Inside Straight

Team Diamonds hadn’t been able to retrieve the safe. Matryoshka split, then split again, until eight little versions of the ace—stupid little versions, since they divided the original’s intelligence between them—attempted to swim to the safe. They only ended up floundering like wind-up tub toys, until Tiffani herded them together and coaxed them into reforming. The Maharajah sent his telekinetic servants in the form of shirts, but they hadn’t been strong enough to carry the safe back. Finally, the Amazing Bubbles had tried blasting water out of the pond. She grew thinner and thinner as she released more energy, and managed to empty about half the pond when the air horn sounded, calling an end to the task. The sun was setting by then. Of the performance, Topper observed wryly, “At least you’re persistent.”

All the contestants watched Clubs’ attempt with interest, because the team’s dejected demeanor could only mean that they’d failed. But how? When they found the lake, their expressions were triumphant—water! Diver’s element. They acted like they’d already won. Diver leapt into the water to confirm the prize’s location, and with her help Toad Man made easy work of pulling it to the surface.

Then they stalled. They poked at the safe, pounded at it, prodded it, rolled it, jumped on it, pried at the handles, fiddled with the combination. Stuntman tried hitting it, but he was indestructible, not superstrong. When Brave Hawk tried lifting the safe, thinking to fly with it and drop it from a height, his wings disappeared. He had strength or flight, but not both. Holy Roller even climbed up the side of the arena, pulled himself into his massive human ball shape, and threw his substantial mass down to crash into the safe like a bowling ball. He managed to tip it over, sprawling over it, vaguely resembling a beached whale. Nothing. The longer they couldn’t open it, the angrier they got. It was like watching a troop of monkeys. They degenerated into yelling at each other, and even the preacher on the team couldn’t keep peace between them.

“That could have been a whole lot better,” said the Harlem Hammer, in polite understatement.

Even Topper couldn’t put a nice spin on it. “I’m disappointed. You all showed such promise last week.” She shook her head, and the weight of shame settling on Team Clubs was palpable.

Downs worked up to his own commentary, glaring at them for a long moment, then raising his hand dramatically to tick off items on his fingers. “No points for effort. No points for style. Nothing for teamwork. And absolutely nothing for the least awe-inspiring performance I’ve seen yet. Which is sad, ’cause you guys were that close.” He held thumb and forefinger nearly together. “That close to beating this challenge. And you flushed it.” He scowled as if seriously, intensely, and personally disgusted by them.

The mood lightened as they moved on to the successes.

Dragon Girl carried the day for Team Spades. She’d had Shamu tucked in her backpack. The girl put the stuffed souvenir into the water, and a full grown killer whale burst forth. The whale swam a circuit of the pond to show off, dove to retrieve the safe, and spit it onshore at Dragon Girl’s feet. Rustbelt had only to touch it to dissolve the metal into a pile of rust, leaving the prize for the taking.

It would be up to the judges to decide this one.

“And now, Team Hearts,” Peregrine said. “Let’s watch.”

There was Ana’s feat in replay, almost as impressive on the screen as it had been in person. The hills fell, feeding earth to the island that rose from the middle of the pond, displacing a flood of water, massive geological action slipping by in seconds. Watching it, Ana could hardly believe it herself. She’ddone that?

Topper actually smiled. “Earth Witch, that was an amazing piece of work. I can’t wait to see what you pull out next.”

Downs—the worst of them, the most irascible, impossible to please—drew out his moment, tapping a pencil, acting like he couldn’t find the words. He was playing this for suspense. Then he said, “If I ever hear you say ’I just dig holes’ again, I’ll kick your ass myself.”

There was some laughter at that, and Ana flushed with relief. I survived.

Curveball’s crack at the safe—simple, elegant, effortless—was the perfect end to the replay. Hearts hadn’t just succeeded at the challenge. They’d made it look easy.

Harlem Hammer delivered the verdict this time: “Team Spades, you got lucky. If Dragon Girl hadn’t had that particular stuffie in her sack, what would you have done? On the other hand, Team Hearts pushed their abilities to the edge. They’re mastering their powers, and they’re doing it as a team. For that reason, tonight’s victory and immunity go to Team Hearts.”