Chapter Five

“Why didn’t you want to talk over the phone William? I have to be somewhere by eleven, and it’s past ten.”

“I have important business Jeff.”

It was just like General William Robinson to always arrive uninvited. President Jefferey Robinson had seen it all. The man standing in front of him was his elder brother, and Jeff knew him all to well by now. The general wore a velvet suit that looked like it was specially designed for him. Just below the suit was a white t-shirt which seemed like it was going to rip under his bulging stomach. The General had added weight in the past few months. He was eating fat.

They were both standing in the office of the president of the U.S.

“Listen brother,” The General started after the long pause. “There are complications in the mission.”

“Oh what now William?”

William stood, unmoving, eyes fixed on the man with him. The man he’d given life to.

“We’ve lost communication with our men.” A pause. “And we don’t know where they are.”

“What is this? This was your mission William, how did this happen?”

“Same thing I asked.”

Jeff plunked into his chair and buried his face in his hands.

“William-”

“I need your help.”

Jeff looked at him. He cocked his head and frowned.

“With what?”

“With everything.” William sat, this wouldn’t be the first time he was asking his brother for help, and it wouldn’t be the last. Besides, Jefferey Robinson wouldn’t have been known as Mr President if not for him. He owed him a lot.

“Just send some more troops in.” Jeff said bluntly.

“No,” William protested. “We will only be sending them on a wild goose chase.”

“Excuse me?”

“We don’t know where they are Jeff, we can only guess where they’re headed. Sending another troop would not be a good idea, at least not now.”

Jeff stared. “What do you need my help with?”

“I’m thinking of flying to Brazil sir, have some talks with the officials over there. If my men went in the right direction, we will be able to resume communication with them.”

Jeff stood. He walked to the window on the east side of the office and stared out into the field. “Why don’t you send a man?”

“I’d like to handle things myself.”

Jeff sighed and turned to his brother.

The door to the office flew open, and a man in black suit poked his head inside.

“Sir,” He started. “your chopper’s ready.”

“I have to go now William,” Jeff said walking towards the door which was being held open for him. “You have my permission. Arrangements will be made for your travel.” He said and walked out.

William stared for a few moments, looking into the seat his brother had just vacated. He chuckled and walked through the door and out of the office, hands behind his back.

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Grey clouds were gathering over the trees. The sun was gone, covering the entire a****n in partial blackness. The continuous clap of thunder and the flashes of lightning made listening close to impossible.

The seven man crew were beginning to get tired. According to Cory, they should have been arriving at the Brazilian military camp within ten minutes, and that was ten minutes ago.

The rain delved in, beating the earth into weak mud and drenching the unprotected military crew.

“How long Cory?” Sam shouted over the loud beating of the rain.

“We should be here by now sir,” Cory said. “The co-ordinates says we’re in the right place.” He wiped the rain water off his face.

“Well, we’re here,” Sam threw his hands in the air, shaking his head. “I don’t see any thing Cory, nothing.”

Cory looked around on the wet mud. Just at the end of a tall myrtle was a radio almost covered fully in mud. He walked towards it and picked it up. “See,” He held the radio up for the others to see. “I told you we were in the right place.”

Kurt snatched the equipment from Cory’s hand. He pushed a button and talked into the radio. Nothing. Flipping it over, he opened the back, empty, there was no battery. “Fuck.” He unzipped his bag, searching frantically for double A batteries, ignoring the rain that continued to drench his bag and whatever that was in it.

Nothing.

“Any of you got batteries?” The others began to dive into their bags, searching for batteries.

“I got a pair.” Tyler said, holding her hand up like she just won a gold medal at the Olympics. “Here.” She gave it to Kurt.

Placing the batteries into the radio, he flipped the cover and turned it, pushing the button again.

Static.

He pushed the button again and again. Still nothing.

“Nothing but static.” He said to his team.

“Let’s just keep searching.” Sam said, walking his way through mud. “There has to be something else.”

The rest of the crew followed suit, each heading in different directions in the pouring rain. There was a glint of hope in their eyes, but it was almost over shadowed by doubt. The search was long, but not futile. As Leigh moved through dirty patches of mud and grasses, she could see several AK 47 and sniper rifles scattered over the muddy earth. Fear began to set in. There was broken tree parts and torn tents allover. A gun fight. She observed.

She pulled out of her khaki pocket a M1911 pistol, holding it in front of her. She didn’t have a good aim, but she knew had to get shots fired. As she moved ahead, the bloody legs of a Brazilian military caught her attention. The rest of his body was hidden behind an amazonian cedar- or so she thought. She cautiously walked towards him, every bone in her body shaking. She let out a shrill scream as she reached the dead man. His body was cut in half, the organs in his abdominal region leaked out of his body, with blood spilling into the water washed earth. The smell was strong, but her fear was stronger.

Her  body went numb. She felt her hands go cold and her legs wobbled. She fell into unto the ground out and cold.