"I'm going for the hike," Rhea said, just as MacDonald was splitting the team into two.

"I think it'd be better if you went with the group to the village," the Canadian said reasonably.

"Oh don't give me that crap. I plan on having as many missions as I can where I don't have to talk to people." She gave him a withering look. "And if you're worried about my ability to function, why don't you give James Theron a bell using that phone thing that we've got and ask his opinion."

"Okay, okay," he said placatingly and went on dividing the team. Not surprisingly, except for her, the team heading off into the wilds consisted of the military types. The dividing done, they all had ten minutes to get what they needed. Rhea immediately retrieved her M9 sidearm (plus a few spare magazines), a large hunting knife and some throwing knives.

//How do I do this again?// she asked Asreal.

/*Well, it'd help if you pulled up your sleeves,*/ the Tok'ra instructed her. In short order the weapons were snug in their leather thongs against her forearms. She tested the set-up, flinging the knife towards a tree where it stuck into the soft wood.

"What the hell was that?" Start demanded, the projectile having soared over her left shoulder.

"A very sharp blade," Rhea replied flippantly. "Don't worry, I wouldn't have hit you."

"That's what you think," the astrophysicist grouched and moved away.

She pulled the knife free from the tree trunk and replaced it before going back to her pack. Pulling out most of its contents, she came across a large leather case at the very bottom. Opening it carefully, she inspected the ribbon device that she'd been literally ordered to bring by General Hammond. She felt a tap on her shoulder and snapped the lid shut before swinging around. Mackenzie raised a questioning eyebrow and gestured towards the case.

"I was told to bring it," she informed him, and transferred the case (along with some other things) to a smaller pack that she was going to take on their trek. "I can see the sense in the order, but it doesn't make me any more comfortable about it."

Mackenzie silently raised another question.

"I realise that I need Naquadah in my blood to use it, and that's already been taken care of by Asreal. And I do know how to use it if that's what you're worried about." She glanced down at the ground, recalling some of the memories her symbiont has chosen to share with her. "I know how to use it too well actually."

"Okay, everyone ready?" MacDonald's voice rang out.

~*~*~

Jake Mackenzie wasn't too happy to know O'Shea had brought a Goa'uld weapon with her on the mission. He hadn't been told that she possessed one, let alone knew how to use one. But it was a little late to do anything about it now. He frowned slightly as he watched her pack the device away, wondering if he was worrying without good reason. He sure hoped so.

Mac looked up as he heard MacDonald call, "Okay, everyone ready?" The last thing he himself felt was 'ready', but he wasn't about to let anyone else know that. Not that he even could!

During the last hour, he'd seen no improvement in his vocal abilities, and thankfully his headache was starting to fade away. The group trekked back towards Pueblo as they'd done the day before, halting about half a mile outside the village. MacDonald turned to face the others and spoke once more.

"We divide here," he told them, looking at his CO for approval. Mac nodded and listened as the Lieutenant continued. "Stay in radio contact at all times," he added, throwing a sheepish look at Mackenzie.

'Problem', Mac thought to himself. And one he hadn't considered. 'How the hell do I stay in radio contact with anyone?' No way did he want to compromise the mission by being out of contact. Maybe he could pair up with one of the others. He watched as McNamara and Start began to head off towards the village and he suddenly had a feeling that they shouldn't go alone. He pulled on MacDonald's sleeve sharply, writing rapidly on a scrap of paper.

"Hunter!" MacDonald called. "You're with the village detail."

"Sir," came her snapped reply, and Mac watched with relief as the sergeant jogged after the two civilians.

Mac pulled out a map and spread it on the ground. The reported sightings came from an area north of the village and that was to be the main arena for the day’s activities. He pointed to an area on the map for MacDonald to see and held up both hands, both index and middle finger extended, but closed together. MacDonald nodded.

"We stay in pairs," he relayed to the others, glancing at his CO as Mac snared O'Shea's arm. Jake almost smiled at the relief on the Lieutenant's face. Almost. He still wasn't in the best of humour. The group of four moved off to the north and after a few miles the trail divided, providing a natural place for the team to split up.

"We'll regroup here in...." MacDonald looked once more at Mackenzie."...Six hours," he finished, seeing that number of fingers being held up. "And remember... radio contact at all times." He made sure Rhea O'Shea knew he was talking to her.

"No problem, lieutenant," O'Shea said lightly. "Come on, silent one," she said to Mac, taking his arm. Mac cast a final glance back at MacDonald and Diens, wondering if there was enough time to change his partner, but the others had already moved on.

Although he couldn't talk, O'Shea more than made up for it, seeming content to hold a one-sided conversation. Mac busied himself with keeping alert and by scanning the thick trees either side of the trail. Once or twice he heard heavy trampling in the dingy forest, but nothing was seen. Each time he heard the sounds, he pulled out his side arm and swung towards it. For some reason, the place was starting to play havoc with his nerves... probably not helped by his current speechless condition. He'd never take vocal abilities for granted again... he knew that.

He consulted the map again as another fork in the path loomed and pointed to the left. O'Shea continued to tell him her life story as they walked together deeper into the rainforest.

~*~*~

Rhea started when Mackenzie grabbed her arm when they paired off. //Great, he doesn't trust me.//

/*He doesn't know you.*/

//He knows enough.//

She looked longingly towards Pueblo, suddenly wishing that she'd opted for the town detail rather than the hike through the bush. Six hours with a silent Mackenzie in the middle of a jungle hunting down something that was most likely to be a Goa'uld. Yee hah.

"And remember, radio contact at all times," MacDonald was saying. She was certain that he was talking to her more than anyone else, given that she was the only non-military member of this little group.

"No problem Lieutenant," she said, keeping her tone light. "Come on silent one."

She grabbed Mackenzie by the arm and dragged him off into the jungle. He was probably wishing with all his might that he'd picked someone else to partner for the trek (she ignored his own longing look back towards MacDonald and Diens). They walked in silence for a few minutes, nerves taught as guitar strings as they waited for something to jump out a grab them. Finally she, at least, relaxed and finding that the chances of a conversation were nil she began to talk about her life.

"Uh, okay. Since we can't really discuss much of anything, you get to listen to my life story. Okay, let's see. I was born in Mount Isa - don't worry if you've never heard of it. Most of the people in *Queensland* have never heard of it. After all, it's two claims to fame are the world's longest main street and a whacking, great, big underground mine..." She prattled on for quite a while longer, pausing only to breath and to listen after any strange noises (none of which turned up as anything anyway). It wasn't until she was in the middle of recounting a near disastrous bushwalking incident during her uni years that there was a loud crash.

"What the fuck?!" she yelped, but fell silent immediately as Mackenzie pulled out his sidearm and pointed in the direction of the noise.

"MacDonald," she hissed into her radio, thanking the heavens that the fear that she was feeling wasn't carrying over in her voice. "I think we might've found something." Inching closer to Mackenzie, she leant closer to him. "They don't have elephants here, do they?"

~*~*~

"So how do you know if you've found a Goa'uld?" Diens asked MacDonald.

"You were given the brief weren't you?"

"Today is my third day as a member of the SGC. I know only what I've been able to guess."

"Goa'uld are parasites. They live inside a human host and control their functions. You can tell if a person has been taken over by an entry scar, glowing eyes-"

"MacDonald," Rhea hissed over the radio, "I think we might've found something."

"And panicked team-mates?" Diens asked.

"At times," he replied.

The two headed to the last known position of the major and Rhea.

~*~*~

As they strode deeper into the forest, Mac listened to O'Shea as she told him more than he really wanted to know. At the end of her speech, he knew everything there was to know about Mount Isa. Right down to the little plaque in the centre of the town to the last time anything of consequence was unearthed. 'Not counting the bones of bored visitors,' he added uncharitably to himself. Hell, he knew he wasn't being fair, but he didn't *feel* fair.

A sudden crashing sound interrupted her - something for which Mac was immensely grateful - and he heard her utter a startled curse. Mackenzie pulled out his sidearm and gestured to his left, hearing O'Shea contact MacDonald in hushed tones.

"MacDonald," she said softly, "I think we've found something." He felt her lean towards him, staring at the area he'd indicated. "They don't have elephants here, do they?" she asked.

Mac scowled at her, wondering whether or not she was for real. He saw that she actually looked pretty worried and he patted her arm encouragingly. Whatever had made that noise had been big. Big enough to cause him to worry a little too. And it was heading their way. MacDonald and Diens were too far away for immediate aid, and Mac knew they were on their own.

He gripped his pistol tighter and crouched low, tugging O'Shea with him. The undergrowth was thrashing around, moved by a so far unseen body.

"What is it?" O'Shea hissed into his ear. Mac answered with a small shrug. He pushed down on her shoulder to tell her to stay put and circled round towards the sound. What he saw was enough to make him halt in shock as he faced a creature - one that defied description of the more normal type - partly hidden by the dense undergrowth. It stood around eight feet tall and was thickly muscled. The part of the creature that he could see was kind of human... sort of. Bare of body hair as such, other than that on its scalp and hands. More paws than hands, ending in a series of sharp, hooked claws. The top of the beast's head was adorned with a shaggy mane, interspersed with what looked like feathers. Maybe. And something hung around its neck. A red stone or gem that looked, to Mac's untrained eye, to be fashioned after a human heart. Its enormous head turned his way and he saw a pair of eyes stare almost through him. Baleful and yellow... and not all that happy.

One other thing Mac noticed - it was heading his way! Mackenzie back-pedalled, wishing he could call out to O'Shea. At least tell her to get the hell out of the place. Instead, he fired his gun in warning, hoping she'd get the message and run. He pointedly aimed high, not wanting to harm what could feasibly be a peaceful creature.

He quickly reviewed that as the sound of the shot drew a snapping snarl from the beast and Mac aimed slightly lower while continuing his retreat. As the creature shadowed him, Mackenzie's attention was diverted sideways as Rhea O'Shea scrambled through the undergrowth. He threw a dark look at her seconds before he heard her yelled warning.

"Watch it!" she called, looking towards the approaching creature. Mac turned in time to see it almost on top of them, its eyes flashing angrily. He fired automatically, catching it in one arm. It hardly flinched. If anything the pain added to its anger. The beast flung out a massive paw, catching Mac squarely in the head. He felt himself lift of the ground with the force of the blow, and propelled backwards, only stopping when he struck a tree. He dropped to the ground, stunned and winded, his gun several feet away. He vaguely heard O'Shea yelp in pain and he looked up to see her in the creature's grasp. He could just make out trickles of blood that dripped down her arms from where those claws dug into her skin.

Mac crawled painfully towards his gun as O'Shea's eyes lit, indicating the presence of Asreal. It was enough to make the creature falter and hesitate. And enough for Mackenzie to grab his gun. He took aim and fired, seeing a fountain of blood where his bullet found its target - in the upper chest of the beast. As before, it was hardly noticed and Mac watched as O'Shea was thrown roughly to one side. She didn't move. The beast turned back to the other threat. Mackenzie. A foot that ended in a similar way to those hands kicked out, knocking the weapon out of reach and a paw grabbed Mac's jacket, pulling him off the ground slightly. The last thing Mac saw was a second paw - one that looked and felt as large as the universe - reaching in.

~*~*~

Rhea nearly had a coronary when she heard a gunshot, but she quickly realised that Mackenzie was telling her to run. So she did - not exactly the most elegant manoeuvre, but it did the job of getting her out of the immediate danger area. When she'd figured she'd gone far enough, she turned around to see the man glaring at her (probably for making so much noise... or something. Who knew?).

"Watch it!" she yelled, seeing the creature continuing to advance on her hapless partner. Mac only managed to squeeze off a shot to its arm before it collected his head with a massive hand/paw.

//Wow, first man in space without a rocket.// she thought idly, backing away as the thing started to walk towards her. Every muscle screamed at her to turn and bolt, but it's eyes held her transfixed. It took advantage of her inaction and grasped her upper arms, digging it's claws into her flesh. Unable to help herself, she cried out in pain and began to struggle fiercely. The claws digged even deeper into her arms when she managed to land a blow on its shin (?), and deeper again when she somehow got him a bit higher.

/*Right!*/ Asreal said, and forcibly took control of the situation, inducing the eye flash so customary of the Goa'uld. This seemed to hold it up for a moment, that was, until Mackenzie took it upon himself to shoot it in the chest. Blood went everywhere and she was tossed aside, her head cracking against the tree she collided with. Her vision hazed over for a moment and she was vaguely aware of landing on the ground with a thump.

//Asreal?// she though hazily, trying to stop herself from passing out. There was a warm feeling spreading on the side of her face that was lying in the dirt, so she assumed that she had a scalp wound.

/*We must prevail*/ the Tok'ra though savagely. Rhea found herself sitting up groggily, crawling towards her pack. A cry, followed by a gurgle distracted her for a moment.

"MAC!" The scream was ripped from her as she saw her CO being attacked by the creature with amazing ferocity - her fear wrenching back control of her body. Galvanised into action, she scrambled over to her pack and dumped its contents. While she frantically prised open the case containing the ribbon device, she glanced up to see the creature discarding a bloodied Mackenzie like so much garbage and stalking towards her. Seeing that there wasn't enough time to get the weapon on, she bought some - standing up she flicked her wrists to release her throwing knives and tossed them at it, one embedding in it's left shoulder, the other in its ribcage. That only slowed it for a moment, but as long as she needed to slip the ribbon device over her hand and activate it.

"Take this you sonofabitch!" she growled ferally, turning the device on it. "Wha-?"

Instead of tossing him away like she'd planned, the amulet-thing on it's chest began to glow in response and this somehow prevented the ribbon device working in the prescribed manner. Concentrating her utmost, she put her entire soul behind the force of the device, eventually managing to push it back a few feet (but not toss it by any stretch of the imagination). Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mackenzie shift a bit and knew that he was at least alive, if only a bit worse for wear. This momentary diversion of her attention was just the opening that the creature needed, and it's own amulet worked to override her ribbon device, the result was to fling her backwards to the ground. She lay there in a daze for half a moment, just looking up at it - bullet wounds, knife hilts sticking out and all - before raising her hand and activating the ribbon device again.

~*~*~

He was vaguely aware of the creature's attack... Mac knew he was in deep shit, at the very least. A massive paw reached for him and he felt his senses reel as the beast swatted him from side to side. Suddenly, he felt himself tossed aside and he lay where he landed, unable to move.

He heard O'Shea snarl in anger, "Take this you sonofabitch!" as the creature headed toward the woman. Mac groaned softly to himself, hurting in just about every part of his body, and twisted to look at O'Shea. He saw her lift her right hand - the one with a ribbon device curled around it - and aim at the beast. It slowed but didn't halt its progress.

Then the tables were turned as O'Shea glanced his way, leaving an opening for the creature's own attack. Mac watched, unable to help, as O'Shea was hurled backwards by a similar device. Rhea dropped and lifted her hand once more, her device not having any further impact. The creature grasped Rhea in one paw and dragged her towards his position. Mac tried to locate his sidearm...the same one that had been so recently kicked aside. He couldn't and he hadn't the energy to fight a beast ten times stronger than he was on his best form. He tried, but a paw slapped him away like an insect and Mac found his vision dimming. He hardly felt his leg gripped in the beast's other paw, or the rough passage his body was put through as he was hauled through the jungle on his back.

~*~*~

When he woke it was to darkness... not the total black of night, just that that accompanied a curtained room. Not curtained... just underground... Maybe. Mac wasn't sure. His head hurt. Hell, every part of him hurt. He pushed himself up on his elbows and regretted the movement. He waited for his surroundings to settle before looking for O'Shea. She lay next to him and was showing signs of waking up too.

He nudged her gently, still unable to speak, and he saw her open her eyes with great relief.

"Major?" he heard her say, knowing he probably looked a hell of a mess. He held her arm as she sat up. They both glanced around as another figure entered the cave... a similar one to that which had attacked them, but one even more exotic. It spoke to them in a language Mac barely recognized as an ancient Spanish dialect but he was unable to respond. The figure stepped closer and pulled Mac to his feet, repeating his question. Mackenzie knew enough to translate it to a question about their origin. But all he could do was look back at the beast. It wasn't the desired response and Mac's head soon rung from yet another blow. //Much more of this and I'm looking at permanent brain damage,// he told himself.

He heard O'Shea jump to his defence. "Leave him alone," she shouted. "He can't answer you."

The creature turned its attention to her, speaking once more. "You speak the language of the invaders. I do too," he told her. "Why does he not speak?" The figure gestured towards the man held in its claws as O'Shea explained about the voice-robbing fruit.

Their captor laughed. "Only a fool would eat the fruit of the Talani tree." He looked at Mac and then back at O'Shea. "Is he such a fool?" Mac scowled when O'Shea didn't immediately reply.

"Enough," he barked, calling an order in his strange language to a minion. The other returned with a small dish and a carafe of something. The creature gripped Mac tightly and forced the contents of the bowl between his lips, stopping him from spitting it back out by a glug from the carafe.

"That will suffice. Although only one sacrificial voice needs to be heard," he threw at them as he dropped Mac to the ground. He fell like a stone. A couple more of the creatures stepped in to haul O'Shea and her CO towards the far wall, tugging their hands up and securing them in manacles attached to the wall. Mac heard Rhea... or was it Asreal?... hiss in anger as he fell into a deep sleep.

~*~*~

When he woke, Mac found himself with yet another killer of a headache. That on top of aches and pains all over the place.

He heard a voice nearby - that of O'Shea. "Mac... Are you awake?"

He grunted, replying croakily, "Yeah." It took them both a few minutes to realize his reply had been audibly; a fact that shook them both considerably.

Mac pushed himself upright to take stock of their surroundings. He took in the heavy chains securing them to the rock and knew they were in shit up to their necks.

~*~*~

Rhea craned her neck as far as she could to look at Mac as he woke up. "Mac, are you awake?" she asked him gently, aware of that he was probably going to have yet another headache on his hands... or brain as the case may be.

He grunted. "Yeah," he eventually croaked. Then he stopped in surprise, his eyebrows just about migrating into his hairline.

Rhea was shocked herself, and a little confused as to why their captors would want to restore his speech - especially after the comment about 'sacrificial voices' or whatever it'd been. //Well, I was wanting conversation before...// she thought wryly.

/*We have to rest,*/ Asreal said abruptly, changing the subject completely. /*We must heal.*/

Rhea shook her head. //No, not now. If anything happens I want to be awake to see it coming.//

/*What about your arms?!*/ the Tok'ra demanded. She turned her head to look at the deep gashes in her upper arms. They were still dribbling blood and there was every chance that an infection had already set in, given that she'd been rolling on the ground during the fight.

//I can't. Not now.//

/*I could just make you, you know.*/

//But you won't. That'd make you a Goa'uld again.//

During this conversation Mac had straightened and was looking at her. "Are you okay?" he asked, his tone genuinely concerned.

"I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm better off than you," she replied with a wan smile. Leaning her head back against the cold stone, she looked at the wall facing them. "Y'know, I always thought that I'd die at the hands of a London bus," she said conversationally. "None of this being sacrificed to some weird-arse God wannabe."

"We're not dead yet," Mac replied firmly. "Not by a long shot."

She glanced over at him, noting the stubborn lines of his jaw and the way his eyes were just about blazing with a combo on anger and frustration. //If Chayse hadn't come back, you and I could have had something,// she told him silently, although she schooled her features not to let on what she was thinking. Stretching her manacles as much as they'd allow, she brushed his fingers with her own. "No, we're not dead yet," she said softly.

They looked at each other in silence for a moment longer before he turned away. "How long was I out?"

"Um, I'm a rotten judge of time without a watch, but I'd say at least an hour. Nothing happened, and I didn't have much of a choice but to hang around and watch you sleep." She hoped that the shocking pun would raise a smile, but she had to settle for a slight softening of his features.

Before he could ask or say anything else, one of their captors came into their cell. Followed by a few more, although they weren't as exotic looking - to her eyes they looked like hired goons with more muscles than brain cells. The first one said something to the goons in that strange language of theirs, which must've been an order to release them because that's what happened. Although it wasn't the nice kind of release. It was more of a 'release them and let's see how well we can dislocate their shoulders by virtually ripping their arms behind their backs' kind of a release. She refused to make a noise as they inflicted a bit more torture on her already injured and aching arms. Mac must've made the same decision because all he did was silently glare at the leader.

"The time has come," it said in it's half hiss/half purr voice. "Ocecotl will see you, and then you will die in his honour."

~*~*~

Although it was a relief to have his voice back again, that relief was short lived. Mac looked up from talking with O'Shea - 'Rhea', he told himself - to see a group of figures draw close. They seemed to take great pleasure in being as rough as they could when unshackling their hands. Mac was glad that Rhea kept as silent as he did and threw her a quick glance, before scowling darkly at the leader as he spoke.

"The time has come," it said in a weird voice. "Ocecotl will see you, and then you will die in his honour."

Not *exactly* what he wanted to hear, but at least they were both out of those chains. Escape was more likely than before and he kept alert, waiting and watching for that very opportunity.

Their captors took them outside and Mac caught a glimpse of their surroundings. A clearing in the forest. Not a natural one judging by the tree stumps all around, and nestling the side of a rocky cliff - one that had several black openings in it. They were currently heading for the largest cave and Mac could see all kinds of offerings strewn around the entrance, ranging from food and flowers up to sparkling gems. He rightly assumed this Ocecotl lived inside. No way was he about to let either himself or Rhea become part of that offering.

Mac glanced across at her and saw she was also alert. Their 'escort' numbered just the two - the rest had gone on ahead to prepare their 'god'. It was now or never, they both knew that. While their captors believed they were incapable of retaliation. He nodded slightly to Rhea who took her cue and 'stumbled'.

"Oof," he heard her mumble as she landed on the ground, almost pulling her guard with her. The creature leant down and placed its clawed hand on her shoulder, ready to haul her back up with its normal amount of manhandling. Mac's own guard had halted and was watching events with a sadistic smile on its face. Mac spun as fast as he could and threw the biggest punch he could muster, hearing a couple of fingers break as well as the beast's nose. It howled and dropped its hold on him, clutching at its snout. Rhea leapt up and smashed the rock she palmed into her captor's face, catching it directly between its yellow eyes. The creature dropped and didn't move.

"Come on!" he said to O'Shea, grabbing her hand tightly, making sure he used his least injured hand... the bandaged left one. She scrambled after him as he almost dragged her into the thick forest. As they darted between the trees, they heard the first howled shout. Their escape had been discovered and Mac glanced back to see several of the creatures in pursuit. He knew they needed to run for their very lives, but whether they were running towards help or away from it, he didn't know.

~*~*~

Rhea nearly died when she heard that first howl to announce their escape. On its heels came that sound of crashing as a whole mess of their captors hired goons (presumably) came after them. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that they didn't have a great deal of a distance advantage over the pursuit team – and they sure as hell didn't have a clue where they were going, or even where they were. For all they knew, they could be running into the mother of all traps, or off the edge of a cliff. As it was, their pursuers not only had the advantage of local knowledge, but they also had at least an extra two feet of height on them, although neither could exactly be called a slouch in that department. Extra height meant longer legs and that was obvious by the way that they were gaining ground rapidly.

"Split," Mackenzie gasped between breaths.

"Yeah," was all she could manage in reply.

He released her hand and immediately took off to their left. Taking her cue from him, she went right, plunging through dense undergrowth that did it's best to hold her up. She swatted low branches out of her way and vaulted over anything she couldn't just run over the top of. Another glimpse over her shoulder confirmed that she was still being followed, although she assumed that the force was only half of that initially following her when she'd been paired with Mackenzie. There was just one slight problem – they were still gaining.

She was so intent on evading the pursuit behind her that when something popped up in front of her she didn't even have time to pull up before she collided with it in a manner akin to a VW bug colliding with a brick wall. And that's what it felt like when impact came, although from the way that she bounced back to land on her backside that this wall wasn't as tough as it thought it was. Although she was almost immediately back on her feet, she didn't get too far when she was surrounded by hired goon catmen.

Spinning around on the balls of her feet, she gasped for breath as she took in the number of them around her. Six. If they were human, and she was in better shape, she probably would've had half a chance in defeating them but as it was she was going to be minced meat if she tried to tackle even one of them.

"Okay, okay," she said, holding her hands up in surrender. "You win."

The hands dropped down to rest on her hips and she leant forward in an attempt to regain her breath. This must've been the wrong move to make, because she felt something collide with her back, which had the effect of sending her flying face-first into the ground. Spitting out a mouthful of dirt, and hoping that there weren't any teeth in it, she tried to crawl onto her feet. The hired goons obviously had other ideas because someone's massive foot/paw stomped down on the small of her back and shoved her back to the leaf litter. Another foot worked its way under her stomach and kicked her onto her back, winding her in the process.

"Look I-" she yelled up at them, but was unable to finish the sentence. Even from a distance of eight feet, she could see the feral look in their eyes and it scared her into silence. Those dozen yellow orbs told her that right now she was teetering on the edge of a decision - if it went one way, she was going to be sacrificed right here and now. If it went the other way, she was going to welcome death with open arms. Terror held her still, and had the double whammy effect of preventing Asreal from taking control thanks to the intensity of the emotion.

Finally, thanks to the inaction of the goons, she regained the use of her limbs and scrambled onto her feet before they could stop her. As she flung herself at the cordon of giant catman bodies and was grabbed by arms that may as well have been made from steel, she found her voice.

"Mac! Help me! MAC!!!"

~*~*~

As they ran, Mac hauled on O'Shea's hand, urging her faster. He knew they couldn't hope to out run their pursuers and came to a reluctant decision.

"Split," he threw at her, hearing her agreement. Dropping her hand Mac dived off to his left, sensing Rhea to the same in the opposite direction. Maybe one of them at least would make it out of this mess. Somewhere along the way he'd lost his radio and he knew Rhea's had been smashed when she'd been flung backwards, so the only way to get help was to actually *find* it.

He didn't waste energy looking back. Hell, he knew they were still with him. Mac prayed that Rhea would be ok. Maybe even Asreal could help her if she got into a tight spot. The creature earlier had seemed shaken to see her glowing eyes.

Branches whipped at him as he forged onwards. To Mac it felt like even the jungle was working against him. He held his right hand close to his chest, feeling his broken fingers throbbed in time with his racing heart and he tried to draw more air into his lungs, knowing he needed to get more oxygen to his before he fell flat on his face.

The hunters sounded closer than ever and Mac pushed harder as the ground rose sharply. He scrambled up the slope, stumbling most of the time and jarring his right hand more than once. If he'd had spare breath and energy, he knew his cursing would be something to behold. He knew he'd been circling back towards the cliff and Rhea, not happy at having been forced to split up and hoping...a little forlornly...that they would meet up again. The trees ahead thinned slightly and Mac glanced back down the incline to see several of the creatures still heading for him, snapping and snarling as they did. Mac skidded to a halt, realizing he'd climbed higher than he thought.

He was now well above the original caves and clearing of Ocecotl and his followers and a fair way further along the rocky growth. To his right ran the cliff edge - and Ocecotl. To his left, the cliff dropped to the forest floor. Behind him he heard the scurrying creatures. And ahead...? Another drop but down to a river. He currently stood on the edge of a waterfall, one that ended a long way down. He looked around, unsure which way to go and opted for the one that offered the highest chance of escape. Mac launched himself off the cliff, hoping as he fell that the river was deep enough to break his fall rather than break his neck. The drop was enough that he had plenty of time to cast his thoughts Rhea's way. There was no way he would leave her here. Just as soon as he dumped his pursuers, Mac knew he was about-facing and finding the woman.

//Just keep your neck out of trouble in the meantime, O'Shea,// he said to himself as the river met him. Any further thoughts about O'Shea or anything else were pushed from his mind as the breath was shunted out of his lungs.

~*~*~

The catman that had grabbed her while she made her frantic cry for help snarled down into her face, it's mouth twisted into a leer of sorts.

//Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,// was all she could think as she gazed up into it's golden eyes.

/*If you'll excuse me...*/ Asreal said in a near conversational tone, before gently wresting control out of Rhea's 'hands'. For the second time in a day, she allowed for her eyes to flash in warning. The catman was so startled at this that he slackened his grip on her - the Tok'ra could only assume that this Ocecotl person was a Goa'uld too and that the flashing eyes had to be bad sign as far as the goons were concerned. Taking the miniscule opportunity, Asreal shoved herself backwards, grabbing at it's pendant, whilst digging her knee into a *very* sensitive area (a manoeuvre that proved difficult given the difference in size from the usual target of such an attack). Nonetheless, the catman yowled in pain and released her, his paws shifting to protect his injured area. The pendant's chain had given away easily and the trinket was now gripped in one hand. Clasping her hands together around it she spun on her heel and swung them to connect with the goon that was about to grab her from behind. Although didn't have quite the desired effect of felling the creature, it did knock it back a step or two, giving her the opportunity to grab it's pendant. To the casual observer, flogging the goons' jewellery might've looked bit daft given the circumstances, but Asreal knew what she was doing. Holding one in each hand by the broken chain, she swung them to firstly slice open the cheek of her second attacker and, secondly, to slit through the outstretched hand of yet another potential attacker.

This sudden use of their own possessions against them caused the goons to fall back somewhat, giving Asreal the opening she so desperately wanted - so she turned around and plunged back into the jungle.

//Wow,// Rhea commented appreciatively, careful not to distract the Tok'ra too much from the situation at hand. Asreal just thought-grunted in reply and focussed on getting her already exhausted legs to work at a suitable pace. Running pell-mell past trees, not even bothering to swat low branches out of the way now, the sounds of pursuit began once again. Although they sounded a bit more cautious, if crashing sounds could indeed be thought of as being 'cautious'. Not even worrying to look behind to see what the difference was, she fought her way through some particularly thick undergrowth and found herself standing on the pebbled bank of a river.

/*Let's just hope that this lot hate water as much as real cats*/ she said as she darted towards the water's edge.

~*~*~

The river was deep... plenty deep enough to break Mac's fall. He felt himself forced under the surface time after time, courtesy of the rushing waterfall as it plunged into the river a few feet away. Just when he thought his lungs were about to burst, Mac felt himself shoved sideways, out of the spiralling undercurrents and he clawed his way to the bank, flopping down on the pebbly shore in total exhaustion. He slowly turned over on to his back and looked up at the cliff. Several of the creatures were glaring down at him - none ventured to follow him - before turning away. Somehow he knew they were heading down to him by a more conventional, and hopefully longer, route.

He quickly pulled himself together and half sat up, and took a swift look at himself. He knew he was in one helluva state - neither hand was a lot of use and he knew he was bleeding from several wounds, none more serious than the one on the side of his aching head. He knew he had to find Rhea, and fast, and his heart dropped as he realized to do that would mean a probable return to Ocecotl's lair.

Sighing, he wearily forced himself to his feet and began to head downstream, away from his pursuers, but also away from Ocecotl and maybe even Rhea. But there was no way he could climb back up that cliff - not with two injured hands.

He pushed forwards, stumbling and falling several times, until a small movement on the other side of the river caught his attention.

"Rhea?" he said softly to himself, shouting across in a louder voice as he recognized her. "Rhea! Over here," he called, seeing her glance up and start to wade through the water towards him. His relief was almost over-powering and he sank to his knees as he watched her cross.

"Mac?" You ok?" she said as soon as she reached the other bank. Mac lifted his head to see her bending down, worry in her expression and voice.

"Yeah," he replied, standing once more. "Lets get out of here." He led the way off into the jungle, with Rhea at his shoulder.

Night began to draw in and Mackenzie called a halt. There was no way they could keep up the pace through the night, even if they had the required energy. He flopped to the floor beneath a large over-hanging tree and O'Shea did likewise. They lay quietly as night sounds soon filled the air, catching their breath. Mac's right hand had really started to hurt and he winced as he examined it.

"Let me take a look," Rhea said, gently taking his hand. "Yep. At least two fingers busted, I'd say. Not that I'm an expert." She glanced at his left hand. "Not exactly lucky are ya?"

"You could say that," Mac agreed, smiling slightly. "Then again, I could say the same about you."

"Me?"

"Yup," he replied, holding up both useless hands. "I could do with a hand. Literally," he concluded.

"What with?" Rhea looked puzzled, but would help her CO if she could.

"Ummm..." Mac looked slightly sheepish, still holding his hands away from his body.

"What?"

"Nature's calling, O'Shea, and your country needs you," he replied with a smirk.

~*~*~

"Nature's calling, O'Shea, and your country needs you," Mackenzie said with a smirk.

Rhea stared at him for a moment before breaking into a chuckle. "You're kidding right?" He shook his head. "You're not?" She considered him for a moment. "Geez, you don't ask much."

"Look, are you going to help me or not," he demanded impatiently.

She laughed again. "Okay, okay. Keep your shirt on."

Scrambling onto her feet, she helped him stand up. As they convened behind some bushes, she grinned and said, "You should be happy I've got no shame."

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