Earlier that day.....

Far by the cliff edge where the hanging bridge once was, a forgotten old book laid on the ground.

"Mira, look at this.....can it be the journal the boss is looking for?" Said the man as he pick up the book.

"Give it here!" The other man snatched the book away from his hands.

"Si, it looks like it, how much money do you think the boss will pay us for it?"

"I don't know, but this old book is worth gold to him."

"Look there're some tracks going in that direction....vámonos."

The humidity and heat of the jungle was beating down on Jorge, he saw Helga sleeping by the tree and took the opportunity to try to find fruit and nuts while Arnold was away with his father. Jorge walked for miles tolerating the strong sun. He didn't notice how far away he had wander but he was desperate to find water. Finally, he saw a small water hole and sumerge his water pouch on the fresh cool water.

"I think I traveled too far, well at least I found water, now if I can only find.......what's that?" Whispered Jorge as he heard branches breaking and quickly hid behind a large tree. No those are La Sombra man, damn it! How were they able to followed us this far? He thought terrified by the large machetes they were carrying.

No there heading towards the camp. I must do something!? Or they will capture Helga or worst.....I can't allow that. Though Jorge.

The two individuals pass by the tree where Jorge was hiding unaware of his presence. The moment Jorge saw the opportunity, he jumped on one of them and try to snatch the machete away. The other man got close enough to Jorge almost stabbing him in the back, but he moved fast and was able to get away. He run in the opposite direction from where Helga was.

The two thugs flee after Jorge, crossing through the heavy vegetation and muddy
ground. Even if Jorge was drained from the heat, he was still able to outrun them and hid in between large thick bushes. He peek through the shrubs and saw one of the ruffians walked pass him.

That's strange where's the other guy. He though. He felt as if his heart was inside his throat beating faster with every passing minute. He was exhausted from the chase and terrified to death of being found. He knew if La Sombra had the chance, he was going to kill him without any hesitation. Jorge continue to hide trying to minimized his heavy breathing.
After just a few excruciating minutes, he stood up as quietly as he could and turned around to find someone's fist heading swiftly towards his face. POW!!!

Sometime later, he was barely able to opened his eyes to find his two legs dragging against the ground. As he looked up to see their faces, he was blinded by the sunlight and lost consciousness again.

"Hey muchacho wake up! Levántate!" Jorge felt someone kicking him on his ribs.

"Awwww....where, am I?" Asked Jorge disoriented.

"Get up, we're going to take you to see the jefe."

Jorge stood up feeling sourness in every inch of his body and walked up to La Sombra with the two man who had captured him by his side.

"Jefe we have something for you."

"Excellent!.....This changes everything, now we're a step ahead of them and this time, I will hurt that boy with the woman he loves, just like I did with Doctor Miles." said La asombra as he held the journal in his hands.

"Arnold won't let you lay a finger on her!" Yelled Jorge weakened from the beating.

"Eduardo's nephew...you hijo de perra this time you won't get away" La Sombra assured him.

"Do you want us to wack him." Said the man pointing the gun at Jorge's head.

Jorge closed his eyes and held his breath.
Feeling his entire life slip through his fingers, he waited for the gun to go off.

"Mmmm.....no, let's keep him alive.....for now" Said La Sombra as he walked up to Jorge and punch him in the stomach leaving him without air from the blow. "That was for your fast mouth muchacho! I will get my hands on his precious flower and neither you or him will be able to do anything about it. Get him away!"

Back at the camp site Helga saw Arnold walking towards her from afar.
"Crimity what am I going to tell Arnold about the journal!?"

"Helga were you sleeping?" Asked Arnold with a smile.

"Ugh, how could you tell?" She asked.

"You have a sleepy face." Said Arnold as he touch her chin gently.

"Ah, really....ummm."

"I brought some fruit...Dad said he was going to catch something to eat."

"Catch something....meaning?"

"I don't know, he just said he was going bring something to eat. It's strange but, I can't get use to calling him Dad instead of Jones. I can't get my head around everything that has change this past couple of days."

"Yeah no kidding...first you found out about your parent's bodies being found.....then us finally, sleeping together....."

"Finally sleeping together, what is that all about?" Asked Arnold confused by her statement.

"Oh nothing, it's just that, after so many romantic almost happening moments we shared together, it finally did happen....I'm just saying Football Head, we should have started sleeping together long ago." Said Helga crossing her arms.

"Long ago Helga....you mean when we were fifteen or sixteen?"

"Yeah why not?" Said Helga with a smirked.

Arnold laughed "You are unbelievable, I still don't know how I manage to control myself around you all this time."

"That's easy Football Head, you are extremely shy and respectful...that's how you managed to escape my lusty passionated encounters." Helga whispered that last part in his ear.

"So I'm, shy...." Arnold wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her body closed to his and began kissing her neck slowly.

"Oh Arnold...you know that's my weak spot....."

"Mmm....I know" he whispered in between kisses.

"Crimity.....How I looove it when you get so overheated like that...it almost kills me to tell you about.......hmmm"

"About what Helga?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, I guess it can wait in till you finish your seductive kisses on me....."

"Helga I know that face, what's going on? Where's Jorge?" Asked Arnold as he looked around.

"Ugh....." Helga began rubbing her arm pondering how to tell him. "I...lost the journal."

"What!? How did that happen!?" Asked Arnold with his eyes widened.

"I'm not sure.....I was sleeping and...when I woke up Jorge was gone. I checked my backpack and the journal was nowhere to be found...Do you think Jorge might have stolen it?"

Arnold took a deep breath with his head down. "I hope he didn't....then again, maybe you just lost the journal somewhere else and...perhaps Jorge will be back soon. How long ago did he leave?"

Helga nodded "I don't know Football Head, I felt so exhausted from everything that happen today that I lost track of the time, besides we don't even know the freaking time in this forsaken jungle. But I believe, I felt asleep a couple of minutes after you and your father left."

"That was too long ago."

"So you're not mad at me for loosing the journal?"

"Why would I be mad at you? It wasn't your fault. I just hope the journal doesn't get in to the wrong hands. Here Helga, eat something." Arnold gave her an exotic fruit to eat.

"I'm not very hungry" she replied making a strange expression towards the fruit.

"Helga you haven't eating all day and your not hungry!?"

"Maybe is this heat that keeps me thirsty all the time. Do you have water with you?"

"Yeah my Dad gave me his water bag"

"Oh great give it here, my mouth feels like a desert."

Arnold wouldn't stop thinking about the lost journal and what could had happen to it. If the journal gets in the hands of La Sombra the green-eye village will be exposed, there will be no place to hide from him. He thought

"Can you sense Jorge or try to find him with the eagle?" She asked in between water sips.

"I can try....I have to concentrate first."

"Can you see where La Sombra is? Or the journal?"

"I tried to sense La Sombra before and it didn't work, but when the eagle sees La Sombra, I can't surely see him." Arnold closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on finding Jorge within the jungle. His senses traveled across the plains to where Jorge was being detained.
"I see him....."Whispered Arnold "His hands are tied to a tree and his been beating, but he'll survive."

"He'll survive!? For how long Football Head!?"

"I don't know" Said Arnold as he opened his eyes again "If La Sombra wanted him dead, he would have killed Jorge by now, I don't believe his in harms way....not yet anyways."

"What of the journal!?" Asked Helga stressed.

"I can only see Jorge...I'll send the eagle and hopefully I will be able to see more." Arnold looked up towards the high tree branch "Harpy, Go!" he yelled to the eagle.

The eagle opened its wings and begin flapping them lifting high in to the sky. "I can't sense his location clearly, but the eagle will be able to find him. Will see if La Sombra has the journal."

"I still don't know how you can communicate with that eagle Arnoldo."

"I don't know either...I don't put to much thought in to it."

"What do you think happen to Jorge!?" Asked Helga concern.

"I'm guessing he left the camp to look for something and...wondered far off, once the eagle finds him, I'll get a better idea of what happen."

Helga looked down in sadness. Arnold placed his hands on her shoulder. "Don't worry love, he's not badly hurt and I don't believe La Sombra will kill him now....shish, that was very dangerous of him to wonder off like that. He should have stayed with you and waited for us to return."

"So now what's going to happen? Are we going to rescue Jorge from La Sombra!?"

"I'm not sure...I know it's just right for us to just leave him there. I'll wait till the eagle returns to get a better idea of his surroundings, then I'll talk to my father about it. Either way his chances of being rescue...doesn't look good."

Helga closed her eyes as she touched her head and swung back disoriented. Arnold immediately catch her before she lost her balance.

"Helga you have to eat, here lay down next to the tree and eat this fruit before you pass out."

"I'm fine Arnold. Just a bit nauseous that's all."

"Nau-seous!?" Arnold sat next to her under the shade while she ate the large fruit.

"Helga.....when did you had, your....you know?" He struggled with the question.

"Know what, Arnoldo!?"

"Your, well it....ugh, what girls have every month, I think."

"Are you referring to my period football head?"

"Yeah that....when did you last had it?"

"Why do you what to know?" She asked staring at his eyes full of concern.

"I have to know Helga, so...when was it!?" He asked firmly gazing strictly at her.

Her cheeks turned red, trying to remember. "Ohh...I think...no wait, ummm, or was it....."

"Helga, you don't know when you last had it!"

"Well, no because my pills were off this month and....my last period was, I believed a month ago? Soo....."

"So what?" He asked waiting for Helga to say the date.

"So.....I was supposed to have it this, or was it last week..."

"Helga! Are you telling me you're late!?"

"Well....maybe, yes but it happen to me before, sometimes I didn't have a period for, two months sometimes three, that's why I got on the pill in the first place, to regulate my cycles."

"Oh this is bad.....this is really, really bad!" Said Arnold with his hands on his forehead.

"Come on Football Head you are over reacting."

"Hey you two, I brought the meat." Said Miles as he was walking towards them.

Arnold stared at his father nervously "What, are you surprised to see me? Did I interrupted something important?"

"NOTHING!" Both Arnold and Helga replied at the same time with guilty faces.

"O-kaay" I brought a rabbit for supper.

"Oh no, not again." Said Arnold making a gloomy face.

"What? What's wrong with rabbit?" asked Miles as he was preparing a fire.

"All of the sudden you reminded me of grandma, Dad." replied Arnold staring at the dead rabbit.

"You know what football head, I'll pass the supper."

"No you won't! You have to be healthy Helga in case of.....ummm....in case if you might get dehydrated tomorrow."

Miles stared at him oddly. "You both should eat to stay healthy. Besides rabbit meat is delicious."

"You know what Dad, your right...the way you cook the meat makes the flavor even better." He said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up Football head, you're just saying that to make me want to eat it, but it won't work."

Arnold sighed "You are eating Helga and that's final!"

Helga rolled her eyes trying to look the other way. She knew once Arnold made those firm direct eyes she couldn't go against his will. Besides, she felt so overpowered by his taking over stared, she loved it. Without Arnold looking she smiled a bit.

Miles laughed watching Arnold and Helga face expressions. "You both are captivating....your mom would have loved to see you two express like that."

"Really?" asked Arnold

"Sure....it's adorable the way you both communicate."

"I wish mom was here with us." Said Arnold in sadness.

Miles kneel down next to Arnold and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I know son, but she's watching over us. I can always feel her presence around you. Every time I look in to your eyes. I see her staring back at me."

"At least I found you Dad." Miles stood up and began preparing the rabbit. "Where's Jorge?" He asked.

"His been captured by La Sombra." Said Arnold walking next to his father.

"When did that happen!?" Miles asked shocked by the news.

"It happen while we were away. I was able to sense his presence and his okay, beating but okay."

"How did he got captured!?"

"I don't know yet, apparently he wonder off, I don't know how far away he walked before La sombra got him."

"In that case it's better if we walk at least eight more miles before resting, what if La Sombra finds us, it's best to put as much distance from him as possible." Suggested Miles.

Arnold turned to look at Helga and felt concern for how weak she seemed. "Dad, I don't think we should walked anymore today. Helga is not feeling well."

"Why? What's wrong with her? You know I hold a master in Anthropologist I can help."

Helga stood up quickly. "Aaa...actually I feel better Football head, it's just the heat that nauseated me that's all."

"So you're feeling nauseous. What other types of symptoms are you feeling?" Asked Miles as he walked up to Helga to check her pulse.

Arnold could feel his hands sweating hoping nothing serious was wrong with her, other then just exhaustion from the jungle.

"Are you dizzy? Can you see well?" Miles continue to asked making Helga feel uncomfortable.

"Ugh, thank you Doctor Shortman, but I'm fine just tired that's all."

"Mmm....very well your pulse is fine and you don't look pale. By the way call me Miles, I insist. I'll prepared a special formulated paste made out of herbs that will help you recuperate faster."

"Are the herbs save?" asked Arnold worried.

"Of course, it's all natural....as a matter of fact is the same herb paste I gave you when you were passing out, remember?"

"Oh yeah...it tasted....." Arnold noticed Helga making faces at him letting him know she will not want to try it. "....really good."

"Great I'll get on it." Said Miles as he when off to look for the herbs.

"You can't fool me Football head, I'm not having that so called all natural paste, it probably taste horrible."

"Helga you need to be strong, what if we have to walk again today and tomorrow.... we still have a long way to go before we reached the green-eye village. I can't have you passing out on the jungle or......"

"Or what Football Head?" She asked raising her eyebrow trying yo understand what he was so worried about.

He gazed at Helga with uncertainly in his eyes.
Remembering the story of how his father saw his mother bleeding to death in his arms unable to do a thing to save her. He couldn't bare the thought of loosing Helga the same way. He knew their lives were in danger and the notion of something happening to Helga freighting him beyond anything, but now an even more terrifying thought run through his mind. He grabbed her hands gently as he prepared to say.

"Helga, let's think this through. You where suppose to have your period a couple of days ago, right? And....It's been a week since, we first made love, that means, that...maybe your period hasn't come because......"

He gulped as he saw Helga staring at him, with her wide blue petrified eyes.

"Helga, what if you're....pregnant"

Author Notes:
Now we know what happen to Jorge, that was very heroic of him, but now La Sombra has him and the journal.

Thank you for waiting for my story and next chapter will be very good 😉. Till the next one. Leave me a comment.