CD-TLC09 (Nov 25, 2023)
Puzzle
“A tap on the shoulder.”
Sarah Trivia | 4 Words
Clue
Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: It's like a murderous game of duck duck goose.
Clue 2: Is there any book in which that signifies, in a game, that you're dead?
Clue 3: Written by Ngaio Marsh.
Answer and Explanation
Answer: A Man Lay Dead
Explanation: In this book, a tap on the shoulder is part of a game of murder, in which whoever is tapped has to pretend to be dead.
Summary of Receipt
Summary
Transcript
Receipt: CD-TLC09
Author: Sarah
Status: Cafe Diner
Subject: Bingo Cult
Uh… well… I wasn’t expecting that to happen. My great uncle Felix just… showed up in the Astorian sea base. I’m not even sure how he got in. I guess he knew about some secret Zulu entrance. Astrid should probably look into fixing that. Regardless, it seems Felix has decided to switch sides. I’m not entirely sure, as it’s a bit over my head. But it seems like the First Cafe knew what was going on!
S.O.T.
Felix: My dear Sarah, it has been a while, no?
Sarah: Felix?! What the hell do you—
[Felix raised his hands]
Felix: I know. I know. I’m not here to seek penance or forgiveness.
Sarah: Then why are you here? How did you even get in here?
Felix: Old Zulu secret, eh? But—I am here to offer… what I can. I have come upon the truth of our little “nihilistic” game, and I can no longer abide by Jack and Jean’s madness.
Sarah: And how do I know this isn’t another one of their tricks?
Felix: You can’t. But what harm is there in hearing me out?
Sarah: Fine. But I’m… new to a lot of this. I—
Felix: But of course. That’s why I let the others know I was coming.
[Jennifer, Nick, Aelan, Salenna, and Sahir entered the CaDCom Transcription Range.]
Felix: A bit of a reunion, eh?
Sahir: Well, you have our attention.
Felix: I could try and lie my way out of this one, you know. I could say that I was only allied to the Bingo players to keep an eye on them and their schemes, but at one point, I did believe them. Foolish in hindsight, but you all know Jean… how could I say no? With Fate dead, we had a chance to rig the game, yes? Without Fate—the Universe is like a game of Bingo. Who wins, who loses? It is all random chance now. The only certainty is that we will all eventually reach a Blackout. So… Jean and Jack came up with a scheme to ensure that they had the best cards before forcing a Blackout. Instead of calling one ball at a time, they’d let them all roll out at once.
Jennifer: Yeah, we’ve gathered that much. What part of the game were they—are they—trying to rig?
Felix: Ah—everyone had a different desire. Umbra, well, he wanted to break the curse he set in motion. He wanted to hang up the hat, so to speak. Complexico, naturally, wanted to bring back his three favorite contestants for a never-ending game. I had thought Jean-Marc and I wanted the same thing—to bring back la Dame Lucifer. But…
Nick: He wants more than that.
Felix: I tried to bring up my concern with Jack, but he seemed… uninterested. Perhaps even excited by the possibility of… well, becoming the new Cold. Jean wants to kill his ego and become…
Sahir: Fate. Why though? It feels… hollow to go through all that trouble fighting against Fate only to become it.
Aelan: Self-fulfilling prophecy?
Felix: More than that. A wager.
Sahir: You mean—?
Felix: Well, if you were God or the Devil, what would you bet on?
Nick: And you’re certain this is what they’ve made their bet on? Whether or not Jean will become Fate?
Felix: Mm. You know my lips are sealed.
Jennifer: Well… Who says he will, and who says he won’t?
Felix: That’s what keeps me up at night.
Sahir: Really? I think it’s rather obvious, no? If Fate returns… The Devil is once more fated to be imprisoned by God. So, it is God’s wager that Jean-Marc will become Fate.
Salenna: But God waged war against Fate for eons. And I always thought that God sort of… I don’t know, liked Jean? Why would He want—
Nick: —A Fate on His side.
Jennifer: So, what, we’re on the side of the Devil now?
Felix: One side has to win, but it is not our game to play, is it?
Sahir: But?
Felix: But… Well, I would like to speak with young Ichabod Ramses, off the record.
E.O.T.