All-Star Survivor: Greece Episode #11 Smackdown

Xanathos Tribe: Ryan Aiken, Gabriel Cade, Stephanie Dill, Ramona Gray, Peter Harkey, Tanya Vance

DAY 31



Peter Harkey, as usual, was smiling.

It was early in the morning, and he was sitting on the shore of Maia beach. Alone, with no one around but the gulls and the production crew, he was taking a moment to reflect on the game. And his status. And the fact that he was doing pretty darn well for himself at the moment.

"And you hate to come right out and say it," he added, as he was finishing up his speech. "Because that's just hubris. That's nothing but dumb pride talking, and people get -killed- in mythology for being too proud." He chuckled. "But when it gets to a certain point, sometimes you -ahe- in control. And it's not being cocky when you say it. It's just stating the truth." He shrugged. "Sometimes you manage to work yourself into a position where you're pretty safe. I just haven't been in dangeh for some time, and that's just the reality of it all."

Peter closed his eyes, as he took in the sensations of the beach. This was one of his favorite places to sit and relax, here at the ocean's edge, no matter what island he was on. He sat, facing east, as the sun rose out of the ocean and into the sky. He took it all in, all of his senses wide open to the world around him. The sound of the waves gently lapping against the shore. The sound of the seagulls, as they darted and dove towards their breakfast in the sea. The smell of the salty air just above the water.

And he was smiling. It was just so nice out here. It was hard not to appreciate the Aegean Sea, once you got used to its quirky idiosyncracies. And in that sense, the sea was actually kind of like Peter in a way. You just had to get used to it over time.

"The plan to the end is simple," he added, once he had taken enough of it in. "Three of us have been togethah since day one, and that's the way we mean to keep it. It's always been the same. Tanya, Gabe and myself, to the end."

When prompted about his final two plans, Peter didn't hesitate. It was quite simple, everyone knew whom he would want to go up against. Even if it probably meant strategic suicide.

"I want to be sitting next to Gabe," he said. "That's always been the plan. Even though I know he'll probably crush me." He shrugged. "But I really don't even care all that much. I mean, sure, I'd be disappointed to lose. But it's not gonna be the end of the world. It just means, hey, I got to the final two, and we did it as a team. Life's too short to take this sort of thing seriously. If I win, great. That's what we're heah for, right? And if I lose..." The grin didn't even leave his face. "Then I lost. And I'll go right up and shake the winnah's hand afterwahds."

"Even if it's Ryan?" asked a smiling producer.

"Even if it's Ryan. Cause if he won, I'd know he played a heck of a game to get theh."

As Peter relaxed, he truthfully -was- quite content with his showing so far. He wouldn't show it, not outwardly, but deep down he was ecstatic. Here he was, in the final six. Nine days away from winning. He couldn't believe his good fortune. For a one-time first bootee, to be here this late in the game was a feat of accomplishment he couldn't even begin to describe.

And sure, the others had all been happy to be here. They had all been early bootees too. They had all failed miserably at their first attempt at the game, and were all thrilled to have done so well in their second chance. But for Peter, it was a little more special. After all, he was a -first- boot. He was one of the six official "Hall of Shamers" in Survivor history. And although Ryan had also shared this past dishonor, Peter tended to be unique among the other players left in the game.

Because he had taken it the hardest.

Despite his laid back nature, and his familiar "Life's too short to be upset" mantra, Peter Harkey -had- taken his early eviction in the Marquesas quite personally. It had upset him, both the circumstances of it all, as well as the shame that inevitably came with it. Peter had been -crushed-.

"I'm a guy who prides myself on my social skills," he once said, in a particularly candid confessional. "And I knew I wouldn't have a problem with fitting in. I knew I would be fine, socially. But to be voted out so soon, because they thought I couldn't communicate..." He had shaken his head. "That was something I never really forgot. To this day I haven't forgotten, because it had been so astonishing to me. It just caught me completely off guard, something I -nevah- would have expected."

So today, Peter basked in his accomplishment. He was here. He had made it. He was a week away from winning this game, and was in very little danger at the moment. And best of all, no one had questioned his ability to fit in this time around. He was well liked around camp, very handy with his craftsman skills, and one of the finest examples of positive energy and good morale among the tribe.

He had changed, he had learned, he had adapted, and he had thrived.

And now, he could say it freely, without a moment of uncertainty or irony. Peter was now a good player. He was now a -very- good player at this game.



^^



Morning came and went, with the breakfast ritual of Xanathos slowly coming into place.

Tanya would go out and get some fruit. Ramona and Ryan would fetch the water. Stephanie and Gabriel would try to catch some fish. And Peter would cook it all up.

Just like a little family.

And for the most part, they were a -happy- little family. Most of them were secure in their place among the tribe. Even though, strategically, the tribe was a mess, for the most part everyone knew where they stood. In fact, Ramona had laid it out just that morning, by comparing the tribe layout to a totem pole.

"You got the guy at the top," she said, as she had picked up a rock to demonstrate. "He's the guy who is the head of the pack. And around here, it's Gabriel. Everyone loves the guy. Even if you know you have to vote him out someday, it kind of hurts you to know you have to do it." She sighed. "He's got like this spell over people here, like he's pre-ordained to win, and no one cares." She grimaced. "Poor Tanya practically sits at his feet, she's in awe of him so bad. And that's been a -huge- issue in trying to get her to ever do anything."

Ramona picked up a second rock and laid it in the sand, just below the first one.

"Here's Peter. He's pretty much the same position as Gabe, only people don't like him as much. So he goes to number two. He's just as strong as Gabe, just as influential, and good at stuff as well. But he isn't respected as much, he's more like a mascot. More like the comic relief."

Ramona placed rock number three in the sand.

"Here's Tanya. Third in line, and she knows it. Everyone knows it. Everyone knows those three are supposed to be the final three, and no one will do a dang thing to stop it. Tanya's a nice enough girl, and likes to talk big, but I don't think she's got the guts to -ever- do anything to change her fate. She'll be sneaky about it, and try to get -you- to do her work for her, but that's all she ever does."

Ramona now placed two rocks down, side by side.

"This is me and Steph. Here we are, without much goin' on. We're not quite the bottom, that spot has been Ryan's since he arrived in Greece. But we aint going anywhere, so we're stuck. And you can -probably-..." She moved one of the rocks above the other one. "Put Stephanie up here, since she was with them since the start, since she was in Alkyone." Ramona paused, and then smiled. "But then again, she and Tanya don't get along much, so..." She flip-flopped the order. "So you can maybe put homegirl up here. At the very least, at least I -talk- to people."

Ramona shrugged. Stephanie had been rather chilly to everybody since arriving here at Maia. She and Ramona had barely been introduced, let alone had any time to bond whatsoever. The lanky firefighter was almost a complete mystery to Ramona, and she expected that wouldn't be changing much for the rest of the game. Stephanie didn't exactly seem like a "Hi, nice to meet you" type of person.

"Oh," said Ramona, distractedly, "I forgot about Ryan."

She reached over and picked up a sixth rock. She placed it at the bottom of the totem pole. Then she thought better of it, and tossed it into the ocean instead.

"That's for when they vote him out next. And then once he's gone, then it's my turn. And at that point, I just have to make sure -I'm- never the one who is left at the bottom of the pole. Because that's where the game is really played." She smiled. "Just gotta stay off the bottom. For as long as you can."



^^




As the day went along, Ryan Aiken was just as aware of his situation as Ramona was. He was the next one to go. He knew it, he was aware of it, and he did not doubt it for a second. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

With the onset of a little adversity, Ryan's strategy had now changed. And it had changed significantly.

Once his all-female alliance had more or less blown up in his face, Ryan's tactics had done an almost complete 180. Rather than control the voting, he was now trying to take himself out of it altogether. Now, he was playing kiss-ass. And he hated it, but it was all he could do. He wanted to make himself invisible, and stay out of the limelight as much as possible. And, of course, hang around Gabriel and Peter as often as he could, praising them and their work ethic to the heavens. That was easy enough to do.

But the problem was that the guys weren't buying it. They knew enough about Ryan to know that he was full of crap. He wasn't fooling -anybody.-

"Does he really think we're gonna fall for it?" asked Gabe.

"I think he does," said Tanya. "I really do. He's just like that. Once he has an idea, he just assumes everyone will go along with it. He's been doin' that since the start."

The two players were taking a walk, along the shore, as they checked for treemail just after lunch. It was more or less a friendship thing. After all, they were both good friends, as well as North Carolina neighbors. They knew each other well. But Gabriel was here for something else today, too. He was trying to get some info out of Tanya, to find out where she stood. Because he knew that she was getting antsy about the Peter-Gabriel bond. He had sensed it for some time now, and he knew that she was starting to waffle a little.

Oh, and it had helped that Ramona had mentioned it to him on more than one occasion. She was always helpful like that, passing along gossip or information that would help put others in an unfavorable light. That was why people called her sneaky so often. Ramona was a master at that sort of thing.

"So what's going to be the pecking order?" asked Gabe. He looked over at his shorter teammate. "Ryan next, then who?"

"Could be Steph, could be Mona," Tanya shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."

"Do you think Ryan could force a tie at the next vote?" asked Gabe, "And make it 3-3?"

"Doubtful. Steph would sooner throw herself in the ocean than vote with him. She calls him a jagoff."

Gabe chuckled. That sounded like Steph, alright.

"But what about -you- and Steph?" he asked, once he had stopped smiling. "Would she plot against you just to spite you?"

Tanya paused. She knew she had to word this answer -very- carefully. Gabriel wasn't stupid. In fact, he was quite perceptive. She knew he was listening to every word she said right now, paranoid people tended to do that. And Gabe had gotten -quite- jumpy over the past few days. The stress of the game was clearly evident in his questions and tone of voice lately.

"Steph would vote for me in a heartbeat," she said. "Just like I would for her. But I doubt she would do it if it meant going along with Ryan. Not for a second." She smiled at him. Then she realized she had to add: "Mona keeps me up to date on this, she tells me Steph and Ryan are like dogs and cats."

Tanya smiled, and relaxed. That should be sufficient. But she didn't realize that her answer had failed to completely satisfy Gabe. He knew she was up to something. He just -knew- it, and his gut never lied. Tanya was a player. She was a definite player, and he knew she was in good with Ramona. That meant Tanya was planning to team up with Ramona at some point, and hopefully draw in a third.

The only question was... would it be Steph? Or would it be Ryan? Which of the two evils was Tanya going to go for?

But rather than interrogate her, Gabriel decided to go a different route. He decided to tempt her, because that may be the only way to keep her from branching off. It was time for the manipulation and the scheming in the game to finally start for the young man from Celo. He had had it too easy for too long, and now action had be taken. The underhanded kind.

And he just hoped he could pull it off.

"What about me and you?" he asked. "In the final two?"

She looked at him.

"You and Peter are final two, Gabe," she joked. "You're not gonna vote against him, and you know it."

"I could," he insisted. "And I would. If you and I had a deal, I would honor it. I'd take you to the final two over him."

"Why?" She asked, teasingly. "I'd stomp you in the final vote!"

"Ah-HA-ha," he laughed. "What game are you watching?"

With that, the foundation for the deal was laid out. Gabe hated to do it. He really hated to do it at all, but these were simply desperate times. If cutting a deal with Tanya was the only way he could keep her on board, that was just the way it would have to be. Even if he -didn't- necessarily intend to honor the deal, he had to start using her friendship against her, and start using it now. That was how you played this game. Despite all the friendship and love and loyalty in the world, at a certain point you had to start thinking with your head.

"Gabe," said Tanya, "I trust you on this. You know I do."

"I know. And I trust you too."

"Don't screw me," she added. "As a friend, that's all I'm asking. Don't toy with me if you're just gonna stab me in the back later."

"Tanya, I swear to you," he added. "I'm not trying to play you. -I- want to get to the end. -You- want to get to the end. Why -wouldn't- we work together?"

"Even if you don't want the money."

"I -don't- want it!" he protested. "I've said that. I'll give it all away. I want to win for my own reasons."

"But I -am- gonna stomp you in the vote," she teased again. "You sure you want a part of that?"

He smiled, and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Just shut up and go get the tree mail."




^^



"Welcome guys," said Jeff, "To today's reward challenge."

The six players stood on Maia beach, in a single file line in front of the host. It was just before dinner time, and this was going to be one heck of a challenge tonight. Jeff knew they would all have a blast with this one.

"Your challenge tonight," he said, "Is something I like to call 'Crossbow Wars.'" He reached down into a crate, and pulled out a medium sized wooden crossbow. He cradled it under his arm, pulled back the bowstring, and locked it into place. The bow was now cocked, and ready to fire.

"The crossbow was one of the most effective weapons in ancient times," he added. "It could shoot further than a longbow, with greater efficiency, and better accuracy." He smiled. "Which is good news, because tonight you're going to be hunting each other."

Stephanie's mouth dropped open, and several of the players were indeed speechless. Hunting each other??

"Not with arrows," Jeff laughed. "We're not here to kill anyone."

Steph looked at Ryan. Ryan looked back at Steph. And Stephanie suddenly thought of her beloved double-headed axe from the labyrinth race. Gosh, this challenge would be -so- much more fun if she could use that instead.

Jeff pulled out a small canister of paintballs.

"You'll be shooting paintballs," he added. "These are special crossbows, designed to hold paint pellets." Jeff loaded one of the pellets into the his, aimed, and shot it at a nearby tree. A small splotch of orange appeared on the base of the tree. It was a direct hit.

Gabe started to say something, but Jeff cut him off. Jeff knew him too well.

"And yes, this is water-soluble paint. We're not here to ruin the island. It washes right off."

Jeff went on to explain the rules. The players would each be given thirty paint pellets, and a crossbow. They would also get a helmet, to help protect their eyes, ears and mouth. Paintballs could -hurt- when you got hit, but luckily the players were all wearing their heaviest clothing. The treemail had specifically mentioned that, and luckily everyone had complied.

"You have the entire island," said Jeff, "To use for the challenge. If you get hit, you are out. Hold your bow up and come back to camp, you're done. And I'll give you guys..." He looked at his watch. "Two hours for the game. If we don't have a winner in two hours, nobody wins. No reward." There were several cries of protest, but he simply shrugged and shook his head. "Sorry, but I don't want you just sitting somewhere and hiding. You want to win, you have to play."

Jeff then went on to explain exactly what they -would- be playing for, just to tempt them a little.

"The winner," he said, "Will get a helicopter ride. Tonight. A guided tour of the entire Aegean Sea, complete with all seven Pleaide islands, and part of the Greek mainland. And to top it off..." He smiled. "Dessert on the sacred island of Delos, which was considered the centerpiece of ancient Greek civilization. It is one of the most important places in the world, and one of the most beautiful as well."

Now -that- was something worth playing for, so the six players all walked up and chose their paint colors.

Stephanie chose yellow.

Ryan chose green.

Tanya chose white.

Peter chose blue.

Ramona chose orange.

And Gabriel, much to his chagrin, was stuck with pink.

Now the hunt was ready to begin.




^^



Jeff had given them fifteen minutes to scatter about the island, and now it was time to go. The timer started, and the game was on.

They had two hours.

Tanya Vance had retreated into the thickest part of the forest section. The island was so small, and so compact, that there weren't many places to hide. So she had gone to the place she knew best, the forest, in the same spot where she picked the majority of the fruit. True, she didn't know this island very well yet, but she knew it better than anyone else. And so she ducked back down behind a tree, and waited. She cocked her bow, loaded it up, and waited for somebody to walk by.

Ryan Aiken took a different approach. He was well aware that people were going to hide, particularly the girls. The under the radar players were going to hide, and the power players were going to come out shooting. That was just how it worked. And so he had vowed to be the most aggressive of them all. Taking a deep breath, he raised his bow to eye level, and loaded it with a green pellet. And then he took off running. He headed straight for the forest, where he knew people would be hiding out. And he intended to blitz them. Head right for them, hope they would panic, and then just start blasting away. With several pellets held in his hand, for quick reloading, he ran down towards the trees in the center of the island, intending to surprise someone.

Peter Harkey was crouched down behind some large rocks. This was the same place he had once been knocked on his butt by a fleeing sheep, and he was well aware of it. He even appreciated the irony of it, too. Here he was, for another attempt at a hunt, in the same spot where he had once been humiliated. He crouched his large frame behind the largest of the rocks, and watched. And waited.

And was rewarded by the sight of Ryan Aiken, sprinting past him, towards the trees.

Ryan was racing as fast as he could, and had completely missed Peter's hiding spot. Peter calmly raised his bow, took aim, and fired.

-Whizz.-

The blue pellet flew right past Ryan's helmet, and Ryan didn't even notice. Ryan just kept on running, and was soon out of range, completely unaware that he had almost been sniped. Peter grimaced, frustrated. That had been an easy shot, how had he missed? But before he could reload, a yellow splotch appeared on the rocks to the side of him. Peter jumped at the sound. Then he looked over.

Stephanie was aiming her bow right at him.

Peter ducked and rolled, as a second yellow splotch appeared on the rocks. Peter had almost been hit twice, and was now crouching down behind another rock, hiding.

"I know you're there!" said Steph, tauntingly. "Do I have to come in after you?"

"Come on in!" he called back. "It's nice and cozy in heah!"

While Stephanie and Peter were involved in a shootout, the game had already received its first casualty. It had been quick, too. Ryan had entered the forest, and his keen eyes had immediately spotted Tanya crouched down behind a tree. He had screamed and run right at her, bow held high, intending to scare the crap out of her. And sure enough, Tanya had panicked, missing badly with her first shot. She had reloaded and fired again, with Ryan almost on top of her, and she missed a second time. While still running, Ryan fired his first shot directly into her facemask, splattering her goggles with green paint.

"Darnit!" muttered Tanya, but that had been that. She was out.

"Sorry," said Ryan, as he reached down to help her stand up. "Where are the rest of 'em?"

With Tanya out, Ryan scanned the forest for another hider. And there she was. Why did they have to be so obvious about it?

Ramona Gray was crouching down behind another tree, trying her best to blend in. But she saw him, just as well as she had heard him. Ramona raised her bow in his direction, and so he went back to his strategy again. He loaded his bow, raised it up with both hands, and ran at her.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" he yelled, as he crashed through the underbrush, in her direction. And much like Tanya before her, Ramona also panicked. She missed with one shot and, rather than reload, she tried to run away. She covered her helmet with her hands and tried to duck through the trees as she ran. But she didn't get far, as a green pellet finally hit her in the back of the shoulder. It -stung-, too.

"Dang!" she said, as she dropped her bow to the ground. But Ryan came over to apologize, and then scanned the forest once again. Who else was hiding in here?

Stephanie and Peter were still at a stalemate, as neither one had dislodged the other from their sniper's nest. Yellow and blue paint dotted the rocks they were hiding behind, as both were rapidly running out of pellets.

"I call a truce!" said Peter, loudly. "We're gonna run out of ammo!"

"Forget it!"

But as Peter peered around his hiding place, he saw someone coming. It was Ryan, and he was coming out of the forest, back towards the rocks. And it appeared that Ryan had spotted Stephanie, too. He was taking aim at her from behind, and Peter knew what was about to happen. Stephanie was about to get blindsided by an angry Ryan Aiken.

Peter simply crouched back down and listened. And there it was. Stephanie cursed, as a green pellet exploded onto the back of her helmet. She hadn't even seen him coming, nor heard him, and now she was eliminated.

"Great," she muttered, as she removed her helmet and walked back towards camp.

But really, at this point, it was nothing but child's play. Ryan was so proud of himself, and so thrilled that Steph was out, he hadn't even noticed that Peter was here too. Peter simply leaned around his rock, took aim, and blasted Ryan in the chest with a blue pellet.

"What the?" asked Ryan, stunned, but then he saw Peter's mask peering around the corner. He even thought he could see Peter's trademark grin beneath it.

Ryan was out.

With that, just two players remained. Peter glanced over at their campsite and counted off the fallen players. There was Ramona. There was Tanya. There was Stephanie, and there was Ryan. He looked for Gabriel, but the young man appeared to still be in the game. So Peter chuckled. It would be a showdown now, himself and Gabriel. Just like it should be.

The final two.

Gabriel had yet to see any action thus far. And it wasn't like he was hiding, either. He had just been lazily circling the perimeter of the beach, looking for movement. But he had missed all the action completely. He had no idea that only Peter remained. At least, not until he heard the older man call out a challenge.

"Gabe! Meet me at the rocks! We're final two, and it's gonna be a showdown!"

Gabe smiled to himself, and checked to make sure his bow was loaded. It was, and a pink pellet sat atop it, ready to fire. So he walked slowly, and carefully, up to the rocky section of Maia. And there was Peter. The tall man stood in the clearing, wide open, not hidden whatsoever. And he was pointing his bow at Gabe, ready to fire.

It was going to be a straight shoot-off, from a distance of about a hundred feet. Just like the Old West.

Gabe fired first, and saw no pink splotch appear on his opponent. The pellet had veered left by quite a bit.

Peter fired back, and Gabe neither saw nor heard the pellet go by. It was another miss.

Gabe knelt down on one knee, took careful aim, and fired. He saw a pink splotch appear on the grass, just a few feet in front of Peter. That had been close.

But it was all for naught in a few seconds. Peter fired, and Gabriel definitely heard this one coming. He heard its audible whistle a split second before it splattered onto his left wrist. The pain was sharp, but brief, as Gabe knew he had been hit. He dropped his bow and took off his helmet.

The game was over.

"Peter," said Jeff, from a nearby clearing, "Wins reward!"

The rest of the players came out to congratulate the winner, and Jeff came over as well. Peter had removed his helmet and was all smiles now, grinning from ear to ear. He had really enjoyed that one, despite never having been hunting before in his life. And it had ben fun, too.

"The copter is down there," pointed Jeff, towards the south beach. "We'll be leaving in about ten minutes, so go get packed."

Peter turned and started jogging over to camp, to get his backpack. But he hadn't gotten very far before Jeff added a secondary provision to the deal.

"Oh, and you can take one person with you. Think about it for a minute and give me an answer when you get back."

"I'm taking Gabe!" said Peter, without hesitation. "He almost beat me, he deserves to go too."

"Alright," said Jeff, as he nodded to Gabe. It hadn't been much of a surprise. Everyone knew Peter would pick Gabe to go, so there were no hard feelings. That was just the way the two of them worked.

"Go get packed up too," Jeff said to the young man. "We leave in a few minutes."

"Sweet!"





DAY 32





Two members of Xanathos awoke this morning, tired, hungry, and on the wrong island. This wasn't Maia at all. This was Delos.

"We got caught in a windstorm," explained Gabe, "Last night. So the pilot recommended we stay here, and sleep it out on Delos." He pointed behind him, where Peter still rested on the ground. Luckily, there had been a couple of sleeping bags in the copter, and the two men had just bedded down here for the night, on one of the most sacred islands in the heart of the Aegean Sea. Delos, the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo, once home of a sacred temple, and the centerpiece of the ancient Greek world.

And they had been lucky enough to spend the night here.

"We came in late last night," said Gabe, "Just after it got dark, so I'm guessing, oh... around eight o'clock. They had a big dinner here for us, and then some peach pie and ice cream for dessert." He smiled. "We had it all laid out on a table, and sat up eating for a few hours. Then the winds hit, and the pilot said it was too dangerous to fly back, so we were stuck here." He shrugged. "Hope nobody is worried about us."

Gabe had arisen early for two reasons today. First off, it was cold. Bitterly cold. The wind whipped around the tiny island, weaving in and out of the many columns and statues that had long been abandoned here. This place was empty, without a soul to be seen. Due to Greek law, no human being could live on Delos, nor could they be born or die on the island. It was strictly forbidden, as this was a totally sacred place, and thus an empty place. And with the emptiness, of course, came the wind.

But the second reason for Gabe's early awakening was guilt. Quite simply, he was being eaten alive by it. It wasn't something he was used to, and it wasn't fun. Not at all.

"This game is rough, man," he explained, as he sat near a broken white lion statue. It was probably a few milleniums old, so he wasn't about to sit on it or anything "And I know people had told me this before, but you can't understand it until you're actually caught up in it. But the game is -so- much more stressful when you're ahead, and up in numbers. Because you start to over-analyze things, and get paranoid. You can't even sit on a lead out here, your mind just won't let you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of pistachios. They had been provided on the ride, and he eagerly popped a few of the tasty little nuts in his mouth. Another Greek delicacy. Then he tossed a rock at the ground, as he tried to explain the rationale for his new final two deal-- the one he had made with Tanya yesterday.

"You get paranoid because you start to see danger everywhere. -He's- going to screw me. No, -she's- going to do it. And then you panic, and start to do things you normally wouldn't." He sighed. "Like promise to vote out Peter."

Gabe glanced back at his friend. The tall man from Millis was just starting to get up, as he stretched his arms and rubbed his eyes. And the sight of it shot another dagger of guilt through Gabe's heart.

Because Gabe was already second guessing the deal with Tanya. Did he want to actually go through with it? Could he vote out Peter? Or was it best to screw Tanya instead, after building -her- hopes up? Which one of the two did he feel the best about screwing over?

And Gabe thought he had -finally- come to a conclusion, late last night. After much deliberation, and introspection, he had decided that he would vote Peter out. He would do it, he would honor his promise to his friend Tanya.

Although when it came to that point, he -still- wasn't entirely sure he would be able to do it.

"I know I said I could play this game," he explained, almost tearfully. "I know it. And I promised myself, too. But it's rough, it really is. Nothing can prepare you for this kind of thing. And I know that Peter wouldn't really even care, not that much. He'd probably even get a kick out of it, if you asked him. He's not gonna take it personally, and he's not gonna hate me." Gabe sighed. "But that doesn't make it any easier. It just comes down more to a matter of what -I- want to do, and if -I- want to play that way, just to win. Because I have said all along that I do, and I'd do anything it would take."

Gabe's mind was made up, to an extent, but it was still flip-flopping somewhat between the two options. Due to his desire to get Tanya on board, he had made the game infinitely more complicated for himself. Which option did he -really- want to choose?

Go to the end with Tanya, and stab his friend Peter right in the back at the final three.

Or backstab his friend Tanya instead, and totally set her up for it during the next few days.

Gabe sighed again.

Sometimes, the game wasn't as easy as it played out in your head. Because either way, one of his friends was going to get hurt.




^^




Back at Maia, Tanya was having another chat with Stephanie. The two of them had tried to hide their relationship as well as they could, but in time, it was more and more necessary to pull one another aside for some strategy talks. And now, here they were.

"Is Gabe back yet?" asked Stephanie.

"Nope," said Tanya. "No one's seen 'em since yesterday." She shrugged. "Maybe they got lost."

The purpose of this talk was originally for Tanya to convince Stephanie to vote Gabe out next. And if not next, then at the next vote after. Because Tanya had been quite certain she was ready to make this move, and eliminate the biggest competition in the game: Gabriel.

But, of course, there were now two obstacles in the way of this plan.

Tanya now had a "final two" alliance with Gabe--- a solid one. One that she knew he would keep. Because Gabriel could not lie to someone, not in such a cold hearted manner. She knew him well. He just couldn't do that.

And secondly, Stephanie just wouldn't have anything to do with keeping Ryan around for a moment longer. She was still mad at him. Not as mad as she would let on around the others, that was mainly for show. But she still wanted to see his butt kicked to the curb at the next vote, and her to be the one personally responsible for the smackdown.

"I'll vote with you for Gabe," she had said, "But not until Ryan and Jessie are gone first. Get them out of the way, then we're set to go to the end. I'm with you all the way."

So the talk today was supposed to be "Let's get Gabe out," but had instead turned into "What the heck do I do now?" in Tanya's mind. She honestly did not know what to do at this point in the game. There were so many options, so many potential allies and friends, and most of them had been dumped in her lap. Right into her lap.

Ryan had more or less begged her for some sort of pact. He was screwed, and he knew it. He knew he had no other option but Tanya. She was his only friend left in the game, and he had been extra super sweet and flirty with her today, almost to the point where it had sickened her. But despite her general annoyance with him, she knew that he was the easiest of any final two opponent. -Anyone- could beat Ryan at the end. So if she wanted to go that way, she could. Ryan was definitely an option.

Ramona was most certainly an option, as well. She was cooked too, and she also knew it. As Peter had pointed out just the other day, "Mona has the stench of death around her." Ramona had gone to Stephanie, and tried to work some sort of strategy, but Steph just wasn't all that receptive. The two of them just didn't seem to bond very well, a fact which had frustrated Ramona. She had hoped that the firefighter would be a key ally down the stretch, just in case. So instead, Mona had gone right back to Tanya, for the umpteenth time, and asked for some sort of deal. So of course, Ramona was another way Tanya could go. Ramona was desperate, and that was good.

There was Steph, obviously. Tanya and Stephanie could likely keep their friendship a secret until the end, since no one had even the smallest hint of their true relationship yet. And Steph, as Tanya would gleefully point out, was a pretty lousy public speaker, too. She would probably be an easy final two opponent. Her jury speech would likely be laughable, at best.

And, of course, then there was Gabe. Her best friend of the bunch, and the most difficult to beat in a jury vote. She thought she could beat him, but she wasn't a hundred percent positive about it. And at the same time, she -did- make a final two pact with him, the most solid one she had with anyone outside John Raymond. He would be as obedient as a puppy, once he had given his word. And he had. So that was -another- way Tanya could go, if she wanted to.

That left four options. Four out of the five players left in the game now thought they had some sort of deal with Tanya to the end. Everybody but Peter. And it made her laugh, too. Because she was without a doubt, unequivocally, considered the most honest player left. Everyone trusted her. Everyone believed her.

With the irony being that Tanya was probably the -least- trustworthy one of them all.

"Oh, don't say that!" she would scold, anytime this was brought up during a confessional. "Mona's -much- sneakier than me. She's like a little snake." She smiled. "I'm more upfront about it, because I'll admit it. She won't. The two of us just do things different, that's all."




^^



Gabriel and Peter returned just after lunch time, with a small bag of pistachio nuts for everyone. The food was very well received by the hungry castaways.

"Is it just me," asked Ramona, "Or is Gabe quiet today?"

She had been watching the young man for a while, since their return, and she had noticed this right off the bat. Gabe had seemed extra introverted today. Far from the gregarious and happy guy they were all used to, he had mainly stuck to himself all afternoon. He hadn't talked much, had laughed even less, and she had noticed that he had barely even smiled. Something was wrong.

"He's either depressed," she said, "Or he's having a breakdown. I can't tell which one though."

Ramona had spent the majority of the day trying to stay inconspicuous. She knew that Ryan Aiken was next. They all did. So she had done her part, flitting around the island, asking people what their plans for tonight were. And making sure to casually bring up the fact that she was voting for Ryan, too. Just in case.

"But no one ever talks strategy with me!" she said. She was sitting on the beach, collecting shells, as she gave one of her more self-pitying confessionals. Normally, Ramona was not much of a whiner. She tended not to complain at all. But the last few days had been quite telling. In short, no one ever told her what was up.

"No one says jack!" she complained. "And I know they're all talkin' about it. Gabe and Peter. Gabe and Tanya. Tanya and Ryan. Even Ryan and Peter, I saw them yesterday! They all know what the plan is. But aside for some how do you do's, no one ever really asks me what is going on, or who I am voting for." She frowned. "I assume Tanya won't vote for me, I asked her not to, but I have to just assume that it's still Ryan."

She shrugged.

"Or else it might be me."

The man in question, Ryan Aiken, was currently returning from the treemail box. In his hand, he held news of today's challenge, and to his side walked his friend Tanya. And Ryan was begging. As usual, he was trying to sweet-talk Tanya, through his best bit of flirting and flattery. Although at the moment, he was closer to actually -pleading- with her to do something tomorrow.

She was, barring an immunity miracle, the only chance he had.

"You gotta," he explained. "You know we're destined to go to the end together. We've -always- been the outcasts! You know it too. We gotta stick together!"

Tanya smiled, but had mainly been blocking him out for the past ten minutes. At a certain point, you just had to stop listening to him. Or else his incessant chatter would drive you insane.

"I'll take you to the end," Ryan now promised, "You know I will! I got no other allies here! Just get me, you, and Mona, and we have three. We can -do it!-"

Ryan was careful to leave out Stephanie's name. He didn't want any part of her. And he knew Tanya didn't either. Ramona was the third they would need. She was the one.

"You're gonna get three votes tomorrow," Tanya explained, "Either way. It doesn't matter what I do. Steph is gonna vote for you. She hates you."

Ryan nodded.

"And Gabe and Peter are gonna vote for you too. You're pretty much the last obstacle in their way. Plus, you make Gabe nervous. You always have."

"So why not team with me?" asked Ryan again. "If you know they want me out, just hide behind me! You'll be safe all the way to the end!"

"I'll think about it," said Tanya, as they finally reached the camp. "Just see what happens tonight, though. Win yourself immunity, or else I can't guarantee anything."

Ryan smiled, and she smiled back. That was good enough for now. At least she still seemed to like him.

"By the way," he complimented, for what was probably the third time today, "You look really hot today. Seriously..."



^^



Jeff greeted the players at the shore of Kalaino beach. This was the island just across the sea from Maia, and was the one they had been to the least often. But tonight, it would be playing a very important role. This was where immunity would be decided.

"He can't win every immunity," whispered Peter. He was talking to Gabe, as they discussed the fate of Ryan Aiken. "Sooner or later, he has to lose."

"If it's mental," added Gabe, "And I think it is, then he doesn't have a chance. He'll get blown away."

Jeff stood before the six players, as they got their first glimpse at the set constructed specifically for this challenge. Made of stone, it was a large staircase. Featuring five steps in all, it was to be integral to the challenge tonight. And the contest -was- going to be, as Gabe had predicted, a mental one.

Because tonight, they would be solving riddles.

"Today's challenge," explained Jeff, "Is based on the story of Oedipus. I'm sure you all know it by now."

He grinned.

"Oh no..." moaned Peter, jokingly.

"Nah," said Jeff, "Don't worry. Nobody is killing anyone here tonight, or sleeping with their mothers."

"What about poking our eyes out?" asked Ramona.

"Well," joked Jeff, "I guess it depends on how well you do. And then it's pretty much your call."

With that being said, Jeff went on to explain the rules.

"Oedipus became the king of Thebes for one reason, and one reason alone. Because he was able to defeat a monster that had been holding the town hostage for many years." He smiled. "The dreaded Sphinx."

Jeff handed out six paper tablets, one for each player. These would be used to record their answers.

"Oedipus had to solve the riddle of the Sphinx, in order to defeat it and free the city of Thebes. So tonight, you guys will be doing the same thing. I'll be reading you some ancient riddles, and your job is to write down your answer on your tablet." He nodded. "For each correct answer, you will climb one step on our staircase here." He paused. "First person to the fifth step wins immunity. Simple as that."

Jeff had them line up, single file, as he stood before them with a stack of notecards. And with that, the game was ready to begin.

"First riddle," said Jeff, as he paused for effect, "Goes like this. Which animal has one voice-- but two, three or four feet, being slowest on three?"

Gabriel wrote his answer down quickly, and was soon followed by Peter. Both of them, perhaps, had recgnized the exact riddle Oedipus was asked by the Sphinx. But within a minute, everyone had written what they could, and Jeff asked them all to reveal.

"Man," was written down by Gabriel, Peter and Ramona.

"Human Being," was written by Tanya.

Stephanie and Ryan left their tablets blank.

"Everybody but those two," said Jeff, "Take one step up."

Gabriel, Tanya, Ramona and Peter all stepped up onto the stone staircase. Ryan and Steph were left behind.

"Second riddle," said Jeff. He read off of his notecard. "What has no hinges, lock, or lid-- yet golden treasure inside is hid?"

Once again, Gabriel was quick to write down his answer. So quick, in fact, that it unnerved several of the other players. Stephanie just scoffed at him, as she shrugged in frustration. She wasn't good at riddles, this simply wasn't her thing. Once again, she left her tablet blank, and now it was time to reveal their answers.

Only Gabe had correctly answered "An egg." No one else was even close.

"Gabriel," smiled Jeff. "Take one step up."

With that, he pulled out the third notecard.

"Riddle number three... I run around a room, but I never move. What am I?"

Several people figured this one out, and wrote one word down, quickly. And as the minute ended, Jeff asked them to reveal their answers.

"A wall," was correctly guessed by Gabriel, Tanya and Ramona. Once again, Stephanie had left her tablet blank, and was now getting embarrassed by her showing. This wasn't going to look good on TV.

"Gabriel," announced Jeff, "On step number three. Tanya and Ramona on number two."

"This isn't fair," joked Tanya. "Gabe is like a thesaurus. He probably know all these already!"

"No way," protested Gabe, "I just figure them out in my head, like you do."

"Okay," said Jeff, as he looked at the players. Gabriel looked alert and ready, like he was having fun with this. Stephanie looked discouraged. And Ryan looked angry. There he was, still stuck on the ground, and watching his chances to win a million dollars rapidly disappearing. He didn't look pleased with himself at all.

"Riddle number four," announced Jeff, "I weaken all men for hours each day. I show you strange visions while you are away. I take you by night, by day take you back. None suffer to have me, but do from my lack."

Once again, Gabriel scribbled down his answer, although Peter was right behind him. The two of them were the only two to correctly guess "sleep" as the answer.

"Impressive," smiled Jeff, as Gabriel climbed to step number four. The host looked down at his stack of notecards. There were twenty-five of them here, and ten more reserves back with a producer. They hadn't expected -anyone- to get five out of five. But Gabe was currently one step away from doing so.

"Think you can get a fifth?" asked Jeff.

"Hope so."

"Okay," said the host, as he pulled out the fifth notecard. And this one was indeed a harder one. If Gabe wanted to reel off five in a row, he was going to have to earn it.

"I'm a wee wee man in a red coat. Staff in my hand, stone in my throat. What am I?"

Gabriel took a moment to write something down this time. He actually had to think about this one. In fact, Ramona and Stephanie both answered before him, with both of them hoping that Gabe was wrong. And then Jeff, smiling, asked everyone to reveal their answers.

Ramona guessed "a cherry." That was correct.

Stephanie also guessed cherry, and was pleased to finally get one right.

Peter guessed cherry. He now had three correct.

But all their answers didn't matter, as Gabe smiled sheepishly and turned around his tablet. Sure enough, he had the correct answer written down, in medium-sized black letters. He had done it.

"Cherry."

"Gabriel," announced Jeff, "Wins immunity. Very impressive!"

Gabriel proudly stepped up to the fifth stair, and Jeff walked over to hand him the immunity necklace. The other players came over to congratulete him, although Ryan stayed off to the side, quite upset with himself. He had really blown -that- challenge, as completely and utterly as it was possible to do so. Nice job, Aiken, he berated himself, Way to come through when it counts.

But with Athena around his neck, Gabe was now safe for three more days. Maybe at least that would ease his stress and mental anguish somewhat.

DAY 33

Ryan Aiken was in trouble.

All morning he had just one goal, just one thing he had to do. And if nothing else, he would consider it a good day if he could get just one friend. Just one ally. Someone with whom he could plan something tonight, and try to save his own butt.

The problem was... nobody was going for it. Nobody was taking the bait.

"I went to Tanya first," he explained, "And I gave her the whole spiel. You know... blah blah Gabe this, blah blah Peter that, you can't stay with them, they won't let you win. You know, talking common sense. And I thought she'd go for it, she really seemed to want to yesterday. But I don't know, man..." He tailed off. The plot with Tanya just didn't seem to be working out. Ryan had laid it on thick with her, possibly as thick as he had ever tried with anyone. He had cajoled. He had flirted. He had complimented. And he had even whined a little.

But no matter what he did, she wasn't going for it.

"And I thought she would," he explained. "I really did. Cause I don't think she's all that sharp. Sometimes you just gotta tell the girl what to do out here, cause she's gonna just march right off to her death otherwise. But no matter what you tell her..." He waved his hand, dismissively. "I mean, sure, she's easy on the eyes. But a cute smile aint gonna win you no million dollars, if you know what I'm sayin'."

For her part, Tanya had more or less just become fed up with Ryan's antics. Far from being the airheaded twit he seemed to think she was, Tanya had considered going with Ryan. She really had. Of course, he would be an excellent final two opponent. But first you had to put up with him. And his cockiness. And that was just something she had decided she was no longer willing to do.

"Ryan... AAAGGGHH!" she said, holding her hands to her head in mock exasperation. Tanya was currently sitting against the fishing boat, munching on some leftover pistachios, as she bared her soul to the cameras. And topic number one today was her frustration with the young man from Maryland.

"He just NEVER shuts up!" she complained, showing far more emotion than she normally did out here. Because Ryan had finally gotten on her last nerve. It had taken a while, but he had finally annoyed her as much as he had just about everyone else. Even someone with the patience of a social worker could only put up with him for so long.

"Get this," she explained. "First off, he promises me a final two deal." She proceeded to imitate his voice. "You and me, baby. We'll be tight. Tight like a kite, T." She scoffed, laughing at the way he liked to talk to her. "And then he tells me all these grand plans for winning the game, and how he can control it all if I go with him. As if!" Tanya smiled, enjoying this little rant session. She had kept this bottled up for some time, and now it was all coming out at once, like a dam had broken.

"To top it off," she finished, "Now he's got this obsession with wanting me to admit he is good looking. I don't know why he does it, but it comes up at least once a day." She proceeded to imitate him again, by lowering her voice. "Hey, you know a lot of people tell me I look like Jed. Don't you think so? But I look much better than Jed. I think so, anyway." Tanya rolled her eyes. "And I just want to go, -please-, what grade are you in, Ryan? I mean, really."

So at the moment, Tanya Vance was a dead end. She didn't want to be a part of Ryan's little harem anymore. She never had, really, but had wanted to keep her options open. And besides, if Steph wouldn't vote for anyone but Ryan, it was a moot point anyway. Ryan Aiken was going to go, and there seemed to be no way around it.

There were no more miracles left.



^^



Ryan's last ditch effort was to go to Ramona. He knew it was a long shot, knew that she was -very- wary around new people, but figured it couldn't hurt at all. When you had nothing to lose, sometimes the longshot options appeared that much more attractive.

"I can't," she said, shaking her head. "It won't make a difference."

Ryan had caught up with her during a fruit run, one of the few that Tanya had sat out. Today, it was Mona's turn, and Ryan had been -more- than happy to tag along. This, of course, made her extremely suspicious. Ryan -never- hung out with her on Maia. What did he want of a sudden?

So Ramona's well-attuned sense of suspicion was already kicked into overdrive, well before he started to hit her with his deal.

"Come on," explained Ryan, "I get you in with me, and we make a final two pact. Neither of us has any real allies out here, and both of us need to get Gabriel and Peter out."

Ramona remained silent, being careful not to admit to anything.

"Look," countered Ryan, going a different way with his tactics, "I'm probably the only person you could beat in a final vote. You think you could beat Gabriel? Or Tanya?"

Ramona snorted. He didn't seem to think much of her chances. And it was something she didn't really want to hear. Not from Ryan, anyway.

"Okay, -maybe- you could beat Steph," added Ryan. "She's fruit loops in the head, I don't know if she could beat anyone."

"You don't think I could beat Peter?" she asked.

"No way," Ryan said, shaking his head. "All his friends would be on the jury. You'd get smacked down, it wouldn't even be close."

"So why would I want to go with you?" asked Ramona. "I mean, you haven't said much more than a word to me since we got here. Why now? What's in it for me?" She turned to look at him. "The best I could do is force a tie, and even then, it's only with one more person."

"Tanya," suggested Ryan.

"Please," she said, sighing. "Tanya won't do anything to put herself in danger. She's on easy street and she knows it."

So once again, that had been that. Ryan had left, frustrated, as he crossed another failed option off his mental list.

Ramona... not interested. Trying to lay low.

Tanya... won't force a tie. Wants to stay on Gabe and Peter's good side.

Stephanie... wants me dead.

Ryan had to smile a little at that one. If nothing else, he liked the girl's single-minded zeal for revenge. He could respect that. He liked that.

Gabriel... No chance in heck. Will vote with Peter to the end.

So that left four zeroes. Four absolute dead ends. None of them would -ever- vote with him tonight, and the remaining one, Peter Harkey, was just plain weird and intimidating to talk to. Every one of Ryan's conversations with him had been awkward, as Peter had been incredibly standoffish. Peter was as dead as a dead end could be.

"Awww, crap," said Ryan, as he sighed. He was resigned to it now. He was going home. But he did have -one- thing that still made him smile. He at least had -something- to look forward to tonight.

Because if nothing else, at least he would still be able to cause some damage on the way out.



^^



Peter Harkey was the only one at camp when Ryan arrived. It was just after dinnertime, and the troops were all out getting ready to go to Tribal Council. Stephanie and Gabriel were at the beach, washing off their shoes. Ramona was sitting off behind the shelter, restringing her backpack, and Tanya was going for an evening walk, to clear her head.

But Peter was here, stoking the fire. And so, despite his chilly demeanor around Ryan, Peter Harkey was going to be the recipient of some fantastic camp gossip tonight. Free of charge.

"What up?" asked Ryan, as he sat down on a log. Peter looked up, smiling. He expected Ryan to try to pull something tonight. Everyone had been warning him. Ryan had been on a three-day-long alliance crusade, and Peter was the only one who had yet to be approached. But now, at nearly the last minute, Ryan was here.

-Let's see what you have for me,- Peter thought. -This oughta be good.-

"I don't know if you know this," said Ryan, "But the girls are getting ready to gang up on you and Gabe. They've told me so themselves."

"Really," Peter replied casually.

"Seriously. Tanya aint gonna keep Gabriel around any longer than she has to. He's gone next, right after you guys spank me tonight."

"What makes you think that?"

"Oh come on," Ryan scoffed. "I know I'm going. Don't try to con me."

"Well then, fine," said Peter. "Yeah, it is gonna be you. It'll probably be unanimous. And you know it's nothing personal, not on my end, anyway."

"But don't you see?" challenged Ryan, "The girls have you totally set up. They're all friends, all of 'em!"

"Even Steph and Tanya?" asked Peter.

"Yeah."

"Oh, -come- on."

"Seriously!" explained Ryan. But he didn't know this to be true. He had no idea the two women were actually quite close, Ryan was just making this up as he went along. So even if he was stumbling dangerously near the truth, Ryan wasn't aware of it at all. He was just trying to find some way to keep himself in the game.

"So what," asked Peter, "I suppose that if I join up with you, we can stop the girls?"

"And we need Gabe," nodded Ryan.

"Or Steph and Tanya will win this game?"

"I'm not joking!" conned Ryan. "Have you ever noticed they never explain -why- they dislike each other? Or why Tanya knows what Steph is gonna do half the time? That's just an act, man. Flat out."

"Come on," said Peter. He didn't believe Ryan for a second. No one ever did. And with that, the discussion was over. Peter turned Ryan down flat, albeit with an apology, but he said it wasn't going to work.

"And I'd do the same thing," Peter said, "If I was in your shoes. Cause you know it's inevitable, and there isn't much you can do about it. And I feel for you. We first boots gotta stick together."

Ryan nodded, still a little upset, but at least Peter was trying to empathize. No one else was really trying.

"But you'd have to think up a little better story than -that-," Peter grinned. "Come on. Who do I look like? Huntah?"




^^



The boat ride to Tribal Council was as uneventful as possible. It was quiet, unspectacular, and very, very smooth. For once, the waters were not choppy, nor frightening. For whatever reason, Merope Island was very calm tonight.

And it looked like the vote was going to be the same. No stress. No surprises. Just the way everybody liked it.

"So tell me," asked Jeff, as he stood before the final six, "Stephanie. How does one get from this point, day thirty-three, all the way to the end of the game. Because I know it's less than a week, but there's still a lot that can happen between now and then. What will it take to get you there?"

"It's gonna take luck," explained the firefighter, "No one's doubting that. Because it gets more complicated now, moreso than ever."

"And do you think you have what it takes to win?"

"I better," she smiled. "Or I'm wastin' my time here. We all are, if we don't think we can outlast everyone else."

"What about you, Ryan?" asked the host. "Do you think you still have a shot at the million dollars?"

Ryan paused for a second before answering. He looked over at the jury box, at Jessie. Dressed in a stunning red dress, she simply shook her head at him. -You're done, buddy,- it seemed to say. Ryan glanced at John, who simply folded his arms and grinned. And Debb appeared to be looking at the ground. None of them, it appeared, seemed to care that much about his plight at the moment.

-Nice-, he thought, -Real nice.-

"I got a shot," Ryan explained. "Sure, we all do." He glanced over at Gabe. "But I'd have a lot better chance if this joker didn't have my necklace on."

Gabe smiled, as he ran his fingers over the large Athena necklace. It was great to be safe tonight. And it would be even -better- once Ryan was gone. Ryan had made Gabe nervous since the very start, and tonight would be a nice end to -that- bit of paranoia.

"Tanya," asked Jeff, as she looked up in surprise, "We've heard a lot from other people about their strategies. For example, Stephanie said she would play hard until it isn't fun anymore. Ramona said she would do whatever it takes to succeed, so long as it wasn't unethical. And Peter he would make friends, and sincere bonds, and hope it all works out as it should." Jeff smiled. "But we don't hear much from you. What would you say your strategy is at the moment?"

Tanya smiled, trying her best to throw together an answer. Jeff didn't pick on her much here at Tribal Council. She hoped he wasn't going to start making a habit out of it.

"My strategy has always been the same," she said. "And that is to make some close bonds with people, and do whatever it is that I need to do to succeed."

"And do you get along with everyone here?"

"I think so," Tanya drawled, as she looked around at her teammates. "As best as you can get along with anyone out here, I suppose."

"What about Stephanie? I -know- I've seen some friction there, as have others. Would you characterize it as being detrimental to your strategy at the moment?"

Tanya kept the smile on her face. The sweet southern smile. But her eyes flashed a quick degree of anger, if only for a split second. Apparently Jeff -was- going to start making her life difficult.

"We get along fine," Tanya added. "We didn't really have much to say in Thailand, but we both had pretty rough experiences, too. It was tough to make any friends from that situation."

"What about you, Stephanie?" asked Jeff, as he turned to the tall woman. "Would you say you two have patched things up while out here?"

"We get along fine," said Steph, flatly. It also sounded very diplomatic. "I get along with most everyone."

Jeff decided not to pursue it, so he let it drop. But not before Stephanie gave him a quick scowl. That pleased him. That pleased him a lot. He was making them squirm now. You couldn't fool the production crew that long and expect to get away with it. No, they were going to have to -work- to keep it a secret now. He would see to it himself.

"Okay," said Jeff, as he stood and clapped his hands together. "It's time to vote. Stephanie, you're up first."

One by one, the members of Xanathos stood up and walked to the podium. And all of them had the same purpose in mind, too: To vote out Ryan Aiken.

Some of them were complimentary in doing so.

"You played a good game," said Peter. "I tip my cap to you, you got further than I thought. Nice job."

Some of them were apologetic.

"Sorry, man," said Gabe. "But you made me nervous. Nothing personal."

Some of them were ambivalent.

"Whatever keeps me alive," explained Ramona, "For three more days."

Some were vengeful.

"Smackdown," said Stephanie. And then she grinned.

And some... well, let's just say they really enjoyed casting this vote. Moreso than any vote they had ever cast before in their life.

"I don't want," said Tanya, "To be in your harem anymore. I never did, so you can get your own little fan club now, and do whatever you want with 'em." She placed the ballot in the box, and paused for a second. She didn't really want to say this next part, but she knew she had to. Tanya Vance had an impish sense of humor, and knew this would be funny. She couldn't help herself.

"Besides," she added with her sweet smile, "Jed's better looking than you, anyway."

Tanya returned to her seat and sat down, as Jeff went to retrieve the votes. And within a few moments, he was back. Holding the ballot box in his hands, he placed it on his podium.

"The person voted out tonight," he said, "Must leave the Tribal Council area immediately." And with that, he pulled out the first vote.

"Ryan," it read. Ryan simply lowered his head and nodded. His violet buff tied around his forehead, he looked angry, but also looked strangely at peace. At least he had known it was coming. Not everyone gets that lucky.

"Ryan," read the second vote. That was Steph's, and she had been more than happy to cast it.

Jeff unfolded the third vote. He looked at it for a moment, and then flipped it around.

"Stephanie," it read. Steph chuckled, and looked over at Ryan. At least he got a parting shot on the way out.

The fourth vote was opened and revealed.

"Ryan," it read.

And now, he was down to the wire.

"That's three votes Ryan," Jeff explained, "And one vote Steph."

He pulled out the fifth vote. Sure enough, it was the clincher. The vote had been unanimous, as planned.

"The fourth member of our jury," explained Jeff, "And eleventh player voted out of the game..."

He flipped it around.


"Ryan."


Ryan stood up and grasped his torch. He nodded to a few players, Tanya among them, and brought the torch up to the front of the set. Jeff stood there with the snuffer, and he watched with amusement as Ryan turned to glare at his former teammates.

"Ryan," said the host, as he put out the flame, "The tribe has spoken."

With that, Ryan was done. He glared at them all one more time, although his heart really wasn't in it. It was mainly for show, something to look good for the cameras, but Ryan was fine with it, he really wasn't all that upset. Not like it had been a surprise, anyway. Then he walked down the path, into the dark boat at the edge of the sea, and was soon ferried away.

Ryan was gone.

"Well," said Jeff, as he turned to face the final five. "I guess this is it then. Five people left in the game, six days to go." He noticed that a few of them were smiling back at him, Peter and Tanya among the most pleased. Only Gabriel still remained a bit somber. He had been quiet all day, including Tribal Council. Jeff made a quick mental note... ask what is up next time. Gabriel is -never- that somber, I should have asked why.

But one by one, the final five stood up, and walked back to their transport ship.

Gabriel Cade.

Ramona Gray.

Peter Harkey.

Tanya Vance.

And Stephanie Dill.

With Ryan gone, the last easy vote was officially out of the way. He was gone forever, and now the sparks were ready to fly. Now, it was showtime. They all looked forward to it. Tomorrow, the game was finally ready to begin. And some big decisions were going to have to be made, too.









- Read Ryan's Final Words!

- All-Star Survivor: Greece episode notes.

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- Back to the All-Star Greece episode archive.