Player vs Player: Ultimate Video Game Mayhem

Calvin stormed off the stage, chucking his headphones against the wall.

"What was THAT?? What happened??" he screamed in anger.

"I told you that tactic was too aggressive." Jonathon, the third of the team, reminded him as he and Logan followed Calvin offstage.

"It worked fine before!!" Calvin retorted, "Now what is everyone going to think? That I lost, that he's better then me!"

He kicked over a stack of boxes, causing his two quote/unquote 'friends' to step back.

"It's just a Video Game." Logan mumbled.

"If you're going to destroy something, could you at least make sure it's your own property?" Damon Valence requested as he approached his son.

Calvin took a moment to collect himself, setting the boxes back up.

"What's got you so worked up anyhow? You did great today." Mr. Valence added.

"Great? We got eliminated for the first time in the history of this competition!" Calvin responded.

"You mean someone else might get to win this time? Someone who may actually need the money, like the entire reason I started the competition?" his dad questioned, "So you lost one game. It happens."

"I did not lose! I was cheated out of victory!" Calvin snapped.

"No one wins 100% of the time Calvin. If you knew that, you might be ready to contribute to the family business a little." Mr Valence replied, "There's always next year, and the next, and the next. But for now, I have to go give these guys their plane tickets."

He flashed the paper sheets in question, then walked out to the stage. Calvin watched his father leave before storming off.

Mr Valence approached the three friends, getting congratulatory hand shakes from each before claiming the microphone from Mark.

"Well played today, each of you. As a prize for your triumph here, I'd be honored to present the three of you with these." he announced, handing them the papers, "Tickets for three, pre-paid, First Class seats on a flight to Tokyo, where the Final round of the Gridlock Tournament will be set!"

Calvin thought he would go mad listening to this. He should have won, he should be the one going to Tokyo, that crowd should be chanting his name.

Out of nowhere, every light in the building shut off. Calvin and his team froze in place, turning back and rushing back to the stage.

Low chatter filled the sudden silence, the entire building left in pitch black darkness.

"Do I have your attention now?" a deep, distorted voice appeared, cutting off all sound.

For a few moments, an eerie silence fell over the room. Then the monitor suddenly flickered back to life, static taking over the screen.

Something moved behind the static, a face. Barely visible, but it was there. All eyes were on the monitor as the face became slightly clearer.

A snow white face with black pockets where the eyes should have been, and a twisted, unmoving smile. A purple stripe ran along each side, over each eye all the way from top to bottom.

"Good." the voice continued, "Now that I have an audience, the fun can begin."

"What the hell is this? Who do you think you are?" Mr Valence questioned.

"The one pulling the strings." the voice answered, "You're all caught in my little game now."

TJ glanced around the room, noticing a bright white light emitting from the Spectrum VR Unit.