Airi couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. She hadn’t been in the Borderlands for long, but she’d never heard of a game that combined different suits.
Getting two cards in a single game sounded like an interesting possibility, assuming that they’d get double the visa days, but that also meant the game could be doubly difficult to clear.
She was still wrapping her mind around this when she realized that the robotic voice was still speaking, explaining the rules.
‘Players are now locked in; this place will be filled with poisonous gas in twenty minutes. There are no windows and only one door. Someone among you holds the only key. Identify the person and take the key from them, by killing them. If that person still has the key when the time runs out, only they will be allowed to exit the room. If another player manages to get the key, they may bring all the remaining players out, if they so choose. Forcing the door is not allowed, weapons are not allowed, attacking a player that does not have the key is not allowed.’
When the screen went blank, the players looked around the room, assessing each other. Airi took the chance to do the same.
The person with the key wouldn’t give it up because their life literally depended on it. Attacking people at random wasn’t an option.
There were two smaller rooms leading off the main space they were all gathered in, but they didn’t have doors or windows either.
There was no point in trying the vents, too narrow and too high to reach. Some players went off by themselves to check the adjacent rooms, some others huddled together.
Show yourself, Airi thought. But then what? What was she going to do? She’d never been in a fight in her life, she wasn’t about to win any physical altercation.
She let her eyes wander and they landed on someone she’d seen at The Beach, always carrying a rifle. The rules didn’t say that teaming up was forbidden, maybe that was the best way to win?
The man noticed her watching him and stared back at her. Airi didn’t know him enough to read his expression. Defensive, maybe? Guarded, definitely. She wasn’t sure if he’d agree to work together, but she had to ask.
Suddenly, a fight broke out, a man grabbed another by the shirt and threw him to the floor. A red laser pierced his head the next second. The man he’d thrown down got up and slumped away.
Well, we can rule out the two of them, Airi thought.
Then she made her move.
‘Hey. I’ve seen you at The Beach, right? Do you have any ideas on how to get that key? I think I might, but I need your help.’
