Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone from the Uncharted series, they belong to Naughty Dog. I do however own my character.

Hey, thanks to whitephoenix18 and Neon Jack for your reviews, you guys always manage to make me smile. To whitephoenix18, thanks and here's the next one, I hope you enjoy it. To Neon Jack, I do like the puzzles in Uncharted, but the sigil one and me really clicked and how Freya worked out the last one was exactly how I did it. I'm glad you enjoyed it and here's the next chapter.

Right, well here is the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy it. As usual there is some UC4 dialogue. So without further ado...enjoy!

Chapter 10

Nothing, nada. No men waiting with guns at the ready, just the market and a few people looking at us curiously due to the fact we had emerged from a place that I guessed maybe had never been opened. Nate ignored the looks and led the two of us over to the fenced edge to our left where you could look out across the city, all the way down to the bay.

"Sully, Freya…" he said, indicating us to follow him.

Having reached the fence Nate pointed to the tower that stood tall above the other buildings, not far from the bridge that crossed the bay. It reminded me of a lighthouse.

"I think that's Sam's tower," continued Nate, just before a explosion large enough to be seen from where we were went off.

The sound reaching our ears seconds later.

"Oh, that's definitely Sam's tower," remarked Sully.

Nate sighed.

"Come on," said Sully, taking a hold of Nate's left arm and pulling him slightly to encourage him. "This way."

Sully set off through the crowd in the market and we followed. I was worried for Sam, sure he had been annoying, judgemental and at times infuriating, but he was Nate's brother and right now it looked like he was in serious trouble.

"How long you think before Rafe gets here?" Nate asked as he carefully and quickly manoeuvred through the crowd after Sully.

Sully laughed. "Let's not stick around to find out."

I agreed, I really did not wish to be shot at again today, but knowing Nate's luck it was highly unlikely that we would get to the end of the day without it happening again.

Back past the food, down the steps past the shirts and down into the lower market we went. Sully stopped upon reaching the lower market to wait for us.

"Come on. Down here Nate, Freya!" he called as we jogged down the last few steps to join him.

Just as Nate dropped off the last step, gun fire started up causing me to half stumble down the steps that remained.

"Guys, watch out!" said Sully as all three of us now sprinted for the cover of the nearest stall.

"Shit," cursed Nate. "Everyone out the way!"

I so wished right then I had not been right. Stupid 'angry man' and his army of gun toting lunatics!

People were screaming and running for cover from what appeared to be several men. Sully and Nate took out their guns and started returning fire, while I crawled to the next nearest cover due to the fact that the one Nate and I were behind was been shot to pieces. I felt sorry for the stall owner, but right now it was far better the stall then the owner themselves.

Luckily for me, the gunmen seemed focused on Nate and Sully, but that did not stop me worrying for them. The two appeared to be trying to keep it that way, but as another bit of cover Nate was behind disintegrated he had to come my way. It was at that point, to top it all off, a huge four by four armoured vehicle appeared with a mounted gun and started firing upon us all.

"Whoa!" I heard Sully exclaim before adding. "You know, I'm not one hundred percent sure, but, I think they found us!"

I threw myself behind a meat stall that was more of a permanent structure while Nate went left with Sully. The vehicle was blocking the way and I knew we would not pass it alive. I shuffled along to my left while the gunfire concentrated on the others and looked ahead. The way was clear, but it was all open and I was pretty sure the vehicle would get us. I now looked the other way. There was a building, its doors open and I could just about see stairs. While horror movies had taught me never run upstairs, I was pretty sure they were not including: when been chased by a vehicle. Still, there seemed to be few other options.

Suddenly a hand on my shoulder made me jump, but it was only Nate.

"I'll draw it this way," said Nate, turning me around to him. "You and Sully make for that building over there."

I nodded, it seemed he and Sully had already worked out that was the way to go.

"Be careful," I replied and he smiled.

"Always am," he said and I gave him a look.

He then pushed me off and made his move. The vehicle followed Nate crashing through several stalls while we ran for the building, Sully shooting people left, right and centre. Yet there were too many and so I threw myself behind a monument thing while Sully continued to take people out. I then took a breath, seeing a clear path, and ran for it. I dived through the door and crashed onto the floor. The place was not empty however and as several bullets came a little to close for comfort I scrabbled across the floor and behind a counter.

I could hear the gunmen coming closer and both Nate and Sully were still held up. I was on my own. Not far from me though was a dead mercenary next to a pillar and he still had his gun. It looked like an AK-47 and while I doubted I would be any good with said weapon, it was better then nothing. I crawled rapidly for it, bullets whistling past, and grabbed it before getting back behind the counter.

Then with a breath for courage I stuck the gun over the top, aimed in roughly the direction they were and pulled the trigger. I felt it judder and kick as I blind fired, spraying the place side to side until the clip ran out. Part of me wished to stick my head out then and see if I had achieved anything, but the rest of me reminded me with images from films where people had done such things and then been shot in the head.

At that moment however Sully came in and, spotting me still behind the counter, made to grab me and pull me up. As I stood I now saw that the gun had indeed got its marks and rapidly looked away from the three dead or dying men that were sprawled on the floor.

"Up the stairs!" yelled Sully as Nate joined us and he pushed me forward.

Just then the vehicle reversed rapidly through the left side wall at the other end of room and fired, causing me to half slide to the edge of the banister. I then lunged myself ungracefully over it and onto the stairs, the other two careering round the pillar at the bottom of the banister and up the stairs behind me. Nate went past, putting himself first in case there were people ahead. At the top of the stairs was a sort of seating area.

"So, having fun yet?" asked Nate and I knew he was not speaking to me.

"Oh, a real blast!" replied Sully and I could not help but laugh.

Nate turned and headed for a pair of open doors that appeared to lead out onto some kind of roof terrace. Yet as he went through them, a man, who had clearly been waiting outside, suddenly grabbed him from behind. I swore and ran to help him, but found there was another man. I froze as he came at me with a gun, but then Sully appeared and tackled the second man, fighting him off. Nate broke free of the first man's grasp and punched him.

"Run! Go on, go!" he yelled at me and I did as I was told.

Across the terrace, past Sully and the second man, and up onto the roof. I was heading back towards the market. There was a gap between the roof I was on and the next roof and taking a run at it I leapt over, slipping a little on the other side. I continued, hearing the sounds of people following behind. I dared not turn and look, only hoping it was Sully and Nate. The fact I had yet to be shot in the back seemed to confirm for me it was likely them.

I now had to jump to the roof to my left and just as I did, the mounted gun of the vehicle below started firing, bullets peppering the metal and I felt unstable. Still I kept going up onto the next roof and round the corner only to find it blocked. I glanced around and then saw our jeep, still parked where we had left it. It was a bit of a jump, but I had nowhere else to go. I backed up and with fear pumping through my veins, I took a running jump.

I crashed rather painfully into the back of the front seats, half winding myself and likely sustaining multiple bruises, but I had made it. I heaved myself painfully into the front passenger seat and put my seat belt on as Nate crashed down behind me and nimbly jumped into the driver's seat. Sully was right behind him.

"You good?" asked Nate.

"Yep," I replied.

"Great," answered Sully. "Floor it!"

The tires screeched as Nate put his foot down, the jeep charging away as gun fire rattled behind us.

"All right, how do we get to Sam?" asked Nate as we shot through a stone archway and into the city streets.

"We just keep heading downhill," replied Sully as we lurched round a corner.

"Brilliant," said Nate, sarcasm lacing his words.

More gun fire came, but this time it was in front. I ducked down hoping today was not going to be the day I died.

"Nate, more of 'em!" called Sully as Nate made to drift round the corner where the gunmen were stood.

"Oh, shit!" he swore, misjudging the turn slightly and taking at least one out with the back end of the jeep while causing the other to dive out the way.

Yet he brought it back under control and we careered off down the hill. My stomach was far from enjoying the ride.

"Hang on!" yelled Nate as he made to turn for the next corner at speed.

"Oh, Christ!" replied Sully and I agreed as I felt myself pulled sharply to the right.

Then it was back to the left as Nate narrowly avoided hitting a stationary Volkswagen Beetle. Oh I was starting to feel sick.

"We need to keep heading downhill!" said Sully as we got beeped repeatedly at by another car that had just been about to pull out as we passed it.

Round another corner, the tires making noise, and through another arch, we came upon a poor person on a moped.

"Get outta the way!" hollered Nate, the person dived for the pavement as the jeep promptly smashed into the moped and continued careering downhill.

People were running for the pavement in all directions and then we spotted a stall on wheels in the middle of the road.

"Look out!" I yelled.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah, careful!" called Sully, but there was nowhere to go but through it.

The jeep crashed on through, sending stuff flying everywhere, but we had no time to stop because just then the terrifying armoured vehicle came crashing into the street we were on from the right.

"Jesus!" exclaimed Sully as it started firing upon us. "Damn it! It's that goddamn truck again!"

"Oh, crap!" yelled Nate as he veered off to the left down a side street. "Look out!"

Another pedestrian almost obliterated as we careered onto another street.

"Please don't run anyone over!" said Sully, just as the stupid armoured vehicle reappeared up ahead.

"Sorry!" replied Nate as he swerved, drifting the car now all the way round and heading right towards another ally to avoid the vehicle's fire.

Smashing through chain link fences and straight across another road, narrowly avoiding being hit by another car, we ploughed through more chain link and a couple of wooden fences before swerving to the left. Down and right again as the vehicle again tried to get in front. Then it was across another road, a person diving out the way, as we bumped our way into another ally and slightly scraped the jeep on a wall as Nate tried to turn, but instead hit some boxes.

Off a ledge, through another arch and back onto the road as the vehicle once again got in front.

"God damn it!" snapped Sully. "We gotta shake that truck!"

"Working on it!" said Nate as he drove through several washing lines and into the street beyond.

"Hey, that was clean laundry!" said Sully as I glanced at the fact there were still items of said clothing clinging onto the jeep.

Nate bounced through another gap in between buildings, the jeep sliding about and what remained of the laundry flying off in all directions.

"They can wash it again!" snapped Nate back, coming so close to crashing into a wall I actually cringed in anticipation in my seat.

We hit some bins and continued, now just driving from side street to side street. Then as the armoured vehicle burst through a fence to our right, we swung to our left, heading down again. Right, then left and bouncing down some steps straight into a street market.

"Hang on!" yelled Nate as people screamed and leapt aside.

"Where the hell are you going?" asked Sully as I waved my hands at people to clear the street.

"You're the one who said 'just head down!'" retorted Nate as he drove through stalls and crashed down a long flight of steps.

The jeep leapt off the last steps and landed with a bump before charging through further stalls. Yet it was not over, for up ahead all I could see was more steps and more stalls, this had got to be the worst route Nate could have picked.

"Jesus!" yelled Sully.

"Coming through!" hollered Nate, pumping the horn as the jeep continued to career down through the street market.

"Oh this was really a great idea, Nate!" said Sully sarcastically.

"Do you wanna drive?" retorted Nate, whereupon I decided to refrain from commenting.

"No, you're doing just fine," responded Sully as we finally exited the street market via a large stone archway.

"See? I got it," remarked Nate, but he spoke too soon as the vehicle reappeared.

We had come out into a sort of square.

"Ah crap!" he yelled as he half drifted round the square between mini lorries and cars. "These guys just don't give up!"

He swung round in front of a small lorry and off the square into another street.

"Okay…Through here," he said, but ahead was a bus and it did not look as if it was going very fast.

Then the bus made to turn into another street, but it had not quite got the turn right and consequently came to a complete standstill.

"Whoa whoa, whoa, stop, stop, STOP!" cried Sully as all of us cringed in anticipation of hitting the bus.

A narrow miss. Nate turned just before the backend of the bus and up another side street.

"Damn stick shift," he said, shaking his head.

"Come on, come on, get outta here!" encouraged Sully as the armoured vehicle got stuck behind the bus.

"Okay.."

"Go!"

"Uh…" started Nate as the side street appeared to come to a dead end. Yet there appeared to be some sort of exit…through a building. "I'm just gonna…Cut through here!"

A man yelled as we smashed through what appeared to be a construction area, much to the disapproval of two men who also yelled at us from above, and back into the square.

"What am I supposed to do now?" asked Nate as the vehicle returned to fire upon us.

"Hey, up those stairs!" suggested Sully, pointing to the auditorium like set of stairs across the square in front of us.

We reached the bottom of said stairs.

"Here we go!" yelled Nate.

The jeep launched straight up the steps and off the top into the air, with all of us yelling, before crashing down on the grassy slope beyond.

"Man, Rafe really wants us out of the picture!" said Nate as we bumped out way down the rough hill.

"Gee, ya think?" remarked Sully, before my stomach dropped as we drove off a high ledge and thumped back onto the road.

"Yeah!" laughed Nate as more people ran out of the way. "I think we lost 'em!"

No, don't say that, I thought.

Down the road, round another corner with the tires screeching; god I felt sick.

"Hey Nate?" started Sully.

"Yeah?"

"We can never, ever come back to this city."

"Add it to the list."

"Ha!"

Round another corner and then another, the gradient felt like it was becoming steeper, but then the road ended.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch it!" exclaimed Sully as we came to a emergency stop causing me to almost throw up in my mouth.

"Really?" said Nate, unable to believe that workman were just digging up the whole road.

"Well you've got a four-by-four," said Sully, indicating to the muddy path that appeared to go round the roadworks. "Go around."

Nate turned the vehicle to the right and up we went.

"Hang on!" he said as the wheels spun a little, spraying mud everywhere.

"Sorry fellas," called Sully to the worried and complaining workmen. "First time driver here."

Up and over the several little muddy hills of the track we went and as we did the large digger's driver honked his horn at us in annoyance and I sunk down in my seat in response.

"Yeah, we'll be out of your way in a second," Sully called to him as we dropped back down onto the road.

"All right…" said Nate as we as we drove through a roadworks sign. "Let's see that truck get past that."

He had to say it didn't he. We had barely left the roadworks behind when out from the right careered that very truck, guns blazing.

"Oh, come on!" complained Nate.

Bullets flying, jeep swerving, then Sully spotted a way out.

"Cut right! Cut right!" he yelled.

Through a chain fence, we discovered it led to a steep downward slope. At the bottom of which there were wooden sheds or shacks as well as trees.

"Wait, wait!" yelled Sully now, but it was too late.

"Don't worry, I got this!" replied Nate to which I gave him a look as he just smashed straight through the sheds or shacks. They only led to more fences and then a rather worrying looking ramp like roof. "I got this. I got this!"

Off the ramp like roof we went, into the air.

"I don't got this!" yelled Nate as gravity now pulled us down toward a roof that was quite a bit below us.

I definitely shut my eyes. Bang! We bounced of that roof and continued going, crashing down more roofs until we landed on a bunch of cars all parked together like at a showroom. We wiggled our way off them and back onto solid ground, though how I had not thrown up by then was a mystery to me.

Across the road from us now, the slightly smoking tower that was Sam's loomed. Nate drove straight for it.

"Holy shit!" said Sully, though I was not sure if he was referring to what we had just done or the state of the tower.

We're close!" said Nate as we crested a muddy hill, the tower now on full display. "Keep an eye out for Sam!"

I could now see vehicles near the base of the tower.

"Hey! I think that's him," cried Sully, pointing to a man on a motorbike. "Right there!"

I could just about pick out the blue coloured shirt that I knew Sam had been wearing when he had left, fluttering out behind the man. I agreed with Sully, it was him. Plus the gun fire confirmed it.

"Hold on!" yelled Nate, suddenly swinging the jeep right, oh how I hated him at that moment.

"Whaddya think I've been doing?!" responded Sully.

Nate smashed through a wooden picket fence and set off down another slope. We could see Sam ahead, but the slope took us further down then we had expected.

"How do we get to him?" queried Nate as Sam went over a bridge.

"Damned if I know," replied Sully as we skied across a mixture of water and mud. "Just keep following that convoy."

That was easy said then done though. We followed the bridges, through a chain link fence and into a slightly damp and muddy river culvert as the road curved above us. The convoy then crossed another bridge up ahead.

"Man! You think they've sent enough goons after us?" asked Sully and I have to admit there seemed to be an unbelievable number just to take down three men.

Nate swung the jeep left just before the bridge.

"Well, we're still alive, so maybe not," he responded and I chuckled at that.

Under more small bridges, following the riverbed, we tried to keep up with the convoy. Then a sort of dam like structure appeared and Nate ramped up it, out of the river bed, through a fence and almost hit a stray chicken.

"Sorry about the chickens," called Sully as the rest proceeded to exit via the now broken fence.

Swinging round the chicken owner's house, we now headed up a windy, muddy track.

"Nate, we need to hurry," said Sully, having noticed the convoy was now out of sight.

"Come on, come on!" encouraged Nate to the jeep as it climbed the muddy track desperately.

Ahead sheep ran to get out of the way, before we crested the slope and found yet another drop down. Though admittedly far smaller then some of the previous ones. Onto some muddy flattish ground, the road reappeared on out left, as did the convoy.

"There they are!" said Sully pointing.

"You see any way to get to Sam?" asked Nate.

"Not yet, but we're running out of road, kid!" replied Sully and I could see exactly what he meant.

Up ahead I could see a large body of water.

"I know, I know!" said Nate as we sped through a smaller river, the water creating drag.

"Uh, Nate!" said Sully.

We were going at a considerable rate still, straight for the larger river. Nate continued without slowing, leaving the muddy ground now and driving onto what appeared to be a wooden peer.

"Nate!" said Sully again, I could hear the concern in his tone.

Nate looked at me suddenly. "Freya?"

I looked at him.

"Here! Take the wheel!"

"What?" I said, alarmed as he let go, forcing me to lunge for the wheel as he stood up in the seat.

"Are you out of your goddamn mind?" snapped Sully as Nate, having removed his grapple, started swinging it with every intention of catching onto the crane like winch structure of one of the vehicles chasing Sam above us.

I now manoeuvred myself around Nate and into the seat.

"Yep, probably!" he yelled as he succeeded and was whipped out of the jeep, through what remained of the end of the peer fence and off across the water, while I slammed on the breaks, only just bringing the jeep to a stop.

Sully and I then watched as Nate crashed into scaffolding, took a swim, dodged a boat and some other wooden structure, before reaching the other embankment and being dragged off through the mud and out of sight.

Having got out the jeep, I ran a hand through my hair, panic setting in, and looked to Sully for some sort of guidance.

"Now what?" I asked, walking up to the end of the peer and glancing down at the water. "We can't just leave him to rescue Sam all on his own from all those bloody mercenaries, right?"

"What can we do, lass?" he said, glancing out with a worried look across the water. "It's not like we can get to them. I'm afraid they're on their own."

"Oh, God!" I said, the worry for them building in me.

"Easy," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "He's been in bad situations before."

"I know…it's just…I feel so useless."

Sully nodded, I knew he understood the feeling very well.

"Right," he said, turning back to the jeep. "We should head back to the motel. That's where they'll go once they've escaped."

"Okay," I nodded before I paused, a feeling rising in me.

"Lass?" he said, noticing I suddenly gone pale.

I raised a hand, the other covering my mouth, as I ran over to the edge of the peer and, grabbing my hair, threw up repeatedly. Groaning, the feeling slowly dissipating, I slumped down and glanced over the edge at the water below me, while trying to calm my insides. Sully came over and sympathetically rubbed my back.

"You want to drive?" he asked with a knowing look.

I nodded and took a minute to compose myself, before getting up and heading for the driver's seat.

The drive back was quiet and much less frantic, though the wind occasionally seemed to bring us sounds of what I thought could have been gunfire. I tried to avoid going near the route we had come down for fear the police might stop us, I was sure they would have definitely been called.

Sully said very little, I'm sure he was worrying, but he occasionally pointed out where he thought I should go. He had, after all, visited this city more then once and therefore knew his way around pretty well. Once again I was so glad he was with me.

Finally our detour ended as I reached streets I recognised. I had a photographic memory for directions and places and once I'd been somewhere once, it was difficult for me to get lost. So I had little trouble finding the Ikopa Motel again.

We drove through the entrance to the car park, but instead of parking in one of the allotted spaces, Sully advised I parked near a large red gate so that I was facing down the backstreet. Easier to make a quick getaway if needed according to him. I was pretty sure I was not meant to park there, but I was not about to argue. I sighed and rested my head on the steering wheel. I just wished we were all together again and the day was over. Sully gave my shoulder a squeeze and I looked at him.

"You alright?" he asked, concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm ok," I replied, giving him a smile.

"Okay, well you stay here," he said as he started to get out the jeep. "I'll be back in a bit."

"Sully?" I questioned, turning in my seat.

"Just stay," he said as he turned and instead of going to the motel, he disappeared off down the street.

So I waited, the minutes ticking by, occasionally glancing around and half expecting to see that armoured vehicle suddenly appear. Yet all was quiet, bar the taxi that pulled up after ten minutes and dropped a young couple off at the motel. I watched as they walked towards the entrance, presumably to go ask for a room, as the taxi drove on past me and headed down the street ahead. As I glanced back in its receding direction, I spotted Sully reappear and he gave me a friendly wave as he walked back up towards me.

I could see he was carrying something and upon reaching the car, he handed me an ice-lolly in a wrapper.

"I figured you'd like something," he said, unwrapping his own one. "After all we haven't eaten since breakfast."

"Cheers," I said as I carefully unwrapped it. "Though surely you didn't just go off to get me a ice lolly?"

He gave me a grin before reaching into his pocket and producing a couple of cigars. "You know me too well."

I smiled back and licked the lolly which I guess was meant to be lemon flavour, but I was not sure. It was already beginning to melt in the heat. I risked biting it, cringing as my teeth reacted, before I resorted to getting out the jeep to prevent anymore of the sticky liquid going all over the seats of the rental.

"Don't worry about that, lass," said Sully, noticing why I'd got out the car.

I laughed. "Ahh, but then you don't have to sit there."

"The kid's already covered in mud and god knows what," said Sully as he finished the lolly and made to chuck the stick away, before a look from me made him pocket it instead. He then took out a cigar. "He's not going to mind."

I smiled and then sighed, glancing down the street before me. Oh how I longed to see them coming up that road, laughing and joking.

"Hmm," I responded as Sully lit his cigar.

He blew out a plume of smoke away from my direction, as he knew I was not fond of it, and came and stood beside me. Then we leant against the car, enjoying each others silent company, and waited. It was all we could do.

There we go, did we like it? I know it was not as long as the last one. Anyway, I'm always interested to know what you all thought, so if you could kindly press that review button then I'd be grateful! :)