Note: Okay I lost this chapter so it almost never happened but thanks to my new beta it's finally up…So a BIG thank you to Alex!!!!!!
Chapter Four
The two couples followed a trail of seep set footprints; they were Challenger's, though no trace of the woman's could be seen. They had been searching for the last two hours and other than the prints there were no other visible physical signs of their friend, and the sun would soon be setting. The two women lag behind the two men and take a look at the view. "Delicious" Sarah admired.
"Everything is as it should be…we can see quite plainly that the Roxton and Malone line has changed, and unless they start to turn into their worthless ancestors, we can keep them forever" Jessica planned.
There were still traces of doubt in Jessica's mind. She had thought that Malone would stay away from her after their talk at the treehouse but he had completely floored her later on "we should test them to see if they mean what they say."
"Well I see no sign that mine is lying."
"That's what you said about Don" Sarah countered immediately.
The other woman looked at her friend, an evil look in her eyes. "If he does turn out to be anything like Don then we both know what'll happen to him…"
Roxton and Malone walk side by side, glancing every now and then at the two women walking further and further behind them. "Have you noticed anything else unusual about Marguerite?"
"You mean the fact that they're both acting like the best of friends?" they had spoken a little about this back at the treehouse.
Ned had a point. "Yes, that is unusual" they never got along this well. "And Marguerite has been acting a little too nice."
"Neither of them are interested in the fact that Challenger is missing. It's like they're…tagging along" it was impossible to try and make sense of their actions.
"So I've noticed," Roxton answered. There was a part of the both of them that had hoped it was just another step the two women had decided to take, but that was too unbelievable. None of them knew what was wrong "we'll just continue to play along for now and see if anything else happens."
'Marguerite' and 'Veronica' carefully watch Roxton and Malone as they talk quietly amongst themselves; they walk a little faster to catch up to them. "Not talking about us are you?"
"As a matter of fact we were" Malone grinned.
Roxton carried on for him. "We were just saying how fortunate we are to have two fine women, such as yourselves, for company."
'Marguerite' looks up at him and he leant down a little to kiss her on her forehead. He stopped without warning and Malone and 'Veronica' almost ran into the back of him, he aims his rifle into the bushes. "What is it?"
He didn't know for certain. "Trouble I'll wager."
A tall woman with long black hair tied into a neat plait came into view. "I guess this is our test" 'Veronica' whispered to 'Marguerite', neither woman liked the look of this stranger.
"Who are you?" Malone asked in a somewhat wary tone of voice.
The woman smiled friendlily at the two men, beckoning them towards her. "Do not be afraid of me, I am Jasima, I have your friend and don't worry, he's perfectly safe" she reassured them. "I think he would like to stay now that the two of you have arrived" she knew they would come eventually.
'Marguerite' and 'Veronica angrily pushed in front of Roxton and Malone, making their presence known to the annoyance that was Jasima, they stood in front of her. "In case you hadn't noticed, there are four of us" she eyed the woman with disdain.
Jasima glanced at them irritably and then smiled sweetly. "Of course there are, how silly of me not to notice. Please come, follow me."
The two men stepped forward, only to be stopped by the female half of their group. "I don't think so Lady, just send Challenger to us and we'll be on our way."
"And if any of us were to go with you, it would be us" now that some woman had arrived, both were afraid of being proved wrong,
Jasima laughed at them. "How protective you are of your men, very…cute" she smirked at them and eyed the two men seductively.
"Eyes to front!" 'Veronica' snapped at her.
This only served to humour Jasima all the more. "Very well, if you wish to come for your friend then you can."
She signaled for 'Marguerite' and 'Veronica' to follow her, and with one last look at the men made her way back through the bushes. "You'd have thought John would have said something about us going off with her to God knows where" the brunette complained.
"They look like they're in a trance" 'Veronica' was clearly disgusted with them.
Roxton and Malone stood and watched Jasima as she led the two women away from; Roxton recovered first and shook his head, feeling weary suddenly. "We…we should follow them."
Yeah, we can't let her, them, out of our sight" he quickly corrected himself. They slowly walked a few yards behind the three women while Jasima smiled to herself at the thought of two more puppies to do her bidding.
*
Challenger lay back on a large double bed with sea blue velvet cushions; beside him on a gold cabinet is a plateful of red grapes. He lazily reached over to pick one when Jasima strolled in and took off the rove she was wearing, throwing it on the bed beside him. "Your friends have arrived, meet them and tell them what to do, and ask your two female companions to come to me," she ordered. Challenger got off the bed, popping the grape into his mouth before he exited the lavishly furnished room.
'Marguerite' and 'Veronica' were stood before a tired looking Roxton and Malone, the Plateau native waved her hand in front of the reporter but received no response. "They get swayed just as easily as their cheating ancestors!" the heiress fumed.
"It's that jungle whore! She did something to them" Sarah was now equally angry.
"Oh no. I will not let another woman come between me and a Roxton again" at Veronica's question she looked to the Professor as he walked towards them. "Challenger got us into this mess and he can get us out of it."
Spoiler for 'Diseased':
When Roxton gets infected with a deadly tropical disease only a cure from the future can save them. But with Marguerite and Veronica in quarantine, Challanger and Malone in jail and Roxton on his deathbed there's no one to help him.
