The Recall Trials-Chapter 104: Speak the Truth or Die

Vincent

My ribs ached every time I breathed.

Zaara.

Where was she now? Was she safe? Had her game started? Was she crying? Laughing? Fighting for her life?

The thought made my chest clench so hard I felt sick.

Theo’s voice snapped me out of it.

"Vincent!"

I blinked and focused on him. He stood beside the rickety bookshelf, holding one of the paper slips from the hidden compartments we’d been raiding.

"Read this." Theo shoved it into my chest. His eyes were narrowed.

I took the paper and squinted at the messy black ink:

"Half of me is hidden. Half of me is seen. I speak in numbers, but my truth is between."

I frowned. "Sounds like another clue for the master code."

Theo ran a hand through his hair, smearing dried blood across his temple. "Or it’s another goddamn riddle to waste our time."

I tried to focus. I couldn’t.

Zaara’s voice rang in my head:

One breath at a time.

I inhaled. Exhaled. Looked around the ruined room.

My gaze drifted across the warped wooden floorboards...then to the coffee table, where the playing cards we’d scattered earlier were still lying in chaotic piles.

Numbers. Seen and hidden. Truth in between.

I whispered, "The cards."

Theo gave me a suspicious look. "What?"

I moved quickly, kneeling beside the coffee table. "Half of them are face up, half face down. Maybe that’s what the clue means."

I flipped the cards over one by one. My hands trembled. I counted aloud:

"Two. Seven. Three. Nine. Five. Four."

Theo hovered over my shoulder. "Those the ones that were face down?"

I nodded. "Six numbers."

He scowled. "So which one’s the real clue?"

I studied the slip again. "Truth is between. That means the middle."

Theo squinted. "So... the middle two numbers."

I separated the cards, finding the third and fourth numbers.

"Three and nine," I said.

Theo leaned forward, and whispered. "So... thirty-nine."

I stared at the safe on the wall...the one we’d opened before. The compartment behind it looked deeper than it should have.

"We should check if there’s another lock deeper inside."

Theo grumbled, "If this is another fucking false lead..."

"Help me. Please" I braced my shoulder against the edge of the safe and typed in the numbers—three and nine. Theo sighed and joined me.

The back panel of the safe gave a groan and then, it slid backward, revealing a narrow tunnel stretching into darkness.

A new voice boomed through hidden speakers:

"CONGRATULATIONS, CONTESTANTS. YOU’VE FOUND THE SECRET PASSAGE."

I exchanged a look with Theo.

His jaw was clenched, but there was a spark in his eyes. The first I’d seen all day.

The voice continued:

"PROCEED THROUGH THE TUNNEL. YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO COMPLETE YOUR FINAL TASK... OR BOTH OF YOU WILL BE ELIMINATED."

A fresh timer lit up in red across the far wall.

9:59

Theo wiped sweat off his brow. "You ready?"

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. "Not even close."

But I thought of Zaara. Of the promise I’d made. Of the future I’d imagined, where she’d curl up on our couch with a dog in her lap.

And I forced my feet forward.

"Let’s go," I said.

Theo followed me into the tunnel.

It was barely wide enough for two people. The air smelled damp, like wet stone and mold. Pale lights flickered along the floor, guiding us forward.

A few yards in, the tunnel opened into a small chamber lined in metal panels. At its center stood a pedestal, with a locked glass box perched on top.

Inside the box was a fat red button...and taped to the glass was another riddle:

"Count the words in your partner’s first confession. Multiply them by your own. Press the button only when you know your truth."

Theo read it aloud, then turned to me. "What the hell does that mean?"

My stomach dropped.

The memories came crashing back...the fight we’d had minutes ago. The things I’d yelled about Carter. About not leaving people behind.

I glanced at Theo. "I think... it wants us to admit something. A real confession."

He stared at me in silence.

Seconds ticked away.

I swallowed hard. My voice came out raw. "I’ll go first."

He folded his arms.

I took a shaking breath. "My confession is... I don’t think I deserve to be alive instead of Carter. Every time I close my eyes, I see his face. And I hate myself because I’m... I’m relieved it wasn’t me."

Theo blinked, stunned.

I kept going. "I’m terrified I’ll lose Zaara. And I’m even more terrified I’ll survive and have to live knowing I couldn’t save everyone else."

Silence stretched between us. Theo finally muttered, voice hoarse, "You count your words. I’ll say mine."

I blinked at him. "Theo..."

He stared at the ground, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. A vein pulsed at his temple.

"My confession is..." His voice cracked on the words. "I fucking hate you because you got to be Jojo’s friend. And Carter’s friend. When I didn’t. You were always in the middle of everything, like you belonged there. And I... I was always on the outside."

Theo swallowed hard and kept glancing at me.

"I hate you even more because Zaara chose you. Because she looks at you like... like you’re the only person in the world who matters. And she really loves you, Vincent. And if you ever..." His voice broke. He lifted his eyes. "If you ever do anything to hurt her... I swear to God, I’m going to..."

My breath stuttered. My throat tightened so hard it hurt.

"Theo..." I whispered. "Oh my god... Theo, we don’t have enough time for this..."

Theo snarled, "Did you count your fucking words?"

We counted them. Mine was 56. His was 88.

Theo hissed, "Multiply ’em. 56 times 88. What’s that?"

I closed my eyes, calculating. "4928."

Theo slammed his palm against the glass box. "I think we have to type it in."

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m