The younger one obviously still had some doubts; at least with what their other companion said. The older one was also right, but that still didn't help the nagging feeling in her head that while maybe some of them were of the noble type... some of the others obviously had a stench of mistrust that she just couldn't put her finger on.
They watched the convoy continue on, with the younger one replying, "Let's keep hunting, my sister and friend. We will occasionally follow them and keep an eye on them when we can. We still need to track that brood of sifters.".
The older feminine voice replied, "I agree. Let's be on our way.", and so, the shadows went into the walls, hopping and jumping and running.
"We good?", Milo asked as he and Steve took their vehicle forward over their makeshift bridge. "Looks like it!", Jacques said as he was on the other side and keeping an eye on them as they were coming towards him.
Steve smiled softly as he drove carefully, focusing on Jacques, seeing the others following him in the side mirrors, and it took an hour, but Rourke didn't mind for once as the chasm below is dangerous and deep.
And so, they ventured through the remaining space of the cavernous remains of destroyed pillars and houses for the rest of the day with breaks and such until setting up camp once more at evening time.
The next day, they suddenly were shocked and awed when they entered an area of snow and cold temperatures, putting them to get on their winter clothes for the first time on the expedition, as the snow was literally covering everything in the cavernous valley, and of course, with snow, they didn't expect it as they didn't have chains on the tires, so it slowed the convoy tremendously, but thankfully, with the trucks and all having glass to protect from the cold somewhat, it saved people from freezing to death next to their winter clothes.
Steve shivered softly, "Jesus Christ, how is it possible to have snow here?", and Erskine replied, "I presume it has to do with the fact that since we're under the ocean, I believe we're in the intersection of currents within the depths where warm changes to cold, and the perspiration within the deep cavern walls became snow and of course, the temperature plummeting as well in reaction.".
"Sure... that makes a lot of sense...", Rourke grumbled as Milo was trying to keep himself warm and read the Journal.
"Any progress with that?", Steve asked Milo. "Please tell me the North Pole is like our last stop to the heart of Atlantis or however this whole civilization called home.".
Milo shivered as he chattered, double-checking, as Peggy whispered to Steve, "He really doesn't do well with cold. Remember when he came?".
Steve nodded lightly, and was sad that with snow covering everything, that included any scraps of wood and all, and wet wood means no good for a campfire, and Milo would do much better with a campfire to get him warm and toasty.
Milo then looked up, looking around before he chattered, pointing a hand, "T-th-at w-way-y.", and Erskine replied, "Positively sure, my boy?".
Milo nodded, and Rourke called out, "Alright, folks, quit your walking, and get back in the vehicles, let's move!", and the convoy went back into the trucks and such, with trying to use full speed to get through the snow as it was quite a long way to the end of the valley via Milo's instructions, through there was a couple of times when the snow got too deep, and Mole's digger, with a invented shovel at front worked at getting the snow while Vinny went to play in the snow, and to his happiness, almost everybody decided to give him a snowball fight in teams, and in the end, his team won.
As they exited, the snow slowly became nothing, yet the cold remained for a bit longer when they stopped for the night, as it almost took the whole day to venture through the snowy climate, and exhausted after a really needed hot meal, almost everybody went to sleep.
Vinny, after using the bathroom with Audrey's direction, was about to head back to his and his new papa's tent when he saw Peggy walking to a hidden nook behind a crumbling, almost destroyed house, and there was a shadow with a flickering light in the nook, and his eyes widened in concern when he saw the shadow moving towards Peggy when she came in.
He knew Rourke commanded that everyone is supposed to walk in pairs to the bathroom and all, and seeing that Peggy was alone, not knowing that Steve was waiting for her, was battling between going to get Jacques or go protect Peggy, and with a determined look as he can't run away again, went to the nook.
He heard faint sounds, and worried, he went around and through the mostly destroyed Atlantean house, and he heard Audrey's faint voice, "Vinny, don't wander off or your papa will kill me!", and as he turned around a corner, he widened his eyes in shock and surprise, as right there, on a intact stone bench, in their clothes and all, Peggy is straddling Steve, with her legs wrapped around Steve and over the bench, with Steve making the sounds.
Peggy was determined to have her turn to ravish Steve, especially when he didn't take well to the cold, though he went through it better this time thanks to his increased definition and weight, better than Milo, and so Peggy just wanted to warm him up.
Vinny was like a deer in headlights as he couldn't look away from the two of them before Audery got to him. "Hey, Vinny, what are you looking a- oh my God...", she said as she froze up too before Steve and Peggy suddenly realized that they had an audience.
Peggy jumped off Steve's lap as he stood up, both of them blushing so red, awkwardly standing in their mussed clothes and hair, and he glanced at Peggy, "I knew karma was going to bite us in the butt...figured that it would have been sooner than this...", glad that he never had another pill from his secret tin container otherwise this would be so obvious and all, even if Peggy has been trying to arouse him through ravishing and warming him up.
"Okay, I was wrong...", Peggy replied as she glanced at Audrey and Vinny, "Yes, it's true...We're together...Please don't tell Rourke...", and Audrey raised an eyebrow, "You are so lucky not to be caught in the act...I suppose this started since the day we left the air pocket, huh?".
Steve smiled sheepishly, "No...Quite a while since December...", and Vinny smirked, "I knew it...I knew you two looked kind of familiar like my parents was while they were being lovey-dovey secretly...But under Rourke's nose, and all of us? Dang...What do you think, Audrey?", glancing at Audrey with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
Audrey smirked, chuckling, "Tough call...", and Steve replied, "We'll do anything, please!", looking anxious, not wanting Rourke to have their heads.
The teenager and pre-teenager looked at him, "Anything?", as one, and Steve nodded deeply with Peggy looking at him, "Steve! They're manipulating you!".
Audrey looked at Peggy, "Oh, come on, Peggy, would you want Helga and the few other ladies in the group to be jealous, say, if they knew?", with a smile, and Steve replied, "She got you there, Peggy...", with an almost shocked, slightly amused look at how Vinny and Audrey are being wickedly smart of this situation.
Peggy took a deep breath. "Alright, what exactly is it going to take for you two to stay quiet and not let anyone else know about us?", she asked as Audrey and Vinny looked at each other for a few moments, trying to think of what exactly they could really get out of them. The options weren't many...
"Well, for starters, something regarding the meals...", Audrey thought out loud as Steve sighed. "Think you can take over Cookie's role so we can at least eat something half edible?".
Steve replied, "For breakfast, then?", and Vinny shook his head, smiling wryly, "No, all three mealtimes tomorrow!".
"What the? But I would have to knock Cookie out somehow for the whole day. He barely gets knocked out by one whiskey bottle for two hours!", Steve stuttered in shock, and Audrey grinned, "Oh, don't worry, Jacques has the secret for that one. After all, if I remember Papi's stories right, there was a day in Iceland where Jacques had conked Cookie out for the day, and that the meals were heavenly, thanks to Jacques...So?".
Steve opened his mouth, before he closed it, stumped as he glanced at Peggy who shrugged, "We don't have much choice, and besides, you said anything.", with a wry smile.
With a resigned look, Steve sighed deeply, "Alright, I'll do it.", and Audrey smiled, "Brilliant, and for you, Peggy, how about some lessons tomorrow of teaching me how to really fight with my body instead of just my arms for punching when one flinches?".
Peggy looked at Audrey, and chuckled wryly, as she reminded her of herself when she was a teenager, and she knew that Rourke is really strict on ammunition, so gun shooting lessons is not an option. "Well, since I got caught along with you, Steve, it's fair that I do something as well in this deal too...Okay, Audrey, you got a deal.".
"Good.", Audrey smirked. "So... shall we leave you two as is or did we basically just pour cold water all over your plans?". Steve blushed. "Well, I'm not sure...", he admitted as he looked to Peggy. If she didn't want to continue after being caught for the night...
Peggy was half tempted to get back to business, yet she got turned off at the moment they got caught, and she gave a deep breath, "You two are so lucky that you aren't cadets or rookies at camp otherwise I'd be upset more than now, but to be sure, and so not to be late, we all will go back to sleep and wake up fresh and bushy-tailed to do our deal for you two, and you two better keep your side of the deal too, including conking Cookie out with Jacques' help.".
Vinny replied, "Please tell me that you would come out as a couple sooner or later. I don't like to keep secrets long, even if they are really interesting, and since I got a new papa now...", looking at them.
"Don't worry, we'll let the others know soon... just not right now, since we all have greater concerns at the moment...", Steve said as the other two nodded.
"Try not to stay up too late...", Audrey teased before she and Vinny started to walk away, leaving Steve and Peggy alone once more.
Peggy sighed softly, "Don't say it. I know...", and Steve smiled, "I wasn't going to, Peggy...", reaching to grasp her hand warmly.
Resting her forehead against his forehead gently, Peggy came closer to him, smiling warmly, "You know me so well, Steve...", feeling him kiss her on the nose, "Well, I had to, and good thing I did as you were out every day at training camp, for me to learn all the expressions and such about you.".
Peggy chuckled softly, "Fair...Well, are you warmed up enough?", and Steve gave a wry smile, "Almost...I appreciate your trying attempts to wake up my boy there but looks like the pill is the only way to wake it up for now unless the doc's equipment works on me...Through I really enjoyed your lips and hands on my neck and all.".
"I'm glad that one thing came through at least in your enjoyment...Mind if I try one more thing to help you to the finish line in complete warmth for tonight?", Peggy smiled softly, and Steve smiled, "Nope...Any moment with you is perfect...".
Peggy blushed softly with a beaming smile before wrapping her arms around his neck and plunged her tongue into his mouth, hearing Steve moan, his arms caressing her hair and back.
"Steve...", Peggy moaned as Steve smiled. "How lucky I am that our paths crossed...", he said as he sighed. "And hopefully we'll be able to spend more time without having to worry about war or staying alive or anything like that...".
Peggy replied, "Agreed...", before plunging her tongue into his mouth again, wrestling his tongue as they held each other, tender passion and dominance against each other within their tongues, lasting for a full minute as they caressed and mussed each other's hair and shirts.
After pulling back for air, panting with their breath mixing, resting their foreheads together, Steve chuckled, "Well, you got me completely warm now, Peggy...You are incredible...", and Peggy smiled softly, "Why, thank you...", caressing his arms as she let go of him, and Steve whispered, "Just one little thing...", before kissing her in a soft peck with a tender smile.
Peggy felt warm all over from that sweet affection and his look of love, awe, and tenderness, looking at her like he's home, and she giggled softly, "That warmed me up too...", before they squeezed each other's hands as they resignedly left the ruins of the house, and split up far before they got to the border of camp, and went to sleep in their tents, warm and content, through there is a very slight air of tension, thanks to having to halt the more passionate plans, though they wouldn't notice it much until later tomorrow.
And so, the next day, Audrey, with a subtle lie to Jacques that she was having a bet with Vinny, asked him to conk out Cookie for the day, and Jacques telling Rourke that there was a secret vote among everyone to give Steve the whole day to do the three mealtimes, just to compare how much better breakfast and lunch is, along with dinner, with Steve's help.
Rourke, knowing how questionable Cookie's grub is, having been part of the campouts in Iceland and all, admitted that Steve's food is way better, and so, it gave more spunk to everyone as they ventured through a cavernous area with collapsed Atlantean walls and bridges and some houses, eventually breaking through one entire wall with the Digger upon Steve's promise to give Mole his favorite French dessert, which Jacques helped out at dinner.
Peggy admittedly had fun while teaching Audrey the ropes and basics of fighting with one's body, and Audrey was a quick learner, and so, they made it to the new area earlier than anticipated, with Milo checking the book as they looked up at the glowing green rock chandelier, "This is the final marker...".
"Are you sure?", Steve asked Milo as he brought their truck to a halt. Milo nodded. "Pretty much... the Journal shows after this is pretty much the heart of Atlantis; the Shepard managed to reach the seat of the kingdom according to his notes.", Milo told him as Steve took a deep breath.
"I hope so... I don't know if we're gonna last another attack if something's waiting for us.", Steve bit his lip as he was filled with a sense of foreboding dread; that something else was waiting for them.
"What's the hold up?", Rourke's voice crackled over the radio from his vehicle. "Milo think's we've reached the final waypoint. Atlantis's center should be right in front of us.", Steve responded.
Rourke's voice replied, "You certain of that, Mr. Thatch?", and Milo replied into the radio, "Yes, sir. And in the distance, over that bridge is caves, but one of them got the Atlantean markings, and that should be the way through to the center of Atlantis.".
A moment of silence, and then Rourke responded, "We have done dinner the previous hour...Let's camp here and check it out at dawn.", and Steve replied, "Yes, sir.", revving the truck on to park on one side of the large clearing, with the others following into a wagon circle, to the other side of the clearing.
Campfires became set, bathroom breaks were sorted out, and as Steve worked on eating dessert, Mole smiled widely, "Delicious, Rogers!", with the gang sitting and conversating while eating dessert.
Steve chuckled, "Thanks, Mole.", and Dr. Sweet smiled, "I know Jacques gave you the recipe, but you did really good. Delicious. Too bad desserts were rare in the African deserts and all.".
Peggy glanced at Dr. Sweet, "That's a pun, isn't it?", and Dr. Sweet smiled, "Maybe.", and laughter rang around the circle. Vinny glanced at Milo who is looking at a picture, "What are you looking at, Milo?".
"Me as a little kid and my grandpa.", Milo smiled, turning it around to show Vinny, and he blinked, "Wow, he must have been really old!".
Milo laughed softly, "He looked old on the outside, but on the inside...He was a young man again...He took me in after my parents died when I was little...It's funny, really. He was more like a father to me.".
"What is that he's wearing on his head?", Vinny asked curiously, and Milo smiled, his hand going into his bag, taking out the helmet, "This is a safari hat. He wore it on all his expeditions...You know, I used to ask to wear it when I was little...See the picture?".
