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Armstrong　and　Landon。
“What　happened？”　asked　Armstrong　and　Landon　at　the　same　time。
“We’ve　been　searching　for　you；”　said　Armstrong。　“Where—？”
“Is　everyone—？”
“We　thought　something　must　have　dragged　you　away。　We　were　lucky　Sharkbait　woke　when　he
did；　and　started　yelling。　Landon　here　had　a　lizard　on　his　neck；　we　only　just　got　it　off　him　in　time。”
“I’m　sorry。　I　didn’t　mean　to—”
“Where’s　Steel　Toe？　Is　he　with　you？”
Lorenzo　felt　as　if　his　blood　had　just　frozen。　“You　haven’t　seen　him？”
He　swallowed；　and　told　Armstrong　everything；　burning　with　shame　beneath　the　veteran’s　oneeyed
gaze。　Before　Lorenzo’s　story　was　done；　Armstrong　was　leading　the　way　back　to　the　camp。　En
route；　they　were　joined　by　Myers　and　Storm；　both　bursting　strong　filled　them　in
brusquely；　and　Lorenzo　pointed　across　the　ashes　of　last　night’s　fire　to　where　he　had　last　seen
Dougan。　Myers　and　Storm　went　straight　off　to　resume　their　search　in　that　direction。
Armstrong　mimicked　the　screeching　call　of　a　Catachan　flying　swamp　mamba；　and　the　rest　of　the
Jungle　Fighters　answered　his　summons；　appearing　two　by　two　to　hear　the　news　and　to　have　their
own　efforts　redirected。
Sergeant　Greiss　cast　an　appraising　eye　over　Lorenzo；　and　asked　if　he　was　alright。　Lorenzo
nodded；　and　Greiss　crooked　a　finger　in　his　direction　and　growled；　“You’re　with　me；　trooper。”
Lorenzo　fell　in　at　the　sergeant’s　heels；　avoiding　his　gaze。　He　knew　what　he　must　have　been
thinking。
The　search　went　on　for　another　hour；　aided　by　the　reappearance　of　the　sun。　Donovits　and　Woods
found　a　partial　trail；　and　Donovits　identified　the　uniquely　heavy　indentation　of　Dougan’s　bionic
leg—but　as　with　Lorenzo’s　trail　earlier；　it　led　them　nowhere。
Greiss　was　about　ready　to　give　up；　Lorenzo　could　feel　it。　Until　he　gave　the　order；　though；　there
was　still　hope。　He　found　a　path　they　hadn’t　searched；　because　it　was　so　overgrown；　and　he　started　to
hack　at　the　vegetation　with　his　knife。　Greiss　regarded　him　for　a　second　then；　to　his　immense
gratitude；　the　sergeant　drew　his　own　Catachan　fang　and　joined　him。
They　hadn’t　gone　far　when　a　figure　dropped　out　of　a　tree　in　front　of　them。　It　was　a　lithe　man　in
camouflage　fatigues　and　the　customary　bandana；　with　tanned　skin　and　dark　hair　like　Dougan’s。
Lorenzo’s　heart　leapt—and　it　stayed　in　his　mouth　as　he　recognised　this　newcomer；　not　as　the　man
they　were　looking　for　but　as　Sly　Marbo。
He　had　never　been　this　close　to　the　legendary　one…man　army　before。　In　other　circumstances；　he
might　have　felt　honoured—but　Marbo　seemed　hardly　to　have　seen　Lorenzo。　His　face　was　taut；
denied　so　much　as　a　flicker　of　emotion；　and　his　eyes　were　white　and　penetrating　but　dead　inside；　as
he　addressed　Greiss。　“You　won’t　find　your　trooper　this　way。”
Greiss　accepted　the　pronouncement　without　question。　“Have　you　seen　him？”
Marbo　shook　his　head。　“This　jungle　has　a　way　of　hiding　things；　and　people。　Haven’t　worked　it
out　yet。”
Greiss　sighed；　and　called　out；　“Right；　let’s　call　it　a　day。　Reassemble　at　the　campsite。”　There　was
no　response；　but　Lorenzo　knew　that　one　of　the　others　would　have　heard；　and　passed　the　message　on。
“One　more　thing；”　said　Marbo　in　his　deep；　throaty　voice。　“There’s　an　ork　encampment　forty
kilometres　from　here；　twenty…two　degrees。　A　big　one。　Don’t　think　the　Validians　know　about　it—but
your　course　will　take　you　right　through　it。”
Lorenzo　didn’t　question　how　he　could　have　scouted　so　far　ahead。　He　was　Sly　Marbo。
“No　way　round？”
43
“Not　unless　you　want　to　go　wading　through　an　acid　swamp—or　adding　four　days　to　your
journey。”
Greiss　expressed　his　gratitude　with　a　curt　nod—then　Marbo　was　gone。　Just　gone；　in　the　time　it
took　Lorenzo　to　blink；　leaving　not　the　faintest　ripple　in　the　foliage。　Sergeant　Greiss　turned　to　retrace
his　steps　too；　but　Lorenzo　stopped　him　with　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。　“No。　You　can’t…　Trooper
Dougan；　he　could　still　be…”
Greiss　raised　an　eyebrow。　“You　heard　what　Marbo　said。　Steel　Toe’s　gone。　Accept　it　and　move
on。”
“But　what　if　the　light　still　has　him？　If　he’s　been　hypnotised…　He　could　be　out　there！”
“You　say　this　light　of　yours　tried　to　give　you　an　acid　bath。”
“Yes；　but　I　broke　free。”
“And　if　Steel　Toe　had　done　the　same；　he’d　have　found　his　way　back　to　us；　like　you　did。　What’s
up　with　you；　Lorenzo？　You’ve　lost　comrades　before。”
Lorenzo　didn’t　say　anything。　How　could　he　articulate　the　pain　he’d　felt；　like　a　body　blow；　when
Greiss　had　called　off　the　search？　That　terrible　moment　when　his　last　hope　had　been　snatched　from
him。　The　sergeant　was　right；　he　had　lost　comrades　before—you　couldn’t　fight　the　Emperor’s　war；
nor　grow　up　on　Catachan；　without　seeing　death　on　a　regular　basis；　becoming　inured　to　it　almost。　But
it　was　different　this　time。　Different；　because　he　could　hear　Dougan’s　words　in　his　head：　“I’m
counting　on　you；　Lorenzo。”
He　had　let　Dougan　down。　He　had　let　them　all　down。　Lorenzo　had　been　given　his　chance　to　be　a
hero；　at　last；　and　he’d　failed。　He　had　seen　what　happened；　just　a　couple　of　times；　to　Jungle　Fighters
who　lost　the　trust　of　their　squad。　It　was　as　if　they　weren’t　there；　as　if　they　didn’t　exist。　And　he　had
felt　no　sympathy　for　those　wretches。　In　this　environment；　if　you　didn’t　have　the　trust　of　your
comrades；　you　had　nothing。　Lorenzo　would　be　as　invisible　to　the　others　as　he　had　been　to　Marbo。
“I　can’t　help　wondering；”　said　Sergeant　Greiss　as　they　trudged　back　to　the　campsite　emptyhanded；
“how　you　did　it。”
“Did　what？”　asked　Lorenzo。
“Broke　the　spell。　Brought　yourself　to　your　senses　before　you　took　the　big　plunge。　I　mean；　no
disrespect　to　Steel　Toe；　God…Emperor　rest　his　soul；　I’d　have　said　he　was　as　strong…willed　as　any　of
us—but　you’re　the　one　who　made　it　back。”
“I　don’t　know；　sergeant。　I　just　don’t　know。”
“Must’ve　taken　some　force　of　mind。　You　know；　some　of　the　others　and　me；　we　were　talking—
figured　you　were　about　due　your　earned　name。”
“No！”　said　Lorenzo；　firmly。　“Not　for　this；　sergeant。”
Greiss　nodded；　and　Lorenzo　suddenly　realised　that　the　grizzled　sergeant　knew　what　he　was
feeling；　and　understood。　He　hadn’t　lost　the　sergeant’s　trust。　Quite　the　opposite—Greiss　didn’t　blame
him　for　losing　Dougan　because　he　trusted　him；　because　he　knew　Lorenzo　had　done　all　he　could　and
that　few　among　them　could　have　done　better；　not　even　a　veteran　of　Dougan’s　experience。
Lorenzo　felt　ashamed；　now；　for　not　trusting　him—for　believing　that　his　squad　would　turn　their
backs　on　him；　when　he　should　have　known　them　better。　He　swore　he’d　make　it　up　to　them。　His　tread
felt　just　that　little　lighter　as　he　and　Sergeant　Greiss　walked　on。　They　wouldn’t　talk　about　it　again。
The　commissar　was　in　a　foul　mood。
He　hadn’t　recognised　Armstrong’s　Catachan　call；　so　he　and　Braxton　had　been　searching　alone　in
the　wrong　area　all　this　time。　Mackenzie　blamed　Armstrong　personally　for　this；　but　Woods　had　leapt
to　his　defence　and　a　row　had　broken　out。　As　Lorenzo　and　Greiss　arrived；　Mackenzie　was　jabbing　a
finger　into　Woods’　chest；　yelling　almost　hysterically　about　how　he　had　almost　died　because　of　the
Jungle　Fighters’　negligence。
44
“I　was　attacked　out　there—by　the　biggest　jungle　lizard　you’ve　ever　seen！　It　dropped　from　a
branch；　right　onto　my　shoulder。　It’s　only　because　of　Braxton’s　quick　thinking　and　keen　aim　that　I’m
here　to　tell　the　tale。”
Lorenzo　hid　a　smile；　imagining　Mackenzie’s　expression　as　his　adjutant　was　forced　to　shoot　the
lizard　from　his　shoulder。　Woods　was　less　polite；　and　just　laughed。　Armstrong　turned　to　Braxton　and
congratulated　him。　“I’m　not　sure　I　could’ve　hit　such　a　small　target。”
The　commissar　was　already　scowling；　but　before　Mackenzie　could　give　vent　to　his　anger　again；
Greiss　marched　forward；　his　fists　clenched；　a　scowl　on　his　face。　“I’ll　tell　you　what　I　told　your
sergeant　back　at　the　encampment；　commissar；”　he　growled。　“You　have　a　problem　with　my　men；　you
bring　it　to　me。”
Mackenzie　squared　up　to　him；　his　nostrils　flaring。　“And　what　good　would　that　have　done；
Greiss？　You’ve　demonstrated　repeatedly　that　you　can’t　keep　your　squad　in　line。　We’ve　wasted　the
best　part　of　the　morning　looking　for　two　of　your　men—contrary　to　my　explicit　wishes—because
they