Beck
Beck felt uncharacteristically adrift as he waited to board theshuttle bus. Around him, other teams gleefully rehashed the snag round. Forming bonds. Making friends. Exactly how he’d imagined his evening would go. But Sierra was leaning against the studio wall, arms crossed and scowling. Carter was scrolling through social media feeds—she’d been quiet since her post-round interview with Fitzy. She looked different, too, having changed out of her fancy clothes into a faded Mathletes sweatshirt. Adi was staring into the distance.
Or—not into the distance, Beck realized. His attention was on a vivid pink BMW parked on the side of the street. A slip of paper flapped beneath a windshield wiper.
“Sweet car,” said Beck, as the shuttle door opened, welcoming the contestants aboard. “Think it belongs to the executive producer? Or maybe Fitzy?”
Adi pulled his gaze away. “No clue,” he said, hiking his backpack onto a shoulder and climbing onto the bus. “But it’s already got a parking ticket. If they don’t fill the meter, it’s gonna get towed.”
Beck and Carter followed. Carter slumped onto a seat and let her forehead fall against one of the windows. Adi sat behind her.
When Sierra boarded, she didn’t even look at them as she walked past and claimed the entire back row.
As the bus pulled away from the studio, Beck could hear Adi muttering things like, “Ceiling. Collagen. Analgesic. Angel. Analogies.” Beck wanted to ask what he was doing, but each of his teammates was giving offdon’t talk to mevibes, so he held his tongue, enormously disappointed with how this whole day was going.
Sierra was his biggest concern.The winning team is the one that has the best chemistry.More than a clue, it was the truth, and she should’ve learned that last season. Yet there she sat. Meeting every curious gaze with a challenging stare as the shuttle wound its way through LA’s crowded streets.
The right thing to do would be to move and sit next to her. Try to make peace. If he was stuck with her, it was in his best interest to reach a truce.
Except, Beck was sort of terrified. What was Sierra’s game plan?Wasthere a game plan? Surely she had one. She couldn’t expect to win if they didn’t work together.
Beck had almost convinced himself to talk to her when the shuttle bus pulled into a small complex. A paved roundabout led to six sandstone units that surrounded a courtyard with a bright blue pool in the middle, shaded by palm trees.
An overly chipper pair in their twenties climbed aboard. They were in polo shirts and cargo pants, looking like volunteer tour guides at a zoo. The guy was southeast Asian, with a mop of unruly brown hair.
Elijah, Sierra’s team leader from last season.
“Oh, fuckoff.”
Everyone fell silent, twisting their heads to stare at Sierra, whose toxic glare was on the guy. “What are you doing here?”
Elijah’s serene smile remained fixed in place. A little too rehearsed. “Afternoon,” he said to the group. “Yes, I’m another former contestant returning this season. Ranielle Russell suggested I stay on to support the new recruits.”
Sierra guffawed.
Elijah continued as if he hadn’t heard. “This is Lisa.” He gestured to the pretty girl next to him. Her olive-green glasses were a contrast against her black skin, her curls short enough to frame her face.
“Heya. We’re your resident advisors, or RAs,” she said in a Southern drawl. “If you have a problem, come to one of us. Our unit is closest to the dining hall. You’ve signed an agreement to follow the rules—any drugs, alcohol, or other illegal contraband will mean automatic disqualification from the show and a ticket home. No visitors unless it’s parents or guardians. No leaving the grounds without signing in and out.”
Elijah referred to the tablet in his hand. “When we call your names, come and get the keys to your unit. Your luggage is already inside. Dinner is served from five to seven in the dining hall; after that, you’re on your own.”
He read out the names, one team at a time.
Beck’s team was called last. He took the keys and stepped off the bus, noticing Elijah move as far back as possible as Sierra passed him. She bared her teeth like a wild animal before jumping down the steps to the ground.
“Okay,” Beck said, spinning the key ring on his finger. “Let’s go, team!”
“Urk,” Sierra said under her breath.
Beck led the way to the villa on the other side of the pool.
As promised, their luggage was waiting inside the door—Beck’s zippy weekender; Sierra’s battered red suitcase; Carter’s matching carry-on, tote, and garment bags, all purple, all neatly clipped together. Adi’s duffel was squashed beneath them. He yanked it out—it looked unusually heavy, like it was filled with bricks or something—and went straight to the front bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
Sierra stood at the lounge window. Her attention was on Elijah, who was leaning against the pool gate, conversing with some of the other contestants. Beck thought things might’ve changed between them after finding her sister’s body.
Obviously not.
“Those are new,” she grumbled.
