Chapter 10 THE FAILED PLOT

In the shadowy confines of the Enigma Inn, four guests had managed to survive the inn's eerie trials and challenges. The experiences they had endured had forged a bond, a realization that in this malevolent place, their chances of survival were greater when they stood together. In the wake of Izzy's death, the group had crumbled mentally. Liv had been crying non-stop while being pacified by Dr Evelyn, who is also trying her best to remain strong. Lucky was starting to feel really doubtful about whether or not he was as lucky as he thought. Things had never turned out this bad for him.

He still holds on to the hope that when it's all over, he is going to come out a survivor of this horrific nightmare he had dived into. Victor's bravery has almost diminished into almost nothing. His hands cradled his head as he kept on replaying the images of Samuel and Izzy's death. He wasn't able to see what she was battling with through the screen. The only thing he saw was her walking into a room hidden by a mirror, then suddenly screaming. He couldn't make out what she was going through, but whatever it was scared her life out of her. Nothing in the army could have prepared him for such psychotic torture he had walked into. He couldn't help but think about his wife at home and wonder how she must be feeling. He's certain that she would have called a couple of times.They had confiscated their phones earlier. He could only wonder what they were doing with it. The silence in the room was deafening. The only sound was the occasional sob of Liv, who was not mentally strong enough to deal with what was happening. Even Lucky had stopped talking and has been reduced to someone staring into space, blinking back tears now and then. Evelyn approached Victor, who was lost in his thoughts. Liv had fallen asleep on one of the couches in the lounge, and she had used that opportunity to slip away from her to meet him. She took a seat next to him and gently laid her palm on his lap in a gesture of support. "I don't know what to do again. I've tried thinking of ways to escape, but we are always locked in, and the guards are heavily armed." Victor said, feeling hopeless. "We can't lose hope at this time. There must be something we can do." Evelyn said, trying to convince him and herself.

"I really don't know." Victor shook his head. "You know, the first time I walked in here. Everything screamed at me to run but I wanted someone to recognise me for my knowledge of archaeology. I didn't want to be seen as a thief or an evil business lady. Everything I did was to gain knowledge and to be recognised for my knowledge." Evelyn recounted. "So I decided to risk it. Until the first challenge, I really don't remember much about it, but I knew something was off. I opened my eyes for a brief while in the clinic, and I saw they were injecting something in me. Then I blacked out, and I woke up with a shady memory." Evelyn finished. "The point?" Victor asked. Evelyn looked around, then leaned in to Victor and whispered. "What if there was a way we could get the injection they used on me?" "What are you guys whispering about?" Lucky asked, looking at them in suspicion. "Keep your voice down." Evelyn hushed him and motioned for him to sit down beside her. "I was telling Victor about what I experienced in the clinic before I lost my memory. There was an injection they used on me that knocked me out and completely erased my memory of the challenge. I was wondering if there was a way we could get it and maybe use it on the guards to escape." Evelyn explained her plan. "I think the clinic is not far from my room. The bellhop told me when I first came in that if I had an injury, I could always find the clinic on my room floor." Lucky revealed. "You could sneak in tonight." Evelyn said. "That would be very dangerous." Victor disagreed. "Part of the rules was not to leave the room at night. There are always patrols every night, and we don't know what will happen if you get caught." "Do you want to die here? Big guy. If there's a way to escape I'll gladly risk it. I'm lucky enough that

they won't catch me." Lucky said convincingly. "I still think it's a bad idea." Victor implored. "What if this is our only chance?" Evelyn asked. "Some army veteran you are. I'll do it Evelyn." Lucky finalised. Moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting eerie shadows across the ornate furniture. The Inn's strict rule echoed in Lucky's mind, forbidding anyone from sneaking out after dark. But desperate times called for desperate measures. With painstaking caution, Lucky slid off the edge of the plush bed and tiptoed towards the door, clad in dark clothing that blended with the shadows. He had an idea that the clinic was just down the hall since the doors he passed before reaching his room earlier had no sign that showed it was a clinic. The corridor was empty as Lucky crept along the cold, polished floors. He moved like a ghost, inching closer to his prize. His ears strained to catch any sound, any hint of the Silent Enigmas patrolling the hallways. Just when he thought he was in the clear, he reached the clinic's door which was marked by a red cross symbol. The tension in his chest eased momentarily, he had a brief renewed faith in his luck. His trembling hand reached for the doorknob when a sudden glint of moonlight off a silver mask caught his eye. The Silent Enigmas, with their eerie, featureless masks materialized out of the darkness as though they lived in the shadows. One of them, swift as a phantom, grabbed Lucky's wrist before he could react. Panic surged through him as he struggled against the iron grip, but the masked guard's strength was unyielding. Lucky's eyes darted around in futile desperation as the other Silent Enigmas closed in, their silence unnerving. The inn's rule had been breached, and the price would be steep. In the cold, moonlit hallway, surrounded by the enigmatic guards, Lucky's heart sank. His daring escape had come to an abrupt and unfortunate end. Loud clicking footsteps echoed through the hallway as the guards parted away for whoever was approaching. Light shined on the smiling face of Mr. Blackwood who looked very amused at the sight of Lucky's fearful expression. "I think we've found our next challenger. Gather the rest of the guests. We have a late night entry." Mr Blackwood ordered.