Page 109 of Uncharted

“Good luck with that,” Sam says. No way I’m not going to use all the time I have.

“There’s food for you in the galley.” Dante climbs into the tender and holds Haley’s hand. She doesn’t need it, but she takes it. With the funky tides today, we left the observation platform back at camp empty.

“Thanks. It’s much appreciated,” Easton says.

I’ve worked for another hour in the engine room when Easton knocks on the door. “I’m taking the WaveRunner back to the cave for the night.”

“Fine.”

“Do you want to watch?” Easton asks. It’s a safety protocol that Zane put in place. When anyone takes the WaveRunner to the cave—usually Easton because he’s the best swimmer—someone stands on the back deck and watches.

“I’ll be right there.” I grab a rag and wipe my hands, then head out back. He’s waiting on the swim platform. I cup my hands and yell, “Take the damn vest.”

“Right.” He puts it on but doesn’t latch it up.

I roll my eyes at him, but what am I going to say? Give him Zane’s safety talk? Yeah, I don’t think so. I want to get back to the engine room, but Haley would have my hide if I didn’t wait until Easton was back on board. Easton takes off on the WaveRunner as I watch.

I’m sitting on a lounger, almost enjoying the sun on my skin, when it clicks. This is the first time I’ve been alone since my hike all those months ago when I found the pomelos. And now I’m craving pomelos.

It’s not long before Easton’s head appears in the distance. Typical—he’s left the vest back at the cave. Whatever. I’m turning into my dad. I go down to the swim platform and put out my hand to pull him up from the water.

“Oh no, I left my vest back in the cave.”

“Ha ha. I’m going to tell Haley on you.”

“Fucker, you wouldn’t.”

“Maybe I would. Maybe I wouldn’t.” I shrug.

“I’m not trading my time next to Haley for your silence,” Easton says.

“Damn straight. I don’t play games with the woman I love.”

Easton dries his hair with a beach towel as we head up the backstairs, through the main salon, to the dining room where the VHF is sucking up battery power. I haven’t been able to get enough current running to plug anything big in. No computers, hair dryers, or power tools, that’s for sure.

“I’ll listen all night. Go get a good ten hours of sleep.” Easton pats me on my back.

“Yeah, you know, sleep and me don’t work that way.” I flop into a dining room chair and put my feet up on the back of another one. I really wish I could get some sleep when I’m on board. That would be freaking fantastic.

Easton opens the logbook. He’s got a handwritten copy of the notes from the back of Rocky’s journal on the table.

“You going to stare at those numbers all night long like Zane does?”

“Why not? Nothing else to do.” Easton shrugs. “Hey, why did you take that panel off and put it back?” He points over my shoulder.

“What panel?” I crane my neck.

“The one on the far side. Over there.”

I raise my eyebrows at him. I certainly haven’t put any panels back in place. What would be the point? If—whenwe get the ship running, we’re going to want easy access to any of the areas that were damaged. We’re not going to be throwing a cocktail party. “We haven’t ever removed that panel,” I say with firmness. “There are no systems behind it.”

Easton stands up and moves around me. He taps the wall. “This here? It looks like the marks we made on the first few panels when we took them off.”

“You worried about the finish on your boat? I’m sure insurance will pay to have it buffed out. The hole in the side of the Rock Candy’s hull? Not so much.” I laugh. Most of the wall panels around the main salon are off and stacked on the other side of the room. All the way from the wheelhouse back to the galley, all on the side with the mechanicals.

“Fuck you, Green. Look here.” He taps the wall.

I stand. He’s right. I should just go down to the primary cabin and get some sleep, but Easton has a pry bar in his hand. “Fuck, Rockwell, if you’re going to do it, do it right.” I take the tool out of his hand and pop the bracket that holds it in place. I move it to the side, giving Easton a view of the inside I don’t have.

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