A/N: Oct 6, 2012: Here's the latest update. This one contains some (not-so) original characters. It seems when I first wrote this I was getting into X-men Evolution and Smallville and so this story took the initial brunt of my like of those fandoms. lol. Hope you still enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lost World.

Chapter 10:

~ Three months later ~

Roxton rummaged through their piles of packs, making sure everything they needed was present. Only two things really concerned him, though, and he didn't see them in the vicinity.

"Rifles?" Roxton he called out.

"Over here," a young man answered.

Roxton stood up straight, glancing over at Alexander Kent, a young hunter that he'd met pre-Plateau days. Lex, as he'd come to know him, was tall, bright, and completely bald despite his young age of twenty-eight. He was also coming along on this new expedition to the Plateau.

"What about ammunition?"

Roxton watched Lex sort through their packs and pull out cases of just what he'd asked for. "Also here."

"Good," Roxton said. "Now, where are the others?"

"Last I checked, they were conversing with the locals," Lex answered.

"Let's round them up and start packing all this onto the boats."

Roxton and Veronica had set off for South America three months earlier. Along with them were Lex and five other people. Clark Luthor, Chloe Lang and Lana Sullivan were all either hunters, explorers or scientists that Roxton had been acquainted with. Pietro and Rogue Maximoff were new to him and had been brought to his attention by Summerleee. The man said they would be willing to fund their expedition if they'd be allowed to tag along. Roxton didn't relish the idea of this turning into a sight-seeing vacation. But, he also knew that he could not turn down the kind of money that the Maximoff's were willing to shell out.

Summerlee had stayed back in England. Despite looking not a day older since they'd last seen him, he wasn't as nimble as he used to be, so to not risk slowly them down, he'd stayed behind.

Roxton's mother had also stayed behind. It took a lot of convincing to get her to stay. For a while, she'd been hell bent on joining them. In the end, Roxton had assured her that he'd be back and that had quieted anymore talks of coming along.

They'd stayed at the local port village after their tiring journey to rest. But they were ready to get moving again.

On top of Rogue and Pietro's vast funds, they claimed to have knowledge of how to get on to the Plateau. How a couple of socialites had gotten that information Roxton did not know and no one would tell him. All they would say was that they had maps of hidden tunnels that led straight to the heart of the Plateau.

Now, here they were in South America following their lead.

Lex had managed to find everyone. They gathered around and began to load the boats. There were four altogether, two people to each boat.

"How long until we get to these tunnels, Pietro?" Veronica asked him. She'd changed into her Plateau outfit. Just doing so, felt like she was home again.

The thirty-two year old, ran a hand through his silvery blonde hair as he considered the question. "Three days, two if we're lucky."

"That sounds right to me," Rogue confirmed. "A day up this river and another day to hike up some mountains. Then we'll be at the tunnels."

Roxton gave the pair a suspicious eye. That sounded like they'd done this before; if that were the case why did they need Roxton and his group to take them there?

"Or so the map says…" Rogue added quickly.

The young woman sure didn't look like she'd ever been on any sort of backwater expedition before. She had the dainty figure of so many young women these days and had a pile of auburn hair to go with it. Like he'd thought before, she was a socialite, not an explorer.

"And then its smooth sailing from there," Clark Luthor joked. Clark wasn't a scientist by education more by curiosity. He was interested in science and especially animals. Clark was slightly younger than Roxton. He'd gone on several of Roxton's hunts on the African plains. Whereas Roxton's aim was to bag a big cat, Clark had only gone along to glimpse the different animals.

"Hopefully," Pietro said.

"What do you mean hopefully?" Lana Sullivan wondered warily. Like Malone, Lana was also a reporter. But, unlike him, she was very experienced and an avid adventurer. No matter how dangerous, she had survived to write about her journeys. Her appearance deceived people. She had the slight figure of Rogue Maximoff, but also the delicate features to go with it. She was constantly debunking the myth that she was a fragile woman.

"We can't plan for the unforeseen," Rogue explained. "We need to be cautious at all times."

"What aren't you two telling us?" Roxton questioned suspiciously.

"Yeah, sounds like there's something very important you're leaving unsaid," Chloe Lang added. The archaeologist raised a blonde eyebrow at the husband and wife in question. The thirty-one year old was eager to get a chance to study ancient civilizations; some of them, she'd gathered, still existed on the Plateau.

"Well…" Pietro hesitated.

"Spit it out," Veronica demanded.

"The tunnels are frequented by cannibals. They patrol the area, it's part of their territory," Rogue answered grudgingly.

"And when did you think would be a good time to tell us this?" Lex stated. "Before or after one of us ended up dinner."

"They're not there all the time," Pietro replied. "There's still a chance we'll go unnoticed."

"This makes things more complicated," Roxton mused, considering the possibilities.

"Once we're out of the tunnels, we'll be safe," Pietro assured them.

"That's if we get out," Veronica stated grimly.

"I knew this was too easy," Roxton said.

Well that's it for this chapter. Reviews are much appreciated. Thanks!