A/N: Update time! The first chapter may have been a bit slow, but things are REALLY picking up now, so hold on tight. :)

Thanks to f29dwnaddict for reviewing chapter 1. Enjoy chapter 2, and make sure you REVIEW! :)


When Hope is Gone

Chapter Two

Daley shot off in the opposite direction of Nathan, toward camp. As she stumbled into the makeshift living area, breathing hard, several faces looked up at her, surprised.

There was her younger stepbrother, Lex Marin. His dark eyes stared up at her, alarmed, while his dark hair waved in the breeze. Taylor Hagan and Cody Jackson were sitting side-by-side next to the fire pit. Melissa Wu, who Daley strongly believed to have a major crush on Jackson, glanced up from glowering at the two friends. Eric McGorrill rose up from reclining on the sand, and Taylor Hagan sat up, eyes wide.

"What's going on, Daley?"

Daley fought for breath, struggling to speak over her excitement. "I think…" she fumbled, then took a deep breath and continued, "I think we're saved!"

Utter pandemonium reigned. Eric leapt up so quickly that he shot sand everywhere. Taylor screamed at the top of her lungs, dancing around. Jackson looked up at her, a slight smile turning up the right corner of his mouth, but otherwise, he remained motionless. Melissa fell to her knees, muttering to no one in particular, "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you…" Lex simply looked stunned.

Finally, he said, "What's going on? How do you know this?"

All eyes were on Daley."Yeah, and where's Nathan?" Melissa asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Eric asked.

"Joke? No one's laughing." Everyone spun around and saw Nathan walking toward them, flanked by two men in their mid-thirties. Both had black hair, black eyes, and tan skin. And both made Daley shudder. She just couldn't say why.


"We're merchants," Hernando informed the group as they sat around a crackling campfire that night. "We were on our way to trade at a distant island when we saw your plane lying on the shore."

"," the second man, Ignacio, agreed. Both men were Hispanic, but Ignacio's English was choppy and strangled, while Hernando spoke it like he had been born in America. "We want to help."

"So we took a little detour." Hernando smiled. Daley shivered. There was something about that man's smile, something that didn't seem right.

"Anyway, guys, thanks for being patient with us. We were out at sea all day, and we really needed to get some shut-eye before heading out again."

"Sí, gracias," Ignacio added.

"No problem," Melissa said kindly. "We're just so glad you found us."

"Hey, being stuck on an island for a month can't be fun. We're glad we found you."


Taylor sat by the fire, watching the embers fade away. Her brown eyes were downcast, and she seemed oblivious to the fact that everyone else had left for the night, save for one person.

"Hey." Taylor faced Jackson, a deep sadness in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Jackson asked, bewildered. He took a seat next to his friend, who shrugged.

"We're going home. That's all I've been dreaming about forever, but now… Jackson, I've changed. Anyone on this island will tell you that. And everything is different now; messed up. And somehow, I have the feeling that going home is just going to make it worse."


"Nathan! Where are you going?" Nathan spun to see Daley following him through the woods, worry written on her features.

"I'm going to find Hernando and Ignacio. See if they need help with anything." He frowned. "They ran off pretty quickly after dinner."

"Nathan…that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Nathan took a step closer to her. "What? About Hernando and Ignacio?"

"Yeah…Nathan, I don't know what it is, but something about them gives me the creeps."

Nathan chuckled. "Oh, please, Daley, you're being way too paranoid! They're going to help us get off the island."

"I know they say that, but…" Daley sighed, not understanding why Nathan was so oblivious to the fact that something about those two guys was messed up. "But, Nathan, what are the chances that they randomly show up, right at our island? There's got to be more to this than meets the eye."

Nathan scowled. "Daley, you heard Hernando. They're merchants. They were just passing by."

"Yeah, but who 'passes by', and trades to island tribes using a motorboat?"

"Daley, you're being ridiculous," Nathan scoffed. "Look, I'm just going to find out if they need help with anything. I'm not going that far into the woods, and everything will be fine!" Shaking his head in amusement, Nathan turned and began to walk. Daley bit her lip and spun around. Nathan was right. She was being silly.

Or was she?

And there was still another problem to consider—what was going to happen to the others-Ian, Rory, Abby, and the Captain? They would have to find them before they could leave the island.


Nathan hurried through the trees, grimacing. They looked so much more foreboding at night, with their gnarled branches reaching up to the sky. He distracted himself by laughing at Daley's silly comments. How stupid, to think that these guys were up to no good.

After fifteen minutes, Nathan heard hushed voices from behind a particularly large bush. Lantern light shone through the tiny holes between the leaves.

Without a second thought, Nathan stepped into full view. "Hey, guys," he said. "I just thought you might need some he…"

His voice faded away as he caught sight of what was lying on the ground at their feet.

Cocaine. Meth. Pills. Bags of it. And cash. Hundred dollar bills were loosely packaged in a large suitcase.

"Oh, hello, Nathan," Hernando said slyly, an odd look in his eye. He swiftly stepped in front of the drugs and smiled. "What brings you here?"

Drug dealers, Nathan thought, enraged with himself. Daley was right. There was something wrong with them! They're drug dealers—and this island must be their cash!

Nathan was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed Ignacio getting up and walking up behind him. In fact, when he felt a rock-hard arm clasp around his neck and a thick, scratchy cloth forced into his mouth, it came as a complete surprise.


A/N: Told you things were going to pick up a little. :) Please REVIEW and I'll update in a week!

~Emachinescat ^..^