We didn't know what had happened to us. Turk was a little puzzled himself. Never the less, we were not taking any chances and told one of the soldiers to put everyone on high alert. Patrols were to be called back to base and we put the drones to work that were not watching the Erl's armies progress up from the Colombian border. The Erl's army had been making slow progress and from the looks of it earlier in the day, were not close enough to have caused the anomaly that we had experienced.
After some arguing between Turk and I, John went ahead and gave Cass a call. Which, of course, would mean Thietian was informed as well of what was going on. Before me and Turk had finished having a shouting match, Thietian had snapped there shocking us both. Me and Turk both looked at John with daggers in our eyes.
John shrugged and sheepishly looked away as Thietian looked irritated, arms crossed, impatiently tapping his foot as he scowled at the both of us. We finally stopped staring at John like our eyes could shoot blasts of flame at him. Thietian shook his head and cleared his throat. He turned to the patrol team that was still there.
"You all are free to go rest and eat, but this little 'show'," he emphasized by motioning to Turk and I, "THAT is not to be repeated, spoken of, or you'll be sent to a different location if not discharged from the ranks."
He turned to us, "I will be dealing with these two personally."
Then turned back to the others present before continuing, "Do I make myself clear?"
He raised a brow and his face dripping in barely controlled fury was enough for the patrol team to quickly stand at attention.
"Yes, SIR!" They shouted in unison before being waved off to leave and quickly high tailing it out of there.
Once the place was cleared out Thietian snapped us back to HQ's and sat at his desk that was piled with reports and other files.
"Sit down." He grumbled covering his face with a hand, as he leaned his head towards the arm of the chair. Shaking his head before sighing, he stood back up and paced.
"Thietian...?" I started but he quickly held his hand up to silence me.
"Disappointed. For the first time ever, I am disappointed in the both of you. First of all, for arguing like that in front of your subordinates, especially when the Erl's armies will be marching on the perimeter of your camp. In what, a few days, maybe two weeks time?! That is not exactly a boost for morale, not that it was high to begin with from the reports I've received. Fighting, detainment of soldiers, discharging in some cases, deserters are being reported... This isn't in just your regiments, this in other places as well. You need to pull your heads out of your asses! The fighting has only just begun and this is already what we are having happen?!"
He slams his fist on the desk, making the files shift and flutter.
"Now, why were you arguing about telling me about this occurrence today? In front of your subordinates, which Sin, you know better than to do that. Turk, why did you feel I shouldn't be informed of something like this?"
He finally took a seat, plopping down, exhaustion now starting to replace the anger in his demeanor.
"We were going to tell you, I just thought that we should get a report made up first and request the shadow's to come in and do a scouting mission of the area." Turk gave me a disgruntled look before looking towards Thietian who contemplated his answer.
"Look, but you all should know ME better by now. Just because I know better, doesn't mean that I'm going to do it that way. I wanted to tell you now, not after we sent in the shadows. Who may or may not return depending on what that truly is." I defended myself and my reasoning. I knew that if we wasted time sending in the shadows, that the Erl's armies could march upon that area before they left and then their lives would have been possibly wasted.
Thietian rubbed his head in exasperation as he looked heavenward, lips moving in silence, seemingly in prayer.
"I understand both of your points on this matter. I'll contact the shadows, and you guys need to get back to your bases. No more arguing like that, either I can trust you both to do what is expected and entrusted to you both or I have put you somewhere else. Please, I have enough on my shoulders trying to make sure we all are working together on these fronts. Don't add to the burden I have asked you to help shoulder with me."
His words left us feeling guilty and embarrassed when we returned to camp. The shadows would be coming soon to speak with John and I, since our location was closer than Turks. We didn't know when they would show up as their normal response to a call was, 'When we get there, we will let you know.' We were warned they liked to startle people when they show up, so John and I would be keeping our eyes peeled.
Our evening went as to be expected making sure every person stationed here was on alert and ready, all twenty thousand of them. Turk had another ten thousand under him and forty miles behind us, we had Panama's military and troops sent from all over to hold the line, if we had to retreat.
Satisfied with what we saw, we had dinner and went to our tent to do any paper work and gets some rest.
"Do you think we should have had set up defenses with the rest of the army near La Penita?" John, who's laying back on his cot, asks me.
I have been working on paperwork and checking updates from the drones, waiting for the shadows to come. I pause and ponder for a moment, thinking hard on the most likely and possible outcomes that I've already given thought to.
"I think with the possibilities that of what the Erl's plan is, that this was the best calculative decision made. With a the thirty thousand spread out in concentrated camps before the main bulk, we can assess whether the Erl's soldiers are wanting to actually force their way north or if they want to just seize more area. We're also buying the main army some time while more troops show up from Mexico and the states. Our troops are better trained for fighting Fae as well, so far that's made a difference in the loss of life at other locations. I think he's doing his best when it comes to how much coordination he's doing with so many countries and their leaders."
A sigh escapes his lips once I'm finished saying my piece. Sitting back up, he stretches before putting his feet over the edge of the cot.
"I guess you're right. The army is only waiting for the additional troops to arrive before they start marching and moving closer to us. Forty miles isn't that far away."
I drop my pen in shock and direct my wide eyed gaze intensely at him.
"What?! Sin? Mary?! What's the matter?" He jumps up concerned looking behind him and then back to me.
"You said, 'I'm right?'" I dramatically widen and flutter my eyes as I clutch my chest.
I can't help but start to crack a smile and start to chuckle as realization washes over his face.
"Woman, sometimes.. you really are an ass."
He flops back on the cot but not before tossing his pillow at me. Still laughing, I dodge it as it lands on the desk sending pages flying with the folders.
"HEY!" I shout looking at the mess I now have to pick up and put back together.
"Serves you right." John says before throwing an elbow over his eyes, looking rather relaxed.
I resign myself to picking up the pages and straightening them out. Sitting back at the desk, I get a cold chill run down my spine.
In the hot humid amazon rain forest.
I lift my head and tell John, "The shadows are here."
"I know." John says quietly, making me turn to see one standing right behind me and another right next to John.
"So you are Sin?" A serpent like voice came out from the completely covered bodies of the shadows.
"I am. Would you like to sit down?" I ask politely, motioning towards the the two other chairs in our tent.
"No thank you. We would like you to show us where this place is we need to investigate." The one by John had spoken this time. It's voice was deeper but still had a serpents hiss to it.
I looked at the both of them while I responded, "No problem, I have a map with the coordinates already marked out for you."
I turned to reach for the map, when they both started snickering, making me leave the map and turn my attention back to them.
My questioning look at the both of them was mirrored by John, who's one eyebrow couldn't get any higher as he looked at me too.
"We don't use maps. Hold out your hand, Sin." The one closest to me hissed.
I hesitated for a second looking at the shadow before me, not being able to see their eyes or mouth. When it put its gloved hand out and wiggled its fingers at me, I put it out and did the same thing. Mimicking its actions caused another snicker of hisses from them.
The one closest removed it's glove and what I saw was gaunt, starved and white skin, that was cracked and peeling back like a paper birch tree's bark. The fingers looked odd with no nails and when it flipped it's hand over, I saw why.
It uncurled its hand palm up to reveal that it's fingers were folded over and doubled in length with long sharp points and no nails. My hand shook suddenly but I quickly willed everything in me to still it again.
It beckoned me to put my hand in its and I quickly did it without thinking.
Pinpricks, it's like I'm being pricked by hundreds of needles into my hand that spreads up my arm. It's not painful, but it's uncomfortable.
Suddenly, my vision goes black and I feel as if I'm falling. The shadow clutches my hand tighter as I start to flail my arms to right myself.
Just as sudden, I'm walking through the jungle with the patrol again, making our way up the hill when it starts to rain. The whole scene replays just as if I'm reliving it. However, I can't change my actions, but I am able to focus my attention on the other things that happened that I saw, but didn't focus on at the time.
It was little things that I kept seeing. Darting about around the leaves, from behind trees, but even though I could catch sight of something, I didn't know what I was looking at. I only noticed those movements when we were in the rain. When we had made it out of the rain, I noticed that there was no longer any movements.
The pin pricks start receding as my vision comes back to the tent. The shadow releases my hand and I pull it back to me looking at it. It's completely fine and now the prickly feeling has disappeared. The shadow puts his glove back on and starts to talk in a language and dialect that is incomprehensible to us.
Turning back to face me, the shadow removes it's hood and I take a step back. It has too many eyes and no mouth. Yet still it speaks.
"We will investigate further."