It was the moment of truth. I confronted Nicholas and exposed the bastard for the monster he was. Sure, he feigned ignorance and attempted to absolve my doubt about him as expected. But, I wasn't swayed. It wasn't until I backed him into a corner did he drop his act.

Something about his unusual calmness unsettled me. Instead of being flustered or erratic about the situation; Nicholas appeared relieved. Like he was satisfied that he'd finally gotten caught. That expression of his pissed me off beyond belief. Relieved wasn't how I expected him to feel.

Not even close.

He should've been afraid. That's how I pictured things going in my head.

"Well, are you going to take a seat or not?" Nicholas gestured to the seat across from him. The tension in the room didn't affect him at all.

"I'd rather stand," I replied.

"Suit yourself," Nicholas rested his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. A demeaning smile spread across his face as he continued, "Just so we are clear, this conversation will be about give and take. If you want information from me, you best be willing to give some yourself. Do you understand?"

 The bastard was surprisingly forceful when the mask came off. 

"Fine," I decided to play along with his little game and let him set the agenda.

"Excellent. So, what would you like to know?"

"How about you start with why you're trying to kill us?" I asked perhaps one of the most critical questions.

"Probably for the money," Salomon assumed.

Nicholas closed his eyes and chuckled. The smug bastard chuckled.

"I have no interest in the money," He casually admitted; which raised more questions. If not for the money, why'd the son of a bitch get everyone killed?

"Then what is it that you want? What do you hope to gain from this?" I demanded answers.

Nicholas lifted his index finger and wagged it back and forth, "Incorrect. It is my turn to ask a question, Ambrose. Were you not paying attention?"

He earnestly tried my nerves and patience. God, how I wanted to smash his head through a fucking wall. I bottled up my anger for the most part and responded, "What's your question?"

"Who told you about me?" Nicholas inquired, his tone of genuine curiosity nearly caught me off guard. "You could not have gained such extensive knowledge about me without some form of assistance."

That much was true. If not for Zoey; Nicholas' web of lies would've trapped me. Eventually, I would've been another victim of his. Although infuriated, I was grateful to her.

"It was your partner, Melanie," I answered. "After I tortured her in the infirmary, she spilled the beans about you."

The room fell silent. Nicholas closed his eyes and mulled over my response. There was no telling what went through the man's mind. I hoped he believed my story.

"How barbaric," He snidely commented. "Now, back to your previous question. It is wrong. It is not about what I have to gain. It is that I cannot afford to lose."

 Even with that response, I felt nothing but seething rage in my gut. Nicholas made no sense. I couldn't understand a damn thing from his words.

"Why can't you afford to lose?" Salomon wondered.

"My life is at stake," Nicholas revealed, the arrogance in his voice faded. A fire roared behind his eyes. "I am as much of a victim as everyone else trapped in here."

"Say that to the people that you've killed!" I slammed my fist on the table. Nicholas didn't even blink or flinch.

"Always inclined to resort to violence," Nicholas sighed. "Not that I blame you. It must be frustrating, learning about everything that I have done."

"Frustrating doesn't even begin to explain how I feel. From the very beginning, you played us for God damn fools!"

"You are making it sound like I enjoyed doing this," Nicholas shook his head, his tone turned somber. "I told you, I am a victim."

"You sure as hell don't act like one," I noted. Someone like Nicholas was far from what I pictured as a victim. Elena fit the bill better than him. "Do you think it's fair to call yourself a victim when compared to others that you've killed?"

"How old are you, Ambrose?" Nicholas suddenly asked.

"What does that have to do with anyth--"

"How have you forgotten the rules again?" He interrupted him. "Remember, I do not have to do this."

I gritted my teeth and answered, "Thirty-six."

"Hmm, interesting, you and I are more alike than I thought," Nicholas commented. That thought alone made my skin crawl. I didn't want that bastard comparing us at all. We were nothing alike. "It amuses me that we both learned a valuable lesson around that age."

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"What are you talking about?"

"Life is not fair, Ambrose," Nicholas broadly announced. However, something about that unsettled me. He wasn't acting as arrogant or aloof. Instead, he sounded pissed off. "Life is cruel and unfair to everyone. No matter one's accomplishments or status, life will find a way to remind everyone of that undeniable fact. It takes one moment to ruin everything."

"Speaking from personal experience?" Salomon asked. 

"Unfortunately," Nicholas clenched his hands into fists. "This situation is not something I aspired to find myself in. But, a certain turn of events led me down this path."

"I don't care for them," I stated. Whatever sorrow story the man planned to tell, I wasn't having any of it. "It doesn't change anything."

"I never claimed it did. Do not get me wrong, Ambrose. I am not seeking redemption for my actions like you are," Nicholas' sudden rebuttal caused my eyes to widen. His tone of arrogance returned as he continued, "For the things that we have done in the past, there is no redemption for us. The only thing we can do now is to keep moving forward."

"What do you know about my past?" I hesitated to ask. Something deep down inside me warned me about speaking out about that. That feeling only worsened once a sinister smile spread across the bastard's face. He knew more than he let on.

"Where should I start? Perhaps the part where you slaughtered your entire family?" Nicholas carelessly revealed. But, it didn't end there. His gaze shifted over to Salomon as he continued, "Or how about you, Salomon? You were dishonorably discharged from the military since you refused to obey orders after the love of your life died to protect your unit."

For once, an incomprehensible expression showed on the old man's face. I already knew about the death of his lover. However, I didn't know he was dishonorably discharged. Not that it mattered too much. What shocked me the most was that Nicholas knew so much about our pasts.

I reached my tipping point. I grabbed Nicholas by his shirt and lifted him from his seat. It took all my willpower not to punch him in the face.

"How do you know all that?!" I shouted.

Nicholas reached into his pocket and pulled out something familiar. My rage continued to rise the moment those items caught my attention. In the bastard's hands were coupons.

Coupons that were once in my possession after I won my game against Elena days ago.

"What are those?" Salomon sternly asked. 

"Caius coupons," Nicholas and I answered in unison.

"Why do you have those?! I'm the only one that should have them!" I shook him.

"Unhand me," Nicholas demanded. I didn't want to, but, I had no other choice. Once freed, he resumed, "That would have been the case if you had not forgotten your prize in the infirmary. I asked Caius if I could keep them instead and he had no problem with that. Therefore, they are mine now."

"What do those things do?" Salomon questioned.

"They allow me special privileges during my stay here. I used several coupons to manipulate the games as I saw fit. Say, Wyatt and my game for example. None of you found it suspicious how we played a game that pertained to Wyatt's skill of expertise?"

It dawned on me at that moment on how convenient things played out on that day. It was as if someone set up the chess pieces all across the board how they wanted. And that person was Nicholas. 

"Of course, I had no plans on getting stabbed, but everything else worked out in my favor. I knew Wyatt's stupidity would get him killed. Mention his wife at all, and he will allow his "love" to blind him." Nicholas had no qualms mocking the dead. "I also used the couples to learn the history of the other players. I know all of you more than you know yourselves."

"That's a bold statement," Salomon noted. He took the cigar out from his mouth and crushed it against the table. "What gives you the right to do as you please with our lives?"

"I do not want to hear that from you, Salomon. Unlike the others, you came here on a whim. No ulterior motives other than testing your luck," Nicholas pointed out. While it didn't surprise me to hear that, it pissed me off to an extent since Nicholas knew too much about us. It explained everything how he could manipulate so many people at once for so long seemingly unnoticed.

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded to know. Despite everything he told us, it didn't make any sense. He didn't want the money. He claimed to be a victim. I couldn't put his desires together.

"What do you think of this place, Ambrose? Or the organization that runs it?" Nicholas threw me off again with his random questions.

"This place is hell, and the people that run this belong in prison or worse," I answered without hesitation. I never put much thought into Serendipity or the people that run the place. It'd only prove to add more unnecessary stress. 

"To me, I see freedom," Nicholas happily revealed. He flashed a bright smile before he continued, "on the day of my execution, these people approached and offered me a way out. They manipulated the government system and brought me here. My, with the power they have, I can hardly imagine what else they could get their hands on if they so desired."

"You're infatuated," Salomon pointed out as if he were disgusted. I felt the same.

"In a way," Nicholas shamelessly agreed. "I wish to learn more about this organization. I want to join them. The only way to do that is to make sure that you all die."

I raised my leg and slammed my foot on the nearest table, denting it severely. Imagining that it was Nicholas' head helped vent out some frustration.

"So, we all have to die for you to join a stupid club?! Is that what you're telling me?!" I shouted. "All those people died because of that?!"

"I do not expect you to understand my situation, Ambrose." Nicholas sighed and shook his head.

"Then help me understand!"

"What do you think would happen to me if I were to return to the outside world? Away from the watchful eye of this organization?" Nicholas asked another random question. But, it didn't take me long to find an answer from thin air.

"You'd die," I said.

"You're a death row inmate after all. If you suddenly showed your face out in public, you'd be arrested and executed for sure." Salomon added.

"Exactly," Nicholas heaved another sigh. It annoyed me how far the fucker thought ahead of everyone else. "My only option of salvation is to join these people. I am sure I would be welcomed with open arms. I need all of you to die."

"You're making it sound as if it'd be easy," I scolded him.

"I already got six people killed. Five more will not be a problem." Nicholas held up his hand and smiled.

"You even plan to kill your partner?" I questioned. I didn't care for Melanie's safety. I just wanted to know how far the bastard planned to go to achieve his goals.

"Melanie was an...interesting person to have around, but she is no longer useful. Now that I am allowed to express myself out in the open, I see no point in keeping her around." 

"You're a sick son of a bitch!" 

"Your incessant remarks grow weary on me, Ambrose," Nicholas walked passed Salomon and I. He headed for the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

"To my room," He answered. "I would like to get some rest before the time for the next game comes."

He stopped and looked at Henrika and Klara that entered their way into the room.

"Nicholas? What happened to your glasses?" Henrika asked.

Nicholas smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "I look forward to seeing you all again later."

With those parting words, Nicholas left us all in the room to contemplate our next course of action.