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Camille tailed the group as Fern led them down a long walkway, the stones cold beneath her bare feet. Beyond the cork trees was a great expanse of lawn illuminated by dozens of lanterns.
Fern stopped next to a table that held an urn, a rolled-up piece of paper tied with a ribbon, a large basket, and, to Camille’s shock, a gun. “Please gather around,” Fern said, setting the lantern on the table and turning to face them.
Behind her were five life-size marble statues of white wood nymphs, naked, holding flowers in one hand and beckoning with the other. Behind the statues was what looked like a wall that rose ten feet into the air.
“What’s happening?” Camille demanded. “Is there a fire? A gas leak? What?”
Fern smiled. The lanterns cast ghostly shadows across her now perfectly made-up face.
“Thankfully, there is no emergency,” Fern said, and Camille let out a breath of relief. But why were they out here? “One Lucky Winner has officially begun. Welcome to your first challenge.”
That’s when Camille noticed Alfonso Solomon and two men with cameras standing off to the side. Camille shook her head in shock. The fire alarm was one big ploy to get them out of their beds and outside.
“You have to be fucking kidding me,” Ned said in astonishment.
“No way.” Samuel ran a hand over his scalp. “You can’t be serious.” Camille couldn’t help noticing his lean, muscular physique and knew that his athleticism would make him hard to beat.
“At One Lucky Winner, we are always dead serious,” Fern continued. “After all, ten million dollars is on the line. Listen up because a lot is riding on this first challenge. Behind me, you’ll see a hedge maze.”
Camille squinted through the dark. What she first thought was a wall was actually a hedge, trimmed perfectly, smoothed into a flat surface.
“First, you will run through the hedge maze. There are several entrances, one behind each statue, but there is only one way out. Make a wrong turn and you’ll hit a dead end.”
“Wait,” Camille called out, the cool October air extinguishing any of the earlier heat she felt. “I’m not dressed for running. I don’t even have any shoes on.”
Fern lifted her shoulders and then let them drop as if to say oh, well. “One thing you must learn very quickly in this competition is that you must be prepared for anything, at any time. Tonight is no exception. Now, would you like to hear what you are playing for?”
A murmur of assent rose from the group. Even Camille found herself nodding and saying yes, though she felt anything but ready. Not one bit.
“The person who makes it through the maze first will win a Super Clue.” Fern bent over and picked up a blue lapis urn. “Inside this urn is a clue that will be crucial in cracking a puzzle that can only be solved by winning challenges, connecting with your competitors, and putting all the pieces together.”
Camille was good at puzzles. She could solve the New York Times crossword puzzle in record time—she just needed to get the urn before anyone else.
“First we need to mic you up.” Fern held up a tiny black microphone. “We don’t want our viewers to miss one exciting moment.” An intern appeared from the shadows and began clipping the small mic to each of them. “These are top of the line, wireless, and waterproof,” she announced. “Keep them on at all times during the challenges.”
Fern held up a finger. “But that’s not all. Throughout the maze, keep your eyes open for any object that might be a Game Changer. They can impact the entire trajectory of the competition.”
Camille shivered, goose bumps erupting across her bare skin. She was suddenly self-conscious. Her camisole plunged down in the front and her silk pajama shorts did nothing to ward off the chill. Beside her, Maire shrugged out of her cardigan and held it out to Camille without a word. Camille hesitated, suspicious of the selfless gesture, but then nodded her thanks and slipped it on.
Camille looked around at the group. Everyone was already in game mode, their faces intent, muscles poised to act. She tried to do the same. “Wait,” she called out. “What are the rules?”
Fern once again gave an inscrutable smile. “The rules are, there are no rules. Just get through the maze, gather any Game Changers you find, and the first one out wins the Super Clue. Oh, and one more thing. Since ten million dollars is on the line, you might find that these will come in handy.” Fern reached behind the table and pulled out a stack of what at first glance looked like flashlights.
“These Renegade Tasers can help you get an edge over your competitors. Someone reaching for the same Game Changer? A little zap will stop them in their tracks.”
“Did you say Taser?” Samuel interrupted. “You’re giving us Tasers?” he asked in disbelief.
“So we can just shoot each other with them?” Camille asked skeptically. “That sounds dangerous.”
“No worries,” Fern said, holding up one of the devices with a flourish. “They are set at the lowest shock level and are completely safe. But remember you only get one chance from a distance of up to fifteen feet. Use your shot wisely.”
Camille looked around at the others. They all looked as ill at ease as she felt.
“Any other questions?” Fern asked. Camille looked around, expecting someone to balk at the idea of using a weapon to ward off a competitor, but no one spoke.
“Okay, then,” Fern said, handing everyone a Taser and giving them a brief tutorial on how to use them.
Camille tested the weight of it in her hand. It was the size of a cell phone and much lighter than she thought it would be. Maybe half a pound. Camille stole a glance at the others. Maire was staring down at the weapon uncomfortably while the senator already had his clipped to his pajama bottoms. Ned pointed his Taser into the darkness, squinting as if keying in on unseen prey.
