salute [james conrad] 1

Chapter 18

The animal comes out of nowhere.

Is clutches into Nieves's shoudler and lurches him into the sky, his screams echosing across the jungle.

Everyone jolts at the sight, and Charlotte watches wide eyes as they lurch him into the water, another flying animal grabbing him from the shoulder and launching him into the air once again.

Charlotte winces as she hears his pained screams, her hand finding her gun as she rushes forward, crouching down and trying to aim at one of the other animals, with the purpose of killing them and saving Nieves.

She clutches one eye closed, trying to focus on her aim, and then lets out a stressed breath when she can't get to shoot any of them.

Besides her, James and Silvko are also trying to aim at the animals, but a moment later they lower their weapons.

Charlotte lowers her gun slowly, and watches, her eyes wide with horror as the flying creatures raise Nieves higher into the air, where they all battle for his body, swinging him around from animal to animal like a ball, and then finally, start ripping him apart limb by limb.

"Oh my god" Charlotte whispers, her eyes not wanting to look at the murder scene she is viewing, but not wanting to look away as well.

'What the hell man?" She hears Silvko exclaim besides her, moving from side to side in a desperate manner as he also stares at the scene.

The screams of Nieves echo through the jungle, a few tense moments arriving on the ship before James sighs.

"he's gone" He says in a low voice, still staring and watching how the animals rip him apart.

"Everybody grab your gear. We have to keep moving" He continues, as he back away, but doesn't stop staring at where Nieves used to be.

Charlotte snaps out of her daze, and while she is still looking at the animals, she is now going along with James's plan.

"Yeah. We'll go ashore, meet up with Packard" she says, finally turning around to look at the rest of the team.

"No! No! Wait a minute! Wait a minute!" Brooks yells out, exhasperated as he holds out both his hands, motining them to wait.

"Is nobody gonna say anything about the..." He trails off, pointing at the birds flying in the sky.

"He's gone!" Hank yells from behind Brooks as he looks at him.

"And he ain't coming back. There's nothing to say" He says, before walking away and stepping into the center of the ship

Charlotte looks around, heaving out a breath as she makes eye contact with James.

"OH my god" She hears Brooks say under his breath as he steps back into the covered part of the ship.

The rest of the team slowly trails back into their past positions, except Charlotte and James, who remain on the front of the ship, looking ahead of them.

Finally, Charlotte let's out a defeated sigh, as she sets her gun on her back, which is held by a strap crossing her chest.

"We should have never come here" She mutters as she stares around at the mountains.

She hears James take in a breath as he looks around him as well before he nods to her words.

"We shouldn't have come here. "

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter! Maybe tomorrow I'll update?