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Dear Lord, somebody was cooking something and she was starving for whatever it was.
“Name’s Bullets,” he announced. “I’ll be conducting your first test. Keep your eyes on me and your ears open wide as I explain thingsonlyonce.” He got right down to business, pointing to the wall on their right. “Over here, we’ve got stations for each of you with identical items to complete your test.” He pointed to the opposite wall. “Over there are the Gauntlet Tables full of various items relating to the rolls of the Gauntlet Dice. Andthatlittle table before it is where you willrollthe Gauntlet Dice.” He pointed to another small table. “This is where I show youoncehow to take apart a gun and clean it. Now, your test has four stages. The first stage is where you do exactly as I showed you and clean the gun. You’ll have a timer to complete that task. If you finish it within the time, you move on to the second stage. Stage two you will again clean the gun along with another task to be done simultaneously. Your time will increase to accommodate the extra task. If you finish in time, you move to the third stage. Third stage—clean the gun while doing the second task, and now a third task is added. If you finish in time, you move to the fourth stage. Each stage’s time is adjusted for the added tasks. Each stage has a score. There is a total passing score required, and if you fail to get it, you fail the test.”
He walked to the table with the firearm and picked it up. “This is the gun I’ll be cleaning. It’s called a 357 Magnum. You each have an identical one at the table and they areunloaded.”
They followed him to the Gauntlet tables next. “Each of you will roll the Gauntlet Dice before each stage of the test. It’s a nine-sided dice. If you roll a one, two, or three, you must pick an item from this table. You roll a four, five, or six, you pick from this table. Seven, eight, and nine, you pick from this table. The items on the low roll table are things that would hinder you in the test. The middle-numbered items may or may not hinder you. The higher rolls have items that would help you in the test.”
He crossed his thick arms over his chest and stood before them. “The order of the dice roll is the Belle Eveque, then Miss Spook, then Miss Seer, and then Miss Lesion. You have one chance to ask one question. You may do that now.”
Beth glanced at the women, finding them as flustered as she was with the sudden offer. When none of them answered, he clapped then held his hand out toward the table for rolling the Gauntlet Dice.
****
Lesion stared at Tully on his phone while the rest of the Twelve recorded their bets on the white board. The Belle Eveque and Maggie’s name kept flying around but Lesion wasn’t interested in who won or lost. He cared about the look of worry on Tully’s face. He was silently willing courage and knowledge at her. And not for passing, but for knowing that none of these tests mattered a bit to him. She could fail them epically and she was beautifully brilliant all the same to him.
“The Gauntlet Dice roll!” Shank yelled from the main room where they watched the first test on 8-Bit’s fancy wall screen. He’d long ago installed cameras at every testing location so they could all watch whenever anybody entered the Trials. Lesion chose the farthest corner to watch in. And every muscle in his body was in need of a concoction he was sure didn’t exist.
“Ohhhh, she rolled a six, Eveque!” Spar yelled. “Here comes your Maggie, Spook.”
Lesion wondered how Spook felt about all of it. He’d wanted to ask the husbands of the women that question but couldn’t figure out how. He didn’t hear any response from Spook in the other room but that wasn’t uncommon with him in public circles, even The Twelve.
“Wooooo, six!” Traps yelled. “Hot damn, middle is good! I’m gonna rake it in. Your Cherie is up Seer.”
Lesion turned, hearing footsteps. Seer sat next to him and Lesion realized he had no phone on him. He turned his screen so he could see his wife role. He spoke soft French when the die landed on eight.
“She looks nervous like Tully,” Lesion said, hoping to gain some of Seer’s insight.
“Oh, she is,” he said softly. “But she’s always nervous and full of doubt. Ever since I met her. Always second guessing herself. Never worthy.”
Lesion wasn’t sure what to say especially now that Tully was up to roll.
“That one has a special light,” Seer said, sounding curious. “The kind darkness cannot dim.”
Lesion’s heart stuttered in his chest when the “Ohhhhhh daaaaamn,” erupted in the other room from Tully’s roll. A two. Fuck.
Seer patted his shoulder. “She’ll be fine.”
“I thought I didn’t care but my body and brain is calling me a liar,” Lesion confessed. Like the Daisy’s.
“Understandable,” Seer said, as they watched Bullets take them all to the Gauntlet Tables to pick their poison. Or dessert.
“She’s scared,” Lesion couldn’t keep from saying when Tully put her thumbnail in her mouth while watching from behind the other women.
“She is,” Seer said lightly, like it was nothing to worry about.
“She’s probably never even seen a firearm up close,” Lesion realized, his unease raising another notch.
“I’m thinking none of them have,” Seer said.
“Private party?” Bishop asked, pulling up a chair and sitting next to Lesion. They were all staring at the screen now.
“They’re picking from the Gauntlet tables now,” Lesion said.
“Did Ma Petite pick?”
“Yes. A hair clip,” Seer said.
Maggie went to the table next. “She got middle too,” Seer muttered.
