"Nope," Alex said, taking his shirt off, "I'm going to plug that pipe and that's that. I'll have all the time in the freaking world."
Alex wadded his shirt into a ball, and shoved it up into the pipe with all his might. It fell to his feet immediately, and he repeated it and shoved it up again, this time harder. Again, it fell.
"Oh goddamnit!" Alex cried out in anguish. "Why won't this shirt stick!"
"What's going on in there?" Chris asked from the safe world outside.
"Aside from me drowning, I'm trying to shove this shirt up the pipe to stop the water flow, but it keeps falling!"
"You idiot! With a combination of the water pressure and gravity it won't ever hold!"
"Fine, I'll hold it up there with my own two hands!"
"It will rip in seconds!"
"Screw this shirt then!" Alex said, tossing it to the ground. "I'll plug it up with my own fists!
"Listen to me. Because the pipe is facing down, gravity is pushing it harder. That, combined with the already tough pressure, would rip your skin and give you permanent blisters if you tried that."
"Noted Mr. Science, now shut up!"
"I'm going to kill Chris later," Alex promised himself, and began to try keys.
Five minutes later he was unsuccessful, and the water was now knee-deep.
Alex looked around. He had only tried about a fourth of the keys thus far, and with the water rising was fast as it was, there was no way he would be able to try all of them in time.
Outside the alcove, Chris, Derek, and Jenna were brainstorming.
"Maybe the riddle meant something," Derek suggested, "Like, um, he has to choose the 7th key? That's a lucky number right?"
"Spare me your rock-bottom theories…" Chris mocked, and Derek glared at him.
"I'm getting pretty tired of this attitude of yours." Derek said.
"And vice versa." Chris counter-pointed.
"Will you two calm the fuck down?" Jenna screamed. "In case you forgot, Alex is drowning in there."
"Does anyone hear ticking?" Derek asked suddenly.
"Yes, you're right, sorry Derek," Chris apologized.
Derek paid Chris no mind. "I'm serious, can't you guys hear ticking?"
"Hey," Chris boomed, insulted, "I'm trying to apologize to you here!"
"Shove it," Jenna said, thrusting a hand towards Chris' mouth.
The trio stood there for a moment, listening.
Alex scrambled around the alcove, looking for anything that could give him a clue as to which was the correct key. He looked all around him, focused, and suddenly it became clear one key was slightly brighter then the others. Not rusted – freshly made for this trap perhaps?
"Gotcha!" Alex screamed triumphantly, and grabbed the key, thrusting it into the lock. He turned it, but it wouldn't unlock the door. It wasn't key.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" He screamed to no one in particular.
Alex cupped his hands, and placed them over his face, closing his eyes.
It was time to kiss his own ass goodbye.
"Yeah, something isdefiantly ticking," All three concluded.
"But why?" Derek asked, "And for what purpose?"
"Look around," Chris commanded, "Find it.
The three looked around the room, and found nothing. As they were about to stop, part of the east wall slid open.
"Look," Jenna said, gesturing to the new opening.
They all approached it carefully, not wanting to fall victim to another trap.
They entered; it was a small bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower. A tape player was sitting next to the sink. They pressed play without hesitation.
"I'm going to get right to the point this time," Jigsaw greeted with no preamble. "This door was rigged with a spring timer to open three minutes after someone tripped the alcove wire. One of you is in there, drowning. The other three are here. Suspended above the bathtub in this room is a key. The key will unlock the alcove. A key in the alcove will unlock the way forward. Careful, however, as the tub is filled with an acid-like liquid. It won't kill you, don't worry, but if the key falls in – even for just a moment – it will melt the key, rendering it unable to unlock the alcove. In addition, the tub, the walls around the tub, and the key itself, has been smeared with a substance that makes it very slippery. Be very careful, one of your comrade's lives hangs in the balance, as does that key. Don't lose your grip."