Chapter 6: Checkmate

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***Teacher's Pet: Melanie Martinez***

Remember...Remember what? She sighed, looking at the ceiling. The first day she arrived here was about seven weeks ago.  What was there to remember? Every day was the same and meaningless. For a month, she learned she had abilities, and that people were interested in her. Other than that, she was simply a number. She picked up a red tablet and placed it at the top of a game. The tablet made its way down and landed on the number 001. Eleven then dropped her tablet all over the floor. She looked at her. 

"Eleven are you okay?" She asked. Eleven nodded, and she helped her pick up the red tablet on the floor.  Eleven looked unsure, looking ahead of her. She turned to look and saw Five and Three looking at her. Three had a drop of blood running down his nose. 

"You open to something a little more challenging?" He said behind her. She turned around and looked up at him. Bright blue eyes. She smiled and nodded. He took a chessboard and placed it on the table. They sat down, facing each other. Even sitting, she slightly had to look up to look at him in the eyes. Eleven continued playing at her game, determined to hit the number 003. 

"Try not to show any emotions as I speak, okay? Just keep playing the game if you understand." She looked at the chessboard, picked up a piece, look at him, and carefully placed it forward.

"Two is still in the infirmary recovering." She frowned. It had been a week since this incident. "He's being watched now, but once he is released, he and the others... They will hurt Eleven."

"We need to protect her. Always have an eye on her, whether it's you, or me." He nodded.

"There's a reason why Two and the others were able to escape their rooms a few nights ago. Why the security cameras were turned off. I think "Papa" allowed that to happen."

"That doesn't make sense, I'm able to turn them on and off as I please. Why would "Papa" allow that?"

"That's my concern."

"That's how I was able to come into your room that one time, the only reason I got caught was that I didn't think there would be cameras in the corridors as well." She replied with a stoic face and play a piece, killing one of his knights. He didn't reply, but his facial expression changed. "No emotions,  remember?" She said with a smirk.

"...That changes everything...How?"

"I don't know, I just did."

"In theory, that should've triggered an alarm."

"You know that more than I do."  He placed a piece and then looked proud. "Checkmate."

"What does that mean?"

"Game is over. I won." He simply replied. She sighed. 

"We'll talk more about it later. In my room." She felt her heart jump. "When you go do your tests today, look for cameras...I know where they are in my section. Once you come back, I'll tell you where they are. You need to close every single one and reopen them once you leave." One of his arms snaked under the table and rested on her leg. He gently gripped her thigh. Their hands slightly touched and she swallowed her saliva. Her hands were becoming sweaty. He leaned in. "I will be waiting for you," He whispered and looked at her lips. 

The doors opened

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The doors opened. He removed his hand. He corrected his posture and made sure he was sitting straight, at the back of the chair. He was so bold.  She had to compose herself. 

"Fourteen, go to the black room. Papa wants to see you. Ten, you need to go to the A-room. Twenty, B-Room." She looked at him one last time. He smirked. She looked away and felt her face becoming hot. He was doing that on purpose. She walked away from the room and started looking for cameras. One. Two. Only two? That was going to be simple. She arrived at B-Room. Another assistant of "Papa" was there.

"Hello, Twenty!"

"Hi," She replied and sat down at the table. 

"My name is Timothee, I'll be the one helping you today." He said with a smile. She nodded and looked down at the object on the table.

"Today, you will have to memorize a few things, you can do that right?"

"Yes," She replied before looking at the images. 


                                                  [...]


"Great work Twenty," Timothee said. "Let's go back to the Rainbow room now." 

"Yes." They both stood up. He opened the door.

"After you." He smiled. She smiled back and walked into the corridor. He looked a bit young to be working here. Around the same age as Peter for sure.  

"Are you... New?" She asked 

"Yes, I am. I'm Dr. Brenner's son." He said. 

"Oh, okay." She replied. He opened the door to the Rainbow Room.

"I hope to work more with you Twenty," Timothee said before walking away and closing the doors. She looked at him, and he was sitting with Eleven. He was looking behind her, angry. She frowned and turned around to see Timothee walking away. She looked back at him. He smiled at her, then went back to playing chess with Eleven.

"Hi" She said while sitting at the table.

"Hi," Eleven replied with a smile.

"Welcome back," He answered. "Who was he?" She shrugged.

"New guy." 

"Oh." There was a silence. That was unusual for him. 

"I found all the cameras. Only two of them." She said. He smiled.

"Good. Once you make it, knock three times, with two seconds in between each. At 12:10.  I'll know it's you then." He said before moving a piece. He looked at Eleven. "Checkmate." Eleven sighed and rolled her eyes. 

"How?" Eleven asked frustrated.

"I always win." The doors opened, and one of the assistants walked into the room.

"Dinner time. Everybody in the cafeteria." She looked at him. 

"I'll see you tonight." He reassured.

"Tonight." She said before walking away with Eleven. Dinner went by fast. She quickly left for her bedroom, and she started to wait. She read a few books, completed a few puzzles and then the clock showed 12:10. It was time. She carefully opened her bedroom door and closed the first camera she came across. She walked into the corridor in silence and closed the second camera she came across. She arrived at the door separating the two sections. She unlocked it, and carefully closed the first and second cameras of the other section.  She walk down the hallway and looked at the third camera. The only one left until she reached him.  She carefully closed it and then she smiled. She turned the corridor and saw his room. Her breathing became faster, and she felt a knot in her chest. She was nervous, but the good kind. She looked at the doorknob, then the name next to the door. "Peter Ballard."  She carefully knocked three times, 2 seconds in between each knock like he instructed her.  She waited for a few seconds, but no reply. She twisted the door knob. It was unlocked. She opened the door and entered the room. He wasn't in his bed. Then she heard the door close behind her.



"You made it." 










**Hello! Thank you for 1.2k <3 it's so appreciated. I was wondering, do we like gifs or not? I won't put an overwhelming amount, but just to give a touch more and a visual of what's going on. Tell me in the comments! 

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