We will move to the trees. Lose ourselves in the canopy overhead. Difficult with my bum leg, but not impossible. And it offers a certain advantage. Any pursuit will be by ground. No one will be looking overhead.
But going up provides challenges. We can’t leave any evidence behind that we’ve moved overhead.
“Eve…” I hobble over to her. She looks at me with the smoldering remnants of our kiss in her eyes. It’s enough to make my heart skip a beat.
“Yes?”
“We need to talk.”
The three of us gather around as I explain the conversation Knox and I shared. I’m not surprised when Eve agrees. Something tells me she would put up a fight if I tried to separate her from me. I both love, and hate, that about her.
We’ve been through hell to free her, but I need to go with my operational experience. I know what Knox is capable of on his own.
As for Eve, I don’t know her limits.
With all of us in agreement, it’s only a matter of placing Eve and myself in the best defensible position possible. The delay is one I’m not fond of, but it’s unavoidable.
We backtrack to a tree both Knox and I independently identified. Broad of base, torturous trunk with plenty of handholds, it’s the perfect place to hide. It’s also one hell of a climb up, especially since we can’t climb the tree itself. That would leave a sign for anyone following us.
Working out the best way to do this takes a moment, but we stagger our approach, climbing a smaller tree a few yards away, and by smaller, this one is merely ten feet in diameter. This jungle is home to some monstrous trees. Their limbs are broad enough to walk on. It’s why panthers love the canopy. It’s easy for a big animal to get around.
Right now, that means it’s easy for the three of us to navigate our way through what’s essentially a veritable highway of intersecting limbs.
Once the three of us scale the first tree, Knox leads the way across a bridge made of limbs. He helps me across, then assists Eve. From there, we climb another twenty feet into the air. The trees tower over our heads. The limbs, broad and sturdy, are large enough to sleep on, but we don’t stop there.
Knox and I push up and onward. Eve and I need to be high enough in the canopy to evade pursuit from below. We need to become invisible. We also need to be safe enough, which means no falling off when we sleep. I’ve already accepted we’ll be in the jungle through the night. Depending on how it goes with Knox, and then the response of our team, I’m looking at two to three days in a tree.
Days without water and without food. Doesn’t matter. I’ve survived worse before.
Onward and upward.
Fifty feet into the canopy, we can barely see the jungle floor. We also can’t see the sky. It’s pitch black overhead, a ceiling made of broad leaves which blocks out most light. Or will, once the sun rises.
I find a hollow within the trunk of a tree. It’s a crevice Eve and I can hide inside. Better yet, Knox can work his way back down to the jungle floor in a direction opposite the way we came.
The spot we find is small, cramped, but sufficient for our needs. Food and water will be problematic, but I place my trust in Knox.
Once we’re situated, Knox and I clasp hands.
“Godspeed.” I pray it’s not the last time I see my friend.
“And you.” Knox turns to Eve. “Take care of my friend. Don’t let him play hero.” He gathers her in a hug that’s far too close for my tastes.
She throws her arms around his neck. I’ve never wanted to shove a knife in my friend more than now, but it’s over and done before I can process the jealous rage.
“Here.” I pull out the ledger and the bills of lading. “Make sure Mitzy gets these.”
Knox gives me a look, but he takes the papers, tucking them securely inside his shirt.
There’s a lot unsaid in handing those over to him. If anything happens to me, at least Guardian HRS will have what it needs to bring down this organization. Knox knows why I’m handing them over, and from the look on his face, he doesn’t like it.
“Until you get back.” I try to reassure him, but his scowl is fixed and not going anywhere until he returns with the rest of the team.
“Until I see you again, my friend.” Knox grabs me and pulls me in for a hug. He thumps my back as I do the same.
We’re Guardians, and we don’t believe in goodbyes, but it never hurts to embrace one last time.
Knox gives me a corny salute, then scampers along a broad limb. He’ll work his way to the ground, gradually, staying far away from the tree Eve and I hold up in. We follow his progress until we lose him to the vegetation.
Then we settle back as I take stock of our ammunition, acutely aware we’re alone, together, for the very first time.
Thirty-Two
Max
“So, we wait here?” Eve peers out into the night. Her voice shakes.
The jungle can be scary at night. It’s dark, noisy, and terrifying for those not attuned to the rhythms of the jungle. Eve jumps at every rustling leaf, every chirp of the tree frogs, and the buzzing of a multitude of insects.
Not that I’m particularly attuned to jungle noises, but I know what to listen for, what to worry about, and for me, the noise is a comfort. Only when things go quiet will I become concerned.
Eve doesn’t realize it, but when we were walking, the jungle grew silent as we passed through. When we climbed high into the canopy, the same thing happened. Only now that we’re relatively still have the denizens of the jungle returned to their nightly rituals. If quiet suddenly falls, that will tell me either Benefield has found us or my team is ready to extract us.
“We wait.” I prop my weapon against the trunk of the tree. “You should try to get some sleep. We’re going to be here a while.”
“Do you think Benefield will come after us?”
“Not think.” I give her a hard look. “I know.”
Eve runs her hands up and down her arms, giving herself a little hug. I want to provide her that comfort and hate the awkwardness I feel now that we’re alone. She belongs in my arms. I should be giving her the comfort she needs.
The hollow we sit in is the result of the parent tree losing its top some years ago. Smaller branches rose from the outer circumference of the remaining trunk, growing upward until they joined together overhead. We’re in a natural teepee, with a floor that’s relatively even. Most importantly, it’s dry.
It’s not such a bad place.
The sweltering humidity clings in the air despite it being nighttime. In fact, it feels thicker up here than on the jungle floor. The powerful scents of the forest surround us. The pungent smell of new and rotting vegetation mixes with the loamy soil far below. That essence mixes with the woodsy scent of our tree, home for the night, into a complex mixture of life, death, and decay.
It all combines into a musty aroma that invades every breath. Fortunately, light floral accents float on the wind, just enough to make it tolerable.
I don’t say anything to Eve, but there are plenty of threats in the canopy we need to watch out for. My hope is this tree isn’t a part of a major ant highway. The idea of them swarming over us as the night progresses is unsettling. I don’t mention how perfect this spot is for a large animal to make its own den. Although, there’s no scent of cat urine, which would indicate a panther lived here. As for monkeys, they live in the canopy and can be a nuisance.