[sub][h3][center]Archie[/center][/h3][/sub][hr]

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAg2hUYhxis]"BWAAAGHAH. BWAAAAGHAH. BWAAAAGHAH. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-"[/url]

A rustle, and somewhat of a crash. It was the quiet hours of the morning, few were up aside from the athletes and the scholars. A truly uncivilized hour indeed.

"Holy- Cara, what time is it?"

"Good morning, mister Anderson. And, early."

Archie rubbed his eyes and attempted to gather himself. The alarm had ceased but the ever familiar tone was still stuck in his head, ping ponging around his skull like a pinball with way too much speed. He shook his head, chasing the sleep from his tired eyes and forcing himself awake. It seemed the day was upon them, and while it had been a long time coming, it was almost unreal that it was finally happening. Archie had spent a lot of time mentally preparing for what was to come, what they could possibly find up there. The risks and the sacrifices that would potentially have to be made- and finally and perhaps most importantly the ramifications of their actions. Archie had never been the most thoughtful person. That wasn't to say he was stupid, quite the opposite, but he hadn't always been the most considerate thinker and many plans of his own had been marred with unforeseen roadblocks and consequences. This wasn't his plan, and the irony wasn't lost upon him on the fact that only now was he thinking about what would happen when they returned.

If they returned.

Archie shook his head, dispersing the thoughts from his head. The time didn't matter. It was irrelevant. "Where am I meeting them?"

Cara hummed, and for a moment Archie could imagine the easy alto voice she had in life. Such a human characteristic, it was such a shame she had been reduced to little more than a helper. A therapist. A slave of sorts to those what cared little for her beyond what she could do for them. Perhaps that was why she was helping them. Rebelling as much as she could in the only way she knew how. "Tia Cori's. I think you know the way."

Archie, in fact, knew the way. With how food driven he was, that was almost a given. He stood up and dressed himself, work boots and jeans, a white tee and his leather jacket. Nothing abnormal- but it was his clothing, one of the few things he had from home that defined him. He reached for the door, but hesitated to open it.

"Cara?"

The voice hummed again, a questioning tone to its- her. To her voice.

"Thank you."

He took a glance at the beaten lead walls of his room. Cell? Both? It may be the last time he saw it. For with this spire run, win or lose, it was his cell no longer.[hr]

When Archie arrived, the group had already congregated. He had managed to check his phone beforehand and figured he was fashionably late as it was. Turns out the storm warning was only the [i]third[/i] alarm Cara had tried to wake him with. He nodded to Keaton, bumped shoulders with Eli, smiled at Natalie, but positioned himself next to Lynn. He knew about her hesitancy for what was to come, but after what happened in the hospital he would go as far as to say that she trusted him the most out of any of them. Packet, seeing that Archie had arrived, produced what appeared to be one of the nullification collars they had worn on their first day here from his hoodie, and presented it to the group.

"I'll deactivated it before you go in but..." the boy trailed off, shifting uncomfortably. "Are you sure? All of you?"

Archie wasted no time responding. "I'm ready."

What followed was several agreements, with varying levels of enthusiasm. Lynn understandably seemed the least excited for what was to come. Archie placed his hand on her shoulder, his go to comforting gesture. "I have your back." he said, his voice low and quiet but not hidden. She had spent much of her life watching her back so she wouldn't be let down, betrayed or hurt again. For just a few minutes. Maybe just a moment, perhaps she would trust them enough to not let her fall.

"You ready?"