While Ronan took care of supper, Nigel checked the engines and tires of each vehicle. After that, he climbed onto the back of the pick-up and fiddled with the 50-caliber.
Spook stayed in his seat. It appeared he didn’t give a damn about the outside world while the rest of them stretched their legs and emptied their bladders.
Rogue took the opportunity to explore the area and ended up in the shade of a willow tree next to the river. She enjoyed the sound of the water bubbling across the rocks. It gave her a sense of tranquility, and for a moment, she zoned out.
“It’s beautiful, right?” a voice said from behind, causing her to jump.
To her dismay, the voice belonged to Daniel, and a frown creased her forehead. “Can’t you just leave me alone?”
“Whoa, tiger. I come in peace,” he said, raising both hands in the air.
“Yeah?” Rogue replied, looking for Seth. She spotted him huddled over the map with Jessica, their attention fixated on the crinkled paper.
“I promise, I won’t bother you,” Daniel said. “I’m here to apologize.”
“Apologize?” Rogue repeated, surprised.
“Yes, I think we got off on the wrong foot earlier, and it’s my fault,” Daniel said with a self-deprecating smile.
“That’s true enough,” Rogue grumbled, folding her arms across her chest.
“I know, and I’m sorry,” Daniel added. “I hope we can be friends from now on.”
Rogue regarded him for a long minute, considering her options. She didn’t quite believe him, but he seemed sincere. Maybe he does mean it.
Either way, they were stuck together for the rest of the mission, and it would be better to be friends than enemies. Finally, she stuck out her hand. “Friends.”
“Excellent,” Daniel replied, shaking her hand with both of his. “You won’t regret it.”
“I sure hope not,” Rogue muttered underneath her breath when he walked away. Still, she was relieved. Perhaps, he wasn’t as bad as she’d thought.
Ronan announced a full catch not long after that and ordered everyone back to their vehicles. Rogue left the stream behind with a sense of regret. She’d miss the chuckling river with its many pretty features, but she’d miss the peace even more.
“Did you enjoy your break?” Seth asked when she got back into the Jeep.
“I want a house next to a river like that one day,” Rogue said, her eyes shining. “Close to the bank with its sparkling water and willow trees. It doesn’t have to be big. Just a small cottage with a vegetable patch, a few chickens, and maybe a cow or two. I wouldn’t mind a bit of grass and some flowers too.”
“You do?” Seth asked, seeming surprised.
“Why do you sound so shocked?” Rogue asked.
“I didn’t think you’d ever want to settle down.”
“Why not?”
“Because you always talk about traveling and seeing new places. You’re all about adventures and stuff.”
“Well, yeah. But that’s because I’m young. Eventually, I do want to settle down, and a place like that would be perfect.” Rogue looked at Seth. “What about you?”
Seth was quiet for a few moments. “I think I’d love a place like that too. Somewhere quiet without too many people around. I could fish and hunt for meat, and we could raise chickens and a cow for milk and eggs.”
“Uh-huh, and the vegetable patch for veggies and herbs. Maybe a couple of fruit trees and berry bushes,” Rogue added, growing excited. “We could trade for the extra things we needed, and we could breed with horses. Violet’s having her first foal soon.”
“What about kids?” Seth asked, giving her a careful look.
“Kids? I don’t know,” Rogue said. “I’ve thought about it, but I’m not sure if I’m the motherly type.”
“Well, there’s no rush to decide,” Seth said.
“Definitely,” Rogue replied. She chewed on her lower lip, uncertain. “Are kids a deal-breaker for you? I mean, do you want kids?”
Seth shrugged. “It’s not a deal-breaker. At least, I don’t think it is.”
“You don’t think, or you don’t know?”
“I’ve never really thought about it,” Seth admitted.
“I guess neither of us has. Not seriously, anyway,” Rogue said.
“Maybe we should. This kind of stuff is important, after all,” Seth said.
“Alright. Let’s think about it and discuss it again at a later date,” Rogue agreed. “Once this mission is over?”
“Sounds good to me,” Seth said. He reached over and took her hand in his. “In the meantime, this doesn’t change a thing between us. Okay?”
Rogue returned his smile. “Okay.”
Despite Seth’s confidence, however, she couldn’t help but worry. What if kids were a deal-breaker? What if they couldn’t agree on a future together? What if…?
But there was no point in obsessing over something that hadn’t happened yet. All they could do was finish the mission and talk about it afterward. She had to have faith that it would work out. Above all, she had to have faith in Seth. And I do. I trust him with all my heart, and that will never change.
Chapter 19 - Lt. Cummings
Lieutenant Cummings leaned out of the window, following the trail of carnage left by the plane. It wasn’t hard. The aircraft had cut a swathe of destruction through the jungle, leaving bits and pieces of wreckage behind. Blackened patches showed where blazing material had spilled, roasting the vegetation.
In the gun turret, Sonja Barnes kept a lookout for the beasts they knew were chasing the plane. They’d spotted a couple of tracks earlier but couldn’t determine what kind of predator it belonged to. All they knew was that there were two of the creatures, probably a breeding pair, and they were big. Very big.
That worried Cummings. While he believed they could fight the beasts off, he didn’t know where they were. They could pounce at any moment, bursting from cover to wreak havoc on his team.
The Humvee broke into a small clearing, and Sergeant James Horton stopped the truck. He pointed at a mound of stuff and asked, “What’s that?”
“That’s the cargo,” Tomi said with a shake of his head.
After a careful look around for danger, he climbed out of the vehicle and studied the debris. A piece of the plane had broken off and crashed into the trees, creating a circle of flattened vegetation. In the middle lay the cargo, strewn about like so much junk.
Except, it wasn’t junk. It was the stuff promised to Prime City, thought lost in the crash. There was enough food, medicine, clothes, and other supplies to help the citizens survive the winter. There were seeds and garden tools too. Spare parts, motor oil, fuel, wiring, guns, and ammunition. Even baby stuff.
“We can’t leave these supplies behind,” Tomi decided on the spot. He waved to his team. “Listen up, people. We’re taking this with us.”
“All of it?” Sergeant James asked, joining him in the clearing.
“Load as much as you can. Cram it in wherever you find a gap. Tie it onto the roof if you have to. I’m not leaving anything behind. Not when it could save the lives of countless people.”
“Yes, Lieutenant,” Sergeant James replied. “We’re on it.”
James gave the orders, and the supplies were gathered up and loaded into the Humvees. It took the better part of an hour to gather up the scattered items, repackage them, and find space for them in the trucks. Some of it was damaged and had to be left behind, but they salvaged a large chunk.
However, it wasn’t long before they found something else hidden underneath the debris, and James called to Tomi. “Lieutenant. We found someone.”
“Dead?” Tomi asked, striding over.
“Long dead. He must’ve died in the crash,” James replied.
“Did the scavengers get him?”
“No, Sir. He was trapped underneath this piece of scrap metal,” James said.
“Does he look like one of the Primes?” Tomi asked.
“It
’s hard to say, but I don’t think so. He’s built like a brick shithouse, and he’s wearing an overall,” James said.
“Ground crew, maybe?” Linda Longo suggested.
“Probably,” Tomi said with a nod. “Find anyone else?”
“No, Sir. Just the one,” James said.
“Has everything been loaded?”
“As much as we could squeeze in,” James replied.
“Then let’s move out.”
They got back into the Humvees and carried on. It wasn’t long before they found another body, this one mangled by scavengers. A flock of flyers, the small variety, flew away from the remains in a flurry of wings and squawks when they approached.
Lieutenant Cummings and Seargeant Horton got out to examine the corpse. As they neared, a couple of lizard-like creatures charged them, each only a few inches high. They were new to Tomi, and he wondered what they were, but there was no time to speculate. He growled at the cheeky things and stomped toward them. “Yah! Get out of here!”
Chittering and hissing, they backed away. A few more stomps, and they fled in a panic, scattering into the underbrush. Tomi smiled. “That’s better.”
Unfortunately, there wasn’t much left of the body or its clothing, and Tomi hoped it wasn’t one of the Primes. If they were dead, the mission was a failure, and he hated failing above all else.
They only paused long enough to give the man a quick burial, same as with the other body. They were fellow human beings, after all, and deserved to rest in peace even if it was out here in the wilderness.
By the time they reached the crash site, another hour had passed, and Tomi studied the space. “Slow down, Sergeant. Those two predators might be hanging around.”
“Yes, Sir,” James said, stopping the Humvee just short of the clearing. The other trucks followed suit, and they waited for something to show itself. When nothing happened, they climbed out and searched the plane.
Linda was there first and called out, “Sir, I found the pilot. He’s a goner. Dead on impact.”
Tomi followed her inside and investigated the wreck. There were no other bodies inside, but a trail of blood led from one of the seats to a pile of discarded gauze stained with blood and disinfectant. He followed the tracks into the forest, noting the twin set of tracks. “There’s two of them, and one of them is injured.”
“According to our intel, three crew members, including the pilot, and two Primes, occupied the aircraft,” Sergeant James replied.
Tomi nodded and pointed at the tracks. “I think these are our Primes.”
“How can you be sure?” James asked. “It could be one of them or even both that died back there.”
“As passengers, they probably sat near the front of the plane, the part that survived the crash. I didn’t see any of their luggage inside, and these tracks lead to Prime. Our guys would’ve headed back north.”
“Good thinking,” James said with a nod.
“Alright, let’s search the area,” Tomi commanded.
Strewn on the ground, they found more supplies and loaded what they could into the Humvees. They also spotted plenty of carnivore tracks. The pair of predators had been there not long before them, searching for survivors. Dissatisfied, they’d gone off in search of the two Primes.
Cummings stared at the giant tracks, each of them bigger than anything he’d ever seen before. The toes were tipped with claws big enough to leave massive indentations in the earth. Crushed leaves inside the hollow prints released a heady aroma, and he knew they couldn’t be too far ahead. I just hope we find the survivors before these monsters do.
“Are we going after them?” Linda asked.
“That’s our job,” Tomi said.
“Even if it takes us all the way to Prime?” Linda said.
“Is that a problem for you, Private Longo?” he asked, his brow furrowed.
“No, Sir,” Linda said, shaking her head.
“Besides, we are carrying cargo meant for Prime City, and two of our pilots are stranded there,” Tomi said.
“Two of ours?” Linda asked.
“Lee Alexander and Casey Hargitt are at Prime, waiting to return home. By all accounts, they have a Cessna 152 but no aviation fuel,” Tomi said.
“Didn’t the mayor send out a load of supplies to them a week or two ago?” Linda said. “Why didn’t they send the fuel then?”
“Limited space. The first shipment consisted of emergency supplies only. The second shipment carried several canisters. Enough to get the pilots home,” Tomi explained. “Did you find them back there, Sergeant James?”
“Yes, Sir. They’re loaded into one of the Humvees,” James said.
“Then we’re wasting time hanging around here,” Lieutenant Cummings said. “Let’s move out.”
“Yes, Sir,” James agreed, and they headed south toward Prime City.
As they followed the trail made by the two carnivores, Tomi hoped they’d make it in time to save the Primes. Wounded and bloody, they were an easy target. Plus, predators were territorial. They didn’t like strange things or outsiders in their domains and would kill to protect their hunting rights. Wherever the Primes were, they’d better have their wits about them, or they wouldn’t last another day.
Chapter 20 - Tony
Tony slogged through the thick underbrush without any care for the noise he made. His arms and legs felt like lead, and he had trouble walking in a straight line. The stitches in his cheek burned, and his tongue had turned into a stick of dry wood. Too exhausted to care about anything except the next step, he pressed forward.
“Tony,” David said. “We need to rest. We can’t keep going like this.”
“We can’t stop now,” Tony said. “We’re almost there.”
“Almost where?’ David asked, looking around. “There’s nothing here but trees and more trees.
“Prime City. We’re nearly there. It’s just a few more steps,” Tony said.
“Are you crazy?” David asked, tugging at his arm.
“I’m not crazy,” Tony said, shaking David off. “Prime is right ahead.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It has to be,” Tony insisted. “Can’t you see it? It’s right through those trees.”
“Tony, stop!” David said, yanking him around.
Tony blinked at David through swollen eyelids. “What?”
“How long has it been since you’ve had a drink of water?”
“Err, this morning, I think,” Tony said, thinking back to the sandy beach where they’d spent the night. It seemed like an eternity ago, the beach with its cozy atmosphere—an oasis in a dangerous world.
“That was hours ago,” David said, stunned.
“Maybe,” Tony said, touching his dry tongue to his cracked lips.
“Here, take a sip,” David said, offering his canteen.
“No, I’m good,” Tony said, waving him off. “It’s yours. It belongs to you.”
“Just drink the damn stuff,” David said, pushing the container into his hand.
Tony drank the lukewarm water with reluctance, but almost immediately, the fog cleared from his mind. “Man, I’m sorry. I’m just so tired.”
“Let’s sit down for a minute,” David said, pointing at a fallen log.
“We shouldn’t,” Tony hedged.
“Yes, we should. We’re exhausted, dehydrated, and injured. We need to rest,” David said.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“No more dangerous than blundering about without any thought or care,” David said. “Do you even know where you’re going? Or how much noise you were making?”
“Okay, okay, I get your point,” Tony said, slumping onto the log. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. After a few more sips of water, he began to feel like himself. Sitting down, the ache in his legs receded, and his feet regained sensation.
“Drink it all,” David said, pointing at the canteen of water. “I have more.”
“Where’s mine?” Tony asked,
rummaging through his bag. He found one canteen, but not the other.
“You lost it back there, remember? When we climbed out of that ravine?” David pointed out.
“Oh, yeah. That’s right.” Tony shook his head.
He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten, but it hadn’t been an easy day. It began well enough. They spent a restful night on the beach licking their wounds, but getting out had been a hell of a climb. He almost fell twice, and he lost his canteen and knife to the river. Ever since, they’d been slogging through the worst of terrain: Uneven ground choked with brush.
“Eat up. Get your strength back,” David said, handing him a strip of dried meat.
“Thanks,” Tony said, chewing on autopilot.
They sat in silence, each engrossed in their meal. They’d stop chewing only to take a sip of water, each bite giving them lifesaving energy. The exhaustion receded, and their vitality returned in slow increments. It wasn’t much, but enough to carry them until nightfall.
Tony was on his last bite when he noticed a strange sensation. It felt like a thrum in the earth, vibrating up through the soles of his feet. It traveled up his spine and mimicked his heart, each thrum another beat in his chest.
He focused on the feeling and gazed around. The forest was quiet around them. Too quiet. Not a sound could be heard except the strange rhythmic vibration. Moving slowly, he leaned forward and placed one hand on the ground. There it was, as clear as day—Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Realization struck, and the piece of meat he held fell from numb fingers. Terror spurted through his veins, followed by a jolt of adrenalin, and he jumped to his feet. “David, get your gun out. Now.”
“What? Why?” David asked, looking confused. Then he looked around with a frown. “What’s that weird noise?”
“It’s not noise. It’s vibrations,” Tony cried. “Something big is headed this way. Get ready!”
“What do you mean, something big?” David said, still looking confused, but he jumped up and grabbed his gun anyway.
The Extinction Series | Book 8 | Primordial Earth 8 Page 11