Jack was awake at Mac's first grunt of pain. He studied the blonde through his eye lashes keeping his breathing steady and loud. Jack almost jumped up when Mac managed to stagger to his feet. He could tell Mac was impatient with himself and frustrated at being stuck who knows where with no plan. Mac stepped toward the fire which was down to its last flames. As soon as Mac passed him Jack rolled silently to his feet. He was too far away to catch Mac as he fell. Mac rolled over and punched the grass growling. Jack could almost hear the scream of frustration Mac swallowed.

Jack was about to step forward when he heard a rustle behind him. He automatically shifted to the shadows blending in with them perfectly. He heard soft whispering then a group of kids materialized from nowhere. Jack crouched ready to open up a can of Texas whoopass on the little monsters when he paused. Even though the light was dim and flickering he could see the group around Mac clearly.

They didn't wear masks or hold spears. They were skittish like abused colts. They knelt beside Mac but didn't reach out to touch the blonde. They were disagreeing about something. Their tones of voice reminded him of his sister's kids debating if Spider Man could fly if he made a balloon out of spider webbing. Jack had always regretted not hearing the verdict on that particular conversation.

That was the only thing similar. Not one of these kids weren't marked by some horrible scar. Jack's eye fell to the smallest, the one he had slapped. Without the ash covering his body, Jack could see three pink-white circles across the kid's thin chest. Bullet holes, large caliber. Jack stepped forward not wanting to fight these kids, but for these kids. As he stepped into the dim circle of light, the kids cried out and scampered into the darkness like roaches. Jack managed to snag the arm of the smallest.

Jack yelped in surprise as he found himself holding a snarling cat with fifteen arms and ten legs.

"Will you...OW...damnit...settle down. I ain' gonna...dammit SETTLE DOWN!" The kid froze.

Jack knelt down relaxing his grip. He could feel the kid shaking with terror, his eyes wide and searching for a way out. Jack offered a smile. He let go of the kid and held his hands up palms out.

"Shhh, it's ok. I'm not gonna hurt you, ok?" He knew the kid didn't understand him, but he could see the kid was calming down. Jack heard the soft footfalls of the others creeping closer. Jack didn't take his eyes off his new (dammit Mac had been right, there was no way this kid was over 5) friend. Jack pointed to himself.

"Jack." The kid frowned. Jack repeated himself two more times before the kid's black eyes went wide and he grinned.

"Ja-ah-ck" The kid pronounced it with three syllables. Jack sighed. Good enough. Jack half turned and pointed at the sleeping form of his partner.

"Mac." He expected something similar to how the kid said his name.

"Muck." The kid said. Jack chuckled and smiled. He couldn't wait for Mac to wake up to his new name. The kid looked at Jack and pointed at his own chest.

"Lilo." Jack blinked. Really? Jack thought a minute. The kid had to have been given that name by someone who knew the Disney movie. That meant someone who could help them. Jack took a deep breath. He held out his hand as if walking. Lilo frowned and waved. Jack glanced over his shoulder surprised. A total of 16 kids crept into the dimming light. They were shy. Jack fought to keep his friendly smile. Some had long scars from a knife like a machete, some bullet wounds. One girl's face, shoulder and chest were nothing but bark made of twisted skin-burns. Jack gritted his teeth. Someone was due for a beating. Jack shook his head. He sat down. The kids talked to each other. Some gestured at him, said something then they all laughed. Jack shook his head and groaned as he sat beside them his knees popping. They all reared back with full guffaws. Jack glanced at Mac glad the kid was snoring, dead to the world. Jack sobered. He had to get Mac help or...he shook his head. Focus, Dalton! You have the worst game of charades to play ever.

Jack tried to convey them taking him to the grown ups. Dawn was peeping over the horizon downstream before they nodded. Lilo made a baby cradling motion with both hands. Jack nodded.

"Yes, your Mama." He said hoping like hell the kid was better at charades than Mac. The kids froze all of their heads cocking. Jack turned his and frowned. He didn't hear anything. The kids grouped together and spoke in a fast unintelligible conference. Lilo came back and pointed at Jack's watch. Jack nodded. Lilo pointed at Jack and Mac and then at the ground. Jack nodded. Lilo pointed at himself and the others, moved his fingers like they were walking then jabbed at Jack's watch. Jack nodded. If they were on the same wavelength, the kid was telling Jack to stay put until they came back. Jack smiled and nodded. Lilo grinned then said something to the others. In seconds, they were gone.

Jack rubbed his forehead. It was going to be even hotter than yesterday. He looked at the muddy water. If only they could take a dip. Jack glanced around him. At the edge of the thick rainforest, Jack saw a small bower. He looked up. At least it would keep the sun out. Jack frowned in thought. Ok, time to get to work.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mac opened his eyes. He bolted upright, or tried to. Jack's hand on his chest stopped the movement. Mac took in his surroundings trying to stop the rabbit thumping in his chest. It was daylling. He was laying in a lean to shelter made from vines and branches. He sniffed smelling fish. His mouth flooded with saliva.

"Help me sit up." Jack looked skeptical and hesitated. Mac glared at him. Jack rolled his eyes and did as Mac asked. Mac closed his eyes and bit back on a cry of pain. Jack gently helped him lean against a tree. Mac felt everything fuzz out a minute.

"...me?" Mac opened his eyes to see Jack crouching in front of him panic in his brown eyes. Mac leaned his head back and managed a weak smile.

"I'm fine, Jack, chill." Jack took a step back as if Mac slapped him.

"Fine? Fine? FINE?" Mac put a hand on Jack's shoulder. He could feel his partner trembling with stress, anger, frustration, fear and who knows what else. Mac gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze and softened his voice. He managed to make it sound almost normal.

"Jack, it's ok. There's not much we can do about it here, ok? What's our plan?" Jack's jaw flinched. It took him a minute to push back the storm of emotions. He turned away and scrubbed the sweat off his face with both hands. Mac waited leaning back enjoying the cool moss he leaned against. He was so hot…

"Look, I'm sorry…" Jack began. Mac studied his brother.

"It's fine, big guy. You need to get some sleep. You look ready to drop and what is going on with your arm?" Jack turned and leaned against the tree beside Mac.

"Nothing to worry about; I think my elbow's broken. My shoulder was dislocated, but I fixed that." Mac stared at Jack, mouth open to bitch him out and remind him arms are important to daily functioning. He changed it to a fake yawn deciding he didn't need a lecture about hypocrisy from his friend. He glanced at Jack who smirked at him, no doubt knowing exactly what had run through Mac's mind. Mac rolled his eyes. Sometimes best friends know you a little too well.

Jack crossed to the small fire he'd built and pulled four piranhas off sticks he'd used to cook them on. He handed Mac one. Jack was glad he'd boned and dressed it. He wasn't sure Mac would have paused to pluck them out. Jack sat beside the kid eating his as fast. Piranha-kabobs were pretty good. Jack reached over. He'd found a piece of bamboo bobbing against the shore of the river. He'd cut it into slices above the nodes. With a little finesse he'd made two bamboo cups. He'd filled them with water and plopped in a Lifestraw.

"Mai Tai in paradise?" Mac grimaced and took the cup they clinked it together.

"To surviving." Mac grumbled.

"To fun in the sun." Jack laughed. Mac glared at him. They drank the water. Mud and contaminants were filtered out, but there was a definite plastic aftertaste. Jack insisted Mac drink four glasses. Mac shoved aside any more.

"No, I'm gonna puke. So what's the plan? We wait here until dark? Let the kids lead us to wherever?" Mac asked. Jack shrugged then gasped and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Gotta stop doing that." He grumbled, "Can you think of something else?" Mac frowned.

"Do you have the remains of our beacon, any parts of a cell phone?"

"I should have guessed." Jack said with a smile. The older man seemed to be more relaxed. Mac's smile vanished as soon as Jack turned to gather up the electronic remnants. Jack relied on Mac's big brain having flashes of inspiration. Mac normally thought the same thing, but he was hurting and in a fog. And the heat...Mac pulled his wet T Shirt away from his skin. He hated jungles, alright rainforest, but the point still stood.

Jack handed him a handful of electronics and went to sit back down. He paused grinning.

"Oh, I almost forgot this." He handed Mac his SAK. Mac grinned like a kid on Christmas morning. He looked up at Jack in wonder. Jack sat down and put a hand on Mac's good shoulder.

"We're gonna be ok, buddy. I know you hate the woods, but we'll get out of this." Mac wiped sweat dripping down his face. He glanced at Jack. The man was barely sweating. He was perfectly at home in the jungle having spent half his career traipsing around South America in one form or another. Mac nodded.

"I can repair the beacon, but it isn't going to be able to clear the canopy. If I had a cell phone I could make it loud enough for Phoenix to hear."

"If you had a cell phone, we could just call them." Jack growled. Mac stared at him as if he were a dim child. He shook his head not having the energy to explain the workings of cell phones and why they used sat phones on missions. Mac felt like a soggy limp rag.

"You need sleep." Jack said. He put a hand against Mac's forehead. Mac closed his eyes. Jack's hands felt cool. Mac forced his eyes open. He was so tired.

"So do you." Mac muttered. Jack smiled.

"I'm fine, I can go for days without sleep." Mac smiled.

"Yeah, I hear that about old men with dementia."

"Old men? I'll have you know I was ready to fight an alligator. It would never have stood a chance and you know it." Mac held onto his middle as he laughed.

"Sure, Jack, sure." Mac leaned back barely able to keep his eyes open. Jack chuckled and brushed Mac's hair away from his sweaty forehead. Mac was both annoyed and comforted by the gesture, maybe he was annoyed that it comforted him…

"Crocodile." He mumbled.

"What?"

"It was a crocodile not an alligator." He heard Jack huff.

"Ok, whatever, either one would make a nice set of boots." Mac laughed.

"Fair point." Mac's voice trailed off as he dipped into sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack sighed as he watched the kid relax into sleep. Jack eyed the forest around him. The bug buzzing had become a blanket of sound drowning out the occasional squawking of birds in the branches high above their heads. Jack knew most predators slept during the day. The river in front of him looked like a calm muddy that could be seen in Mid-USA. He fought back a desire to go in for a dip reminding himself of the piranhas, the snakes, the alligators-crocodiles.

Jack sighed. He also knew never to trust calm days, especially in an unpredictable rain forest. He glanced at Mac. The kid was soaked with sweat; he looked like he'd dove into water. Jack could feel the heat radiate off the kid. They had to do something soon. Jack pushed himself up and took Mac's SAK from his loose hand. Mac's hand closed. Jack held it and gave it a gentle squeeze. Mac relaxed.

Jack prowled the edge of the forest until he found a strong sapling. He sawed it down wincing at the pain in his hand. It took longer using his non- dominant hand but he managed. Winded and soggy with sweat, Jack returned to Mac and started carving the strong wood into a razor sharp spear.