Beyond the Tide

by Noelle Marchand

  Concern filled him. Not wanting to stop the flow of words, he gave her an encouraging nod.

  “It’s taken longer than I’d like, but I’ve been getting better. Please, don’t tell anyone. My parents know, of course. We try to keep these sorts of things to ourselves and—”

  “I won’t say a word to anyone, and I know you’re not crazy. Emily started having panic attacks after the accident. Anytime she had to ride in a car… Hers were different, though. She’d start hyperventilating and feel like her chest was going to explode.”

  Ava nodded. “I kind of shut down. Go silent. Stop thinking logically. I start feeling like I’m going to lose control and do something completely unacceptable like scream or… I don’t even know what. It’s embarrassing.”

  “You don’t need to be embarrassed.” He found her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “Definitely not around me. Are you taking any medication for it?”

  “No. I’ve learned to handle it without medication. Usually. It snuck up on me this time.”

  “Do you know what triggered it? Specifically, I mean.”

  She bit her lip, then finally whispered, “It probably had something to do with Dash.”

  “Dash?” Ian froze. “Because of what he said at pirate counsel?”

  “That and later.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? What happened later?”

  His jaw tightened as he listened to her explanation. Dash was still bothering Ava even though she kept telling him to leave her alone and was in a relationship with someone else. His action were deliberate and consistent. Now, they’d become threatening. “You thought he was the one prowling around the hut, didn’t you?”

  “In my panic, yes, I did.”

  Ian wouldn’t have put it past Dash to do that very thing, thinking to seduce Ava without Ian around. “Was there a camera around when he said all of this to you?”

  “Yes, they were filming.”

  “Interesting.” So they had proof of Dash’s behavior. That was good, but it also meant the production crew was aware of the situation and hadn’t deemed it necessary to step in at this point. How much farther would they let it progress before they decided any kind of action necessary?

  Considering how they’d reacted when Caleb was hurt, Ian feared the production crew’s reaction might end up being too little too late. He shook his head. “Well, that settles it. I’m going to the director about this.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, Ian, I don’t know if that’s a good idea. I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

  “Ava, if there’s any time to cause trouble, it’s right now before Dash does something really stupid.”

  Her eyebrows lifted. “You don’t think my fears are unfounded? And I wasn’t silly to think it might have been him in my hut?”

  “Not at all. After how he’s acted? I’m almost surprised it wasn’t him.”

  An odd mix of relief and alarm filled her voice. “Oh.”

  “Will you let me talk to Robbie about this first thing in the morning?”

  She hesitated. “You don’t think I should handle it myself? I mean, I know he isn’t a big fan of mine, but still.”

  “It’s up to you. I understand if you want to handle it yourself, but there’s nothing wrong with allowing someone to speak up for you. I’ve dealt with difficult producers and directors before. I know how to work the system, what buttons to push. More important, if there is any backlash about us having a problem with Dash, it will be channeled at me for pushing the subject. Not you.”

  Indecision warred on her face. Finally, she lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Ok. Go get ‘em, Ian.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The sound of the people stirring beyond the doorway of the hut awakened Ian just after dawn. Ava was still sound asleep on the hammock that was the deepest inside the hut. Brian, on the other hand, had already returned from freshening up and was soundlessly packing his bags in preparation for their inevitable return to the ship. Ian waved at Brian and pointed to the door.

  Brian immediately joined him outside. Keeping his voice low, Brian asked, “Is Ava ok now? I fell asleep before y’all got back.”

  “She’s doing better. Dash unsettled her yesterday. He kind of threatened her, actually.”

  Brian shook his head in disgust. “What is his problem? Is that why she got so spooked when she heard something in her tent?”

  He nodded. “She thought it might be him.”

  “You know, I wouldn’t put it past the guy to try something like that.” Brian grimaced. “Someone needs to put a stop to this.

  “Already on it.” Ian tilted his head toward the cameras that had yet to pick them up. “I’m going to talk to Robbie about it right now.”

  “Ava’s ok with you handling this for her?”

  “Yeah, we discussed it last night.”

  “Good. I hope they do something to resolve this. Ava shouldn’t have to go through what she went through last night. Oh, and speaking of last night…” Brian gave him a knowing smile. “You and Ava seem to be getting pretty close. Is it becoming serious between you two?”

  Ian hesitated. He knew his relationship with Ava wouldn’t go anywhere. However, it was revealing things about himself he didn’t particularly like or know how to deal with. He desperately needed to talk to someone about it. Brain seemed like the perfect person to glean wisdom from.

  Not only had he been a Christian much longer than Ian, Brian had mentioned that he and his fiancée were abstaining until marriage. Ian could apply whatever advice Brian might have for this situation to future relationships regardless of what happened with Ava. “Uh, are you mic’d up right now, Brian?”

  “No. They haven’t gotten to me yet. Is something wrong? Did you and Ava have a fight?”

  Suddenly feeling a little shaky, Ian slid a hand through his hair and lowered his voice even more. “No, but between you and me, I’m thinking about pumping the brakes a little.”

  “Really?” Brian frowned in what seemed to be a mix of curiosity and concern. “Why?”

  “The truth is…” He pulled in a deep breath, then let it out.

  “I haven’t always been a Christian or entirely a gentleman. Beyond that, as a Christian, I haven’t been in a relationship with a woman I find this attractive. I know from past experience that I can be a pretty physical guy. I just don’t want to do anything stupid.”

  “Hmm.” Brian was quiet for a second. “Accountability is important, so I’m going to ask you straight out. How far have you gone with her?”

  Ian blinked, a bit taken aback by his friend’s bluntness. Finally, he met the honest question with the honest truth. “Hugs and handholding. She kissed me on the cheek once.”

  Brian nodded. “And what else?”

  “Nothing else.”

  “Nothing else?” Brian’s mouth twitched, but Ian couldn’t tell if the man was trying not to smile or trying not to frown. “Ok. Have y’all discussed boundaries?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sticking to them?”

  “Yes.”

  “Uh, what about your thoughts, fantasies, dreams?”

  Ian frowned. “Well, I haven’t really let myself go there. I mean, I’ve thought about kissing her and holding her. Nothing more.”

  Brain gave him a confused look. “Bro, what is your problem? You’re fine.”

  “Right now, I may be fine, but I don’t trust myself.”

  “Good. Don’t trust yourself. Trust God. The way you behaved before is over and done with. You’re a new person now. Let the Spirit lead you. He’ll tell you when to back off. He’ll let you know where you’re pushing too far too fast. You just have to be sensitive to that and follow through.”

  Ian gave him a doubtful look. “That sounds like it would be easier said than done.”

  Brian smiled. “You’re right. It might not be easy, but it’s doable. Start with prayer. Psalm 19 is a good one. ‘Cleanse
me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins. Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.’”

  “Wow.” With all the Bible reading Ian had seen Brian do, he shouldn’t be surprised the guy had big chunks of it memorized.

  “Seek his will, and he’ll show you what to do. That’s a promise he gives us in Proverbs 3. It holds true for your relationship too.”

  Ian nodded. “Start with prayer. Seek His will. I’m guessing fleeing tempting situations would be on the list, too.”

  “Well, the Word says resist temptation, and it will flee from you. That doesn’t necessarily mean flee from your girlfriend—unless she’s going all ‘Potiphar’s Wife’ on you, then all bets are off. I can’t see Ava doing that, though.”

  Ian laughed. “Neither can I.”

  “Don’t let yourself be controlled by fear. You’re a new creation. Remember that. I’ll write down some verses that have helped me.”

  “I’d appreciate it.”

  “I’ll be praying for you, brother.” Brian lightly punched Ian’s shoulder. “You’ve got a good one. Try to keep her, ok?”

  It wasn’t likely that he could. Still, he managed to offer up a weak smile. “Yeah. Listen, I’d better go find Robbie.”

  “I’ll be praying for you about that too.”

  “Thanks, man.” After one quick stop to make himself presentable, Ian went in search of a cameraman. He peered around the camera’s lens to the cameraman holding it. “Good morning, Will. I’d like to speak to Robbie. Do you know where I can find him?”

  Ian soon found himself standing outside the partially dismantled trailer park they’d visited earlier in the game. That meant this was the same island where they’d visited St. Augustine. It made sense both logistically and monetarily to rent one island, but it was also pretty disappointing—because it meant they’d been going in circles for two weeks.

  Living History’s world had been meticulously constructed. It had all felt so real. It was strange to see it undressed and undone. He headed to the governor’s mansion which, apparently, was in the midst of a nationality conversion from Spanish to… He paused to eye the false front propped against the trailer. Dutch?

  The trailer door swung open, and Logan beckoned him forward. “Ian, come in. We heard you were headed our way. Is this about Ava and Dash?”

  “Yes, it is.” Ian climbed the ladder to follow Logan into the trailer.

  Robbie sat at the governor’s desk frowning at his laptop. “Logan and I have been going over the footage from yesterday.”

  Logan rounded the desk to stand behind Robbie, presumably to look at the footage. “I’m concerned.”

  “So am I.” Ian parked himself in front of the desk. He didn’t need to see the footage. Ava had told him what happened. That was enough of a visual. “I’d like to know what’s going to be done about the situation.”

  Robbie’s gaze flickered up from the laptop. “Slow down, you two, and sit down. Let’s discuss this calmly. We can’t simply boot Dash off the show if that’s what you were hoping, Ian.”

  Ian sat in the chair across from Robbie while Logan pulled up another chair to sit at the side of the desk. Ian leaned forward. “Why can’t you? You’re the director and producer.”

  “I’m bound by a contract.” Robbie opened one of the desk’s drawers to pull out a copy of the contract. “A contestant can only leave when they end up in the bottom two and are subsequently voted out or if they withdraw.”

  Ian turned to Logan. “What are the chances of Dash ending up in the bottom two?”

  “Not good.” Logan gave a helpless shrug. “He’s one of the strongest players. Ava is doing pretty well too, despite her initial reluctance. She always seems to happen upon some of the most valuable quests. That’s all I can say about the contestants’ standings right now.”

  If Ava and Dash weren’t in the bottom two, that meant Brian, Scott, Philip or Noah would be voted out next. Or, Ian. Ian could be the next to go, which would leave Ava with only Brian as a true defender. Frustration coursed through Ian’s veins. “What about the code of ethics we all signed? Isn’t there something from there you could use?”

  Robbie grimaced. “Maybe there should be, but this kind of thing isn’t something we anticipated. It’s only our first season, you know. We’re still learning.”

  “I’ve noticed,” Ian said before he could stop himself. Antagonizing the director wouldn’t do anyone any good, but this wasn’t Ian’s first rodeo. “We need you guys to react faster when one of us is in danger, whether that’s Caleb losing blood on a ship or a woman being harassed by a male contestant. You realize how this will look for you if things go south with Ava, don’t you? Part of the reason she’s been in the news lately is because she was attacked by a man. If you don’t do something to prevent it from happening again—”

  Robbie’s face turned red. “I don’t think Dash would resort to violence.”

  “Maybe he won’t, but there’s no way of knowing for sure until it’s too late. Add to that the dismissive way you treated her when she was press-ganged onto the Intrepid—”

  Logan held up a stilling hand. “I think we all understand what’s at stake here. We need to focus on finding a solution.”

  Robbie cracked his knuckles and nodded. “Ideally, one that doesn’t entail Living History getting sued by Ava or Dash.”

  Ian narrowed his eyes. “Or Ava getting hurt, right? That should be our priority.”

  “Let me see the contract for a moment.” Logan flipped through a few pages, then glanced up to offer them a thoughtful smile. “It’s still in here.”

  Robbie took the contract from him. “What is?”

  “Remember when we were debating how contestants would be eliminated? We weren’t sure if we’d have them voted out or duel to the death.”

  Ian lifted a brow. “To the death?”

  Logan grinned. “Only figuratively. The bottom two would fight it out amongst each other. The winner would return to the crew, and the loser would leave the show. We never took out the language about the duel. Since it’s still there, we can use it.”

  Ian frowned. “I thought you said Dash wasn’t going to be in the bottom two.”

  Robbie smiled. “He doesn’t have to be.”

  “So what does that mean?”

  “It means…” Logan leaned back in his chair. “Someone better challenge this guy to a duel.”

  R

  Ava stuck close to Brian during breakfast, trying not to laugh as the other guys complained about the cat wandering through their hut last night. Apparently, Brian had turned the feline loose in the guy’s tent before falling asleep in hers. It was a smooth move on his part. The other pirates were way grumpier about the cat climbing into their hammocks than they were about her middle-of-the-night interruption.

  Ian returned right as they were finishing up breakfast. She searched his face as he claimed a seat on the ground beside her. “How did it go?”

  “Pretty well.” He leaned closer to whisper. “I think we found a way to get Dash off the show.”

  “Off the show?” She bit her lip. “Isn’t that a little passive-aggressive?”

  He paused. “Are you telling me assertive aggression is an option? I’d be more than happy to punch him in the face.”

  “Oh, my word, no. Ian, don’t you dare. The last thing I need is to have two guys brawling over me on a reality show.”

  Taking her hands in his, he captured her gaze with only a hint of teasing. “Babe. Please.”

  He’d called her ‘babe’ which at any other moment would have been entirely distracting. Instead, she gave him an impatient look. “No.”

  “But I honestly hadn’t realized how badly I’d like to wipe the permanent smirk off that guy’s face until you mentioned it.” The spark in his eyes told
he was teasing her now—mostly. He leaned in closer to whisper, “I can do it discretely. Away from the cameras. No one has to know.”

  She shifted onto her knees, moving closer. Her right hand slid onto his shoulder. Her left captured his hand and guided it to her lower back… where a microphone had already been taped. Realization stole across his face. Nope, there was nothing secret about his longing to beat up Dash. He sighed. “Fine.”

  She barely held back a laugh at his frustrated tone. Reaching up, she gave him a quick hug. “I appreciate your misguided attempt at defending me, but violence isn’t the answer here.”

  “We’ll stick with the original plan then.”

  “Wait. What’s the plan?”

  The chief’s booming voice interrupted them. “Pirates, it is time for you to rejoin your commodore at the beach. We enjoyed having you in our village. May the fates ever be in your favor.”

  “I’ll tell you later,” Ian whispered, then rushed to the hut to collect his belongings as the community members began gathering the food.

  She didn’t have a chance to talk with Ian before they faced Logan once again. The show host nodded in greeting. “Good morning. It’s time for you all to return to the ship. However, we have some business to take care of first. Ian has chosen to implement article five of the pirate code.”

  Article five? What was article five? Didn’t that have something to do with eliminations? Ava shot him a questioning look. Somehow his reassuring smile wasn’t very comforting.

  “He has challenged Dash to a duel to the death.”

  “A what?” Ava exclaimed glancing back and forth between Ian and Logan. “No.”

  Logan paused a second, then continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Dash accepted. The loser of the duel will be eliminated. Dash and Ian, meet me on the dueling ground. The rest of you may return to the ship. Crew dismissed.”

  Ava turned to meet Ian gaze. “Ian?”