? POV

The water was up to my waist and I was struggling to get free from the hands which were holding me, pulling me back from the bag which sat on top of the shelf that the water was creeping towards.

"NO!" I screamed as if that would stop them from taking me, from dragging me away from my only means of alerting the rest of the planet. I summoned up every ounce of my strength and I kicked one of the men to the ground as they dragged people screaming towards the metal doors. The shop's goods were floating in the destruction as the alarms blazed. The water level was quickly rising and some command in a language I didn't speak – but I'm assuming was Norwegian – rang out from the speakers above that didn't crackle despite the rising water.

One of the men picked up a baseball bat from the shelf and tried to whack me on the head. I rolled with it but its momentum was too hard and I could feel the blood oozing out as I started to lose consciousness and hit the water, sinking. I tried to stay awake, to get to the surface…

The water level was falling; I could tell through the misty red haze that clouded my eyes which I then clenched shut. I hit the ground as it drained, barely conscious.

"Is she dead?" a man kicked at me, and I let him, too weak to fight and sensible enough to play dead.

"Looks like it." The two men left, closing and bolting the metal doors. I could hear the crackle of electricity; the plugs soaked in the defence mechanism which was desperate to kill all who didn't obey the commands from someone not worth listening to.

I opened my eyes slowly and tried to sit up. My head was dizzy but I could make out the sports shop… or what was left of it after that blatant destruction. Seeing the slightly post-apocalyptic scenario in front of me, I could barely remember why I was there in the first place. Barely. But part of me knew I had a duty to remember. I had to get out of there. I had to warn someone of my now proven suspicions.

I can't remember when I first came up with my theory. All I remember was that I found it absurd that people wore onesies. Adults walking around dressed like babies. I looked it up online, and I found an article about the start of the trend – it was three Norwegians, the computer told me. Three young men who wanted to be lazy. Or so it claimed. But further down the article, there was a quote from a representative of the original company. Claiming they had magical powers, and people went from hating them to loving them pretty quickly.

Faced with this information, my crazy brain decided that there was clearly an evil plot by a Norwegian to take over the world by hypnotising everyone into wearing onesies.

So today, I was incredibly bored. I had the house to myself and most of my friends live in England. And I live in Scotland. So I looked up the website of the original company and found my nearest store. I got on board the train, and went to visit it.

When I arrived, I saw a sports shop, pretty standard and what I was expecting. I couldn't see any onesies though and I wasn't risking asking someone. I started to explore – it was HUGE – and eventually I saw a doorway to another section. I walked towards it, cautiously.

It was a cavern full of onesies. There was a staircase to a lower floor full of onesies, and a walkway labelled 'STAFF ONLY' circled it. The doorway resembled that of a lift, and despite the fact I knew – knew – my theory was nonsense, I couldn't bring myself to walk through it.

Standing there, I was in the perfect position to see the windows suddenly be covered in metal. I could hear the main doors to the shop behind me slam shut on some computer command. Everyone in the onesie area snapped to attention, and the shop assistants did the same. The Norwegian command rang out over the system and they attacked. Water poured out and started to rise.

You know what happened next.

So now, here I am. Alone in a deserted, evil store. I'm probably really badly injured, but I get to my feet anyway and find I can still walk, just about. I go over to the mirror in the shoe section and wince when I see the injury to my head. I grab a football top off a high shelf and rub it, getting rid of most of the blood and I find it's not so large… but still, ugh. I blink a few times and try to get my bearings.

I go over to the women's clothing section and grab some items off the top shelf, changing out of my soaking clothes. Grabbing my bag off the shelf I threw it when the attack started, I walk towards the barricaded main doors and, as an afterthought, leave some money on the main desk. Well, they're evil but I'm NOT a thief.

Staring at the metal-covered doors, I worry that my exit it completely blocked. Except for a window, high above the metal… time to find the ladder section. I drag the largest I can find and climb up, peering out at…

Chaos.

Bex POV

I was in the P&E barn this evening, working out with Macey earlier. It's the last day of school before winter break and I'm determined to make the most of it. Macey is obligated to go to her parents and I can tell she's annoyed. The rest of us… well, it seems mine and Cammie's destination is unknown. And Zach's. Anyway, we were in the P&E barn when Abby came up to us.

"You know, Bex, you'll be able to hit much harder if you actually tried. You're mind's miles away today it seems."

It was true. I had something on my mind and I didn't know what it was. It was really bugging me.

"What are you doing here?" Macey asked her, curiously.

"Well…" she lowers her voice to a whisper, "Mr Solomon and I need to speak to you. In his hospital room." She beckons for us to follow her and we do.

"Why?" I ask, but she doesn't answer. Macey and I exchange glances and shrug. When we get to the room, Solomon is on a laptop, examining something. Without looking up, he greets us.

"Hello ladies. I have a mission for you," like it was any other class.

Macey and I look at each other and then at the screen which is now facing us.

"Now I understand that you, Ms McHenry have now caught up with the rest of the seniors. Therefore you will be capable of participating in this slightly trivial… is there a problem Ms McHenry?"

He looked at Macey who was fidgeting and not paying attention to what was on the screen. Although she may just have been trying not to laugh at the messages Solomon was showing us.

"Well, I have to be with my parents, you see, and…"

"In that case, we will find someone else to participate in this mission."

There was silence and I turned back to the screen. It was the Facebook messages of two British girls – one Scottish and one English – talking about what appeared to be onesies.

"Now, we are concerned that these two civilian girls are getting too close to something which will only end in them getting hurt…" I must have looked like I was about to laugh because he stared at me, pausing before continuing, "we have reason to believe that this onesie company they claim to be investigating is in fact a cover for a terrorist operation by an unknown group."

I began to realise that he was actually serious.

"So you're saying that these two might upset them and get themselves in a lot of trouble?" I ask.

"Precisely. All I'm asking is that you two, or someone else, stops them before they get hurt."

I nod slowly and Macey joins in. This should be easy!

"So, when do we-"

"CODE BLACK. CODE BLACK. CODE BLACK."

Abby POV

The sirens that I've dreaded are ringing through my ears. I can't show fear in front of the girls but I worry every day that the Circle will come for Cammie. I vanish out of the room and run to my sister's office.

"Rachel what's going on?" I ask her.

"It's fine. Come in, Cammie." Cammie enters and looks around nervously.

"It is the Circle? Are they here?"

"Take a seat Cammie," Rachel says, "There's no need to panic. It has nothing to do with you." She looks up at me. "Abby…"

"Rachel…" I say, mimicking her tone. It must be serious because she chooses to ignore me.

"Your mission, with the girls and Joe, may already have failed."

"What are you talking about? What mission?" Cammie tries to interrupt, but I'm going through statistics in my head and the research I've done and I realise that perhaps Sarah Murphy and Megan Thomas may have been even closer to the truth than they ever could imagine.

I just hoped they weren't going to get themselves killed in some stupid attempt to 'save the world' or anything.

No, no normal teenage girl would ever try that. They'll just run away and hide.

Sarah POV

Staring out the window at the chaos below is making me fear for my country's future. And sanity. Although I'm getting a sinking feeling that it's not just Scotland. Or even Britain. I reach for my bag, a backpack thankfully (very handy if you're planning on doing a lot of running) and take out my phone. It appears to be working, so I text Megan:

Is there an apocalypse or something? The world's gone mad and I was just attacked by madmen in an onesie store. Need. Backup. Now.

She calls me quickly.

"Megan, it was the scariest thing…"

She screams down the line.

"Megan?"

"They're outside my door, Sarah. I don't know how much longer I can keep them out. It's on the TV. Sarah, get out of Scotland. I don't know how. Don't look for me. I'll be fine. I…"

I hear banging and screaming, and something else… the line goes dead.

Megan POV

The last thing I see is the phone falling to the ground. Just before I lose consciousness, I regret telling Sarah not to come. I doubt I can survive without help.