It was maddening trying to figure out what Himeros was so busy doing, but then he approached me again. He pulled a ring of keys from his pocket and uncuffed one of my hands. I became an animal, thrashing at him, but he pulled away quickly, like the coward he was, shoving the keys back into his pocket.
“No, no. That’s not how this game works. But the rules are simple. For this study, will you look at the two vents in the room.”
I searched around, finding both on the right side of the room, on the ceiling in either corner.
Himeros reached into his pocket and retrieved another remote. He pressed down, and not five seconds later, pale blue fumes pushed a few inches beneath the vents before stopping abruptly.
“Zyklon B,” Himeros said. “Are you familiar with the substance, Liam?”
“Nazi Germany. Like mother, like son.”
Himeros smiled. “I’ll take all that as a compliment. Now, Pretty Thing, if you don’t do as I say, if you try to escape in any way or do anything against the rules, then I hit this little button and the room fills with the gas that kills both of you. Understood?”
How could I not?
He waited for a moment. “This is like class time. I do expect a response. Or would you prefer the gas?”
“Yes,” I said through my teeth.
“This timer on the table will play a vital role in this game.”
What in the hell was he getting at? What game?
“I will leave this room and offer further instruction, but keep in mind I have cameras watching you, so I will know if you aren’t listening. And you know the consequences if you don’t obey.”
He went to the door, and just before closing it after him, flashed a mischievous smile, as though he wanted me to know how out of his mind he was.
I heard the loud sound of the door locking behind him as Liam worked busily as ever on the cuff, free to move in ways he hadn’t been with Himeros there. He had a better chance of making it out of here alive. If he could get through, he could pick his other cuff and then maybe the lock to get out of there, even if Himeros triggered the gas.
Me…I was fucking useless, as usual.
In the quiet, I wanted to say something to Liam, but he shushed me, as though to remind me I needed to be careful, considering Himeros was likely watching and listening.
“Pretty Thing, under the table. Feel there now,” a cracking voice came over what sounded like an intercom, though it came through the vents the gas had pushed through, not a speaker box.
I obeyed, and discovered something solid duct-taped to the bottom.
“That’s a box. You can pull the tape loose and pull it out.”
As I followed his orders, the sound of tape tearing from the bottom of the table echoed throughout the room. My hands shook feverishly as I considered the consequences of not complying and imagined all the possible sorts of games he could have been interested in. Every horror movie I’d ever seen pushed to the front of my mind, assaulting me with an endless supply of terrors to make my anxiety that much worse.
As I pulled the box out from under the table, I saw it was antique, wooden, with carved images along the side. A metal latch kept it shut.
“Now before you open this box, I ask you to keep in mind the consequences of violating the rules of this game.”
I shifted my gaze back to the vents.
“Ty, do you understand? Answer me.”
“Yes, I understand,” I groaned.
I felt like a child as he forced me to endure these questions. Although mostly, I just wanted to know what sort of game he was getting at.
“Good,” he said. “As you see, you are partly free right now, at least, your judgment is. So open the box.”
I opened the latch, then pulled the top back, revealing a handgun at the bottom.
Holy fuck.
