La Muerte Subita

The Time has Come

Jack hadn't slept so well the day of the event.
He'd been awake until two in the morning perfecting his YouTube queue and spending too much time editing the last of his backup content on his laptop. It was still dark in the room when his alarm went off, and he smashed the phone on the bedside table with all the force he could muster at 7 am.
He manages to slide out of the bed and into the shower, at least a touch more productive once the smell of shitty hotel coffee hit his nostrils and he had dried off and dressed himself. Jeans and sneakers seemed appropriate for running, and a dark tee-shirt to hide the sweat, if there was any. A quick blow-dry's and a pair of earrings for the effect, and decides he's as ready as he's willing to be.
He leaves the crappy coffee in the pot.

After gathering his bag and stuffing an extra couple shirts and his camera inside, he trudges downstairs to nibble a bagel and find some real coffee before the car comes to pick him up.
Mark slouching, half asleep and dead behind the eyes was not his first expectation upon entering the dining room of the hotel. He surveys the buffet before toasting a bagel as he prepares his coffee. Once his bagel is buttered and he secures a small helping of cream cheese, he shuffles over and sits himself across from Mark.
"Morning." he offers, taking a sip of his coffee.
Mark blinks at him for a moment, then nods in greeting. He'll take it.
"I didn't know we were staying in the same hotel." he mutters, not sure if Mark is even listening.
He isn't, for a moment, but he nods again after a long pause.
"Yeah, I figured we'd all gotten different hotels. Guess not."
Jack nods and starts munching on the warm bagel.
"Did you eat yet?" he asks.
Mark shakes his head.
"I don't think I want too. I don't want to get sick later, I have no idea what to expect."
He can't help but agree, and he's a little glad when both he and Mark end up in the same car.
He doesn't want to go into this alone.

Both Dan and Phil are already in the waiting room when they arrive. There are fans already gathering outside, behind metal partitions and a few Emporium personnel handing out warm drinks and lighting outdoor heaters around the front. It's nice to see their fans treated so well, and Jack tries to take as many fan photos as he can before he's ushered inside. It hadn't been many, but he was glad to be out of the morning cold and in the warm reception room. The fire was crackling and burning bright, and the smell of espresso was wafting throughout the room.

Behind the front counter was a black haired man with striking hazel eyes who called out to Mark with a wave and an offering of fresh espresso. Mark moved forward to greet him, and accepted two cups of frothing courage and brought one back to Jack where he stood just inside the door.
"Here, man." he says solemnly, "I think we'll need it."
He takes the warm cup and just breathes it in. Savors it.
"Thanks."

There was a lot happening today, and it was starting soon.
He didn't think any of them would get a moment of peace for the rest of the day, so he was treasuring this small amount of time.
At least he and Mark seemed to be getting along, it had been awhile since he had been part of the gang. A while since he had been at Marks side, an equal, almost a friend.
He hopes, maybe at the end of this, they can be friends again.

_ _

Nicole had come for them a while later, and she lead them down a set of low lit halls.
Their first stop was a large medical room with a set of workout machines and a few computers. At the helm of the machinery sat a man, thin and smart in his black denim and button down shirt.
He wore a lab coat and a set of stethoscope around his neck, completing the look of a professional TV doctor.
"Hello, Doctor. These are your patients for today," Nicole announces, catching the man's attention,
"This is Dan, Phil, Mark and Jack, they'll be participating in the charity today. I leave them in your hands."
The man nods as Nicole gestures to each of them with their name before taking her leave.

"Morning, gentlemen. My name is Darren and I'll be assessing you today." the doctor says, eyes focused on the clipboard in his hands;
"We want to be completely sure you can handle all the physical aspects of the game, so we have a few, non-invasive tests before we clear you to start."
He instructs each of them to take off their shirt and sit on the stool in successive order, starting with Jack.
The cold feeling of the stethoscope on his chest was unpleasant but short as the doctor scribbled some notes and motioned that he could put his shirt back on.

It doesn't take long for all four of them to be cleared.

They're collected by Nicole and the same guy from earlier, this time without the amazing espresso. He greets Mark again before going to join the doctor at the back of the room. Jack watches as they step in close, shoulders brushing, and smiles bright as they talk in hushed voices.
He nearly gets left behind, but Mark gently grasps his arm and leads him back out to the hallway where the rest of the group wait.
Jack offers a quiet thank you as Mark lets him go.
Mark assures him it's no problem. He wants to believe it isn't. He wants to believe they're becoming friends again. He lets the moment pass and turns back to the group.

Nicole leads them to a cold, concrete room in the back of the building, walls covered in small holes and the floor a dark carpet where they're left wait for the game to start. All the boys cycled through the bathroom quickly then returning to wait out the preparation. They can faintly hear the fans screaming through the walls and it hypes them up a little as they remember the purpose of being here.

The tension in the room thickens with every minute they wait, and it's a sight for sore eyes when Hanayu walks in, strange contraptions in hand.

"Hello again!" Hanayu greets, stepping in the room with a smile.
They look more professional today, a white button-down polo tucked into a pair of dark denim high-waisted jeans and a pair of brogues so shiny Jack can't take his eyes off them for a moment. They walk over to their little group and hand them each a belt-like things.
"These are your monitors. They will communicate some basic information back to my crew as you move through the game. If one of you reaches critical levels of heart-rate, stress or anxiety, we will stop all personnel from contact with you until you recover, or extract you immediately."
She pauses to hold Jack's belt, gripping the metal bit in the center.
"This part goes over your heart, under your shirt. Press it hard into the skin, until you feel a bit of tingling pain. That way we'll have a clear reading."

Hanayu motions for Jack to pull up his shirt, and he does. They press the metal into his chest, over his heart, and it does hurt a little before it sticks hard onto his skin. She then pulls one side of the cloth belt over his shoulder and the other across his stomach and pulls them together over the center of his back, securing them tightly. Once done, she lets him pull his shirt down; covering the device.
It's completely hidden under his shirt.
"Neat." he breathes.
Hanayu nods decisively; "Alright, get them on! I'll be back in a second, I've got one last thing to do!"

Mark pulls up his shirt and attempts to stick the thing to his chest, and almost dropping it.
He yelps out a curse and fumbles for it before Jack snatches it off the ground.
"Want a little help?" he offers, holding out the device.
Mark nods: "Yeah, please?"
He steps in closer and sets the cold metal over Mark's heart, resting his other hand on a broad shoulder. Mark's muscles are firm and Jack feels them twitch under his fingers as he adds a little pressure,
"Ready?"
Mark chuckles breathily and nods.
He presses the metal down hard and feels it adhere to the skin as Mark flinches slightly. Guilty, Jack hurries to tie the line and step away. Once Mark's shirt is back down the taller man laughs a little and sings;
"Septiplier away!"
It's quiet, but Jack hears it.
It makes his face warm.

_ _

Soon Hanayu is back with Nicole in tow; and they each take one person out the door with them.
Dan is led away, face tense in fear as Nicole takes him down a hallway.
Mark is led away with a smile as Nicole returns for Phil, and Jack is left alone. He's a little colder now that none of his companions are with him, and he suddenly wishes they had been able to say goodbye.
Hanayu jogs into the room and smiles at him.
"Let's go!" They cheer, excited. He lets them lead him out of the room and into yet another hallway, down a flight of stairs through a glass door.
He steps inside a glass box, lined with copper colored metal.
"Alright, hold on." Hanayu warns, closing the door and hooking it down, locking it tight.
It isn't until he watches them run back up the stairs that his stomach drops and he suddenly regrets this entire situation.