BLANK SLATE || the challenge: spies, lies, and allies

06 - flipping agents.

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"It's tough, knowing that not only are the vets already throwing a vet in, but that..." Roxanne sighed, wiping under her eyes. "I just feel betrayed."

— — — — — — —

The elimination seemed to be some sort of... okay, Roxanne couldn't tell. Platforms, and rope circles—hopefully it was something strategic. Tracy and Kelz went down, and it was time for the Agency to vote.

"We'll start off with you." TJ gestured to Esther. "Esther, which woman do you want to send down into the Lair?"

"Well, myself and my partner deliberated on a lot of names, and it came down to... Pop-Rox."

Roxanne sighed, nodding. She got certain, shocked looks from some of the rookies, who seemed to ask "what happened?"—especially Emy, who Roxanne just looked at with a shrug. She felt Gabo pat her shoulder and caught Devin's eye, who gave her a discreet thumbs up and a nod.

"Alright, so that's one vote for Pop-Rox. Fessy?"

"I'm gonna stick by my partner and go with Rox."

"Alright." TJ nodded. "Pop-Rox, come on down."

Roxanne sighed, nodded, and headed down into the Lair, taking a fist bump from Kelz.

— — — — — — —

"Whoop, there it is." Roxanne sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised, anymore. I shouldn't have, but I expected them to change their minds. They didn't, and I'm gonna come back in that house with my guard up again."

— — — — — — —

"Alright, Fessy," TJ continued. "Which man do you want to send down here to go against our compromised agents?"

"You know, after last season, I fee, like there's a lot of guys who, if they were in my shoes, I feel like I would be down there right now—"

Oh. My god.

Was he about to do this?

Roxanne held her breath, looking up at the rest of the players, waiting for Fessy to finish his statement.

"—But we're gonna work on building some trust, gentlemen, and, I'm sorry Ed, but it's gonna be you tonight."

"Oh, thank god," Roxanne whispered—she felt the damage her vote-in had done was enough.

"Esther?"

"Ed."

"Alright. Ed, come on down!"

Ed didn't even seem annoyed—that was something Roxanne wished she had. He seemed to take everything in stride. He jogged down the stairs and stood next to Roxanne, patting her on the back as TJ spoke to her.

"Alright, so, Pop-Rox?"

"Yeah."

"How are you feeling right now?"

Roxanne inhaled. She said she wouldn't let these people—especially Josh and Fessy—see her emotion, so she held it in. But it was tough. "I gotta be real, TJ, this is the worst fucking feeling ever. It's the second elimination. There are some people up there, who I won't name names but, context clues, I'm sure you can guess, that said they have my back and we'll stick together until the time comes. I overheard a little conversation with some of these people, who said that if it were Tracy and Kelz going in, that it would be Ed and myself. They didn't give me the same reasons they gave Ed, oh, he's strong, he's smart—they said that, basically, I'm worth nothing in this game, I serve no purpose, and if it doesn't work out according to plan that it's fine that I'm the first vet going home, not because I'm strong, but because I'm weak. So, yeah. I feel hurt, I feel betrayed, but I'm fuckin' ready to go, man."