Scavenger Hunt
Chapter 1 - Scavenger Hunt
Reality television had taken over our lives. Every night of the week primetime TV listings were filled with people on an island, people racing around the world looking for foolish clues, stuck together in a house, locked underground, American's singing just so a man from Britian can throw cheap insults at them, so many to choose from but none that really interested me.
Company gambling pools were started where employees predicted winners, just something else to make water cooler talk. Internet chat rooms sprung up by the thousands each time a new show premiered.
It is tough being a television executive nowadays. Trying to create a new show without using old ideas. Especially when every new idea is cloned by each and every network within weeks of the first episode.
Until I created this seasons newest and most addictive reality show. Four hundred contestants randomly paired into teams of four. One hundred teams and you do not know your team members until the day the contest begins. Ten Million Dollars to the winning team. Anything goes, win at all costs. The unspoken theme of corporate America. Over One hundred million to produce and it will be completely live 24/7 television. Last team standing wins it all. No second place or runners up. Last team to survive every obsticle wins Ten million dollars. No time table as to how long the Hunt will last, as long as there are members from more than one team still in the search then the show will continue.
Afterall 30 million americans watched internet feeds of a disposed dictator swing from a rope in one week alone. There is no limit to what people will watch.
Scavenger Hunt Rules
1. Contestant and families of contestant accept all responsibility for each and every action pertaining to what may happen during the filming of the show. Each contestant is required to have full medical and life insurance coverage.
2. Each contestant is required to have a valid drivers license, passport and clean criminal record as they will be required to travel extensively in the United States and Abroad.
3. Each application will be screened and all accepted applicants will be notified as to where to meet to begin the Hunt.
4. Any criminal activity by a contestant will subject him or her to proecution by the local autorities.
5. If accepted you will be notified of all further rules at the beginning of the show.
Chaper 2 - Almost Time
Over two million applications came in 3 weeks. Lots of overtime spent sorting through endless miles of paperwork. So many people with delusions of grandeur and no care of what will most likely happen to them. After eight months of reading applications and narrowing down the list of possible candidates our staff came up with a list of one thousand possible contestants.
Thirteen more long meetings well into the night and we narrowed the list down to our 400 contestants. Lucky number thirteen was our new motto. Doctors, Lawyers, Housewives, college students, even a few B movie celebrities and one former professional football player that made more headlines from his lifestyle than his playing ability.
Now more meetings to come up with our clues, keeping them simple at first then more complicated as the number of teams dwindled down. Each clue had to deal with a location, something specific about that place and how it would pertain to the next location. We figured we had enough clues for four months and if the show ran longer we would have to hurry to come up with more. No one has ever even attempted anything of this magnitude but being a small network we needed something huge to make an impact.
Many miles and hours traveling to meet with the selected contestants. Long interviews to find out likes and dislikes. Any phobias we can use to our advantage. The public loves to watch the strong displaying any weakness they may have.
Now how to pair up the teams. Several more meetings on this, do we draw names randomly, try to pair them up by likes or dislikes, maybe try to team all opposites together so see if we can create stress among the teams. Gays with other gays or team them with homophobes. Racist whites with blacks or Hispanics. Remember our theme was anything goes and we intended to stick with that one thousand percent. Create controversy and turmoil before we even begin. We decided on doing a random drawing at the start of the competition, this way we could create suspense and drama right from the start. Now for an extensive advertising campaign. Plus sell our show to companies that want their logo displayed prominently or discretely throughout the contest. Once all of this was in place we were finally ready to begin. Each contestant was notified by certified mail and given a plane ticket to Buffalo, New York. Every contestant would then be transported by bus to our meeting place in Niagara Falls. This was where we would begin the Scavenger Hunt.
Each contestant was instructed to bring only what they would need, but to be prepared for every kind of weather. Transportation would be provided when necessary but there would be many times when walking from point to point would be necessary and they would not always return to the vehicles they arrived in. It was interesting to see some of them with just small backpacks, others with very large full hiking backpacks and others carrying luggage and carry on bags. We knew most of the stuff would be abandoned or lost along the way but they were warned.
Once everyone was assembled in a room we showed a video tape explaining that most of them would not return from the trip and that we hope they have all of their affairs in order before we begin. We are not liable for any injuries or fatalities that may occur during the competition. They had all signed waivers to attest to this but we just showed them the video to remind them. No one walked away. All had passed physicals before they arrived and we checked that no one was on any medication that required special needs.
All were lined up and one by one they walked into a room that had several huge tables lined up with unmarked boxes on them. Each was instructed to pick up a box of their choice and assemble in another large room directly off the room they were in. Huge signs and security were there to insure that no one unwrapped the boxes until instructed to do so. All of this was being filmed for the premiere later that evening. Now we showed another video, this one explaining that they would all be moved to the casino hotel for the evening and each was given a marker to write their names on the respective boxes and return the boxes to our representatives. They were told to rest up and await further instructions.
Dinner was sent to each room while we made them wait to find out the next step. The televisions in each room of the hotel were programmed to only show our station that evening.
Chapter 3 - Show time
Finally it was time for the premiere. A one hour special with a brief description of each contestant, all names were withheld and each contestant was only described by what they do for a living, state they reside in and why they wanted to be in this unique competition. We felt it best to keep names out of this out of respect for families due to the dangers that each contestant would have to endure. After the introductions of the contestants the film from their induction so to speak was shown. This lasted for 2 hours. We had a 65% rating by this point and we were confident we had the attention of the American people.
As soon as the clock struck eleven pm the phones in every room rang and played the same recorded message Open your room door and pick up the package you received and signed for earlier today and return to the phone immediately to receive the rest of your instructions. With that 400 doors opened and in front of each was the package they had received earlier. Listen very carefully to your instructions, they will not be repeated. When you are told to hang up the phone you will open the package and find a shirt in your size, on each shirt will be the number of the team you belong to. You are to wear this shirt and number throughout the competition, it will be replaced at times designated by the network. A vehicle in the hotel parking lot will also have this number on the hood and doors of it. When all four members of your team reach the vehicle you will enter it and await instructions. Do not under any circumstances touch anything inside the vehicle, it will disable the communication you will receive from contest officials and you will be at a serious disadvantage at the onset of the competition. Hang up now Four hundred packages all were being opened and people scrambling thru the halls with their belongings to the elevators and stairs. What a site, I could see this being played on every morning news program across the country. Foreign news would portray us as crazy Americans but that would just create more interest in other countries, we could not lose.
Several fights broke out with people trying to get on the elevator first. Bloody noses and many bruises on the faces of the first group to exit the elevators. One lady even pushed a man over exiting the elevator and walked over the top of him like he was a small hill, her bag hitting his head as she walked by. Only the beginning and already the worst in people was coming out.
Forty five cameras covered the parking lot. More lighting than any major sporting event bathed the lot in bright light, it looked like morning. Over an hour to get all 400 out of the hotel and by the range rovers (All donated along with the huge payment from Land Rover to use their vechiles and allow them to share the lonk to our website) that would be their transportation for the beginning of the contest. Once the gear was stowed and each team decided who would drive they were inside and awaiting the instructions.
One hundred vehicles, four strangers in each one, all quiet and nervous about where this trip will lead them. Each with the vision of a ten million dollar prize. Each wondering if their own teammates are worthy of the journey. All I could think was this is great TV.
Each Range Rover was equipped with a satellite tracking system, on board cameras and microphones so we could look and listen to all of their movements. Each shirt had a tracking device so we could find the contestants when they were lost or worse. Also installed in each truck was a one way speaker so we could give them their instructions.
We randomly showed many of them fidgeting in the range rovers for about fifteen minutes just to let the audience get a look at some of them. Also to increase the anxiety levels of the contestants. This way we could get an idea of who to watch and how they handled stress. But of course we did not want the viewing public to get bored just intrigued.
Suddenly the speakers in each truck come to life Good luck to you all, your clue involves "The Widow Bride of The Falls. Go to where she held her Virgil and you will find your next clue.
Chapter 4 - The Widow Bride
Forty trucks started up, viewers could see people digging through their luggage to retrieve their laptops, all praying they could get a signal. Each vehicle was equipped with satellite service so we knew that would not be a problem. The other sixty had to be reset due to contestants playing with knobs which we told them not to do on the telephone call to their rooms. Suddenly all 4 members of team 28 jumped out of their truck and began running they figured out the first clue in less than 2 minutes. "The Widow Bride of The Falls is a character in a book by Joyce Carol Oates. Her husband of one day climbed over a railing by the falls and threw his body into the deadly water. She held a seven day Virgil next to the railing while local law enforcement tried in vain to find his body. One by one the other teams began to follow, some figuring out the clue and others playing follow the leader. Teams scoured the over a mile of railing to find the clue. Many more fights ensued and more bruises, black eyes and bloody noses came out of the many battles.
A small sign was placed at the spot of her Virgil. It read To the Brides Veil you will go. Back to the Range Rovers they ran, all booting up their laptops to search the new clue. Only four vehicles got out of the lot right away, a three car accident blocked the only exit from the lot. To Goat Island the first 4 teams raced, just a short drive from where they began. But since it was dark it was difficult to follow the traffic signs to the Cave of the Winds a specially designed walkway to the base of the Falls. Many warning signs went ignored as they raced down the wooden stairs to the base. All anxious to see the Brides veil. As more teams arrive the pushing and shoving began, one railing broke and 3 contestants fell towards the slippery rocks along the side of the falls. Many stopped to watch in horror as the reality of the competition sank in. While 175 feet below the first four teams were arriving on the Hurricane Deck to look for the next clue.
The Bridal Veil Falls is one of three Falls that make up the beauty of the Niagara Falls experience. No one there cared about beauty or nature at the time because they wanted the next clue. There was a rope ladder stretched from the deck to a railing on the other side of the falls. Millions of gallons of water falling by the minute and they had to use a wet rope ladder to climb across to get the next clue. Without thinking a contestant from team 48 began climbing the ladder. Rapidly he ascended towards the top and he slipped and was dangling by only his right leg. Several others followed him up the ladder but could only helplessly watch as his body slipped free and fell towards the rocks below. Only two rungs from where he slipped was attached an envelope enclosed in a heavy plastic bag. The next contestant from team 58 bravely climbed up and grabbed the bag. He began climbing down when a contestant from team 79 reached out and took the bag from him. As the man from team 58 reached out to retrieve the bag he slipped and fell to his demise in the mighty Niagara.
Five contestants dead and we were only in the first hour. Ratings climbed to record highs despite the late hour.
chapter 5 - The Scow
Once back on the deck the envelope was opened and read by an official to the remaining 395 contestants. It read congratulations to each of you that are still with us. Many dangers and perils still await. Caution and common sense is what will keep you in this competition not force and brutality. Another warning we knew would be taken seriously by only a few but it looks good for the audience to think that even though there is violence on our show, we do not condone it.
Our official began reading the following story to our contestants At about 3 p.m. on the afternoon of Tuesday August 6th 1918, a steel sand scow (barge) was engaged in dredging operation in the fast currents on the American side of the Niagara River opposite Port Day at the entrance of the Niagara Falls Power Company hydraulic canal. The scow was being towed by the tug boat - "Hassayampa" being operated by Captain John Wallace. The scow had two deck hands aboard. They were Gustave Loftberg, age 51 and Frank Harris, age 53. The tug and scow were owned and operated by the Great Lakes Dredge and Docks Company. During the operation, the tug suddenly struck a sandbar approximately a ½ mile upriver from the Falls. The taunt rope that held the barge to the tug snapped "like a thin string".
The powerless and empty barge quickly drifted out of control into the Canadian channel and towards the Horseshoe Falls. Loftberg and Harris were helpless and could do nothing to stop the scow. They were seen trying to slow the swift progress of the scow with the use of makeshift oars but with no success. Although some reports indicate that, they opened the two holes in the bottom of the scow to allow water to enter the barge, they simply had no time. Loftberg and Harris could only hope and pray for a miracle as they faced to see rising mist of the great Horseshoe Falls growing closer by the second. The roar of the Falls echoed in their ears. In a twist of fate, the scow became grounded and became lodged on a rock shoal at 2,500 feet (767m) upriver from the Horseshoe Falls in the shallow but fast moving cascades.
The alarm that the sand scow was being swept towards the Falls with two deck hands aboard spread throughout Niagara Falls, New York and the towns on the Canadian side. Hundreds of people crowded the buildings that lined the shore and the riverbanks to watch the human helplessness and the scow's progress. When the scow grounded it electrified everyone. Hundreds of men made for the point on the Canadian shore nearest the ledge.
Employees of the Toronto Power Company who had watched the scow drifting in the river from the roof of the company building rushed to telephones. Calls were sent to the fire departments in Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario and to the Life Saving Station in Youngstown, New York.
Benjamin Hall of Pennsylvania Street in Niagara Falls, New York witnessed the barge careening out of control through the rapids until it ground in mid stream just off the head of the island. At the urging of Mr. Hall, the Youngstown Life Savers (United States Coast Guard) were sent for.
Loftberg and Harris began ripping huge timbers from the inside of the barge and were seen throwing some overboard. They were actually building a makeshift windlass (a winch device) in hopes that if a rope line from shore could somehow reach them they would be able to secure the line to the barge in order to hopefully prevent the barge from becoming dislodged and moving any closer to the Falls. A bungled haul would mean the dislodging of the scow.
With sheer determination and with their very lives at stake, Loftberg and Harris completed building the clumsy windlass. The two stranded men could now only wait.
While awaiting rescue, Loftberg, thinking safety tied himself to the barge. Harris, on the other hand tied a rope around himself with the other end tied to a barrel. Harris thought that if the barge broke free, he could jump clear and hope that the barrel got caught up on more rocks.
A view of the remains of the Scow in the Niagara River just upstream of the Horseshoe Falls
Courtesy of James Brown
A rescue boat could not be utilized to rescue the two men because of the distance, the turbulence of the rapids and the proximity to the Horseshoe Falls.
The Niagara Falls Fire Department was the first to arrive at the Power Company Building. They brought with them a small life saving gun. It was carried to the roof of the building. Chief A. H. Newman discharged the gun. The rope rolled out towards the barge. It spun out about 300 feet (91.4m) before falling into the river. A second attempt was made but with the same result. In the meantime an army truck bearing five men from the Life Saving Station in Youngstown and their equipment including a larger gun and longer ropes. The five men were on their way from Fort Niagara at best speed driven by Private Fred Daubney. The truck made the 25 mile trip in 35 minutes.
When the men from the Life Saving Station arrived with a gun capable of firing a lifeline to the scow, they mounted their gun on the roof of the Toronto Power House. The first shot to the scow with a light weight rope was successful shot over the barge. Loftberg and Harris grabbed the rope and began the process of pulling it aboard and connecting it to the windlass. In the meantime, the rescuers tied a much heavier rope to the end of the first rope. Loftberg and Harris began the long struggle of winding the rope in from the power house to the scow. The weight of the heavy rope was being carried downriver by the torrent of water and threatened in itself to dislodge the barge. At a time more than a hundred men on shore were needed to pull the rope taunt in order to prevent this from happening.
After many hours of labor under terrifying conditions, Loftberg and Harris were able to bring the heavy rope aboard the barge and secure it to the windlass. By this time darkness had arrived.
With nightfall, huge searchlights were erected and trained on the scow and rescue rope. A breeches buoy (a chair like attachment) followed the line but became snarled half way across.
At 3 a.m. on Wednesday August 7th, Red Hill Sr. went out hand over hand along the rope as his body was tugged by the current of the rapids. Red Hill Sr. reached the tangled breech buoy and worked for hours until he was able to untangle it in order to allow the rescue.
The stranded Scow (barge) in the Niagara River in sight of the brink of the Horseshoe Falls
Courtesy of James Brown
With the arrival of dawn, thousands of people crowded the shoreline watching this drama unfold. At 8:30 a.m., Red Hill journeyed out again. This time Hill got within 130 feet (40m) from the scow. From here, he was able to talk to Loftberg and Harris. Hill discovered that one of the small coils of rope on the scow was wound around the big rope from the breeches-buoy, preventing the buoy from getting closer to the scow. Hill tried to shout directions to Loftberg and Harris but both had become so weak that they had difficulty untangling the rope. With Hill giving instructions and the persistence of both crew members, the rope was finally untangled. Hill returned to the roof of the Toronto Power House.
With Charles Possert and Thomas Darrington, both riggers from the Toronto Power Company working the lines, Hill was able to make his way to the stranded scow. Harris, suffering from hunger and exposure was the first removed from the scow to safety. Loftberg followed. It was 10 a.m. by the time Loftberg was brought safely to shore.
An historical aerial photograph of the stranded Scow in the Niagara River
Courtesy of Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library
William "Red" Hill Sr. was awarded a Carnegie Life Saving Medal for his heroic efforts. The crew of the scow had been rescued without any loss of life.
The loss of the barge was estimated by company officials at $36,000. Discussions about the possible salvage and recovery of the barge soon followed however it was expected that winter ice would soon dislodge the barge and carry it over the Falls.
The sand barge (scow) although rusting and disintegrating with age, still remains in the same location where it became stuck eighty-two (82) years ago. It is located just south of the Toronto Power House (which was closed in 1974) close to the Canadian shoreline.
Upon completing the story the contestants were told to return to their vehicles and shuffle off to the city where the scow was made.
Three hundred and ninety five people running up wet stairs is a nasty sight. Many were trampled on as they slipped and fell. Several had minor injuries while thirteen more were no longer able to continue their journey. Eighteen contestants eliminated. Once all were in their range rovers and began searching for information about the scow we determined which team suffered fatalities and injuries and began our ticker across the bottom of the screen. Team 1 4 members, Team 2 4 members, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 12 4 members, Team 13 4 members, Team1 4 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 17 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 4 members, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 25 4 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 30 3 members, Team 31 2 members, Team 32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 37 4 members, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 4 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 46 4 members, Team 47 4 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team5 4 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 60 4 members, Team 61 4 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 4 members, Team 65 3 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 4 members, Team 73 4 members, Team 74 4 members, Team 75 3 members, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 4 members, Team 83 4 members, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 4 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 4 members.
It would now be updated and repeat throughout the remainder of the broadcast. One of our researchers came to me with info that web sites were already appearing on the internet and fans were predicting who would be eliminated next. I knew by morning office pools would be starting the very next morning across the country and everyone would be talking about our show. Las Vegas was already posting odds on who would win and which team would be first to have no one left to carry on.
Chapter 6 - Trucking off to Buffalo
Truckin up to Buffalo
Been thinkin - you got to mellow slow
Takes time - you pick a place to go
and just keep Truckin on
Grateful Dead
Life was great from the networks point of view as one hundred teams began their journey towards Buffalo to find the spot that the scow was made. Using the cameras at our leisure we spied from truck to truck to find out what was being said and how the contestants were reacting towards the injuries and deaths of their fellow contestants.
This was going to be a good tool for us to use, watching them bond or fight as the competition went on. We could use it to figure out strategies and broadcast it to our viewers.
I wondered how long it would take for some of our competitors to figure out that we were also streaming live on line once you got past the pop up ads that advertisers paid millions to attach to our site. No matter which pop up blocker you used, you had to view the ads if you wanted to get to our site. The biggest advertiser was a very prominent anti virus/anti pop up software company which sold the upgrade to eliminate these pop ups. They were the only one that could block them and spent millions to make many more millions off the pc users at home. Once downloaded any further upgrades would also have to be purchased from them in order for your computer to work properly. Corporate America at its finest.
Right now the only thing that concerned me was that we had eighteen contestants no longer in the show and I did not want to lose people at that rate much longer or we would not be able to enjoy a very long run of the show. I dispatched a remote camera crew to Niagara Falls memorial Hospital to check on the progress of the injured that could no longer compete. Maybe we could get interviews and ask them how it felt at the very beginning being in the contest and what they felt when they were hurt. Each contestant signed an exclusive waiver forbidding them from telling their story to anyone but us if they were eliminated and survived. Extras for when they show hit a lull in the competition, again all preplanned incase of the sudden elimination of several contestants at once. We also planned on releasing DVD packages of each day of the show, along with the line of numbered shirts (matching the ones the contestants were wearing); Scavenger Hunt paraphernalia was going to be in every department store by weeks end. I was no longer thinking millions, but billions of dollars in revenue from this show. Lunch boxes, backpacks, might have to tap into the tourism industry of each city we come to. Get fans out to watch. My assistants just told me that people are lining the thruway bridges waving to the contestants on Grand Island enroute to Buffalo. People near Buffalo are hanging signs along the thruway in support of them and the contest only actually started two and a half hours ago. It is 1:30am and no one is sleeping, they are all watching our show. I wondered how many people would call in to work in the morning and stay home to watch.
Our contestants searched, goggled and whatever for over twenty minutes to find something about the scow. Actually we planned it that way. SCOW is an organization that planed for years to restore part of the Erie Canal. But as things go in Buffalo politics and greed played a part and millions were spent yet again on nothing. Funny how poor cities have the richest politicians, spend the most money and have nothing to show for it.
Once they figured it out they arrived or followed others to the foot of the Erie Canal. There they found one hundred row boats, each numbered one thru one hundred. One boat for each team. They were to row the 4 man boats through the canal and locks 12 miles to Lockport, New York. There they would receive more instructions.
This is where we figured we would lose most of the excess luggage and baggage. Boy were we surprised when they left nothing behind but the Range Rovers. Most teams decided to take shifts rowing while the others rested. Each boat was equipped with the same camera and microphone systems we installed in the Range Rovers so we could monitor their actions and conversations. Teams 20, 23 and 31 would have a rough go of it because each had lost two members before they left Niagara Falls. All along the canal route people lined up to cheer throughout the night and into the morning as 100 teams rowed towards Lake Ontario and a slow but steady pace. Many signs appeared with people already having favorites. Several girls that looked like they had been clubbing all night flashed the males as they rowed by. An older couple was throwing small bags of cookies to the teams.
By 8:00am people were sitting on coolers drinking beer and cheering as the teams slowly rowed by. My assistant told me that internet preorders for t shirts alone as over one million dollars and ratings were at 80%. I knew the people that did go to work were checking on line for updates. During this time we interviewed many of the people watching along the canal as well as the contestants in the hospital. We showed many replays of the start as well as the tragedies back in Niagara Falls.
As the teams began arriving in Lockport their Range Rovers were already waiting for them. This will not always be the case but they did not know that. As each team packed and awaited the next clue some rested inside or in front of the vehicles. Close ups of the tired and weiry faces made for great television. I wondered how tired some of our viewers that have watched it for the last thirteen hours were at this time. How many have ordered shirts, hats and other items?
Chapter - 7 - Battle For Fort Niagara
Once we had all forty teams the next clue was given out, after all this is a contest not a race. Millions cheaper to produce when your crew can be near or close to the contestants. A Recorded voice stated the following over a PA system in the parking lot:
The British occupied Fort Niagara from its capture from the French in 1760 until 1796 when they were forced to relinquish the Fort to the Americans under terms of the Treaty of Paris (the negotiated end to the American Revolution). During those 35 years, the Fort usually had a substantial garrison and its commander exercised wide authority over the Great Lakes country. For the Americans, Fort Niagara became an important border post (as there was no border before the end of the revolution). When America declared war on Britain in 1812, the garrisons on both sides of the Niagara River were ill-prepared for it. At the outbreak of hostilities, the Americans could muster only 150 men at Fort Niagara. The British were equally weak due largely to the demands of the Napoleonic Wars on the Continent. In 1812, there were only 2,000 British soldiers in all of Upper Canada. But both sides began preparations for the conflict that was sure to come.
Fort Niagara began its active involvement in the war on October 13th, 1812, when it commenced a bombardment of Fort George across the river in support an American landing force that crossed the Niagara River. The fire was returned and a brisk exchange ensued. During this action, it became obvious that Fort Niagara was at a decisive disadvantage -- exposed as it was on its river side and by the fact that Fort George stood on higher ground. During the exchange the Americans were actually forced to abandon the Fort and huddle outside its landward defenses. To counter this advantage, the Americans removed the roofs from the Castle and the two redoubts and mounted cannon on the upper floors. This proved to be increasing the guns' effectiveness, for in the next exchange between the forts (on November 21st), the Americans gave better than they got.
In May the following year, the guns of Fort Niagara and its attached batteries joined an American fleet in an all-out bombardment of Fort George. The British resisted valiantly but their batteries were silenced and the wooden buildings of the fort caught fire and burned. Under cover of the bombardment, American troops landed on the Canadian shore and assaulted the fort. Despite a fierce defense by British regulars, Fort George fell to the Americans. However, in June, the American forces in Canada were defeated and were soon bottled up in the forts at the mouth of the Niagara River. As American troop strength declined during the fall and early winter, the British planned a retaliatory expedition.
On the night of December 18-19, 1813, red-coated soldiers marched up the river from the newly reoccupied ruins of Fort George and crossed to the New York shore. After capturing American pickets (without firing a shot) the 562-man assault force continued towards Fort Niagara. The British caught the American garrison by surprise. When they arrived at the Fort, most of the garrison was asleep and the commander, Captain Nathaniel Leonard, was off-post visiting his family in a nearby town. The British advance party appeared at the Fort's gate just as it had been opened to allow a sentry detail to pass. A British sergeant approached the gate in the darkness and managed to wedge open the door with his body and allow the attackers entry. The sleeping garrison put up little resistance. Only the 'red barracks' and the guard detail in the South Redoubt were able to organize a defense. Although the barracks were soon cleared with the bayonet, the South Redoubt stood firm. A party of British soldiers finally broke down the door and fought up two flights of stairs to subdue the 65 stubborn defenders. The unfortunate Captain Leonard arrived at the Fort the next morning only to be surprised by the British sentries at the door. The British occupied the Fort for the remainder of the war but again were forced to return it to the Americans in 1815 under the terms of the Treaty of Ghent (signed in 1814).
They were to go to Fort Niagara in Youngstown, New York and assist in the recreation of this battle. The first group headed towards Youngstown while the others arrived in Lockport and heard their portion of the message. We figured if we included a lot of history in our show we would get less negative feedback for the deaths of our competitors. So far only one hundred complaints have been logged to the FCC about our show. Viewer ship was over 150,000,000 so I figure we have barely scratched the surface of what we can get away with.
By 11:00am internet sales were over 10 million and ratings were holding steady. If we kept up at this rate we would be able to double our rate for advertising by the end of the week. A tiny clause we put into all of our contracts that most figured we could not achieve so they agreed without worry. As each team arrived at Fort Niagara they were assigned to either a British or American Garrison and each team was assigned a tent to sleep in. In each team there were uniforms to indicate which side they were fighting for, but their uniforms had numbers corresponding what team they were on. They were fed meals according to what we could research from that battle and all told to get a good nights rest.
Each tent of course was equipped with the same surveillance systems we had in the trucks and boats. We spent the entire evening watching some teams talk about their lives, why they signed on for this contest and such. One team with only two members left a man and a woman even made love inside of their tent. The entire act broadcast all over the world. We used an infer red lens filter, but I am sure the viewers got the point. We figured we would have to wait weeks maybe even months before that. One thing about this newly consummated couple is they are both married and I am sure their spouses were watching.
Shortly before dawn the contestants were awoken and shown how to use the muskets they would be firing blanks from. The battle was fought with the same outcome they had almost two hundred years ago. There were many minors cuts and bruises as well as many bloody noses from the cheap shots contestants gave to each other during the battle. Walking back to their tents to change a woman from Team 72 tripped and broke her wrist. Another contestant down.
After each team changed into their t shirts and prepared for the next leg of the journey.
Chapter - 8 - Moose Hunt
They were instructed to go to the river side of the fort and board a ferry that would take them to the Canadian side of the Niagara River. Once there they boarded a long line of buses to take them further into their journey. Some complaints by many of the contestants because they left some of their things in the Range Rovers, including laptops, changes of clothing, hygiene items. But most had everything with them.
During the ride they watched a video simultaneously shown on all of the buses. The video told of how land wise Canada was the second largest country in the world. Second only to the Russian Federation. It also told them about the hunting and fishing in the region. This is info we gave them because later on they will need it. They were taken to Moose Factory, Ontario. To a camp ground where of course there were numbered tents for them to sleep in. But first our tired and travel weary contestants were going moose hunting. As it was still dark and much cooler here, they had been given ten minutes to get dressed but instructed that their shirts need to be visible at all times.
In researching our applicants we choose only from those that had never hunted before. We wanted no experts or even part time hunters. We felt that sending them out into the woods alone could be a very interesting concept.
Each were given hunting rifles and a few shotgun shells, as well as a hunting knife and some rope in case they may need it. We had no expectations of anyone actually killing a moose but figured that the fatigue factor as well as the fear of being in a strange forest would provide hours of great footage.
We sent them up a path and instructed them that they had eight hours to either come back with a moose or return to the camp. Those that returned would be given a head start towards the next clue. Once they entered the woods teams began to separate almost immediately. Breaking further and further apart. Our hidden cameras kept track of those that we could, but it was impossible to watch them all. Thousands of emails came into our website asking the same question. What happens if they get lost? We had already installed software to automatically respond the following answer. They are on their own to return before we leave camp after the eight hour deadline. After an hour not a single moose was spotted but we had several very nervous hunters being shown worldwide. Many close-ups of scared faces. Finally a gunshot. We scanned the area to see where it had come from. Team 39 had fired the shot from what our monitors showed us. We scanned the area they were in and found out that they had shot one of their own teammates. Lying in a pool of his own blood with his pants around his ankles was a 28 year old man from Ohio. Apparently he needed to relive himself and forgot to tell his teammates. Three Hundred and Eighty one contestants left. The ticker changed immediately.
Team 1 4 members, Team 2 4 members, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 12 4 members, Team 13 4 members, Team1 4 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 17 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 4 members, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 25 4 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 30 3 members, Team 31 2 members, Team32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 37 4 members, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 4 members 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 46 4 members, Team 47 4 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team5 4 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 60 4 members, Team 61 4 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 4 members, Team 65 3 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 3 members, Team 73 4 members, Team 74 4 members, Team 75 3 members, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 4 members, Team 83 4 members, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 4 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 4 members.
While our viewers mourned the loss of another contestant internet sales were over the 20 million dollar mark. Estimates from Las Vegas reported that over one hundred million dollars was wagered so far. Ratings were still steady and our advertisers were very pleased with the return on their investment. Range Rovers were being ordered from dealers by the thousands. Our website was getting almost 1 million hits an hour. Our marketing team was already creating a line of dolls of our more popular female contestants. Complete with numbered shirt as well as other clothing they would be wearing the further they got into the show. Children were not in our marketing forecast due to the unfortunate things that could happen to our contestants but apparently most parents thought if they were watching why not let the kids. Already I was thinking billions more could be made due to the untapped childrens market. Terrible I know but thats the nature of the business. Tobacco did it and no one complained for almost a hundred years.
Two heart attacks and one broken ankle in the last hour but no moose. The only action is a few contestants jumping everytime a twig breaks. Three hundred and seventy seven competitors left.
Team 1 4 members, Team 2 4 members, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 12 4 members, Team 13 4 members, Team1 4 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 17 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 4 members, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 25 4 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 30 3 members, Team 31 2 members, Team32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 37 4 members, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 46 4 members, Team 47 4 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 60 4 members, Team 61 4 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 4 members, Team 65 3 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 73 4 members, Team 74 4 members, Team 75 3 members, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 4 members, Team 83 3 members, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 4 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 3 members.
On line surveys were telling us that the public favored the adultery from team 23. Quickly we began selling video clips of their immoral act for $19.99 a view. No downloading allowed here. With in an hour or servers were over loaded as already 300,000 people had paid to log in and watch the 5 minute act. Wonder how their spouses felt at this moment or if they were even still watching. Of course they were watching, probably praying that they would be next to be eliminated or killed.
Finally we had team 97 fire a shot that hit a Moose. Right where we could put three camera angles on the scene. Full coverage as they ran towards the fallen beast. As they closed in the Moose rose to his feet and attacked his pursuers. Full coverage on a 42 year old man from Florida getting trampled, his partners opened fire killing the Moose finally but wounding a 22 year old girl from Utah in the process. Team 97 would have a 2 hour head start but would now be short 2 members. Three Hundred and seventy five contestants left.
Team 1 4 members, Team 2 4 members, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 12 4 members, Team 13 4 members, Team1 4 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 17 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 4 members, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 25 4 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 30 3 members, Team 31 2 members, Team32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 37 4 members, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 46 4 members, Team 47 4 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 60 4 members, Team 61 4 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 4 members, Team 65 3 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 73 4 members, Team 74 4 members, Team 75 3 members, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 4 members, Team 83 3 members, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 2 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 3 members.
In Las Vegas their odds of winning shot up to 10,000 to 1 as the world watched their shocked faces as they helped carry the girl out of the woods, leaving the Moose and the man from Florida behind. They arrived back at the camp where doctors took the girl to a local hospital. I dispatched a camera crew to get an interview with her as soon as they could.
Slowly after eight hours the teams came back into camp. By nightfall each team had their own fires and we talking quietly amongst themselves. Still thirteen teams missing in the woods. (Lucky number thirteen again) Many had asked if we were going to mount a search party. We told them not until morning after the competition resumed. We were not overly concerned. We knew where most of them were due to over 100 acres of hidden cameras all with infra red lenses that we had planned to use for bonus coverage while the others slept. Who knows what horrors they might meet up with in the woods at night? Besides each team is now eliminated for not returning and we were no longer responsible for them, but we still planned to capitialize on their misforture.
Team 1 4 members, Team 2 4 members - eliminated, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 12 4 members - eliminated, Team 13 4 members, Team 14 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 17 4 members - eliminated, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 4 members, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 25 4 members - eliminated, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 30 3 members - eliminated, Team 31 2 members, Team32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 37 4 members - eliminated, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 46 4 members - eliminated, Team 47 4 members - eliminated, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 60 4 members - eliminated, Team 61 4 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 4 members, Team 65 3 members - eliminated, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 73 4 members - eliminated, Team 74 4 members, Team 75 3 members - eliminated, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 4 members, Team 83 3 members - eliminated, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 2 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 3 members.
Three hundred thirty three competitors, Eighty seven teams remaining. Several teams under 4 members. All this drama and we were still in the beginning stages of the event. As our teams went to sleep for the night we began showing highlights of the days events as well as footage of our teams still lost in the woods. Several wear still wandering, tripping and falling over fallen branches. We did find one team all men hugging in the woods and jumping out of their skin each time an animal made a noise. The footage was so much better than that fake horror flick those college kids made in the woods.
Across the top of television screens across the world we made an announcement ..An exclusive interview with one of our contestants from Niagara Falls Memorial hospital. A woman in her 30s from Kansas, very pretty picture of her hung on the right hand corner of the screen. First we played the footage of her falling on the stairs and twenty other contestants trampling over her on their way up the stairs. Camera fades away to the hospitial room. She is laying in her bed with tubes and wires connected to her. She speaks slowly in a hoarse, raspy voice, I am grateful for the opportunity to compete and wish I had not have slipped on the stairs back at the Brides Veil Falls. She wished her teammates luck and told them to win it for her. She smiled as a last gasp of air escaped loudly from her lungs and then we panned the camera to the monitor to show the bouncing green line go flat. Screen fades to the picture we took of her back when we did her very first interview. One of our producers provided the nice touch of surrounding her picture on screen with a ring of roses.
That interview was going to provide millions in additional income each time the major news affiliates showed it. After all we did have exclusive rights to everything surrounding the show. Each time anyone besides us used any of our footage they had to pay us $100,000. We had already topped the 100 million dollar mark in total sales; our website was now averaging well over one million hits per hour.
Back to the woods . We captured more footage of team or should I say couple 23 in action. I told our team to make that clip available immediately for sale on the internet. A few arguments in other tents but mostly snoring and sleeping people.
Our cameras detected movement in one area of the woods where three teams that had found each other were sitting under some trees awaiting morning. A large object was slowly moving through the woods towards them. Focus on that object and I want all available cameras on this shot I shouted to the control room. Over 1,000 monitors with footage of our show ran twenty fours a day in this room. The War room I liked to call it. We had more technicians and monitoring equipment than anything NASA ever had.
Slowly our large moving object can into view, a large Black Bear. I had one of my techs run a search on black bears and this is what he came up with.
BLACK BEAR
Ursus americanus
HABITS AND HABITATS
Black bears are generally shy and reclusive animals. They avoid human contact and are not normally aggressive towards people. The only exceptions to this are so called "park bears" which are fed and lose their natural fear of humans. Although they are classified as carnivores, black bears are actually omnivorous, eating many types of plant and animal material. Grasses, green leaves, and other plants are eaten by black bears in the spring after they emerge from their winter dens. Summertime provides them with various berries, fruits, and insects. In fall and early winter, acorns and other nuts are especially sought after in order to build up fat reserves for the winter.
I quickly decided not to release this information but to continue the footage of the bear approaching. Why tell the public there is most likely no danger to the teams and lose their interest.
Instead we showed brief footage of a pack of coyotes feeding off of the carcass of the Moose that Team 97 had slain earlier in the day. We avoided the camera angle that also showed the man from Florida suffering the same fate as the Moose. No sense upsetting the family of the deceased. I instead instructed my techs to save that footage for extras on the DVD package. The public will pay extra for that.
Eventually the bear went away and morning approached. Team 97 was given written instructions and climbed into the Range rovers that were delivered and parked up the road from the camp. Two hour head start would be huge on this leg of the journey. The rest of the teams washed themselves in the stream which created great footage to most likely be sold to the same people that bought the sex clips of team 23. As they waitied their instructions for the next leg eight teams made it out of the woods from the day before. Several members shared their experience of spending the night in the woods and our cameras caught it all. The four men from Team 46 (the men hugging throughout the night) told of how they scared off predators and fought off an attack of a wild bear. All during their tale we showed close-ups in the corner of the screen of them hugging each other and crying during the night. Television is wonderful I thought as I also wondered what they would tell their friends that were home watching the truth live from their homes, that is if they made it back home.
Chapter 9 - Top of the World
Each team was given their newest instructions; this one was very simple go now to the worlds tallest structure, climb the stairs and at the top you will find what you are looking for.
Teams scrambled as they carried their belongings to the Range Rovers. First they had to search where they were exactly. Once they could figure that all out they had to find out where to go. The CN Tower in Toronto is currently the worlds tallest self supporting structure. That is their destination. A six hour drive to visit another of the worlds beautiful sights.
Once each team began their journey the speakers in each vehicle began telling the history of the building.
Defining the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is Canada's most recognizable and celebrated icon. At a height of 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches), it is Canadas National Tower, the World's Tallest Building, an important telecommunications hub, and the centre of tourism in Toronto.
Each year, approximately 2 million people visit the CN Tower to take in the breath-taking view and enjoy all the attractions it has to offer.
The CN Tower was built in 1976 by Canadian National (CN) who wanted to demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry by building a tower taller than any other in the world. In 1995, the CN Tower became a public company and ownership of the Tower was transferred to Canada Lands (CLC) Company, a federal Crown corporation responsible for real estate development.
Although the CN Tower inspires a sense of pride and inspiration for Canadians and a sense of awe for tourists, its origins are firmly rooted in practicality. The construction boom in Toronto in the 1960's transformed the skyline characterized by relatively low buildings into one dotted with skyscrapers. These new buildings caused serious communication problems. With its microwave receptors at 338 m (1,109 ft.) and 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches) antenna, the CN Tower swiftly solved the communication problems with room to spare. As a result people living in the Toronto area now enjoy some of the clearest reception in North America.
The CN Tower is situated on Front Street which is located in the heart of the Entertainment District. The CN Tower is easily accessible from Union Station as well as many major streets and highways. For a broader sense of the CN Tower's location, it is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario.
Most teams took turns driving while the others rested. They would have 1,776 stairs to climb once they arrived. During the six hour drive we switched from truck to truck and also showed highlights from the previous adventures as well as more interviews with some of the injured as they watched from their hospital beds. More feedback from our cameras and reporters talking to people in the streets of Niagara Falls and Buffalo. Public opinion of our show was all mostly positive. Ratings remained steady and internet sales of video clips alone topped 20 Million dollars. Over all sales now passed One hundred and twenty million dollars and only sixty six contestants had been eliminated.
We were showing live feed of Team 14 as they argued that the driver should slow down on the narrow roads. He told them all to shut the fuck up and let him drive. He rounded a turn and we had a live feed of their truck crashing head on into a tractor trailer. Even I cringed as we saw the front of the semi truck coming towards the camera mounted in front of the truck. The hood of the Range Rover crunching inward as the airbags deployed. The camera had a fantastic shot of the truck as it went vertical and then crashed nose first into the ground. Neither NASCAR or Hollywood could have filmed it better. Seventy contestants now eliminated.
Team 1 4 members, Team 2 4 members - eliminated, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 12 4 members - eliminated, Team 13 4 members, Team 14 4 members - eliminated, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 17 4 members - eliminated, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 4 members, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 25 4 members - eliminated, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 30 3 members - eliminated, Team 31 2 members, Team32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 37 4 members - eliminated, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 46 4 members - eliminated, Team 47 4 members - eliminated, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 60 4 members - eliminated, Team 61 4 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 4 members, Team 65 3 members - eliminated, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 73 4 members - eliminated, Team 74 4 members, Team 75 3 members - eliminated, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 4 members, Team 83 3 members - eliminated, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 2 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 3 members.
No word on survivors at the crash site. Not our problem anymore, the crash destroyed our audio and video feed. We no longer needed to worry about them anymore as we had it all digitally recorded. We replayed the crash and then went back to the woods to see how the teams lost in the woods were doing. Most had by now made it back to camp safely but they no longer had rides home. Not part of the deal. Once they did not return after the eight hour deadline their Range Rovers were driven off location. A few nice Canadians from the area that had satellite television had driven up and taken some of them to the nearest town. Human nature never ceases to amaze me. People can be so helpful in times of crisis but also will watch and cheer others tragedy at the same time. These same people that probably laughed and poked fun at our teams stranded in the woods all night were now there to help them in the morning.
As team 97 neared Toronto they were stopped by the local police for brief questioning in the previous days hunting accident. They arrived at the CN tower around the same time as the rest of the teams and headed up the one thousand seven hundred and seventy six stairs towards the observation deck. Once they arrived they had to wait in line to enter the sky pod elevator. This would take them another 33 stories higher. There the two of them had a beautiful view of Toronto and over a hundred miles around. They fought with tourists as they struggled to look around the sky pod for their next clue. Finally as the sky pod descended they looked down into Torontos other architectural wonder the sky dome. The roof was open and a picture of Babe Ruth was on the jumbotron. It has to have something to do with Babe Ruth said the 20 year old man from Kentucky to his only remaining teammate a 45 year old female dance instructor from Idaho. As they descended four other teams had arrived and begun their assault on the long stair climb. It took over an hour to get back to their vehicle when they had to plug the lap top into the trucks battery to charge the battery. They searched many references to Babe Ruth and Toronto until they found this story.
Chapter - 10 - The Bambinos Start
Author spearheads drive to make site of Babe Ruth's first HR historic
03-21-2005
TORONTO, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The site where Babe Ruth hit his first pro home run may soon be historic. On September 5, 1914, when Ruth was a 19-year-old pitcher with the AAA Providence Grays, he tossed a 9-0 shutout and smashed his only minor-league homer in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at an old Toronto ballpark.
Author Jerry Amernic, whose novel Gift of the Bambino (St. Martin's) begins with that 1914 home run is leading the campaign to make this an official heritage site.
"Babe Ruth was a sports legend," Amernic said. "The Ontario Heritage Act says any property or site of historical interest can be recognized and marked as an interpretive facility. Ontario has granted historical status to farmers' fields and even trees so I think this qualifies."
Hanlan's Point Stadium was on the Toronto Islands, off the city's mainland, and it is believed that any home run wound up in Lake Ontario, which is the premise of Amernic's novel. But there have been claims that Ruth's first home-run ball was stolen and that it was even bronzed and displayed in a restaurant. According to Tom Valcke, President and CEO of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, the ball may still be in the lake.
"Ruth also hit another home run in Toronto when the New York Yankees played an exhibition game against the minor-league Maple Leafs in the early 1930's," said Valcke. "That ball wound up in the lake too. It almost makes draining Lake Ontario worthwhile if two of the Babe's taters are on the bottom."
To the waterfront they drove to find out how to get to the Toronto Islands. While the other teams were either climbing stairs or trying to find the clue 3 more people dropped out due to heart aliments, dehydration or exhaustion.
Team 1 3 members, Team 2 4 members - eliminated, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 12 4 members - eliminated, Team 13 4 members, Team 14 4 members - eliminated, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 17 4 members - eliminated, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 4 members, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 25 4 members - eliminated, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 30 3 members - eliminated, Team 31 2 members, Team32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 37 4 members - eliminated, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 46 4 members - eliminated, Team 47 4 members - eliminated, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 60 4 members - eliminated, Team 61 3 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 3 members, Team 65 3 members - eliminated, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 73 4 members - eliminated, Team 74 4 members, Team 75 3 members - eliminated, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 4 members, Team 83 3 members - eliminated, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 2 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 3 members.
They found a ferry to take them to the Toronto Islands and the closest thing they could find was Hanlans park and beach. As they got closer they heard over the speaker the story of Babe Ruth and that there is a plaque honoring his first home run on the island. Once they arrived the hurried off the ferry and began asking where to find the plaque. After many strange looks they set off walking along the beach. Many families were picnicking in one area while further on they encountered a topless beach. They continued to ask questions until land elderly naked man spoke to them in broken French. He told them of the stadium and that what they were looking for was about 100 meters away. Once they found what they were looking for all the tiny plaque said was
On September 5, 1914 Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run from this spot.
That was all, now they needed to figure out the clue from that. There had to be more. They did not have enough battery power in the laptop so they needed to find somewhere to plug it in. After twenty minutes they found a small food stand that had electricity and the owner allowed using an outlet. Search after search came up with more information about Babe Ruth and his first home run. They decided to just search Hanlans field but that must have been the only point of history there. The Toronto Islands turned up nothing. Finally they searched just the date, September 5, 1914,
Chapter - 11 - Bound For France
Proclamation prohibits Canadian mint from issuing gold coins
French headquarters move to Chatillon-sur-Seine
1914 9 5 1 35 A V RF Puget Sound WA 1000 mi2 47 123
The felt area of this event is likely to be quite a bit larger than the 1000 square miles given in 'Earthquake History of the United States' The BSSA says: "Olympia, Washington. - The following is quoted from the Olympia Recorder of September 5, 1914: 'Olympia and this part of the state were soundly jolted and jarred at 1:35 this morning by an earthquake shock. First sensation was a tremor or vibration, then came a sharp and severe jolt and rocking motion that jarred the houses, making loose articles rattle, many report. Within two minutes after the shock the telephone central here was getting reports. The quake was felt in Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, and other points. No report was received here today as to the seismograph records at the university in Seattle.'" The Oregonian reports that the earthquake was felt in Portland at 2 AM, and that two shocks, at 1 and 2 AM were generally felt in Castle Rock, Washington.
The First Battle of the Marne
After much debate they decided that must be what they are looking for. One right click later they were reading this.
The First Battle of the Marne was a World War I battle fought from September 5 to September 12, 1914. It was a Franco-British victory against the German army under General von Moltke.
The battle of the Marne was a major turning point of World War I. By the end of August 1914, the whole allied army on the western front had been forced into a general retreat back towards Paris. Meanwhile the two main German armies continued through France. It seemed that Paris would be taken as both the French and the British fell back towards the Marne River.
Field Marshall Sir John French, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, began to plan for a full British retreat to port cities on the English Channel for an immediate evacuation. The military governor of Paris, Joseph Simon Gallieni, wanted to organize the French and British armies to counter the weight of the German army's advance. After consulting Lord Kitchener about the use of British forces, Gallieni secured the overall command of the BEF, thus stopping Sir John's planned withdrawal.
Gallieni's plan was simple. All allied units would counter-attack the Germans along the Marne River, thus halting the German advance. As this was going on, allied reserves would be thrown in to restore the ranks and attack the German flanks. On September 5, in the mid afternoon, battle commenced when the French 6th army, led by General Michel-Joseph Maunoury, stumbled into the forward guard of the German 1st army.
The British would not fight in battle until September 9, following a critical mistake by the German commander on the extreme right wing, General Alexander von Kluck. On September 9th, as the French 6th army retreated back towards the Marne, von Kluck ordered his forces to pursue and destroy them. In doing this, he opened up a fifty kilometer (30 mile) gap between the German 1st and 2nd armies. Seeing a great opportunity, all three infantry corps and the two cavalry divisions of the BEF and the French 5th army, filled this gap and attacked both German armies' exposed flanks.
Helmuth von Moltke suffered a nervous breakdown upon hearing of the danger to his two armies. His subordinates took over and both 2nd and 1st armies were ordered to withdraw to the Aisne River in order to regroup.
The German retreat between September 9 and September 13 signified the abandonment of the Schlieffen Plan. In the aftermath of the battle, both sides dug in and four years of stalemate ensued.
Around six hundred Paris taxicabs, mainly Renault AG, were commandeered by the French authorities and used to transport six thousand French reserve infantry troops to the battle. Their arrival proved critical in stopping a possible German breakthrough against the 6th Army.
Over two million troops fought in the First Battle of the Marne and more than 500,000 were killed or wounded.
More confusion set in, were they to go to France, or was there more to the clue. They continued to search about this important battle. They found this history book drawing of how the battle was fought. They decided after many more searches that France and the Marne River would be their next destination. They thanked the man and rushed back to wait for the ferry. The Ferry was just docking when they arrived but on it were 18 teams waiting to find the plaque. After the ferry was empty they went to board and were told the ferry would not depart to go back to the city for 2 hours. Dejected they sat on the bench to wait.
We had deliberately gotten the ferry to wait for the other teams to catch up as two more ferries arrived and all of the remaining teams were on the island. After all why book planes for three hundred and thirty people for different times.
After a few hours of other teams trying in vain to figure out the clue, word began to spread quickly from the teams that had already figured it out. Each team waited for the ferry looking battle worn and exhausted.
Many fell asleep in traffic on the buses that were waiting for them when they unboarded the ferry. Our plane was ready and waiting for them at the airport.
Someone was heard saying "Viva La France" in the background. Everyone ate and slept well during the long flight to the Europeon nation.
Chapter 11 - The French Take a Stand
During the flight we showed additional footage of each event so far. Never before scene angles of each any every tragity and even a few happy moments. Our website was steady at one million hits an hour. Our technicians added an a few additional servers to ensure our site would not slow down due to the heavy traffic from internet users.
We launched our own popup add during this time. ipod users could download 10 minute clips from any portion of our coverage for $3.99 a download. Sounds cheap compared what we are getting for our other sales but with 100 million ipod users in the world we were hoping that 10 percent of them would at least buy one clip. In reality we knew with the way our show has gripped the nation, at least five percent would buy 10 clips or more.
We also found out most state lotteries were reporting that people were rushing out to play the numbers of their favorite teams. In New York the daily lottery's top numbers for today were 3-3-0 (the remaining contestants) and 3-3-9 from earlier in the day.
After seven hours 35 minutes in the air our pilot announced we would be decending and for all who were not sleeping to sit down and prepare for landing.
After we landed the plane was moved to an area away from the airport. French customs officials boarded the plane and instructed the passengers that they were being detained until further notice.
"What the fuck is going on!" i screamed across the control room. My assistants scrambled to get french officials on the phone. We had already received permission to film parts of our show in Franch and had no idea why we were being detained. Our camerapeople were instructed to get all the footage they could of our contestants argueing amongst themselves during the wait.
I instructed our people to show more footage of past events while keeping a watch on what was going on in France.
I called the United States Embassy in France myself to find out what was going on. I was told that the French Government felt the program was too graphic and innapproiate to allow us to film in their country and we were to leave after they refueled the plane. "Where the fuck are they supposed to go" I screamed. We had a 3 day agreement that we paid the French 2 million to allow us to film there. Germany was supposed to be our next stop but we were not allowed to arrive there for 3 days. I instructed my team to come up with a new game plan and told them they had twenty minutes to get it in front of me.
"The French have not stood up to anyone for 200 years and now they decide to get some balls", I said to my assisant.
It took 30 minutes but my team came up with some ideas. The first one got one man fired. He suggested we let snakes loose on the plane. That stupid idea was one of the worst movies I ever saw.
The second was a keeper, we give up on Europe all together and bring them home. Once they arrive back in the states we put them in cabins in the everglades. While they are traveling and getting settled in we will have time to transport the Range Rovers to Florida from Toronto.
In addition to this new idea we will contact all of the networks and highest bidder would get exclusive rights as to what the next phase would be. After all we needed to recoup some income we are destined to lose by spending over 24 hours in delays. The winning network could then charge super bowl type rates for commercials to recoup the money they would be giving us.
Also to increase sales we announced a sale on our website 20% OFF all merchandise until the next phase begins. Profit in volume is better than no profit at all. Overall sales were now over the half billion mark, but we did not want to lose the publics intrest so soon. We knew how hard it is to regain public intrest even with a short break in programming. After all don't some shows end up being canceled after some genius decides they could take a break in the middle of the season?
Finally after 7 1/2 hours flying to France, 8 hours on the tarmac we were refueled and ready for take off. We instrusted the airlines to make sure only the finest meals and cocktails would be served for the flight home. Might as well give them something good and make them feel better dues to the fact that they will have spent 24 hours on that plane by the time they land in Miami.
As our contestants tried to get comfortable again on the plane, our crews worked non stop behind the scenes to wire the cabins for audio and video as well as risk their own lives to ensure the area of the Flordia everglades in which we would be filming was ready. Over 300 people were now disrupting nature to make 100% sure we would not miss a single second of our next phase.
Chapter 12 - Back to the States
Our plane landed in New York City, the travel weary contestants got off the plane. We closed in on their tired faces. You could see the stress of the competition in their eyes. All were led to a staging area in Kennedy airport. Here we had a buffet set up for them to eat before we gave them the next instructions. After eating all the contestants were led to the shuttle buses that took them to the Ramada Plaza Hotel located at the airport. Here each team was assigned a room and instructed to rest up because the next call could come at anytime. Each room had a camera hidden in it for us to monitor what they might do during their stay here.
In Florida our crews were working nonstop to get the area of the Everglades prepped for when we arrived. Our researchers informed me that it was mating season in the Everglades which meant not only the Alligators and Crocidiles, but also the snakes would be easily aggitated. We had two crew members already attacked with only minor injuries. We were using an area of cabins that are off limits during mating season. Our lawyers had to sign hundreds of documents indicating that no harm would come to the wildlife and that we would leave our cameras after we had left. They could then use them to monitor mating habits of the creatures in the wild without human involvement for years to come.
Not one singal mention in all of that paperwork about protecting human life. Human nature at its best.
We were informed that our crew in Florida would be ready to start filming in 12 hours. My team began booking our flight to Miami International where the Range Rovers would be waiting for our teams to drive the 3 and a half hours deep into the Everglades. Up until now none of the contestants knew of their next destination. At this time the phones in every room rang and a recorded message was played. Each team was instructed to turn on their televisions to channel 28. We ran a half hour video on safety in the Everglades filled with lots of dos and donts for our contestants that we knew none of them would remember. All were told that the shuttle would be there in 2 hours to take them back to the terminal. Lots of moaning and groaning in the rooms as they fought over the bathroom and got ready to leave. New shirts were taken to each room for the remaining contestants. This one had the team name on the back and a much bigger brighter network logo on the front. At the same time that our contestants started putting them on they were also put on sale on our website for $39.99.
Chapter 13 - All About the Money
Money, get away.
Get a good job with good pay and youre okay.
Money, its a gas.
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think Ill buy me a football team.
Money, get back.
Im all right jack keep your hands off of my stack.
Money, its a hit.
Dont give me that do goody good bullshit.
Im in the high-fidelity first class traveling set
And I think I need a lear jet.
Money, its a crime.
Share it fairly but dont take a slice of my pie.
Money, so they say
Is the root of all evil today.
But if you ask for a raise its no surprise that theyre
Giving none away.
Money - Pink Floyd -
Its all about the money. My Assistants handed me the up to date financial figures for our show.
Website
T shirts - $15,385,987
Videos - $458,987,467
Over half of that was just from team 23 alone. Sex sells!
Hats - $12,765,845
DVD packages of each segment - $280,987,067
Key Chains - $20,987
Mouse Pads - $4,587
Travel Mugs - $135,587
Fanny Packs - $459,764
Pre Orders for the video game - $28,964,736
Sweat Shirts and Jackets - $18,632,873
Pre Orders for the Childrens line not yet out - $19,725,625
Advertizing - $1,564,760,654
Almost $900,000,000 in sales and we were still in the early stages of the show. Over a Billion in advertizing and selling exclusive segments to the network news stations. With advertizers calling around the clock to try to buy commerical time.
We started planning a line of tote bags with our logo on oneside and a team number on the other. Also pillows, blankets, shot glasses, drink cups, underwear, as well as toy range rovers and a board game with interactive DVD.
Our teams were now on the shuttle and off to the terminal to begin what maybe for some their last leg of the contest. Most looked well rested, which was good because they were gonna need every ounce of energy during this stage of the event.
Team 1 3 members, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 13 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 4 members, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 31 2 members, Team 32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 61 3 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 3 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 74 4 members, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 4 members, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 2 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 3 members.
Chapter 14 - Gator Country
Ive been to alabama, people aint a whole lot to see;
Skynyrd says its a real sweet home but it aint nothing to me.
Charlie daniels will tell you the good lord lives in tenessee, ha!
But Im going back to gator country where the wine and the women are free
Gator Country - Molly Hatchet
Our teams walk across the terminal lot to their range rovers. GPS already locked in for their journey. Shortly after leavi ng the airport a seasonal rain storm kicked in and made driving very difficult. Of course a few of our teams tried to hurry and the driver for team 82 ran into the back of the Range Rover for Team 19 and both vehicles hit the guardrail renduring them both inoperable. 8 people and 2 teams eliminated from this leg before it ever really began.
Team 1 3 members, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 13 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 Eliminated, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 31 2 members, Team 32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 61 3 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 3 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 74 4 members, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 Eliminated, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 2 members, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 3 members.
As the caravan of Range Rovers enter the Everglades they are stopped by what has to be the largest road block in the history of law enforcement. Each and every contestant is instructed to step out of their vehicles and to stand in an area on the side of the road. The sheriff (Looking a little like Jackie Gleason in Smokey and the Bandit) standing on the hood of his truck asks for everyones attention. "I have just a few things to say to each and everyone of you" he says with a very distinct southern drawl. "I did not ask for you to come into my juristiction, I do not want you and your big city television show in my county, I do not want anyone of you disrupting our lives in anyway" bellowed the overweight man in the too small cowboy hat. "Any funny business and I will haul your ass off to jail" shouts the sheriff. With that said he gets off his truck hood with the help of not one but 3 deputies. As if on cue at least 30 troopers cock their shotguns as to get the point across.
From this point on I was wondering whatelse the sheriff and his boys would have instore for us all. Turns out I would not have to wait more than a minute. As we panned the facial expressions of the Sheriff and also several of our competiors a man that was neither part of our program or the local law enforcement approached the members of Team 23 and served the female on the team her divorice papers. "I jumped out of my chair and was screaming for someone to keep the camera on her and someone get an interview with that son of a bitch as soon as we are back on the road. "Find her husband interview him as well. Give him $500,000 for exclusive rights to his story" I shouted. This was perfect. "Someone call the papers" I screamed. See who will pay the most for a picture of that for the morning news. Life was good. All about the money. God Bless america.
I wondered how much video footage of someone getting hauled off to the fat sheriffs jail would net us. Might have to find out.
Chapter 15 - Night in the Swamp
Finally done with the Sheriff Fat Ass we assigned all of our teams to their cabins and watched them et settled in. Spirits were edgy to say the least. With the delays and the eerie enviornment it was perfect for something to go wrong.
They settled into their bunks and you could see the looks on all of their faces. Worry, fear, scared on every face. Could this be their last night in the contest, or even alive! Perfect for making addictive television.
While they slept we replayed the footage of Sheriff Fat Ass and the serving of the divorce papers. At 2 o'clock in the morning we had a film crew in the husband of the woman from Team 23's living room telling his story. CNN paid $4,000,000 for the right to use this same footage on their morning newscast. For additional 500,000 each time they show it after that.
At 3:12 am we watched 2 remaining members from Team 97 lighting up a joint. How long until the Sheriff follows through with his threat? We did not have long to wait. By 3:28 am he was pounding on the door of the mobile comand center. I told the crew there to make him wait until we got a camera on him.
We started a ticker along the bottom of the screen "Sheriff Fat Ass's big arrest coming in minutes" He wants his fifteen minutes of fame he will get it.
We told him where to find Team 97 and 4 squad cars drove into the swamp. You would have thought they were arresting a den of terrorists. In full riot gear Sherrif Fat Ass and his band of Hillbilly Deputies broke the door down and crashed the windows of the cabin to take down 2 very dangorus pot smokers. This was better than an episode of 24. They hit both men with clubs and cuffed and shackled both of them. We had to intervine when they wanted to take all of the recording equiptment and other items that belonged to us. By now all of the other teams had awoke to the comotion going on around them. Sherrif Fat Ass was yelling for his Deputies to begin searching all of the cabins. We had to step in again because he had no right or evidence to search anything but the cabin he was in. He wanted the video tape siezed of Team 97 smoking the joint because they could find only a small bag of weed in the cabin. We called contacts with the Justice Department to intervine and do what they could to get him to back off.
Finally by 8 o'clock in the morning Sheriff Fat Ass and his loyal deputies (no doubt all first cousins) had left us alone and we restarted the ticker.
Team 1 3 members, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 13 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 Eliminated, Team 20 2 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 4 members, Team 23 2 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 4 members, Team 28 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 31 2 members, Team 32 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 38 4 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 4 members, Team 44 4 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 4 members, Team 52 4 members, Team 53 4 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 4 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 4 members, Team 61 3 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 4 members, Team 64 3 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 4 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 4 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 74 4 members, Team 76 4 members, Team 77 4 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 4 members, Team 82 Eliminated, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 4 members, Team 94 4 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 Eliminated, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 4 members, Team 100 3 members.
Three complete teams now eliminated which was much lower then our estimates. Web sites popping up all over the net "Free Team 97". I wondered if selling t shirts with that and a big pot leaf would be out of taste. To hell with it order 1,000,000 and sell them as fast as we can. $20 per shirt is $20,000,000 additional revenue. Within 2 hours the design was posted and orders were coming in. We posted a disclaimer stating that all orders will be filled as fast as we can produce them.
We instructed our teams to all meet outside cabin number 10. Our teams were instructed to board the flat bottomed boats numbered for their team and row south into the marsh. Further instructions would follow. With out their knowledge instructions were taped in a waterproof envelope under each of their boats. As they set off 25% of the teams rowed the wrong way and had to turn around and try to catch the others.
As they rowed we scanned the area with wide angle cameras to the viewers could see the beauty of the masrh lands, the calm before the storm in our own little way.
After they had rowed for a mile into the marsh be posted a big sign telling them where to find the envelope. All over the screen team members jumping into the murky water looking for the envelope several teams fell into the water as their boats tipped over. Team 59 grabbed the rope of Team 100's boat and towed it away from them as all 3 members of Team 100 tried in vain to swim after their boat. Another Team down. When they opened the envelope's they were instructed "This is a Race and only the top 60 teams move on". Panic set in as teams tried to get every one i ntheir boats, several Alligators on the shore awoken by the commotion were coming in the water. Poor Team 100 laughing i told the film crew to keep an eye on them just in case we got some good footage of them getting attacked.
With all of this chaos going on one of our technicians yelled that she was getting audio from one of Team 97's microphones sewn into his shirt. Record all that you can i shouted. Hoping we had something good i rushed over to listen. Muffled voices shouting and some crying could be heard. I asked her to filter out what she could and get something cleared. Technolory is a wonderful thing because in minutes we could here a voice saying "Oh yeah thats good" and another saying "No please stop" Sounded like they were reinacting a scene from Deliverance.
Back in the swamp teams were scrambling to race through the swamp, alligators in a frenzy. We were trying to identify which members were still caught i nthe water. Several teams were missing members of their team as they had abandoned them to get an advantage in the race. 2 more boats tipped trying to get their members out of the water.
After twenty minutes we had it figured out who was left, over thirty team members left in the water and four teams eliminated.
Team 1 2 members, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 3 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 13 Eliminated, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 Eliminated, Team 20 1 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 3 members, Team 23 1 members, Team 24 3 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 3 members, Team 28 2 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 31 2 members, Team 32 3 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 38 3 members, Team 39 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 Eliminated, Team 44 3 members, Team 45 3 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 3 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 2 members, Team 52 1 members, Team 53 3 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 3 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 Eliminated, Team 61 3 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 3 members, Team 64 3 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 3 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 3 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 3 members, Team 72 2 members, Team 74 3 members, Team 76 3 members, Team 77 3 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 3 members, Team 82 Eliminated, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 3 members, Team 86 3 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 3 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 2 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 3 members, Team 94 3 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 Eliminated, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 3 members, Team 100 Eliminated.
Teams with all 4 members left had a huge advantage due to weight distribution in the boats and being able to change rowers when someone was tired. This was a ten mile race to the finish. Seven teams eliminated already, 33 would not finish this race today leaving the sixty strongest to move on to the next leg of the hunt.
As the teams started to finish the race we replayed the events with the gators, 22 out of the 30 team members left in the water made it to shore and survived, 2 had drown out of panic leaving six for the alligtors to feed off of. The ticker was updated to show who was left and who was out.
Team 1 Eliminated, Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 5 Eliminated, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 13 Eliminated, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 19 Eliminated, Team 20 Eliminated, Team 21 4 members, Team 22 Eliminated, Team 23 Eliminated, Team 24 Eliminated, Team 26 4 members, Team 27 Eliminated, Team 28 Eliminated, Team 29 4 members, Team 31 Eliminated, Team 32 Eliminated, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 38 3 members, Team 39 Eliminated, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 43 Eliminated, Team 44 Eliminated, Team 45 Eliminated, Team 48 4 members, Team 49 Eliminated, Team 50 4 members, Team 51 Eliminated, Team 52 Eliminated, Team 53 3 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 3 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 59 Eliminated, Team 61 Eliminated, Team 62 4 members, Team 63 Eliminated, Team 64 Eliminated, Team 66 4 members, Team 67 Eliminated, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 3 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 71 Eliminated, Team 72 Eliminated, Team 74 Eliminated, Team 76 3 members, Team 77 3 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 81 Eliminated, Team 82 Eliminated, Team 84 4 members, Team 85 Eliminated, Team 86 Eliminated, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 89 Eliminated, Team 90 4 members, Team 91 Eliminated, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 3 members, Team 94 Eliminated, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 97 Eliminated, Team 98 4 members, Team 99 Eliminated, Team 100 Eliminated.
Tired, beated and brusied our remaining teams came ashore with blank looks on their faces. Most must be wondering why they got into this in the first place. I have been impressed that no one has snuck off and quit yet. Human nature is such a funny thing. But we were loving it due to the billions we had already made and the billions more we would make before this was over.
Chapter 16 - Heading North
Our teams boarded busses to take them to the next location. Not many words were said since they came ashore. Many just simply fell asleep for the ride. Let them rest and show highlight clips while we planned for the next step.
We held a meeting on our plans for the next step as our teams took the long bus ride north. We had decided early on to keep all of the teams on the ticker but now had decided that when they are eliminated they would no longer appear accross the bottom of our viewers screens. After all they were no longer in the contest and were not a concern of ours anymore.
Also we were now over $20 billion in sales and marketing. Our production costs were nearing the one billion mark. We had planned on $500 million in legal fees but now were figuring this could top one billion. Money is what this is all about and we were going to make every penny we could.
Team 3 4 members, Team 4 4 members, Team 6 4 members, Team 7 4 members, Team 8 4 members, Team 9 4 members, Team 10 4 members, Team 11 4 members, Team 15 3 members, Team 16 4 members, Team 18 4 members, Team 21 4 members, Team 26 4 members, Team 29 4 members, Team 33 4 members, Team 34 4 members, Team 35 4 members, Team 36 4 members, Team 38 3 members, Team 40 4 members, Team 41 4 members, Team 42 4 members, Team 48 4 members, Team 50 4 members, Team 53 3 members, Team 54 4 members, Team 55 3 members, Team 56 3 members, Team 57 4 members, Team 58 3 members, Team 62 4 members, Team 66 4 members, Team 68 4 members, Team 69 3 members, Team 70 4 members, Team 76 3 members, Team 77 3 members, Team 78 4 members, Team 79 4 members, Team 80 4 members, Team 84 4 members, Team 87 4 members, Team 88 4 members, Team 90 4 members, Team 92 4 members, Team 93 3 members, Team 95 4 members, Team 96 4 members, Team 98 4 members.
Author notes
just the beginning of a story i have been thinking of writing for sometime. I would love as much feedback as possible.
A contest entry
- ANYTHING AT ALL, LOSERS! by Springs.
360 points, ended October 17, 2007, 45 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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I -love- This story. For the critical bit- The only thing I do not like is the long history bits. I think it would be enough to say something along the lines of "They were given information on the occurrences of [insert event], or something to that extent. That's just my opinion though. I just skimmed and skipped the history lessons, so they aren't that big a problem
. This is so amazing! ?just like the show, it draws you in, and you can't out it down. I'm waiting anxiously for the next bit of it. Keep penning!
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an interesting idea, but after while it started to lag a bit, and you began to lose my interest. It needs to be livened up a bit. It feels more like you are just trying to get out all the facts, rather then actually telling the story...but overall not bad for a beginning
beginning: 3, language: 3, plot: 4, overall: 4, characters: 3.
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the suspense is killing me
I love the idea, portraying how people will do anything for money and the fascination of American people with reality. There are only a few grammatical errors. I like how you incorporate some historical event in each location, it shows that you've spent a lot of time, working out every aspect of the contest. I'd like to see more imagery in the story, maybe some names so that the reader can get a personal connection with some of the contestants. I think that will make the deaths and eliminations more shocking.
Very Entertaining. I'm waiting for more.beginning: 5, language: 4, plot: 5, overall: 9, ending: 5, dialog: 4, characters: 2.
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