30.15-Clean, wiped slate

Last time, the final 7 had to do a relay race, carrying a bag of 10 stones to Port Escape. They could remove rocks to lessen their burden at the expense of points. In the end, Angel brought home 30/100 points in the nick of time, resulting in 330/900 points. However, she was also the unlucky one to be executed. Is she the Mole? Everyone is hoping she is, because otherwise the true Mole will be sniggering away.

***

Day 31

Hazel: "I miss Angel. I mean, I suspected her, but that was because Sylvester said she was the Mole. I know I once said that Moles must have some evil bone but that's not true. Angel was so sweet to me. I will really miss her. Now I feel really alone."

Sylvester: "I don't fully trust my coalition partners any more, not after their secret coalitions. So I don't share everything with them. And now with my main suspect gone, I have to be on the lookout for possible accomplices. I didn't realise they wouldn't reveal the Mole if she was executed."

Sebastian: "I'm the Mole's Accomplice. Just kidding. I always wanted to say that. Or am I?"

Danielle: "Now that Angel's gone, we have to re-evaluate. If she really is the Mole, then it'll be like a clean, wiped slate. We'll be starting from scratch again. And now anyone can be the accomplice, even Esther, or me. I wish I thought about this first before nosediving into this mess."

Hazel: "Woo! The sun is rising...I want to get a good view."

Hazel: "Ooh, pretty..."

***

Joseph: "They're waking up! I must hide it somewhere."

Sylvester: "What are you doing? Why are you sticking yourself so closely to the drawer?"

Joseph: "Uh, I thought I heard a ticking sound."

Sylvester: "Probably just some watch. Why not I open it?"

Joseph: "NO! I mean, I got it covered. You're probably right. It's just a watch."

Joseph: "I received a note from production. I can't go into specifics but let's just say that it involves the next mission, and it had to be kept confidential."

Hazel: "Woohoo!"

Sebastian: "How exquisite."

Sebastian: "The choice of music is horrible though. Right, what was I going to do?"

Esther: "Hazel! What in the world are you doing?"

Hazel: "Dancing! Wanna join?"

Esther: "No, I do not want to join your ass-wagging! What has gotten into you?"

Hazel: "I'm just having fun. Take a chill pill."

Esther: "You're doing drugs? Tasteless. I can't believe this. If you were my daughter, I would ground you."

Hazel: "You're not my mother!"

Hazel: "Yes, I'm not your mother."

Esther: "I wouldn't have such a poor quality daughter."

Hazel: "I'm just here to have fun. And I'm no object."

***

"Thank you for coming down on such short notice. I hope nobody knows of this meeting."

Joseph: "I nearly got caught. Fortunately I was sharp-witted."

"For the next few days, you will take on the role of liars. You three will get to go on an adventure, but you mustn't breathe a word about it until the mission tomorrow. Now quick and quiet. The cars are here already."

***

Day 32

"You three are the lie detectors. The liars were brought somewhere yesterday and have an adventure to tell you, but one or more of them will lie about it. Each of you will talk to one of the liars to determine if they are lying. They can only lie or tell the truth; there are no half-truths. If you are able to correctly determine whether they are telling the truth or not, you earn 10 points each and you get an exemption. Otherwise, they get the exemption."

"There is a second round, worth 40 points. You will be asked if you are the Mole. Simply answer any way you like. If the others can ascertain if you are lying or telling the truth, 40 points are earned. They have to accurately find out whether all of you are truthful to earn the points. Of course, whether you earn the 40 points will only be revealed in the finale."

***

Hazel: "They said there will be lie detectors. I can't lie."

Hazel: "I don't know what's gotten into me. I'm so brazen to have pick-pocketed. I'm so naughty. Me likey. At least I know what exactly Joseph did yesterday so I can corroborate when I ask him later. We were split up yesterday."

Joseph: "They're fake, Hazel. Those never work."

Danielle: "I bet the lie detectors are our fellow contestants."

Danielle: "It's time to go. Let's do this!"

Hazel: "Oh my goodness, a lie detector. Should I lie or not?"

Joseph: "Hmm...I bet they're faulty."

Danielle: "Okay, Dani, you got this. You've rehearsed this a lot of times."

Sebastian: "Who am I interrogating?"

Sylvester: "Maybe if I walk quietly I can hear what she's saying."

Esther: "Joseph Phine, today I will be determining your fate."

Hazel: "Okay, so here goes. Yestersday I was brought away to this amazing fair in Zimmaport. They had rides and food and everything! Cotton candy and lots and lots of chocolate."

Hazel: "I think the house should have more chocolate. Don't you agree?"

Sebastian: "So what did you do?"

Sebastian: "I was looking out for the classic signs of lying, like shifty eyes. And I kept asking a lot of questions during the time allotted to try and trip her in her web of lies, if she is lying."

Hazel: "I'm getting there. So first, I went to find this hot chocolate stall. They sold amazing hot chocolate. It was heavenly. The thick, creamy, sweet chocolate was the best I had so far. Then I decided to ride the carousel, because cute horses."

Sebastian: "I see. Anything else you ate?"

Hazel: "Cotton candy. And chocolate, did I mention it already? I also got to watch an episode of a Looney Tunes they were airing. Screening was in the tent on the left. Anyway, I took a lot of rides and even won the apple bobbing contest! I was so proud. I stayed until they closed."

Sebastian: "Are you lying?"

Hazel: "What? No, of course not. I can't lie. When I lie, I start to freeze up and not say anything."

Sebastian: "What was the first ride you rode again?"

Hazel: "Oh, it was...the carousel. Because cute horses."

"Time is up. Sebastian, is Hazel telling the truth or lying?"

Sebastian: "This lie detector says she is lying. I feel...the lie detector is wrong. Am I correct?"

"Unfortunately, Sebastian, Hazel is indeed...lying. Hazel has an exemption."

Sebastian: "Impossible. You were so calm and confident and detailed. And there is no way you could lie."

Hazel: "I did it. I fooled Sebastian. I was describing my dreamland, so I got the luck of the draw. I always wanted to go that kind of fair. I was so worried that he would realise that most people don't remember so many details. And the host said I either lie completely or tell the complete truth. So when Sebastian asked if I was lying, knowing him I thought he would conclude that I was lying. Maybe I don't know him that well."

Sebastian: "Alas, I failed. She painted such a good picture, it felt like I was actaully in the fair with her. And she had it in Zimmaport so it was so believable."

Esther: "Alright, I have five minutes."

Esther: "Let's just cheat the system. Are you lying?"

Joseph: "No, that's not fair and so negative and a weird way to ask. It's against the rules, I believe."

Joseph: "So yesterday Hazel, Dani and I were brought away until the mission. We were then briefed on whether we were to lie or tell the truth on the first round. If we were to lie, we would be given a slip of paper telling us what to say. We were allowed to embellish but they had to be lies. For the second round, we could say whatever we wanted."

Joseph: "Well, I got to visit London. Like, the place. It was quite nice. I got to see those red buses. But the people were pretty selfish. Asked for directions and they just ignored me."

Esther: "London is too far away from here. There is no way you can be telling the truth."

Joseph: "Oh? Sometimes, the more ridiculous the story, the more likely it is to be true."

Esther: "I still believe you're lying."

"That is...correct. Esther, you have earned 10 points and an exemption for yourself."

Sylvester: "Hmm, let's see how accurate this thing is."

Sylvester: "I say we test it. You can begin, suspect Florian."

Danielle: "Erm, where do I begin? Yesterday, I got to go to a fashion show. They had stunning clothes, though very impractical to wear. I also managed to snag some backstage passes so I got to meet Zoe Lin, the model, and Donovan Lee."

Sylvester: "Hmm...who is Donovan Lee and why was he there?"

Danielle: "I don't know. Erm, maybe some talent scout reocgnised him from the Smole." 

Sylvester: "Slow down a little. I'm still trying to figure it out."

Danielle: "I got to chat with them and get their autographs. I can show you later if you like."

"Time is up. Sylvester?"

Sylvester: "The lie detector says she's telling the truth. I think so too, Dani."

"Danielle is..."

"...lying."

Danielle: "Whoopee! I have an exemption!"

Sylvester: "I did notice she was a little nervous and hesitant, but really? ALL of them were lying? I only found this out afterwards, of course, but surely there had to be one truth-teller. I'm genuinely curious as to what they did yesterday."

***

The second round commences.

Sebastian: "Looks like I am a little late."

'In front of you is a screen. You will see the liars appear, one by one, answering the question on all of your minds. You as a group must figure it out within 5 minutes."

"Hazel Jessicarnation, are you the Mole?"

Hazel: "Well, yes. Yes I am."

Joseph: "No, I'm not the Mole."

"This might be hard to believe, but I am the Mole."

Sylvester: "So, does anybody have any preliminary ideas?"

Sebastian: "You're asking us? That is a change."

Sylvester: "It was rhetorical. Esther, you know Dani the most. Do you think she's the Mole?"

Esther: "Are we differentiating between the Mole and Mole's Accomplice here?"

Sylvester: "I doubt it."

Esther: "Honestly, I do not know. Who interrogated her earlier?"

Sylvester: "I did. I did notice she was a little nervous, stuttering here and there, but as an e-journalist she has to do interviews and such, so surely it's just an act."

Sebastian: "I think Dani is not the Mole. She's lying."

Sylvester: "I think so too. How about Hazel?"

Sebastian: "I questioned her. I am very surprised that she would lie. I thought she was incapable of that."

Esther: "Yes, quite suspicious. Honestly no Mole will ever admit to it, right?"

Sebastian: "Now that we know she is capable of lying, I think she is lying again."

Sylvester: "But now that we see her true colours, I think she could be telling the truth to mess with us all, to keep us on our toes. And the real Mole can admit it. Nobody will know until the finale."

Esther: "I say we vote. I think Hazel is lying."

Sebastian: "There is no need to vote. I agree with you."

Esther: "That's the majority already."

Sylvester: "Okay, lastly, Joseph. He can keep quite a straight face. If neither lady is the Mole, then it's Joseph."

Esther: "What if none of them are the Mole? What if...they're sitting right here, with us?"

Sylvester: "Let me look at these case files. Hmm...Joseph Phine...their family is quite the mysterious one according to this. They're all pretty good liars. And I believe all of them are called liars for a reason. Sebastian, he actually came up to me yesterday morning and told me to be wary of you."

Sebastian: "He is trying to sow discord!"

Sebastian: "He is lying."

Esther: "I questioned him and I was right. I think he is telling the truth. Surely they can't be lying the entire mission."

Sylvester: "Looks like it comes down to my vote. I say...Joseph is lying. Sebastian and I share the same room as him. We know him better than you do, Esther."

"Final decisions? Then please return to your respective rooms."

Esther: "Joseph, as a group we have decided that you're lying."

Joseph: "Very well."

Sebastian: "Hazel, you are not the Mole. You dirty liar."

Hazel: "What? I'm not lying? How can you suspect me of lying?"

Sebastian: "How can we suspect you of being the Mole?"

Hazel: "That's true."

Sylvester: "Ms. Florian, you are free to go. You are not the Mole, and we are sure that you are lying."

Danielle: "No comment."

So far 10 points have been earned. Tentatively, the pot is at 340/1000 points. Do they earn the other 40 points?