Prologue (Castaway)

(I can't believe I'm getting paid for this!)

If there's one good thing about being a journalist, it's that it takes you places.

Like a top-of-the-line cruise ship cutting through a beautiful tropical sea.

TK: "Earth to . Don't you have an article to write?"

TK: "Or are you going to spend all day staring off into the water?"

(Ugh. We have so many cool photographers working at the San Francisco office.)

(Why'd they have to import this jerk from the Australian branch?)

MC: "Says the guy who's had his camera off since we stepped onboard."

MC: "We won't have a header if you don't actually take any pictures."

TK and I had only worked together a few days before we set sail,

but it was long enough for me to form my opinion of him.

(Hot shot photographers are the worst.)

(Even when they're cute.)

(Especially when they're cute.)

TK: "I'll take pictures when something interesting happens."

MC: "I'd like to see what you find interesting."

TK: "Hey, I just have high standards."

He shoots me a surprisingly rakish grin before his face sets back into a suprior expression.

TK: "You haven't even picked who to interview yet."

MC: "I did pick. You disagreed with me."

(Which was annoying, but he certainly keeps things interesting.)

MC: "Captain Hughes knows more about this ship than anyone."

TK: "All you're going to get out of that guy is 'back in my day, blah blah.'"

TK: "It's boring, no flash at all."

TK: "We should at least talk to the engineer."

TK: "What's his name? Owens."

MC: "You don't want boring, but you want to talk to the engineer?"

MC: "What if we go talk to Mr. Singh since this whole thing is his brainchild?"

MC: "Maybe he'd actually tell us what this trip is about."

TK: "Oh sure, the reclusive millionaire who's notoriously secretive about everything."

TK: "I'm sure he'll just open right up!"

TK: "You think you can just go bat your eyelashes at him?"

I roll my eyes and TK huffs,

sweeping up his camera and walking right past me to leave the deck.

(How did someone my age get so jaded? It's not like we're doing this for free.)

(But he might be right about Mr. Singh. I'll go find the captain first.)

Soon the welcome party is in full swing, but it's not hard to find Captain Hughes.

He's a solid six feet tall and hanging on the edge of the deck with a glass of scotch,

quietly watching everyone.

MC: "Hey, Captain."

Clyde: "Ah, Miss . You look lovely today."

Clyde: "Being at sea doesn't suit everyone, aye."

Something about his earnest smile sends a rush of heat up the back of my neck.

(God, that Australian accent is killer.)

MC: You can just call me ."

Clyde: "Then please, call me Clyde.

MC: "Okay, Clyde. Can I ask you a few questions about the ship?"

His smile disappears at the qusetion, taking a long sip from his scotch.

Clyde: "Well, I won't stop you."

MC: "Is there something wrong?"

Clyde: "Used to be every sailor knew there's two things they couldn't control: the wind and waves."

Clyde: "But you always had your ship, yeah?"

Clyde: "Except this one runs by itself."

Clyde: "Anyone can punch in GPS coordinates and the ship's systems will follow along."

Clyde: "Makes me wonder why Arthur even wanted a captain. I'm practically obsolete."

MC: "Arthur? You mean Mr. Singh?"

Clyde: "Mmhmm."

(I can't blame him for being upset. No one likes to think they're being replaced.)

Clyde: "But this is a party, isn't it? You should be enjoying yourself."

Clyde: "Please, have a drink. Then you can ask all the questions you want."

Despite the words, a teasing light fills Clyde's eyes, brightening his whole face.

I turn ot take one of the crystal glasses from the bar,

but before I can make my choice, I see TK chatting in the corner with an older woman.

Everything about her is put together, graceful and professional, but I have no idea who she is.

(There's no harm in asking.)

(...and not because she's gorgeous. This is just... professional curiosity. Yeah.)

MC: "Clyde, who's she?"

Clyde turns to look at the woman. A fond smile tugs at his mouth.

Clyde: "That's Serena Zhang, the ship's doctor."

Clyde: "She's a bit of a hard nut to crack, but deep down she's a real softie."

(Maybe I should try and get an interview with her...)

I chew on this thought and look out at the peaceful ocean as we sail through the Pacific.

Not an hour later, our ship has sailed straight into a giant storm!

A bolt of lightning cracks down from the sky and I shriek,

squeezing my eyes shut.

I open them just in time for the deafening roar of thunder,

and everyone on deck winces, trying to cover their ears.

A. Ask what's going on.

B. Run inside.

C. Deep breaths!

---

C. Deep breaths!

I can feel myself starting to panic, so I try to take a few deep breaths.

(Don't freak out, . Everything is going to be okay.)

---

Clyde: "Everyone, get inside!"

Clyde's order is almost drowned out as rain breaks loose from the darkened sky,

wind whipping across the deck so hard that glass rattles and threatens to shatter.

The ship lurches, shuddering in the water.

A loud alarm starts to blare and I watch Clyde dash across the deck to Mr. Singh and the engineer,

neither of whom had moved at his order.

Clyde: "Logan, you better have built this ship strong enough to withstand a storm!"

Logan: "Talk to Singh! My specs accounted for bad weather, Clyde, I'm not an idiot."

Arthur: "I told you this ship had to be ready for anything. Absolutely anything."

Another gust of wind sweeps across the deck, and I lose my balance,

head slamming against the wall behind me.

The last thing I see is a huge wave, rising up to crash down over the ship.

(Ow.)

(Ow ow ow.)

The back of my head is throbbing, but someone's warm hands are cupping my face,

one tracing downwards to find my pulse.

When I finally manage to open my eyes, I see the doctor, Serena.

Serena: "Good, you're awake."

I'm suddenly aware of our proximity and heat rushes to my face as I try to blink past my blurred vision.

Serena: "What's your name?"

MC: "What?"

Serena: "Your name."

MC: "Uh,  ."

Serena: "At least you remember that much. Now follow my finger."

I try to focus on her finger, but I find her intense gaze very... distracting.

MC: "Wh... where are we?"

Serena withdraws her finger,

sighing with faint irritation.

Serena: "The only answer I can give is 'shipwrecked.'"

MC: "What happened to everyone else? We can't be the only people who made it."

Serena: "Probably not, but I wasn't going to leave you alone and unconscious."

Serena: "That's unprofessional."

MC: "And where's the boat? Is that it in the distance?"

MC: "How could the engine just stop? It's supposed to be the best in the world and one storm sinks it?"

MC: "What kind of Titanic--"

I'm cut short by Serena pressing one of her fingers against my mouth,

and the next sound that comes out is a surprised wheeze.

Serena: "You're going to hyperventilate. Breathe."

Serena: "...and stop asking rhetorical questions."

MC: "...Okay."

Serena: "First of all, I don't know what that thing is but it's not our ship."

Serena: "Secondly, our priority right now is finding some shelter before the sun is down and takes all our light."

(How can she be so calm about everything? I can't believe this is even happening.)

MC: "So where exactly are we going to go?"

Serena: "Inland. There's nothing on the beach but debris."

MC: "Inland like that dark jungle over there?"

Serena: "Yes."

(And here I am without hiking boots.)

(It's going to be a really long day.)

MC: "Great."

MC: "Lead the way?"

(The jungle is so much worse than the beach.)

(I should probably be more worried,)

(but this whole situation is so bizarre that I can't really make myself believe that it will last.)

MC: "Speaking of bizarre..."

Serena: "Hmm?"

I point at what looks like a draogn skull and a portal gate looming in the distance.

MC: "This island is starting to freak me out. Do you know where we're going?"

Serena: "We just need to keep moving."

Serena: "If the others didn't wash up on the beach, they must be elsewhere."

Serena: "We just have to find where that elsewhere is."

(That was a roundabout way of saying no. Ugh.)

In the silence I can hear a distinct buzzing, growing louder by the moment.

MC: "Can you hear that?"

Serena: "...Yes."

Something darts over our heads,

and I jump before it swings back around.

The humming is from a little winged device with a lens protruding out from the center,

and from quite some distance away I hear a whoop of victory.

MC: "Hey, who's out there!?"

When no answer comes, I start to chase after the makeshift flying machine,

which slowly bobs and weaves through heavy branches before starting to descend.

Its owner stands in front of me with a broad smile,

and I recognize him as the man Clyde was yelling at on the ship.

(The engineer! So glad we're not the only ones here!)

Logan: "Ladies! Nice to see I'm not playing survivor by myself."

His confident smile is surprisingly comforting.

Serena: "Is it really the time to be making new toys, Logan? How's a flying coconut going to save us?"

Logan: "Hey, this bird has a working camera on it!"

Logan: "I'm lucky enough gear washed up with me to make something useful."

MC: "What is it, exactly?"

Logan: "A drone!"

Logan: "I'm not sure how long the batteries in everything will hold out, but it can fly above the treeline."

Logan: "I'm using it to help me find somebody, or at least a way back to the boat."

MC: "That's awesome."

(I can't believe he was able to make that thing out of coconuts!)

Logan: "If you find that impressive, there's more where that came from, Ms...."

MC: "."

Logan flashes a flirty grin my way, and I can't help but smile back.

(He sure seems to have a way with the ladies...)

(but it seems like he knows what he's doing. Maybe he can help us!)

Serena: "That's the worst pick-up line I've ever heard."

Serena: "I think you're getting ahead of yourself with this drone thing."

For a second Logan looks wounded, like he's not used to getting a lot of criticism of his pick-up lines or his engineering.

Logan: "You don't believe it works? Here, let's check the footage."

He has to flip the drone over for us to see the viewscreen,

but when Logan hits play, the picture is surprisingly clear.

It looks like footage of a deeper part of the jungle.

MC: "Whoa, is that tree... glowing?"

Serena: "It looks like some kind of inscription."

Logan: "Crazy. Look at that ancient statue, too!"

(There's definitely something strange about this island...)

Near the end of the video, there's what looks like a huge set of ruins past the edge of the jungle.

Logan: "Jackpot."

Logan: "I don't know about you, but I'd rather sleep on a stone floor than try and climb up one of these trees."

MC: "Same here."

Serena: "I suppose."

Logan: "Then let's go."

Unfortunately, we start to lose sunlight while still knee-deep in the jungle,

and the only thing louder than the buzzing insects is my stomach growling.

As we approach the ruins, I can see all the walls are cracked or already falling apart,

and it looks like the jungle has overtaken it.

(Now we just need a huge boulder to barrel down through the halls and squish us.)

A. "Wow."

B. "This doesn't look safe..."

C. "Let's go somewhere else."

---

A. "Wow."

MC: "Wow, look at this place."

Serena: "Can't say it looks like the most promising shelter...

Logan: "It's not ideal, but hey it might not be that bad."

<p style="text-align:center;">---

Serena: "As long as we don't knock something over, I suppose it's better than being out in the open."

MC: "Well, I--"

A drop of rain splatters on my head,

the only warning before it starts to pour.

I dash inside behind Logan and Serena, shielded by an overhang of stone as I shiver.

(What is up with this weather??)

Logan: "Does anyone else hear that?"

MC: "What?"

Logan: "Just listen."

(It sounds like... people arguing?)

Clyde: "Someone has to take charge here."

TK: "And whhy does it have to be you? I know this place, okay?"

(Oh, it's Clyde and TK! I'm so glad they're alive... but what is TK talking about?)

Logan: "Hey, Captain!"

Clyde: "...Logan? Is that you?"

Logan: "Yeah. I've got the doc and our journalist with me."

TK: "<MC>?"

MC: "You haven't gotten rid of me yet, TK."

TK: "I should have known you were too stubborn to drown."

We grin at each other.

Serena: "Clyde, where's Arthur?"

Clyde: "Damned if I know. TK swears he saw him come in this place, but--"

The light tap of footsteps echoes across stone,

and Arthur steps out of the other side of the temple, brow knit in contemplation.

His eyes are scanning the walls like he's searching for something in particular, but I can't say what.

(He seems really well put-together for someone who just got tossed off a sinking ship.)

(He must've been one of the lucky ones who snagged a life boat.)

Clyde: "What do you know, hey?"

TK: "There he is!"

TK's shout catches Arthur's attention and his back straightens up,

expression returning to normal.

Arthur: "I see we all seem to have gotten here without a scratch."

Arthur: "That's... fortuitious."

His gaze falls on me, and when his brilliant eyes meet mine, my breath catches in my throat.

(It's like he's looking right through me...)

Arthur: Ms. <LastName>, are you alright?"

MC: "Y-yes, I'm fine."

(Ugh, why is my heart beating so fast? Pull yourself together, <MC>.)

Logan: "We're all fine too, thanks for asking."

Logan: "What were you doing, anyway?"

Arthur: "Exploring these ruins, of course."

Arthur: "They're quire fascinating."

Arthur: "The temple-like structures and wall carvings suggest that the previous inhabitants--"

Clyde: "Alright, enough with the history lesson."

(Arhur seems to have a deep appreciation for this island. I wonder why...)

Suddenly I notice a huge crack through the stone slab under our feet,

and out of curiosity I tap the side of it with the tip of my shoe.

And it starts to crumble.

MC: "Oh god!"

My knees collapse out from below me and I desperately reach out to grab someone!