Chapter 13: Day 9 — A New Normal
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep…
Vegeta opened his eyes. He sat up. He first checked on Sugar Petal, who was moaning. "Just rest for now," he told her, "I set the alarm early so I have time to get you your food and water for the pills."
She nodded and went back to sleep.
Vegeta looked over at Hassim, who was standing. "You don't have to get up."
"No, I need to go to the water closet."
"What's a water closet?"
"Restroom or bathroom in your sector."
"If you needed to take a crap, you could have just said so." Vegeta stood. "Outhouse is this way."
Vegeta guided him down a short path on the other side of the tree house. There was a hut. Nothing fancy, just overlapping palm fronds tied to bamboo for walls and the roof.
"There's ash in the bucket. I don't know why, but Chichi screams bloody murder if I don't do it in their little hole in the ground, so I guess it's important for this sh- stuff… Don't laugh!"
"It's too early in the morning to laugh," Hassim said. He walked inside and found a seat over a proper hole in the ground.
When he came back to camp, he saw Vegeta standing under the tree house dumping water into a long piece of dragon bamboo. Water was then dripping into another bucket from a whole drilled into its side.
"What are you doing?"
"Water filter. It's full of sand and charcoal. If you want to be useful, the first buckets have been boiling for a while now. Just lift the pole. Don't want to burn the bamboo too bad."
"But we're supposed to wait on the camera crew."
"There are hidden cameras all over the game area," Vegeta said pointing at a tiki mask, "They haven't messed with them since installation, so I don't know if they are transmitting or if they won't be messed with until after the game."
"Are all the tiki masks cameras?"
"All the ones that are here. I don't know about the main camps, but probably. There are also cameras hidden in holes cut in the larger trees. Why?"
"Michael pulls most of his shit after the crew leaves."
Vegeta looked over at the hive, "As in the girl?" He looked back at Hassim.
He nodded.
"Well, the red team was designed for drama. I'm SURE the executives can be persuaded to use the footage." Vegeta gave an evil smirk and chuckled.
"…I'm sure you can."
Vegeta noticed how uneasy he was. "You're from a wealthy family as well too, right? One of our islands is on the other end of this archipelago. Why don't our families all go yachting sometime after this is over? My treat." He awkwardly smiled.
"I'll have to talk to my family about it..."
Vegeta turned back to the filter. "Take the water off the fire. It's been boiling for a while now."
Hassim walked over to the fire pit and saw a bamboo pole across the stone sides. Hanging from it were two buckets made from dragon bamboo boiling water over a small coals fire built under each of them. He lifted the pole and placed the buckets on the ground.
Vegeta set the bucket he had down then walked over. "Move," he said.
Hassim stepped back and Vegeta removed the buckets and placed them under the tree house. "When those cool down, pour them into the water bamboo we used yesterday. Takes four buckets to fill all three."
Vegeta went back to the filter and switched buckets.
"How did you know how to do this?"
"Do you not watch TV?" Vegeta asked, surprised. "Every third commercial is for charcoal water filters. Then there's the government broadcasts for boil warnings when pipes break."
"So, what do you have for food?"
"Oh, crap. I didn't check any of the traps yesterday." Vegeta ran out of the camp. Hassim followed.
Hassim caught up with Vegeta at a net trap, lowering it down. There were two chickens in it.
"They're both dead," Vegeta said, looking at him. "At least we can throw them in the rot pile for fish food."
"You've been catching chickens?"
"Killed some goats too besides the one you saw, but unfortunately, goats are smarter than chickens. Haven't seen them since."
"You ate a bunch of goats by yourself?"
Vegeta walked over and began untangling the dead birds, "Nope, I smoked the meat and made goat bacon. It is running low though. Won't last two days now that you're here."
"Have you thought about keeping the chickens for eggs?"
Vegeta looked over at him surprised. "Eggs? Are these the creatures your people harvest eggs from?"
Hassim nodded.
"Your idea. You're building the pen." Vegeta stood with a chicken in each hand. "Let's head back to camp before our babysitters get mad we ran off."
Vegeta walked past him. Hassim followed. "Rot pile is out by the outhouse, just walk back to camp. Goat bacon is in the tree house." Vegeta walked off to the right.
Hassim walked into camp as the ATVs rode in. He walked over, "Good morning."
"We're not supposed to talk to each other," Leticia said.
"Doesn't mean I cannot be polite." Hassim walked over to the water buckets. They had more than cooled off. "How soon until you get the cameras out?"
"Give us five minutes," Freddy said, "Seems you guys have been working without a film crew again. You really need to stop that."
"Are the hidden cameras not enough?" Hassim asked.
Everyone's eyes widened. "Vegeta was NOT supposed to tell anyone that," Leticia said, "Don't you dare spread that around."
"I don't intend to."
"Look," Freddy said, "Yes there are hidden cameras, but they don't give the same quality footage and they can't be repositioned like these." He held up the camera body, then placed it back down to install the external microphone and other addons.
"Where are Sugar's and my crew?" Hassim asked.
Leticia looked behind her, then jogged down the path. "God damn it…" they heard through the trees. "Red crews. It's Leticia. Did you two forget to turn?"
*fuzz* We know. We're turning around now. *fuzz*
She came back into view. "Freddy, film him until they get here and get set up."
Hassim waited until he was ready and Freddy filmed him filling the bamboo and putting the new bamboo pots on the fire to boil.
"I see the prison wardens have arrived," Vegeta said walking into camp. "You ready to film Sugar getting her meds?" He put his hands on the tree house's ladder.
Hassim's eyes widened. "Wait! Wait! Wait!" he spun around to look at Vegeta. "You just touched dead chickens! You can't touch her food or meds!"
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "You see those wood vines over there?" He pointed at an overgrown tree.
"Yeah. They said it's called box bean and it's poisonous," he said, turning back to Vegeta. "Why?"
"Remember when they said it's also called Gugo? That's fucking soap. Rub the bark in your hands and it lathers right up."
"How do you know that?"
"Besides having it supplied at the resorts my wife dragged my ass to? I had Gugo shampoo shoved in my face by every damn herbalist that tailgated the resort and don't get me started on the native markets." Vegeta began climbing the ladder. "Never visit the Philippines if you're bald and don't give a fucking shit."
"He's actually right about that," Ted said. "It's legally considered soap under our guidelines."
"Tsk. Don't I know it," Vegeta said, climbing inside. "Hey Hassim! Get a banana!"
Hassim walked around the hive to the banana trees. The one stack they had been picking from was turning brown.
He sighed. "This isn't going to last more than another day…" He looked around, "I don't see any bunches ready to take its place…"
He looked back at the camera and saw him stare blankly at him. "Are you ok?"
"You're… actually… talking…" Freddy said. "This is going to take getting used to…"
Vegeta lit a small fire lighting up the room.
"Sugar. Sugar, get up. It's time to take your medication." Hassim said gently, poking her calf.
Sugar Petal moaned as she lifted her head.
"It's time to eat. Get up," Vegeta said, much harsher.
Sugar Petal sat up.
"Eat first, make sure you can keep it down before you waste pills by throwing up. We got a banana and goat bacon." Vegeta handed her a 12-inch plate made out of the inner support of dragon bamboo with 4 strips.
She placed the plate in front of her, then took the banana from Hassim. She ate it first, although it was beginning to over ripen. She then nibbled on the meat as she drank water.
Vegeta looked at his watch. "Ok… pills are due at 8. It is now 7:52. Do you feel like puking your guts?"
"No…" she said softly.
"Ok, fill her cup. I'm getting the pills." Vegeta stood, walked over to the upper shelving and grabbed the plastic bag. He brought it over. "Hassim… Can you read these for me? I don't trust my English enough to not mess this up. From what I was told last night, one is supposed to say one pill morning, noon and evening, one is supposed to say two pills morning and evening, three are supposed to say one pill morning and evening, and one is supposed to say two pills at evening."
"You can't read?" he said, taking the bag.
"I know seven languages. English is my 8th, but I don't want to screw this up considering the possible consequences."
Hassim nodded and opened the bag. He read the first label, then handed it to Vegeta. "This is the one pill morning and night."
Vegeta took it and poured one pill into his hand.
He read the next, "And this is the two pills at night." Hassim placed it back in the bag and took the other bottle, "So this is the two pills morning and night." He handed it to Vegeta.
Vegeta poured out the two pills and held his fist out to Sugar Petal, "Here. I doubt you can swallow six pills at once."
Sugar Petal held her hand out and took the pills. She swallowed them all at once and downed the entire cup of water. This repeated two more times.
Vegeta put the bag back. "Sugar, are you going to be alright for a little bit? I want to show Hassim how to cut bamboo with rocks for a quick project."
"Ok…" she said quietly.
"Let's go." Vegeta walked over and climbed down the ladder.
Downstairs, Vegeta grabbed two stone axes. "Most of the bamboo is on the other side of the stream. Let's cut down a couple stalks by the fish pond so we can catch a few for breakfast."
"Sounds good to me," Hassim nodded.
"Don't you dare sneak out again Vegeta. Wait for us!" Leticia shouted from outside the shelter.
Vegeta growled softly, then grabbed the lantern.
"What's that for?" Hassim asked as Vegeta walked past him and out the door.
"To carry coals!" he shouted from outside.
A little over an hour later, four fish were on sticks over a fire. Hassim was eating a fifth.
Vegeta was ripping a four-foot piece of bamboo in half.
"After you rip it in half, use the stone to hack a bunch of cuts into the end. Then just lay it on the ground and stomp up and down on it and it will break along the cuts and flatten into strips." Vegeta steps off the bamboo and holds up the sheet of strips. "Then you set it on the frame," he sits down on the stool. "And here's the chair. We'll tie it together when we get back. You think you can make the next one?"
Hassim nodded. "Yeah. That's not as complicated as I thought. Where did you learn to do this?"
"Bali. We stayed at the Bamboo Palaces on vacation. Everything is bamboo there. And I mean EVERYTHING. It's how I knew how to make the tree house as well." He reached down and grabbed a fish.
"And the beehive?"
"A charity trip to Ethiopia," Vegeta said with his mouth full, "My wife was giving away solar panel kits." He spit out a bone as he looked at his watch. "Ok, we've blown an hour. Grab the fish. I got the bamboo."
Hassim picked up the fish skewers by their long sticks and Vegeta took the other half of the broken bamboo to scoop water to snuff out the fire. After it was out, Vegeta took the stool under one arm and the spare bamboo in the other, their leafy tops dragging behind him. Hassim grabbed the lantern and walked next to him in the other tire rut. Leticia's crew filmed from the front. Hassim's filmed from the back.
"So, for the chicken pen, I can just completely rip the sheets apart then weave them together?"
"If that's what you want to do," he said, "That's your project after you practice with the chair. I can't babysit you forever. I've done the hard part, need to help yourself."
"I guess you would still be the first one out. Becky was being flirted with, but I think Michael was just trying to fob us off."
Vegeta glanced at him briefly.
"Oh, bollocks," Hassim chuckled nervously, "You're still learning English, and not even British English. I'll try to remember to cut out the slang around you."
"There's more than one English?" Vegeta said, sounding slightly mortified.
"There are quite a few dialects," Hassim said, "But they're 98% the same."
Hassim saw the color return to Vegeta's face. "So… I assume from context 'fob us off' means lying to lead you on?"
"Becky is a hellfire. But she's part of Michael's voting alliance. I don't know if he was serious about pushing her out, but with the two of us here that's out."
"I was always planning to be the first one out even before the game started," Vegeta said.
"Then why are you even on the show if you didn't come to win?"
"I lost a bet. And my honor is everything, so when I was selected, I couldn't back out." Vegeta smirked, "Of course the producers used Sugar Petal's safety to blackmail me into behaving, but with you here, she has another caretaker."
Hassim saw Vegeta's crew faces rapidly turn from fear to prayer or defeat.
"Then you always planned on a second camp," Hassim asked, trying to change the subject.
"Maybe a small hut farther down the beach to stay away from snorers, but after those fucking idiots pulled that stunt, I knew I had to build a complete separate camp for when they flood out." Vegeta smirked, "Too bad I won't be able to see his fucking face in person when Michael and his harem come here after almost drowning and see how we've been living."
"They haven't done anything to the camp. It's still just the tarp over the tree… I still can't believe you've done all this in a week, though."
"Dawn until the middle of the night for a week. Stayed up two days in a row once. Once you get the big fire going, it's as bright as day." Vegeta glanced over his shoulder at Hassim's crew behind them, "Besides, even if I have to stay within certain parameters, endurance isn't one of them since I carry a rare but well documented human mutation." He gave a taunting grin, "I can stay within the speed limit all day if I chose."
"The Karnazes mutation?"
Vegeta jerked his head to Hassim. "You have to know someone with that if you can guess it off the top of your head."
"I actually met him before he died. He was 94 and still running marathons. We finished about the same time. I was dying and he was perfectly fine. Ended up going out to dinner… So, do you ever hit a limit?"
"Oh, yes. I've broken through those walls many times." Vegeta chuckled, "Just nothing here can REMOTELY reach that point. I might as well be living in fucking bouncy castle." He hopped up and down briefly to make his point. "I'm never going to get used to it."
"Ahem. I think this line of conversation needs to stop," Leticia says.
Vegeta glared at her. "He already knows! I can bitch about this planet's lack of gravity all I want. You got plenty of footage!" He looks up at the canopy, "I just want to go home and live in my artificial gravity room for a few days."
"Are you actually getting ill? Like astronauts do in low gravity?" Hassim asked, concerned.
"It would eventually, but that would take a little over half a year to become serious. I'd be fine even if I somehow lasted the full show. It's only a month and a half."
"So… I don't know how personal it is, but how human is your DNA? I mean, you did get past the medical exam."
"It's more spliced up than a GMO, but I do come back as 100% human."
"Really?"
Vegeta nodded, "Yep." He glanced back again, "You guys hate that don't you? You're always yelling at me to stop using 'alien abilities' but there are no alien abilities because by your own tests I'm a human! Bwah ha ha ha!"
"If that's true, then why do you need artificial gravity?" Hassim's field producer gave a snide remark.
Vegeta sneered and gave a bestial growl.
"So everything you can do anyone can learn?" Hassim said surprised.
Vegeta looked forward, "Theoretically… in practice I'm not sure…" After a long pause he continued, "It's like the movie with the family with the red suits. 'If everyone's super, no one will be'."
"You like kid's movies?"
"The younger halfies are old enough now that they will start retaining long term memories. I don't have a choice anymore when it comes to actively engaging in Earth culture…"
"Younger halfies?"
"I'm not the first of my kind to have an Earthling mate. Kakarot had two brats with his woman. Proof of concept."
"And your children?"
Vegeta sighed. "I have a four-year-old son..."
Hassim thought he sounded emotionally exhausted at the mention of his child. It reminded him of his sibling when his nieces and nephews were that age so he decided to drop the subject.
When they returned to camp, Vegeta was surprised to see a familiar face.
"Nathan Bentley!"
"Mr. Brief," he nodded.
"Thought you were fired?"
"I was, but a man named Yamcha intercepted me at the airport and told me I was being rehired." He pulled out his radio. "I got a promotion too. I'm now a field producer instead of a technician." He put it back in its holster, "My team will be your second crew from now on. If you remember Jackie, she's your third. Congratulations. You're important enough for a full crew set now."
"We weren't told we were being replaced," Hassim's field producer said.
"I wasn't told anything either," Leticia said.
Nathan shrugged, "I'm sorry. I'm not in charge of that."
Vegeta dropped the bamboo and gently put the stool down. "They're in the beehive, as it's apparently been named?"
"Yep."
"Ok," Vegeta held out his hand, "Hassim, hand me two of those fish. You can eat the others or see if she wants some."
Vegeta took the two then climbed the ladder into the tree house. He then pulled the ladder in before a crew could climb up.
"Hey!" Nathan shouted.
"There's already a camera in here!" Vegeta called down. "You'll get your precious video."
"What camera?" he looked at the other crew.
"Vegeta and Hassim know about the tiki masks," Leticia said. "No—"
"Don't forget your camera trees!" Vegeta shouted from his house.
Leticia closed her eyes and took a calming breath. "Yes… he knows about the trees. But no one else seems to have figured it out yet. FYI, Vegeta likes to slip away. Need to keep on your toes or you'll lose him."
"We've been given something to help with that," Nathan smiled. "Come this way."
Nathan led Leticia and her crew to the banana grove where they parked their ATV.
"Segways!" Ted shouted with joy. He ran over. He hugged one. "No more walking!"
Freddy was examining one of the modified one. "Nice camera mounts."
"Thank Vegeta and Conner," Nathan said. "I'm told Vegeta complained about you having to walk to the other beaches. But Conner bought these himself from another resort to speed things up."
"And Reynolds ok'd this?" Leticia looked at Nathan amazed.
Nathan looked confused. "Why wouldn't he?"
Leticia's stomach dropped. "Oh God…" she said, putting her face in her hands.
Hassim sat the lantern down on the bottom floor and climbed the ladder. He poked his head over the floor. He saw Sugar Petal awake with the camera crew. "Hello Sugar Petal. If you're still hungry, I have an extra fish."
"Thank you," she said.
Hassim walked all the way up then sat next to her near the fireplace. She took the fish and began to chew on it.
"Careful of the bones," he said before starting on his second fish.
Suddenly Sugar Petal started to cry. After a few sobs, she rolled over to face the wall. She was taking deep breaths and was speaking in Korean. Hassim recognized it from the song she had been mumbling the past few days.
"Sugar Petal, what is that song you've been humming?"
"Just a baking song I learned when I was little…"
Hassim paused. "Ichiro said he thought he recognized the Korean word for bread."
"Ichiro knows Korean?!"
"He… He only said a word or two. Please. Please just stay calm. You can't afford to get your pulse up."
"Everything is perfect…" she said slowly curling back up. "You can go away now."
A flame of hair shot up through the ladder hole followed by a pair of eyes. "I heard shouting."
"Everything is perfect…" Sugar Petal said. "You can go away now too."
Vegeta looked between the two.
"Alright, Hassim, come down. I want to talk to you."
"Ok. Take care, Sugar Petal."
Hassim followed Vegeta down the ladder and out the beehive.
Vegeta turned around and crossed his arms. "What was that about?"
Hassim looked away. "Sugar… Has been singing or humming a song since Becky threw her down a cliff," he said uncomfortably. "It's been really creepy. Ichiro said he recognized one of the Korean words and when I mentioned that she screamed."
"Considering she's been fucking delirious the past few days, she probably been saying things she wouldn't otherwise, and is now only getting her head back around." Vegeta said. He looked up at the hive. "I'm not going to pass judgment on someone's mantra that keeps them standing when they should be dead." He looked back at him. "She. Would. Be. Dead," he emphasized, "long before I took her hand if she did not have whatever that is. So just drop it. She's still frail as hell and shaming her into stopping using it even mentally is the LAST thing she needs right now."
Hassim hung his head and nodded.
"Good," Vegeta said. He uncrossed his arms and went back inside.
He poked his head back up. "Sugar Petal? I shut Hassim up. He won't bother you about your mantra again. You do whatever you need to do to recover, ok?"
"Ok…" she said apathetically.
Vegeta scowled. "Sugar Petal. I'm a warrior. Last person standing doesn't just win. Last person standing SURVIVES. That is not physical. That is mental. You are strong. Strength is NOTHING to be ashamed of. You are a survivor and you WILL survive these injuries— but ONLY if you rely on your strength. Do you understand me?"
Sugar Petal was silent.
"I said, do you understand me, woman?"
"Yes…"
"Now the doctor wants you to drink as much water as possible to help heal your insides. I want that bamboo empty when I come check on you next alright."
"What if I need to pee?" she asked softly.
"Do you need to pee now? I dug a proper outhouse. I can carry you there now."
"No, not now."
"I see an issue here. Ok I'm going to have Hassim sit downstairs so he can hear you shout while I fix this." Vegeta dropped out of sight.
Sugar Petal went back to curling up.
Vegeta walked outside and saw Hassim sitting on the chair messing with his own bamboo pieces.
"Stop that," he ordered. "I got something more important."
Hassim stood up and turned around.
"I need you to stay on the first floor and listen for Sugar Petal wanting help. I'm going to make a knocker so she can signal us from outside."
Hassim suddenly blanched. "I need to go again," he said as he spun and ran down the trail.
"You just went?!" Vegeta called after him. Vegeta sighed frustrated. Then, he looked back at the hive.
"Sugar Petal?" Vegeta said coming into the room and sitting on the edge of the floor. "Do you remember if Hassim or any other players have diarrhea?"
Sugar Petal lifted her head. "Becky and Michael," she said weakly. "Everyone else has tummy aches."
"Do you have diarrhea?" he asked.
"No. They gave me a laxative at the hospital because I hadn't been pooping. I'm empty."
"Ok…" Vegeta said thinking. "Do you remember what they were eating?"
"Coconuts."
Vegeta raised his eyebrows. "Just coconuts?"
She nodded.
"Ok…" Vegeta said thinking, "Do you need anything right now?"
"No…"
"Ok. Hassim just ran to the outhouse again. I'll be downstairs until he gets back."
Vegeta left.
Sugar could hear his roaring laughter through the floor.
Earlier, on Berapi…
The noise of the camera crews stirred the red camp awake.
Sam was blowing on the hot coals to get the fire going again. He leaned back and sighed. "At least the fire kept up overnight," he said to no one in particular. Then he gripped his stomach and went to stand.
"Where do you think you're going?" Michael asked from the shelter.
"To poop my guts out again," he said, trying to stand. But he fell back on his knees. "Do we have water left over in the canteens?"
Michael sat up and shook both canteens. "This one sounds the fullest," he said, tossing it in the sand.
Sam took it and drank. "If this keeps up, I'm going to turn out like Sugar."
"If you need to rest all day, do it," Michael said. "With Hassim bailing we can't afford to lose anyone else."
"Today's a game day, remember?"
Michael yawned. "Oh God you're right…" he said, beginning to crawl out himself. He grabbed the sheathed machete on the way out. "Ok. Let's head out and lean on each other over to the water."
Michael helped Sam to his feet and the two made their way down the beach to their bathroom spot. Michael let Sam get in the water first.
"I'll have Ichiro go get coconuts when he wakes up," Michael said sitting in the sand.
"What are we going to do about Becky?" Sam asked.
"Nothing for now." Michael said. "We need to destroy Vegeta and the traitors. We need her to maintain numerical advantage."
"That will only happen if the Samundra wins. Do you want to go through with throwing the challenge?"
"We'll need to," Michael said. "They can't choose the same person to sit out twice, so that eliminates me. Becky has sabotaged us twice. Vegeta and Sugar Petal won't be chosen. So, it has to be either Hassim or Ichiro."
"What about me?" Sam asked surprised.
"You look like shit. If I was on the other team, I'd keep you in."
"Well, you don't look like a spring chicken yourself." Sam moved over to cleaner water before crawling on shore. "Your turn."
Michael got up and walked a little farther up the beach before undressing and heading into clean water.
"I see you guys beat me to the clean water."
Sam turned around from pulling up his pants and saw Ichiro clinching his stomach.
"I'll just keep walking." Ichiro walked past him and stumbled down the beach.
"Damn Ichiro has diarrhea too?" Sam thought. "First Michael, then me and now Ichiro? The girls have always refused to go in the water, have they had this too?"
"What are you thinking?" his field producer asked.
Sam glanced at him, then turned to the camera. "I think everyone has diarrhea now. I don't know why," he said, visibly confused. "Did Michael or one of the girls come in sick and it wasn't caught? Did we catch something here from the bugs? I mean it can't be anything we've eaten. We've only had rice and coconuts. Not like we've eaten any bad fish." Sam then glanced over the cameraman's shoulder. The cameraman turned and caught sight of Becky and Lisa heading into the trees.
After the communal expulsion, the team gathered around the fire.
"I have a headache," Becky complained.
"You are a headache," Ichiro said.
Becky pressed her lips together and reached to grab a handful of sand.
"Don't," Lisa said, grabbing her wrist.
Becky released the sand and returned her hand to her lap.
"So…" Michael said. "It's safe to say we are all sick?"
"That is an understatement," Lisa said.
"Ok," he said. "There's no point pointing blame. We need to deal with this now. We need to stay hydrated. Lots of water." Michael looked around, "Whoever thinks they can walk the best head over to the well and refill the water cans. As Sam reminded me, today is a game day so check the tree mail."
"I'll do it," Ichiro said. He struggled to his feet, took the canteens and wandered towards the tree line.
"Is it just me or is he wobbling like he's drunk?" Sam asked.
Ichiro reached the well and took off the wooden lid. He opened the pot and submerged the canteens. After he filled them, he threw the straps over his shoulder and went over to the tree. He took out the paper and stumbled back to camp.
"Got it!" he shouted weakly holding the paper up. He then lost his balance and fell into the sand.
"Shit!"
Michael and Sam scrambled to their feet and made their way over. Michael stumbled and despite trying to force his legs was unable to get up. Lisa now stood and went over to him. Sam reached Ichiro.
"I'll be ok…" Ichiro said, rolling on his back.
"What do I need to do?"
He rolled onto his side. "First get this water to Michael. He's down too."
Sam turned around and saw Michael being helped up by Lisa. Sam took a canteen and went over to them. "Ichiro said to drink," he said, handing Lisa the canteen. He went back to Ichiro and helped him back to camp.
"Well… that was exciting," Michael said panting.
"Dehydration," Ichiro said. He glared at Becky, "Coconuts cannot fully replace water. Little umbrellas or not."
Michael raised his hand, "I said no blaming! There's nothing that can be done except look forward." He then rotated his hand and moved his fingers, "Hand me the mail."
Sam took the paper from Ichiro and passed it to Michael. He opened it.
"The Lion has sprung, the pen is empty, and the ground cries out. Be prepared for a completely new and original event in the history of The Last Survivor." Michael looked up from the paper, "What the hell does that mean?"
"Lion, Witch and Wardrobe reference?" Lisa shrugged.
"I… I…" Sam struggled to form words. "I need to pee." He got up and headed towards the trees.
"He went pale," Ichiro said.
They watched him until he disappeared.
"Ok. If he's not back in 15 minutes we go looking for him," Michael said. He looked back at the group. "So, as I mentioned to Sam earlier. We need to lose today's elimination so we can finally get rid of Vegeta." He chuckled, "But with everything this morning, throwing it may not even be necessary."
"Then what do we do with Sugar and Hassim afterwards?" Becky asked.
"We can't attack the camp itself," Michael said. "But it's clear Vegeta has found food. Once we get our feet under us, I say we take what we can carry and destroy the rest. And NO Becky," he emphasized, "We will not be setting fire to anything. You've burned enough of the forest as it is."
"Hmph." She turned her nose up. "Well you're no fun."
"God," Michael answered, "That better be an attempt at humor…"
Sam walked until he thought he was out of sight of camp. He then turned to face his field producer.
Sam dropped to his knees. "Please. Please tell me Sugar Petal is alright!"
The field producer tried to step back but Sam grabbed his shirt. "Please!"
"You want kicked off the show?" he said, ripping Sam's hands off. "What's this about?"
"The tree mail. That is a biblical reference. Cain's murder of Abel." He started to cry. "Please. Please."
"You know I can't tell you anything," he answered, stepping back. "You will have to wait to confirm your theory at the challenge."
Sam leaned his back into the tree next to him, pulled his knees up and cried.
Meanwhile, on Samundra…
"We got tree mail!" Jerry waved the paper in the air. Everyone turns from Jessica dishing out the mashed plantains, this time mixed with the moringa leaves leftover from making tea.
"What we got?" Bob shouted. He took a sip from his new bamboo cup.
Jerry finished walking up and opened the folded paper. He had a confused look on his face.
"The Lion has sprung, the pen is empty, and the ground cries out. Be prepared for a completely new and original event in the history of The Last Survivor." He looked up from the paper, "That's… all it says."
"So what could that mean for today's game?" Nick said, looking around the group.
There was a long pause.
"The ground cries out almost sounds… biblical," Jamal said, "But that's like, murdering someone."
Jessica gasped, "Sin is crouching like a lion at your door, Am I my brother's keeper, and your brother's blood cries out from the ground. Oh my goodness! Someone is hurt. Someone is very hurt!"
Bob smiled, "So…"
"Bob, not now!" Daisuke interrupted. He looked back at Jessica, "Could that be what you felt yesterday? A medevac?"
Jessica began to hyperventilate. "Oh, King Yama, have mercy on whoever that was!" she shouted pulling at her hair.
Bob frowned and went to speak.
"Bob, not now!" Daisuke said before standing. He walked over to Jessica and lowered his hand. "Come on. Let's get you away so you can calm down."
Jessica took his hand and held onto his arm as they walked away into the trees.
Bob shook his head slightly and sighed disapprovingly. He then got hit with a balled-up piece of paper.
"My vote is that Jessica is psychic on some level," Jerry said, crossing his arms.
"And if something is wrong, it will just be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Like Nostradamus. Something happens then you look at the gibberish to find something that fits."
"Fine. Fine!" Jerry threw his arms in the air. "I'm not doing this! I'm out." He turned around and walked away, "I wasn't hungry anyway!"
"Well…" Nick said. "More for us, I guess." He held out his bowl. "I'll take seconds."
"Niiiick…" Casey said disgusted.
"What?" he motioned in the general direction they walked off in. "They aren't eating. So there's extra food now."
"Let's wait on dishing out their food," Bob said. "And once everyone has their heads on straight, we can actually discuss what the game will actually be. Maybe a herding game with live animals?"
"They've done that several times," Casey said. "This is supposed to be a challenge they've never done before. Remember 20 years ago someone got mauled to death by a tiger?"
Jerry found Jessica and Daisuke in her mini camp.
"Knock. Knock," he said, knocking on a tree. "Can I come in?"
The two looked, then Jessica waved him in.
"I balled up the paper and chucked it at Bob's head," Jerry said. He sighed, "Jessica. I do believe some level of connection is possible, even if most professional psychics are faking. If you believe in what you do to the point you're this upset, I want you to know I got your back." He smiled and rolled his eyes, "even if I give you an occasional eye roll."
Jessica chuckled through her sobs. "Thank you…"
"If you ever want to pull the trigger on Bob, I'll vote with you," he said.
"What?!" Jessica's jaw dropped. "Oh. No, no, no, no. That will look horrible. I can't risk the backlash."
"Because of the blackmail?" Jerry asked.
"Enough people are already dead. This is the last thing that needs to happen."
"Wait, what?" Jerry said. "Did you witness a murder or something."
"No…" she said, clinging to Daisuke. "It was all trying to kill me after the fact. Four in America. Three in India," she choked.
"And Bobby blackmailed you to release your new location and name if you didn't come on?" Jerry asked through clinked teeth. "And now your face is going to be on global television so you'll be recognized anyway?"
She nodded, wiping her nose on her hand.
"That fucking piece of shit needs a good old-fashioned beat down and get left in an alley."
"Karma will find him in this life or the next…" Daisuke said. "Seeking vengeance will only hurt yourself in the long run."
"Bob comes from a conservative preacher family." Jessica said. "He may be in your face about things but there is no bad karma about him. He's a good man. Only reason any of you think otherwise is because I'm here."
"Yeah… Vegeta was right," Jerry turned his head. "And with Bob being the first person to get on from applying in decades, it was specifically to fuck with you." He looked back at her. "Just FYI… He thinks you're damaging the team but failed horribly trying to rally the votes to kick you off next." He turned around and walked back towards camp.
Meanwhile, at Vegeta's camp…
Closer to noon, Vegeta had just finished pulling a blue cord through the wall on the hive.
"Ok, Sugar Petal," he said, tying it to a stick, "when I say pull, you pull. Need to test the length."
"Ok…" she said, taking the stick.
He headed back down the ladder to Hassim eating a banana on the second floor.
"Shout when I say so, so she can hear," he said walking past him.
Vegeta went outside. Next to the hive was a tall pole in the ground with a large bamboo wind chime on a crossbeam.
"Ok pull!"
"Pull Sugar!" Hassim shouted up.
Outside, Vegeta saw the string move, but it barely moved the windchime. "Is she pulling?"
"You pulling Sugar Petal?"
"Yes."
"She said yes, Vegeta!"
Vegeta sighed. "Maybe a pulley or something…" He looked back at the hive, "Ask Sugar if she needs carried to the outhouse again! I need to make modifications!"
Hassim came out of the hive, "She says she's ok. So, what's the plan?"
"Still thinking…" he said.
Then Leticia's radio went off. She left to answer it.
"What time is it? It can't be after noon yet."
Hassim looked at the watch Vegeta gave him. "Only 11:30."
"Ok…" Vegeta sighed. "Thirty minutes until her next pills."
"Vegeta," Leticia came back. "Conner want's your group to arrive first. We need to leave."
"Right now?" Vegeta asked, surprised.
"As soon as possible," Leticia said.
Vegeta tilted his head back, closed his eyes and groaned.
"Thirty minutes won't hurt her meds, correct?" Hassim asked.
"Conner wouldn't order us there so soon if it did." Vegeta lowered his head. "Fine," he sighed frustrated. "I'll get a banana. You get her meds ready." He walked off.
Hassim headed into the hive.
"Hey, Sugar Petal," he said, climbing onto the second floor. "They want us to head to the challenge, so we need to give you your noon meds a little early, ok?"
"Ok," she said sitting up.
Hassim got the bag and pulled the bottle.
"Back," Vegeta said, climbing up, stopping when his waist reached the floor. He tossed the banana next to Sugar Petal. "You still got water?"
"Yes…" she said.
"All right, I'll leave Hassim to it." He disappeared back down the hole.
Vegeta went back outside and stood looking at the pole and windchime. The crews spent several minutes filming him glaring at it like he wanted it to vaporize off the face of the Earth, even more so than his normal expression.
Eventually Hassim exited the hive. "Vegeta, she's ready to go."
The group arrive on the challenge beach, only to find no challenge. Just a red platform.
Conner walked over to them as Vegeta carried Sugar Petal off the boat. "How are you, Sugar Petal?"
"Ok…" she said quietly.
"Taking her pills. Making sure she's eating and drinking lots of water. And she's urinated twice this morning." Vegeta said. He then looked him up and down. "You seem to be healing well from the broken window."
"Broken window?" Hassim asked.
"Yeah, you missed all the fun," Vegeta smirked. "You should have seen Yamcha running through the building being chased by a flock of seagulls."
Hassim's jaw dropped and only made soft noises.
Sugar Petal giggled quietly.
"I'm glad to see your spirits are up," Conner said. He pointed behind him, "Go sit in the shade. I'll tell you what to do closer to time."
The trio walked up the beach and sat in the shade. Vegeta saw a long stick. He grabbed it and quickly began drawing in the sand while standing.
The beach crews quickly began filming him as he drew lines and circles before erasing with his foot to try again. Eventually he drew a much larger version with lines, circles, triangles and arrows, sometimes erasing parts and redrawing sections.
"What are you drawing?" a crewmember asked as Vegeta looked over his latest edit.
"Just film and tell Leticia later," Vegeta said.
Meanwhile, at Samundra…
With the help of Daisuke and Jerry, Jessica had rewet a small part of the good clay from the canteen without being caught and had made some quick pinch pots. The three had taken turns fanning the fire to dry everything and now Jessica was pressing them into the hot ash along with the plate from days before as Daisuke broke up small sticks to bury the pots and plate in a small raging fire.
Bob came and knocked on a tree. "Hey, crew leader says it's time to roll out. Stop playing in the mud." He walked away.
"We're not 5 Bob!" Jerry called out.
Jessica put her hand on his arm. "Don't," she said softly.
Meanwhile, at Berapi…
"We're getting low on wood," Lisa said, putting more sticks on the fire.
Ichiro leaned over to look at Becky, who wasn't even trying to hide Hassim's old rug now as she sunbathed. "Knowing Becky, she's not worth the breath to argue with her…"
"Yeah, she'll let the fire go out before she fetches a single stick," Michael said. He glanced at Sam, "And Sam is on coconuts…"
Michael extended his hand towards Ichiro, "Rock, paper, scissors?"
Suddenly the radios went off.
*fuzz* Get Berapi ready. Boats will arrive in 10 minutes. *fuzz*
"Well, guess we finally get to see this never before seen challenge," Michael said.
At the challenge…
Samundra's boat rounded the corner and the beach came into view.
"It's completely empty," Jerry said.
"No, there's a stage on the sand," Bob said pointing. "Maybe some kind of mental task?"
"It's a little low key even for that," Nick said. "Something is definitely up."
Their boat suddenly stopped.
"What's going on?" Casey managed to ask first.
"Connor wants us both pulling in at the same time for the scene," the captain said. He pulled out his radio, "Blue boat in position."
"Here they come," Jessica said.
Her team watched as the red team's boat rounded its corner and came to a stop.
"Wait. Wait. Wait," Jerry said standing up.
"Watch the boat," Nick said as it rocked.
"I only see five heads and the boat driver." He looked down at the others, "There's two people missing. I can't tell who. They're too far out."
*fuzz* Red boat in position. *fuzz*
*fuzz* Positioning Vegeta, Hassim and Sugar Petal for arrival. Stand by."
"See. No one is missing," Bob said. "No need to panic."
"So Hassim and Sugar Petal have joined Vegeta's camp," Jamal said. "That's potentially two more allies on the other team."
"If they make it that long," Bob said. "That's a 4-3 dynamic."
*fuzz* Red and Blue boats. Proceed to the beach now. *fuzz*
Both teams pulled up and disembarked at the same time. But the teams noticed very different things.
"Nothing here but the stage," Michael said, spinning slowly in a circle, "Where is everything?"
"Where is Vegeta and the others?" Daisuke said. He looked back at his confused team. Nick and Casey shrugged.
"Everyone," Conner came out from under the stage's skirt where he had been kneeling. He walked out front and stood in the center, "You are all probably confused by the lack of scenery. Well, there is a simple explanation for that."
He raised his voice, "Today's challenge has been canceled!"
"What?!" Becky shouted.
Before anything else could be said. Connor whipped out the air horn.
He waited several moments for everyone's hearing to recover.
"Now, you're all probably wondering why I've called all of you here if this week's Challenge is canceled. The answer is simple.
—Someone almost died yesterday."
Conner raised his hand and waved his fingers. "Vegeta! Sugar Petal! Hassim! You can come out now!"
Vegeta and Hassim walked out of the trees and into the light. Vegeta was carrying Sugar Petal bridal style for everyone to see.
They stopped at a line drawn in the sand and Vegeta put Sugar Petal down. She took two steps forward with the men ready to grab her at a moment's notice.
Berapi had little response.
Samundra…
"Did someone spray paint her?!" Nick shouted.
"Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God…" Casey said rapidly. She tried to rush forward, but was quickly intercepted by well placed security. The two men picked her up by her arms leaving her feet kicking in the air. "Don't you people know what's wrong with her?! Why is she here and not in the ICU?!"
Connor blew the horn again.
"After being airlifted off site for emergency care, it was ruled she would be able to continue competing and was returned to the game."
"By who?! Those doctors need their licen—"
Conner blew the horn again.
"Revoked!"
Conner blew the horn for longer.
"Casey stop," Bob said. "You're not helping anyone."
Casey looked over her shoulder at him, then sighed. "Fine…"
The guards put her down and stood behind her and the rest of the team.
Conner lowered the horn and continued. "—And the worst part about it, that under the rules of this game —The attempt was perfectly legal! While the attempt to save her life was not!" He looked at Michael. "Red team! I have lost all respect for you as human beings. Even if you stood back and watched, you are all still complicit in the attempt.
"Now, Vegeta Brief…"
Vegeta looked up at him. "I'm not apologizing for jack shit!" he snarled.
"And you do not have too," he said. "Vegeta, you've been pushing the boundaries of the rules of this show since day one. Even going as far as 'scratching the paint on the police car' at times—"
"I haven't vandalized any cars!"
"It's an expression," Conner said tersely.
"I don't speak expression, speak English!"
"You don't even speak English very well if you think expression is a language," Michael laughed.
"Oh, really. So, who's married to the powerful woman on Earth while she doesn't even remember you two ever met? Oh yeah…" Vegeta looks at Michael and gives a wide grin and raises his eyebrows twice.
Michael's eyes widened and his nostrils' flared.
"Shut up!" Conner screamed, "The both of you! Break it up!"
Vegeta looked back at Conner. Michael's gaze lingered before looking back.
"Now next week's prize was not only going to be the weekly supply of rice," he pulled out a large metal disk with handles, "But a wok as well." He spun it around showcasing it. "In light of everything that has happened, it has been decided to switch today's elimination with next week's reward." He then holds it out, "Vegeta's group. Next week's prize is yours."
"Don't need it."
"Are you crazy!" Hassim shouted pointing at the wok, "At least get us the wok to cook with!" He looked at Conner, "Give us the wok!"
Conner looked at Vegeta.
Vegeta rolled his eyes, "Fine… But give the bastards the little bag of rice. Never say I'm not magnanimous."
"What?! Who fucking died and made you king?"
"Michael! Silence!" Conner shouted after blasting the horn. He looked at Vegeta. He was trembling, his head jerking and his eye twitching.
Vegeta suddenly shoved Sugar Petal onto Hassim. "Take her!" Then stormed up to the host. "Give me that rice!" He stole the sackcloth bag and held it by the gathered top. "You want this," he dangled it back and forth.
Michael pointed at him. "Stop being a dick, your Majesty," he said condescendingly, "and hand it over."
Vegeta hopped on the stage.
"Vegeta, what are you doing? Get down!" Conner shouted as the security scrambled.
Vegeta held the rice bag over the brazier.
"Wait! Wait!" Sam ran up to the stage, but was stopped by the staff. He reached out over the men's arms, "Don't be hasty!"
Vegeta lowered it a little and the bag began to smoke. Vegeta tilted his head and smirked. Everyone thought he looked completely insane. "Beg."
"What?" Sam asked.
"You heard me. GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG!"
"Don't you dare!" Michael ordered pointing at Sam. "We're not bowing to some pool boy on a power trip!"
Vegeta raised the bag out of the fire and looked at Sam, "You seem rather rebellious. Care to join my crew?" He darkly chuckles. "There's no risk. My wife told me to behave, so it's not like I can kill you like my normal minions."
"Turn down the Evil Sith Lord, Vegeta." Yamcha called out annoyed. "You're not impressing anyone."
Vegeta pointed at Yamcha. "That's Prince Evil Sith Lord to you!"
"Have you even seen those movies?"
"Yes, I've seen the incest movies. Yamcha! I find your lack of faith disturbing."
Ichiro spun and looked at Yamcha. "Are they acting like—friends?!"
Vegeta looked down at Sam. "Well?"
Sam looked hesitantly at Hassim and Sugar Petal. He looked forward and hung his head. "I can't," he said, backing up to his group.
Vegeta lowered the rice bag back into the fire. The hemp was starting to light, "Then bow! BOW! On your knees!"
"Yamcha. Do your job!" Conner ordered.
"Fine." He stepped forward. "Come on, Vegeta. You've made your point. Please come off the stage. Bulma will get pissed at both of us if you get kicked. Think about what she would want you to do."
Vegeta looked at Michael. Michael switched from crossed arms to having his hands on his hips. He tapped his foot impatiently.
Vegeta closed his eyes and smiled. "Fine," he smirked and took the bag of rice off the fire, "I'll do EXACTLY what Bulma would want me to do." He hopped down and walked over to the rest of the team. He extended the rice bag to Michael.
Michael swaggered over and reached for the bag. The moment before he touched it, Vegeta suddenly stepped back, turned and hurled it far into the ocean.
"And it's good!" Vegeta held his hands up in a referee field goal pose.
"You—" he heard Becky shout.
He heard footsteps in the sand, then felt a familiar touch on the back of his head. He jerked his head back quickly, unnoticeable to human eyes. He smiled internally, waiting for the scream.
He was surprised it was not Becky's.
Vegeta turned around and saw Lisa on the ground gripping her hand.
Becky was jumping up and down shaking her right hand. "Assault! Assault! Vegeta assaulted me and broke my hand!"
"You punched him in the back of the head, you crazy bitch," Yamcha said. "Don't go screaming assault like that."
"I will DESTROY YOU! I WILL DESTROY YOU BOTH!"
Vegeta laughed so hard he fell backwards into the sand, "You bust your hand and you say you're going to destroy me! HAHAHA!"
"Destroy usually doesn't mean kill in English, Vegeta," Yamcha rolled his eyes. "Come on, get up," he lightly kicked Vegeta in the ribs.
Vegeta rolled over but he's still laughing. "I know. But it's still fucking funny. That little bitch trying to kill me…"
"Vegeta!"
"I know. I'm up! I'm up!" He climbed to his feet. Vegeta looked around as he tried to stifle the last few chuckles.
Samundra looks at him like he grew a second head.
Vegeta outstretched his arms. "Yeah, I'm a dick! Deal with it."
He turned around and saw the medical staff checking on Lisa, whose hand looked awful, while another group gave Becky's hand a once over then told her she was fine although a clear bruise was forming.
"That other woman must have gotten her hand between the other woman's and my head trying to stop her."
Meanwhile, Michael was screaming at Sam for betraying the group.
Ichiro was looking at something else. Vegeta looked and saw Yamcha now talking with Sugar Petal.
"Ah, fuck… I scared her again, didn't I?"
Vegeta walked over to talk to her.
"Are you alright, Sugar Petal? I didn't scare you, did I?"
"No. No. Everything is perfect," she said.
"I got her, Vegeta. Just go… find someplace not to be annoying."
"That's physically impossible but I get the hint…" he wandered off.
Yamcha looked back at Sugar Petal, "Now I know Vegeta doesn't act like the nicest guy in the world, but there's no reason for you to be scared of him. When he chooses to protect someone, he becomes an unstoppable force. You couldn't be safer than if you were in a nuclear bomb shelter."
Sugar hid her face in her hands, "But he's nice one second than scary the next. I don't understand."
Yamcha looked down for a moment thinking.
"Hey, have you seen the movie Lelo and Stitch?"
"Yes?" she asked, confused.
"Well, Vegeta is like Stitch. He was raised to be evil but is actually very nice. He just has some glitches to work out, but he's basically harmless at this point."
Something clicked in Sugar Petal's mind. She curled her fingers to reveal her eyes. "Vegeta is like Stitch?"
Yamcha smiled, "Yep. He's just still learning to be nice. But you of all people have nothing to fear from him."
Sugar Petal pulled her hands away from her face and smiled. "Yes. I understand."
"Good. So how have you been feeling? Everything going alright at camp?"
"Lots of sleeping and all the food and water I want."
"That's good. That was half the problem. Just keep your meds in you and you should be back to normal in a week."
Vegeta was sitting on the sand watching Berapi. Lisa stood up and was now leaving with the medics while the rest of the team was being told to head back to camp. Michael looked back at Vegeta one last time. Vegeta gave him a double middle finger. Michael sneered, but a crew member stepped in their line of sight and escorted them off the beach.
"You're one son of a bitch."
Vegeta turned around and saw Conner with a cameraman.
"Medics say they can feel at least one broken bone in her hand outright even without an x-ray. We'll need to cancel an elimination challenge if it needs surgery."
"Sorry. I've always had a hard head. But why cancel?" he asked, confused.
"To keep on the time table."
Vegeta smirked, "I didn't think I was so lovable to be kept around an extra week."
"So, what did you want done with the rest of the rice?"
"What do you mean?"
"That was only a small bag of rice for the cameras," Conner said. "There's actually a large jar of it."
"We'll keep it then. Let those bastards starve for a week to teach them a lesson."
"Found it!"
Everyone looked at the water and saw Hassim coming out of the water with the rice bag.
Vegeta stood as Hassim jogged up to them.
"I found the bag," he said again out of breath.
"Why did you even bother? It's ruined," Vegeta asked.
"When my family yachts around the Mediterranean, a lot of elite restaurants boil the food in salt water. And between the hemp and cloth bags, it's not like any sand or anything got in it. A quick rinse and it's good to cook if we hurry."
"I was just told that was only a small bag for the cameras. I just agreed to take a large jar containing the rest of the rice, so that wasn't necessary."
Hassim paused. "Well… a little sea salt never hurt anybody," he shrugged.
"We have two more scenes to shoot if you three would join the blue team at the stage," Conner said.
Vegeta and Hassim walked over and stood next to Yamcha, who was supporting Sugar Petal under her arm.
Conner walked back, this time climbing the stage. "Well, this was an exciting meeting. Before we depart, we have a few more things to cover."
He then uncovered a large box that was a third of the stage. It was three large wooden crates with hay in the bottom. Staff then installed three flag poles and looped a string over the pulley in the back. One had a blue flag. One had a red flag. And one had a white flag.
"This is going to be the answer to the trading problem your interactions with the blue team have caused, Vegeta. There will be one of these at each camp." He held up a notebook. "You will write or draw a picture of what you're interested in and what you are willing to trade in return in the camp notebook." He ripped out a page, rolled it up and placed it in a bottle with a red ribbon tied to it. "Then you will place it in the team you wish to contact's bottle in your own box and raise your flag." He demonstrated it. "At this point the crews will collect the bottle, get it approved by the producers, then it will be delivered to the team's box and their flag will be raised." He turned to the group. "It is up to the team to approve or deny your request. There will be no bargaining."
He turned back to the boxes and began demonstrating again. "If the team denies the request, simply cross out the paper, put it back in the bottle and in the team box. Then lower your flag to half-staff to signal intent. If you agree to it, place the item in the box of the team who contacted you and raise that flag to the top. We will then deliver it and collect the items in exchange." He turned back to the group, "At no point will the teams talk to each other. Also, to be fair to the other members of the Berapi. You will be providing a baseline list of things you are willing to provide. These will be photographs provided to all teams. Also, any custom item you provide will be photographed and added to the list. That way everyone is on the same playing field."
Vegeta snarled. "So basically, you'll be telling the people who almost killed one of my teammates what our personal possessions are? Am I understanding this correctly?!"
"I completely understand your concern, Vegeta, but we have to be fair. But remember, you can always refuse any request."
"Yes, and the psychopaths will know that they are being snubbed!"
"If you wish to trade, you will have to take that risk," Conner said. "I'm sorry."
"Excuse me?" Jessica raised her hand. "What if we run into each other and something comes up in conversation? Do both of us need to return to our camps to make it official?"
"Yes," Conner said.
"And what if it's food?" Vegeta asked. "That's basically my only contribution. There's a short timer on that."
"You will have to take that into consideration."
Vegeta crossed his arms and tapped his foot. The way he twisted his mouth made it clear he was thinking.
"Is there anything else before we move on?"
"Yeah," Vegeta called out, "If I carry the blue's bottle and notebook with me. Would it be possible to hand it off to the crew to be placed in the blue team's box?"
"I'm sorry Vegeta, but you must put it in your own box before we can deliver it."
Vegeta growled, then looked at the boxes. Unexpectedly Vegeta tilted his head, as if he was examining something. He then looked back at Conner.
Conner could see in his eyes he just thought of something to circumvent the rules. "I hope you just thought of what I hoped you'd think of," he thought. "I got that option open specifically for you."
"If we are done, I have one more thing to say." Conner looked at the group. "Hassim. Because your prayer rug was desecrated, you will be given your spare one. It is waiting for you at camp."
Hassim nodded, "Thank you."
"Also. Sugar Petal, you will be receiving your luxury item. It is also waiting for you at camp."
Her face lit up when she heard that. She nodded.
"Now Vegeta, we were also going to give you your luxury item for saving Sugar Petal's life, but under the circumstances, I believe it's fitting to take it back. You will need to earn it along with everyone else."
"Fair enough," he nodded.
"Now, since the red team has safely left, we do have one more gift for your group, Vegeta." He leaned down and flipped over a red cloth, the same color as the stage draping. It was practically invisible until now.
He pulled out a machete in its sheath. He displayed it for the cameras. "Vegeta. Step forward."
Vegeta walked up to the stage.
"Please don't kill anyone with it," he said, presenting it to him.
"You know that's not my style," Vegeta chuckled. He took it, turned around, and drew the blade holding it above his head. "When I left, I was but a learner!" He lowered the blade and pointed it at a camera. "Now, I am the master!" he said looking at the lens.
"Woo! You go, Darth Vegeta!" Bob started clapping. The others laughed and started clapping too.
Vegeta put it back in the sheath and walked back to his group.
"Ok everyone, head back to your camps. Think of what you want to include in your lists and have examples to photograph for tomorrow." Conner ordered. "I need to beat Berapi back to the beach to give them the same explanation of the boxes.
The blue team was being transported back to the beach on the boat. Everyone had been hanging their heads in silence.
"There was a murder attempt, holy hell," Bob said shaking his head in the palm of his hands.
"If it was legal under the rules, then it would have to be an assault that went too far…" Nick said. "Not a deliberate murder…"
"You make it sound like that was better," Jamal said looking up at him.
"I'm just saying how the red team could go unpunished," he defended himself.
"But how could saving her life be against the rules?" Casey said. "I can't think of anything Vegeta could have done."
"Steal medical supplies?" Nick said.
"That would mean the medics were deliberately ignoring a dying person," Jerry said.
"Is anyone really that surprised after what happened to Vickie?" Jessica said. "Vegeta was right…" She gave a chuckled sob. "We're in a Saw movie." She wiped a tear from her eyes. "We were all put together to rip each other apart."
"And I've become the bad guy in this," Bob said looking up. He rested his chin on his folded hands. "I'm the first person chosen in a long time at the same moment Bobby finally blackmails a woman he chased for over half a decade across the entire planet. I'm not here because of anything I did." He looked at Jessica, "I'm here to hurt you. Nothing else. And I've fallen right into his trap since the moment we met on the boat."
"But we are not Berapi." Daisuke said. "This season is called fire and water. Water is cool, flexible, and underestimated for its strength. We are the water team. We need to fuck Bobby and prove we are stronger than the differences he thought would tear us apart."
"Yeah! Fuck Bobby and this whole motherfucking up season!" Jerry screamed, throwing his fist in the air.
Everyone chuckled as they came to a stop at their beach. As they got off, Jessica stopped Bob at the water's edge.
"Bob. I want you to know you have good karma and I hold nothing against you."
Bob paused; his eyes darted trying to think of a response.
"I… will pray for you…" he finally said.
"That's more than I've ever been given before," she smiled. "I can live with that."
Bob opened his mouth to say something, but closed it.
Jessica gave a knowing smile, then walked away.
Bob sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You really don't like her, do you?" his field producer asked.
"It's not that I don't like her, it's the opposite. I can't see a good person burn in hell."
"You've never lectured Daisuke," he said.
"Never being baptized is nowhere near as serious as turning your back on your baptism." He put his face in his palms, "Oh God, tell me what to do." He lowered his hands and looked up. "If I press too hard everyone will rally around her and I'll lose my chance by being voted out, but If I don't, she won't listen."
Up the beach, everyone noticed Bob.
"So, what did you two talk about?" Jerry asked as Jessica walked up to the group.
Jessica smiled, "He's genuinely worried about my soul. Now I've said this to Jerry and Daisuke, but I don't want any retaliation against Bob. I have encountered many… more passionate, individuals than him and he had no idea about the buttons he accidently pushed."
"I don't think whether or not someone has tried to murder you is a good measuring stick on someone's 'passions'," Jerry said.
"I know I've had my moments here, but I'm really not the same weak person I was when I was beaten and branded with the cross for attending a Christianized yoga class."
Casey went wide eyed and gasped. She put one hand over her mouth and started wildly pointing with the other. "Oh my God! Oh my God! You! You-you-you-you-you!" She bent her knees turning to the side before popping back up. "I remember you!" she bent over putting her hands on her heart. "My church raised money for your hospital bills! Then we all flew out to counter protest against those assholes from your parents' building who said your parents did nothing wrong. It was my first protest!"
"Building as in apartments?" Nick asked as Casey lost herself in her own ramblings.
"A church is not a building; it is the people."
Jessica turned around and saw Bob standing behind her. He had a relieved look on his face.
"I just asked God what the hell I was supposed to do with you, and he just answered… You're still healing from your spiritual betrayal. And I was only opening that wound. To everything there is a season. It is not my place to be the one to bring you back to the flock."
Jessica smiled, "I understand Bob, but I have my own flock in India. And I'm in the last stage before what you would call ordination. As nice as these past few years back in the Western sector have been, I do want to go home."
"Well… your queen of the sand castle, what, uh, little projects do you want, I mean, important things need to be done?"
"Well, it would be more convenient if we build what I need to make pottery close to the stream."
Meanwhile, at Vegeta's camp…
"Well THAT was a total waste of time." Vegeta said entering the camp.
"We got a machete, rice and a metal cooking tool," Hassim said, "What are you talking about?"
"Ok Sugar, hop off." Vegeta let go of her legs and she put her feet on the ground. "Do you want help back inside? Or do you want to stay out here?"
"Hammock?" she asked softly. "It's too dark and stuffy in there."
Vegeta took her to the hammock and made sure she was securely in there.
"The wok and the big jar of rice are on the shelves," Hassim said, stepping out from the hive holding a water bamboo. "Which bamboo pot do you want to cook the wet rice in?"
"The one marked with an Eshi…" Vegeta said sitting on the stool Hassim made. "Oh, that's right. It's one with an X with one line that hooks around it in a half circle."
Hassim looked at the pots. "This one?" he held one up with the mark facing Vegeta.
"Yep, that's it."
Hassim opened the two bags then began pouring the clean water through it to rinse the rice.
"You cook that. I'll be back."
"Where are you going? It only takes a few minutes to cook rice."
Vegeta counted off his fingers, "Feed the fish, bait the traps, then I'm heading out to the ocean to see if I can't spear some bigger fish then what we got in the pond. Maybe grab a coconut or—"
"Oh, God. Please no more coconuts. It's been nothing but coconuts on the beach."
Vegeta snickered, "So I've heard everyone got diarrhea."
"Becky has it the wors— wait, do coconuts cause diarrhea?"
"Only if you go overboard with it, or at least that's what my wife's trainer said. He swears by the stuff, but if you don't ease yourself into it, you'll be living in the bathroom until your intestines adjust."
"I like coconuts and chocolate," Sugar Petal says softly.
"Sounds like you've been outvoted. Ocean fish fried in coconuts for dinner it is," Vegeta said. "You're on nurse duty."
He grabbed one of the fishing spears and began to walk away, but stopped, "Oh speaking of the shits." Vegeta turned around and pointed out of camp, "remember the outhouse is back this way." He turned and continued walking.
Hassim dumped the rest of the clean water into the bamboo pot then stoked the fire back up. "Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm going to grab a few fish from the pond," he said after tossing more wood in the pit. "Will you be ok for a little bit, Sugar?"
"Yes."
"I'll be right back then."
Hassim had speared his third fish when he heard, "What are you doing here?"
He turned and saw Vegeta, holding a plastic water bottle with the top cut off full of squirming maggots.
Hassim tried to not throw up. "Are those maggots?"
"Well yeah. What do you think I feed the fish?" Vegeta walked up and tossed the maggots into the pond. He then rinsed the bottle and his hands. "I'll let you get back to cooking. See you this afternoon." He walked off.
Hassim quickly gutted the three fish and headed back to camp.
After taking the bottle back and washing his hands with bark soap, Vegeta headed to the narrow beach. He told his camera crew to stay in the trees while he sneaked along its edge to try and get closer to the coral reef without getting spotted by the red team. He could hear them screaming at each other even at this distance.
However, he growled frustrated when he saw two boats, one full of cameras and the other filled with suba crews come into view and head towards the reef.
Meanwhile, at Berapi…
"God… I can't believe we could lose Lisa." Michael said.
"I can't believe Lisa tried to stop Becky," Ichiro said. "We'd definitely be better off."
"What did you say?!"
"You heard what I said."
"Guys! Guys!" Sam ran between them, "Now's not the time."
"Shut up, you little traitor. Running up to that gusano like that."
"One. I'm pretty dang sure that's a racial slur since it's coming out of your mouth," Sam said, losing his temper for the first time, "Second. HE WAS LIGHTING THE FOOD ON FIRE!"
"It was never our food to begin with," Michael shouted.
"He was going to give it to us!"
"I'll die from starvation before I ever get help from him!"
"Same here," Ichiro said.
"He can go drown in the gulf for all I care," Becky said.
"I get those two, but you Michael? What did Vegeta ever do to you? This is a freaking game and this ego-fest is doing nothing but hurt our chances at winning.
While Michael screamed at Sam, Becky sneered and looked out over the water.
"Why is there a camera boat out in the water?" Becky pointed. "Looks like they are heading towards the reef."
"Is someone fishing?" Sam said.
"If they are, they're trespassing on our territory," Michael grabbed the machete, "I'll handle this!"
"Michael don't!" Ichiro shouted, "What will it look like if you go out there mad as hell wielding that thing?"
Michael pointed the machete at him. "Then you go out and drive them off. And confiscate any fish they've stolen." He handed over the machete.
Ichiro hesitantly took it and headed towards the water.
Vegeta just massacred a school of hand-sized fish. He finished threading the last 12 of them through the gills on the second piece of blue rope he wove from the net when he came up for air.
"Hey you!"
He looked over and saw Ichiro standing on the sand bar. "You're trespassing! Give us those fish and get lost!"
Vegeta swam over and slowly walked onto the sandbar. He spotted the machete.
"Do you really think you're capable of intimidating me with that little piece of metal?" he chuckled. Vegeta pointed at his bandana, "Last I checked, this thing marks me as Red, and this is the red beach, so I'm not trespassing in the slightest."
Ichiro spotted the huge strings of fish he's holding. "Hand those over right now!"
"Why should I? I caught them. They're mine to do with as a please."
"There is no way in hell you caught so many without cheating. Those need to be confiscated!"
"Then wouldn't you be cheating if you took and ate the fish I cheated in getting?" Vegeta walked close to him and looked up at his face. "It is not my fault your group has failed so miserably. Maybe if your group weren't a bunch of assholes," he held up the rings of fish, "I would share these like when I gave food to the blue team. But a bunch of murderers like you, never."
"You're the murderer! Not us!"
"I was a soldier my entire life. I killed because I was following orders. Are the soldiers who attacked Cell attempted murderers, or are they forgiven because they were following orders?"
"Don't equate yourself to those heroes! You're a monster!"
"Did you know that unit of soldiers was made up of men that had been members of the Red Ribbon Army that enlisted in mass after receiving their blanket pardons? They caused so much more harm than I ever did to this planet, yet you just called them heroes."
"I don't believe you! How do you even know this?"
"I like your History Channel. There was a documentary on the first anniversary of the Games." Vegeta smirked, "Whether you like it or not, there is thousands of years of precedent to the pardoning and incorporating defeated foes into the victor's army. I'm not even the most recent example. Next time you talk with Yamcha, ask about Cell's older siblings. His sister just married one of our human special forces' members, and his brother is now in civilian law enforcement."
"That's… That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life!"
Vegeta turned and walked back into the water, "Whether you believe it or not has nothing to do with it being true." He dove under the surface and quickly disappeared.
Ichiro made his way back to the beach.
"Well? Where's the fish?" Michael demanded.
"It was Vegeta. I couldn't intimidate him. He just laughed and swam off."
"Damn that fucking piece of shit!" he punched his palm. "Give me that!" He grabbed the machete, then pointed it at the trees. "Go get us more coconuts, now!"
Sam went to leave.
Michael grabbed his shirt. "Not you!" He shoved Sam down in front of the shelter. "I'm not letting you out of my sight."
Vegeta walked into camp as the sun was starting to dip down through the trees. "I'm back!" he shouted as he held up the two rings of fish in either hand.
Sugar Petal gasped and smiled in delight.
Hassim came back from just outside of camp covered in dirt. His jaw dropped. "How many did you get?!"
"I don't know. I just murdered a whole school of fish and came back here." He looks at Hassim's hands, "You want me to go get some soap before you cook these?"
"Soap?" Sugar Petal asks surprised.
"I found a bunch of plants used to make herbal soap. Been using it to wash my hands," Vegeta smiled. "Once you're well enough, you can test it out. And if you're not allergic, women like bubble baths, right?"
"Yes, bubble bath would be nice…"
Vegeta walked into the hut and hung the strings on the sides of the first floor shelves. Then he spotted some sharpened bamboo.
"What with the sharpened bamboo in there?" he said after he walked out, "I didn't make those."
"I made some knives to cut up the food now that we have a proper wok to cook on."
Vegeta looked at him questioningly, "Do you actually know how to cook?"
"Nope. But I've seen it done before at restaurants that will cook your food on portable stoves next to your table. And you?"
"Same. Last time we were on our private island, the cook made fish cooked in coconut mush. It looked simple enough to try. I also saw the blue team eating a plant I saw Jessica gathering in coconut as well. How did that rice turn out?"
"It was good," Sugar Petal said softly.
"Are you sure you can identify the plant?" Hassim said concerned.
"Yeah. It was amaranth."
Hassim's eyes lit up. "Oh I ate that in Greece," he said excitedly.
"Good. I'll go get the bark now." Vegeta walked to the web of twisting wooden vines in sight of the camp. But instead of taking off some on the bottom, he climbed the trees and began breaking pieces off the top. After he tossed two branches to the ground, he climbed back down. Vegeta walked up to Hassim holding the twigs in his hand. "Ok, let's head to the stream and I'll show you how to use these."
They walked to the stream. Vegeta peeled off the bark and rubbed it in his hands under water. Hassim was surprised to see actual suds.
"See. It doesn't take a lot to clean your hands. You peel your stick now."
Hassim copied what he did. "This really feels like actual soap," he said surprised.
"Told you," Vegeta said, shaking his hands dry. "I'm going to go find coconuts."
"Careful of Michael and the others," he said.
Meanwhile, on Berapi…
Sam was trying to walk towards the narrow beach with his crew under the shade of the tree line that was rapidly retreating from the sand in the afternoon sun.
"Where do you think you're going?" Michael charged up to him.
"I need to do my confessional," Sam said. "I'll be back—"
Michael pointed in his face. "I said I'm not letting you out of my sight."
"Confessions are supposed to be private," Sam said.
"Nothing in the rules say they have to be private," Michael sneered.
"Technically he's right," Michael's field producer said. "It's up to the players to make them secret."
"You think I wasn't serious about not letting you out of my sigh—"
Suddenly, a coconut fell from the tree and knocked him unconscious in the sand.
Michael!" Becky shouted as Sam knelt down.
Sam turned him over. "Hey he's bleeding."
"Crap," Michael's field producer got on his radio. "Red medic! We got a bleeding head injury."
*fuzz* Coming. *fuzz*
Sam stood and looked at Michael bleeding on the ground. He turned and walked away.
Sam walked all the way to the rock at the end of the beach and stood behind it.
"You guys ready?" Sam asked. "Ow!" he flinched as something small hit him in the head. He opened his eyes and saw a banana at his feet. Confused, he looked up.
Vegeta was looking at him from within the crown of a tall coconut tree. He put his finger to his lips and dropped the leaf covering him from sight.
Sam watched the tree shake, then the one next to it, then one behind it. Afterwards he heard only the sound that soon disappeared.
"Is he hopping from tree to tree?" he thought, amazed. He then looked down at the banana.
"Know what? Frick them," he thought as he bent down and picked it up. It was browning, but it was food. He peeled it and shoved it in his mouth.
He swallowed quickly before anyone got the sense to look for him. Then he threw the peel as far as he could into the trees. He peaked out from behind the rock and could see Becky and Ichiro with Michael and the medical team.
Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. "If Vegeta threw that coconut, Michael will be out for a while."
"Ok let's get this done quick," Sam said, turning around. He took a deep breath and sighed, "I think we all just lost the game. We just got painted as the villains while Vegeta, Sugar and Hassim now have a solid alliance with the blue team. When the merger comes, we are done. If there's a team swap this season, that won't save us. They will join Vegeta's camp and vote us out." He looked out at the trees in the direction Vegeta went in. "Game wise, the smart thing would be to join Vegeta. He's obviously gunning for me and I know Sugar Petal would let me in."
He looked back at the camera. "But Michael's obsessed and Becky is freaking insane. If I leave, they will go off the deep end. It's pretty obvious this season is meant to be as close to The Lord of the Flies as possible."
He looked up, "Michael has always stressed that I can't do anything that could jeopardize my job coming out… but now with Sugar Petal, I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Connor has put all of us in the same hand basket and that's how the show is going to be edited. All the time I spent helping Sugar Petal probably won't make it into the show now. But if I go over to Vegeta…" He hung his head. "I don't know," he shook his head. "I just don't know."
Sam peaked out from behind the rock. Ichiro was walking towards the narrow beach.
"Seems they finally noticed I'm missing," he said, turning around. "I know this interview won't make it into the show, but thank you for letting me say things out loud."
Sam walked out from behind the rock and walked down the beach back towards camp.
Ichiro saw him and picked up speed.
"And where were you?" Ichiro asked as they met up.
"Doing my confessional," he said. Sam gave a clearly fake smile. "There was a gust of wind that shook the trees. Since Michael won't let me gather any coconuts, you can head down towards the rock and search for yourself."
"What game are you playing?" Ichiro grabbed his arm and pulled him back in front of him when Sam tried to walk past.
"Just obeying the guy with the machete," he answered smiling.
Ichiro did not let go of his arm. "I'd get that passive-aggressive smartass off your face before you get over there. Michael's got a concussion, but is otherwise awake. He sent me after you."
Ichiro tried to hide the fact he was using Sam as support when he dragged him into camp.
Michael was leaning against the shelter with his head bandaged. "And where the hell were you?"
"I gave my confession," Sam said.
"I told you not to."
"I was told it was my job to personally make sure it was private. A coconut falling on your head at that exact moment seemed like a sign from God to me."
Michael glared at him, but didn't say anything.
"While I was over there, there was a huge gust of wind that shook the trees. Since you ordered me to not gather coconuts and let Ichiro do it, I am going to do what you ordered me to and stay in your sight." He walked away from the shelter.
"Where are you going?!" Becky shouted.
Sam turned around and started walking backwards. "Still in his sight!" He soon came to the tree line and sat under a palm tree.
Michael growled a sigh. "Ichiro… Go look for those coconuts. Mister malicious compliance won't be getting any dinner."
Later at Vegeta's camp…
The last of the sun was hidden by the trees when the food was finished. The fire pit was roaring, more than making up for the absent sun. The camera crew stayed late to film the scene.
Everyone had two bowls Vegeta cut from dragon bamboo. One with rice, the other with the fish and amaranth stew cooked in coconut. The leftover fish was grilled.
Sugar Petal was eating with chopsticks in the hammock while Vegeta and Hassim were eating with improvised forks and spoons on the stools.
"The fried banana you added really made the rice sweet. Normally I'm not a fan of sugar, but I'll make an exception for your sakes."
"Your idea for cooking the fish in coconuts was really good too," Hassim said. "At this rate, we're going to gain weight instead of losing!"
Everyone laughed.
"You did a decent job with that pen," Vegeta said. "You even thought of burying the ends in the dirt. If we get any chickens tomorrow, I'll throw them in there instead of killing them." He points at Hassim with his fork, "You're in charge of keeping them for eggs though since it was your idea."
Hassim nodded.
"Sugar Petal," Vegeta looked at her, "I saw a plastic printed guitar in there. I assume that was your item?"
"Yes, a fan mailed it to me for luck after it was announced I was coming on…" she then curled up and looked away from them.
"There is nothing to be ashamed of," Vegeta said sternly. "You did nothing to deserve the treatment you received. And not just during the show. You were deceived into coming here. That is completely unacceptable. When we get out of here, I'm going to make sure my family knows what happened and get justice for you."
"No. No. You don't have to do anything. Everything is perfect."
"Vegeta, drop it. It's making her uncomfortable."
Vegeta glared at Hassim, "Fine…"
Suddenly they heard an ATV. Conner walked into camp with another camera crew.
Conner jaw dropped, "Wow. I have never seen anything remotely like this on The Last Survivor."
"You never had someone like me before either," Vegeta said. "So why are you here? That bitch get removed?"
"Yes. Lisa has been removed from the game. She needs surgery to piece the bones in the hand back together."
Vegeta shoved more food in his mouth. "Serves her right," he said with his mouth full. He swallowed. "So that means no contest?"
"There will be no elimination. But we've decided to move the individual contests up. Tomorrow, each team will compete for the right to earn a luxury item. Then, the next day that team will compete individually to earn their personal luxury item. Of course, since you already have yours Sugar Petal, you will be exempt. To make it even, the Blue team will draw lots. The loser will sit out both challenges and will not be able to earn their item at this time. Also because of that, the deadline for the trade list has been extended four days, but special requests are open to use."
"Sound's fair," Vegeta said. "Both in the afternoon, right?"
"Yes. They will be held as normal."
Vegeta waves him off, "If you're finished, you can go."
"Mr. Brief. I understand your original circumstances, but you are far from royalty here and a little respect for the staff will go a long way."
Hassim's jaw dropped and Sugar Petal gasped.
Vegeta stood up. "It has nothing to do with my birthright. Respect is EARNED, and I acknowledge it when received. You personally and your loyalists are on even keel. I suggest not losing what I have generously granted. Now get lost." Vegeta sat back down.
Conner bristled but left with his crew, heading towards the red beach.
After a while, Vegeta finally noticed the silence. He looked up from his food and saw Hassim and Sugar staring at him. "What?" he said with his mouth full.
"You're royalty?" Sugar asked.
Vegeta smirked, "Well, as my wife puts it: 'He may be a prince but he's far from charming'." He chuckled a little.
The two remained unmoved.
"Look," Vegeta said, losing his smile, "I ran off with my mistress instead of taking the throne because I couldn't have both at the same time. That's why I'm going to live and die on this insignificant little rock of yours on the edge of the galaxy. Now if your mouths are going to hang open like that, start shoving food in it. It's rude." He stood up and grabbed more fish.
"… Is it normal for your people to eat so much?" Sugar asked.
"My race's starvation threshold is 6,000 calories. Human's need only 2,000 to stay perfectly healthy. Serving in the military I'm more used to having little food, but when I have it, you bet I'm going to eat my fill." He took a large bite out of a fish and swallowed, bones and all. "I hope you weren't planning on leftovers when I asked you to cook all 27 fish? We got more than enough food for tomorrow to worry about saving these."
"Oh," Hassim said, "No. No. We'll both be fine."
"You should. I was planning on saving five grilled fish for you two tonight." He said sitting back down. He looked at Sugar Petal and pointed his fork, "And you haven't even finished one yet. Hurry and eat up. You need all of this more than I do."
The two began slowly eating again.
"Well you guys are killing the fucking mood," Vegeta said after about ten minutes of silence. He stood up, walked over to the fire and grabbed his remaining 10 fish, leaving the promised five. He grabbed his water bottle and walked up the ladder without using his arms for support into the tree house. The ladder was pulled into the tree house and smoke started coming from the chimney.
Hassim and Sugar Petal finished with their current rice and stew before Hassim helped her into the hive. He then came out with the lantern, filled it with flaming coals then brought it and the leftover food inside. Smoke came from the beehive's chimney and the crews packed up their equipment as the fire pit burned low.
Later, on Berapi…
The moon was high when Michael, Becky and Ichiro had their meeting by a dying fire. Sam was asleep in the shelter.
"So… It's official…" Michael said gloomily. "Lisa is gone."
"And Sam's being a dick," Becky said. "And we can't just light him on fire like Sugar Petal."
"The only way to get Sam back under control is to destroy Vegeta," Michael said. "We can't destroy his camp. But we can destroy everything else. I say we pull a Sherman and march towards the sea. We destroy everything we can and we keep doing it until we reach the blue beach."
"You mean right now?" Becky asked.
"Not tonight," Michael said. "We need to rest. But starting tomorrow, we're going to make Vegeta howl."
