Part 56 (1/2)
”How in the world do you put up with it?”
Annja turned her face to the sun poking through the trees and shrugged. ”It's not really a question of putting up with it. I don't have any control, so there's not a lot I can do except hold on tight and see where life takes me.”
Jenny shook her head. ”I don't mind telling you this now, but there was a time not so long ago that I really wished I had your life.”
”And now?”
Jenny smiled. ”Forget it. I'll take my stuffy old existence at the university any day of the week.”
”I don't blame you,” Annja said. ”It's a lot nicer knowing that the crazy stuff is happening to someone else. I envy you in that regard.”
”But not entirely.”
Annja sighed. ”You know, it's a weird thing. I crave the peace and security you enjoy but, at the same time, I guess that's just not my role in life. And sometimes I kind of like it that way.”
”Sometimes?”
”Well,” Annja said. ”I could do without the hypothermia, nearly drowning, gun battles, knife fights, crazed fanatics and various other things that seem to conspire to kill me on a regular basis.”
”You forgot the sword,” Joey said. ”What about that?”
”I don't know about that,” Annja replied. ”It's all part of the learning process. I'm never sure where it will take me or why. I'm not even sure of all it can and can't do.”
Joey tested their clothes. ”They're almost done drying.”
”Good,” Annja said. ”Once they're dry, we can get dressed and head back to town. We need to find Sheila and see if we can figure out exactly what is happening around here.”
Chapter 29.
It took just under an hour for them to completely dry out and feel stong enough to move on. Joey was a perfect gentleman and left to let Annja and Jenny get dressed, returning only after he was sure they were fully clothed.
Jenny glanced at the river. ”It might take me a long time before I think about swimming again.”
”Everyone should learn how to swim,” Annja said. ”You never know when you might find yourself in a raging river.”
”Or trapped in an underground cavern,” Joey said. ”These things happen.”
”Don't you have some orienteering to do?” Jenny asked. ”Aren't you supposed to be finding us a way back to town?”
Joey shrugged. ”Already did while you guys were getting dressed.”
”How close are we?” Annja asked.
”Three miles as the crow flies,” Joey said. ”Not that far. We can cover it in an hour or so.”
”Then lead the way. The sooner we get to Sheila, the sooner she can tell us what's going on.”
”You really think she knows?” Jenny asked. ”And if she does, why haven't they silenced her yet?”
”Maybe the crackpot thing is just a cover.” Annja shrugged. ”If she knows the heat is on, it might just be a convenient ruse she uses to deflect their attention.”