This chapter will cover Matt's final test and bring back the series's most iconic traps. Enjoy.

Chapter 8

Matt woke up to the feeling of numbness on his face. Almost immediately he could taste blood. And metal. He looked around in panic and he saw that he was still in the same room he'd seen the other man in. That other man was still there too. Still wearing the metal thing on his head. A sort of helmet that was just a skeleton of a helmet. Below that part of it was a rather bulky looking set of... Metal jaws, was one word for it. There was a timer on the side and Matt was able to make out the odd spring mechanism here and there. He realised that he was also wearing one of these contraptions. The other man was awake now and seemed to have gone through the panicking stage and was now calmed down. Both men were startled by the sudden buzz of a TV set coming on to Matt's right. Jigsaw's puppet, Billy, filled the screen and gave them their next instructions.

"Welcome to the final test, Matt. The man opposite you is the man behind the bank hacking scandal that you were tasked with rectifying. His name is David, and he is in the exact same position as you are right now. You are both wearing one of my favourite traps. The reverse bear trap I like to call it. I have devised a two player rendition of this test for you tonight. To escape the devices you both require a key. But the keys are only accessible to the other person. You must work to save the life of the other. The keys are located in the metal boxes next to you both. You must reach inside and take them out. But the boxes are heated to about 70 degrees Celsius and the gap is only just big enough to fit your hand through."

There were indeed metal box objects with a gap in them to reach inside next to both Matt and David. They were visibly connected to heaters and steaming hot.

"Once this tape is finished you will have two minutes in order to save yourselves. I wish you luck gentlemen. Let the final game commence."

As the video came to a stop and died down the timers on the side of both reverse bear traps began ticking. Matt tried to say something, but all he could manage was a muffled 'hmpff'.

Across from him, David had attempted to retrieve the key from the box. If it weren't for the metal restrainers holding them both to the chair they could both go and get their own key instead. But they were both locked down. Likely that the key to David's trap was also able to unlock Matt's restrainer, and vise versa. David pulled his hand out of the box, but with no key and burns all over his hand. He tried shouting out in pain but it was muffled by the metal in his mouth. About twenty seconds must have already passed and now Matt tried to get David's key from his own heated box. The scorching hot metal burned Matt's right hand as he pushed it inside the gap, agony rising up his arm. He was able to touch the key with his fingertips and so braced himself for the last grab. To Matt's relief he was able to pull the key off its string and remove it from inside the box. He quickly slotted it into the lock on his restrainer so he could comfort his scolded hand. But that was wasting time neither of them had.

David had also managed to retrieve the key for Matt's trap. He to used it to unlock his own restrainer and got himself free, but he dropped the key onto the ground out of pain in his hand. By now a full minute and ten seconds had passed and neither of them had gotten out of their traps yet. David got down on his hands and knees and tried to pick up the key but it seemed to be stuck in a crevice on the stone ground. He got to work on rescuing it as fast as possible. Matt had only just recovered from his burns and turned the key in the lock of his restrainer and the thing swung open with Matt's help. Time was running out as only ten seconds remained. Matt dashed over to David who was still fishing for the key in the cracks in the concrete floor.

6

Matt wouldn't give David the key until he got his out. David finally managed to get the key he had dropped down the crack out but there were only three seconds remaining. Just as David stood up and span round to face Matt the ticking timers stopped and the spring mechanism kicked in. Both traps went off simultaneously and Matt and David's faces exploded as they were ripped apart by the reverse bear traps. Blood showered the room and the two dead bodies collapsed on the hard ground with an almighty thud sound.

The game was over.

Meanwhile in the planning room Adam had witnessed the entire scene on the monitors.

"Finally." He expressed his relief that the game had ended. Now he could take the box and key and move to the place of meeting and wait for Hoffman.

The rest of the story will now focus on the overall plot. Only a couple more chapters to go for this part anyway. Chapter 9 will be up soon.