Disclaimers and other Info. in Part 1 - additional acknowledgements will be included in parts where needed.

Part 14: Jake

As none of the guys can understand the woman, they try to use sign language but with no success. They say they are Americans, hoping someone in the group will understand them.

A man steps toward them and asks, "Am-air-e-ken?"

Chris nods and replies, "Yes, American. Do you speak any American?"

"Yes, some. Who are you?" asks the man suspicious of the strangers.

"I'm Chris and these are my friends. Our plane has run out of fuel so we had to land here," says Chris.

"Do you know Jake?" asks the man pointing to JD.

"No, that's JD," says Chris puzzled.

"Jay-dee?"

"He's one of my friends."

"He look like my son, Jake. He missing for week," says the man.

"We could help you look for him," offers Chris.

"Thank you. You very kind."

Chris and the guys walk around in the jungle looking for Jake.

"How much does Jake look like JD?" asks Buck.

Vin answers him, "So much that his own mother mistook JD for him."

"They've been looking for him for days, where could he be?" wonders Chris out loud.

"Maybe he's dead," frets Nathan, hoping the young man isn't though.

"Don't say that," says JD, not wanting to find any dead bodies.

All of a sudden a huge net falls onto them. A group of men appears with face-paint on and the leader looks just like JD. The leader is holding a spear made out a tree branch, which he points menacingly at the group.

"You are trespassing in our jungle. Who are you?" asks the young man.

"We had to land here when our plane ran out of fuel. We were looking for you so we could take you home to your parents," answers Chris.

"They not my parents - real parents dead. I left here as baby and not told truth. They been lying to me."

"They are worried about you."

"They not need worry about me. These men family now," answers Jake angrily.

JD steps forward after having an idea.

"You look like me," says Jake clearly shocked by JD's similarity to him.

"Your mother mistook me for you," answers JD in a friendly voice.

"Do you have parents?"

"Yes, they are back in the States," answers JD thinking they have finally made a break-through with Jake.

"I feel sad. Not have real parents," says Jake lowering his spear so the end of it now rests on the ground.

"What do you know about them?" asks JD, keeping up the friendly conversation.

"My mother was very preety. My parents North Am-air-e-ken also."

"Perhaps you should come back to North America for a while to find them," suggests Chris.

"Not allowed," replies Jake shaking his head sadly.

"How old are you?"

"All fingers, toes and other hand," says Jake not knowing how to say the number in English. "I born-day last week."

JD steps backwards shocked.

"What wrong?"

"My birthday was last week as well and I'm 25 now as well."

"Big co-in-cid-ens!" says Jake not believing JD.

"You think it's just a coincidence?" asks JD.

"Yes."

"Are you stupid? It's more than just a coincidence, we look the same and have the same birthdays!"

"Hey, I not stupid. We not look much alike. I more han-sum than you."

Jake raises his fist about to punch JD when Vin steps between them; "Hey, calm down."

"Please Jake, maybe we ARE related," suggests JD, who's read stories where people find their long lost relatives.

"Why parents leave me and keep you?"

"Maybe they didn't - maybe there's more to it," says JD.

"I come back with you?"

"Sure, we want to help you," says Vin.

"We need to get back to North America first though," says Chris.

"Ancient way get us there - long walk."

"I don't like the sound of that," says Buck remembering the tunnels they were in before.

"We don't have much choice, Bucklin," answers Chris wanting to get home before they're due back at work. He doesn't really believe this ancient way will lead them home but it's worth a try - plus he doesn't want to upset Jake by disbelieving him.

Jake goes and collects some things he has in a crudely built shelter, then he hugs his native friends and says goodbye to them.

"We have to tell your guardians that you're safe," says Chris not wanting anyone to come chasing after them accusing them of kidnap.

"Okay, but they not make me stay."

They walk towards his parents' village. His mother must have spotted them because she comes running along and hugs Jake. Jake speaks to her briefly and the only words the team can make out are North America and JD. His mother cries and kisses him goodbye.

Jake leads them to where the ancient way is, but when they get there they find that not far from the entrance there has been a cave-in in the tunnel. It is clear they can't go that way.

They stand around trying to think of how they can get back to North America.

It is Buck who suggests something. "We just need to find out where we can get some plane fuel. Someone must know," says the man.

Jake thinks for a moment, understanding the words plane fuel, then says, "Luther maybe have plane fuel. He sell foreign goods, he sell everything."

"What do you mean "foreign goods"? Are they illegal?" asks JD, concerned for his could-be brother's choice of friends.

"What ill-eagle?"

"Things which will get people put in jail if anyone finds out they're selling them. We work for a special government unit which shuts down illegal alcohol, tobacco and firearms operations."

"Oh. Please don't send Luther to jail, he my friend," asks Jake, looking sad at that thought.

"If he can help us get home, we could forget about him," says Chris.

"We can't be lenient with people Chris, that's not allowed," says Vin.

"Be quiet, Vin - we're not actually working at the moment so we aren't allowed to shut anyone down."

Vin is about to object to that but stays quiet instead.

"What do we do if he can't help us get some fuel?" asks JD.

"Maybe he can help us get home another way," suggests Chris, wondering what Jake's other friends are involved in.

Jake starts to lead them towards where his friend Luther works.

To be continued...