By noon, the California sun was a brutal, unforgiving weight pressing down on the camp. The heat baked the dirt, making the air shimmer.
Hunger was a physical ache in everyone's stomach.
Kody sat in the shade of the boulder, leaning close to Camila and Diego. His voice was a low, venomous hiss.
"I'm telling you, she's a sociopath," Kody whispered, making sure his microphone picked up every word. "She's dangerous. People like her, from the trailer parks? They'll stab you in your sleep for a dollar."
Camila clutched her knees to her chest, her eyes wide with manufactured terror. "I'm so scared of her. Did you see how she hit you?"
Diego kept his arms crossed. His jaw clenched. He didn't nod, but he didn't defend Anabelle either. The seed of doubt was planted.
Fifty yards away, Anabelle sat on a flat rock in the blistering sun. She ignored them.
She pulled the folded coupon insert from her pocket—the only part of the newspaper she had kept. On its back side, a half-page advertisement for Schmidt's Bistro was printed. Her eyes locked onto it.
Schmidt's Bistro. Finish our Hell-Tier Crossword Puzzle in under ten minutes, and your lunch is on us. A $100 value.
Anabelle's fingers traced the edge of the paper. Her eyes scanned the sample clues printed on the ad. They were complex. Obscure.
A surge of absolute confidence rushed through her veins.
She folded the insert, stood up, and walked directly toward the whispering trio.
Kody snapped his mouth shut the second her shadow fell over them. He scrambled backward, pulling his knees up defensively.
Anabelle stopped three feet away. Her face was a mask of polite indifference.
"I found a way to get a free lunch," Anabelle said, her voice flat. "I'm going to the commercial district. You can come if you want."
It was a test. She needed to know exactly how deep Kody's poison had spread.
Kody jumped to his feet, pointing a shaking finger at her. "It's a trap! You're trying to get us to break the rules so we get eliminated!"
Camila hugged her backpack tight against her chest, shaking her head violently. She took a physical step back from Anabelle.
Diego looked at her from behind his sunglasses. "I'll stick to the emergency rations," he said coldly.
Anabelle didn't blink. She didn't argue. She just gave a slight, careless shrug.
"Enjoy the starvation," she said.
She turned her back on them, adjusted the straps of her backpack, and walked out of the camp.
The live chat erupted, tearing Kody apart for his cowardice and cheering for Anabelle's solo mission.
Three miles later, Anabelle stood on the pristine brick sidewalk of the upscale commercial district.
Schmidt's Bistro had a massive, heavy glass door with gold-leaf lettering. Through the glass, she could see white linen tablecloths, crystal wine glasses, and men in tailored suits.
Her own reflection stared back at her. Mud-caked shoes. Dirty jeans. A flannel shirt stained with sweat.
She pushed the door open.
The air conditioning hit her like a wall of ice.
The host, a tall man in a crisp vest, took one look at her and his face contorted in horror. He stepped out from behind his podium, raising his hands to physically push her back out the door.
"Excuse me, the kitchen entrance is in the alley," he sneered.
Anabelle didn't step back. She stood her ground, her spine snapping perfectly straight.
She held up the coupon insert.
"I am here for the crossword challenge," Anabelle said.
Her voice shifted. The slight southern drawl of the trailer park vanished, replaced by an unexpected, flat coldness. Her tone became sharp and clipped, carrying an undeniable, quiet certainty that left absolutely no room for argument.
The host froze. The sheer force of her aura paralyzed him. He lowered his hands, confused by the massive disconnect between her clothes and her command.
The cameraman shoved his way through the door, pushing the lens right into the host's face.
Gus Schmidt, the owner of the bistro, was walking across the dining room. He saw the camera. He saw the red recording light.
His eyes lit up with the promise of free publicity.
"Let her in, Thomas!" Gus boomed, plastering a fake, welcoming smile on his face. "Schmidt's Bistro welcomes all challengers!"
