Joe was tired, and he didn't know why. Probably lack of food and nutrition had something to do with it. They had decided that they'd sleep in shifts. James and Frank had stalked back to where they'd been attacked, and found that the other Crip member had died in his sleep. They'd decided to take over that spot, and sleep in shifts. It was Joe's shift to be up.

The voice boomed over the loudspeaker. "We are now officially 24 hours into the event. The killing may begin. Remember, the final prize is worth your life - so don't hesitate! There are now 22 members left."

Joe sighed as he shook his head. While he hated murderers, terrorists and whatnot, he didn't want to see them killed in something like this. And he didn't want to be a part in killing any of them. He hated this madness.

Frank shifted, and he groaned as he awoke. "Was there an announcement just now?"

"Yup. Someone else died. Wanna bet it was the other dude who attacked me?"

"No way, sucker bet," Frank said with a sigh. "I don't know how to feel about our 'allies'."

"Me neither," Joe admitted. "Especially not with John having killed right in front of my eyes. John claims he owes Dad a favor, but…."

"When will that favor be worth more than three days in food rations?" Frank asked, eyebrows raised pointedly.

"Exactly." Joe exhaled. "I'm not sure what our best option is here. Do you think there's an end to this forest, if it's' indeed fake? I mean, if it's not outdoors, where would it be?"

"I don't know," Frank admitted. "Underground, perhaps, like a basement? But then that wouldn't make sense. Anyway, your theory is -"

"There has to be an outside somewhere," Joe responded. "I mean, he had to have gotten all of us here… right? If this isn't, in fact, outside."

"Yeah," Frank nodded, frowning. "Hmm…"

"What're your thoughts?"

"What will our best options be? To stay here, to travel? I don't remember much of Hunger Games."

"I didn't read it," Joe said, and impish grin. "And I don't know. Here's water, sure. And we don't necessarily want to go on the offensive, but…."

"Right," Frank nodded. He exhaled. "I don't know. On-shit," he said. "Who is that?"

"Don't know but I hope it's not a crip member," Joe mumbled. "You're waking John up."

"John is already up," John grunted, coming in. "Look, he was the one who wanted to bring the battle into this not me-"

"We know," Frank responded with a sigh, "I don't know who that is-"

"That's Amy Grant," John says. "She's wanted for murder in ten states. She's killed over ten times. Her partner is one Leslie Johnson. We should leave now." With that, he kicked James awake and they grab their belongings. "For now we separate," he said, hesitating, "Amy has a death wish against me."

Frank looked at Joe, who nodded and the two broke away. Joe sighed as he walked away from his spot, grumbling, "Is everyone else a murder?"

"I can't help but wonder if this was a competition to see who can kill us," Frank mused.

"It certainly seems that way," Joe remarked. "I mean, why else would everyone be given rations to kill us?"

"And why are we the only non-murderers here?" Frank grimaced.

"John said some committed small crimes."

"I suppose they could have murdered too," Frank responded with a shake of his head. "Who better to pick for this event than a bunch of people with talent and murdering? But if he hates us so bad - why not off us themselves?"

"Fear," Joe answered, and Frank turned to stare at him. "Whoever this man is, he wants us to be afraid. He wants us to fear fear and helplessness, and my guess is he wants us to be afraid. I wonder…." he let his voice trail off, "Jacobson Alizia."

"What about him?"

"We were the ones who uncovered him, remember? He hunted bodies. He loved making people feel afraid. So-"

"We sent him to jail," Frank mused. "Do you think it could be him?"

"I mean," Joe responded, "This was his style. Could be someone else too. But he's the only one who would've had the funds to do something like this, build a forest, etc, etc, etc…"

"Imagine the designers who he paid for this," Frank quipped, knowing his brother was simply trying to bury himself in humor.

"I know," Joe remarked as they walked forward. "How long is the longest you think this'll last?"

"I don't know," Frank responded. "Why?"

"Because we need to prepare ourselves. Realistically, we don't want to kill anyone - so we'll probably run unless they try and kill us first. Also, if this forest is fake -"

"They'll have to be an exit somewhere. But what's waiting at that exit? No doubt guards, high-tech cameras… You saw how those guards were armed."

"To the teeth," Joe nodded with a sigh. "Oh shit," he muttered, "Frank!" he quickly backed up and grabbed his brother even as the other man approached more closely.

"Frankie boy," the man said, "Remember me?"

"No," Frank said, wondering how the man got so close without them noticing. Maybe the exhaustion was starting to catch up with him. "Wha-" before he could do anything, Frank was pinned to the ground.

"You're worth a week of food ration's," the man said.

"Thought it was three days," Frank gasped out. "Joe, run," he said. He and his brother had talked about this.

Flashback

"Joe, if I'm ever pinned to the ground, get away. The bounty is for both of us. Get away and we both should live."

"But Frank-"

"DO IT."

OK, so it had been a short discussion but it was the thought that counted, right? The man pressed against Frank's stomach, causing Frank to take short, ragged, breath.

"Week's worth of rations now." The man smiled.

"How will they even get them to us in the forest?" Frank asked, gasping out every word. The man grabbed Frank's arm and twisted it behind him, and it made a loud sound as it snapped in half. Frank gasped even more loudly as his head hit the ground and he saw black stars.

This was it. This was it -

The next thing he knew the man was lifted off him and shoved into a tree, and he could see Joe grab him and shove him back.

This was it, Frank thought, we're both dead. "JOE!" he called out.

Silence.

"It's been over 24 hours," Laura said, pacing back and forth in the living room. Phil could hear her from where he, Chet, Iola and Callie sat in the kitchen, pouring over the Hunger Games book. The clue to whatever was going on with the boys was in here, he knew.

"He kidnapped them to reenact this," Phil said, looking up as Gertrude urged Laura out the door. She smiled at him and he nodded, knowing she was going to try and get Laura to eat. It had been well over 48 hours since the boys were taken.

But maybe the boys had a chance; maybe, because the man was playing a twisted version of the hunger games, they'd be alright.

Maybe.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. Next chapter is half typed up and should be ready to go tomorrow. I will try and make the whumping "equal opportunity event" for both fans... as there's no way both boys won't have their injuries by doing this.

Thought of the day:

What happened to Joe? Also, more Joe/Frank whump in the next chapter, so stay tuned.