No, a horrible new development.

You are getting ready to climb down off of the overhang when you notice some activity at the far end of the village.

"Hold on." You whisper.

You watch as a small hunting or scouting party make their way into the village. You can just make out it is a group of maybe six people. The group winds its way through the village finally coming to the central area where things are winding down from the ritual. It is then you see it, a flash of bouncy scarlet hair as the group passes between huts. Caitlin! And if they have Caitlin they also have...

You see Natali and Caitlin pushed into the clear area beside the bonfire. They turn, backs to the fire, their hands are up in a sign of surrender. The gathered villagers turn to inspect their new prizes.

You go to spring into action but you find Soo-yin's vice like grip on your shoulder. You look at her wide eyed and frantic. With an impassive expression she shakes her head. "No. We are no good to them dead. Think."

Your mind is racing. You look to the village, trying desperately to figure out a way to save them. You stammer. "M-maybe if we...maybe I can talk to them..."

"Calm down Edward."

You look at your friend, her still face settles your nerves slightly. You **** yourself to take a deep breath and quell your frenetic emotions. She was right, this was going to take some planning and a level head. You turn back to see what was happening.

The queen and the tall man, who you now think might be a priest of some sort, are now down speaking with Natali and Caitlin. The queen has her vestment on once more. Your friends of course have no idea what is being said to them. You notice Natali scanning the tree line every so often, surely looking for you. Caitlin is trying desperately to talk the queen into letting them go. The other villagers are standing in a circle around the bonfire ogling these foreign woman. You notice Natali stands a few inches taller than almost all of the villagers, the priest being a notable exception.

During her pleading with the queen you are just able to hear Caitlin quip at one point. "Man, you folks sure love your penis!" She had noticed the ubiquitous phallic imagery around her. Natali was now too busy watching the dead body being carried off of the platform. You see her body stiffen in fear, this was killing you inside. The pair of them still had their shirts off, they stand shoulder to shoulder facing the crowd. The queen is speaking once more, more to her people than to the newcomers. She then claps her hands and men rush forward and begin stripping the your wife and friend!

You hands are clenched in tight fists, through clenched teeth you hiss. "Those fucking..." You begin trembling in rage.

"Edward, focus!" The retired assassin shakes you roughly. She takes on the commanding tone she uses when she plays the Domme in the dungeon. "Calm yourself. Now!"

The men are soon backing away having stripped them of every stitch of clothing, Natali and Caitlin try to maintain their dignity by attempting to cover themselves with their hands. Their beautiful pale sweaty flesh glistens in the firelight. As you watch the love of your life try to hide her gorgeous body from the gathered natives a small part of you couldn't help but wonder if this was karma catching up with her.

"Okay. Okay." You say, forcing yourself to look away. Think. Think. "They'll probably be taken to the main building, like the professor." You point to the stilted building. "Let's get in under there and see what we can see." Soo-yin nods.

The pair of you stealth your way in that direction. As long as you stay in the jungle staying hidden is easy, getting through the open space to the village is going to be the challenge. The village itself is arranged in phallic design, with the main building representing the glans. This meant it was at the far edge of the village, this was good news for you and Soo-yin. The bad news was that it had three spear and bow wielding guards patrolling it. You find a bush as close to the building as possible to hide in. At this close proximity you can just make out that even the heads of the guard's spears have a resemblance to a little willy.

"Shit." You whisper. "Do you think you could take out all three quietly?"

You can barely see the Korean in the dark foliage beside you. "Alive? No, they'll get an alarm off. Dead...yes."

You weighed it in your mind. It was probably a bad idea to start killing tribesmen while they had your wife and friend in their clutches. You could see through the under side of the building, the bonfire area being on the opposite side. It was simply a series of wooden support posts spaced out every four or five feet, the area was about three feet high. While it was exposed on all sides you could probably stay under there unnoticed for at least a little while.

"Let's hold off on the killing people. We'll sneak in under there when we get a chance." That chance looked like it was right now.

The news of the newcomers was just reaching guards. They were gathered to one side of the building talking with a woman and glancing toward the bonfire area. The woman is making exaggerated gestures with her hands, holding them out to either side of her thin hips then out in front of her flat chest. She was describing the strange newcomers physical features. The guards laugh and begin making rude gestures and saying what were no doubt lewd comments

You and Soo-yin take off across the clearing. Staying low you run swiftly and silently, making an arch to try to stay as far from their view as possible. You scramble in under the building. Moving in toward the center so you aren't so obvious from the edges you start looking around. You weren't really sure what you were looking for but you were hoping something would present itself. A trap door, loose floorboard, anything. Unfortunately it was well built with no underside exits. The most you had were a couple of knotholes in the wood. You peer through one, only to see the ceiling inside.

Soo-yin is about ten feet away from you when she motions you over then points above her. Making your way over to her you soon hear what she had noticed. Weeping, a woman was crying above you. You peek through a nearby hole but see nothing but a patch of ceiling lit by a dim candle or lamp.

You then hear a voice cry. "Oh...Professor..." The woman's voice spoke in Spanish, and it seemed familiar.

You look at Soo-yin then glance nervously at the trio of guards at the side of the building. You could clearly see them from the waist down.

You put your mouth close to the small knothole and try to talk just loud enough for the person inside to hear you without alerting the guards.

"Pssst...hello?"

You hear the crying stop for a moment and you try again. "Hello?" You say again in Spanish.

An eye is suddenly at the hole peering at you. You hear a despondent voice. "Who's there? Is that...is that you Mr. Thomas?"

You placed the voice. Of course, it was Isabella the professor's graduate student. "Isabella. What are you doing here?" The guards had broken up and were on the move once more, scouting the area. Soo-yin stayed on watch as you spoke.

"We...we figured out what you were doing. We wanted to claim the idol for the university." She answered. "But...we got...captured..."

"Yeah, I noticed." You pause. "Um, Isabella. About the professor."

"I know, he's dead isn't he. They did the same to poor Raymond." She begins to cry once more.

"Shhh, I don't have much time Isabella. Do you have people looking for you?"

She gathers herself. "Umm, no. This was all done in secret, we used our own money. We couldn't let you know....what we were up to."

'Just great.' You think. "These people, they have friends of mine. I'm going to try to figure out a way to rescue you all, okay?"

"Careful Mr. Thomas. These people...they're monsters. What they did to our guides. Ohh..." She is holding in her tears. "Once they found out what we were here for it was even worse."

"They know about the idol?" You ask.

"They worship it Mr Thomas, to them it is quite literally a physical piece of a god." Given the tribes fascinations with cocks you could guess which piece it was. She continues. "They say only this god may touch it. They say it was left in the mountain by the god of the jungle and that it's appearance would signal the god's return. The god would lay with the queen and beget a great prince. It would lead to a new age of power and prosperity for the tribe."

"You know their language then?" You ask.

"Good enough, it has similarities to other local dialects I know." She continues. "Our camp was to the South of here, near the base of the mountain. I think we were close to the hidden temple, we were finding..."

You are suddenly shoved to the side as an arrow embeds itself in the post by where you had just been crouching, it hits with a sharp thwack! A cry goes up from one of the guards.

"We've got to go!" Barks Soo-yin, as she helps you up.

"We'll be back Isabella. Tell the others!"

You and Soo-yin zig-zag your way through the posts as you hear the guards calling for reinforcements.