284 Hunter and the Russo family 5

"There are five stages you need to go through." Fabricio started explaining to Hunter. "Each stage has an elegant way to pass, which includes cracking the code so that you can remove the dangers, or you can use brute force and rely on your luck. In the second option, it is highly likely you will trigger the traps."

"The first option is using your brain and the second one is using your muscles and reflexes." Mia summarized. "When you enter the room, stand at the door, and observe before deciding which approach you want to take. There are no rules and you win by reaching the exit."

"I got it." Hunter nodded confidently. He was excited because he loves escape rooms. The ones he visited so far are low on danger and are mostly using secret codes and tricks to be conquered, and this challenge ahead is raising his adrenaline level.

"Be careful." Mia said desperately even though she knew that Hunter is not listening.

Hunter winked. "Wait for me at the exit. I will be out in no time."

"Boast about it once you are out." Fabricio said while shaking his head. "Our best operatives take half an hour."

Hunter walked out after Keith, who will show him the main entrance to the escape room, and Mia could not hide her concern.

"Don't worry…" Fabricio comforted her. "Keith picked this, but the difficulty is set on easy. Even if Hunter fails, he will not be seriously hurt."

"I will stop worrying when he is out." Mia said and moved toward the monitors.

She knows that easy difficulty does not mean that it's not dangerous. One example are traps in the first stage. Easy means that one arrow will be shot when the trap is activated, medium difficulty means two arrows, hard is three arrows, and extra-hard is five arrows with poisoned tips. The poison will not kill a person, but it will numb the body, so going through the next stages will be much more difficult assuming that the arrow didn't hit a major organ or an artery. Ah, she is nervous!

Keith was giving some advice to Hunter while they walked down the stairs, but Hunter didn't listen. Knowing Keith, he is probably lying in order to make it more difficult for Hunter.

Keith gestured toward the door. "Here it is. Open and step in whenever you are ready. If you have the guts."

Hunter could not believe the childish provocation.

"Is this the best you can do? I guess now that you lost your chance with Mia, you are reduced to cheap tricks." Hunter said smugly and entered the room without waiting for Keith to respond.

Hunter looked around and wondered what are the clues to get through this safely? The walls are concrete with some rocks visible, but there are no instructions, poems, or riddles, or anything that can help him.

He squatted and observed the tiles. The dim light allowed him to see that some tiles look newer than the others (based on the way they reflected the light). Why would some tiles be newer, if not for the fact that they were broken, or damaged when the trap was triggered? That means that the older tiles are safe… or traps that were not triggered.

Well, just by avoiding newer tiles, he eliminated two-thirds of the tiles, and that is a progress. Anyway, he has no intention of lingering here. In the worst case, he will trigger the trap and rely on his reflexes (and luck).

Hunter decided on fifteen tiles he will use to reach the exit and stood up.

He took a deep breath and stepped on the first one… safe!

He lifted his leg and hopped over two tiles to land on the second one… safe!

With every next safe step, his confidence swelled.

Mia was doing her best not to panic while watching Hunter move in an almost straight line toward the exit of the first stage.

"Interesting..." Fabricio mused. "How did he see the symbols on the tiles without turning off the lights? The symbols should glow only in complete darkness."

Mia exhaled helplessly. "I don't think that he saw the light switch at the door. He has his own logic."

"He must be some kind of genius then." Fabricio said.

Mia told herself to stay calm. She does not know how Hunter managed to identify the safe tiles without turning off the light, but the fact that he had a workaround shows that he is not an assassin who went through the training their organization offers. One of the first things they learn is to look for shadows and darkness in order to conceal their presence, and if Hunter is aware of that, he would look for a way to turn off the light. But she must admit that Hunter is awesome.

Keith gritted his teeth while wondering, how long with Hunter's luck last? This is too much! But no worries, Keith made his own preparations.

Hunter was on step eight, and as soon as he applied slight pressure on the tile, which was supposed to be ninth step, the tile under his foot crumbled, revealing a hole under it. Reflexively, Hunter nimbly moved to the left and that tile sunk for an inch and three arrows from left and right shoot toward him.

He didn't have time to curse as he ducked and hoped that it was enough.

Mia clutched her chest and stared at the screen. Only when Hunter moved, she resumed breathing. "How is this easy!?" Mia raged in the control room. "The tile without the support and those arrows are when the difficulty is set on hard! Our recruits take months of training before they step into this difficulty!"

Mia's angry glare moved to Keith. "You are trying to kill him!"

Keith lifted his hands defensively. "Why are you looking at me? See the settings for yourself, it says 'easy'. Something malfunctioned, how is that my fault?"

After a second of internal struggle, Mia turned to Fabricio. "We need to stop this!"

"Don't you trust your BOY-friend?" Keith said mockingly.

Mia shot an angry glare at Keith before looking back at her father.

"I understand your concern." Fabricio said. "But don't decide for Hunter if this will be over now or not. The boy showed determination, and he obviously has skills. Think first, would he want you to stop this challenge for him?"

Mia frowned. Of course, Hunter would not approve Mia stopping this. He already told her to believe in him and not to try to diminish the difficulty. And she believes that he is capable. In Mia's eyes, Hunter is the best. However, she is worried.

"Let's continue watching." Mia said after a long silence.

Fabricio nodded in agreement. "Keith, I want you to investigate why the traps and settings are not in sync. If he is less skilled, he would be hurt."

"Understood…" Keith squeezed through his teeth. He is happy that this will continue because in every next room the difficulty is increasing. And Keith was angry that Hunter managed to get praised… again.

Mia's gaze was glued to the monitors and she was relieved to see that Hunter reached the exit.

"Four minutes and seven seconds!" Fabricio exclaimed in delight. "This is a new record! Keith, he was faster than you…"

Mia would celebrate if this is the last room. Four more to go.

Keith thought that he will pass out from anger. How much more will Hunter humiliate him?

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