Kidnapped

8: The Seaweed

Percy POV

"I have to say that you are an incredibly stupid kid," the man barked.

I fought against the ropes that were restraining me against the wooden chair. Everyone else had gone back to Sector 3, but they ushered me into an empty prison room. White walls surrounded me, and only one apparent door led into the room.

Elysium was a large facility with many sectors.

"Don't bother fighting the restraints. There's no escape," he expressed before laughing menacingly.

Even a few security guards chuckled behind their dark masks.

I stared at the man in front of me with blank emotion. He was in his early to mid-thirties with red-brown hair and cold, brown eyes. He was a big and tough man. Since he was an Elysium leader, he was wearing all white and no mask (contrasting with the security).

Suddenly, the metal doors opened behind him. The security guards immediately straightened as the man and woman from our first day entered the room.

They held an aura of power, but not of respect. I really hated them, especially the woman, who was the clear person in charge.

"Father, isn't this boy such an imbecile? I have no idea why he would purposefully lose the race in phase 3," the younger man chuckled.

The main boss laughed along with his 'son.' Of course, they were related. Cruelty must've been genetic, I thought.

"Quiet, Ares," the woman snapped. Then, her calm composure returned as she faced me. "The whole purpose of Elysium is to comprehend human behavior. The exceptions are of particular interest."

Her blazing eyes narrowed on me.

"Yes, the exceptions are very interesting indeed. Ares, you may leave us. Thank you for initiating phase 3," the woman affirmed.

The man looked angry, but he complied without argument. I could tell that everyone here respected and listened to this woman. She was the boss.

"Zeus, honey, will you also leave the room? I would like to speak alone with this boy. Based on experience, a personal conversation works best," the woman said firmly.

"I trust your judgment, Hera." Zeus, the boss of this establishment, nodded in approval. A few security guards joined him as they left the room.

A dozen guards remained in the room, forming a circle around me and Hera.

Hera stepped forward and stopped in front of me. It forced me to look up at her, and I hated it. I didn't want her to feel as though she was above me. I had no such respect for Elysium.

"This place is horrible. A person died in front of our eyes. How do you sleep at night?" I spat with rising anger.

"I sleep quite well. Thank you for asking," Hera expressed slyly. "I've been doing this for years, and my sleep only improved."

My mind raced at the prospect that this wasn't a new experiment. This has happened before to other people. They've done this horrible game to individuals for who knows how long.

Only a sick person like her would be satisfied by hosting a program like this. I glared at her to demonstrate my distaste.

Hera frowned as she leaned forward. Her face was only a few inches away from mine. Her red-brown eyes narrowed as they locked onto mine. They were evil.

Suddenly, I head-butted her in the face.

I heard the splitting crack as my head made contact with her cheek. She screamed in shock as she staggered backward.