Michael McGillicuddy and the Most Amazing Race by Trevor A. Dutcher

Author:Trevor A. Dutcher [Dutcher, Trevor A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781733099004
Published: 2019-06-15T04:00:00+00:00

29

Hidden In Plain Sight

Michael and John rejoined the rest of the group, where plenty of questions were thrown about.

“What would keep Kamal from leaving with the advantage token? He could take it anywhere, and switch to any other team.”

“How do we know Copper won’t skip out with the everything that we need and leave us high and dry?”

“Why do we need to split the prize so many ways?”

“Why do we need John at all?”

“What guarantee is there that one of us isn’t the saboteur, just waiting to strike again?”

The evening’s buggy fires, the ensuing burglaries and subsequent boat fires set everyone on edge, and understandably so. Trust now came at a premium.

“People. Honestly, let’s be rational,” Michael said.

“Why should we let Kamal in at all? Didn’t he just spend the entire land leg traveling with another group? Maybe he’s a plant, maybe he’s still playing for a different team. How would we ever know?” Copper said.

“He knows the sea,” Vixen said, “and we could use his advantage token at some point.”

“I can hear you talking,” Kamal said. “I’m standing right here.”

“So, John just shows up out of nowhere,” Scarlet said. “Empty-handed, and we’re just going to let him in, and share our purse with him?”

“Hey, I’m also standing right here,” John said.

“He’s very capable,” Michael said. “He can help us.”

Questions continued and Michael grew impatient.

“Look, everyone. We need to move on here if we are going to compete. We could spend all day going round like this, but it’s not productive. I have a plan. Look around. Of the people in this group, think of the one person you believe is most trustworthy. On the count of three, point to that person. Are you ready? One. Two. Three.”

Everyone pointed at Michael.

“Oh,” he said.

He bowed his head humbly and smiled.

“This is so unexpected. Well, thank you, I suppose. I’m not sure what to say, really.”

“Oye. Tick-tock,” Copper said, tapping his naked wrist.

“Right, sorry, so here’s the idea. To address the trust concerns that everyone seems to have with regard to Kamal’s advantage token, and since all fingers pointed at me, I will carry it. Copper, give your skeleton key to Vixen and your token to Kamal so they’re split up and you don’t control them all. We can rip Copper’s map into six pieces and each of us will take one piece. That way we all become dependent upon each other. There’s no concentration of strength in any one person, and no one person can run off without the rest of us. We will either win this as a team, or we will lose this as a team, plain and simple. Is everyone comfortable with that?”

One by one, some more grudgingly than others, they all agreed. Copper was the last to give in.

“I worked really hard to get all of this,” he said, “and I don’t fancy the idea of handing it over to someone else.”

“Do you have a working ship to carry you across this leg?” Michael asked.

“No, I reckon not.

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