Episode 24 - The Mastermind

The Red Team was the one who stood up their pods. The 5 of them got out almost at the same time. Ethan fell to the ground and started to punch it. Necole looked away, clenching her firsts while tears rolled down her cheeks.

Zorn walked up Dominik's pod and stood there for a moment, with a blank expression on his face. Sophie went up to Luna and hugged her tightly. Luna hugged her back, letting a few tears fall down.

They made it. They were the winning team. That evil game in which they were in had finally ended.

Or so they thought.

"Welcome, Red Team. Everything is finally over… or is it?

I congratulate you for getting this far. The hint for this round is… the mastermind is a man. But the announcement doesn't end there. You still have one more trial left. This last trial will determine who is the real champion of this game.

This time there will not be teams. Everyone will have to defend themselves. The next round, all five of you will fight against each other in one last decisive match. The first one to get to 30 points will be the winner. Good luck to everyone, I hope to see the winner soon. This will probably be your last announcement."

The tears that were running down Luna and Necole's cheeks stopped suddenly by their shock. They had been completely fooled. They still had one match left. Ethan stood up the ground and started to shout.

– WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP! It's a man? HA! LUNA! —he pointed at her, still on her pod— I KNOW YOU'RE THE ONE WHO PUT US ALL IN THIS! This will be the real end. Don't expect any mercy.

With that, Ethan made his way back to the warehouses. Each one was open and they could use them however they wanted. Necole looked sideways at them and then walked away, trying to catch up to Ethan.

– … L-Luna… don't worry. With this hint we know Ethan is the guilty one. —said Sophie—.

– …

Carefully, Luna got out of her pod since she was injured. Sophie took her arm and put it on her shoulder, helping her walk to their warehouse.

– Zorn, we'll wait for you at the warehouse. —said Luna with a small smile—.

He then decided to follow them, looking back one more time to Dominik's pod. Thanks to him, they survived one more round.

Zorn, Luna and Sophie were resting in the same warehouse they've been staying from the beginning. While Ethan and Necole were using the one the Purple Team used to be in.

– What's the strategy, Ethan.

– Kill Luna, that's it. I think if we stab her again and this time we do kill her, all of this will end.

– Are you sure? The hint said it was a man, not a woman…

– Necole… she could be lying! It's obvious now that there are only two men left. And there wasn't a woman only team.

– Mmm… you're right…

– I'll avenge Regina… and Gaeva… I'll avenge everyone.

Meanwhile, in the other warehouse, Luna wanted to rest as much as she could so her injuries could heal. Last round she was safe since she had a team, but now she was on her own.

Sophie and Zorn were talking outside the warehouse.

– What are you going to do now, Zorn?

– Mmm? Me? Well… no one wants to die. No one ever wanted to die here.

Sophie let out a cackle full of melancholy.

– Thanks right. No one wanted to die… —she sighed— I… I don't have any purpose to keep living. I just wanted to fight for my nation. For Maeva. I wanted to help Elise found her sister… something inside of me… something inside of me wants Luna to win. I don't know why. Maybe because she reminds me so much of Elise. Her strength, her courage… oh, I'm sorry, I must be boring you.

– Don't worry, Sophie. It's fun listening to you.

– Everything will end soon, isn't it? —Sophie stood up from the bank chair— It was a pleasure meeting you, Zorn. —she stretched her hand— It was fun fighting alongside you.

– Same to you, Sophie. —he too stretched out his hand, accepting the handshake—.

No one knew what was going to happen. No one wanted to die, but, the last day arrived. The five of them were standing in front of their pods, ready for the last battle. No one said anything. But second before entering, Ethan whispered: "Let the best one win."

Waking up, Luna was inside what was by now the worst hell. She just wanted everything to end. She wasn't sure if she was capable of killing them all to save herself. Sighing, she took the first revolver that was at hand.

Going outside, she encountered the battlefield. She tried to run but tripped on a rock. Without even being able to look up, she felt how something stabbed her on the back.

In the blink of an eye she was back to her respawning place. She couldn't see who killed her. A quick check to her wrist showed that Ethan was winning with 20 points. Something was wrong, he couldn't have gotten so many points by himself so quickly.

– Necole must be helping him… —she whispered to herself—.

She went back out and collided with Sophie.

– Luna!

– Sophie…

– Kill me.

– Huh…? Get those points. —she took Luna's hands in hers— Win. For me. For elise. For Maeva.

– I-I can't Sophie... I can't do that…

– Please…

Sophie took Luna's gun, still in her hands, and aimed at her head.

– Come on Luna, save us.

Luna felt how her eyes were starting to tear up. Sophie was pressing her finger on the trigger, eventually making it fire. Luna opened her eyes in surprise and fell to the ground.

– N-no…

Right then, Ethan appears behind Luna.

– Say your last words, Luna.

Luna quickly turned around, and seconds before shooting, Zorn's voice was heard all over the place, summoning all of them to the center of the place. Ethan and Necole were suspicious about it but still decided to follow the voice. When they arrived, Zorn was in the middle on the battleground. Everyone was looking at him. Luna arrived last, still limping.

– Hey, hey… I have a little… announcement for you guys.

– Spit it out, Zorn. —said Ethan—.

– Chill, man. —he cleared up his throat—. Well, as you can see, Ethan and Necole suspect that Luna is the one behind all of this, right?

– That's right, any problem with that?

– And us… well, Sophie and Luna think it's you, Ethan. But… It seems that you guys don't know the real deal.

Ethan started to get exasperated and aimed his gun at Zorn.

– My patience has a limit, Zorn. And I'm very close to winning. In fact, I can get out of here with your head.

Zorn smiled.

– Not so fast, buddy. If you're so desperate to know who's the guilty guy… well… it's you! —he pointed at Luna—.

Luna opened her eyes in both shock and confusion.

– I knew it! —Ethan aimed at her— I knew it from the begin-

– Sike! It's me, Ethan! I'm the one behind all of this.

– W-what?

TO BE CONTINUED.