A slight rustling in the jungle had her glance over as Damien stepped out of the darkness.“Radar and Joker are building a thinner stretcher,” he announced.
“Where are we going?”Axle asked.
“Nowhere yet,” Damien said.“But chances are good Agus will look for Vance and we don’t want to be sitting out here waiting for him.”He glanced back at the jungle.“The door is too wide and awkward for easy manoeuvrability.
“How much fuel does the car have?”Mila asked.
“A quarter tank,” Axle answered.
“That’s enough to get across the island and do recon.”
Axle’s eyebrows rose and he smirked.“Recon?”
She refused to feel embarrassed.“The way I figure it, we either wait here until they get a chopper in, or we find a boat,” Mila said.“The boats this side are either destroyed or out to sea.The other side might not have been hit as badly.”
“A boat won’t be great for Ethan,” Axle said.
“Better than being shot,” Mila replied.
“We might still have a boat,” Damien said.“How far to the other coast?”
“You need to go over the mountain, so about an hour.”She shrugged.“As long as there were no landslides from the earthquake.”
“Radar and Joker can go when we’ve built the stretcher.”
Mila rubbed her aching head.“What time is it?”
“Almost four.”Damien rummaged around in his backpack and pulled out a packet.“Here.”
Pain killers.“Thanks.”She popped two out and swallowed them dry.
“Axle, can you check her over when you’re done with Ethan?”Dobby asked.
“I’m fine.”
“I’ll check,” Axle said.“Just in case.”
Dobby smiled and helped her out of the car.
His smile warmed her insides.Now wasn’t the time to be attracted to this man.He had a job to do.
Axle shone his torch over her arms and legs.He hissed at a gash on her forearm.“That might need stitches.”He took his canteen from his hip and cleaned the cut.“When we get to camp, I’ll clean all the cuts and put a couple of stitches in.”He smiled in apology.“I’d like to check under your clothes as well.”
She closed her eyes and nodded.He was a medic doing his job.
“Dobby, turn around and Ethan, close your eyes.”
She doubted Ethan could see her from where he was, but she appreciated it when Damien turned his back to give her privacy.
Carefully Axle pulled up her top, and he winced.“It looks as if you’ve gone ten rounds with a prize fighter.”He gently prodded her ribs and then turned her around so he could check her back.“You’re lucky, but I’m worried about the water you swallowed.If you start to feel different, you need to tell me immediately.”
She nodded.The thought of what could have been in the water was sobering and made her want to vomit again.
As Axle finished examining her, Radar returned carrying a stretcher made from wooden poles and some sort of fabric which they must have had in their packs.
“Where are we going?”Radar asked.
“We’ll stay here,” Damien said.“Close to the village if extraction comes.You and Joker can take the car and investigate options on the other side of the island.”
