The Roar

As Asha packs for the vacation, Mika has begun noticing subtle differences in people’s light trails, differences that may indicate personality or emotions. That morning, the family is chauffeured to the Caribbean World Vacation Complex, a massive domed structure off the coast of Scotland—an artificial replication of a beach resort—where they meet Audrey and her family. A YDF representative then outlines the itinerary for the third round of competition, although instead of Pod Fighter, they will be playing “water games.” The parents are left with gift baskets, and the kids are escorted to the “competition center.”

For Round 3, competitors play alone, and Audrey is led away, leaving Mika isolated and anxious. Eventually, he is taken to an examination room where he is scanned, given a urine test, and his webbed feet are scrutinized. He is led to another room and strapped into a chair, electrodes attached to his head. He is given an injection and shown a film—a rapid-fire montage of “horrible, sinister” images. When the film ends, he is released, but he realizes he’s been sedated for several hours while they monitored his brain. A lab technician asks him to tell his parents he’s been playing puzzle games. He rejoins his family for a beachside barbecue, fearful of what’s happening to him, but too guilty to disturb his parents’ vacation.

The next morning, Mika and Audrey are taken for their second round of tests. This time, Mika’s psychic ability is tested, and to his surprise, he is able to move a marble using only his mind. Once again, the lab technician makes him promise not to tell his parents. Afterward, he and Audrey swim in the “ocean.” She has demonstrated the same psychic ability. They know they are being used as lab rats, but they don’t know why.

They spend the next few days cruising around the island and diving in the ocean. On the third day, they learn how to scuba dive and fire harpoon guns. Audrey wins a marksmanship contest, but her mother is aghast at the thought of 12-year-olds armed with deadly weapons.

The next day, they practice on moving targets—borg fish—and again, Audrey is the first to score a hit. For the first time, Mika fears Audrey will advance without him. They lay on the beach, Audrey trying to bolster his confidence, when Ruben approaches and kicks sand in their faces. Audrey is blinded—temporarily—but Mika’s rage at Ruben, and at the whole ordeal, persists.

The next day, competitors are broken up into teams, and Audrey and Ruben are assigned to the same team. Mika tries not to let his anger distract him, and he is relieved when Leo, a confident boy with a golden aura, joins his team. Boats take them out, and their mission is to shoot as many borg fish as they can in 10 minutes. After two shoals of fish have emerged from the coral reef, Mika has hit five, but then the scene changes, and a group of elephant seals swims into view followed by large sharks who attack the seals. Mika is terrified, but he holds his ground, and shoots a shark. Suddenly, he feels a terrible pain in his leg, blood spilling into the pristine blue water. He’s been shot by a harpoon. Attendants rush him to the surface. Paramedics attend to Mika while Yee, The girl who shot him, has a paranoid breakdown. They are both sedated.

A technician reports to Gorman—Mika’s potential puts him at the top of the list, but his memories are unreadable, his will “incredibly strong.” Mika’s parents are furious at the YDF and want to pull him out of the competition, but Gorman ignores their protests and orders him to remain in the game.

Mika slowly regains consciousness and hears two YDF representatives discussing how to deceive Asha and David into letting Mika remain in the competition. His anger is tempered by the thrill of knowing they consider him one of the best. His parents visit, but the doctor tells them he needs more treatment—a lie meant to stall for time and keep Mika in the competition. The YDF leaves them a gift basket to compensate for their “inconvenience.”