“Shit” said Aife “I don’t like the fact we aren’t competing as a team”

“I dunno” said Trina “Something seems fishy to me. All the previous challenges starting at wave six have had at least some element of team work. We have passed or failed as a group for quite a few rounds now.

“Add into the fact that all rounds from one to five were… well, you could argue one was more of an introduction, but still, at the very least two to five, were all combat tasks. It says it depends on our score, but I’m not sure exactly what they are comparing it to”

“What do you mean” asked Aife.

“Well… let’s say that hypothetically, we need to have twenty points exactly, or maybe just comparatively close to twenty points. We can all work together to get to twenty points and be safe there. Or maybe we pass if we all have the same number of points? It just said we pass as individuals and it is based on points, not that we need a bunch of them,” said Trina.

Sui considered the idea. It does at least fit the pattern. However, I am not completely convinced of Trina’s ideas. I am not opposed to doing our best and ensuring that whoever is coming in last also receives a high number of points and makes it similar to the rest of us is ok.

“Hmm, I mean I guess I can see it” said Aife “If you want to stick together and try to get the same number of points that’s fine with me. We agreed before to live through the waves together and I’m willing to stick with that”

Trina nodded, for a second then paused. “Hmm, wait but what if that’s the trap? Remember, a bunch of the targets will be lying around just waiting for us to find them. What if hanging around too close to each other means that we won’t have enough points to pass?

“Imagine if there is say… twenty points every square kilometre… well, that might be a bit of a large area but let’s just go with it. Let’s say that’s the case, but each person needs ten points to pass. Then, by sticking together we’ve made it so nobody will get enough points, when we get like seven each” explained Trina.

Aife shrugged, not willing to comment, thinking all of Trina’s theories had some merit. Which was true, they all followed a certain set of logic that made at least some sense to everyone present. The question was, which train of thought were the system designers using.

Still, Sui noticed something. “A question then Trina. How specifically designed do you think the point totals are? If they went that route?”

“I don’t follow Sui? The system seems at least partially automatic so… I imagine it adjusts based on how many people there are?” said Trina uncertain, not following Sui’s logic or what she’d meant by her question.

Sui hummed slightly before nodding, understanding that Trina wasn’t quite following her. “Let me explain in broader detail. This obstacle course, we are all starting in the same place. This is likely true, regardless of how many people enter the course. Groups of five, ten, fifteen, however many you are allowed, all start at the pedestal, correct?”

Trina nodded with a slight smile. “Ok I think I see where you’re going, but continue.”

“So, what I’m wondering is… is it likely that there is some other target? Perhaps your first guess, that we need to have similar scores is most accurate? Imagine trying to control all the variables for a large number of people all entering from the same place and making sure there are enough targets for everyone to pass?

“We established that we are being watched for something. I doubt they’d make it unfair to smaller or larger groups, and there aren’t too many ways to balance things out if we needed a bunch of points. Imagine the larger groups fighting for points.

“That would, if it was a point cap, eliminate possibly large groups of capable contestants as they all fight each other for enough points and considering this is everyone’s lives on the line, I think it likely that nobody would accept someone else just taking all the points.

“So, this has to be designed as something watchable, something that allows the whole group to pass, and something that doesn’t really favour one group size over the other. For another example, with just the three of us, I could go left, Aife could go straight, and Trina could go right and we’d all have endless targets. Any more people than that though, and it would all fall apart,” said Sui.

“Hey, I can’t go straight, I’m in a committed lesbian relationship” said Aife.

“Now is not the time to attempt humour Aife” said Sui, ignoring Trina’s obvious giggling in the background, which only intensified after Sui’s reply.

“Well,” said Trina taking a few extra seconds to catch her breath. “That makes a lot of sense, but I don’t think it’s quite so simple. I’d guess that we also need to get a certain number of points. I dunno what that number is, but say it might be, one hundred for two people, fifty each for three, twenty-five for four and so on.”

“Ok, I can agree with that.” Said Sui. “What does that make our plan then? Do we try to get as many points as we can and then slow down after a while?”

“That is the question,” said Trina.

“Well, I can take the lead” said Aife “Try and get as many points as possible in say… make it ten minutes? Then I can sprint around and help you guys get up to whatever my point total is”

“What makes you think you’ll be ahead by so much?” said Trina.

Sui rolled her eyes and said. “Trina, clearly you need additional sleep. If you do not realise the uselessness of that question. Not only does Aife have the best hand eye co-ordination, she also has the best physique, before and after stats are taken into account. Add into that, I’m almost certain she is the only one to have used a firearm, including the paintball and airsoft variety, she can do what she wants”

“You’ve shot a gun?” asked Trina, looking at Aife out of the corner of her eyes.

“Well, just paintball ones. You guys do know there is… or… was? I think it might have closed down last year, but um, the point is we do have one in town you know?” said Aife. “Pretty sure I invited you guys”

“I don’t remember” “I likely chose to forget” said Trina and Sui respectively at the same time.

“Hmm” said Trina “Still, is there anything else to go over, we haven’t exactly got a lot to work with so far in terms of clues…”

Aife slammed her hands together, elicited a bang. Sui flinched and covered her ears respectively with Trina doing the same just a second later. “Ok, enough” said Aife, calmly but firmly. “I know you both are willing to sit here and plan, but I bet that both of you are about to start going around in circles.

“We’ve covered the two, maybe three, if you count it that way, things this could be. One, trying to get a certain number of points. Two, trying to get the same number of points as the other people on your team or three, trying to do both. There aren’t any other options worth considering because if it’s actually whoever has the most points, we’ll just all be tied at the end and we can pass or fail together”

Sui nodded. Aife is perhaps correct. My morning has been filled with thoughts and I seem to have attempted to fill it with yet more thoughts. Aife is right, it is time for action. We must simply react the best we are able and try and get as many points as possible while not straying too far away from each other.

“I’m ready” said Sui, mimicking Aife’s confidence.

Trina sighed and looked between her two friends. “Are we really doing this? We aren’t even going to consider the other options?”

“No” said Aife firmly, giving Trina a quick kiss and lightly dragging her over to the pedestal. Sui followed behind easily, and placed her hand on it alongside Aife and Trina.

The moment they did so…