Present Day

"And everything changed after that. Y'know, we became... explorers. Adventurers. Mostly thieves." Nate explained as Elena was attended to his wounds while I was sitting next to him, both of us leaning against a log, and Cole was standing in front of us, his arms folded across his chest. "Ow." Nate exclaims in pain as she cleaned ups his wound. "Okay, just hold still." She said to him. "You know, for a while it felt like... if we weren't taking turns going to jail... it was because we were in jail together. And...after we lost him, we— Or, after we thought...we lost him—" I said, sadly, as I look down at the ground.

"You guys didn't want to bring him back up again." Cole said then I look up at him and nodded. "Something like that." I said. "Well, that’s it. Now you two know everything." Nate said after he let's out a sigh. "With you two, I doubt that that's everything. But... it’s a lot." Elena admits as Cole paces in place and runs his hand over his eyes.

"Love to know what you're thinking." I said as I look right at Cole, who let's out an annoyed sigh. "I'm thinking that you and Nate are lucky that we found you when we did." He said as Elena nods slightly. "Yeah." Nate and I mumble as we nod. "I'm glad neither of you didn't lose a limb or anything. It would've been a royal pain getting you two out of here." Eleqna remarks.

"How did you find us, anyway?" Nate asked her. "Oh you know, easy. Just follow the sound of gunfire." Cole said with sarcasm. "No, I mean, how did you guys get here...?" Nate started to aske when we hear an airplane. "Oh...of course." Nate and I said as Elena pulls out a radio.

"Come in, Sully." She said. "Hey, darlin'." Sully's voice replied through the radio. "How they doing?" He asked. "Oh, you know, they're banged up, but they're alive. Par for the course. Now we just need to rescue the other Drake." Elena said as Nate and I stand up. "What do you mean?" Sully asked. "I’ll let Nate and (y/n) tell you." Elena said and she hands the radio to Nate.

"Hey, pal. Glad you could join us." Nate greets. "Yeah, wouldn't miss it. So what happened to Sam?" Sully asked. "Rafe's got him." I replied, loudly. "Shit. You know where they are?" He asked. "Yeah. They're headed to the northern side of the island. See if you can find a place to set down over there. Once we get Sam, we're going to need to get outta here pretty quick." Nate said to him.

"Copy that. Hey, hey— What about the treasure?" Sully asked. "Forget it. We don't need it." I said to him. "But Alcazar?" Sully asked. "No. There’s no Alcazar. It's all bullshit." Nate replied. "Wait. You mean... the debt, the...the escape?" Sully said, confused and baffled. "Yeah. Sam made it all up. What an asshole, right." I said and Nate chuckles before he speaks. "Look, we'll fill you in on everything when we see you." Nate told him. "Yeah. I can't wait. Look, all four of you be safe down there." said Sully  "You know us." Nate and I said, smirking, as we walk up to Cole and Elena, who pulls out two guns.

"Trade ya." She said to Nate as she gives him a gun and takes the radio and Cole hands me a gun. "Thanks." Nate and I said to them. "Sure." Elena said, softly, as Cole nods and they start to walk off. "No, we mean... Thanks for saving us. Again." Nate said and she looks at Nate then looks down while Cole looks between us  I could tell from the look in their eyes they were still hurt and angry at what we did, I would give anything to change that. "We almost didn't this time." Cole said in a soft firm voice. "Right..." I said, defeated, as Nate nods, sadly. "C'mon. Cole and I got us a ride." Elena said and she and Cole walk off. Nate and I exchange worried looks before I let out a sigh of defeat then start to follow them.

"So... we're head northern side of the island?" Elena asked. "Yeah, New Devon. It's home to the founders of Libertalia." Nate replied. "And that's where Rafe is taking your brother." Cole said. "Treasure's probably there; just need to save Sam before they find it." I said as we walk up this hill. "Look. Up there. We borrowed it from your Shoreline friends." Cole said as he points up the muddy hill, where there was a jeep at the top. "You two slid all the way down from there?" Nate asked them. "Yeah, it was the quickest way to get down to you and (y/n). Now we just gotta figure out another way back up." Elena said then we look over to the side and see a ladder.

"Nate— boost me up this ladder?" Elena said and Nate walks over to it. "Yeah, here." He said and he boosts her up while Cole and I stood next to each other. I chanced a glance over at him and I could tell he was trying to look at everything but me. "So... have you and Elena been here long?" I asked him. "On the island?" He asked as he looks at me then turns away. "A few hours now." He replied as Elena gets the ladder down and, one by one, we began to climb up it 

"Did you guys see the colony?" I asked. "We did. From the air." Cole replied once we got to the top and started walking. "Pretty incredible, right?" I said, smiling. "Elena and I didn't get the full tour...we were a little preoccupied with finding you and your twin brother." Cole replied, flatly, and I look down. "Right." I muttered.

"So... Did ah, Sully fill you guys in on the deal with this place?" Nate asked. "Yeah. Henry Avery, five hundred million, twelve founders, hundreds of colonists...something like that." Elena said. "Yeah, that just about covers it." Nate said. "Had some time to kill on the flight over." Cole said and we round a corner to see a large contraption, it looked like an old elevator.

"Wow... is that an elevator?" Elena asked in awe. "Sure looks like it." I said as we stood there, looking at it. "I swear, Avery recruited the best engineers of his time." Nate said. "He must've used it to move supplies up river." Cole said as we started to make our way around. "Yeah, that's a fair bet." I said and we started to climb around and get up to another cliff.

"There's your car. Just need to get up there." Nate said as we see the jeep parked on top of another cliff. "Well, what do you guys think? Which way?" Cole asked him. "Well, let's take a look." Nate said and we began to look for a way up.

Eventually, we made our way up to the cliff and towards the elevator. "You guys think the elevator still works...?" Cole asked us as Elena looks over the mechanism. "Doubt it. It’s 300 years old. Been exposed to the weather. I mean who knows if it ever work—" Nate started to explain when Elena pulls on a lever and we heard the gears starting to work. "Got it!" Elena said, excited. "Oh look. It works." I said and we start to enter the elevator. "Going up?" Elena asked and we chuckled. "Next floor, menswear." Nate jokes and we chuckle a bit again as it start to go up.

"The fact that this still works, it's...it's kinda incredible." Cole said when the elevator stops and opens. We started to walk out when we heard some voices up ahead. "Chips, you got any smokes?" A voice said and we ducked down to see at least four of them. "Shit." Nate and I muttered as we get closer to the Shoreliners. But one of them happened to look over and see us. "What the hell!" One of them exclaimed and all of them turned to us and began to fire.

We, of course, fire back and took out those guys easily. "Uh... nice moves... guys." Nate said to Elena and Cole, impressed. "Yeah, you guys did good." I said as we looked over at them. "Nothing to it." Elena said as Cole shrugs. "Now then... Which way's the car?" Cole asked. "It'll be easier to spot from higher ground." I said. "Right, good idea." Elena said and we start to make our way to the car.

"There's nobody here. It's definitely the one those two stole, though." One Shoreliner said as we finally make it to the top. "Look. Shoreline." Elena warned us. "They found your car." Nate said. "Technically, it's their car." Cole corrects. "So, let's get it back." I said as we duck down and start to sneak around and took out the men as quickly and quietly as we could.

"Wanna hop in and drive the hell out of here?" Elena asked us once we took everyone out and make it to the jeep. "Let's go." I said and we hop in, Nate taking driver's seat, Elena taking the passenger's seat and Cole and I take the backseats. Nate switches the jeep in gear and we drive out of here.

"So here’s question: why does Rafe Adler want Avery’s treasure? It’s not like he needs the money." Cole said, confused. "He wants the glory. Doesn't want to be known as a guy who only got rich because of his inheritance. Walking away isn't an option for him." Nate replied. "Well, Rafe is a good match for Shoreline. He needs their muscle and they need his money." Elena remarks. "They do? They seem pretty well stocked." I said.

"Shoreline got involved in a couple of civil wars that didn't pan out for them. Nadine inherited her father' mess. She's probably hopping that this'll put her back on the map." Cole replied. "Oh, that would explain why she wants the job done so badly." I said and Cole nods at me as we drive through the water then up a hill then through more of the jungle.

"Bet you could write a killer article about all this." Nate said to Elena. "I could. I doubt anybody would believe it." Elena said, a slight disappointment in her voice. "Well, Cole, you could take pictures." I said as I look over at him. "I didn't bring my camera. Kinda wish I did though. Everything here is so beautiful." He said as he looks around and I continue to stare at him, a small smile forming on my face. "I can see many ways and many angles I could take of this place and I still wouldn't be able to capture the whole beauty of this place." He mutters then he finally looks at me and we stared at each other for a few moments.

"So... why do you think Sam didn't come straight to you two? After Rafe got him out of prison?" Elena asked. "I think he wanted to gather every clue that Rafe had on Avery before bailing on him. Plus, he needed time to come up with that crazy Alcazar story." I replied as I look away from Cole. "Ugh, I mean— If I had just looked it up..." Nate grumbles and I nodded. "Nate, you're not the only one to blame. I should've too." I said as I reach over and patted his shoulder. 

"That is one crazy contraption." Nate remarks when we come up to another elevator, this one even bigger than the last one. "It looks big enough to fit the car." Cole pointed out. "Here's hoping this one works as well." Nate said and he drives up to it and parks the car in front of the contraption. "Looks like the gears aren't connected." Nate points out and Nate and I look at each other and we start to get to work on fixing the elevator.

"I'll bring the car to the elevator." Elena said after Nate and I were able to get it to work. "We did it!" Nate and I said and we high-five each other when we see the elevator moving. "Guys, the elevator's moving! Get on, quick!" Cole calls out as we ran, jumped and latched onto the side of the elevator.

"Oh, hi there." We greeted them as the elevator went up a few more inches but stopped. "Hi." They said then they looked around. "Um... now what?" Cole asked. "Hm...maybe we need to..." Nate started to say when the elevator began to move sideways. "Oh, never mind." I said and we make our way across to the other side of the jungle.

Once we made it through, Nate and jumped off of the elevator and Elena drives the jeep out of it. Then Nate jumps into the driver's seat as Elena scoots over and I join Cole in the back seat. "So I was thinking... All this engineering and architecture, it doesn't come cheap. Do you think there's even any treasure left?" Elena asked. "We were wondering that ourselves." Nate replied as we drive on through.

"You gotta love that pirate engineering." Nate said as we found another elevator and got it to work as well. All four of us and the jeep were inside of the elevator as it goes up slowly. I looked out towards the side of the elevator, where we could see a beautiful view of the jungle. "Wow. It’s like a postcard." Elena said in awe as her, Cole and Nate come stand next to me. "Yeah, Libertalia. Come for the beautiful views...Stay for the life-or-death gunfights." I joked and everyone laughs before there was an awkward silence between all of us.

"So, what made you guys change your minds?" Nate asked Elena and Cole. "Hm?" They said as they look over at us. "Cole said you guys...almost didn't come back." I said and the two look at each other before they look back at us. "Well, we couldn’t leave when you two were clearly in over your heads." Elena said. "And you know, there’s that whole marriage vow thing." Cole points out 

"For better or worse." Nate and I recited. "Yeah." Cole said, quietly, before he looks back out towards the jungle. "For better or worse." Elena mumbles and it goes quiet between us as we wait for the elevator to stop. Cole and Elena walk away and I lean over the railing and placed my hands over my face while I hear Nate let out a heavy sigh. I look over my brother with a look that clearly said We really screwed up and I feel guilty about it. He looks over at me and nodded as if to say Yeah, I know.

I do love Cole with all my heart. He's been the best thing that's happened to me but...why did I lie to him? 

At that moment, I heard Elena and Cole lift up the door and opened it. I turn to them as they push up the door and start to head to the jeep before they look over at us. "You know, even if you guys think that you're protecting us... you don't have a right to shut me out like that, Nate. And you don't have the right to do that to Cole either, (y/n)." Elena said as I look down, guilty. "No matter what it is...you guys are supposed to come to us so that we can work through it...together! As a team." Cole said, firmly. "I know that." Nate and I said, together, as they look at us in disbelief. "Really, we do. It's just... I, I, I..." I stammer then both Nate and I sighed, not sure what to say to them.

"We should stay focused. There be time for this later." Elena said and we nodded as we started to load up in the jeep. "Next stop: New Devon." Nate said and we began to drive off and we all just sat there in silence. I just can't help but feel like total shit. You think after everything I've been through, I wouldn't feel so low or so bad. But this...this moment as I sit here across from Cole, the man I promised myself to, The man I promised my life to, The man I fell in love with...I can't help but feel like a total scumbag. This is the worst feeling I've ever had.

"Hey, Elena? Nate? Cole? (Y/n)?" Sully's voice said, breaking my thoughts. "We’re here, Sully. Where are you?" Elena asked. "Still in the air. Saw a bunch of Shoreline vehicles heading north." Sully replied. "I guess we'll see them soon." Elena replied. "You kids doing okay so far?" He asked. "We hit a few hitches but... so far so good." She replied. "All right, good. Keep in touch, will ya? I'm not the no news is good news type." Sully said. "We'll try. Over and out." Elena said and she puts away the radio while I go and steal a glance at Cole.

I take in the detail of his face and I could see hurt and betrayal etched over his face. The mop of curly black hair was sprawled all over the top of his head, his curly bangs covered his forhead and were just above his eyebrows. Then his head turned to me and his blue eyes and my (e/c) eyes connected. I tried my best I'm so sorry look and I could tell he was mulling it over thover the corner of his lips upturned, almost like he wanted to smile but was holding it back.

"Okay. Should be on the other side of the bridge. Hang on tight..." Nate said as we get on the bridge, which of course began to crumble under us. "Nate?" Cole, Elena and I said, worried. "Hold on!" Nate yelled at us and we started to grab for something. "Floor it!" Elena shouted at him and he steps on the gas. "Oh, I hate bridges!" Nate shouts as we were about to get to the end of the bridge when it collapses under us and we go through.

"No, no no no no!" Nate and I shouted as the jeep slams down into the river, which the fast current started to push us towards the waterfall. "Turn around, we're heading for the falls!" Cole shouts, frantically. "I can't... current's too strong!" Nate yells and I point at the edge of a low cliff.

"Nate, there! We can climb up those rocks!" I said and he steers it to the rocks and slams it against the side. "All right. Go! Go!" Nate shouts and Elena jumps up and gesture for Cole to go as well. He jumps up then Nate looks over at me. "Go!" He said and I shake my head. "No, you go ahead and go." I said he looks at me like I'm crazy but I keep gesturing for him to go.

He starts to climb towards the rocks as Elena and Cole reach out for him but then the jeep jerks and Nate falls back into the jeep and lands on top of me. "Ow!" I exclaimed as the jeep then starts to be pushed by the currents and towards the waterfall. "Ah...waterfall...Waterfall!" I shouted as Nate pulls out his grapple hook, swings it towards a branch, and I go and grab his hand and held on as we swing off of the jeep.

"Haha! Ha..." we laughed together as we see the jeep fall to water down below and explode. "We...we were almost in that." I laughed from relief as he joined me in laughing. "Nate! (Y/n)!" I hear Elena and Cole shout at us. "It's okay! We're okay!" Nate shouts then the tree we were clinging onto started to fall forward. "The tree! The tree is not okay!" Cole shouted.

"Oh, come on!" Nate and I said, annoyed. Then he started to swing us over to the cliff, once we were close enough Nate throws me towards it and I let go of his hand and latched onto the cliff. "Come on! I gotcha." Cole said as he helps me up. I stand up then turn around to see Nate swing over and latch onto the cliff. "Gotcha!" Elena said as I come over to her and help her get my brother up.

"Well. So much for the car." Cole said as he looks down. "Yeah." Nate and said, breathless, as we looked down as well. "C'mon." Cole said and he and Elena began to walk away when Nate and I exchange glances before I let out a sigh.

"We weren't trying to protect you two." I said, making them stop and look at us. "It— it's just we— we made a, promise that we were done with this life." Nate said, gesturing between me and him. "All of us did." Cole said. "Yeah, but Nate and I broke it." I said as Nate and I walked closer to Cole and Elena. "We didn't tell you because. We were afraid..."

"Afraid of what?" Elena asked. "Of losing you." Nate and I said as Nate looks at Elena and I look at Cole. "I guess we were, um... protecting ourselves. You know?" Nate said and Elena and Cole look at us for a moment. "We have a lot of ground to cover." Elena said and we nodded. "Yeah. Should keep moving." I said. "Yeah. This way." Cole said as he gestures behind him with his head and we start to walk through the jungle.

"Avery sure picked a gorgeous island." Cole remarked as we walked along the jungle, both of us just a few feet behind Nate and Elena. "Well, maybe we can come back here on a vacation, huh?" I said to him, hopeful. "Yeah, maybe." He said, shrugging, as we come upon a pile of skeletons. "Whoa." Nate said. "Oh, yikes." Elena said as I walk up to the remains. "Well, judging by they clothes...they're colonists. Maybe it was a fight?" I said as I look up at Nate. "Maybe." Nate said.

"No, I--I don't think so. Look how they're arranged." Cole points out. "Yeah, you're right....they're stacked." I said. "Or just shoved against the wall." Nate said. "They were already dead when they were brought here. This is a mass grave, guys." Elena said as we vault over a log.

"Hello." Nate said as he looks up. I follow his gaze and my jaw dropped as I see a skeleton inside of a hanging cage. "Who is this...?" Elena asked as we walked closer to it to see a sign pinned to it. "Well, look at the sign. Traitor. It's one of the rebels." I said. "That's a bad way to die." Elena said as Cole walks alittle bit ahead of us.

"Here's another one." He calls out to us and we follow him and look at another cage with a skeleton inside of it. Then we started to climb up and around. "More gibbets." Elena said as Nate and I rounded a corner and saw something that sent a chill down my spine. "Oh my God." We said.