The Mole: Anime Edition

Episode One

(Lead into a run down sign, with "The Mole" written on it. Pan around, to show a street in the middle of nowhere. Caption: "Middle of Nowhere, USA- 9:15 AM." Nothing happens. Dissolve to show passage of time, caption: "Middle of Nowhere, USA- 11:50 AM.")
Cameraman: (Offscreen) Well, where are they?

(A cell phone is heard ringing. The Cameraman answers it.)

Cameraman: Yeah, they ain’t here yet!

Manny: (from the phone) Yeah, we decided to start in Japan to make it more convenient for the players. We sent you an e-mail.

Cameraman: I haven’t checked it since I left home two days ago! It takes a while to get to the middle of nowhere from Detroit!

Manny: Hmm… that’s not what I’ve heard. Anyway, report back to the office, we’ll send you out from there.
 

(Lead into another run down sign, with "The Mole" painted on it very poorly. Pan down to show Manny Edwards standing below it.)
Manny: Rip-off! Never in the history of television could the word be more appropriate. And since we already did it for Survivor, we figured we’d give it a shot for The Mole, simply because we felt like it. The ten anime characters you are about to see will be put through a series of rigorous tests for cash, with one of the ten being a traitor working for us to make sure they don’t make too much cash. Every so often, we’ll give the ten a quiz to see if they know who the Mole is. Whoever scores the lowest on the quiz is eliminated, for the Mole has outsmarted them the most. We’ll do that for some time, and I’m sure we’ll have a blast, because it’s a reality series- thus guaranteeing success, right? Anyway, let’s get those ten victims in here so we can torture, er, uh… meet them!

Day One
(Shot of a bus driving down the road towards the sign. Caption- "Middle of Nowhere, Japan- 3:30 PM. As the bus stops, Barb Bresnick narrates.)

Barb: (VO) We have ten anime characters from seven different shows representing us. We have chosen from a vast array, so that we have five men and five women, and five characters from animes on American TV, and five characters from animes you’ve probably never heard of. And one’s a traitor. Just remember that. That’s the only thing important. The ten characters and their animes are as follows.

(The bus stops, and as the character gets out, Barb says his/her name. First is Sakura, stepping out a bit cautiously.)
Barb: (VO) Sakura, a Student/Shoujo Heroine from "Cardcaptor Sakura."

(Sana bounces out with gusto)
Barb: (VO) Sana, a Child Actress from "Child’s Toy."

(Akito Tenkawa steps out, looks around, and nods.)
Barb: (VO) Akito Tenkawa, a Pilot…
(Akito looks at the camera)
Akito: I’m a cook!
(pan around to show Barb, under the sign, with a microphone.)
Barb: Fine, fine, a Cook from "Nadesico."

(back to bus view, Taichi (season two aged) steps out and looks around.)
Barb: (VO) Taichi, a Student from "Digimon."

(Tomoyo steps out, looks around, and smiles at Sakura)
Barb: (VO) Tomoyo, a Student, also from "Cardcaptor Sakura."

(Naru steps out and smiles)
Barb: (VO) Naru, also a Student from "Love Hina."

(Satoshi (eh, I’m being consistent) steps out, smells the air, and smiles)
Barb: (VO) Satoshi, an Animal Trainer…
(Satoshi looks at the camera)
Satoshi: Animal trainer?
Barb: (VO) Well, at least you aren’t a student.
(Satoshi shrugs and walks off.)
Barb: (VO) …from "Pocket Monsters."

(Akito Hayama (known as Hayama to avoid confusion) steps off, apathetically.)
Barb: (VO) Akito Hayama, a Student/Lone Wolf/Worst Enemy/Best Friend…
Sana: (OS) Hey! That’s my gimmick!!
Barb: (VO) Sorry, couldn’t help it. Anyway, he’s also from "Child’s Toy."

(Ruri steps off, looking around, also apathetic)
Barb: (VO) Ruri-chan, a Navigator/Little Cutie-Pie.
(Ruri eyes the camera)
Ruri: Baka.
(a subtitle reading "Idiot." appears briefly. Ruri walks past as Barb continues)
Barb: (VO) …From "Nadesico."

(Tenchi steps off, with an air of confidence.)
Barb: (VO) And finally, Tenchi, an Apprentice Shrinesman from "Tenchi Muyo."

[Pan over to the ten, just talking. Most are quite excited by the event. Taichi and Satoshi in particular are talking a lot, while Sana is making friends with everybody, especially Naru, Akito, and Tenchi. Sakura and Tomoyo are talking by themselves. Shot of Sakura and Tomoyo.]

Tomoyo: This is going to be so exciting, don’t you think?

Sakura: Yeah, but it’s a little strange thinking that one of us is some sort of traitor.

Tomoyo: Yes, I know. It’s exhilarating. One of us is secretly against the team.

Sakura: I can’t believe that somebody here would be devious enough to be the Mole.

(Ruri walks by)

Ruri: I can’t believe that anybody here would be competent enough to be the Mole.

[Tenchi walks up to Hayama.]

Tenchi: Hey, Akito.

Hayama: It’s Hayama. Call me by my last name.

Tenchi: Oh, sorry!

[Tenchi walks up to Akito Tenkawa, who is also talking to Ruri.]

Tenchi: So I suppose you're Tenkawa?

Akito: Akito, you’re supposed to call me Akito.

Tenchi: Um... okay... Akito.

Akito/Hayama: What?

(Ruri turns to the camera)

Ruri: This is getting us nowhere fast.

(Mercifully, Manny interrupts the introductions.)

Manny: Okay, team, listen up, there will be plenty of time for further introductions later, but we need to get going with your first mission. And to do that… we need to walk this way.

(Manny starts walking away from the road. The team follows. They arrive at an airport, which carries a sign with kanji. Caption: "Middle of Nowhere Regional Airport- 4:00 PM.". They are greeted by about fifteen uniformed men. Manny steps into view.)

Manny: Okay, here is your first mission- for $75,000… free fall from 10,000 feet. All of you have to do it, or you don’t get the money. Now, before you have time to react, let’s get you on that plane!

Assignment One
(On the plane, all of the team is on, and is equipped for jumping. As I did for Animation Survivor, speech in italics indicates a one-on-one interview, although here, it could be only by voiceover, indicated by (VO).)
Taichi: (VO) Well, I was wondering what kind of stuff they were going to give us for missions. Oddly enough, skydiving like this is actually easier than what I had in mind, although I’m sure it’ll get harder.

(Group shot of everybody waiting to jump.)

Sakura: Hoe... if I panic, I want somebody to just push me.

Tomoyo: Relax, Sakura, I'm sure you’ll be fine.

Hayama: I’ll push you out of a plane anytime.

Sana: Ohh… you keep talking Hayama! I know about your problem with heights! This is probably killing you! Ha ha ha!!

(Shot of Tenchi jumping out, being accompanied by a skilled professional. Later, Taichi follows.)
Sana: (VO) Hayama hates heights, he can’t stand them. I bet he screws this whole thing up for everybody… and everyone’s going to think he’s the Mole!! Of course, he could be for all I know. Fortunately, I love heights!

(Shot of Naru jumping, followed by Tomoyo jumping.)
Satoshi: (VO) I don’t know, Sana kept on bragging to Hayama about his fear of heights, but he looked pretty calm. It makes you wonder if those two are teaming up to do something, like Sana’s the Mole but convinces everybody that Hayama can’t jump because of a fear of heights.

(Sana jumps proudly, then we hear her screaming insanely off camera.)

Sakura: I thought said she loved heights.

Hayama: She does, she just doesn’t like falling from them.

(Satoshi jumps. Shot of the ground, as Sana lands safely, still screaming, near Tenchi, Taichi, Naru, and Tomoyo. Tomoyo goes to congratulate Sana.)

Taichi: Jeez, enough screaming??

Sana: Sorry. But I made it!

Tenchi: Good job Sana!

(Tomoyo walks back, to talk to Naru.)

Tomoyo: So, do you think Hayama’s going to chicken out?

Naru: I hope not. Even if he does, he said he had a fear of heights, so I don’t think that makes him the Mole.

Tomoyo: Well, Sana said he had the fear of heights, not Hayama.

Naru: Hmm… maybe.

(Tenchi joins the conversation)

Tenchi: I don’t think it matters. Who would be stupid enough to try to give themselves away this early?

Naru: Well…

(Satoshi lands)

Naru: Never mind, he just landed.

(Shot of Sakura jumping, and landing, as Tomoyo congratulates her.)
Naru: (VO) I’m looking at things a little differently. Since this is an American company making this show, you have to think they’d be a little more in touch with shows like Pokémon or Tenchi Muyo, so the people from those shows that are big in the States are probably on the top of my list first.

(Back on the ground)

Taichi: So… where’s Hayama?

Naru: Maybe he did chicken out.

(Shot from the ground, of Hayama’s parachute. Hayama lands on the ground, somewhat hard.)

Hayama: Hm.

(Naru congratulates him. The others are looking above, waiting.)

Satoshi: Who’s left?

Taichi: It’s, um… Ruri and Akito. The other one.

Tenchi: Where are they?

Taichi: They better not have a fear of heights, one’s a pilot!

(After a few moments of suspense, and maybe a commercial break, the plane leaves, flies back around, and two more parachutes emerge, landing in a field a tad away. The others run towards them. Sure enough, Akito and Ruri are grounded. A little caption reads "Mission Accomplished.")

Taichi: What happened?

Akito: They said it was bad timing. They were going to make another pass, and dropped us at the wrong spot.

Satoshi: Well, whatever, you’re on the ground, and that means we pulled it off!

(Cheering from several of the others as Barb enters the picture.)

Barb: Congratulations guys, you succeeded in your first mission and $75,000 will be added to the jackpot, and hopefully will be subtracted from that pilot’s salary. Maybe Akito can fly next time.

Ruri: Akito normally flies the Aestivalis, not actual planes.

Satoshi: Aestavalis, what’s that?

Barb: Uh… giant robots. Gundams if you will!

Satoshi: What are Gundams?

(Most of the rest of the team collapses)

Barb: Anyway… we have a plane to catch. You know what one of those are, right Ash… er, uh, Satoshi?

Satoshi: Uh huh… (to Taichi) Is is a problem that I don’t know what Gundams are?

Taichi: Not really, they’re just like Evas, or Boomers, or Valkyries!

[Extensive montage of the team going to an airport (a much busier one), and boarding a flight to an unknown locale. A map shows them flying westerly into the city of Paris. Later, they are all scene checking into a great hotel, and having a great meal. Naru, Sakura, and Sana in particular are living it up.]

Sana: Who’s worried about a game, this is awesome!!

(Barb appears)

Barb: Okay, we’ve decided to let you off your chains for a little bit. We’re going to give you a chance to roam the streets of Paris for a while, since we have to leave tomorrow.

[cheers emerge from the crowd.]

Barb: There are just two catches- one is that you all have to stay together. Another is that you have to be back by 10:00, or you will be penalized $10,000.

Tenchi: Ten? Why ten?

Taichi: Yeah, it was midnight in the original!

Barb: The original didn’t have ten year olds.

Akito: I’m not ten! Why can’t I stay past ten?

Barb: That wouldn’t be fair to the others. Besides, it’s only 6:00, there’s plenty of time to see the sights… that are limited to a two-mile radius.

Taichi: I’m surprised you don’t give us a shock collar to keep us inside a two-mile radius.

Barb: (emptily threatening) I can make it 9:00!!

(the team heads out.)

[Another montage of the team admiring Paris, seeing a few of the sights and such. Again, Sana and Naru appear to be liking it the most.]
Tomoyo: (VO) You know, Paris is absolutely beautiful, but it doesn’t matter where you are, you can’t really do much when ten very different people are forced to stay together and enjoy themselves. The age thing becomes a real problem.

(Shot of the group, walking past a somewhat "risque" dining establishment. Most walk past without noticing, but Sana bounces back towards Akito Tenkawa.)

Sana: Don’t get any ideas now, Akito!

Akito: Me? What, why would I want to take you all in there?

Tenchi: I know! Do we look that desperate?

Akito: Believe me, I have no trouble getting dates.

Tenchi: Heh, for me, I wish I did have trouble getting dates sometimes.

Akito: (understanding) No kidding.

(Group shot of everybody, then of Sakura and Tomoyo window shopping. Tomoyo is describing how much she wants to see Sakura wear one particular outfit.)
Ruri: (VO) It seems that we’ve merely begun and some people have somewhat teamed up with others. Sakura and Tomoyo came in together, so they’re pretty close.

(Shot of Satoshi and Taichi, walking the streets, talking to each other and smiling.)
Ruri: (VO) Satoshi and Taichi always seem to have something to say to each other; those two appear to be buddies.

(Shot of Sana and Hayama. Sana is looking through a window, and trying to get Hayama enthused into whatever it is she’s looking at. He ain’t buying it.)
Ruri: (VO) As different as they are, Sana and Hayama seem to complement each other very well, as they’re always together.

(Shot of Akito and Tenchi, talking. Every once in awhile, one of the two nods in understanding.)
Ruri: (VO) But Akito and Tenchi appear to be becoming friends now. I’m not entirely sure what’s causing those two to become friends. I don’t know if I’m supposed to be suspicious or not.

[Another corner. The group looks at a clock, it’s about 9:15.]

Taichi: Hey… where’s Naru?

Akito: I don’t see her anywhere…

(Shot of Naru, running out of a store)

Naru: Sorry, sorry, just checking something out.

Ruri: Hmm… I suppose we should be heading back.

Satoshi: Yeah, I suppose, if we have to be back by ten.

Taichi: Stupid Barb, why can’t we stay out later?

Sakura: (yawning) Yeah, I’m not tired.

(Sakura almost falls over, asleep, to the point where Tomoyo goes over to catch her. Sakura does catch herself though.)

Tomoyo: Maybe we’d better get back.

Akito: Yeah, we lose ten thousand if we don’t.

Sana: Oh come on! I’m not tired! I say forget the ten grand and let’s go nuts! When are we ever going to be in Paris again?

Tomoyo: I don’t know…

Satoshi: We’d better go back…

Naru: I agree with Sana. Besides, only one of us is actually going to get that money. This is an opportunity of a lifetime! We may never be back here again, and I want to make sure we live it up now!

Taichi: And this is only ten thousand dollars out of seventy-five, we can afford it. Let’s go, forget them!

Sakura: Yeah, let’s…

(Sakura falls asleep. Tomoyo prepares to catch her, but Sakura tilts sideways, into Ruri, who catches her without looking. Ruri glances at Sakura once, then drops her, to the shock of Tomoyo. Taichi sees Sakura.)

Taichi: On second thought, maybe we’d better head back.

Tenchi: Yeah.

Akito: Yeah.

(They begin walking back, leaving Sana behind.)

Sana: Aw, come on!!

(Hayama walks past.)

Hayama: I think it’s just you and Naru against everybody else, so don’t ruin it for the rest of us… unless you’re the Mole.

(Hayama leaves Sana, looking a bit flustered.)

Sana: (angry, and slow.) Ha…ya…ma…!

(Shot of Satoshi, one-on-one, in his hotel room.)
Satoshi: I think that even with something little like a night in Paris, the Mole still may be trying to work against us, and I’m starting to think it might be Sana. It sounds like she just wants some extra time in the city, but she might be doing it because she’s trying to cost us ten thousand dollars.

(Shot of Akito, in his hotel room.)
Akito: Naru and Sana put themselves out as possible suspects there. I didn’t really want to go back, but since it would cost us ten thousand dollars, I did.

[Shot of the team, back at the hotel, with a disappointed Sana, and Satoshi and Tomoyo carrying a sleeping Sakura back inside.]
Akito: (VO) But Sana and Naru were pretty persistent trying to stay out. It just makes it tougher to figure out whether they really wanted to stay out or whether they were working against us. Also, Naru disappeared for a second. You gotta wonder.

(Shot of Naru going back into her room… somewhat dejected.)
 

Day Two
(Tenchi is walking up to a terrace overlooking the streets. The rest of the team, and Barb, is there. Taichi is acting bit stupidly for the others, who laugh with enjoyment. Tenchi casts an odd look at him. Taichi returns that odd look and all laugh… except for Ruri and Hayama.)
Hayama: (VO) I can’t say I’d be surprised if Taichi ended up being the Mole. It could be anybody. Taichi seems to always wants people to be in a good mood, and it looks like he’s gaining a lot of people’s trust, which is the first thing any good Mole should try to steal.

(Hayama is watching Taichi carefully, as Sakura leans over.)

Sakura: What’s wrong with you?

Hayama: Just trying to figure him out.

Sakura: Who, Taichi? He’s just trying to lighten the group up. We could use it, with all this suspicion going around.

(Interview shot of Sakura.)
Sakura: Even I do it. Hayama looks like he suspects Taichi, so I suspect Hayama. But if I told somebody I suspected Hayama, they’d suspect me, and it would go on like that for awhile. The only scary thing is that one of us really is a traitor. Hoe...

(Montage of the group boarding a train to the southeast of France. Manny narrates.)

Manny: (VO) Unfortunately, the stopover in Paris is a short one, as the team must now travel to the Southeast of the country for the next challenge. However, there’s a slight "problem." Supposedly, the French hotel hosting us have a slight problem with the amount of luggage the team is taking to the hotel. So while one van is headed to the hotel, the other van, with all of the luggage and five of the contestants, remains at the station. As you can guess… this is all a setup. But what they don’t know can’t hurt them… well, until the quiz tomorrow night that is.

(Train station. The luggage is in the back of a van, while Akito, Naru, Sana, Satoshi, and Tomoyo stand in front of it. Manny approaches them.)

Manny: Guys, we’ve got a problem. We have too much luggage. They said that we need to take all of that (pointing to the overstuffed trunk of the van) and fit it into those.

(Manny points to ten black duffel bags with the contestant’s names on them. They are smaller than the bags most people have.)

Manny: You guys are going to have to take your luggage and figure out what you don’t need. You five will also have to do the same thing… with the luggage of the other five, and figure out what they don’t need. Understood?

(Shot of the five, a bit daunted, especially Tomoyo.)

Tomoyo: (not quite registering) Doesn't... need???

(Shot of the other van, with Barb driving, and the other five seated. Taichi and Tenchi are in the back staring behind them. Sakura is asleep in the middle row, with Hayama on the other side. Ruri sits in the front.)

Taichi: I don’t see the other van.

Tenchi: Yeah, I think we lost them.

Taichi: I think we should probably stop and wait for them.

Tenchi: Yeah, especially since they have our luggage.

Barb: They’ll be fine, Manny is a perfectly competent driver… when he wants to be.

(Tenchi and Taichi stare at Barb for a couple seconds, then unbuckle themselves and are about ready to head to the front seat.)

Taichi: Oh no, you’d better pull over now.

Tenchi: I don’t trust that other van with my stuff.

[The fiasco continues in the van for a second, shot of the outside window that Ruri looks out of, bored.]

Ruri: Baka baka.

(On screen caption: "So many idiots." It disappears as the van continues on course.)
 

(Back at the station, Tomoyo is holding up two very elaborate outfits, pacing back and forth indecisively.)

Tomoyo: Hmm… which one does Sakura need more? Naru, what do you think?

(Naru is hunched over Ruri’s bag.)

Naru: I don’t think she needs either one of them.

Tomoyo: But I made them both for her just for this adventure! I want to see her capturing the Mole on national TV wearing something I designed!

(Naru face faults)
 

(Shot of Akito picking at Tenchi’s back while Satoshi picks at Taichi’s.)
Naru: (VO) It’s probably best that we divide the workload based on gender. I’m sure Ruri would much rather have me picking at her clothes than Akito or Satoshi. But Sana has the one exception, she insisted on doing Hayama’s bag.

(Sana’s looking through a notebook she found in Hayama’s bag, and is reading it over carefully.)

Sana: Aw, nothing good in here!

Satoshi: (OS) Sana! Get back to work!

Sana: Okay!!

(Sana appears to be going back to work…)
Sana: (quickly, rhythmically) Gotta do the packing got to get all of the packing done.

(out of nowhere, Sana pulls out her trusty rap machine, which repeats the above line in a lower, comical voice. Launch full-scale patented "Sana Rap Session" as Sana begins dancing around, speaking into the rap machine.)

Sana: (rapping) Taking out what we don’t need, taking out what isn’t fun!

(The rap machine repeats the message.)

Sana: (rapping) Only five are here right now, but we have ten bags to do!

(Rap machine repeats. Shot of Satoshi, looking at her in shock.)

Sana: (rapping) Somebody is still the Mole, somebody is lying too!

(Now Sana sings while the rap machine repeats the last line. Tomoyo, in fear, has run up to Naru for protection.)

Sana: (rapping) Could be Ruri-chan or Taichi, Tenchi, or Satoshi! Sakura, Hayama, or Naru Narusegawa!

(She reaches Tomoyo and goes up to her face.)

Sana: (rapping) Tomoyo? Akito? Could be me, I don’t know!

(One more shot of her dancing around.)

Sana: (rapping) We can’t find out in a snap, so what to do? Take a nap!

(Suddenly, Sana just stops, and starts snoring, apparently asleep.)
 

(Same shot from the outside window of the other van, of Ruri, still looking out, bored.)

Ruri: I’m going to have laryngitis before we’re done here.
 

(Shot of the five "packers" being driven home by Manny. Sana is still asleep.)
Naru: (VO) Besides Sana’s little rap session, we have a few other problems, such as Satoshi’s odd packing methods. That boy has a strange sense of what’s important and what isn’t important. Stuff like only using one of each pair of shoe, or making sure there’s a pair of gloves to go with every outfit. I can’t tell if Satoshi had no sense when it comes to packing or whether he was disrupting Taichi’s outfit on purpose.

(Continue shot of the five as Satoshi, in the front seat, turns to the others.)

Satoshi: Look, if anyone asks, we’ll just say it was all a group thing, we probably shouldn’t let on that we each had an individual bag.

Naru: (suspicious) Why’s that?

Akito: Good idea. I don’t want Tenchi to know I had to sort through all of his stuff.

Tomoyo: Well, if Sakura asks, I’ll tell her that I supervised her packing. I’m sure she’ll want to know I was helping out with her wardrobe.

[General shot of the five reaching the hotel, and Satoshi explaining the situation to everybody. Naru sits by idly as Taichi is handed his bag. Later on, Taichi is seen in his hotel room, unpacking.]

Taichi: What the? One shoe? Hmm, must’ve been Satoshi doing it.
 

Day Three
(The entire team is around a breakfast table, talking, when Manny walks in.)

Manny: Okay, I think it’s high time we got back into the game with another test, this one for $50,000.

(Taichi raises his hand.)

Manny: Yeah?

Taichi: Are you actually planning on paying all of this this time?

Manny: Um, uh… yeah sure. Anyway, follow me and we can get started.

Assignment Two
(The team follows Manny to a room with ten television monitors.)

Manny: Okay, for the first part of the test, each of these ten monitors contains information about each of you, including age, blood type, height, and other such statistics. You will get fifteen minutes to remember as much as you can. After that, I ask that you do not discuss the information presented here. Okay, and… memorize!

[This part is freakishly boring, as the ten silently look at the monitors, straining to memorize. Occasionally, we see the stat file of one character. Not only are the basics there, but we also have some categories specifically for anime, such as "Number of Times Saved the World" and "Number of Dead Parents." Oddly enough, the file says that Satoshi has one dead parent, but since so does Hayama, Sakura, Tenchi, Sana, and Akito (Akito has two in fact!), it doesn’t really stand out. After fifteen minutes, Manny leads them back into the breakfast table and explains the situation.]

Manny: Now, I need two people who think they remember the stats pretty well. Those two will be the bulk of this challenge. In fact, unless they so choose, it’s all them for this one. Choose wisely, as I don’t think you want the Mole playing this one.

[The team discusses this quite a bit (Taichi and Tomoyo make it clear that they don’t want to do this).]

Barb: (VO) After discussing, they decide on using Ruri and Sakura for this challenge.

(Sakura and Ruri stand up as Manny leads them into a different room.)

Tomoyo: Good luck, Sakura!

Manny: Oh, and one more thing- you are free do talk about what you want, under the one condition that it does not involve any of the information you saw on the monitors.

(Manny leaves.)

Naru: (to Tomoyo) Can Sakura do this?

Tomoyo: (dreamily) I’m sure she can.

(Sakura and Ruri are taking into a room with two computer keyboards and a mouse. There’s also an easel off to the side. Manny enters the room.)

Manny: Here’s how it works. Here’s an ATM card for a bank in the town two miles away. You will have two hours to withdraw 500 francs. To obtain the PIN number, you will have to go through a series of equations based on the information you just received. If you need it, you can get somebody from the other room to help you out, but it will cost you fifteen minutes. You two up it?

(Sakura seems very nervous, but Ruri is perfectly calm.)

Manny: And begin.

[Montage of them working the equations, stuff like "Naru’s height minus number of times Tenchi saved the world." After a bit, go back to the table.]

Taichi: It is a little scary, because we really don’t have a serious idea who the Mole is. I mean, what if it is one of them?

Sana: Yeah, Ruri has been really quiet, it’s always the one you least expect.

Tenchi: That’s right. No matter who you think it is now, they may not even have tried anything yet. It very well could be Ruri. Heck, it could be Hayama, or Naru. I’m looking at Tomoyo, and I’m thinking it’s a perfect disguise.

(Tomoyo is taken aback. Shot of Ruri and Sakura working.)
Naru: (VO) Another thing you gotta look for is who’s making blind accusations. Tomoyo hasn’t really done anything suspicious yet, and although you certainly can’t take anybody out based on that, it’s not somebody who deserves to be a suspect this early in the game. Although a couple others are higher on my list, Tenchi could be just making blind accusations to cover his own actions.

(Shot of Ruri and Sakura working over the easel. Sakura is frantic, while Ruri is perfectly calm.)

Sakura: Okay, um, uh, Hayama is… 11 with… one dead parent, so 11 plus 1 is, um, uh…

Ruri: Twelve.

Sakura: Right! Which gives us a total of…

Ruri: 1,258.

Sakura: So, um… that’s the PIN number, alright! Good work, Ruri!

Manny: Okay, now one of you two will have to go into town to get the money, while the other stays here, in case the calculation wasn’t right. You will each be given a cell phone.

Ruri: I’ll go into town.

Sakura: You will? Okay. I’ll stay and think of other numbers it might be… I wasn’t exactly sure how many women had a crush on Tenchi.

Manny: I’m surprised our guys could count that high.

Sakura: Um, maybe you should take somebody along as a navigator.

Ruri: I am a navigator, I’ll be fine.

Sakura: I dunno, shouldn't somebody else go along? There are probably people suspicious of us.

Ruri: Okay. We’ll take Hayama.

Sakura: Hayama? Are you sure?

Ruri: Yes.

Sakura: Okay, but keep an eye on him.

Manny: If you want Hayama to go along with you, it’ll cost you fifteen minutes, leaving you with… one hour and twenty minutes. Jeez, you guys work fast.

(Shot of Ruri and Hayama leaving on bikes. Ruri has the map.)
Sakura: (VO) Hayama is really high on my suspects list. I was a little unsure of him going with Ruri, but at least Ruri can keep an eye on him.

Ruri: (VO) I think Sakura’s just a little too innocent to avoid suspicion. That’s why I wanted to make the trip instead of having her do it. She appeared pretty insistent on having somebody go with me, so I settled for Hayama. Of all the people here, at least he appears to be somewhat mellow.

(With Ruri holding the map, they get to the town fairly easily. They have trouble finding the bank, but after Hayama asks for directions, they find it. Ruri walks up and inserts the card.)

Hayama: You know what you’re doing?

Ruri: Yes, I’ll be fine.

(Closeup of the ATM, as it asks for the PIN number. Ruri enters 1,258. It is listed as incorrect.)

Ruri: It says it isn’t correct.

(Hayama quickly picks up the cell phone.)

Hayama: Sakura? Ruri says it isn’t the right one.

(Shot of Sakura, looking disappointed.)

Sakura: Okay... why don’t we try 1,259? And I was thinking about the "year of birth" question, maybe it needs the 19 in front of it, so try 3,158.

(Back to Hayama and Ruri.)

Hayama: Try 1,259. And if that doesn’t work, try 3,158.

(Ruri tries it 1,259. It doesn’t work.)

Hayama: Now try 3,158.

Ruri: Never mind, I’ll just do it the easy way.

(Ruri places a hand on the ATM screen. Her hand, and the ATM starts glowing.)

Ruri: (to the ATM) Bonjour Francois, I’d like to withdraw 500 francs.

(500 francs are spit out of the ATM machine, which Ruri takes and walks away, to a stunned Hayama. On screen caption: "Mission Accomplished.")

Ruri: Tell her we got it.

Hayama: (to phone) Yeah… we got it.

Sakura: (from phone) Was it 3-1-5-8?

Hayama: Uh… yeah.

(Shot of Ruri and Hayama, walking back to their bikes.)

Hayama: Hey, I was thinking…

Ruri: Yes?

Hayama: They probably need this money.

Ruri: Uh huh?

Hayama: Well, we have the money. Why can’t we hold the money and refuse to give it back to them until we get some sort of bonus? Like an exemption from that quiz.

Ruri: Because that would be cheating.

Hayama: Who says? They didn’t say anything about negotiating our way out of the quiz.

Ruri: No… I guess they didn’t.

Hayama: (pulling out phone) Sakura… I have an idea to get us out of the quiz.

(Shot of Sakura, in the room.)

Sakura: (VO) Well, I don’t think we should… well no, I don’t think anything’s stopping us. I’ll put Manny on.

Manny: What is it?

Sakura: Hayama’s saying that he and Ruri are going to keep the money unless he, Ruri, and I get exempted from the quiz tonight.

Manny: I see. (taking the phone) Back to your old tricks, huh, Mr. Hayama?

(Interview with Sakura, from a terrace)
Sakura: I can’t believe Hayama would try something like that. Not only is it pretty sneaky, but it’s also a really easy way to get suspected as the Mole. I had a feeling he was going to try something like that, but not this early.

(Streets, as Hayama is on the phone.)

Hayama: How about one of those Immunity Talismans like they had on Survivor? Oh…

(Hayama hands the phone to Ruri.)

Hayama: He wants to speak to you.

Ruri: (to phone) Yes? Uh huh… okay. I thought it was a stupid idea anyway.
 

(Back at the hotel, the other seven are sitting at the table, as Manny, Sakura, Ruri, and Hayama enter.)

Manny: Well, you can congratulate these three, for the mission has been accomplished.

[Cheers from the other seven.]

Manny: Although not without some difficulties from Hayama.

Tomoyo: What kind of difficulties?

Manny: Hayama tried to convince Ruri and Sakura to hold the money hostage for an exemption from tonight’s quiz.

Hayama: It’s no big deal. Only part of the game, right?

Manny: Well, it actually isn’t. Nobody is exempted from taking the quiz.

Tenchi: Not even the Mole?

Manny: Nope. The Mole has to take the quiz too… although it should be extremely easy for him or her. But before we talk about the quiz, there’s one matter I’d like to take care of. Remember when we told you not to talk about the information from the monitors. Our hidden cameras have picked up something you ten will have to be aware of.

(Barb rolls in a television stand, and presses the play button. We see on the video an overhead shot of the eight, besides Sakura and Ruri.)

Akito: Me and Ruri are from the 22^nd Century, how is that not a continuity mistake??

Satoshi: It is a little weird.

Tomoyo: I’m just surprised so many people here have dead parents.

Akito: Well it wasn’t my fault they were murdered!

(Cut transmission.)

Barb: Although Tomoyo’s comment was discussing the information, Akito was the one that actually gave away vital information which could be possible quiz questions. Therefore, we have no choice but to fine you $10,000.

(Most of the group looks disappointed.)

Naru: Well if we were going to be fined ten grand, we should’ve used it back in Paris!

(General agreement from the others)

Manny: Now, after that, we have the additional bad news- the quiz is approaching. After dinner, you’ll each be given a quiz with ten questions on it regarding the identity of the Mole. How old is the Mole? What did the Mole have for breakfast? How many times has the Mole saved the world?

Taichi: See Akito, now that’s a continuity mistake! The Mole saving the world!

[Laughter from others]

[Shot of the team swimming, enjoying themselves.]
Sana: (VO) It’s kinda sad. We’ve all gotten pretty close these last couple days, and now one of us has to go. And we still don’t really have an idea who the Mole is.

Tenchi: (VO) After that little thing at the table, I can’t help but look at Tomoyo closer. I think that might be her style. Very quietly and innocently, she just cost the group ten thousand by bringing up the thing with the dead parents. And as one of those with a dead parent, that does seem a bit inappropriate.

[At the dinner table, everybody sits down to the meal, but Akito has a paper in his napkin. Barb narrates the scene.]

Barb: At dinner, Akito finds something strange in his napkin. He tries passing it off to Taichi, but slowly reveals it to the entire group.

Akito: It reads… "After tonight, it’ll be one down, with only eight to go. Lots of love- The Mole."

(This casts a bit of a damper on the meal.)

Sana: That was pretty mean. I don’t like the Mole, whoever it is.

Satoshi: Just don’t start rapping about it. Please.
 

(Shot of the ten being taken to their hotel rooms and given a computer. Shot of Sakura, working the quiz.)
Sakura: (VO) I’m still pretty sure that it’s Hayama, so if I can only figure out some of the details, like what he had for breakfast, I should be okay.

(Shot of Satoshi taking the quiz.)
Satoshi: (VO) I think that Sana’s crazy antics and behavior could be a distraction, and I think she very well could be the Mole.

(Shot of Taichi taking the quiz.)
Taichi: I’m thinking it could be anybody, but I’m a little suspicious of the way Akito stayed on the plane like that, and tried to hide that message from the Mole. And why was it under his napkin to begin with?

(Shot of Hayama taking the quiz.)
Hayama: I think Taichi is awfully suspicious, but I’m going to try to divide it up, and only answer based on him for a few of the questions. That way, if I’m wrong, I don’t lose as many points. I’m also watching Satoshi, Tomoyo, even Sana might be a possibility. It’s simply playing the percentages until I can get closer to a real answer.

(Shot of Akito on the terrace. Each of the ten in this situation are responding to the question "Are you the Mole?")
Akito: Am I the Mole? I’m certainly not going to tell you!

(To Tomoyo on the terrace)
Tomoyo: I don’t think I could possibly be devious enough to be the Mole.

(to Naru on the terrace)
Naru: I’m just not going to answer that. It’s a stupid question anyway.

(to Tenchi on the terrace
Tenchi: I probably could do it, but I’m not going to say anything in either direction.

(to Sana on the terrace)
Sana: I could be the Mole, I could not be the Mole. And you’ll never know which one’s right!

(to Sakura on the terrace, smiling)
Sakura: I’m definitely not the Mole. I could never do something like that.

(to Satoshi on the terrace)
Satoshi: Maybe I am. Maybe I’m not. It’s not like you’d be able to figure it out this early anyway.

(to Ruri on the terrace)
Ruri: With these people, I’d probably be the only person that could pull off being the Mole.

(to Taichi on the terrace)
Taichi: No way, I’m not! But that still leaves nine others, and there’s not much to go on.

(to Hayama on the terrace)
Hayama: What makes you think I’m going to tell you whether or not I’m the Mole?
 

(An old-fashioned auditorium. The ten team members are seated on folding chairs, with Barb behind a desk with a laptop computer.)

Barb: The procedure here is simple. I’ll enter your names into the computer one at a time. Behind your name, it will either flash green or red. If it flashes green, you did good enough on the quiz to go to the next level. If it flashes red… you did not, and will be the Mole’s first victim. You will have to take your bag and will be escorted out of the area, and back home. I’m going to put these in in alphabetical order, but since the computer already knows who’s going, it doesn’t matter. We’ll start with Akito Hayama.

(Barb types "HAYAMA" into the computer. It processes for a second, shot of Hayama.)

(It flashes green.)

Barb: Next is Akito Tenkawa.

(Barb types "AKITO" into the computer. It processes for a second, shot of Akito.)

(It flashes green.)

Barb: Next up- Naru.

(Barb slowly types "NARU" into the computer. It processes.)

(It flashes red. Shot of Naru, looking a bit saddened.)

Naru: (sincere) I never was good at tests.

(Naru stands up, and shakes hands with Tomoyo and Satoshi, going down the line, reaching everybody, including giving Sana a hug.)

Sana: We should’ve just snuck out after we got back to the hotel when we were in Paris.

Naru: Yeah.

Taichi: Sorry for cutting your evening short.

Naru: It’s okay.

(Naru shakes hands with Hayama, then reaches over his chair to Sakura in the next row.)

Sakura: I’m going to miss you, you were so nice to all of us!

Naru: I know, it was great too…

(Naru’s face faults as she looks down to find that Hayama’s copped himself a feel of Naru’s breast. Naru responds by delivering a vicious right hook that sends Hayama through the upper-level window of the auditorium.)

Satoshi: What did he do that for?

Taichi: It was right in front of him.

(Shot of Ruri, who shifts her eyes.)

Ruri: Baka baka.

(Montage of Naru following Barb, getting her bags, and being escorted to a van.)

Naru: (OS) It’s really going to be sad to go this soon. I’ve made so many friends, and the adventure was fun while it lasted. That night in Paris was a dream for me, although I wish it lasted longer. That’s about how I can summarize this whole thing, I wish it could’ve lasted longer. It’ll be interesting finding out who the Mole really is, but unfortunately I’ll have to do it with everybody at home.

(The van drives away, as the Mole has "executed" its first victim.)

End Episode One