Chapter 38 Sierra
Sierra
It took all Sierra’s willpower to keep up her sour facade rather than join her teammates in the excited chatter as they were led off the stage.
“That has to be one of the fastest times in semifinals history!” Carter said, her eyes bright with exhilaration. “I really think we have a chance this round. I—”
“Let’s not get cocky,” said Adi. “We have no idea how the other teams are going to do. Maybe it was an easy room.”
Carter glared at him, but Sierra could tell her heart wasn’t in it. “You’re telling us not to get cocky? You hypocrite.”
“Hey. Team Loud and Obnoxious.”
They turned to see Vera standing beside a stack of wooden beams and building supplies. She held up her phone. “You’ve got twenty minutes before post-round interviews. Stand over by the creepy clown head so I can get some pics.”
They posed for a few shots—some with arms around each other, some celebrating with their hands in the air, then some goofy ones.
“Good enough,” said Vera. “Adi’s up for his interview first. Ranielle wants him on film while he’s still got some of that”—Vera swirled a hand in front of Adi’s face—“sexy sweat on him.”
Carter grimaced. “Ew.”
“Don’t look at me. I’m not the one issuing orders around here.” With that, Vera stormed off, Adi slouching after her.
“Why does she hate us so much?” asked Carter.
“Who cares?” Sierra ushered Carter and Beck toward the greenroom. Team Dread was inside, with one notable absence. “Where’s Jarius?” Sierra said under her breath.
Delphi, Neil, and Gabriela eyed Team Helsing’s carnie costumes dubiously.
“Promising,” Neil said with a smirk.
Delphi smacked her bubble gum.
Beck opened his mouth to respond, but Sierra muttered, “Note. Mirror. Now.”
“Shouldn’t we wait for Adi?” Carter said.
“No.”
Beck said in his singsong voice, “We are a team.”
“Jesus Christ,” Sierra muttered, but let Beck keep the note.
“Whoever this person is, they’re brave, planting these messages right under Ranielle’s nose,” Carter said. “If they’re really certain she’s the killer, anyway.”
“And they’re posting them online,” Sierra added. “Mind Hack would already have this note, right?”
“Actually,” said Beck, “I was thinking—”
“Where the hell have you been?” Gabriela demanded as Jarius swaggered into the room. “We’re due in the costume room in, like, two minutes.”
Sierra recognized the tone. Her team had used it on each other for the entirety of last season. There was anger under the words. Frustration. Even hatred.
Once again, the producers had found despicable people and put them together to snipe and bicker and invoke audience hostility.
The villains.
Sierra eyed Carter and Beck. While of course Team Helsing had also been subject to the mind games, they hadn’t reacted with anywhere near as much ferocity.
But Sierra was this season’s villain. So why had she been put with the likable ones? The . . . heroes?
Was Team Helsing being set up to win?
It made no sense.
Jarius shot Sierra, Beck, and Carter a smirk. “Getting a few things organized. Some . . . insurance, you might say.”
“Why does that give me an icy fingers on my spine feeling?” Beck said.
Jarius cackled. “Spot-on instincts, little worm.” He launched himself onto a couch and tucked his hands behind his head, refusing to answer any more of his team’s questions.
When Beck and Carter looked at Sierra with wide eyes, she said, “Forget that. What were you saying, Beck?”
“I was wondering if maybe the Real Game Master is a set designer. You know, they have those trolleys full of stuff. One of them could easily slip things into the rooms while they’re being reset.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Sierra said. She tried to think back to last season, if there were any set designers she recognized, but the faces were a blur.
Team Dread was called away for costumes, and after an agonizingly long time, Adi finally returned. “You’re up for interviews, boss.”
“One sec,” Sierra said, gesturing for Beck. “Note, quickly!”
They headed to the giant mirror on the side wall, and Beck unscrolled the note. Sierra leaned forward, frowning at the reflection.
Are we feeling nervous yet, O Murderer?
That’s right. I’m still here. I bet you regret jumping to conclusions, don’t you? I know Louis didn’t kill himself.
Because I’m the Game Master. The REAL Game Master. And soon, everyone will know the truth. About me. About you. About Alicia. This is your last chance to end it on your own terms. I dare you to confess before I tell the whole world what you really are.
The finale is coming . . . tick tick.