Part 23 (1/2)

Ike stood beside Delani. He spoke in a hushed voice. ”Now we've got two groups in the jungle. I doubt the pygmies and the militia are working together.”

”We'd be in more trouble if they were.”

”True enough. But I still don't like it.”

”No, not good,” Delani agreed. ”We'll turn around and head back right away.”

”While we're here we should at least look for the flower,” Nessa suggested.

”It's too dangerous,” Ike reasoned. ”And we can't afford to wait around here for the others either.”

”What are you talking about?” Brandon asked, joining them.

The three turned to him with guilt-ridden expressions.

”Come on. You can tell me.”

They hesitated, but Nessa spoke finally. ”We can't stay here. It's too dangerous. The militia could be-”

Ike silenced Nessa with a raised hand. A tiny sound had reached his ears, a metallic sc.r.a.pe in the distance. Gilles held his rifle ready and stared at the forest.

Ike spun, eyes searching the green leaves.

A subtle movement caught his eye. Something thin and black peeked out between the leaves.

”Get down!”

Ike threw Nessa to the ground and spun, pistol raised. A series of cracks split across the peaceful pond. Bullets sliced through the air around them. Delani darted for the undergrowth. Brandon ran along the embankment, bullets pounding the mud behind him.

Ike fell to one knee, his body s.h.i.+elding Nessa. He opened fire with his Desert Eagle, placing his shots as close to the tiny barrel as he could. Explosion after explosion erupted in his hand and in the distance leaves tore apart and floated to the ground.

More muzzles flashed from within the foliage. Bullets splashed into the pond in a scattered formation.

Ike cried out as something ripped across his bicep. His blood sprayed into the air, even as the bullet continued its course. His grip on his pistol faltered, and he collapsed to his other knee.

Behind him, Nessa lay on her stomach, her hands over her head. Mud splashed up from bullet impacts and fell over her back.

”Move woman!” Ike yelled. As he did, he kicked her in the thigh.

Nessa climbed to her feet, arms still raised above her head, and ran for the jungle's edge. Ike followed after her in a full run. He gritted his teeth, ready for another impact at any moment.

Then his arms broke through the foliage, and he dove over a fallen log, landing heavily in the mud. Nessa tripped over the same log and crashed to the ground beside him. Through the trees, Ike made out Raoul cowering behind a stump. From this angle, Brandon was nowhere to be seen.

Delani's hand grabbed his shoulder. Gilles was right beside the mercenary boss. ”You're hit,” Delani noticed.

”Yeah, they planned a little ambush for us,” Ike said.

The automatic fire continued. Bark flew up from the log and fell in shards around them. They had to fall back from the onslaught before the bullets tore through.

Between the sharp retorts of automatic fire, Ike heard a familiar popping sound.

”Oh h.e.l.l,” he said. ”Move!”

Delani and Gilles scattered in different directions, seeking better cover. Ike lifted Nessa to her feet and threw her over the log, where she hit the ground again. He didn't have time to leap, so he just tumbled over after her.

Fire and mud blew into the air. The concussive sound a.s.saulted Ike's eardrums and sent shudders through his bones. For several seconds after, Ike was deaf to the world around him. He tried to see up through the foliage. If only he could spot the man holding the grenade launcher and end his life. But the leaves were too thick.

”We have to move now!” Ike yelled, although he knew Nessa was as deaf as he was. He grabbed her by the shoulder and lifted her again. She held her ears, in a state of total shock.

As used to danger as Ike was, he had never faced a direct a.s.sault like this before. He pushed Nessa back over the log and deeper into the jungle. She stumbled as she still held her arms about her head. Ike stayed right behind and, to his left and right, he saw the others running deeper into the jungle also. Raoul weaved between the trees in full flight.

Militia soldiers kept right on their heels. Ike caught glimpses of them racing through the jungle, away from the pond and along the river, keeping up short bursts of fire.

Delani slowed, his .38 pointed back toward the militia, looking for a clear shot. It gave Ike and Nessa a chance to catch up.

”They've got us on the run,” Ike shouted, his hearing returned. ”We can't get away from them like this. They're gonna keep chasing until they wear us out and then they'll mop us up.”

”I know,” Delani agreed. ”But we can't fight them.”

”You're right. We can't. But we can slow them down. Make them hesitate and lose their momentum.”

They fled along the river, the running water to their left behind a wall of foliage. The canopy blocked out the sun and the undergrowth lessened, providing less cover. Ike spotted the soldiers more frequently through the trees. Nessa was gasping for breath, stumbling on her wounded leg.

”Keep running along the river,” Ike yelled. ”Don't look back.”

Gilles slowed to stand beside the mercenary. He held his a.s.sault rifle out at arm's length. ”You are better with it then me,” he said with a grin.

Ike considered then took the rifle and handed over his Desert Eagle. ”Be careful with it, mate. Once you get far enough ahead, lead them across the river. That's the only way you'll lose 'em.”

Gilles nodded.

Ike and Delani ran at the back, the other four ahead of them. As they wove through a copse of trees, Ike stepped to the right, breaking away from the procession. The Australian mercenary pressed his back against the trunk of a thick tree, hoping none of the soldiers saw his little detour. He hugged Gilles' rifle to his chest.

A few feet ahead, Delani did the same, but to the left. He c.o.c.ked his .38, at the ready.

The sound of the others' footsteps slowly diminished as they ran off ahead. Ike struggled to control his breathing. Every muscle tensed. Blood trickled down his arm, hot and sticky. He shared a look with Delani, who glanced out of the corner of his eye.

Meanwhile, the sounds of gunfire drew closer.

He gestured to Delani to stay where he was. Then he peeked around the trunk of the tree, watching the soldiers. When an opportunity presented itself, he slipped away from the river, putting distance between him and Delani. With them spread out, it would be harder for the militia to surround them and they wouldn't be given away by each other's gunshots.

Ike ran. Special Forces training kept his footsteps light. He hardly made a sound as he sprinted across a clearing and ducked behind a far tree. Some low-lying plants dared to curl around the roots, giving Ike an excellent hiding spot. Rather than staying behind the trunk, he crouched in the brush and peeked the tip of his rifle through.