Across the stage, Jarius groaned. “Pi.Obviously.” He reached over and smacked Neil on the shoulder. “Why didn’t you get that?”
But Fitzy looked confused, even as he tried to chuckle through it. “And that was . . . helpful?”
Carter stared at him. “Very. He didn’t mean pie, the food. He meant pi, the number. You know . . . 3.1415926535897—”
Adi squeezed Carter’s arm and she cut herself off.
“That’s our Solve Specialist,” said Beck, beaming.
Carter continued, “Once I figured out that was what the clue meant, I just had to pop the right balloons. And, thankfully”—her gaze flickered to Team Dread—“I happen to be quite good at darts.”
“Well,” said Fitzy, “there’s no doubt that your quick thinking and skillful dart-throwing gave your team a great start. Are we ready to find out your final times?”
“Yes,” said Sierra loudly as some of the other contestants cheered.
“I’m ready, too,” said Fitzy. “Team leaders. This way, please.”
The scoreboard lit up with the three remaining team names.
Dread
Mind Hack
Helsing
Adi hardly breathed. All he saw was that clock, ticking and flashing.
And then—he heard it.
The cheers from Jarius and his team as their final time flashed.
Dread36:16
And, what felt like hours later . . . Mind Hack cheering even louder.
Mind Hack35:42
Adi forced himself to be stoic.(Let us be in the finals. Let us be in the finals. Let us—)
Helsing27:17
Sierra hollered, punching the air. Beck and Carter screamed. In a blur, Carter whirled around and hugged Adi, almost toppling him from the riser.
“We did it!” Carter screamed in Adi’s ear.
“Youdid it!” he countered.
She spun away to hug Beck, both of them shrieking that they were going to the finale.
Adi felt off-kilter, as if a support beam had fallen from under him.First place.
“Helsing and Mind Hack, congratulations!” yelled Fitzy. “You’re going to the finale! Unfortunately, Team Dread, that means that your next escape will be right out of this stu—”
“Hold on, Fitzy,” said Jarius, so loud that his voice cut through the speakers like a scythe. “Before we go on, I think there’s something everyone needs to know.”
Fitzy glanced at Ranielle offstage, who was frowning and speaking into her headset as a buzz of confusion passed around the studio.
Jarius turned toward Adi’s team, a smirk on his boyish face.
