Page 24 of No Escape

“A gentlemen’s agreement?” Slash raised an eyebrow. “Involving what kind of stipulations?”

“As you heard tonight at dinner from Brando Porizio, Zachetti’s gamemaster, if you were to solve all the challenges in the castle, he has agreed to pay for Gio and Vittoria’s honeymoon and throw in spending money as well.”

“That’s quite generous of him,” I commented. “Not to mention motivating.”

“Yes, but you see, Zachetti was not convinced the wedding party could stand a chance at solving evenoneof his challenges. After all, if the brightest minds in the scientific and gaming world had teamed against him and failed, what prospect would a family of unassuming Italians, Brits, and Americans, with noknowncredentials, have to solve them? So, the Holy Father told Mr. Zachetti he had every confidence that you could take onallof his challenges and come out victorious.”

“Allof the challenges,” Slash repeated.

“Whoa. The popebeton us?” I said incredulously.

“He made a gentleman’s agreement,” Father Armando gently corrected me.

I looked between Slash and Father Armando, who were staring at each other. I wasn’t sure what was going on between them, but I had questions. “What happens if we don’t solve all the challenges?”

The father broke eye contact with Slash and turned toward me. “If you fail to solve even one of the challenges, you lose, and the pope must make a donation to a charity of Zachetti’s choosing.”

“That’s not so bad,” I said. “I fail to see a downside, except Gio and Vittoria don’t get their all-expense-paid honeymoon.”

“It’s not quite that simple,” Father Armando replied.

I sighed and leaned back in the chair. “When is it ever?”

A smile touched Father Armando’s lips. “The honeymoon story was told to the rest of the wedding party to keeptheminvested in solving the puzzles. And indeed, Dante Zachetti will grant Gio and Vittoria a spectacular honeymoon here on his island and yacht. But that’s not the full agreement.”

He paused, and I waited curious as to where this was going. “If you win and solveallthe puzzles in the castle, Zachetti has agreed to make a significant donation to a charity of the pope’s choosing.”

I held up my hands. “Great. What kind of donation are we talking about?”

“Fifteen million euros.”

“What?” I whistled in surprise. Was Zachetti that convinced, or so egotistical, that he believed no one could solve his puzzles? “That’s a heck of a lot of money.”

“It is.”

“Which charity will be the recipient of the cash?” Slash asked, leaning forward and resting his hands on his thighs.

“The new state-of-the art orphanage the pope has been planning. It’ll be able to house one thousand children from all over Italy. You both know how close building the orphanage is to his heart. Given an infusion of this amount of cash, it would become a reality much sooner than he ever anticipated.”

Slash got a distant look in his eyes, and I could guess what he was thinking. He’d once been an orphan himself. That he could help bring the Holy Father’s dream to reality would mean a lot to him. I had to give it to the pope. If nothing else, he certainly knew how to motivate Slash and, by extension, me.

“That’s quite a challenge,” I said. “Obviously there’s a lot more at stake than a honeymoon. The orphanage, the pope’s faith in us,andthe pope’s reputation are all riding on our capabilities. No freaking pressure.”

“We’re certain you, and your family, can handle it.”

Slash stood, walking the length of the room and back, his thinking mode. “So, all twelve of us must participate in the challenges, correct?”

“Yes,” Father Armando said. “Although I don’t know the exact rules for the escape rooms yet. I’ve been told those will be laid out for you tomorrow before the first challenge, but on that one, Zachetti was clear. All twelve of you must participate.”

That concerned me, because I wasn’t sure how my mother, Oscar, Vittoria, who was seven months pregnant, and a teenage girl were going to handle or contribute to the challenges. Not to mention everyone else I didn’t really know.

“Your presence here, Emilio, makes thirteen of us,” Slash said. “How does Zachetti account for that?”

“Oh, I’m here as the pope’s representative only, an observer to ensure the pope’s interests are protected. Dante personally invited me. I am not expected to participate in the challenges. And, please, no one else must know of the gentlemen’s agreement or it will become null and void. So, you will do your best?”

Slash exchanged a glance with me, and I shrugged, indicating I was in if he was, but leaving the decision in his hands.

A muscle in his jaw ticked before he gave a nod. “Your faith in us is not misplaced. We’ll solve the escape rooms, Emilio.”

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