Veronica, Marguerite and Jia were dragged through the jungle in the pouring rain. Their captors had tied their hands behind their backs. They all struggled but these men were clearly prepared, because they had several men holding each woman. They took several backtracks and covered their trail to prevent being followed.

They had also been gagged and blindfolded. Veronica tried to keep track of their direction, but the others had no way of doing so. They seemed to walk forever before finally stopping.

All three were put down and their blindfolds removed. What they saw was not pleasant. Veronica surveyed the situation with a practiced eye. Slavers, that was obvious, but not ones she had ever heard of or seen before. There were several tents so they were nomadic. That did not hold well for rescue unless the boys got there quickly. A man obviously in charge walked towards them with an angry look on his face.

"Where is the other one? The little one?"

One of the captors answered carefully, "She wasn't there sir. Just these three."

The head man sighed, "Damn, that one would have been expensive. Move it. Put them in the holding area. I already have a buyer for the blond."

They were dragged to a bamboo cage and shoved inside. The only other person inside was a young girl of about seventeen. She was bound in the same way. She had on a ruined gown that seemed very out of place on the plateau. It was simple but very elegant. Marguerite faintly recognized the style as Renaissance but just barely. She had been crying.

They lie there bound for the night. Veronica kept trying to get free but the ties were too well done. The morning brought renewed activity to the camp. The man in charge came over with another who had just arrived.

"Wasn't I right about her?"

"She is magnificent."

They stood there arguing over Veronica's price. She spent that time looking for opportunities to run. The door was opened and several men held back the others while three others took Veronica out. Marguerite and Jia were shoved back in. Veronica was held while the new owner surveyed his prize. Veronica's mind was racing with escape attempts. She was narrowing down her choices when there was a yelling outside camp. Twenty men on horseback were attacking. They had swords and shields. The slavers ran to defend themselves. Veronica kicked the man behind her when the other two left to fight. The man did not budge but instead shoved her down to the ground after a kick to the back of her knee. She felt it give with a snap but felt no pain. She fell to the ground and kicked him in the gut with her good leg. When he bent down she kicked him in the head and he fell to the ground, unconscious. She then wiggled over to him and took out his knife and cut her bonds. Then she reached up and took off her gag. She was trying to get the lock off the cage when the man who was to be her owner grabbed her from behind and started to carry her away. He got to the other side of the camp before she finally got loose. She fought with him, unaware of what was going on at the holding cell.

Soon after Veronica was taken away, one of the horsemen used his sword to cut the chain on the door. He then went inside and used his knife to free the women. When they got out they started to cross to Veronica when a group of men came at them from that direction. The man grabbed them and told them to run in the other direction, towards the woods. Having no weapons, they obeyed.

The ladies ran for about a half-mile when they were ambushed by three ape-men who had come to feast on the aftermath of the battle. One of them ripped Jia's sleeve off her shirt. She punched him as hard as she could given her arms had been tied all night. He barely staggered. They thought they were in big trouble when suddenly the man from the cage came to their rescue. He quickly slew all three ape-men. Just as he had an arrow flew by and hit Marguerite in the shoulder. She fell back into Jia. Jia fell and hit her head on a large rock, and lay bleeding. Marguerite passed out. Two other men on horseback brought another horse. The man who had rescued them picked up Marguerite and handed her to one of them and the other girl from the cage to another. He took Jia himself and got on his horse. All three sped off into the jungle. They were followed for a while by the slavers until they fell behind.

All this time, Veronica fought with her attacker. She finally knocked him out and turned around. The cage was empty. She looked around quickly to see several slavers closing on her position. She made a split second decision to run and get the men. She took off into the woods. She noticed they stopped chasing her about a mile and a half away. She stopped to take a breath. That is when she finally felt the pain in her knee. She threw up from it and tried to hobble in the direction of the tree house.

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"How many did you say their were Simon?"

The three men had gotten back in the morning from their sulfur trip a little worse for wear. Mal now faced Simon, who had his mid-section bandaged.

"Maybe fifteen. They came out of no where."

Mal started to pack for the journey to get them. The others did as well. Mal packed Jia's guns as well just in case. Simon sat back down by the still unconscious George. He held his head in his hands.

Roxton gave last minute instructions to Simon, "You stay here and take care of George, we will go get them."

River came up to him, "I'm sorry Uncle John, I panicked."

He put his hand on her shoulder, "Nothing to apologize for River. I am glad you are safe."

All three headed into the elevator and descended.

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They had been walking since morning and it was almost three in the after noon. Roxton was starting to lose the trail and tempers were flaring.

"Aren't you supposed to be some great hunter or something."

John whipped his head around to face Mal, "They hid their trail well. What exactly do you expect me to do?"

Malone got in the middle, "Guys this doesn't help."

Roxton shushed them and they all three got down. They stood up when they recognized a staggering Veronica.

Malone ran to her and took her into his arms. She almost fainted with relief. She was crying.

"You have to help them."

Roxton grabbed her shoulder, "Who has them Veronica?"

"I don't know. Some men on horseback attacked the camp and I was able to get away. When I looked they were gone. I don't know where they went."

"Ned, stay here with Veronica."

She shook her head, "You don't know the way."

Ned wasn't happy, "You are in no condition to show us."

She yelled, "I left them there don't you understand?!"

Ned put his hand on her shoulder, "You had no choice."

"No I don't." Veronica turned around and hobbled in the direction she came from. The three men followed.

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They were back at what was left of the slaver's camp by the next morning. Veronica had her knee wrapped by Ned last night before a quick nap. She was incredibly stiff but ignored the pain. Some things were more important.

The slavers had moved on, and taken every sign they had once been there with them, including any tracks. They all searched but only found a footprint here and there, not enough for a direction or explanation. They decided to search the surrounding forest. They hadn't been at it long when the men all ran to the sound of Veronica screaming. They all came upon a scene they never wanted to see. Veronica was on her knees weeping on clearing. Roxton went up and picked up one of the few objects still left after the raptors had been done with it. Marguerite's boot, covered in blood, with teeth marks on it. He then saw something else. A rock covered in blood, with a piece of fabric stuck in a bush next to it. He recognized it immediately. It was Jia's. He held it up for Mal's inspection. Mal saw it and fell back against a tree. He then sunk so he was sitting. There was no doubt in anyone's mind. The amount of blood and flattened grass left little room for imagination. Jia and Marguerite were dead.