TA Chapter 19 Scouting Plan
Luthor Dugavu(POV)
A sound of branches creaking, with some even snapping from something they couldn't handle entered my ears originating from my back. My body moved on instinct, spinning in place, putting strain on my muscles as I turned around, gun pointed at the origin.
"Fuckin' forest! Why did it have to be a forest? Life likes to play jokes on people. Don't you think so, soldier?" complained Aila, her face beholden with an ugly expression as she pushed through the shrubbery, only taking careful steps upon tree roots.
My heart, which had risen to my throat, dropped back down into the chest. "What are you doing here?" I asked Aila, interrupting her attempt at coaxing out words from the person who had appeared with her. It was a man, a soldier from Mpologoma state, one of Dan's chosen expedition companions.
"Ril's condition has been stabilized. The leaders need to meet in order to decide the next course of action. Which means, we are your replacements." she answered after stepping beside me while I was turning back to my previous watch direction.
The soldier nodded in confirmation to Aila's words when I turned my eyes to him.
"Why did you need his confirmation? Don't you trust me, Luthor?!" She complained, her hands on her waist, with her eyes boring into mine.
"You love to play around most of the time." I said while glaring at her, upon which, she sheepishly turned away.
"It looks like it's time to discuss important matters." spoke Dan as we started making our way back to camp, leaving behind our replacements.
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The camp was situated within the triangular centre of three giant trees, whose bark was covered by moss and winding green vines that vanished into the canopies above.
A somewhat large beam of sunlight had managed to penetrate the canopies above, falling onto the moss-covered bark of the eastern tree, lighting up this place that would have otherwise been dark.
My eyes fell on the girl upon the blanket laid upon gathered plant matter. Her chest was rising and falling in rhythm, a fact that brought relief. Her eyes were closed, and an outline of the bandages circling her stomach was faintly visible on the surface of her blouse.
My eyes then fell upon Ravena, who was caressing Ril's cheek gently, her entire attention placed upon her child.
Something had to be said, anything, but, I couldn't come up with the words. Saying sorry would imply it was my fault, which wasn't entirely true, and would even lead to a verbal spat. I turned it over within my mind even as intermittent gunshots entered my ears, derailing my thinking process and making me inwardly curse at the fact that I had forgotten to pack silencing items.
"This better be fast! I was barely warmed up!" complained chief Lutalo as he sauntered into the clearing, a semi-automatic dangling on his right side. His crimson pupils were alight with both excitement and hunger.
"Pipe down, you buffoon! What if you wake up my daughter?!" hissed Ravena, her gaze ferocious enough to even make both me and the man, flinch.
"What is the plan?" asked Snow when all of us were gathered in a circle.
The question prompted everyone's gaze to fall upon me. I took a deep breath, partly relieved that Ravena's attention was entirely upon Ril, and started my plan with observations.
"I believe our target is within the foggy western region, precisely within its midst..."
"How did you reach that conclusion?" asked Snow, her eyes emitting a curious light.
I smiled at the question, my chest somewhat swelling, though, I hurriedly put away the smile, and suppressed the heat of embarrassment. "I had already performed extensive modifications upon the plane. There was a dark energy frequency scanner whose memory had been preloaded with the golden asteroid's own setting. And, it naturally pointed towards the center of the roiling fog. Though, there is also some bad news... " I paused here to ruminate about my next words.
"...the roiling fog is composed of a familiar frequency pattern of dark energy. And because we didn't account for concentrated dark energy radiation, we can't explore at the moment."
"Familiar in what way? Do you mean that it is one of the frequencies Dugavu state has managed to arm us with?" asked Dan, mildly attracted.
"No! It's the new frequency, one related to 'rocks', the products formed from molten earth, or pressurized soil. It's recent, though we did bring some prototypes in case we needed it's usage." I explained even as Maxwell struggled to drag one of the bags over at the edge of the gathering.
"Does this mean that this expedition is futile? Should we release the signal to summon the plane?" asked Ravena, her eyes not leaving her daughter's face.
"Not all is lost, madam. We haven't yet even ascertained the nature of the radiation, it's effects, or even whether there are methods of bypassing it. Then there is also this treasure trove of data, the forest around us." said Maxwell after placing down the heavy bag, spreading his hands to gesture at the surroundings.
"And you expect me to linger here because of your whimsical curiosity?" asked Ravena, her fury leaking into the question as her tone almost became shrill.
I scratched at my cheek, pretending that something had crawled upon it for a moment. "Ravena, we need to atleast determine that the radiation barrier is unsolvable before giving up."
She glared at me, her gaze piercing. For a moment, I thought she was either going to spew expletives or chastise me, but opted for silence, her eyes returning to her daughter.
My nails dug into my palm. I really wanted her to say something, anything! Whether it was blame, rage or even crying, I would take them all! That would allow me to figure out how to handle her situation, but she was being tight-lipped with me.
"I volunteer myself to be part of the scouting party." Chief Lutalo spoke suddenly, attracting not just my attention, but everyone's.
"Oh! It seems like I had misjudged you." said Maxwell, a hand caressing his chin as he gazed at the Chief thoughtfully.
"How did you manage to reach the conclusion of a scouting party? I had thought you were all brawn in that head of yours." taunted Dan sarcastically, his arms crossed upon his chest.
"A team composed of combatants and researchers is needed. But we also need to protect and settle in this camp... Make it more permanent with the supplies we brought." I offered, though opted to stay silent afterwards, to give the others initiative.
"How many members should the team be able to accommodate? What kind of resources would they need to carry? And also, how far will they need to travel? How long will they need to finally get results?" asked Snow rhetorically, though her eyes flickered while her mind worked. I could feel that there were even more considerations apart from those that had been verbalised.
"Five people. Our total is fifteen, but in order to set up camp, we will need to atleast retain ten. Ril and Ravena won't be in any capacity to help, which will leave the camp with 8 able-bodied and of sound mind. So, five is the reasonable number of personnel that can take up that task. Also, I suggest that all the leaders remain here." suggested Dan, pointedly staring at me, daring me to oppose his words.
He didn't want me to act reckless. It was something I knew, yet I really wanted to view the radiation barrier myself!
"It will be better if us, as leaders stay here. That will atleast curb any foolish ideas." added Ravena.
My expression changed at her agreement to Dan's suggestion. I took a deep breath to steady my emotions. I knew that the woman was hurting because of what had happened to her daughter, but this was no excuse to meddle with something I really wanted to do!
"Don't worry! I will get reliable results in your place! Besides, it will be exciting to go for a little field work every now and then." chattered Maxwell, his body oozing with excitement.
"Just so you know, I plan to stay here! I must guard you, just in case." whispered Aila on my left, her gaze drifting to Ravena pointedly.
"She won't stoop that low." I said. I prized myself at being an excellent observer of people. Ravena would only exit my calculation and observation parameters if Ril stopped living. That is when she would transform into an unpredictable variable that could even kill me.
"Since I am the scientist, scratch that! The only scientist heading out to scout, it stands to reason that I be the one to choose the members that should accompany me. Are there any objections?" asked Maxwell, an arrogant smirk stretching his lip.
"I see no problem with that." said Snow.
"As long as my son, David is chosen, then there will be no problem." Chief Lutalo's eyes bored into Maxwell, but he didn't even flinch, or show fear.
Most people had no idea about Maxwell's personality. Even I, was sometimes scared by his composure and daring nature. Through observation, I had noticed psychopathic tendencies, though he hid them well enough from the others.