Trio Challenge Part 3
Wednesday, September 12, 2002

Team A's van pulled into Juillac at five past four. After Mitch, Connie and Barry had gotten past the initial difficulties with the van, they were able to use the directions from locals and signs along the way to reach their destination. Bryan Dern greeted them and informed them that $25,000 had been added to the pot.

"So we're the first to arrive? Does this mean we get an exemption or something?" Connie asked excitedly.

"Who said you're the first to arrive?" Dern replied with a hint of arrogance, "Team B arrived nearly 2 hours ago. They're in the lodge playing pool. However, who said we'd give the exemption to the first team that arrived? In fact the only people who will be exempt are those that do not make it in time. You know, to make it fair." Dern smiled. "I hope you've figured out who the mole is ‘cause as the numbers get smaller, the questions on the test get harder."

Barry swallowed hard. "Well let's hope I'm right."

Team B greeted Team A as they were lead into the lodge. "Hey guys", Jason said scanning the group, "So I guess Monica wasn't in your team, was she?"

"Nope, she must have been on the walking crew."

Dent quickly scanned the people assembled. "So that means Eugene, Monica and Mr. Allen make up the final team. They have not yet arrived, have they?"

"Nope, we have no idea where they are". Dern called out, "We figured they would be the first team to arrive since they were practically a stone's throw away. But guess they went in the wrong direction. Odder still is the fact their camera crew hasn't checked in with us, and we can't get a hold of them. Really strange stuff. They've still got forty-five minutes though. When time expires, then it's time to get worried."

Connie already looked worried. "I sure hope they're alright. It's really hot out there! They don't have the luxury of being sheltered from it like we were in the van."

"I wouldn't call it a luxury Connie", Mitch said smiling, "That piece of junk was a curse."

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about", Richard interjected, "The mole probably just found a real great way to sabotage this one."

The six contestants decided the only course of action they could take would be to wait till the time expired. Once that occurred, they would figure out what to do next.

*****

An hour and a half later, Jason paced back and forth outside of the lodge. They had waited long enough, and the final team had still not reached Juillac. "Dear Lord, please help them to be alright." He said out loud, "I need them to be alright."

Inside, Richard sat drinking a cup of coffee and playing cards with Mr. Dent. "You think they're going to get here eventually?"

"I highly doubt it." Arthur said as he displayed his cards for Richard, "I win again."

Richard smirked. "Dent. You lost again. You ever get tired of acting like this?"

Dent looked confused. "Acting like what?"

Connie and Mitch were in the corner of the lodge curled up near a fireplace. Like Jason, they too were praying for Eugene, Monica, and Jack's safety. Suddenly Barry came bursting into the room.
"Isn't anyone going to do anything?" Barry asked looking around, "Your friends are missing and you're here playing cards and warming yourselves by the fire? How can you just sit idly by?"
"We are doing something", Mitch said from the fireplace, "We're putting it in God's hands."
Barry shook his head. "If you believe in that, then that's fine. But you can't expect God to just swoop down and bring them here. It doesn't help anything to be passive right now… we've got to take action!"

Dent closed his eyes, "I feel them drawing closer. They are approaching. Fast. Slow. And then… fast again. They are weak. And now they are strong. They are weak again."

Richard laughed and threw his cards at Dent. "Knock it off", he said smiling, "Barry do whatever you want. You won't get any objections from us."

Barry looked around the room again and shook his head. "Alright, I'm going after them." He walked to Richard's table, grabbed his water bottle, went out the front of the lodge, past Jason, and into Team A's utility van parked outside. Mitch had left the keys in the ignition, so Barry climbed into the driver's seat and started the vehicle. Several minutes later, Barry and his van were traveling south of Juillac and across the rolling hills of France.

Barry scanned the roads for any sign of life. A few animals scurried about here and there, but there were no signs of traffic or people in this side of France. Barry began to wonder if he had gone the wrong way. Earlier in the day, Dern had pointed in the general direction where Team C had begun, but it was such a wide area that he would have to cover if he was going to find anyone. Suddenly Barry caught site of a large, dead raccoon on the left side of the road. He put on the parking brake and got out of the car.

It wasn't a raccoon. It was Eugene Meltsner rolled up into a ball. "Meltsner!" Barry yelled as soon as he realized what he was looking at, "What happened to you?"

"Wa-wa-wa", Eugene sputtered, "Wat—"

"Say no more Meltsner, I've got some water in the car." Barry ran back to the vehicle and brought out Richard's water bottle. "Here, have as much as you need."

Eugene took the bottle with trembling hands and put it to his dry, chapped lips. He took a gulp and wiped his mouth clean. "Thank - thank you." Eugene said licking his lips. "I was beginning to get worried no one would find me."

"You're a lot closer to Juillac then you think. It's only about a ten minute drive from here." Barry then looked up and down the roadways and turned back to Eugene. "Just out of, you know, curiosity. Where's Stone and Jack Allen?"

Eugene looked at the ground and tried to collect his thoughts. "I'm afraid I have a hard time recalling what occurred. Though, unless my memory serves me incorrectly, I remember Jack Allen twisting his leg. I believe I was then elected to come discover what town lie just over the horizon, thus pinpointing our location on the map."

"Well that part's easy", Barry said smiling, "The town you guys were going towards was your destination. You would have made it in plenty of time."

Eugene sighed. "Apparently the heat caused me to think irrationally and even hallucinate. I don't remember much after that. I only recall waking up a quarter of an hour ago, and realizing I had no idea where I was."

Barry grabbed Eugene's bag and slung it over his shoulder. He then grabbed Eugene's still trembling hand and helped him to stand. He guided his disoriented teammate to the van and then got back into the driver's seat. "Well Meltsner, we've got two more of your buddies to find. Let's hope they're alright".

"Indeed." Eugene replied and took another sip of the water bottle, "Indeed."

*****

Jack Allen lay flat on his back on the side of the road. His shirt was wrapped around his forehead and his leg was wrapped up in a crude brace created by Eugene. Suddenly Jack heard a car's engine rumbling nearby and he rolled onto his side as he wildly waved his hands in the air. The vehicle pulled over and out walked Barry Muntz and Eugene Meltsner.

"Is this some sort of craze?" Barry asked looking at Jack on the ground, "You and Eugene pioneers for ditch sleeping?

Eugene chuckled and then walked over to Jack. "How's your leg?"

Jack smiled, "I think it's much better now. I haven't had to really do much walking. But in any case, why are you with Barry and not Monica?"

Barry's face dropped. "You mean you don't know where Monica is?"

"Of course not!" Jack said as he slowly lifted himself up into a standing position, "She said she was going after you, Eugene. When you didn't come back for us, she got all angry and said she couldn't believe she sent the mole out alone. The camera guys decided to follow her rather then wait around with me, and since I was pretty banged up, I decided to stay here and rest. Besides, I know you're not the mole. I knew you'd return eventually and didn't want you to head back this way and never find anyone."

Eugene flashbacked to the moment before he fell when he was screaming for the world to hear that he was the mole. He chuckled to himself; if only Jack could have seen him then.
"Well what do you we do know?" Barry said impatiently standing next to the van, "Stone's gone and we've got no way of finding her."

Suddenly a loud rumbling was heard in the sky and the three men looked up to see a helicopter fast approaching. The helicopter hovered near the three and then set down in the middle of the road. Out popped Bryan Dern, soon followed by Monica Stone.

"Well guys, we found Monica." Dern said with a smile, "And it looks like Barry found you two. So that's that. Game finished. You guys failed to earn the $25,000 for the pot. But you all earned yourself an exemption!"

Jack was unphased. "Ah Monica, where were you?"

Monica got frustrated and walked over to Eugene. "Meltsner!" She shouted, "How dare you!"
Eugene adjusted his glasses. "I beg your pardon?"

Monica gritted her teeth. "You lost us the money Eugene. We were right next to Juillac, and you knew it! You just didn't want us to get the $25,000. And here all this time I was thinking you were a team player! I can't believe it!"

Eugene swallowed and looked back at Jack, then Dern, and then Barry. He wasn't ready to admit the fact he had fainted in the middle France. "My apologies Ms. Stone. I'm truly sorry."

Monica starred at Eugene for several more seconds and then stormed back to the helicopter. She turned back to Jack. "You coming?" Jack hobbled over to the copter and climbed in. Eugene looked hurt and embarrassed standing in the middle of the road as Barry walked up behind him. "I'll take you back Eugene", Barry said with a reassuring look, "Stone gets like that sometimes. It'll pass, I know it will. But for now, it's best to keep out of her way."

Eugene's focus was still on the ground in front of him. "But she thinks I'm the Mole Mr. Muntz! When have I ever not competed to the best of my abilities in any of the challenges we've been scheduled to perform?"

Barry, who once himself thought Eugene was the mole, kept quiet. "Let's go back. I think the others will be really happy to see you again."

Following the Trio Challenge, the contestants of AIO Mole sat down and talked with Cryin' Bryan Dern. They shared their insight into things they have noticed and information that might help in determining who the mole is.

Richard: "Well my team made it, didn't it? Hopefully that finally tells the others that I'm not the mole. As for my own theories? It's hard to tell. The whole Team C mixup seems very suspicious and I would like to think it's because the mole is one of those three. Monica, Eugene and Jack have all done things that could be classified as mole behavior. And earning an exemption could throw suspicion off of one of them, if in fact they are the mole. But that's the thing… they seem to obvious. Today would have been a great day for the mole to just blend in and let others mess up for once."

Connie: "I've denied it to myself for so long, but after today I really think it might be possible. What it Mitch is the mole after all? I mean he was AREM right under my nose for so long, and I guess he's good at deception… but would he really be the traitor and not tell me? I don't know what to think. But what kind of gas station is closed in the middle of the day? As if. And why didn't he get out and push with Barry, when our vehicle got stuck in the mud? Stalling for time? I just pray Mitch isn't the mole… I want so much to trust him."

Robert: "Connie the mole? I hate to admit it, but the more I spend time with her, the more I think it's a strong possibility. Who would think Connie Kendall being the saboteur? Not many. That's for sure. But I also want to keep my eye on Monica. She was in the only group that failed the trio challenge. She's also done a lot of things I would consider mole-like. But maybe, just maybe, the mole is Dent. I mean the guy admits to it all the time… who's to say he isn't telling the truth?"

Eugene: "I am seriously confused as to what to think. Mr. Allen would be at the top of my list of mole suspects, but after today, so is Ms. Stone. Unfortunately many competitors are beginning to take on that particular rodent's characteristics. I just don't understand how Monica managed to get lost, when she knew exactly which direction I had headed. Something is amiss."

Monica: "I really ought to apologize to Eugene, but I just don't get it. Jack and I sat on the side of that road for what seemed like forever, and Eugene never came back! I then go looking for him, don't find him anywhere, and we end up losing $25,000 for his disappearance. How can he expect me to not think he's the mole?"

Jason: "Everyone's making a big deal out of Team C's little confusion today. Sure there was some stuff there that was definitely suspect, but the mole isn't required to sabotage every single challenge. Only ones that she or he can get away with! If you were really want to know my opinion, than I'm guessing the mole flew under the radar this challenge. A lot of people are in the spotlight right now and the mole was afraid they would make it obvious if they did anything that drew attention."

Elimination Week 4
Sunday , September 15, 2002

Connie Kendall walked back and forth in the hall waiting for the team to be called down to the courtyard outside. The nine remaining contestants of AIO Mole were awaiting the next execution where they would say good-bye to the fourth player in the game. Mary, Wooton, and Margaret Faye had gone first. Soon, one of a possible group of six would be joining them. Jack Allen, Eugene Meltsner and Monica Stone had earned themselves all an exemption by being the only group not to reach Juillac where Cryin' Bryan Dern had been hiding. Arthur Dent, Robert Mitchell, Barry Muntz, Jason Whittaker, Richard Maxwell and Connie herself were all that was left on the chopping block. Once eliminated, the contestant would not been able to compete any in the game any longer and would not be able to claim the grand prize.

"It's time", came a crew member's voice, "Dern's waiting for you outside."

The contestants filed out of the hall and out in the courtyard. It was ten o'clock in the evening, and the group had been fed a large meal earlier in the evening. Barry felt the food in his stomach rumble, as he had an uneasy feeling about what was going to occur.

Two rows of chairs had been placed in the courtyard. The first six were to seat the contestants up for elimination, while the final three would be reserved for the exempt competitors. Dern stood facing the group, a large thumbprint monitor displayed behind him.

"Good evening contestants", Dern said with a stern look on his face, "Welcome to the fourth elimination. You all know the drill. In a moment, I will begin entering your names into the computer. If a green thumbprint appears, you'll be here until at least next week. However, if a red thumbprint appears, you are the mole's fourth victim. Would anyone like to volunteer to go first?"

The contestants all looked around at each other with nervous looks on their faces. Jason paused, and then reluctantly raised his hand. ‘I would Mr. Dern."

Dern nodded his head and took a seat at the computer. "J-a-s-o-n" was soon entered into the keyboard. The contestants starred at the screen and held their collective breath. Green. Jason looked down at the ground and smiled to himself. Dern's attention turned back to the cast, as he waited for another hand to be raised. Mitch lifted his right arm as Connie held on tight to his left.
"R-o-b-e-r-t", appeared on the screen above. Connie twitched. The screen flashed green and Mitch sighed with relief. He turned to Connie and winked.

"I need another volunteer", Dern called out, "Richard, Barry, Arthur, or Connie?"

Connie looked at Richard, Richard returned her look. But Barry was the one who decided to raise his hand. "I'll go Dern."

Dern smirked and entered Barry's name into the computer. Barry closed his eyes and breathed in, then opened his eyes and starred at the screen and smiled: the color was green. Dern continued smiling and then winked Arthur. "I'm going to volunteer you next Dent."

Dent smiled and nodded towards the host. "I understand it's a formality Mr. Dern, so feel free to type away."

Connie grew tense. She was one of only a few people left and didn't want Dern to have to type her name in. But soon she realized it wasn't going to be. Arthur Dent's name appeared in front of a crimson red background.

Dent stood up from his chair. "This is absurd!" He called out, "I demand a recount!"

Dern looked at Mr. Dent and shook his head. "This is a fail safe system Arthur. Just because you've got it in that crazy brain of yours that you're the mole, doesn't mean it makes it so. You are the mole's fourth victim. No get out of here."

Dent stood up and looked up, looking like his pride had been hurt. "I will not take this from you Mr. Dern. I will have you fired. Do you hear me? You can't promise me that I'm the mole, and then kick me on the street. I tell you here and now. I quit!"

Bryan Dern smirked. "Resignation accepted. Now grab your bags and leave!"

And with that, Arthur Dent gathered his belongings and walked out of the courtyard.

Reactions Week 4
Monday , September 15, 2002

Richard: "So Dent wasn't the mole after all. I thought it would've been a good cover you know? Telling everyone you're the mole and getting everyone to think you couldn't possibly be the mole? I'm glad I voted two ways this last round. Dent was one of my suspects and since he's gone now, I think I've figure out who the mole is. Although things change every day. who knows what'll happen next!"

Eugene: "Mr. Dent the mole? Well he certainly has a mentally unstable personality. But as I stated earlier, there is no way he could possibly have been the mole. There are many potential candidates, and he was never one of them. I certainly am glad however that I was given an exemption. I'm still divided in who I will vote for in the upcoming exam."

Barry: "Saved again? Wowa. I'm getting pretty lucky in this game. Haven't really been given a fair shot, but I'm glad I'm still around. Every week I think I'm gonna go, and every week I get off! Isn't this game great? Now all I gotta do is figure out who the mole is, and make sure I can make it to the finals."

Mitch: "I knew Dent back from our Novacom days, and while he's a lot different now then he was, I've known for a while he couldn't be the traitor. He never did anything intentional to disrupt a challenge, but he also never really was an asset either. In any case, I think it's for the best that he's been voted out of the game. As far as I'm concerned, everyone's a suspect and one less contestant means one more x that isn't beside my name."

Jack: "Poor Arthur Dent. He meant well. I've said it time and time again. This is a contest that only one person can win, and I hope Dent can understand this. Though, and I'm almost afraid to mention it, I don't think Dent understands much as it is. I pray for healing for Arthur, and that he finds his place in this world. He is a good man, and has a good heart. It's just a shame the rules dictate one person has to leave every week."

Below are the results of Week Four's "Who is the Mole?" Poll:

Who is the Mole?

Monica Stone	27%
Robert Mitchell	15%
Eugene Meltsner	12%
Jack Allen	12%
Arthur Dent	8%
Richard Maxwell	8%
Barry Muntz	8%
Jason Whittaker	8%
Connie Kendall	4%