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Regan Harris
Jungle surrounding Pulhapzak Falls
Honduras
“We’re screwed,” Liam said.
“Maybe not. That’s Frank and Michael,” I said. I pointed them out of the grouping for Ben’s benefit. Liam and Ben strained their eyes to see better. It looked like Michael was speaking but his words didn’t reach us.
“Who are the other two?” Liam asked.
“Both Guy’s men. One we saw at the cabin. I assume the unknown man is the one who was left behind to watch for Gray,” Ben said.
“So, Michael and Frank are outnumbered,” I said.
“They’re not exactly our friends,” Liam pointed out.
Ben didn’t ask who Frank and Michael were, making me assume that he was already well-informed on the family dynamic.
“If they start shooting at each other, we could end up hit. These leaves aren’t going to offer a lot of protection. We need cover. What else is around here?” Ben asked, looking over his shoulder for anything that could be of use. “We should at least retreat behind some of the larger trees until this plays out and we see who’s left standing.”
We whispered back and forth as I wracked my brain for anything I knew about the area. The forest behind us extended all the way to town. The open area in front of us contained nowhere to hide. The place truly hidden here was—
I jerked my head toward Ben as the thought hit me.
“He was wet. Sopping wet.”
“Who?” Liam asked.
I smacked Ben on the arm to get his attention. “Back at Guy’s. In the closet. They came in and the one man was wet. Like he’d taken a plunge in the river.” I pointed to my right like they were unaware of the river flowing nearby. The rush of the waterfall created a backdrop of white noise.
“So?”
“There are caves behind the falls. Gray and I toured them. Maybe he was wet because he was trying to follow Gray. They said ‘the man is missing.’ It makes sense that’s where Gray would go.” In my excitement, my voice grew in volume. Ben slapped his hand over my mouth. I clamped my lips together, hoping he’d get the message that I would stay quiet and he could remove his hand.
“That’s a leap, Regan,” Liam said. “Gray would be trapped. It wouldn’t make sense for him to go there. He’d go away from the danger, not cage himself like an animal.”
“Maybe he didn’t have a choice,” I countered. “That man was wet. Really wet. Gray knows about the caves. It makes sense to me.”
“How would we get down there? They’re blocking the observation deck and stairs,” Ben said, gesturing to the group of men still holding guns on each other.
“From here. The tree line extends to the cliffs. We leave our clothes and shoes here, hidden. Climb down and walk along the edge of the river. The cliff goes straight down. We’d be out of sight and safe from gunfire.”
Liam and Ben looked at each other over my shoulders. They were having an unspoken conversation over me. I kept my head down and my mouth closed. Sometimes you have to know when to be quiet and let your argument win. Liam spoke, a decision having been made.
“One of us should stay behind,” Liam said.
“No.” Ben offered up no room for debate, but Liam made some.
“We can’t leave our clothes, our guns, behind unprotected. Someone needs to stay.”
“It can’t be me,” I whispered. “I’m the only one who knows how to get in.”
“Don’t you just walk through the waterfall?” Ben asked.
“It’s not that easy. Trust me.”
“I don’t think we should split up. We can hide the clothes and two weapons,” Ben said. “One gun goes with us.”
“Why?” I asked.
“We’re not going completely unarmed. We’ll leave two behind as backup in case the water clogs the gun.”
Liam wavered. “How long will it take us?”
I debated the answer in my head. Last time, we’d taken our time entering the falls. We jumped off rocks into natural wading pools and took our time exploring the caves. This time, it would be a speed trek in, check the caves, and back out.
“Twenty, maybe twenty-five minutes,” I said. “They’ll be fine for twenty minutes.” I knew his true worry was Jax.
Liam gave in.
“Alright. Lead the way,” Liam said.
I stood up and headed for the cliff. I stayed behind trees and tried to move as quietly as possible. We couldn’t see the group of men any longer or hear what they were saying to one another. I honestly didn’t care what happened to them. I just wanted Gray and to get back home.
At the last tree, I kicked off my shoes, stuffing my socks inside them. I quickly shimmied out of my pants and stripped my shirt over my head. I stood in a sports bra and boy-cut underwear, Liam and Ben in boxer briefs. Both men had chiseled chests. Liam’s was covered in tattoos that ran down his arms. He made an imposing figure when not covered by his regular clothes. Ben looked like an Adonis.
“How deep is the river?” Ben asked as he peeked over the edge.
“About chest-high on me. Stay behind me. Use your toes to grip the rocks under the water. They’ll be slimy and slippery. As we near the falls, keep your head down and breathe through your mouth. You’ll feel like you are drowning. The water will hit you from every direction. Just keep moving forward.”
It was the only advice I could give them. Words couldn’t be found to describe the feeling once you were actually walking though the waterfall. The water would soak us all to the bone. We would feel waterlogged and heavy afterwards.
I inched my way down the cliff. Natural handholds and footholds were easy to find. We made it to the water quicker than I expected. Walking along the edge of the river, I used my left hand to steady me against the cliff wall. The water was waist-deep and rising. The current grew more forceful as we neared the waterfall. I reached back with my right hand and gripped Liam’s hand. Liam held Ben’s hand with his other one. Ben’s free hand held our only gun.
One of them should have led the way since they were stronger. If the current swept the feet out from under one of them, I wouldn’t have the strength to pull him back up. Both were physically fit and athletic so I hoped it proved enough for them to stay upright.
The falls pounded on our heads and shoulders. I pushed down the fear it created inside of me and kept moving forward. Water ran down every part of my body. I used my free hand to hitch my underwear back up from the water sagging them down.
Just as my body screamed for a real breath, I broke through to the other side. I gulped in mouthfuls of air. Euphoria filled me at having made it to the other side. Liam and Ben emerged right behind me and looked around. Ben held his gun pressed to his chest. It was really an amazing experience to go behind a waterfall. Not one many people got to do.
“Nice,” Liam said. He wiped the water off his forehead and pushed his hair back.
“That was the scariest thing I’ve ever done,” Ben said, causing me to laugh. The tension and stress inside of me eased a bit.
Light filtered through the water, lighting the caves and alcove. We wouldn’t be able to see any details, but there was enough to see if anyone was in them. We looked around. The first two caves were clearly empty. I led the way as we explored the others. My heart started to sag with each empty cave. Maybe I was wrong?
“It was worth a shot, Regan,” Liam tried to boost my spirits.
“There’s one more.” I held out hope. I called Gray’s name as I neared it. I didn’t enter this cave the last time I’d been here. The small space and the feeling of drowning had caused me to become claustrophobic. I’d stayed behind in a larger cave while Gray and the guide kept exploring.
“Where?” Ben asked, looking around.
“It’s there. Trust me.”
I steeled myself for a letdown if it was empty, too. I poked my head in and was shocked at how small the opening was. I turned sideways and shimmied inside. I turned to face the entrance when I realized it, too, was empty. My disappointment setting in. The narrow opening scratched against Ben and Liam’s backs and chests as they entered. We stood shoulder to shoulder.
“Look!” Excitement tinged Liam’s voice, his Irish lilt coming out stronger making the one word sound musical. He pointed over my shoulder.
White fabric stood out against the dark rock. I picked it up without thinking and then immediately threw it back down on the rock when I felt something gooey touch my skin. I washed my hands clean under the water and shivered.
Ben used the tips of his fingers to pull it apart. Tape still clung to the edge of the gauze although the exposed part had lost its stickiness. Blood and pus soaked the bandage.
“It seems fresh,” Ben said. “Regan, I think you may have been right about Gray coming here.” A smile lit up his face.
“Yes!” I pumped my fist in the air.
“Don’t get too excited. He’s clearly suffering, and we still don’t know where he is now,” Ben said.
“But we’re close. I can feel it.”