Freyja woke up suddenly. Her eyes flew open, and she looked around. The tent was still dark, and the night sky shone through the cracks, so she knew it was still night.
She sat up quickly and silently, remembering that a noise had reached her in the depths of sleep. She looked around, listening for the noise, but there was nothing. She laid back down and sighed. She must be hearing things.
Then she heard it again. She realized that it had been Mutt murmuring. She got up and felt his forehead, gasping when she felt how hot it was. His face and body was covered in sweat, and he mumbled in delirium. She grimaced. The last thing He needed right now was a fever.
She had a flask of water and some cloth pieces she had saved just in case this happened. She quickly took off his bandages to let the wounds get air and to try and get the air to cool him down some. She wetted the cloths and laid them on his forehead and around the wounds on his torso. When she had finished that she sat back, watching. She hoped and prayed that the fever wouldn't last long as Mutt murmured and twitched in his feverish state. She couldn't make out what he was saying, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. In his stupor Mutt flinched violently and Freyja wondered what he was remembering, or if his feverish mind was creating things.
She continued to put cloths on him for hours, trying desperately to bring the fever down. Luckily, the salt had done it's job and when the sun rose, Mutt's fever had broken and he lay peacefully still. He was wan and covered in sweat, but Freyja was relieved that he had made it through the night alive.
Before the sun was fully risen, soldiers came in to get them. Marion startled awake and looked wildly around before she was grabbed and hauled up by one of the soldiers. She was so exhausted that she didn't put up much of a fight. Freyja watched them warily, but all they did was motion her towards the door. She stored the information in her mind, because they seemed to not expect much trouble from her. That might come in handy later.
She moved towards the door as one of the big soldiers picked Mutt up. Freyja rolled her eyes. So, they'd play nice, now that Jones was helping them. She watched the soldiers as they led them to the center of the camp where there was a fire going. Indy and Oxley were already there. Oxley stood staring into the fire, but Indy watched everything that went on with keen eyes.
Around camp, the soldiers were tearing down tents and putting the supplies into large trucks or roofless jeeps. They were quick and efficient, and before ten minutes had passed, everything was packed away. One of the open back trucks pulled up in front of them and the soldiers motioned for them to get in. Freyja and Marion got in first, and then Mutt was promptly dumped in the truck's bed by the soldier. Marion winced and they both hauled him further in and leaned him against the side. Freyja employed Marion and the two of them got Mutt's shirt and jacket back on him. Freyja hoped it would cushion his wounds a bit. They both sat down, Marion across from Mutt and Freyja next to him. Indy and Oxley climbed in, and the truck roared to life.
The vehicle started down the path, part of a huge convoy. It rocked with every dip in the road, and she knew it would be a long day. They all looked at each other, not really sure what to say. Everyone had the same questions but knew that no one else had the answers either.
Freyja was surprised that the soldiers had left them unguarded but was relieved since it gave them a chance to talk. The two soldiers in the front of the truck could see them through the glass but couldn't hear. The Russians knew they couldn't escape with the convoy behind them, Oxley out of his head, and with Mutt injured. Putting him in the truck wasn't good for him, much less galivanting across the jungle. His body was slumped against the side, and he had slid up against Freyja from the movement of the truck.
They continued to sit in contemplation until Indy broke the silence. "How's the kid?" he asked, almost looking embarrassed that he had asked. Freyja almost chuckled. Indy and Mutt were both so tense about being vulnerable. "Well, we will see after this truck ride." She shrugged. "I've done all I can do. He's about within an inch of his life. He has overcome the danger of infection, but he's lost a ton of blood." Marion and Jones nodded grimly. Freyja moved Mutt so that he was laying in the middle of the bed of the truck, his head lying on her legs.
The group hadn't seen each other in a while, so the conversation went around for a couple hours until it came to a slow halt. It had continually come back to what they should do about their situation, but none of them had an answer. They each sat wrapped in their own thoughts, wondering what they should do.
Freyja was pondering the problem from all sides when she heard a groan from Mutt. Surprise showed on everyone's faces. None of them had expected him to wake up any time soon, if ever.
His eyes slowly blinked open, and he squinted. His face was tense with all the pain, and every jolt made his face twist into a grimace and the bad ones made him groan. Indy broke the silence. "Glad to see you in the land of the living, kid" Mutt nodded slightly with his eyes closed, the only indication he gave that he had heard.
"How are you feeling?" Freyja asked, looking down at him. He opened and shut his mouth several times as if just breathing was difficult, much less talking. When he could finally get the words out, his only response was "Busted." In a croaking whisper.
In the situation and circumstances, it was all just too absurd, and they all laughed until they had tears rolling down their cheeks. Wiping her face and still chuckling, Freyja said "Sorry, Mutt. It was just too fu…" but trailed off when she realized he had passed out again.