Page 11 of Turnabout Is Fair Cosplay
Wait. He was touching me to get me in line for a shot?
“That’s not bad. What if you cut between that shot and the one of her shaking near the code box?”
More keyboard clacking. “What did you say to her to get her in character there?” Adam asks offhandedly.
The part where he threatened to kiss me, and I was shocked—okay, into it, but also shocked.
“Oh… I asked her to play along, is all. Do you want us to go back in there? Get some audio?” He sounds completely disinterested.
“Nah. I’ve already got your audio. And gasping, screaming, and panting send the wrong message.” There’s a pause in the keyboard clacking. “Like the makeup. Like the costume. Maybe greasier hair next time? And black fingernails.”
“I can do that.”
“I’m thinking we get some shots of you and Bea in the other rooms as customers.”
Oh no. There’s more?
Adam continues. “Bea brought tacos down from Del Mar. Not as good as ours in PB, but still plenty tasty. They’re in the break room if you’re hungry.”
“Nice. Maybe after the next set?”
“Yeah, get set up, and I’ll be in just as soon as I find Bea and make sure she isn’t traumatized. No offense, Mike. You’re terrifying.”
Mike, aka Badpun, snorts. “She wouldn’t be the first woman to run away from me screaming.”
Adam laughs. “Funny. You’re genuinely funny.”
I dart back to the break room before I have to come face-to-face with this cosplayer who flirted with me in character as apsycho villain and had me trembling and nearly begging for him. Great.
Adam finds me first. “You’re a natural.”
“Thanks,” I say, then smack him on the back of the head.
“Ow!”
“Next time, tell me when you’re going to throw me into a locked room with a deranged man.”
“I’m sorry. I needed some authentic reactions for my promos.”
“You need to have every customer sign a waiver if you’re planning on locking them up with cosplayers.”
“On it,” Adam says, waving a stack of paper in front of me.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t sign one. I can still sue you.”
“Come on. Mike’s harmless. And it wasn’t that bad. I was watching the entire time.”
“Do you include video recordings in your waiver?”
“Yes. It’s watertight. Now, are you ready for more? We’re going to shoot in some of the other rooms. Mike’s just getting set. I promise he’s completely harmless in real life. Met him on campus, a genuinely nice guy.” Adam pauses. “You okay?”
I sigh. “Just dreading the drive back. And a rebuttal I have to write for one of our cases.”
Adam groans. “Spare me.”
Yeah. Never fails. Bringing up the law is great misdirection.
I follow Adam through more hallways to an escape room. “Welcome to Abandum City Cyberattack.” I walk into a room that is impressively geeked out in tech and has me feeling like I’m on a movie set. “This is one of my proper escape rooms. Lots of puzzles. Great linear story line. Very fun. No time for you to escape tonight, though.”
