Page 93 of No Escape

“I know, but I still think it’s safer to have two teams. A scouting team will go first to check out the path. I’ll go with Oscar, and we’ll take one of the strobe lights. Tito will lead a second group with you, Mama. He’ll take the other strobe light. Mia, you stay with Lexi and be available to assist her if problems arise.”

“How are you going to give us instructions, Lexi?” Juliette asked.

I considered. “To make sure we’re oriented in the same direction, before you move, I want you to stick one arm straight out in front of you. I’ll tell you how big a step to take by using a clock formation using the position of your arm. Lift your arm straight up. That’s the twelve o’clock position. Ninety degrees to your right would be three o’clock. The opposite side would be nine o’clock. Everybody got it?”

“While the idea of this plan is sound, I think there are some additional items to consider,” Juliette said, crossing her arms against her chest. “First, Brando said there would be obstacles on our path. Other than the gaps, I didn’t see any when Lexi scanned the room with the lights. So, I suspect they’re invisible from her vantage point. But I’m sure they’re out there somewhere. Brando also said Lexi won’t be able to hear us in the other room. That means if the first team runs into obstacles, she may not understand what is going on. And worse, the team that follows might not as well unless we’re all out there together.”

I was struck by the logic and thoughtful analysis just presented. “You’re right, Juliette,” I said. “We have to account for the fact that I’m going to be blind to some, maybe all, of the obstacles. I’ll be able to keep you on the path, but that’s all we can reasonably count on.”

Oscar nodded vigorously. “Yes. Romeo, I think the teams you have selected, and the order in which you wish us to proceed, does not reflect our best chance of success. It would require both you and Tito to be saddled with Juliette and myself, even though you, Tito, and Lexi represent our best chance for success. Logically speaking, Juliette and I should go first as a team. We’d serve a useful purpose in identifying possible obstacles or traps that might await us and put us out of the game. That would reduce the risk for you and Tito. One of you two is the player who needs to solve the final puzzle.”

“Make that him,” Tito said, pointing a finger at Slash. “I’m not even a third as good as he is at puzzles and codes.”

Slash pushed his fingers through his hair, mulling over his parent’s words. “The gamemaster thinks we’re doing so well in the challenges because we’re a family. I think that’s true, but it’s also because we listen to each other, communicate well, and respect all points of view, no matter the source. Communication for this challenge will be critical. Before we start the challenge, we need to figure out how to get information back to Lexi on what challenges we are facing.”

“How do you propose we do that?” Juliette asked.

“I think that given the time constraints and your and Oscar’s thoughtful analysis of our situation, instead of going as two teams of two, as I proposed earlier, we go in a long single line. Mama, you’ll go first, followed by Oscar, just as you suggested. Tito and I will hang back and serve as voice relays of what is happening ahead. Mia will stand just inside the room by the door to hear us and pass the information to Lexi.”

“Won’t that take longer?” Mia asked.

“It does mean that we’ll be slower to get started, since Lexi will have to walk us individually into position before we move farther on down the path. But it’ll also give us the opportunity to get used to the environment and, more importantly, communicate efficiently with one another.”

Mia clapped her hands excitedly. “I’m as ready as Meemaw’s corn bread.”

Slash opened his mouth to say something and then shook his head, deciding to let it pass. “You’ll also have another critical role to play, Mia.”

“I will? What is it?”

“To succeed, we must have both the code and someone with an unalarmed bracelet. We don’t want to waste time or risk getting whoever is on the platform back to the control room in the dark. So, if you’re still here with a working bracelet, then all we have to do is to get the code to Lexi and you walk out the door with her.”

“How are you going to get me the code if I can’t hear you?” I asked. “The platform is too far away for Mia to be able to hear what someone is yelling even if she’s standing in the doorway.”

“We’ll use a visual code,” Slash explained. “Whoever gets to the platform and gets the code should do jumping jacks to mark a number, one through nine. Does everyone know what a jumping jack is?”

He demonstrated it just in case. “Lexi will say, ‘first number,’ and then whoever has the code will start jumping for the corresponding number. Stop jumping when you’ve reached the desired number. Lexi will ask you to confirm the first digit. If it’s correct, bow. If not, don’t do anything. Once the number is confirmed, she’ll say, ‘second number,’ and we repeat the process until we’ve given her the complete code. Lexi will enter the code on the keypad, depart the room with Mia and her unalarmed bracelet, and we win. Simple.”

“That didn’t sound simple to me, but I trust you,” Juliette said. “If you say it’s plausible, then it is.”

“I can handle that,” Lexi said.

“Do you know how to use the microphone?” Mia asked.

“I presume by using the mic button here on the console.” I pushed it. “Testing, one, two, three.”

“I hear it,” Mia exclaimed. “It works.”

“Be specific about whom you’re giving instructions to, Lexi, and the rest of us need to be vigilant about listening and responding only to our names,” Slash instructed.

I stared at the screen, hopping from section to section. “Unless I say otherwise, when I tell you to take a step, it should be about two lengths of your foot. If we get to a curve where I want you to take shorter steps, I’ll tell you. Just put one foot in front of the other carefully. If you find something, if the path is uneven, or something surprises you, please stop and wave your arms over your head so I can see. That’ll tell me there’s a potential problem. Relay the problem to me through our so-called echo brigade. Once you’re clear, swing your arms at your side until I say you’re ready to proceed.”

“All right, we need to get going.” Slash started lining everyone one up. “Mama, you’re going first. Lexi will position you a little way down the path and then advance Oscar. Then she’ll move you farther down the path until we’re all in place. We’ll do this slowly but surely.” He handed Tito a strobe light. “Tito and I will each carry one of these to use as needed.”

Tito nodded, and I positioned my chair for a better look at the open door. I could just see the edge of the path on the floor on the other side of the door. It looked like there were two clear cables embedded in the floor. They probably produced the signature I could see with my infrared cameras. Atop of the cables was a thin white line demarking the edges of the path. They would be invisible in the dark room. Heck, they became invisible two feet from the door.

I returned my focus to the screen. “Okay, Juliette, let’s start slow. Take two steps straight ahead and stop.” She did as I requested. “Turn ninety degrees to your left. Back up a little to your right. Great. Now take two more steps forward.”

It was slow going at first, but eventually everyone got the hang of it. I was able to maneuver all four into the other room, separated by about six feet. I’d just started moving Juliette forward again when she abruptly stopped and started swinging her arms. Apparently, there was a problem.

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