The duo continued to walk cautiously away from their hotel, their eyes sharp as hawk towards their surroundings, their senses fully alert for any sign of the armed enemy. Neither said a word for some time, each lost in their own thoughts, preserving the little strength they have, catching their breaths until their breathing returned to its normal beat.
At the turn of the bend, the boisterous sound of people greeted them. They looked at each other with relief in their eyes. Small cuddly creatures called Coati, resembling a cross between a squirrel and a racoon was all over this section of the national park. They realized they have reached a touristy alfresco food court. Benches, tables and chairs were scattered around for people to rest in and eat.
"Looks like these people have no idea what just happened on the other side of the national park," said Andy.
He walked towards a refreshment stand selling various kinds of sodas, shakes and fruit juices. Beside it was a shave ice stand bombarded with kids choosing from the wide variety of flavors.
"I'd like a glass of water but as you know I have nothing on me, not even a pair of shoes," said Sharon, her feet blistered from walking barefoot on the ground, feeling quite awkward in her trench coat yet barefoot amidst the people casually dressed in shorts, slippers, and even swimsuits.
Andy stared at the red pedicured toenails on her muddied feet. It completely slipped his mind she was barefoot, and they ran and walked quite a distance. How the soles of her feet must hurt but not once had he heard her complain about it. A tough gal she was.
"I still have my wallet with me. I cannot believe it had not fallen out after all that brawl," said Andy.
He noticed a small souvenir stand close to the dining area, leaving Sharon for a minute, he purchased a purple and pink Havaianas slipper with a white coconut tree print on the underside.
"Here, Captain, you can wear these for the meantime. It's not exactly Michael Kors but it will do around here," said Andy, handing her the rubber slippers.
His kindness caught her by surprise, not to be prejudicial but after her fatal mistake of marrying Jack Raydor, she had the misfortune of only meeting men who show kindness when they want to get into her pants. She eyed him suspiciously but saw only concern in his cobalt grey depths.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. I will not pretend I don't need these when I most certainly do. I don't know what underhanded things I have stepped on. I need a foot spa when we get back to the hotel."
"Well, not that hotel we came from," said Andy.
He bought two large bottles of Evian and handed one to Sharon, gulping his water in one shot.
"Is there a pool around?" Sharon asked Andy, looking at the skimpy bikinis of a group of young Caucasians.
"No, but there is a tour where you ride a small motorboat to bring you closer to the falls. That's the closest you can get to the water, unless you accidentally fall into the river," explained Andy.
His hand indicated the group of people coming and going on the far side. "You apparently get wet when you ride the boat. Look at the people wearing disposable raincoats over their clothes."
"But the teen-agers apparently prefer to get wet," observed Sharon.
Andy walked over to a nearby water fountain and refilled his water bottle. He turned away from the crowd and poured some of it to his face to wash a few traces of dried blood and grime.
Sharon found herself staring as trickles of water running down his chiseled face, tiny droplets clinging to his lips, cheeks and forehead she felt like coming over to wipe them away with her fingers.
She snapped out it when she realized he was staring at her with a smile on his face.
"Captain?" he asked, amused at her bewildered expression.
She must have hit her head harder than she thought when he threw her down on the ground.
"Oh… I'm famished… would you be so kind enough to get me a bite to eat," saying the first thing that comes to her mind.
"Sure thing," he said obligingly.
Later, they were seated in one of the wooden tables by a large palm tree, eating what was close to a Philadelphia steak sandwich.
"I believe we should go straight to the US Consulate and report what happened," said Sharon.
"Ok. As soon as I find the address…" said Flynn, searching for it in his cellphone.
"Do you think anyone else is still alive?" asked Sharon.
A group of armed men appeared from the same bend they have just passed moments before, intently looking around, obviously searching.
"Don't look now, Lieutenant, but I think those assailants just showed up," said Sharon.
Fear gripped them as they watched the men move around, they were fervently searching for something or someone.
"At least they haven't open-fired the way they did at the hotel," observed Andy.
"It's a mystery why they took the hotel under siege but not the entire National Park, tried to shoot us but not the people here…"
Sharon was cut mid-sentence when Andy dragged her out of her seat she almost fell over.
"They're heading towards us!" he yelled, running in the opposite direction, dragging Sharon with him.
Sharon stared at him, hearing him curse for the first time. Even if he had graced her office a few times in the past, she had never heard him curse. She had seen his blood boil, turning his face red in anger but he never cursed,
Running as fast as they could in the direction of a denser crowd, they tried to outrun the armed men hot on their heels. The National Park had encompassing grounds, yet it would be hard for one to get lost in it due to the tourist-friendly signages that indicate directions to all the attractions therein.
On a sloping boardwalk, they have reached a junction, to the left was the way to Itaipu Dam, and up ahead on a more zigzag road was the Brazil Side of the Falls walking terrain. Iguazu Falls expansively lay between two countries Brazil and Argentina in an inverted J like shape from an aerial view. The Iguazu River forms the border between Argentina and Brazil.
They continued to run the boardwalk along the Brazil side until they reached the wooden wraparound bridge that served as the trail for the walking tour around the Iguazu Falls, allowing tourists to enjoy the falls up close. There were several tour groups, each with their own flag to help their tour members stay together and not to be lost among the huge number of tourists.
Mingling and hiding among the crowds of tourists, they stopped for a bit to catch their breath, leaning on the wooden banister that was keeping the people safe from falling down the ravine, crossing their fingers that they completely lost the assailants, or at least bought themselves some time to rest.
To their horror, the guerilla looking men came soon came into view. They ducked behind a group of French tourists, and just when they thought they were safe, the tour leader suddenly led the French group down a cemented pathway, exposing Sharon and Andy huddled by the corner.
Angry Portugues tongue resounding in the air told them they had been caught. Sharon looked down the Devil's Gorge, the deepest ravine in the falls and swallowed hard.
Looking at Andy who was fervently searching for a way out.
"I know what you're thinking, Lieutenant. It's a long way down to get there in one piece," she scolded.
"Do not be foolish!" she yelled.
"I'm merely looking for a way out," reasoned Andy.
"Well, that's not the way out," said Sharon sternly.
Andy grumbled in exasperation. In rank, she was, after all, still in command.
Seeing no other means of escape, Sharon ran towards the farthest side of the boardwalk without noticing it was leading to the Argentina side with Andy alongside her and the guerillas hot on their tracks.
The falls was getting louder and louder and seemed getting larger and larger as they drew nearer to the Argentina side, but their adrenalin was too high to notice the magnificence as they ran to save their lives.
Uniformed personnel, standing on one side of the boardwalk, welcomed them.
"Passports please," he said.
Both stopped dead in their tracks. "What?" muttered Andy.
They were not sure they heard the man correctly.
Only then did they notice that the crowd heading this path were queueing on both sides, showing their passports.
The uniformed personnel eyed them both, eagerly waiting for the, to hand their passports albeit both appeared to have nothing on them but the shirts on their backs.
"We've reached the border. We have no choice but to go back," stated Sharon.
"Teell me something I don't know, Captain," said Andy as he gasped for breath.
They wearily walk back in silence, having lost their assailants. Or so they thought.
As they reached back the junction where they first saw the armed guerillas, Sharon caught the eye of one of the men. The men were still on their trail.
"They found us," said Sharon.
Andy groaned, "Oh man… that's something I don't want to hear."
Uncertain where to run, Andy grabbed Sharon's hand whether she liked it or not and dragged her to the same path the French group took. Sharon heaved a sigh in irritation as she had no choice but to follow the hot-tempered, silver-haired lieutenant down a sloping path, crowded with excited people; lively, noisy people in shirts and disposable raincoats alike coming up from the bottom of the path on the opposite side drenched in water.
At the end of the path was the Macuco Boat Safari. The pair stared at two small boats carrying approximately fifteen people each sailing on the river, taking tourists closer to the falls. After the river cruising, the tourists were led back to where they stood, and a new batch would go on the boat. There was no other exit except from where they came from.
"It's a dead end," said Andy.
Sharon sighed, "tell me about it."
They could see the head of the guerillas among the crowd of tourists slowly making their way to the bottom where the boats were.
"I still have some cash," said Andy, taking out his wallet.
He went to the small stall selling items and came back with two raincoats, two dark glasses and two cotton hats.
"Even if we take a ride, they will just be waiting for us to come ashore," said Sharon.
"We're not taking the boat. Just hurry up and put them on," said Andy.
Andy bought two bottled waters and handed one to Sharon.
"Now's not the time to quench your thirst, Lieutenant," scolded Sharon.
"Drink up, Captain," he said as he finished his bottle, leaving a quarter of water in it, without ado he splashed its contents to Sharon and himself. Pouring the rest over their raincoats.
"Hey," cried Sharn. She wanted to scold him until she realized what he was doing and returned the impish grin he gave her. It was hard to remain upset with him with that charming naughty boy smile of his.
To get even, she threw some of her water in his face and over his raincoat, laughing gaily.
With his bottle empty, he couldn't retaliate and just dipped his finger on his wet raincoat and splashed some droplets in her direction, returning her contagious smile.
Covered in a couple of translucent blue raincoats, dark glasses and hats, they blended in with the crowd going up the pathway heading back to the walking trail. They walked in bated breath, crossing their fingers their plan would work. Slowly, the armed men are fast approaching their direction. They hid their faces under their hats but watched their enemies intently lest they get caught and be gunned down.
To their immense relief, the assailants walked past them on the opposite traffic without noticing them in the crowd of wet tourists.