Phineas stared at her intently, listening carefully to each of her words. When she had finished, he paused, seemingly in thought. But after a few seconds, he burst into laughter. Surprising himself, he leaned over and hugged Eliza tightly.
"Eliza..." he said, recovering but still smiling widely, "I don't know if we'll ever make it home, but given the circumstances your idea sounds as good as any." He leaned against her on the wall. She was warm.
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Phineas nodded slowly, leaning his body on the cave wall and lowering himself next to her. The confession came as a surprise, given the tough, proud shell Eliza seemed to have thrown around herself. Having listened to her empty her heart like that, Phineas thought it would only be comforting to offer something in return.
"I wanted to be a writer," he said. It sounded stupid coming out of his mouth, but it seemed to be fitting. "The thought of being able to make a living from the comfort of my apartment fascinated me. But then I realized I could live these adventure stories instead of put them to paper, and my life began. I don't regret a minute of my work in the Ministry..." his voice trailed off. "But look at us now. Thousands of miles for home, no food or water, surrounded by men who want to kill us." He sighed, letting the sentence hang in the air rather than dragging the morale down further. He pulled the clip out of his pistol and inspected it. Six bullets.
"I wanted to be a writer," he said. It sounded stupid coming out of his mouth, but it seemed to be fitting. "The thought of being able to make a living from the comfort of my apartment fascinated me. But then I realized I could live these adventure stories instead of put them to paper, and my life began. I don't regret a minute of my work in the Ministry..." his voice trailed off. "But look at us now. Thousands of miles for home, no food or water, surrounded by men who want to kill us." He sighed, letting the sentence hang in the air rather than dragging the morale down further. He pulled the clip out of his pistol and inspected it. Six bullets.
Phineas' face was still red, but he regained his dignity and spoke up.
"I still have the pistol, but other than that I only have some of the emergency supplies from Joseph's airship." He fumbled through his various pockets and found a few matches, a flare, and a bottle of iodine tablets. He cursed himself silently. "I must have left the rest at camp. Hopefully we can find the means to start a fire, we'll need some way to keep warm tonight." Even as he spoke, the chill was beginning to set in.
"I still have the pistol, but other than that I only have some of the emergency supplies from Joseph's airship." He fumbled through his various pockets and found a few matches, a flare, and a bottle of iodine tablets. He cursed himself silently. "I must have left the rest at camp. Hopefully we can find the means to start a fire, we'll need some way to keep warm tonight." Even as he spoke, the chill was beginning to set in.
Phineas hesitated a few moments, but the sound of another gunshot prompted him to enter the cave without a second thought. The cave was far deeper than he had anticipated, it's dark annals echoing with distant droplets of water. They walked for what felt like days, though couldn't truly be more than an hour, the light growing steadily dimmer around them. Just as the last shards of light were starting to disappear, Eliza dropped in front of Phineas. Phineas moved to help her up, but she recovered quickly on her own, standing up with a groan. He watched as she began the fumble with her dress, then realized with a thick blush that she was removing her corset. Prone to a lifetime of respectful ignorance, Phin turned slightly, averting his eyes and his reddened face.
It pained Phineas to watch Eliza run in her condition, but his mind told him it was necessary. He picked up the pace and soon they were running rapidly through the jungle. The trees thickened and the path blurred as they got deeper in, but the knowledge of what lay behind them pushed aside all hesitations. The island itself was several miles wide, but only a little over one mile across. Before long, they had ascended the rocky incline that marked the middle. As they neared the top, Phineas's eye caught sight of a gap in one of the rock formations, partially obscured by vines.
"Is that the cave?" he asked Eliza, gasping for breath.
"Is that the cave?" he asked Eliza, gasping for breath.
Phineas was deep in the forest now, the rooted ground turning into an incline as they approached the center of the island. He almost didn't notice Eliza talking in his arms. He caught her last few words and slowed down, winded.
"Libyan... special forces.... found us." he managed, catching his breath. "They're here to finish the job, it must've been them who bombed the Ventra. They got Joseph. A dozen or so of them, all armed." Phineas had more to discuss, but the implications of the event would have to wait for later.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
"Libyan... special forces.... found us." he managed, catching his breath. "They're here to finish the job, it must've been them who bombed the Ventra. They got Joseph. A dozen or so of them, all armed." Phineas had more to discuss, but the implications of the event would have to wait for later.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
As Joseph ran off in the distance and the craft began to land, Phineas looked to Eliza. He saw with a panic that she was still immobile, but they had to move fast. He scooped her up in his arms and ran to the treeline as the craft's doors opened. As he ran into the forest, he turned to see who exited. Three men wore black suits with long coats stamped with the insignia, and some half dozen more wore regular military garb and sported large weapons. Joseph approached the men and threw up his hands, and one of the suited men approached him. He was dark skinned and was speaking rapidly, but Phineas couldn't make out the words. Without warning, the leader pulled a pistol from his coat and shot Joseph, who collapsed and was instantly dead. The leader slid his pistol back into his coat and shouted a few words to the soldiers. All except two of the soldiers started to walk towards the forest, their guns held out in front of them.
Phineas sucked in a breath and clutched Eliza tight, running deeper into the jungle.
Phineas sucked in a breath and clutched Eliza tight, running deeper into the jungle.
Phineas turned as the noise grew louder, still cradling Eliza. He hurriedly waded to the shore, his feet drying fast on the hot sand. Ahead he could already see Joseph running about the camp, preparing wood for the dying fire. When he saw Phineas, he ran in excitement, all pretenses of suspicion lost.
"Phineas!" Joseph yelled, "Phineas! Do you hear it? We're saved! We're saved!" Phineas set Eliza down on the sand, hurrying to the campfire and fanning the flame to life. Joseph threw loads of wood on the embers, and the noise grew louder all the while.
When the coals had erupted to flame, Joseph threw a handful of wet leaves onto the fire and a plume of thick smoke burst forth, spiraling into the sky. After minutes of the noise rising in strength, a dark spot appeared on the horizon.
"We're saved!" Joseph was yelling, but Phineas kept his eyes on the craft. It flew low over the ocean, and as it grew closer its build became more clear. It was highly geometric in shape, and about twice the size of the escape crafts Phin and Eliza had fled on. Excitement built as the craft drew closer, and Joseph was practically jumping for joy.
Finally, with the winds whipping sand around the camp, the craft passed above, rapidly losing speed. The bottom of the craft showed an insignia, visible for only a few moments. It was painted faintly with a golden wreath surrounding two crossed swords on a winged background. Phineas recognized it immediately from his academy studies, but couldn't put a name to it. In the distance, the craft began to wheel around to return. Phineas's mind raced to identify the insignia, and suddenly it became clear.
It was the crest of the Libyan military corps.
"We're over here!" Joseph was yelling desperately. Phineas pushed his arms down quickly, to Joseph's immediate anger. "What are you doing?" Joseph demanded, "They're here to save us!"
"No," Phineas said, "They're here to kill us."
"Phineas!" Joseph yelled, "Phineas! Do you hear it? We're saved! We're saved!" Phineas set Eliza down on the sand, hurrying to the campfire and fanning the flame to life. Joseph threw loads of wood on the embers, and the noise grew louder all the while.
When the coals had erupted to flame, Joseph threw a handful of wet leaves onto the fire and a plume of thick smoke burst forth, spiraling into the sky. After minutes of the noise rising in strength, a dark spot appeared on the horizon.
"We're saved!" Joseph was yelling, but Phineas kept his eyes on the craft. It flew low over the ocean, and as it grew closer its build became more clear. It was highly geometric in shape, and about twice the size of the escape crafts Phin and Eliza had fled on. Excitement built as the craft drew closer, and Joseph was practically jumping for joy.
Finally, with the winds whipping sand around the camp, the craft passed above, rapidly losing speed. The bottom of the craft showed an insignia, visible for only a few moments. It was painted faintly with a golden wreath surrounding two crossed swords on a winged background. Phineas recognized it immediately from his academy studies, but couldn't put a name to it. In the distance, the craft began to wheel around to return. Phineas's mind raced to identify the insignia, and suddenly it became clear.
It was the crest of the Libyan military corps.
"We're over here!" Joseph was yelling desperately. Phineas pushed his arms down quickly, to Joseph's immediate anger. "What are you doing?" Joseph demanded, "They're here to save us!"
"No," Phineas said, "They're here to kill us."
Confident that Eliza had had enough water, Phineas gently picked her up, one arm under her legs and the other behind her head. Holding her carefully, he walked to the edge of the beach and waded into the water. As the waves reached his waist, he look at Eliza, who was barely conscious.
"The saltwater will clean your wounds. We can't risk them getting infected," he said. "This... may hurt a bit." He lowered her into the water, just enough so that it covered the scars on her waist but her head remained above the water. He stood for a few moments, allowing the disinfectant to sink in. Suddenly, above the gentle lapping of the waves, another sound could be heard. It was distant and faint, and he at first thought he had imagined it, but it gradually grew louder until there was no mistaking it.
It was the distant whine of the engines of a small airship.
"The saltwater will clean your wounds. We can't risk them getting infected," he said. "This... may hurt a bit." He lowered her into the water, just enough so that it covered the scars on her waist but her head remained above the water. He stood for a few moments, allowing the disinfectant to sink in. Suddenly, above the gentle lapping of the waves, another sound could be heard. It was distant and faint, and he at first thought he had imagined it, but it gradually grew louder until there was no mistaking it.
It was the distant whine of the engines of a small airship.
As Phineas was assessing Eliza's condition, she suddenly started breathing more heavily and spoke several incoherent words. "Shh, shhh." Phineas whispered, gently pushing her head back to the sand. Behind him, Phineas heard Joseph returning from the spring. Joseph handed him a canister of water, which Phineas poured lightly on Eliza's wound. He took the remainder of the water and tilted it into her mouth, trying to re-hydrate her under the Mediterranean sun. He noticed Joseph standing over still, and the man's interest set him on edge. He couldn't leave Eliza alone and vulnerable.
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