“Trust your boots,” Galen called out as the others reached the branches. “They have built-in stabilizers. They’ll help you balance.”
The team started off. It soon became apparent that Solomon had very good balance. He was grinning as he ran along branches and leaped onto adjacent ones.
Nik shook his head. Oh, to feel young and invincible again. He frowned. Actually, he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt young and invincible. His father and their dangerous homeworld had made sure of that. He watched Nera leaping carefully but gracefully between branches. He now knew Nera had never been as carefree as Solomon.
But Nik had decided he was going to make it his mission in life to see she had more fun in her life. To make her smile, to ensure he saw pleasure flushing her face every day.
His boot slipped. He grabbed for the branches and caught himself.
“Daydreaming, Phoenix?”
Nera was watching him, one hand resting on her grappler.
“Fantasizing.”
Her lips quirked. “I suggest you focus on where you’re putting your feet or none of those fantasies will become reality.” She turned and looked back over her shoulder. “And I have a few of my own I plan to bring to life when we get back to the ship.”
He slipped again and grabbed the nearest branch. “Nera.”
She laughed. A light, if slightly rusty sound, and turned, running along a branch.
With a smile, Nik followed her.
Soon, Avril was calling out that they should be nearing the cave entrance. They all climbed down to the jungle floor. Mud squelched under Nik’s boots. It was wetter here, the ground fragrant with rotting vegetation. He studied the area, but all he could see were vines and plants. There were a few large rocks here and there, so it made sense they were getting close to the cave. He studied one vine-covered rock a bit harder. He stiffened. Was that what he thought it was?
“Nera.” He waved her over. As he neared the rock, he realized he was right. “This is a statue.”
She drew her machete and set to work, helping him cut the vines away.
“Keep away from the green vines,” he warned. “We don’t want poison everywhere.”
She nodded and kept hacking. It didn’t take them long to uncover the statue.
Nik stepped back. “Magnificent.”
It was a carving of a warrior. The man was wearing an elaborate headdress and holding what looked like a bow and arrow.
“Incan?” Avril demanded.
Nik shook his head. “It has some resemblance, but no, this is something different. I’d say the craftsmanship is less detailed, almost like it’s older, less-developed.”
“Pre-Incan,” Avril said, excitedly.
“No. This is far newer. The vines have grown on it, and it’s showing some wear. But it’s not worn enough. I’d say this is fairly recent.”
Everyone in their group stirred.
“You think the zombies did this?” Avril’s voice was incredulous.
Gunn snorted. “That’s a stretch.”
“No,” Nik answered. “I don’t think they have the dexterity to do something like this.”
Everyone glanced around, suddenly eyeing the trees warily.
“Well, whoever made it, I think it must be a sign we’re headed in the right direction.” Avril glanced at her Sync, then pointed. “Just twenty meters that way and we should see the cave entrance.”
Galen redirected his team, and Nik and Nera joined in, hacking away. Suddenly, with no warning, a sheer wall of rock appeared. There were excited shouts, and then Nik spotted it.
