by R. D. Brady
Laney nodded. "Besides, we’re Guardians now. And it seems we may be the only two in a position right now to help you protect our land. The only place we're going is with you."
CHAPTER 27
A warm breeze blew through the trees, ruffling Laney’s hair. She closed her eyes inhaling the scents the wind brought with it. For just a moment she let herself relax, let down her guard. She tried to forget everything that had happened, and just breathe.
Jen nudged her and Laney’s eyes opened. Back to reality. Laney and Jen stood amongst the rest of the tribe along the shores of the Pastaza River. Ahead, Nana, Elena, Eddie and Julian stood on the rock outcropping facing the group.
Julian raised his hands and all murmuring stopped. “We have been dealt a serious blow. But we’re Guardians. No one has defeated us and no one ever will. It’s time to make the pilgrimage to our sacred site. Our ancestors will protect us and see us through.”
Without another word, he turned. He picked up Elena, walked across the rock face and stepped into the river. One by one, the Guardians followed him. They left no trail. It looked like the Guardians’ trail had ended at the Tayos Cave.
Laney stepped into the water, thankful for its warmth, even as it sloshed over her boots. She sighed. “Apparently, these boots aren’t completely waterproof. And I have a feeling this is going to be a really long walk.”
Jen grinned, slipping into the water next to her. “Well, it could be worse. At least it’s only up to our calves.”
“Your calves, Jen. It’s up to my knees.”
“Oh, right. Sorry.”
They traveled for hours in the river, never stopping for a break. Laney marveled at the spirit of the Shuar. They’d lost at least half their numbers and yet they didn't stop to pity themselves. She glanced over at Jen. "These people are amazing."
Jen nodded. "Their loyalty to each other, their dedication to duty. They’re a throwback to how people should be."
"They've lost so much and they keep moving forward. I wonder if I could be as resolute if I was in their shoes."
Jen smiled, clasping Laney's hand. "My friend, you and the Shuar are cut from the same cloth. Life hasn’t always been easy for you, not when you were a kid, not a year ago, not right now. Yet here you are. Moving forward."
Laney squeezed her hand back. "Same goes for you. Maybe they weren't wrong to let us into their tribe."
Laney and Jen didn't speak again for the next few hours, both lost in their own worlds. As a group, they traipsed through the river and out again, climbed hills, clambered over downed trees, and ended up in yet another river. It was the world’s longest obstacle course. Laney’s thighs were beginning to ache and her feet had gone numb. Yet the Shuar kept moving forward, and so did she.
Laney glanced over at Jen, who looked as if this trek was no more strenuous than an evening stroll around the park. “You know, if you were a good friend, you’d look a little more exhausted right now.”
“I am completely exhausted.”
Laney didn't believe a word of it.
“I’m just good at hiding it. Besides, my mind’s racing with what we’re going to see. I can’t believe it. I know I should feel horror at all that has happened, and I do, but I can't help also being excited by what we might see.”
“Okay, I grant you that it’ll be incredible. But would a little catnap make it any less incredible?”
“Well, I think you might just get your wish.” Jen nodded ahead of them where Julian was leading the group out of the water and onto the bank.
“Finally.” Laney moved forward with a grateful smile. The smile quickly disappeared as Julian walked straight into the trees without stopping, the Guardians following behind.
“I'm really beginning to hate these guys," Laney grumbled.
The sun was all but gone from the sky when Laney glanced at her watch. It had been about two hours since they’d left the river. She was seriously considering throwing a tantrum like a sulky two-year old if she didn't get a small break when Guardians appeared from the trees. She couldn’t be sure, but she didn’t think they’d been at the village.
The tribesman in front of her halted. Exhausted, Laney nearly walked into the man. "Sorry," she muttered, shaking her head. She was practically asleep on her feet.
A group of six tribesmen separated from the group, disappearing into the darkening forest.
“Must be taking the first watch,” Jen said, putting her good arm around Laney. “Look.”
Laney looked ahead to where a small camp had been erected. Hammocks were strung from trees in a circle.
Laney nodded as she watched the remaining tribespeople take a hammock. She and Jen each picked one. Laney closed her eyes, dreading what dreams sleep would bring, dreading what tomorrow would bring. But too exhausted to even try to fight, she let sleep claim her. And with it came the nightmares.
CHAPTER 28
The sounds of the forest continued around them as Jake and his group made their way forward. They’d flown over the canopy of trees until they reached the site where the trucks carrying Laney and Jen had come under attack.
One of the trucks had been left behind, riddled with arrows and bullets. Bodies had been strewn through the area. Mostly men in camouflage, but a few were natives of the area, dressed in little more than loincloths, tattoos across their torsos. Patrick thought they might be members of the Shuar tribe.
A quick reconnaissance of the area didn’t show any sign of Laney and Jen. Jake didn’t let himself feel any relief. It was good they weren’t among the dead, but until he saw her with his own eyes, he wouldn’t relax. He couldn’t.
They followed the trail of the other truck from the air, but soon, the trees had become too thick. They had to travel on foot. Apparently it had been too thick for the truck as well. They found it abandoned.
Jake and his group had been traveling for three hours now, following a pretty well laid-out trail. Whoever had made it hadn’t been concerned with covering their tracks. Of course, they probably figured no one would be trying to find them. And, if not for Danny placing that tracker on Laney’s computer, no one would have.
But dark was beginning to descend. Jake knew they were going to have to call a halt for the night soon.
Jake paused, realizing the forest had gone silent. He signaled the group to stop, pulling his M4 to his shoulder. A scream of pain came from ahead, followed by a smattering of laughter.
Jake gestured for Yoni to check it out. Yoni slipped into the trees as Jake slowly led the group forward.
A minute later, Yoni jogged back through the trees towards Jake, his face serious. “There’s trouble up ahead.” “The girls?” Jake asked.
“No sign of them. There’s a village in the trees. Or at least, there used to be. It received the same treatment as the other locations. I counted four men. They're interrogating a man. And enjoying it way too much.”
Jake nodded, tapping the mic on his collar. “Village ahead with hostiles. We need to take some alive.”
Fifty yards later, he saw the village Yoni mentioned. But this hadn’t been a fight. This had been an annihilation. None of the huts had been left untouched. Most had been burned to ash. And bodies littered the ground, both natives and intruders alike.
Jake signaled for everyone to stop when they reached a small clearing. They were still hidden by the trees. Four men in camouflage surrounded a bound man on the ground. Blood poured from a wound in the man's head and his chest was a mass of red welts.
“I don’t think he’s going to tell us anything,” one of them said, his thick Boston accent coming out clear. The man fingered his knife looking like he wanted to be tagged into the fun.
Another, the ringleader of the group with a nose that had been broken too many times, grinned back at him. “Never thought he would. These animals always stick together.” He kicked the bound man in the ribs. “Now I’m just having fun.”
Boston snickered. “Not that I mind, but I’m thinking one of those two
bitches they carted off might be more fun. Especially that tall Asian girl. I’m thinking she’d be a lot of –”
A bullet pierced the man’s eye, another his neck.
Shit. Jake looked over at Jordan and Mike. Both had their weapons pulled into the shoulder.
“Move in,” Jake yelled, firing at the ringleader. “We need one alive.”
The firefight that ensued was short. Unprepared for the attack, three were killed. The other was injured, but his wounds weren’t life threatening.
Jake moved into the clearing, his eyes peeled for any sign of movement. He signaled for Yoni and another man to make a loop and make sure there weren’t any others hiding about. He knew in his gut, though, that there weren’t.
“Create a perimeter,” Jake barked into his throat piece. “And stay on guard.” Jake moved towards the man lying on the ground.
He leaned down as the man tried to crawl away. Pulling the man back, he turned him over. “Where do you think you’re going?”
The ringleader held his left hand in front of his face. His other hung uselessly at his side, blood drenching it. “Don’t kill me, man. Don’t kill me.”
Jake snatched the front of the man’s shirt. “Don’t kill you? Did you give any of these people that option?”
“It wasn’t my choice. I don’t make the orders. I just follow them.”
“You’re not a soldier, asshole. Now tell me where the rest of your people went.”
The man shook his head, grimacing in pain. “I can’t tell you. They’ll kill me.”
Jake held back his anger. He gestured towards Mike and Jordan, who were standing ten feet away, their rage clear in their rigid stance. “You see those men? One of the women your friends are after is their sister. The last thing you should be worrying about is what your friends will do to you. There’s a much more immediate threat you should concern yourself with.”
The man stared over at the brothers. A tremor ran through him. Jake couldn’t blame him. The Witt boys looked like they wanted to tear him limb from limb.
The man looked back Jake. “Look, I’m not sure where –”
Jake reached down and squeezed the man’s leg where the bullet had torn through the muscle. A primal scream erupted from him.
Jake’s words were furious. “I’m done playing with you. Tell me where they went. Now.” Bobbing his head furiously, the mercenary said, “They headed towards the river.”
Jake pulled up a mental map of the area. “The Pastaza River?”
The man nodded.
“How far ahead of us are they?”
“A few hours. Maybe three.”
Jake slammed the man back into the ground. He turned and walked away. He radioed the helicopter to pick up the wounded tribesmen and the mercenary.
Henry stood waiting for him.
“So what are we going to do with him?”
Jake looked around at the devastation the man had helped create. “I say we save the world the trouble, and put a bullet in his head. But I called the Huey. He’ll pick them both up.”
Henry gestured towards Patrick who was tending to the wounded tribesman a few feet away. “Probably for the best. I don’t think Patrick would be up for cold-blooded murder, even against that guy.”
Patrick spoke to the wounded man, clasping his hand and nodding before walking over to Jake and Henry. He gestured to the man Jake had just questioned. “What are you going to do with that one?”
“We were just discussing that,” Henry said.
Patrick narrowed his eyes. “We should probably just put a bullet in his head.”
Jake stared at him in shock.
Anger laced Patrick’s words. “But I suppose we should let him live. I’m not helping him, though. God help me, if I go near him, I may kill him myself.”
“He told us the rest of his men left about three hours ago, heading towards the river. It looks like Laney and Jen escaped with the tribesmen,” Jake said.
A small smile crept across Patrick’s face. “That’s my girl. Let’s hope they keep ahead of them until we arrive.”
Jake nodded. He was thinking the same thing.
The sun was gone. What little light was left would be gone within thirty minutes. Jake wanted to keep going, but it would be suicide. They didn't know the terrain. The group ahead of them could have easily set traps to cover their trail. “The day’s gone. We need to set up camp and get out at dawn."
He caught sight of Jordan and Mike walking through the rubble, checking each of the bodies. He nodded towards them. “What are they doing?”
“Looking for Jen,” Henry said. Jake inhaled sharply. Damn. “I’ll tell them.”
Henry put his hand on his arm to stop him. “Jake, they need to be sure she’s not here. Let’s help them.”
Jake nodded, giving instructions to the rest of the team to check the bodies to make sure Jen and Laney weren't among them. He left Henry to set up camp.
Then he headed over to Jordan, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find her. That guy said they left. They're not here. But we'll check, make sure.”
Jordan nodded, but his eyes were haunted. He continued moving through the bodies without a word. Other members of the team spanned out to help search.
Patrick stopped next to Jake, his hands shaking. “Jake, I know we need to move quickly in the morning, but I’d like to administer the last rites to these people. And I'd like to do a quick search in the morning, make sure I didn't miss anyone.”
Jake looked around. Patrick was right. They didn't have time for burials, but last rites were the least they could do. He nodded. “Okay, but at first light, we're out of here.”
Henry surveyed the damage around him. “I’ll stay with Patrick and we’ll catch up with you. These people deserve a little peace.”
“Okay," Jake agreed before re-joining in the search.
Jake worked his way through the bodies and destruction in the fading light. A few times, his gut clenched when he saw a dark-haired woman, but none had been Jen. And none of the bodies had long red hair.
Darkness fell and he stopped, surveying the sight. These attackers had been ruthless. And they were after Laney. He closed his eyes.
Hold on a little longer, Laney. I'm right behind you.
CHAPTER 29
Dawn crept through the sky when Hugo halted the men. They’d searched into the night, using night-vision goggles. It had been slow and frustrating.
The natives had been more adept than he’d expected. They’d set a number of false trails. Each mistaken path fueled his anger more. Before last night, he’d intended to kill them. But now, he was going to enjoy it.
One of his scouts came running up to him. “Sir, the trail ends just ahead at a cave entrance.”
Hugo grunted. “Any sign of the natives?”
“Lots of footprints and a trail leads inside the cave. The scouts didn’t hear anything inside, but we haven’t done a complete search yet.”
“Initiate a search and set up a perimeter. Let me know when you’ve found them.” He dismissed the man and continued through the foliage. In another fifty yards, he stepped out of the river.
He’d checked the map earlier and knew it was the Pastaza River. Looking towards the cave entrance, he noted footsteps led straight to the rock face. No footprints led away from the spot. They disappeared right here.
He looked around, not liking it. This was simply too easy.
He shook his head. Of course, they were just a bunch of barely clothed savages. They probably didn't have the brainpower to get out of a locked room. Nonetheless, he motioned to the group of five men that stood silently behind him waiting for his orders.
A short, muscular man stepped forward. “Sir?”
“Take your men and head upstream two clicks. Make sure they didn’t leave this spot. Contact tango team and have them do the same downstream.”
The man gave him a crisp nod. “Yes, sir.” With a sharp turn, he walked back to his men. Hugo nodded his ap
proval. His men were well trained. They obeyed without question.
Of course, they were well compensated for that discipline. He watched as another group of ten entered the cave, their weapons held at the ready. A wise precaution.
These savages might be slow, but they’d proven to be innovative fighters. He scowled as he thought of the tree village fight. It had been a royal cluster fuck. He'd been taken unaware by the ingenuity of the tribe. The forest was their turf and they’d used it to their advantage.
Eventually he’d prevailed, but not before losing almost a quarter of his men. And not before his quarry had scurried away. He wouldn’t underestimate them again.
Branches broke behind him and he felt his anger rise. His scowl deepened as he turned in time to see Warren stumble from the forest, tripping over some underbrush. His face was a mass of bruises, his nose hidden by bandages, and his fingers splinted. The man was a complete embarrassment. How his family had let him live to this age was a complete mystery to Hugo. He would have strangled him in his bassinet.
He turned away, dismissing Junior from his thoughts. He raised his radio to his lips. “Alpha team report.”
“Sir, we’ve made it through the main cavern. The space is huge. No sign of the natives.”
“Keep searching. Out.”
He clicked off the radio and frowned. This didn’t feel right. Damn it. The area was quiet, with trees lining either side of the embankments. The cave itself was sitting high up on about twenty feet of rock face. All footprints led directly to the cave. He stepped onto the rock plateau.
He walked to the edge, staring down the river. Of course, if they’d walked in the river, there'd be no trace of them. It would only look like they’d stopped here. His radio came to life. “Alpha to base.”
“Go ahead, Alpha.”
“Sir, we’ve found, well, it seems to be a gold skeleton in a side room of the cave.”
Hugo jolted at the words. Perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps this was the site they were looking for.
“ Can you remove it?”
“It’s in a glass case of some type. Do you want me to break it?”
