There was a chill in the air that everyone seemed to notice at once. They were all wearing coats, but they hugged themselves and moved closer together. Cheryl could still feel heat being blasted from the slim vents at ankle-height, but she had the suspicion the temperature had been turned down. The fans overhead rotated sluggishly.
“This isn’t a game,” said Maggie. “No one is having fun here.”
Cheryl hugged herself and shuddered as a chill ran along her shoulders. “So, what are you saying?”
Maggie shook her head. She didn’t have an answer.
Leo moved in front of John. “Who is this company, boss? What are they playing at?”
“Yeah,” said Alfie. “I’d like to know too.”
John stared at the floor and didn’t look up for several moments. “They’ve taken things too far. They probably just researched us to make the games more engaging, but I don’t care. They won’t be getting any of our business, I promise you. Any more of this and they’ll end up in court.”
That wasn’t the question Leo had asked, so Cheryl asked it again. “Who are they, John? What is the company called?”
John squinted as though trying to remember. “They were called, um, yeah, I remember, they were called Retribution Ltd.”
“Yes,” said Happy. “That was the name.”
“Wow!” said Leo. “Nothing worrying about that at all. Retribution? Seriously? And the word guilty written on our glasses. Is the company run by some guy called Judge McPunisher?”
Monty tutted. “Come on, you lot, keep your marbles. It’s just a game, innit? Fair play to this Retribution Ltd for taking their shit seriously. They don’t mess around, and I like it. I might even invest in their operation. Been meaning to make my money work harder for me.”
Maggie unfolded her arms and rubbed at her forehead. “I don’t believe you, Monty. You’re pretending you aren’t as freaked out as the rest of us, but it’s bullshit.”
“Nobody’s hurt, are they? If somebody wanted to get us, why go to this length or expense? There are easier ways to mess somebody up, you get me? The only reason to spend money is to make money, so this is obviously a business. A business that won’t get our cash if we’re injured, so just chill, woman.”
Maggie nodded and seemed to relax. In fact, everybody did for it was true. Why would anybody go to such expense merely to screw with a group of office workers? This was all part of an experience, and Retribution Ltd was doing its best to win a corporate account.
Despite the relief, Cheryl felt like throwing up. She hadn’t worked with these people long enough to trust them, and part of her mind nagged her to get the hell out of that hole. She never should have gone down there.
What if Alscon has drawn the anger of some deranged madman and this is his maniacal revenge? Mum will kill me if I get murdered and chopped up.
“I think we should just carry on playing,” said Leo. “It’s the only way we’ll get answers. There’s a pallet of stolen tiles in that cell so why don’t we think about what that means?”
“It means,” said John. “That one of you is a fucking thief. And God help them if I find out who.”
“Hey, um, guys?” Leo was crouched behind the pallet of tiles, and he looked at them over the top now. It was obvious from his expression that he’d found something.
“What is it?” Cheryl accidentally yelled the question and embarrassed herself. Her nerves remained unsettled, and she desperately wished she still had her phone so she could call her mother — even if it was only to hear a lecture. I warned you not to go, Cher, but you never listen. Then she would call the police and tell them she was trapped in a gloomy, steel tunnel fifteen feet underground.
But hey, at least I’m out of the house. Yay for me.
Leo reached down and produced another tablet like the one that was affixed to the TVR’s engine. He placed it on top of the tiles with the screen facing everybody. “You think this might give us answers?”
“Does it switch on?” asked John. He stood close to Maggie now, the previous distance between them non-existent. His jaw was clenched and his hands locked into fists — like he was just begging for somebody to shout at. God help anyone at Retribution Ltd.
“Hold on, let me try.” Leo prodded a button at the bottom of the tablet and the screen came immediately to life. A video started playing.
There was nothing on screen except for a man; but it was no ordinary man. This person had no eyes — only flat, bumpy flesh over hollow sockets. His nose and mouth were normal, but his head lacked a single hair. Nor did he have eyebrows or facial hair. He was more mannequin than man. “To lie is to be human,” he said in a rasping hiss like crushed insects, “but to steal is a crime. All of you are deceivers, all of you are liars, but only one of you is a thief. Will that person come forward and confess?”
Cheryl looked at the others, but no one moved a muscle. They stood, transfixed by the abomination on screen.
The eyeless man sighed and ran a slender set of fingers over the patchy skin covering his eye sockets. “I see you not, but I am certain none of you has stepped forwards. As you wish; in lieu of dignity, the thief shall be coerced to confess. Punishment shall be dispensed.”
Leo shifted uncomfortably. “What does that mean?”
Cheryl shushed him.
The horrific stranger continued, thin lips barely moving as he spoke. “The room beside this one is locked with an automatic bolt. Inside, are enough supplies to help you survive one week. In seven days, an anonymous call to the police shall see you set free, but without the supplies in the next room, you shall be long dead by the time help arrives.”
“I fucking told you,” said Alfie. “We’re screwed. This is fucked! Fucked!”
Maggie wailed. John had to place an arm around her waist to keep her in place. She buried her head against his chest and sobbed.
Cheryl teetered and feared she might fall. Was this a joke? Because it wasn’t funny. She moved next to Leo, not touching him, but close enough to grab him if the need arose.
The stranger kept on, giving them no time to digest what they were hearing. He whispered now, his voice like running salt. “If you wish to unlock the next room, the thief must reveal themselves and accept punishment. A man who takes with one hand must lose the other. That is the price to be paid. One hand will secure the lives of all of you.”
The tablet faded to black. Leo jabbed at the button but nothing happened. “There must’ve been some kind of code or script or—” He shook his head as though forcing himself not to get carried away. “Yeah, well, whatever it was, it must have fired when I pressed the button. The tablet’s dead.”
Maggie clutched John like he was holding her afloat. “There must be a way to get it back on. We can email the police. Make it come back on, Leo. This is getting out of hand.”
Leo picked the tablet up and thrust it at her. “Give it a shot, Mag! I’m telling you, it’s dead.”
Maggie didn’t take the tablet. Her bottom lip trembled, and she looked away. John thrust out his palm. “All right, Leo, rein it in. You’re acting the twat.”
Leo folded his arms and swore under his breath. Offended, he muttered, “Watch who you’re calling a twat.”