Page 84 of No Time Off

Petra called out to her husband from the stairs. “Henry, I need to say goodbye. Can you come up here, please?”

“Yes, dear,” he responded, giving us one more long look before he headed back upstairs.

For a moment, we just stood there before taking a collective breath. The gravity of what we were about to do weighed on us all.

Manny cleared his throat. “Um…I’ll get the packs ready. We need to go.”

Slash looked at me and nodded. “We do. It’s time for the offensive team to take the field.”

THIRTY-NINE

Slash

Lexi stayed in the office to ensure the prime minister’s video had been successfully sent to Elvis and Xavier before she started packing up our equipment…again. The rest of us helped Manny throw together some makeshift backpacks stuffed with water, food, and essentials.

I made a point to find Paul and thank him for getting Lexi safely from the farmhouse to the yacht.

“Considering we almost died several times, Lexi did great,” Paul said affably. “Rode the bike like an expert with minimal screaming. Good on ya, mate, for finding such a plucky woman. She held her own.”

I didn’t want to hear about the almost dying part, but I grinned at the plucky part and thanked him once again.

A few minutes later, we gathered in the farmhouse kitchen one last time.

We were a group of eight—Lexi, me, the prime minister, Rangi, Manny, Paul, and two of the loyal police officers. That left Henry, the kids, and four security guys behind at the farmhouse to protect them. I personally didn’t think the family needed more than two of the police for protection, but I read the expression on Petra’s face and immediately agreed to the split. It was far more important to have her focused on the matter at hand than to be worried about what might be happening to her family. No one else objected, either, so it was settled.

The prime minister adjusted her backpack before nodding resolutely. “Let’s go,” she said.

We filed out of the farmhouse, blinking in the bright afternoon light. The humidity hung heavy in the air, and the sound of our shoes crunching against the crushed shell road was the only noise we heard until we moved into the jungle and toward the trail.

Manny and Paul scouted ahead at some distance, scanning the area to ensure there were no immediate threats. Behind them walked another loyal policeman, followed by Petra, Rangi, Lexi, and me. The last police officer brought up the rear.

The heat was oppressive, the air thick with the smell of earth and vegetation. I stayed close to Lexi, partially to make sure she didn’t trip over anything, but also to make sure she stayed safe. The weight of the gun against the small of my back was reassuring.

As we walked, we fell into a comfortable rhythm. My mind raced through the upcoming plan, looking for any weaknesses or shortcomings I might have missed. Unfortunately, there were a lot more shortcomings than I would have liked, but it was what it was. I was used to missions that required precision and stealth, but a hike across the island with seven other people—most of whom were untrained for the type of mission we were about to launch—felt different.

The operation, at this point, wasn’t fully in my control anymore, and that concerned me. Our friends back home would take care of their part, so I wasn’t worried about that. The truth was the success or failure of this operation would come down to the strength and fortitude of the prime minister and her desire to save her country. I’d seen the fire in her eyes and believed she could do it, but we couldn’t afford mistakes and timing was everything. It was very uncomfortable risking everything, including our lives, on someone else.

We had to be precise. All of us.

Once we reached the start of the Cross-Island Track, it was a relatively easy incline for the first twenty minutes. Manny and the guard were vigilant, keeping an eye on the path ahead. But soon the path narrowed, and the ground underfoot became more heavily crisscrossed with thick tree roots and jagged rocks. I kept a hand under Lexi’s elbow to make sure she didn’t twist her ankle as we began to climb in earnest.

The air cooled as we entered a section where the jungle canopy thickened, blocking out the sun. It was a welcome relief from the heat, but it also became harder to see the ground beneath our feet. The trail became even steeper as we climbed toward the higher reaches of the island, the sounds of the jungle swirling around us.

At some point we came to a section where a rope had been fastened to the rocks, allowing hikers to pull themselves up the slippery terrain. We stopped briefly to catch our breath, have a water break, and admire the beautiful waterfall nearby.

“This is the Papua Vai Marere, better known as Wigmore’s Waterfall,” Petra said, scanning the view. “It’s about fifteen meters high and has about two thousand cubic meters of water cascade over its crestline each day.”

“It’s stunning,” I said.

“It is,” Petra said, smiling. “A lot of young couples come to this spot. This is where I had my first kiss with Kodi Turua when I was fourteen years old.”

I glanced over at Lexi, who was not looking at the gorgeous waterfall, but instead eyeing the rope leading up the slope with a mistrustful expression. “I’m not sure kissing would be on my mind knowing I have to pull myself up that incredibly steep slope with nothing but a rope,” she said.

“Oh, it’s not so bad, you’ll see.” Petra smiled, reaching for Lexi’s phone. “Come on. Let me take your picture in front of the waterfall. It will be a lovely honeymoon memento for you and Slash.”

Lexi hesitated, glanced over her shoulder at the waterfall, and then reluctantly handed over her phone. “I guess one photo won’t hurt.” As she stepped backward, she stumbled. Her balance faltered, and she teetered dangerously.

“Whoa—!” I lunged forward, catching her arm just before she fell. I pulled her into my arms, steadying her. After a moment, I planted a big kiss on her lips while the others laughed, clapped, and whistled softly.

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