The Uncharted Series Omnibus

by Keely Brooke Keith

  “I love it.”

  “Then it is part of you and I will have to get used to you getting hurt once in a while.” She reached her hand to his arm. “But if you try to hide your hurt from me, you’re only robbing me of the chance to love you through it.”

  Everett covered her hand with his. “Your father told me your mother used to say that to him.”

  “Really?” Bethany wondered why she never knew. Everett glanced out the window. He wanted to get to the shore. She wanted to go too. “Let me come with you.”

  “No, Beth. You have to stay here.”

  “Please. If there is a ship, I want to see it.”

  “It’s not safe.” Everett patted her hand then stepped to the door. “You’re not coming. I love you, but you’re not coming.”

  Chapter Eleven

  As he trekked the sandy path to the cairn on the shore, Everett focused on the dark blemish that scarred the horizon. Connor was pointing a telescope at the object on the sea. John was leaning against a tall stack of stones that marked the place where the founders first came ashore in eighteen sixty-one. Both men glanced back at Everett as he stepped behind them.

  The blur on the ocean appeared too flat and inelegant to be a ship, but its menacing bulk made Everett nervous. His toes curled inside his boots. “It doesn’t look like a ship.”

  John’s graying hair blew across his forehead as he turned to Everett. “That is what I first thought. It certainly does not resemble any of the illustrations in our founders’ writings, but Connor says it is most definitely a ship.”

  “Is it Mercer’s?” Everett asked Connor.

  “No, it’s not. I have no idea where the icebreaker is. He drifted here on a dinghy in the middle of the night when he came to the Land. His ship could be miles from here.” Connor pulled his face away from the telescope and rubbed one eye with the back of his hand. Then he pointed at the ship on the ocean. “That is an aircraft carrier.”

  “Is it American?”

  “It’s definitely a Unified States platform, but I can’t tell how close it is to the coast.”

  Everett looked out at the blurry ship. “It looks like it’s on the horizon. On a clear day on land, that would be about three miles away. Why can’t you tell how far away it is?”

  Connor stepped back from the telescope. “The visual is skewed looking out to sea from here because of the atmosphere around the Land. That ship could be one mile from us, it could be ten.” He pointed to the telescope. “Have a look.”

  Everett moved to the telescope and bent to look through the brass eyepiece. He squeezed the other eye shut as he focused on the hazy V-shape that rose out of the sea. The ship’s flat upper portion spread wide over the water, and dark lines blurred above the deck on one side. “What’s that sticking up on the left?”

  “That’s called the island. It houses flight deck control, the navigation bridge, the chartroom—or did you mean the mast on top of the island?”

  “I don’t know what I’m looking at.” Everett stepped back and John took a turn at the telescope. Everett glanced at Connor. “Do you think the people on that ship can see us?”

  “No, I don’t. If it were possible to see the Land from out there, the crew would have a perfect visual of us. Believe me, they have better technology than an antique mariner’s telescope. And if they could detect the Land, they would have already determined the resources here and the lack of defense. This place would be buzzing with activity that we don’t want. They have no idea this land is—” Connor stopped talking and looked back at the path.

  Everett followed Connor’s line of sight. Levi and Mercer were approaching the shore. “Great,” Everett mumbled when he saw Mercer. John pulled his eye away from the telescope and sent Everett a parental look.

  Levi was scowling at the ship as he walked toward the cairn, but Mercer’s face was stretched with the stupidest looking smile Everett had ever seen. Levi stopped beside Everett while Mercer walked straight to the telescope and looked at the ship.

  “Oh yeah! Look at that beauty!” Mercer sang out like an excited schoolgirl. “I’ve never been so happy to see a platform in my life. Ford class, I’d say. What do you think, Bradshaw?”

  “Probably,” Connor replied.

  “The flight deck’s empty.”

  “I noticed.” Connor sounded concerned. “Completely empty.”

  “Has it moved?”

  “No, I think it’s anchored.”

  Mercer twisted the brass rings as if the telescope needed adjusting. Then he stuck his face to the eyepiece again. “You were right: there’s something wrong with the atmosphere around here. It’s still a beautiful sight. Hooyah!”

  Everett and Levi glanced at each other. Levi shrugged. Mercer prattled on about how wonderful it was to see the ship. John stepped toward Mercer and put a hand on his back. Everett thought that was more friendliness than Mercer deserved, and looked away. As far as he was concerned Mercer had brought them infection, insolence, and now possible invasion.

  “Justin,” John said to Mercer, “do you believe the crew on that ship can see the Land?”

  “No. They would be all over this place if they knew it was here.” Then Mercer looked at Connor. “Let’s fire off a few flares. The dinghy is still in your shed, right? It’s got a kit—”

  John raised a palm. “Please do not send any signals.”

  “Don’t worry, John. We won’t.” Connor’s first use of an authoritative tone over Mercer pleased Everett. Connor looked at Mercer. “We don’t want the Land to be detected.”

  Mercer stepped back and furrowed his brow. “You’ve got to be kidding me! Can you honestly say that if there is a chance for you to get on that platform, you won’t take it?”

  “Absolutely not. I have a family here.”

  “A lot of people on that ship have a family somewhere, Bradshaw. Kiss your wife and baby goodbye like a good sailor and get back on that ship.”

  “Sailor?” Levi chuckled. “I thought you were a pilot.”

  “I thought you both were pilots,” John’s gaze shifted between Connor and Mercer.

  Connor shook his head. “I’m a naval aviator—was a naval aviator. Mercer was a naval flight officer.”

  John scratched his beard. “What is the difference?”

  “I can land aircraft on a platform for starters,” Connor smirked.

  Mercer threw up his hands. “Hey, I can land aircraft too.”

  “Yeah, on a ten thousand foot immobile runway—not on a platform and forget a pitching deck.” Connor seemed to be enjoying his banter with Mercer, but it made Everett wonder if Connor would remain loyal to the Land.

  “So what?” Mercer laughed. “You couldn’t do it any more—those are perishable skills.”

  Connor glanced at John, Levi, and Everett, then his grin disappeared and he crossed his arms. He looked back at Mercer. “You may be eager to get your old life back, but this is my life now. I’m dead to the outside world. I worked through that three years ago. I have to protect my family and my village. Besides, I’ve seen what the currents around the Land can do, and it may not be possible to make it out to that ship.”

  * * *

  Everett paced the wooden planks of the chapel’s entryway while the village elders gathered in the front pews. He stopped at one of the doors and peered out its sliver of a window. Though late afternoon, the autumn daylight was already waning. A few villagers milled around outside the chapel, curious as to the cause of the emergency elder meeting. Everett scanned the cobblestone street. Connor and Mercer were nowhere in sight. Surely Connor could still be trusted. Surely he would not let Mercer turn on the radio transmitter and contact the ship.

  John’s gentle baritone reverberated through the cavernous sanctuary as he stood at the front of the chapel. He was explaining the ship on the horizon, Connor’s belief that the ship’s crew could not see the Land, and Mercer’s desire to try to row out to the ship. Though the elders knew about Mercer’s situation, their comments
reflected their surprise with his dissatisfaction of life in the Land.

  Everett turned away from the window and walked along the outside aisle to the front pews where the elders were discussing the situation. As soon as he sat beside Levi in the pew behind the elders, Connor and Mercer walked in the chapel. Silence shrouded the meeting as the elders turned and watched the two former warriors strut down the center aisle of the village church.

  John motioned to the front pew. “Have a seat up here please, gentlemen.”

  As Connor sat on the front row, he looked back at Levi and Everett and gave one short nod. Levi returned the nod. Though Everett knew it was Connor’s way of reassuring them, he did not return the gesture. Connor creased his brow as he looked at Everett for a moment, then he turned his attention to John.

  John laid his pencil on the podium and stepped to the front pew. “Justin, the elders are unclear on why you would risk your life to leave the Land.”

  Mercer rested his arm along the back of the pew and glanced at the other men. “I don’t belong here.”

  John gave Mercer a moment to elaborate, but Mercer remained silent.

  Connor shifted sideways. “After we monitored the ship this afternoon, Mercer and I discussed at length what we believe is happening out there. After years of war, the outside world is plagued with a tuberculosis epidemic and there isn’t enough medicine. We noticed an unusual lack of aircraft and activity on the ship’s flight deck. We wonder if anyone is still alive on that ship, and if they are—due to Mercer’s experience trying to locate the Land—we doubt they know the Land is here. Mercer wants to return to the outside world and is certain he should attempt to reach the carrier.”

  Everett watched Connor speak for Mercer. The distrust he felt toward Connor churned his stomach. After all he had been through with Connor, Everett wanted to trust him, but he could not shake the feeling that Mercer was influencing Connor away from them. Everett could not hold his tongue another moment. “And what about you, Connor? Do you want to leave also?”

  Connor looked back at Everett, as did several elders. His dark eyes held an intensity that reflected the sting of Everett’s doubt. “No. I am certain my place is here in the Land.” He held Everett’s gaze even as John began speaking again. Finally, Everett looked away.

  “Thank you, Connor,” John said. Then he turned to Mercer. “What is your plan?”

  “If the carrier is still there in the morning, I want to row out. The outboard motor on the dinghy still has fuel in it. My friend got communications back up as I was leaving our ship. He was going to send a message to the navy to come and help me. Even though he is probably dead by now, he did that for me, so if the carrier is here because it received that message, I owe it to him to—” Mercer’s voice broke. He pulled his arm off the pew and cleared his throat. “After I saw Connor drift toward this land, I spent three years trying to get back here. I didn’t have a chance to go to America after the crash—they reassigned me to Antarctica. Then communications went down and I didn’t think I’d ever make it home, so I just focused on finding this land. You people have a good thing going here. I feel like I’ve gone back in time. But if there is a chance to return to my country, I want to do it. The day my friend got the communications back up I was crazy with fever and left the ship. Now there is an American carrier within reach and I have to try to make it out there. I don’t belong here; I belong out there.”

  John nodded. “Thank you, Justin. I appreciate your honesty. I know this has been frustrating for you.” He looked around at the elders. “I will assent to Justin’s request to leave. Does anyone object?”

  Mr. McIntosh, seated on the second row, lifted his hand. “It sounds like he will be rowing to his death, like Frank Roberts and the boys did a few years ago. Does he have any idea about the deadly currents surrounding our shore?”

  Mercer straightened his spine. “I’m fully trained for water survival. I know how to respect the sea.”

  “Your chances of making it to that ship are low,” Mr. McIntosh said, speaking directly to Mercer.

  “I understand. My chances of making it here were also low, but I made it.”

  Mr. McIntosh shrugged.

  John nodded. “Anyone else?”

  “I don’t object,” Mark Cotter spoke up from the pew in front of Everett, “but how will we know if he makes it to the ship?”

  “Good question,” Everett muttered.

  Connor answered, “We do not believe anyone on the ship can see or detect the Land. If Mercer makes it to the ship, he will not mention the Land to anyone. We may never know if he makes it to the ship, but we will know that we have not been detected if the ship leaves.”

  Mr. McIntosh wiped his brow. “Then I am eager for that ship leave the horizon.”

  “Me too,” Everett mumbled. Levi heard him and nodded.

  When other men began to chime their agreement, John spread his hands. “Are there any objections to Justin leaving the Land?” When no one spoke, John continued. “Very well. Justin, Connor will help you get your boat ready for the morning. If there is anything you need, please let us know.”

  “Actually, I would like to take some gray leaf medicine with me.”

  “Of course,” John quickly agreed.

  “And some seeds.” Mercer added.

  John’s brow furrowed. “Seeds?”

  “So I can plant gray leaf trees in America—if I make it home.”

  Levi glanced at Everett. Everett shook his head. He looked at the other elders. No one objected, so Everett stood. “If seeds of the gray leaf tree are taken to the outside world and they know what it can do, they will be too impatient for the trees to mature. They will focus on finding the source. When he tells them the Land is full of gray leaf trees, his idea is likely to get us invaded.”

  Connor lifted a hand. “It was my idea. The gray leaf tree cured his disease and saved Bethany. It may be the only thing that can bring healing to the nations.”

  Everett looked to John, hoping the overseer would intervene. When he said nothing, Everett sat back down, defeated.

  Connor glanced back at Everett. “Mercer has promised never to mention the Land to anyone.”

  Levi raised a finger. “What if they ask where he got the seeds?”

  “I’ll say they were floating on the ocean. I have no problem with lying if I need to.” Mercer grinned with a confidence that made Everett want to leap over two rows of elders and pound the smirk off his lying face.

  Everett glowered at Mercer. “Then how do we know you aren’t lying now?”

  John lifted his chin. “Thank you, Everett, that is enough. If Justin makes it to the ship, I trust he will not speak of the Land. If the Land has already been detected, I trust Justin to be our liaison and provide diplomacy. If Justin cannot make it to the ship and returns to Good Springs, we will help him find his place in the village. Justin, you may leave at sunrise. Lydia will give you whatever medicine you need, and we trust that you will keep your word. We will pray for your safe return to your homeland and we will watch for the ship to move away from our shore. Meeting adjourned.”

  Everett rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants and glanced up as the elders stood from their seats and walked to the chapel doors. John put a hand on Mercer’s back and said something to him. Connor followed the elders, then he stopped when he approached the pew where Levi and Everett sat. Levi stood, but Everett waited a moment before he joined them. Connor’s gaze was fixed on the men leaving the chapel, but he angled his head toward Everett and Levi. “I need to run an idea past you guys before I mention it to John.”

  “What is it?” Levi asked.

  “The radio transmitter in the barn,” Connor whispered, “I want to send it with Mercer in the morning. As he rows out he could use it to tell us if he makes it to the ship and if the Land is visible from out there.”

  Everett shook his head. “The aircraft carrier could pick up his transmission.”

  “But it wouldn’t matter because we
wouldn’t be sending any signals from the Land. He could keep his comments vague and call for their help in between so it wouldn’t sound like he was relaying information to anyone.”

  “I don’t know,” Levi said as he crossed his arms. “Can we trust him with a radio transmitter? What if he sends a signal before he leaves?”

  “He doesn’t know we have the radio and I won’t tell him until he’s about to leave tomorrow morning.” Connor glanced from Levi to Everett.

  There was no reason to doubt Connor’s sincerity, but the potential to further jeopardize the Land’s safety seemed to be escalating. Everett flipped his hair off his forehead and glanced at Mercer and John, who were standing near the chapel door. “I don’t trust him.”

  “None of us do,” Connor agreed. “But it would be helpful to know if the Land is visible from the sea or if there really is something protecting it. I’ve wanted this confirmation for three years. This may be our chance to find out—to finally live in peace knowing we are safe or confirmation that we need to make weapons and send a team of explorers to the mountain range to stake out hiding places. This may be our only chance to find out if the Land is truly in danger of invasion, and I say we take it.”

  * * *

  Bethany stood near the table, laying out five place settings while Lydia helped Isabella to the kitchen. The back door opened and a blast of cold air swirled into the room as John and Connor entered. The men ended a private conversation in hushed tones, piquing Bethany’s curiosity.

  Connor greeted Lydia with a kiss, then he whispered something to her and she blushed. He pulled his chair out from the table to sit, but she pointed at the sink and he stepped away from the table and washed his hands. John squeezed Bethany’s shoulder as he passed her. “Quite a day, was it not? Go ahead and eat—I will be back in few minutes.”