“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that Elsie has grown on you.”
“I’ve gone from hating her to tolerating her, if that counts.”
“Uh, huh. No one else believes you, but I do.” I laugh.
Everyone on the screen is encouraging Elsie through her room. Maggie is holding her hand and talking to her and she nods, pointing to a lamp on the side table.
“My lamp had a chip in the side,” she explains, and Adrianne lifts it up and pulls out their first clue.
“Have you told the boyfriends about their mother’s skills?” he asks.
“Why, what have you done?”
He smirks and shrugs. “They might just get a close up very soon.”
“You sent them into the test.”
“A little boost to their egos about being the best and bam, three stooges volunteered.”
“You sent them in to attack their own mother, knowing she could hurt them.”
“We’ll soon find out if her skills are rusty. Her room is the last, and I sent in some living props. Her growing up in an Order family had some benefits, she can hit any target with any weapon. I’m wondering if Miss Davis is a cougar.”
I whack him in the chest. “If anyone gets hurt, you will be to blame.”
“We need to see who can protect themselves anyway, and this saves us time.”
“I knew this was too good to be true. I should have just left it to Kalen and dealt with the naked jelly wrestling.”
“Don’t be so dramatic, you know it’s required that everyone has a minimum of three field assignments.”
“Do I know that? Because I’ve been thrown into this blind. I haven’t had years of training to desensitise myself, Baxter. I’m trying every damn day. I’m grateful I have you because you don’t pussy foot around me.”
“Oh shucks, I knew you loved me.”
“Says the one with a tattoo that represents our friendship. A Batman tattoo to be exact.”
I smile as he grins. I never would have imagined in a million years that the boy with the sinful look in his eye that I was warned away from would become my best friend and closest ally.
“Oh, this one is good,” he chortles, pointing at the screen. It looks like a virtual reality room. Everyone grabs a headset, and I realise that someone must be a gamer. Belle takes the lead and I’m surprised; she doesn’t look like the type. The room appears empty, but their actions tell me that they don’t believe that it is. Baxter flicks a screen on, and I can see what they are seeing. Obviously, they need to play this game and find whatever clue has been left for them. I don’t know the game to know what theywould be looking for. I gasp when more people dressed in lycra suits wearing the same VR goggles enter the room.
“The lycra was a nice touch, they look ridiculous,” he murmurs to himself.
“You’re losing your touch. Clearly someone pissed you off, and instead of resorting to violence, you turned to material that leaves nothing to the imagination. And on men, no less. Do you need to tell me something? You know I’ll love you no matter what.”
“Fuck off. I’m still as violent as ever. Just keep watching.”
I turn my attention back to the screen where Emmerson, Maggie and Adrianne lead the pack. It’s them versus the guys that just entered. Emmerson is dropping them like flies; no doubt these men are not from our combat teams. That wouldn’t exactly be fair to throw them up against the best of the best with no training. Still, Emmerson’s skill is impressive. There’s potential there.
“Computer nerds, they really should have done what I asked.” I look over at Baxter. He’s leaning back in his chair with a smirk on his face.
Each part of this indoor escape room gets more violent and harder to solve.
When the entire team is thrown into darkness I glance at Baxter once more. He motions for me to watch.
Binary code lines the walls, and Mackenzie instantly knows that this test is for her. Elsie leans against a wall and catches her breath. I look at Baxter again, and he winks. He’s done this deliberately, a test for them to catch a quick break.
“What the hell is this?” Precious scoffs.
