(The Family Alliance sits around discussing strategy.  Scott looks on)

Joe:  So, who do you think's in an alliance over there?

Nikki:  I don't know.  They're your friends, Jake.  What do you think?

Jake:  Matt's probably allied with Jonny.  But I really don't know about the rest.  Maybe Mary's with them?

MaryLou:  So three at most?

Jake:  (looking at Scott)  For now.

Scott:  Hey man, you know that I don't fit in here.  As soon as we merge, I'm going over with Jonny and them.

Joe:  So they'll match us power for power.  Who has votes over there?

Nikki:  No way to tell.  But it's no secret MaryLou has seven votes.

Jake;  Yeah, that's going to be tough..

Joe: (Narrating)  Well, today's the merger, and we're pretty sure that we're going up against an alliance of equal or greater manpower.  We've really got to snatch up a free ranger, or our family alliance is through.

(Cut to shot of Jake and Scott talking and joking around)

Nikki: (Narrating)  Jake?  Jake's questionable.  He's got friends on the other team that he may decide to join up with at the merge.  We like to think we can trust him, but…

Jake: (Narrating)  Who am I going to team up with?  That is my dilemna.  The problem  is that I have some sort of tie to everyone here.  I'd like to say that family comes first, but I have a lot more in common with my friends on the other tribe.  I don't know.

(Jonny and Matt sit off to the side, talking.  Mary braids Lauren's hair in the tent.  Stone cleans a pot by himself)

Stone:  (Narrating)  I'm very worried about my survival at this point.  I'm the odd man out.  These four kids are in an alliance, and I'm not teamed up with anyone.  I do notice that the girls and the boys have a definite rift though.  Maybe I can use that to my advantage.

Mary:  (Narrating)  Our whole alliance is pretty shaky.  Matt and Jonny don't seem to like me around and they especially don't like Lauren.  We're really more two pairs than a group of four.

Matt:  (Narrating)  Well, if I had it my way, we would've never teamed up with Lauren and Mary.  I'm not staying teamed up with them if I can help it.  I'm teaming back up with Jake as soon as we meet up again.

(Stone and Lauren pick up Tree Mail)

Stone: (reading)  The time has come
                          For the merge to take place
                          Pack up your crap
                          And to the other camp race

(Lauren runs back into camp)

Lauren:  Pack everything up!  We're headed to Valazquez Camp!

(Denson frantically packs everything up) 

(Scott and Jake pick up Tree Mail)

Jake:  (reading)  The merger is here now
                         The other tribe's coming
                         Put on some rice
                         You've got visitors, dummies!

Scott:  They're coming here?  Sweet!

(Jake and Scott return)

Jake:  The other tribe's coming!  Start up some rice!

(MaryLou starts up a pot of rice.  Denson traverses the hills of the Kraut farm)

Lauren:  Is it much further?

Matt:  (To Jonny, mockingly)  Is it much further?

(At camp, Nikki watches the other tribe approach)

Nikki:  Here they come!

(The Velasquezes enter Camp Denson.  Jake and Scott greet Jonny and Matt)

Jake:  Well lickee me!  It Matt Kilborne and Jonny Weir!

Scott:  Oh man!  You guys won't believe what's been going on here.

(Stone walks up to Joe and MaryLou)

Stone:  Hello!  Hello!  Nice to see some grey hair for a change!

MaryLou:  Welcome back Edwin!

(Stone shakes Joe's hand)

Stone:  Edwin Stone.

Joe:   Joe Smith.  How you doin'?

Stone:  Much better now

(Lauren and Mary talk to Nikki)

Mary:  We are so glad to see another girl!

Lauren:  Yeah!  So, Nikki, do you want to be in our sorority?

Nikki:  Um, I think the rice is boiling over.  Excuse me.

(Nikki leaves)

Lauren:  I think that went well.

(General chatter.  Nikki tries to get everyone's attention)

Nikki:  Everyone!  Everyone!  Shut up for a minute!  We need to come up with a name for our new tribe and make a new flag.

(Clamoring, general chos ensues)

Lauren:  (Narrating)  It was, like, so cool when we got to their camp.  Everyone just clicked right away.  For our new tribe name, we went with the Cardinals.  (smiles) That was my idea.  Our new color is red, which works so well with my skin tone.

Matt:  (Narrating)  We're called the Cardinals.  That's so dumb.  Lauren is so stupid.  I'm through playing with her.  I was all set to start up my old alliance with Jake, but...

(Jake, Matt, Jonny, and Scott stand in a circle)

Jake:  I'd really like to be in your guys' alliance, but I promised my family I'd be with them.

Scott:  Yeah, you got to keep your promises, man.

Matt:  But you were already in an alliance with me before you ever were with them.  What about your promise to me?

Jake:  Matt, I was allied with you AND them.  And then we got Uncle Joe to replace you.  I can't do it.

Jonny: (Narrating)  Yeah, we're having a hard time with Jake.  None of us wants to stay allied with the girls.  I already told Mary to kiss off.

(Mary and Lauren fighting with Jonny and Matt)

Mary:  You can't back out now.  We had a deal.

Jonny:  MARY, I NEVER WANTED TO BE ON YOUR TEAM.  GO AWAY.

Lauren:  That's rude.

Matt:  Yeah?  Shut up and get outta here.  Go read the news and smile, stupid.

Matt:  (Narrating, laughing)  Yeah, I finally told Lauren to shut the heck up.  But if we don't get Jake on our team now, we're in trouble.

Scott:  (Narrating)  We definitely don't stand a chance with just three of us.  I wish Jonny and Matt hadn't gone off on the girls.  Jake's pretty important at this stage of the game.

Jake:  (Narrating)  Oh man.  Coming out here, I never knew it'd be so hard to pick a side.  On the one hand, I have my family alliance.  On the other, I have the alliance of my three friends.  And then there are the three drifters, Mary, Lauren, and Stone.

Stone:  Well, I'd hoped that maybe I could hook up with some of the older people, but Joe and MaryLou seem pretty set in their "family alliance"  That left me no choice but to approach the girls.

(Stone approaches Mary and Lauren.  Jake watches)

Stone:  Hello, girls.

Mary and Lauren:  Hi.

Stone: So, I heard that your alliance with the guys kind of blew up.

Mary:  That's right.

Stone:  Look, I think that you need me.  We need to band together, or we'll be sitting ducks.

Lauren:  OK!  Who do you want us to vote for?

Jake:  (Narrating)  When I saw the formation of the "drifter alliance," I knew I was in trouble.  See, my family alliance was kind of a sinking ship…

(The Family Alliance discusses its plans)

Nikki:  We have to stick together.  I think everyone knows about MaryLou's 7 votes.

Jake:  The two smaller alliances are gonna target you, Grandma.  The vote will be 5 to 4, and after that we'll all be toast.

Joe:  Jakkum, you can't back out now.  Blood runs thicker than water.

(Jake rolls his eyes)

MaryLou:  I'm very worried about Jake.  I think he sees this alliance as a lost cause.  I could see him leaving us.

Jake:  I have no idea what I'm going to do.  (mock whining) This is hard and stuff.  You decide.

(Nikki and Joe get treemail)

Nikki:  Looks like we have mail.

Joe:  Let me see... (Reading)  Hold your breath
                                              Until you bloat
                                              If you're the best
                                              You'll dodge the vote

(Nikki and Joe return to camp)

Nikki:  It's a holding your breath competition, guys!

Matt:  (to Scott, derisively)  No way any of the girls are winning this. 

(The Survivors gather around the old pond.  Jeff is there)

Jeff: Getting my first look at the Cardinals tribe.

(Murmuring)

Jeff:  OK, here's the deal, guys. This is a breath-holding competition.  You're gonna be diving into this pond.  Last one to surface wins immunity.  There'll be some nice bars for you guys to hold onto down there, if you're so inclined.

Scott:  Isn't this really unfair to the girls?  They have smaller lungs.

Jeff:  (Ignoring Scott)  OK, everybody in.

(The Survivors jump into the pond)

Jeff:  Dive on my cue.  Survivors Ready?  (Doing the arm thing) Go!

(Everyone attempts to dive.  MaryLou can't even make it down to the bar.  She's out immediately.  Everyone else makes it down and grabs hold.  Lauren lets go after about ten seconds, followed quickly by Mary.  After about a minute, Jake lets go, as do Nikki and Stone.  Jonny, Scott, Matt, and Joe hold on until the two minute mark, when Joe lets go.   Jonny goes next, and Scott follows immediately after.  Matt, seeing no one else, lets go and surfaces)

Jeff:  Matt!  Immunity!

(Shots of sadness on the losers' faces, Jeff putting the butt ugly necklace around Matt's neck.  Matt raises his hands to the sky and yells in victory) 

Matt: (narrating) It felt good to win that immunity challenge.  I know that no matter how our alliance turns out, I'm still gonna be around for another three days.

Jonny:  (narrating) Yeah, I'm happy for Big Matt winning immunity.  But I worry that that may put a big target on the rest of our alliance.  I don't know how the other two groups are gonna vote.

(The Family Alliance is gathered around Jake)

Nikki:  Are you with us or not.

Jake:  I, um, I don't know.

Joe:   This fence sitting has to stop.  You're either for us or against us, Jake.

MaryLou:  I do believe you have a decision to make, Jake.

Jake:  (angry) You want me to make a decision?  I'm sick of all this crap.  Just vote how you want.

(Jake storms off.  Nikki mouths 'OK' to the camera)

Stone:  (narrating) Tribal Council's definitely going to be interesting.  We've got our alliance.  But I'm interested to see how the other alliances are going to vote.  We could even end up with a three way tie.  You never know in this game.

Jake:  All I can say is that tonight, it's on.  I ain't gonna tell you but once!  (To himself) Man, that never sounds good.   

(Tally the vote plays as the group walks in)

Jeff:  Welcome to your first tribal council as the Cardinals.

(murmuring)

Jeff:  So, I'm curious?  Have you guys bonded as a new tribe?

Lauren:  Absolutely.  We all like each other a lot.  It's going to be really hard to see someone go.

Jeff: (Nods condescendingly)  Joe, do you agree with Lauren?  Are you guys really one big happy family?

Joe:  Interesting you should use the word 'family.'  No, there are definite rifts here.

Jeff:  I take it he's talking about you, Jake.

Jake:  Yeah.  I guess it's no secret I was instrumental to forming our "family alliance."

Jeff:  So the "family alliance?"  Still intact?  Or have you bonded with some of the others.

Jake:  (laughing)  I'm not at liberty to say at this point.

Jeff:  Anyone want to confess to feeling vulnerable?

Mary:  Jeff, at this point, I think all of have to feel vulnerable.  Well, except for Matt.

Jeff:  Matt, how's it feel to have immunity?

Matt:  I like it a lot.  I know that no matter what happens tonight, I'm still going to be around.

Jeff:  OK.  Time to vote.  MaryLou, you're first.

(MaryLou gets up and votes.  We don't see it.  Jake goes next.  We don't see his vote)

Jake:  I'm sorry.  This is the only way I can stay in the game.

(Stone's next.  We don't see his vote.  He's followed by Jonny.  We see the vote.  It's MaryLou)

Jonny:  She's a great old bird, but if this is a tie breaker, she has the most votes.  Sorry.

(Mary, Matt, Lauren, and Joe vote.  We don't see them.  Finally Nikki votes.  It's Jonny)

Nikki:  Sorry, Jonny.  We're hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

(Nikki returns)

Jeff:  I'll tally the votes.

(Jeff returns with the voting box.  He pulls out the first vote)

Jeff:  MaryLou
         Jonny
         MaryLou
         Jonny
         MaryLou
         Jonny
         MaryLou
         And the sixth and final vote, MaryLou.  The other two votes are irrelevant.  MaryLou, I need you to bring me your torch.

MaryLou:  (To Jake)  You switched sides.

Jake:  I'm sorry, Grandma.

MaryLou:  It's OK.  It's OK.

(MaryLou brings Jeff her torch.)

Jeff:  MaryLou, the tribe has spoken.  It's time for you to go.

(Jeff snuffs her torch)

MaryLou:  (To Joe and Nikki) Go get 'em, guys.

(MaryLou leaves)

Jeff;  Well, from the way the vote went tonight, it looks like it's a whole new game.  I'll see you guys tommorrow.

(Ancient Voices, fade to black)