THE PALMS THAT HELD US

Chapter 6: The Expedition

Dawn broke over the island like a wound, the sky painted in shades of gray and gold. The survivors gathered at the edge of the jungle, their faces drawn and tired, their bodies aching from the sleepless night. The decision had been made. They would go to the rescue point. They would find a way off this island or die trying.

Susan stood beside Ez, their hands intertwined. She could feel the tension in Ez's body, the coiled energy that came from fear and determination. She squeezed her hand, and Ez squeezed back.

"Ready?" Ez asked.

"Ready."

Priya took the lead, her compass in hand, her eyes scanning the treeline. Chen flanked her, her powerful swimmer's body moving with a grace that seemed impossible given the rough terrain. Marlene brought up the rear, her pearls bouncing against her chest as she stumbled over roots and rocks.

The jungle closed in around them, thick and oppressive. The canopy blocked out most of the light, casting them into a green twilight. Strange sounds echoed from the darkness, the cries of birds and the rustle of unseen creatures.

Daniel moved with a confidence that seemed out of place for a man who claimed to be a lost deckhand. He navigated the trails without hesitation, his eyes fixed on the map, his steps sure and steady.

Priya noticed it first. She fell back to walk beside Susan, her voice low and careful.

"He knows this island better than he's letting on," she whispered. "He's been here before. I'm sure of it."

Susan's heart raced. "What do we do?"

"We watch him. We wait. And we make sure we're never alone with him."

---

They reached the first obstacle at mid-morning. A wide river cut across their path, the water dark and deep, the current strong enough to sweep a person away.

Daniel studied the river for a long moment. "We'll have to swim across," he said. "There's no bridge. No shallow crossing point."

"I'm not swimming across that," Marlene said flatly. "I'll drown."

"We'll help you," Susan said. "We'll hold onto you. Just stay calm and trust us."

Marlene's face was pale, but she nodded. She had no choice. They all had no choice.

Esmeralda went first. She stripped off her shirt and waded into the water, her scarred torso glistening in the dim light. Susan's breath caught at the sight of her, the strength in her shoulders, the determination in her eyes.

"Come on," Esmeralda said, reaching back toward them. "One at a time. Hold onto me."

Susan went next. She wrapped her arms around Esmeralda's neck and let herself be pulled across. The water was cold and swift, but Ez's arms were strong, her body warm against Susan's.

Priya followed, then Chen, then Valentina. Daniel went last, carrying Marlene on his back as she screamed and clawed at his shoulders.

"Stop fighting me," Daniel growled. "You're going to drown us both."

Marlene went silent. She clung to him, her face buried in his neck, her breath coming in shallow gasps. They reached the other side and collapsed on the bank, soaked and shivering.

---

The rescue point was a clearing on the southern shore. It was empty. There was no signal fire, no shelter, no sign that anyone had ever been there.

Marlene's face twisted with fury. "This is it? This is what we risked our lives for?"

Daniel stared at the map, his brow furrowed. "It should be here. The map says it's here."

"Maybe the map is wrong," Priya said.

"No." Daniel's voice was sharp. "The map isn't wrong. Someone else was here. Someone moved the supplies."

Susan's heart lurched. "Moved them where?"

Daniel didn't answer. He was staring at the ground, at the footprints that led away from the clearing and back into the jungle.

Footprints that were fresh.

"There's someone else on this island," he said quietly. "Someone who doesn't want us to find this place."

---

They returned to camp in silence. The weight of their failure hung heavy on them, pressing down like the humidity in the air. They had found nothing but more questions, more fear, more uncertainty.

Susan sat by the fire, her hands wrapped around a tin cup, her eyes fixed on the flames. Esmeralda sat beside her, her hand on Susan's knee, her thumb tracing absent patterns on her skin.

"Ez," Susan whispered. "What are we going to do?"

Esmeralda was quiet for a long moment. Then she spoke.

"We survive. We keep going. And we find out who else is on this island. Because I have a feeling they've been here longer than we have. And they're not going to let us leave without a fight."

---

That night, the camp was restless. No one could sleep. The fear of the unknown pressed down on them, a weight that seemed to grow heavier with each passing hour.

Susan lay in Ez's arms, her head resting on her chest. She could hear her heartbeat, steady and strong. It was the only thing that felt real in a world that had become surreal.

"Ez," she whispered. "Tell me something. Anything. Just to fill the silence."

Ez was quiet for a moment. Then she spoke.

"When I was in Afghanistan, there was a girl. A young soldier. She was barely eighteen, fresh out of training. She was scared all the time, but she never showed it. She always had a smile on her face, always had a kind word for everyone."

"What happened to her?"

"She was attacked. By a commanding officer. He thought he could take whatever he wanted because he had the power. He was wrong."

Susan looked up at her. "You saved her."

"I broke his jaw. His ribs. I almost killed him." Ez's voice was flat, emotionless. "They discharged me. Dishonorably. They said I was a liability, a loose cannon. But I would do it again. Every single time."

"I know," Susan said. "Because you're brave. Because you're good."

"I'm not good."

"Yes, you are." Susan cupped her face. "You're the best person I know."

Ez kissed her, soft and deep. "I love you."

"I love you too."

---

The night stretched on, but sleep would not come. Susan lay awake, staring at the stars through the canopy. She thought about the footprints, about the rescue point, about the mystery of the island.

Then she heard something. A rustle in the undergrowth. A footstep.

She sat up, her heart racing. "Who's there?"

The shadows shifted. A figure emerged from the darkness. It was Valentina. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear.

"I need to tell you something," she whispered. "Something I should have told you a long time ago."

Susan's blood went cold. "What is it?"

Valentina took a deep breath. "I know who wanted us dead. I know who put those names on the list."

"Who?"

"It was me."

---

The word hung in the air like smoke, heavy and suffocating. Susan stared at Valentina, her mind struggling to process what she had just heard.

"Say that again," Susan whispered.

Valentina's face crumpled. Tears streamed down her cheeks, cutting clean tracks through the dirt and grime. "I put your names on the list. All of you. I paid the arms dealer to find you and kill you."

Susan's blood ran cold. "Why? Why would you do that?"

"Because I was trying to protect myself." Valentina's voice cracked. "I was running from my family. They wanted to kill me. I faked my own kidnapping for the insurance money, but they found out. They sent people after me. I thought if I could make it look like someone else was targeting the passengers, they would think I was just another victim."

"You tried to have us killed to save yourself," Esmeralda said. Her voice was ice. She had appeared from the shadows, her face hard, her eyes burning with fury.

"Yes." Valentina's voice was barely a whisper. "Yes, I did."