Castaways Read Free

forgetting about the others to remain focused on Pauline's attributes. Somehow her ass stayed above the surface as she swam, and her thong bikini, threadbare from all this time spent outdoors, left little to the imagination. It certainly kept the interest of the four men on the boat. Becka was certain that Pauline was aware of it. So far, her strategy for winning had been to use her sexuality—flirting with
    the men and playing the helpless damsel in distress, or worse, sucking up to the other women when the men weren't around.
    "She's certainly got no problem staying afloat," Becka said. "Wonder how much she paid for those things?"
    Jerry laughed. "Remember, all of America might hear you say that."
    "No, they won't. The camera crew went chasing off after her."
    But even if they didn't hear me, Becka thought, Roberta did. She and Pauline are pretty tight. If she tells Pauline what I said, and Pauline gets offended, it could be me who gets exiled tonight. Shit! What was I thinking?
    Roberta swam ahead. Frowning, Jerry watched her go. Becka noticed the worried lines on his face.
    "What's wrong?"
    "We may have just screwed up really bad." "Why?"
    "Pauline and Roberta are part of Stefan's clique. So is Jeff. And we just told them we thought Jeff was a threat and that maybe we should vote to exile him tonight."
    "Yes, but they were the ones who brought him up in the first place."
    "True. But why? Why would they do that, unless maybe they were testing us? Find out our plans and then report them back to the rest of their alliance."
    "Shit."
    "Yeah."
    A helicopter roared overhead, filming aerial footage of the race. Becka watched it swoop toward land.
    Over the last two weeks, she'd come to hate the island, but despite the treacherous living conditions, she was still impressed and awed by its beauty. It loomed before them, a foreboding but picturesque mass of rocky hills, dark forest and thick jungle. Towering volcanic mountains descended into blue-green bays and white sandy beaches covered with seashells. Far above the mountain peaks were a few thin clouds, but otherwise the sky was clear. If there was a storm on the way, as Becka had been told, then it was still a long way off.
    They swam for shore and caught up with Roberta. Becka continued staring at the island. Jerry and Roberta followed her gaze.
    "Pretty, isn't it?" Roberta asked.
    Becka nodded, watching the sunlight glint off the highest peaks.
    "We don't have anything like it back in Poughkeepsie," Roberta said. "Even if I don't win, it doesn't matter to me anymore. Just seeing this place—just being here—has been worth it. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I'd get to do something like this."
    "It looks like something out of Jurassic Park," Becka said, eyeing the lush, green tropical foliage.
    "Yeah." Jerry flicked water from his eyes. "But on this island, it's not the raptors you have to watch out for. It's our fellow castaways. They're the predators. Everybody's out to get paid. That's why we should form an alliance. What do you say? I'll watch your backs and you guys watch mine. Deal?"
    Roberta shrugged. "I've already got an alliance with Pauline, so you'd have to bring her in."
    Castaways "Do you trust her?"
    "Sure," Roberta said. "I mean, she's sort of flighty, but I don't think she's deceitful."
    "What about Stefan and Jeff and Raul? Aren't you loyal to them?"
    "It's a game, right?"
    "Okay," Jerry said. "I'd be up for that. How about you, Becka?"
    Becka tried to catch her breath. Exhaustion was creeping back into her muscles.
    "Let's focus on getting to shore first."
    They reached shallow water and found their footing. Then they waded toward the beach and joined the rest of the contestants, who were killing time while the crew put makeup on the show's host, Roland Thompson. Becka sprawled in the white sand next to Shonette, a twenty-five-year-old single mother of two from Detroit, Michigan, and Ryan, a strikingly handsome,