Episode 17 - Unbelieve

Previously on

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The final 3 women formed a new alliance... Which within a mere day already fell apart.

Salma: "I've been thinking: with Edmund gone there are only 5 of us left, and we're the final 3 women-"
Diane: "-Obviously-"
Salma: "-So I have this great idea: let's form a women's alliance and try for an all-female finale!"
Connie: "Ooh, that sounds lovely. I'm in, Salma."

Salma: "Connie, are you the Assassin?"
Connie: "W- wha?"
Salma: "Are you the Assassin?"
Connie: ".. No.."
Salma: "... Thank you."

Diane: "Yes. I have that Clue, my dear."
Salma: "If you share it we can figure it's meaning out together now."
Diane: "Well... I've not set my mind yet on sharing it, my dear."

Salma: "What? But why? We're in an alliance."

Diane: "I'm just considering the pros and cons of it...-"
Salma: "I can definitely see more pros than cons."
Diane: "-... and one con growing more and more to me is your blatant eagerness. It's ringing my bells a bit."

Salma: "That's interesting."

Said Clue was earned in a Challenge about strategically outbidding your fellow Jetsetters...

Connie: "I.. I'll bid 3 coins."
Odessa: "Great! 3 has been bid."
Diane: "I raise to 4."
Hector: ".. Let them have the first one, I'm passing."
Min Hee: "Okay, there goes."

Min Hee: "DIANE!! Congratulations, you will receive a call from us sometime later today. Buying a set of 16 and a set of 26 earned you a whopping 42 points, the crowning amount of points in the Challenge."
Odessa: "This leaves Connie to be in second place, earning 24 points by buying a hand of 11 and a hand of 13."
Min Hee: "Hereby this Challenge is over. Good luck and lots of wisdom."
Odessa: "You may go now."

... Besides all this, Hector tried to search for answers about an incident a few days ago and found.. something else, or rather someone else altogether...

Hector: "One thing I do know now: someone did call the police. Now my questions are who would do it, why would they do that and how did they know?

"Darleen": "Aha, you are trying to make a hard to catch-impression, stud. I want to go all along with that..."
Hector: "..."
"Darleen": "Just to let you know: you do not have to hide your long, sexy, wild locks for me. Darleen is very good in caressing them, darling."
Hector: "... Er-"

... HEALTH-E got convinced by Salma to use his Alter Ego programming, which led to some shocking results among the others...

HEALTH-E: "If you would like it, I could generate Darleen for you."
Salma: "Ooh, really?"
HEALTH-E: "Remember when she was brought away for heart surgery? I was the main assistant for the operation."
Salma: "Oh my God! Then do it! Yes!"

HEALTH-E: "Code69431_Activate... Alter_Ego_no.9.537.472: Darleen_Simpson."
Salma: "Thisisgoingtobesoawesome..."

Salma: ".. It's a standard phrase. Just say it and then add an adjective of an object you want me to guess."
"Darleen": "I think I get that, darling. I spy with my little eye... wet."
Salma: "Something wet? Lemme guess.. the pool?"
"Darleen": "Nope. My pussy when I imagine my Edward is the correct answer."

Salma: "................................................................................................................................................."

"Darleen": "Heeey, someone is looking very strong and handsome today."
Captain Dockhatt: "... Ye'r okay landlubber?"
"Darleen": "YOU are okay there, hunk."
Captain Dockhatt: "... Fan-lightning bombs-tastic..."

Sometimes literally... with tragedic consequences...

HEALTH-E: "I am HEALT-"
"Darleen": "DATA-- GLITCH-Krrzt."
Salma: "Hmm... I think I got something.."

*Salma grabs the handle and tries some ways to pull it a little*

Salma: "K'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!"
Odessa: "Oh my GOD HEEELP!!"

Odessa: "What do I do what do I do..."

*Odessa nervously gasps for a few moments, taking in the perilous situation*

Odessa: "GUYS I NEED HELP RIGHT NOW!!!!! ANYONE HEAR ME?!?!?!?!"

It all would've ended badly, if it weren't for the help of some Jetsetters to bring HEALTH-E back to the moment just in time...

Odessa: "Her pulse is gone!"
Connie: "..."

*Connie starts sobbing*

HEALTH-E: "I need you all to stand back at once! I'm going to defibrillate her."

*HEALTH-E rips away Salma's bikini top*

HEALTH-E: "Activate emergency-defibrillator!"

*HEALTH-E fires 6 times*

HEALTH-E: "That was 6. This is my final chance... FIRE!!!!!"
Salma: "AAAH!!!"

But even then, some Jetsetters were visibly touched by the accident...

Odessa: "Ugh.."
Min Hee: "What's wrong?"

*Odessa dumps herself on the couch*

Odessa: "It happened all in front of me..."

*Min Hee rubs Odessa's arm while she transforms*

Min Hee: ".. Jetsetters, please go inside now.. Captain Dockhatt will finish the day off with you."

HEALTH-E was luckily able to use his qualities to the best, and healed her back up enough to be able to participate in the show again...

Captain Dockhatt: "Landlubbers... After ye had one heck of a day 'llready, ye'd think ye'd get sum rest, eh?"

Captain Dockhatt: "While you landlubbers were lummering 'round, Min Hee was nice enuff to tell me who o' you mateys was chosen by the Assassin to be keelhauled... Figuratively speaking. An' now it's my turn to tell ye landlubbers the same. . . Alas. . . Ye ready? . . . Well. . ."

Only for poor Salma to then be Eliminated soon after...

Captain Dockhatt: "Yer Eliminated......... Salma Guerrero."

Salma: "What?!"

Captain Dockhatt: "8th keelhauled: Salma Guerrero."

That Salma's accident has changed the game is for sure, but who are hit by it the most? And now the semi-finale is upon the Jetsetters, the pressure among them is growing to formerly unknown levels, but who will crack into smithereens under it?

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20 DAYS, 12 PLAYERS, 1 CRUISE

THIS IS

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Host Bedroom

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   Min Hee overlooks the bed she has been sleeping in with her adopted daughter for the past more than 2 weeks. Odessa, after a restless and troublous night with a lot of turning around, is finally sleeping calmly for a bit, her beloved pet fox comfortingly patrolling her at her side.

   There must be a lot going on in her mind at that moment, Min Hee thinks. She was, after all, the only person who actually witnessed Salma's accident, opposed to everyone else who came in to answer the calls for help afterwards. It must've been a bit of panicked adrenaline which kept Odessa going and going in the heat of the peril before collapsing eventually once the danger was over.

   And since then, the shock has been real hard since. It keeps reminding Min Hee of the events a year ago, when she first officially introduced herself to the young girl. She still remembers the murmuring sound of Odessa repeating the fact of her father's death over and over again, only being stopped all of a sudden when Min Hee, not aware of Odessa's beliefs that it was a drowning accident, stated her condolences for Thornton's murder, which triggered the same reaction as the present day.

   A new notion nests itself in Min Hee's mind. Odessa got better in a matter of a couple of hours back in the day, but now she's been lying around like a rag doll for a full night already. Something's really wrong. But what? She hasn't seen anyone die with her own eyes on the Luxury's Lap, so is the witnessing of Salma's accident making a difference? Or is she still dealing with the emotional luggage of the events back a year ago?

   Min Hee knows she herself still has moments when she's struggling as well, as that one confrontation when she mixed up Captain Dockhatt's name with Stubing's. When the painful memories really began pressuring her mind, though, she tries to find a calm place to meditate. Just like she was doing right before Salma's shock. Luckily it helps to keep her own thoughts and mind organized, but Odessa has much less experience, making it much more of a challenge to do so. 

   The word Challenge suddenly brings Min Hee on a completely different thought: she wants to stay with Odessa, despite the responsibility she has for the show. As far as the situation looks like right now, Odessa will absolutely not be there to help out. The production team insists on staying out of the camera sight. Asking Captain Stubing, no, Dockhatt is not an option, he told he is going to visit an old friend in town that day. Min Hee knows she has no other choice but to go and host herself, but... It's all making her so stressy.

   Min Hee realizes she has been caressing her hand over Odessa's furry arms before she calmly and deeply breaths in.

*Connie sits in the Diary Room for a minute, quietly. She sighs slightly*

Connie: "Poor Salma... I- I'm so- ... Thank goodness she's okay. But it could've b- been..."

*Connie turns silent for a long time*

Connie: ".... Sorry.."

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Library

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   The library is a much more interesting place than HEALTH-E could ever remember. The main thing he used the place for, was one of the spots to meet with other Jetsetters. Those 'books' the other Jetsetters and, now he got to think of it, a lot of people back in his hospital were reading were a bit strange to the robot at first, but this time he decided to try one for a change. And he was proven wrong.

   "Oh no, where did I put it again..."
   Another Jetsetter who was sharing the love of books also walks around. HEALTH-E looks up to see Connie spooking around. He sees her scanning through the bookcases, looking for something. She looks nervous, he realises.

   "Good morning Connie. Can I help you?"
   "Oh hi." The woman turns to the robot. "Err, i- it'd be really nice if you could, yes.." She smiles, albeit nervously.
   "I can easily scan the room, if you need to find something." HEALTH-E gestures to the surrounding bookcases.
   "Oh.. that'd be really nice", Connie replies. "I'm looking for a book.. M- my childhood favourite." HEALTH-E patiently awaits Connie to finish. "It's titled 'One Wolf, Two Wolves. Where Wolf? There Wolf!'."

   HEALTH-E: "Okidoki." He starts walking around the library, pointing his arm to the bookcases and following the shelves with his finger. "Do you like the book?"
   "Yes.." Connie replies, "It's a childhood favourite."
   "A childhood favourite? Aren't you too old for those?"
   HEALTH-E's reaction makes Connie turn a bit red, out of slight embarassment. "Hey. That was rude!"

   HEALTH-E immediately apologizes: "Oh, I'm sorry. I did not.. mean it like that."
   Connie sighs, realizing she exclaimed that a bit more vocal than usual: "O- oh no.. I should be. That was louder than I meant to."
   "It is fine."
   "Okay.. It's just.. I- I'm still a bit upset after Salma yesterday." Connie sighs again, not believing she got her thoughts on that again. "S- sorry, I should get my mind on something else.."

   "Oh dear," HEALTH-E replies to that. The word 'childhood' in combination with another topic brings him on an idea.
   "Connie, you should not worry about it. I have an idea."
   "Oh. What is it?"

   HEALTH-E involuntarily stops scanning, his plan redirecting his thoughts back to Connie. "I could tell you about my past."
   ".. That'd be helpful. Thank you."
   "Okidoki. Let me tell you a bit about my creator first."
   Connie nods to that proposal, taking a seat.

   HEALTH-E: "Less than a year ago I was created by daddy. I mean Dr. Olive."
   Despite his quick correction, Connie immediatly giggles: "Aww, that's so cute."
   "I'm only supposed to say daddy in private contact", HEALTH-E explains. "But back on topic: Rose, his daughter, needed a medical assistent and someone specialized to test out various kinds of medicine projects. She has a job as a pharmacist."

   Connie states: "So that makes Rose your sister."
   HEALTH-E looks up at Connie with a slightly unamused gaze: "Here she should be referred to as Rose. It's naming protocol, you know."
   "Sorry..." Suddenly a small piece of a puzzle snaps together in Connie's mind. "I'm really sorry, Min Hee."

*HEALTH-E shakes his head*

HEALTH-E: "She then went on to ask about Rose's pharmacist career and I told her about the drugs she created."

   HEALTH-E: "... and then there is Assylopadinoccinamidium, which contains several minerals, vitamins, e-numbers and a top secret formula including an emulsion of pencil flakes and ketchup, among other ingredients; it's commonly used to prevent exessive nose growth when taken during puberty. There's Venwerenotalisationium, a precize mixture of endaxtrocinalium, calium, vitamins A, B and H, and ginger roots, renowned in international circles for it's effect on the DNA around the scalp, effectively changing someone's natural hair colour to auburn."

   Connie keeps listening, despite not fully getting the point HEALTH-E's trying to explain.
   "A project Rose has been working on recently is the Amaiwateengoreprutisditium, essentially a mix of fiber, katepisiumcide, brinta and mashed Big Mac. It's supposed to have a significant increase in body strength upon takein."
   "Steroids?" Connie asks out of the blue.
   "No, absolutely not steroids, Connie. Don't be a dodo."
   Connie nods. "Hmm."

   HEALTH-E goes on with his rambling. "And then we have our biggest, super secret research going on: Rose is the lead of a team on a cure for death."
   "What?!"
   "Our research isn't advanced enough to make every death curable though," HEALTH-E continues, slightly oblivious to Connie's slightly absent stare."Our main goal is to invent something which can bring back people to life who have died only recently, from causes which left the body intact enough that full restoration is possi-"

   "Have you ever heard", Connie interrupts, "of the secret of Ambrosia?"
   HEALTH-E reacts surprised: "As a matter of fact, I haven't."
   "It's an old, mythical recipe, I've heard," Connie explains. "According to the legend, if prepared properly, the soul of a departed loved one can feast on it, granting the soul back it's life."
   "That sounds very interesting." HEALTH-E agrees. His voice then lowers half an octave:. "But I do not believe in things like myths."

   Connie's next glance to the robot gives off a disappointed air. "Oh.. But it'd still be awesome if it was true, wouldn't it?"
   "It would. That's why Rose and her team are working on the death cure."
   "Oh.." Connie shakes her head, realizing HEALTH-E's too skeptical to consider. "Never mind then."

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Washing Room

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   With a loud bonk Hector puts the heavy laundry bag on the washer. He gives himself a small break to wipe his forehead, "My God, it's been awhile again since someone did this," before he leans over the machine to set the timer on 30 minutes. Carefully, having heard about washers electrocuting people before. The thought, inevitably connected with the day before, makes him shiver a moment.

   Suddenly a door right behind him opens. Hector doesn't have to turn around to know who it is, the paced clacking of heels walking over a tiled surface gives it away already. Diane. Just the person he still needs to have a private talk with about the police incident a few days ago. Now is my chance, he thinks, before adressing the lady in white.

   "I've been wanting to talk to you for a while." Despite still facing the washer, he still can feel Diane turning her attention to him.
   "Not now, my dear," she replies, "I was about to make lunch." Typical. She's always been using cooking as an excuse to wriggle out and away from things. Not this time though, Hector intends to himself.
   "It's early for that. I won't be too long."

   Diane beholds the man she doesn't trust turn around, now facing her. She can feel a heartbeat or two roaming her chest, before she readjusts herself, wiping a small piece of dust off her shirt. She has set her mind in full-alert mode, not only out of awareness of his capabilities coming from his dark past, but also from his serious tone - this threatening man wants something from her, and she has to be prepared to counter him.
   "Five minutes, at most."

   "Good." Hector slowly breaths in, giving himself a second or two to think of the exact wording. "Why should I believe you didn't call the police?"
   ".. Because I didn't, thank you very much." Diane slightly tilts her head. "Not that you'd believe my word, but that's your error, my dear."
   Hector slowly nods to that. "I could try to believe you." He then tilts his head too, letting his long black hair bounce along. "You need to defend yourself a bit more though."

   "It's Edmund. He told me about that you murdered your brother." The blunt statement slaps Hector in the face, murdered wasn't the right word for the whole situation, at all!
   "I wasn't sober!" Diane's turn to look surprised after the man facing her suddenly starts shouting.
   "So you confess?" Diane asks. Hector moans at her in annoyance.

   "That's not my point, fuck it!"
   "Watch your language, my dear."
   "Argh, ANYway, you're saying Edmund did it and then confided you." Diane nods to that. "One but: the two of you couldn't get along, why then would he ever tell you?"

   "It's.. complicated. My dear." Diane realizes it is now up to her improvization talent to fix her way around that. "Although, at this point it couldn't hurt too much to.."
   Hector looks interested. "Go on."
   Diane: "Our rivalry was a ruse. For our secret alliance."
   Hector nods. "A secret alliance?"

   "Indeed," Diane 'confirms'. "Nobody would expect it, and we could exchange our notes on the others in secret. It's now over though, so it can't hurt telling you anymore."
   "Hmmm..." As Hector's taking it all in and testing her talk in his mind, Diane desperately hopes that her cover gets accepted in that man's head. "I don't think you haven't done anything, ma'am..."

   "But the only thing I can do is to ask Edmund for his view on things. Which won't work right now."
   Diane's heart descends to it's normal spot again. She simply nods to Hector's conclusion, in a try not to show too much reaction.
   "I'll ask him personally at the finale though." Hector adds.

   Diane's inner self smiles from that response. Now she won't be facing the whole situation again for the rest of the show. "Okay. Can I go now?"
   Hector hesitates for a sec. Then he nods. Diane immediately paces away.

*Diane coughs. She's actually lying to the Diary Room Camera*

Diane: "Ugh, that was awful. I do hope the man will eventually fall for it today of tomorrow. I just might go and roll into the finale."

Hector: "Well well.. If they were in an alliance.. That'd put all things in a new perspective. Too bad I can only take a gamble on whether to go with it in my Ranking or not. May the Dolphin Gods be merciful to me."

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Beach

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   "Jetsetters", Min Hee starts off, "to your left is a mine field. It will be your task to discover the mines' location and mark them, before anyone steps on them and gets hurt. To figure out where the mines are though, you need to take some risks."

   Some Jetsetters, the human ones in particular, exchange a few worried looks while Min Hee continues her talk.
   "You'll play in turns. When it's your turn you go and pick a square on the field and stand on it. The outcome depends on what is hidden underneath the spot you've chosen. 3 things can happen." 

   "First option: there are no mines next to your spot and all the bordering safe spots in the field you're standing are revealed."

   "Second option: There is one or more mines in the adjacent squares. You will be told how many mines are close from the particular square you've chosen."

   "Option 3..." Min Hee waits a few seconds for extra effect. "Kaboom! If you step on a mine, you're out of the Challenge. But, if you think you have figured out a mine's location you can, instead of standing on a square in the field, grab a flag..."

   "... and put it in the square you think has a mine. A small warning in advance: you only have 11 flags to mark 11 mines and you are not allowed to remove once placed flags. If you accidentally mark a save spot as a mine, you are one flag short of marking all the mines. And letting one mine explode won't help you, we'll remove one flag from the game if you step on one, got it?"
   The Jetsetters nod in understanding.

   "The Challenge is over when you have either used up all your flags, or when all of you stepped on a mine. 10 mines are worth money for the Jetsetters when they've been marked with a flag by the end of the Challenge, totalling to a nice 145.000 Simoleons. The 11th mine is worth a hidden Clue towards the group in general."
   Connie nervously whispers an: "Is it safe?.."
   "Don't worry about the mines too much, Connie," Min Hee answers, "they're gunpowder-free, if you know what I mean..."
   Connie blinks a few times, not entirely sure how to read that reply.
   Min Hee concludes: "Time for you to decide on a playing order."

   "So basically we're playing real-life Minesweeper," Hector clarifies.
   Connie nervously moans. "It was my first computer game I ever played.. and I still hate it. I always step on the mine first."
   HEALTH-E immediately called dibs: "I'll go first. I am made of high quality metal anyway, so I should be fine if they explode."
   "Are you sure?" a worried Connie fires at the robot, who nods at her and proceeds to a square not far form the map centre.
 

   "You pick E4, HEALTH-E?" Min Hee asks. After the healthcare companion gives her a thumb up, she signals to somewhere away, presumably a production member. And then, the nervous waiting began..

   "2 mines adjacing," Min Hee concludes out of this. "Please come back, so the next one can play." She turns to the other 3 Jetsetters, raising her eyebrow slightly with a smile. "So, who of you will it be?"
   The three Jetsetters are exchanging looks while HEALTH-E joins their side again, all three of them nervous and afraid of what the mines would do. They're gunpowder-free, Min Hee has assured, but that didn't gave away what they would do.

   "Anyone?" Min Hee's smile faded away a bit, giving a more questioning look to Connie, Diane and Hector. Connie is nervously rubbing her arm while Diane and Hector started a mutual staring contest, frowning at eachother fiercely.
   Finally Hector was the one to give in: "I guess I'll try another area then." He approached another square not far from the centre, F7, and added a "this one, please." Min Hee signals again...

   "It's a lighter shade than E4, right?" Hector ascertains.
   Min Hee nods to that: "1 mine next to F7." She proceeds nodding at the ladies on the side, adding a "Time for the next player please."

   Connie and Diane exchange looks. After a few seconds of silence, someone steps forward to the field. "I- I'll do it.." Connie stutters before slowly, as if the ground under her heels could explode from even the least of pressure, pacing to the board. She eventually settles for a square closer to the border, B2. When Min Hee asks, Connie nods, and Min Hee does her thing...

   BOOM!! A cloud of sand and dirt fully covers Connie, startling the Jetsetters. Diane even let out an ear-shatteringly loud scream of pure panic. "CONNIE!!!" She runs a few steps towards the spot where her close friend, her only friend on the whole show, was standing a few seconds ago, but the slowly ascending layer of light sand obsures the sight at first.

   And then the sight is revealed. A body is lying in the sand, covered in a thick fluid. A thick, blood red fluid is coating the body and the surrounding ground. Diane shortly squeaks in digust, then turns towards Min Hee. "You've really done it this time." As the pale face of the elegant woman turns redder and redder, she paces towards the poor host, who slightly cowered from the situation while turning paler and paler.

HEALTH-E: "I've never seen Diane anywhere close near that mad, and believe me, she looked furious when I accidentally gave her the allergy shots, remember?... Poor Min Hee..."

   "You've REALLY done it THIS TIME!" Diane shouts in Min Hee's face. Min Hee immediately steps backwards, only for Diane to take a step forwards again.
   "I- I''m sorry, it's not what you think it is," Min Hee utters while stepping back again.
   "UGH!" Diane exclaimed in disgust, "Do you think I'm a fool, my dear?!" Min Hee takes another step back.
   "You DO, don't you?!" Min Hee takes another step back, slightly sidewards towards Connie's direction. "DON'T YOU?!"

   From the sideline both Hector and HEALTH-E are doing their best not to get involved with the whole uneasy situation. "Stay back, pal," Hector says while watching the two women clashing the mood, "I'd rather not be made into soup."
   "Indeed. Soup tastes horrible."
   "Depends. Shark fin soup, whale soup, dolphin soup.." Hector shakes his head and looks down. "Bwargh, even the mere thought's making me queasy already."
   HEALTH-E nods to that in agreement: "Yup. And it's a well known fact that these soup types have a negative effect on a persons health."
   "Exactly," says Hector, as the argument in front of them escalates.

   "Whoosj!" Out of the blue, Min Hee jumps to the game field, barely missing an open-eyed Diane. The flighty host lands well on her feet, before - "Oh shooot!" - her heel got stuck in the sand and lets it's wearer fall over on her hands.
   "NO!", her pursuer yells, before taking off in the same direction.
   Min Hee rises herself up to her feet and turns to Diane: "Calm down! And listen!" As Diane ughed again, Min Hee concludes her phrase with an "Over there!" while she points at the field.

   And indeed, the blood-red body is producing some soft moans. "Oooohh.." she softly sighs while slowly rising on her arms.
   Diane, who out of reflex still briefly glanced at the direction Min Hee pointed at, freezes; conflicted and a bit confused. A few seconds later she was running to her friend on the field, exclaiming her name out of anxiety. She kneels near: "Please be okay, my dear. Please."
   Connie gets up a bit more, almost being on all fours now, but then she starts coughing out loud.
   "No!" Diane immediately grabs her friend by the shoulders, patting her back. "Ack- i- it's the sand..."
   The woman in white lets out a tense sigh, right before she notices the fact that the shoulders she's holding are wet. "Paint," she lets out, asking in disbelief. "Red paint?! ... That's just... not funny," Diane adresses to the host.

   "Eeeeewww..." Connie, with a bit of help, rigidly and clumsily gets on her twos again. "It's drying already."
   Min Hee friendly gestured towards the Jetsetter: "You're out of the Challenge, you're free to go wash yourself."
   "But.." Connie raises her hands in slight protest, "I'll m- miss the rest of the game a- and-!"
   "I'll go with you," Diane says. "It's my turn anyway, they can't play on without me, now can they?"
   Min Hee, while the two Jetsetterettes were leaving to the nearby boat already, stutters in surprise: "W-wait, we haven't got all day."
   "'Twas your idea to use paint bombs in the first place, you could've been expecting it, my dear," Diane throws back, leaving the perplexed host and the pair of male Jetsetters behind.

HEALTH-E: "I think it was rather inconvenient that Connie tends to lose at minesweeper games."

   HEALTH-E stares at the ladies while they enter the ship. "I really hope she'll wash the paint all off very soon. If one has their skin covered like that for too long it might get dangerous, maybe even deadly."
   "Deadly?! Eep.." Min Hee joins the guy's side.
   "Oh, I know what you mean," Hector adds. "You have seen Goldfinger?"
   "Goldfinger? I do know that consuming silver will turn a human's complexion into a blueish shade, but I have never heard of 'goldfinger'. Could you please tell me?"
   Hector tells: "Goldfinger is a movie, about James Bond, a secret agent. There's a scene where a woman is killed by being covered in golden paint."

   "James Bond," HEALTH-E repeats. "I have never seen any James Bond movies before. Maybe we should watch some together."
   "Oh, can I join you if you do? I've never seen the classic ones either." Min Hee throws in.
   "Sounds like a plan." - Hector.
   "Great," Min Hee exclaims, "I can arrange the theatre, maybe even rent the film somewhere. Tomorrow's fine?"
   "That sounds good," both Hector and HEALTH-E nod.

Hector: "After Salma's incident and Elimination I've been thinking... With Salma gone I'm all alone now in the game. We often hung out together, so.. I think I can say we're kind of friends now.. But with her gone now, I lost a friend and ally; so I need to find a confident for the final stretch. Connie and Diane are inseperable, so behold.. HEALTH-E. There's still some brutal waves from the past I feel we need to calm, but in all I believe it could work when all's made up for.. you know..."

   "HEALTH-E," Hector adresses, "can I ask you something else now?"
   HEALTH-E nods: "That's fine."
   "You still remember that incident where I almost pushed you in the pool?" HEALTH-E nods again and calmly gestures Hector to continue.
   "I know it's been ages ago already, but I never actually apologized to you." Hector puts his hands together. "So, here goes. I'm sorry for pushing you to the pool's edge. Do you want to forgive me?"
   "Hector..." HEALTH-E smiles at his fellow Jetsetter. "I already did that a long time ago."

   A squirt of relief flows through Hector. "Oh thanks! I was still worried about that." Hector pats the robot on his arm.
   "Aww." Min Hee warmly smiles at the couple.
   Hector: "Now we got that done, we have a new chance to build something new. We have that upcoming movie already, which is an opportunity to bond."
   "To James Bond, that is" - Min Hee.
HEALTH-E produces the robot equivalant of a chuckle while Hector shakes his head, smiling.
   "But first.."

   "I'll be checking up on Odessa before the girls are back." Min Hee positions her feet towards the Jetsetter. "Is that ok?"
   Hector and HEALTH-E nod. "Fine."

Hector: "And it helped. You know what's also funny? Since I got to know him a bit better, he seems so... human to me actually. His developers really did a great job on his intelligence, you got my kudos for that feat."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Spa

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   Diane keeps staring at the door. Connie's been taking a very long time to wash herself already. It's all starting to worry it's way into Diane's head.

   If something bad has happened to her... The ideas for plans and actions to take are boiling through Diane's mind already. They wouldn't get away with such treatments to their players, she thinks, reminiscing situations as the mud in the Cowboy Challenge, being locked out of the ship after the Murder Mystery and being locked up with Edmund in a cabin, all while Connie was fearing for Blane's life. Not to start about all the times Connie got upset.. Although...

   A tiny little voice deep down the well of Diane's heart is trying to shine a different light through. A voice Diane thought she had gotten rid of years and years ago, back in all the harsh times she's been through. Somehow it's climbing it's way up again the past few weeks.

   Connie wouldn't go and take revenge on the show, would she? And she wouldn't want Diane to do it either...

   "It's all cleaned off," Connie immediately says after coming in the main hall of the spa. A few seconds later Diane was embracing her already in relief, squeezing a small surprised "Whoah?" out. After the uncomfortability of the surprise wanes away as soon as it came, Connie puts her hands on Diane's back and hugs back.

   "Thank goodness you're fine."
   "Indeed." Connie winces slightly. "Please, I'm still a bit sore after stepping that mine."
   Diane immediately loosens her grip, uttering out a "Excuse me."

   "Don't mention it," Connie mentions.
   Diane pauses for a second, then claims: "I've heard that robot say something about paint. I was so worried."
   "HEALTH-E?" Connie guesses nervously, "What did he say?"
   "I didn't hear all of it."

   "Oh." Connie exclaims, wondering a bit.
   "But considering it's paint," Diane continues, "I simply mean, you don't know what's exactly in it, do we?" Diane's thoughts trail back to the bathrobe explosion a week ago.
   "It's all washed off now though."
   "I'm glad it is. I am not amused they've done that."

   Connie notices the dark tone in Diane's voice. "I- I think they've realized their mistake by now."
   "Probably," Diane shrugs, her mouth corners pulling down. "I don't know though, my dear. They've made quite some of these mistakes by now."
   Sensing the direction Diane could take the conversation to, Connie realizes she needs to mellow her down a bit. "They have. Although..."

   Diane waits for Connie to continue her phrase. After a bit of an awkward silence, Diane's eyes open a bit: "I'm not sure anymore."
   "You're not sure anymore.." Connie repeats, blinking a few times. "Hmm.."
   "It's.." Diane pauses, then snaps her fingers. "Normally I'd never let people treating me like this get away with it."

   "But something's stopping you from taking action?" Connie finishes.
   ".. Frankly, yes." Diane admits. "And it's confusing me."
   Connie is silent for a moment, pondering upon a thought. She remembers the very first day they met, the distance Diane kept between herself and everyone else, including Connie herself. The two of them only started to bond after discovering a shared passion for cooking, which grew over the days of the show. 'Drawn together by the flame', as the lyrics go.

   "It's me," Connie commences. "I'm holding you form taking action."
   "... You're right." Diane blinks, suddenly feeling a poke of fear that he only friend is taking it for a reproach. ".. Not in a bad way! It's just.-- You're a very great person. Part of me says this, but another part of me says that now and I just.."
   "Diane." Connie says calmly, silencing the person she's reaching her hand out to. In an unconscious reflex Diane first backs to keep the approaching hand away from her breast, but then she lets Connie place her hand on her chest.

   "Just follow your heart."
   Silence.
   "Thank you." Diane says.

   "Ugh, listen Brock, this is my voicemail, you know the tric-" Awkward surprise strikes Diane's face, while Connie simply stares.

   "Yes, she's right here," Diane says before handing her phone straight to Connie. "It's Min Hee, she wasn't sure if you were done showering already."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Beach

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   "So Connie's hosting instead of Min Hee." Hector says to make sure he's understanding the sudden twist of events well.

   Connie slowly nods. "She didn't want to leave Odessa alone."

   HEALTH-E: "The poor girl. She has been in shock since Salma.. shocked herself." Diane coughs in disapproval. 

   "So, err..." Connie cluelessly rubs her cheek, wondering how to handle her first hosting job.

   Hector says: "Start the game already, I guess?"

   "I agree with that." HEALTH-E nods. "I'm not feeling comfortable this close to the river so I would rather have this Challenge be over."

   "It's my first turn now." Diane says, and then she moves towards the grid, to square D9, while keeping her fingers crossed...

Connie: "A thought afterwards: hosting this Challenge was a really great way to analyze the others' moves. Being involved certainly helps me to stay focused on them.

   After HEALTH-E signals to Connie to signal to production, D9 is revealed to have "1 adjacent mine, Diane. HEALTH-E's playing now."

   After HEALTH-E places himself on F6 and marks a good amount of surrounding squares as safe, Hector asks Connie: "So once a mine explodes, we can no longer place a flag on it obviously, correct? And we can place a flag once per turn?"

   Connie nervously blinks a few times, before searching her pockets for the small rule note Min Hee left her. "Er, yes and.. yes."

   Upon hearing that, the Dolphin Warrior paces to D8...

   *Hector finds 1 adjacent mine on D8*

   *Diane finds 1 adjacent mine on A6*

   *HEALTH-E finds a safe spot on E8, revealing the surrounding area as well*

   "I'll pick D7 next." Hector says.

   "Err, Hector.." Connie says carefully.

   HEALTH-E's more of the blunt approach: "That square's been revealed already."

   "Typical." Diane mutters.

   "Whoops. My mistake," Hector says, as he moves one square backwards.

   "Hector, that square's been revealed as well."

   "Trolololololololololol."

Diane: "I don't even want to know what that was for. If you want to sabotage, do it properly. That man was simply stalling the whole Challenge for no reason."

Hector: "I just wanted to do that. Plus I'll take the attention off of the Assassin."

   "Have it your way then. J2's fine?"

   *Diane finds 2 adjacent mines on B8*

   *HEALTH-E finds a safe spot on A4, revealing all adjacent fields*

HEALTH-E: "I think that I'm really good at this game. I discovered 3 full safe zones already."

   While HEALTH-E's still walking back, Hector's eyes gaze over the board already, searching for his next move. He suddenly sees a spot, D6, where there has to be a mine.

   "Hey guys," Hector says, "I think I'm gonna place a flag."

   "You're free to go." - Connie.

   *Diane picks H7, revealing 1 adjacent mine*

   *HEALTH-E puts a flag on B7*

   *Hector picks B10 and reveals 1 adjacent mine*

   *Diane explores J10 and reveals 1 adjacent mine*

   *HEALTH-E puts a flag on C9*

   *Hector puts a flag on H4*

   *Diane puts a flag on I6*
   "Only 5 flags left!" Connie throws in.

   *HEALTH-E places a flag on G8*

   *Hector explores E2, revealing 2 adjacent mines*

   *Diane puts a flag on E3*

   *HEALTH-E discovers on J8, revealing a save area*

HEALTH-E: "Make that 4 safe zones that I have discovered."

   *Hector places a flag on G3*

   *Diane places a flag on I10*

   *HEALTH-E places a flag on H1*

 

   Connie starts off again: "11 minus the exploded mine makes 10 flags. I guess the Challenge is over now."

   After the other Jetsetters confirm that, Connie continues: "Okay then.. Err, how do I reveal th-"

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   Before Connie could even finish her phrase, the field already changed colours, courtesy of the production team. Most of the mines were right, but...

   "Oh no, we got the top right corner wrong!" HEALTH-E exclaims.
   "That's a shame," Connie admits, "But you still got 7 right, right?"
   Diane wonders out loud: "How much did we earn, my dear?"

   "Hmm, according to production, we've earned.." Connie peeks on her rule note. "125.000 Simoleons. Out of 145.000. That's really good."
   Hector asks: "What did we miss?"
   "Er, let me see.." Connie peeks on her note again.

   "I'll sum it up.
    B2 - 5.000
    B7 - 25.000
    C9 - 10.000
    D6 - 10.000
    E3 - 25.000
    F3 - 15.000
    G8 - 15.000
    H2 - 10.000
    H5 - Clue
    I6 - 5.000
    I10 - 25.000"

   "So," HEALTH-E begins. "We've missed B2, H2, H5 and I6. 5.000, 10.000, 5.000 and a Clue."
   "It's a shame," Diane states, "that we always seem to miss the Clues. It's been since the Ferris Wheel already.."
   Hector objects: "Coming from the one who won a whole private Clue for herself.."

   "Someone here's a sore loser." Diane throws back.
   "Calm down. Let's just go back to the boat." Connie throws in, trying to calm the two.
   "I back up Connie's idea." HEALTH-E says. "Let's go."

Connie: "I got my notes all written down and collected in here."

*Connie points to her head*

Connie: "I'll just have to place it in the bigger picture now. And who knows... I might be able to unmask the Assassin now."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Host Bedroom

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

   "H- how was the Challenge by the way?.." Odessa asks Min Hee, her voice soft and somewhat hoarse. Min Hee's glad to see her daughter recovered this far from the shock - a huge improvement from trembling in her sleep through the whole day and night, but she can also see Odessa still needs some rest and time to recover - the glow and reflection in her eyes is still missing the lively and naughty spark from, was it just yesterday?

   "The Challenge went.." Min Hee realizes that mentioning a furious Diane wouldn't be the most tactful thing to do. ".. okay.."
   Judging by the concerned experssion of her adoptive mother, Odessa realizes that there was something bothering her. Min Hee saw that thought reflect off her face as well, but didn't want the conversation to go that way. "At least, I tried. I was constantly worried about you though." A bit of a white lie, but it was for the best.
   Min Hee then attempts to direct the conversation into a different direction with an "Are you alright?"

   "... Better than last night," Odessa lets out with a trembling sigh.
   "Do you want to talk about it?"
   Odessa bows down her head, softly shaking and swirling her hair with the motion "I.. I dunno.." 

   "I think," Min Hee says with a serious, concerned expression in her eyes, "you shouldn't crop all your feelings up."

   "I just.. I don't know.." Odessa lets out reluctantly. "It's so complicated.."
   "I'm here to listen."

   "It's just so..." Odessa sighs again. After sitting like that for a minute she tries to collect her thoughts, rises her head so she's watching Min Hee again and rubs her hair out of her snout. "It could've been me."
   "It could've been you." Min Hee repeats with a nod.
   "Ugh, it's.." After poising with all of her feelings for a few moments on the tip of her tongue, Odessa just.. explodes, metaphorically: "I told her I'd help her out with it all and I was about to go and take it over when she got herself shocked and it was freaking me out and- and then I just don't fucking know anymore and I fainted and IT COULD'VE BEEN ME THERE AND- AND--!" One second later and Min Hee has grabbed Odessa in a tight, reassuring hug.

   "It's okay, Dessa, it's okay..." Min Hee rubs her hand over her furry upper back. "I'm here."

   "I'm here with you."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

End of Episode 17

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