Long shadows angled away from the line of boats like inky rivers, jiggling with the passage of water as they kept their single file along the edge of the dense jungle. The sun gradually dipped below the tree line and the shadows filled in with a solid charcoal grey. Sax said something to his native paddler and the man raised a hand and made a signal to the boats following. In a few minutes they angled into the shore and beached on a muddy embankment.

The natives immediately began setting up a small camp while the soldiers turned their flashlights to the weeds and roots of the plants and trees to make sure no dangerous creatures were watching and biding their time.

Smoke from the fire drifted straight up in the thick air and the smell of roasting fish permeated the campsite.

"A welcome break," Chessery grunted, walking about stiff-legged, hands on her buttocks. "I should have packed a cushion for that boat seat. I'm going to have a permanent ridge in my bottom." She stopped talking, catching Jed eyeing the area of complaint.

"Sorry" He busied himself with setting out his mess kit.

The natives took their cooked fish and moved to the edge of the site away from the soldiers, preferring to eat alone and talk among themselves, leaving Sax, Jed and Chessery and Anson, the other soldier, by the fire. Sax held a long branch in the flames stirring sparks in small explosions into the night sky.

Their food was taking longer because they didn't eat it like the natives, and they also enjoyed some tubers that were roasted in the coals. The group sat silently staring into the fire, each tending to their own thoughts. Finally, Jed spoke up and asked about the treasure they sought, his curiosity outweighing his caution in front of Sax.

"It is a pursuit worth the candle." Chessery smiled and flicked a glance at Sax. "Believe me."

"And is that supposed to give us some kind of satisfaction?" Sax asked, digging the cooked tubers out of the coals and dumping them onto a plate.

"I thought following your commander's orders provided your satisfaction."

"When it's for a good cause."

"Aah, and here I thought you were doing it for me." She teased blatantly.

"Only you do for you, Chessery, everyone else gets tricked or cornered." He passed the food to the others then picked up his twig and tossed it into the flames. When he spoke again it was right in her face. "It's always all about you."

"I believe that was your position as well at one time, was it not?" She replied, blushing. Jed watched him fight back a retort and then remove himself from their company.

"May I be so bold as to ask about your first meeting?"

Chessery turned a steady gaze on him and thought carefully before shrugging an agreement. "It was about seven and a half years ago. I was just a teenager on my family's property in the Republic of Congo."

"Africa?"

"That's where the Congo is, Jed." She allowed him to blush an apology.

"And Sax was there too?" The minute he asked he knew he'd done it again. Her look was sympathetic and he shook his head, miming a zipping of his lips.

"For years it was a rat's nest of political intrigue," she began. "Killings, coupes... nothing was stable until the early nineties and that didn't last long. Many of our friends and neighbours; were either killed or driven off by then. An accused racist, Pascal Lissouba defeated Sassou-Nguesso in the presidential election of 1992. Not long after, armed factions supporting Sassou-Nguesso entered into an all out war that destroyed most of the capital. Angola got into the act and helped Sassou-Nguesso to toss out Lissouba."

She cut into her fish and chewed a mouthful while Jed waited, fascinated.

"So what about you and Sax?"

"Patience, Jed. A little history never hurt a good tale." She wiped her mouth and took a breath. "During that war there was a renegade group of marauders plundering the towns and villages west of the capital along the Niaci River; that's where my parent's property was, near Matingou. It was brutal. They butchered everyone they came across.

"At the same time, fighting with the Angolans, was your captain's group of mercenaries, obviously, a different bunch than today... except for Sax. They sided with the Sassou-Nguesso and were sent to quash the raiders and see that the area was secured. During one of the skirmishes, Forrester was wounded and he was taken prisoner along with a number of other natives and seeders in a village near the river. They threatened to kill Forrester and all the others if the mercenaries didn't surrender.

Jed stretched his legs and grunted into a more comfortable position. "We'll be turning in soon, how long is the history lesson?"

Chessery shrugged. "I know the story, I don't have to hear it again; it's up to you."

"Sorry I'm saying that a lot lately."

"Shall I go on?"

"Please."

"I'll make it short for you. Sax and two others swam up the river and got behind the enemy. In a very short time the renegades were either slaughtered or sent scrambling, defeated. One of the raiders had taken a young woman hostage as he fled and tried to get to one of his hideouts. Sax followed like an avenging angel and caught the man, rescued the hostage and returned her safely to her family."

"Her? You were the woman."

She nodded. "Girl actually I was only eighteen. I was completely mesmerized by that gallant soldier and made him miserable by trying to force myself into his life. We spent most of a year learning how incompatible we were yet unable to separate. Finally Forrester, fully recovered from his wounds and ordeal at the hands of his captors, accepted another mission across the ocean and they all left." Her voice grew sad and she spent a few moments studying her hands.

"That's it? Why is he so mad at you then?"

"I tried to hold him by lying about my condition. When he discovered the lie we had a rock 'em, sock 'em battle that didn't end well."

"You still love him, don't you?" Jed ducked down to see her eyes.

"Life is full of dead ends, you just take another path."

"Uh huh, and so this is not a coincidence then, you're getting Sax mixed up in this?"

Chessery gave his cheek a pat and left him alone by the fire. Sax saw her leaving Jed, and heading his way and he chewed unhappily on the fact that his right hand man appeared to be developing an infatuation. It meant that Chessery had more strings to play with. He lay back and folded his hands behind his head, staring up through the branches at the black sky.

He didn't react when she made herself comfortable beside him "Exactly what is the value of this treasure?" He pre-empted anything she might say with a question; he wanted only to talk business.

"Won't know that until we find it." She answered, brushing away some twigs and stones, edging a little closer as she did.

"And how did you come to know so much about it?" He watched her peripherally.

"It's a very long, complicated story, but my father was given a map years ago by someone he knew—doesn't matter how—who owed him a great favour. The map was the only thing this person had of any value so it became his repayment. It was lost long ago in some war or other."

She waved a hand and picked at some grass with a display of indifference. "When my dad died, I inherited the map. He said I had to wait until the time was right but to just wait around was not my style." She stopped as Sax snorted a derisive chuckle. "Something funny in that?"

"Just acknowledging the obvious."

"Aren't you just so clever. It must be nice to reside above everyone else the way you do with your profound intellect."

"You mentioned that you alone knew about this map, I mean after your dad and all... and us." He went on, ignoring the sarcasm and thrusting his head toward Jed and the other soldier. "Logic would dictate that had I not accepted - or Forrester, actually - you would have been at the mercy of anyone who could have forced it out of you."

"Are you asking?"

"No, just stating the obvious again." He turned and gave her a frank look. "Chessery, what happened between us was not because I didn't- you weren't what I..." He looked away and cursed at the sky "It was the lies... it still is."

She watched him silently, admiring the profile of his face in the firelight. She Knew the reason without being told, her impetuous youth, the need to have her own way without question, the inability to forego manipulation for trust.

When he had left her after nearly sacrificing his career, she was humiliated and angry It was only the maturity of years that gave her an understanding of a true and proper relationship and while she had mellowed in that regard, her goal had always remained the same - to one day, win Grant Saxon's love. Without replying, she rose, brushed off her clothes and bade him a simple good night.