Bulldozers were brought in on both sides as trenches were dug. Tanks and various military equipment were presenting itself as an army of thousands presented themselves along the border. Matt looked up from a little hole to see if he could see what the other side looked like. He saw in the distance similar tanks and not a lot of military equipment, but many soldiers. Matt signaled him and Cheryl to creep slowly behind the rock formation to the end of it. He signaled for her to be quiet.
President Otunga made a brief appearance before the army.
"President N'Gama has betrayed my trust, and refuses to give us back what is rightfully ours. We haven't killed anyone with our bombings of Maltayka, and N'Gama hasn't surrendered what is ours. So, my brave army, I command you to pulverize his army! He will know we mean business and he will surrender once there is no army of his to protect him."
The soldiers cheered. Unbeknownst to Cutter, there was an expansion of Rzwerorian soldiers in the right forest near the brush. They were Otunga's secret weapon.
President N'Gama made an appearance himself.
"My fellow countrymen, President Otunga thinks we are a weak country who can barely scrape up a fight. Some of you even believe this, but do you believe our country is worth fighting for? Do you want your homes to stop being bombed? We must defend what we have. So, go out there, and give us a victory!"
The soldiers clapped and N'Gama was escorted away and far from the sight of the battlefield.
"Do you think we can win?" an advisor said.
"I hope so. One way or another," N'Gama said, "we'll get aid. No one likes the Rzwerorian government."
When Matt and Cheryl got to the end of the rock formation, Matt knelt halfway to the ground to whisper talk to Cheryl.
"Cheryl," he said, feeling the sweat on his chest and back, "I need you to listen to me. We are about to cross a battlefield. I only have this rifle, the gun here, and the knife here."
Just then, he noticed a herd of wildebeests on the border near the brush. He got an idea.
"Mr. Cutter," Cheryl said, "I'm afraid."
"I know," Matt said, putting his right arm on her shoulder, "But I'm still here to protect you. We are going to get down on the ground and crawl to the brush there. We are already near some brush, we might not even be seen, but we get to the brush. I want us to run with the wildebeests, who will want to run away from the guns and the explosions. We run with them, we won't be seen."
Cheryl put her head on the center of Matt's chest. Matt could feel her cold tremble as she was nervously holding the vial in her pocket.
"I want you to always be by me. If we separate for any time, I need you to find a hole in the ground and stay there until I can get to you. If I can't get to you, I want you to get out when there is calm and dark, and run. Right now, I want you to get down on the ground with me the minute we get to the end of this rock formation."
"Okay," Cheryl said, raising her head from Matt's chest and touching it with her right hand, "You know best."
Matt got up from where the two talked. The two quietly slid their way to the end of the rock formation. When Matt and Cheryl got to the end, a Rzeworian soldier came out from the corner and punched Matt in the face and down to the ground.
"I'll take this" the soldier who punched Matt said, grabbing Cheryl by the waist.
Matt got up and saw three soldiers around him. He knocked one out then drop kicked the other one into the rock formation. The last one he punched the rib cage repeatedly before knocking him out by grabbing his head and hitting it against the rock formation. This skirmish wasn't heard from the battle lines on either side. Matt ran and jumped on the soldier carrying Cheryl, and all three fell to the ground. Matt lock armed the soldier's head in a death grip as the soldier tried hitting Matt from the side. Cheryl got up and hid in the slightly taller brush. The soldier eventually was knocked out by Matt's grip and Matt panted as all the soldiers were knocked out.
"Cheryl?" Matt looked around. He saw her shoes from the small batch of brush. Matt walked over. "It's okay. They are all knocked out."
Matt pulled the rifle that was thrown on the ground and he and Cheryl got on the ground and started crawling.
As they were crawling, a news reel was operating at Cutter Unlimited. Mendlesohn had just got off the phone with the insurance company. Diane was pacing nervously.
"What's the matter?" Mendlesohn said, "I just found out Matt has us insured for war damages."
"It's been two days, where is he?" Diane said, her franticness clearly visible by her pacing.
"How should I know?" Mendlesohn said, "We last saw him at the river more than a week ago."
"What's that on the news?" Diane said.
Mendlesohn turned the television up.
"Maltayka and Rzeworia are gearing up for war, as it was reported both Presidents came to the border today and gave their motivation speeches to their troops. No one in the international community knows why these two are at war with each other. Drs. Michael and Jan Peterson were not citizens on Maltayka and weren't killed on Maltaykian land, but sources say that it has to do with something of possession. In the meantime, no whereabouts on Dr. Michael and Jan Peterson's ten-year-old daughter, as the two corpses of her parents rest in the Maltaykian state morgue as a last service Rzeworia did to the Maltaykian government. No confirmation of living relative's plans."
"Perfect!" Diane said.
"Diane, please calm down."
"My niece is out there and they don't know where she is and you are telling me to calm down? I can't leave this country without her."
"That's why you are here and the rest of the safari tour is back in their respective countries."
"I hope she isn't on the border. I hope Matt knows how to cross a battlefield, but what do we do when their army comes for us and Cheryl isn't here and Matt isn't here?!"
"Diane, we go to the bunker."
"The bunker?"
Mendlesohn escorted her behind the bar and behind the staircase. There was a door to a crawl space.
"We go here if the army comes here before they do."
"That's reassuring." Diane held her arms as if she could feel Matt's strong arms around them.
"I miss him too."
"I miss him too," Chris said, talking to Kali about Cutter, "she hasn't said a word. She's just been working and working. When I go into the bed spaces, she doesn't follow."
"Sheena has an inquisitive temperament," Kali said, "She has big decisions to make."
"Am I being overconcerned about her pregnancy?" Chris asked, as he was preparing a food package for incoming refugees.
"No," Kali said, "but you do need to understand Sheena's a fighter. She has a lot on her mind and she wants to do something."
"If she morphs into a leopard or something, will my child also be morphed? Will it affect the child?"
"Chris, the Kaia practices are spiritual. She may inhabit the body of an elephant or a mouse, but it's temporary and doesn't affect her in the slightest. She can resume to human form at any time. The baby isn't going to come out barking or squawking."
"I can't say I've seen her morph often."
"You haven't had to. It's not like years ago."
"Do you think she'll transform into a hawk and save Cutter?"
"That is up to her to decide."
"She hasn't taken a break at all today. I should tell her to take one."
"Good idea."
Chris went over to Sheena and told her to take a break. She looked as though she re-entered her body, paused, and walked away to the break room. Chris continued the work she was doing, Kali followed her into the break room.
"Sheena," Kali touched her arm, "What are you thinking about?"
"If I send you, I'm disrespecting your wish and the truth that Cutter can survive. If I go, I risk my marriage. I want to do something."
"I think you need to make up your mind on your own. Just remember, myself and Chris are here."
The sun was bearing hot on Matt Cutter's bare and dirty back. Cheryl and Matt were getting close to the brush. Cheryl still looked very afraid. She'd only seen war through documentaries her parents showed her to prepare to accompany them on their international medical work. Now, she was a war-torn child her parents were helping. People wanted her for her parents last contribution to the world. Beside her was a military trained safari guide, who was risking everything for her safety.
Cutter was paying attention to the wildebeests, who were on the battlefield border. They were grazing and doing their natural thing. He would have to get them both in the brush deep enough to blend in when the battle would begin. He just needed to be right in the center of the brush.
In the meantime, both sides were waiting for something to start. Neither army wanted to fight each other, they realized the ineptitude of their leaders, but the difference between them was the Rzeworians had more propaganda thrown their way against any country that opposed them and anyone who would steal from them. They believed they were going to attack people disrespecting their national code of honor.
A general found knocked out soldiers near the rock formation. He noticed body tracks in the brush. The general went over to soldiers from the hidden side.
"There is an infiltrator among our troops, go deep into the brush and uncover them."
A unit crept into the brush just as Matt and Cheryl were reaching Matt's ideal spot. The two got there. Matt saw a boot when he looked up and saw a Rzeworian soldier. Before Matt could elevate his gun, the soldier kicked Matt in the face, which threw him up in the air and down to the ground. Cheryl got up and started running before a soldier grabbed her. Matt recovered and started fighting the soldier who kicked him by knocking him on the ground. Another soldier threw Matt down the ground from behind before Matt kicked the soldier in the crotch and shot his handheld in the soldier's face. Matt pulled out his knife and stabbed the soldier charging behind him in the stomach. Matt grabbed the rifle and knocked out another soldier. The soldier holding Cheryl shot a gun in the air, startling the wildebeests. Matt charged the soldier and stabbed him in the back before Matt grabbed the rifle and caught up to Cheryl who was running.
The other soldiers heard the guns go off and the battle begun. Cannons from tanks were fired and distanced gunshots permeated the air. Soon, planes from both sides started bombing the field. Eventually, soldiers began charging towards each other. The wildebeests scattered amid all this as bombs were dropping on them, killing them on sight. Matt and Cheryl tried to stay within the herd, but two bombs fell causing separation and fear.
Matt was now bloody, sweaty, and dirty from the explosions as he tried to find Cheryl still running. Matt, pulled out his rifle and shot at the soldiers from behind who were charging.
"Send in the side army!" The general shouted into the radio.
A side army from the Rzeworians came out of nowhere from the right as the battlefield was ripe with war. There were clouds of dirt and smoke everywhere. It was hard to see who was winning and who was losing. All of a sudden, Matt couldn't find Cheryl, but noticed many holes in the ground. Matt ran towards the closest one, and saw she was down there. Matt encountered some of the army around the whole and started whacking every soldier with the butt of his rifle in sight. He sucker punched one or two, knocking them out. As he was doing this, another bomb fell on the ground, and it separated Matt from the soldiers he was fighting. He flew down into the whole without his rifle. Cheryl found him. He was dirty but not damaged.
"Mr. Cutter, I'm scared."
Cutter gave her a big hug and held onto her.
"Me too." They could hear guns firing above them and more bombs going off. Some body parts flew into the hole, scaring Cheryl. All this was going on while black storm clouds developed onto the border field. There was a gust of wind that threw off soldier's hats and blew flags out of sight. Guns were still firing and bombs were still dropping.
A bolt of thunder and a crack of lighting caused a massive downpour of rain as a storm began. Guns still fired, but bombs were not being dropped as often. Matt and Cheryl stayed in the foxhole as the rain poured and the storm carried on. The foxhole was beginning to flood with water, but Matt held Cheryl close and tried to elevate amid the growing water. Soon, the guns stopped firing. Matt carried Cheryl from his right side, as she was holding on to his muddy neck. He looked up and saw nothing but rain falling and lighting and thunder crashing.
They got up from the foxhole. Matt saw the rifle he had for a while was now shattered but he ran towards the Maltaykan border, in hopes no tracer would catch them running.
On the Maltaykan army side, shots stopped being fired but vigilance was being practiced. Anyone coming in the direction of the line would be shot. On the Rzwerorian side, the rain didn't stop upping the war game from elevating. A silent plane flew over the battlefield. Grenades were being dropped from them.
As the rain calmed down, it was getting clearer to see. Matt knew Cheryl and him had to hide in another foxhole soon. A grenade fell down near them and exploded, throwing Cheryl from Matt's arms and throwing Matt to the ground. Matt was able to recover and run to Cheryl as another grenade hit, hitting them both with mud and dirt. Matt picked her up and ran further before a giant foxhole strewn with corpses of dead Maltaykan soldiers presented itself. Matt turned past that foxhole to find a smaller one not far from the big one. Guns started firing again as the rain stopped.
Most of the Maltaykan army was wiped off the map from the battle, but the Rzeworians kept fighting. There were some Maltaykan military still alive, wondering why there was still advancing.
President N'Gama was furious when he found out they were still advancing.
"We need backup. Send in more troops!" he shouted at his advisor.
"The rest of our troops are doing relief work."
"Point the people to the Mitumbi border and send the rest of the army to the border!"
The advisor complied.
The bombing and the gunfire didn't stop after several hours. From where Matt and Cheryl were, they felt they couldn't move. Matt lost his rifle, and his gun and knife were precariously hidden. He didn't know how far he needed to get to the border. He was stuck between a bomb and a wet place.
President Otunga was pleased with how the battle was being played out. The same general that reported the infiltrator was on the phone with him now.
"We've had an infiltrator in our midst that got this battle going. It's still raging."
"Infiltrator?"
"Yes, we've had one soldier who survived the attack tell of a man and his daughter. I don't know why his daughter is along for this espionage, but the soldier said he was attacked by a shirtless white man in khakis and who was very protective of his daughter. I thought all the Maltaykan tourists fled the country?"
"You idiot! That is Matt Cutter and Cheryl Peterson! Cheryl has the vial we killed her parents for. Those two cannot pass the border!"
"But, most of the Maltaykan military is dead, sir."
"Once their army is evaporated, I want that vial and those two dead!"
"Yes sir."
Artillery fire continued long into the night. There were gunshots and a couple of bombs dropped. Matt held Cheryl close as he didn't want her to be seen in the foxhole.
"Mr. Cutter," she said, looking up at his face, wet and muddy, "Do you think I'll ever see my Aunt Diane again?"
Matt looked at her and smiled as best he could without looking ingenuine.
"I think you will." Matt moved some as sitting in the foxhole for hours was starting to get to him. He held Cheryl close.
"Who was the person that you said I reminded you of?" Cheryl looked at him.
"Her name is Sheena. She's a friend of mine. She lost her parents at a very young age in the jungle. Her parents were murdered by a man wanting diamonds."
A bomb went off above them and dirt showered down on them both. Matt held Cheryl close.
"She escaped the mountain her parents were in, and left something in the hopes that they would find her. She was adopted by a shaman in a neighboring village, where she grew up."
"Are you close to her still?" Cheryl said, touching the right part of his chest.
"Yes, we are."
"Do you think I can meet her one day?"
"It will depend on whether we can get past the border." Matt said.
Cheryl smiled and felt comfort in Matt's bare, dirty arms.
"Thank you for saving me."
Matt smiled at her, and looked up as the battle raged.
Incidentally, the Maltaykan army didn't have as many casualities as President Otunga thought. There were still soldiers, generals, lieutenants, and artillery. President N'Gama was monitoring the battle from his palace.
"I am glad that the rest of the army is making its way to the border. Otunga thinks he has me beat, but I'll show him!"
"President N'Gama, we have reports of a father and a daughter caught in the battle. We believe they are trying to flee Rzeworia."
A picture was shown of Matt Cutter and Cheryl Peterson running through bombs and gunfire.
"I know that man." President N'Gama touched the photo.
His advisor didn't know what to make of it.
"Matt Cutter has single-handedly been protecting Cheryl Peterson the whole time. We must advance our troops to protect them and make sure they get safely across the border. I don't understand why Otunga wants them dead."
"Reports indicate that her parents were trying to make a medical advancement of the Rzeworia root before Cutter's safari emcampment in the Rzeworian Mountains was bombed."
"Otunga wants the root."
"He wants what the Petersons discovered about the root. The United Nations has cited violations of Rzerworia for years under his rule of not allowing the root to be shared for any reason."
"Yes, and he doesn't even allow the root to cure his own people. I could be an international hero if I make sure Cheryl Peterson leaves Africa alive."
"Well, we're going to have to do our best. The rest of the army won't get to the border for another two days, and their military is advancing."
"Tell the rest of the army to do a surprise attack near the eastern end of the LaMistas. As soon as those two are in our custody, we retreat."
The advisor communicated the message to the Maltaykan army on the front.
"This is great, but where are they?" a general said.
Meanwhile, Matt was holding Cheryl as tightly as he could as night was falling fast and the battle wasn't stopping.
"Mr. Cutter?" Cheryl said, resting her head on the center of his chest.
"Yes, Cheryl?" Matt said, holding her tightly.
"Is it okay if I fall asleep?"
"You can close your eyes. I'll let you know to wake up if we have to move."
Cheryl closed her eyes and rested on Matt's dirty, wet, sweaty, bare chest. It was hard to believe nearly a week ago they had met.
Matt Cutter held Cheryl closer as the guns fired into the night. Eventually, he fell asleep, but his ears stayed alert to any new development. He really wondered about Cheryl's future. What if she couldn't leave the country? What if she couldn't leave the continent? Would he be prepared to raise her? Did Diane flee the country and continent with the other tourists? It had been a week and Cutter was still in the same clothes he was in that fateful day.
His mind drifted into a wartime slumber.
Eventually, the guns stopped firing, but the battle stations were still flurried with activity. The Rzerworian side was preparing for victory. The generals were talking.
"President Otunga advised us to charge tomorrow morning. No holds on the Maltaykan army."
The Maltaykan army was more strategic.
"Of the thousands of us left, we need to be prepared to find Cutter and Peterson. We believe them to be in this area," a general pointed to a central eastern part of the map. "However, in the morning, we fire the missiles that arrived a few minutes ago. Matt Cutter is a military trained individual, and we are going to trust his instincts in protecting the Peterson girl. The best we can do is crowd and cover. If Cutter and Peterson are followed, we already have troops on the eastern mountains of the LaMistas, near the old Miller compound. Our watchers will be paying attention tonight."
Sheena couldn't sleep. She couldn't wrap her head around potentially sacrificing Kali to save Cutter, the desire to save Cutter herself and risk her marriage, or let Cutter proceed to save himself. Kali already was in bed, and Chris noticed his wife wasn't sleeping by his side in the refugee workers area in the only double bed.
He got up and went to the kitchen. Sheena was preparing breakfast breads.
"Sheena, it's 3 am, you have to go to bed sometime." Chris said with the utmost care.
"I can't." Sheena slid three sheets of dough into the oven.
"Sheena, I know you are worried about Cutter, but he's still alive."
"I'm worried about you," Sheena said, kneading dough, "I'm worried that if I make the decision I want to make, our marriage will be in jeopardy."
"What is the decision you want to make?"
"I need to find Cutter, just to know he's safe, and that Cheryl Peterson is safe with him."
"It's understandable." Chris went behind Sheena, wrapping his arms around her as she was kneading the dough.
"You are going to leave me if I do." Sheena said, gently moving his hands away from her belly.
"I talked to Kali," Chris said, gently putting his hands back on her belly, "I was misinformed about the Kaian power in relation to the baby."
"You were?" Sheena said, slapping the dough on the table.
"I'msorry for everything I said a few days ago."
"I forgive you," Sheena turned around and kissed him. She touched his bare, muscular chest and caressed the center of his chest. "But, I don't know what to do now when I was ready to risk losing you for Cutter."
"I'm going to spend more time with Matt Cutter after this war is over, because my insecurities I had around him I thought I let go of. I clearly have not if there are still issues, I have that are my own."
Sheena let Chris cradle her as she put the dough on sheets and slid them into another oven. Chris and Sheena kissed passionately.
"I need to go to bed," Sheena whispered to him after they stopped, "Will the breads be fine?"
"Yes, there are already bakers coming in around this time." Chris lifted her up and carried her back into the bed, where the two continued making out. Sheena slept in Chris's arms.
Cheryl Peterson was having a nightmare. She dreamt that the minute she and Mr. Cutter left the foxhole that Matt would get shot and killed and she would have nowhere to go. In the dream, she ran as he told her to, and fell down a deep hole that wouldn't stop. When it finally did, she saw that she didn't have the vial, and her parents' ghosts appeared in front of her and they said their goodbyes as their souls dissipated because of the vial not being with her. She then saw President Otunga and a firing squad, who all pointed guns at her and fired all at once. Cheryl woke up.
She saw that she was still in Matt Cutter's bare arms, comforted by his muscular, bare chest and saw that he was sleeping. She didn't want to wake him. She saw how dirty he was and noticed how dirty she was. Her clothes were torn and wet. She put her right hand in her pocket and saw that the vial was still there. She thought for a second about getting out of the foxhole and bringing the vial to the Rzeworian army to stop all of this. Then, she remembered the promise to her parents.
Cheryl sat up in his arms. Matt felt a rustling and held her closer even in his sleep. Cheryl touched his face gently. His face was as wet and dirty as the rest of him, but she felt warmth in his cheeks. She touched his forehead and caught a bristle of his sweaty hair. She touched around his eyes and his nose and mouth. She felt the bristle of his five o'clock shadow which stubble was resembling more of a beard. Though a decade younger, she saw so much of her father in him. Cheryl closed her eyes and went back to sleep, but she smiled as she was sleeping. At long last, she felt she was in good hands.
Her aunt Diane, however, wasn't feeling she was in good hands. Mendlesohn was kind enough to let her sleep in Cutter's bed, which, given worse for wear, only had some debris on it from the bombings. She didn't know what to do. She did feel she failed her sister and brother-in-law by choosing Matt Cutter over them. She did feel she failed her niece by not grabbing her before running down to the boat. She did feel she failed the tourist group she was on by freaking out over losing her only family in a span of a day. She felt she was failing everyone by staying in a warzone with Mendlesohn. She eventually ran this mental course and finally slept, but she was going to be ansy in the morning. Especially since her only wardrobe was Matt's shirt she wore after they made love the night before the attack on the camp.
Mendlesohn was keeping track of the battle at the border. His plan was to go down to the escape hatch behind the bar that only he and Cutter knew about, and then defend the building to the end as necessary. Rashid kept in communication, but things were coming few and far between. The refugee efforts the Maltaykan military was easing through continued without military supervision, but Rashid had to cover the lost volunteers with locals and communication with him was becoming fewer and farther between.
Ever the soldier, Mendlesohn was up at the crack of dawn with the television and radio playing with updates of the war. Cutter and Cheryl's whereabouts were not network news yet, but the Maltaykan press was showing kindness to the Peterson family as video essays and news documentaries flooded the airwaves commending their contributions to science, philanthropy, and medical activism. Each special mentioned the unknown whereabouts of Cheryl. Each posted an anti-war message at the end of their essays by the journalists themselves.
Diane came storming in and turned off the television and lowered the radio volume.
"I was watching that!" Mendlesohn protested.
"What good does it do?" Diane was near tears.
"Diane, listen."
"It's been two days since we've came here. Where is my niece? Where's Cutter? Oh my god..." she stopped.
"What is it?"
"What if he's right. What if they are dead too. Oh, why did this happen to me just when things started looking up?"
"Diane.."
"No, Mendlesohn, no. I feel like if I sit here for one more second, I'm going to burst! We need to go back and we need to find them. Okay." Diane found some keys and started walking to the garage, which had worse for wear from the bombings.
Mendlesohn ran to her and blocked the garage door.
"Diane, give me the keys."
"No, we need to find them. We need to find them."
"Diane, listen to me."
"No, you listen to me! We need to find them! We need to find them! They could be lost in the jungle or lost on the border or just…..dead and we retrieve their bodies and bring them back here. We need to find them!"
"Diane." Mendlesohn said with grown concern.
"No, we need to find them! We need to find them! We need to…to…" Diane let out a loud sob and fell into Mendlesohn's arms. She couldn't stop crying. Mendlesohn held her for a long time.
Diane couldn't stop crying. She finally let out what took place close to a week ago. She cried for her sister. She cried for her brother-in-law. She cried for her niece. She cried for Matt Cutter. She cried for the innocent civilians of both countries. She cried for Zachary. She cried for herself. She cried for the position she was in. She cried for the circumstances she witnessed. She couldn't stop crying. Mendlesohn held her as he attempted to show compassion, though it wasn't entirely his forte without abject sarcasm.
"Let it out. Let it all out." Mendlesohn said, as his shirt sleeves were being drenched in tears.
"Why?!" Diane cried.
"Why?" Mendlesohn was genuinely curious.
"Yes, why? Why did my sister and brother in law trust me with Cheryl? Why did they have us go on this safari trip? Why did they leave me? Why did Cutter dive in the river?"
"You're her aunt. I am sure they thought this trip would be fun. Cutter dove in to get Cheryl because you told him to and he would have done it anyway."
Diane stopped crying. She wiped her tears. Mendlesohn took off his shirt and was in his tank top. Luckily, he wasn't in it for long, as he found another shirt close by to wear.
"Well, there is a world of difference."
Mendlesohn shrugged it off.
"Not every safari tour guide is a Tarzan."
Diane laughed and she went to the bar and started making a mimosa. She felt better. She turned on the television and radio.
"The battle at the border of Maltaka and Rzerworia was raging long into the night, and into this morning. Sources tell us that Presidents Otunga and N'Gama are in talks for a ceasefire, as soon as stolen goods are returned. We do not know what stolen goods the Rzeworian president is talking about, but the people on the bombed streets of Maltayka do want to see the war end."
On the front, Rzeworian soldiers brought in decided to scope the foxholes. If they saw a Mataykan soldier, they were commanded to shoot. Most of the soldiers they found though, were dead and were their own. The Maltaykan soldiers were commanded to wait until the opposing army was near their demarcation line before attacking.
In the meantime, Matt could feel the dry heat on his wet skin as he awoke. Cheryl was asleep, but he nudged her until her eyes opened.
"Sorry, Cheryl, we have to get out of this foxhole."
Cheryl stirred some.
"Okay."
"I just need to acquire a rifle and some bullets." Matt laid Cheryl down on the ground next to him as she got up. He gave her his knife.
"Hold onto this," Matt said, giving it to her, "I am going to scope and see. Stay down here until I get you when the time comes."
Matt got up and stayed low in sight as he climbed a little ways up from the foxhole. He saw soldiers coming up from behind from where they were. He ducked down quickly as to not be spotted. He heard gunfire.
Matt signaled to Cheryl to be quiet and gave her a hug, signaling he'll be fine. This wasn't his first time in a warzone, even if he was the center of the war this time. The thought crossed his mind that Otunga didn't want the cure Cheryl was holding, he wanted the root just for itself. Two more shots were fired and Cheryl could feel the vibrations from the hole, causing dirt to drop. Matt climbed up some. He saw soldiers coming his way. He got up out of the foxhole and put his hands up.
"No need to shoot," Matt said, "I surrender."
"How did you?" a soldier asked.
As two soldiers came to arrest him, Matt lowered his hands and punched one in the crotch before back punching the other. Three other soldiers came at him and Matt wacked them all with the butt of the rifle he acquired from the first soldier he knocked out. Matt went back into the hole, pointed this gun, and started shooting at other soldiers coming towards him.
The Maltakan army spotted this from afar, and a missile was shot overhead the hole as the battle on the border recommenced. Amid the chaos, Matt went down, grabbed Cheryl, and started running towards where the missile came from. Bombs started dropping down from either side, and the dirt was getting rained on Matt and Cheryl as he was running, holding her, and the rifle. He stopped behind a tree to readjust as a bomb fell. He covered Cheryl with his body as the dust and dirt rained on them both. He saw a lone Rzerworian soldier following them. He grabbed his handgun and shot. Five units of soldiers came out from behind the lone one, and Matt with Cheryl ran amid gunfire. A bullet grazed past his left shoulder, but it was merely a scratch with barely any blood, not that he was noticing.
As they were running, ten units of Maltakan soldiers came in their direction but didn't interrupt their running. Soldiers ran continuously as Matt and Cheryl ran further and further towards the Maltakan border. Unbeknownst to them, a disappearing plane was following them. The plane was interrupted by the Maltaykan Air Force interceding with air warfare, but it continued as planes started crashing on the border. Bigger planes made their entrance and the plane following Cutter was stalled as it was literally caught in crosshairs before crashing down.
Matt and Cheryl ran and were able to make it past the border into Maltayka. The jungle was ravaged by war, but they were away from the battlefield. Matt kept running, hoping a shelter would present itself soon. The sweat of it all coagulated the dirt, mud, and traces of grass on Matt's bare torso. Still, Cheryl Peterson was safe. He had to find somewhere for them both. He saw a house that looked abandoned, albeit damaged from recent bombing. Matt took the risk and charged into the door. Matt and Cheryl got up, not injured by the door crashing.
"Where are we?" Cheryl said, holding onto Matt's hand.
"I don't know. Hello!" Matt was waiting for someone to respond. He saw moss and mold in the house.
"There's no one here."
Something about the house did seem familiar to him. The two walked into the dining room, where photographs were disintegrating and dust overtook furniture, glass and flatware, and a collapsed dining room table. He saw a picture of President N'Gama shaking the hands of someone. His eyes widened. He was in Dr. Miller's old house.
Cheryl didn't know of the history, let alone Matt's history of the space. She just hid behind his belt, afraid.
"It's okay, Cheryl," Matt said, patting her head, "there's no one here to harm you. We're safe for now."
Matt lowered himself to her level, and the two hugged. Cheryl started crying. Matt lifted her up and he sat on a sturdy couch that wasn't quite worn down and let her cry out the war she saw. Matt knew he was getting closer to Cutter Unlimited, but, as the last time he was stranded here, knew it would take a day's journey.