For the Good of All

  She stretched farther, trying to reach his backpack, muttering curses to herself about not having longer arms. If she hitched herself up just a bit more…

  The door behind her suddenly opened and something touched her leg. She let out a scream, lost her balance and tipped head first over the seat into the back.

  A loud guffaw filled the vehicle, the sound foreign yet the source was undeniable. Stone was laughing!

  Tina righted herself and peered over the seats to see Stone actually grinning at her. “Glad to see you’re awake.”

  “Awake? Of course, I’m awake. It sounds like someone is being disembowelled out there.” She brushed her hair from her face and gestured towards the surrounding jungle.

  Stone frowned, cocking his head as he listened before giving another huff of laughter. “Howler monkeys. They make quite a racket, don’t they?”

  “Monkeys? Holy cheeseballs, they’re noisy.”

  “Better than an alarm clock.”

  “They scared me half to death,” she muttered, climbing out of the vehicle. “Where were you?”

  “Getting us breakfast.” He held up yet another fruit she didn’t recognize.

  “What is it?”

  “Sapodilla. Tastes sort of like a pear. Just don’t eat the seeds. There’s a hook on the end that can catch in your throat.”

  Tina watched as Stone cut the fruit into pieces.

  “The skin is tough. You eat the insides.” He handed her a section.

  After sniffing it cautiously, she took a bite. “Yum! These are good.”

  “Glad it meets with your approval.”

  “What else is edible around here?” She surveyed the surrounding trees with interest.

  He replied in between bites. “Bananas, mangos, avocado. Not much danger of starving in the jungle if you know where to look. Of course,” he slid a sideways look at her, “if you’re looking for meat, there are lots of larvae—”

  “Stop right there!” She interrupted with a glare. “Don’t ruin my breakfast with gross talk.”

  Stone shrugged. “Gross but true.”

  “It might be true, however, until desperation strikes, I’ll live on fruit.”

  The corner of his mouth curled upwards before he popped the last bit of his meal into his mouth. “I’ll get the packs ready while you finish eating. We need to get moving.”

  Tina nodded and munched quickly, trying to keep the trepidation in her stomach under control. While she considered herself fit, trekking through a jungle carrying a backpack was beyond the realm of her experience. She hoped she was up to the challenge.

  All too soon, Stone was hefting the pack on her back, adjusting the straps and then giving her a final look over.

  She knew her appearance was ridiculous. Her own cute tops had been deemed inappropriate for a jungle trek and he’d had her don an oversized khaki shirt that had been bought for the partner who hadn’t shown up. She’d knotted the waist and rolled the sleeves, but it was still way too big.

  At least he’d said the cotton pants she’d pulled from her suitcase were okay. If she had to wear the ones that matched the shirt, they’d have fallen around her ankles.

  Stone nodded and grabbed his own pack. “You’ll do.”

  The simple words were likely high praise in his mind, so she smiled her thanks.

  “Put on more repellent.” He handed her the container. “The mosquitoes will love your fair skin.”

  “Does this stuff work?” She applied liberal amounts.

  “It won’t stop all of them, but it’s better than nothing. Keep your shirt done up. The more of your body that’s covered, the less chance you’ll get bitten.”

  She glanced in the back of the vehicle eyeing her suitcase stuffed with cute bathing suits and summer wear. “We’re leaving a lot of stuff behind.”

  “Can’t be helped. We have to conserve our energy and that means carrying the bare minimum.”

  She grabbed the rag doll she’d bought the day before and stuffed it in her waistband. “This doesn’t weigh much and it might help with the children.”

  Stone raised a brow but didn’t tell her to put it back. He checked the doors and windows of the jeep. “All secure. With any luck we’ll be back in a couple of days to retrieve it.”

  “It’s not too likely anyone will come by and steal our stuff, is it? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

  “You never know. However, it’s the monkeys getting inside that would cause our biggest problem.”

  The idea of one sitting in the driver seat wearing her bikini made her laugh and she chuckled softly as Stone led the way over the fallen tree and down the makeshift road.

  During the day, the jungle was considerably less intimidating than it had seemed the previous night. Completely in awe, she looked this way and that, trying to take in all the sights, sounds and smells.

  Plants of every size, shape and colour imaginable surrounded them. Exotic flowers appeared in the most unusual places. Ferns grew to mammoth proportions. She craned her neck looking up at the trees that towered overhead letting only dappled bits of sunlight reach the ground below, then stared fascinated at the highway of leaf-cutter ants marching across the road. Birds flitted through the air and always there was the constant hum of insects in the background.

  It was inspiring, overwhelming and fascinating all at once. As far as her eye could see, lush vegetation surrounded them with no sign of civilization anywhere. She had the oddest sensation of having been transported back to the very beginning of time when the whole world was newly created and she and Stone were the first humans to walk upon the planet.

  The idea that she was some biblical Eve and Stone was Adam made her smile. For a while she amused herself with a fantasy of both of them frolicking naked. Unfortunately, a pesky mosquito buzzing in her ear had the fantasy disappearing just as things were getting interesting. If she was naked, she’d likely have bug bites on her butt and boobs. Not sexy or romantic in the least.

  With her daydream destroyed, she began asking Stone questions.

  “I knew you couldn’t be silent the entire day,” he quipped over his shoulder.

  She stuck her tongue out at his back but laughed. “I want to learn everything I can about this place. It’s so foreign from Chicago or Florida or any of the other places I’ve been.”

  Stone answered her queries with patient explanations. His demonstration of how to husk a coconut with a machete when they stopped for a break looked so simple she insisted on trying herself. Several failed attempts later she handed the now mangled coconut back to Stone.

  “A machete looks easier to use when you do it.” She groused. “Magic and machete; things that start with ‘m’ seem to be out to get me.”

  “Make-up starts with ‘m’,” he pointed out.

  “True.” She made a face. “Another theory foiled.”

  “Using a machete just takes practice.” He deftly dealt with the recalcitrant coconut. “You were holding it too tight and trying to use your wrist. Use the momentum of your body and swing from the shoulder. It’s a similar motion to what you’d use for skipping stones.”

  “Maybe I’ll stick to gathering fruit.” She noticed what appeared to be a type of fruit lying on the ground and held them up. “What about these?”

  “Cojones de caballo.” He grinned. “Or horse balls.”

  “Horse balls?” She stared at the paired globular fruits doubtfully. “Are they edible?”

  “Mostly only to birds. Natives have medical uses for them though. For example, if you have a botfly larva in your arm, the sap can be used to smother it.”

  “A botfly?” She waved her hand to shoo away the various insects swarming around her.

  “They lay eggs on mosquitoes. When the mosquito bites you, the eggs fall off, immediately hatch and burrow under your skin.”

  She shuddered. “And I thought getting malaria was the biggest of my worries. Makes a dark alley in Chicago seems preferable.”

  Stone shrugg
ed his shoulder. “In some ways I prefer the dangers of the jungle. Animals and bugs; they’re motivated by survival; food, shelter, reproduction. It’s easier to understand how they’ll react.” He took a drink then wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. “Humans are motivated by greed and power. Much harder to predict how they’ll act or what lengths they’ll go to. They’ll kill over ideology, money, sometimes just because they can.”

  “Sounds like you’ve encountered some pretty grim examples of our species.”

  “I have.” He got to his feet without further explanation. “Time to get moving again. We still have quite a way to go.”

  Over the miles, the road had deteriorated into a track and finally a narrow path. When the last vehicle had passed through was anyone’s guess. Stone was making greater use of his machete hacking off whatever they couldn’t duck under or go around. It was tiring work, even for an incredibly fit Lycan.

  Tina watched from her position behind him as his shirt became wet with sweat, the material clinging to him like a second skin, outlining every sculpted muscle. She recalled what it felt like to run her fingers over his hard flesh, to feel the controlled strength of him as he held her tight. It made her feel even hotter than she already did and she tried to school her thoughts in a less stimulating direction.

  Nature was, perhaps, trying to help when an afternoon rainstorm sprung up seemingly from nowhere. Torrents of rain poured down on them, miniature waterfalls forming where the rain dripped off the overhead leaves. Within seconds Tina was soaked, her hair plastered to her head, her feet squishing uncomfortably in her shoes.

  “It won’t last long,” Stone called out over the drum-like sound of raindrops pounding on the canopy above. “We’ll keep going.”

  She slicked her hair back from her face and nodded. There really was no other response. There was no shelter, no umbrella, no other course but to keep plodding along.

  The rain finally ceased, however, that just meant the humidity started to rise again. Tina was sure she could see the moisture in the air, feel it in every breath she took in. Had she ever felt this sticky and disgusting before in her entire life?

  Knowing they could dehydrate in the incessant heat, Stone had them stop frequently to rest and replenish the fluids they lost from sweating. At this point she was too tired to talk and merely grunted her thanks for the drink he handed her, then wearily pushed herself to her feet when he indicated it was time to continue the trek.

  Stone cast a glance over her, a muscle twitched in his cheek but he made no other comment.

  She knew she must look a disaster. Her clothes were filthy and sticking to her body, strands of hair hung limply on her forehead. She didn’t give a damn. Her backpack felt heavier with every step, the straps rubbing on her shoulders and her tired legs could barely lift her wet, muddy shoes. Like an automaton, she took one step after another, her eyes fixed on Stone’s back, her mind blank. When he finally announced they’d reached their destination, she almost walked right into him.

  She wiped the sweat from her eyes and looked around in disappointment. “This is it? I thought you said we were heading to an abandoned mission.” All she could see was an open area around a large cluster of plants.

  “Look carefully.” He directed her attention and she was able to make out a tiny section of stone wall between the leaves and vines. “We’ll spend the night here.”

  “It’s still early.” She was exhausted but didn’t want him stopping on her account. Somehow she’d find the strength to continue on.

  “It’s too hot to travel any farther plus I’m not sure if we could find a shelter between here and the Duffys’ last known location.”

  Tina didn’t argue the point; stopping for the day sounded like a splendid idea to her. She watched as Stone used his machete to hack a path through the tangle of plants and vines that covered the doorway to the abandoned building. It was a simple structure consisting of a few small rooms and a tiny chapel. Webs, plant debris and the skeletal remains of small animals were intermixed with a few broken and decaying chairs and tables. She eased the backpack off her shoulders and looked around.

  Exactly why it had been abandoned, Tina could only speculate. Had the missionaries given up their efforts or moved to a better location? Or had the never ending battle for control of the area resulted in their deaths? A shiver passed over her at the idea of sleeping in a building where someone might have been killed. Maybe she’d be able to convince Stone that camping under the stars was more restful.

  As if he’d read her thoughts and was trying to be contrary, Stone dropped his pack on the floor and announced they’d be sleeping in the old chapel. “We’ll use this space. We can build a fire right outside the door and there’s a place to hang our hammocks.”

  “Wouldn’t sleeping outside be better? Fresh air, stars overhead, a camp fire crackling nearby as we snuggle inside a tent.” She tried to paint an idyllic picture with her words.

  “No tent. Besides, tents are on the ground which means bugs, spiders, scorpions and snakes can all crawl inside.”

  “Just an idea.” She turned in a slow circle, peering into the shadowed corners while rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

  “What’s wrong?” Stone planted his hands on his hips and she wondered if she was really that transparent.

  “Dead people.”

  “Dead people?” He looked around. “I don’t see any here. Do you?”

  “No. But, maybe the people who once lived here were killed and their bodies—”

  “Get your imagination under control, Christina. They were recalled by the missionary group a few years back.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Reno thoroughly researched the area for me and sent me the particulars. We didn’t stumble upon this place by accident. Satellite images, internet searches of government files; you don’t waltz into a country without knowing what you’re facing, what resources are available or what other groups might be functioning in the area.”

  “Oh.” She looked around, viewing the old building with new eyes. “In that case, it’s an interesting place. I like the texture of the walls.”

  “Good. You can feel them instead of my hair.”

  She giggled at his reference to the night they first met and then, at his bidding went to gather some bits of wood to use for a fire later on.

  With the ease of experience, Stone hung hammocks and spread out mosquito netting over each, his mind occupied with thoughts of Christina. She was a strange mix; eager to learn about the jungle one minute and then worried about dead people the next. Quirky, but not a stereotypical dumb blonde…or whatever colour her hair might be! She was doing well, no whining or complaining about the lack of amenities or the heat or how far they’d had to travel today. Though they looked nothing alike, in some ways she reminded him of Adisa…

  An image of the woman flashed before his eyes; she’d looked to him for leadership, too, and look at how that had ended. He tightened his lips and pushed the memory away.

  “I’m ready for a shower now. I don’t suppose you have a portable one hidden in your backpack?” Tina set down the sticks she’d gathered, smiling despite the sweat shining on her face.

  “No, but there’s a river nearby. Bring your spare clothes. We can rinse out what we’re wearing at the river and hang it to dry overnight.”

  It was a short walk to the river; close enough that the former residents had easy access to water but far enough away that they didn’t have to be worried about being swept away by a flash flood, something that was always possible after a heavy rain.

  Part way there, he gave a satisfied nod. “We’re in luck, we can take a shower.”

  “Don’t tease me, Stone.” Tina plucked at her sweat-stained clothing.

  “I’m not. Can’t you hear it? There’s a waterfall ahead.”

  She shook her head but, after a few seconds, smiled. “Now I do. There’s sort of a distant roaring sound. How did you know?”

  “Lycan
hearing. It’s a notch or two above the average witch’s,” he gently gibed.

  She seemed about to protest but then at that moment they exited the jungle and saw a river stretching out before them. It was wide and not too deep, being only a tributary that fed into the main river that cut through Cantala.

  Stone watched as Christina took in the sight, her eyes wide with wonder. Had he been that young once? It seemed he’d felt old and jaded for more years than he could remember. A river was just a river to him; a place to bathe and get water, a possible source of food or even danger.

  Shoving his hands in his pockets, he tried to see the scene before him as she must be doing.

  Water sparkled as it tumbled over partially submerged logs and rocks, erasing their usual dull appearance and causing them to shimmer in the bright sunshine. Diamond-like droplets of moisture dotted the pendulous leaves that hung near the water’s edge while, a short distance away, the spray from the waterfall filled the air allowing the rays of light to create a rainbow arch over the small pool below.

  “It’s beautiful, Stone. This must be what the Garden of Eden was like.”

  “Perhaps. I’m sure there’s at least one or two snakes here.”

  She hit him lightly on the stomach. “Don’t spoil it for me. If there are snakes, you’re in charge of them. Me, I’m so hot and sticky, I don’t even care anymore. I’m heading in.” Hanging her clean clothes on a nearby tree, she started to unbutton her shirt.

  Stone had to agree with her, and followed suit, shucking his clothing and then, after grabbing the bar of soap he’d brought along, waded in. A few long strokes later, he emerged under the waterfall. The cool liquid cascaded down on him, pounding his shoulder muscles, releasing the tension that had formed there over the course of the day. For a few minutes he simply stood enjoying the moment before practicality weighed in. He scrubbed his hair with the bar of soap and then lathered his body, washing away the grime and sweat. By the time he was done, Christina had tired of swimming and was making her way towards him.