16 Fail

He looks at her unimpressed. She smiles crookedly and says, "Oh n--"

'How did he see me?!'

"Oh now that…you've found me. I'm so happy."

He raises a brow at her.

"I was frightened and got…lost."

Ika sucks on his front teeth and then spits a sunflower seed shell onto the ground. He blinks at her while lazily holding his rifle to the side. She had not heard him walk up.

'How long had he been there?'

Ika blinks at her a few moments then turns to walk back to camp. He doesn't seem unsettled by all the commotion from earlier, and even her brief disappearance. As they climb the hill up to the camp, Raymond and Turner see Ika returning with the missing goods.

"Thank goodness we found you. Wooo...looks like you," Raymond begins saying.

"Fell into some shit," Turner finishes saying.

Ika walks off silently as the two men laugh at the smelly woman.

A gun goes off in the camp.

Turner looks back nonchalantly then returns to laughing at Sia. Sia jumps and takes a step back.

"What? They aren't dead?"

Raymond puts out a hand and steadies Sia's unbalanced stance by holding onto her backpack, the only clean item on her.

"Sometimes those bugs pretend to be dead for a bit, then boom. Jump up to bite your head off," Turner says dismissively.

Raymond agrees with his words. "We don't have to see many of them. They stick by the water mostly."

"Do they eat people?"

"They were probably planning to feast on that snake, before it was interrupted by us puny humans."

Sia can't understand how calm they are talking about this subject. She's covered in grime. Ika seems suspicious of her. He might know something. He might know the truth. Her legs give out, and she touches her chin to her chest. Raymond loses his grip on her backpack and grabs at her arm as she falls.

Tears of frustration and fear fall from her eyes before she all out wails into her dirty arm. Raymond awkwardly releases her arm and takes a step back from her. Turner opens and closes his mouth before kneeling down and looking at the distraught woman. He doesn't touch her, but he looks like he wants to. A woman from the camp hears the distressing sounds and rushes over to help.

"Oh no, darling. Don't you be frightened."

Sia allows the woman to raise her to her feet, and she weeps into the woman's shoulder.

"Ugh. Let's go over by the water."

"Nooooo." Sia rejects the idea and pulls away.

"They're all dead, and we can bring some weapons. It's all fine now. It's not so bad. Things have been much worse right?"

Sia thinks of the laboratory explosion and getting shot for the first time. Memories of the squirrel attacking her and Vanessa yelling into her face. She nods and coughs wetly. As she is led away, Turner and Raymond look at each other with wide eyes and then depart in separate directions.

OPERATION HOG-NOSE PHASE 1 FAILED

CONDUCTING STUDY OF PHASE 2

REESTABLISHING NEW PROCEDURE

PHASE 3 ESTABLISHED

She is paranoid as she washes in the shallow brackish water. Vanessa is nearby in case any more creatures are lurking nearby. Sia sees a dark seaweed covered limb come out of the water and screams before running out half naked.

Vanessa laughs, "Such a child."

As she observes Sia running pass, she checks the water and sees calm waters before strolling back to the camp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Have you noticed Sia experiencing any discomfort lately?"

Vanessa looks over at Raymond. They are sitting at a campfire near the edge of camp and their truck.

"Princess? She would have made it known if she was."

"Ha…"

They chew on their rations.

"But would she?"

Vanessa takes a big gulp of water and swishes it around her mouth as she thinks.

"Why wouldn't she? She's been verbal about everything else."

Raymond scrunches up his face at the falsehood.

Vanessa rolls her eyes, "She isn't that whiny, but I'm sure we would know if she were fatally injured. She isn't the silent warrior type."

"Wasn't she shot when she was brought in?"

"What?"

"Malik brought her in after a hunt with his apprentice. His guy shot her in the shoulder. That's why I've been checking in with her."

"I do remember all the blood, but maybe she was just grazed. Hasn't posed any difficulties, so far."

"Then the squirrel attacked her, and she was dumped on the ground after it was shot dead."

"Hmm."

"Then the attack with the savages. I'm not surprised she ran off today. She isn't used to such constant danger. I'm worried-"

"How do you know?" Vanessa raises a brow at Raymond.

"She told me. See what acting like a decent human being gets you?"

"Bahahaha. Funny."

"I'm worried she might be hiding her wounds from us because she doesn't want to be a burden."

"If it wasn't for her we'd be with the others. Not alone out here in this goddamn forest."

They sit silently listening to the sounds of nature and the fire crackling.

"Did you notice anything on her body while she was bathing?"

Vanessa glares at the man beside her.

"Really?"

Raymond touches his bald head in embarrassment.

"This is purely medical concern here, Vanessa!" he hisses.

"Sure, Sure…I didn't notice any wounds on her perfect body. I doubt that gunshot wound was serious."

Raymond looks back at the truck.

"Vanessa,"he whispers.

"What?" she loudly answers.

"What if it's not her fear of our doctors that she is avoiding? What if she really isn't from around here?"

"What are you rambling about now, Raymond?"

"No, look. I have this theory. No, don't say anything. Listen first and then tell me if I'm crazy?"

"Ok-aaaay"

Vanessa tilts back her head and indulges Raymond.

"She appears out of nowhere. She doesn't know who started the war. 14 years after the conclusion of things? Good resources, superior physical health, tall, strong. You weren't paying attention, but I saw her take down three men like it was a piece of cake. I think she's an Underling spy."

"What?"

"I think she's an Underling spy and she has no people in Coldstone. She probably hasn't even been to Coldstone before."

"She never said she did go to Coldstone. She said THEY were heading there. This might be her first journey to the other side of the wastes. That doesn't mean she's a spy."

"That doesn't mean she isn't a spy."

Vanessa holds up a hand in Raymond's face.

"Keep that to yourself, man. Your crazy theories are going to get you in trouble one day."

"When have I been wrong?"

"Just because no one has the information to prove you wrong doesn't mean you are right."

"Whatever. Nonbeliever. We shall see when we get to Coldstone. You shall see I'm right. Whatever she is doing here it has nothing to do with Coldstone. She probably needs to report how many Cinalians are left to her bosses. Before they come to wipe us out for good."

Vanessa stands up and dusts off her bottom, "Get some rest, nutcase."

Raymond watches Vanessa head to their truck then turns to the campfire flames. He picks up a dry branch and tosses it into the hungry, glowing body of heat.