Team Helsing wasn’texactlywhat she’d had in mind, but now that she thought about it, they were the ones she trusted most to back her up against the Game Master.
Adi was strung across the opposite sofa, staring at the ceiling, his gaze unfocused. He’d been like that since seeing Alicia’s cryptic note yesterday. Beck said Adi hadn’t touched a book since, not even before bed.
Sierra was in one of the tufted chairs, hunched over her phone. Carter assumed she was studying the clues on the Domain’s forum again, but a glimpse of the screen revealed what looked like an online art store.
Beck was practicing a viral dance. Under his breath, he occasionally whispered things like, “Find the light from number four villa. Find the light from hashtag four villa. Find a-strike-through-the light? Strike-through, why the strike-through?”
Carter brushed chip dust from her fingers and leaned over Alicia’s note still spread out on the coffee table.
She ignored the part about Louis to focus on the mention of the clue from episode two. Piano, sheet music, sounds.
What are you trying to tell us, Alicia?
“Hey.”
It took Carter a moment to realize Sierra was talking to her. She tore her gaze from the note as Sierra put down her phone. “I should probably apologize. You know. For making a big deal about you and Fitzy.”
Beck stopped dancing.
“I was wrong,” Sierra said. “So . . . yeah. Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Carter said. “You were trying to protect me.”
Beck wriggled his eyebrows. “Does this mean you and Fitzy are a thing?”
Adi shifted to look at Carter, too. She flushed under everyone’s expectant stares. “Of course not. It isn’t like that.” When they seemed unconvinced, Carter added, “He’s not my type.”
“Oh, sure,” said Beck. “No one likes the hot, popular ones. And that accent? Total turnoff.”
Carter’s flush deepened. “Even if I were . . . alittleinterested . . . he obviously wouldn’t be interested in . . .” She gestured at herself.
Adi rolled his eyes and picked up his phone.
“I don’t know,” said Beck. “We saw the studio tour video. There was tons of chemistry.”
“Oh, please. He was just being . . .” Friendly.
Nice.
Flirty?
She shook her head. “Honestly, it doesn’t even matter. There’s a strict clause in the contract that says the host isn’t allowed to date any contestants.”
“Won’t be a problem for much longer,” Adi muttered.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sierra said.
“Nothing.” Adi rolled onto his back again and continued to stare at the ceiling. “It means nothing.”
True to his word, Louis sent a car for Carter just before eight, andif the driver was confused why four teenagers piled in instead of one, he didn’t say anything. Louis had sent another text—the number “522”—and Carter had thought maybe it was a puzzle to solve. But when the car pulled up to a hotel, she realized it was actually a room number.
“This doesn’t feel like an illicit affair atall,” Adi drawled.
“Shut up,” Carter snapped. Disgust and dread rolled through her as they all slinked through the lobby, which was lush with plants and fountains.
Beck hummed theMission Impossibletheme song as they entered the elevator.
This was a terrible idea. They should have gone to the police. Carter said as much out loud, her voice trembling. It wasn’t too late. They could still leave—
