Page 53 of The Player
Purposefully, I strode forward into the task room, and the door closed behind me.
I could hear Masters’ muffled cries, and he stared right at me as I stood in the middle of the room, focusing my brain, switching off any logic and rationality. It’d be easier that way.
The pleading in his eyes made me look away. This man was her father. Without him, there’d be no Bryony, and for that, I owed him everything.
How the hell was I supposed to kill him?
“If his only crime was to look the other way, why is he here?” I bellowed. “He hasn’t committed a crime. He’s done what ninety-nine percent of people usually do when they’re faced with a situation that’s out of their control.”
“Ninety-nine?” the Taskmaster spat back. “That’s a very high percentage. I think I’m going to have to call your investigative skills… BULLSHIT!” He shouted the last word and every inch of my body stiffened; my jaw clenched so tight it felt like it could snap. “But I’m willing to overlook your shitty research for now.” He paused. “Tell me, Will. Do you think she’ll still love you when she finds out you butchered her father?”
On instinct, I turned to look over my shoulder and saw that the glass we’d been looking through in that anteroom was a two-way mirror. We couldn’t see her, and I prayed to God that she still had her back to us and couldn’t see us either.
“Don’t worry, she’s still facing the wall,” he stated. “And this room is sound proofed, so she can’t hear us.” And then he whisper-yelled, “Your secret’s safe with me.”
“And what happens if I don’t do it?” I glared up to where the voice was coming from. “What then?”
“But you haven’t heard my terms yet.”
“Kill or be killed, isn’t that how this goes?”
“Yes… aaaand no.”
I waited.
I knew there’d be a catch. He couldn’t help himself.
“There’s one murderer in this room,” he said. “And it isn’t the one in the chair. But sometimes, needs must. I get that. Life isn’t black and white, after all.” He paused again, then added, “You know, there was a reason I chose you to come here and play my games. I thought you might’ve figured it out by now, but it seems you need a bit more help putting the puzzle pieces together. When you and her became a thing, it was like all my Christmases had come at once. Two birds and one stone. Poetic justice. The daughter of one of my guests with my star player. I couldn’t resist taking you both.”
“You fucking bastard,” I hissed. “I’ll make you pay for this.”
“I’m sure you will,” he replied flippantly, which only angered me more. “But let’s get to the task in hand, shall we?”
My jaw ticked as I stood there, blocking out the dentist’s chair and trying to shut off my emotions.
“Today you have a choice. She can leave today with you, or she can leave with her father. But whoever she leaves with, the other must die.”
A whoosh of panic crashed into my ears, the head rush making me dizzy.
Did I hear him right?
Was he saying I had to kill myself to set her and her dad free?
Or I could walk out of here with her today. But if I chose that option, she’d have to live her life knowing I could’ve saved her father.
What the fuck was I supposed to do?
“Before you make your decision, let me outline the rules. This game is called hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. To complete the task, you must deposit two ears, two eyes and a tongue into the bowl on the table to your right. Then, if by some miracle whoever was chosen to donate those items is still alive, they must cut their throat. Look at it as an extra caveat for the ‘speak no evil’ part.”
He spoke so matter of fact it made my stomach churn.
And all I could hear was my heart thumping out of control against my chest. The thought that her last memory of me would be when I walked away from her curled up on the floor to come in here and try to kill her dad twisted me up inside.
But I’d made a promise to her.
I told her I’d get her out of here today, and I would. I’d do anything to make her safe.
“So, tell me,Will,” he rasped. “Are you ready to play my game?”
