The pungent aroma of bleach and ammonia filled Malcolm’s nostrils as he lay on the hospital bed, waiting for his test results. It was a familiar scent, the kind that used to fill the lab shared with Dominic during their early days of working together. The heat of the Bunsen burner on his skin could almost be felt when he closed his eyes, and he remembered the weight of beakers in his hand as he carefully mixed various chemical compounds. He missed those days. Now his life was cooperate politics, investments, and ordering thousands of people to do their job.
Being a chemist had been simple, elegant, and most of all, it was fun.
All running a business had ever gotten him was pain and loss.
Malcolm used to believe that working hard while you were young was the key to relaxing when you were older. Now that he was a little older, he still worked just as hard, if not more so, than when he was a young man. As he stared up at the ceiling, he couldn’t help but find it amusing that the freedom he once tried so hard to obtain was now the thing that kept him enslaved.
Even if he did manage to find Claire and snatch her away from Brantford’s clutches, nothing would end. That depraved man would only try some other method to subvert Malcolm’s peace, hurt his loved ones, and possibly even go as far as to kill him. Malcolm knew that there was only one way to secure his happy ending, and it wasn’t with money or prestige. It was with murder.
He was going to kill Brantford Cunningham.
The thought brought a frown to his lips. He had only ever used that method as a last resort and the idea of using it against someone that he once considered a brother disturbed him greatly. The two men had always had been in competition with one another, uttering endless empty threats in a childish game of machismo and getting under each other’s skin.
How the game had turned deadly serious still baffled Malcolm. It had long since moved past the petty level of threats and corporate sabotage. Now, it was all out war. It was simply the law of nature: kill or be killed. If Malcolm hadn’t hunted those fish in the stream, he wouldn’t have had the strength to survive the plane crash. Similarly, if he didn’t protect himself from a dangerous predator meaning him harm, he would end up being the prey. Acknowledging that fact and accepting it made Malcolm feel better about what needed to be done; sinister plots immediately began to form in his mind.
A loud ringing distracted Malcolm from his scheming and he reached for the phone on the bedside table. In an irritated jerking motion, Malcolm lifted the receiver to his ear. “Cage,” he said curtly.
“It’s just me, Mal.”
Malcolm felt his tense facial muscles relax in relief at the sound of Dominic’s voice. “It’s good to hear from you. Any word on Victoria?”
“The pilot did a job on that chute. He removed the GPS locater before sabotaging the plane. Victoria is in the wind,” Dominic said sadly. “I’ve got people trying to track her down based on where the plane was found and your mayday call… but it’s a big jungle man.”
“I understand,” Malcolm said with deep worry in his voice. His stomach turned over with nausea as he imagined the worst. “Victoria is a smart girl.
She’ll leave an S. O. S. somehow.”
“We’ll find her, Mal. We will,” Dominic said reassuringly.
“Brantford better hope we do,” Malcolm said with danger dripping from his lips. “If anything happens to her, he will pay with more than just his life.”
“Mal,” Dominic said slowly. “Don’t do anything rash. These are powerful people, and you don’t want to poke at the hornet’s nest.”
“I don’t care anymore. That man is a fucking demon,” Malcolm said with daggers in his voice. “I’d be doing the world a favor by getting rid of him.”
“I don’t disagree,” Dominic said softly, “but his father is still one of the council members in the Organization. You can’t just off his son.”
“Watch me,” Malcolm said as he hung up the phone abruptly. He knew that Dominic was right; it would be nearly impossible to kill the man without severe consequences brought down upon him. He had to look deep inside himself and determine if it was the right thing to do. But was it worth it? Every fiber of his being told him that it was. He would have no peace or life as long as Brantford Cunningham still lived.
Malcolm stood up from his bed and paced around the room. He pushed aside thoughts of killing his enemy for the moment and focused on the most time-sensitive mission: finding Victoria. He felt like he was unable to move forward without her by his side. It killed him on the inside to be sitting comfortably in a hospital room while the woman he cared for was out there, alone and scared.
Not being able to stand it any longer, Malcolm walked out of his room and made his way to a nurse’s desk.
“I want to leave,” he demanded harshly.
The young, attractive nurse glanced up from her clipboard. She was a small woman with a soft countenance and innocent green eyes “The doctor hasn’t discharged you yet,” she said sweetly.
Malcolm furrowed his brows. “I don’t need him to. Just give me back my personal belongings and I’ll be on my way.”
The young woman shook her head vehemently. “Sir, I do not recommend that. You could suffer serious complications from your accident that you don’t realize are already building. It’s safer to stay here for another day or two.”
Malcolm sighed and turned on his heel. “Fine, I’ll just walk out in this gown. I’ll enjoy the breeze between my legs,” he said sarcastically.
Her hand reached out to tug his sleeve and she looked up at him with her big, green eyes. “You can’t leave before I’ve given you your sponge bath. All the male patients say I give the best sponge baths,” she said suggestively, as she unbuttoned the top of her blouse.
Malcolm coughed as he gazed upon her exposed olive flesh. “I’m spoken for,” he said quickly. “And my woman is somewhere out there, godknows-where, in the jungle. Either help me get out of here or don’t get in my way. Your choice.”
The nurse shrank back and scrambled to hide herself, a red tint quickly staining her tanned cheeks. “I’ll have security bring your things to your room right away,” she said quickly. “I hope you find her. She’s a lucky woman.”
“Thank you,” he said, smiling at the young woman softly. He turned away without another word and went back to his room. Security had acted quickly, by the time he made it back to the room his charred clothes were folded neatly on the bed. His nose wrinkled at the smell as he put on his shirt. He ignored it as best he could, making a mental note to buy new clothes along with a charger for his phone as soon as he got into the city.
His body felt disgusting wearing such ragged and dirty garments.
Briskly, with a pace filled with purpose, he marched out of the hospital. Getting new clothes and a way to communicate with his people was paramount and needed to be done swiftly. Once those were out of the way he planned to coordinate a rescue operation fit for nobility. He wouldn’t lose someone he cared about a second time.
Not even if it cost him everything.
Victoria was comfortable and warm, curled up on the soft earth.
Her eyes were closed and she allowed herself to listen to the
sounds of the forest. Monkeys were chattering away in the trees while crickets called out for mates, creating a natural rhythm of life.
It was incredible to listen to and filled Victoria’s heart with joy. She just wished that Malcolm was somehow here to experience all the sounds with her. The thought stirred her loneliness. It deeply pained her chest and brought tears to her eyes. Everything felt pointless and lost. The sounds no longer seemed pleasant. They only brought her agony. A soft touch on Victoria’s cheek caused her eyes to snap open. She stared up into Malcolm’s chiseled face in disbelief. Her arms flung around his neck in the span of a heartbeat and she pulled herself into his chest.
“I thought you were dead,” she whispered as the tears began to pour down her cheeks.
“It’s going to take a lot more than a silly plane crash to take me down, my treasure,” he said with soft arrogance, clutching her to his body.
The relief of feeling him against her washed away her pain and doubt. She pressed her lips against his, crushing him with her desire and love. She longed to feel him kiss her back, but he didn’t. She felt nothing but coldness.
Her eyelids fluttered open and she realized that her lips were pressed against a wet stone. Flinging it away in disgust, Victoria looked around in the dim lighting and saw nothing.
It had just been a dream.
An ache welled up in Victoria’s chest and spread throughout her whole body. Her throat felt as if a giant lump was about to explode out of her.
Refusing to cry, there was only one thing left for her to do. She screamed.
Victoria seethed quietly after her throat became raw. Hours passed until the sun overhead set and the only light illuminating her small camp was that of her fire. To distract herself from the cruelty of her dream, she looked up into the increasingly familiar night sky. Its beauty pulled her away from her anger and she allowed herself to enjoy its company. She was used to the city lights drowning out such magnificent stars, but now she could see them all through the broadleaves. She just wished that she could somehow identify them and made a mental note that if she survived, she would spend time studying star maps.
Night after night she would look up in the skies, wondering when someone would come to help her. Surely someone had seen the smoke from her fire after three days. She had gotten lucky in finding some nuts and berries on her first venture out into the forest. They had kept her fed for the first two days, but now her supply was running low.
She had tried to make a run for food earlier in the day, but moving was becoming nearly impossible with her infected leg. Every time she tried to take a step, her entire leg would crumple. The cut would often open and ooze pus and blood. “I’m going to die,” she muttered to herself. She didn’t want her words to be true, but she knew that there was no escaping the truth. She could feel the bacteria growing and festering inside her leg.
There was a loud snap in the forest that drew Victoria’s attention. She quickly sat up on her elbows and peered out into the darkness. It was difficult to see clearly past the area illuminated by the flames. More sounds of movement in the forest were setting her nerves on edge. Fuck, she thought to herself in terror. What if it’s a Jaguar or some other vicious animal?
She backed away slowly using the strength of her upper body and her good leg. “When I get back, I’m hitting the gym,” she whispered to herself as she struggled with her own weight.
Two large eyes glowed in the darkness as the animal approached the light of the fire. The sight caused Victoria to panic, as she knew that a large predatory cat was likely to have a similar eyeshine. “Stay away from me!” she shouted as she got closer to her fire, hoping the heat would scare the animal away.
The mysterious creature kept gazing at her hungrily with its hypnotic large yellow eyes. Victoria felt her breathing quicken as her chest heaved in anticipation for the ungodly roar she imagined that such a beast would emit. A cold sweat broke out over her body as she panted, reaching for a burning stick from the fire. Unfortunately, it was too hot and it burned her hand. Wincing, Victoria held her hand close to her rapidly beating heart as she prepared to be eaten.
The stealthy cat had stopped approaching her, and was keeping some distance. For a long moment Victoria locked eyes with the animal who was about to devour her for dinner. It advanced slowly, stepping out of the shadows and closer to the fire until Victoria was finally able to look upon the form of the terrifying cat.
It was no bigger than a bunny rabbit.
“Oh, Jesus,” she sighed at the sight of the adorable small cat. She felt her anxiousness slowly fading. “You’re a curious little guy, aren’t you?” The little cat backed away hesitantly.
“Oh, don’t be scared,” she said soothingly. “I won’t hurt you.”
The cat tilted its head as it gazed upon Victoria with inquisitive eyes. Its small paws stepped soundlessly on the ground as it cautiously approached her, but it maintained a healthy distance in case it needed to flee.
“You are the cutest thing ever,” she said with a smile as she studied the creature. It looked somewhat like a miniature leopard, but Victoria had a feeling she wasn’t looking at a baby version of the dangerous cat.
The small beast moved like an experienced hunter. It was using the caution of an adult cat, not a carefree kitten. It circled her with exploratory interest; brave enough to inch closer, but smart enough not to underestimate Victoria. She wondered if the cat was some kind of relative to the large predator it resembled.
“You can come closer,” she said softly as she reached for a few of her berries, holding them out in the palm of her hand.
The creature approached her curiously, sniffing at her palm. It looked at her with appraisal before batting her palm away idly, not wanting any part of the food she was offering.
“More for me,” Victoria said with a smile as she took a few of the berries into her mouth.
The cat seemed amused by her and moved closer to the fire, settling down next to it for the warmth.
“I guess cats are the same no matter what,” she mused as she watched the little creature. She laid her head down against the soft earth and felt herself drifting off into sleep. Her energy had been stolen over worrying about the potential threat of the little cat and she felt exhausted. Her eyes opened as she gazed at the little creature lying idly by the roaring fire, and felt a small smile form on her lips. It was like having a little guardian and Victoria felt more comfortable with the cat close by.
Victoria wasn’t sure how long she had been asleep before a tickling feeling on her leg roused her from her nap. She blinked several times to allow her eyes to adjust to the dim light. It was the little cat licking her thigh gently, as if to clean her wound. Her heart softened at the sight of the little animal taking care of her and she wanted to reach out and hug her new feline friend, only stopping because the soothing feeling of its tongue was far too good to interrupt.
“That’s nice,” she encouraged gently. She rolled onto her side a little to allow the cat better access.
It gingerly licked at her wounded thigh for a few moments more before stopping. It slowly approached her face, stopping near her ribs and snuggling down beside her. Victoria smiled at the feeling and reached out to gently pet the cat’s head. It responded by softly purring and craning its neck to reach into Victoria’s touch.
“Thank for keeping me company, little guy,” she said as she continued to run her fingers through its fur. She continued her attentions on the cat for a few more minutes before falling back into her slumber.
“MISS CHASE,” a voice said softly.
Victoria felt a gentle shake on her shoulders that she ignored. She couldn’t seem to summon up the energy to respond at all. Her whole body felt numb and her head pounded in pain.
“Victoria,” the voice said again. “Can you hear me?”
She could have sworn that it was Malcolm. The tender masculinity was unmistakable. She was sure that his voice would haunt her dreams for the rest of her life. Her whole body felt sore and feverish, and she gave herself over to the hallucinations.
“I wish you were real,” she said softly and deliriously.
“You need to wake up now,” he said. “Or else you’re going to die.”
Her eyes shot open and she glanced around quickly to find the source of the voice in the darkness. There was nothing around her except her little cat friend that was softly licking at her face. She slowly lifted herself onto her elbows and saw that she was still in the rain forest, during the early morning. The sun was only peeking over the horizon, not yet illuminating the forest with its light.
Victoria’s breathing started to become labored and came in gasps. She lifted her hand up to her head to feel her temperature. She realized that she was burning up and drenched in her own sweat.
“Are you keeping an eye on me because you know I’m going to die soon?” she asked the little cat.
The creature looked at her with uncomprehending eyes and seemed to shrug before it walked away.
Victoria sighed and struggled to pull herself to her feet. She could barely stand. The fire had gone out and she needed to be awake in order to start it back up. “Seven days since the crash,” she mused as she sat down on her log near the smoking remnants of her signal fire. “So much for telling the world Malcolm’s story.”
Her body was sore, and every breath she took strained her lungs so much that she felt they might collapse from the effort. Even her arms struggled to lift the fresh wood to place on the smoking embers of her fire. A task that should have only taken a few moments felt like an eternity. When the new fire was ready to be lit, Victoria felt so tired that she could barely lift her clear bottle to act as a magnifier.
She gritted her teeth through the ordeal until smoke and flames began to rise from the fire pit. Once she was satisfied that the flames would stay ignited without further attending, Victoria took a long drink from her bottle. The cool water washed down her burning throat, offering a mild bit of refreshment. The relief was short lived as her stomach growled loudly and her abdominal muscles cramped tightly.
The pain sapped all her remaining strength, and Victoria fell to her knees roughly. Her vision began to falter as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Soon, she was unable to do so and she was left in complete darkness. Even her body felt completely numb, as if her brain couldn’t spend the energy on her senses anymore. Only the sounds of the crackling fire and the hissing of her new feline protector were left to her, but those were quickly melting into silence.
It’s as good a time to die as any, she thought to herself as she drifted off into deep sleep. I’m sorry, Malcolm. I’ve failed you. I wasn’t strong enough.