“Do we all agree that keeping Drew could potentially be a smart move for us?”

The Icons spend an hour in the gym seriously considering blowing up their own week. Dee opens it: keep Drew instead of evicting him. She has the plan built inside two minutes — plant seeds today, run it Thursday, tell Drew the target’s on him and that they’re the ones saving him. Then the case falls apart under its own weight. Angela pushes for the real reason and Dee admits it’s just buying time. Angela’s counter lands: it’s trading one nominee for another. And Devens names the fatal flaw — Drew is the one person who could expose all their secrets, so looping him into a vote flip means “he blows us up in the process, because he’s got nothing to lose.”

Along the way they realize something that stops them cold. Dee complains that evicting Drew is “playing their game,” and Devens corrects her: it was the Icons’ idea first. They talked the Red Corner into it. “We put the idea in their head. We inceptioned it.” Dee’s response is to be annoyed anyway — “why are they taking control? We need to be in control.”

Earlier, in the HOH, Angela brought word that Haley and Kamu plan to build an alliance with Mallory next week, betting Mallory won’t nominate Haley. Dee wants Kamu gone regardless — “he is way too likable” — and after Angela leaves the gym, Devens admits he’s worried she’s drifting toward Haley. Dee’s fix arrives without a pause: “we can just put something in her head. Like, so-and-so has been saying this about you.”

By the end, they’re back where they started. Drew goes. Devens: “If he goes, that clears the board a little bit for us and takes a lot of the liability away.”

BB28 Time Capsule tally

The BB Time Capsule is a multi-week America’s Vote twist running Weeks 2 through 7. America votes one houseguest into the capsule each week, that person competes, and they either win a power or take a punishment. Each houseguest can only go in once.

• Week 2 — Angela Murray: lost, and wore the Hard-Boiled Detective costume
• Week 3 — Rick Devens: won the Diamond Power of Veto
• Week 4 — Dee Valladares: BB Bribe power.This allows her to offer one houseguest $5,000 in exchange for performing an action that benefits her game.

5:02 pm – Dee and Angela, HOH room

Dee: “I kind of like to look more glass full. Does that make sense? Like, I believe in us more.”
Angela: “I know, I do too.”
Dee: “I believe we’ll get out of any situation.” (No f—ing shit, Sherlock. Production feeds you powers left and right.)
Dee: “It could be a mistake, but we’ll only know, with anyone really, until we do stuff. But I like to believe that.”
Dee: “The three of us are like the strongest, most loyal.”
Angela: “I don’t know that I can convince Haley of that, but I know 100% I can with Lala. And then I feel like she could do it with Taylor, and I even think you could do it with Taylor.”
Angela: “But if you come up with something that I don’t come up with before Thursday, it would have to be Thursday — let me know.”
Angela: “Best case scenario, the best case is he wins it. He shows that he can actually win something, and he wins it. And then there’s no question.”

On what happens if Drew survives:

Dee: “I do think he will — see, that’s the tricky part, because he can come after us three or them three.”
Angela: “But he has absolutely no reason to come after us unless he knows that we knew all along. Haley put him on the block. He wouldn’t know we knew all along.”
Dee: “I know. They can try, but it’s their word against ours.”
Dee: “Haley put him on the block. Haley’s not making these decisions on her own. Who’s Haley’s close ally? Chuk.”
Angela: “And Devens is in on this one.”

Dee: “It just feels like sometimes when you step out and see a wider view — it’s very easy to go all in on someone and stick to it, stick to it, and not see everything. You get me?”
Angela: “Yeah, I do.”
Dee: “And we don’t know all the answers. We could be making a mistake, but—”
Angela: “I understand. It’s like keeping the snake that you know is a snake, instead of keeping somebody who you’re not sure what could happen — and also keeping somebody who will for sure carry a vendetta towards that side.”
Dee: “For sure, for sure.”
Angela: “And he wants to make big moves.” (Devens)

Angela: “I wonder if Haley’s going now and talking to Kamu about me.”
Dee: “Could be. Chuk is by himself. Her and Kamu are for sure talking.”
Dee: “Who else is missing? Lyric is missing. Lyric, Kamu.”

Angela has news.

Angela: “Oh, I should tell you this. She said this next week, her and Kamu are gonna form an alliance.”
Dee: “Who?”
Angela: “Haley and Kamu are gonna form an alliance with Mallory. Because she knows she has the power. She thinks Mallory will not put her up. She’s that confident.”
Dee: “Good, let them think that.”
Angela: “She’s going to put you up.”
Dee: “Let them do that, because that’s going to show Mallory how fake they are.”
Angela: “She said her and Kamu are forming this alliance with her this week.”
Dee: “Bro. Kamu’s forming alliances with everybody in this house.”
Angela: “Yeah, that’s going to be seen. That’s ridiculous. That’s why we need you. We need you to put them up.”
Angela: “I’m actually telling her for her benefit, like to help her. Like, she will put you up. And she’s like, no.”
Dee: “But sometimes with her, you can’t tell her things for her benefit all the time.”

Dee: “And Kamu needs to go sooner rather than later, because he is way too likable. And he’s good at everything. He’s f—ing playing beer pong — he wins. Playing toss the teabag — you win. Bro, are people not seeing that? You’re good at everything.”

Angela spots someone on the HOH spy screen.
Angela: “Who’s that? Oh, that’s Devens. I thought he was in the gym. I could have swore he went to the gym. I watched him walk in there.”
Dee: “No, he came out of the gym just now. He came out, walked, and now he’s going upstairs.”

Angela: “I keep saying that I’m good at some things, but not good at other things. I’m not good at memory stuff, which I’m really not.”
Dee: “Me either.”
Angela: “Oh, this game is crazy. And I know I’ve got to start playing with intention.”
Dee: “I feel like I need to get out of here so that she doesn’t get jealous. Anyway, I love you. I should probably just leave too and let Devens have this.”
Dee: “I wonder if anyone else is at the gym. Where the f— is everybody?”

5:10 pm Deven, Dee and Angela Upstairs Gym

Angela: “Girl, finally.”
Dee: “I don’t want to get caught.”
Angela: “This is bad?”
Dee: “Who cares? Everybody f—ing does it. Okay, what’s the plan?”
Angela: “D, you tell us.”

They hug it out.

Dee: “Okay, so wait. Do we all agree that keeping Drew could potentially be a smart move for us?”
Devens: “I waver back and forth.”
Dee: “You waver? Okay. What’s the wavering?”
Devens: “I think — yes, he’s better for us than he is for others. But he’s such a wild card, and he has so many of our secrets.”
Angela: “So many.”
Devens: “And I broached it to Yash too. I was like, Yash, just between you and I — what about if we kept Drew? And Drew’s told two of my secrets, and I don’t know that I trust Drew. And he wasn’t even on board for it. And I’m just like, is there a way to do this without alienating more people than we’d get by earning Drew back?”
Dee: “I did want to tell you this when we were in the hot tub — Yash was like, oh, I don’t know what Lala and Taylor… That’s a f—ing lie. You know they’re very f—ing close, right?”
Devens: “For sure.”
Dee: “Okay, so like — because he knows our secrets. But that’s his word against ours. I’m just playing.”
Devens: “No, totally. Totally. So I’m wavering back and forth, but I don’t know that there’s a way to do it either.”
Angela: “Guys, I don’t know why, but I’m feeling really nervous about not being in Haley’s room right now.”
Dee: “Okay, go, go, go, go to Haley’s room.”

Angela leaves. Dee and Devens keep going.

Dee: “One thing that I noticed when I was talking to Drew—”

Dee is talking about Angela here.

Dee: “I think she wants to keep Haley under wraps. I think that’s actually very smart.”
Devens: “That’s fine.”
Dee: “But she’s willing to vote her off. Is that what you’re worried about?”
Devens: “Yeah. I’m worried about her getting closer to Haley than us.”
Dee: “Oh, no. I’ll put you up in a heartbeat.”
Devens: “And then I feel like she’s worried about me getting closer to Yash.”
Dee: “You guys can get close to whoever you want. I don’t care. I know your loyalty is—”
Devens: “I know that with you.”
Dee: “You just waver. I’m not too worried, because we can just put something in her head. Like, so-and-so has been saying this about you, you know what I mean? We’ll figure it out.”
Dee: “The one thing that did catch with Drew, when you had left — he said that he thinks he has us. Which is great. That means we’re doing a good job at keeping him comfortable.”

The feeds cut. When we’re back it’s 5:16 pm.

Devens: “I think you go with Mallory and Barrett.”
Dee: “But they’re losing numbers. Melody. And Barrett is with us.”
Devens: “But they’re not losing numbers. I guess they would lose a number.”
Dee: “No, they’re losing a number this week, because any of those three going home is a number for them.”
Devens: “I mean, we’d have to get rid of Melody, I think. If we kept Drew, I don’t think Lyric’s a number for them.”
Dee: “Lyric, bro. You’re never going to get this right.”
Devens: “But we can’t keep Drew and Melody. It’s got to be Melody if it’s not Drew, I think. Because that brings him back to us.”
Dee: “Well, here’s the thing. The Red Corner wants to take out Lyric.”
Devens: “Exactly.”
Dee: “So that’s like a different story.”
Devens: “And I think if we take out Lyric and keep Melody and Drew, we’re just shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Dee reads the room from the spy screen.

Dee: “Lala, Yash, Taylor. That’s a trio.”
Dee: “Chuk has been trying to work Lala and Taylor. That could be a trio too.”
Dee: “Really, keeping Drew — not that I trust him — would just be that nobody trusts him. So they can take him out whenever. That would really be the only reason.”
Dee: “And I do think he trusts us more than Chuk, Kamu, and Haley. He hates Haley. The thing is, Haley put him up as a pawn.”
Devens: “But if we’re only keeping him because people will get him out before us — how’s that different than Melody? Nobody trusts Melody.”
Dee: “But Melody’s not going to win anything. Melody’s just there. She’s on the block. She’s not even having conversations with people.”
Dee: “Completely less threatening, for sure. She’s not threatening at all. And she hates Haley. By association, hates the other two. They never speak.”
Dee: “But we’re in conversation with Melody. We’re always doing our little rounds. They’re not.”

On Yash:

Dee: “And I do think Yash is with Chuk and Kamu.”
Devens: “I don’t think so. Well — Yash is playing two sides. He is. And way better than anyone else. He’s with them to an extent, but I don’t think to the point that you or I would be at risk.”
Dee: “I don’t think he’d put us up, but he’s still with them. Because when the three of them talk about Yash — remember, they say Tool Shed in front of Yash. Yash is in on that.”
Dee: “Since week one when I was HOH, guess who came upstairs trying to keep Yash?”
Devens: “He’s pretty unhappy with Chuk. Because he knows Chuk’s the one that put his name out to Angela.”

Devens: “I just don’t see how we convince them to keep Drew without exposing ourselves more than it’s worth. And there were reasons that we were excited to get rid of Drew. Those all still exist.”
Dee: “Yeah, absolutely.”
Devens: “But now they exist for everyone.”
Dee: “Those reasons exist for everyone because we were the first ones to think he was shady and we put it in their head, right? So why can’t we put in his head that he’s with the Tool Shed, but really he’s with the Crossovers? We put in that f—ing time and effort to make him believe it’s us. Look what he did with Mallory. We didn’t like that he was going around, but he was still trying to keep a friend in.”
Dee: “This all could be risk, you know. I’m just saying. Could he do that for us?”
Devens: “But see, I don’t think he was trying to keep a friend in. Like a number. I think he was just trying to keep his escape route from us available.”
Dee: “What do you mean?”
Devens: “I think that was his — if they had won HOH, I think he’d have bailed on us in a heartbeat.”
Dee: “Yeah, for sure.”
Devens: “And I still think Angela’s going to be — she’s been trying to get rid of him forever. I’m not even sure if we can get her off it.”
Dee: “Oh, Angela’s down.”

The feeds cut. When we’re back..

5:30 pm – Dee and Devens, upstairs gym

Dee: “Yeah, before this, in the storage — she’s down for it. She’s down for it. Okay, it’s a risk either way.”
Devens: “Hey, if you want to do it, I’m down. Let’s just come up with a plan.”
Dee: “You don’t feel good about it, though?”
Devens: “I don’t.”
Devens: “I trust you. I trust you.”
Dee: “No, that’s too much pressure. No, get out of here. No, let’s get rid of him.”
Devens: “And if I leave because of it—”
Dee: “F— no. No, no, no. I’m walking out of here.”
Devens: “Yeah, let’s do it. Honestly… I’m going to be so bored. Do we have to get the whole gang together?”
Dee: “I think we cannot do it today. I think we need to have this Thursday. We need to do little things today, though — seeds.”
Devens: “And Angela.”

The plan, if they run it:

Dee: “Because here’s the thing. Here’s another risk. If we truly convince Drew — like, oh shit, maybe Thursday. Dude, the target is on you. And make him believe, like, yo, we got your back. Where are the numbers we need? Like, you’re going home. And get him riled up.”
Dee: “The risk in that is that—”
Devens: “He blows us up.”
Dee: “Correct. I mean, it’s still our word against his. And I don’t think he’d do that if he really trusts that we’re saving him.”
Dee: “I do think he’d go after them first, and also everyone else. That’s one number already. So two more seats. Three seats on the block. And one could always be Drew. That’s a win.”
Dee: “I don’t know. Just thoughts.”

Devens: “What would the approach be to the Red Corner folks?”
Dee: “The approach would be — Drew truly believes he’s with us. Like, he believes in the Tool Shed. So why are we getting rid of a number? Why are we getting rid of a number if everyone else in the house is getting together trying to take us all out? Why are we not staying strong?”
Dee: “And they could definitely push back, as they should. But it would be, why are we getting rid of a number?”
Dee: “Oh, no, but we have Yash. Yeah, but Yash is also very cool with Taylor. We figure out — and we make them feel like Taylor, Haley, she’s going to put you up.”
Devens: “Make them feel more vulnerable, and that we need to be Tool Shed strong.”
Dee: “I don’t know. Or maybe I’m just going crazy because I’m also bored.” (Yeah, so are we watching this kraken-cast.)
Devens: “There’s a lot of time between votes.”

Dee: “It matters the way people act, too. Like in these down days. The way that people act when they’re on the block — what are they actually trying to do to stay here?”
Dee: “Because now Drew’s believing that Chuk and Kamu are with him. Like, why? Why do you believe that? Because then that’s the red flag in my head. Like, oh, if you believe them — they’re not.”

Dee asks for the case against.

Dee: “Okay, now tell me the negatives of keeping him. Am I getting too ahead of myself?”
Devens: “The negatives of keeping him are, he is what we think he is — which is someone who will go wherever he needs to go to survive. And jump back and forth and stab people in the back to survive.”
Devens: “And that we could end up throwing up a bunch of red flags to the Red Corner people and making them think that we have something going on. And he could blow us up.”
Dee: “But they have something going on with a bunch of other people too.”
Devens: “Sure they do. And we’re well aware of that. But it could be the thing that makes them, if they win HOH, go after us. Or it could just fall apart. This could be the end of what we have if it really blew up. Or if Drew blew us up.”
Dee: “But even if there was an end to what we have, they like us more than they like them. So we get rid of them. You get what I’m saying?”
Devens: “I hear that, but that’s also a reason that we don’t need Drew.”

Dee: “Angela just told me in the room really quick that Kamu and Haley are going to form an alliance with Mallory sometime these next couple days.”
Devens: “I think Mallory would much rather be with us. As long as we have Barrett, especially.”
Devens: “I had a talk with Mallory yesterday. Mallory, just so you know, I know we don’t talk strategically a lot, but you’re totally good with me. And she’s like, you too. I would not go after you.”
Devens: “But she also said, you and Haley are the ones that kept me safe.”
Devens: “So she might feel that same way about Haley, as opposed to, like, you and Kamu.”

The realization:

Dee: “I guess it just bothers me too, that taking Drew out is like playing their game.”
Devens: “But it was our idea.”
Dee: “Yeah, I know. It really was our idea. F—.”
Devens: “We put the idea in their head. It literally was our idea.”
Devens: “We inceptioned it. Into doing this.”
Dee: “It’s great. It’s so good.”

Angela rolls in.

Angela: “Haley’s doing nails and Kamu’s reading the Bible and Drew’s in there, so there’s nothing going on. Give me a recap.”
Devens: “Are you on board with the Drew thing? Keeping Drew?”
Angela: “Fenced. Fenced.”
Devens: “Because I didn’t know if you would be or not. And do you think it’s doable to convince Red Corner to keep Drew?”
Angela: “I was asking her what I could use to even convince Haley, if I’m spending the night with her and I’ll be with her in the morning.”
Devens: “I think we can do it.”
Dee: “We were just laughing because we did an inception on them, on taking Drew out.”
Devens: “This was all our idea, that we convinced them was their idea. And now we’re like, maybe we shouldn’t do what they want. It was like, wait a second. This was what we wanted.”
Dee: “Why are they taking control? We need to be in control.”
Devens: “We were trying to figure out, is it best for our game to keep him or get rid of him? Because I think we can do it.”
Dee: “I think we can do whatever we want.”
Devens: “Because we’ll always find a way. And also, it’s kind of fun.”
Dee: “Honestly, I think it’d be a lot of fun.”
Devens: “But I just don’t know if it’s — we’re discussing if it’s the best thing or not. What do you think?”
Dee: “There’s pros and cons for sure.”
Devens: “For the three of us. Like, that’s all that matters.”

Angela gives her read.

Angela: “So the plus side of keeping him is that he still believes, or at least he says he does. He is the snake that we all know in the house, so he’s always going to be a target of some kind. He’s already been on the block, so anybody else putting him up isn’t going to feel bad about doing it.”
Angela: “Other than that, I don’t see a lot of positive.”
Angela: “Oh, one more thing. He is probably pretty pissed off. He’s made it known today.”
Devens: “It would be real easy to get him to turn on those three when we want him to.”
Angela: “Right, but I don’t see him ever taking a shot at them, because he’s just not going to win. He’s never going to go after the HOH unless something’s lit a fire under him.”
Dee: “You don’t think this was a wake-up call for him?”
Angela: “I don’t know. His personality type — I can’t see him being in power and putting people up.”
Devens: “As of yesterday, he wanted to. But now Chuk and Kamu were nice to him for a day, and he’s like, oh, I don’t know anymore.”
Dee: “That was a red flag, yeah.”
Angela: “He’s a wussy. Yeah, he’s kind of a pud.” (Okay, now I hate Angela, but that might be the funniest line so far of the season.)

5:32 pm – Dee, Devens and Angela, upstair gym

Dee: “Here’s the thing, though. If this ever f—ing backfires on any of us, like, I could never live with myself. So you guys gotta be on board.”
Angela: “I just feel like you haven’t given the best reason possible as to why to do this. It’s a lot of work. What’s the biggest reason — what’s the best reason, other than potentially he’s with us?”
Dee: “No, no, no. That’s not the biggest reason. I think truly the biggest reason is we’re buying time, because everyone wants him out. Anyone that wins will put him up again. Or even if he were to do something, he puts other people up. He takes the shot.”
Dee: “I don’t think he’s going to win. But the bigger reason is to buy us more time to stay off the block, because he’s an easy block for everyone. Because nobody trusts him. Yash doesn’t trust him. Taylor hates him. Lala hates him. The Red Corner now wants him out.”
Angela: “Hey, there’s still two other girls that people are going to do that to. It’s just trading one for the other. Him staying is no different than one of the girls staying.”
Dee: “The girls may stay in the game because they have no influence. Melody’s not going to win. She’s easy to take to the end.”
Dee: “We’re here thinking that we’re just going to put Lyric, Mallory, Melody up, when it can change at any moment too. Any day, somebody can wake up and be like, why the f— are we not putting these three people up?”
Angela: “I know it’s hard, but we’re also working with three other people at the moment. They feel the same exact way. We’re shields for them just as much as they’re shields for us. That’s why we’re not getting put up — because we’re with them, and they know that. But there will probably come a middle point coming soon.”
Angela: “It’s a lot of work to do some convincing otherwise, when we told them to do it.”
Dee: “F—ing crazy.”
Angela: “At the same time, I’m kind of a believer that things happen in this game that are supposed to happen. It always goes in the wash. It works itself out. I feel like he’ll win it if he’s meant to be here.”
Angela: “He feels the fire already. He doesn’t want to go home. And then he’ll fight for Lyric to be the one to go home so he can stay.”
Devens: “Which is still great, because — which I think we should get rid of Melody.”
Angela: “Over Lyric?”
Devens: “That brings Drew closer to us.”
Dee: “Yeah. It does, because he’s the go-to. But you see, now we get the same problem. We didn’t want Lyric out. So we have to give and take. So either way, every week is just going to get harder and harder.”
Angela: “But if Melody stays, they get two people that almost broke up their little thing, that they’re pissed at her. They hate her. They both stay. It’s great.”
Angela: “Lyric doesn’t hate her, and she’s too kind to do anything crazy. And she came up to check on her. Are you okay? Do we need anything? Yeah, I was up there with Haley. And she goes, are you okay? I’m here to check on you. It was crazy.”
Angela: “So if Melody and Drew stay and they want Lyric out, that’s even better for us, guys. Because they hate her. They both hate her.”
Dee: “Truly, any of those girls — it’s not going to be a big—”
Angela: “I think she’ll win it, guys. I think we’re worrying for nothing.”
Dee: “Lyric is very good. She could win. It’s Lyric or Drew.”
Angela: “But I also think she feels a little defeated, and she doesn’t have her person here, really. She has the girls, but I feel like she’s also feeling defeated.”

Devens lands it.

Devens: “I think if Drew goes home, it really clears the board a little bit for us in a way that I like.”
Dee: “All right. If you guys feel comfortable with him being on, I’m down for it.”
Devens: “There’s a reason I wanted Drew out. It’s still all there. I’ll do whatever, because I think it’s fun.”
Dee: “Yeah, of course. Same.”
Devens: “But I think if he stays, we use it. If he goes — that clears the board a little bit for us and takes a lot of the liability away, because he’s the one that would blow up all our secrets.”
Devens: “And I do think there’s a major chance that in a world where we try to change the vote and bring him in on that, he blows us up in the process. Because he’s got nothing to lose.”
Angela: “I’m going to go. Everybody thinks you’re in an upstairs DR.”
Devens: “I know. I’ve got to be there anyway. I’ve got to go change shirts.”

5:45 pm Lyric and Dee Game talk

Lyric lays out who she’d protect if she won.

Lyric: “Keep Devens safe, because he used the veto. I would keep Chuk and Kamu safe.”
Dee: “I think somebody’s coming in.”
Lyric: “Yeah, I think so.”

Lyric: “But yeah, I learned my lesson. You cannot tell people things or try to advocate for yourself and throw someone under the bus. And I will not be doing that from here on out.”
Dee: “Yeah, it’ll backfire.”
Lyric: “It’ll backfire. And I don’t want to do that. I learned that, you know?”
Dee: “You would keep safe people that threw you on the block?”
Lyric: “Well — yeah, Kamu put me up on the block, but I took myself off. I don’t want to put myself in a position where I have strong players coming after me.”
Lyric: “And so I want to align myself with the right people, because I want to work with people who are going to win competitions and keep me safe too. I want to compete to keep people in this game safe.”
Lyric: “If I were to ever win HOH, I would look you in the face like you looked me in the eye and tell you you’re safe this week, you can relax. So that’s where I’m at right now.”
Lyric: “But tell me if I’m pivoting too hard, if it’s too much.”
Dee: “No, I can’t tell you that, because your game is your game, and this is your intuition.”
Dee: “I wouldn’t try to keep people safe that put me on the block. But that’s just me. Unless I’ve had good conversations. It seems like you’ve had good conversations with people. I get it. Things can shift.”

Dee starts opening the door.

Dee: “Because — oh man, I’m trying to word this correctly. Because I’ve heard you’re still an option. You get what I’m saying?”
Lyric: “Yeah.”
Dee: “Not for me. To go home. Not for me. And I’m not going to say names, but I think you get where I’m getting at.”
Dee: “So that’s why I’m asking these questions, to try to get at — okay, what are you being told, if you’re still an option? It’s not going to be told to your face, because people are going to lie.”
Dee: “That’s why I asked you to speak to those people, to just triple check. Not for me. I was just talking to Devens. Definitely not for him. That would be my two cents.”
Lyric: “Okay. Just check with those people.”
Lyric: “Yeah, it’s a tough game. People lie straight to your face. That’s why you can never be certain.”
Dee: “They’ll lie to your face and put you up next week. And that’s the sucky part about this. But I’m trying to open your eyes a little bit. I’m not trying to throw people under. I’m just trying to open up your eyes a little bit.”
Lyric: “But is it smart strategically for me to take such a big shot at people?”
Dee: “No, no, you’re not going to take a shot. You’re not. You’re just opening up your eyes. Because you’re still an option. So you’re not taking any shots. You’re just being aware of what’s really happening.”
Dee: “I know what’s happening because I’m not you. I’m not the one on the block. So I’m a vote, right? Just like other people are votes. So I’m hearing stuff that you’re not going to hear, because you’re on the block.”
Dee: “And I get it. It’s going to happen to me. Like, it’s going to happen. I trust that you’d do the same for me.”
Lyric: “Right.”
Dee: “So I trust that 100%. And I haven’t heard your name once this week. Not even once.”
Dee: “But it doesn’t matter about me, because we’re focused on you right now. You’re on the block.”
Lyric: “Yeah, and I’m here for a reason, and actions speak louder than words. I understand that.”
Dee: “Just stay aware. Because I’m cool, but I’m super aware of what’s happening.”
Dee: “People will lie straight to your face.”
Lyric: “Yes, and they’re good at it.”
Dee: “Very good. Sometimes I’ll be by myself like, oh f—, what did I talk about with this person? And do I really believe that? I guess we’ll never know until the action comes. But we don’t want the action to be too late.”
Dee: “But I think you should — I mean, you just told me you wouldn’t put any of them up. You still play that card. Make them feel it, you know what I mean? Because they could win.”
Dee: “But just be aware that you’re still an option.”

Lyric: “Yep. Unfortunately. Thanks, D. That sucks.”
Lyric: “I understand, in this game, if there’s someone who has won a competition sitting next to someone who hasn’t, they most likely go home. I’m very aware of that. And it’s scary. But I understand the reality of it, and I hate that I’m in this position in the first place. I have to pack my suitcase and prepare myself to leave.”
Lyric: “And Haley put me in this position. I understand that. It’s tough.”
Lyric: “But how can I get myself out of it? What can I control?”
Dee: “It’s whatever you can control now.”
Lyric: “Thank you for opening my eyes.”
Dee: “Just watching out for you. Because you’re still an option, unfortunately. No matter what anybody tells you. Not to me. Or Devens, because I just talked to him.”
Dee: “And I trust that you wouldn’t say that. Not one person.”
Lyric: “I’m not talking to anyone about that. Not one. I won’t. I’m not going to say that to anyone. I promise. I swear. My lips are sealed.”
Lyric: “Yeah, well — I think it also depends on what week I’m fortunate enough to win. If I can make it past this week. I want to be here, but I understand the reality of it.”
Lyric: “Constantly being in this position is not fun. But it is important to be aware and see who is putting me in this position.”
Dee: “Yeah. Why are you in this position to begin with?”

7:38 pm — Mallory and Lyric, storage room

Mallory recaps a conversation she just had with Kamu.

Mallory: “He said, Haley told me that you wanted to talk to me. And I was like, oh — Haley asked me what I would do if I was HOH. And I said that I would talk to you and try to figure out who’s putting targets on my back.”
Mallory: “I said I would try to talk to you because, you know, you told me people said I was targeting you three and the icons and Barrett.”
Lyric: “He said that to you?”
Mallory: “Yeah.”
Lyric: “Don’t trust him for a second.”
Mallory: “No, I don’t.”

Lyric decides to tell her something.

Lyric: “Mallory — I’m going to tell you before the Blockbuster what I need to tell you. Before I go, if I leave.”
Mallory: “What? Tell me.”
Lyric: “I can’t, because if it gets out then I could be in jeopardy.”
Mallory: “I’m not going to say anything.”
Lyric: “I do not trust Kamu or Haley.”
Mallory: “I don’t trust them either.”
Lyric: “Don’t.”
Mallory: “I’ve never trusted them. Wait — tell me.”
Lyric: “Don’t tell people that I believe that, because I need them to think that I trust them.”
Mallory: “No, I won’t tell anybody that.”
Lyric: “Are you going to keep me if Melody and I are sitting next to each other?”
Mallory: “It looks like you’re going to have the majority either way.”
Lyric: “Mallory. I swear. I swear to God. Are you lying to me?”
Mallory: “I’m not lying. I’ll let you know if anything changes.”
Lyric: “Mallory. Look me in the eyes right now. You cannot tell anyone this.”
Mallory: “I won’t.”
Lyric: “You cannot trust Yash.”
Mallory: “Okay.”

Lyric: “I’m telling you these things because I need you to keep them between us. You can’t even tell Melody.”
Mallory: “Okay. Why? What did he do?”
Lyric: “No, nothing. He’s just leaning that way. He’s playing — obviously Yash is playing a very good game, you know, he’s friends with everyone. But just be careful. I’m getting scared about the things that I told Yash Saturday. He’s going to go to them.”
Lyric: “I’m trusting you with my life.”
Lyric: “That’s what I was going to tell you if I didn’t win the Blockbuster. You can’t trust — I mean, you can, but not now. Do you know what I mean? While the power is still on that side of the house, you can’t trust them.”
Mallory: “Yeah, and if that’s the case, you can’t trust them period, because the power will be back there eventually.”
Lyric: “Mallory, you know why I can’t trust them? Because my ass is on the block right now.”
Mallory: “Yeah. I never trusted them.”
Lyric: “I tried to. And I’m sorry that I had to not throw you under the bus to get there, you know? But it didn’t work.”
Lyric: “Oh yeah, they can’t be trusted.”

The next comp:

Mallory: “Are you good at balancing?”
Lyric: “What do you mean?”
Mallory: “Like, balancing. They’re thinking the next comp might be the balancing one.”
Lyric: “Oh. Hmm.”
Mallory: “I’m bad at balancing, so you have to f—ing lose.”

Lyric counts votes.

Lyric: “Is Barrett on board to vote me to stay?”
Mallory: “You have the majority to stay.”
Lyric: “Even if I’m sitting next to Melody? Are you sure?”
Mallory: “You have that whole side of the house, plus me, plus Taylor and Lala. 100%.”
Lyric: “So if Chuk and Kamu vote the other way, it’s going to be good.”
Mallory: “You think they would?”
Lyric: “Part of me does.”
Mallory: “No, you’re good.”
Lyric: “I believe so.”

Lyric: “I have to make them believe right now that I’m not going to put them up.”

7:42 pm Lyric’s plan if she wins Head of household

Lyric: “But Mallory, I’m telling you. I am angry right now. If I win HOH next week, those three keys will be what we want. I am upset.”
Lyric: “Like, if you want me in this game, you cannot tell them.”
Mallory: “I won’t. Okay?”
Lyric: “I just — it’s clear as day that I can’t trust them. I’m up on the block, after I was given safety from Haley.”

They agree they can’t trust Chuk or Kamu.

Mallory: “I won’t. But they’re too good, the six of them. They don’t need anybody else.”
Lyric: “Six is majority. They can get whoever they want out.”
Mallory: “The six of them have different kinds of people. Kamu and Chuk are close with Yash.”

Lyric: “The only information they got from me was that you would put them up. Which is already known.”
Mallory: “That’s probably exactly what they wanted. And then the icons.”
Lyric: “But they already knew that, though. That’s why I had to tell you. Also, I couldn’t do it on my conscience. Like, I can’t say you’re my best friend.”
Lyric: “And I’m sorry again. I feel like such a shit person.”
Mallory: “It’s okay. But they all have pockets of information they get from other people, and they have all the power.”

Lyric goes back to the Kamu conversation.

Lyric: “Are you lying to me about what Kamu said to you?”
Mallory: “Mm-mm.”
Lyric: “I swear. What did he say?”
Mallory: “I was like, do you still want to talk to him? He was like, yeah, I’ve been meaning to talk to you, and Haley told me you wanted to talk as well.”
Mallory: “And then I said that whole thing I told you — where I was like, Haley basically asked me who I would put up as HOH, and I said I didn’t know, but I would want to talk to you to figure out who put these targets on my back.”
Mallory: “He also asked me if I know where people are voting, and I just said no. I said I don’t know.”
Mallory: “And I was like, I understand if you don’t want to tell me. That’s why I didn’t want to just come to you with it.”
Mallory: “And he was like, yeah, I don’t want to rat anybody out, but I do.”

7:45 pm – Barrett joins Mallory and Lyric in the storage room.

Barrett: “Thanks. Thank you for having me here.”
they offer him a food
Barrett: “I don’t need any more today.”

Where the Big Brother 28 Alliances stand — Week 4

• The Tool Shed — Haley, Kamu, Chuk, Dee, Devens, Angela, Barrett, Drew
  The eight-person mega alliance, still official, still meeting. The catch: seven of them are using it to blindside the eighth. Drew trusts it completely. Barrett is in it and kept in the dark.
• The Red Corner — Kamu, Chuk, Haley
  The trio actually steering this HOH. They hide how close they are — Haley calls it “keeping up with the storylines” — and they’ve run the week: the nominations, the veto plan, the Lyric renom.
• The Icons — Dee, Devens, Angela
  The counter-trio, and the house’s quietest power. Dee and Devens are the strongest duo in the game; Angela is their third. They planted the Drew target in the Red Corner’s heads, then spent Tuesday debating whether to un-plant it. Devens is sitting on the Diamond Power of Veto, and only Dee knows.
• The Littles — Melody, Mallory, Lyric
  The other side’s trio, and it’s fraying. Lyric relayed Mallory’s plans to the Red Corner, Melody seeded the story that Lyric sold them out, and all three are nominees or recent nominees.

The pairs that matter

• Dee and Devens — ride or die, and everyone knows it.
• Drew and Barrett — real friends, which is exactly why Barrett is being kept in the dark.
• Mallory and Barrett — the almost-showmance.
• Kamu and Lyric — not an alliance. A recruitment project, and half the reason this week nearly split the Tool Shed.

And the middle: Yash is playing both sides better than anyone, by Devens’ own read. Taylor and Lala are a family unit with no alliance to anyone — which is exactly why Taylor keeps landing on the block.

Showmances just can’t catch a break this season.