at least a little now if they were to reverse the situation that had them walking into an unfamiliar jungle in front of an MP-11 as well as Ana's stash of weapons and supplies.
Jrue went first, followed by Ana, clearly the larger threat, followed herself by Johnson—their captive turned captor—and his mini arsenal. There wasn't an identifiable path through the trees, and she was fairly sure their captor didn't know the island any better than either of them, so she was trying desperately to figure out what his plan for them was—provided there was one more elaborate than just taking them deep enough into the woods to make their bodies harder to find. He knew who the Valkyries were, but was that knowledge extensive enough to know that she carried a tracking device not just in her bag and body armor, but also beneath the skin just below where the humerus connected to the scapula in the shoulder joint?
Pieces of fallen branches cracked and ground cover crumpled softly as they marched into the stand of trees. The air grew more wet the deeper they went into the forest, while the canopy filtered out more and more of the natural light, and the number of trees seemed to grow exponentially.
Jrue weaved a path through the old growth, and Ana considered him leading the way a definite advantage for them. About the only thing they had going in their favor at this point. Ana's mind had not stopped concocting scenarios to turn the tables, but she also hadn't stopped kicking herself for getting put in this position. She was lost in thought when Jrue tripped over a thick root and went sprawling to the ground.
A foot came down on her knee and she also hit the ground as Johnson came around, putting the huge barrel of the MP-11 to Jrue's head.
"Get your ass up! I'm not about to wait around for a gimpy pilot!"
Ana got back to her feet and considered charging Johnson, but that would probably just get her and Jrue stuck to a hundred different trees. Plan B was her voice.
" Johnson, you've already been convicted of grand larceny. You don't want to add a murder charge to your record, do you?"
"I don't, actually. Especially once I get my pardon."
Ana couldn't help the ‘oh really?’ look that popped onto her face like a jack-in-the-box. She shoved it back quickly, but he'd seen it before her negotiating poker face returned.
"You don't honestly think I just crashed my transport ship on some random island, do you?"
He had a plan. Or did he? Was he bluffing? This time Ana held her face muscles still.
"The thought had crossed my mind."
"And here I thought the Valkyries were renowned for their superior intelligence and not just their physical abilities—or appearance."
A quick shudder ran through Ana's muscles. An escape plan she could deal with, but an appraisal of her appearance should not have been part of any getaway attempt.
"Don't worry. I'm sure I'll surprise you yet."
"You may, but this guy won't if he doesn't get moving right now."
"He did have a piece of the ship that you crashed in his leg, so maybe you can cut him a little slack."
"Maybe if I take his head off, I won't have to worry about his leg."
"If you even try, I'll be on you in a second. Then you'll have to kill me before I kill you, and when I'm dead you won't have much to bargain with."
"Really, Ms. Valkyrie? You'd give your life for this pilot?"
"I'd give my life to make sure you get back to prison, Johnson. How long do you think it'll be before the Valkyrie Project comes looking when I don't check in?" The Agency would be notified by the tracking device as soon as her vital signs hit the floor, even with the interference established by the anomaly that was the Keys. But she was probing a little to see if he'd know that.
Johnson let Jrue get up. He started walking again. Ana took that as a 'not long enough.'
Johnson waved Ana past him with the MP-11 and so she followed. They continued their trudge through thick vegetation, the air still warmer and denser as
Jrue went first, followed by Ana, clearly the larger threat, followed herself by Johnson—their captive turned captor—and his mini arsenal. There wasn't an identifiable path through the trees, and she was fairly sure their captor didn't know the island any better than either of them, so she was trying desperately to figure out what his plan for them was—provided there was one more elaborate than just taking them deep enough into the woods to make their bodies harder to find. He knew who the Valkyries were, but was that knowledge extensive enough to know that she carried a tracking device not just in her bag and body armor, but also beneath the skin just below where the humerus connected to the scapula in the shoulder joint?
Pieces of fallen branches cracked and ground cover crumpled softly as they marched into the stand of trees. The air grew more wet the deeper they went into the forest, while the canopy filtered out more and more of the natural light, and the number of trees seemed to grow exponentially.
Jrue weaved a path through the old growth, and Ana considered him leading the way a definite advantage for them. About the only thing they had going in their favor at this point. Ana's mind had not stopped concocting scenarios to turn the tables, but she also hadn't stopped kicking herself for getting put in this position. She was lost in thought when Jrue tripped over a thick root and went sprawling to the ground.
A foot came down on her knee and she also hit the ground as Johnson came around, putting the huge barrel of the MP-11 to Jrue's head.
"Get your ass up! I'm not about to wait around for a gimpy pilot!"
Ana got back to her feet and considered charging Johnson, but that would probably just get her and Jrue stuck to a hundred different trees. Plan B was her voice.
" Johnson, you've already been convicted of grand larceny. You don't want to add a murder charge to your record, do you?"
"I don't, actually. Especially once I get my pardon."
Ana couldn't help the ‘oh really?’ look that popped onto her face like a jack-in-the-box. She shoved it back quickly, but he'd seen it before her negotiating poker face returned.
"You don't honestly think I just crashed my transport ship on some random island, do you?"
He had a plan. Or did he? Was he bluffing? This time Ana held her face muscles still.
"The thought had crossed my mind."
"And here I thought the Valkyries were renowned for their superior intelligence and not just their physical abilities—or appearance."
A quick shudder ran through Ana's muscles. An escape plan she could deal with, but an appraisal of her appearance should not have been part of any getaway attempt.
"Don't worry. I'm sure I'll surprise you yet."
"You may, but this guy won't if he doesn't get moving right now."
"He did have a piece of the ship that you crashed in his leg, so maybe you can cut him a little slack."
"Maybe if I take his head off, I won't have to worry about his leg."
"If you even try, I'll be on you in a second. Then you'll have to kill me before I kill you, and when I'm dead you won't have much to bargain with."
"Really, Ms. Valkyrie? You'd give your life for this pilot?"
"I'd give my life to make sure you get back to prison, Johnson. How long do you think it'll be before the Valkyrie Project comes looking when I don't check in?" The Agency would be notified by the tracking device as soon as her vital signs hit the floor, even with the interference established by the anomaly that was the Keys. But she was probing a little to see if he'd know that.
Johnson let Jrue get up. He started walking again. Ana took that as a 'not long enough.'
Johnson waved Ana past him with the MP-11 and so she followed. They continued their trudge through thick vegetation, the air still warmer and denser as
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