xlvi. simulation manipulation

——

Today was the day Adam and Chase's teams were battling against each other. Freya is on Chase's team, but wasn't competing because of her injury and was taking notes on the sides.

Freya really likes Chase and wants to support him, but his teaching methods for his team are not the best in her opinion. He doesn't listen to what they need and does what he thinks is best, but doesn't bother to listen to them. He takes control way too much and it gets to his head.

Freya is not a teacher and does not plan to be one, but she feels she could teach better than him at this point. She has seen Adam teach and he is very successful with his students, even if she questions some of the stuff he says. However, all his students share one brain cell and it works for them.

Freya isn't being mean, she is just being honest.

Chase's team was currently battling the exoskeleton as Freya, Davenport, Adam, and his team watched. Freya was sitting on the platform, taking notes, and at this point, it was not for the students, it was for Chase. It was nothing mean, just constructive criticism. She cares and wants to help him.

"The exoskeleton's gone rogue! We have to take it down before it destroys the whole academy!" Chase exclaimed to his team, hiding behind the pillar.

It was a very dramatic setup. The exoskeleton was firing lasers at his team, who was hiding behind a barrier and the ground was covered in fog.

Chase's team carefully starts walking towards Exoskeleton and Chase yells at them. "No! You're doing it wrong! Wait for my command before you attack!"

Freya rolls her eyes at Chase, immediately scribbling down critics for him. The Exoskeleton continues firing lasers as the team hides behind the barrier again and Chase throws his arms up in frustration. "Why aren't you attacking?!"

"You just told them to wait for your command?" Freya muttered to herself with confusion. Chase's team started walking towards Exoskeleton again to attack, but Chase objected."Well, don't do it now! Retreat! Retreat!"

Freya sighed and closed her book, frustrated with her boyfriend's improper commands. As the team approached, the Exoskeleton knocked Chase's team down and then deactivated.
"That went exactly how I thought it would." Freya sighed, shaking her head and standing up.

Freya dropped her journal on the platform and picked up her crutches, approaching her boyfriend with Adam and Davenport."Great. My team is down! MY TEAM IS DOWN!" Chase exclaimed with frustration, throwing his arms in the air.

"Well, I think we can all agree that's not how you take down an Exoskeleton," Davenport mentioned, looking around the students recovering from the attack.

"What gave that away?" Freya jokingly remarked, chuckling. She stopped when she saw Chase's impatient expression.

"Come on. Give us one more shot." Chase pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Chase. This combat simulation was to test your student's progress, and as much as it pains me, I'm going to have to give your team a big F," Davenport explained. Chase sighed as Freya gave him a sorrowful look.

"Oh, who am I kidding? This doesn't hurt at all." Davenport laughed and Freya let out the smallest snicker, earning a glare from her boyfriend.

"Rey?!" Chase frowned and the blonde girl shrugged.

"Sorry." Adam approached his brother. "It's called failure, Chase. Let me spell it out for you: F..." Adam paused, thinking about the next letter and Chase raised his eyebrow, waiting for him to finish. "You know what? On second thought, why don't you spell it out for me?"

"I can't believe you guys messed up the combat simulation. What's the first thing I taught you? Do as I say, and as I do. Now, Freya please tell them the notes you took."

Freya looked up from her journal with a wide-eyed expression and let out a lighthearted chuckle. "Uh, can we do that later?"

"Rey, just show them the notes." Chase shrugged and Freya closed her journal, holding it to her chest. "Can I see them at least?"

"No." Freya protested, backing away and Chase narrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"Why-"

"I want to wait to see how Adam does and compare them, okay?" Freya exclaimed in a snappy tone and Chase leaned back, giving her a baffled look.

Freya let out a shaky breath and Davenport put a hand on her back, sensing her stress. Chase could sense it too, along with worry and fear.

"Freya, what's-"

"Adam, your team's up!" Davenport called, interrupting his youngest son. Freya moved away from Chase and sat on the platform, starting to pick at her skin.

She hasn't picked at her skin for months and now she feels regret for snapping at Chase.
Tears pricked from her eyes, but she shook them off and let out a shaky exhale.

Chase looked at his girlfriend with concern, feeling sadness fill his body. The feeling of sorrow was strong from Freya and it broke his heart. Both teens were feeling sorrow and worry for one another and it broke the other person's heart.

Adam was over with his team. "OK guys! What's the first thing I taught you?"

"Don't be like Chase!" Adam's team chanted together and high fived Adam as he laughed.

Freya continued to take notes, despite her distraught behavior and focused on Adam's team.

The Exoskeleton starts firing lasers at Adam's Group and they all get behind the barrier for cover.

"OK. Let's do what we do!" Adam called out and the exoskeleton fires a laser, before Adam yelled. "Now!"

Adam's team shoves the barrier at the Exoskeleton, knocking it down. Freya's eyebrows raised with shock, impressed with him and wrote down more notes.

Adam chuckled with satisfied smile. "And that's what we do." He high fives his team as Donald approaches them.

"That was amazing! That was even faster than Bree's team last week." Donald praised them as Freya stood up, closing her notebook and hobbling over to them.

"Which says a lot considering they all have super speed," Freya added.

"Hey, all I'm hearing is Chase lost and I'm a better teacher." Adam shrugged and Chase quickly protested this.

"No way! You are not a better teacher than I am!" Chase objected impatiently and Freya shifted awkwardly.

She really didn't wanna admit it, but Adam's teaching techniques are more helpful.

"Hey, calm down dude! You've got plenty of other things to be proud of..." Adam assured his brother, pausing for a moment and then continuing, putting a hand in his shoulder. "And once we find out what those things are, you are gonna feel a lot better."

Adam pats Chase on the back and Chase removes Adam's hand from his back. Freya could sense how upset Chase was, and she understands it, but want him to understand his teaching techniques are not the best.

Donald interjected. "Look, there are still two more tests to evaluate your students' progress and I'm sure your team will do better on the next one. It's more... cerebral."

Chase cheered, looking at Adam. "Yes! Me and my brainiacs are gonna take you down!"

Freya rolled her eyes, grinning to herself.

"You're taunting me and making fun of yourself at the same time, I didn't think that was possible." Adam teased and his team laughed.

"Look, both teams will be judged on how well they handle analytical thinking." Donald explained and Freya nodded, pressing her lips together.

"You have nothing to worry about, Chase." Freya mumbled to her boyfriend as Adam's team huddled up.

"Alright, guys! Huddle up!" Adam huddles up with his group and whispers. "Does anyone know what analytical thinking is?" His team looked around confused.

Donald turned to Chase. "Yeah, I'd say you got the second round locked up."

Davenport walked out and Freya and Chase looked at each other.

"Rey, you can probably help with the next one-"

"Ya know, I'm good actually," Freya interrupted with an awkward laugh and walked out of the room.

——

~Mentor's Quarters~

Juliet and Bree walked into the Mentor's Quarters, greeting Leo.

"Hey Leo. What are you doing?" Bree greeted, not acknowledging the absolute mess around her. Juliet immediately took notice and made a face of digust.

Leo shrugged, casually. "Oh, you know. Just grabbing a glass of milk... to go with my pie!" Leo lifted his foot and Juliet gagged at the sight.

"Gross," Juliet shivered.

Leo tipped his glass of milk over and pours expired milk out of cup. "Ugh! Aah!"

"This place is disgusting!" Juliet criticized. "How do you live like this?"

Bree scoffed. "Yeah. Welcome to my world! Adam and Chase live like a couple of farm animals."

"Okay, Adam I believe, but Chase?" Juliet asked and Bree shrugged. "He gets on Freya for dropping a single tissue on the floor."

"Yeah, well at least farm animals lick themselves clean every once in a while." Leo added on. "I guess I'll just have to clean this whole place up myself. Hand me that towel."

Bree and Juliet backed away with a nervous chuckle, holding hands.

Bree shook her head. "Um... I... I wouldn't use that one."

"Why not?" Leo asked.

"Because it's moving." Juliet asked

Leo yelled, getting into a fighting position as he saw the towel start to move and squeak. "Aah!"

——

~Common Area~

Leo storms into the common area where Adam, Chase, and Freya are along with their teams about to start the next test. Leo was holding a bucket with cleaning supplies, clearly agitated. "Listen up, roomies!" Chase, Adam, and Freya turn to Leo. "You've got another person living with you now. You need to respect that. I have been scrubbing our room for the past 6 hours! I've got pruny fingers!"

Chase frowned. "Why didn't you just wear gloves?"

"I did!" Leo snarled, showing the ripped glove on his finger.

"That's on you for wearing awful gloves." Freya chuckled amused and Leo glared at her, unamused.

"I don't care whichever one of you is making the mess; just stop!" Leo snapped, tossing everything at Adam and Chase and walking away.

"Glad he didn't overreact," Freya scoffed.

"Yeah, now he's making a mess," Adam added.

Donald walks in with a tablet. "Okay! Everybody gather round and listen up! It is time for the second challenge! Everybody to your workstations."

Team Chase and Team Adam walk over to their workstations as Freya sits on a stool next to Donald. Donald activates an explosive on two cyber desks where each team sits. "Each team will have 60 seconds to defuse their 3D virtual explosive device."

Chase smirked smugly at his team. "This is going to be so easy, like taking dynamite from a baby." Chase's team nods as Freya raises an eyebrow at them.

"Now, even though the explosives are fake, the potential for humiliation is very real." Donald explained as Freya chuckled softly, exchanging a grin with him. "Don't forget to work together as a team." Donald activates barriers around each work stations. "Your 60 seconds starts..." He paused for a moment, before starting the timer. "Now."

"Who do you think will win?" Freya asked Donald in a hushed voice.

"Clearly Chase's team is more qualified." Donald scoffed and Freya shrugged.

"I think Adam's got this," Freya admitted and Donald chucked, shaking his head.

"I'll pay you $100 if he wins."

"Deal," Freya put her hand out and Donald shook it.

"Okay, guys, all you have to do is cut one of these wires. But choose carefully, because it's a life or death decision." Adam explained to his team, "Now, who's favorite color's red?" Adam puts his hand up along with some other teammates. "Who's favorite color's blue?"

The other members of Adam's team put their hands up and Freya narrowed her eyebrows at them, confused by his tactics. Adam shrugged. "Well, don't look at me. I like them both. Freya, what do you like?"

"You can't use my girlfriend for help!" Chase snapped and Freya glanced at Chase, before giving Adam a sympathetic shrug.

"Sorry, buddy."

Chase turned to his team. "Okay guys, we've been through this a million times. Once you've assessed the detonator's eternal architecture, remove the Doris plate, expose the motherboard, clip the primary command mode then the firing mechanism will deactivate. Got that?"
Chase's team stared at him in confusion and Freya blinked, not comprehending anything he said. Her and Donald shared a look of bewilderment.

Chase grunts angrily after a moment of silence, gesturing to the bomb.

"You may be right on Adam winning," Donald whispered to Freya, who flashed him a cocky grin.

Adam smiled. "Aww, great thinking! We'll cut the wire that combines red and blue...gold."

Freya pressed her lips together, rubbing her forehead at this and Donald frowned. However, they watched one of the member of Adam's team slowly cut the gold wire and it defused the device.

Freya's mouth fell open as Adam and his team cheered.

"Oh my gosh," Freya gasped in shock. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Congratulations on defusing the device. And more impressively, not knowing that red and blue make...purple." Donald remarked to Adam.

"Task failed successfully," Freya smiled. "I also get $100."

Chase ignored them and looked at his team. "Don't worry. We have plenty of time."

"You have 5 seconds, honey," Freya informed and Chase panicked.

"Out of my way! You're all useless!" Chase frantically pushes his team out fo the way and sits down, which made Freya roll her eyes at him.

"3... 2..." Donald starting to count down.

"No! Wait! I need more.." Chase cried in a panic as the explosive blow up and Chase leaned back. Adam leaned over to him.

"Time?" Adam smirked as Freya stood up, staring at Chase with a sympathetic look. Freya knows Chase's tactics are not correct, but she also feels bad when he loses.

Donald went up to an upset Chase. "Don't worry, Chase. I'm not going to say I'm disappointed." He continued in a whisper. "Just know I'm thinking it."

Davenport walked away and Freya approached her boyfriend. "It's okay, Chase. Maybe the next one will be better."

Chase stood up, shaking his head as his team dispersed. "Freya, I know you had no faith in me, so don't try to get my hopes up."

Chase walked away, which left a feeling of guilt in Freya's chest and her eyes watched him walk away. Freya exhaled with sorrow and walked away to her room, regretting how she had treated Chase.

——

~Monroe's Quarters~

Freya sat in her room, staring blankly at the TV screen that was playing Criminal Minds. However, she wasn't paying attention to it, because all she could think about was Chase. She felt awful for how she treated him, she wasn't being supportive and now regrets it.

Freya's attitude has been all over the place, her emotions have been on edge, and she's been taking it out on Chase. Instead of talking it out, she's bottled up her emotions and then gets angry and takes it out.

Cinnamon hoped on the couch and laid down on Freya's lap, which made the blonde girl smile softly. "You always know when I'm sad."

Cinnamon purred, resting her head on Freya's forearm and she chuckled gently, feeling tears slip down her cheeks.

Cassie walked in and saw her daughter crying. She stopped what she was doing and approached her, sitting next to her.

"Spencer Reid is on the tv and you're sad? This must be bad." Cassie asked and Freya sniffled, looking at her mother. "What's wrong?"

"I've been so on edge lately and I have taken out my anger on Chase and not realizing how it affects him. My emotions are out of whack." Freya admitted through her tears and Cassie gave her a sorrowful look, rubbing her back. "Chase is struggling with mentoring his students and I haven't been supportive, I was making fun of him? What kind of girlfriend does that? What's wrong with me?"

Freya covered her face, softly sobbing in her hands and Cassie embraced her, massaging her back. "It's all okay, sweetie. You have been struggling lately, and Chase knows this. He is aware you are on edge because of your foot."

"I don't want Chase to be upset with me." Freya remarked.

"I don't think he is. I think you both are struggling with different things, and you just need to talk it out." Cassie advised as Freya sat up, wiping her eyes and sniffling.

"I know. I have been avoiding that," Freya admitted. "I'll talk to him later. I also..."

Cassie brushed some hair out of Freya's face, listening for her to continue. "You what?"

"I think I love Chase." Freya confessed and Cassie smiled gently. "I want to tell him, but I don't know how. What if he doesn't feel the same?"

"Oh, sweetheart, he does." Cassie chuckled sweetly. "That boy adores you so much. You have nothing to worry about."

"You sure?" Freya asked, fidgeting with her fingers nervously.

"Yes, I'm sure." Cassie assured her, wiping a tear off her rosy cheek. "Talk to him tonight, alright?"

Freya releases a shaky breath and nodded. "Alright, I will."

Freya wants nothing more than to make sure Chase is alright. Her foot isn't her biggest issue, it's making sure her boyfriend is okay.

——

~Mentor's Quarters~

Bree and Juliet were sitting on the couch, both opening a popsicle and tossed their trash behind them. Leo had seen security footage of the girls being messy and trashing the room, including ruining their own clothes. The culprits for trashing the place was Bree and Juliet, and Leo was getting to the bottom of it.

Leo popped up from behind the couch. "Aha! Busted!" Both girls jumped, turning around to face him. "You're the slobs!"

"Leo?" Both girls gasped and shared a wide-eyed expression and Juliet scoffed. "We were aiming for the trashcan."

Leo sat there with a piece of plastic on his forehead. "You mean the one that's not on my forehead?" Leo stood up and walked around the couch. "I have a whole video of you two trashing the place."

The girls shared a look before Bree responded. "If you have video, why are you trying to catch us in the act?"

"Because this is more dramatic," Leo reasoned and Juliet rolled her eyes, sighing and Bree clenched her jaw. Bree and Juliet are the cleanest people on the island and now are caught trashing the place.

"What happened to you both?" Leo asked impatiently.

"Leo, try growing up as the perfect older sister who has to be perfect and finally get the chance to be messy and not having consequences," Juliet confessed and Bree rubbed her shoulder. "I get to be imperfect and messy."

"Yeah, for the first time in my life, I actually have some freedom and I'm enjoying it with my best friend." Bree admitted, taking Juliet's hand and the girls smiled up at Leo.

"This is not freedom. This is a cesspool of filth and girl garbage," Leo protested.

"You are a man. You get no say," Juliet pointed and Bree nodded.

"I don't know about Jules, but if you were stuck in a basement your whole life, you'd wanna let lose, too." Bree reasoned, sitting back and Juliet