Chapter 3 THE ENIGMATIC INVITATION II

Dr. Evelyn "Evie" Parker is a 35 - year - old archaeologist with tousled brown hair, glasses, and a scholarly demeanour. She has an unhealthy obsession with finding out historical artefacts and learning about the traditions, myths, and archaeological findings across the world. She is very determined in what she does and would make sure to get whatever she sets her eyes on no matter the cost and no matter the way.

She's no stranger to dirty dealings, she would blackmail someone if necessary, kidnapping is not a problem, threatening is normal to her, smuggling drugs just to achieve her goal is part of her dealings, and even weapons are not far fetched. However, she draws the line on killing. She doesn't want the death of someone on her hands. She has been arrested countless times but always manages to escape. She is a business woman to the core and has several connections far and wide. Due to several of her missions to obtain artefacts and gain information about certain things , she has managed to make a living by writing about her discovery and findings, making her rich. She owns several apartments across the world and many cars that she takes pride in. She hardly shows off, but when she does, it's always an overkill which forced her to hire bodyguards as several attempts had been made on her life due to the nature of the work she does. Evelyn was in her clustered study surrounded by ancient manuscript. Dressed up in a white shirt and a khaki shorts with a wide brimmed hat, she studied the recent manuscript she had just obtained or rather stolen from Greece. Her study was like a huge room on its own. The shelves held several books she had written and

several books she had read to make her research. On another shelf held several stolen manuscripts from different parts of the world and other smaller artefacts. In a separate quadrant of the room stood ancient idols people worshipped across the world, each in a case of their own. She often sold the idols to museums across the world who offered millions of dollars on it. Just as she was focused on reading the manuscript and trying to decipher its meaning, she was interrupted by a knock. "Come in." She ordered. A burly man dressed up in a suit, and tie walked in, holding a package. "Ma'am, you have a package. "Evelyn glanced up at the man, then to the package. Her eyebrow arched at the sight of the package. She wasn't expecting any package today, nor had she ordered anything to be delivered to her. "Any idea where it is from?" She asked. "No Ma'am. It arrived via a courier." The man reported. "I see. Drop it on the table." She ordered. The man nodded and dropped the package on the table before leaving. "I wonder what's in here." She said to herself as she opened the package to find an ornate box adorned with hieroglyphics and symbols. Inside she discovered a parchment that said, "Dear Dr. Parker, Your passion for archaeology and your thirst for uncovering ancient secrets have intrigued us. Your scholarly pursuits make you an ideal guest for the Enigma Inn, a place where the past and the present intertwine in enigmatic ways. Within our walls, you will face puzzles that demand your intellect and historical knowledge. Will you decipher the riddles of history and unveil the hidden truths? We extend this invitation to you, and we eagerly anticipate your arrival at the Enigma Inn. "Yours in enigma,

The Enigmatic Benefactor"

"Oh wow." Evelyn eyes widened with delight, a chance to prove her knowledge. Her chance to be recognised as something other than a thief or a writer. If this was as true as it stated on the letter she would be sure to visit the Enigma Inn.

In a casino, a 28 - year - old man with a shaved head, an infectious grin, and an array of lucky charms around his neck sat on a stool in the bar. A glass of wine in his hand as he talked animatedly to a beautiful blonde haired girl who seemed to hang on to every word that drops from his mouth. It wasn't really surprising to see as that man had more money than most of the men in the casino. He was given the name Casino King by the manager of the casino after cashing out several times on his first attempt. "Hey Lucky, wanna go one more round?" A bald fat man sitting at the round table called out to the man. "Excuse me, dear." Lucky as he was often called by his close friends excused himself from the conversation and sat beside the fat man at the round table. "Can't wait to get beat again, eh?" Lucky taunted, causing everyone to laugh. "So what are we playing? Blackjack, poker or baccarat?" The fat man asked, and the majority agreed on poker. Lucky was confident about winning after all, he had never lost any game in the casino before. The game started, and the cards were dealt out. As the game progressed Lucky's confidence also grew. He made bold bets and took calculated risks, everyone had gathered around the group by this time and admired Lucky's confidence. When the final hands were dealt, the crowd was in disbelief as Lucky revealed his winning hand,

making him the winner. "Such grace you have." A guy from the crowd gathered around them commented. "Not Grace. Luck, I have infinite luck." Lucky said with pride. Leo "Lucky" Rodriguez played several other games and won them all. Lucky is one of the most superstitious person anyone would ever meet, he believes in luck and fate and has a strong belief that he has infinite luck due to the amount of Lucky charms he had received from so-called 'magicians' and so far, he had never failed in anything he does and always comes out on top. Night time was fast approaching, and Lucky had cashed out big time and was about leaving the casino. Just as he was about exiting the casino, one of the barman yelled. "Leo!" Lucky turned around and saw the barman running towards him, holding something. As the barman got closer, he could see clearly that it was an envelope. "Someone said I should hand this to you?" The barman said, handing the envelope to Lucky. "Who said?" Lucky asked. "I don't know. I gotta go." The barman excused himself, leaving Lucky confused. The envelope was unmarked, with only an address on the body. It appeared out of place in such a lively environment, he opened the envelope to find a message that reads: "Dear Leo, Your charismatic personality and unwavering belief in luck have drawn our attention. We recognize the positive energy and optimism you bring to any situation. It is with great interest that we invite you to the Enigma Inn. Expect challenges that will test not only your luck but also your resourcefulness and wit. Will you rely on fate or find the courage to shape your destiny? Come join us at the Enigma Inn, where fortune favours the bold.

"Yours in enigma,

The Enigmatic Benefactor"

"Well, well, well." Lucky muttered to himself, staring at the message. He exited the casino with several thoughts in his mind as he tucked the letter into his jacket pocket. He wondered if the letter could be a spam or a plot to kidnap him. However, he believed it was fate, afterall he had been lucky all this while, and his life has been going great. Why would anyone want to hurt him? He made up his mind to check the address once he reached home. If it was valid, he'll be sure to visit and see what it was all about. "Nothing beats luck." Lucky said to himself as he hailed a cab.