World Chess Championship, Moscow, Russia
N ot for a moment did the Chessmaster hesitate with his moves. On the contrary, the world leaders took too much time. Part of it was squeezing their thoughts for a winning move, but most of it was stalling, in case Alice and the Pillar could find Carroll’s Knight—whatever that was.
But the Chessmaster was losing patience and getting more furious by the minute, especially after Alice and the Pillar escaped with Carroll’s Knight in their pocket.
The Chessmaster faced the camera and warned the world of the consequences that would occur if he didn’t get what he wanted in a few hours. “This is a call to the world,” he began. “Don’t think I have no more rabbits under my hat. Killing your world leaders in a chess game is only the beginning. You don’t want me to go further with my threats.”
He walked with his hands behind his back, and the camera followed him. “Everyone in Italy is responsible for catching Alice and the Pillar. This or…” He stopped before the Italian president’s table and grinned. “I will checkmate your president sooner than you think.”
People gasped in the auditorium and the Italian president swallowed hard, thinking about his next move.
“Listen to me, people of this world.” The Chessmaster faced the camera again, exercising his hobby of rubbing his mustache. “Like I said, you don’t know who I am, and you probably don’t want to,” he said. “I’m not a Wonderland Monster. That would be an understatement. I’m your last and worst nightmare. Bring me Carroll’s Knight or…trust me, I’ll checkmate the world.”