Nicky Wilholm, preparing for upcoming tests, challenges Luke Ellis to a chess game. Luke, despite feeling overwhelmed by questions about the Institute’s procedures, agrees and quickly sets a trap.

Luke executes a Scholar’s Mate and checkmates Nicky in four moves. Nicky is surprised and impressed, asking who taught Luke, and Luke says he learned from books. The exchange leads Nicky and Iris Stanhope to acknowledge Luke’s intelligence without Luke boasting.

The canteen chime sounds, signaling lunch. Kalisha Benson urges the group to eat, teasing Nicky to put the game away as the loser. Nicky responds with playful bravado, signaling a friendly dynamic despite the oppressive setting.

As they head out, George Iles pulls Luke aside and, in a serious tone, advises him not to make Nicky a role model. George stresses the importance of accepting that they are stuck, choosing battles wisely, and telling the truth during tests about seeing dots because the staff can tell when kids lie.

Nicky rejoins them, and Luke deflects George’s warning with a joke about where babies come from. Nicky mock-strangles Luke in a friendly way, and the group proceeds to lunch, their camaraderie tempered by the looming tests and surveillance.