The Cycle Continues: Alice in Borderland Novel

23) Five of Hearts [3] ✮

===Benkei Furetchā===

I shifted in my seat, then decided to bring an old theory to light. "Guys, Charī and Niko both suggested solutions that we just tie the votes. Or not vote at all."

"Oh, hell no." Judumai said, leaning in and shaking his head. "No way in hell am I voting for a child murderer instead of myself. His actions in the Six of Spades and Seven of Diamonds may be excusable, but nothing can excuse that."

"I mean..." I trailed off. "We just have to make it perfectly even! There's six people–three vote for Charī and three vote for the jury."

"And if a tie means we all die?" Zakū pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh..." I sunk back into my seat. "I didn't think of that."

"Well, would there be anything against nobody voting?" Niko questioned.

"From my experience," Chihaya said, "abstinence in these types of games usually goes punished."

"Ugh, crap, now I'm confused." Charī said, rubbing his eyes. "Please, guys, can we just vote according to the plan and all clear this game?"

"W-Well..." Rafferty began. "M-Maybe we can vote accordingly and still have it tie the votes? Let's hold a mock e-election. Raise y-your hand for the jury, and keep it down f-for Charī."

Judumai and Zakū's hands shot up at once. I intended to keep my hand down, but images flashed back in my mind–sights of Ichida drowning, sights of Okino falling to his death, sights of people burning to death in Hot Spot. A young biker begging for my help as fire consumed his body, when I could do nothing but watch, since his body had been crushed by an immobile pile of rubble. A shudder crept down my back. I couldn't do it; I wasn't as courageous or as honorable as these other people. I raised my hand.

Charī's eyes flashed. "Wait! Rafferty, you're a genius! See? It works perfectly–even when everyone votes exactly as they wish to, we get a tie regardless."

"Ah, but here's the thing:" Zakū said, his eyes flashing with amusement. "We don't know if Rafferty, Chihaya, or Niko are being truthful." And with that, all the hope that had simmered in the room instantly dissipated.

"Oh, um..." Charī rubbed his chin with his free hand. "We can... Just have everyone vote with their tablets facing everyone else!"

"Actually, that's a great idea." Niko said, turning his tablet around.

However, the screen turned off at once.

"What?' Niko turned it back towards him. "Wha–it's on again!" He turned it around once more, and it turned off.

"And there's no power button. Nothing." Chihaya observed, flipping the tablet over. "The entire tablet is automated by the game, and we can't even turn it off or on ourselves."

"The g-gamemakers aren't that dumb, I suppose." Rafferty said, his fingers tapping the back of his tablet. "So, it l-looks like we're back to having to place blind t-trust."

"Well... I trust Chihaya and Niko!" Charī shouted. "Even though Niko witnessed me commit the murder in the Six of Diamonds, he still forgave me and let me join the Beach."

"Yeah, I can vouch for Chihaya too." Niko said. "We've been mates for a while now, and I can say he's a man of his word."

"Can we trust..." Chihaya nodded his head towards Rafferty. "Him, though?"

"Yeah!" Judumai said. "We've known each other for a while too!"

"Really?" I asked, surprising myself. "Rafferty and Judumai convoluted behind my back to kill someone else in the Three of Hearts–my first game, and the game we had met in. Well, uh, that person was dangerous, but still... It really left a bad feeling in my stomach."