Getting down and taking stock

Things quickly get serious once more as the work of getting you and Caitlin down begins.

Soo-yin and Natali leave for a time before eventually returning with two of the day packs and one of the parachutes. The parachute is an old fashioned circular white one like the others. Removing the ropes from the parachute they then tie the ropes end to end and Soo-yin begins climbing, eventually making it to the branches above you. The process is careful and laborious. First Caitlin is secured and cut from you, then taken safely to the ground. Not having her weight hanging on you is a huge relief. Then you are secured and released from your harness and lowered to the ground thanks to a crude pulley set up Soo-yin put together. The ordeal is hell on your shoulder.

When your feet finally touch ground you and Natali are in each other's arms immediately. You take a moment together to be grateful for the other's safety and rejoice at being in each other's arms once more. Once Soo-yin is back down she and Caitlin have a similar but different experience, with Caitlin doing all the talking but Soo-yin holding her close. Finally you give your black clad assassin a hug and thank her for getting you down, she isn't expecting it but accepts it nonetheless.

Next comes resetting your dislocated shoulder, your Korean friend does it quickly and efficiently...but with no eye to making it less agonizing. You grunt through the blast of pain and pretty soon you are feeling a lot better. It's still tender but you don't feel like there is any lasting damage. As you sit there recovering you can't help but notice creamy globs of jizz among the leaf litter.

By this time you notice the light is starting to fade. The close humid air has you all sweating as you gather to discuss your situation.

"We're spending the night out here." You state. "And probably a lot more after that. Did you guys see any shelter?"

Natali shakes her head. "No. We only found jungle and more jungle, and then you guys. We might as well stay here the night."

Soo-yin nods in agreement then adds. "We were able to keep two of our hiking packs, so we have some supplies. Thankfully one of the packs is yours."

"Good." You reply, relieved as you were carrying most of the maps and information pertaining to the area and the lost relic.

Caitlin was currently looking through one of the packs. "The other is mine. I found my supplies. Anyone need lip balm?"

You look down and shake your head. She said it as a joke but you weren't sure this was the right time.

You set up a basic camp. Using the white nylon parachute you fasten up onto a tree, creating a makeshift tent. You don't make a fire as warmth was not going to be a problem in the sweltering muggy conditions. The light was fading fast and the forest sounds were shifting as the nocturnal creatures came out for their shift.

The four of you are sitting in your shelter with the packs between you. You find a flashlight and go over your supplies. Water was going to be an issue. Between the two packs you had a full water bottle and two small bottled waters, along with a small hiking water filter kit. This would not be a lot of water for four active adults pushing through the jungle. You had some trail mix and some beef jerky along with a couple of snickers bars from Caitlin.

You other supplies included knives, a multitool, a flashlight and some batteries, insect repellent, a first aid kit, some cloth rags, a few pairs of extra socks, a bunch of waterproof matches, compass, maps, and assorted other tidbits. Amongst the assorted other tidbits was a small four inch pink polka-dotted vibrating dildo.

Caitlin shrugged. "It's my travel toy. I figured it didn't take up much room."

The supplies were better than nothing, a lot better, but they were never meant to truly sustain you. The guides you had hired had most of the equipment.

"We have to get to the airfield. I don't think we were too far away when we went down. They'll have our supplies and a satellite phone." You say. "When we get there we can decide whether to push on or just go home."

"Surely they'll send out a party to search for Santiago's plane when he doesn't come back." Natali says. "Perhaps we should wait for a rescue team."

You and Soo-yin give each other a grim look. Santi didn't seem like the type to really let people know where he was going or what he was doing. "I don't think there is any rescue party coming Natali. We had to keep this expedition pretty quiet...so other's wouldn't try to claim the relic before us."

She puts her head on her knees. "This just keeps getting better." She mutters.

You look around at your companions. Hot, sweating, exhausted, stressed, nicked up with scrapes and bruises. It had been a hell of a day.

"Let's talk in the morning, okay guys? I think a rest would do us all a world of good." You offer.

They nod their agreement and ready themselves to bed down. The edges of the fabric was folded in so there was at least a little bit of something to lie on besides the ground. You and Natali go to one side while the your friends take the other. Everyone says their good nights and you flick the flashlight off.