39.13-Bigger fish in the sea

In the last episode, Carol and Sheldon were the two unlucky victims of the Mole. They contributed to the 20/40 points in the latest mission to make the pot 276/730 points. Coalitions were split and Jerome was visibly saddened, but are they just crocodile tears? Or is the Mole smirking in silent delight?

Who is the Mole?

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Jerome: "She was a girl from Los Santos, and I was from Los Angeles. We were so close, yet so far. In the end, it didn't work out. Even though we couldn't become a couple, I'm still upset by her execution. She was the one who helped me feel more comfortable around everyone. In the past, hugging used to symbolise love for me, but as I got to know her and everyone else, I started to feel close enough to them to hug them goodbye when they were executed. I don't see a point in staying if she's not around. But my mama would tell me to carry on, and that there are bigger fish in the sea. Mama, I made it to the final eight. I'm proud. I hope you are."

Jerome: "Brittany, come sit with us."

Brittany: "There aren't enough chairs to sit."

Elvin: "This is the first time you didn't get dressed before coming down."

Brittany: "Once you reach a certain age, you don't give a shit any more."

Regina: "I wonder if my subscribers have wondered where I went."

Reynard: "What subscribers?"

Regina: "Simtube. Granted, I don't have a lot, but if you add up all my accounts it can be comparable to those Simtube personalities."

Reynard: "Add up your accounts? How many accounts do you have?"

Regina: "Plenty. One of the benefits of knowing so many languages is the fact that I can enjoy all sorts of media from around the world. I want to share that with others, so I do subtitles of various shows and movies. For French speakers, my account is Heléne DaVossi. I'm known as Marie K. Lilith for the Dutchies. I have a German account called Meghan Merkel too. The videos are mostly the same, just each with different subtitles."

Reynard: "Why don't you just use one account and make various subtitles for one video?"

Regina: "I thought of that at first, but Simtube restricts the subtitles to 5 per video."

Reynard: "First world problems. But that does suck. How do you get around copyright though?"

Regina: "It's infuriating and makes me want to pull my hair out. But for the fans, I suck it up and try my best to fight and appeal. I even countersued once. I've lost quite a few, which makes me give up for a while. However, I eventually find workarounds, such as posting links to other video uploading sites."

Reynard: "I'm impressed. It takes a lot of dedication to keep doing what you want against all odds. I would have given up a long time ago. I guess that's why I'm not a good scientist."

Regina: "If you find something worth fighting for, then you'll fight till the end. Maybe it's because science isn't what you're interested in."

Reynard: "You're right. It's not. Cooking is my interest."

Regina: "Then start fighting for it. Pick up cooking, start being a freelance chef or cook at small-scale events. Get your name known."

Reynard: "At this age? I'll be bald by the time that takes off. I have a family to consider."

Regina: "You're giving up before even trying. Nobody is asking you to quit your day job. Treat it as a hobby first, and work from there. Even if nothing happens at the end of the day and you aren't a world-famous chef with a Michelin restaurant, you at least get to pursue and enjoy your hobby. And that isn't so bad in my opinion."

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"Good day. There are now less than half the number of contestants we started out with. That is something to be proud of, the fact that the eight of you made it this far. For today, I require six contestants who can hide in plain sight and two seekers with eagle eyes."

Elvin: "Who will be the seekers?"

Clifford: "I think I can be a seeker. My job kind of requires me to have a good eye."

Reynard: "Flora? I think Flora should be a seeker."

Flora: "I'm okay with anything."

Reynard: "I think the two should be very good at it. The other group has five so it's not as bad."

Elvin: "So it is decided? Flora and Cliff seek, while the rest of us hide?"

Sabrina: "I chose to be quiet and watch the discussion. I also wanted to be with my Mole."

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Flora and Clifford have been brought to a forest. There are various buzzers located around, each one being worth either points or an exemption. However, there is someone who is patrolling the area. If caught, they would be eliminated from the mission. However, nothing will be forfeited. They may press each buzzer more than once but the points and exemption will only be counted the first time the buzzers are pressed.

Meanwhile, Brittany, Regina, Reynard, Elvin, Jerome and Sabrina have been brought to a room. In front of them is a camera with a specific shutter speed. At least one contestant has to get to the camera and turn it off for the  points and exemption to count. The camera will occasionally take a few burst shots. If any of the six are caught moving in these photos, they would be eliminated from the mission as well as lose 5 points. The buzzers Flora and Clifford press will disable the cameras for differing periods of time. This mission is worth 170 points.

Flora: "This wasn't quite what I expected."

Clifford: "How do you want to do this? Shall we split or shall we stick?"

Flora: "I think splitting up will allow us to cover more ground. We just need to press whatever buzzer we can find. And if we find the exemption, so be it."

Flora: "We also need to watch for the patroller."

Clifford: "We shouldn't expend our energy too much though. But I agree about frantic button-mashing."

Clifford: "So it's set then."

Flora: "Go us!"

Clifford: "I see one over there. You take that one. I'll head deeper into the forest."

Flora: "It says here that this buzzer is worth 20 points and will stop the camera for 10 seconds."

Clifford: "I just need to keep at this steady pace."

Brenton: "Release...the Brenton! Brenton will catch any intruders Brenton finds."

Reynard: "How are we going to avoid the cameras? We're so open."

Reynard: "I guess I have to just make a break for it."

Sabrina: "If you want to make big money, you have to take big risks."

Jerome: "I'm not very sure..."

Elvin: "Did the camera just blink?"

Flora: "Is there one over there? I can't tell. They painted everything in camo paint."

Clifford: "Aha. There's one."

Clifford: "40 points. Nice. And it will buy the other group 30 more seconds."

Sabrina: "We can just hide behind this."

Sabrina: "I can't tell if we can move yet."

Jerome: "The camera isn't showing any reaction."

Sabrina: "We weren't aware that Flora and Cliff had control over the camera, in a sense. They could stop the camera from taking photos for a few seconds each time they pressed a buzzer, which came in really handy. However, it definitely confused me because it felt like the camera was taking pictures randomly instead of being set by a timer. I was wondering why the camera kept taking at rapid-fire mode initially so in hindsight it does make sense."

Flora: "Where is the next buzzer? Oh, I think I see it."

Flora: "10 points and a 5-second delay. I wonder if the delay is long enough."

Brenton: "Brenton smells blood."

Elvin: "We have to go eventually. We can't keep staying here."

Jerome: "Let's tiptoe and be very careful."

Elvin: "My heart is in my mouth."

Sabrina: "To move or not to move, that is the question. I can't see."

Reynard: "I'll stick to the sides. The camera can't see me like that."

"Brittany is eliminated."

"Reynard is eliminated."

Reynard: "Screw off. They caught me?"

Sabrina: "That was a close one. I wanted to move at first."

Flora: "I found another one. Oh wait. This looks like the first one I pressed."

Clifford: "These buzzers are really difficult to locate in this forest.'

Clifford: "I don't even know how many there are."

Flora: "Yikes. Why am I running into a tree?"

Brenton: "Target spotted at 12 o'clock."

Brenton: "If Brenton takes this route and cuts in front of her, Brenton can drag her to the boss and get a promotion."

Flora: "Wait, who is that running...oh no."

Flora: "I need to turn around."

Flora: "He's hot on my heels."

Flora: "I need to lose him fast."

Sabrina: "Go go go!"

Jerome: "Watch out! The camera's taking photos!"

Regina: "Everybody freeze."

Sabrina: "I've reached the cover but I don't dare to set my foot all the way down yet."

Regina: "Jerome, help us to see. Can we move yet?"

Jerome: "Yes. I think so. It's not doing anything."

Regina: "Good. Thank you."

Sabrina: "I'm so close."

Sabrina: "Guys, freeze! Damn, it blinked! I hope my reflexes were fast enough."

Regina: "I can't look up."

Elvin: "Slowly now."

Jerome: "I'm not even watching where I'm going. I'm just staring at the camera."

Jerome: "Gasp!"

"Elvin is eliminated."

Clifford: "Still nothing in sight..."

Brenton: "Where did the woman go?"

Flora: "Hff..."

Flora: "I think I lost him."

Clifford: "I'm nearly out of the forest. This can't be right."

Jerome: "I can't hold this position for much longer..."

Clifford: "There it is."

Clifford: "10 points. I don't think Flora has found this yet, right?"

Flora: "I hope Cliff didn't find it yet."

Brenton: "Brenton must get a promotion. Brenton has an idea."

Clifford: "I can't see too well without my glasses."

Flora: "Cliff!"

Flora: "Why didn't he press it? It's worth 40 points."

Clifford: "Did someone call my name?"

Flora: "Cliff, you have to watch out for a military personnel. He's the one after us. He nearly caught me."

Clifford: "Thanks for the information."

Clifford: "Oh, there's a buzzer there."

Flora: "Crap."

Flora: "I hope Cliff survives this but I have to save myself first."

Clifford: "It's a good thing he didn't spot me. I stick out because of my clothes."

Flora: "Another buzzer."

Flora: "Hff...hff...15 points. I can stop the camera for 6 seconds. What a weird number."

Brenton: "Brenton will ambush."

Flora: "What's that sound? Crap. Not him again."

Flora: "Stay away from me!"

Brenton: "Brenton must bring you in!"

Flora: "He's gaining on me!"

Brenton: "Brenton has gotcha."

Brenton: "Are you a spy?"

Flora: "What? I'm not a spy."

Flora: "But thanks to you I can't earn any more points."

Jerome: "Almost there..."

Sabrina: "I think it's safe to move now."

Sabrina: "Time to make a break for it." 

Regina: "I think it's still best to be careful."

Regina: "I'm here."

Sabrina: "I just need to turn it off now."

Jerome: "Stop!"

Clifford: "An exemption! I'm pressing it. I can delay the clock for 10 seconds too."

Brenton: "Brenton will continue to patrol with vigilance."

Jerome: "Sabrina, I think you can move now."

Regina: "We're counting on you."

Jerome: "You can do it!"

Sabrina: "Help me watch the camera."

Sabrina: "I just need to type in this code here..."

Sabrina: "And done."

Jerome: "Whew. That was tense. I'm glad it's over."

"The mission is over. Altogether, you have earned 95/170 points."

Jerome: "We did it, guys!"

Regina: "Nice work." 

Sabrina: "The amount though..."

The pot now has 356/900 points after taking into account the -15 points penalty. Both Clifford and Flora pressed the exemption buzzer but Flora did so first, so she claims yet another exemption.

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Summary:

Hiders: Brittany, Regina, Reynard, Elvin, Jerome, Sabrina

Seekers: Clifford, Flora

Flora: 20pt/10s, 10pt/5s, (20pt)/10s, (10pt)/5s, exemption, (40pt)/30s, 15pt/6s

Cliff: 40pt/30s, 10pt/5s, (40pt)/30s, (exemption)