Project Rescue - A Shifter Novel (NaNoWriMo19)
Chapter 27 - Shadows

Wait, Matheus, you have two of the idiots of Barbosa coming your way,” Madrid told Matheus. “You’re going to need to hide, they are searching in grids. Do it now!”

I ran over to the monitors, watching and biting my bottom lip. They were almost on top of him. We watched as Matheus dug into the forest floor, getting all the dead leaves and plants over top of him. He was close to a tree but you couldn’t see him. It was as if he disappeared. I had the same training by Antonio - the trainer.

We watched the drug runners of the monsters as they did a pretty piss-poor job of looking. If the monster saw them he would kill them on the spot. They walked on by and we followed them to another location away from Matheus.

I took a breath in, noticing I wasn’t breathing after I took the breath. I looked at the other cameras around his position and the shadow’s positions. I was a nervous wreck and I didn’t get nervous. It was a bad trait to have with the monster. He interpreted it as a lie, never knowing we were nervous of him. I took deep breaths in, letting them out slowly. It was a lesson Antonio had taught me, one which served me well. Especially if I was sneaking around and hiding my things in the woods for my great escape.

Madrid looked several times, changing to the screens around the area. “Go, Matheus, you have a window. But, you may have to hide again. I’ll be watching.”

Matheus only nodded. It was night and voices carried further than they would in the daytime. Plus, the birds and monkeys were quiet most of the time unless they were scared. Matheus moved slowly to ensure he didn’t disturb them.

We kept watching to make sure he was safe. We were quiet, not talking with each other as we usually did. We kept flipping the screens, pin-pointed where all the monsters men were at. We marked their positions on a map we had pinned up. It was nerve-wracking.

I kept my eye on Matheus and his surroundings as if I was a laser pointer and my laser was on Matheus. I cared about the rest of the men but I couldn’t help but check on Matheus. I was sure Madrid knew I was but he didn’t say anything. He was in General mode, something I hadn’t seen from him yet. It was amazing to see the turn around in his personality and made me wonder if he cut up with his men. I guess I would find out.

“All clear, Matheus, keep doing what you’re doing and we will watch from here. Go find those shadows,” Madrid prodded Matheus.

I watched until the Matheus was looking for the men. “I’ve got to check the food. I’ll be back.”

“Got it,” Madrid assured me.

I walked over to the kitchen area, checking on the meat and spices. I added a can of spaghetti sauce to the mixture, stirring it. I knew it had a little more time, so I didn’t need to add the veggies. I needed to peel potatoes and cut up some carrots or use canned carrots. I knew the canned carrots would be faster. I decided to use canned. I knew the men would be hungry when they got here. I cut up three onions, adding them to the mix too. I was finished for now. I walked back over to Madrid and looked at the screen.

I knew Matheus was going to find the shadows and this was a game they played very well. It wasn’t really a game but survival was a must-have, especially out in the jungle or rainforest, as the case was now.

I watched him when he found the first three quickly. They grumbled but they knew he had got them fair and square. About fifteen minutes later he found the fourth one. He looked up in the trees, looking for a flash of their eyes. It was the only thing that gave them away. I wasn’t going to tell them though. It was only our little secret. We watched as he found the fifth one high up in the trees. He only had one more.

“Be a shadow, now!” I yelled.

He and the men he had found started digging in and waiting for the next ass-hats to go by. They weren’t very good at searching, not at all. I was surprised they were still living. Barbosa had a habit of killing his men when they were idiots.

Madrid and I were keeping an eagle eye on the area. The asses were not looking around. It was as if they were taking a stroll through the woods. All they needed was to hold hands and sing to each other. I had to laugh internally at my thoughts. My mind was a peculiar thing. I never knew what I was going to think next.

“All clear,” Madrid affirmed.

The men popped up from the ground, making sure to scatter the leaves back over where they were at. Matheus had one more shadow to find, but he found him by accident when he stepped on him. The shadow didn’t make a sound, well, until Matheus announced he found all six.

“Move it, men. You have three asses coming from the west. You have a clear shot to the cave. Move it,” Madrid ordered.

I watched the men move quickly but quietly through the forest. I found out Matheus had also added sound to his set-up in the trees. A directional microphone kept us up to date on what the monster's men were saying. They were sick fucks. Most of the conversation was about me and what they wanted to do to me. I would make sure to beat their asses later. I was good at storing faces and sounds in my mind. I never forget what I saw or heard.

When the men got to the cave seal, Madrid and I were facing toward it, both of us sporting smirks. We couldn’t wait to see what they had to say about being found and if they thought Matheus cheated.

The seal opened and the seven men walked in. They had dirt, leaves, and whatever else I didn’t want to know what about was on them and in their hair. I knew when I hid I couldn’t eat or pee and if I did I had to bury everything deep or we could be tracked by our scent. For me, it was the hardest lesson to learn. I didn’t like feeling dirty but I learned to do it to save my life. I was glad Antonio taught me all the tricks of the trade. I was all up in my mind when a shadow grabbed my arm. I flipped him over my back, my blade at his throat.

“Oops. I was up in my mind. Here let me give you a hand up,” I commented with a smirk plastered on my face.

“Uh, no. I can get up,” the shadow said.

Matheus started laughing. “I told you not to mess with the lady,” Matheus quipped. “This is my mate. Keep your hands to yourself.” Matheus paused. “Or she will kick your ass.”

The flirt threw his hands up in the air and backed up. “No problem. Why didn’t you tell us you found your mate?”

“Cause, I wanted you to see what she could do.”

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