Previously on Total Drama: Express Tour! Our contestants arrived in Athens, Greece, where they competed in the nine events of the first Olympics. We witnessed epic showdowns between Ashley, Jennifer, Lucy, and Charlotte, ridiculous duels between Gretchen and Mac, and closed with an anticlimactic duel between Liam and Harlan. At the elimination ceremony, Harvey left us with an inspirational speech. New teams were formed: Mac and Jennifer, and Lucy and Charlotte, unexpected duos hunting for the Bermuda Triangle. Will they discover it? Only 13 contestants remain. Who's next to go? Find out in this episode of Total Drama Express Tour!
Two days have passed since the train left Athens, days that were rather dull and cold on the train for multiple reasons. Even Ashley had been somewhat down, with the music from her speakers barely audible through the walls of the wagon. It's eleven at night and all the lights are off. Lucy walks through the train, tracing her finger along the foggy windows, leaving a long trail, until she reaches her destination, the girls' compartment in the luxury wagon.
"Night, girls," says Lucy.
"Hi Lucy!" shouts Barbara, poking her head out from her bunk.
"We're throwing a party in the new game room, wanna join?" Lucy asks.
"You're the last person I thought would invite me to a party," says Cordelia.
"What can I say? Even I need to have fun in times like these," Lucy replies, not sounding entirely honest.
"Come on, girls, we've got to have some fun!" exclaims Barbara. "Remember how much fun we had at the first party on the train?"
"No, because I wasn't there," says Jennifer, looking up from her usual reading. "I'll pass, thanks."
"Well, your loss," says Barbara, jumping down from her bed and opening her suitcase to start getting ready. "I haven't even seen the new game room yet!"
"I think it's sad they removed the paintings Celia made, but I'm also excited," admits Corey, getting up as well. "Come on, Jen, a little relaxation wouldn't hurt."
As Cordelia speaks, Jennifer hides her face even more with her book.
"Um... I'll think about it, sure."
"Great!" cheers Cordelia.
"Just one question, is Liam there?" Barbara asks, raising her eyebrows.
"I don't think so, no one's seen him since the day before yesterday," says Lucy, crossing her arms.
"I think I saw him last night heading to the kitchen, but it could have easily been a ghost," adds Corey.
"I hope he's okay," Barbara says sadly while combing her hair. "Corey, should we go with pink or white?"
"I was just going to wear my usual clothes."
"Hmm... Then I'll have to rethink my outfit," says Barbara, placing her index finger on her chin.
"I'm going to the bathroom and I'll be right back," says Jennifer, leaving her book on her bed.
Jennifer exits the compartment and walks towards the bathroom in the luxury carriage, equipped with a large bathtub and a beautiful vanity with all kinds of beauty products. She stares at herself in the mirror, examining her face, then rubs her eyes trying to cover her dark circles as best as she can. She fixes her curly hair and arranges her shirt and vest perfectly. It takes her quite some time, but she finally feels satisfied with her reflection.
Confessional
Jennifer — I don't usually care much about my appearance, but I thought today was... I don't know, important?
The girl exits the bathroom and walks to the food bar in the luxury wagon, ready to drink some water. At the bar, she encounters Spencer and Mac, who are sitting and drinking soda.
"Hey, Jen! Good evening! You look very joyful, you'd normally be all gloomy reading in a chair," says Spencer, throwing his arms up.
"Um... Thanks?" Jennifer replies.
"I know! That means you should come to the party! We're heading just now!" Spencer shouts.
"No... I mean, yes, but..."
"My friend Mac is also coming! Tonight's going to be great!" Spencer puts his arm around Mac, who looks at Jennifer uncomfortably.
"Yeah, I'm off to my monthly session of being a wallflower for a few hours," admits Mac, taking a sip of his soda.
"Alright, well... See you there," Jennifer nods.
Then, the door of the men's compartment slams open. Through it walks the dejected figure once known as Liam. The Asian boy now simply wears a white robe, and his once neat and chiseled face is now covered in stubble.
"Hey guys," he says softly as he hurries to the food bar, opens the fridge, and grabs a box of ice cream.
"Liam! Buddy, we were actually going to invi—" Mac begins, but is quickly cut off by his friend.
"I'm fine. We'll win the next challenge. Don't worry, I'm fine." Liam quickly walks back to his compartment and slams the door shut.
"God, it's so depressing to see him like this," says Mac.
"I'm more interested in how he managed to grow a beard in two days," Spencer says, putting his hand to his face.
Confessional
Mac — Normally Liam's the one who hypes me up, so seeing him so down makes me feel... sadder. It's like seeing Superman lose a battle, it shouldn't happen!
Liam — (in a supremely monotone tone) I'm fine, really. I've dedicated my last few days to some very interesting things; I didn't know I was good at crosswords.
"Alright, are you ready?" Mac asks Jennifer.
"I guess. I've never really been to a party... do we have to pay to get in?" Jennifer asks.
"Normally yes, but I don't think they'll charge us," says Mac, walking towards the game room located in the old Amazons team carriage.
"That's good, because I don't have a penny," says Spencer, finishing his soda in one gulp.
Upon arriving at the wagon, they are surprised to find it filled with all the contestants (except Liam). The game room is equipped with all kinds of luxuries for the contestants: a couple of pool tables, a ping pong table, a poker table with five chairs around it, and a small area with various bean bags for sitting and chatting. In the background, 'Dance the Night' by Dua Lipa can be heard playing.
On one of the bean bags sits Ashley, slowly tuning a ukulele, with Gretchen sitting beside her humming cheerfully.
"I'm not that good, I swear," says Harlan, who is in the middle of a pool game with Levi and Charlotte.
"Relax, it shows," Charlotte throws Harlan a forced smile and gets ready to take her shot. She hits the cue ball at a perfect angle to sink two balls in.
"Not so fast, you sank the 8 ball!" Levi points out.
"What?! But I didn't even touch it! It's the damn train movement, I didn't move it!" Charlotte exclaims.
"Oh, sorry but rules are rules," Levi says, taking the cue ball again and resetting the table with all the balls Charlotte had sunk.
Confessional
Harlan — Yeah, I don't like Charlotte, but that doesn't mean we can't play pool and have fun once in a while. The key to hating someone is not showing it on their face and smiling at them... Now that I say it, that sounds bad.
Charlotte — Chris, I know perfectly well you watch these Confessionals, so I want to ask you a question... What substance were you on when you decided to put a pool table on a moving train?!
"Hi everyone!" shouts Spencer, walking excitedly towards the center of the game room, specifically looking for Cordelia.
"Hey Spence!" they greet each other with a cheek kiss. The blonde girl holds a glass of water in her hand and sways her head calmly to the music.
"Would Lady Cordelia grant me a dance?" Spencer says, mimicking a bow.
"Uh, I guess," Corey nods.
Confessional
Spencer — I like to think Cordelia and I are like that slow-burn romance, you know? We're not dating right now, but maybe in the future... like fifteen or twenty years from now... we'll get married and it'll be amazing, I swear.
Cordelia — Oh, Spencer? He's a really good friend, yes.
At the door, Mac and Jennifer remain standing. Jennifer nervously plays with her hair, looking around unsure of what to do.
"Now what?" Jennifer asks.
"Now you're supposed to go and talk to people, but I only unlock that skill after a couple of drinks, so... I'm as lost as you," Mac shrugs.
"Oh my God, Jen, you came!" Barbara's high-pitched voice shouts across the room. The blonde girl runs towards Jennifer and grabs her hand. "I thought you weren't coming, it's weird to see you without a book in your hand, you know? You let your hair down a bit, right? You look stunning!"
"Uh, um... uh..." Jennifer can't say anything as Barbara drags her through the room.
Seeing himself left alone, Mac simply pours himself a soda and walks to a wall, leaning against it.
"Hey."
"Ah!" Mac exclaims, almost spilling his drink. He didn't even notice but he had stood next to Sophia, who was just as quiet with a drink in her hand. "I didn't see you there."
"Oh, sorry if I scared you then."
"Yeah, you startled me a bit," Mac scratches his neck, trying to shake off his nerves. "W-What are you doing?"
"Truth is, I have no idea. I came here because Gretchen told me to, but... I've never been to a gathering like this before, I don't know what I should do, dance?"
"Well, I'm not the right person to help you," Mac says with a nervous laugh. "I don't dance, I'm terrible at it. But usually people dance together or sing songs they know."
Sophia stays quiet for a moment, trying to recognize the song in the background.
"Whose song is this?"
"T-This song is by Dua Lipa, the main single from Barbie: The Album, released for the 2023 movie of the same name."
Confessional
Mac — I'm a bit of a music nerd. I tried to start a review channel called The Steeple Drop but it got taken down for copyright reasons, I don't know why.
"Hm... So I guess I have to learn these to be able to go to parties?" Sophia asks, looking worried and confused.
"N-Not necessarily, you can be a wallflower like me," Mac says.
"Wallflower?"
"Yeah, I just stay against the wall, nodding my head to the beat of the music, it's pretty self-explanatory," explains Mac.
"That sounds depressing," Sophia says bluntly.
"Not so much, it helps me justify my existence," Mackenzie shrugs.
Confessional
Sophia — Come to think of it... I don't really need to do normal teenage stuff that much.
"You leaving already, Charlie? Don't be a sore loser!" Harlan taunts, seeing Charlotte put down her pool cue.
"I'm just going to get some water," Charlotte grits her teeth, trying not to show her anger as Harlan uses her own phrase against her.
She walks to the corner of the wagon, where there's a table with multiple glasses and a large punch bowl. As she serves herself, Lucy approaches discreetly.
"So, what's the plan? Because throwing a party isn't really your style," Lucy says, avoiding eye contact with Charlotte so no one notices they're talking.
"Oh, believe me, I'm the life of every party."
"Sure, because when I see you, I just think of fun," Lucy rolls her eyes.
"That's coming from the goth with less personality than a slice of wonderbread."
"Well, get to the point."
"Alright. Answer me this, in what situation are people always stupider?" Charlotte raises an eyebrow, smiling shrewdly.
"When they're surnamed Fitch," Lucy quickly responds. Charlotte clenches her fist and then takes a deep breath, causing Lucy to start laughing. "You get angry so easily."
"Anyway, people are dumber: a) when they're drunk, and b) when they're in love, so let's do both." Charlotte calmly explains, "The Bermuda Triangle wrote me telling to gather information and secrets about the contestants in exchange for a special reward, so just let me work and play along."
"Alright, but I highly doubt anyone's going to get drunk on punch," Lucy agrees.
"The trick is to create a good atmosphere." Charlotte walks to the center of the room and taps her crystal glass to get everyone's attention. "Excuse me, but my friend Ashley has been wanting to show us something since the start of the party, so let's listen to her."
"Yeah!" Ashley stands up from her bean bag with her ukulele in hand. "Everyone sit in a circle! Let's have a campfire… without the fire!"
After some puzzled looks, everyone agrees to sit in a circle. Ashley and Gretchen turn off all the lights in the wagon except for a small warm light lamp in the center of the circle. Charlotte goes around the circle, handing out a glass of punch to each of her teammates before sitting down between Lucy and Harlan.
"Everything is perfect!" Gretchen shouts, seeing all her 'friends' gathered in a circle.
"Alright, I'm going to play some mushy songs while we get into the mood, if anyone wants to sing a song, I accept requests," Ashley says. Mac quickly raises his hand. "Except Wonderwall." Automatically, Mac lowers his hand again.
Everyone falls silent as Ashley gently strums the strings of her ukulele.
"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high," sings Gretchen softly, swaying her head with closed eyes. "And the dreams that you dream of, once in a lullaby."
Gretchen's heartwarming voice fills the wagon, which remains in total silence except for the music. The rest of the contestants take small sips of punch, smiling and swaying to the song.
"Somewhere over the rainbow... Bluebirds fly," Gretchen concludes.
"We're doing a medley! Someone jump in!" Ashley shouts, still playing her ukulele.
"Oh, me! Me!... Wise men say, only fools rush in..." Barbara starts singing, to which Ashley quickly changes the song.
"That's the whitest girl thing any white girl has ever done," Levi laughs, making several people laugh.
"Hey! That song is really good!" Spencer defends, joining in. "But I can't help falling in love with you..."
"It's your turn, Mac!" Ashley shouts, quickly looking at the bespectacled boy, who suddenly gets nervous when everyone's eyes turn to him.
"Uh, okay. I... Imagine there's no heaven... I-It's easy if y-you... t-try." Mac starts singing, and Ashley changes the rhythm out of nowhere, watching with a proud smile at the boy. "No hell... Come on, Jen, help me, there's no chance you don't know John Lennon."
"It's a song I can tolerate, yes," Jennifer admits, blushing even more nervously than Mackenzie. "Uuh... No hell below us... A-Above us only sky."
"Good," Ashley says, looking conflictedly at Jennifer. "Harlan!"
"Imagine all the people!" Harlan sings in a surprisingly high note for him. "Livin' for today! Hit it, Levi!"
"Thanks but I think I'll pass on this one, I'll never forgive Yoko for breaking up the Beatles," Levi says.
"Uuh uuh uuuh," Corey does the melody of the song in a soft and almost angelic voice. As soon as he does, Spencer applauds and Ashley plays even more joyfully.
"Show-off," Charlie rolls her eyes.
"This one is a dedication!" Ashley shouts, strumming the ukulele and changing the melody. "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day... When it's cold outside, in McLean Express."
Harlan and Levi start clapping along.
"I guess you say, what can make me feel this way? Gretchen!" Upon hearing her name, Gretchen jumps up and releases the biggest smile that has been seen on any contestant on the train. "Talkin' bout Gretchen!"
Gretchen claps happily, diving in for a hug with her friend.
"Now our last three singers: Charlotte, Lucy, Sophia!" Gretchen announces, changing the song to "Home."
"Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my ma and pa..." Charlotte starts singing beautifully. She looks at Lucy and Sophia, hoping they'll join. Sophia quickly shakes her head, quite nervous, while Lucy rolls her eyes at the insistence.
"Holy, moley, me, oh my, you're the apple of my eye... You know, I've never loved quite like you..." Lucy sings in a monotonous and hesitant voice.
"Ooh oh, yes we go hooome..." In contrast, Charlotte's voice is beautiful and melodious. "Home is wherever I'm with you!"
Finally, Ashley finishes the song, and everyone applauds themselves.
"That was beautiful! Squisito!" Ashley exclaims proudly. Soon, the previously silent room had turned into a sea of smiles and silly laughs, where even Lucy and Charlotte shared a smile.
Confessional
Lucy — Charlotte's in such a good mood, at this point I don't even know if she's faking it or if her heart thawed out for fifteen seconds.
Charlie — Me? Soften up? It's all strategy, you know, part of the game. (Charlotte shrugs nervously).
Harlan — (With a full glass of punch still in hand) Charlotte would never serve anyone... unless she wanted to poison them... though it looks quite tasty...
Sophia — That was so cool but I can't help feeling so... disconnected... Maybe... No! I don't need a therapist! Damn it, Pedro! (Realizing how nervous she looks on camera, she corrects her posture automatically and smiles again).
"Alright, thanks to Ashley for that beautiful melody... Now let's play a game!" Charlotte shouts, pulling out a deck of cards from her pocket. "I have here 12 cards with two jokers, we're going to randomly deal them out and the two people who get the jokers will have to either kiss each other or share a secret."
Without even asking if they agreed, Charlotte began dealing the cards.
"Uuh, a spicy game, I like it!" says Ashley.
"I'm not so sure about this..." Cordelia says.
"Alright, reveal your cards!" Charlotte shouts. Everyone shows their cards in the air, with Spencer and Lucy holding the jokers.
"Well, when I was five years ol—" Spencer's secret is interrupted when Lucy quickly pecks him on the cheek, leaving him speechless.
"Gross," Lucy says, wiping her lips with the collar of her shirt.
"Wow, your secret must be really bad," Charlotte teases, to which Lucy just frowns at her.
Confessional
Lucy — And her heart froze again. My life is a damn tragedy.
Spencer — I'm pretty sure Lucy is the cutest girl who's ever kissed me! What a goal!
In the next round, the jokers ended up in the hands of Charlotte and Harlan.
"Damn it..." Harlan mutters, clicking his tongue.
"Uuh, Harlan Grey? The Don Juan of the train?" Charlotte teases, staring straight at Harlan.
The boy in the beanie is almost frozen, with Levi purposely avoiding eye contact beside him.
"I think I'll share a secret," Harlan says, with a nervous chuckle.
"You won't even give me a peck? You wound me," Charlotte feigns cynically. "But I guess that means there's already someone you like! Right? Tell us, who's the lucky one who charmed a casanova like you?"
"Who do I like? Well..." Harlan clenches his teeth, quite nervous. He looks around and sees everyone's eyes on him, waiting for his answer. "Well, I like everyone, you know? There's enough Harlan to go around for everyone!"
"Slay!" Barbara shouts, causing a chain reaction where everyone applauds Harlan.
"I'm going to use the Confessional," Levi says, quickly getting up amidst Harlan's worried look.
Confessional
Levi — That was such an asshole move! Look, at first I didn't care that he didn't want to tell everyone we're dating, I understood that! But now he crossed the line. There were so many ways to respond to that shit without hurting me.
Harlan — Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! (Facepalming himself) I don't know what got into me! I saw everyone looking at me and thought I had to answer like... like... like an asshole!
Charlotte — That was interesting.
"What the hell?" The party is interrupted as the lights come back on. Chris is the culprit, swinging the doors wide open.
"Uh... Good evening?" Ashley shrugs.
"And here I thought I'd be waking you up at midnight but you were already awake! Damn it!"
"And why were you going to wake us up at midnight?" Mac asks.
"Well, for a challenge, obviously! Everyone off the train!" Chris says, visibly annoyed.
"Well, it was a very fun party! See you guys later!" Charlotte says, getting up with a cynical smile.
All the contestants gather outside the carriage, leaving the party somewhat disappointed at how quickly it ended.
The landscape shows a cold, damp forest; the fog obscures almost everything, and a light drizzle begins to fall. The only light providing some clarity is Chris's flashlight.
"Bro! There you are," Mac says, seeing Liam step off the train.
"Of course, wouldn't miss the challenge for anything in the world." Liam's facial expression and tone of voice totally contradict his words. "After all, I'm your captain."
"Is... everything okay?"
"Good evening, contestants. Can anyone tell me where we are?" Chris asks.
"We could be in any forest in the world, I can't see a thing," Jennifer points out.
"Exactly! Not even the nerd girl knows where we are. Well, I'll tell you," Chris clears his throat, quite excited. "We are at one of the world's most famous bodies of water: Loch Ness."
"Loch Ness? Aren't there cooler places in France to visit?" Spencer asks.
"Ehm, actually Lake Ness is in Scotland," Sophia corrects.
"Ehm, actually..." Spencer mimics Sophia, raising his index finger. "It's the same thing I said, Scotland is in France."
"I'm pretty sure Scotland is not only a different country, but it's far away from France," Lucy says.
"I mean, it's Spencer, he's the only person dumb enough to believe Scotland is in France," Charlotte comments.
"So Loch Ness isn't in France?" Barbara timidly asks, crossing her arms and looking at the ground. "I mean, I clearly knew that already, just confirming."
"Oh wow, Loch Ness. I guess you're going to do a challenge about the monster now, right?" Levi asks sarcastically, who is strangely separated from Harlan.
"That's exactly why we're here today, that's why I called you in the middle of the night, to make sure there was no one interrupting you in your task for today: finding the Loch Ness Monster."
"Okay, I hate to be 'that guy' but... I'm pretty sure that's the dumbest thing you've said," Levi points out. "The only evidence of the Loch Ness Monster's existence is two photos older than Methuselah and random people's testimonies. Don't you think it's ridiculously stupid to make a challenge where you ask us to do something practically impossible?"
Confessional
Levi — What can I say? Chris picked a horrible day to have me looking for imaginary monsters. If I wanted to do that, I could be in my bed playing Pokémon.
"Despite Levi being a skeptic, I don't blame him, spending so many hours on Tumblr must mess you up," Chris says. "But that doesn't mean some of us aren't conspiracy theorists."
"It's the stupidest challenge idea you've ever had," Lucy concludes.
"C-Come on guys, a little magic! Maybe we'll be the first to find it," Mac says, trying to convince himself. "Right, Liam?"
"Uhh... I don't know," Liam says, totally disheartened.
"Well, follow me to the lake shore. Try not to get lost! Just follow my flashlight." Chris starts walking in the opposite direction of the train.
The path to the shore is quite tricky due to the terrain and the heavy fog.
"Um, e-excuse me." Mac walks alongside Jennifer.
"Yes?"
"I-I wanted to talk to you about... BT."
"Okay, I'm listening," Jennifer responds quickly.
"The code encrypted in Caesar cipher said 'a bee, a neighbor, a raven'."
"Okay, that's interesting... What does it mean?" Jennifer seems even more interested now, moving closer to Mac.
"I-I'm not really sure... I thought you were going to say one of your genius girl things." The boy scratches his neck, his hair already damp from the drizzle.
"Well, if I had to guess, I'd say they're clues to the identity of each member of the triangle." Jennifer concludes, taking off her glasses to wipe them clear.
"That was my first idea, and I've actually considered several interpretations already. For example, remember the last challenge? Charlotte introduced herself as 'the Queen Bee'."
"Quite interesting... She has to be your prime suspect, but don't dismiss other interpretations."
Mac nods at her comment and quickly moves away from her.
Upon reaching the shore, visibility improves significantly, and they can see the lake with two wooden boats in it. Beside them are two cardboard boxes.
"Alright, to start the challenge, I need both captains to step forward," Chris explains, making Harlan step forward. After waiting a full minute, Liam doesn't step forward. "Liam?"
Team Alpha looks around, but they can't find their captain.
"He must have gotten lost in the fog," Barbara says, bringing her hands to her cheeks, worried.
"Meh, he'll be fine, I'll call Junior and Emma to look for him." Chris takes out his phone and quickly sends a message.
"Speaking of which, where are they?"
"Oh, they were asleep because they were too tired, but this is an emergency." Chris shrugs. "Well, someone else from Team Alpha must step up."
Members of Team Alpha stare at each other.
"I'll do it!" Barbara suddenly declares, stepping forward to face Harlan.
"But—" Jennifer raises her index finger, trying to interfere. "Never mind."
"This is going to end very badly..." Lucy says, bringing her hand to her forehead.
"Alright, play rock-paper-scissors, the winner gets to choose which of the two boxes with equipment for searching the monster they can take," Chris explains. Barbara and Harlan play, Barbara chooses paper and Harlan chooses scissors. "Harlan, in front of you are two boxes, choose one."
"What's in the boxes?"
"Oh, seriously thought you weren't going to ask," Chris looks clearly disappointed. "In the first box, there's a metal detector, and in the second box, there's scuba diving gear with an oxygen tank that lasts about 45 minutes."
"Well, I think it's pretty clear, right?" Harlan walks towards the box with the diving gear.
"And what are we supposed to do with a metal detector?" Corey asks, putting her hand on her hip.
"Well, search for metals, duh!" Mackenzie seems to be the only one content with the metal detector.
"Alright, you have 2 hours to bring me evidence of the monster's existence. The team that doesn't get evidence will go straight to elimination," Chris explains.
"Yup, Chris is losing it." Harlan grabs an ice pack and takes it to his eye, still slightly swollen from Liam's punch. "To me, this sounds like an excuse for another double elimination, right Lev?"
Levi just nods disinterestedly and moves away from Harlan.
"Well..." Harlan massages the bridge of his nose to try and calm down and think clearly. "We need to split up to cover more ground. Two people on the boat is enough. Levi and I will go."
"I don't think so. Honestly, I want to use the diving gear. Go with someone else," Levi responds.
"Okay? Then I guess I'll go with..." Harlan scans his team members one by one. "Sophia."
"Of course," Levi says, dripping with sarcasm.
Confessional
Levi — I'm not jealous of Sophia or anything like that, I just want him to know that I'm mad.
"Ashley, go check out the shore on your own, and then Charlotte, Levi, and Gretchen can use the diving gear," Harlan says quickly, not very enthusiastically.
"Yes, captain," the team members say, though not very excited.
"Okay, you heard him! Harlan said it's a good idea to split up, so we're going to do that too!" Barbara quickly tells her team. "Listen, who wants to go to the boat?"
"I don't mind," Spencer says, shrugging.
"I'll go with you!" Cordelia says.
"Perfect! Jennifer and Lucy will investigate the surroundings, and Mac and I will use the metal detector."
"Why me?" Mackenzie asks.
"You're the only one who knows how to use it, right?"
"I'm offended that you think that of me... but you're right," Mac admits, taking the metal detector.
The contestants split up as their captains ordered. They were all in very different situations, but they all shared something: the cold and the sleepiness.
On the shore of the lake, Levi lets out a long yawn. He, Charlie, and Gretchen are gathered around the diving gear.
"So, who's going to use it?" Levi asks. "No way I'm doing it, diving is one of the most risky things in the world."
"Although the suit would highlight my curves, I think I'd rather keep my feet on the ground," Charlotte opines.
"I would do it but... is it dangerous? I don't like dangerous things... or difficult things... or anything that requires much effort," Gretchen says with a nervous smile.
"Oh no, it's not very complicated. You just have to... imagine you're a fish! And you're swimming with the other little fishies!" Levi talks to Gretchen in an extremely condescending tone, like an adult talking to a small child.
"Oh! That sounds nice, I'll swim then!" Gretchen nods, walking towards the diving suit.
"Great!" Levi feels satisfied not to be the one going into the lake, although a bit sad for having manipulated Gretchen like that.
"You stay and watch over her, Lev. I'll go look for clues," Charlotte, visibly bored, leaves the area.
"Alright Gretchen, get ready because you'll be in the water soon. I'll stay here watching the oxygen tank, okay?" Levi says.
"Got it!" Gretchen gives a cheerful thumbs-up.
In the surroundings of the lake, deeper into the forest, Jennifer walks through the trees. The rain has started to intensify, and now she's completely soaked, making visibility difficult.
"I should've stayed home with my essays..." Jennifer says, stumbling through the trees.
Out of nowhere, she takes a wrong step. There's a dip in the ground she didn't foresee, causing her to fall directly to the ground. Jennifer rolls in the mud for a few seconds until she stops. She gets up as best she can, but her clothes are muddy, and her glasses are completely dirty.
"Damn it..." Jennifer takes off her glasses and tries to clean them with her vest, but since the vest is also dirty, it doesn't help much.
With reduced visibility, Jennifer looks around. It seems she had fallen into a pit, one that seemed too well-constructed to have formed naturally.
"Chris..." Jennifer clenches her fists in anger, frustrated at having fallen into one of McLean's traps.
Both boats, the one for Team Friendship and the one for Team Alpha, are floating in the middle of the lake. They have been silent for a while, as everyone is uncomfortable with the rain and cold, well, everyone except Spencer.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Cordelia asks, wearing Spencer's cap and black shirt to protect herself a bit from the rain, while the Latino guy is just getting soaked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Spencer shrugs.
"Because you're almost naked in the rain!" Harlan shouts, suffering alongside Sophia. They had used a blanket they found on the boat to make an improvised tent, but it didn't seem to work very well.
"You'll get sick, Spencer," Sophia points out. "You should give back his shirt, Corey. He needs it more than you."
Cordelia just gives Sophia a confused look.
"Naaaah," Spencer says, shrugging. "Rain doesn't make you sick, that's just a mom's myth."
"No, it isn't," Corey says.
"At this point, you might as well jump into the lake, and nothing would happen to you," Harlan jokes.
"Broooo, that's a great idea!"
"No, it isn't," Corey insists.
"Of course it is! I can search for the monster while I swim!" Spencer says, pointing to his temple with his index finger. The Mexican guy swears this is the best idea he's had in years.
"But..."
Before Corey can finish her sentence, Spencer takes off his shirt and cannonballs directly into the water, splashing the four of them even more.
"Spencer is kind of weird, right?" Sophia asks.
"Yep... or maybe he's a reptilian," Harlan shrugs.
"Reptilians are cold-blooded, that wouldn't make sense," Sophia says completely seriously, giving Cordelia a strange look. "And what are you looking at?"
Confessional
Sophia — What? When you're in the world of politics, you have to be prepared for when they eventually say you're a reptilian.
Spencer — (Completely soaked and shirtless) I didn't see anything, and I had my eyes wide open!
Meanwhile, Mackenzie and Barbara are walking through the forest. The rain starts to lessen slightly, and visibility improves.
"L-Lucky this is waterproof, right?" Mackenzie asks cheerfully, his hair covering part of his eyes.
"I don't care, I wish my hair was waterproof," Barbara tries to wring out her hair without much success. Then, to lighten the mood, she had a good idea. "Hey, I wanted to talk to you... What's up with Jennifer?"
"With Jennifer? W-What's up with Jennifer?"
"You know what I'm talking about!" Barbara says, with a nosy look. "You like her! It's obvious because when she's around, you're suuuuuper nervous."
"T-That's not true, I'm naturally nervous," Mackenzie excuses himself, though he starts to stumble over his words.
"Come on, Mac! Tell me! I can help you; I'll be like your Celestina!" Barbara insists.
"But Jennifer and you are friends?" Mac asks, confused.
"Well, we're... close, yes," Barbara lies. "You know she's all antisocial, but we talk often. Now, when did it start?"
"What thing?"
"Your crush on heeeer," Barbara says, quite tired of having to guide Mac so much.
"Well... I couldn't say exactly."
"Seriously? Wasn't it a few days ago, at the museum?" Barbara asks.
"H-How do you know that?!" Mackenzie is surprised, feeling his privacy invaded.
"Because I saw you, I was in the city too."
"Oh, yeah, talking to Liam. What happened that night, by the way?"
"Don't change the subject," Barbara gives Mac a pat on the shoulder, making him jump.
"Eh- well, okay. It didn't start at the museum, I think she's like... my type of girl? She's always caught my attention."
"Wow, you're a masochist."
"W-What?"
"Nothing, nothing, go on."
"But yeah, the other day while we were at the museum..."
"OMG," Barbara covers her mouth with her hands, expecting Mac to make a big revelation.
"We hugged."
"Oh," Barbara loses all her excitement. "You hugged? That's it?"
"Yeah! Isn't that a big step?"
"Oh my god..." Barbara stops walking and looks down, disappointed. "Listen, Mac, relationships are like a ladder! The first step is a hug, the second step is crying on each other's shoulder, the third step is kissing, the fourth step... it's better not to talk about the fourth step, and the fifth step is the painful breakup, the sixth step is the mutual stalking phase without admitting that you're stalking each other, and so on."
"So, does that mean I'm doing well?"
"It means you're going too slow! Hugging is the most common thing in the world, you have to hug your friends!"
"N-No, I don't hug girls," Mac says, nervous.
"What do you mean you don't hug girls? You hug your mom."
"No."
"What do you mean no?!" Barbara looks quite desperate.
"Mom says that men can only hug men, and women can only hug women," Mac explains this with utmost normality.
"You've never hugged your mom?!"
"N-No..." Mac thinks for a moment. "Is that bad?"
"That's very messed up," Barbara says. "You're going to need a lot of help."
"But-" The conversation is interrupted when the metal detector starts to beep loudly. "I found something!"
Mac follows the signal until he finds what it's making it: A big plaque, almost the size of his head.
"Is this... a scale!?"
"A monster scale?" Barbara asks, surprised.
"Look, there's a trail! Let's go, let's go!" Mac starts running towards the scales, and Barbara can't keep up.
"Don't run!"
Confessional
Mac — I don't completely dislike Barbara... but she's definitely not someone I would trust with my secrets.
Meanwhile, in a more remote part of the forest, Charlotte is sitting on a tree stump. She takes off her scarf and puts it over her head to shield herself from the rain.
"Finally, you're here! I thought you were going to leave me waiting." Charlotte finally sees the person she was waiting for appear among the trees.
"You should have been more specific about the meeting place." Lucy crosses her arms. "But let's not start arguing, or we'll be here all day."
"I agree, let me tell you." Charlotte pats the stump, indicating for Lucy to sit with her. "The Bermuda Triangle said they really liked our attempt to gather information at the party, so they proposed a deal."
"And how did they tell you? I doubt you saw them in person."
"They told me by letter." Charlotte, visibly annoyed, pulls out a small envelope signed by BT from her jacket. "You don't have to be so skeptical, you know I'd never lie to you."
"Yeah, sure." Lucy says, clearly noticing the cynicism in Charlotte's comment. "You're probably used to everyone being idiots in your high school, but I'm not an idiot."
"I know, I know... Gosh." Charlotte rolls her eyes before opening the envelope and reading the contents. "The deal they propose is to send one of their members to talk to me and start including me in the alliance if we sabotage Team Friendship!"
"Wow, just like that?"
"Just like that." Charlotte has a sly, very pleased smile. "And I have the perfect idea to sabotage my team."
Levi is sitting in the rain, looking after Gretchen's oxygen tank. He gets up when he hears a noise coming from the bushes.
"Ha ha, good joke Charlotte, I know it's you." When Levi reaches the bush, he sees the place is completely clear except for a scale identical to the ones Mac and Barbara had found. "What's this?"
Levi goes to pick it up and notices there are many more around, forming a trail.
Confessional
Levi — Look, clearly the scales aren't from the lake monster because... it doesn't exist and all, but they're too big to be from any other animal, so... yeah, curiosity got the better of me.
The place remains completely clear for a few minutes, until Lucy and Charlotte emerge from the bushes.
"Quick, Lucy, the tank." Charlie pushes Lucy, who walks quickly to the oxygen tank and starts to loosen it.
"In about 10 minutes, she'll run out of air and have to come back, which will mess up their investigation... Who's supposed to be diving, by the way?" Lucy asks.
"Uh- Sophia." Charlie lies rapidly.
"Well, I don't like that girl, perfect." Lucy shrugs calmly.
Meanwhile, on the Friendship team's boat, which had moved away from the Alpha team's boat a while ago, Harlan and Sophia have been talking for a while.
"So I said, 'Wasn't that my hot dog?'" Harlan finishes his story, laughing. "Did you catch the punchline, Soph?"
"What? Uh- not really, I was looking for the monster." Sophia is lying on the edge of the boat, watching the lake despite the poor visibility due to the rain.
"Are you seriously expecting to see the Loch Ness Monster?" Harlan asks.
"Of course. I mean, I don't think the monster exists, but if Chris has us doing this, it's for a reason."
"Nah, it's probably just an excuse for a double elimination." Harlan shrugs. "Come on, let's play rock, paper, scissors, and the first one to fall asleep from boredom wins."
"But the challenge-" Sophia says, unable to look at Harlan.
"Look, Soph... I don't want to get too deep, but I've seen that, you know, you're trying too hard."
"Really?" Sophia says, finally turning to look at Harlan.
"Yeah too hard."
"That's good, I'm showing everyone that I work hard, right?" Sophia says, not very sure.
"Yeah... No, not really." Harlan says through gritted teeth. "Let me explain, I don't know how it is in your environment, but in mine, people expect things from me. I guess there are people who expect things from you, like most people."
Sophia nods silently.
"Well, often those expectations are... shit." Harlan spits out before starting to laugh. "I'm rambling, what I mean is that... at least here, no one expects anything from you."
Sophia arches her eyebrow, confused.
"Okay no, I chose the wrong words. What I mean is... no one is judging what you do, at least in my team besides Charlie and maybe Levi, no one is taking the game very seriously, take a chill pill."
"I understand..."
Confessional
Harlan — And in today's episode of Harlan giving advice he can't follow himself...
Sophia — I don't understand what Harlan told me, I don't understand why he told me. We're in a game to take it seriously, right?
After Harlan shuts up, Sophia tries to see the monster in the lake again, but instead, she sees two silhouettes in the distance on the shore, where Levi was supposed to be looking after Gretchen.
"That's not Levi, is it?" Sophia asks.
"Let's see." Harlan looks out. "Nope, that's not Levi... are they approaching the tank or is it my imagination?"
"Isn't that Charlie?" Sophia asks. "Yes, it is!"
"Oh, then it's fine, she's probably just calibrating it to make sure nothing happens to Gretchen. Relax for a bit." With that said, Harlan adjusts his beanie, which is getting soaked by the rain, and lies back in the boat.
"Barbara, look! It's a Budweiser bottle cap from the eighties! They stopped making these years ago!" Mackenzie had been following the trail of scales when his metal detector went off, leading him to the bottle cap. "Barbara? Barb-"
Mac turned and saw that Barbara was nowhere to be found.
"Damn..." Mac started walking around, looking for the girl. He saw something move in the bushes and approached, but as the rain poured down, a dark silhouette appeared, moving towards him. The boy let out a terrified scream and began to back away. "Ah! HELP!"
Mac slipped in the mud and fell to the ground, his breathing becoming erratic as he covered his face, hearing a voice say:
"Mackenzie! What's wrong?"
"Uh?" Mac looked at the silhouette, and his fear subsided when he saw it belonged to Levi. "Oh my god..."
Mac started laughing nervously.
"I-I thought that-"
"What? That I was the Loch Ness Monster?" Levi teased before offering Mac his hand to help him up.
"M-Maybe." Mackenzie laughed and took the boy's hand. "I'm really sorry."
"No need to apologize." Levi shrugged. "Or well, if you were genuinely scared because you thought I was a monster, then maybe."
"Don't make fun of me, m-maybe the monster does exist." Mac rubbed his arm, the one he'd fallen on. "But I guess you're a bit of a skeptic."
"It's not skepticism, it's research and the scientific method, that's all."
"Yeah, but sometimes it's good to keep a little bit of wonder, right?"
"I'm not a killjoy, I'm a writer, but you have to know how to differentiate between reality and fiction."
"Well, t-then explain this!" Mac pulled out one of the giant scales he'd been collecting from his pocket.
"Oh, I actually picked up some as well, I was following the trail." Levi pointed, showing Mac the trail on the ground. "This must be from a large reptile, a marine crocodile or a Komodo dragon."
"Here? In the middle of the rain in Scotland? I don't know." Mac scratched his neck. "Well, will you join me in following the trail?"
"Well... I don't have much choice, if I leave you alone you might get scared of your own shadow or something." Levi teased.
The two boys began walking, following the trail of scales, which seemed to increase as they approached a cave connected to the lake's current. The place was cold and dark, but most notably, it smelt terribly. Instantly, Mac and Levi covered their noses with their hands.
"This stinks." Levi said.
"T-The things we do for a million dollars..." Mac lamented, and the two boys ventured into the cave together.
Inside, they saw a large number of scales like those that had led them there, and many skeletons of fish and animals, some still with decomposing flesh emitting the awful stench.
"T-This is where the monster lives... That's why no one sees it in the lake, it only comes out to hunt." Mackenzie said, swallowing hard.
"There's no monster, Mac, it's just a-"
When Mac turned and redirected his metal detector, it began to beep excessively loudly, causing what appeared to be a giant reptile to emerge from one of the dark corners of the cave. Its indescribable head looked like a bizarre mix between a dinosaur and an Asian dragon. It was entirely covered in a soapy slime that coated its aquamarine scales, and its bright amber eyes fixed on Mac as it let out a loud roar that echoed through the cave walls.
"The... Monster." Mac fell to the ground again, while Levi stood completely paralyzed.
"Oh my god..." Levi looked at the cave entrance, now too far to run to, especially considering the monster's gargantuan size.
"D-Don't kill us!" Mac screamed, utterly desperate.
"Stop! Stop, Pachong, calm down!" A voice halted the monster in its tracks, calming it instantly. The voice came from the creature's back. They heard the person on top of it petting the monster before finally stepping forward and revealing themselves: it was Liam, shirtless and with a piece of his pants wrapped around his head. "Mac-Man! It's you! Look, I made a new friend!"
"Oh my-" Mac fainted at the sight of Liam, pale with fear.
"What the hell, Liam?" Levi asked. "I-Is that the Loch Ness Monster?"
"Really? I thought it was just a big crocodile." Liam said innocently, looking into Nessie's eyes. "Who's a good boy? Pachong is a good boy!"
Liam petted the monster, who seemed to respond affectionately.
"How... How?" Levi put his hands on his head, incredulous.
"How's everyone doing? Is everyone okay?" Liam asked, cleaning some dirt off his shoulder.
"Who cares how people are? I'm in front of the fucking Loch Ness Monster!" Levi was euphoric, searching his pockets only to realize he didn't have his phone with him. "Uh- damn, damn... Let's just go quickly, I have to show everyone this!"
"His name is Pachong!" Liam said, agreeing to leave after saying goodbye to Nessie. The two boys were about to leave calmly until they remembered Mac. "Oh, we have to take Mac."
"Yeah, that's a good idea."
Confessional
Liam — I was feeling a bit sad about everything with Barbara, so I decided to take a walk and ended up meeting Pachong! I'm still a bit sad, but at least I made a new friend.
Levi — The Loch Ness Monster exists... And it's friendly... I can't believe it...
Mac — (Laughing hysterically) WHY DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS SHOW?
The rain is at its strongest all night, with no sign of letting up, and this has Jennifer at her limit. She's been trying to get out of the hole she fell into for a while now, but she just keeps getting more frustrated as she stumbles again and again.
"Come on, Jen, you can do it, you can do it." Jennifer tries to climb again, placing her foot on a protruding rock, reaching out with her hand to grab another rock, and then the rock breaks. It's not the first time this has happened; things like this have been happening for a while, and that's what's frustrating her the most. "DAMN IT!"
Jennifer screams, her voice raw, and in the fall, she lands on a rock, hurting her back. Tears of frustration run down her face, mingling with the rain that won't stop falling on her, making her feel even more miserable. Maybe she should give up. Do what she hates the most and accept that she can't do it.
"Jennifer?" A voice coming from the hole snaps her out of her thoughts. Above her is the last person from the cast she expected to be glad to see: Ashley. The punk girl is soaked and looks almost as bad as Jennifer.
"W-What are you doing here?" Jennifer asks in a weak voice.
"I heard you screaming and... I can't leave you here. Need some help?"
Jennifer bites back the urge to respond with a snappy, furious comment.
"Yes, yes please..."
"Wait there!" Ashley steps away and returns a few seconds later with a large stick in hand. She extends it down into the hole. "Grab it!"
Jennifer takes the stick and starts using it to climb step by step, but just as she's about to reach the top, Ashley slips, falling into the hole along with her and the stick.
Both fall straight into the mud, and even though Jennifer has fallen many times before, this time she breaks down and starts screaming in frustration.
"GOD! HOW CAN YOU BE SO USELESS?" Jennifer yells, clutching her head and digging her nails out of sheer desperation.
"ME USELESS?! I WAS HELPING YOU, DAMN IT!" Ashley yells back, red with anger. She even gives Jennifer a shove on the shoulder, which makes the Alpha team girl react with another shove.
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" As Jennifer orders, Ashley moves away from her in the hole, stepping back with a look of pure hatred.
"I shouldn't have helped you! You shouldn't be here, you shouldn't fucking exist," Ashley spits.
"Well, guess what... I wish you didn't exist either!"
"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" Ashley yells as loudly as she can, silencing Jennifer, who is speechless with rage.
With the silence, Jennifer can finally hear herself, how agitated she was, how wild and 'imperfect' she must seem. This only makes her let out an even louder scream of frustration.
Back on the shore, where the rain seems unrelenting, Charlotte and Lucy step away from Gretchen's now-open oxygen tank and head into the forest.
"Do you think that's enough?"
"I don't know, we can only wait." Charlotte responds, shrugging.
The two girls wait in the dark for about fifteen minutes until someone finally shows up.
"Charlie, what the hell is she doing here?" Barbara appears from the bushes, brushing off all the branches, leaves, and mud from her outfit.
"Barbara?" Charlotte asks.
"Yes, it's me." Barbara says it as if it were obvious, placing one hand on her hip. "They sent me to talk, but only with you! What is Lucy doing here?"
"Shit, don't tell me-" Lucy says.
"Yes, of course I'm from the Bermuda Triangle, who else did you expect? Only I am fabulous enough to be in such an alliance." Barbara strikes a pose, lifting her hands with a proud smile.
Lucy and Charlotte look at each other in complete silence, seeing Barbara waiting impatiently. Charlotte then seems to snap out of her shock for a second and gives Lucy a knowing look, asking her to play along.
"Lucy has been helping me with all the sabotage, I thought it would be good to include her. Five are better than four."
"Hm... I'm not sure if they'll like that, we're supposed to be the triangle, not the fiveagon." Barbara plays with her hair, thoughtful.
"Pentagon, the word is pentagon." Lucy corrects her.
"Trust her! We've helped you and put ourselves at risk! Or do you think I like making my own team lose?" Charlotte argues.
"Well, that's true. Fine, I'll let it slide. You've already done today's job, right?" Barbara asks.
"Yes, we sabotaged them," Charlotte instantly replies.
"Good! Well, welcome to the alliance!" Barbara puts on a sincere smile and goes to hug Charlotte in celebration. "We'll have to discuss Lucy with the boss. Well, I have to get back to Mac, he might have gotten lost."
"Sure..." Charlotte says.
Confessional
Lucy — I didn't imagine Barbara as a BT member, but from what I saw, I get it. She's the weak link, a good follower.
Charlotte — Knowing one of the members' names, that's already a big step! I can already see myself in the merge!
"I swear I thought I was going to die..." Mac says, still trembling with fear. Levi had taken them back to the place where he had left Gretchen diving.
"But Pachong wasn't going to hurt you!"
"How would I know? I don't see giant monsters every day." Mac says, breathing heavily.
"Guys... Come quickly!" Levi shouts, who was checking Gretchen's oxygen tank.
"What's happening?" Liam asks.
"I don't know why, but she's out of oxygen!" Levi shouts, running to pull the valve to bring Gretchen back. "She was supposed to have more time!"
"Oh my God." Mac says, holding his head in his hands.
"We have to get her out!" Liam runs at full speed to pull Gretchen's cable until she emerges from the water, unconscious.
"Damn, I think she's drowning... Uh..." Levi kneels next to Gretchen, nervous. "Quick, Liam, call Chris!"
Liam runs off at full speed towards the train.
"I know how to do CPR!" Mac shouts, kneeling next to Liam, about to proceed but hesitates for a moment.
"What are you waiting for?!"
"I can't touch her without her permission..." Mac says, raising his eyebrows.
"SHE'S DYING!"
"Ok, ok..." Mac starts doing chest compressions on Gretchen. "Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man..."
"Why are you singing Stayin' Alive?"
"IT HELPS ME KEEP THE RHYTHM!" Mac explains, sweating nervously.
"DON'T DO THAT"
"Ok... Dale a tu cuerpo alegría Macarena." Mac starts singing again, making Levi roll his eyes. Finally, Gretchen starts coughing up water, and though they aren't quite sure, Levi and Mac see a small fish fly out.
"Wha- Where am I?" Gretchen asks, noticeably confused as she sits up.
"You ran out of oxygen, luckily we got you out in time..." Levi says, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Uh- I didn't notice!" Gretchen looks around, trying to reorient herself. "Have you seen my fish friend? We were swimming together for a while."
"Uh-" Mac says.
"Nope, I don't think so." Levi says, patting Gretchen on the back, who is still coughing.
"I'm here! Where's the corpse? We need to hide it before-" Chris arrives with Liam, running at full speed, but seems to calm down upon seeing Gretchen sitting with the two boys. "Oh, thank God... I can't lose another contract."
"I'm fine, I was only unconscious for a couple of minutes." Gretchen explains with a weak smile. "And then Lev and Mac saved me!"
Levi and Mac are silent, staring into space, still trying to calm down from the adrenaline of the situation.
"Good job, pals!" Liam shouts, going for a group hug with the three of them, which only Gretchen seems to reciprocate.
"Well, I think that's enough for today..." Chris says, grabbing a megaphone. "THE CHALLENGE IS OVER! EVERYONE COME BACK!"
As the other contestants return, Mackenzie goes to sit under a tree. As he leans his head against the trunk to shelter from the rain, Levi approaches him and sits down next to him.
"Hey, we did pretty well today, didn't we?" Levi asks.
"Yeah, it wasn't a bad challenge…" Mac says, trying not to breathe heavily, then starts laughing nervously. "I don't know CPR."
"What?"
"I've never done it before, I... I just watch a lot of movies and read a lot of books."
"Oh! That's why you were singing Stayin' Alive, it's from that episode of The-"
"The Office, yeah!" Mac gets excited seeing the boy catch the reference.
"Well, never let anyone tell you that fiction is useless." Levi says with a laugh.
"Yeah, yeah…" Mac says, nodding slowly. "I don't hear that very often."
"Well, know that it's true." Levi says, getting up from the trunk as he sees people arriving from the lake. Once standing, he offers Mac his hand to help him up. "Well, let's see who wins today. Good luck, buddy."
Levi offers Mac a fist bump, which he quickly responds to.
"Yeah, good luck, buddy."
Confessional
Mackenzie - In my town I don't have many friends, so… It feels good, Levi is a good guy.
Finally, the contestants gather with Chris in the rain, except for two absences.
"Where are the nerd and the punk?" Chris asks.
"Ashley went off alone." Harlan points out.
"Jen too!" Barbara explains. "Wait, Toto?"
The girl looks surprised at Liam, who is standing calmly though with a sad expression.
"Hey," the boy responds.
"Why doesn't he have a shirt?" Lucy asks, puzzled.
"Well, it turns out I got lost for a while and was wandering around, and boom! I fell into a cave and found a giant monster, and we became friends and-"
"Ok, even if that were true, it doesn't explain why you don't have a shirt." Lucy insists.
"Well, I guess we'll have to look for them later, for now, did anyone find proof of the monster's existence?" Chris has a smug, mocking smile.
"Well, I found an eel, maybe it knows, too bad it can't talk." Gretchen says, still in her diving suit.
"Ok, I guess that means no one found it, which means-"
"Wait!" Levi shouts, holding up one of the giant scales they had found.
"What?" Everyone shouts at once.
"Mac! We had those! Where are they?" Barbara asks.
"I must have them on me…" Mac pats all his pockets, but the only thing he pulls out is the Budweiser cap he found earlier. "Uh… I might have forgotten to pick them up."
"You've got to be kidding!" Barbara holds her head in her hands.
Chris snatches the scale from Levi and looks at it, astonished.
"This is too big to be from a normal reptile… Damn it, and I wanted to do a double elimination today." Chris looks annoyed and disappointed. "I guess this means a win for Team Friendship."
"That's it!" Harlan shouts, going to celebrate with Levi, though he seems to ignore him to go hug Gretchen.
"Almost dying was worth it!" Gretchen shouts.
"Nice…" Charlotte does her best to feign enthusiasm.
"Sorry? Almost dying?" Sophia asks, confused.
"Oh, yeah. When we arrived, Gretchen's tank had run out of oxygen, someone had loosened it," Levi explains.
Harlan and Sophia exchange surprised looks, gasping.
"Charlie, was it you?" Harlan asks. "We saw you approach the tank and do something to it a while ago."
"Exactly," Sophia confirms.
Charlotte remains silent for a few seconds, seemingly calm.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I calibrated it to check if it was fine." Charlotte shrugs nonchalantly, noticing the skeptical looks on her teammates' faces.
"Well, if you didn't do it, it couldn't have been anyone else," Levi points out, frowning.
"Yup, we were watching closely. It was just you and one other person," Harlan adds.
Charlotte gasps, pretending to recall something.
"Of course! When I went to calibrate it, I was with Lucy! She must have loosened it while I wasn't looking." Charlotte looks at Lucy, feigning indignation. The pale girl stands there, genuinely shocked and indignant. "I gave you my trust and you tried to sabotage me!"
"Is that true? And what were you doing with Lucy?" Levi asks.
"She said she wanted to help me search because she didn't want to be alone."
"That's not true!" Lucy shouts.
"Well, it has to be true…" Barbara interrupts. "None of our team saw you during the search."
"So you don't have an alibi, it's my word against yours," Charlotte says, trying her best to appear innocent.
"You bitch…" Lucy clenches her fist in frustration, almost going to punch Charlie but stopping herself in time. "I know what game you're playing, do you really believe Charlotte?"
"Of course I don't believe her. It's Charlotte," Levi rolls his eyes. "But it doesn't change the fact that you were with her while we were being sabotaged. You're an accomplice."
"And that's just the tip of the iceberg! She's been sabotaging people for several challenges!"
"Don't you dare!" Lucy yells.
"She made Ryuuko mess up the Qatar challenge! She sabotaged several tasks in Greece too!" Charlotte shouts even louder.
"Really?" Liam asks, looking disappointed. "But Ryuuko was your friend"
"Don't you see what's happening? Let me explain! Charlotte wants to win favor with the Bermuda Triangle, and that's why she's been sabotaging people and framing me. I thought she had some human decency, but it turns out she just wanted a scapegoat!"
"I wouldn't do that. I work with the Bermuda Triangle because you told me about it," Charlie lies. "One day you came and said if we helped them they would make us go far in the game!"
"You still have the nerve to lie to my face! Well, guess what, I won't let you get away with it, so everyone should know that Barbara is part of the Bermuda Triangle!" Lucy points accusingly, causing Barbara to step back.
Everyone holds a gasp.
"Barbie?" Liam asks.
"The neighbor… Totoro." The pieces come together in Mac's mind.
"Me? You're not going to believe her, guys. She's hysterical!" Barbara tries to laugh off the accusation, though unconvincingly.
"Of course it's you! You just told Charlie and me, how stupid, didn't you realize how dumb you were being?"
"I'm not stupid!" Barbara retorts angrily.
"Okay, okay, a lot is happening very quickly," Harlan says, trying to process the information.
"Barbara is part of the triangle, and Charlotte and Lucy were helping her sabotage people?" Corey asks.
"Yes, essentially!" Lucy nods, furious.
"You treacherous bitch!" Charlotte yells.
"Oh my God! Do you even hear yourself?! How can you be this hypocritical?! Don't you have a single redeemable quality, Charlotte?"
The person most stunned is Gretchen, who doesn't understand anything.
"Bermuda Triangle wasn't a zone in the sea?" Gretchen asks Levi.
"We're going to have a very long conversation, Gret," he replies.
"Well, those are great revelations, but I don't want to stay here in the rain too long, so… Liam, your nominations?" Chris asks, with a sly smile, knowing this is a good moment to pressure Liam.
"You have to nominate Barbara, Liam!" Mac shouts, pointing at her. "We can take down one of the Bermuda Triangle members!"
"Nominate her!" Lucy insists.
"Toto, please!" Barbara pleads, her voice starting to break.
"I can't…" Liam murmurs, biting his lip.
"What did you say?" Mac asks.
"That I can't, I don't wanna see Barbara go because of me…" Liam murmurs sadly.
"Dude, she's not your girlfriend!" Harlan shouts. "She's undefendable!"
"But she's my friend… Like Spencer and Mac," Liam says, looking at the ground. The boy seems to be overthinking.
"But she's in an evil alliance, Goddammit!" Lucy shouts, exasperated.
"Just follow your heart, Liam," Charlotte says.
"Spencer, say something!" Mackenzie insists.
"I dunno dude, as long as I'm not nominated I'm fine." Spencer shrugs, utterly relaxed.
"Unbelievable." Lucy rolls her eyes.
"Look, Liam, whatever decision you make will be the right one," Cordelia opines.
"Liam, please! I really, really want to win the million!" Barbara pleads dramatically, clasping her hands together.
"I'm going to nominate Lucy and Jennifer."
"No way!" Lucy shouts. "I knew you were naive, but I didn't think you'd go this far."
"I'm sorry, I can't nominate Barbara…"
"Perfect, let's vote… Well, if we find those girls," Chris says, with a bitter smirk.
Confessional
Lucy - Damn it! Was dating Liam always a Bermuda Triangle strategy? I'm screwed! For a moment I thought Charlotte had some appreciation for me, but I see that was a big mistake.
Charlotte - Yeah, things didn't go as planned, but at least my team won, and I'm not in danger today! My strategy changes a lot now that Lucy is out. I wanted us to reach the merge together; she was… useful, let's put it that way.
Barbara - My heart almost jumped out of my chest! Luckily, Toto showed me mercy, but the conversation with the boss is going to be complicated…
As all the contestants enter the train, Ashley and Jennifer remain lying in the mud at the bottom of the hole, each staring at a corner. Neither wants to break the silence until Ashley finally decides to speak up.
"Hey, I know you're not much for apologizing because you must be so proud, but… I think I deserve an apology."
"An apology?" Jennifer asks, raising an eyebrow. "Well… sorry for calling you useless."
"See? We're making some progress. I'm sorry for saying I wished you didn't exist and stuff like that." Ashley says, turning to look at the girl.
"Yes, that's important." Jennifer says, with a touch of arrogance. "And why are you friendly so suddenly?"
"It's hard to explain…"
Again, a dead silence settles between them for a while, which is once more broken by Ashley.
"Hey Jen, I have a question." The girl spits out. "Your dad travels a lot, right?"
"Jennifer. But yes, what's with the question?"
"Where does he usually travel to?"
"Well, he works in New York City, but why the interrogation?" Jennifer starts to get desperate, even turning to stare directly at Ashley.
"My dad also travels a lot…" Ashley swallows hard before finishing the sentence. "To Florida."
"And why should I care if your dad travels to Florida? I couldn't care le—" As Jennifer speaks, she seems to finally connect the dots. She turns pale just thinking about the idea. "You're not saying that we are…"
"Yes. My mom told me in the call the other day and I… Well, I had to think it over before telling you. Mom already knew he was a deadbeat but… It still surprised us when we found out." Ashley's voice crack, making her pain noticeable.
"Does my mom know?" Jennifer asks.
"Yup." Ashley nods slowly.
"But… But…" Jennifer bites her lower lip, now a jumble of emotions. "Why?"
"Exactly! Why?! Look, I've been thinking for two days about why he would do this, and I don't understand." Ashley throws her arms up in frustration. "No wonder we fight each other so much."
"Because we are the result of an affair?"
"No, because that's what sisters do, right?" Ashley tries to ease the tension a bit, but Jennifer doesn't seem to appreciate the comment.
"Girls?!" A light shines into the hole, blinding the two sisters momentarily until they can finally make out the figure speaking to them. It's Chris Junior, who looks at them with concern.
"Finally!" Jennifer says, getting up from the ground. "Help us!"
"Eh—Eh… I'm coming! Emma! Come here!" Junior shouts, running away at full speed.
Confessional
Jennifer - I… I don't know how to feel? How am I supposed to feel about news like this?! Beyond being Ashley's sister out of everyone in the world, my parents' marriage… Agh! (Jennifer punches the wall, shaking her hand to relieve the pain.)
After Jennifer and Ashley finally return to the train, it starts moving again. Jennifer sits alone in the common area of the Alpha team's wagon.
"Hey! J-Jen, I was worried about you." Mac enters the room. "A lot has happened! It turns out that Ba-"
"Not now, Mac!" Jennifer interrupts immediately, raising her hand to stop him. "I'm just... I can't, I'm sorry."
"I understand..." Mac exits the room timidly, confused.
On the other hand, in the games room, in one of the beanbags, Barbara is shrunken, she doesn't feel like going out to talk to her classmates. Liam arrives at the place, who looks at her. The boy has a conflicted expression.
"Hey, Barbie…"
"Toto, I'm so sorry. You don't have to talk to me, I don't deserve it—" Barbara is quickly interrupted by Liam.
"But I want to. I was a fool, I took the news that you had a boyfriend really badly and… I don't think you should feel guilty about it. I have no right to get mad, you did the right thing telling me before I got my hopes up more." Liam speaks with complete honesty and maturity.
"More?"
"Yes, I really felt butterflies in my stomach when I was with you, but… what matters to me is that you're happy." Liam nods slowly.
"Liam!" Barbara throws herself into a hug with the guy. "You're going to find someone great, I promise."
"That's what my mom says… But now, you need to explain to me about your alliance, because I don't like that at all." Liam's demeanor shifts from understanding to severity instantly.
"Oh… That…" Barbara looks away, trying not to feel too guilty. "It's a strange relationship. They proposed it to me from the start of the game and I just went along with it. But I haven't done anything wrong! I only decorated the cards to blackmail Lucy!"
"Blackmail? That's wrong, Barbie."
"I know, I know…" Barbara kicks the floor.
"Promise me you won't keep acting badly." Liam says.
"I'll try, it's just that the game…" Before Barbara could say anything more, Liam walks away.
The time for the ceremony has finally arrived. The atmosphere in both teams is tense, with many disapproving glances at Liam, and anger towards Lucy and Barbara. Everyone takes their seats.
"Good evening, Alpha team. Tonight, although it wasn't in my plans, you are the only ones who will lose a member. The safe people today are… Mac, Spencer, and Cordelia."
The three collect their marshmallows happily.
"Alright, go vote!"
Confessional
Mackenzie - Damn it! Today we could have eliminated a member of the Bermuda Triangle! Ugh… Now I have to choose between my friend, Jennifer, and Lucy!
Lucy - If I leave the show today, fuck Liam, fuck Barbara, and especially fuck Charlotte! But I'm not leaving without putting up a damn fight!
Jennifer - I didn't even know I was nominated. I... wouldn't mind leaving today.
Barbara - I got lucky today, I can't leave the show so early! You'd lose what attracts the audience the most.
Liam - It's most likely that I'll leave today. It was a mistake not nominating Barbara. It's just that… I still care about her a lot. I've never had two weeks as wonderful as the ones we had together.
Cordelia - There's not much to say today. I'm just glad that Barbara and Spencer are still here, although I'd be sad if Jennifer was the one to go.
Spencer - I don't know how I'm still here.
"The votes have been counted!" Chris announces. "It's roast time, but since Junior and Emma are asleep, it's my turn! Liam, not only did you disappear throughout the challenge without bringing any proof of the monster, but you also didn't have the guts to nominate the number one public enemy of the whole cast."
"I'm not the public enemy of anyone!" Barbara complains.
"You sure?" Levi asks.
"Jennifer, another person who disappeared throughout the challenge and didn't achieve anything, that's all that stands out today!" Jennifer just looks at the ground, conflicted. "And Lucy, how to start with you, Lucy? You angered the Bermuda Triangle, sabotaged your team, and sabotaged the other team. To me, it seems like you're not very popular, right?"
"Shut up." Lucy immediately says.
"Alright, the first marshmallow goes to…"
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"Jennifer! You're safe!" Jennifer receives the marshmallow and eats it indifferently. "And the last marshmallow goes to…"
Liam is on the edge of his seat, while Lucy only has her arms crossed with a frown.
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"Lucy! I'm sorry Liam, but this is the end of the road for you. Take your things and make the jump of shame." Chris announces, to which the muscular guy only lowers his head, defeated.
"No!" Barbara screams, going to hug him. Mac and Spencer just give a sad grimace.
"Are you doing this because you really care or just for the drama?" Harlan asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey! I have feelings, he's my best friend here!" Barbara complains, to which Liam simply breaks the hug, momentarily regaining his usual cheerful and innocent demeanor.
"Don't be sad! I made it this far, I just hope I did a good job as captain!"
"You did perfect, bro, you did perfect!" Spencer says, patting his friend on the shoulder.
"I will miss you," says Mac, standing up, to which Liam responds with a big hug. After letting go of the hug, he gives a firm handshake.
"Mac-Man! You gotta win this thing! Mark my words! You're gonna go far!" Liam gives another heartfelt hug, lifting Mac into the air, while the bespectacled guy just laughs. "And Barbara, I hope you keep doing fine."
"Ugh, you give me diabetes." Charlotte says, pretending to gag.
"See you later, guys! At least I'll be here for a few days in France!"
"But not—Nevermind."
"Oui Oui!" Liam jumps off the train with enthusiasm, disappearing into the distance.
"Alright, the Alpha team needs a new captain." Chris says.
"I'd really like to be captain," Lucy says immediately. "Does anyone else want to run?"
"I'd love to," Cordelia says, and Sophia rolls her eyes instantly.
"Okay, vote for Corey?" Lucy asks, to which Spencer, Jennifer, Barbara, and Corey raise their hands.
"Alright, it's decided. Cordelia is the new captain of the Alpha team!" McLean announces
Before everyone leaves, Lucy makes a small interruption.
"What's up, Charlie? Mad because I didn't leave?" Lucy stands up and puts her hand to her ear, indicating she can't hear Charlotte. The blonde girl is crossed-armed and angry. "Just so you know, Charlie's plan right now is to protect herself by helping the Bermuda Triangle, I think everyone should know!"
"Shut up!" Charlotte yells. "You were going to do the same thing!"
"Oops, but I won't anymore. By the way, don't believe anything Barbara says either. In fact, you should get her out as soon as possible. Although I don't need to tell you, everyone here has suffered from her alliance's actions." Lucy points at Barbara, who looks extremely furious at her words. "BT has been doing whatever they want with the game for a while, but that ends today! To help me, you can't trust a single word Barbara says!"
"Shut up." Barbara says, starting to get angry.
"You've seen you can't trust her, god, i don't even know if she was really Liam's friend or she was just using him!" Lucy echa más sal en la herida.
"You-"
"I'm going to make sure that the next one out is you, Barb—"
"GOSH, SHUT UP LUCAS!" Barbara screams at the top of her lungs, causing the entire train wagon to fall silent instantly. Lucy's face falls in an instant, turning pale with wide eyes.
"Lucas?" Gretchen asks.
"Oh, yeah. Lucas! I don't know if you knew, but our friend here is an hypocrite! She has lied to us about everything! Even her gender, her real name is Lucas!"
The entire room is silent for a second.
"Aha, I'm a dude! Do you think I care if you know that? In fact, you did me a damn favor! I finally get to stop pretending." Lucas shouts, red with anger.
"Well, you didn't want people to know, that's why you helped kick out Ryuuko, right?" Barbara throws it in his face as much as she can.
"So… Is she trans or something? Because I give a shit if she is." Levi comments.
"No, I'm a guy just… I have my reasons! My mom fucking forces me! It's… A long story! But it's better this way, just call me Lucas." Lucas throws his hand up in frustration and proceeds to leave the room.
"Did you know that?" Harlan asks Chris, surprised.
"Not at all, but that explains a lot." Chris says, also in shock.
"Well, and I have more secrets like that, so… So you better not mess with me!" Barbara yells angrily, storming out of the car at full speed.
"But how?" Mac questions.
"I don't know…" Charlotte responds, simply staring out at the scenery with a deep frown.
Confessional
Barbara - I shouldn't have said that! I shouldn't have said that!
Lucas - My mom is a messed-up psycho, and my whole life she's forced me to pretend to be a girl because she's that screwed up in the head. In fact, Barbara doing that actually frees me a bit, and if Mom's watching this, fuck you too!
Spencer - So… Remember what I said earlier? Yeah… I think I need to rethink things about myself because I'm really, really confused.
"Well, that was pretty intense!" Chris announces once everyone finally leaves the car. "We had many revelations! What will Lucy do next? Or, well, Lucas. Will Ashley and Jennifer finally get along now that they know they're sisters? And more importantly, who are the other two members of the Bermuda Triangle? Find out in the next episode of Total Drama: Express Tour!"
In the middle of the night, Mac is walking quietly through the McLean Express, unable to find sleep even though he's nearing 24 hours without rest. His mind remains restless. He eventually arrives at the "shame" car, where he hears something unusual: a small sob coming from the back of the car, where the jump is made. Sitting on the edge of the car is Jennifer, crying inconsolably. Mac was about to leave quietly, but the girl seemed to have noticed his presence. Turning around, Mac can't help but be moved by Jennifer's face, which normally tried to maintain a poker face, now overwhelmed with emotion.
"It's okay, I… I'll leave." Mac says, pointing towards the exit with his thumb.
"N-No, it's okay…" Jennifer murmurs.
"Come again?"
"I said that's fine… Please, stay." Jennifer says, looking embarrassedly at the floor. She always avoided eye contact whenever she talked with Mackenzie.
Mac, feeling quite shy and awkward, sits beside her.
"Do you want to tell me what's going on? I mean, it's fine if you don't want to—"
"I don't even know what's going on." Jennifer replies, her voice cracking midway through the sentence.
"It's okay… You… Just need to let it out." Mac says, staying silent for a while, letting Jennifer cry. The girl sheds tears continuously until she finally begins to calm down, resting her head on Mackenzie's shoulder.
In the now completely empty game room, Ashley is playing with the strings of her ukulele. Her eyeliner is smudged from tears, and she seems to struggle with the chords of her ukulele.
"Ash?" A second voice interrupts the scene; it's Gretchen, who is already in her pajamas. "I was worried about you."
"Gretchen!" Seeing Gretchen, Ashley does her best to maintain a cheerful facade.
Gretchen sees through her friend's smile and, in complete silence, sits down next to her.
"Do you want to sing it?"
"Yes… That would be nice." Ashley says, nodding slowly as she starts strumming her ukulele to the rhythm of "My Girl."
"I've got sunshine…"
"On a cloudy day… When it's cold outside, on the McLean Express."
"I guess, you'll say… What can make me feel this way—"
CONTESTANTS
Team Friendship – Harlan (C), Levi, Gretchen, Ashley, Charlie, Sophia.
Team Alpha - Corey (C), Mac, Spencer, Lucas, Jennifer, Barbara,
Eliminated - Kira, the flamenco dancer (Seoul) - AJ, the cowardly ghost hunter (NYC) - Kevin, the sexist jerk (London) - Sam, the boyish girl (London) - Celia, the moody rebel (Zaanstad) - Ryuuko, the calculated conflict (Doha) - Pedro, the gentleman (Vatnajökull) - Harvey, the passionate weeaboo (Athens) - Liam, the human golden retriever (Scottish Highlands)
McLEAN EXPRESS
Wagon 1 — Engine
Wagon 2 – Chris' Chambers
Wagon 3 – Luxury Wagon (today: Team Friendship)
Wagon 4 – Game room
Wagon 5– Friendship Team dorms
Wagon 6 – Alpha Team room
Wagon 7 – Common room + Confessional
Wagon 8 — Wagon of Shame
And so ends chapter eleven! First things first: Yes, I know I made you wait quite a while, or at least quite a bit for my usual updating pace. It's just that I've been focused on other projects lately, and by the time I realized it, I had lost a bit of touch with these characters, but it was nothing a good re-read couldn't fix.
To make up for it, this is the longest chapter I've written, and I think it's the one with the most emotional weight and, above all, one bombshell after another of revelations. I really feel like I've set the bar very high for the next chapters in terms of drama with this one, but well, we'll see what I do. I hope the chapter is engaging to read and doesn't feel too overloaded with so many important plots condensed. Also, it might be noticeable that the writing process was quite choppy, but well, now let's talk about the chapter itself.
To start with, the opening scene has to be one of my favorites to write. I thought it would be fun to give the characters a relaxed and happy moment before all the events that awaited them in this episode, and it ended up being a pretty sweet scene (though perhaps a bit odd if you don't know the songs, but I think I used songs known by everyone). For the challenge, I wanted something that would give the characters space to talk and develop without having to do something specific. I hope you liked Nessie, or rather, Pachong. To focus on certain characters, I had to forget about others a bit, which always leaves me with a bittersweet feeling (literally, Gretchen was underwater for half the chapter), but I think it's necessary to give weight to what's really important: The revelations.
To begin with, I think Lucy's true gender, or rather, Lucas, has been one of the revelations with the most foreshadowing throughout the entire story. If you have some free time, I want to see if you can find them! You see, when writing this fic, I first made a skeleton of how I wanted the story to be and what kind of characters I needed, and then I selected a cast that fit the story I wanted to tell. In Lucy's case, I just needed a character with a big secret, and it fit perfectly.
Another story with good foreshadowing is Ashley and Jennifer's. I didn't want to accept more than one character per person, but when Spyrorocks introduced me to these two girls, I didn't hesitate to write this story, which I find super interesting. Finally, Barbara: I don't want to say it like this, but I feel that of the three members of the Bermuda Triangle, she is the one with the least impact, or at least in terms of shock value when revealed. That's why I thought having her here would be perfect to make the BT feel more present, plus it's a good contrast with the ending of her impossible love story with Liam, which I feel ended quite satisfactorily. Speaking of Liam:
This is the elimination I liked the least to do, mainly because Liam was not planned as the one to be eliminated. It was during the writing process of the last three chapters that I started to feel that Liam would work better if he were eliminated at this point, as after closing his plot with Barbara, he didn't have much more to contribute beyond being a character I enjoyed writing. In conclusion, I feel that as a conclusion to the second arc, this chapter works well to resolve doubts and leave a few more.
Well, now to answer some critiques:
Space Zodiac - It's funny that you mention the double challenges, as they didn't exist in the outline of the challenge at first, but I felt I couldn't miss the chance to have a Lucy and Jennifer vs Ashley and Charlotte, plus it helped me close Harvey's arc well. I'd really love to go into more detail with the analysis you did on each character, but I feel it would end up being spoilers. I just want you to know that some of the things you said were extremely interesting. Thanks for the review!
DaringDF1827 - I know it wasn't an episode with much Sophia in it, but poor thing still has to find a good place in her team; for now, she's just working modestly. Thanks for the review!
Nobody245 - Lol, I didn't realize I didn't include the next destination in this chapter, but I guess it helped keep it a bit tense. Well, another accurate elimination prediction! Poor Liam, he was just a hopeless romantic in the worst show to find a functional partner. The big revelation of Lucas finally came! Although it came at the end and hasn't been explored much so far, don't worry, I'm sure the next chapter will handle that.
Yes, because the next time we meet will be in chapter twelve: "The Aftermath II: Second Chance Challenge."