They were soon on the road that led east out of town toward the native village. From Kevin’s perspective, all he could see was the tops of the liana-covered trees that lined the road, plus a strip of hazy blue sky. After so many months of cloud cover and rain, it was good to see the sun.

“Anybody following us?” Kevin asked, after they’d driven for some time.

Melanie glanced in the rearview mirror. “I haven’t seen a car,” she said. There’d been no vehicular traffic in either direction, although there were plenty of native women carrying various burdens on their heads.

After they passed the parking lot in front of the general store at the native village and entered the track that led to the island staging area, Kevin sat up. He was no longer worried about being seen. Every few minutes, he looked behind to make sure they weren’t being followed. Although he didn’t admit it to the women, he was a nervous wreck.

“That log we hit last night should be coming up soon,” Kevin warned.

“But we didn’t go over it when they brought us out,” Melanie said. “They must have moved it.”

“You’re right,” Kevin said. He was impressed that Melanie remembered. After the machine-gun fire, the details of the previous night were murky in Kevin’s mind.

Guessing they were getting close, Kevin moved forward so he could see out the front windshield between the two front seats. Despite the noontime sun the ability to see into the dense jungle lining the road was hardly any better than it had been the evening before. Little light penetrated the vegetation; it was like moving between two walls.

They drove into the clearing and stopped. The garage stood to their left while to the right they could see the mouth of the track that led down to the water’s edge and the bridge.

“Should I drive down to the bridge?” Melanie asked.

Kevin’s nervousness increased. Coming into a dead end bothered him. He debated driving down to the water’s edge but guessed there wouldn’t be enough room to turn around. That would mean they’d have to back out.

“My suggestion would be to park here,” Kevin said. “But let’s turn the car around first.”

Kevin expected an argument, but Melanie put the car in gear without so much as a whimper. They left unspoken the fact that they would now have to walk past the spot where they’d been fired upon.

Melanie completed her three-point turn. “Okay, everybody, here we are,” she said airily, as she pulled on the emergency brake. She was trying to buoy everyone’s spirits. They were all tense.

“I just had an idea which I don’t like,” Kevin said.

“Now what?” Melanie asked, looking at him in the rearview mirror.

“Maybe I should quietly walk down to the bridge and make sure no one is around,” Kevin said.

“Like who?” Melanie asked, but the thought of unwanted company had occurred to her as well.