"Just until the Wardogz calm down," Sam says.
"What if they never do," I ask.
The silence that fills the room is nerve wrecking. Probably because I'm the one voicing my opinion. The nerdy guy of the group. When Sam finally looks at me. His face is one of pure annoyance.
"What do you suggest we do, nerdboy." He ask.
I sigh. I thought this game would make me different, stronger. In this game you could build yourself up to be whatever you want to be. But, somehow I was still nerd boy. It was a hit that lessened my confidence. However, after spending days alone with these guys doing nothing was making me crazy. My self confidence was returning on its own. I didn't need them to like me. I needed to get the money and go home. That, I couldn't do without them.
'I suggest we take a risk." I say. "If you plan to hide in this room like a coward, we're never going to find that money."
Sam stood up. God, he was giant. Me with my stupid big mouth was about to make myself apart of a fight I couldn't win.
"Oh no, you've gone and gotten the big guy angry," Cole laughed.
"Are you saying I don't know how to lead my team," Sam asked angrily.
It was a trick question, because technically if I thought about it, that is what I was saying. But the thing about us nerds are. We're fantastic liars.
"No, I know you know how to lead the team buddy. You've done a fantastic job. See, thats why we're all safe and sound and accounted for."
Cole nodded in agreement.
"We're just saying that it's time to take a risk Cade put in. Its dangerous, but so is this whole shindig."
"We're hacked Cade!" Sam yelled. "Its like being in the real world and having a wanted sign stamped on your back for the police to find us. Except the Wardogz can smell our scent from a mile away."
"Then why haven't they knocked on our door yet," I asked. "Why haven't they taken us away?"
"Because we haven't gone out" Sam defended.
I realized then that Sam was afraid. All that giant demeanor had been wasted on a guy who was only pretending to be fearless. Still, he had killed that monster. Back then, he hadn't had time to think. His goal had been to save Cole and myself. Right now, Sam had too much time to think, and he was letting his fear take control of him.
"Rocky and I will go out first." Cade suggest.
I look at Cade where he stands across the room. His voice Calm and his face unworried.
"I know a person who can tell us what that thing is your holding." He continues.
Sam juggles the box in his hands that holds the small silver ball.
"Where is it?" Sam asked. He's unsure. But, I sense he rather Cade and I go out, then he go out himself.
Cade pulls out his map, which hovers in the air where we all can see it. "In Lapels," he says. He scrolls through the screen until he finds a small city located on the map. "It's where I got most of my weapons from. "There's a girl there by the name of Andy. She seemed to know a lot about this stuff. "
"How long will it take." Sam asked.
"We should be back by night time tomorrow", Cade answered.
"And if your not," Sam asked.
"You and Cole keep gong."
I swallowed hard, but I was not about to reject what they were saying. I didn't know where people went when they were arrested. But, I'm guessing it wasn't all picnics in the park. There had to be a reason why everyone was afraid of Wardogz , and I didn't want to be the one to find out why.
"Besides," Cade shrugged. "Ralph needs some new weapons."
"Yeah, and I can't stand his outfit," Cole added.
The three boys looked at him.
"What, he looks like the mouse from Stuart little. How the heck is a monster supposed to be afraid of that."
The other two boys laughed as I rolled my eyes. Here I'll give you one of my weapons until we reach Lapels. Then, you can buy your own.
"Don't spend to much money," Sam added. He sounded like a father scolding a child. But I realized my money was all we had. It was the only reason that I was accepted as part of the team. And they say money can't buy you friends.
Cade and I set out as soon as the night came. We assumed it would be safer in the dark. Although we couldn't sleep in Roblox, it didn't mean us kids didn't keep to the routine. We rested. The more we rested the more our energy levels stayed up.
However, as soon as Cade and I set out into the night air. I felt like it was a mistake. The Wardogz lurked at night. Looking for anything and anyone that seemed out of place. The city we were in now, the one that I had been immediately sent to on logging into the game was called Townburg. It consisted of twelve rows of miniature houses lined side by side.
"All the houses in Townburg were the first to go, Cade explained to me. He pointed to a identical street. Cost us about 45, 000 robux.
How'd you get that much, I asked.
Cade didn't answer. So, I assumed like everything else it was a hack. Except, it couldn't be. They were unable to hack money. It was the reason they'd invited me to be on their team in the first place.
"I didn't push him on the subject." We weren't exactly friend yet.
So, where you from I asked. "I was only trying to break the ice." The darkness of the streets was getting to me, making me uneasy.
"Carolina" Cade answered.
"North or South," I asked.
"South," he said. "And you?"
"Louisiana" I anwered.
He nodded. "Small town guy."
"You can say that," I said.

"Play any sports?" He asked.

"Who me, no, I'm more of the quiet guy."
I didn't see the need to tell him I was really into history. Artifacts and Pyrmaids and ancient architecture.
"You."
"Cole and I played soccer before we were separated." He said.
"Separated." I asked.
He didn't elaborate. I wasn't sure I should ask further.
Cade continued anyway. "When we were little , our dad was a soccer pro. Won six world championships. I was going to follow in his footsteps."
"But" I asked.
Cade sighed. "He died when Cole and I were ten. We live with our grandmother up until a few months ago when she got sick and we were separated.
"They seperated the two of you," I asked?
Cade chuckled. "Horrible isn't it. Was almost like they found pleasure in it. They didn't even try to keep us together."

How'd the two of you find each other again. "The game," Cade answered. "That's why we're looking for the money."

I looked at him confused. "We have a grandmother in Columbia. She doesn't have enough money to come and get us, but if she did. Cole and I wouldn't have to stay another day in that dumb children's home. I can be a soccer world champion and Cole can work on his dancing."
"Coles a dancer?" It was a bit suprising.
Cade gave me a look. "Hip hop , ballet, Jazz, Ballroom. My brother does it all. Why you got something to say about that."
"No, no, I just didn't know that's all." I said defensively.
It seemed to me that I was misjudging these guys. I was forgetting that we were in a game. no ones true self could be revealed. It appeared cole was just as much of a nerd as I was, maybe more so.
"Whats that noise, you hear that, " Cole asked.
We'd reached a part of the street where the lights were brighter than the neighborhoods. There was a store on the corner filled with Food and Clothing and other items that we didn't necessarily need.

"Stop! I don't have any more robux. I gave you one hundred robux last night and you promised me you were going to give me the way out."

Cole stopped. He motioned for me to do the same. We were currently not within view of the two guys making the deal.
"Fine!" One of the kids said. "But let me have all of your weapons since You're leaving anyway. The two kids stood across from each other. One dressed in what appeared to be the roblox form of black leather. The other kid was dressed in blue jeans and a plaid shirt. He held a ton of weapons in a backpack on his shoulder.
Cole and I were silent and unmoving.

The plaid shirt kid took his backpack off and handed it to the other guy who put it on his own shoulder proudly.
"Now where is it."
"Where's what the leather jacket kid ," said mockingly.
"Where's the antidote."
"Fine fine don't get out of your box. I got it right here mate."
The kid wearing the leather jacket unfolded his hand. Even I could see what was in it,
Black licorice.
"That's a stinking licorice plaid kid said angrily! You made me do all of that for a stinking licorice!"
"You said you wouldn't ask any questions," leather jacket said.
"Yeah well you said there was a way out."
"Its in the licorice mate. Eat it and you'll be out of here before a war frog can even say hands up."
The kid looked at the licorice worridly. While Sam and I stayed behind the mailbox too amazed to move a muscle.
"Seriously mate, how much time you think we have. You just going to stare at it."
The kid finally took a bite. The another then another.
Nothing happened.
I could tell Cade thought it was some kind of hoax because he smirked. Me I was relunctant. This was a world where anything could happen. I motioned for Cade to wait. Silencing him with a look that my mother used when she didn't want me eating candy before dinner.
We turned back to the two bickering boys.
"It's doing nothing!" The kid yelled.
"Shhh!" Leather jacket said." Wait For it, wait for it."
It took a moment and then the kids began to disappear limb by limb. Legs arms and then all of him was gone.
The kid in the leather jacket stared at the empty space before him satisfied.
Then he walked to where Cade and I sat squeezed behind the mailbox and he looked down at us , the way a cat might look at a mouse , or a lion at its prey.