Listening to his new teammates put a damper on Alejandro's cocky mood. Introductions had gone perfectly. Each contestant had either ignored him or swooned at his charm. But now, he was placed on a team that, in his opinion, was full of idiots. How was his strategy, flirtation, going to work when none of his teammates responded to him? 'Owen and Noah are too busy entertaining each other, and Tyler and Sierra are two wildcards. I'm going to have to revise my strategy'
The sound of Team Chris Is Really (4x) Hot mindlessly talking drew Alejandro out of his trance. Izzy and Sierra were chatting about boys and clearly annoying the rest of the contestants. Behind them stood a very annoyed looking Heather. She was staring at the girls, clearly holding back some classic Heather anger. Watching this short scene gave Alejandro an idea. He knew from watching the previous seasons that Heather was a powerhouse player. Her only weakness? Dumb allies annoying her. If he could use this against her team, of almost all girls, he could survive the game at least until the merge.
Chris called everyone back to him. Sitting on an exasperated intern, he explained the main challenge, a camel race to the Nile.
"Yes!" Heather exclaimed
"What?!" Yelled Alejandro following Heather.
They both knew this was an unfair challenge due to how random the prizes had been distributed. 'And now Heather's team has an advantage' Alejandro rolled his eyes, 'No matter, we'll just have to adapt.' He looked at his team, a bunch of idiots and a goat. 'C'mon Alejandro, you're a sexy genius with an i.q. Of 163 you can figure something out.'
The cast whined and bickered in the sixty seconds Chris gave them to strategize. From his mat, Alejandro watched Heather climb straight to the top of her camel and insist on leading. 'The obvious best choice but not the best strategy ha! Doesn't she know by now you catch more flies with honey?"
Al turned away from the other team as they laughed at Cody struggling to mount the camel. He began encouraging his own team, "We need no camel! We have each other, we're unstoppable, we'll triumph!" They all cheered listening to him, except Sierra. Alejandro saw her puzzled expression and knew the superfan was not a fan of him. No amount of flirting would change the fact that she knew he was dangerous. 'If I don't get her on my side, she'll call me out in front of these morons and I'll be as screwed as Heather' He sighed quietly, keeping a pleasant smile on for Sierra.
Coaching his team, Alejandro helped them all into a perfect tower on top of the goat. It shouldn't have been possible but with him on top, everything balanced out perfectly. 'A good sign for the rest of the season' He could not have been more wrong.
Focusing on balancing his team, and ignoring Noah's complaints, Alejandro didn't hear Chris' next ramble. He did see it though, meaning he then saw an intern completely eaten alive by a large vase worth of dangerous scarabs. He had no time to process this as the beetles were quickly coming towards his team. Over his team's screams one noise stood out, Chris' eerie laugh. The power hungry host explained that the scarabs were in mating season and needed a song or they would kill them.
If you had told Alejandro this twenty minutes ago, he would have scoffed and took his time. He would have assured his flighty team that Chris would never actually kill them. Now he knew, some people were expendable. He had to make sure he wasn't one of them.
So he started the song. 'Ugh Jose is going to roast me into next year for this one. Whatever! He can say anything he wants when I have the million,"
After a very embarrassing minute and a half, the song was over and the teams were on the run. Except team Victory, with their stick they wandered off into the desert and weren't seen again until much later. Team Amazons and team Chris Is Really (4x) Hot kept steady pace in the same direction and both teams were uncomfortably aware of it.
This set Heather off, "We're gonna go win the race now!" She shouted back at Alejandro with a childish raspberry noise, making the other girls laugh and join in.
'Not good, damage control' Two benefits of a diplomat father, quick thinking and good brand awareness. Alejandro prepared his sweet Spanish accent and spoke, "Such witty remarks from such fiercely intelligent women. I'm both humbled and intrigued."
Courtney replied to Alejandro's bait while Heather kept silent. He used Courtney's words against her and put fear about Duncan into her head. And Heather saw it all. She glared at Alejandro and pulled Courtney's focus away, "Can you see the Nile?"
Alejandro continued to watch the angry girl while thinking, 'Okay no point in messing around if Heather's going to undo everything. First win the challenge, then limit her allies, then send each and every one of them home!'
Watching the girls bicker he spotted something just to the right. A flash of blue. 'The Nile! Perfect! If I pull this off, I'll finally have an advantage' Turning his hip to the right, the team shifted and the goat began walking to Nile.
With this, Alejandro's team was the first to make it to the second part of the challenge. They could spot the finish line from across the river. There were vicious crocodiles but no boats. 'How are we going to race across the deadly river with a goat, some idiots, and no boat?'
Of course, Chris sat at the finish line completely unphased by his ruthless challenges. He explained that the contestants needed to weave a basket out of reeds and row across.
Sierra squealed at a frequency previously unheard before. She explained her proficiency in basket weaving and rushed to start. Alejandro approached and started to help, and perhaps sway her slightly.
"So Sierra, you're a superfan, obviously. Who's the obvious choice for competition?" He asked leadingly. Sierra ignored him while weaving. So he continued. "Now if I were you I'd be worried about being a new addition and having everyone know how much you know about the game. I don't know as much as you but maybe we'd be better together-"
"Let me stop you there. I don't want an alliance. And I'm not giving away my strategy. As far as I'm concerned, we're careful allies for now. That's it." She delivered her speech and turned away. Seconds later she whispered something to herself not knowing Alejandro was still listening. "Second rate Justin turned new Heather thinks he's playing me ha!" She ended with a snort.
Alejandro was left aghast. He had severely underestimated Sierra's intelligence and importance in this game. She had ignored his flirtation attempts and picked apart his strategy in seconds. 'If she wasn't on my team, this would be a disaster. She'll be a problem before I know it," Little did he know how quickly that would be.
The Amazons pulled up to the Nile and received the same instructions. Before they could start, Sierra ran up to Cody and forced herself around him. Hugging him tightly, she struck up a conversation with Izzy. Alejandro was focused on Heather. She wasn't starting to weave like Courtney or testing the river water like Gwen. She kept her eyes on Izzy and Sierra. They were all suddenly in a very important conversation.
Alejandro rushed up just in time to hear Heather instruct the girls to switch teams. "What?! Where's Chris? He won't allow this," Heather grimaced at his outburst, crossing her arms. She barely noticed her team saying it would take more to trust her. Only wondering if Alejandro and Chris were about to ruin a great play.
Chris arrived, only halfway interested in the fight. Sierra ran up and grabbed him by the legs. Hugging and gushing about her love for Chris and assurance in his decision being perfect. Chris was swayed by Sierra's fangirling and let the switch happen. 'Another Sierra benefit, now gone! Damn it Heather! Ugh hide your disappointment'
"As you wish," He said with his head tilted down sadly. Showing Heather exactly what she wanted. Elated, she once again stuck her tongue out at him.
Despite his need to grind his teeth, Alejandro kept his cool and blew Heather a kiss. She dropped her arms in shock. "Mm!" She looked alarmed but for a second, he could have sworn he saw a slight smile creep onto her face before being chased away. 'So even Heather can be shaken,'
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Team Amazon finished their boat first, thanks to Sierra. Team Chris Is Really (4x) Hot had most of their boat finished, thanks again to Sierra, but were struggling to finish.
While his team was dejected, Alejandro kept positive. At least out loud. "Don't give up! We still have a shot." His allies cheered and praised him. "Thanks Al!" Owen shouted. A shiver ran down Alejandro's body. He hated Al. But he knew his family was watching along with his competition. 'No way I can let them know how badly it bothers me. Negativity is a flaw. Father says, flaws get you eliminated. At least my family taught me something useful.'
He used these hurtful memories to push forward. Before anyone could begin crossing the water, his team had finished their boat and loaded up. Alejandro watched Heather struggling with the camel as his team started to row. 'Desperate, stubborn, and attractively determined to win.' That last thought appeared in his head seemingly from nowhere. Still, it kept him watching her and strangely, he pitied her.
'I have the advantage and we're going to win. If the Amazons lose they'll vote out Heather for sure. Better to keep her in the middle and play the girls against each other.' He assured himself it was the best strategy and instructed Izzy to speak to the camel, helping Heather.
Instead of rowing, he held the goat and kept his eyes on Heather. She and her team were ignoring everything and rushing across the water. He had expected at least an acknowledgment on her part. What good is a playful rival if they don't even play along?
A loud ding brought him back to reality. 'Everytime I think about her I get distracted, I need to focus!' He started the reprise just like the song before. 'Best way to not be disposable, stand out while singing.'
Chris smirked and leaned back, reveling in his cast's musical terror. Everyone sang while trying to escape the hungry crocodiles. Despite being in last, the Amazons raced past the other teams and reached the finish line first.
Before Alejandro's eyes everything he had worked for today fell apart. The Amazons won, he lost the other skillful one on his team, and Heather had every advantage. He believed it was over, but luck was still on his side.
Ezekiel had lost his team's item, the stick, causing them to lose and have to head to elimination later that night. For the second time today, Alejandro was at a loss for words. He was grateful to survive the first day but now he knew how intense and dangerous total drama could be. 'A whole season of this is gonna be rough."
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Chris sent them all back to the plane. Contestants were sent into confessional cams one by one to get everything out before being split up.
Alejandro waited next in line for the bathroom cam. He had used the one in the cockpit earlier before the first song. During which he was cocky and confident. His demeanor had changed completely in one day. He was sighing and tapping his foot repeatedly. Whoever was in there was taking their time. Subtly, he leaned in closely to listen. He heard Heather huffing and complaining. 'She could be going on about anything. Probably whining about Chef's so-called dinner," He laughed to himself.
Still something in him told him to listen closer. "-seriously what's his deal? He is just so....perfect, ugh!" Alejandro's jaw tightened. He didn't know what to make of this information. He didn't have time to think because seconds later, Heather unlocked the door and walked out. Straight into Alejandro's chest.
"Oof! Watch where you're going!" She yelled at him.
"You walked into me. But I'd love to watch you anytime, mi angel." He whispered back.
A blush flashed across her face before she squeaked, pushed him away, and left.
Walking into the bathroom, cocky Alejandro was back. Teasing Heather gave him a pleasure he couldn't quite explain. Made him feel good for the first time today. He explained everything to the camera. Almost everything. He kept his feelings for his family and Heather to himself. Only choosing to talk about the game, almost specifically to Chris.
He was showing him how dramatic he could be. How irreplaceable he is. Something only Heather so far had noticed. But the others would. Soon. For now they were on to another challenge and another country. Another game.