CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Are you certain you trust him?” asked Tobias.
“As much as I trust anyone in this damn country,” said Ham. “He was honest, very honest. I also think he’s concerned about Rita and her intentions as well. Hawk? Can you do a circle around us, or can you find a bird and do a circle around us? Just want to be sure we’re clear.”
Hawk smiled at him, nodding. He searched the trees for the right bird, finding a large Andean condor. It appeared to be nearly thirty pounds, with the largest wing span he’d ever seen.
Closing his eyes, he telepathically asked the bird for permission and was granted the ability to see through its eyes. As the bird took off, it was the first time Hawk had ever felt slightly dizzy. The power and speed the bird possessed was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before.
The team watched as his eyes seemed to turn solid black, his head moving gently from side to side. After several long moments, he closed his eyes then looked at everyone.
“We’re good and this place is amazing. There’s no one within fifty miles looking for us.”
“Fifty miles? That’s a long way in a short time,” frowned Jak.
“He’s a big fucking bird and magnificent,” smirked Hawk. “He promised to stay close.”
“Well, alrighty then,” nodded Brooks. “Do we know where the Marquez family is?”
“Yes,” said Trak walking back into camp. He was followed by Alvin, moving quickly behind him. On Alvin’s back was the largest jaguar any of them had ever seen.
“Holy fuck,” jumped Rush. “What the hell is that?”
“He is a jaguar,” said Trak. “And he’s beautiful. He and Alvin instantly made friends with one another. I’m calling him Oscar. He likes that name.”
“Dude, you’re creeping the shit out of me,” said Brooks. Trak frowned at the younger man, petting Oscar’s head, then Alvin’s.
“The Marquez camp is about sixty miles north across the border. Oscar said they are not moving any time soon, as they’re expecting a large drop of drugs into their territory.” The entire camp stared at Trak and he shrugged. “He hears things.”
“We’re basing our entire lives on a jaguar that hears things,” said Gator. “I need for him to be certain of what he’s hearing.”
Oscar let out a low growl, emanating from deep in his body. Gator stood still, staring at him.
“Don’t insult him. He knows what he’s hearing. Gaspar is up ahead with several anacondas. They are slightly less agreeable, but they are hungry and willing to go into the camp for us.”
“Great. Anacondas who are hungry and a jaguar that hears everything. We’re in great hands,” frowned Ham.
“You are in excellent hands,” said Trak. “The condor is open to Hawk using him again as well. He says the Marquez family is destroying the jungle.”
“Well, then. Let’s see if we can save part of the jungle for them.”
A trek that long could not be done in one day. In fact, it couldn’t be done in two. But this team was prepared for what it would take to make their way through the jungle.
Splitting into three groups, Gator took one group around the western side of the jungle, Ham took another through the center, and Jak took the third around the eastern side. They were close enough to help one another should it be needed but also far enough apart to not be seen together.
Each night they made sure the animals gave the all-clear to light a fire, cooked their meals and took turns sleeping. They were assured by their animal friends that other predators would not approach them.
In fact, they all found it remarkable that they saw no other snakes, no bears, no jaguars, or other predators. Lucy had been right. The animal connection was as strong in South America as it was in Louisiana.
On the second night, Ham woke Brooks, Fitch, or Sor.
“What’s wrong?” whispered Brooks.
“Oscar says there is woman in the jungle alone, crying.”
“Oscar? The jaguar?” frowned Sor.
“Yes,” he said in frustration. “Get up. We’re going to follow him with Trak.”
Shaking their heads, the three men stood and followed Trak and Oscar into the blackness of the jungle. Thirty minutes later they heard the soft cries and stilled. She sounded as if she were in pain but they were keenly aware that this could be a trap.
Trak went first, knowing that he could approach in silence, while the others struggled to hide the sounds of their footsteps. It didn’t matter. The woman’s own crying was preventing her from hearing anything.
“There,” whispered Sor. “She’s wearing white. And red.”
“She’s not wearing red,” said Brooks. “She’s bleeding.”
Trak stopped a few feet from her, staring into the darkness. She didn’t move, her head on her knees as she cried in her blood-soaked white cotton shift.
“Do not be afraid,” he said softly. She jumped back staring at the jaguar, then at the large, dark man.
“We’re not going to hurt you,” said Sor in Spanish.
“I-I don’t speak Spanish,” she stammered. Brooks frowned at her, kneeling so she could see him.
“Are you American?” he asked.
“Canadian. I was with a university group in Santa Cruz de la Sierra when I was kidnapped.”
“That’s a long fucking way from here,” frowned Fitch. She nodded at them.
“They took six of us. The others. The others didn’t make it,” she sniffed. “They tried to run and didn’t make it. I couldn’t do it any longer. I couldn’t do wh-what they were asking of me. I tried. I tried to cooperate hoping they would let me go.”
“It’s alright,” said Sor. “You don’t have to tell me anything. We’re going to get you out of here. Are they following you?”
“They were,” she said nodding. “I got so tired, I couldn’t go on. I haven’t eaten or drank anything in days other than some stinky water.”
“What were you doing down here?” asked Brooks.
“Studying the indigenous populations for a semester. We were supposed to leave the day we were taken. Those men, those men were horrible, what they made us do,” she said crying again.
“Okay. Okay, honey, let’s go. We’re going to get you out of here but you have to stop crying or they’re going to come straight for us.” Trak stilled, holding up his hand.
“They already have.”
“You have to trust me,” said Ham. The woman nodded as he tossed her over his shoulder. “Stay quiet, we’re handle the rest.”
“Trak, what do you need us to do?” asked Brooks.
“Stay here and cover my back. Oscar believes that he can handle the men easily. If he cannot. I will.”
“Trak, we should be the ones going,” said Brooks. He turned with a stern look, his dark eyes boring into young Brooks.
“Why? Because I am old? Do not insult me again or Oscar will take offense. Stay here.”
Sor followed Ham back to camp with the girl, while Brooks and Fitch waited, holding their position. At first they heard absolutely nothing. Then a familiar sound. The sound of machetes cutting through thick foliage on the jungle floor.
It was getting closer and closer, Brooks and Fitch getting nervous. They didn’t want to fire their weapons. That would bring dozens of men their way.
Then they heard what they were hoping for. The sound of a cat. A very angry, very large cat attacking one of the men. The other yelled for him to escape, then just as suddenly, there was silence.
“What do we do?” asked Fitch.
“We sit here. I’m not going up against Trak in the dark. He might be old but that bastard is fucking scary as shit,” said Brooks.
It was ten long minutes of waiting to see if all was well, when the face of Oscar came through the brush, licking his lips and smacking. Both men cringed and Trak walked in as well.
“Why are you sitting?” he asked. “We’re done.” He walked past the two men and continued back along the path they’d come. Fitch stood, chuckling at Brooks.
“You heard the man. We’re done.”