Matt Cutter elbow punched the other soldier in the stomach and kicked the soldier down when the other soldier dropped Ch
Cheryl screamed as she fell into the new body of water. She fell right in. A few air bubbles came up from the surface.
Matt Cutter grabbed the rifle and butted the soldier down before charging at the soldier who dropped Cheryl into the water. The other soldier put up a good fight before Cutter knocked him out. The lanyard was in the soldier's belt though, and it was locked.
Matt threw down the gun and jumped off the cliff to retrieve Cheryl. Cheryl already came out of the water with a minor cut on her forehead but the rapids were carrying her down many feet from where Matt Cutter was diving in.
"Cheryl!" Matt said, coming out of the water. "Cheryl!"
Matt decided to swim with the current to find her. The river was fierce and he was holding onto dear life itself, but Matt was determined to save Cheryl Peterson. When he came up he saw Cheryl floating in the water near rocks. He swam quickly towards her and grabbed her. He put her arms around his neck as he swam towards shore.
"Cheryl!" Matt said, between breaths.
"Mr.…. Mr. Cutter?" Cheryl's eyes opened and saw Mr. Cutter had saved her.
"I'm taking you to shore." Matt said as he swam away from the rapids and towards the shoreline. By then, there were planes flying over and bombs dropping left and right.
The two came up on a dirty, clear shore of the river filled with reeds. Matt was panting heavily and he laid down on the hot, dirty earth. Cheryl got off of him and started retreating to the jungle, but saw he wasn't there. Cheryl went back.
"Mr. Cutter, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I just need to rest some." Matt was able to speak while his back was visible and his face barely noticeable.
"Mr. Cutter, we have to go. We have to keep going." Cheryl said, reiterating what he told her a day ago.
"We will, we will." Matt closed his eyes and started sleeping. Cheryl stayed in the reeds, awaiting him to get up.
Cheryl saw that Mr. Cutter wasn't getting up. Cautiously, she went over and tapped his shoulder.
"Mr. Cutter, are you awake?"
She heard Matt snore minorly.
"Mr. Cutter, are you alive?" Cheryl hadn't heard a snore in a long time. She got down on the ground close to the right side of his torso, which was still dripping from the river in parts, and felt his heart beating.
"Good, you are still alive," Cheryl looked over and saw a tiny opening in his pant leg "I hope you weren't poisoned either."
Cheryl went to his pant legs and carefully rolled them up and saw there was only dirt marks and seaweed on his legs.
"Mr. Cutter, you've got to get up." Cheryl started pushing on the side she felt his heart.
Cheryl kept nudging him, but Matt moved his arms and pushed her off as he moved his head off the ground and rested his head on the dirt. The river was rising some, as the tide was. A plane flew close to the inlet where they were. Cheryl ducked in the reeds. A bomb felt close to them and splashed Cheryl and Cutter, but Cutter got more water and dirt on him and was still sleeping. Cheryl looked afraid, as Mr. Cutter was incapacitated and he was her only protection.
She couldn't just leave him. He was her only protection, but she was hungry and he was the only one that foraged for food. She knew how, but she was in a warzone with a half-naked safari tour guide who risked life and limb to protect her. She decided she'll wait next to him in the reeds and maybe find something edible there.
"Please, Mr. Cutter, wake up soon."
President N'Gama deployed troops everywhere around the country. He authorized the military to recruit as many people he could find, and he allocated all the funding in the budget to accommodate this war. As President Otunga's army were pummeling the Maltaykan region, N'Gama also realized there was a refugee crisis as well. He encouraged on national broadcast points in the Mitubi region and surrounding areas where his country folk could go to, but he couldn't provide safe passage as the military was still preparing its first defense attack. Otunga was right about N'Gama's military.
"Otunga wants a war, so we'll give him what we've got," N'Gama said to himself, "But I hope our forces can make him call me back."
It was nearly the middle afternoon and Matt Cutter wasn't getting up from his impromptu sleep spell. He lied on the muddy, dirty shore dreaming of how his morning should have been like. He pictured himself seeing planes fly by as he made out with Diane one last time before she gave him back his shirt and she changed before heading back to her tent. The Petersons would descend down the hill towards the mountain and the tour through the mountains would have gone as planned.
Cheryl decided it was best for her to give him a bunch of reed tops to hold. She got down and rolled to his left side, opened his knife pouch. His knife pouch was full of water, but the knife was still intact. She took it out and whispered into Matt's ear:
"Mr. Cutter, I am borrowing your knife. Please wake up when I come back. I'm not going far."
Cheryl walked a little way up the shore. She constantly turned around to check on Mr. Cutter and to watch. She didn't feel comfortable carrying a knife. She walked up the shore to the jungle area. She didn't know who was close by. Mr. Cutter put it in her head that they were constantly being pursued. There could be soldiers all around her and she wouldn't know it. The last two soldiers led to a scuffle that led them here. She touched the secret part of her pocket and saw the real vial was still intact. She held onto the knife as much as she could. She was getting farther and farther away from the shore, and hoped Mr. Cutter was still fine and breathing. She heard a noise and looked into the direction of it. It was a monkey.
She breathed a sigh of relief, but figured maybe she should follow the monkey and see if the monkey was finding food or escaping. She felt more and more nervous the further she was away from Mr. Cutter. She heard gunfire and ducked down. The gunfire stopped. It didn't feel like a battle sound, more like a practice sound. She got up and followed the sound. She came across a training camp set up. She recognized that it wasn't Maltaykan. She ducked down. She saw in the distance a crate that said food rations. It was open. She crawled over there. It was unoccupied. She grabbed three things, slipped it into her pockets, and went back. She needed to tell Mr. Cutter of the soldiers close by when she returned. She cautiously started to head back.
When she got back, Mr. Cutter was still there. His head was to the left side of his body, and he was still sleeping. Cheryl went up to him, returned the knife, and grabbed his head.
"Mr. Cutter, there are soldiers not far from us. You need to get up so we can get out of here," Cheryl whispered into his ear and nudged his shoulder. "I brought food back. I may have to go again, but I don't want to. Please get up!"
Matt was still sleeping. He was still dreaming about the mountain tour he initially wanted to be on. He dreamt of the second night of camping near the Rzerowia Vista. He saw Cheryl in his dream, having a good time with her parents. He dreamt of another night with Diane. His body needed to rest as the past twenty hours were a whirlwind.
"Please get up!" Cheryl whispered, nudging on his shoulder.
"Please get up!" Diane said to Mendlesohn as Mendlesohn was napping at the rudder.
"What? I'm sorry." Mendlesohn said.
"How much further until we get back to Cutter Unlimited?" Diane asked, "Is it possible that Matt and Cheryl will be there already?"
"We're on a boat and they are on foot. What takes us hours will take them days."
"I don't see why we can't just go there and wait for them," another tourist interjected, "Diane, it will be better once we get back to Cutter Unlimited."
"Yes," Diane replied, "but there is a war going on and the American embassy is going to want all non-Maltaykan citizens to be evacuated and returned to the States. I don't want to leave Cheryl alone in the wilderness in war."
Diane switched the rifle she had around her shoulder.
"Believe me, I want to go home," the woman with the pink gun said, "but I am not staying in Africa until your niece is returned to you."
"How American of you," Diane said, "I can't imagine what it was like when we all so happen to have guns with us on this safari trip to Africa at the moment's notice we participated in a war our U.S. citizenships would exempt us from. All the while the real people in this continent suffer."
"Oh don't frame your guilt for sleeping with our safari guide with a political guilt trip!" Frederick said.
"People, please, we survived three air raids and multiple shootouts, let's not kill each other!" Mendlesohn said, fully up, "That's what the enemy wants!"
"Really, Diane," Frederick said, "Had you actually spent time with your sister's family and less time banging Matt Cutter, they would still be alive and Matt Cutter wouldn't be lost in the jungle with your niece."
"That's enough Frederick!" the woman with the pink gun said.
"No, it's not," Frederick continued, "I am well aware that Cutter Unlimited has its known side effect of hot safari guide for single ladies to partake in a tour's bonus, and I am well aware of Mr. Cutter's own procivilities, but I also know he's the best safari guide in this region and I paid good money here. So, your family's political involvement got us into this mess."
"Political involvement?" Another tourist gasped.
"Yes, her sister and brother-in-law are United Nations scientists trying to find a medical cure. They have gone through great lengths to get all the ingredients they need for cures. Well, this time the bullet literally bit them and I am sad to be an accessory to your family's twisted sense of justice. Now, let's get back to Cutter Unlimited and go home."
Diane got up, walked over to Frederick, lifted him up by the collar and threw him into the river.
Frederick got up from the throw.
"You crazy jerk! Get me back on here!"
The woman in the pink gun held Diane.
As Frederick was swimming back to the boat, the boat turned a corner, and a bomb exploded. The boat capsized and everyone fell off into the water. Mendlesohn got up from the water and saw everyone struggling to find shore.
"Here!" Mendlesohn pointed.
The tourists swam to where Mendlesohn pointed. As they started crawling out of the water, gunfire sounded and the tourists who were already out ducked onto the ground and those still getting out crawled from the river. About a fourth of the guns were sunk with the destroyed boat.
"Everyone with a gun, shoot!"
The armed tourists shot at where they believed there was gunfire and shot. Frederick joined them. They were stuck until something ceased.
"Serves you right," Diane told Frederick, whom they happen to be next to each other firing off their guns. "Now it will take another day before we are back at Cutter Unlimited."
Kali and her village were finding the paths they took to not be in the conflict's eyes too much. From where they were, they were a day's travel to the Mitumbi border. She had a radio connection to Rashid, who she communicated with in emergencies.
"Rashid, we are almost at the border. Sheena will make sure we are safe and accounted for. Have you heard from Matt Cutter or Mendlesohn?"
"No, but I heard from a business partner of Cutter that he went out for a safari trip yesterday and hasn't returned after the tourist call back."
"Okay. I will get to the Mitumbi border and talk to Sheena. We cannot leave him behind. We don't know how bad this is going to get."
"There are reports of injuries, but no sustained deaths."
"Otunga must want something."
"He always does."
Sheena and Chris were too busy at the refugee station as more and more refugees were coming in. They stayed perpetually busy to not even think. There was a lull though, as the first batch dissipated and settled. The Mitumbian government made sure that the Rzerwoian government wasn't going to retailiate for taking in Maltaykian refugees. Sheena and Chris rested in the break room.
"Sheena, it might not be good for the baby for us to be restlessly working like this."
"It's just until I know Kali, Cutter, and Mendlesohn are safe."
"Even they would want you to rest."
"My home is being attacked, and you want me to rest."
"Your home is in a safe region right now. Your home is with me too. I'm hoping Maltayka will be spared soon and everyone can go home, but you have two homes."
"I know."
"We're doing our best. They'll understand if you want to take a break."
"All the while there are several pregnant women helping this too, and their husband's aren't as possessive as you."
Chris was taken aback. He was very tired and he felt the sting of that insult, especially since he just told her his emotional history. He needed a minute or two to respond.
"I'm sorry for being possessive, Sheena. This is our first baby and I don't want you going this hard."
"Chris, I'm carrying this baby, not you. It just so happens our baby might be a war baby, and that's entirely not your or my fault."
"I know."
"So, why are you at war with me? Are you afraid that I'll leave you? Is your jealousy of Matt Cutter coming out again? Why are you at war with me? There's already a war on."
Chris didn't know how to respond to that. Without saying a word, he got up and returned back to his refugee prep. Before he left the room, he heard Sheena say:
"I am not at war with you, but that move wasn't a good one."
The gunfire stopped and the tourists got up. By that time, the heat from the sun dried their clothes and Mendlesohn, begrudgingly, got the nerve to give the tourists direction.
"My estimates tell me that we are one day from getting back to Cutter Unlimited. Since the boat was destroyed, what would have been four more hours is now one full day. Now, since Mr. High Horse is so adamant on getting home, he and Diane will protect on either side. You and you will protect from the back and you and you will protect from the side. Now, until we get back, no more accusatory tones. If one of you mutters one cannibalistic word toward each other, I will personally see to it that you not only not leave this part of Africa, but you help in the relief efforts."
The tourists marched in this fashion not talking to each other. They followed the river trail hoping there wouldn't be more military installments to work through. By the time sunset fell, they were decently close to the town.
By the time sunset fell on the border, Kali and her village were one to three hours to the Mitubi region.
By the time sunset fell on the border, Chris came back to the breakroom, hoping to find Sheena. She wasn't there. Sheena heard of tribes coming on the border soon and went with the welcoming committee.
By the time sunset fell, Cheryl was still in the reeds as Matt Cutter slept. She decided to sleep next to him. She went to bed thinking he'll wake up in the morning and they'd be on their way.
At 2am in the morning, Kali and her village arrived on the Mitumbi border. Sheena was there to greet them.
"Where's Chris?" Kali asked, sitting down after a long journey.
"He's doing more preparation for more refugees."
"Is something the matter?"
"Let's not talk about it now, let's get you settled."
"I'm here, and my people are settled."
"Have you heard from Cutter? I saw on the news it was his safari trip that got hit first, but they can't find him or the other tourists."
"That was him, but I haven't heard from him or Mendlesohn."
"I've got to get out there and find them."
As Sheena was getting up, Kali stopped her.
"Sheena, you are a pregnant woman."
"Yes, but I can fight."
"You are too far along to fight."
"Kaian women fought in my condition for years and centuries."
"Yes they have, but they also didn't have what you have that say to back off."
"I need to find Cutter."
"No, you need to stay put."
Sheena started crying.
"You know it was never my intention to hurt you."
"I know, but Chris has gotten so possessive and we're at war."
"I know."
"No, with each other."
"Sheena, where they put me to sleep, I want you to sleep with me tonight. I'll tell the coordinator that it's my expressed wish, and Chris will understand. Chris is a very understanding person."
Sheena nodded, reluctantly.
The sun rose and Cutter was still out. Cheryl needed to get more food, so she repeated what she did yesterday, and managed to get three foodstuffs early before the soldiers could get up. She felt his head after turning up on the other side of his back. There was nothing bad on his chest. No animal bites or mold or anything on his bare torso. Cheryl wished her mother was there for her to figure out if he had a new disease. She told herself if he is asleep for one more day like this, she'd have to open the real vial and see if that will wake him up. The intensity she clocked he had gone through saving her life numerously times didn't account for the rest he was needing. It didn't make sense.
"Mr. Cutter," Cheryl said touching his face, "I hope you don't have a new disease. However, I need you to be better so we can get out of here. We're by a soldier's camp. I hate that I might have to use the cure on you, but after tomorrow, I have no other choice. If they take me, you and I failed each other."
Cheryl started crying and hid in the reeds.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot afford to leave you."
The sun rose at the refugee station. Chris was waiting outside of where Kali told him he and Sheena were staying that night. Kali came out and Chris gave her a big hug.
"I'm glad you are okay, Kali."
"It's wonderful to see you too."
"Is Sheena coming out?"
"Yes, in time. She's pregnant, and it will take her longer."
"I understand."
"I don't think you do completely," Kali said, "Sheena has always been a helper. She lives for help. She wouldn't have donned the Darakn'a if she didn't want to help. We're at war, so naturally, she wants to help. That's why you and her are doing refugee work. That's fine. That's good. But, she still wants to do more. She wants to find Cutter and Mendlesohn and make sure they are okay."
"Kali, her condition though!" Chris interrupted.
"I'm not giving her permission and neither are you for what she wants to do, but I did advise against that."
Sheena came out in her civilian clothes and walked to Kali.
"We've come up with a solution."
Kali saw a hawk perch nearby.
"I don't think Sheena should go into a warzone."
"I'm not going to go into a warzone, but the person who taught me everything is."
Kali looked at the hawk and connected with it. Kali gradually morphed into a hawk. Chris was stunned watching the transformation. He hadn't really seen Sheena do it. The new hawk made a reassuring noise and flew away.
"Kali said that I do need to protect the baby, but she will do what she can. In the meantime, we should continue helping refugees here."
"Sheena," Chris said, "I don't want to be at war with you. I don't want you to be at war with me."
"Chris," Sheena put her hand on his mouth, "We're already at war, but let's not be with each other. You mean well, and I need to teach you more Kaian culture, but I feel I can do best by letting Kali use her Kaian powers to help find two more people I care about."
Chris smiled.
Sheena got serious for a second: "But, if anything happens to Kali, I'm going to divorce you before the baby is born and move back into my cave in the LaMistas."
It was a new day, and Cutter was still sleeping. Cheryl decided today would be the day. She got up, turned Matt around, quickly opened the vial, and dropped two drops of it into Matt's mouth.
"I hope this helps, I am going to go get food."
Unbeknownst to Cheryl, there were already two soldiers further in the reeds watching her and Cutter. They quietly followed her to the food crate as she took three more foodstuffs. As she crept away from the crate and back into the jungle, she bumped into a soldier.
"Well, what do we have here?" The soldier said, "The person whose been stealing our food."
Two soldiers came from behind Cheryl and grabbed her.
"Please, stop!" Cheryl protested, "my father and I are stranded from a bomb raid. We didn't know this country was at war. Please, you gotta let me go and wake him up."
The first soldier nodded.
"Put her down."
"Thank you."
The other soldiers blocked her from passing.
"Let's follow you to where your father is."
Cheryl cautiously let it happen. She hid the knife as much as she hid the vial. When the three soldiers got to where she was hiding, they turned Matt around. Matt was in a deep sleep still. Cheryl was hoping the vial would work, but she didn't know how long.
"Your father is dead."
"He's not, he's sleeping. He's been like that for three days." Cheryl said.
"No, this is Matt Cutter of Cutter Unlimited. Your father is Dr. Peterson, and you are Cheryl Peterson. You are why we are at war to begin with."
The two soldiers picked Cheryl up, even if she was fighting them. She still had Matt's knife and stabbed one of the soldiers in the wrist. The other soldier winced in pain before pulling out a gun.
"Don't shoot her, Otunga wants her alive!" the central soldier said.
Cheryl jabbed the bloodied knife into the soldier holding her by the elbows. The other soldier dropped her before the central soldier grabbed her and knocked the knife out of her hand.
"Get rid of that body and we'll take her back to the camp!"
The other injured soldiers pulled then pushed Matt's body into the river. Cheryl jutted the central soldier in the stomach before falling to the ground and running towards Matt's sinking body.
"Get her!"
One soldier followed her in and grabbed her by the arms. She was fighting him the best she could unarmed as she didn't see Matt even from where she thought she saw him slip down. The other soldier recovered enough to pull his gun to Cheryl's chest.
"Otunga just wants the vial."
Just then, Matt Cutter exploded out of the water and put the soldier holding Cheryl in a chokehold before throwing the soldier in the water and pressing his head into the water. Cheryl fell into the water as the other soldier started chasing her towards the shore. Matt got up and saw this and he got the other soldier's neck in a similar chokehold, but the other soldier was stronger and shoved Matt into the dirt. Matt recovered and saw his knife and threw the knife into the other soldier who was chasing Cheryl. He then ran into the soldier and punched him repeatedly until he was out cold. Matt then grabbed Cheryl as the two ran in the western direction of the river.
"I thought you were gone, Mr. Cutter" Cheryl said, looking at him from his arms.
"No, I was just out. Sorry it took so long for me to get back." Matt Cutter kept running amid his wet muddiness.
They ran very far but they weren't in the same land that they thought they were. They were in Rwerzoria, and they had to escape into Maltayka. Matt and Cheryl kept running.
After nearly two hours, Matt was soaked in sweat and Cheryl's shirt was almost as soaked. Matt turned into the jungle and ran deep into it before settling down near a cave. He put Cheryl down and sat down and panted.
"Mr. Cutter, are you okay?"
"Yes, Cheryl, I am."
"Where are we?"
"We aren't in Maltayka, somehow we managed to get into Rzerworia, and it's dangerous for you to be in the country."
"It was dangerous for me to be in Maltaka too."
Matt looked at Cheryl for a hot minute. He noticed the lanyard was gone.
"Cheryl, where's your lanyard?"
"A soldier took it before he let me fall into the river."
"Oh no! That means they have the cure." Matt got up and started pacing. The sweat was prominent on the back of his pants.
"No, they don't."
"I remember now, I fought the two soldiers who caught us and grabbed the lanyard before jumping in to save you."
"What else do you remember, Mr. Cutter?"
"I remember saving you from the river rapids, and falling asleep."
"You were out for three days, Mr. Cutter."
"I was?!"
"Yes, I was worried something happened to you, but you had nothing from what my parents taught me to tell."
"I remember slipping into the river after an interesting taste came in my mouth. Then, I popped out of the water and fought soldiers attacking you."
"This is what you tasted," Cheryl pulled out the real vial, "This is the root cure my parents made."
"Cheryl, have you been holding onto it the whole time?"
"Yes, my parents wanted a decoy and they told me before they died this was how they wanted me to keep it. I only gave you two drops. There's enough for eight more, but we need to keep it and get it out of the country and continent."
Matt got up and gave her a big hug. She felt love emanate from his hug. She smiled resting her head on his chest.
Kali as a hawk was flying all over and was grateful no one was hunting her. She flew all around Maltayka looking for Cutter and Mendlesohn. She checked all the usual areas. There wasn't extensive damage, but fresh bombs were still fresh. There was a gaping hole in Cutter Unlimited, and two huts were destroyed in her village. She flew along the river towards the Rzerworian border. She spotted Mendlesohn and the guerilla'd tourists walking vigilantly along the river.
She flew down and changed back into herself. She walked in reasonable distance to come in front of the group.
Mendlesohn was exhausted but the group managed to survive three rounds of gunfire from hidden units. They managed to get down the river's path towards the town, but everyone was vigilant, and everyone was mistrusting. He saw a hawk fly in the distance close to them, and in the back of his mind, he wondered if it was Sheena. The hawk flew down. When a person didn't come immediately from that side, he figured it was still a hawk.
Kali came out from the jungle and Mendlesohn heard guns raise in the front.
"Hold!" Mendlesohn said, rushing towards the front as the other armed tourists closed the circle.
"No need to be afraid," Kali said, "I'm here to help you."
"Kali," Mendlesohn rushed over and signaled putting the guns down, "How did you get here?"
"Kaia."
"I see, well, we've been walking for a couple of days. Our boat was destroyed, and we need to get back to Cutter Unlimited as soon as possible."
Kali looked around.
"You aren't too far, just about another fifty miles."
The tourists breathed a sigh of relief.
"Keep those guns up!" Diane shouted, wondering who this mysterious tribal woman was.
"Where's Cutter?" Kali asked, "Was he not with you?"
"He was, but he had to rescue tourists unintentionally left behind. He's alive though, we saw him as we tried to connect at River's End."
"What happened?"
"We were ambushed by Rzerworian might still be around here."
"We were on the ground for two days before Mendlesohn gave us the clear," Diane interjected, "How do you know each other?"
"We're friends."
"Kali has helped me and Cutter out of jams before."
"Well, that's reassuring." A tourist sneered.
"Is there any other military installations that prevent us from getting to Cutter Unlimited?"
"No, not from what I've seen, but I can direct you to an alternative path to get to the city. Also," Kali pulled out her radio, "I am in contact with Rashid. The tourist evacuation period ended two days ago, but Rashid can make sure this group heads home."
"Where's Sheena and Chris?"
"In Mitubi, helping refugees on the border. Sheena sent me to help you and Cutter get to safety on the border."
"I don't know where Cutter is, but he's further behind than us."
"He's with my niece," Diane interjected again, "I'd like to go with you to find them."
"Diane, we went over this, you need to stay at Cutter Unlimited for them to come back."
"But, I have a higher chance of finding them if I go with Kali."
"Mendlesohn is right, you need to get to safety and stay put when you get to Cutter Unlimited. I will direct you to the alternative path to get to the town. I'll contact Rashid as soon as we get halfway there. He's on emergency medical relief duty."
Kali led the group away from the river, into the jungle, and to a cave. The group dropped their weapons and went in.
Sheena was feeling ambivalent as it was a few hours since Kali left. She went into the break room. Chris noticed this and followed her in.
"What's wrong?"
"Kali hasn't come back yet. She'd be back by now."
"She has a lot of area to traverse."
"I've seen her travel through warzones. No, something is wrong."
"Something is wrong," Chris said, "But it has nothing to do with Kali."
"I thought we resolved earlier."
"We did."
"So, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong is your sense of proportion, Sheena. There's a war on, so everything that is usual is not going to be usual. Kali is out there, and whatever and however and if Cutter and Mendlesohn are still alive, it will take an effort to get them here."
"You think they're dead?"
"No, I'm just saying.."
"Stop saying that!"
"Sheena, you are very pregnant right now so this is possibly a mood swing."
"As if I don't know my own body well enough to know when I am being moody. What other insecure feelings do you have to project and explain to me you Matt Cutter wannabe?"
"Matt Cutter wannabe?"
"I'm sorry, Chris, I didn't mean that."
"You told me yesterday you always say what you mean."
"I'm sorry, please, please forgive me. It's the war, you're right, I'm upset." Sheena started crying.
Chris took a deep breath.
"Sheena, I'm sorry. All this is complicated and being pregnant in a war zone is not ideal."
"You're telling me."
Chris took another deep breath.
"I'm trying to walk our resolution. I know this isn't the first time we've fought, but I am trying to come from a good place here. I've worked very hard to get over my jealousy and believe the reassurances that you and Matt Cutter aren't going to hook up, so for you to say that to me just to get a rise out of me, it's not going to happen. Just tell me what you are feeling, Sheena."
"It hurts me to think that you think they are dead."
" I said if."
"Well, it still hurts. This is the first war in a long time where I can't do anything. I can't even help my friends."
"Yes, but they can help themselves, and they seem to be doing so. Kali got here safely, she'll get Cutter and Mendlesohn here safely."
"I want to help."
"What do you think you are doing? We are helping refugees right now. You've helped thousands of people."
"I know."
"I don't think you do, Sheena," Chris started walking over to her, "Now, I need you to take a break, get some sleep. I will keep an eye out for Kali."
Chris gave her a passionate kiss. He looked at her lovingly.
"Get some sleep."
Cheryl opened her eyes as she was sleeping in the same cave. She was unaware she fell asleep. She saw Matt Cutter in the water. His clothes looked like they were washed in the water and he was taking a dip. She felt she was in a safe space.
"Oh, you're up!" Matt said, head bobbing in the water.
There was a leaf of fruits and nuts by her.
"I had some already."
Cheryl ate as Matt got out of the water. He designated a cloth he found as his towel, and wiped off. He got as dressed as he could and came over to Cheryl.
"We probably shouldn't stay too long here. I want to get us to familiar territory so we can get back to Cutter Unlimited."
"Okay," Cheryl said, "I just wish I could clean up too."
"Next place we find that's like this, I'll let you take care of things four days of fleeing war needs taken care of."
"Can't I take a dip and you take care of things?"
"Why not?" Matt pulled out his gun and planted himself within safe distance as Cheryl washed herself and her clothes. The heat was getting a little intense as Matt's hair dried fairly quickly.
He didn't get as much sun as he thought, even though he was without a shirt for several days now. He knew he had to get her out of enemy territory as soon as possible. Even this pinched paradise carried a risk for him. He found his knife in her pants. It had some blood on it.
"Cheryl, what's this?" Matt said, looking at her face as she swam towards a rock.
"I attacked a soldier for trying to kill you a couple of days ago. I used your knife to protect me when you were out cold from sleep."
"How do you feel about that?"
"You are my protector right now. I had to protect you."
"Thank you, " Matt was surprised and flattered. "Cheryl, I can wash your clothes for you if you don't mind spending more time in the water."
"Thank you."
Matt Cutter took out the valuables and put them in his other pocket and washed her clothes. Once he was done, he laid them out to dry, knowing they'll dry quickly as the heat was already causing sweat on his person. He cleaned his knife and put it back in his pocket. He already dried his formerly waterlogged gun. He walked over and put the clothes on the rock.
"Can you please turn around?" Cheryl asked.
Matt did so and the two started walking away from this pinch of paradise. They climbed up the elevation and started toward what felt like a mountain range, or at most the beginning of one. They got to the jungle. Matt felt something was off.
"Cheryl, come towards me." Matt extended his bare left arm towards her.
Cheryl came to him.
"I need you to hold my hand, I don't trust the atmosphere here."
"Okay, Mr. Cutter."
The two carried on. Matt, as intuitive as he could be, heard a noise in the near distance. He pulled out his gun. Cheryl grabbed his belt.
"Hang on, Cheryl."
The two walked as normally as they could. Little did they know, the Rzerworian special task force was in the trees above them. They had gotten word of a father and a daughter fleeing the country and that previous attempts to get the vial were thwarted by trickery on the daughter's end.
Matt and Cheryl came to a small clearing in the jungle, surrounded by trees.
"Are we okay, Mr. Cutter?" Cheryl said, glancing at him from his stomach.
"I'm not sure."
A noise was made in the trees and Matt pointed the gun. It was just a heron. He was skeptical though, as the new sweat on his bare chest was starting to glisten. Suddenly, someone jumped down on him from behind and knocked his gun out of his hand. Cheryl was taken by another soldier. Before Matt could recover, two soldiers were punching him in the face and the stomach.
"Mr. Cutter! Mr. Cutter!" Cheryl screamed as the soldiers were taking her away and she saw Matt Cutter getting bruised from the continuous punches and the soldiers downed him to the ground.
"We got the girl!" One of the soldiers said.
"No, you don't!" Cheryl grabbed the soldiers knife and cut the soldier's arms, causing him to drop her. The other soldier charged at Cheryl before Cheryl swiped the soldier's knees.
Matt was able to get up from being attacked. He had blood on his lip and a minor bruise on his right oblique. He saw Cheryl fighting back. He grabbed his handgun by the front and ran over and wacked both of them. Two other soldiers came from the trees and surrounded Cutter.
"Cheryl, run!"
Cheryl ran as three soldiers started chasing her. Matt was fighting three soldiers himself as the one with bloody arms attacked him. First, they threw him towards the trees and started punching where the bruise was. Matt elbow punched the soldier until he was out cold. He wacked one of the two remaining soldiers in the face with the butt of his gun before the other soldier came behind him in a chokehold.
"Not a good idea," Matt said, throwing the soldier from behind him over and punching him cold. "Not a good idea at all."
Matt started running where he thought he saw Cheryl run.
"Cheryl!"
Two soldiers came from either side of Cutter and knocked him to the ground.
"Mr. Cutter!" Cheryl screamed, as she fell down a ravine not far from where they were. Cheryl had blood on her hands as she killed the soldiers who were chasing her. She dropped the knife on the ground before she fell down the ravine.
Matt Cutter swiped a rifle from one of the soldiers and kicked dirt in the other soldier's face. He then used the rifle butt to whack the soldier who carried it. The other soldier pulled out a knife and scratched Matt's left shoulder with it, causing a tiny bleed. Matt punched the soldier with his right arm and the other soldier threw Matt into the jungle. The two fought aggressively until Matt grabbed the soldier's rifle and flipped it just as the soldier was about to shoot. The gun shot the soldier, but the pressure created an effect and Matt flew into the air and landed full body into quicksand.
The gun flew in the direction of Matt too, but it landed on the shore of where the quicksand was. Matt's left hand raised above the quicksand as he was looking to grab something. He grabbed the butt of the rifle and was able to pull himself out of the quicksand. When he got to the shore area, he got in a minor fetal position and coughed out the sand before recovering and heading back towards where he thought he heard Cheryl's voice.
"Cheryl!"
"Mr. Cutter, I'm down here!"
Matt looked down the ravine and saw her. He carefully slid down to her.
"Mr. Cutter, you're bleeding!"
"Just a scratch. The mud and sand seem to be helping."
Cheryl wiped the blood from her hands onto the ground. She pulled out some flowers she kept for jungle ailments and bandaged Matt's left shoulder and dapped Matt's face and lips, cleaning up the blood.
"You're a brave little girl." Matt said, looking at his filthy navel.
"I don't ever want to kill again." Cheryl gave him a hug and started crying into his chest.
"It's okay. It's okay."
"I'm just like those who murdered my parents." Cheryl sobbed.
"No, you aren't, you were protecting yourself."
Cheryl said something uncomprehensible as she continued to cry into Matt's bare chest. Matt patted her head like a father to a daughter.
"It's okay. I think we are in Rzerowia, so the minute we get back to Maltayka, we'll be safer."
"We need to get out of here." Cheryl tried leaving Cutter's embrace.
"When you are ready."
The two left after an hour. The past few days were strenuous. Matt grabbed a rifle to carry the rest of the way.
President N'Gama was surveying the troops on the border.
"This is not bad for what we got."
"We pulled out all our stops, sir."
"Good. Otunga will see we will do anything to protect our people."
"We launch tonight."
On the other side, Otunga was surveying his army. There were more people and a lot more equipment.
"Until we get that vial back, we will wipe out everything in sight."
"We launch tonight."
Kali was able to get Mendlesohn and the tourists back to the town. Rashid came by with the message from the American embassy.
"Though this caravan did miss the last tourist evacuation day, I was able to pull some strings to get you all to the airport in Mitubi."
"I'm not going." Diane said.
"But, miss, you have to. It's for your own safety."
"Not until my niece is back here."
"You can get her when we are all back in the states!" Frederick said, "I don't want to be held hostage here any longer."
"You can go, Frederick," Diane said, looking at Mendlesohn, "but until my niece is back here, I'm not going."
"Rashid, Mendlesohn and I will make sure she is being taken care of." Kali reassured her.
Frederick was aghast. He pulled Diane aside on the porch. The whole from the last bombing was visible.
"I don't see why you can't go with us back to the States." Frederick wiped his tanned, sweaty forehead on his tank top.
"I can't go until my niece is back with me. I owe it to my sister and brother-in-law."
"They're dead."
Diane slapped him.
"You think I don't know that by now?"
"I'm sorry, but how do you know your niece is still out there?"
"Because I saw her and Cutter almost come to the boat."
"That was days ago."
"Then, I should at least be there to verify their bodies. Rashid makes sure I do that with my sister and brother-in-law before the flight back."
"Are they taking the flight and you aren't?"
"Not without Cheryl. Yes, my dearly departed are flying out. Their last will will be respected. They are to be buried and a memorial will take place when I return."
"So, why wait?"
"Listen, Frederick, because I know my niece is alive. I owe her parents a reunion and her return to the United States. I owe them that. Until then, I am staying here with Mendlesohn until that happens."
Frederick resolved his anger. He then went over and kissed Diane on the lips for a long time.
"Aren't you married?" Diane said.
Frederick went away.
Mendlesohn was talking to Kali.
"So, Sheena's at the border."
"Yes, she told me to get you and Cutter there. It seems there's a complication."
"Of many, I don't know where Cutter is from what I told you earlier."
"It's best you stay with Diane. I will make sure the other tourists make it safely across the border. Sheena might want me to go out for Cutter. I might do that, but if he's in enemy territory, I can only do so much."
"Is there any military in town?"
"I'll check with Rashid. The town suffered a good amount of damage, but this is a weird war because there hasn't been any deaths."
"That means Otunga wants one person dead, or two."
Kali and Mendlesohn looked at each other in shock. Kali fell into her arms and cried, while Mendlesohn went over to Diane.
"Diane, tell me all about what your sister and brother-in- law did. Tell me everything."
Matt and Cheryl were able to get through to the mountain range the best they could. Matt put the rifle around his right shoulder and carefully guided Cheryl through the mountain without having to pick her up. There were no guns or planes, just steady, cautious treading. Before the sun set, they came across the campground they were on.
"Mr. Cutter, can we go back down to camp?" Cheryl said.
"No, that could be a trap."
Unbeknownst to them, there was a plane with missiles heading in their direction. Otunga ordered it, hoping that wiping the two out he could make sure the world knew not to mess with his government.
Cutter and Cheryl crossed the campground looking and remaining tattered and bomb strewn as it was five days ago. The two were beginning to go into the direction where they were four days ago, when the plane came out of the sky.
"Mr. Cutter?" Cheryl held onto his pant leg.
"It's okay, Cheryl, let's keep going." Matt held onto her hand as he couldn't pick her up. The plane came closer to the mountain. Matt began to rush as there was a way down that fell into the jungle and they were close. Matt saw a gap towards a tiny opening in the jungle that was in fair jumping distance.
The plane fired two missiles. Matt saw this immediately and grabbed Cheryl.
"Cheryl, jump!"
The two jumped as the missiles landed into the side of the mountain, causing an explosion and a landslide of mud, dirt, and jungle debris. Matt and Cheryl barely escaped as they jumped into the gap as the landslide fell down the side of the mountain. Dust flew and the two embraced as they were both covered in it.
The plane flew away before it was stopped by a Maltaykan plane and was destroyed. The former campground was now covered from the landslide. Matt moved his head from above Cheryl's, but she wouldn't let go of his chest.
"Cheryl, we're safe."
"We'll never be safe, Mr. Cutter. Not as long as I have this vial."
"But, we're almost near the border."
"All of my parents things they took with them, gone forever in a landslide."
"You're still here."
"I hope my parents' bodies weren't in that landslide."
"We'll know when we get back to Cutter Unlimited."
Matt let Cheryl rest on him as long as she needed to. Poor kid, he thought. She's seen so much in the last week, from her parents being murdered to running from guns and bombs, to seeing everything be wiped away.
"Cheryl, you're always safe with me. We've come this far, and I will make sure nothing happens to you."
"Mr. Cutter, I know." Cheryl squeezed the belt of the rifle.
"Hold onto me as long as you need to." Matt said, feeling the dust mesh with the dirt on his already sweaty skin.
The two went down to the river's edge. Matt saw his previous footsteps. He saw a hawk fly over the previous way. He decided to take an alternative route but still get towards the border, even if it meant going through a large field between the two regions. He didn't know that there were troops already on their way to that border in escalation. When the two were deep into the jungle, Cheryl relaxed and Matt put her down as they walked aside each other.
Kali and Rashid went to the Maltakyan/Mitumbi border with the other tourists. Sheena was there to greet them, hoping she would see Mendlesohn and Cutter. Kali walked up to her immediately.
"I found Mendlesohn. I helped him and a few tourists caught in the crossfires get back to Cutter Unlimited. He had to stay behind with a tourist whose niece is carrying precious cargo to make sure she gets there safely. He's okay."
"Why would a tourist want to stay behind in a war zone?"
"Because her niece is carrying a vial of the Rzwerian root. Her parents were murdered by President Otunga's military because they violated his rule of not taking the root for any reason. Their parents got permission from the United Nations to extract the root however means necessary for its healing powers."
"So, the niece has the vial?"
"Yes."
"Who is helping her get to Cutter Unlimited safely?"
"Cutter."
Sheena dropped a welcome refugee basket in shock. Kali held Sheena's hands to calm her down.
"Mendlesohn told me they almost met up, but they were attacked by Otunga's troops and separated. Mendlesohn believes Cutter and the niece are still out there."
"You have to go find them."
"Sheena, as much as you have your concern and I agreed to help, I cannot cross into enemy territory. If I am able to, I can help in Maltaykan territory. I can't be your proxy, and you can't do anything in your condition."
Sheena recognized the pain of this truth and let go of Kali's hands. She went to the back room and started crying. Kali came to her.
"Sheena, I didn't mean to be so harsh."
"You weren't, it's just, hormones." Sheena said through her tears.
"More than hormones."
"Kali, I'd feel responsible if Cutter dies out there."
"Why do you feel responsible? Cutter knows how to survive terrains and circumstances like this. The fact that he is alive and is keeping another alive show that."
"Who waited three years to successfully save Cutter from that time dilation? Who didn't think to save Cutter from being made to stone and didn't recognize an imposter? It was me. I have to save him in record time without losing him."
"Sheena, you saved Cutter after you learned all the science you needed to to save him. You saved him from being encased in stone because you went on the defense as soon as you found out. You are beating yourself up over things you didn't give yourself the grace to accept as saving him."
"Now he's out there and I have to save him."
"Sheena, you had nothing to do with this war. You had nothing to do with him falling into that time dilator. You had nothing to do with him being encased in stone. These were all beyond your control."
Sheena didn't say anything. Kali was right.
"Now, Sheena, if you want me to revert back to a hawk and fly over Maltayka until I see him, I can still do that as I promised you I would. But I did find Mendlesohn and he told me of where Cutters whereabouts might be. I can go with Rashid back to the area. N'Gama is doing a good job this time around, even though he does want something from this."
Sheena didn't respond. She took three deep breaths, got up, and went back to refugee welcome work. Kali knew Sheena did this when she needed to decide. Kali went to see how members of her village were doing.
By this time of day, Matt Cutter and Cheryl Peterson had made their way to the plain between the Mitumbi and the Maltaykan border. Matt looked around before he saw army vehicles start pulling up within distance, and he and Cheryl hid behind a rock formation so as not to be seen.
A battle was about to begin.