Swanson spread the map out. “We could backtrack. Cross over to the other bank. Go against the current to this spot here,” he said, tapping his finger. “Then take this road over here that will go around to this spot.” He glanced over at Captain Norton. “Bird could pick us up there.”

Captain Norton shifted the cap on his head and looked at the river. “No time to row it. Current’s too strong. Fighting it will take the motor. Might as well send up a flare.”

The men sat silent for several moments. Finally, Peña looked at her, surprising her. “Doctor Myers, is there a village close to us?”

She looked at the map, all the while rejecting the idea of endangering another village. Then Ayo’s words came to her, about the peace this US Special Forces team had brought to the area. “There is one. It’s right here,” she said, pointing out the location behind them. “You probably saw the beach.”

Fisher nodded. “That wooden boat pulled up under the tree about a third of a klick back.”

“That’s probably it.” Cynthia looked behind her but could only see jungle. “I’ve traveled there weekly to check on pregnancies and infants. It’s a small, isolated village.”

Swanson smiled at her. “As opposed to the bustling metropolis you were just in?”

She chuckled. “That was a large village with a church and a medical clinic. This one just has the living quarters and about a third of the population. My midwife, Ayo, likely went there. Her grandmother lives there.”

Captain Norton gestured at Swanson, who folded the map back up and stowed it. “We can get to that village, offload Doctor Oz and Drumstick, set up camp. Doc can stay with them. We’ll recon the road and bridge and secure them for our use.” He pointed at Fisher. “Get with HQ and reschedule the exfil for oh five hundred. Tell them we’ll be arriving by truck.”

Cynthia appreciated his optimism, even if she felt it a bit misguided. Her doubt must have crossed her face, because he frowned at her. “Doctor, they are spread thin looking for us. Probably have roadblocks set up, bridges covered, all sorts of men looking everywhere. It’s not like Chukuwereije’s entire army’s on that bridge.”

“Better for us if it was,” Swanson remarked. “Take less time to subdue.”

McBride laughed quietly. “I hear you, brother.”

“Where will we get a truck?” Cynthia asked, even though she guessed the answer.

Swanson grinned at her. “We have plenty of time to solve that problem.”

Even while they joked, they secured the boat to move again. Soon, six of them worked the large paddles against the current to gradually and quietly bring them upstream toward the beach.