The focus is on the sun just cresting over the horizon before shifting to the outside of the loser cabin. Iris exits the girl's side, looking upset but determined. She walks over to the boy's side and opens the door. A look of shock comes over her face as the focus cuts inside to show Hunter is in his pajamas on one of the bunk beds. "Sorry I didn't think anyone would be in here. I figured Eli invited you to the winner's cabin."
"He did, and I chose to sleep here anyway. I don't want to be around him." Hunter admitted. "So why were you breaking into the boy's side?"
"I thought maybe Eli would have slipped up and left something important here. Something I could use against him." Iris said.
"As far as I know, no he hasn't." Hunter deadpanned.
There was an awkward silence for several moments as the two contestants thought about their situation. "So this is awkward..." Hunter noted.
"Yeah, I've been against you most of the game." the ginger said.
"Sorry I didn't see it sooner. I was so wrapped up in my own head I didn't even notice until later." The musician admitted.
"it's Okay, I don't know what you were going through, but from the sounds of it, it was pretty big." Iris told him.
Silence again as they absorbed this new information. "So, Regina seems to think you'll be willing to team up with me to take Eli down?"
Hunter gained a determined look. "Absolutely, after the way he's been screwing Jamie over the past few challenges, I have to help. For his sake."
Iris sighed. "Honestly I feel the same. At first, I just wanted to solve the mystery, but at this point it's gotten personal. I've lost all of my friends to Eli. I don't even know why he's so fixated on it."
Hunter nodded. "Maybe it's a coincidence, but its happened so much it seems unlikely."
"So I can count on you to do everything you can to take down Eli?" Iris asked.
"Of course." Hunter agreed.,
Iris gave him a bitter smile and exited the cabin. She walked into the woods, clearly lost in thought when she ran right into someone. She felt herself get caught before she hit the ground, and that was when she heard a familiar voice. "Iris? I was hoping to run into you."
Iris swallowed and opened her eyes to see the one who had caught her was Daniel. "What are you doing here?"
Daniel sighed. "Look, all of the interns have been under suspicion for helping a contestant. My boss warned me to stay away from you. That my relationship with you made me look suspicious and I agree. It does. Especially considering all the friends you've lost. I've still been watching though, and honestly at this point I don't care. I can't stand to see you so upset. Feeling like there's no one for you to turn to. I just wanted you to know I'll be rooting for you to win. Even if I might not see it in person."
Iris frowned. "why wouldn't you see it in person?"
"Look Iris, I was told to stay away from you by my boss. After she'd warned me a few other times. There is no doubt in my mind that when she finds out I've talked to you, and she will, I will become a prime suspect in this whole thing. I don't know what will happen from here. I just know that my conscience feels a lot lighter having done this." The intern said.
Iris slowly nodded. "For what it's worth, its nice to hear. Even if you might not mean it."
Iris walked away, but the focus remained on Daniel as he made his way to the security room. When he entered it was to see that Sara Lynn was there. The look on Daniel's face showed that this was not a surprise to him. His face did become surprised when he saw Indigo was behind her.
"Daniel. I really didn't want to do this. We get along well, and I really do like you, but as you've been seen with Iris again, I have no choice but to suspend your internship until we know who the culprit is. You can stay on the Island, but you are to have nothing to do with challenge set up, or anything show related." Sara Lynn rubbed her temples. " Which is a hassle, because we were already overworked with five of us, and now I have to leave you out?" She sighed. "I'm beyond disappointed in you."
"What's Indigo doing here?" Daniel asked.
"Oh, that's easy. See I was in here cleaning when I saw you meeting up with Iris on one of the cameras. Naturally, I had to tell Sara about it, since it is suspicious." Indigo smirked.
Daniel huffed. "You would snitch on me."
"As much as it pains me to say this, Indigo was right to do what he did." Sara Lynn bit out.
Indigo smiled and moved to drape an arm over Sara Lynn's shoulder, before he could even touch them the cynic snapped. "Touch me and you die." Indigo looked taken aback by this but shrugged and let her get on with it.
As Daniel exited the security room he turned to see Chloe and Ellis with a mop and bucket just outside the door. The moment they realized he was looking they began to mop the floor in an attempt to look busy. Daniel rolled his eyes and walked away. The focus however remained on Chloe and Ellis.
"Do you really think its him?" Ellis asked.
Chloe frowned. "I'm not so sure. I mean, there's a lot more evidence against Daniel than there is against Indigo, but..."
"But what?" The machinic asked.
"But it all feels a little too clean, you know? I mean, think about it. If Daniel really was the culprit, would he really have talked to Iris? Especially when he knew it would incriminate him. The thing about Daniel is that he's sneaky. It's part of the reason he's so suspect. Daniel isn't sloppy, and having this much evidence against him, just doesn't seem like him."
:"True, Daniel is pretty low key." Ellis nodded.
"Also, don't you find it a little suspicious Indigo just happened to be cleaning the security room when Daniel contacted Iris? He's been cleaning the security room a lot lately, almost like he was waiting for an opportunity to get Daniel in trouble. Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean Indigo is the culprit either. We know he doesn't like Daniel, so he could have just wanted to get him in trouble out of spite. Still the more I think about it the more I think Daniel might be innocent." Chloe frowned.
"But what about all the friends Iris has lost? It seems like the culprit has it out for her. That would make more sense if it was Daniel right?" Ellis asked.
:"True, but at the same time, it isn't conclusive evidence."
Silence for a moment then Chloe sighed. "I feel like I'm so close to figuring it out. its infuriating."
Ellis placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Hey, you'll figure it out."
Chloe smiled. "Thanks Ellis."
A/N: A lot of this is build up to the semifinal as well as the reveal of which intern is helping Eli. I hope I've made you psyched for the next chapter!