***
It took all afternoon to reach the valley floor. Javin called them in with hand signals and climbed into the center of a dense thicket to wait for night. It would be clear with a full moon. It increased their chances of being seen.
Javin shrugged out of the pack and pulled open a flap. His team watched him arm the mechanism, hesitating now and then to remember the steps then pulled out a palm switch, holding it in his right hand.
If they were attacked and couldn’t get closer, Javin would touch it off hoping they were close enough. He rolled his lucky marble across the fingers on his left hand. It was still warm. He’d been holding it since leaving the ridge.
The others’ eyes were dim points of light against their mud caked skin. Javin sat and pointed to the last of the sun, motioning with his finger across the remaining sky and down. They understood. They’d wait until dark to move out again.
Each took a place equally spaced and sat facing out, Javin in the center. His package had to be protected.
The jungle had become eerily silent. No insect chitter, animal growls, or hoots. It was so quiet he imagined hearing the sound of moist air being belched from the smoldering jungle floor. The mud on his skin had been itchy. Now it was a coolant. Not really cool, but cooler than the hot, tepid air.
They waited.