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 Neon Jack for your review, hope you like this one too.
Oh and although it has nothing to do with this story, I wish Prince Harry and Meghan happiness on their wedding day today! Not that they're likely ever to see this, but what the heck, I wish them happiness anyway!
Ok, so here is the next chapter. I shall be interested to see what you all think of it. There is some UC4 dialogue in this one...oh yes it's back! I hope you all enjoy it and so off you go...read on and enjoy...
Chapter 14
We had been waiting for what seemed like an age, flying in slow circles, when Elena's voice finally came back through to us on the radio. It was as if I'd been dying of thirst and her voice was a glass of long awaited water.
"Come in, Sully."
"Hey, darlin'," he replied as I looked up. "How's he doing?"
"Oh you know, he's banged up, but he's alive. Par for the course. Now we just need to rescue the other Drake."
I felt my heart, to my surprise, skip a beat. Sully glanced at me.
"What do you mean?" he questioned.
"I'll let Nate tell you," she replied.
There was a pause as she passed the radio over.
"Hey, pal. Glad you could join us," came Nate's voice and I could hear his apology in his tone.
It was just good to hear him.
"Yeah, wouldn't miss it," said Sully.
"Yep, apparently you and me both," I added.
"Freya?" queried Nate, his tone sounding slightly surprised.
"Hey Nate," I answered. "It seems you can't get rid of me that easily."
He chuckled weakly.
"So what happened to Sam?" asked Sully, getting to what was important.
"Rafe's got him," he replied and my blood went cold.
"Shit. You know where they are?"
"Uh, yeah," said Nate. "They're headed to the northern side of the island."
Immediately I started working out where we were heading.
"See if you can find a place to set down over there," he continued. "Once we get Sam, we're going to need to get outta here pretty quick."
"Copy that," replied Sully, though I saw slight confusion on his face. "Hey, hey…What about the treasure?"
"Forget it," replied Nate, causing my brow to furrow as well. "We don't need it."
"But Alcázar-?"
"No. There is no Alcázar," said Nate. "It's all bullshit."
Sully glanced at me and I met his eyes before turning away.
"Wait. You mean…the debt, the…the escape?"
"Yeah. Sam made it all up," answered Nate.
Sully sighed, yet something about it made sense to me.
"What an asshole, right?" continued Nate. "Look, I'll fill you both in on everything when I see you, ok?"
"Yeah. We can't wait," replied Sully. "Look, you two be safe down there."
"You know us," said Nate.
The radio went silent and Sully sighed again. We sat in a reasonably comfortable silence as he turned the plane northwards. My mind was racing: Sam had lied, lied to us, but even more so to his little brother. I wondered why? What was the truth in this? He surely had to have a good reason, did he not?
Then there was me, where did I fit into all of this? Why had he been so suspicious of me, so adamant that I was working for angry man? Then there was that look he had given me when we had been wondering around the wilds of Madagascar in the jeep. His seeming unease of mentioning Alcázar's name in front of me. At the time it had made no sense and yet now, knowing Alcázar was a lie, it felt like he believed I would have seen through his lie at the very mention of the man's name. It made me wonder if maybe Rafe and the Alcázar lie were linked somehow. Or maybe I was just making connections out of nothing.
Questions with no answers were flying through my mind, along, once more, with the inkling I knew this Alcázar's name from somewhere. It still would not come to me and I wondered if Nate's explanation would jog my memory.
I sighed and looked out the window at the vegetation passing far below. Then Sully tapped me on the shoulder and pointed. I looked at where he was pointing and saw several Shoreline vehicles, travelling along like a snake, all heading north. We were pretty sure it was likely Rafe and Nadine, which meant Sam had to be with them. Yet there was nothing we could do. The plane was not armed with guns, not that would help much if Sam was down there, and while I was not a bad shot, you could even probably say I was decent, I doubted I would hit anything trying to aim out of a moving plane. We flew on, keeping our northerly heading, until we spotted what appeared to be some large mansion like buildings sticking out of the jungle. More Libertalia, but these somehow looked more impressive then the previous buildings.
"You think that's where Rafe's taking Sam?" I asked.
"Probably," he replied. "I don't see any other significant structures. Do you?"
I shook my head before looking out the window again. I was worried and Sully knew it. He picked up the radio.
"Hey. Elena? Nate?" called Sully into the mouthpiece.
"We're here, Sully," said Elena's voice. "Where are you?"
"Still in the air," he replied. "Saw a bunch of Shoreline vehicles heading north."
"I guess we'll see them soon," she said.
"You two doing okay so far?" he asked.
"We hit a few hitches but…so far so good," she answered, I could just about hear the engine rumbling in the background.
"All right, good," he said with a nod. "Keep in touch, will ya? I'm not the 'no news is good news' type and you know what Freya is like."
"We'll try," she said. "Over and out."
I glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "What Freya is like?"
He smiled as he adjusted the plane's course slightly.
"Ain't no denying it, lass," he said.
I half laughed and sighed.
"Fine, whatever," I replied and he chuckled.
The radio was silent. It had been silent for too long. Sully and I had had enough. Upon reaching the north coast of the island, we had begun a full turn so we could fly along the coast itself when we spotted what appeared to be a graveyard of ships in a cove of sorts. They were beautiful in a sad sort of way, broken but proud; some still holding their masts up high while their hulls lay beached or half sunk. I had always been a fan of the original sail ships, the brigs, brigantines, sloops, the speedy clippers and the mighty galleons to name a few. So it seemed especially poignant to me.
The ships were all bunched together and I wondered what had occurred that had resulted in the destruction below. It had to have been something bad and the sight made my concern grow even more for our friends. What had happened on that island? What was happening now? We had to find out.
Sully and I now searched for somewhere to land and once Sully had made his decision, he brought us smoothly down onto the water. The place he had chosen appeared to have originally been a dock: a wooden walkway stuck out into the water and to the left of it, leaning to one side, was another one of the ships. Like the rest it was no longer fit to sail, but I could not help feeling the excitement rise within me at seeing it so close. Sully pulled up to the wooden walkway before switching the engine off and getting quickly out his seat. I followed him to the door and out onto the wooden dock. It seemed sturdy enough, but I was not about to test it as I had no urge to end up in the sea right there and then.
He tied her off while I stood and watched. I did not know how to start, let alone tie, the proper knots and it was not like Sully had the time right now to teach me. I stayed out the way until he was finished whereupon he gave me a signal to get ready. I grabbed the rifle's case and began quickly setting it up, while Sully got his own gun. I knew I probably should have been doing that while he tied the plane up, but my mind had just not thought of it. He waited, amazingly patiently, for a few moments on the wooden dock for me to be ready and then as I came to the door, rifle slung over my shoulder, I could see his face suggest he was having second thoughts about me coming. I paused watching him for a moment before I spoke.
"You want me to stay with the plane?" I asked as he sighed.
Then he looked at me before waving his hand in dismissal.
"No," he said, indicating me out so he could lock up the plane. "Come on, let's get moving."
I nodded and with the plane locked up, we set off along the dock.
It led to the dock front which stretched away off to the west, the direction we figured we should be going, but upon walking that way we found that through a combination of the sea and time it came to a dead end, surrounded by cliff and high stone walls. That left us with the stone stairs that were back near the dock we had started at. As we turned and began to head back, there was a loud explosion behind us. I guessed it to have come from back where the ship graveyard was. Sully and I looked at each other before setting off at a light jog back to the steps.
The steps led to a sort of terrace area that in turn led to more steps and terraces, along with the occasional stone building, that seemed to make up the little port. Upon cresting the last pair of steps we were greeted with a small communal space, I guessed, that was surrounded by little stone buildings. Age and many years of abandonment showed: grass and plant life grew between what had once been a cobbled street perhaps, roofs and walls of buildings had collapsed in either due to disrepair or damage from growing foliage. Yet there was something about the place that held a certain charm to me, but we had not come here to admire the surroundings.
We set off through the buildings, over a few walls and eventually into the jungle as it proved to be easier to get through then the port itself. All around the sounds and smells of the jungle reached me. The earthy smell was comforting along with the calls of the birds and lemurs. Yet mixed in with the buzz of insects was that all too familiar whine of mosquitoes and I just hoped I had enough bug repellent on and that my vaccines were all up to date.
Still, right now I had more to worry about then just the possibility of getting malaria or typhoid or the variety of other virus-slash-diseases I could get, as Sully and I discovered we were not alone. Somewhere off to the west, in the same vague direction that the explosion had come from, a shoot out had started, the exchange of gunfire echoing through the trees. Around the same time as it had started, Sully spotted movement off to our left and had pulled me down so we would not be seen.
It was a little group of Shoreline soldiers, three in total, stood about among some wooden crates looking at something on top of one of the crates. Also on top of the crate was a handheld radio which, at that moment, crackled into life with a voice that sounded as if it said something about being pinned down. I was not sure if it was the person speaking who was pinned or that they had pinned down our friends.
Not far from the soldiers I spotted a weapon lent against a crate and pointed it out to Sully. I thought it might prove to be useful in the long run if we could get it and he silently nodded his agreement. First, however, we needed to deal with Shoreline.
Moving off through the trees, I got myself into a new position where I could see my target and still be hidden. Then I slid the rifle silently from my shoulder and lined up my shot. I fired. The bullet whined its way through the vegetation and smashed into a crate, the shot ringing through the air, but not as loud as it would have been had there not been a gun battle going on. The three turned, two looking to the crate I had hit and one in my direction though he could not see me. The three took a few slightly confused steps forward allowing me to take my second shot. I aimed and fired. The radio on the crate exploded into pieces as it took to the air from the force of the impact. No calling for help now I thought, but it was obvious they now knew my whereabouts. The one who had looked my way to start with now made to send the other two my way and shouldering the rifle I dropped and began to crawl quickly to my next chosen position.
While I was doing this Sully took advantage of the now lone soldier and snuck up behind him before taking him out in whatever fashion he saw fit. I was too busy crawling away though to see it and as it had been the plan I assumed it happened for by the time I'd reached another spot, in which I hid beneath a bush and tried to remain still, I could see the man was gone.
The two soldiers could not find me, but they came worryingly close to where I was hidden. I waited and then we all heard a noise. They headed quickly back to camp to find their friend or possibly commander, the guy had seemed to have some authority, gone. Now the game began again. I aimed from my new spot and hit a different crate, then planted one near their feet making one jump into the other. Immediately they began to move and I hissed in disappointment to myself: I needed just one to come not both. I began to crawl as swiftly as could only to freeze as I heard the rough South African accents murmur to split up. Great I thought, I'm likely to crawl right into one.
I knew I could not stay where I was and so forced myself to move. I could see what appeared to be a rotten tree log and wondered if I could somehow hide in, under or along one side of it. I risked it and crawled to it. The end was a little hollowed out and so I squished myself as best as I could into it. I could hear their footsteps, a crack of a twig and I found the fear building in me again. I just wanted to close my eyes, block my ears and find this was all a dream, but that was not going to happen. I heard one get close and then nothing. One called out, to me or to his friend I was not sure. Then a rushing sound: someone pushing rapidly through the undergrowth before a loud thud of a boot followed by swearing.
I only seemed to remember to breathe when I heard footsteps receding away from me, relief flooding my system. Slowly I uncurled myself and began to ease out of the log end. I had to get back to a place where I could see the camp and quickly. I did not want to let Sully down after all. I carefully got to my feet and keeping low, as quietly as I could, I began to head for a third spot. I could only have taken a few steps when I heard a South African voice behind me and my blood ran cold. I froze, the rifle falling from my hands, and I could not even turn to look as I felt the muzzle of what I guess was some kind of machine gun press into my back.
"Nice try," said my captor and I could imagine his sneering face. "Playing sneaky were we?"
I said nothing, but a shiver ran over my skin. The idea of death scared the life out of me and to have it stood there behind me started to make my senses go into panic mode.
"I'm guessing you're Drake's little reporter, huh?" he continued, now pushing me forward with the gun and picking up mine in the process. "How'd you think it would make him feel to know you died trying to save him?"
"He wouldn't care," I stammered, the fear strangling my voice.
"Oh I think he would," the soldier replied.
"You're wrong," I said as my hands shook, my voice dying on my lips.
"Really, my friend? Why would you say that?" he said, a lightness in his tone suggesting he thought my fear was amusing.
"Cause I'm not a reporter," I said, not sure if saying that would get me killed quicker or not.
I could see the campsite now, but I could not see anyone else. Was this that third soldier I wondered or a new forth one we had missed.
"Oh no? What are you then," he said with a chuckle, but before I could answer he continued. "Does it really matter. I think not. You're dead either way. It's just a shame Drake's not here to witness it. But don't worry, I'll make sure he knows before he dies. That his girl died all alone in the jungle."
He chuckled to himself as, having put my rifle out of reach, he forced me down onto my knees. "Goodbye."
"She's not alone," said a voice, whose owner I could have kissed right then, their words followed by the pulling back of a hammer. "Drop it!"
The gun clattered to the leafy floor and finally, for the first time, I could turn and look at my attacker. The soldier was stood with his hands in the air while Sully had his gun to the man's head, the smirk I had imagined was now gone from his face. His brown eyes met mine for a few seconds before Sully struck him hard with the butt of his gun. The soldier's eyes rolled back into his head as he crumpled like a ragdoll to the floor and did not stir.
"You ok?" he asked, looking me up and down.
I guessed I looked a little pale and shaken.
"Yes," I managed, tearing my eyes from the soldier to look at him.
"Sure?" he queried.
I nodded.
"Right, I've dealt with the other three," he said, making me realise this was indeed a fourth soldier. "So we just need to tie this one up and get going."
"Ok," I responded.
Just then an explosion rocked the island.
"Quickly," added Sully and we set to work.
With the Shoreliners secured Sully took the weapon, an RPG, and set off through the jungle. I followed close behind. We came back out into the buildings, but we were still not where we needed to be. We were short on time and the quickest route looked to be up and over in a straight line. I was not sure I could do it, but if Sully was prepared to do so while lugging an RPG then so was I. Up and over we went.
Up most of the time turned out to be easier then down as some of the drops off the walls were enough to make me pause. Then again, a few times I had to run more then once at an obstacle to get up.
Back into the jungle and round before entering into some wooden buildings. I did not like being in them as the floorboards creaked ominously and I thought they might give way. We dropped down into the building and out through the large doorway, its wooden doors had long since been flung open. Across a courtyard of stone and I could see, by looking slightly to my left, that we seemed to be higher up then I felt we were. Sully was in such a hurry he almost did not see where the floor of the courtyard ended and seeing his balance fail, as he tried to catch himself, I lunged forward pulling him back just in time.
"Cheers," he said a little breathlessly.
"Least I could do," I replied. "In fact it was probably my fault you didn't see it till the last minute."
He gave me a quizzical look.
"Looking back at me all the time," I said and he gave me a nod of understanding before shaking his head.
"Not your fault, lass," he said with a smile. "I should have been looking where I was going."
There was another explosion then and more shooting. It was closer now. We dropped down again to what remained of a platform of stone to find the ladder down no longer really existed. We both looked down at the drop to the ground. It was pretty high and below were hard looking cobbles. Sully volunteered to go first and having made it down he turned and held his hands out to catch me. I waved him off. It was not that I did not trust him to catch me, it was more I did not trust myself not to knock him down. I sat on the edge as another explosion came and then the sound of a big heavy gun. Sully looked off to his right, worry on his features and I made my decision.
"Go!" I said, making him look at me. "Go on. Go ahead. I'll catch you up!"
He looked suddenly torn between leaving me and helping the others.
"I'll be fine," I reassured him. "You've got the firepower so go!"
I heard him sigh and then with a nod to me, he set off running. I watched him go before turning back to the task in hand. I mentally prepared myself for the drop and then slowly turned myself so I faced the way we had come, my legs dangling. Gravity began to pull and I let it, lowering my torso until I was holding on by my fingers. I let go.
The ground rose up to meet me and upon hitting it, I unsurprisingly lost my balance and fell. I felt the hard ground make contact with my knee, ripping my trousers slightly and my palms and one arm. Cursing the fact I would have more cuts and bruises I scrabbled to my feet and set off running as best as I could after Sully.
The gun fire got louder as I ran through a square like area, past several house like buildings, and towards where Sully had gone. I could also hear what sounded rather like something being destroyed or falling, I was not really sure and yet I started to get flashbacks of the earlier chase with that horrid armoured vehicle and I soon realised why.
Ahead, as I scrambled up on to higher bit of terrain, I could see Sully raising the RPG as something smashed though the side of a building of some kind, as it had attempted to round the corner. Instantaneously I recognised it as one of the same sort of armoured trucks as the one before. I thought maybe I heard a voice on the wind as the truck tried to continue only for Sully to unleash the RPG right into it, stopping it from moving forward for good.
"Sully?!" I heard someone say, it sounded like Nate.
I heard Sully reply something, only for the person below to yell as we all discovered the smoking vehicle's gun still worked. Having pushed Sully back with gun fire, it continued firing at whoever was below causing Sully to chuck the RPG down to them. A shot came from below and hit the truck, but still it kept firing and I remembered the relentlessness of its predecessor. The RPG fired again this time succeeding and causing the burning wreckage to drop off the raised part it had been on and drop down to the lower part with a groaning sound.
I heard a voice come from below and Sully replied.
"Nice work, kid."
It was definitely Nate then.
"Well, thanks for the assist," called Nate back.
Sully then made a move over to the edge of the drop and helped Nate out. He then stood back up as the two looked at each other and greeted each other. So just Nate then, but where was Elena and where was Sam?
I approached.
"Yeah, well…" said Sully, now seeing me and giving me a nod. "Freya and I got a little antsy waiting around to hear from you two."
Nate turned as I approached, my eyes immediately flitting to the wound on his head and back, and gave me a smile before he started to move away.
"Yeah, no, we gotta find Sam and Elena still," he said, looking between us.
Then I glanced behind him and felt a small amount of relief.
"Hey!" called out Elena appearing through a stone archway.
Nate turned along with Sully.
"Hey!" he replied, relief in his voice.
"Are you okay?" she asked as the two embraced, bringing a smile to my face.
"Yeah," responded Nate as I looked for anyone else appearing.
"We heard those explosions," she continued, my brain homing in on the 'we'. "We thought-"
Nate indicated to Sully.
"Yeah, it's all this guy," answered Nate.
Elena half laughed.
"You saved his ass again?" she queried.
Sully shrugged. "Naturally, but I had a little help."
He indicated to me and Elena and I smiled at each other.
"How you doing?" he continued.
"Good," she replied as footsteps made me look to the arch. "Good. There were some close calls, but um…"
She stepped back and lent so she could see through the arch as she looked for someone. Then Sam appeared slowly through the arch.
"He covered me," she finished.
My eyes rapidly raked over him, he was definitely worse for wear. He had a cut on his nose where it appeared someone had punched him, I guessed, and then my eyes moved immediately to the scrappy bandage that was tied around his bloody arm. What had happened, I wondered.
Sam came slowly towards us, glancing at us each in turn. I felt his eyes linger just a second longer on me before focusing on Nate.
"Hey," he said simply and Nate moved to meet him.
"Hey," replied Nate.
The two stood facing each other.
"How's that?" asked Nate, indicating to Sam's arm.
He glanced at it before replying.
"Oh," he said before chuckling kinda nervously. "Bullet grazed my shoulder."
He'd been shot? Again?
"Yeah," said Nate with a slight nod.
"You?" queried Sam.
"Cliffside…" said Nate, pointing to the injury on his head. "Grazed my face."
There was the slightest sound of a laugh from Sam at Nate's joke or then again it could have been the wind. I could feel a kind of awkwardness between them that I was almost certain had not been there before. I knew then something had happened that I currently was not privy to.
"So how'd you lose Rafe?" asked Nate.
Sam half laughed. "I led his crew right into one of Avery's traps."
Nate nodded.
"Smart," he replied before starting to turn away as Sam half laughed again and glanced at the floor.
Then upon realising his brother was about to walk away he continued.
"Hey, hey, look…" he said, making Nate turn back to him. I thought for a moment I could see pain in his expression and then it mostly disappeared. "About the whole Alcázar thing-"
"Hey just, we can save that for later, okay?" interjected Nate, holding up a hand to stop Sam in his tracks.
Nate then turned to Sully. "Which way?"
"On the beach," answered Sully, pointing back the way we had come. "Other side of this town."
"Okay," said Nate, giving Elena and me a glance as we all started to move in the direction of the plane.
"Good. I hope all that ruckus didn't attract any attention," said Elena.
Nate sighed. "I know."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," started Sam, making us all turn. Sam had not moved like the rest of us. "Sorry."
He took a few steps forward. "What are we doing?"
"What do you think we're doing?" replied Sully, taking a step or two back towards Sam. Elena and I followed. "We're getting the hell off of this rock."
"Right," he said, making a movement with his left hand. "We- we could do that…"
Nate now joined us and from the expression on his face I believed he knew where Sam was about to go with this.
"Or we can head in that direction…" continued Sam, pointing out to his right. "Which is a short cut."
My brow furrowed: not to the plane it's not, I thought.
Sully glanced at Nate before looking back at Sam. "Short cut to what?"
Sam's face made an wincing expression before answering:
"To Avery's treasure."
"Oh, wow," responded Sully, seemingly unable to believe he could be suggesting this after everything.
Sam turned to his right either ignoring or not hearing Sully's words.
"I mean, Rafe's got to go all the way around but we could just-" he continued, indicating with his right hand the way we could go.
"Hey, screw Rafe!" snapped Sully, cutting Sam off and causing him to turn back to us.
"Hey, Victor with all due respect maybe just leave this-" Sam tried, but Sully was not having any of it.
"You just don't know when to quit," he said.
Sam glanced at his brother and then back at Sully.
"Look, we're all here for the same reason, right?" said Sam looking round us, though his eyes skimmed me rapidly to Elena. "Right?"
"We didn't come after the treasure," she said, shaking her head while I had to nod in agreement. "We came after you."
"And I appreciate that," he said, rapidly putting his hand out to stop her saying more. "I do. But we're good."
He looked to Nate and then back at Elena before shrugging.
"And we've got the lead for now," he added, taking a step in the direction he wanted to go, but no one followed so he looked around us again. "We can do this."
No one said anything and I could see from his expression he knew he was losing this. He needed an ally and he naturally looked to his brother.
"Nathan, c'mon," he tried. "Huh? Look around. Okay, Avery scuttled ever last ship on this island."
So that's what had occurred, I thought. But why?
"You know why?" he continued, it was like he read my mind.
"Because he was hell-bent on keeping his treasure…" answered Elena.
"Exactly," said Sam, relief in his tone suggesting he felt he was making progress.
"No matter the cost to the others around him," she added, making Sam sigh as he realised he had not made progress at all.
He focused on Nate.
"Because he didn't want anyone to follow him," he explained. "Because he was leaving."
He began pulling something out of his pocket.
"Look at this," he said, unfolding what appeared to be parchment and showing it to Nate who had yet to say something. "Okay. I found his map of the island. Okay?"
He handed it to Nate who took it from him and looked at it.
"That's his ship," explained Sam, pointing at something on the map. "Right under that mountain."
He pointed to a large, odd shaped, rocky mountain. It looked a bit like some great beast, its gaping maw open as if roaring its contempt to the world. There was something ominous about it, but that might have just been me.
"That's were our treasure is," concluded Sam, I could see Nate's mind working as he thought through what Sam was saying. Sam turned to the rest of us. "And it is exactly where Rafe is heading right now…while we stand around here and argue like idiots."
"Okay, what if he's already left the island…" asked Sully, moving closer to Sam and Nate. "And his ship sunk somewhere out there in the middle of the ocean?"
"Then we find out where it got sunk," said Sam, his tone suggesting that was obvious.
"Oh, boy…" said Sully, the expression on his face suggesting Sam was a lost cause, one he had seen before, and with a wave of his hand he seemingly gave up.
Sam looked to Nate.
"How long we been chasing this thing, huh?" said Sam to Nate as Sully came to join Elena and I. "You and me. No offence to these guys…but they don't get it."
We could only see Nate's face and I watched it: trying to read what he was thinking. Nate glanced down again at the map.
"Actually Sam, they do," he said finally, meeting his brother's gaze. "They really do."
Nate handed the map back to Sam as Sam's head sank down.
"Okay," said Sam, though it was almost a whisper.
I could tell he had realised he had lost his last chance at winning the argument. Nate was trying to read him.
"Trust me," he said as Sam raised his head to look at him. "They've seen this…kind of obsession before."
Sam looked away and then back at his brother with a sigh. Nate put his hand on Sam's shoulder to stop him leaving before dropping it back to his side.
"But Sam…" he said. "We're not those kids anymore. We're not. And we got nothing to prove."
Sam stared at him before raising his hands, bowing his head a little and for all other purposes his body language from behind read as 'ok, you win'. He then lowered his hands and stepped back from his brother. He said nothing, only nodding to himself before turning finally to us, specifically Sully.
"Victor, where's that plane?" he asked, all emotion gone from his tone.
Sully turned slightly before moving forward and indicating with his hand. "Right this way."
He then walked between the brothers as he began to head back the way he and I had come. Sam started to follow him as did I, passing Nate, and as I did I saw his shoulders noticeably sag: I guessed it had clearly taken a lot for him to do that to his brother. I glanced back and saw Elena put a hand on Nate's shoulder before I turned and dropped down again onto the path into the town. Sam appeared to be waiting at the bottom.
One hand was stuffing the map back in his pocket, but he seemed to be taking his time to do so. Sully, I noticed, had gone on ahead a little. I glanced again at Sam, I have to say I did feel just a little bit sorry for him, but I tried not to let that show. I figured he would not like it. I was partially debating as to whether I should say something when Elena and Nate joined us.
Immediately I saw Nate's eyes flick between me and his brother.
"What's-" he started, but I waved him off.
"Nothing," I said not wanting to cause more trouble. "Was just waiting for you two."
"Okay," said Elena. "Come on then."
They started forward and I made to follow, but Sam did not make a move to do the same. I stopped, while Elena and Nate kept walking, though I think Nate glanced back at us.
"You coming, Sam?" I questioned to which he nodded and took a few steps forward.
It was then I swear he said something, as I made to continue, that made me stop dead and turn to look at him.
"Sorry? Did you say something?" I asked, he had stopped again and was looking at the ground.
"I said sorry," he more or less mumbled.
"Sorry?" I repeated.
I was confused: it's what I thought he had said, but it did not make sense.
"Yeah, sorry," he said.
It was then that I sensed the same sort of awkwardness in him he had had with Nate.
"What do you mean sorry?" I questioned. "Sorry for what?"
"For everything," he said, gesturing around him.
"Are you serious?" I asked, not understanding why this was happening now. He nodded. "Now? Now you believe me? Why would you…"
He said nothing. My brow furrowed as I tried to read him and then a feeling started to develop in the pit of my stomach and a light bulb came on in my head, but the disbelief that he could have done such a stupid, idiotic…surely he did not.
"Oh. My. God," I said as the realisation came to me. "Seriously? You cannot be serious. You did, didn't you. You did it."
The others had stopped at the edge of the town and were now staring back at us.
"Sam? Freya? Are you coming?" called Nate.
I put my hand out to the side, high enough so they could see it. "Just wait a minute!"
Sam would not look at me, just the floor.
"You asked him didn't you?" I said with disgust and disbelief. "You bloody well asked him. Didn't you?!"
Sam looked a little bit up from his feet.
"Yes," he said finally.
I laughed, more for the ludicrousness of the situation then because I found it funny.
"Oh this cannot be happening," I said, shaking my head. "Come on then. Tell me. What did he say that convinced you to believe what the rest of us have been trying to tell you since all this," I pointed to myself, "began?"
The others appeared to be thinking about coming back towards us, but then thought better of it and milled around waiting.
"Enlighten me, please," I said. "I'm dying to know."
"He laughed, could barely stop in fact," said Sam quietly. "Thought I was paranoid, he and Nadine both. But it was the looks as well as what they said…"
He trailed off and I could see on his face he was reliving the scenario as if it was happening before his very eyes. Finally he turned to me and looked me in the eye.
"I was wrong, okay," he said, holding my gaze. "I really mean it. I'm sorry."
I paused and sighed, trying to take it all in. Sam had that hurt look about him again and I knew that in my heart I felt like he had had enough punishment for that day. He needed someone to give him a bit of a break. I walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look at me.
"I forgive you," I said simply, holding his gaze so he could read me and see I meant it.
It was his turn to look confused.
"You do?" he said before he could stop himself.
"Yes and thank you for your apology," I said, giving his shoulder a squeeze.
"Um, right," he said as I gave him a warm smile. "Okay…"
"Come on then," I said, letting go of him and making to head for the others. "I think we've kept them waiting long enough."
"Right…" he said, seemingly still unable to get his head around my forgiving him.
This time when I moved he followed, I could feel his eyes on me once more right up until the point he moved to my side and instead chose to walk with me back to the others. It made me smile and for the first time since I'd been dragged on this adventure, I felt the tension was finally gone.
So what did we think? Are we all still enjoying it? I hope so, but if you feel like telling me you could always press that review button. :)