They made their way back along the path they had gone down and once more ended up in the middle of the dense pine forest. They stopped to have a rest and have something to eat from the tins as it was now nearly noon.

"How is your arm now?" asked Steve, indicating the dressing on Jesse's arm.

"Not sure, I haven't checked since I first did it. It's a bit sore though." He carefully peeled back some of the tape holding the pad in place and looked underneath. "Urgh I think it's all infected. Look, see how it's all red and puffy and crusty round the edges."

"Jess that's gross," said Steve. "You've put me off my food."

"Never mind, I'll eat it," said Jesse and finished off Steve's tin of food along with his own. "I'll just have to put on a new dressing and hope for the best." While Jesse was doing that, Steve examined his arm and leg where he had been 'shot' the night before. The spot had already turned red and yellow and there was a definite bruised ring where the paintball had struck.

"By the time we get home we are going to be so multicoloured from all these bruises and scratches that I'm not sure people will recognise us," said Steve trying to be light hearted about the situation.

"While I've got the medi-kit out why don't you look at that cut on your hand," said Jesse. "It might be worth changing the dressing."

"You look," said Steve offering Jesse his hand. "After your arm I don't feel I want to look. It doesn't feel too bad now though." Jesse carefully peeled back the tape and examined the cut underneath.

"You're lucky, it's healing nicely," said Jesse. "I'll put a new dressing on it anyway. This one's got a little dirty."

"Well that's hardly surprising."

When they had rested a little longer they packed up and set off again, bypassing the path that led to the boat. The route they took led them further and further away from the stream until they only caught glimpses of it in between the trees. They seemed to have reached the base of the valley and after a while the terrain began to slope upwards again. At first they hardly noticed but soon the climb became hard and they found they were drawing sharp breaths and that their already tired legs began to protest with every step they took.

"Got…to….stop," panted Jesse. "Need….rest." Steve merely nodded and climbed a couple of feet further until they reached a relatively flat rock that was big enough for them both to sit down on. They both sat in silence getting their breath back. Steve was the first to recover and he opened a tin of pineapple and drank some of the juice thirstily. He then handed over the rest to Jesse.

"We've got to reach the top of this slope, then we should be able to get a good view of our surroundings," said Steve.

"I'm not sure I can," said Jesse. "I feel completely whacked."

"Come on Jess. Onwards and upwards," said Steve standing up and pulling Jesse to his feet.

"Slave driver," muttered Jesse as he followed after Steve.

X X X

When they reached the top Steve was thrilled to see that after a narrow path leading round another rise of hill there was what looked like a road in the distance.

"Look. I think that's the path we were following earlier," said Steve with hope in his voice. "If we can get to it we should be able to follow it to the main road. I don't think it can be much further. Just round this hill and down the next slope, come on!"

"Oh thank goodness," said Jesse relieved. "I though we were going to be lost out here for ever."

With new hope they set off, following the thin rocky path that led around the side of the hill. It was very narrow and they had to walk in single file. The ground fell away steeply to one side and they made sure they kept close to the hill, treading carefully. It would be awful if they slipped and fell. Just after Steve had judged that they were about half way round they came across a vast indent into the hill.

"It looks almost like a cave," said Jesse peering in. "Let's stop and have a break. It's wider here and we can sit down properly."

"Well, ok," said Steve reluctantly. "But I want to reach that road before it gets dark." They took off their rucksacks and sat a little back from the cave entrance. Jesse lay down flat on his back and closed his eyes.

"I could go to sleep."

"So could I," said Steve also lying down. "I ache all over, but we mustn't stay here for long."

"I know." Just then there was a rumbling noise which seemed to grow louder.

"What's that?" asked Steve almost to himself. "Thunder?"

"Oh good," said Jesse "At least we can stay here out of the rain." However the noise grew steadily louder and the ground started to tremble. Suddenly a lot of dust and pieces of rock began to fall around the mouth of the cave.

"Jesse, quick get up!" yelled Steve in alarm as more and more rocks fell.

"What is it? What's happening" said Jesse in confusion.

"It's a rock fall," yelled back Steve. "An avalanche. We have to get out of here or we'll be trapped! Quick the entrance is already closing up!" Jesse jumped up off the floor in fear and he and Steve tried to see if there was a way out of the cave but dust and flying bits of rock drove them backwards. They were beginning to find it difficult to breathe.

"It's no good," called Steve starting to choke on the dust. "Lie down flat and cover your head with your arms. Try not to breathe too deeply." Jesse did as instructed and also screwed his eyes closed against the grit.

The noise seemed to go on for a long time, but then there was silence and Jesse sat up and opened his eyes. At first he panicked and thought he had been blinded as he could not see anything, but as the dust settled he noticed a tiny chink of light coming in from between the fallen rocks at the top of the cave entrance. He squinted around feeling dazed and thought he could just make out a shadow of Steve moving nearby.

"Jesse? Where are you? Are you okay?" came Steve's voice through the gloom.

"We're trapped!" said Jesse in fright as the realisation hit him. "We can't get out, the passage is blocked."

"This has to have been planned," said Steve finding Jesse's shoulder in the half light. "It's just too coincidental on top of all the other things that have happened for it to be an accident."

"What shall we do?" asked Jesse.

"I think we should go further in and see what we can find," said Steve. "There may be another way out."

"But it could be dangerous. If that rock fall was planned by the men to trap us in here, then that means there must be another trap further in. I think we should try and dig our way out."

"Not necessarily," said Steve. "I reckon they must be planning just to leave us in here until we starve. We can try digging out first but I wouldn't hold out much hope."

X X X

It was as Steve suspected. The fallen rocks were too big and cumbersome for them to move or shift enough to get out. Jesse made a noise of frustration in the dark.

"Okay, perhaps we should explore further back," he said admitting defeat.

"I'll go first," said Steve and drew his gun. "You can stay a little way behind. If any shots are fired or anything happens throw yourself on the ground. Right?"

"Okay," said Jesse timidly.

Steve made his way cautiously towards the back of the cave, keeping near the wall in order to keep his bearings. He went slowly, not liking the lack of light which gave him poor vision. He heard Jesse taking a few steps a little way behind him. The ground began to slope upwards and made the going even more difficult. When Steve was about half way up the cave was suddenly flooded with very bright light. Steve threw up his arms to protect his eyes which watered due to the sudden change in light, and he heard Jesse make a sound of surprise. He tried to see what was happening but it was too painful to lower his hands away from his face. Then behind him he heard Jesse cry out.

"…eve!" The sound sounded muffled and Steve turned in confusion. He managed to lower his hands and was just able to squint out of his eyes, but he didn't like what he saw. At the base of the slope Jesse was struggling with a man dressed all in black who had one arm around his neck and the other holding a piece of white fabric clamped over Jesse's mouth. Steve let out a cry of rage and lifted his gun, but the man was standing behind Jesse and Steve couldn't get a clear aim.

"Let him go," yelled Steve at the man as Jesse's struggles became weaker. The man paid no attention and continued to hold Jesse tightly. Suddenly Jesse seemed to go limp and his legs would no longer support him and he slumped to the floor. The man just stood beside him looking up at Steve and grinning.

"Back away with your hands up!" cried Steve angrily, taking a couple of steps forward. He wondered what the man had done to Jesse and why he continued to grin at him. "I said back aw…" began Steve but then he felt a sharp pain in the top of his right arm and he whirled around, only to be faced with yet another figure dressed all in black. A black figure holding a needle.

Steve felt afraid as almost instantly his body began to ache and feel very heavy. He tried to raise the gun at the man with the needle but he found it very difficult. The man laughed and kicked the gun out of Steve's hand. Steve stumbled and the laugh seemed to echo around the inside of his head. He attempted to lift his arm to punch the man but found his arm felt like lead. He was beginning to feel woozy and darkness seemed to be closing in on him. With a great effort he swung his fist and felt as through he was trying to punch through water. His legs started to quiver and would no longer support his weight and he staggered and fell sideways, rolling down the small slope. Then it all went black.