Chapter 14: Day 10 — Greased Lightning

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*

Hassim woke up and turned off the watch. He checked on Sugar Petal then headed downstairs.

*Thunk* *Thunk* *Thunk*

He heard something odd outside. He walked out and saw the fire pit going high into the predawn air and Vegeta working on a huge dragon bamboo stalk that stretched far outside of camp.

"What are you doing up so early?"

"Working," Vegeta said tersely.

"Have you slept at all?"

"I've gone several days before without sleep. It will not impact my performance today."

"Are you still mad about last night, your Majesty?"

"Stop. Just… Just stop." Vegeta sighed. "When I first came here, it drove me nuts that I was treated no differently than everyone else. But now…" He glanced over his shoulder. "If you're going to call me anything, it's Mr. Brief. If I ever get called anything else by you people, it's always with the undercurrent that I'm not welcomed here." He slammed the stone ax into the bamboo, "Just because I wasn't born here doesn't mean I don't belong." Slam. "After everything I've been through." Slam. "Everything I've sacrificed." Slam. "I did not exchange one slave master for another!" He slammed the ax so hard he cracked the stone. "Goddess damn it!" He wound up to throw it, but stopped himself. He lowered his arm and dropped the broken hand ax.

"I'm sorry… Vegeta. I didn't mean to make you feel unwelcome on this planet."

"Apology accepted. Hurry and do what you need to do for Sugar Petal."

"I was going to boil some rice really quick."

"Pot hasn't been moved since last night. My water jug is full."

Hassim walked over and took the pot and water bamboo. "What are you making anyway?"

"Water storage," Vegeta said as he tore off the piece he chiseled out. "Hollow these out and we can store 3-4 gallons every three sections. Going to cut two of these." Vegeta reached inside and after a few moments began pulling out pieces of the inside partitions with charred edges. He tosses them into the fire.

"That's actually a good idea now that there are three of us." Hassim said hanging the pot over the fire. He reentered the hive leaving the water to boil. He came back with the cup that came with the jar full of rice and two leftover fish."

"I'll take those," Vegeta said

"These aren't safe to eat."

"Bait."

"Good Morning."

They turned and saw Sugar Petal.

"Sugar! What are you doing?" Hassim ran over. "You shouldn't be up alone." He grabbed her arm to steady her.

She touched her other hand on his arm, revealing she was holding the guitar. "I feel ok. I want to try and walk."

"If she feels up to it, I say let her start getting her strength back. Just stay in earshot of one of us in case you get tired."

Sugar Petal walked up to him. "I am sorry we made you so uncomfortable last night that you left. We must have made you feel really bad if you left me alone."

Vegeta crossed his arms, turned his head and closed his eyes. "You weren't 'alone'. Hassim is more than capable. You were perfectly safe."

"But still, I am sorry. Is calling you Mr. Vegeta ok with you?"

Vegeta opened his eyes and glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, "I won't say no."

"Ok!" Sugar Petal raised her fists, bent her knees and did a little hop without her feet leaving the ground. "Music while you work Mr. Vegeta?"

Vegeta turned his head a little more so he could see her with both eyes, "Do as you want. You want in the hammock?"

"No, the seat is fine."

Vegeta picked one up. "Where do you want it?"

"Wherever you think I won't be in your way."

Vegeta walked over and set the stool next to the wall of the hive. She sat down and began tuning the strings.


An hour later, the crews rolled in with the sun. They saw Hassim filling two obviously new water containers supported on two obviously new stands.

"What did we tell you about working without us here!" Freddy said exasperated. He then spotted a tiki mask on the stool. "And you took a camera down?!"

Suddenly they heard a woman's laughter coming from the tree house.

"Oh shit! They're here. Hide the stuff." A male voice said followed by a loud racket.

"It couldn't have been an hour already?"

"Apparently."

"You need to make windows. We can't see the sun."

The ladder lowered and Vegeta climbed down followed by Sugar Petal.

The crews' jaws dropped.

"Get those fucking thoughts out of your brains right now!" Vegeta screamed after touching the ground.

"Yes! Classified conversations are classified! No illegal corporate espionage!" Sugar Petal shouted pointing at them.

The crews' faces twisted in confusion.

Sugar Petal's face lit up and pointed at them excitedly waving her hand up and down. "Look! Look!" she squealed at Vegeta, "I did it! I was assertive!"

Vegeta crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, "Yes. You were as terrifying as a hissing kitten."

"Thank you!" she gasped.

"Got it!" a cameraman from Jackie's crew shouted. He stepped out from behind the others and already had his camera assembled. "Fuck the rules! I just got the money shots."

"I see I'm being a bad influence," Vegeta chuckled. He walked over to the tiki mask he removed and picked it up. He held it in front of his face as if it was a real mask. "I decide what is filmed or not in my camp." He then tilted the mask aside revealing his eyes, "Whether you like it or not."

Vegeta swung the mask's strap over his shoulder, walked to the ladder and climbed back up.

"You feeling alright, Sugar Petal?" Hassim asked.

"Yes. How are the water jugs?"

"Almost full," he said, grabbing two buckets.

"May I carry one?"

"Sugar, I know you're feeling better. But you really shouldn't be pushing yourself."

She pointed at Hassim, "A gallon of water is only 8 pounds. I was carrying much more than that half dead."

"Let her try Hassim!" they heard Vegeta shout. "Besides, you carry both at once! You can always pick it up if she gets tired!"

"Please."

Hassim looked down and saw Sugar Petal doing her best Puss in Boots impression. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Fine…" He handed her one of the stream buckets.

She took it and immediately walked towards the stream. Hassim and one of the crews followed.

Vegeta climbed back down holding Sugar Petal's guitar then entered the hive. After he came back out and walked over to his salvage pile and began picking through the plastic bottles sorting them by color. Most of the bottles are smaller, thin-walled water bottles, while the sturdier bottles are mostly colored.

Vegeta takes one of the thin bottles and slices the top and bottom off with the machete. He attempts to roll it flat, but the ridges make it a crinkled mess. He walked over to the fire pit and held the plastic as close to the fire his hands let him. It begins to droop, but otherwise doesn't want to flatten in any meaningful way.

He growls frustrated and flings it back towards the junk pile as the two return to camp.

"What's wrong?" Sugar Petal asked.

"Windows," he said, turning around, "Seeing how the plastic bottles like to flatten out."

"You could just cut holes in the walls and use the piece as a cover flap. No need to get overly complicated," Hassim said.

Vegeta shrugged, "I am overly complicated." He turned and walked towards the outhouse, "Going to feed the fish and check the traps. You guys do whatever."

"Jackie, follow Vegeta for this," Leticia ordered.


Vegeta was feeding the fish cropped up pieces of their brethren when he heard a familiar sound.

"Maaaaaa."

Vegeta smirked.

"What was that?" Jackie asked.

Vegeta put his finger in front of his lips and waved them to be quiet. He took is single tip spears out of his bundle and picked up his stone knife. He motioned at the group and pointed at the ground. Then he pointed at the tip of the bamboo spear, drew his finger across his neck in the universal death sign, and pointed across the stream. Suddenly, Vegeta dashed across the dam and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

"Crap," Jackie said as the cameraman tried to follow. He immediately slipped on the wet rocks of the dam and fell into the fish pond submerging the camera.

"Oh fuck," the technician said quickly setting his bag down and pulling out the emergency camera.


*Fuzz* Crew 17 to Vegeta's camp. *Fuzz*

"This is Nathan. What is it?" he said into his radio.

*Fuzz* We've lost the camera into the stream. Vegeta's run off with his spears after animal calls and we've lost him. We are switching to the emergency camera but we need another crew to hurry out to the fish pen to replace us." *Fuzz*

"On our way." Nathan looked to his team. "Let's go."


The technician quickly got the amateur handheld going. He handed it to the cameraman and the group prepared to wade across. Suddenly the soft animal sounds turned into high pitch screams. As the birds screeched and scattered overhead, a herd of large animals huddled themselves across the stream almost running over the crew. A blur raged past them, then a loud thunk. One of the animals was impaled through the neck by one of the bamboo spears and slammed into a tree.

Then Vegeta dashed across the stream, almost looking like he jumped it in one go, and disappeared as fast as he was spotted.

The crew was left stunned and watched the animal writhe and die in front of them.


The sounds of terror and death made its way through the thick woods. Hassim dry heaved and Sugar Petal closed her eyes and plugged her ears. Nathan's crew stopped packing briefly before piling on the ATV. But instead of heading down the trail, they drove through the trees.

The screams stopped as suddenly as they started. Nathan's crew filmed as they rode. They came across one drying goat, then another. They found Vegeta in a clearing with a beam of light illuminating him. He had his back to them in silhouette. He was covered in blood and was holding the decapitated head of a young goat in one hand and his stone knife in another. He was breathing heavily and the rising and falling shoulders only added to his intimidating presence.

Vegeta looked over his shoulder. He smiled as he dropped the head. "I don't think you'll want to film the next few hours if you want to keep your TV rating."


Vegeta, Sugar Petal and Hassim were at the rot pile dressing the animals. Hassim made bamboo frames to hang the animals according to Sugar Petal's instructions. There was also a trench underneath for run off. Vegeta was doing most of the bloody work, but not all of it.

"I can't believe you're helping with that, oh my God…" Hassim said, trying not to puke.

Sugar Petal dragged the final insides on palm leaves over to the pile and dumped them.

"You're definitely tougher than you look," Vegeta smiled looking at Sugar Petal. "Grab a sharp stone and start cutting the hides off, but don't pierce it." He turned to Hassim, "And stop bitching. I've seen you gut fish."

"Fish are not goats…"

Vegeta threw the hide to the ground. "Oh, for the love of… You're completely useless!" Vegeta pointed his bloody hand at him. "Go check on traps for your precious chickens!"

Hassim nodded and left thankful to get away from the scene. Nathan's crew followed.

Vegeta looked over Sugar Petal splattered with blood, especially her hands and lower legs. "I never would have guessed a little starlet like you could handle this work," he chuckled, "Most celebs I've met are total snowflakes."

She remained silent as she worked.

"So, how does a snowflake know how to do this? Gutting like this is a hell of a lot cleaner than I was doing."

"My parents would buy fresh meat and fish at the butcher markets," she said.

Vegeta jerked his head, "Your parents made you witness animals being killed as a small child?"

"No, the butchers did that in the back. But everything else was in view of the customers."

Vegeta smiled, "I'm surprised. I didn't think that happened in the large cities." He turned back to the carcass, "But it's not perfect. I'm surprised you didn't take the skirt and banana leaf. You're going to end up completely naked now while I try and clean those."

"The producers will be giving her new clothes," Leticia said. "There's actual laws about blood."

Vegeta glanced at her, then back to Sugar Petal. "You knew this?"

"Yes," Sugar Petal answered.

"You must really hate those clothes then," Vegeta said, turning back to the hide.

"I've never had a choice in what I wear," she said. "I wear what I'm given."

"But you must have an opinion?" Vegeta asked.

"Opinions are just distractions to what needs to be done."

Sugar Petal did not see Vegeta's face twitch. "I did not ask for your opinion, Vegeta," and old voice creeped through his brain. "Opinions are distractions to what needs to be done. And what needs to be done is what I tell you to do, your stupid monkey!"

The crew however, did.

"What was that face?" Leticia asked, like interrogating a child.

Vegeta was silent and returned to cutting the last pieces of his current hide.

"Vegeta…" she scolded.

Vegeta tossed the hide onto the pile. "Drop the subject," he ordered.

"We will be asking you again at confession," she said.

Vegeta moved on to the next animal. "And considering the date and the monster who said that exact phrase to me, you would not be able to use the footage. So… DROP. THE. SUBJECT."

Vegeta's icy tone for the final words stopped everyone in their tracks.

Sugar Petal twitched, but quickly regained her composure and continued cutting.

Vegeta glanced at her. "Once we get these done, we'll wash up and stretch the hides. I'll show you how on one of the frames I already have then I'll make the last couple while you do that. By then, the meat will be bled out and I'll rip it apart and cook it. You've done more than enough for today and the doctors would be panicking watching you covered in insides."


They finished. Vegeta washed first showing her how. Afterwards Sugar Petal simply threw her polka-dotted leggings away and began washing her arms and legs.

Warned not to use his energy to dry himself this time, Vegeta frustratedly dripped dried in the skirt while rubbing his arms over the fire.

"Hey, Vegeta!" Hassim walked into camp. "I need vine or something."

"You caught live chickens?"

"Yes."

"Ok, just taking the traps down would be quicker. It's got to be noon by now."

Hassim looked at the watch, "It's 12:19."

"Shit!" Vegeta handed the machete to Hassim, "Just cut the ropes and drag the whole nets. I'll mend them later." Vegeta walked into the hive, grabbed a large hand axe, and ran off.

"Vegeta!" Leticia shouted, but he was gone.


Michael, Sam, Ichiro and Becky were on the ground in the shade of the fan palm trees.

"How far did that bastard set his camp?" Michael panted. "Ichiro, hand me the canteen."

"Well, it definitely wasn't on the hill," Becky said lying on her back, "I am NOT climbing that again. How did that little retard do it half dead?"

"And the blue beach has to be the same distance," Sam said. "Vegeta has to be superhuman to keep walking that every day."

"There is nothing human about that man," Ichiro said.

The crews did not respond. Saying Vegeta was dangerous was one thing, but hinting at his origin was another.

Michael looked over towards the sound of the ocean, and caught a glimpse of green palm leaves dropping from the trees closer to the water.

Michael grinned. "I think we just found our little monkey," he pointed.


Vegeta was out on the skinny beach hopping from the top of one palm tree to the next cutting down about a third of its canopy before moving on. On his fifth tree, he spotted the red team starting to pick up the bundle of leaves. Becky had already walked onto the main beach with one cluster.

"Hey! Those are mine!"

He was completely ignored. Michael pointed the machete at the next pile as Sam dragged the second bunch off.

Vegeta leaped from tree to tree and dropped down at least two stories in front of Sam, not even pretending to hide his powers.

"What the hell?!" Sam screamed.

The three spun around and spotted Vegeta, who had practically teleported over there.

Vegeta ripped the leaves from Sam's hands. He screamed in pain and looked at the rug burn and small scratches on his palms and arms.

"These are mine!" Vegeta shouted again and ran past Michael and Ichiro, this time staying visible for the cameras. He began picking up the next pile. Michael stormed over and swung his machete at the leaves. Vegeta spun around and got them out of the way before he could hack them apart and ended up kicking sand into Ichiro's face.

"My eyes," he said, gripping his face.

Vegeta ignored him. "What the fuck?" he told Michael.

"Give us those!" Michael ordered.

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do with them?"

"None of your business!"

Vegeta looked at him and shook his head, "Look at you. The suave manipulator resorting to violence when he can't get his way." He smiled. "You can't charm me with your personality — You can't intimidate me with your gilded power — You can't humiliate me with your false strength — All you can do is scream insults and wave that machete around like a marching parade baton. And even that doesn't work. Everything you think you are is hollow and meaningless."

"Are… Are you covered in blood?!" Sam screamed.

Michaels eyes widened realizing that his skirt was not the brownish-red clay from the area.

"Why yes. I am covered in blood."

"Why are you covered in blood?!"

"Why do you think I'm covered in blood?" Vegeta smirked.

"You fucking faggot!" Becky returned and grabbed the palms from behind. Vegeta turned and began pulling them away when Michael came down with his machete to cut up them in half.

Vegeta dropped the leaves and grabbed the blade from above on the unsharpened back. Michael was startled then tried to pull it away, but it was like he imbedded it in a tree. Vegeta twisted his wrist and wrenched it from his hand. "You are no Frieza," he said as he bent the unbreakable blade until it snapped in half. He then threw the two halves into the water. "Now go play fetch like the whimpering dog you are."

Ichiro broke out of his shock and tried to run past with the leaves. But between the four of them plus the film crews that came with them, the narrow beach was packed. Vegeta grabbed the leaves when he got tangled trying to go around through the bushes. He ripped them from his hands, cutting them up like Sam's, then grabbed a handful of sand and threw it in Ichiro's face. Vegeta then spun and kicked up sand into the rest of their faces, including a few of their crewmembers caught in the crosshairs. Vegeta grabbed the remaining piles and ran.


Vegeta came into camp. "Holy goddess of the moon, Michael is batshit crazy!" he said, dropping the huge bunch of leaves.

"What happened?" Hassim said, stepping out from the chicken pen.

"Fucking Michael and his goon squad came after me with a machete!"

"Is everyone ok?" he asked.

Vegeta began laughing. "Yeah, just some scratched up hands and sand in their eyes. Their machete is now snapped in half and at the bottom of the ocean." He looked at the old smoker, "Let's get the smoker rebuilt. Hassim, stop playing with the chickens and get over here! It's got to be after 1. They'll be here any minute."

Hassim jogged over, "What do we need?"

"Expand it on either size. Just…" Vegeta waves his hands in front of him. "Tear it down. Big ass box. Lots of shelves. Copy what's in there. I need to get dressed and cut the bamboo."

Suddenly the off-road golf cart came up. "Mr. Brief!"

"Oh goddess… it's the producers…" Vegeta said. He turned around. "They started it! I ended it!"

Conner raised his hands, "Woah. Woah. I know. I've seen the footage. You're not in trouble."

Two more carts pulled up.

"Then why are you here with security?" he asked.

"Two things. One, the game has been delayed an hour. Two," he looked at Sugar Petal, spots of blood still on her clothes, "You will need to be showered to avoid any contamination. We have a decontamination shower and new clothes for the three of you."

"I actually didn't touch anything," Hassim said, "Why don't I finish with this while you two shower?"

"Did he really not touch anything?" Conner asked the crews.

"He couldn't get within six feet of it without dry heaving," Leticia said.

"Alright then. Vegeta, Sugar Petal, come with me. We have tarps lining the back seats."

"The reason I had these made was to save my clothes," Vegeta said, gesturing to his skirt. "They are perfectly clean over there."

"Mr. Brief, please. You qualify for a shower and new clothes, or would you rather Sugar Petal go alone?"

"Let me get dressed."


The two followed the host and found a cart with tarps separating the front and back seats. Vegeta and Sugar Petal climbed in and were driven over to base camp. The driver parked directly next to the shower. It was a glorified porta-potty with a garden hose, but it was a shower. The medical crew wanted to be there for her shower in case she fell, so Vegeta went first. Since he had already rinsed off, it was nothing but a 10-minute lather and rinse.

"Towel!" Vegeta shouted, holding his hand out of the curtain. He was thrown a white towel that he quickly wrapped around his waist. Vegeta stepped out of the shower, "So where are my new clothes?"

Sugar Petal gasped and had to fight the impulse to cover her mouth with her hands. Vegeta was the only person wearing a long-sleeved shirt and now she knew why. Vegeta was heavily scarred, with one looking like a bullet wound that had gone through his heart and out his back. Some of the other staff were staring as well.

"What did you do? Pick a fight with a blender and lose?" an intern asked.

Vegeta glared at him, then he smiled. "Oh no, it was nothing like that," he said like talking to a child, "I was actually brutally tortured for an hour," he pointed at the bullet wound, "before I was shot through the heart to finish me off. I got resurrected along with everyone else." He crossed his arms, "Now then, my clothes?"

"It's over here," a staff member said shakily. Vegeta followed and Sugar Petal took her turn in the shower.

Vegeta was given a near carbon copy of his clothes, except this time his shirt was black, and sat down in the golf cart once the tarps were removed and waited.

Then, he got poked with the stick. Vegeta startled awake and snapped the stick on instinct. He had nodded off.

"Glad I grabbed a broom," a staffer said, tossing the other half of the broom aside. "It's time to head to the competition beach."

"Sugar has been taken back to camp?" he asked, sitting up.

"No, she will be at the game."

"But she's not competing?"

"Correct. She will be spectating with the blue team's sit out."

"But we have food cooking she was supposed to watch."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have killed an entire herd of goats?" he walked off.

"Actually, it was my second herd of goats…" Vegeta grumbled.

Sugar Petal was walked over by a member of the medical staff. She was in a pink, knee-length drawstring shorts with white trim and an oversized t-shirt. The large red buff that would normally be a halter top was scrunched around her waist as a belt. She half reminded him of childhood pictures of his wife. But her hair was the same mess it was before.

She sat down next to him in the back, "They said I'm doing really well."

"That's good to hear," he yawned.

She put her hand on her belt, "The shirt they wanted showed my bruises too much so they took a guy's shirt."

"Yeah, smells like a man's undershirt," Vegeta said. "We can wash it. But what happened to your hair?"

Her smile vanished. "They put a plastic bag over it…"

Before Vegeta could respond, Conner hopped in the driver seat, "Ok, let's get going."


They arrived at the beach, and between 15 and 20 minutes later, the other two arrived. Everyone immediately noticed Sugar Petal's new clothes.

While everyone was staring and whispering to themselves, Connor and his camera crew got in position.

"Samundra! Vegeta's group! Welcome to the challenge," Connor shouted, deliberately ignoring Berapi.

"In front of you are six greased poles in your colors. On top of each is a bag. Each bag contains pieces to a puzzle. Once you have all the pieces, they will be put together on this table. Behind the table you see 10 flag poles, each with a button. Match the puzzle image with the picture on the stand and press the button. If right, your color flag will rise from the box, if not, you lose the game. You only get one shot to get it right, so don't rush the puzzle. The puzzle is a lot more intricate than the pictures on the stands, so the animal won't be immediately evident. Now…

Conner raised the familiar bags, "We will be drawing lots to see who will be responsible for putting the puzzle together. All the balls are white except one red and one blue, he showed them to the camera before putting them in. Now, Samundra, since Sugar Petal will not be participating, you are up one player. You will also be drawing a black ball," he showed it for the camera. "to decide who will be sitting out." He placed it in and shook the bags. "Everyone, line up."

"And Casey draws the blue ball first thing!" Connor shouted. "Bob has white… Jessica has white… And Nick drew the black ball! He will be sitting out. Berapi, you're up!"

"And Michael has a white ball… Ichiro has a white ball… Sam has a white ball… Becky has a white ball… Oh all that's left is Vegeta's group, come on up!"

"You got to be kidding me…" Vegeta thought as he walked up with Hassim.

"And Hassim has drawn the red ball!"

"Oh thank goddess…"

Everyone, you have two minutes to huddle to discuss strategy before I blow the air horn to begin!"

Samundra huddled. "Ok, we did this in the military," Bob said, "the secret to this is building a human pyramid as high as we can standing on each other's shoulders. Daisuke and me on the bottom, Jerry you're going to temporarily stay with us until Jessica gets on my shoulders then climb up. Casey you're the smallest, you'll be climbing all the way up."

Casey nodded, "This isn't my first greased pole either. You can count on me."

Berapi's two camps glared at each other.

"So who is taking which pole?" Michael said.

"That's not how a team greased pole works," Hassim said. "we need to—"

"And how the hell do you know?" Becky snarked.

"Greased poles are popular at historic festivals in England," Hassim said, "My brother-in—"

"I don't care," Becky snarked.

"Just you watch," Hassim said, "The blue team will be doing this as a group instead of pairing off."

The horn sounded.

Berapi all went to their own pole.

"Seems like Berapi are going for one on one," Connor said.

Michael and Ichiro slide down immediately.

"Fuck," Michael said as he tried again.

"Ewe!" Becky said after touching the pole with her hand. "I'm not doing this! This is disgusting!" She walked away and sat in the sand.

"Seems like Becky has given up completely," Conner said.

"Becky! Get your butt back here or you're not eating tonight!" Michael shouted.

"Hassim," Vegeta walked up to him, "Let me climb on you to make this look legitimate," he said softly.

Hassim nodded and cupped his hands. Vegeta stepped up and Hassim was shocked at how light he was.

"He's levitating," he thought.

"Seems Vegeta and Hassim are helping each other as Vegeta gets a quick start on the pole… And Samundra has their first bag! Looks like their human pyramid strategy is working perfectly."

"What?!" Michael shouted, looking over as they started the second pole.

"I told you!" Hassim shouted as Vegeta reached the top.

"And Berapi has gotten their first bag!"

Vegeta slid down.

"Let's do Becky's," Hassim said.

Vegeta rolled his eyes and went over with him. They repeated the process.

"So what are you so desperate to get your hands on?" Vegeta asked while being lifted up.

"And Samundra has their second bag! They seem to be getting the hang of this."

"Need to make this look good, right?" Hassim smiled.

Vegeta smirked back and quickly got the next bag.

And Berapi is close behind!"

"Hey!" Michael shouted, "We're doing what they're doing. Ichiro, next to me."

"Seems Berapi is copying Samundra," Conner called out.

Ichiro stood next to Michael.

"Ok just like the cliff," Ichiro said.

Hassim made his way up with Ichiro lifting him.

Michael cupped his hands and glared at Vegeta. Vegeta got a slight running start, but Michael stumbled and Vegeta fell. He got up, uninjured.

"And Samundra has their third! They are getting faster!"

They tried again, and Vegeta fell, but landed on his feet.

"Seems Michael is struggling to lift Vegeta!"

Vegeta smirked as he made another run at it. It almost felt like Vegeta's weight doubled this time.

Michael shouted as his hands fell apart. It felt like he dislocated a few fingers.

Vegeta grinned.

Michael glared.

"Ichiro, you try!" Hassim called out, "Michael let me stand on you."

Michael stood straight and Hassim moved onto his shoulders. Hassim wrapped his arm around the pole and extended his arm for Vegeta to grab. Vegeta made it up on the first try and once on Hassim's shoulders, he barely had to climb at all as the bag was just out of reach of his fingers.

And Samundra and Berapi grab their bags at the same time.

Vegeta slid down, making sure to step on Michael's head. "We got the rhythm, move!"

"The Red and Blue teams are now neck and neck, but Samundra is still one bag ahead!"

The next poles went quickly.

"And Samundra is first to the puzzle! Casey is taking all the pieces out and laying them out."

"Hey! There are pictures on both sides!"

"Never said there wouldn't be. But only one side contains the animal!" Conner called out.

"This puzzle picture is like a Where's Waldo!"

"The animals will be visible even for the colorblind! And here comes Berapi!"

Vegeta walked back and found a place by himself at the dividing line in the sand. Jessica sat a few feet away.

Vegeta suddenly had a pebble hit him in the arm. He looked and saw Jessica wave. Then she ran her hands over her waist then down the top of her legs.

Vegeta nodded and gave a thumbs up. He then turned his left palm up and spun his right index finger over it in a circle.

Jessica nodded then gave two thumbs up framing her smiling face.

"Seems Vegeta and Jessica have some sign language going between them," Conner said.

"Jessica!" Bob shouted.

Jessica stood and waved goodbye. She walked up to clearly unhappy teammates.

Vegeta ignored them, and actually leaned back, put his team buff over his eyes and interwove his fingers on his chest.

"Seems Vegeta is taking a nap," Conner said.


"And It's over! Samundra goes on to the next challenge!" Vegeta heard eventually.

"Alright! Everyone, gather around!"

Vegeta sat up and put the buff back around his neck. Sugar Petal joined him and they walked down together. Hassim quickly jogged up to them and they stood apart from Michael's group.

"Everyone, it was neck and neck the entire time, but Samundra pulled out at the last minute," Conner said. "Samundra, tomorrow you will be competing against each other for your luxury items."

"But!" Conner suddenly said after a long pause. "The elimination we canceled was also to be the first Maroon Bay of the game." He looked at the blue team, "Samundra! Choose who will be gone until the next elimination challenge. Also…" he paused for effect, "The winner of tomorrow's game will get to choose one of their own teammates to join him for his remaining days. So, who will it be?"

"Ichiro!" Bob called out while everyone had turned to each other to discuss.

"That was fast," Conner said. "Do the rest of you agree to that?"

"Say yes, I got a plan," Bob said softly.

Daisuke, Nick, and Casey raised their hands. Jerry looked at Jessica. She sighed and raised her hand reluctantly. Jerry shrugged and raised his.

"Unanimous vote, Ichiro come over here and we will take you to this year's Maroon Bay."

Vegeta smiled at the defeated looks on his and Sam's face while Michael looked like steam was coming from his ears.

On cue, a new boat pulled up on the beach.

"Ichiro, if you would walk this way. This boat will take you to Maroon Bay."

Conner walked Ichiro to the boat and everyone watched it speed away.

He returned to his spot in front of the cameras. "Ok, Everyone! Return to your boats. And I will see you tomorrow, Samundra."


Hassim, Vegeta, and Sugar Petal were first taken back to basecamp before being driven back on golf carts.

Vegeta hopped out and ran up the hill before it even stopped moving. He headed in the smoker. He looked over what Hassim did.

Vegeta was impressed. It was a rectangular box about six feet tall. Four sections but no shelves to hang the meat yet.

Vegeta ignored the screaming chickens and darted over to the animals. Covered in flies, but he expected that. The hides had gone stiff, but right now all that mattered was the meat.

He took his shirt off as he walked into camp. One crew was filming in his direction, the others were filming the others walking into camp.

"Hassim! You finish the smoker. Sugar, go rest. I'm going to start cutting them up," Vegeta said walking into the Hive. He came back out in the skirt with two large baskets. "I'm getting leaves." Vegeta walked to the banana grove.

"Hassim," Sugar said softly, "I'll help once he's gone."

He nodded.

Vegeta suddenly returned from the direction of the steam. "Got new rocks. Get to work."

"Vegeta stop running around like that!" Leticia shouted as her crew turned around from walking towards the grove.

Vegeta did not acknowledge her and disappeared again.


By the time the crew caught up to Vegeta, he was already hacking apart his fifth animal. Legs in one basket, ribs in the other. They were almost full.

"Vegeta, you're cheating…" Leticia glowered.

"Shut up! I got two humans to feed and one is on antibiotics and bugs got on this," Vegeta threw the last of the ribs in the basket, then pointed the limp spine at them. "Bulma told me to take care of everyone and someone almost DIED because I followed YOUR rules and not HERS. Do you know what she's going to DO to me when she finds out?" Vegeta threw the spine on the ground with the others. "I'm dealing with enough shit as it is!"

Vegeta grabbed both baskets at once, but the upper rows ripped. He growled frustrated and lifted one of them from the bottom.

"That's too heav—"

"Don't care!"

Vegeta came back into camp, and saw Sugar Petal sitting on a chair copying the grates from the previous smoker while Hassim tied cross beams to hold them. Vegeta grunted a sigh catching their attention.

"Whatever…" Vegeta turned around and ran back to grab the other basket. He passed Leticia half way.

"Just ignore him," she ordered.

"You sure you don't want footage of me walking into camp?"

They turned and saw Vegeta with the last basket.

"Oh, NOW you care about us getting footage."

"Fine, you're loss." Vegeta disappeared in a gust of wind.

Leticia growled an angry sigh as she facepalmed.

Vegeta came back into camp and dropped the basket next to the other. "Sugar Petal, how did they treat meat that got bugs on them? Did they throw water on it?"

"You never washed the meat?!" Hassim asked, alarmed.

"I never left it out for hours either! And I'm trying to be careful for little miss pills over there."

"Yes, we should wash the meat," Sugar Petal insisted.

"Ok… Probably can't just put it in the stream," Vegeta mumbled. "Sugar Petal, if I move the baskets closer to the stream, can you dump our clean water over it while staying clean?"

"Yes."

Vegeta sighed and tilted his head back slightly. "Goddess help me…" he muttered. He closed his eyes. "This is for the humans… This is for the humans… You'd do this for Bulma… Pretend it's for Bulma…" he said under his breath.

Vegeta lowered his head. "Ok, Sugar wash the meat. Hassim carry water bottles. I'm going to flatten the last two to cook whole and we'll cook the child on the fire. Let me take the bones out. They're edible and I can make shit."

"You eat bones?" Hassim asked.

"The squishy insides." Vegeta smirked, "There's nothing better than breaking the bones on a fresh kill and sucking the insides out. It can be a real taste bud saver if the ra—species isn't palatable." He lost his smile. "I'm going to put the baskets down and wash my hands. Then I need to borrow the machete to cut some bamboo to stick the last carcasses on then we'll start cooking. The baby should cook the fastest but it will be a very late dinner." Vegeta looked up at the long shadows. "It's after 5, correct?"

Hassim looked at the watch. "5:13."

"Ok change of plans. We got about 20 minutes before it goes black here. Put one of the grates over the fire pit, we need to get the cooking done before we need to get the fire high for light. I'm going to go grab it."

Vegeta exited camp as Leticia and her crew entered.

"So where is he off to now?"

"Getting the child," Vegeta said, walking past her with the body over his shoulder. He looked at Hassim and Sugar Petal. "Well what are you waiting for?!"

Sugar Petal yipped and looked around. She grabbed three thin bracing poles and laid then on top of the stone wall. Hassim grabbed two shelves and began jogging over as she returned to grab a third. Hassim laid his on the poles, then Sugar Petal rearraigned them to give more overlap before she set hers down over the joint.

"Here," she smiled at Vegeta. "This is strong."

Vegeta nodded and placed it down. Then he grabbed either side of the ribcage.

*Snap* *Rip* *Pop* Crack*

Everyone gagged and winced as Vegeta tore the animal open. When it didn't flatten out as he would have liked he turned it and beat it on either side of the spine, shattering cartilage and bone.

"There," he said, laying it flat on its back. Then, he grabbed one leg at the knee and reached in. He ripped the femur bone out of the meat, then snapped and tore the lower leg completely off.

Hassim gagged and ran behind the Hive. Ted did a heebie-jeebies dance and stumbled away. Jackie fell over, almost fainting. She was caught by Nathen and her technician. Leticia leaned against a tree with her hand over her mouth. The cameramen were just praying the shaking stabilizer could correct the footage.

Vegeta then took the femur, snapped one of the ends off. He put it in his mouth and began sucking on it like a pacifier. He moves to repeat the process on the front leg.

"What are you doing?!" Nathan exclaimed.

"Hmmm?" Vegeta looked around and for the first time noticed the scene behind him. He pushed the bone aside with his tongue. "I'm hungry," he mumbled with the bone clenched in his teeth. He sucked on the bone a few more times. Then he pulled it from his mouth and held it up to his eye. He tossed it on top of one of the benches. "I'll make a new one," he said as he peeled back the flesh on the lower leg and snapped the end off the bone. "You guys really don't have to film this," Vegeta said, putting the lower leg in his mouth, the fur and hoof still on the end.

"We… have to film everything…" Nathan said.


Meanwhile, on Samundra…

"I hope sending Ichiro to exile island was the right choice, Bob." Jerry said as they walked onto the beach.

"Ichiro was level headed and reasonable at the pregame," he said. "We can talk to him. Maybe even get a mutiny."

"Sam is a bundle of emotions," Jessica said. "We would be better off with him if that was your goal."

"If Sam is that close to a mental break, then him staying will hurt Michael while Ichiro won't be there to do any labor. Besides…" Bob paused. "There is no way in hell Ichiro was the one who hurt that little girl. If we can get names, we know who to eliminate if they make it to merger."

"We could have gotten that information from Vegeta's group," Jessica pointed out.

"We can't talk to them anymore," Daisuke said before the crews could speak up. "It was a big risk you took even gesturing to him."

"Well let's check to see if the pottery is done," Jessica said. "They have been cooling in the fire almost 24 hours now."

"And if it's not?" Bob asked.

"I added grog to the clay," she said. "That should help prevent breaks. If not, we can use it for storage or crush it for grog for the next try."

Everyone made their way to the minicamp, and Jessica dug through the pile of ash. She pulled out the first bowl. It looked uncracked and dinged like a bell when tapped. It was the same for the other three.

"Perfect," Jessica smiled. "Now we have water bowls to make the larger pots." She looked up. "But let's get dinner started while we still have energy. We can work with the clay when we don't have to worry about clean hands."


"Ichiro's gone." Michael fumed as they got off the boat. "They had to pick Ichiro."

"I can look for coconuts," Sam said.

"What good are coconuts if we can't open them?" Becky said. She turned around and pointed at Michael. "If you hadn't swung at him, we'd still have a machete!"

"It should take a hydraulic press to snap steel like that!"

"Then why were you so worried about it on the first day!"

"The edge and the flimsy handle! Not my fault they lied about the metal it was made from!"

Sam sighed at the two and began to walk away.

"Where do you think you're going?!" they both shouted simultaneously and grabbed the closest arm.

"I'm being the little dutiful worker while the managers scream at each other!" Sam said. "Now let me go!"

"Don't fucking—"

Michael grabbed Becky's hand before she hit Sam in the back of the head. Becky tried to kick Michael in the balls, but Michael let go of Sam and side stepped it.

As Becky attacked Michael again, Sam took the chance to get away. He did not have the strength to run, but at the junction of the main and narrow beaches, it was not far to the trees. Sam entered the ATV track and disappeared.


"Vegeta."

Vegeta stopped what he was doing briefly as a picture entered his brain.

It was of Sam, passed out in the fan palms.

He growled frustrated. "I'll be right back," he called out and disappeared with the machete.


"Wake up, dipshit."

Sam came to being slapped in the face.

"I see you're not dead. I'm mildly disappointed."

"Vegeta?" he mumbled.

Something white was shoved in his face. "Chew."

Sam ate it. Whatever it was, it was sweet and full of water.

After being force fed for several minutes, Sam forced himself to sit. He looked around confused, not recognizing where he was. He noticed what looked like confetti to his right, then he became aware that it was the remains of one of the trees.

"I was planning to save this until later in the competition, but since you don't have a machete, you can't take advantage of it."

"I'm I eating the tree?" he muttered.

"The part that is edible, yes," Vegeta said standing. "You have a choice. Join my crew, and you'll be fed and taken care of. That will also give us four to Michael's three, so you will be safe. If you refuse, I'm walking away and taking this with me. You've had enough you won't die." He looked up, "And this is the last time I'm intervening. I'm busy enough as it is." He looked back down. "So. Your decision?"

Sam hesitated.

Vegeta frowned. "I don't know what Michael has on you that you would choose to die. But I will respect your choice of suicide."

"Wait…" Sam said weakly, unable to raise his voice.

But Vegeta was gone.


Vegeta walked into camp licking his fingers.

"Where did you go?" Leticia demanded.

He pointed up. "An acquaintance from this planet's floating city warned me Sam had passed out in the woods. So I fed him a sweet plant to get his sugar up fast. But he still wouldn't join us. So, I took everything and left."

"And you didn't save any for us?" Hassim called over.

"We have enough to eat," he called back.

"This planet has a floating city?" Nathan's technician said skeptically.

"It's shielded from detection by a dimensional fold, like your Star Trek fantasy. It's invisible unless you know it's there."

"You watch Star Trek?" Jackie asked.

"The Doc does." Vegeta rolled his eyes. "I swear this planet has the most absurd shit I've ever witnessed." Vegeta went back to preparing the animals.


Night came to the trees, but it is not time for the crews to leave yet.

Sugar Petal had taken the lead for cooking from Hassim. She had even made more grates and tied them together so the meat could be flipped. She was currently in the hammock.

The crew had given up yelling at Vegeta. Over the past hours he had deboned all the legs, dumped boiling water that was not heated prior over the meat, and lifted the far too heavy bamboo baskets among others. And now had made a second smoker, nothing meant to be permanent, and was cooking the remaining animals whole.

He had broken open the remaining carcasses like the kid, tied them to frames and made a tripod over a shallow hole. The fire was already billowing smoke as Vegeta was tying the last on the banana leaves around the frame.

Hassim had stopped working on the smoker for the millionth time and was dealing with the fighting chickens.

"Just give it up!" Vegeta shouted. "If they're going to kill each other, let them get it over with now so they don't keep us awake."

Hassim stopped running and flopped his arms to his sides in defeat. He stepped out of the cage and walked over to the fire to check the food. "Meat looks close to done," he said after cutting it with his bamboo knives. "I'm going to look at the bananas," he says walking out of camp.

Vegeta noticed Sugar Petal did not react when Hassim said the food was done. He went over and saw she had fallen asleep.

He poked her arm.

She moaned.

"Sugar Petal. Hassim said food is ready."

She wiped her eyes and nodded.

Hassim came back sighing and tossed three black bananas into the chicken pen for them to fight over. He carried three more brown ones and cut them into the wok to fry. He went back to the pen and tossed the three peels in before boiling the rice.

The two feasted. Vegeta refused food saying he had already eaten and continued to work.

"You two were a good team today," Sugar Petal said.

"Yeah, we sabotaged the game pretty well, didn't we, Vegeta?"

"Ah huh," Vegeta said half listening.

"You lost on purpose?" Nathan said, shocked.

"Yeah, I actually found the animal in my first few pieces. But then I put my finger to my lips, flipped those pieces upside down and winked at the camera." Hassim started laughing. "Hey Vegeta, were you messing with Michael? He should have been able to lift you no problem."

"Vegeta stepped on his head too," Sugar Petal said.

Hassim laughed, "You stepped on him too?"

"Ah huh…"

"If you want to tell the story, Hassim, we're all ears," Leticia said. She nodded and began to point. The cameramen repositioned themselves.

Vegeta completely tuned them out.

There wasn't enough bamboo left to shelve all the sections, so he covered the top of the structure with the palms and started the fires underneath, using his ki to make the entire stack go up at once. He washed his hands and put the ribs on the existing shelves. Vegeta then brought the baskets over to the stool and grabbed two banana leaves from the grove. After cutting the long leaves in half, he moved the bones onto one half and placed two others in front of him on the ground. Vegeta sat down and started cutting the meat into strips.

"Hassim, when you're done you need to get the sides up," Vegeta said, practically scolding him, "You built it too tall for me."

Hassim nodded as he continued to talk and eat.

Suddenly Leticia's radio went off.

*fuzz* Leticia, this is Red 1. We're waiting down at the ATV path. Have you packed up yet? *fuzz*

Leticia looked at her watch. "There's still 12 minutes until 7. The group is still in the middle of activities. We'll pack up then," she answered.

"Things must be boring over at the beach if they packed up this early," Vegeta said.

"It's probably too dark to film by now," Hassim said. "Your fire lights everything up really well."

"Moon's close to full," Vegeta said, "Though the beach does face west. Yeah it would be pretty dark right now."

"Darkness swallows the light," Sugar Petal said. "If there is nothing to look back at you, then all is black. Even tigers need the moon."

"Rather philosophical of you," Hassim said.

"My grandmother," she smiled.

Vegeta paused. "Why would a grandmother tell a child how to sneak around in the dark?"

Sugar Petal visibly shrank and curled up in the hammock.

"Vegeta, it's probably weird to you, but for most people darkness has a mythical quality to it," Hassim said.

"Hassim." Vegeta said harshly. "I spent most of my life 6 inches away from the purest darkness in existence. Don't tell me about how the lack of light freaks out the optical lobe then cascades into the frontal cortex." He returned to cutting the meat at an even faster pace than he was before.


Meanwhile, with Samundra…

Jessica had cleared an area of floor debris just off the ATV track on the solid ground. She then dug a shallow hole, "Ok someone dump water on this we're making mud." She looked at Bob who had the machete. "Take some people and get some bamboo for strips. Basically, this is going to be a box with a short chimney."

"So this is how they do it in India?" he asked.

"Not really. I learned this in the primitive appreciation program that taught how to use a fire bow. If we get this done fast enough, we can make the pots tomorrow."


Meanwhile, with Vegeta…

Seven came and went. Hassim and Vegeta were lashing the palm leaves to the frames. He was shocked seeing Vegeta at eye level with him and looked down. Vegeta was floating.

"Work now," Vegeta ordered.

"Yes, sir," Hassim mumbled instinctively and went back to work.

They ran out of palms as the reached the front.

Vegeta growled. He looked up. "Damn you, Michael…"

Hassim backed away from the smoker and began to cough heavily.

Vegeta took a step back as well. "Yeah, it's all coming this way now," Vegeta coughed. He took a deep breath of fresh air. "What is it now? Eight?"

Hassim looked at the watch. "Just about, yeah."

"You get Sugar Petal to bed. I'll finish this."

Hassim nodded and walked over to the hammock. Sugar Petal had nodded off.

"Sugar Petal," he touched her shoulder. "Time for your medications. Let's get inside."

Sugar nodded and sat up. She followed him inside.

Unencumbered by the humans, Vegeta got to work.

He brought the baskets over and began hanging the strips, and when space ran out, he laid the flat on top. But not before running his energy over them. He had only given it a quick once over with his energy earlier to stiffen it, but now he had the time to really dry it out. It wouldn't be as good as the first jerky he made because of the delay, but edible was edible.

He hung as much as he could around the ribs, but ended up moving them to the top self away from the fire. They smelled done, but Vegeta hoped they would still be good for tomorrow morning. Humans were very picky eaters.

After he ran out of room, he spent the next fifteen minutes running, cutting, and making more bamboo shelves.

He was done long before nine. The meat was all in. He even had cut up the three he had cooked whole to store in the smoke. After adding more damp wood and partially covering it with banana leaves, Vegeta closed the front with the used leaves from the previous smoker.

But Vegeta was not done for the night. He gathered all the bones. All the legs, hips, and shoulder blades plus the ribs he removed from the three he cooked whole. He put them in a basket and walked to the ATV track and headed up stream.

He came to the dam and hopped to the opposite bank. Vegeta lit a small ki ball and let it float for light. Not like he needed to worry about transforming anymore. Vegeta gently dumped the bones into the fish pond. The fish immediately attacked them and began picking them clean. Vegeta smiled and walked a short distance away.

Here were the last of the bones from his kills earlier in the week. He examined them one by one and put the clean ones into the basket. Vegeta nodded to himself seeing that the last of the stubborn ones were finally done. He snuffed out the light and carried them back.


Meanwhile, 2300 miles north…

A private jet landed in Taiwan to refuel on its way to a private island in Polynesia. Painted on the side was a cross with a Korean family crest nestled in the upper left corner, signifying it belonged to the Nahm Evangelical Society, owner of the three biggest megachurches in Korea. Originally a smaller family, through wealth and connections they had married their daughters into every Chaebol in the country. Now there was about to be one more marriage under the umbrella of the Habsburg Dynasty of Asia.

"She's a little young to be serving alcohol, don't you think?" A man with bright red hair asked. He had a distinct Greek accent.

"Don't be silly, Sostrate," the young woman sitting next to him said. "She's just shorter than average. I'm considered a giant at 5'4"."

"True, your nation does run on the short side. No offense to your father's…" he glanced at another barely dressed woman who could pass as a child, "Taste in flight attendants."

"She could have warned me her father and his friends were all lolis…" he thought as the woman climbed into a drunk man's lap.

The woman turned his head, "Don't look at them, look at me."

He squeezed her hand, "Sorry, Jin-Ae." "Nae sarang," he whispered.

One of the only male flight attendants, dressed like a butler, came over and bowed so deeply he could have grabbed his ankles. He said something in Korean, then Jin-Ae turned to him, "I need to go take a call. Company business."

He nodded and Jin-Ae followed the man toward the back. There was a soundproof room back there for important business.

Suddenly he heard Jin-Ae shouting at someone and a naked girl…

"No, woman. These are all grown women," Sostrate reminded himself. He had been reminding himself a lot on this flight.

…ran past him in the corridor. A salt and pepper Russian man with an undone fly and poorly concealed unfinished business came forward and rather roughly pulled her by the arm back to his seat. He understood it was a political marriage because his mother's brother was a general of some kind, but Aunt Blanca could have done better.

Sostrate put headphones on and stared with great interest out the window.


In the rear suite, Jin-Ae sat down and was presented with a tablet.

"(With regards from your future father-in-law,)" the butler said.

Jin-Ae started the video.

It was a montage of everything that had happed to Sugar Petal. She smiled eagerly, but it slowly drifted to a frown. Then she gripped the tablet causing a rainbow distortion around her thumbs.

It got to the part where she started singing with Michael and Jin-Ae stood up.

"(No! No! No!)" she said throwing the tablet against the hull. It shook the false wall and a mirror went crooked. "(I want that Northern whore BROKEN before we ALLOW her the blessing of death! I do not want to look at a smiling corpse when I am delivered her head!)" She walked up to the shaking butler, "(Send that video directly to Grandfather and Father and have them order that illegitimate bastard I want her a soulless doll like every other bitch under my family. I want EVERYONE in the world to witness what happens when you insult a Nahm!)"

Jin-Ae looked in a crooked mirror, straightened her hair, and walked out smiling like nothing happened.


Later, on Berapi beach…

The moon was up. Sam was fast asleep after stumbling into camp with several coconuts. He had discovered a way to rip them open with the sharpened end of the fishing spear then crack the shells with a rock.

"There's no way in hell he randomly thought of that," Becky said, hollowing out another coconut. "He's been holding out on us."

"Sam's not that dumb," Michael said. "He probably saw it once as a kid and his brain pulled it out of the dumpster. He was passed out for hours."

"He ate something and you know it," Becky gripped. She looked over at the discarded shells. "Can't wait to see his face in the morning when he realizes we ate everything without him. Serves him right."

Michael put his empty shell aside. "Now that we finally have food again, we can start looking for Vegeta's camp again in a few days."

He leaned back onto his hands. "We need to keep Sam with us. If he is passing out like we made Sugar Petal, then he's in real danger of leaving for Vegeta's camp. The little paranoia I put in his head the first day won't stand up to delirium." He looked at Becky. "No matter what happens the next few days, don't go psycho. No attacking either of us, no threats, nothing. We have to make Sam feel comfortable for him to stay here."

"I am not psycho," Becky half shouted pointing at him.

They heard Sam moan. They looked and saw him shift position, but not wake up.

Go back to bed Becky," he ordered. "I'll stack the fire."

"Stop ordering me around like fucking room service," she muttered. She crawled over and unrolled Hassim's rug and curled up on it.

Michael sighed quietly and looked up at the moon. He thought he saw a small black circle in front of it blocking some of the light before it moved.

Assuming he saw a satellite, Michael fell asleep next to the fire.