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Lorenzo　positioned　his　near…empty　bottle　to　capture　the　precious　drops　of　liquid；　of　which　there
were　all　too　few。
Within　twenty　minutes；　the　Jungle　Fighters　had　drained　the　vines　of　all　they　had；　replenishing
their　supplies　just　a　little。　As　Lorenzo　returned　his　bottle　to　his　pack；　he　heard　low　voices；　and
realised　that　Greiss　wasn’t　with　them。
He　could　just　make　out　Sergeant　Greiss　through　the　jungle。　He　was　talking　to　somebody　else：　a
man　whom　Lorenzo　couldn’t　see　at　all；　so　easily　did　he　blend　into　his　surroundings；　but　he　knew　it
could　only　have　been　Sly　Marbo。　He　couldn’t　make　out　what　was　being　said—but　as　Greiss　turned
and　trudged　back　to　the　others；　it　was　with　slumped　shoulders　and　a　dark；　brooding　expression。
He　gathered　the　Jungle　Fighters　around—and　to　Lorenzo’s　surprise；　Mackenzie　didn’t　object；　he
just　joined　them　and　listened。　Greiss　told　the　squad　what　Lorenzo　already　knew：　that　there　were　orks
ahead—and　Mackenzie　raised　his　eyebrows　and　frowned　at　his　sketch　map　but　again　said　nothing。
“Marbo’s　scouted　a　path　for　us；”　said　Greiss；　“that’ll　take　us　around　the　greenskins；　but　still　too
close　for　my　liking。　Now；　the　commissar　here　explained　why　we　can’t　blow　our　cover；　but　here’s
another　reason　for　you：　Marbo　figures；　from　the　size　of　this　camp　and　the　number　of　huts；　that　the
greenskins　outnumber　us　about　thirty　to　one。　Even　Hotshot　can’t　take　down　thirty　orks　on　his　own！”
“Oh　yeah？”　grinned　Woods。　“Lead　me　to　’em；　that’s　all　I’m　saying。”
“So　the　only　way　we’re　getting　through　this　one。”　Greiss　continued；　“is　by　stealth。”
“How　far　is　this　camp？”　asked　Donovits。
“Another　five　kilometres；”　said　Greiss；　“before　we　start　running　into　patrols。　I　say　we　make　up
that　ground；　then　break　early　for　the　night。　We　get　some　food；　some　shut…eye；　then　make　our　move
in　the　small　hours。”
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There　was　a　general　murmur　of　assent；　and　the　Jungle　Fighters　were　starting　to　get　to　their　feet；
to　retrieve　their　packs；　when　Greiss　stopped　them。　“One　more　thing。　Any　of　you　felt　like　you’re
being　followed？　Since　Lorenzo’s　little　outburst；　I　mean。”
Nobody　spoke　up。　A　few　of　the　Jungle　Fighters　exchanged　uncomfortable　glances。　Greiss’　eyes
narrowed。　“I　don’t　hear　any　of　you　denying　it。”
Unexpectedly；　it　was　Mackenzie　who　spoke　up。　“I　thought　I　heard　something。　Footsteps；　about
an　hour　and　a　half　ago。　When　I　looked；　there　was　no　one　there。　I　assumed　it　was　Marbo。”
“I　saw　something；”　offered　Donovits；　“more　recently。　I　didn’t　speak　up　because…　Sergeant；　it
was　just　a　flicker　in　the　corner　of　my　eye。　A　trick　of　the　light。　A…　a　feeling；　more　than　anything。”
“Wildman　and　me；　we　dropped　back　without　telling　the　rest　of　you；”　said　Myers；　“checked　out　a
bush　where　I　thought　I’d　seen　something　move。　It　would’ve　been　about　the　time　the　commissar
said。”
“But　there　was　no　one　there。”　Storm　took　up　the　story；　“and　believe　me；　if　there　had　been；　there
was　nowhere　he　could’ve　gone　without　us　seeing　him。”
Greiss　took　all　this　in　with　a　grim　nod。　“Marbo　reckons　there　is　something。　He’s　caught　glimpses
of　it；　like　the　rest　of　us；　reckons　it’s　stalking　us。　But　whenever　he　gets　too　close；　it　disappears。　It
leaves　no　tracks；　no　nothing。”　With　a　smile；　he　added；　“Marbo　says　it’s　almost　as　good　as　he　is。”
“Ghosts！”　said　Braxton。
Everyone　turned　to　look　at　him。
“That’s　what　the　Validians　have　been　saying。　I　reported　on　it　for　Eagle　&　Bolter；　our　broadsheet。
The　same　story；　from　four　different　squads。　They　all　had　the　feeling　they　were　being　followed；　but
there　was　no　evidence　of　it。　I　thought　it　might　be　connected　to　the　blue　lights；　the　jungle　playing
tricks　on　their　minds。”
“Hallucinogens　in　the　atmosphere？”　mused　Donovits。　“Could　be　put　out　by　one　of　the　plants。
They　could　even　be　in　the　berries　we’ve　eaten。”
“I　didn’t　eat　any　berries；”　said　Myers；　“at　least　not　till　after　I　saw　that…　thing。”
“This　could　be　serious；”　grumbled　Greiss。　“First　Sharkbait　goes　off　the　deep　end；　then　Steel　Toe
and　Lorenzo　go　wandering　in　the　night；　now　this。　If　this　jungle　gets　us　so　we　can’t　trust　our　own
senses…”
“You　said　Marbo　saw　this　‘ghost’；”　said　Donovits。　“He　saw　it　following　us。　If　the　jungle　were
affecting　him；　making　him—making　all　of　us—paranoid；　then　surely　he’d　have　thought　the　ghost
was　following　him。　That　makes　sense；　yes？”
“Then　it　has　to　be　real；”　said　Lorenzo。
“We　need　to　know　for　sure；”　said　Armstrong。
“Maybe　we　should　leave　well　enough　alone；”　said　Braxton。　“I　mean；　there’s　no　record　of　these
‘ghosts’　attacking　anyone。”
“Yet；”　said　Armstrong。　“You　should　have　learned　by　now；　that　could　change　in　a　heartbeat。　I　say
we　search。”
Greiss　nodded　his　agreement；　and　the　squad　separated；　each　man　taking　a　sector　of　the　jungle
around　them；　though　each　was　sure　to　stay　within　sight　of　two　others　at　all　times。　They　kicked　and
cut　their　way　through　the　undergrowth；　beat　bushes；　shook　trees　and　even　shinned　up　some　to　search
their　leaf…shrouded　upper　branches。　The　Jungle　Fighters　checked　all　the　places　where　they　would
have　hidden。　Finally；　they　regrouped；　having　covered　an　area　some　three　hundred　metres　in　radius
and　found　nothing。　No　one。　No　sign　that　anyone　had　been　here；　other　than　the　Jungle　Fighters
themselves。
There　was　nothing　they　could　do　after　that　but　go　on。　It　was　only　a　few　minutes　later；　however；　that
Lorenzo　had　that　feeling　again；　like　a　prickling　on　his　neck。
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He　wasn’t　the　only　one。　As　he　whipped　around　to　inspect　the　foliage　behind　him；　Storm　and
Braxton　did　the　same。　And　this　time；　Lorenzo　was　sure　of　it。　There　was　something　there。　He　could
just　make　out　a　shape　between　the　trees。　A　head　and　shoulders。　Fie　drew　his　lasgun　and　stepped
forward；　not　wanting　to　move　too　fast；　not　daring　to　blink；　to　take　his　eyes　off　the　shape。　His　other
senses　told　him　that　Storm　and　Braxton　were　beside　him；　and　the　rest　of　his　squad　not　far　behind。
Lorenzo　took　another　step。　The　head　moved；　shifting　just　a　fraction；　in　a　very　human　gesture。
He　was　only　a　few　metres　away　from　the　shape　when　it　changed。　It　seemed　to　metamorphose—
or；　more　accurately；　to　come　into　focus—in　front　of　his　eyes。　The　shape　resolved　itself　into　a　cluster
of　thistles。　Thistles　that　had　always　been　there；　the　rest；　Lorenzo　had　imagined。　He　started　as　Storm
shot　the　thistles　anyway；　and　fired　into　the　surrounding　undergrowth　a　few　times　for　good　measure。
“In　case　this　thing　is　a　shape…shifter；”　he　explained。　But　he　disturbed　nothing　more　than　a　few　black
insects；　which　smelt　the　flower　sap　on　the　Jungle　Fighters　and　buzzed　away。
The　whole　squad　was　on　the　alert　after　that；　on　edge。　Lorenzo　had　to　force　himself　not　to　jump　at
every　shadow　he　saw；　every　distant　sound　that　came　to　his　ears。　He　thought　about　what　Greiss　had
said；　about　losing　trust　in　their　own　senses。　The　others　hadn’t　seemed　too　worried；　probably　didn’t
believe　it　could　happen　to　them；　but　he　remembered　the　blue　light。　He　remembered　how　real　its　lies
had　seemed。
Landon　had　approached　Greiss；　and　Lorenzo　was　just　close　enough　for　his　keen　ears　to　pick　up
their　hushed　conversation。　“I’ve　had　an　idea；　sergeant；”　said　the　rookie。　“Why　don’t　I　hide　in　a　tree
and　let　the　rest　of　you　go　on　a　way？　If　we　are　being　followed；　I’ll　soon　find　out。”
“I　don’t　know；”　said　Greiss。　“We’re　talking　about　someone　or　something　that’s　given　Sly　Marbo
the　slip—and　that　isn’t　easy。”
“Maybe　he　knew　Marbo　was　around。　Maybe　he　heard　us　talking　about　him。　I’m　the　smallest　of
us；　sergeant；　the　one　he’s　least　likely　to　miss　if　he　is　watching　us。　The　rest　of　you　could　gather
around；　block　his　view　for　a　second；　and　I’ll　be　gone。　Next　time　our　‘ghost’　sees　me；　he’ll　be
passing　right　under　me；　and　I’ll　raise　the　alarm。”
Greiss　raised　a　cynical　eyebrow。　“That　a　promise？　Swear　on　your　blade？　Because　you’ve　been
pushing　yourself　forward　today；　Landon—and　that’s　good；　don’t　get　me　wrong；　we’ll　make　a　fine
soldier　of　you；　maybe　even　a　sergeant　one　day—but　this　isn’t　the　time　for　grandstanding；　hoping　to
hog　some　glory　for　yourself。”
“Soon　as　I　see　a　thing；”　Landon　promised；　“I’ll　yell　my　lungs　out。”
Greiss　considered　the