, movement draws our attention to the chamber's center where the remaining omegas have segregated into identifiable groups based on apparent strategy selection.

The largest contingent—seven in total—huddles near the door marked "EXIT," their expressions carrying desperate hope that defies logical assessment of institutional reality.

Their positioning reveals classic panic dynamics—hierarchical arrangement with most dominant personality centered and others arranged in proximity based on perceived value as allies or shields.

A tall brunette with aristocratic features clearly dominates this particular formation, her body language and vocal patterns establishing authority through sheer volume and repetition rather than legitimate expertise.

Others cluster around her not from genuine recognition of leadership capacity but from desperate need for direction in circumstances exceeding their experiential frameworks.

"Fuck this," she declares loudly, apparently self-appointed leader based on the others' deferential positioning. "I'm not playing some sick game. We're getting out of here now."

Her declaration carries forced confidence that fails to completely mask underlying terror—voice pitched slightly too high, hands gesticulating with excessive movement, eyes darting continuously despite attempts to project certainty.