Recap:
Team Blue Buffalo's: Andy and Jake, score: 2366.
Team Red Tigers: Cody and Valentine, score: 2326.
Teammates of the Blue Buffalo's: Brad Jackson, Owen Thompson, Dylan Adams, Damian Miller, and Juan Chavez.
Teammates of the Red Tigers: Brandon Wilson, Marcos Hernandez, Simon Harris, Brent Walker, and Seth Tyson.
Teammates that experienced 'release': Brent, Owen, Seth, Juan, Dylan, Simon, Damian and Brandon
Teammates that still need a 'helping hand': Brad and Marcos.
Guys in the control room: Mike and Tristan.
Both hallways were short and continued in stairs that led up. Jake and Andy continued their way on the stairs and so did Cody and Valentine on their side. Despite that they were barefoot, the stairs didn't feel unpleasant or cold or anything. About one store higher, there were metal doors at the end of both stairways that automatically opened.
The doors opened and allowed the jocks to enter a new room. Cody and Valentine arrived from the left side and Jake and Andy from the right. Again this room was empty apart from a few heating pipes and broken machines. The room was about 6 by 4 meters in size. There were 2 metal doors on the other side again, one with a blue dot painted on it and the other with a red one. There was a small table at the end of the room, the guys made their way steadily through the room while they chatted and caught up.
"Hey what's this? Do I see those red pussies sweat?" Andy said teasingly to Valentine, referring to their last game. Andy and Jake had a proud look on their face now that they were back in the lead again with 40 points.
"Oh shut it! You only one because Brandon has too big of a meat stick and Damian has the stamina of a geek!" Valentine said in defense, which made Jake and Andy just chuckle.
"That meathead is so going to get it when we're out of here and Valentine and I win this game." Cody said with a smirk on his face.
"Yeah right, keep dreaming girly. Andy and I are back in the lead and we're not going to give that back." Jake chuckled, patting Cody on his shoulder.
Cody had to admit that the last game was pretty fun, despite his team losing. But there were still some questions raging through his mind about this place, about who captured them. From the video before the last game, he knew they were in the abandoned Dreesmans Dairy Factory. But it was still unclear who kept them prisoner here.
"Hey guys, look at this." Jake said. Jake stood next to the small table on the end of the room, the rest of the guys closed in. A piece of paper was laying on the table, on closer inspection, it appeared to be a math test.
Jake took the math test up, it was already filled in, and whoever made it seemed to be quite the expert on it, there was a big, red A+ written on top of the paper. "What is the meaning of this?" Andy asked, "How is this going to help us further?"
Jake's eyes widened as soon as he saw which name was written on the paper. He looked at the other guys and turned the paper towards them so they could have a look at the name. All 3 of them made the same surprised reaction.
'Valentine Battaglia' was the name written on the paper.
"You have an A+ for math?!" Jake asked surprised.
"Wait, I have?" Valentine asked, just as surprised as the rest as he clearly had no memory of this event. Surely he would remember an A+.
Cody was thinking things through in the meantime after he saw Valentine's name.
"How...just...how?? You suck at math!" Andy said.
"I don't know, honestly I don't remember it." Valentine said, scratching his head.
"Maybe you had a drink before class. Remember that you always have your bright moments when you're drunk?" Andy said.
"Ah yeah! That's true..." Valentine chuckled, "Remember that time that we wanted to make the dormitory stairs a slippin' slide with a mattress and..."
"What's the date on the paper?" Cody asked suddenly.
Jake looked at the paper again, "Errr...November the 12th" he said.
Cody's eyes raged over the ground as he was thinking. "Valentine never made a math test on that date." he said, "We had a really important practice that day and he was required to join...
We made someone else do the test" Cody said as he dug in his memory.
"Tristan" he said, his face facing forward again. "Tristan Kane"
-
"So, what's in it for me?" Tristan asked after he looked over the math test.
"You're ass is saved from a beating for a week" Valentine replied smirking as he made some pushups on the ground, readying himself for practice. They were in the dormitory of the Red Tigers. Valentine was barechested, doing some pushups while Tristan was sitting behind the desk in the room. Cody leaned against the wall with his Red Tigers jack on.
"Very funny Valentine" Tristan said, "The one time someone does you a favor..."
"Tristan, relax, he doesn't mean it." Cody said, trying to calm the tension. "He is just all worked up and ready for practice." he said as he closed in on the desk where Tristan was behind.
"You must understand how important this day is for us." Cody said. "The match against the Storm Eagles is in two days, so now we have the chance to perfect everything."
"Yeah smartass, be glad you're part of a big purpose." Valentine said, as he jumped up from the ground. Tristan looked at the bare-chested and sweaty Valentine and couldn't help but gulp. "Who knows one day, when you're doing your part for the team, you'll be even more popular as me," Valentine said.
"It's more popular THAN me." Tristan corrected him irritated.
"Just focus on Valentine's math test, brainiac." Cody said as he patted Tristan on the head. "We have to go, the team is waiting for us." Cody said as he threw his gym bag over his shoulder. "That test better is done when we're back!" he said.
Tristan turned to the paper, doubted a second, and looked back to the guys who were about to leave.
"Valentine, what are you going to do when you HAVE to face a test that you are not prepared for and you can't escape from?" Tristan asked.
Valentine made an irritated face. "What? That's not my problem! I will use another nerd to make it for me to get away from it." he said
A smirk grew on Tristan's face. "But what if you can't get away from the inevitable?" he asked, whispering.
"I...Just...Just do what I'm paying you to do!" Valentine shouted.
"You're not paying me." Tristan replied.
"Get to work faggot!" Valentine shouted the last time before slamming the door shut.
-
"I completely forgot about him." Valentine said after hearing Tristan's name. "Well, we went straight to the bar after training, so I really didn't bother I think." he said.
"Tristan Kane? Yeah, I know that name." Jake said, "Wasn't he the really smart guy that followed Technology and Electrical Engineering at your campus?" Jake asked.
Cody nodded, "He won 3 prizes at the Tech Contest last year...also a 'student of the year award.'" Cody said, rubbing his chin. "You know what I think, I think he has us trapped here." he said.
Andy raised his shoulders, "And why would that be?" he asked.
Cody rolled his eyes and showed Andy the magnetic locks on his arms. "Err, hello! High-tech locks. A-grade engineering student. Do I need to spell this out for you?!"