NOTE: StarTraveler, Liam does have a place in the story but it will be just
a bit later on. So don't worry they'll be something for everyone, I hope.
And Sapphira you wanted eye catching so how's that?
As to typos, if you saw how I typed, you'd consider yourselves lucky LOL. Spell check just doesn't grab em all but I can always slow the flow and do some old fashioned eyeballing. Anyway thanks for all the input. I'm glad someone's enjoying my efforts.
Chapter 5
Renee had spent the last hour trying in vain to calm the ever-increasing panic that was overcoming the camp. She knew from experience, they had to stick together and maintain order.
Giving in to their fears would only make them more vulnerable to whatever was out there. Still, even she couldn't help but feel the old "blanket over the head" response.
If you can't see it then it can't get you! A childish refrain that in this case would most certainly get them all killed in their beds.
"Look, all we have to do is stay close to the fire until morning. Then we'll be on our way to Manaus," Renee promised them. The declaration was less than appeasing. They weren't convinced. "I'm armed with a nine millimeter and we have a rifle," she pointed out. "We can defend ourselves."
"I hope," she thought to herself.
"And what about Jameson?" Valenta questioned, "Do we just leave him out there?" he demanded. Heads nodded in unison.
"No one will be left behind. When we have reinforcements, armed reinforcements, we'll search the area again until we find something." In truth, Renee didn't believe that they'd find Jameson, not alive anyway. Not after what she'd heard. What she'd felt.
A suspicion was blossoming in her mind. One with such far reaching repercussions that she didn't even want to contemplate it. But the stranger the facts became the more obvious the conclusion.
Looking around the group, she noticed Peterson standing apart, staring off into the brush. He had been subdued all day. In fact, he hadn't even been there when she returned with the news that Jameson was gone. Where the hell had he been? Gunshots weren't enough to get his attention?
She studied him. He still looked pale and drawn but not sickly as he was this morning. It wasn't contagion, at least not one that the scanners could pick up. She'd gone over the camp and the tunnel after her examination of Ben's body. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the way of microbes. Maybe it was time she had a little chat with him.
Peterson jumped when a cup of coffee appeared under his nose.
"Sorry didn't mean to startle you," Renee offered.
"It's ok," he responded, "I'm just a bit preoccupied."
"Yes I noticed that. Are you alright?"
He unconsciously scratched at his chest. "I'm fine."
Renee nodded her head knowing that it was a lie. "Tell me something." "Where were you when I got back to camp?"
"That got his attention," she noted. His eyes came up to match hers. Something dark mirrored in them. Something she couldn't quite place.
"Now that's not really any concern of yours is it," he snapped.
"You want to bet?" she challenged. "You were down in the tunnels weren't you? It's the only place where you wouldn't have heard the gunshots."
He remained silent.
"Listen to me Peterson, if you're holding out on me, I'll make sure the fan's pointed at you when the shit hits it! This isn't a game, one man is dead and another is missing or dead. If you know something, you had better tell me now before it goes any further."
He turned away before answering, "I wish I could help you Miss Palmer but you have to believe me there's nothing I can do."
A retort sprang off her tongue only to be silenced by a loud "wump, wump, wump.."
The air around them came alive as leaves and bits of refuse started spinning like a mini tornado. A bright light pierced the gloom of early evening as the large chopper circled above their heads.
Renee heard shouts of exaltation from the beleaguered scientists. They danced around slapping each other on the back, laughing with relief. Rescued at last.
Problem was, that wasn't a military chopper. Which meant that wasn't the team she had sent for to get them and the artifact out. Someone else had been alerted to the situation. She looked over at Peterson. It wasn't hard to figure out how. But who ever it was, she had no intention of just handing over the object in that cave.
Rocking slightly the craft set down close enough to cause the tents to ripple and strain. The chopper shouldn't even be up with the thick cloud cover that permeated the area. Renee shook her head. "What idiot is flying that thing?" she questioned.
As the blades wound down and the engine slowed, the door slid open and a figure jumped to the ground followed by two commando types. Striding purposefully towards her, she scowled, instantly recognizing this new player.
Ronald Sandoval.
As to typos, if you saw how I typed, you'd consider yourselves lucky LOL. Spell check just doesn't grab em all but I can always slow the flow and do some old fashioned eyeballing. Anyway thanks for all the input. I'm glad someone's enjoying my efforts.
Chapter 5
Renee had spent the last hour trying in vain to calm the ever-increasing panic that was overcoming the camp. She knew from experience, they had to stick together and maintain order.
Giving in to their fears would only make them more vulnerable to whatever was out there. Still, even she couldn't help but feel the old "blanket over the head" response.
If you can't see it then it can't get you! A childish refrain that in this case would most certainly get them all killed in their beds.
"Look, all we have to do is stay close to the fire until morning. Then we'll be on our way to Manaus," Renee promised them. The declaration was less than appeasing. They weren't convinced. "I'm armed with a nine millimeter and we have a rifle," she pointed out. "We can defend ourselves."
"I hope," she thought to herself.
"And what about Jameson?" Valenta questioned, "Do we just leave him out there?" he demanded. Heads nodded in unison.
"No one will be left behind. When we have reinforcements, armed reinforcements, we'll search the area again until we find something." In truth, Renee didn't believe that they'd find Jameson, not alive anyway. Not after what she'd heard. What she'd felt.
A suspicion was blossoming in her mind. One with such far reaching repercussions that she didn't even want to contemplate it. But the stranger the facts became the more obvious the conclusion.
Looking around the group, she noticed Peterson standing apart, staring off into the brush. He had been subdued all day. In fact, he hadn't even been there when she returned with the news that Jameson was gone. Where the hell had he been? Gunshots weren't enough to get his attention?
She studied him. He still looked pale and drawn but not sickly as he was this morning. It wasn't contagion, at least not one that the scanners could pick up. She'd gone over the camp and the tunnel after her examination of Ben's body. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the way of microbes. Maybe it was time she had a little chat with him.
Peterson jumped when a cup of coffee appeared under his nose.
"Sorry didn't mean to startle you," Renee offered.
"It's ok," he responded, "I'm just a bit preoccupied."
"Yes I noticed that. Are you alright?"
He unconsciously scratched at his chest. "I'm fine."
Renee nodded her head knowing that it was a lie. "Tell me something." "Where were you when I got back to camp?"
"That got his attention," she noted. His eyes came up to match hers. Something dark mirrored in them. Something she couldn't quite place.
"Now that's not really any concern of yours is it," he snapped.
"You want to bet?" she challenged. "You were down in the tunnels weren't you? It's the only place where you wouldn't have heard the gunshots."
He remained silent.
"Listen to me Peterson, if you're holding out on me, I'll make sure the fan's pointed at you when the shit hits it! This isn't a game, one man is dead and another is missing or dead. If you know something, you had better tell me now before it goes any further."
He turned away before answering, "I wish I could help you Miss Palmer but you have to believe me there's nothing I can do."
A retort sprang off her tongue only to be silenced by a loud "wump, wump, wump.."
The air around them came alive as leaves and bits of refuse started spinning like a mini tornado. A bright light pierced the gloom of early evening as the large chopper circled above their heads.
Renee heard shouts of exaltation from the beleaguered scientists. They danced around slapping each other on the back, laughing with relief. Rescued at last.
Problem was, that wasn't a military chopper. Which meant that wasn't the team she had sent for to get them and the artifact out. Someone else had been alerted to the situation. She looked over at Peterson. It wasn't hard to figure out how. But who ever it was, she had no intention of just handing over the object in that cave.
Rocking slightly the craft set down close enough to cause the tents to ripple and strain. The chopper shouldn't even be up with the thick cloud cover that permeated the area. Renee shook her head. "What idiot is flying that thing?" she questioned.
As the blades wound down and the engine slowed, the door slid open and a figure jumped to the ground followed by two commando types. Striding purposefully towards her, she scowled, instantly recognizing this new player.
Ronald Sandoval.