Page 36 of Ex Marks the Spot

7. Loudmouths (Oscar and Janessa)

8. Wise Guys (DeAngelo and Big Mike)

9. Us

10. High Tech (Ji-ho and Homer)

The Wise Guys—who forgot to tell their taxi driver to wait during the last challenge—kept their twenty-minute lead by pseudo-stealing Team High Tech’s taxi instead of waiting for a new one. I say “pseudo-stealing” because Xtreme Quest is clear about penalties for removing another team’s backpacks from their mode of transportation, but there aren’t any rules against using their leg money to bribe the driver to remove their gear for you.

Unsurprisingly, Big Mike used that loophole to his benefit.

Very surprisingly, High Tech’s new taxi got a flat tire a few miles up the road. I felt bad as we drove past them, but that delay kept Hartley and me in the race.

Our instructions this morning told us to search the grounds of San Ignacio Miní, a mission tucked into the northeast corner of Argentina, for our next clue. After confirming that our taxi driver will wait for us, we get out and jog down a dirt path toward the ruins.

“This is incredible,” Hartley whispers as we approach.

It really is.

Two crumbling walls, each bearing two columns, mark the main entrance to the mission, which is made of massive red stones. It’s about four hundredyears old according to the plaque out front, putting the kapok tree at Arenal in the same chunk of history as the Jesuits who built San Ignacio Miní. Who knew history could be so cool?

“The clue could be anywhere,” Hartley says, scanning the clusters of smaller buildings surrounding the behemoth rectangular structure at the center of the grounds.

I point to Team Niles, who are running across the far end of the main building. “True, but it’s not in there, otherwise they would’ve already found it.”

“Court!”

I spin to my left and find the Bombshells waving us over to a group of buildings.

“What do they want?” Hartley asks.

Immediately, I reply with, “Maybe they missed me,” because getting under her skin is the best part of my day.

She rolls her eyes but follows me as we jog across the open field.

“What’s up?” I ask when we’re in speaking distance.

Alexis points to the end of the building behind them. “The clue box is in the back left corner.”

I blink as my gaze bounces between Hartley, the building, and the Bombshells. “Oh wow. Um...thanks.” I give them an appreciative smile, and to my surprise, so does Hartley.

“We’re hoping to get to know you better, so you can’t get eliminated yet,” Gianna says.

Hartley isn’t smiling anymore.

Whatever.

She can be mad tomorrow when we’re still in the race.

“Guess this means we have an official alliance?” I crank up my smile at the Bombshells.

Alexis pops a brow and...did she just look me up and down?

“Only if we get a secret handshake,” she teases.

“Excellent idea,” Gianna adds. “We can make one after the next checkpoint. See you later.” She squeezes my arm as they head out.

“We’ll see you later,” Hartley parrots in a high-pitched voice as soon as the girls are out of earshot.

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