The Mastermind Games : Season 01 Episode 01

Theme: The Game Begins

It was a quiet morning in Paris, yet scattered across the city, twelve individuals received the same item—an elegant black envelope sealed with a wax stamp depicting an unfamiliar crest: a key within an eye.

Each invitation was brief:

> “You have been selected to participate in the Mastermind Games. You will be tested. If you win, you will receive €10 million. If you lose, you may lose more than money. You have 24 hours to arrive at the coordinates below. Tell no one.”

The recipients varied wildly:

Clara Deneuve, a former intelligence officer haunted by a failed mission.

Marcel Benoit, a reclusive chess grandmaster.

Isha Khan, a brilliant but disgraced neuroscientist.

Julien Morel, a journalist with a nose for corruption.

And eight others, each carrying secrets.

Their destination: a seemingly abandoned 18th-century building near the Seine, hidden behind layers of urban decay. But inside, it was anything but derelict.

As each participant arrived, the heavy doors closed behind them. Cameras tracked every movement. No hosts. No instructions. Just silence… and tension.

After a full hour of unease, a robotic voice echoed through the marble halls:

> “Welcome, players. You are now part of the Mastermind Games. Each challenge will test your intelligence, morality, and willpower. The game begins now.”

A metal door slid open, revealing a long hallway with twelve black doors. On each: a name.

Clara stepped inside hers. The room was dim, save for a spotlight on a small table. Upon it: a file marked CONFIDENTIAL. Inside were documents from her past — things no one should know. A mission in Algeria. A child’s photo. Her betrayal.

The voice returned:

> “Your task is simple: confess your greatest mistake aloud. Or the room will decide for you.”

Clara’s pulse raced. How did they know about this? She spoke—quietly, haltingly. The lights brightened. Her door reopened.

Across the hall, Julien screamed. His room, filled with fake newspapers reporting his worst lies, began filling with smoke. He solved his puzzle just before passing out.

One by one, the others emerged from their rooms—some shaken, some silent. But Marcel never returned.

They searched. His door opened… and his room was empty. Only a chessboard with a toppled king.

> “Player eliminated.”

Panic spread. Isha demanded answers. “Is he dead? Is this legal? Who’s watching us?!”

Suddenly, a portion of the marble floor rotated, revealing a spiral staircase. The voice spoke again:

> “Round One is complete. Welcome to Level Two. The game will now adapt to your choices.”

They descended into what looked like an underground château—a fusion of aristocratic luxury and high-tech surveillance. Red velvet drapes. Gilded mirrors. Holographic interfaces. And one long dining table set for eleven.

They sat, uneasy. A hologram flickered on: a masked figure in a suit, face pixelated.

> “This is not a game of chance. Every decision you make is being recorded. Some of you were chosen for your past. Others… for your potential. Trust no one.”

Just then, the walls shifted. The room shook. A corridor stretched open behind them, revealing a moving platform.

Clara and Julien, who had been arguing, were suddenly pulled backward into the corridor as the floor separated. The others rushed to help—but the passage sealed like a vault.

Lights dimmed. Silence returned.

Then the voice said chillingly:

> “Round Two begins… now.”

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TO BE CONTINUED IN EPISODE 2: “The Memory Chamber”