Chapter Three

Roxton, Malone and Challanger are sat at a large wooden table in the middle of a large, empty, cold looking hut, as in the smaller hut a fire burned near the door. Peter walks in wearing a long blue robe lined with gold velvet around the edges. He sits at the table across from them.

ROXTON: What will you do about the men you lost?

PETER: Replace them...There's nothing else we can do, the apemen that killed them were hunted and killed themselves.

CHALLANGER: We thank you for your hospitality but we should be leaving.

PETER: Of course your women, you're meeting them outside the village...I hope their all right.

ROXTON: Why wouldn't they be?

PETER: It's a treacherous place out there especially for women.

MALONE: Veronica and Marguerite can take care of themselves.

PETER: They have names?

CHALLANGER: Of course they do.

PETER: How charming.

ROXTON: We should be leaving.

An elder walks into the hut and takes Peter aside. They excuse themselves and leave the hut.

PETER: Of all the women, why choose them?

ELDER: They were a problem.

PETER: Lock them up while I escort our guests to the gate.

The Elder hurries away.

* * * * * *

The trio meet up again on the hill after searching for Marguerite and Veronica.

MALONE: They should be here by now.

ROXTON: We'll try at the village they headed to, they're probably still there.

The Elder watches as they disappear into the trees he then reports back to Peter.

PETER: Bring the women to me and make sure their friends don't come back here.

* * * * * *

The trio take the left path at the fork in the road, Roxton looks at the tracks in the dirt.

ROXTON: They came this way...Then they came back.

MALONE: How can you tell?

ROXTON: The same footprints going both ways, we'll take the right path, see if they went that way.

MALONE: Why would they do that? Peter said this was the way.

ROXTON: That doesn't mean he was telling the truth.

They backtrack and this time take the other path and before long they reach the village deep in the trees. the first person they encounter is Corintha, she aims a gun at them.

CORINTHA: What do you want?

ROXTON: That's Marguerite's gun.

CHALLANGER: Are Marguerite and Veronica still here?

CORINTHA: They left.

ROXTON: Your lying, Marguerite wouldn't leave without her gun.

MALONE: Where are they?

They hear a voice behind them.

ADULA: They were taken and Veronica left this.

She holds out Veronica's knife.

MALONE: (Worried) why would leave it here?

ADULA: The guards who took them didn't pick it up when she dropped it.

MALONE: Why would she do that?

CORINTHA: Don't answer their questions.

ADULA: Look at them grandmother, they aren't like the others, these men are worried...The guards came to select two women from our village.

CORINTHA: One of them put a sword to my throat and Marguerite helped me, they captured her then Veronica came and they took her too...They didn't go willingly.

CHALLANGER: What do they want them for?

CORINTHA: They lost two men today, they'll want replacements.

They turn to leave the village.

CORINTHA: Nothing will happen tonight, rest here you can help them in the morning.

ROXTON: We've wasted enough time all ready.

CORINTHA: They'll kill you and you can't help your friends if you're dead.

MALONE: We can sneak in.

ADULA: Their village is too well guarded, they'll kill you as soon as they see you.

CHALLANEGR: Then how do we get into the village?

ADULA: A group of men go hunting early morning...

ROXTON: We can capture them and masquerade as guards, get some sleep we've got a long day tomorrow.

* * * * * *

Peter circles Marguerite and Veronica, two men are guarding the door and all have swords.

VERONICA: Whatever you're planning forget about it.

PETER: Women don't have a say in the matter...You will do as I say.

MARGUERITE: Then kill us now because we won't listen to you.

PETER: All in due time.

VERONICA: Our friends will come looking for us.

PETER: You missed my quicksand trap but they don't know that...Take them away.

The two guards drag them out of the hut.

* * * * * *

In the middle of the night Malone wakes up and starts to walk around outside. In front of him he sees a glowing haze, he walks towards it and he makes out Jena.

JENA: Help me, help them, please. Stop Markh, stop Peter.

MALONE: Wait!

She disappears as he reaches her, he looks around but once again its dark.

* * * * * *

Roxton picks up the rifle and waits for the others outside, Malone is the first to arrive.

MALONE: Did you see anything peculiar last night?

ROXTON: Like what?

MALONE: Glowing lights, ghosts...

ROXTON: Can't say I did.

MALONE: I saw her, Jena. She was right in front of me, asking for my help.

ROXTON: We have more important things to do than go on wild goose chases.

MALONE: She needs our help.

ROXTON: She's a ghost Malone.

MALONE: Once Veronica and Marguerite are safe...

ROXTON: We'll see what happens, right now Jena is the least of our worries...Worrying about Jena isn't going to keep your mind off Veronica.

MALONE: Shouting out orders isn't going to keep your mind off Marguerite.

At that moment Challanger comes out off his hut and joins them.

CHALLANGER: Ready?

ROXTON: Ready, as we'll ever be.

As they leave the village Corintha comes out of her hut and watches them leave.

CORINTHA: (Shouts) good luck!

They turn around but she's already retired inside.

ROXTON: We have to hurry.

MALONE: We have to find three guards first.

ROXTON: We'll wait ten minutes if we don't see anybody we'll sneak in some other way.

* * * * * *

Veronica and Marguerite are in an underground cell. A guard is standing near the outside door, Veronica shakes the cell gate for the hundredth time that day.

MARGUERITE: Shaking the door isn't going to help.

VERONICA: Neither is pacing up and down.

MARGUERITE: The others will be coming soon, they'll be looking for us.

VERONICA: Not if they think we're dead.

MARGUERITE: Then we'll just have to get ourselves out then, won't we?

VERONICA: What do you have in mind?

Marguerite walks to the gate.

MARGUERITE: (Shouts) help, let me out.

GUARD: What's going on?

MARGUERITE: She's choking.

VERONICA: What!

MARGUERITE: Choke, make it look realistic.

The guard comes to the gate as Veronica sits down and pretends to choke. The guard opens the door and walks in.

MARGUERITE: Help her.

GUARD: How? I don't...

As he kneels down to help Veronica, Marguerite kicks him in the head and he falls to the floor. Marguerite takes his sword while Veronica picks up his spear.

VERONICA: He's out cold.

MARGUERITE: Well that was the general idea.

They close the door and lock it with the guard still inside.

MARGUERITE: How are we going to get out of the village?

Peter walks down the stone steps and stands behind them.

PETER: That's easy, you won't.

Marguerite puts the sword to his neck, veronica does the same with the spear.

PETER: I wouldn't do that if I were you.

VERONICA: Well you're not me, are you?

PETER: (Shouts) guards.

The two warriors walk in behind Peter.

PETER: Meet your men for the evening...You're outnumbered.

MARGUERITE: We still stand a fighting chance.

PETER: Against guns?

The two warriors aim a gun and a rifle at them.

PETER: Our last visitors were nice enough to leave these behind.

WARRIOR #2: Put down the weapons.

VERONICA: You won't get away with this.

Peter takes the sword and knife.

PETER: Oh I think I will.

The warriors each take Veronica and Marguerite back to the cell, the throw them inside and they land beside the guard whose waking up.

VERONICA: Well that got us nowhere fast.

The guard padlocks the gate shut. And they all leave.

MARGUERITE: Oh I wouldn't say that.

She holds out the key that she stole from the guard.

* * * * * *

Roxton, Malone and Challanger are standing beside a hut watching Peter and the two warriors leaving the underground cell.

CHALLANGER: They must be in there.

They wait until Peter is out of sight then sneak across to the hut. They silently walk down the steps. Roxton aims his gun at the guard.

ROXTON: Not a word.

Meanwhile Marguerite has opened the door.

VERONICA: Someone's coming.

They wait, hiding behind the door. They have retrieved the spear and sword again. Marguerite puts the sword underneath the mans neck.

MARGUERITE: Move and your dead.

ROXTON: My dear Marguerite I thought you cared more for me than that.

She drops the sword and hugs him then stands back when she sees Veronica's smirk. Malone and Challanger join them, Malone goes to Veronica.

MALONE: Are you hurt?

VERONICA: I feel great.

MALONE: I think this is yours.

He hands her the knife, she smiles at him.

VERONICA: You found it, thank you.

ROXTON: You'll be needing this.

He hands her the gun. Veronica, Malone and Challanger walk back to the stairs.

ROXTON: Are you all right?

MARGUERITE: My, my, is that worry I hear in your voice?

She smiles and turns to leave, he stops her.

ROXTON: Yes.

She looks at him shocked and touched by his honesty. She regains her composure.

MARGUERITE: Well you don't have anything to worry about anymore, as you can see I'm perfectly fine.

Challanger walks back towards them.

CHALLANGER: We have to go.

They follow him back to the stairs. Outside the two warriors are walking towards them.

ROXTON: Back down the stairs.

They hide in the cell and wait for the warriors to reach the cell. They see the open door and run inside. Roxton and Challanger knock them out and lock them in the cell.

MALONE: Can we go now?

MARGUERITE: Gladly.

They sneak out of the cell and stick to the edges of the village so they won't be seen. As they near the village gate they see Jena leaving the village.

MALONE: She asked me to help her.

ROXTON: How?

MALONE: She said stop Markh, if one of us waits for him near the trees...

ROXTON: Marguerite wait for Markh, Malone you go after Jena, Veronica keep Robert out of the way, Challanger and I will stop Peter...Both Peter's, lets go.

They leave the village and go to their places. The Elder watches them from a distance away. He goes to Peter as the two warriors' wake up in the cell. The Elder raises the alarm and Peter gets the warriors out of the cell.

PETER: Get them.

WARRIOR #1: They won't escape again.

PETER: Make sure they don't.

* * * * * *

Roxton and Challanger try and reason with Peter as Markh makes his way through the trees towards Jena.

MARGUERITE: You don't want to go out there.

He carries on walking. Marguerite puts the sword to Markh's chest. He smiles and walks straight through it.

MARGUERITE: Of course you're already dead.

She feels metal against her neck, she turns round and sees Warrior #2.

MARGUERITE: You should've stayed unconscious.

* * * * * *

Markh walks towards Jena on the hill.

CHALLANGER: Wasn't Marguerite supposed to be stopping him?

JENA: It's started again.

She walks towards Markh.

MALONE: No, wait!

Peter turns around and aims a gun at Markh, Roxton knocks the gun to the floor.

PETER: Impossible!

ROXTON: Apparently not.

Jena and Markh hug, they turn around and smile.

PETER: But, she's mine.

A darkness surrounds him and Robert and they disappear. The Elder and Peter walks towards Jena and Markh. Peter throws a spear at them. It travels straight through them as they disappear.

PETER: You won't get away with this.

MALONE: We already have.

* * * * * *

Warrior #1 sneaks up behind Veronica, he steps on a twig causing it to snap. She turns round and kicks the spear from his hands.

WARRIOR #1: You can't do that.

VERONICA: You're not stopping me.

* * * * * *

Marguerite moves into a fighting stance.

WARRIOR #2: A woman cannot use a sword.

MARGUERITE: I think you might be surprised what a woman can do.

WARRIOR #2: Women are here for men's needs, they don't fight.

MARGUERITE: Well I was never one for tradition.

WARRIOR #2: Have it your way.

He lunges at her with the sword, she parries and elbows him in the back. He turns round and trips her up she falls to the floor. He brings the sword down. She rolls out of the way and gets up then kicks him sending him head long into a tree.

* * * * * *

Warrior #1 comes at Veronica with the spear, she traps it against the tree with her arm and kicks him back, she gets hold off his spear and hits him over the head with it. He falls to the floor unconscious. She runs back to the hill.

* * * * * *

PETER: My men are on their way here, your outnumbered.

Veronica reaches Malone, Roxton and Challanger as Marguerite runs out of the trees. Not far behind her are Adula and Corintha. A group of men with spears walk out of the village, a young boy runs out behind them.

BOY: Aunt Adula!

Adula turns around as the boy runs over to her, she kneels down and hugs him.

ADULA: I missed you.

PETER: Leave him alone woman.

ADULA: No.

Peter looks at her angry.

PETER: You do not refuse me...Kill her.

The group of men look at each other neither stepping forward.

PETER: I'll do it myself.

The explorers block his way.

PETER: Let me pass.

ROXTON: We can't let you do that.

An old unarmed man walks towards Corintha.

OLD MAN: I thought you were dead.

ADULA: Grandfather?

OLD MAN: I missed you both, so much. Forgive me please.

He hugs Corintha, she's apprehensive at first and almost backs away then she returns the hug.

CORINTHA: I missed you Markus.

Peter sees their embrace, he runs towards them and grabs a spear from one of his men and goes to throw it at them. Malone shoots him and Peter falls to the floor.

MALONE: We just broke one cycle, we don't want to start another.

ROXTON: (To villagers) you can end this now or we can fight it out...Which do you prefer?

The remaining men throw down their weapons.

ROXTON: Now go home.

OLD MAN: We throw out the old ways and live as our ancestors once did, together.

CORINTHA: Lets go home.

The villagers return home, behind them the ghosts of Markh and Jena smile at them as the explorers return to the treehouse.

* * * * * *

Veronica is standing on the balcony that night when Malone joins her.

MALONE: How are you?

VERONICA: I'm fine...I'm glad Adula got to be with her whole family again after so many years. And Jena and Markh they'll be together forever now.

MALONE: Well the guy always gets his girl.

VERONICA: Have uh, have you got your girl yet?

MALONE: I think I almost have, I hope I'm close.

VERONICA: Almost close.

They both blush then look out at the rising moon.

* * * * * *

Roxton and Challanger are just finishing talking in the lab.

CHALLANGER: We should continue looking for specimens tomorrow.

ROXTON: We can set out at first light.

Challanger nods and continues working. Roxton walks into the main room where Marguerite is sitting reading. He looks at the pages over her shoulder.

ROXTON: You've been on that same page for over fifteen minutes now.

MARGUERITE: I'm not really in the mood for reading.

ROXTON: What are you in the mood for?

MARGUERITE: Sleeping, but I'm too tired to walk to my room.

He grins at her.

ROXTON: Allow me.

He picks her up out of the chair.

MARGUERITE: Put me down Roxton. Now.

ROXTON: All in due time.

He carries her to her room and lays her on the bed.

MARGUERITE: Mmm better than a London cab.

ROXTON: I need my payment too you know.

MARGUERITE: If I must.

She stands up in front of him and puts her arms around him.

MARGUERITE: I think me cooking dinner tomorrow should be payment enough.

ROXTON: Cooking?

MARGUERITE: Well I'm too tired to do anything now.

Roxton walks to the door.

MARGUERITE: Roxton?

He turns around.

MARGUERITE: Does 7:00 sound good to you? By the lake?

He smiles at her.

ROXTON: Perfect.

He walks out closing the door behind him.

MARGUERITE: Until tomorrow then.

Not far from the treehouse a small dark figure watched them.

FIGURE: My dear you're not going to live that long.

The End.