THE
ESCAPE GAME
SEASON FOUR FINALE
A Bloody Good Time Was Had by All
Sierra paced the greenroom, fidgeting with her lip ring as herskirts dragged across the carpet. It had taken several members of the costuming department to wrestle her into this monstrosity of a Victorian-era dress. The corset was suffocating, the ruffles enormous, the lace itchy as hell. The outfits were supposed to be a clue to the finale’s theme, but there were too many options. A parlor mystery? A hot-air balloon race? TheTitanic?
Sprawled out on the sofa, his tailcoat on his knees, Cruz moaned. “That breakfast sandwich is not sitting well with me. Why did they get us changed so early?”
“More mind games,” drawled Elijah, their team captain, sitting at the table. He looked half asleep. No wonder, considering he was up swimming at an ungodly hour that morning.
Not that Sierra could talk—she hadn’t exactly slept last night, either.
She continued to pace. She had to keep moving or anxiety would eat her alive.Two hours. Two more hours and this nightmare of a game show would be over. They could win. That prize money could be hers.
“You feeling okay?” Missy said. At first Sierra thought the question was for Cruz, still groaning on the couch. But no. Missy was watchingher.
“Yeah, sure. Just want to get this over with.”
“We need to stay focused.” Elijah opened his eyes. “Now more than ever.”
“No shit, Sherlock.”
“I’m serious, Sierra. Maybe there’s something you want to tell us? We’ve got the time.”
“Now that you mention it, I have been meaning to point out what a pretentious asshat you are.”
Cruz snorted. “I’m going to miss you all.”
“I mean about you and Alicia,” said Elijah. “There was a lot of shouting last night.”
Sierra’s mouth went dry. The villa walls weren’t exactly sound-proof, and Elijah had a bad habit of following Alicia around like a lost puppy.
“None of your business,” she snapped. Alicia had been even more condescending and cagey than usual last night, and Sierra was still pissed off about it.
“I didn’t see her this morning,” Elijah said. “What did you say to make her so upset?”
“How about you focus on the game rather than my goddamn sister?”
A knock drew their attention to the door. Vera stalked in, wearing her usual sparkly outfit and scowl. “Team Hourglass, there’s been a change. You’re going to run the game first.”
Elijah frowned. “Why?”
“Because Ranielle said so. She wants you on set. Now.”
Cruz climbed to his feet. “Sure thing. Right after I make a quick pit stop.”
He ran to the restroom while Sierra followed the others out of the greenroom. They’d never changed the filming schedule before, but she didn’t mind. She could practically smell the cash prize. She didn’t need Alicia, or her charity, or her judgments.
The crew hurried to set them up with earpieces and lapel mics. Cruz returned looking a little better, a makeup assistant touched up Sierra’s black lipstick, and before Sierra could catch her breath, the contestants were ushered onto the set, where the show’s icons—Fitzy and Louis—were waiting. Missy cheered and gave them high fives.
“Team Hourglass!” yelled James “Fitzy” Fitzgerald. “You’ve made it to the finale!”
Sierra hated Fitzy. Maybe it was his Australian surfer persona—that sun-bleached hair, his easy grin, his terrible jokes. Or maybe it was that he was a clueless teenage sidekick next to—
“Welcome,” said Louis Augustus Russell. The Game Master was nearly twenty years older, tall and barrel-chested, with a light brown goatee and his signature newsboy cap. He looked more like a WWE fighter than the genius who designed some of the nation’s most beloved escape rooms. He hooked his thumbs into his suspenders. “You’re about to be tested as never before.”
