It's a bright, perfect day as Eliana walks from her dorm to campus. Today was her last exam, and after that, she'll finally be free for the next few months. She can't wait for all the free time, even if she'll probably just rot in bed, binge-watch Netflix, and devour books.
Taking the longer route through the small forest because the view is prettier, she debates whether to celebrate with pasta or maybe something a little fancier—she deserves it, after all.
Then, out of nowhere, a hand clamps over her mouth.
What the hell? Is this some kind of prank? But the grip is tight, painful. Real. Her survival instincts kick in.
Eliana thrashes, clawing at the stranger's grip, but it's useless. A sharp, chemical scent fills her nose. Wait. Why does she feel dizzy? She's not in real danger, right? Right?? But then her vision fades to black, and she falls unconscious.
---
When Eliana opens her eyes, she's lying in a massive... ballroom? What the fuck? Why is she here and what is going on?
Her head is pounding as she looks around. Over two dozen people stand around her, all too serious, almost like soldiers. Suddenly, a voice booms from the front.
"Welcome to the Assassins' Academy, new recruits! Today—"
Eliana is too shocked to process the rest of what the man says. What does he mean by Assassin's Academy?
At the front of the room stand five men, all imposing and terrifying. They seem scary but she has to say something and find out what is going on. This all must be some kind of mistake.
"Uh, sorry, but what kind of joke is this? This is seriously not funny," she says, her voice unsteady. Her hands are clammy, her heart pounding as she steps forward—only to be punched straight in the gut.
Pain explodes through her stomach as the air is knocked from her lungs. She doubles over, falling to her knees, gasping for breath. She only tried to talk to them and he just hit her as if it is something normal. What is this place?!
"Cobra, don't be so rough this early on," another man scolds, pulling the attacker back by his shoulder.
The man who had first spoken kneels beside her. "You are at the Assassins' Academy. It is an honor to be here, outsiders are rarely allowed. I'm Isaak something like a principal here. Now, step back in line and wait for your inspection."
Eliana stares at him, utterly baffled.
Is this man serious? Assassins' Academy? Inspection??
She doesn't understand anything anymore, but one thing is becoming painfully clear—this is no joke.
"This has to be a mistake! I was on my way to college—someone kidnapped me. I don't belong here!"
She forces herself to her feet and bolts for the nearest door to run away. Just escaping from these scary looking men is the only thing on her mind right now. But before she takes more than two steps, Isaak grabs her by the hair and shoves her back into line.
"Stay in line. That is my last warning," he barks, his commanding tone brooking no argument. He then returns to the front, standing beside the other men.
Eliana is in shock. How is everyone else standing here so calmly? She wants to run again but is too scared what they could do next if she tried again.
This feels like a twisted nightmare. She tunes out the voices of the men, lost in her own panic and fear. One by one, the recruits are called forward, until she is the only one left.
When her turn finally comes, someone leads her into a large office, where the five men from earlier are waiting. Isaak sits behind an over-the-top, extravagant wooden desk. Cobra, the one who had punched her, leans against the window and stares at her. The other three men are scattered around the room.
"Eliana Demi, 19 years old, computer science major in college. Is that correct?" Isaak reads from a document.
"Y-yes, that's right, but like I said earlier, this must be a mistake. I'm not supposed to be here—"
Isaak cuts her off. "Shut up. You speak only when spoken to. Now, strip."
Eliana stares at him, wide-eyed.
"W-what…?" This has to be a joke. He can't be serious.
One of the men—she still doesn't know his name—laughs at her reaction. "Come on, stupid little girl. Take off your clothes. Strip."
She looks up at him. He's covered in tattoos, a menacing grin stretched across his face. In his hand he plays with a dagger which only makes her more afraid.
"I... I will not do such a thing. Have you lost your minds?! Why the hell should I strip? If you don't let me go immediately, I will…" She tries to think of a threat but what could she do to these men? "… I will call the cops!"
Her hands quickly dart to her pockets, only to find them empty. Her phone is gone. Whoever kidnapped her must have taken it.
Shit.
"I said shut up," Isaak repeats, his voice cold and unbothered. "We need to inspect you to determine your value and what we need to improve. After the physical exam, you'll take a test to estimate your intelligence. I'll ask one last time, take off your clothes, or we will do it for you."
Eliana's pulse pounds in her ears. As if she would ever strip for them!
"Fuck all of you!" she spits and turns for the door. She's too scared to think clearly. She just wants to run, to be back in her dorm and be safe.
A strong arm wraps around her waist, yanking her back.
"Stop! You have no right to do this!" she screams, kicking and flailing. Her nails dig into someone's face and she feels skin tear.
"You fucking bitch!" the tattooed man growls, blood dripping from four red gashes across his cheek. "You're going to regret that."
She stumbles back, eyes wide, but before he can strike, another man steps in.
He's blond, his features softer. He almost looks kind.
"Damon, calm down. We won't get anywhere like this," he says, placing a hand on the angry man's shoulder and guiding him to sit.
Then he turns to her. "Hi. I'm Theodore but you can call me Theo. We don't want to hurt you unnecessarily. If you cooperate, we can finish this quickly. Then you'll get a room to rest. Does that sound okay?"
He smiles—charming, almost gentle but it doesn't have the wanted affect. He unnerves her with his overly kind attitude. Theo takes a slow step forward, like approaching a frightened animal.
She wraps her arms around her exposed chest. Her bra's still on, but she feels exposed, humiliated.
Should I go along with it? Just for now? Maybe I can escape once they let their guard down...
She doesn't know what to do. All she knows is: she's scared and want to get away from these men as fast as she can.