Roxton had been tracking the group for most of the night and was beginning to get so tired that he almost didn't realize when they had reached the abductor's camp.
Malone said quietly under his breath, "Does anyone see where they have taken Byron?"
Everyone strained their eyes looking for their friend. Veronica was the first to see him and the sight was not comforting. "I see him," she said pointing his form out to the others. "They certainly weren't going to risk letting him get away."
Marguerite followed Veronica's finger and had to fight the urge to run to him and make sure he was fine. Her heart almost stopped when she saw his bloody face and broken body slumped against the pole he was tied to. They had stuck him in the middle of the camp and everyone taunted and abused him as they passed by. "That should be me," she said almost to herself.
Roxton heard and looked at her thoughtfully. She was a mess! Her hair and clothing showed the urgency of their run through the woods. There were dark smudges under her eyes from lack of sleep and her mouth was pulled down in a concerned look. Please let me get to him in time, she's already been through enough, he thought as he turned to continue observing what was happening in the camp.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just then Ksad came out of his tent and made his way to O'Connell. "Tell me where she is and I might let you live," he told him in broken English.
"If I told you, you'd kill her and then there wouldn't be any reason to live."
"You're a fool, I saw her tonight with the dark one. She's already dead to you, you should have your revenge now!"
Byron closed his eyes against the harsh truth so carelessly exposed by Ksad. He knew in his heart that he had already lost Marguerite. He wasn't even sure he ever truly had her. Although he was hurting all over, it was the pain in his heart that made him want to close his eyes and never open them again. He still loved her. It did not bother him to give his life to save her, he didn't want to live without her anyway. He felt a sort of sad peaceful feeling creep over him knowing that Roxton would be there for her when he died.
At least she won't be alone, he thought to himself as he told Ksad, "She didn't take the mask! Let her alone!"
Ksad kicked him forcefully in the ribs and then shouted out orders to his men, who immediately started getting together their spears and swords.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"They're coming for me," Marguerite said, instantly understanding the foreign words being shouted in the distance. "He called Byron a weak fool for not betraying a woman who had already replaced him with another."
Roxton tried to ignore the hope he felt at those words. Now is not the time to be grasping at the frail hopes offered by a madman, he reprimanded himself as he tried to formulate a plan.
"Since they seem to be leaving the camp in search of Marguerite, we should wait until they're gone and sneak in and free Byron. I'm sure only a few men will stay to guard him and with our rifles, we can easily overpower them if we are discovered," Malone said in hushed tones.
Although Marguerite and Roxton both cringed at the idea of leaving Byron tied up any longer than necessary, Challenger convinced them that it really was the best and only option available to them at the moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several hours later, Ksad and his men left the camp. Just as Malone suspected, only five men stayed behind to guard their prisoner. It was decided that Malone, Veronica, and Challenger would provide a distraction while Roxton and Marguerite freed Byron.
Roxton was not happy with the plan. He would have rather gone in alone. Terrified at the idea that something might happen to her if they were discovered, he tried to convince her to stay outside the village in case something went wrong but Marguerite would hear nothing of it. It was her fault Byron was there and she was not going to sit around waiting for someone else to rescue him.
Seeing the determined look on her face and the overwhelming concern underneath it, he took her hand and said, "Don't worry. We'll get him back." Even if it means I'll lose you forever, he thought be didn't dare say aloud.
She smiled at him gratefully and quietly followed him towards the camp where they waited behind some bushes until the others had time to do their part.
When there was a loud boom on the other side of the camp and bright red smoke trailing up towards the night sky, Roxton looked at Marguerite and gave her a lopsided smile as he said, "I see Challenger still has his flair for the dramatic."
"It's gotten worse since you left," she whispered over her shoulder as the made her way towards the middle of camp.
Byron lay there unconscious still tied to the wooden pole. She rushed over towards him and fell to her knees as she took his battered face in her hands and gently kissed him.
"Marguerite . . . I told you to save yourself. What are you doing here?" he said weakly as he came to.
"That's gratitude for you," she said with a soft smile while rolling her eyes.
Roxton's throat was tight with emotions as he heard the tenderness they spoke to each other with. I love her so much . . . I can't let her down now, he thought.
He bent over and started cutting through the ropes that bound the man's hands with his knife. It was then that Byron realized they were not alone. "Lord Roxton, don't worry about me, just please get her out of here before the guards come back."
"Don't worry about them, O'Connell. Challenger, Malone, and Veronica will take care the guards," he said while cutting lose the last rope binding his hands together and offering his hand to help the other man to his feet.
Putting one arm around Marguerite's shoulders and the other over Roxton's, Byron slowly made his way out of the camp. They were almost to the edge of camp when an ominous voice stopped them in their tracks, "I knew you would come for him. Pity you'll all be dead for your loyalty."
The trio turned around to see Ksad and all his warriors gathered around them. "You didn't really think I would leave here knowing you would show up. You are entirely too predictable," he said to Marguerite.
Marguerite answered him in his own language, "Leave them out of this. They know nothing of the mask and if you ever want to see it again, you'll let them go. Then, and only then, will I lead you to your precious mask."
"What the hell did you just say?" Roxton asked as he saw the thoughtful look on Ksad's face.
"I told him if he ever wanted to see his mask again, he will let you two go."
"You two? Don't you mean all of us, sweetheart?" Byron said in an uneasy voice that told he already knew the answer to his question.
"Show me to the mask and then I'll let them go," Ksad finally answered.
"No, they go free and then you get your mask."
"I grow tired of this game, woman," he said as he ordered his men to take her away. Suddenly they were the target of several spears as the men moved in.
"I don't think so boys!"
They all turned around to see Malone and Challenger's guns trained right at Ksad's chest. Veronica was moving slowly around the circle to get to her friends.
Ksad screamed out one final command that sent his warriors into action before Malone fired and killed him with one shot. But it was two late, a savage battle had begin and the explorers were vastly outnumbered. However, as the tribesmen realized their leader had been shot, many dropped their weapons and ran into the jungle, leaving just a few to carry on the fight.
As soon as the fighting began, Marguerite was shoved back by two pairs of strong hands. By the time she had recovered, she looked up to see both John and O'Connell locked in deadly combat.
Damn them!, she thought and she got up and pulled out her gun and entered the battle.
The small band of remaining warriors were losing heart and getting tired as, one after another, they were beaten back into the dark landscape. It appeared the explorers were actually winning when a final spear was thrown.
Marguerite and the others watched in terror as the spear made it's gentle arc towards it's target . . . Lord John Roxton!
Marguerite was running as fast as she could to try to get to him but she was too far away! All she could do is scream his name.
Somewhere through the sounds of the last remnants of fighting, Roxton heard her screaming and looked at her before seeing the spear heading straight for him. It was too late to move out of it's way and he remembering thinking, O'Connell please take care of my Marguerite, before closing his eyes and bracing himself for the fatal wound.
Malone said quietly under his breath, "Does anyone see where they have taken Byron?"
Everyone strained their eyes looking for their friend. Veronica was the first to see him and the sight was not comforting. "I see him," she said pointing his form out to the others. "They certainly weren't going to risk letting him get away."
Marguerite followed Veronica's finger and had to fight the urge to run to him and make sure he was fine. Her heart almost stopped when she saw his bloody face and broken body slumped against the pole he was tied to. They had stuck him in the middle of the camp and everyone taunted and abused him as they passed by. "That should be me," she said almost to herself.
Roxton heard and looked at her thoughtfully. She was a mess! Her hair and clothing showed the urgency of their run through the woods. There were dark smudges under her eyes from lack of sleep and her mouth was pulled down in a concerned look. Please let me get to him in time, she's already been through enough, he thought as he turned to continue observing what was happening in the camp.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just then Ksad came out of his tent and made his way to O'Connell. "Tell me where she is and I might let you live," he told him in broken English.
"If I told you, you'd kill her and then there wouldn't be any reason to live."
"You're a fool, I saw her tonight with the dark one. She's already dead to you, you should have your revenge now!"
Byron closed his eyes against the harsh truth so carelessly exposed by Ksad. He knew in his heart that he had already lost Marguerite. He wasn't even sure he ever truly had her. Although he was hurting all over, it was the pain in his heart that made him want to close his eyes and never open them again. He still loved her. It did not bother him to give his life to save her, he didn't want to live without her anyway. He felt a sort of sad peaceful feeling creep over him knowing that Roxton would be there for her when he died.
At least she won't be alone, he thought to himself as he told Ksad, "She didn't take the mask! Let her alone!"
Ksad kicked him forcefully in the ribs and then shouted out orders to his men, who immediately started getting together their spears and swords.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"They're coming for me," Marguerite said, instantly understanding the foreign words being shouted in the distance. "He called Byron a weak fool for not betraying a woman who had already replaced him with another."
Roxton tried to ignore the hope he felt at those words. Now is not the time to be grasping at the frail hopes offered by a madman, he reprimanded himself as he tried to formulate a plan.
"Since they seem to be leaving the camp in search of Marguerite, we should wait until they're gone and sneak in and free Byron. I'm sure only a few men will stay to guard him and with our rifles, we can easily overpower them if we are discovered," Malone said in hushed tones.
Although Marguerite and Roxton both cringed at the idea of leaving Byron tied up any longer than necessary, Challenger convinced them that it really was the best and only option available to them at the moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several hours later, Ksad and his men left the camp. Just as Malone suspected, only five men stayed behind to guard their prisoner. It was decided that Malone, Veronica, and Challenger would provide a distraction while Roxton and Marguerite freed Byron.
Roxton was not happy with the plan. He would have rather gone in alone. Terrified at the idea that something might happen to her if they were discovered, he tried to convince her to stay outside the village in case something went wrong but Marguerite would hear nothing of it. It was her fault Byron was there and she was not going to sit around waiting for someone else to rescue him.
Seeing the determined look on her face and the overwhelming concern underneath it, he took her hand and said, "Don't worry. We'll get him back." Even if it means I'll lose you forever, he thought be didn't dare say aloud.
She smiled at him gratefully and quietly followed him towards the camp where they waited behind some bushes until the others had time to do their part.
When there was a loud boom on the other side of the camp and bright red smoke trailing up towards the night sky, Roxton looked at Marguerite and gave her a lopsided smile as he said, "I see Challenger still has his flair for the dramatic."
"It's gotten worse since you left," she whispered over her shoulder as the made her way towards the middle of camp.
Byron lay there unconscious still tied to the wooden pole. She rushed over towards him and fell to her knees as she took his battered face in her hands and gently kissed him.
"Marguerite . . . I told you to save yourself. What are you doing here?" he said weakly as he came to.
"That's gratitude for you," she said with a soft smile while rolling her eyes.
Roxton's throat was tight with emotions as he heard the tenderness they spoke to each other with. I love her so much . . . I can't let her down now, he thought.
He bent over and started cutting through the ropes that bound the man's hands with his knife. It was then that Byron realized they were not alone. "Lord Roxton, don't worry about me, just please get her out of here before the guards come back."
"Don't worry about them, O'Connell. Challenger, Malone, and Veronica will take care the guards," he said while cutting lose the last rope binding his hands together and offering his hand to help the other man to his feet.
Putting one arm around Marguerite's shoulders and the other over Roxton's, Byron slowly made his way out of the camp. They were almost to the edge of camp when an ominous voice stopped them in their tracks, "I knew you would come for him. Pity you'll all be dead for your loyalty."
The trio turned around to see Ksad and all his warriors gathered around them. "You didn't really think I would leave here knowing you would show up. You are entirely too predictable," he said to Marguerite.
Marguerite answered him in his own language, "Leave them out of this. They know nothing of the mask and if you ever want to see it again, you'll let them go. Then, and only then, will I lead you to your precious mask."
"What the hell did you just say?" Roxton asked as he saw the thoughtful look on Ksad's face.
"I told him if he ever wanted to see his mask again, he will let you two go."
"You two? Don't you mean all of us, sweetheart?" Byron said in an uneasy voice that told he already knew the answer to his question.
"Show me to the mask and then I'll let them go," Ksad finally answered.
"No, they go free and then you get your mask."
"I grow tired of this game, woman," he said as he ordered his men to take her away. Suddenly they were the target of several spears as the men moved in.
"I don't think so boys!"
They all turned around to see Malone and Challenger's guns trained right at Ksad's chest. Veronica was moving slowly around the circle to get to her friends.
Ksad screamed out one final command that sent his warriors into action before Malone fired and killed him with one shot. But it was two late, a savage battle had begin and the explorers were vastly outnumbered. However, as the tribesmen realized their leader had been shot, many dropped their weapons and ran into the jungle, leaving just a few to carry on the fight.
As soon as the fighting began, Marguerite was shoved back by two pairs of strong hands. By the time she had recovered, she looked up to see both John and O'Connell locked in deadly combat.
Damn them!, she thought and she got up and pulled out her gun and entered the battle.
The small band of remaining warriors were losing heart and getting tired as, one after another, they were beaten back into the dark landscape. It appeared the explorers were actually winning when a final spear was thrown.
Marguerite and the others watched in terror as the spear made it's gentle arc towards it's target . . . Lord John Roxton!
Marguerite was running as fast as she could to try to get to him but she was too far away! All she could do is scream his name.
Somewhere through the sounds of the last remnants of fighting, Roxton heard her screaming and looked at her before seeing the spear heading straight for him. It was too late to move out of it's way and he remembering thinking, O'Connell please take care of my Marguerite, before closing his eyes and bracing himself for the fatal wound.