Finn's POV
The room filled with chatter, the Black Elites exchanging ideas and finalizing the schedule for tonight's Midnight Scavenger event. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on all of us. This was the event that would make or break us, the one that determined our standing for the rest of the year. 
I glanced down at the program papers in front of me, the intricate schedule of games, each name carefully chosen, each target identified. Everything had to be perfect. No mistakes. But the barking and unnecessary conversations happening around the table were starting to get on my nerves.
"Focus," I muttered under my breath. "This isn’t a joke."
Just then, the door swung open with a loud creak. Every head turned, the room growing silent for a split second. Nathalie stood there, her eyes scanning the room before stepping in.
"What the hell is the leader of the Blue Elites doing in a Black Elite meeting?" one of the Black Elites snarked, leaning back in their chair with a smirk.
Nathalie didn’t respond. Not a single word. Instead, she walked over to the empty chair in the corner, dropped the stack of papers on the table, and crossed her arms, closing her eyes as if she couldn’t be bothered by the hostility in the room.
I clenched my fist, ready to shut that person up, but before I could, Emery stood from her chair, slowly, deliberately. The tension in the room spiked as soon as she moved. Everyone knew what that meant.
"I was the one who invited Nathalie," Emery said, her voice low but cold, cutting through the room like ice. "If you have a problem with that, you can leave and hand me your Black Token. You're not here because of skill, remember?"
The silence that followed was absolute. Nobody dared speak. Emery’s presence alone was enough to crush anyone's ego. She had this way of making you feel small without raising her voice.
I took a deep breath, stepping in before things escalated. “Let’s just get this started,” I said, flipping through the papers in front of me. “The students are already gathering in the event hall. We’re wasting time.”
I began handing out the observation schedules, passing them one by one to each Black Elite. "Your job is to watch these students closely during the Midnight Scavenger. These are our targets this year. You’ll be responsible for their performance and progress."
I handed a folder to the person who made the sarcastic comment earlier, making sure my eyes stayed locked on them for an extra second before moving on.
“These names,” I continued, “were finalized by Emery herself. No changes. No complaints. This is how we’re running things.”
Just as I was about to move on, Nathalie’s voice cut through the room, sharp and irritated. “Why the hell is James on my list?”
I didn’t even look at her. “It was finalized by Emery,” I repeated, my tone flat. “You don’t get to question it.”
I knew what Nathalie wanted. She wasn’t interested in James. Her eyes had been on Abigail for weeks now, watching her every move. But tonight wasn’t about her personal vendettas. It was about the bigger picture. And right now, she didn’t get to choose.
“Nathalie,” I said, my voice firm, “this event is bigger than whatever you have in mind. You’re not in charge here. You follow the plan.”
The room grew tense again, the heat between us almost palpable. I could see the anger simmering in her eyes. She wanted to argue, to push back, but she knew better. Especially with Emery in the room, watching everything like a hawk.
And then, Nathalie let out a sarcastic laugh, her arms still crossed. “Oh, I get it now. So, you’ll be the one observing her, huh?”
I shot her a glare, my temper flaring. “Watch it, Nathalie. This isn’t a game.”
She leaned back in her chair, clearly enjoying the fact that she’d gotten under my skin. “Feels like one to me.”
I was about to fire back when Emery finally spoke again, her voice calm but dripping with authority. “Fine,” she said, standing up. “It’s settled. Finn, exchange your schedule with Lucas. He’ll handle Abigail. You’ll take on whoever’s assigned to Nathalie’s list. While you, Nathalie. Handle who over on Finn's schedule.”
I bit my tongue, knowing better than to argue. It didn’t matter what I wanted right now. Emery was the one calling the shots. And she was right. We couldn’t afford to waste time on petty disagreements.
“And remember,” Emery added, her gaze sweeping over the room, landing on me, Nathalie, and Lucas, “if any of you mess this up, you know where you will be put into. There’s no room for failure. Not this time.”
Her words hung in the air like a heavy weight. We all knew what that meant. This event wasn’t just about ranking students. It was about proving our worth. And failure wasn’t an option.
Emery turned, walking toward the door. “Now stop wasting time and get moving,” she said over her shoulder, her tone final. And with that, she left, the door closing with a soft click behind her.
For a moment, nobody moved. The tension in the room was still thick, the silence deafening. Then I stood, grabbing Nathalie's papers. “You heard her. Let’s go.”
As I walked past Nathalie, I caught her eye, and for a split second, we locked gazes. There was no sarcasm this time, no smirk. Just understanding. We both knew what was at stake.
Without another word, I headed for the door, my mind already racing. Tonight was going to be one of the biggest nights of our lives. And failure wasn’t an option.
The event room was packed with students, the air humming with a mix of excitement and nerves. Shadows of the dimly lit chandeliers stretched across the floor, giving the whole room a tense, eerie feel. Students whispered among themselves, eyes darting around, some excited, others terrified. This wasn’t just any event, it was ‘The’ event. The Midnight Scavenger was a rite of passage for those who dared aim for the top.
I stood on Emery's left, arms crossed, trying to look as calm as possible. Lucas was on her right, scanning the room, his face unreadable. Everything was riding on this. We had spent weeks planning, and now, it was all about to unfold.
Emery stepped forward, her presence commanding the room. She didn't have to raise her voice to get everyone’s attention; the room fell silent as soon as she opened her mouth. Her eyes swept across the crowd, cold and piercing.
"Welcome," she began, her voice smooth but filled with a hidden edge. "Tonight marks the start of something you’ll either remember or regret for the rest of your lives."
The room grew even quieter. You could feel the unease rippling through the students, especially those who had no idea what they were in for.
"As you all know," Emery continued, pacing slowly across the stage, "The Midnight Scavenger is not just a game. It’s a test. A test of your strength, your intelligence, your loyalty." She paused, her eyes landing on a few particular students, including Abigail. "Tonight, we separate the weak from the strong. The ones who deserve to be here from the ones who don’t."
I glanced at Lucas. He seemed just as focused, watching the students, ready for anything. We both knew this event could go sideways if anyone tried to cheat or break the rules.
"The rules are simple," Emery said, stopping in the middle of the stage. "Each of you will be given a list of items to find, but these items aren’t just lying around. You’ll need to use your skills, your wit, and maybe even a bit of... force to get them."
There was a nervous shuffling in the crowd. Some of the younger students were wide-eyed, unsure of what they had gotten themselves into.
"And remember," Emery added, her voice lowering, "failure is not an option. For any of you." Her gaze lingered on a few familiar faces before turning to me. "Finn, Lucas, hand them their lists."
Lucas and I moved forward, handing out the scavenger lists to the students. I watched their faces carefully as they glanced down at the papers, some confused, others instantly focused. This was going to test everything they had.
As soon as the last list was given out, Emery stepped back. "Let the games begin."
The moment those words left her mouth, chaos erupted. Students bolted from their spots, racing in all directions, their faces a mix of panic and determination. The scavenger hunt had officially started.
I watched as some students moved in groups, while others went alone, trying to strategize. Some looked like they had no idea what they were doing, while others seemed prepared, ready to crush anyone in their way.
It didn’t take long for the first confrontation to happen. A group of three students cornered one boy, grabbing for his scavenger list, trying to steal his first item before he even had a chance. He struggled, pushing them off, and darted down the hallway, disappearing into the shadows.
Lucas leaned over, whispering to me, “This is going to get ugly fast.”
I nodded, already seeing students forming alliances, some turning on each other for the sake of winning. This was exactly what Emery wanted. The real test wasn’t just about finding the items, it was about surviving the pressure, outsmarting the competition, and staying on top.
The tension in the room kept building. Some students began figuring out where to go, where to find their items. Others were already slipping, panicking under the pressure.
A loud crash echoed through the room, and I turned to see two boys wrestling over an item. One of them had it in his hand, but the other wasn’t letting go. Their faces were red with effort, both unwilling to lose.
I could feel my heart pounding, my eyes scanning the room. The Midnight Scavenger was always intense, but this year... this year felt different. The stakes were higher. 
Another fight broke out, this time between a boy and two Elite from the red categories. He was holding his own, shoving them back, refusing to let them take what he had found. I couldn’t help but admire his spirit, even as the chaos swirled around him.
Emery, standing at the front of the room, watched everything with cold calculation. She didn’t seem fazed by the madness. This was all part of the plan. This was how she weeded out the weak.
Suddenly, Abigail appeared in my line of sight. She was moving quickly, her eyes focused. I could see her scanning the room, calculating her next move. She wasn’t like the others—she wasn’t frantic or desperate. She was playing this game smart.
I felt a strange sense of pride watching her, but I quickly pushed it down. This wasn’t about personal feelings. This was about survival. Abigail would have to prove herself like everyone else.
The event continued to spiral. Students were racing against the clock, against each other. There were shouts, crashes, and near misses, but nobody backed down.
By the time the first hour passed, several students had already been knocked out of the game, either too beaten or too disoriented to continue. The strong were rising to the top, and the weak were fading into the background, just like Emery had predicted.
Finn and Lucas kept their positions, observing every move, every slip-up. The Midnight Scavenger wasn’t just a test for the students, it was a test for them too.
Emery gave a slight nod in their direction, a signal that everything was going as planned.
The air in the room felt thick with intensity, like everyone was waiting for something to snap. I could feel it, the tension, the weight of what was happening. The Midnight Scavenger wasn’t just a test for them, it was a test for us too.
Lucas stepped closer to me, his face unreadable, but I could tell his mind was racing. Without a word, he excused himself, grabbed his clipboard, and moved off toward the side of the room. He had one goal in mind now, Abigail. I watched as he disappeared into the sea of students, his eyes set on tracking her progress.
I exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders. With Lucas gone, I was left standing next to Nathalie, who hadn’t moved an inch since the games started. Her arms were crossed, her expression locked in some kind of serious focus, her eyes scanning the schedule she held for the Elite categories. Nathalie was always like that—sharp, calculating, and ready to make a move when no one expected it.
But right now, I couldn’t think about her or whatever plans were turning in her head. I had my own job to do. My own students to monitor.
I glanced down at my clipboard, my list of targets clear as day. These students… they didn’t know what was coming. Some would rise. Some would fall. That’s how it always went. But this year felt different. Something in the air, something in the way they were all pushing each other harder, made it feel like everyone was ready to tear each other apart for a spot at the top.
I made my way through the event hall, keeping my eyes on the students I’d been assigned. The first one, a boy named Logan, was already in trouble. I watched as he fumbled with his scavenger list, his face pale, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. Two other students were circling him like vultures, ready to strike. Logan didn’t stand a chance if he couldn’t pull it together fast. 
I scribbled a quick note on the clipboard, keeping track of the details, then moved on. My eyes caught flashes of movement all around—students pushing, shoving, trying to outsmart each other, some winning, some crumbling under the pressure.
From across the room, I noticed Nathalie still hadn’t moved, her eyes glued to her own list, but there was something in the way she held herself that told me she wasn’t just standing there. She was planning. Thinking. Calculating. Whatever was going through her mind right now was dangerous. I knew Nathalie, and when she had that look, things always got intense.
I shifted my focus back to my own targets. The next one was a girl, Mira, who was already halfway through her list. She was quick, smarter than most, and she’d already made alliances with two other students. They were working together, splitting the tasks to make it through faster. I made another note on my clipboard, impressed by her strategy. But alliances could break at any moment in this game. 
I kept moving, scanning the room, watching as the chaos unfolded. Every corner had its own mini-battle, its own little war. This was more than a game—it was survival. I could see it in their faces, the determination mixed with fear, the need to win driving them forward.
My eyes flicked back to where Lucas had gone. I couldn’t see him, but I knew he was watching Abigail. She was his target now. And I couldn’t help but wonder how far she’d go, how far she was willing to push to prove herself. 
Suddenly, I heard a loud crash from behind me. I spun around to see two boys, locked in a fierce struggle over an item, their bodies slamming against the wall. One of them, a tall guy with dark hair, managed to shove the other off, gripping the scavenger list like his life depended on it. The other boy was on the ground, gasping for air.
I wrote it down. It was brutal, but that’s how this game worked.
As I continued observing, I caught Nathalie in my peripheral vision again. She was still standing there, stiff and unyielding. I knew her well enough to see she wasn’t happy with her schedule, her focus wasn’t on her assigned students—she wanted something else. And I knew exactly who that was. Abigail. 
The room was alive with movement, students darting in and out of sight, their nerves on edge. Finn and Nathalie were the only ones who stayed still, their minds working as they prepared to execute their roles in this twisted game.