"Oh my God! Danny, are you okay?" Isaac ran onto the sparing mat where his friend was starting to stand back up and thrusted an ice-pack into his face. Danny merely straightened, running a sweaty hand through his dark hair, and flashed Isaac his 1000-watt smile. He took the ice pack out of his friend's hands and carefully applied it to the purpling bruise on his cheek.
"Don't worry Isaac, I'm fine. I should have known better than to let my guard down around Lydia." He winked down at his short sparring partner. Both Isaac and Danny knew better than to underestimate Lydia, as she was the smartest and most resourceful omega in their class—but Isaac wasn't sure how she even managed to kick Danny in the face as Danny was almost a foot taller than her.
Lydia merely rolled her eyes as she walked out of the sparring room and headed to lunch. Isaac and Danny trailed after her, Isaac still fussing over Danny's injury. "Isaac, relax. The bruise won't even be there in an hour."
"Yeah, I know. It's just hard not to worry sometimes. I mean, what if something like an injury or a face deformity effected our chances in the lottery? I just don't want any of us to miss a chance at having a family again."
Danny who was about to smack Isaac for insinuating that his face was now somehow deformed, softened and gripped his friend's shoulder. "Hey, listen to me. A bruise is hardly a disfigurement. And the lottery is just that—a lottery." He smiled reassuringly and ruffled his friend's curly hair. "Besides, I heard a rumor that there's going to be another group lottery soon. Lots of omegas are gonna get picked for families. And now that we're eligible, I bet all of us are gonna get picked soon! Hell, I bet Lydia could tell you the exact probability of us all getting chosen in the group lottery."
The tension started to leave Isaac and his face grew hopeful. "Yeah, you're right. The timing may be up to chance, but everyone wins sooner or later, right?"
"Exactly. Now let's get in line. I'm starving."
The two boys entered the vast lunchroom and stood in line with Lydia. Once they reached the front, they placed their wristlets under the scanner and then waited at their usual table for their meals to be prepared. They always sat next to the east wall of the lunch room where floor to ceiling windows gave the omegas a breathtaking view of the preserve. Isaac loved looking out over the forest while he ate. Sometimes he would even see dear, and once what he thought might be a bear, flitting through the trees.
"Are you guys ready for the camp-out this week?" Lydia asked as a facility worker placed her meal in front of her. Even though all the omegas were taught how to cook as part of the curriculum, the facility always provided and served the omegas' meals for them.
Danny's face fell as he answered, "Nah, I can't go. They've been having me take extra hours of that new language class every night this week"
"Oh, that made-up language you were telling us about?" Isaac teased. "Geeze Danny, if you didn't want to hang out with Lydia and I, you could just tell us."
"It's not made-up! There's plenty of textbooks that discuss it." Danny argued indignantly.
"Oh yeah? I seriously doubt that there's an actual language called 'Pidgeon.' I mean, who names an entire language after the lamest bird of all time? Come on, what are they really teaching you every night? Is it some top-secret way to catch an Alpha mate?"
Lydia just rolled her eyes at Isaac. "Please Isaac, leave the Alpha-baiting techniques to Cosmo. And it's not 'Pidgeon,' like the bird. It's P-I-D-G-I-N. It's a language that is apparently only spoken on one island in America and actually has a pretty fascinating history."
"Yeah," Danny piped up, "and the facility says I have a really good knack for it. Supposedly my originals can be traced back to the island where its spoken."
That shut Isaac up. He couldn't even remember what his parents looked like, much less where his family originated from. Ever since he came to the facility, his omega classmates were his only family, and they would remain his only family until his name was drawn in the lottery—if that ever even happened. So Isaac could understand wanting to feel closer to his original family through any means possible.
Isaac gave Danny an apologetic look and then a sincere smile. "That's really cool man. Maybe when you win the lottery, your new family will take you to America and you can find your originals."
Danny smiled back. "Yeah man. That would be—"
Everyone's heads jerked suddenly towards the lunchroom doors as the sound of vicious screaming spilled in from the hallway. The trio quickly ran over with everyone else to see what was going on. Isaac, being the tallest of the group, was able to peer over the heads of all the other curious omega who had ran out into the hallway, but what he saw there disturbed him.
Four facility workers were bickering as they pushed a gurney down the wide corridor in the direction of the medical wing. Strapped down on the gurney was a boy he had never seen before. He looked about Isaac's age, but wore strange clothing that looked nothing like white linens that the omegas wore, nor the facility worker's light blue uniforms. The boy was struggling to get out of the restraints that kept him bound to the gurney and was hysterically screaming at the top of his lungs.
"LET ME GO YOU BASTARDS! YOU CAN'T KEEP ME HERE! LET ME GO!"
"Smith, hold his shoulders down so he doesn't hurt himself. Avery! Quick, switch out that IV! The anesthetic must have worn off!"
"What do you mean it must have worn off? He had the normal dose amount! I think if we give him any more—"
"Ow! The little shi—uh guy—just bit me! I don't care what you think right now! Just put a new IV in dammit!"
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO KEEP ME HERE! I HAVE A LIFE! THIS ISN'T RIGHT! LET ME OUT OF HERE! LET ME OUT! LET ME—"
Suddenly the boy made eye contact with Isaac.
"Hey you! You've gotta help me! Please, you've gotta get me out of here man! You can't possibly want to be here either!"
Isaac just stood there is shock as the boy continued to look around desperately at the omegas as he was wheeled by.
"All of you need to get out of here! You don't know what they're doing to omegas! You have to escape! Get out of here! We all have to…to get…out—"
The boy's head thumped back onto the gurney as the anesthetic began to take effect.
Isaac backed into the lunchroom shaking as the boy was wheeled away to the medical wing. He had never seen anything like that before in his life. Isaac couldn't process why the boy was screaming like that. Was there something wrong with him? And who was he? Isaac had been at the facility for most of his life, and while he didn't know every omega and facility worker personally, he thought he at least knew every face.
He startled when Danny put his hand on his shoulder. He and Lydia looked concerned, but before they could say anything, a familiar voice boomed over the lunchroom.
"EVERYONE PLEASE CALM DOWN AND TAKE A SEAT."
Isaac looked up to the see the Director standing at the doors of the lunchroom. She was the top beta who ran the facility and only ever appeared in person to make important announcements. So naturally everyone quickly found a seat and quieted down to listen.
"I am deeply sorry you all had to witness that." The Director began. "I know that must have been upsetting, but I assure you, the boy will be just fine. His name is Stiles and he is an unmated omega, same as all of you. He was recently found living on the outside but we were able to rescue him and relocate him to the safety of the facility."
The room filled with gasps and murmurs. The boy was an omega living outside the facility?! Not only was it illegal to keep unmated omegas on the outside, but it was extremely dangerous for them. Isaac was amazed the boy—Stiles—was still in one piece and unmated.
The Director cleared her throat for attention and continued. "As you saw, this has been a frightening and stressful experience for Stiles. I can only imagine the manipulation and fear he's been subjected to while living on the outside, and it may take a while for him to feel comfortable around so many new people in his new home. Therefore, I want all of you to make him feel welcome and help make his transition into life here at the facility as easy as possible.
"Now, on to more happy news. I was going announce this at the end of the week, but there's no reason to wait now. The system has recently informed us that an Indiv Lotto winner has been selected. It is my honor to announce that the lucky winner is…Mr. Danny M of Class 23!"
"Oh my God, Danny! That's you!" Isaac scrambled to give his best friend a hug.
"Congratulations Danny!" Lydia cried as she shook Danny's hand.
Everyone around them was cheering and clapping as they celebrated Danny's fortune. He would be leaving the facility. He would finally have a family again.
Danny smiled at everyone and Isaac realized he may never see that smile again. Who knew where Danny's new family was going to live, or if Isaac was ever even going to win the lottery. He may end up living in the facility for the rest of his life.
Isaac thought of Stiles and how desperate he was to get away from the facility. What was it actually like on the outside? Going by how desperate the new omega was to get away from the facility, Isaac figured the people keeping him on the outside must have lied and manipulated him so he wouldn't want to escape. Why else would an unmated omega want to leave the comfort and safety of the facility just to go back to the dangers of the outside. Isaac shuddered at the thought. Maybe it would be better if he never won the lottery.
But then he looked at how happy Danny was. Danny was going to the outside, but he wouldn't be alone. He would have a real family again. That's what the lottery is all about after all.
Making up his mind, Isaac pulled his friend back into a tight hug and whispered "I'm so happy for you, but I'm going to miss you so much. As soon as I win the lottery I will find you again. No matter what."
Danny flashed his 1000-watt smile and winked. "I'm counting on it. See you on the other side."