He shrugged. “I’ll have to.”

  The swaying lessened as the water passed the top of the trees, launching them into action. Fayng once again took up her position at the base of the wall. Logan quickly stepped into her hands and drove himself up. His knees buckled slightly but he didn’t fall. Fayng growled and heaved Logan up to the tunnel entrance. He flopped onto his stomach and squirmed his way in. Using the same technique as before, Logan laid on his stomach and reached down.

  Jumping, Fayng caught Logan’s hand, pulling herself up his back. His face squished against the rock wall as she slid by but he paid it no attention, contemplating the next move. Run. As she climbed in, she hoisted Logan up and the two of them set off down the side tunnel in search of the cavern containing the Ka settlement and hopefully the others.

  Fayng kept herself alight, making it possible for Logan to see. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. If she wasn’t able to sustain the strobing green light, they would have to slow and take their time—time they didn’t have based on the soft splashing their feet made against the quickly flooding corridor.

  They came to a fork in the road and stopped.

  “Which way?” Logan asked, reflexively looking behind him. But, of course, he couldn’t see a thing. He did, however, hear the static hiss of running water.

  Fayng sniffed the air. “I’m unsure.”

  “What?” he asked, breathing hard.

  “I was trying to lose the creatures in the tunnels. I didn’t care where I went as long as they weren’t there.”

  He let it go. He’d have done the same. Surviving anywhere at all was better than dying. But they couldn’t wait.

  “We need to move.” Logan stepped forward and looked right and then left just being able to see each of the passages trajectories. The right tunnel looked like it dove down a little and the left seemed to go up but it also looked like it headed back towards the nesting grounds.

  “This way,” she finally said, heading right.

  “How do you know?”

  “I can smell something faint further ahead.”

  “Like what?” Logan asked not being able to smell anything. It just smelled dank and wet.

  “Blood,” she replied, “my blood… I picked it up just before we arrived at the branch. The air coming from behind us is making it difficult to track.”

  Logan understood completely. It was one of the first things he learned from his predecessor as head game warden. Charlie had warned of the ever changing conditions out in the Serengeti. Trails were routinely trampled by other inhabitants, stressing the use of caution and patience.

  Sorry, Charlie, Logan thought, but we don’t have the time to be patient.

  The tunnel to the right, indeed, dipped, causing its lowest point to fill with water. They swiftly sloshed through the knee-high depth, slipping on the already slick stone. Logan would love to know how long it had been since these channels were last flooded with water but shelved the thought for another time.

  A splashing sound stumbled them. Logan turned but, like before, he couldn’t see bupkis. What he knew was that there was something in the tunnel with them. The thing he didn’t know was what exactly it was, or how many.

  “Faster,” he whispered.

  Fayng didn’t reply. Instead, she just took Logan’s hand like he was a schoolchild and quickened her pace into a slight jog. The floor was such that it made it difficult for him to run beside her. It curved where the floor met the wall, making it more suited for single file travel. Logan slipped with every other step, threatening to pull them both down. Graciously, as they moved, the path widened, however, just enough for them to move forward without fear of losing their footing.

  Logan began to relax as the water around their ankles began to thin out too. Now, they only splashed through what he would classify as light puddles. He did, however, never fully begin to think for a minute that they were in the clear yet. The water would continue to build up behind them as the minutes passed. He just hoped to be long gone before it happened.

  They continued in silence for another ten minutes until Fayng slowed and sniffed the air. “We’re close,” she said softly.

  Logan inhaled and almost gagged. He knew the smell of the dead. Even with the cool air buffeting them from behind, they could smell the coppery scent of blood.

  “Careful where you step,” she warned.

  Logan looked around her and saw what she meant. Long serpentine bodies littered the floor ahead of them, making their progress slow to a sneaking crawl. There was fluid everywhere. Some was blood, while others were a mixture of the Nsanga’s toxic venom and bile from their eviscerated stomachs.

  “Yours?” Logan asked.

  She nodded. “Some of them, yes.”

  “Baird?”

  She nodded again. Logan didn’t push it. They must have gotten separated here—not that he knew. He would have been unconscious during the whole ordeal, either floating down the underground river or possibly lying on the shore of the cave they’d just escaped.

  “Sorry I wasn’t there to help,” Logan said, doing what he could to console the woman.

  “I’m not,” she replied, stopping. “You would have been killed and that poor girl would have lost you before she could have even had you. I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone. At least Udan and I had all those years together—Baird too.” She went to turn but stopped. “You saved them, you know? You sacrificed yourself and destroyed that bridge. Who knows what would’ve happened if those hunters made it across or if you hadn’t gotten them moving when you did and the female had caught them out in the open instead.”

  “A lot of good that did,” he said, looking back. When his eyes found Fayng’s again, they were green and furious.

  “They were given a chance to survive the day because of you. And your quick thinking and selfless act gave them that chance. Down here,” she turned, “that’s more than most get. Most…” she started away, “…are slaughtered on sight.”

  The sound of pursuing footsteps—possibly clawsteps—picked up again. Logan and Fayng did the same, distancing themselves from their unknown assailants.

  * * *

  “You hear that?” Fitz asked, halting the group. He’d recently moved to the front, keeping his gun, and whatever ammo he had left, pointed forward, ready for anything. He swept his small flashlight back and forth but saw nothing. “You see anything behind us?”

  “Negative,” Ares replied, “but I can’t see much.”

  “Me either,” Fitz mumbled.

  “Zeus… How goes it?”

  Zeus flexed his bandaged leg, testing it since the medic and nurse had a look at it. They caked on some strange purple powder, pressing it deep into the wound, making the normally unemotional and ultra-professional man whimper. Then, they wrapped it in a fuzzy skin of some kind and tied it tight. “Better,” he said, “the fact I’m walking at all right now is amazing, let alone the lack of pain and zip for drowsiness.”

  “Probably from some undiscovered local plant life,” CJ said, impressed. “Maybe even from down here.”

  Fitz shook his head the whole time. Fuzzy skins, purple hippie nose candy, and slash marks left by giant lizards…

  “I’m pretty sure they discovered it,” Kiani added, motioning to the women between her and CJ and Zeus and Ares. The two Delta men were once again at the back of the group, doing what they did best, protecting their asses. They’d either been up front and in the thick of it, or in the back, trying to keep the ‘thick of it’ from ever happening.

  “Oh,” CJ replied, “right…I just…never mind.”

  The pitter-pattering of feet on stone started up again, making the hairs on Fitz’s neck stand up. Someone or something is definitely close…but what?

  “You think any of the lizards or Ru’kan could’ve survived?” Fitz asked, beginning forward as he spoke.

  “You’d think so,” CJ replied, “I doubt they’d be that easy to take out on their home turf.”

  “You think that’s what’s following us?” Kiani asked, glancing back.

  “Probably,” Fitz replied, shrugging. “What the hell else could it be?”

  Everyone was silent for a beat until the least likely of the group spoke up.

  “Lo-Gon,” the medic said, trying to pronounce Logan’s name correctly. “Fayng.” She had no trouble with the other.

  Everyone stopped again.

  “Could be,” Fitz said. “Think it’s worth checking out, Zeus?”

  The American thought a moment but shook his head. “No. If it is Logan, he’ll be headed in the same direction as us. Plus, we don’t know what direction they’re coming from. We’ve already passed a couple of secondary tunnels. We could get even more lost if we start going off and looking.”

  Fitz agreed and continued through the creepy dark tunnel, coming up on something that looked weirdly familiar. Only…it didn’t reek of death the last time they were there.

  After another five minutes of the ever-increasing stench, Fitz stopped the group once more and ordered them to stay put while Ares and he checked things out around the next bend. The two men crept forward silently, slowly following the banking turn until they came to a familiar crossroad, Fitz cupping his hand around his flashlight the entire time.

  Yikes, Fitz thought, seeing the aftereffects of Fayng and Baird’s battle with the Nsanga for the first time. His hand let only a small amount of light bleed out, just enough to see by. There wasn’t a single inch of unsoiled stone within the “+” shaped intersection. There was even a sludgy yellow fluid dripping from the ceiling.

  Ares let out a groan, squinting his eyes at the stink.

  Then, Fitz’s eyes started to water. Damn, the Nsanga’s fluids are letting off a toxic cloud. Gotta move fast.

  He turned and was slammed into from behind. His forward momentum sent him sailing into Ares and both men went skidding to the ground. Whatever attacked them wasn’t giving up either and Fitz launched a quick elbow, connecting with something hard.

  A grunt responded to his retaliation but other than that, he wasn’t sure if he really caused any damage. His answer came as he was lifted off his stomach, spun, and slammed onto his back, landing hard on Ares' chest. Now, upside down, Fitz met the glowing eyes of his maker and laughed.

  “Fayng?”

  She stepped closer and knelt. “Fitz?”

  “Who?” Ares asked, his voice muffled by Fitz’s ass.

  Both men were helped up, just as their leader stepped out from around the corner of the right-hand corridor. “Logan!” Fitz shouted, quickly embracing his friend. His voice echoed through the tunnel, getting everyone else’s attention. In no time, CJ and Kiani were both hugging Logan in unison, the latter kissing him hard.

  “So, you’re the ones we heard following us?” Fitz asked.

  Logan shrugged. “Technically, I think we were meeting you.”

  “What happened to you two?” CJ asked as Fayng likewise embraced the local women, speaking to them alone.

  “Long story, Cass.”

  She knew what that meant. I’ll tell you later.

  Logan rubbed Fitz’s head. “Thanks for taking care of them, mate.”

  “Taking back command, I see,” Fitz replied. “Good. Leading is way too much pressure. Not my style.” He stepped back. “Where to, boss?”

  Logan scratched his head, thinking. “How ‘bout home?”

  38

  Once they reunited, the group moved carefully through the shredded bodies, unable to avoid stepping in the fluids surrounding them. The fumes of the creature’s venom wafted in the air, making their trek that much more difficult.

  “That’s just awful,” CJ said, covering her nose with her sleeve.

  “I’m not entirely sure what you were expecting, mum,” Fitz replied, smiling. It grossed him out as much as it did CJ but he wasn’t about to show her that. Preparing for his next wave of teasing, Fitz clenched his fists and inhaled deeply, getting the desired reaction out of her.

  Gagging and then dry-heaving, CJ punched Fitz as hard as she could, just as he himself started to cough. Tears formed in his eyes and his throat and nasal cavities burned like he’d just held his face over a vat of acid. Damn near did, he thought, stepping over the last of the inert forms. But CJ’s continued look of disgust was worth it.

  Fitz loved CJ like a sister but he also found her extremely attractive and like how most boys treated girls they loved—albeit in grade school—he relentlessly teased the crap out of her. He’d even once thought about telling her how he felt, but decided to keep it professional where it mattered most. Their duties in the Serengeti were needed and so was their focus. And once he found out about her and Jan… Fitz kicked himself for not moving in first.

  Shaking his head and ridding himself of the thought, Fitz caught a glimpse of a smiling Logan. As CJ’s real brother, he always enjoyed her and Fitz’s tiffs. It was nice seeing it from a different perspective and not always from within the actual battle.

  “Honestly, Gray,” CJ said, struggling to get the words out, “that might be the single most disgusting thing you’ve ever done.”

  Fitz faked a hat tip. “It’s been a pleasure then.”

  “You have any trouble while I was gone?” Logan asked, turning Fitz’s attention back on the mission.

  “Nah,” he replied, “besides you scaring the shit out of me, I mean.”

  “How’s ammo?” Logan asked, holding up his knife.

  “Not much better than you, unfortunately. We mostly blew our loads. We only have a clip each at most.”

  Logan nodded. “We’ll just have to make do and hope for the best.”

  “What about you and Fayng?” Fitz asked.

  “Ran like hell,” Logan replied, letting out a tired laugh. “Goliath was right on us the whole way. We backtracked to where I found the girls. They had a small encampment downriver from the Ka village.”

  “Had?” Fitz asked.

  “We, uh, flooded it.”

  “Huh?” Fitz replied. “Come again? How do you flood a cave?”

  He glanced back. “The venom, I think it can be weaponized if properly applied. Fayng slathered it on the brace of a Ru’kan dam, where it attached to the cave wall.”

  “Flammable?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Logan replied. “We lit it up with a flashbang and the results were enough for the dam to burst. The chamber flooded and we rode the waters up to an outlet tunnel.”

  “What of Goliath?” Fitz asked.

  “As far as we know the bastard drowned.”

  “Well then,” Fitz said, slapping Logan on the shoulder, “a bit of good luck, I suppose.”

  Logan agreed but kept the celebration to himself. They still had to navigate the eastern bank of the Ka village. Crossing the river wouldn’t be possible unless they successfully made it upriver where the channel narrowed and its fury tapered. If they couldn’t get through the dense forest of trees…

  “Oh,” he said, stepping out of the tunnel and into the high-ceilinged cavern. He hadn’t even noticed they arrived. What caught his attention wasn’t the cave itself either. No, what allowed Logan to enjoy a small internal victory was the tree line a hundred yards ahead of him. A bit of good luck…

  A hole had been ripped through the jungle, evidence of the Nsanga’s tirade on the place. He remembered seeing her burst through it just before making the decision to blow the bridge.

  “Nice!” Fitz said, seeing it as well.

  As everyone stepped into the soft-lit cavern and took in the sights, one of them groaned.

  “What is it?” Logan asked, facing CJ.

  Hers were the only eyes not on the trees ahead. Instead, she looked up and over Logan’s head, to the cliff surrounding them. He turned and looked, his shoulders slumping at the sight. It didn’t make any sense whatsoever.

  “Um,” Fitz said, glancing up, “who are they?”

  A dozen men dressed in all black stood thirty feet above them, assault rifles pointed down at Logan and the others.

  “Logan,” CJ said wide-eyed, looking at his chest.

  He followed her gaze and found a single red dot sitting dead center on his sternum. These were pros. The laser sight was proof enough.

  “Who are you?” Logan shouted.

  None of them answered. He then tried a different tactic.

  “My name is Logan Reed of the Serengeti Defense Force here on behalf of the United States government. I’d appreciate it if you lowered your weapons and took those red dots off me and my team.”

  Nothing…

  “You deaf, mate?” Fitz asked, getting pissed.

  “No,” a voice said from behind, “they’re just waiting for orders.”

  They all turned and found Ares standing tall, no targeting laser on him.

  “What’s all this?” Zeus asked.

  “Oh, them?” Ares replied, smiling. “They’re with me.”

  “What?” CJ gasped, stepping away from the traitor.

  “What’s really going on here, Pete?” Zeus asked, squinting hard. The Delta commander was furious at the obvious deceit. His longtime partner was working against him.

  “You know me as Pete Samson, callsign Ares of the Olympian Delta operations team.” He motioned to the armed men above them. “But they know me as Janus, Captain of Phoenix’s surgical strike team.”

  “Phoenix?” Zeus asked, shocked. “What the hell is that?”

  Instead of answering Zeus, Ares—Janus—turned to Logan. “Phoenix, like the mythological creature, rose from the ashes of another ultra-secret military branch, one you may have heard of…”

  Logan sneered. “The Wohn Tod.”

  * * *

  He ran full bore through the jungle, yelling as he did. Night-1 sounded utterly confused as he confirmed Apollo’s message. A squad of unknown and potentially dangerous men had shown up directly on top of their team.

  “That’s not possible,” the pilot said, prepping the chopper for liftoff.

  “Well,” Apollo said, running, still holding his side, “it looks pretty damn possible to me.”