Project Rescue - A Shifter Novel (NaNoWriMo19)
Chapter 23 - I See Idiots

Before I went back in the tube, I turned back around to look Matheus. “I’m also a sharpshooter. Again, with any gun. Just thought I would throw that in too,” I whispered a smirk on my face.

“You’re a regular G.I. Jane,” Madrid whispered as he looked back to the monitor. “Incoming.”

I rolled my eyes. Someone in the conservation group must have talked. They probably told him about Manuel being our guide and not coming back. “Tiny must have talked. Make sure Manuel is okay, please.”

The men nodded as I slid quietly in the tube, going back to the bend I was at earlier.

I waited for the next idiots to make their demands. My mind was wandering all over the place, thinking about everything I had been put through in California. I was thankful to Manuel’s brother. He taught me a lot of useful skills, ones that would benefit me when I left. I was proficient in so many forms of martial arts because of him. I knew how to shoot anything, throw any blade and use a staff too. He taught me to become a ghost - just like him. I could track anything or anyone, hunt for food or hunt for the best places to hide - ones no one would think to look. He taught me everything.

I was brought out of my thoughts when the idiots showed up. Again.

“Have you seen this girl? We need to find her, we’re trying to save her life. We are worried about the big cat hunters had gotten to her,” the first idiot asked.

“Nenhuma garota aqui. Por que olhar aqui?” Matheus hissed.

Madrid looked at the men with a questioning face. “Ano ang? Ano ang sinasabi mo?”

“Have. You. Seen. This. Girl?” The second idiot yelled, speaking slowly.

Did the idiots think they were deaf or not all there? Come on, they asked why do they keep coming here and my favorite, ‘what are you saying.’ The guys stuck to their roles as men who didn’t speak English. It was a great idea.

I heard the idiots walking off and talking loudly. It was amazing the idiots had survived for this long. They were talking about the rotation in checking this tree house through the night, and what they were told by the big guy with the stupid conservationist. But, they didn’t stop there - they talked about having Manuel.

Oh, God, Manuel. This was all my fault. What the monster would do to him would be a lesson in horror. He didn’t just interrogate his prisoners, he beat them with anything and everything to the point of death. He would give a couple days, if he was being nice, to recover and he went back to the beatings. If it didn’t work, he would go to cutting or shooting out the kneecaps. It was gruesome. I knew the trainer did the interrogations and I could only hope he would go easy on his brother. If the monster was in the room, all bets were off.

“Well, now we know what happened to Manuel and how they thought Seri was here. Those guys were idiots,” Madrid huffed out.

“Oh, yes. Idiots for sure. I don’t want to know what he does with his prisoners, do I?” Matheus quietly asked.

“You know a lot of it. But, no, you don’t want to know. Hopefully, his brother will keep an eye on him.” I heard Madrid pause. “I was serious about sleeping in tiger form. I’m not sure about being outside, I would make a huge target for a hunter or any of the monsters men. They are going to get fed up sooner or later. Where does the tube go?”

“To a cave system. It has three cave systems you can go to. But, if you don’t go to the left - a surprise awaits. The right one drops into a cave and then seals itself behind the person. It’s a false wall of rock that I can open or close.”

“Did you let Seri know?” Madrid asked his eyes wide.

Matheus started. He didn’t tell her which tube to slide down into. He was an idiot. He shook his head no and walked over to the false wall. After opening the seal he looked down to find Selina. “Did you hear what we were saying?”

“No, what is it?” I asked quickly and quietly. I could tell it was serious.

“If you have to use the escape plan, go to the right in the tube or you won’t survive. Please remember to go to the right,” Matheus almost pleaded.

“Got it. I have a photogenic mind so don’t worry, I got this.” I looked him in the eye. “I’m very good at blending in. The trainer made sure to teach me some of his tricks. I’ll be fine.”

Matheus nodded his head, looking back at Madrid and the monitor. “Anything close?”

“Yeah, in about five minutes, why?”

Matheus turned back to Selina. “Do you need to use the bathroom?”

“I’m good -” I was going to say.

“Incoming. We have the monster and six, no, seven men surrounding your house.”

“I’ll talk to you later. Be careful, okay?” I told him, knowing this was going to be a serious situation.

Matheus nodded his head, smirking. I knew Matheus was going to enjoy messing with the monster and his men.

“The shadows are here and set up around here. They will never be spotted. You and I both know that,” Madrid stated, chuckling.

Matheus and Madrid's POV

Both men nodded their heads. They grabbed their cups, of seriously nasty stuff, and walked outside. They waited for the next ass-hats and the monster to show up. They noticed, right away, one of the monsters men in his jaguar form - a spy for the ass-hats.

The men slouched down in their chairs. They were listening to the movement of his men, knowing they would never see the shadows. There were six men blended in with the elements. Under the dead leaves, under the dirt, high in the trees and a couple on the roof of the tree house, hid with thatch.

Matheus and Madrid were talking with their hands, even though they could speak both languages. Madrid would say something, then Matheus would answer him. It was a back and forth conversation about the fucker and his asses. They didn’t know what to expect from this bunch, but whatever it was, it wouldn’t be good.

The monster's POV

Barbosa took his time getting to the tree house, looking around to make sure his men were in position. He was going to find the idiot girl if he had to tear down a house. He didn’t care. The conservation group didn’t know where she was, only that she went to the authorities to talk about the big game hunters. He wasn’t sure if they had her. If they did - good riddance. It would take away all of his problem if they killed her. She was nothing but a pretty face. She hardly knew how to fight her way out of a wet paper bag. She was pathetic, even after all the lessons she had taken. She was a pretty good shot but she wasn’t consistent.

He needed to get his paperwork back. It showed all of his drug pipeline. If he didn’t get it back and she gave it to someone else, he would have to kill the person or persons. He didn’t care how many he had to kill.

He made it to the tree house where the men he talked to earlier were having a conversation, using their hands - pathetic. Barbosa whistled, causing both men to look around. They didn’t move. He whistled louder, causing both men to tumble out of their chairs. They staggered to the railing and looked down at him.

“O que você quer?” Matheus slurred.

“Gino Kayo? Madrid slurred in tandem to Matheus.

Barbosa waited for the translation from his trainer. He needed to know what they were saying at all times. If he could trip them up he might get the information he needed. He ordered his trainer to translate what he was going to say, exactly as he said. He was told the men wanted to why he was here.

“Idiots! Are you going to drink your life away? I want the girl. The one who is calling herself Seri. I will tear your house apart but worse than last time, you get me? Give me the girl.”

The trainer translated the words in Portugues and in Filipino. He knew both men were going to get mad but he had faith in his boss. His tiger was a scary beast. All he could hope for was they kept low key. His and their life depended on it.

“Nao se preocupe com a bebida, nós amamos o nosso mash. Nos estamos machucando ninguem. Deixe-no ser,” Matheus slurred in Portuguese.

“What did he say to me?” Barbosa asked his trainer in a threatening tone of voice.

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