Chapter 20
CHAPTER 20
D emocratic Republic of Congo.
Hawk leaned against the doorway of the hut, staring out at the raging storm. The rain hammered against the thatched roof with relentless force, while lightening illuminated the muddy village in brief, jagged flashes.
“It’s fucking biblical,” he muttered, grimacing in disgust.
“Let’s give it twenty minutes for the worst of the storm to pass,” Phoenix, one of the ex-SEAL operators on loan from Pat said, leaning against the wall, his rifle resting against his thigh. The second operator, Viper, crouched by the window, alert and watchful.
Edmond, calm and composed as ever, sat cross-legged on the floor, sharpening his machete with practiced ease. The rhythmic scrape of the blade on stone was oddly soothing compared to the turmoil bubbling away inside of him.
“Okay, but then we move out. I want to close the gap before nightfall.”
They were close. According to the villagers, Lexi had been here, and she, Moyo and Patrick were alive. That knowledge fueled him, driving him on despite the appalling conditions.
Thirty-six hours wasn’t much of a head start, especially not in this terrain, but it wasn’t nothing either. They could still catch up if they pushed hard and didn’t waste a second.
Phoenix nodded. “The rain will hamper our movement, but it’ll also slow them down if they’re ahead of us. Patrick will be trying to keep the boy safe, and with an injury like that, they won’t be moving fast.”
Viper glanced up from his position by the window. “You think they’re headed for higher ground? Maybe trying to find a cave or some other shelter until the heat dies down?”
Hawk’s gaze darkened. “If Patrick knows this area as well as I think he does, he’ll avoid the obvious hiding spots. The rebels will be scouring the caves and the hills first. My guess is he’s sticking to the dense jungle, following water sources. He knows the terrain, and he knows how to stay hidden.”
Edmond spoke in French without looking up. “They will be careful, but they are vulnerable. The boy is slowing them down, and Miss Lexi … she is brave, but she is not a fighter.”
Hawk’s hands tightened into fists as he responded in kind. “She doesn’t have to be. That’s why we’re here.”
Edmond glanced up, meeting Hawk’s eyes. He gave a small, respectful nod. “We will find them.”
The rain began to ease, the pounding deluge giving way to a steady drizzle. Hawk checked his watch. They couldn’t afford to wait any longer.
“Let’s move,” he said, slinging his pack over his shoulder.
The group filed out of the hut, their boots squelching in the thick mud as they made their way back to the jungle’s edge. The air was cooler now, the storm having temporarily beaten back the oppressive humidity, but the ground was treacherous, slippery and littered with puddles.
Edmond took the lead, his machete flashing as he cleared the narrow path ahead. As a ranger, guide and tracker, he was best placed to pick up the trail. Hawk followed closely, his rifle held ready, his eyes scanning the dense foliage for any sign of movement. Phoenix and Viper brought up the rear, their banter from earlier replaced by a tense, watchful silence.
The jungle was alive with noise—the drip of water from the leaves, the distant call of birds, the rustle of unseen animals. Every sound set Hawk’s nerves on edge, but he forced himself to focus. His SEAL training came back to him in sharp detail: stay alert, stay calm, assess the situation, and adapt.
As they pushed deeper into the jungle, Edmond paused suddenly, holding up a hand. The group froze, their weapons at the ready. Hawk moved up beside him, his voice a low whisper. “What is it?”
Edmond pointed to the ground. A faint trail of flattened grass and disturbed earth led away from the track, heading deeper into the trees.
“Footprints,” he whispered. “Three people. One is supporting the boy. They passed through here recently.”
Hawk’s pulse quickened. He crouched down to examine the trail, his trained eye picking out the details Edmond had noted. The footprints were shallow—whoever was carrying Moyo was struggling to distribute the weight evenly. The tracks were fresh, no more than a few hours old.
“They’re heading southeast,” Edmond continued, his voice steady. “There is a river nearby. They will follow it.”
Hawk gave a determined nod. “Then so will we.”
The group moved quickly now, their pace urgent but controlled. The jungle seemed to close in around them, the dense foliage swallowing the fading light and plunging them into a green-tinged twilight. The sound of running water grew louder as they approached the river, the rush of the current mingling with the ever-present hum of the jungle.
Edmond stopped again, crouching by the riverbank. He pointed to a patch of disturbed sand. “They crossed here. See the tracks? They’re heading upstream.”
Hawk scanned the area, picking out the faint signs of passage. A snapped branch here, a scuff mark on a rock there. Lexi was doing her best to cover their tracks, but she wasn’t a trained operative. Her efforts, while admirable, wouldn’t fool a seasoned tracker like Edmond.
“They’re smart to stick close to the water,” Viper said, kneeling beside Hawk. “Easier to stay hydrated, and the sound of the river will cover their movements.”
“Smart, but risky,” Phoenix countered. “The rebels will be looking here too. We need to move fast.”
Hawk’s jaw tightened. “Let’s pick up the pace.”
They followed the river for another hour, their boots slipping on the wet rocks as they navigated the uneven terrain. The jungle grew darker as the sun dipped below the horizon, the fading light casting long shadows across the water.
Finally, they came to a small clearing where the ground was littered with signs of recent activity. A makeshift campfire in the center, long since extinguished, surrounded by a few scattered belongings—a torn piece of cloth, a stick with striations carved into it, possibly from the type of pocketknife he’d given Moyo, and a bundle of medicinal plants wrapped in a banana leaf.
Hawk bent and picked up the cloth. “I think this is from Moyo’s shirt. His fingers tightened around the fabric. “They were here.”
“How long ago?” Phoenix asked.
Edmond studied the remains of the fire. “Last night, maybe early this morning.”
“We’re gaining on them,” Hawk said, looking at the others. “If we keep moving we might be able to intercept tonight.”
Phoenix and Viper exchanged a glance, their expressions resolute. “You lead, boss,” Phoenix said, hefting his rifle. “We’ll follow.”
Hawk glanced ahead at the seemingly impenetrable jungle.
“I’m coming, Lexi,” he whispered into the dusk, so nobody else could hear. One thing he knew for certain was he wasn’t stopping until she was back in his arms.