Mythomania-A The Mole Fanfiction

Day 9

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE.
"I'm used to it, and I deserve it."

The Gamemaster pauses for long enough for me to get all the way downstairs. "...Charlotte, you know I'm not supposed to take sides-"

"Don't you do that on a daily basis?"

"For suspense and comedic effect, yes, but I don't think I can argue that telling you my opinion here wouldn't affect your gameplay."

"Your point?"

"Maybe it's just the way you were raised, but you're here so viewers can have fun watching you guys have fun-"

"In what dimension do you think we're having-"

I stop short as I hear the voice of a producer from the kitchen, "NO, ASH, DON'T TOUCH THAT!"

"Imagine if these computers had a self-destruct button," another producer sighs.

"What button?!" squeals Ash.

"What did you make Ash do?" I ask the Gamemaster.

"I think you'd prefer to see it with your own eyes-I'm very much enjoying watching him from up here. Anyway, your decisions make the show, not the other way round, so stop stressing out about every move you make, dammit. So go. Find your co-star. Laugh at him. It's worth it." He hangs up.

Eli is in the kitchen doorway as I walk closer, looking at the worn-out producers.

One of them gestures at Ash's new setup when they see my approach. "We spent all night putting this together," they pant. "There's no way we'll have time to start over before the challenge."

Half of the table was covered in flickering monitors, either showing camera footage of some mountainous landscape, or just a black screen with 'NO SIGNAL' in big white letters. The other producer was probably trying to restrain a very enthusiastic Ash.

Knowing the Gamemaster, I'll probably eat my words at the actual challenge, but it seems to me Ash got the job everyone would dread their turn for at work-after all, I'm pretty sure the company I work for has yet to purchase a bioprinter who was intelligent enough to reconsider a career as a butcher.

Who knows, maybe sabotage will be more fun to watch. (Except that I'm sure we all know big brother is watching, and nobody else in the final six would be stupid enough to let him suspect a thing.)

"Rock climbing should make it easy for Julia and Star to sabotage," I mention.

"Maybe the real sabotage is crossing your legs and watching with all your insider info," says Eli.

"What are you guys looking at?" River squeezes through the doorway. "Looking good, Ash! Reminds me of that kid from one of the cartoons Ari is watching."

"You guys should probably eat something before the challenge," the producer who isn't trying to prevent Ash from jumping out of his chair advises. "Also, the Gamemaster made me buy you guys a new toaster."
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(A/N: As usual-but especially in this challenge-there are plenty of trained professionals on set to make sure the players don't get hurt unless they do something stupid and to handle any situations that arise. Charlotte just doesn't mention them.)

We're taken to a beautiful little trail, teeming with tall trees and sunflowers and looking 100% harmless. River does a little twirl among the greenery. "This is gonna be so much fun!"

We're told that we have to finish the trail and light the flare in an hour as we're given protective gear, the flare (which Eli wanted to keep so we let him), and... an earpiece that isn't connected to our teammates?!