Into The Depths

After waiting a little bit longer with Shawn's silent companions the back door of the van finally opened letting light shine in for the first time in a couple of hours making Shawn have to cover his eyes before they adjusted to the new area.

"Everyone out of the van single file please." The guard said with a stern voice which was a huge contrast to moments ago when he was singing the newest country hits on the radio.

However, everyone in the van seemed to follow his order anyway making a move for the first time since they entered the van all standing up and getting in a line as they filed out of the van. Shawn was no exception since he knew this was part of his job and since he was at the back of the van he was also the last person to step off letting him see the area for his brand new job.

'Is this really it?' Shawn questioned in confusion as he looked around. The first thing he felt when he stepped out of the van was the extreme heat eating away at his body. This feeling was increased by the scenery around Shawn as there was only sand in sight making it seem like they were in the middle of a huge desert.

'There isn't a desert near our city within 8 hours though?' Shawn questioned in his mind as he looked around trying to figure out how they had ended up in a place like this within the span of a few hours.

While Shawn was looking around the line continued to move following the driver of the van into the vast desert. They continued walking for over 20 minutes which was hard for everyone present due to the extreme heat.

They continued to walk until they finally reached the first sign of civilization Shawn had seen since they arrived. It was a long thin building that spanned half a football field somehow in the middle of the desert.

The group continued walking until they were right in front of it where a single door was in the middle of it, "Now everyone file inside the building. The first half of you will go to the left and stand in front of each door until the second half goes to the right and does the same thing." The guard ordered before he opened the door with a small key ushering everyone inside.

Since John had ended up at the back of the line due to him taking in the sights all by himself he was the last one to be funneled inside the building where he found a large hallway spanning in both directions just as the guard had described.

Many metal doors were placed along the front-facing wall just like the guard described making each of the people from the van follow the orders standing in front of their own doors.

Shawn was no exception and he made his way to the closest door on the right since he was the last person to make it inside. There were a little over 15 people total in the line and as the guard made his way inside shutting the door behind him. When he shut the door all of the doors in front of the test group opened up sliding to the left and revealing a small elevator behind each door accompanied by another guard in each elevator.

"Alright everyone! You are about to enter the testing grounds for your initial evaluation. You will each be brought into the sector that was pre-chosen for you before you got here. From there we will place you inside the grounds where you will begin to mingle with the main test subjects and the ones hired like yourself from before. Since you have been hired as a subject you will also be treated as such alongside the main subjects which means all meals will be on a set schedule and you will have your own cell as your sleeping grounds each night which you will be placed in once curfew arrives. Besides that, all will be self-explanatory as you spend your time here. Now enter the elevator." The guard shouted speaking to each person in the long room but it seemed like the only person that was listening was Shawn since he looked at his fellow subjects and realized that they still had that strange dazed expression on their faces.

Despite the strangeness Shawn did as he was told since he needed this job for not only himself but for someone bigger than himself. 

Once inside with his own guard, the metal doors shut once more and the elevator began its descent downwards into who knows where.

"I was told about your arrival. You are a special case among the other subjects so make sure to listen closely. When this elevator opens again I need you to act just as I say. Do you remember those expressions you saw on everyone's face after you got out of the van? Well, that's how I need you to look. Each of those people is going to start fawning over one of the main subjects down here when they see them. If you want to make it your entire stay then I would suggest you do the same." The guard spoke to Shawn quickly spilling shocking information into his mind each second. It was true that he had realized the strange looks but he still didn't fully understand what he meant by them fawning over someone. Why would they do that?

"What do you me-?"

*DING!*

"We don't have any more time to chat for now so shut up and just do as I suggested." The guard said forcibly as the doors began to slide open once more to reveal another open white hallway.

As much as Shawn wanted to keep asking questions, he knew that he was in unfamiliar and strange territory so he thought it was best to just listen to the man for now and see where it takes him.