Chapter Forty-Three

Lexi Carmichael

I used the brake trigger and quickly brought the car to a halt, although it almost skidded over the edge. My heart pounded at the close call.

“I’m sorry about scaring you,” Oscar said. “But there’s a problem with the final turn. I can’t tell for sure in the lighting, but I think the track in the curve is banked away from the turn instead of into it. If you aren’t creeping along that corner, you’re going to slide off.”

“I didn’t know you were so well versed in car games,” Juliette said to her husband in surprise.

“I may have played a time or two with the boys, just for fun,” he said, his cheeks reddening.

“You’re actually pretty good, Oscar,” Slash said. “You surprised all of us with your need for speed.”

While the others laughed, I peered at the spot where Oscar had pointed. I wasn’t sure, but since it was the last turn, I wasn’t going to take any chances. I slowed to a crawl. Sure enough, the track banked away, just as Oscar had suspected.

I blew out a breath. “Great save, Oscar. I’d have gone right over the edge if you hadn’t warned me.”

Easing around the turn, I hit the final stretch and gunned the car up the ramp and onto the platform. Amid the cheers from the others, a red light came on over the platform, and the side door in the control room slid open. The big video screen went dark and, simultaneously, a new set of buttons illuminated on the console.

We’d made it through the first part of the challenge. Unfortunately, I’d eaten up a lot of time.

Slash set the mirror aside and carefully stepped into the darkened room. “It’s a complete blackout situation with only the first few feet of the floor revealed by the red light of the control room,” he said. “The edges of the door are highlighted with the same thin ribbon of light as the edge of our bracelets. What’s next?”

Not sure, I pushed one of the buttons on the console and the screen illuminated, although this time in black and white and much dimmer. The view gave me an overhead shot of the room. Most of the screen was dark, with the circle of a single spotlight showing me a small section of the floor. A meandering path cut across the pool of light and into the dark shadows beyond. The lighted areas and borders of the path shone on my screen in an eerie white—infrared—just like the gamemaster had said.

“The edges along the path must be heated slightly or have a mild current running through them to make them stand out under the infrared,” Slash commented. “That could also be part of the alarm system if someone leaves the track.”

I pushed the next buttons in succession, and as I did so, the prior light turned off and a new one lit up. I was able to walk the lights down the length of the room and around a corner, where I could see a raised platform. While the first two-thirds of the path was contiguous, the latter third had two large gaps. The second of those gaps was just in front of the platform at the end of the room. To cross those gaps, the team would have to take large, accurate steps, or even jump in the dark and solely on my instructions.

Jeez.

“Guys, come look at this,” I said, tapping on the screen. “I want you to see these large gaps. They’re going to be a real challenge. You should study these spots the best you can, so you’ll know the length and general angle you’ll need to step, or jump, over to get to the other side.”

Everyone studied the map, but I knew it would be hard for them to figure how that would play out when they were standing in the dark on the actual path. I shone the last light, nearest the platform, but unfortunately, it did not light up much of that area. I could vaguely make out something round hanging on the far wall, but that was it.

“It looks like I won’t be able to help whoever makes it up the platform. And remember, I won’t be able to hear you. But I’ll get you there.” I glanced at the clock. “We have just over an hour left. Let’s get our plan together. Slash, what do you think we should do?”

“I don’t think you’ll have time to direct everyone individually, so I think we should split into two groups,” Slash said.

“How will that be faster?” Juliette asked. “She’ll still have to give separate directions to everyone.”

“I know, but I still think it’s safer to have two teams. A scouting team will go first to check out the path. I’ll go with Oscar, and we’ll take one of the strobe lights. Tito will lead a second group with you, Mama. He’ll take the other strobe light. Mia, you stay with Lexi and be available to assist her if problems arise.”

“How are you going to give us instructions, Lexi?” Juliette asked.

I considered. “To make sure we’re oriented in the same direction, before you move, I want you to stick one arm straight out in front of you. I’ll tell you how big a step to take by using a clock formation using the position of your arm. Lift your arm straight up. That’s the twelve o’clock position. Ninety degrees to your right would be three o’clock. The opposite side would be nine o’clock. Everybody got it?”

“While the idea of this plan is sound, I think there are some additional items to consider,” Juliette said, crossing her arms against her chest. “First, Brando said there would be obstacles on our path. Other than the gaps, I didn’t see any when Lexi scanned the room with the lights. So, I suspect they’re invisible from her vantage point. But I’m sure they’re out there somewhere. Brando also said Lexi won’t be able to hear us in the other room. That means if the first team runs into obstacles, she may not understand what is going on. And worse, the team that follows might not as well unless we’re all out there together.”

I was struck by the logic and thoughtful analysis just presented. “You’re right, Juliette,” I said. “We have to account for the fact that I’m going to be blind to some, maybe all, of the obstacles. I’ll be able to keep you on the path, but that’s all we can reasonably count on.”

Oscar nodded vigorously. “Yes. Romeo, I think the teams you have selected, and the order in which you wish us to proceed, does not reflect our best chance of success. It would require both you and Tito to be saddled with Juliette and myself, even though you, Tito, and Lexi represent our best chance for success. Logically speaking, Juliette and I should go first as a team. We’d serve a useful purpose in identifying possible obstacles or traps that might await us and put us out of the game. That would reduce the risk for you and Tito. One of you two is the player who needs to solve the final puzzle.”

“Make that him,” Tito said, pointing a finger at Slash. “I’m not even a third as good as he is at puzzles and codes.”

Slash pushed his fingers through his hair, mulling over his parent’s words. “The gamemaster thinks we’re doing so well in the challenges because we’re a family. I think that’s true, but it’s also because we listen to each other, communicate well, and respect all points of view, no matter the source. Communication for this challenge will be critical. Before we start the challenge, we need to figure out how to get information back to Lexi on what challenges we are facing.”

“How do you propose we do that?” Juliette asked.

“I think that given the time constraints and your and Oscar’s thoughtful analysis of our situation, instead of going as two teams of two, as I proposed earlier, we go in a long single line. Mama, you’ll go first, followed by Oscar, just as you suggested. Tito and I will hang back and serve as voice relays of what is happening ahead. Mia will stand just inside the room by the door to hear us and pass the information to Lexi.”

“Won’t that take longer?” Mia asked.

“It does mean that we’ll be slower to get started, since Lexi will have to walk us individually into position before we move farther on down the path. But it’ll also give us the opportunity to get used to the environment and, more importantly, communicate efficiently with one another.”

Mia clapped her hands excitedly. “I’m as ready as Meemaw’s corn bread.”

Slash opened his mouth to say something and then shook his head, deciding to let it pass. “You’ll also have another critical role to play, Mia.”

“I will? What is it?”

“To succeed, we must have both the code and someone with an unalarmed bracelet. We don’t want to waste time or risk getting whoever is on the platform back to the control room in the dark. So, if you’re still here with a working bracelet, then all we have to do is to get the code to Lexi and you walk out the door with her.”

“How are you going to get me the code if I can’t hear you?” I asked. “The platform is too far away for Mia to be able to hear what someone is yelling even if she’s standing in the doorway.”

“We’ll use a visual code,” Slash explained. “Whoever gets to the platform and gets the code should do jumping jacks to mark a number, one through nine. Does everyone know what a jumping jack is?”

He demonstrated it just in case. “Lexi will say, ‘first number,’ and then whoever has the code will start jumping for the corresponding number. Stop jumping when you’ve reached the desired number. Lexi will ask you to confirm the first digit. If it’s correct, bow. If not, don’t do anything. Once the number is confirmed, she’ll say, ‘second number,’ and we repeat the process until we’ve given her the complete code. Lexi will enter the code on the keypad, depart the room with Mia and her unalarmed bracelet, and we win. Simple.”

“That didn’t sound simple to me, but I trust you,” Juliette said. “If you say it’s plausible, then it is.”

“I can handle that,” Lexi said.

“Do you know how to use the microphone?” Mia asked.

“I presume by using the mic button here on the console.” I pushed it. “Testing, one, two, three.”

“I hear it,” Mia exclaimed. “It works.”

“Be specific about whom you’re giving instructions to, Lexi, and the rest of us need to be vigilant about listening and responding only to our names,” Slash instructed.

I stared at the screen, hopping from section to section. “Unless I say otherwise, when I tell you to take a step, it should be about two lengths of your foot. If we get to a curve where I want you to take shorter steps, I’ll tell you. Just put one foot in front of the other carefully. If you find something, if the path is uneven, or something surprises you, please stop and wave your arms over your head so I can see. That’ll tell me there’s a potential problem. Relay the problem to me through our so-called echo brigade. Once you’re clear, swing your arms at your side until I say you’re ready to proceed.”

“All right, we need to get going.” Slash started lining everyone one up. “Mama, you’re going first. Lexi will position you a little way down the path and then advance Oscar. Then she’ll move you farther down the path until we’re all in place. We’ll do this slowly but surely.” He handed Tito a strobe light. “Tito and I will each carry one of these to use as needed.”

Tito nodded, and I positioned my chair for a better look at the open door. I could just see the edge of the path on the floor on the other side of the door. It looked like there were two clear cables embedded in the floor. They probably produced the signature I could see with my infrared cameras. Atop of the cables was a thin white line demarking the edges of the path. They would be invisible in the dark room. Heck, they became invisible two feet from the door.

I returned my focus to the screen. “Okay, Juliette, let’s start slow. Take two steps straight ahead and stop.” She did as I requested. “Turn ninety degrees to your left. Back up a little to your right. Great. Now take two more steps forward.”

It was slow going at first, but eventually everyone got the hang of it. I was able to maneuver all four into the other room, separated by about six feet. I’d just started moving Juliette forward again when she abruptly stopped and started swinging her arms. Apparently, there was a problem.

“Mia, what’s going on?” I yelled.

She stuck her head back in the room, and I could hear shouting, although from my location, I couldn’t hear what was being said.

“You’re not going to believe this,” Mia said, popping back into the control room. “It’s bat-poop crazy.”

Nope. I just couldn’t deal with that right now. “What is it, Mia? What’s there?”

“Security laser beams. Just like in the movies.”