34.10-Money talks, money walks, money makes the world go round

In the last mission, the contestants had to come to an agreement on who the Mole could be. In the end the group settled on Janice, so she earned a hidden exemption. The points tentatively have 200/580 points in the pot. There is a second part to this mission but not all eight of them will get to participate in it. Who won't?

***

James: "Don't you have any manners? Get out before I sue your ass off."

Lewis: "Sorry. But you don't have to be so litigous about it."

Gabriel: "And...yeah, that's it."

Janice: "Why did I even bother?"

Janice: "So you found out that Gladys is very devoted to her work and so is James, and that's it. Real useful there."

Gabriel: "I tried."

Janice: "Sure you did. You probably didn't have the discipline to tail them for more than five minutes. Maybe if you join the army you'd learn a few things. Then you'll be more useful."

Gabriel: "That's not fair."

Janice: "Life isn't. See your thumb? Suck it."

Gabriel: "I do not think it is fair for Janice to just assume I am useless. She should go do it herself if it is so easy. I don't like being so secretive.  And I have joined the military before. I thought it was cool but I quickly regretted it.  It was hell in there. When you're part of an organisation that goes against everything you stand for and you can't get out, you begin to lose your identity.  I decided to learn a religion from a friend to tide me over and help me. I felt so suffocated like I was drowning. Eventually I managed to make myself discharged so I stopped following the religion too. It's so much better being free and easy."

Gladys: "It's not here either."

Gladys: "Of course it wouldn't be. They just moved it out."

James: "What are you looking for?"

Gladys: "My journal. Have you seen it?"

Gladys: "It's really important. Without it, I am defenceless and unarmed."

James: "No, I haven't seen it. Where did you last see it?"

Gladys: "In the drawer in the bedside table. I hid it among some draft papers but now I can't seem to find it. Maybe someone stole it."

Gladys: "Could you help me find it?"

James: "No."

Gladys: "No? Did I hear you correctly, Mr. Sol?"

James: "Yes, you did."

James: "I don't give a flying f*** about your journal. You should have been more careful."

Gladys: "So you are going to cross me like that? Are you not going to regret it?"

James: "No. Best of luck to you."

James: "I've been itching to do that. I've gotten tired of sucking up. Seeing Janice not give a f*** about anyone...must be so liberating. Instead I feel so stifled. And it's not because of my tie. It's really her fault for losing her journal. She can't expect any of her rivals to help her."

***

Lewis: "I see you still can't get over her."

Felix: "It's hard to forget and move on, isn't it?"

Lewis: "Yes, but once you've taken the first step, things get easier. You no longer have to worry about that dilemma in your heart."

Felix: "I don't think we're talking about the same thing."

Lewis: "I don't know how to tell you this, but I stumbled upon something while in Janice's room looking for her. I advise you to take a look, but brace yourself."

Felix: "What did he mean by that?"

***

Gabriel: "Hrrghhh...got to keep fit and stay sharp."

Gladys: "I appeared to have lost my journal. I am confident someone stole it. They should have provided a lock and key. I will propose that later but let me finish my piece first. I went around asking and trying to identify who the culprit is. I didn't have much luck so I went to blow off some steam with the weights machine, then Gabriel was being selfish and pushed me off. I needed to continue on my search so I agreed. I looked for Mr. Kuchappe. First he was aloof to me and everyone else. Now today when I approached him he started being rude to me. How dare he. Does he not fear me?"

Gladys: "I don't know what's going on with you, Mr. Kuchappe but you need to stop being so rude to others. Learn to respect authority."

Felix: "Why should I do that when the authority doesn't respect its citizens?"

Gladys: "Excuse me?"

Felix: "I found out what happened."

Gladys: "I do not understand."

Felix: "Drop the act. You clearly understand."

Gladys: "Don't speak to me in that tone."

Felix: "I did some investigations. You were serving when Abby died."

Gladys: "I am sorry for your loss but you cannot pin the blame on me as you are implying with your tone. I do not see the relevance. And how did you find out? Did you enter my room without and infringe on my personal space?"

Felix: "No. How I found out isn't important. But my wife's death is."

Gladys: "I cannot talk to you any more. We are done here."

Felix: "Abby...I will seek redress for you. I promise."

Felix: "I never did tell you viewers how Abby died. It was a tragic accident that pains me to even think about. One day, Abby visited Johannesburg on holiday with a few friends. She was such a happy, sociable woman...ahem. As I was saying, she and her friends got lured into a trap. They wanted to take a taxi back to the hotel but halfway through the ride the taxi driver drove somewhere else and robbed them. She refused. She was a strong, principled woman. They fought and in the end she was shot dead and looted...sniffle...one friend survived. She was lucky to have stayed back in the hotel because she was sick. When she found out she demanded to see the President, but instead a minister was sent to her instead. And you know what the minister said?  That Abby should have been more careful along with patronising condolences. That was it. Abby and her friend's lives were worth a mere few sentences. They weren't viewed as living beings in the government's eyes. They defended and protected these evildoers and were let off scot free. Her friend pestered and was told to return home and that she would be informed when the perpetrator was caught...they never got back to her. And now I found out that the minister was Gladys Delmeer-Gomez. Abby was a wonderful woman. She didn't deserve to die..."

***

Lewis: "What is your stance on the gun laws?"

Gladys: "Interesting question, Mr. Stewart. I personally approve of the idea of everyone being allowed to carry handguns."

Lewis: "But what about all those shootings?"

Gladys: "It is an inevitable consequence. But I do not see a problem since it is in the name of self-defense."

Lewis: "Even for incidents like the Orlando shooting?"

Gladys: "They are gays. They are defiant of God's will."

Lewis: "What? But that's not something they can control."

Gladys: "Nobody can be blamed."

Lewis: "But they are terrorists!"

Gladys: "That's such a harsh words. They merely took matters into their own hands. Perhaps there could have been a better solution but I see no problem with their actions. And I will do everything in my power to help them if I was in charge. They deserve to be given a chance."

Gladys: "You understand, don't you, Mr. Stewart? After all, given your family background, surely you'd know about all this."

Lewis: "All I know is that my family tries to use money to glue the mouths of the police whenever possible."

Gladys: "Money talks, money walks, money makes the world go round."

Lewis: "I see. I completely understand now."

Lewis: "I've been feeling isolated and deteached from everyone since Day One because of my family affiliations. Everyone except for Gladys. I never really fathomed why until I stumbled upon some notes Janice made in her room. Gladys's morals are dubious. I decided to sound her out to find out where she stood...now I know. She thought I was like my family, like her, like I was one of them. She's wrong."

***

Kairel: "These are ultimately just rumours and speculation. You can't prove anything. A few handwritten notes from Janice doesn't prove anything. She could be making it up. How would she have gotten this info anyway? I think you should forgive and forget. You'll find yourself having a much easier time."

Felix: "I can't. Not when I know the truth now. Abby can't die a wrongful death."

James: "Must be pretty comfortable up there."

Janice: "Huh? Oh, James."

James: "Don't bother hiding it. I saw you reading Gladys's journal."

James: "I suggest you return it."

Janice: "Why should I listen to you? Finders keepers. There's a lot of juicy content in here. Want to share? It's free."

James: "Tempting, but I'm waiting for a catch."

Janice: "You got me. You let me keep it and don't breathe a word about this."

James: "I've got a better deal. It's unfair to Gladys to lose her journal and handicap her like that. I want to play a fair game. So how about you give me her journal and in return I share some intel. I have a coalition with her. Interested?"

Janice: "Take it. You better honour your word. You know I'll be able to have a hold over you."

James: "And you know I'm a lawyer."

Janice: "So your words are insincere and cheap?"

James: "On the contrary, every word I say costs a bomb. I hope you consider that."

Janice: "My secret coalition with Gabriel is yielding squat because Gabriel doesn't know and doesn't care what's going on half the time. But now with this negotiation with James, I may be able to get insider notice on Gladys as well. This could turn out well."

James: "Yes, I helped to find Mrs. Delmeer-Gomez's journal even though I said I didn't want to. That's because I decided offending her is a bad idea. Yes, that's the reason. Why wouldn't it be? Now she owes me a favour and knows that I will be silently supporting her even if I am rude to her in her face, so now I get to be rude to her face openly without consequence."

***



Lily: "The quiz is coming up soon. I'll feel more prepared if I revise some more."

***

Q1: Is the Mole male or female?

A: Male

B: Female

Q2: Has the Mole received an exemption?

A: Yes

B: No

Q3: Who is directly older than the Mole?

A: Gabriel Ruen

B: Felix Kuchappe

C: James Christian Sol

D: Lewis Stewart

E: Lily Flowerina

F: Gladys Delmeer-Gomez

G: Nobody

Q4: How many contestants sleep in the Mole's room in total?

A: 1

B: 3

Q5: In Mission 5, what was the Mole seated on?

A: 1-seater

B: 2-seater

C: 3-seater

Q6: Did anyone sit directly opposite the Mole in Mission 5?

A: Yes

B: No

Q7: Was the actual Mole chosen as the Mole in Mission 5?

A: Yes

B: No

Q8: Did the Mole put Felix as the other Mole?

A: Yes

B: No

C: The Mole is Felix

Q9: Did the Mole put Janice as the other Mole?

A: Yes

B: No

C: The Mole is Janice

Q10: Who is the Mole?

A: Gabriel Ruen

B: Kairel St. James

C: Felix Kuchappe

D: James Christian Sol

E: Lewis Stewart

F: Lily Flowerina

G: Gladys Delmeer-Gomez

H: Janice Ilien

***

"Good evening. Tonight, one of you may be leaving tonight. You will get a chance to spend 50 points to reveal any three screens of your choice. If all three screens are green, everyone will make it through tonight and live to see another day. Make a choice."

Gladys: "I think this is a wonderful idea. It's only 50 points. We can afford that. I'm sure nobody of us here wants to see anyone go, or worse, be the one to go. Maybe Janice can be one of the screens."

Janice: "Me? Oh no way. I didn't earn this exemption for nothing."

Lily: "Please Janice? I don't mind spending the 50 points. I can see my result if nobody else wants to."

Felix: "I'm not confident. I say spend the points."

Lewis: "Are we really all just going to take 50 points like that?"

James: "Then you don't mind seeing your own screen I presume."

Lewis: "Of course I don't. I want to know if I'm right."

Kairel: "Oh, I really don't know."

Gabriel: "I want to be safe. I will spend the 50 points. Just agree to it, Kairel."

Kairel: "Fine, I suppose. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity anyway. Better seize the chance, or in this case the day. Carpe diem, as they say. Hey, it rhymes!"

James: "It looks like we have a consensus then. Who will be the last one to sacrifice themselves?"

Gladys: "I suppose I can do it. I want to know how well I did and whether I'm on the right track."

"Very well. You are now left with 150/580 points for now. If you see the three faces on the screen, everyone is safe. Good luck."

Gladys: "There's mine! I must be on the right trail."

Lewis: "I'm safe. I knew it."

"Will we see Lily's face?"

Janice: "The screen is still blank."

"Unfortunately, this means that Lily Flowerina, you have scored the lowest and are the next to be executed. Please pack your bags and leave."

Lily: "I was prepared for this."

Lily: "I just don't know what wrnt wrong, and maybe I shouldn't have volunteered. But nothing can be changed now."

Gladys: "It's such a shame. She was very meticulous and hardworking. A real asset to have."

Gabriel: "She just has bad luck. Too bad."

Kairel: "She will be missed. She was nice and very chill. Very easy to get along with."

James: "She was a suspect, so objectively speaking it is good that she has gone."

Lewis: "We paid 50 points for her execution. I knew we shouldn't have done it."

Felix: "Another woman gone. I wonder if this is a sign."

Lily: "Perhaps I would have left if Maggie hadn't been revealed. So in one sense, I already got my second chance. I wasn't expecting it though, because I was following the money. Maybe I went wrong in some calculations. After all, I do not have perfect information, so the inaccuracy may have cost me. But whatever it is, it is a fact that I am out and I accept it. I wish everyone remaining good luck."

"Congratulations on making it to the final seven. I shall now explain the next part of the earlier mission."

"From now on until the final three, you may enter this 'Money Drop' room at any time before each quiz and can take the 200 points and individually divide them among the contestants. The average points for each contestant will be taken as the amount you are betting that contestant to be the Mole. If a contestant is eliminated, those points are lost and cannot be used to divide among the remaining contestants. Fortunately for you Lily wasn't picked as the Mole so you still have 200 points for now to use. How much you earn will depend on how many points are under the Mole's photo by the end of this season."

***

Lily has calmly left. She's not the Mole, so who is?