Survivor: Chaos Cove

Day Seven

Te Dei Tribe

Te Dei's remaining members filed back into camp, carrying an assortment of expressions. Some were angry, others were gleeful, and many were confused.

Kat: (She's grinning widely.) We're back from Tribal and everything worked out. I'm not sure exactly how everythin' went down, but Kristen's still here and that calls for some celebration! The race ain't over yet, but tonight we pulled out ahead.

Like clockwork Mike, seemingly unfazed, started building a fire while the rest of the tribe milled about their tense camp.

"Well, that was a gongshow." Anthony crossed his arms frustratedly, leaning against the shelter. "Anyone want to explain what happened?"

Kristen put up her hands. "I didn't exactly have a choice."

Kristen: Well, somehow I'm still here. Don't know why, or even how, but I stayed over Vanessa. (She stares, downtrodden.) It doesn't feel like I deserved it, since I'm pretty sure something screwy went down. But either way I'm here, and now I have to decide what to do with this second chance.

"Guess you ain't the one we're mad at then," Steve grumbled. "Y'all are real quiet. Did ya forget you'd hafta come back to camp with us after ya flipped?"

Shawn met Steve's glare. "You know me, I've always been about morale. I weighed the options, and flipping was worth it to start winning challenges."

Kat nodded. "It's nothin' against y'all. We wanted to make the tribe better."

"Well, it was a dumbass move." Steve grunted, getting to his feet. "Here I thought I could trust the two a' ya!"

"Fair enough, I guess." Anthony furrowed his brow. "So that means the other two votes were…" He trailed off, turning toward Madison.

Anthony: I thought we had a good plan, but Kat and Shawn clearly had other ideas. They completely blindsided me last night. Well played to them, 'cause they absolutely misted me. But now I know to keep them at arm's length going forward while I figure out how to recover. Let's hope my relationships are strong enough to get my foot in the door.

"Britney and I decided together," Madison affirmed. "Why should we vote with an alliance we're not in? Wasn't a hard choice once it came down to Kristen or Vanessa."

Everyone glanced at Britney for confirmation, who just silently nodded.

"Pff." Steve laughed, his anger thinly-veiled. "Congrats on the big move, you two. Do ya feel good about yerselves? Did you forget about our plan?" he asked Madison.

"Of course not," Madison replied. "I was approached with two deals, and the other one was better." She shrugged. "I'm sure you understand."

"I understand that you screwed me!" Steve started leaving camp, but not before standing up to Shawn. "Congrats! Guess everyone else'll just let ya win challenges 'til the end! Might as well cut you the check now," he grumbled as he stormed off.

Steve: You bet yer ass I'm mad about the vote! That alliance was the best deal Kat n' Shawn were ever gonna get, and they went and crapped all over it. Plus, I thought Madison and I had a good thing goin'! (He huffs angrily.) Whatever. They can explain and apologize 'til pigs fly, but I know not to trust a word they say anymore. We really just need to get a hold of an Idol, then we can swing things our way again.

The rest of the tribe remained silent in his wake, absorbing his words.

Shawn grimaced. "Okay then. Looks like I chose right."

"Looks like it." Anthony lowered himself into the shelter, exhausted. "Well played in any case. It's my bedtime."

"No," Britney said. "There's one more thing we gotta figure out. Who voted for me?"

"I've been wonderin' that too," Kat said. "I didn't think Britney was in the mix last night."

Britney pursed her lips. "Neither did I! So who was it?" she repeated.

Britney: I voted for the person who left again, but I don't feel good about Tribal at all. Someone voted for me, and all my old fears came rushing back. If I can't figure out who it was, I just know they'll take me out next time. (She curls up, teary-eyed.) I thought I was doing pretty good...

A chorus of denials rippled through the tribe. Nobody fessed up.

"So it was Steve then?"

"I doubt it," Anthony said. "At least, he told me he was voting Kristen."

"Then someone here is lying." Britney's face was pale like she'd seen a ghost. "I'm not sleeping until we figure it out."

Anthony rubbed his temple. "I'm pretty sure it's one of you five, 'cause the vote was four-four-one, then four to three. Unless Mike flipped?"

Mike shook his head. "I was never gonna vote anyone but Kristen."

"No offense taken," Kristen said.

"Okay… well?" Britney asked her supposed allies.

"I thought the alliance agreed not to split the votes," Shawn said. "And neither Madison nor Kristen said anything."

"You and I voted Vanessa together to weaken that alliance," Madison lied. "We decided it together, so why would I flip?"

Madison: I actually did vote for Britney last night, even though she wasn't leaving. She was starting to catch on to me, so hopefully my hinky vote throws her off her rhythm a little. When the vote tied, I sided against Vanessa because her alliance had it together far more than the others did. Making Steve mad was a necessary evil; nothing a little damage control can't fix.

"I wanted to save Kristen," Kat said, "and votin' you wouldn't help her."

"And, obviously, I voted Vanessa to save my own butt," Kristen said. "Wasn't me."

Britney anxiously tousled her hair. "Dammit…" She opened her mouth to continue, but only a protracted yawn came out.

"Maybe you should get some sleep first, dear?" Madison asked.

"N-No…"

Britney protested weakly, but she was so tired she couldn't resist even the hard, dirty bamboo floor. Her tribemates took it as a cue to head to bed themselves as Steve returned to camp shivering.

"Not a peep!" he said as he stepped past Shawn, "I'm still mad, it's just really frickin' cold."

"Night, Steve," was Shawn's only response as he too tried to sleep.

Shawn: I've never been good at making hard choices. I'd hate to wake up years from now to regret going right when I should've gone left, you know? But thankfully Steve told me, basically point-blank, that I chose correctly. Apparently I'm on his hitlist. I knew my target wouldn't die with Greg, but at least I know who inherited it.

"You're awfully calm about all this," Kristen said to Mike, still tending the fire, as she followed her tribe to bed. "What gives?"

"I've become a pro at tuning you buggers out once you get to talking game," Mike replied. "Works like a charm."

Nuara Tribe

The sun broke over the ocean, sending ripples of light to shore on the waves amid the salty spray of the sea. Godfrey exited the shelter from his strategically-selected spot at the opening and crept into the jungle.

Godfrey: Now that the preparations for our inaugural Tribal Council are complete, I'm content to allocate additional time to my Idol pursuits. Thus far, my search has been ineffectual; it appears the Survivor deities have tightened their security. (He clicks his tongue.) Quite troubling, considering I've designated more time than anyone else combined to locating that accursed trinket.

Another hour passed before the next person woke, and soon after everyone was awake and scattered. Lukas paced the beach, scanning the sand for stones while Miriam sunbathed nearby as Ryan joined them.

"Hey, have you guys seen Godfrey?" he asked.

"Nope." Lukas skipped a rock to disappointing results. "Balls."

"Me neither," Miriam said. "You actually want to talk to him?"

Miriam: Godfrey's the most pretentious person I've ever met. My eyes glaze over every time he talks. He uses big words constantly, but I'm pretty sure he makes half of them up on the spot. But… I tolerate him. He's the main reason I've got a fighting chance, and I'm not gonna bite the hand that feeds me. Yet.

"He owes me answers." Ryan lowered his voice. "Remember the pact he made with us the other day? To get out Stella? Well Stella and I had an alliance with him. Now he won't even talk to me."

"For real?" Lukas asked. "What's up with that?"

"Talk about bad taste." Miriam smirked. "Good thing he came around though."

"Why couldn't he have picked someone we weren't aligned with?" Ryan said.

Lukas laughed bitterly. "Dude, I don't get anything these people do. In the Roadshow I'm, like, the center of attention. The main attraction. Y'know? But no one here gives a crap about that." He shrugged. "It's super weird."

Lukas: Not gonna lie, I've been missin' you hardcore, bros. It's always better when I've got you guys in my corner. Out here I've got my girl Miriam and my right-hand man Ryan, and… that's about it. I don't have too many fans, and we'll say things are 'complicated' with Ruby. But I'm still kickin', and that's what matters!

"Yeah, we're something alright." Ryan chuckled, calmer now. "But I'm iffy about the alliance we have, so you should really try to broaden your horizons."

"I dunno…" Lukas threw another rock and, this time, it skipped a whopping five times. "Maybe you're right bro. I'm down with getting out Stella, but that Godfrey thing is wack."

"Did you guys forget that they're voting me out?" Miriam glared at them. "Why should I go crawling back to people who don't even want me here in the first place?"

Ryan winced. "I wouldn't call it that. Plus, you're actually not the target anymore…" He described the previous day's events to shocked faces.

Ryan: We're a week in, and my head is spinning. The target changes daily and I'm having enough trouble keeping track of these people let alone actually influencing them. Today it's between Godfrey and Stella, two of my allies, and they're targeting each other, which is just... (He sighs in resignation.) But who knows? It'll probably be different people tomorrow. All I can do is hold on for dear life.

Miriam blinked. "Well, whoopdy-freakin'-doo."

xxx

Nuara spent their morning in groups, doing odd jobs around camp. Alexander, Ruby and Stella collected palm fronds for the shelter's roof.

"So what's the word around camp?" Alexander asked them from the ground. "Still Miriam?"

Ruby and Stella, on the tree, shared a glance.

Ruby: I don't trust Alex. He works hard enough around camp, but he's got a sneaky side that I only just noticed. I know that he's in Godfrey's alliance, but he's never mentioned it to me despite always wanting to talk strategy. (She rolls her eyes.) Either way, he's probably not going anywhere, so I gotta try to flip him.

"It's looking like it'll be Godfrey now," Ruby said. "He's super sketchy and nobody knows what he's thinking."

Alexander's eyes bulged. "That's new! He has been sketchy, though. Do you have the votes?"

Stella nodded quickly. "With you, we do."

"Then yeah, sure!"

Alexander: Let's see if I've got this straight. First Stella went after Isabelle, then Ruby targeted Miriam, then we made an alliance to boot Stella. And now Godfrey's the target? (He scratches his head.) I think? Jeez, there's a new plan every day. I'm just gonna agree with each one of them until I figure out what's best for my game.

xxx

On the other side, Isabelle, Marta and Victor were on their way back from berry-picking.

"Sour one." Marta cringed and shut her eyes. "What I'd give for some home cookin' right now."

"They're not the best." Victor spat one out. "Tell ya what though, back home Tess could whip these into the best wildberry pie you ever had."

"Certainly she could." Isabelle snickered. "You have a sweet tooth Victor?"

Victor's expression hardened. "N-No, don't be ridiculous."

They returned to camp laughing at the same time as the others and mingled. Stella noticed Isabelle, approached her and whispered in her ear: "Water well. Five minutes."

Stella was already waiting there, arms crossed, when Isabelle arrived. "Is something the matter?"

Isabelle: It has been a difficult week thus far, but I believe I am meshing in with the tribe now. People appear happy to keep me around and I was even invited to an alliance! That is a good sign, yes? But there is still one person's mind left to change: Stella. But I believe there is hope there.

"I don't get you, girl. That info was legit." Stella shook her head, confused. "Didn't you realize I was the one throwin' your name out?"

"I knew. I wanted to show that I'm not who you think." Isabelle clasped her hands together. "I have no prejudice for anyone, no matter their appearance."

Stella recoiled. "What? I don't think you're racist! I wanted you gone 'cuz this is a game for money and you got more than anyone."

"Wait, really? All this time…"

"Do you know what that prize would mean to me? I could change my life with a fraction of it. And I could change the lives of everyone I know. That's huge." Stella stepped forward. "Your bank account's probably already that big. And you could probably get more just by askin' your daddy."

Isabelle looked down. "You are not wrong."

"So why are you here? Why should you stay over people who need it?"

"I… don't know. You certainly deserve it more than me from most perspectives." Isabelle clenched her fists. "But that is precisely why I am here! I have everything, but I have earned nothing. And I want to prove that I really am capable."

Stella crossed her arms. "Right."

Stella: (She's resting her chin on her fist, contemplating.) Maybe I misjudged Isabelle. I've been after her since the start and she ain't badmouthed me once. I don't regret targetin' her, but I coulda been nicer about it. Besides, there's others who I want out more, so if she's gonna stick around I should probably be civil with her.

"But I do not need to win. If it will help, I will help you win. You deserve it."

"No way. I don't want no charity. I can win myself."

"Then are you open to a truce?" Isabelle held out a hand. "Let us end this."

Stella considered it for a long time, before taking it. "Fine. You win. Let's take Godfrey's ass out."

Te Dei Tribe

In the morning Mike, having lost no sleep over Tribal, woke up his tribemates at dawn. After some complaining, they all got up and did things.

Britney rubbed her red eyes as she unsteadily helped Madison refill canteens.

"You don't look so good," Madison observed. "How'd you sleep?"

"I didn't. Couldn't stop thinking about Tribal."

Madison sighed. "Sorry to hear it."

Madison: My plan is working so far! Britney is paranoid, suspicious and sleep-deprived. I know from experience that's no state for making rational choices, which is exactly how I wanted her. (She grins mischievously.) Now, to get her back on my side, no matter what it takes.

"What I want to know is," Madison said to fill the ensuing silence, "what do we do next?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Britney met Madison's eyes with a determined glare. "First we need to figure out who voted for me."

"Well-"

"It wasn't you, was it?"

"Of course not," Madison answered confidently. "I would never."

Britney stared for a moment, then returned to work. "Okay."

Britney: Madison told me she didn't vote for me. I don't believe her completely, considering how smart she is, but I can't just disavow her if I wanna get to the bottom of this either. …Honestly, I have no idea who to trust. I'll hear Madison out, and everyone else too, and compare notes. Hopefully I can figure this out before they get me out.

"Who do you think it was, anyway?" Britney asked. "I don't know where to start."

"Good question." Madison held her finger to her chin. "I'm pretty sure it wasn't Kristen. Maybe Kat or Shawn were having second thoughts about flipping?"

"You don't think Shawn would've voted for me, do you?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." She pretended to hesitate before adding, "It's definitely a possibility though."

Britney groaned loudly. "I'm gonna promise you right now. Whoever it was? I'm voting them out. Are you with me?"

"…Of course, dear."

xxx

Mike, for his part, went to check his snares to find that they still hadn't caught anything. Anthony joined him and brought a reluctant Steve along.

Anthony: It's safe to say that our day two alliance is dead. Things are very up-in-the-air right now and I need to get to work if I don't want to be left in the dust. I decided to start with Mike and Steve – they haven't been especially helpful since Tribal, but they're my closest allies now and we need to get on the same page.

"I don't get it," Mike said. "I see rabbits and other little buggers all the time. Why aren't they getting caught?"

"Maybe you need some kinda bait?" Steve suggested. "We don't got any carrots 'round here, do we?"

Mike shook his head. "There isn't anything around here to use, mate. I checked."

"Well you better figure it out, then! Dammit, I been lookin' forward to eating some real meat."

"Guys, we have bigger fish to fry," Anthony said. "We're sitting ducks right now – there's nothing stopping the others from picking us off one-by-one. So what do we do?"

"You're just making me more hungry, talking about ducks and fish," Mike said. "You know I don't care about that. Do what you's want. That's what I've been doing!"

Mike: I don't give a koala's arse about the votes, but mine's always been about whoever's holding the team back. First it was Greg, then Kristen. If Kristen doesn't smarten up, I'll vote her off again. But maybe someone else will bung it up, and I'll vote them instead. That's as much as I ever think about it, and that's how I like it! These dags can play their – (he makes air-quotes) – "game" without me.

Anthony slumped his shoulders. "We really need your help this time, Mike. Would you at least consider voting with us?"

"…Maybe. Who are you thinking?"

"I wanna get Shawn out," Steve said, "but yer never gonna agree to that."

"Not a chance, mate."

Steve grumbled, indistinct.

"What about Kat?" Anthony asked. "I think she's the one running things for them anyway."

"Yeah, maybe," Steve said. "Her or Madison, the damn traitors." He looked at Mike. "Well?"

Mike blew him off. "Come back when you've made up your mind." He grabbed his snare, dissatisfied, and left for camp.

"Ugh." Steve kicked at the rocks. "Can't rely on nobody 'round here."

"It's fine," Anthony said. "Their alliance isn't tight, I know we can find a crack."

"Easier said than done, brother! They're all a bunch 'a liars. I wouldn't trust a word they say."

"I know, Steve, but we don't have much of a choice." Anthony grabbed Steve's shoulders. "We're in survival mode right now. Be as angry as you like but you have to at least talk to the others."

Steve removed Anthony's hands, ready to complain, but instead he gruffly sighed. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. I'm a lotta things but I ain't no quitter, that's for damn sure."

Steve: I've always been a straight shooter. Whether I like ya or hate ya, you know it, and that's the kinda people I get on with back home. I know you gotta be sneakier than that here but – (he throws up a hand.) – hell, am I bad at it. At least I've still got Anthony on my side keepin' us focused. The game ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!

"Glad to hear. We've got our work cut out for us, and I know exactly where I'm going to start."

xxx

Britney sat alone against a tree, dozing off, until Anthony approached her. "Taking a break?" he asked.

"…Huh?" Britney looked up, dazed, then shot up. "I'm still working! I was just-"

"Britney, it's fine." Anthony sat against another tree and beckoned her to join him. "What's on your mind?"

She did. "I'm scared, 'cuz someone's after me and I don't know who. …Can I really trust you?"

Anthony nodded. "Of course. The alliance is done, and I'm closer to you than anyone on your side."

Anthony: Britney might be our ticket out of the minority. She trusts me way more than she trusts anyone on the other side, and for good reason if you ask me. But the most important thing is that she could be a crucial number for us. There's still hope. (He chuckles lightly.) I wanna say 'keep hope alive,' but that's not the kind of Survivor legend I want to invoke here…

Britney chuckled bitterly. "Same here. Look, I just wanna figure out who voted for me and get them out before they get me out." She looked up to Anthony, resolute. "Will you help me?"

"That's music to my ears." Anthony put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

Britney smiled. "Thank you."

Nuara Tribe

"Rubes, you got a minute?"

Lukas: My convo with Ryan, the one about broad horizons or whatever, really got me thinking. I've been going with the flow, but the 'flow' is really this crazy current that changes all the time. What if people come for me next? That's no good, dude. So I hit Ruby up to hopefully resync and maybe make our own flow.

Crrrrack! Ruby shaved kindling off a log slowly but firmly, and only afterward looked up. "'Sup?"

"You know how you went after Miriam the other day?" Lukas leaned against a atree. "That wasn't cool, my dude. What about our deal?"

"We had a deal, to protect each other and the other big threats." With a deft chop she wedged the machete in place. "I made no such deal with Miriam, because she's our weak link.

Lukas scoffed. "She is not. There's way weaker people than her!"

"But you targeted Stella." Ruby put her hands on her hips. "If we're trying to pull together the strong players, then she's next."

Lukas considered that. "Damn, I guess she would be." He rubbed his forehead in thought. "Should we make this an actual thing? And get out people we aren't with?"

"…Yeah." Ruby nodded. "Good idea. Let's get Stella and make it official."

Ruby: For once, Lukas is right. Our best bet as threats is to work together officially. I don't know how well Lukas and Stella will get along, but I'm not worried about my game either way. Let's be real – this tribe needs me. But I can't start slacking off either. It's easy to screw a good spot up, especially when you're as threatening as I am, so I'll do what I gotta to get those two in line.

"By the way," Ruby said, "Godfrey's the vote now. Miriam's safe."

Lukas grinned. "So I heard."

The two pulled Stella aside and explained their strategy. She listened intently, arms crossed.

"Basically," Ruby said, "I want to bring the strongest players to the end. You in?"

"Yeah, it sounds like a plan," Stella replied. "We're still gettin' out Godfrey though, right?"

"A hundred percent," Ruby said while Lukas said: "Eh, we'll see."

They looked at each other in surprise.

"We're voting out Godfrey," Ruby asserted. "Before he sets his sights on me."

"It don't feel too good!" Stella confirmed. "Why'd you ever want to keep him around anyway?"

"Aren't we trying to target the weakest people?" Lukas shrugged. "Dude's the best at puzzles. What about the boomers, Marta and Victor?"

Stella pointed her thumb to the beach. "I'd take out Miriam before either of them. Godfrey's my compromise, and that's that about that."

Stella: This threat alliance ain't nothin' to me. I'm fine with Ruby, and keepin' threats around ain't a bad strategy, but Lukas is the last person I wanna work with. He was happy to target me, and apparently Marta's on his radar now too. Other than myself and my brothers and sisters back home, she's my alliance, and if anyone tries to come at either of us, they're done. (She draws her thumb across her neck.)

Lukas looked to Ruby for support but wordlessly she took Stella's side.

He backed off. "Alright, geez. Godfrey it is."

xxx

Ryan approached the shelter, where Marta and Victor were resting. "Have you guys seen Godfrey anywhere? He's been gone all day."

"Negative." Victor kicked back. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Actually… we're talking about voting him off if we lose," Marta said, sheepish. "I know you're close with him, but we ain't tryin' to blindside you."

Marta: (She laughs.) We might be the most dysfunctional tribe in Survivor history. Sometimes my kids drive me up the wall, but they ain't nothing like this. And out here, the biggest hellraiser is Godfrey, with all his schemin' and plottin'. Still, this is a social game at its core and I'm sure Godfrey's made more than six enemies. Fingers crossed that nothin' messes that up.

"Stella told me." Ryan chuckled, exasperated. "I'm more than fine with it. But nobody's seen him all day – I think he's out Idol hunting."

Marta's eyebrows raised. "That ain't good. What do we do?"

"Nothing." Victor waved dismissively. "If he's looking, it means he hasn't found it yet."

Marta sighed. "Let's hope."

Ryan thanked them and continued into the jungle. He checked each snaking path meticulously, but he finally spotted Godfrey way on the outskirts, his arm inside a misshapen tree. "There you are!"

Godfrey's expression transformed as he strained, his face against the tree, but eventually he gave up and pulled his hand. "Splendid afternoon, my boy. What brings you so far afield?"

Ryan: Godfrey was my first ally, I've been going through all the possible scenarios for when I finally talk to him, all the questions I have and his possible answers. Who are you loyal to? What's your real strategy? Why should I trust you? But I still don't feel ready. What if he plays mind-games with or turns on me? (He's quiet for some time.) Man, I have the worst taste in allies.

"I came to ask you that, but I think I got my answer."

"Well, I'm simply attempting to secure our alliance's safety." Godfrey frowned. "Unfortunately, the Idol defies discovery."

Ryan didn't accept that. "Which alliance? Didn't we have one with Stella?"

"We did, and it was a miscalculation." Godfrey spoke matter-of-factly. "You see, she's a terrible ally. She spoke awfully of you and constantly suggested blindsiding you."

"And you're just telling me this now?"

"I would've informed you sooner, but it would've injured your feelings. Regardless, you're my greatest confidant, so it's of utmost importance for us to blindside her posthaste while the numbers are ours."

Ryan rubbed his eyes, trying to process everything. "Then why tell Victor? He told everyone, and now they're voting for you."

Godfrey blinked. "Excuse?" But he raced off before Ryan could elaborate.

Godfrey: Victor, you two-timing imbecile! Together we could have commanded this tribe and controlled this game, but no. Instead you chose to dispense with everything I've built for us, and for what? Short-term influence? (Godfrey grins, sinister.) Well, no matter. I desired to be taken seriously anyway. And if you've surmised you're capable of facing me, then I'll demonstrate precisely how serious I am.

Within fifteen minutes he'd assembled Alexander, Isabelle, Lukas and Miriam once again. Ryan arrived shortly after, breathless.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I gathered you here," Godfrey said to his mostly confused audience. "The plan has been modified. Our new target is the person who's been pulling the strings in the background all along."

The alliance murmured among each other.

"Our new target is… Victor."

Te Dei Tribe

Steve whiled the afternoon away doing odd jobs to avoid the others. Several times, he nearly approached Madison before psyching himself out and running away.

Steve: (He rubs his neck, ashamed.) I feel like young Stevie again, tryin' 'a talk to a girl I like but not havin' the gonads to do it. But dammit, I came here to win the big bucks, and I ain't winnin' crap if I ain't willin' to make amends. I already took too long, stewin' in my anger, but the game's gotta come first. Here I come, psychic!

This time was different. He tapped her on the shoulder while she meditated. "Heya."

Madison looked over her shoulder. "Steve! I missed you, I'm glad you came by. How are you?"

"Better 'n last night. Got anythin' you wanna say to me?"

"Am I supposed to say something?"

"Don't push yer luck," Steve growled. "I'm still mad atcha!"

"Okay, fine." Madison sighed, turning to face him. "I'm sorry I blindsided you. But I wasn't going to go against our duo. From my perspective it made more sense to vote Vanessa."

Madison: I was worried for a bit there! Steve didn't talk to me all day, but thankfully all it took to bring him back around was some time and a little ass-kissing. He might not look like it, but he's got some wheels turning in that head of his. He's smart enough to know he needs me. …And thank goodness, because I need him too.

"But I thought you wanted Shawn out. Now we can't do that, and I don't even know what half the tribe is thinkin'. I'm a dead man walking!"

"You sure about that? I have Britney, and us plus you guys is five. We're good." Madison smirked. "And the best part? She has no idea I was the one who voted for her."

"Wait, that was you?" Steve's frown curled upward, and he laughed alongside the psychic. "That's purdy smart, props to ya."

"Right? So, are we good?'

"Yeah, we're good."

xxx

On the other end of their tribe's jungle, Kat and Kristen picked berries together while Shawn climbed a nearby tree to drop its coconuts.

Shawn: If nothing else, our tribe has hit its stride when it comes to camp work. There's a lot to do, but everyone's got their preferred jobs and it all gets done. Then we come together in a rockin' shelter behind the fire. It's the dream. At least it would be the dream – (he sighs) – but this tribe is as fractured as can be. So much for unity.

"Keep up the great work!" Kat said.

"How are you so good at climbing?" Kristen asked him. "I couldn't climb a tree to save my life."

"Have you ever tried?" Shawn countered as he walked past her.

"No way." Kristen looked on as Shawn shimmied up the next one. "I like the ground too much."

"I've been climbing trees since I was little," Shawn called from as high up as the tree could support, overlooking the ocean. "There's nothing better than struggling to the top and looking across at a view that you had to earn."

He slid back down and extended a hand. "Wanna try?"

Kristen laughed nervously. "Maybe another time. I'm not trying to get medevac'ed today."

Kristen: Shawn is so perfect… and I absolutely can't stand it. Nobody'sthat perfect. You don't usually have to dig very deep to find a person's flaws. Just look at me – they almost voted me off last night for a reason. But try as I might, I haven't found anything wrong with him. Maybe he really is just a relentlessly good guy?

"All good." Shawn went to climb the next tree but instead yelled in surprise when he saw Britney laying against it.

She yelled in response, making Kat and Kristen come running. When everyone calmed down, Britney apologized and explained her plight. "I can't rest until I figure out who did it. Was it any of you?"

The trio reiterated their denials.

Britney frustratedly threw a hand up. "Madison said the same exact things. How can I trust you?"

"I mean, I trusted them," Kristen said, "and I'm still here. At this point I'm pretty sure you're looking for Madison."

"You really think so?"

Kat nodded. "That's all that makes sense. Honestly, now that we're together, I was hopin' we could make an official alliance. I feel way better about y'all than I ever did about the other one."

Kat: Last night's vote is affectin' Britney a lot more than I expected. Hopefully offerin' her an alliance is enough to calm her down and convince her we're on her side. 'Cause we are! And if she's in, we're sittin' pretty! (She crosses her arms triumphantly.) That's half the tribe and, no matter what we wanna do from here, I'm sure we can pull a fifth.

"Really?" Kristen turned in surprise. "Yeah, I guess I'm down."

"Same here," Shawn said. "I trust you guys. Britney?"

"Let's do it!" Britney nodded emphatically. "But on one condition: we vote out Madison first."

"Can we please?" Kristen said. "I've never trusted psychics and I'm not going to start now."

Shawn frowned. "I'd rather get out Steve. He's never going to stop trying to get me out and I don't want to have to deal with that."

"Well, at least we know what he wants." Britney replied. "Who knows what Madison's thinking? I thought I was close with her, and now look."

Britney: I've talked with all my 'suspects' and gathered the 'evidence,' and it all seems to point to one thing. (She looks away, downcast.) Madison voted for me. Madison said it was one of Shawn and Kat, but they're backing each other up and blaming Madison. And there's no way they're all playing me, right? I just don't get why she lied to my face. I wish I was wrong, but the numbers don't lie.

"I gotta agree with Britney there," Kat said. "The devil we know versus the devil we don't."

"Plus if we go after Madison," Kristen added, "the guys might go along with us. Can't say the same for Madison if we target Steve."

"Gah…" Shawn clenched his jaw. "I don't like it, but I got nothing. Madison it is."

Shawn: Man, this game is so frustrating sometimes. Steve openly wants me gone but my alliance still wants to keep him over Madison. These are my closest allies, and I'm still at the mercy of who they want out. I gotta try to be grateful there are people that want to work with me at all, but they're not giving me much room to maneuver. Guess I really am on my own out here.

Britney smiled brightly. "Thank you, Shawn."

"Great!" Kat clapped once. "We got a plan. Now let's make it happen."

Nuara Tribe

"Our new target is… Victor." Before anyone could protest, Godfrey continued. "He's the true puppetmaster of Nuara. From the outset, he would utter lies about you, Isabelle, to Stella, while simultaneously voicing disdain for Stella to you, thus intensifying your conflict. Isn't that right?"

"Maybe?" Isabelle said. "I never-"

"And Miriam. After the sumo challenge, Victor commented endlessly on your unfortunate performance, thus drawing attention away from his age and weakness and ensuring Ruby would target you."

Miriam scowled. "Figures."

"As such, I believe it's ideal for all our games to eliminate him now." Godfrey adjusted his glasses. "Thoughts?"

The alliance absorbed all the new information. Lukas was the first to speak. "Hell yeah, bro, it's on!" He rubbed his hands excitedly. "Let's do it!"

Lukas: (He mimics his mind blowing, making the appropriate sound effects with his mouth.) Dude, I can't believe I never thought of taking out Victor. He totally hates my guts, sucks in competitions, and he'll probably croak before the game's over anyway. And, maybe it's just me, but the mans gives off the worst vibes. Y'know, you're allowed to enjoy life, my dude.

"I'd rather just get out Ruby." Miriam's nostrils flared. "She's the one coming after me."

"All in due time, Miriam," Godfrey replied. "We'll regret retaining Victor any longer than necessary."

Miriam looked down, unsure. "If you say so…"

Miriam: So the vote's between Godfrey and old man Vic now? Honestly, I don't really care which one goes. I'm just glad I'm safe now. (She shakes her head.) I don't get why we can't just get Ruby out, though. She's, like, a threat or whatever. Isn't that the best thing to do? Maybe Godfrey thinks he's a genius, but to me he just looks kinda stupid.

The others gave similar replies, so Godfrey nodded to everyone, said: "Alas, I must go and ensure the Idol doesn't fall into the wrong hands," and left.

Ryan didn't bother chasing Godfrey again."I can't believe him," he muttered.

"Whatever," Miriam said. "I'm going back to the beach."

Lukas joined her excitedly. "Later dudes!"

"Am I the only one who is… uncomfortable with this turn of events?" Isabelle asked the boys who stayed, choosing her words carefully.

Isabelle: There are plenty of choices available to me for when we vote, but the correct one seems to be fairly obvious. While Godfrey's pact is the closest thing I've had to an alliance, I have never liked his plans. I took issue with voting Stella because we now have our truce, and Victor has always been good to me. Above all, however, I simply would rather do without Godfrey's… erratic leadership.

Alexander let out a breath of relief. "Oh, good, it's not just me. I was going along with it just in case, but I don't really want to lose Victor."

"Yeah," Ryan agreed. "I'm tired of this. Godfrey only changed the vote because Victor talked and now everyone's voting for him. We should just join them and get Godfrey out."

Isabelle nodded. "I would support that."

"Yeah, that's probably the right play here." Alexander grinned. "Unless we-"

"No!" Ryan held a hand up to stop him. "I'm not doing another 'unless'!"

Alexander laughed. "Just kidding!"

xxx

Alexander: Welp, things took another turn today. Godfrey's trying to get us to vote Victor off, but that doesn't work for me. I didn't mind doing Stella. (He rubs his neck, chuckling nervously.) She kinda scares me, anyway. But I still have a lot more to learn from Victor, so I need him. In fact, I'm gonna go tip him off right now. Hopefully that'll score me some brownie points with him.

Victor was whittling away at a block of wood when Alexander interrupted him.

"Hey, Vic!" Alexander got in Victor's face. "I've got something important to tell you!"

"Oh?" Victor looked up. "You're finally gonna tell me about Godfrey's little alliance?" He grinned. "Took ya long enough."

Alexander blanched. "…You knew?"

"Course I knew. Everyone knows. Word travels fast when people can't keep their mouths shut."

"Well, uh, you see," Alexander stammered. "I was planning on telling-"

"Save it, kid." Victor waved dismissively. "I get it. The rush of the blindside and all that. But did you really see yourself working with those guys long-term?"

"Some of them, I guess." Alexander shrugged. "I didn't really think about it."

Victor clicked his tongue. "Bad idea. That's your mistake. You always gotta think ahead in this game. Who can you rely on down the line? Always have a plan – if you boot the wrong person you can get screwed."

"Well, what's your long-term plan?"

"I just wanna keep people around that I can trust. Stella's honest to a fault, unlike someone like Godfrey who God only knows what goes on in his head. You were on that list, but I'm starting to have doubts."

Alexander's eyes widened. "No! Look, you're right, I messed up. I should've told you sooner. But that wasn't the info. The info was…" He had to steel himself before continuing. "Godfrey's actually trying to get you out now."

Now it was Victor's turn to be shaken. "Are you kidding me?"

Alexander shook his head.

"Freakin' hell. That's not good." Victor rubbed his forehead. "Not good at all. Thanks for letting me know."

Victor: So I'm Godfrey's new target. Dammit… I shouldn't be too surprised considering I'm the one that blabbed, and I'm pretty sure I've got the numbers, but I still don't like being in danger. I don't think he has an Idol, but Goddamn, if I get blindsided by the likes of Godfrey it'd be unbearable. At least Alex is making himself useful. Maybe it'll actually be worth it, imparting a little wisdom on him.

xxx

Nine tenths of Nuara had gathered by the campfire as the sun set, eating paltry servings of rice and enjoying light conversation. The conversation died, though, when Godfrey joined the group and took his share. As he got comfortable, he met Victor's incisive gaze, but neither said a word. The awkwardness was palpable to the rest of the tribe, and in just a few minutes everyone retired to the shelter.

Godfrey: Unfortunately, I've surfaced as an elimination option much sooner than I would've preferred, and I was unsuccessful in my quest for the Idol today. (He grins mischievously.) However, I am not without recourse. I have my alliance supporting me, and the mere inkling that I may possess the idol should be enough to sway the votes against Victor, that treacherous buffoon.