Adrian and Hunter sat in their respective places, staring at each other in silence. Adrian stared coolly at Hunter who seemed to be growing more uncomfortable by the second. Finally, the Australian leaned forward and spoke:
“You’re our host, aren’t you? You kidnapped us all.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Because I was here in this country six months ago. I read newspapers.”
“And?”
“And, I know you’re not who you say you are.”
“Who do you think I am then?”
“The host.”
“No. My real identity. Who do you think I am if not an assistant professor?”
Hunter leaned back and took in a deep breath.
“You’re not an assistant professor, I am sure of that much. Do you even know physics?”
“I do know physics and I did do my postgraduate on physics from Cornell. If you don’t believe me, I can give you an hour long lecture right here and now on dark matter.”
Hunter blinked at the calm reply, flabbergasted. He composed himself and continued. “So, you know physics. I was wrong on that assumption. But you’re still not an assistant professor like you claim. No, you’re a detective.
“Six months ago, I read about a case in the newspaper. I remember it because it was a highly unusual case. Something regarding a guy being murdered in his apartment several stories high–”
“Twenty stories high,” Adrian interrupted. “He was found beheaded inside his apartment which had been locked from the inside.”
“So, you confess that you are a detective. You solved that case; I remember your name from then. Also, your photo was published, albeit small and to the side, in the newspaper. You have been lying to all of us since day one about your identity. You’re not an assistant professor; you are a highly intelligent and smart detective.
“You created this ‘game’ to test your own superiority. To see if any other detective could rival you. You’re our host. I’m right, aren’t I?”
Hunter smiled triumphantly.
Adrian smiled back. “Wrong.”
Hunter’s smile vanished.
This time, it was Adrian’s turn to lean forward. He sat cross legged with his hands in front him, his fingers intertwined with each other.
“Let me start by asking you a question. If I’m the host, why wait this long to confront me?”
“Because I had nothing concrete to back my assumption about you. Until this morning when Raven was killed. I told you I took a while to open the door after hearing the gunshot. Enough time for the killer to go into his room, even if it was on the other side.
“No, I opened the door and looked outside almost immediately after hearing the gunshot. The killer could have never made it to the other side in that time frame. He had to be someone whose room was on our side. It could have been Hwang, of course, but you being the murderer made more sense. Makes more sense.”
Well, this was new, Adrian thought. He stored this new found information in his memory for later use.
“And thus, I have come to the conclusion that you, Adrian, are the killer, our kidnapper, and our host.”
“Then who is the detective?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“If I’m the host, who is the detective?”
Hunter looked at Adrian with a confused expression on his face. “Why, I am the detective.”
Adrian felt a rush of adrenaline. His theory was correct.
“But you claimed to be a teacher in Brisbane.”
“That’s because I was lying to hide my identity as per your instruction.”
“And what do you think I was doing all this time?”
“I don’t understand.”
“You are John Hunter from Brisbane, Australia. You’re actually a detective but have been lying about your identity all this time. I am Adrian McSkay of this country. I am actually a detective but have been lying about my identity all this time.”
“Yes, I know you’ve been lying about your identity–”
“You still don’t get it, do you? How stupid can you be?”
“Are you seriously insulting me? Right now?”
“Okay then. Let me start from the beginning. I am not the host. If you don’t believe me, lock me up in a room. I will guarantee you the murders will keep happening. But I am a detective, you know that. And I believe you are a detective too. Don’t you see? You and I are both detectives. Every time our host mentioned ‘the detective’ in their little recordings that played, you thought they were referring to you, didn’t you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, so did I. I thought the host was referring to me. You thought the host was referring to you. What’s to say the others weren’t thinking the same?”
Adrian stopped, letting all that he had just said sink in to Hunter’s mind.
“Are you saying–”
“All of us here except the host are detectives. There never was an innocent civilian.”
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