Above our heads was a projector. There was no fan, and I was drenched in sweat from the heat. A laptop was on the table, and behind Kabili there was a whiteboard. We pulled our chairs closer to the table, and the silence was broken only by the loud screech of the chairs dragging across the floor. Kabili powered on the HP laptop in front of him. A PowerPoint presentation appeared on the projector behind him. Sometimes, the barking of dogs could be heard outside, adding to the tense atmosphere.
"We're going to play a card game here," Kabili announced, his words carrying a strange weight.
"Card game?" Hasan and Rima exclaimed in unison. Hasan asked, "How can a card game be a do-or-die game?"
Rima added, "We don't even know the rules of the game."
Kabili reassured, "There's nothing to fret. I'll explain the rules. Look, I have seven cards here."
He showed us the cards. They were made of steel, with one side painted white and a coiled red dragon breathing fire. The other side of each card bore a single letter: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Kabili explained, "Out of these seven cards, I'll set one aside and shuffle the remaining six. Each of you will receive one card. After a minute, I'll give you a piece of paper listing the cards from A to G. Your task will be to mark the cards that none of the three of you received. You'll get two points for every correct guess, but if you mark the seventh card—the one I set aside—you'll lose two points."
Hasan scratched his head and said, "It'd be easier to understand if you give us an example."
"Alright. Let's say I set aside the E-card before shuffling," Kabili began.
"Got it," Hasan nodded.
He shuffled the cards and handed one to each of us. I picked up my card. One side had a dragon, and the other had the letter A.
"Everyone, hold up your cards so we can see," Kabili instructed.
We revealed our cards. Hasan had the C card, and Rima had the D card.
"So, now what?" Hasan asked.
"Now, by observing your own cards and considering the seventh card, you can deduce something," Kabili said.
I ventured, "Alright, then you must have the B, F, and G cards."
"Exactly!" Kabili confirmed with a nod.
He handed us sheets of paper listing all seven card names, each with a checkbox beside it. Kabili continued, "Now, you'll mark only the cards that are in my possession. For every correct mark, you'll earn two points. If you mark a card that one of you has, it won't affect your points. But..."—he held up the E-card—"if anyone marks this seventh card, will lose two points. Hahaha!"
His loud laugh echoed through the room, and we remained silent. How were we supposed to win this game?
"Do you all understand the rules?" Kabili asked.
We nodded hesitantly, though anxiety was evident on our faces. The true purpose behind all of this still eluded us.
Hasan leaned over to whisper to me, "Sakib, do you think they kidnapped Meem just to mess with us like this?"
I didn't answer him.
Kabili spoke again, "The game will have four rounds. The seventh card will never change. If you can collectively score fourteen points in any round, you win."
Fine. There was no way out but to play. "Okay, we'll play," we agreed.
"But there are conditions," Kabili said.
"What conditions?" Rima asked.
Kabili explained:
"Condition no one: No one can look at anyone else's card.
Condition no two: You cannot reveal or confirm the true information of your card to others.
Condition no three: No physical contact is allowed.
Condition no four: You cannot leave your chair until the game ends.
And the last Condition: Rules may change, or additional rules may be added, and you'll have to follow them from the next round onward."
We reluctantly agreed. Hasan muttered, "What a weird game!"
I said, "If we want to save Meem, we have no other choice. Let's prepare ourselves mentally."
Kabili laughed heartily and said, "Then let's begin the first round."
He quickly shuffled seven cards in front of us and set one card aside in front of him. "This will be the seventh card," he said.
Afterward, he shuffled the remaining six cards rapidly and handed one card to each of us. I picked up my card and saw that I had received the B card. I glanced at Rima and Hasan, who seemed to want to communicate something through their eyes. Kabili cleared his throat twice, signaling that such actions were not allowed. They looked disappointed.
After one minute, Kabili gave us the papers. I wasn't sure which marks to make, so I randomly ticked A, C, and G on my sheet. Kabili then collected the papers and briefly disconnected the projector before typing on his computer. Moments later, he turned the projector back on, displaying the results on the screen behind him.
Next to my name was the number 2, next to Rima's was also 2, and Hasan had 0. At the end of the first round, we had accumulated a total of 4 points.
Hasan sighed in frustration, saying, "Failing an exam never felt as bad as scoring zero here."
Kabili burst into laughter and said, "Very sad. Alright, let's move on to the next round."
Rima muttered, "Is it even possible to win this game?"
Kabili laughed again and said, "Let's progress a bit further."
The second round began. Just like before, he shuffled the cards in front of us and dealt one card to each. This time, I received the F card. I noticed Hasan and Rima concentrating deeply. Hasan was shaking his legs repeatedly, a clear sign of nervousness. After a minute, we marked the papers again. The results were displayed soon after: I scored 0, Rima scored 4, and Hasan scored 2. At the end of the second round, we had a total of 6 points.
Frustrated, Hasan banged the table and immediately cried out in pain, shaking his hand. "Forget reaching fourteen; even getting to ten is proving impossible!"
Kabili said with a smirk, "Haha! This is the test of your luck. Only if fortune favors you, you will find your friend."
Hasan grumbled, "So, like Ludo, this game also depends purely on luck?"
Rima snapped, "Even Ludo requires some skill. Stop complaining and focus on the game!"
"Hey Sakib, bro, why are you so quiet? Do something!" Hasan exclaimed.
"To win this game, we must stay calm," I replied firmly.
Kabili laughed loudly again and announced, "Then let's begin the third round."
In the third round, I received the G card. After marking my sheet, the results showed that I and Hasan scored 2 points each, while Rima scored 0. Altogether, we earned 4 points in this round.
By this time, we had lost three rounds, and both Hasan and Rima were visibly disheartened. If we lost this round, there would be no way to rescue Meem. What a dire situation! Meanwhile, Kabili's laughter was eroding their confidence.
I reassured them, "Don't worry. We'll checkmate him in this round. Just stay focused and trust me."
As Kabili shuffled the cards for the fourth round, he taunted, "This is your last chance. If you lose, you won't see your friend again."
When I picked up my card, I found that I had received an A card. I suddenly exclaimed, "This time, I didn't get the A card."
My outburst startled Rima and Hasan, and Kabili glared at me angrily. Smiling slightly, I added, "The rules didn't say I couldn't give the false identity of the card."
Realizing my hint, Hasan said, "I didn't get E."
Rima followed, "I didn't get B."
From this, it was clear that the A, B, and E cards had been shuffled among us, leaving C, D, F, and G as the remaining cards with Kabili.
Now, to identify the seventh card, I reflected on the previous rounds. I had received B, F, and G. This meant we were certain about A, B, E, F, and G, leaving C and D as possibilities for the seventh card. If anyone had received the C-card in the earlier rounds, the seventh card would be the D-card, and vice versa.
I said aloud, "The seventh card won't be C or D."
As Hasan tried to speak, Kabili furiously declared, "According to the final rule, if any of you speak again during the game, you'll be disqualified."
Alhamdulillah, we had already exchanged enough crucial information. Now, the game was in their hands. Whoever didn't have the C or D would score 6 points. After marking the sheets, the results were displayed:
Sakib: 4 points
Hasan: 4 points
Rima: 6 points
Total: 14 points
Relieved, I sighed, while Hasan and Rima jumped with joy.
I asked Rima, "What was the seventh card?"
With excitement, she replied, "It was the D-card because I had received the C-card but not the D-card."
Hasan added, "I didn't receive either C or D, so I marked only F and G to avoid risking negative points."
Rima said, "Good thing we caught on to your hints."
I praised them, making them even happier.
Rima remarked, "But if you had started this strategy from the first round, we could've won in the second round. We went through so much tension for nothing."
Hasan agreed, "Yeah, I was so scared my hands and feet went numb. I've never been in a situation like this before."
I explained, "If I'd done that, Kabili would have changed the rules by the second round. From the way he explained the game and its conditions, I knew it couldn't be won before the fourth round. That's why I waited. Over the three rounds, each of us received three cards, which helped us identify the seventh card. So, my main goal was to remember which cards I had in the previous rounds and ensure we won before the rules could change."
Rima said, "Oh, I remember now. He mentioned this rule in the final instructions."
With an amazed look, Hasan added, "What are you saying, bro? In such a complex situation, you planned out the entire game even before it started!"
I replied, "Yes, I trusted you both. I knew you'd catch onto the hints I gave."
Hearing about my trust, Hasan and Rima felt happy, they gained more confidence. Turning to Kabili, I said, "Anyway, we need to prepare for the next game quickly."
Meem! Just wait a little longer, we are coming.
Kabili said, "Congratulations. You've completed the first game successfully. You're now eligible to proceed to the next game."
After a moment, we noticed the door in front of us open automatically, revealing a staircase leading to the third floor. Kabili said, "Only you may go to the third floor. I'm not allowed there."
I nodded. "Alright, we're going."
We climbed up to the third floor. There were no stairs leading further up, just another room ahead. It seemed like there was no space around the room to explore either. Hasan remarked, "Our next game must be in this room."
"Hmm, let's go inside," I replied.
The room was pitch dark. As soon as we entered, the lights turned on automatically, their intensity moderate enough for us to see clearly. We realized we had entered a hall-like room.
There were two cabinets, a stage on one side, and a few tables with chairs arranged on top. Red curtains fluttered in the southern breeze coming through open windows. The rest of the furniture was scattered haphazardly, with many chairs lying in disarray. Papers were strewn all over the floor, rustling slightly in the breeze.
Above us hung a projector, and on both sides were two CCTV cameras. Suddenly, the door we had entered through slammed shut behind us, and a ticking sound began.
Looking ahead, we noticed a robot lying on the floor, its chest smeared with red, resembling blood. On its head was something that looked like a clock, ticking away ominously.
Startled by the sound, Hasan and Rima looked at me with wide eyes. The robot started making eerie, broken sounds like a lifeless body coming to life. It uttered, "F-find… my… killer…"