Week 16 Draws and Power Plays

Claire lets loose with Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” to lead the way into the start of week 16. Rhett lets her have the stage awhile as people enjoy the nude girl playing. Finally he gives a subtle sign and she quietens the tune, slipping into an almost subliminal melody to accompany his showmanship.

“And now it’s time for the FINAL week before the two finalists are declared. I don’t think I can tell you anything about our three competitors that you don’t know yourselves by now. So let’s get right into the draw.”

The screen shows the gameboard with three cards circling above it, cards that will soon reveal which ladies are available for challenges this week. You and Milo can also pay to reserve a card to finish your hands, while Cassie will have to go with what she has after she picks. Claire switches to a countdown tune as the first card settles on the board.

“First up is the amazing Olivia Hale, our Nine of Hearts. She’s a vision and a visionary, this woman is heir to the Hale dynasty of museum and gallery fame. Let me paint you a picture - if you can get her to model for a College Spread challenge photoshoot you will have the opportunity to run up a tasty score.”

You and Milo both look at the card eagerly. He holds a Nine and you’re working on a Hearts flush. Cassie also holds a Nine but given she can pick any card she wants from the deck due to her Leader Advantage, the picks are irrelevant. Besides, she already holds two Empresses so she is certainly going for a three-of-a-kind.

Another card twists into place.

“Well there’s a thing,” says Rhett. “Milo, it’s your owner, the beautiful Queen of Spades, Dr. Selene Ravensmoor. Will you anger her by not picking her or are you going to submit to her sexually as you have done all year?”

It’s a tease. Milo has no right to choose his cards anymore and the likelihood is that Selene will not go for her own card. It does nothing for Milo’s hand. It might be the first time in the game that a face card is drawn and it’s useless for everyone’s hand. You wait for the final card to fall into place.

“And there she is, Creative Writing major and Professor’s Assistant Isadora Bloom, the Jenny of Hearts. Now, I know for a fact that she’s one of the drama girls involved in the end of year play, and they have all made it clear they will not entertain challenges from any other player. It seems if Milo or Cassie take Isadora they will only be sabotaging the Phantom, but is that enough for them? Or do they want to secure their positions with better plays?”

Isadora Bloom. You lick your lips as you stare at her. She would be perfect for your diamond flush, and that might be enough to displace Cassie from second place. But will you get the card?

“And now,” says Rhett. “Let’s get to the players’ picks. Cassie, which card are you picking?”

As Claire launches into Sheeran and Switft’s “The Joker and the Queen” Cassie gives her patent charming and disarming smile.

“I will take Dr. Seraphine Ravensmoor, the Ace of Spades,” she says.

It draws a gasp. Just a couple of weeks back she tried to go for the Dean of Criminal Justice and discovered Dr. Blackstone was off site for a few weeks. If she intends to make a play for her, she’s going to have to go to whichever retreat the dean went to. It would give her two pairs, Aces over Empresses. Not the best hand ever but definitely some high scoring cards. You can’t do the maths in your head right now, but you begin to wonder if a flush will be enough to catch up the points you need.

“A bold move by Queen Cassie,” says Rhett. “Time away from campus for our returning monarch perhaps. And now, Milo, or rather Selene, who are you picking?”

Dr. Ravensmoor doesn’t pause. “Olivia Hale,” she says. “And, Milo, if you fail this one I will hang YOU up in a gallery!”

The audience laughs, Rhett too. Even Claire breaks her focus for a second.

“You also have a reserve card you can pay for if you wish,” Rhett reminds her.

She nods. “And we’ll use it to claim the Nine of Clubs.”

“A nine to make three of a kind…” muses Rhett. “And it’s recently-reinstated rugby star, cybersec queen and camgirl Kailani Mahelona. Hate to remind you of this, Milo, but she’s nicknamed ‘Kaiju’ for a reason!”

You suppress a smile. Your first challenge in the entire game was with Kailani Mahelona and it was terrifying and brutal and beyond exciting. She’s become a friend, but there’s nothing to say she’ll refuse Milo’s challenge. That said, if she DOES go for it no doubt she’ll put him through hell first.

“And finally, our Mr. Impossible. Phantom, you have played two of the most glorious challenges seen in the regular rounds of College Spread, but somehow you’re still trailing in last place. Make your play.”

It’s obvious what you’re going to do. “I’ll take Isadora’s card and reserve the Ten of Hearts, Rhett!”

The Ten twists into place on the board.

“Cheerleader and performing arts major, Kiara Martinez. She’s definitely one of the drama girls involved in the end of year play so should be an easy score for you. If you can pull off this week’s challenges that will be a beautiful flush, the Ace, Queen, Jenny, Ten and Two of Hearts.”

It is a hell of a hand, but is it enough? And once again your mind is on why Rebekah made you play the lowest scoring challenge last week. Your tablet vibrates as you receive the cards of the ladies you’ve taken, their bio cards and a new challenge. It’s a **** contract. If you can play that, it's the best there is.”

Claire launches into Lady Gaga’s Poker Face as Rhett introduces the next stage.

“Finally,” he says. “Before we let our players get on with the week ahead, it’s time for the power plays. Remember, this is your very last chance to use power plays in the game. After the elimination we’ll be onto the final and that works entirely differently as you’ll find out next week. So, who’s first?”

There’s silence. You, Rebekah, Cassie, Milo, Selene. You sit watching each other, waiting for someone to be the first to move. There’s no more chance of Rebekah bluffing her way into anything special like she did last week, everyone’s “Phantom, Upstaged” joker is used up. There’s one play and if anyone objects to it they can probably block it.

“Have an Ace, Cassie,” says Selene. “Courtesy of your nine joining our four-of-a-kind. We’ll play a swap.”

Milo’s score drops by another 90 for the power play, but it is the best play that Selene could make. A four-of-a-kind in Nines should absolutely secure Milo a score that at least one of your or Casse can’t equal. Cassie won’t prevent it since this gives her the chance of a full house of Aces over Empresses and the best score she could possibly gain. Which almost certainly leaves you with a problem.

“Rhett,” says Rebekah suddenly. “I just wanted to check. All the deals made as part of the game are binding for the players making them right? Milo can’t escape his **** contract with Dr. Ravensmoor? My boyfriend can’t get rid of me as a manager or stop his interviews with Freya?”

She’s pulling something and everyone can see it, but what?

Rhett nods. “Not without accepting expulsion from the game. Once a player consents to an arrangement it is binding.”

“Such as when I got Cassie and Dr. Ravensmoor to owe me a favor a few weeks back when I sacrificed our power play to let them take down Graham West?”

Your breath catches in your throat as you watch her plan unfold.

“Well,” says Rhett, considering things. “Yes, that’s binding too, but you can’t just demand Cassie hand over her Empress of Hearts or anything like that.”

“I know. But I have to make a hail mary play to have any chance of saving our position, so I want to ask that neither of our opponents make any power plays against us this week.”

“Fine,” says Selene with a shrug. She’s already made her power play.

Rhett looks at Cassie who just nods. In all likelihood he’d declare that favor binding if she tried to argue with it.

“No power plays will be made against the fresher this week,” agrees Rhett.

“Good!” Rebekah grins, the kind of gloating smile she gives when she’s ready to play a killer move in Fluorescence. “Swap. Two of Hearts for Empress of Hearts!”

“NO!” snaps Cassie. “Block!”

Rebekah looks from Cassie to Rhett who takes a deep breath. “That would be making a power play against them,” he says.

“I’m playing it against their play, not them” she argues.

“Sorry, but that particular royal decree won’t be accepted, Queen,” he says.

And there it is. You have the potential royal flush in Hearts. More than that, with the jokers and the **** contracts, every one of them is a ten times multiplier. You do the math in your head. The royal cards themselves come to 200 total. All with ten times multipliers and then with the 100 times hand multiplier for a royal flush. That’s 200,000. It’s the biggest play possible in College Spread. Cassie can’t even play a score slasher against you, though it wouldn’ts be enough to pull you back to where she can pass you now. She’s reduced to two pairs, Aces and Empresses. They might be high value cards but if you remember right they don’t all have high value challenges and the hand itself is only a three times multiplier. She can’t even pass Selene without a power play of her own.

The audience is silent as they watch Rebekah dethrone a queen. There’s only one chance left and Cassie knows it.

“Quadruple or nothing,” she says.

The die rolls across the screen. A roll of one to four and she passes Milo by a long way. A five leaves her where she is and a six resets her score to zero. Either of them will eliminate her. Barring a screw-up, you’re through to the final and Rebekah’s play paid off in spades… or in Hearts at least. The die bounces and rolls, seeming to take an eternity to stop. And when it does…

…

… “It’s a FIVE!” screams Rhett. (NOTE: I rolled this randomly)

His showman veneer completely gone in the shock of what just happened. The crowd goes crazy. Nobody, at the start of the entire game would have dared predict anyone BUT Cassie would win, but when chance is involved nothing is certain. And when Rebekah is involved, then you winning seems to be the most reliable option on the board too.

Rhett raises his hands to still the audience’s cheering. “It’s not over yet, boys and girls,” he says. “The Phantom still has to bring in the victory next week or Cassie will be through to the final instead.”

Cassie shakes her head. “They are drama girls,” she says. “And I know he still has his Glass Ceiling Mafia joker too. It’s time for the queen to step down from the throne and allow my opponents to move on through to the finale. I’ll play out the hand this week, just in case, but can anyone say they’re sad to see the most horrific finale ever: the Evil Witch vs the Phantom?”

Her dignity just brings the cheering back louder than ever. Under it all Rhett announces that the gameshow section is over and it’s time to get on with the week itself.