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It starts, unlike most of his adventures, deceptively simply.
Just a few months after getting back from Libertalia and buying Jameson Marine Inc., now D&F Fortunes, they're offered a job out of state, down in Florida, but not out of country. It seems easy enough, in the beginning, not to mention on the level, some rich collector showing up with all the necessary paperwork for them to dig the wreck of some 15th century ship out of the Gulf of Mexico, just a little northwest of Key West. Nathan's excited to see what they're looking at, because something from that time period, in that place smacks of the Spanish explorers, and it's all on the level. It feels like a Godsend, and then it all goes to Hell.
Their patron, as it turns out, isn't on the level -- he may have all the legal standing in the world, but he's hunting for information leading to Juan Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth. The Fountain isn't in Florida, as the legends always suggested it might have been -- they chase or are chased, he's not really sure which way it goes, by their benefactor to the Blackland Coppice in the Bahamas. The Fountain may not even be a fountain -- all signs are pointing to it being a tree, maybe, not unlike the Tree of Life in Shambhala, or maybe a waterfall, the clues they found not entirely clear. Not to mention the fact that their benefactor has pulled a private army out of nowhere and oh, yeah, there might be vampires running around now, too, as they get closer. There have definitely been a few emaciated corpses, if nothing else, so that's fun.
At least Elena is with him, and he doesn't have to try and explain all of this, later? Never mind the fact that her being here makes him nervous, his fear of losing her very real, no matter how competent he knows she is. He can only hope this will all just be some fantastic story they tell Sam and Sully, later. Right now, though, as they head towards whatever clue they're working on at present, he mutters, "Start a salvage business, she said. It'll be fun, she said."
Despite his fear that something terrible will happen, the lady doth protest too much, really.
Just a few months after getting back from Libertalia and buying Jameson Marine Inc., now D&F Fortunes, they're offered a job out of state, down in Florida, but not out of country. It seems easy enough, in the beginning, not to mention on the level, some rich collector showing up with all the necessary paperwork for them to dig the wreck of some 15th century ship out of the Gulf of Mexico, just a little northwest of Key West. Nathan's excited to see what they're looking at, because something from that time period, in that place smacks of the Spanish explorers, and it's all on the level. It feels like a Godsend, and then it all goes to Hell.
Their patron, as it turns out, isn't on the level -- he may have all the legal standing in the world, but he's hunting for information leading to Juan Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth. The Fountain isn't in Florida, as the legends always suggested it might have been -- they chase or are chased, he's not really sure which way it goes, by their benefactor to the Blackland Coppice in the Bahamas. The Fountain may not even be a fountain -- all signs are pointing to it being a tree, maybe, not unlike the Tree of Life in Shambhala, or maybe a waterfall, the clues they found not entirely clear. Not to mention the fact that their benefactor has pulled a private army out of nowhere and oh, yeah, there might be vampires running around now, too, as they get closer. There have definitely been a few emaciated corpses, if nothing else, so that's fun.
At least Elena is with him, and he doesn't have to try and explain all of this, later? Never mind the fact that her being here makes him nervous, his fear of losing her very real, no matter how competent he knows she is. He can only hope this will all just be some fantastic story they tell Sam and Sully, later. Right now, though, as they head towards whatever clue they're working on at present, he mutters, "Start a salvage business, she said. It'll be fun, she said."
Despite his fear that something terrible will happen, the lady doth protest too much, really.
Edited 2021-02-25 19:24 (UTC)
"Uh-huh."
She hears all that protesting you're doing Mr. Drake, and she's going to buy it for one second. And she knows, that this isn't necessarily the adventure they signed up for, but this is Nate, and he tends to draw in the weird and unexpected.
And she's gotta admit, finding the Fountain of Youth would be pretty cool. Even if there's vampires.
(For the record, she's not entirely convinced they're vampires, but she's going with it.)
"Says the guy who's face lit up when he realized we were chasing the Fountain of Youth."
She hears all that protesting you're doing Mr. Drake, and she's going to buy it for one second. And she knows, that this isn't necessarily the adventure they signed up for, but this is Nate, and he tends to draw in the weird and unexpected.
And she's gotta admit, finding the Fountain of Youth would be pretty cool. Even if there's vampires.
(For the record, she's not entirely convinced they're vampires, but she's going with it.)
"Says the guy who's face lit up when he realized we were chasing the Fountain of Youth."
The fire crackle as they stretch out on the beach, managing to create a small pocket of warmth against the cool sea breeze. Elena wraps the blanket around her shoulders more as she inches closer into Nate's shoulder. Most couples probably wouldn't have opted for a yurt on a beach for their honeymoon, but they established long ago Nate and Elena are not most people.
As she settles in and gets comfortable, she reaches for his hand, running her finger along his ring as she does.
"So, cowboy. Any regrets?"
As she settles in and gets comfortable, she reaches for his hand, running her finger along his ring as she does.
"So, cowboy. Any regrets?"
Nathan shifts, looping one arm around her to pull her closer. The other goes to reach for her hand in turn, meeting her halfway, and with a smile that belays the smartass answer he's about to give before he gives it, he tells her, "Maybe that I left the marshmallows back in the house."
And he's absolutely not about to go get them now.
A pause follows, largely for effect, and then, smile fading into something warmer, he tells her, "But seriously, though? Not at all." Right now, this is exactly where he wants to be.
And he's absolutely not about to go get them now.
A pause follows, largely for effect, and then, smile fading into something warmer, he tells her, "But seriously, though? Not at all." Right now, this is exactly where he wants to be.
"Okay, the Fountain of Youth is one thing," he starts, holding up a hand. He's not going to lie and say he wasn't excited to realize what was going on, but, "But I could do without the vampires or -- whatever they are."
He's sure there's a perfectly rational explanation for the 'vampires', like there were the Descendants and El Dorado, but those still gave him nightmares for weeks. He's pretty sure his subconscious is going to be running circles around this now, too, for the foreseeable future.
"Not to mention the fact that you know we're gonna have to destroy whatever the Fountain actually is, right?"
He's sure there's a perfectly rational explanation for the 'vampires', like there were the Descendants and El Dorado, but those still gave him nightmares for weeks. He's pretty sure his subconscious is going to be running circles around this now, too, for the foreseeable future.
"Not to mention the fact that you know we're gonna have to destroy whatever the Fountain actually is, right?"
"Good."
It isn't really a serious question. Nate can be a little in his head sometimes, but she generally knows when he's in the middle of something he doesn't really want to be. And she wouldn't want to be the one accused of curbing her husband's sense of adventure.
She has a feeling that adventure will find them, one way or another.
"Bad call on forgetting the marshmallows though. What's the point of having a firepit if we're not going to roast something."
It isn't really a serious question. Nate can be a little in his head sometimes, but she generally knows when he's in the middle of something he doesn't really want to be. And she wouldn't want to be the one accused of curbing her husband's sense of adventure.
She has a feeling that adventure will find them, one way or another.
"Bad call on forgetting the marshmallows though. What's the point of having a firepit if we're not going to roast something."
"Oh, I'm aware. If something is making vampires - even metaphorically speaking - we probably shouldn't leave that running around."
Even if she's curious how this supposed vampirism works. The reporter in her wants to interrogate it, pick apart the various parts and pieces until she makes it make sense. But she wants to do it from a very safe distance where they can't actually drain any of her blood.
"Hopefully we won't get eaten in the process. Or turned into one."
Even if she's curious how this supposed vampirism works. The reporter in her wants to interrogate it, pick apart the various parts and pieces until she makes it make sense. But she wants to do it from a very safe distance where they can't actually drain any of her blood.
"Hopefully we won't get eaten in the process. Or turned into one."
"Well, let me go get them," he says, starting to pull away. Whether she pulls him back or not, however, he doesn't actually plan on getting up. It's all mostly for effect, so she can stop him.
"Yeah." Yeah, Nathan really doesn't want to end up a vampire, thanks. And in the interest of avoiding that particular fate, after a beat, he continues with, "How do you think that works, anyway? I mean, like ... do we have to drink from the fountain? Or is it more like a zombie thing, where if we get bitten, that's it?"
He doesn't really plan on being bitten by a vampire, either, but no one ever really plans for that kind of thing, do they? It just happens and it's horrible and very dramatic and maybe he and Sam shouldn't have stayed away from the horror movies, when they'd decided to work on their pop culture education after Libertalia. Their lives, for the most part, are horror movie enough.
He doesn't really plan on being bitten by a vampire, either, but no one ever really plans for that kind of thing, do they? It just happens and it's horrible and very dramatic and maybe he and Sam shouldn't have stayed away from the horror movies, when they'd decided to work on their pop culture education after Libertalia. Their lives, for the most part, are horror movie enough.
She'll let him lean pretty far, until it's clear that he's not actually trying to leave, before she shakes her head to pull him back in. "It's fine. We'll just have more for later."
She didn't actually want him to go anywhere anyway. The cool ocean breeze whips past, cutting through the heat of the fire enough to have her inching a bit closer.
She didn't actually want him to go anywhere anyway. The cool ocean breeze whips past, cutting through the heat of the fire enough to have her inching a bit closer.
"I don't know. Some of the bodies we've found were clearly bitten but unless they're going to spring back to life once we pour some blood in their mouth."
Which she is not recommending they do. In fact, they should probably just leave the bodies alone.
"Maybe it's a combination of things?"
Which she is not recommending they do. In fact, they should probably just leave the bodies alone.
"Maybe it's a combination of things?"
He would be very happy to steer her in the opposite direction, if she decided she wanted to feed blood to one of the bodies they found, because no. He doesn't need his and Sam's recent horror movie marathon to tell him that's a terrible idea.
"Maybe," he says, then. "At least the worst we'll have to worry about, if one of them bites us, is it getting infected?" Which isn't much better, particularly here in the middle of no where, but at least he can wrap his head around that.
"Maybe," he says, then. "At least the worst we'll have to worry about, if one of them bites us, is it getting infected?" Which isn't much better, particularly here in the middle of no where, but at least he can wrap his head around that.
Nathan makes a small, dramatic noise at the wind's sudden break through the heat of the fire to go with the shivering shudder of his shoulders. He pulls Elena close again in earnest, before, "Man, I'm glad we actually went for the one with the firepit, though."
And for more than just the marshmallows. It's going to get cold once the sun goes down in earnest.
And for more than just the marshmallows. It's going to get cold once the sun goes down in earnest.
"That, or being a nice warm juicebox."
Given how emaciated these creatures are, she's willing to bet that they won't survive long enough to get to the infection stage. It'll just be death.
Probably for the best.
She shifts the beam of her flashlight further into the tunnel, and reveals a fork in the road ahead. As they get closer, she tries to shine the light down further and see what's there, but nothing clear.
"What are you thinking? Right or left?"
Given how emaciated these creatures are, she's willing to bet that they won't survive long enough to get to the infection stage. It'll just be death.
Probably for the best.
She shifts the beam of her flashlight further into the tunnel, and reveals a fork in the road ahead. As they get closer, she tries to shine the light down further and see what's there, but nothing clear.
"What are you thinking? Right or left?"
She nods in agreement, curling in closer to keep the warmth close. It's a prime snuggle opportunity, and it worked with their adventurous lifestyle. Win-win.
"I don't think they could really call it a romantic honeymoon getaway without one." The firepit added an extra touch of fancy. "Adds a touch of class, and keeps us warm."
"I don't think they could really call it a romantic honeymoon getaway without one." The firepit added an extra touch of fancy. "Adds a touch of class, and keeps us warm."
"Yeah, let's not do that, either," Nathan mutters.
He steps up to her, then, when she stops, raising his own flashlight. When it doesn't help much, if at all, he sighs and clips the thing back to his holster, opposite his gun, to keep his hands free. And after a beat, and ever-effectually, he starts, "Uh ... "
"Eeny, meeny, miney, moe?" he suggests, finally. Nothing he remembers taking note of gave any indication as to which way they should be going, so really, her guess is as good as his.
He steps up to her, then, when she stops, raising his own flashlight. When it doesn't help much, if at all, he sighs and clips the thing back to his holster, opposite his gun, to keep his hands free. And after a beat, and ever-effectually, he starts, "Uh ... "
"Eeny, meeny, miney, moe?" he suggests, finally. Nothing he remembers taking note of gave any indication as to which way they should be going, so really, her guess is as good as his.
"Classy," Nathan repeats, as if he's testing the weight of the word in his mouth to decide whether or not he likes it. "Look at us, being all classy." Yeah, he thinks he can live with this.
Though, after a beat, something in his mood seems to soften, sour just that tiniest bit, and after another, he starts, "You know, I could've turned that question back on you, earlier." And he plans on it, now. "You regret any of this?" He pulls away just enough to gesture between them. "Us?" Because he's not stupid enough to think he's not hard to live with, sometimes. God knows Sully told him as much many a time, growing up. God knows Chloe did, when they were a thing.
Though, after a beat, something in his mood seems to soften, sour just that tiniest bit, and after another, he starts, "You know, I could've turned that question back on you, earlier." And he plans on it, now. "You regret any of this?" He pulls away just enough to gesture between them. "Us?" Because he's not stupid enough to think he's not hard to live with, sometimes. God knows Sully told him as much many a time, growing up. God knows Chloe did, when they were a thing.
Elena makes a face as she glances back and forth between the two, before nodding and pointing to the left.
"Let's go left." Why? If he asks, she'll give him some logic about how most of the world is right handed so most people go right, and since it hasn't been found yet, it's probably not there. But mostly it's just that it's the first option that popped into her head.
Feels like the right one.
"Let's go left." Why? If he asks, she'll give him some logic about how most of the world is right handed so most people go right, and since it hasn't been found yet, it's probably not there. But mostly it's just that it's the first option that popped into her head.
Feels like the right one.
He is a little hard to live with, but she also knows that so is she. Most guys wouldn't do well with her shipping off to far away locales for months at a time to work on stories about men who would kill her if given the opportunity. They both take their risks and they both have their passions.
She's just glad that they respect each other's.
"Only that you forgot the marshmallows," she teases, before leaning in to kiss him softly. "Otherwise, there's nowhere else I'd rather be."
She's just glad that they respect each other's.
"Only that you forgot the marshmallows," she teases, before leaning in to kiss him softly. "Otherwise, there's nowhere else I'd rather be."
Nathan lets o a bark of a laugh, at that, muttering a Never gonna live that down, huh? before he moves to meet her. When they break from the kiss, and more seriously, he studies her for a moment, as if he's expecting to find a lie, and then nods, glancing away.
"Good. That's -- good." Also an understatement, but well, it's a rare thing when someone he cares about sticks around. Barring Sully, so many people have drifted out of his life in one way or another.
"Good. That's -- good." Also an understatement, but well, it's a rare thing when someone he cares about sticks around. Barring Sully, so many people have drifted out of his life in one way or another.
Nathan does ask, trusting Elena's reasons, whatever they may be, or at least not able to find a decent argument for heading in the opposite direction. They carry on in silence for several minutes, then, before Nathan pauses, reaching for his flashlight again to turn the beam on the floor.
"Whoa, hey, wait." He flicks the beam back up, catching her in it without blinding her with it, before dropping it back to the ground. "The floor's changed."
There are tiles under their feet, now, cracked and chipped in some places, missing entirely in others, but it's different, for better or worse. It might mean they're on the right track.
"Whoa, hey, wait." He flicks the beam back up, catching her in it without blinding her with it, before dropping it back to the ground. "The floor's changed."
There are tiles under their feet, now, cracked and chipped in some places, missing entirely in others, but it's different, for better or worse. It might mean they're on the right track.
She'll have forgotten about it by tomorrow, but she's never going to hold back on a good come back when she's got it. That being said, she's not planning on going anywhere. She doesn't want to go anywhere. But part of her worries that Nate's the kind of guy who will burn something to the ground first so that the other person can't.
"Hey," she says, nudging him gently as she rests a hand on his shoulder. "Where's your head going?"
"Hey," she says, nudging him gently as she rests a hand on his shoulder. "Where's your head going?"
She shifts the beam of her flashlight to match his, scanning over the tile curiously as she takes it in. She's not as good with identifying architecture the way her husband is, but she does know "old" and "different" when she sees it.
"Is it from the time period we're looking for?"
Could they maybe escape these caves sooner than she expected?
"Is it from the time period we're looking for?"
Could they maybe escape these caves sooner than she expected?
He crouches down, fingers trailing over the tiles as he studies them. When he rocks back onto his haunches, he shrugs before letting his arms come to rest over his knees. "If it's not, someone went to a lot of trouble to make a convincing fake."
Which is to say: as far as he can tell, yes. For all the misdirection they've run into, getting to this point, however, 'fake' might not be off the table.
Which is to say: as far as he can tell, yes. For all the misdirection they've run into, getting to this point, however, 'fake' might not be off the table.
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