There was nothing I could do to change the outcome of this game. Until I remembered what Nolan had talked to me about. Nolan and the others had promised to swap votes according to Grace's plan. And then I remembered something the croupier told us before the game started.
"Once the game begins, you will find the items needed for your victory." That left me one question. I walk to a nearby croupier.
"I have a question. Is it possible to buy and sell votes in this game."
"What are you referring to?"
"Is it possible to transfer a part of a player's vote count to another player."
"A player's vote count is their property, therefore if both the seller and buyer agree, a portion of a player's vote count can be transferred." That answer just gave me an idea.
=Five minutes later=
"Grace!"
"Dana, if you're gonna ask me to vote you through, then forget it!"
"Then listen to this, there's still a way that we can both go through to Part 3."
"I said I'm not listening to you!"
"What if I told you..."
"Shut up!"
"$1 million! You'll get $1 million!" Grace stopped in her tracks.
"What do I have to do to get the million?"
"It's simple, this is like an elimination tournament. There are fewer players in each round as this Confidence Trick progresses. So it would make sense that there are other people playing this exact same game. All of those groups have finished their games. In this game, the player in first place has the opportunity to leave and abandon half of the $1 million prize while the player in last place leaves with all of the debt accumulated up to their elimination. Thing is there was someone in between who left without the option to do so. So one loser of this game will be brought back in as a replacement. That means that the last place player with the most votes will still have a spot in Part 3. The losing player with the most votes among all of the other groups had 5 votes in their group. So if I get 6, I'll still be safe. In exchange, I'll give you $1 million. You have no chance of taking first place, so I'll give you an equal reward for 6 votes."
"Fine, give me the money!" As soon as we filled out our contracts, the deal was finalized.
Opponent's name: Grace Black
Amount: $1,000,000
Conditions: Receive six (6) votes from Grace in exchange for the indicated amount of money to be paid before the announcement of the final results
Opponent's name: Dana Andrews
Amount: $1,000,000
Conditions: Give six (6) votes to Dana in exchange for the indicated amount of money to be paid before the announcement of the final results
This was the start of a comeback for me. I couldn't wait to see the standings.
=End of seventh round of voting=
"It is now time to count the votes."
1st place: Lee Floyd, 17 votes
1st place: Christopher White, 17 votes
3rd place: Grace Black, 16 votes
3rd place: Daniel Schwarz, 16 votes
3rd place: Nolan Daniels, 16 votes
3rd place: Karen Lewis, 16 votes
7th place: Dana Andrews, 0 votes
"Furthermore, there was a transfer of votes during this round. Here are the new results."
1st place: Dana Andrews, 36 votes
2nd place: Lee Floyd, 11 votes
2nd place: Christopher White, 11 votes
4th place: Grace Black, 10 votes
4th place: Daniel Schwarz, 10 votes
4th place: Nolan Daniels, 10 votes
4th place: Karen Lewis, 10 votes
"What the fuck?"
"How does Andrews have 36 votes?"
"I gave him 6!"
"So did I!"
"Isn't it clear as day? 6 times 6 is 36."
"So you took 6 votes from all of us? Then all of those contracts will be invalidated! You'll lose $6 million!"
I calmly state to the other players. "No I won't. This is the Confidence Trick." Nobody disagreed with the latter statement. I continued. "From what I know, 20 votes will guarantee you a spot in Part 3. And all of you either have 11 or 10 votes. That means that by the end of the game, you all will have 16 or 17 votes. Adding in my votes will give you no more than 18. All of you need at least two more votes to go through to Part 3. I have 16 extra votes that will go to the highest bidder. Let's start with one vote for all the money you got." At first everyone stood silent and nobody took me up on this deal. The eighth round ended like so.
1st place: Dana Andrews, 36 votes
2nd place: Lee Floyd, 13 votes
2nd place: Christopher White, 13 votes
2nd place: Daniel Schwarz, 13 votes
2nd place: Nolan Daniels, 13 votes
6th place: Grace Black, 12 votes
6th place: Karen Lewis, 12 votes
"Dana! Your votes would really help me through to Part 3! I'll take your offer! $1.25 million! I have no chance! You would never vote me through! Please, give me two votes!"
Karen entered the scene. "Give me some votes too! I'll also take two! I'm willing to pay $950k! Just take me through!" With the $2.2 million I got from selling four of my votes, I was able to pay back Grace and Karen. That left four contracts to be fulfilled. Lee overheard Grace and Karen and ran to me to buy votes for herself.
"I'll give you anything! $950k for two votes! That's all I have!"
"Then fill out your contract." The contracts were validated just before time ran out. The results at the end of the ninth round were as follows.
1st place: Dana Andrews, 30 votes
2nd place: Lee Floyd, 17 votes
3rd place: Grace Black, 16 votes
3rd place: Karen Lewis, 16 votes
3rd place: Christopher White, 16 votes
3rd place: Nolan Daniels, 16 votes
7th place: Daniel Schwarz, 15 votes
This left three contracts to be fulfilled by the end of the game. Christopher's, Nolan's and Daniel's. I had thirty minutes to make all the moves I could before the game ended. If I didn't honor my end of those three deals, then I would end up owing $3 million. But I had a plan to make sure that that would not happen.