Episode Twenty: A Night Watch

    “Stratford,” Jim whispered forcefully, “your watch.”
    Elizabeth raised a hand signaling she had heard. She had hardly gotten any sleep anyway with the rocking of the boat. Outside the air was cool, but wrapped in a blanket Elizabeth didn't mind it. She sat on the highest part of the boat, on top of the cabin next to the sail. That had become the official post of whoever was on watch. Most of the stars were blocked by clouds, and the moon was nowhere to be seen. Wind filled the open sail, pushing them forward and onward into the unknown.
    She waited for about an hour, long enough that she was sure both Jim and William were asleep, then opened her phone and made a call to the portal. After ten beeps a recording of her own voice asked her to leave a message. “Dean, they don't trust me enough to give me any specifics, but whatever they are looking for is big. We are sailing on an ocean, and they constantly watch the horizons. They even put me on watch. William said as soon as I saw it, I would know that that was it. I'll try and call you tomorrow at about this same time.”
    As she hung up the phone, William, who had been hiding in the doorway cabin, asked, “How's Dean?”
    Startled by his voice, Elizabeth shoved the phone into a pocket and stood up in the same motion. “What are talking about?” she gasped, hoping he hadn't actually seen the phone and was asking the question rhetorically.
    “I couldn't understand what you were saying, but the cellphone lit up your face,” he said. Unsure how to react, Elizabeth just froze. “We need to talk. Jim's a little uptight, so if you don't mind, we'll keep this quite and not wake him up.”
    “What are you going to do to me.”
    He held out his hand. “If you give me your phone, nothing right now.”
    “And if I don't?”
    “I don't want to hurt you, Elizabeth, but I won't let you ruin everything we are working for.”
    She hesitated a minute then slapped the phone into his hand angrily.  Dropping down to the deck again she put her back to him. After a minute she hear him sit down also. For along while they both sat there staring into the night.
    “Is everything you said about Dean blackmailing you true?”
    She didn't answer.
    “Do you mind if I take a guess?”
    She pulled the blanket closer around her, and glared away from him.
    “I think what you told us is true. Except that instead of throwing you in here, Dean blackmailed you into spying on us. You hate Dean, but you don't know how to escape him.”
    Elizabeth suddenly burst into tears. Everything seemed so hopeless. William's kindness to her only made it worse. She wanted him to be mean and cold like Jim. That way she could just spit in his face and hate everyone. “What do you want from me? I can't help you get out of here even if I wanted to. You can't trust me with your secrets. We both know that even though I don't have a phone right now, I could just drown myself and get another one.”
    “You're right. I can't tell you our secret hope.” He paused. “I guess you just reminded me of someone, and I wanted to help you if I could.”
    “I don't need help from you. Dean can't kill me, he can't even keep me in here for any longer than a week or so. Too many people know we work together. If I disappear, the police would investigate him.”
    “Will you go to the police?”
    “I can't, William, I'm just as guilty as he is. I don't want to live the rest of my life in prison.”
    “Is life under Dean's hand any better?”
    She couldn't respond. His suggestion that her life was already wore than prison made her angry, but she knew he was right.
    “Sorry,” he said. “I shouldn't have said that. I guess I'm just wish you were on our side.” He stood up to leave.
    “William,” she said, holding him back. “I won't let Dean kill you, any of you.”
    Something in him snapped. “You have already let him kill all of us!” he exploded.
    “What?”
    “The only person I care about in the world is dead to me, and I am dead to her because of the Endless Fronter. I will never be able to marry Sarah. Never even be able to say goodbye.”
    Every word struck Elizabeth's soul like a physical blow.
    “Do you know why Jim hates you? Because if you get your way, his children are going to grow up without a father. He knows that right now his wife is crying herself to sleep ever night for worry over him, wondering what possibly could have happened to him. Troy doesn't know that you are in here, but I'm sure he feels the same way. He is certain his business if floundering without him. Don't you see Elizabeth, being trapped in here is the same as being dead.”
    The cabin's door opened and Dean stepped out. “What is going on up here?”
    Elizabeth was slumped on the ground with William standing menacingly over her. “Nothing,” said William hopping down to the main deck. “You were right though. She's nothing but a spy.”