Épisode Quatorze: Betrayal

[Hercule Poirot]

Mlle Hopps ees really frustrating me 'ere. 'Er plan ees a doomed one. Ze boot order she wants leads to her or I getting 5th and ze other one probably getting fourth.

In what world does going to final five with M. Cohle, M. Morningstar, M. Kennedy, and ze two of us make sense?

I may get myself sent 'ome for pushing back too 'ard when I could just accept 'er voting M. Peralta, but eet does not make sense.

[Hercule Poirot]

Oh my goodness Mlle Hopps ees infuriating, and I knew what I was getting into too. I brought zis on myself.

I may 'ave to give 'er 'er way. But I 'ate eet.

[Hercule Poirot]

So I'm trying to get Mlle Hopps to commit to not targeting M. Briscoe next.

As long as she ees willing to do zat, I 'ave no interest in drawing a rock 'ere.

If she refuses to do zat, I may 'ave to. Because I'm not playing for 5th or 4th, and zat ees what I will get if I allow ze next three boots to be M. Peralta, M. Briscoe, and Mlle Garcia.

She admitted zat she wants a F5 of M. Morningstar, M. Kennedy, M. Cohle, and ze two of us. What does she think 'appens to us in zat F3? Does she not think one of us ees ze 5th place boot, probably 'er if she ees ze one driving all of ze action from zis point on and zey fear 'er challenge ability, and ze other probably goes 'ome 4th?

At least M. Briscoe, M. Peralta, and M. Kennedy offer me a path to ze end. Mlle Hopps' plan ees a bad one.

Maybe I can move 'er on to M. Kennedy next instead of M. Briscoe. Zat ees a much superior option. Still not parfait, but at least M. Kennedy ees not guaranteed a F3 seat with zat plan. And I think M. Cohle recognizes ze difficulties of taking Mlle Garcia. I 'ope 'e does M. Morningstar too, but a M. Morningstar, M. Cohle, M. Kennedy F3 ees too tempting not to take for 'im, and Mlle Hopps want to 'and eet to 'im on a silver platter.

[Hercule Poirot]

My options...

1. I could try to shift Mlle Hopps on to M. Kennedy. Zis 'as ze benefit of being a better move for my game, but ze downside of making my influence over ze situation public knowledge. I think if zis ees going to 'appen, eet ees better for me zat Mlle Hopps takes all of ze credit and ze blame, but 'aving influence over ze target muddies ze water.
2. Convince Mlle Hopps not to do zis. Zis ees not something I would bank on, since she 'as already told ze whole other side and clearly 'as 'er mind made up. But I might still try.
3. Convince Mlle Hopps zat eet ees okay to do zis, but make 'er promise to not target M. Briscoe next in order to get my vote. Zis 'as ze downside of exposing my relationship with M. Briscoe considerably, but eet 'as ze benefit of potentially saving M. Briscoe. I already 'ave kind of done zis, so not really an option, but if ze next boot ees one of Mlle Garcia/M. Morningstar/M. Cohle/M. Kennedy, zen I think zat puts me in an excellent position. Alternatively if ze next boot ees Mlle Hopps, zat also puts me in an excellent position I think.

Ees zis potentially an opportunity to lower my threat level? Oui. Do I think eet increases my odds of winning? I don't think so. I think M. Peralta and M. Briscoe taking me to ze end was my best bet at winning, and I think Mlle Hopps becomes unbeatable by me through zis move. Though she really should not be, strategically she ees all over ze place.

[Hercule Poirot]

M. Kennedy just suggest a final two or final three to me. And ze sad thing ees, I really think 'e means eet.

Can I risk taking 'im zat deep though? I feel zat 'e ees guaranteed one of zose final three seats if 'e makes eet.

Maybe ze order goes...

8: M. Morningstar (I truly 'ope. I don't know though.)
7: M. Peralta
6: Mlle Garcia
5: Mlle Hopps
4: M. Briscoe
F3: Me, M. Cohle, M. Kennedy

Zat ees actually an excellent F3 for me. I'm kind of counting on Mlle Hopps dying at 5 out of my control though. And who knows if M. Briscoe really goes at 4, but I think M. Kennedy and I would both vote for 'im.

[Hercule Poirot]

Don't count me out yet, monsieur. I think I have a way forward. Please stand by.

Well zis ees promising. Honestly if 'e 'as some item or something, I would laugh so 'ard.

I 'ope 'e manages to stay.

[Hercule Poirot]

Zere ees a chance zis all blows up on me too. I'm putting a lot of trust into M. Cohle and Mlle Garcia when I should not be maybe. I think eet could pay dividends longterm, but short-term eet puts me in a vulnerable position.

Especially with Mlle Hopps being immune, I could be taken out to weaken 'er. But I think M. Morningstar already suggested zat, and eet almost sent 'im 'ome and would 'ave if Mlle Hopps was not so stubborn.

[Hercule Poirot]

'E 'as something hahahaha. Ze "Corporal's Exam". I can't believe eet.

I'm thrilled though.

[Hercule Poirot]

So someone else 'as already found zis thing. Maybe M. Grouch if we are lucky. Maybe M. Morningstar. Maybe even Mlle Hopps.

Definitely something to be aware of moving forward, even if M. Peralta does go 'ome 'ere.

[Hercule Poirot]

Also obviously Mlle Garcia could 'ave zis thing.

Zis ees why eet would really make sense to blindside 'er right now, but maybe if we're lucky someone will play eet zis round out of paranoia regardless.

[Hercule Poirot]

M. Peralta 'as a 'arebrained scheme to survive, but I can tell zat eet ees doomed.

[Hercule Poirot]

M. Morningstar apologized to me for targeting me. Zat ees good. I'm going to try to patch up zat relationship as best I can.

[Hercule Poirot]

Wait a second, could M. Peralta be...

Spoiler

LLD? I only ask zis because 'e mentioned being colorblind, and 'is play as been aggressive in ze same way as 'ers ees. But I still think 'e ees OGML. I just don't know if OGML ees colorblind.

[close]

[Hercule Poirot]

The guesses I feel best about. I'm Hercule Poirot using my leetle grey cells 'ere.

Spoiler

Jenny- Tanis
Nick- Meme
Scruff- DK
Jake- OGML
Judy- Friendbat
Lennie- het
Leon- Keyen
Lucifer- D3f
Grouch- Xof
Mlle Garcia- unknown, but I feel like I should know eet. Maybe Julia? Maybe Aura? Mayyyybe Bebs, but too good at challenges.

[close]

Maybe you don't want me doing zis, but eet really ees not affecting my decision making. I'm just doing eet for fun. I'm well aware zat even ze great Hercule Poirot could be mistaken when eet comes to zese matters.

[Hercule Poirot]

Zis Corporal advantage 'as me worried. Ees eet already found? Ees eet an idol? Flavor-wise, eet would make sense for corporal to be below sergeant, since sergeant ees ze 'igher rank.

But if we vote out M. Peralta, are we voting away ze numbers to actually do something about zis advantage? Well I'm not really voting 'im out either way. Eet ees not my call to make.