Talented Teens - 7. The Strongest Link

At any point in the last six rounds, it would be easy to point to Tyson as the most confident among the finalists. He'd come in with a game plan and ruthlessly voted out whoever would be least productive to a large bank. That didn't come to fruition in the last round, as Elijah lost a tremendous amount of money, and Sona flipped the script and tried to vote him off instead. Tyson's illusion of a perfect game was destroyed, and the haughtiness and self-assurance had now given way to visible frustration and even petulance.

On the other hand, Elijah seemed almost relaxed after the tension of the previous few rounds. The politics were gone. The strategy was gone. Tyson, Sona and Veikko had all come in with very different games and remaining safe against them was incredibly taxing. Tyson did very well with the politics, of course - he wanted to be involved in that business. Elijah didn't enjoy that stuff. He was a simple farm boy invested in his education and development. Now, the only thing that would settle the score between the two was general knowledge.

“How badly do you want to win?” Elijah broke the long silence between them as the production team set up for the final round.

Tyson looked at him, and for a second, Elijah could have believed he was scared. “I’m going to win anyway,” he deflected the question.

“That’s not going to work. You can’t manipulate your way through the head-to-head. No mind games, no way to play anyone, you have to be a stronger player than me,” Elijah pointed out. “So what are you going to do now?” When Tyson’s hateful look intensified, Elijah gestured to the cameras, not recording. “You don’t have to impress anyone. They’re not watching.”

“I’m going to beat you,” Tyson repeated, but this time he didn’t sound so sure. He sounded tired and afraid. “I have to. It doesn’t matter if I want to or not. Winning is the only thing that matters.”

“What happens if you don’t win?”

Tyson’s eyes temporarily lost their swagger and resolve. “That’s why I have to.”

With a nod and a laugh at the producer’s joke, the Hostess returned to her podium.

"May the best man win," Elijah offered, only half-sincerely.

"Don't worry. I will,” Tyson retorted, but before Elijah could roll his eyes, he added something. “But make it good.”

Elijah twitched his left eyebrow twice, and his smirk broadened. Tyson’s nostrils flared and he turned back to the Hostess, who stepped up to the plate.

"Welcome back to a special Talented Teens edition of the Weakest Link! We're down to our two final players, Tyson, our future politician, and Elijah, our future detective. Boys, think of this as a one-on-one match for the KADA Heavyweight Championship. One of you will be the champion and go home with seventy-seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars. The other will leave with nothing. You will now play against each other, head to head. No banking, no voting, no money chains. Whoever of you gives me the most correct answers out of a set of five will be our winner. Tyson, as the strongest link in the previous round, you get to decide who goes first."

"I'll go first," the younger boy took little time deciding as usual. "Let Elijah enjoy the pressure of having to catch up."

"I'm happy to go second," Elijah bantered back to him. "You'll get one wrong before I will."

"Alright, Tyson, first it is," the Hostess jumped in before there could be any escalation. "For seventy-seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars, let's play The Weakest Link. Tyson, what is the name of the famous landmark in London that houses the British monarchy?"

"Buckingham Palace."

"That's correct," she turned to the other contestant. "Elijah, in the Shakespearean play Romeo and Juliet, what is the name of Romeo's close friend who loses his life in a duel with Juliet's cousin Tybalt?"

Elijah didn't flinch. Literature was his specialty. "Mercutio."

"That's correct. Tyson, in history, who was the first President of the United States?"

Tyson's eyes found his dark hands for a moment. "George Bush."

Elijah's grin widened as the Hostess shook her head, and Tyson grimaced as he understood his error, turning and possibly mouthing a filthy word.

"No, the correct answer is George Washington. Elijah, what South Korean survival drama television series had the most streaming views in 2021 following its debut on Netflix?"

"Squid Game?" Elijah didn't seem too sure.

"Squid Game is correct. Elijah, you are now in the lead," the Hostess remarked.

"Guess you're playing catchup," Elijah couldn't help himself, and a flicker of a smile crossed Tyson's lips.

"Tyson, in food, Pink Ladies and Granny Smiths are types of what fruit?"

"Apples," Tyson snapped.

"That's correct. Elijah," she turned to the very nonchalant teenager. "In shapes, how many sides does a dodecahedron have?"

Elijah took a few moments to answer. There was no pressure to rush. No timer to chase. "Twelve."

"That is correct. Tyson, in music, what 2013 Miley Cyrus song claims she came in like the titular construction item?"

Tyson frowned. "Can you please repeat that question?"

"In music," the Hostess repeated more slowly, "what 2013 Miley Cyrus song claims she came in like the titular construction item?"

Tyson had gone from confident to frustrated, now to flustered. His cheeks turned pink. "Bulldozer?"

"No, she came in like a wrecking ball," the Hostess corrected him, and he rolled his eyes and leaned over in frustration. "Elijah, if you answer this question correctly, you are tonight's winner, and you walk away with seventy-seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars. In which sport would you find a pommel horse?"

Elijah's cockiness fell when he heard that dreaded 'S' word. "Equestrian?"

Tyson laughed out loud. The Hostess suppressed a laugh too.

"No, gymnastics. Tyson, you must answer this question correctly to remain in the game. What 'M' word describes a group of crows and the act of taking another life?"

"Murder.”

"That's correct. Elijah, if you answer this question correctly, you win. In astronomy, which planet in our solar system has the hottest surface temperature?"

Elijah briefly closed his eyes. "Mercury."

"That answer is incorrect," the Hostess informed him, and Elijah looked stunned. "The correct answer is Venus because of the greenhouse effect."

Elijah grimaced, and Tyson let out a big exhale, both boys on tenterhooks waiting for the other to make mistakes.

"Alright, since you've both answered three questions correctly out of five, we will now move on to sudden death. I will ask you questions in pairs. If you answer correctly and the other does not, you will be tonight's strongest link. Let's play Sudden Death!"

The lights flickered, and a rarely heard sequence of tones sung through the arena. Tyson and Elijah looked at each other, both nervous, both excited, evenly matched in the final round. No mind games, no arrogance, nothing but intent to beat the other.

"Tyson, on which continent would you find Mount Kilimanjaro?"

Tyson furrowed his brow, bracing himself on the podium before him as he scoured his brain. Elijah's trembling lips and nervous eyes indicated he knew the answer.

"Africa."

Elijah looked disappointed as Tyson leaned back, awaiting his judgement.

"Africa is correct," the Hostess turned to the other boy. "Elijah, you must answer this correctly, or Tyson wins the game. Cyan is a shade of what primary colour?"

"Primary colour..." Elijah whispered to himself before answering. "Blue!"

"Blue is correct. Tyson, a spelunker is someone who enjoys exploring what?"

Tyson paused. "Spelunker?" He murmured out loud. He shook his head, annoyed. "Ocean floor?"

"No, caves," the Hostess turned again. "Elijah, if you answer this correctly, you win. In business, Jeff Bezos is the CEO and founder of which trillion-dollar company?"

"Apple?"

"No," the Hostess stressed. "Amazon. Tyson, when assembled in order, the chemical symbols for sulfur, gold and sodium spell which word for a room often found in a health centre?"

Elijah blew out his cheeks, and Tyson's lips moved as space and time paused, putting together everything he knew to answer the question.

"Sauna."

"Correct. Elijah, you need to answer this correctly, or Tyson wins," as she spoke, Elijah looked increasingly worried. This was more close than either one dared to dream. "Yeardley Smith is the voice of which iconic titular character in the long-running cartoon The Simpsons?"

"Lisa Simpson," he replied quickly.

"Correct. Tyson, apart from its frame, a traditional greenhouse is built from primarily which material?

"Glass," Tyson answered confidently, turning to stare at Elijah.

"Correct. Elijah, you need to answer this correctly, or Tyson wins," the Hostess turned to Elijah, who glanced at his rival, then turned back to the older woman with determination. "In food, Madeira, marble and Victoria sponge are variations of which baked item?"

"Cake," Elijah spun around to stare at Tyson.

"Correct! Tyson, in the Addams Family, what is the name of Gomez and Morticia's son?"

Tyson groaned, and Elijah cocked his eyebrow once more.

"Who cares?" Tyson managed to make a joke and even laugh. Was he finally starting to enjoy himself? "Uhh-- Fred?"

The Hostess was unable to suppress her own laugh. "No, Pugsley. Elijah, if you answer this question correctly, you win. Elijah, in film, which Disney movie has had the most sequels?"

Elijah twiddled his thumbs. "Ice Age."

"No, Toy Story," she corrected him, and Elijah screwed his eyes shut. "Ice Age is not a Disney series."

"I didn't know that either," Tyson admitted, and Elijah managed a grin.

"As of now, Tyson and Elijah, you are still tied and have broken the record for the longest head-to-head in Weakest Link history!" The Hostess informed them, causing both boys to cheer for themselves and each other. "Tyson, in fashion, named for a French aerial gymnast, what 'L' is a garment worn by dancers and acrobats?"

The younger teen appeared to look far away in the distance. After a long while, he huffed. “Leggings?”

“The correct answer is leotard. Elijah, if you answer this correctly, you win. What is the name of the former professional heavyweight boxing champion who sold 100 million units of the Lean, Green Grilling Machine?"

Tyson looked desperately from the side, waiting for his rival to make a mistake and keep the game going.

But Elijah knew the answer. His dad loved that grill. "George Foreman.”

"Correct!”

The lights flickered, and victory tones rang through the studio as Tyson's body appeared to be struck by lightning and Elijah spun around, beaming at the Hostess.

"That means, Elijah, that you are the Talented Teens Strongest Link, and you and Oakfield Academy get to split seventy-seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars! Tyson, you put up a tremendous fight, but you leave with nothing."

Tyson and Elijah, despite the ferocity of their rivalry, shook each other's hands earnestly.

“Congratulations. You did it,” Tyson couldn’t hide his disappointment, and Elijah gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as he saw tears welling in those dark eyes.

“You played really well. I know I talked a big game, but I really thought you might beat me,” Elijah admitted, but he couldn’t hide his elation!

The Hostess turned back to face the audience. "Thank you for being a part of the Talented Teens special episode of the Weakest Link. Goodbye!”

"What can I say? I’m really disappointed. I controlled that game from the first round - although, I thought it would be Sona and I going head to head for the money - but she deserved what she got for trying to outfox me, and so did Veikko. In retrospect, I think Elijah was the perfect opponent. To be the best you need to beat the best, and I have to give him credit - he was the best, even though he could have taken home twice the prize if he got his head out of his books and touched some grass. I’m sorry to let my parents and my school down - but if there’s a chance to play again, I will not come up short a second time. Elijah may have the money, but if I’m going to be honest, I don’t think the better man won.”

"I feel AMAZING! This game was so stressful, I can’t even tell you how petrified I was the entire time! Building a chain, having everyone depend on you, having so much money on the line - it’s just too much! I think it was a very solid group, and any of us could have won in the final round. Tyson was probably the best at playing the game, at least until it was mano a mano, but Sona, Veikko and Candice were solid players too. Tyson’s probably brought up the fifty thousand dollars I lost, but since the way the show's edited gives me the last word, I’d like to remind him I also cost him the other seventy-seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars!”