Chapter 5: The Game Continues

Officer Reynolds sat through the whole video in a morbid silence. He had watched many of these games before of course, but only ever on recorded film, never live. The feeling of helplessness he felt just watching the two girls suffer and knowing there was nothing he could do to help made him feel sick right down to the pits of his stomach. He wanted to put a bullet through Michelle's head right there and then but he knew the only way to save his sister was to play the game her way for the time being.

Michelle was first to break the silence.

"Such a shame," she began, voice filled with a mock disappointment, "I guess they just lacked that will to win. Don't you agree inspector?"

"How can you do that to innocent people?" replied Reynolds coldly.

"I didn't 'do' anything Inspector, I was here watching with you. If they had truly wanted to walk out of there unchanged, they could have."

"You're a monster." Reynolds' voice had become nothing more than an emotionless monotone. "Kidnapping these poor girls to play your sick games. You know they won't win, its almost impossible."

"Not everybody loses Officer, those who want it most will not lose."

"You're wrong. You make games that people cannot win, nobody wants to end up like that."

"I beg to differ Officer," smiled Michelle, "The losing girls embrace their new lives, no longer bound by heavy thoughts and pressures to be upstanding women of the community. A life of sex and giggles comes as a comfort, not a curse." She paused for a moment before adding, "Just ask your wife."

Reynolds felt his blood turn to lava at the mention of his wife. Red mist fully descended, he reached for his gun and aimed it straight a Michelle's head.

"Don't you dare mention my wife again!" He screamed, face beetroot with rage and finger curled around the trigger. "I should just shoot you right now and end this whole charade."

"We both know why you won't shoot me officer," Michelle didn't even seem to flinch as she smiled back at Reynolds, "Kill me and it's game over for everyone else. You wouldn't want that on your conscience now, would you?"

Reynolds hand began to shake as he tried to hold his shot at her before he finally yielded defeat and lowered his aim.

"That's better officer," Michelle was beginning to sound like a mother addressing a small child, "Now let's just sit down quietly and continue with the game."

Reynolds was trying to think of a way to fight, but was out of options. All his bluffs had failed, there was still no word from the tech team about the victims' location and there was only just over three hours left to save his sister. Until he could come up with something else, he had no other option but to play to her rules. Without saying a word he sat back down and as if on cue, screen three maximised once more and a new game began.