"Por Dios, Miles is that you!?"

Arnold swiftly turned his head gazing at Jones, who was looking down with his eyes shut tight and thought. It can't be! Jones can't be my father! He doesn't even resembled him! What am I saying!?

"We won't fall for your lies again Eduardo!! MY FATHER IS DEAD!!!" Yelled Arnold in fury.

Jones looked at Arnold steadily with remorse in his eyes, he looked down in defeat nodding with his eyes shut and said.
"I'm sorry, but....his not lying about that.....son" Jones looked up to Arnold again.

Arnold's eyes widened impacted by the revelation, staring, at Miles "You......can't be.....alive!" said Arnold shaken by the truth.

La Sombra yelled in anger "MILES IS STILL ALIVE!? NO PUEDE SER... I SAW YOU DIED!!"

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY SON LA SOMBRA!!!" yelled Miles in fury.

La sombra had a dark look in his eyes, infuriated by seeing Miles alive again after almost twenty years. He began walking closer to Miles stopping next to Eduardo, while the armed man continued pointing their guns at them.

"Or what!? What can you possibly do Doctor Miles, if you couldn't even safe your wife or that poor loser who loved her...So pathetic just like you. Look at yourself, you have become a waste...I wouldn't doubt if your dead wife was fuck....."

"SHUT UP!!" Yelled Miles enraged, he was about to strike La Sombra with his whip when Eduardo in a split second pulled a gun to La Sombras head.

"Don't bother Miles I got this!" Said Eduardo starring at La Sombra.

Arnold grabbed Helga's hand tight and took a step back startled by the scene.

La Sombra laughed "Eduardo pedazo de mierda. You thought by killing me you could safe your life and the life of your amigos! You're not getting out of this alive!!"

Eduardo smirked at him "I know... and am not planning too. Miles I want you to know I didn't know he was going to kill you or Stella that wasn't part of the deal....lo siento mucho mi amigo. I hope you can forgive me one day!"

"Safe your words Eduardo, you knew how La Sombra worked!! You should have know!!"

"I do know how he works and......(Eduardo said something to Miles in the green eye dialect)." Still pointing his gun at La Sombra.

Miles looked back and gazed at Arnold then directed his sight to the bridge. Arnold knew what his father was trying to say. He began pushing Helga back, stepping backwards slowly then faster towards the hanging bridge.
"What's happening?" whispered Helga
"Just be careful where you step." he whispered back.

"You know La Sombra, you won't win and I believe in the power of the chosen one! You will regret everything you ever did!!" said Eduardo as he was walking backwards towards the bridge with his gun pointed at La Sombra.

Miles was following close to Arnold, Helga and Jorge across the bridge staring at Eduardo who was reaching the deck of the bridge.

La Sombra smiled with a dark look in his eyes. "I won't let you help them Eduardo, even if you end up killing me my man will ensure they're all died...If I don't win, nobody wins."

Eduardo eyes widened in horror, he took out his large knife and yelled "RUN GET TO THE OTHER SIDE!!!"

"ARNOLD GOOOOOO!" yelled Miles.

Arnold and Helga quickly began rushing though the old wooden bridge with Jorge following close behind them. Miles looked back and stared at Eduardo one more time. Eduardo smirked at him as he lifted his arm to slash the knife on the rope that was holding the bridge, his left arm still pointing at La Sombra for the shoot.

Miles turned his head in Arnold's direction.
"ARNOLD HANG ON TO THE ROPE!!"

Arnold gazed at Helga in terror. "Helga hang on to the rope!!"

"What!?!Why!?" Helga saw Eduardo swinging his knife on the rope to cut it.
"CRIMITY!!" she yelled grasping the rope desperately.

"KILL HIM!!" La Sombra gave the order.

"JORGE YOUR FATHER WAS RIGHT! THERE'S NO HONOR IN DIRTY MONEY!"
yelled Eduardo as he swung the knife on last time cutting the bridge lose. All the man began firing at Eduardo. But it was too late he had cut the ropes. One hundred bullets impacted his body before he died with a peaceful expression on his face as his body plunged down to the bottom of the cliff.

"NOOOOOO!!!" screamed Jorge watching his uncle shot to death.

The long wooden rope bridge began falling from one side swinging in grand velocity while Arnold, Helga, Jorge and Miles dangled for their lives.
"SHOOT EVERYONE EXCEPT FOR ARNOLD I NEED HIM ALIVE!"  Shouted La Sombra.

The loud noise of gunfire made Arnold looked up horrified. "NOOOOO!!!!" He screamed. He then looked down again watching Helga's hand sliding and his father with Jorge trying to hold on for their lives.

"HELGA....I WONT LET YOU FALL!!!"
said Arnold with a penetrating terrifying stare.

All of the sudden Arnold's eyes began to glow bright green. The large Harpy eagle plunge in the air, attacking the armed man with its powerful talons. The cliff began to dense with thick heavy fog, making the view impossible for the armed man to aim at them or see the eagle. Some man were terrified of being attack by the eagle while others, fear the thick fog and ran off in to the jungle.

Arnold began feeling a strong urge of energy flow through his body unlike anything he as felt before. He could feel everything around him, the plans, the trees, the soil and the wind that surrounded him. He looked down and yelled. "FATHER, JORGE...LET GO OF THE ROPES WHEN I SAY!!!" The wind around them began picking up wildly, almost being unleashed on them.

Helga was stunned by seeing Arnold's bright green eyes. "WHAT'S HAPPENING!?" She asked in turmoil.

"HELGA ONCE I LET GO WRAP YOURSELF ON TO ME!!!" Her eyes widened frozen by what Arnold said.

Jorge and Miles looked at each other in terror.
"How can we let go...we'll fall!?" Yelled Jorge petrify by what could happen.

"Trust my son! And let go when he says!!" answered Miles knowing Arnold was in control.

The landscape began to tremble on the cliff where La Sombra and his man were, unexpectedly the ground it self began to plummet to the bottom. Everyone ran for cover including La Sombra, some man didn't make it and fell to their doom.

The strong wind swirled with tremendous force around the fallen bridge making it impossible to continue to hold on. "LET GO.....NOW!!!!" Yelled Arnold as he let go of the rope while Helga wrapped herself in to his body in mid-air. Arnold embraced her tightly as the powerful cyclone pick them up including Jorge and Miles and threw them on the safety ground on the opposite side of the cliff from where La sombra was.

Immediately the air return to normal and the thick fog cleared. "Are you hurt Helga?"Arnold check her for injuries feeling her head and arms. "I'm fine Football head. But what happen to you!? Your eyes glowed bright green for a minute." asked Helga touching his cheek.

Arnold place his hand on hers, trying to remember the sensation that ran through his body. "I don't know, I felt so full of the jungle's energy, I sense everything around me."

Miles walked up to Arnold rubbing his head from bumping it from the fall. "Are you and Helga all right?"

Arnold POV
The moment I heard Jones voice I began to shake. My father, Jones was my father. I stood up and began walking towards him slowly. Observing his face, his old beaten tired body.
I was seeing him and still I couldn't believe it.
"Dad?" I asked still confounded by what my eyes were witnessing.

Jones removed his hay hat, his dirty glasses and looked up to me with his green yellowish eyes. Behind it all, there he was my father looking back at me. I couldn't comprehend it, my father was suppose to be dead what happen to him!? Why was he alive!?
*****************************************

"You must have a lot of questions son and.....I wouldn't doubt if you don't want to talk to me.......but if you give me the chance I would like to explain what happen."

With a thousand questions in his mind and without saying a single word Arnold embraced his father tightly. Tears began sliding down his face. Miles wrapped his arms around his son trying to hold the sorrow he felt from seeing Arnold for the first time after almost twenty years of separation.

Helga and Jorge stared at each other.
"Is Jones really Arnold's father?" Jorge asked.

"I guess so" Said Helga with tears in her eyes from seeing her beloved Arnold reunited with his father again.

Miles whipped his tears from his eyes as he was seeing Arnold up close.
"You have your mother's eyes, you look so much like her."

Helga walked up to them nervously.
"Doctor Shortman I'm so sorry for being so rude to you yesterday and for...not trusting you."

"You can call me Miles and don't worry about it. Besides, you were right not to trust me.....you barely knew me." Said Miles staring at Helga with a soft smile.

"Dad....How did you survive all this time? What happen to.....my mother?"

"God, it feel so good for you to call me Dad. The last time you said Daddy to me you were but a baby." Miles sighed "I will explain everything Arnold but first we need to move up north, towards the great volcano mountain. La sombra is still out there and he will find us if we don't move fast."

The hike was long and tiring they pick up fruits and wild berries on the way still, the misty hot air didn't help them breathe. After walking as much as they could, they rested near a giant tree with the trunk as thick as a house. The fresh shade gave some conforte to their aching legs.

"We been walking almost all day, please tell me we won't walk again till tomorrow." Said Helga seating down resting against the tree.

"We made really good time, we should be close to the green-eye village by tomorrow." Said Miles sipping from a large leather sack he had full of water. "Here drink some water before you dehydrate." Miles passed on the water to Arnold and Helga.

"So we're headed to the green-eyes village?" Asked Jorge

"Yes my father believes they will help us beat la Sombra." answered Arnold.

"Okay let's back up a little...what exactly happen back there by the hanging bridge?" asked Helga.

"My uncle died that's what happen." Jorge was seating on the ground with his elbows on his knees staring at the ground as he was remembering seeing his uncle shot to death.

"I'm so sorry for your uncle loss Jorge. His death wasn't in vein he safe all of us." Said Arnold staring at Jorge.

"Well no offense, but that's the least he could have done after working for La Sombra and....don't forget he lie to you from the begging Football head." commented Helga raising her eyebrow.

"He lie to all of us." added Jorge still looking down in sadness.

Helga rolled her eyes. "We're basically stuck in this forsaken jungle in the first place because of  Eduardo's actions. So even if it sounds cruel, the fact that he died for us is not enough!"

"Helga!!" Said Arnold trying to let her know she was saying to much in front of Jorge and her words may not be appropriate.

"What Football Head!? I wanted to give Eduardo a piece of my mind before he died that's all." Helga was slapping her fist on her hand.

Miles smiled nodding "Helga, you remind me so much of my dear wife Stella. She used to sound a lot like you. It's amazing how Arnold end up falling in love with someone that resembles his mother's personally."

Arnold eyes widened. "I never knew my mother behaved that way....I wish I could have known her."

"In a way Helga is just like her." Said Miles staring at Helga.

Helga place her hands on her chest blushed by what Miles expressed about her. She could have never imagine that she could resemble Arnold's mother in any way.
"I'm honer to be compared to Stella. But I must ask. Is that why you left the other night Miles? When I was telling Football Head not to trust you.....or was it for another reason?"

"Your strong initiative personally reminded me so much of Stella. I just had to walk a little and think."

"We thought you were ghost for a moment Doctor Shortman, Arnold tried to find you but he couldn't sense you." added Jorge.

Arnold remembered. "That's right...last night when you left, I tried to concentrate on finding you through the vision of the forest and...I didn't sense you...Why?"

"You can see the jungle on your own without using the trapiche rock!?" asked Miles fascinated.

"Yes he can and...apparently he can control the wind. What exactly happen at the bridge Arnoldo you where about to tell us when Jorge interrupted." Helga asked again intrigue by what happened earlier.

Arnold passed his hand though his hair as he began to explain the incident on the bridge. "When I saw us hanging on for our life, I was scare of loosing everyone I was feeling responsible for all of us being in that situation, but I was more terrified of loosing you Helga. When I felt your hand slipping though my fingers I panic and....I knew, even if I found a way to keep on holding on to you, La sombra was going to shot all of us. At that moment something change in me. I felt a strong energy run though my mussels. I could feel everything around me, the ground the air. I could see the Harpy eagle attacking some of La Sombra man, in my mind I wanted us to be safe at all cost. I felt so secure and confident with the elements that surrounded me. That I knew, the wind being strong enough could pick us up sending us to safety ground. It happen so fast, that's when the wind blew stronger."

"Did you felt your eyes glow football head?"

"My eyes? No I didn't feel anything....you said you saw them bright green?"

"Yes it happen when my hand was slipping, at first I was scare but when you spoke to me I knew that you were in control in some way."

"I was dominating everything, but.......I felt like I could lose myself if I didn't stay focus on us."

"What do you mean lose yourself?" asked Helga worried seeing Arnond thoughtful trying to remember what he felt at that moment.

"I don't know how to explain it.... everything is new to me." answers Arnold baffled by the memory.

Miles got up and started to walk around in circles with his hand on his chin, pondering . "Wait.....remember what I told you when I first found you son."

Arnold stood up walking up to him.
"That you found me because you were checking your rabbits traps?"

"In reality I found you because I saw the trees branches moving forcefully, it was like... a hurricane was coming yet the sky was not grey. I heard the water splashing out of control and that's when I walked up to the river and found.....your body next to the harpy eagle. At first, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I thought I was imagining seeing you there on the sand. I noticed you weren't breathing, as I was about to run up to you. I saw the eye grabbing the trapiche rock from your pocket and placing it in your hand. Suddenly the rock began glowing bright green. Smoke emerged from it, like if it was burning your skin......I wanted to help you but...the eagle looked at me almost, warning me to stay away and....I knew the spirit was helping you in some way. Before I knew it, the rock got on fired, burning the flesh of your hand. I....didn't know what was going to happen. The wind blew intensely, the ground began to shake, I was scared out of my mind for you. Then you did something I'll never forget, with the rock burning in your hand you quickly closed your palm still holding the rock and... that's when everything stopped....It reminded me of the day you were born. You silent the jungle, including the erupting volcano and that's exactly what happen yet again on that day. You opened your eyes and began to breathe again....the spirit brought you back to life."

Arnold looked down in distress remembering the dream he had with his mother.
"The eagle brought me back from the never ending sleep....like my mother said."

"Arnold!" Whispers Helga with tears in her eyes wrapping her arms around his torso, knowing she did lose him at the river but, the spirit brought him back.

Arnold embraced her tightly leaning his head in to her. He could feel Helga shaking in his arms. Crying softly as she was leaning her head against his chest. The courageous young woman she as always been, face her deepest fear, almost loosing the man she loved. Arnold gulped trying to be strong for her. He wanted to escape the jungle with her and take her to a peaceful, magical place just the two of them and never look back.

"Helga." He looked down at her. "Don't cry anymore, please."

Helga couldn't look up to him "Arnold you....died...at the river." she whispered trying to push the words though her lips.

He lifted her chin "Helga, look at me."

She was weeping, slowly making eye contact with Arnold. "Helga, I'm here with you....I won't let anyone take me away from you. I love you more then what words could expressed, you are the sunshine of my life and...once we get back home...will get marry and I'll become your husband and will enjoy the rest of our lives...together."

Helga sighed pressing her yearning lips in to his kissing him intensely. Arnold run his fingers through her long blond hair tasting her sweet warm lips. No matter what problems they had in their lives, they could kissed each other and be drawn away, to just them.

Miles eyes widened with his mouth partially open as he heard Arnold said will get marry and I'll become your husband.

Jorge walked up to Miles who was still frozen, watching Arnold and Helga kissing. He was in shock by what he had learned. My son is getting marry! he thought panicking.

"I know...it's like we don't even exist in their world." Said Jorge nodding at their kiss. "I didn't even know they were going to get marry, I'm as surprised as you are." said Jorge watching them kiss.

Miles rolled his eyes crossing his arms "Really, as surprised as me, I don't believe so."

Miles coughed.....trying to catch their attention.

Arnold and Helga quickly stopped kissing remembering they weren't alone.
"Awwwww.....awkward"  whispered Helga
blushed by seeing Miles trying to look the other way.

"Ugh....Helga, can you give me a couple of minutes to talk to my father alone?"

"Of course Football Head." said Helga stepping away.

Arnold walked up to his father nerves by what his father may have heard. "I guess we have to talk?" Asked Arnold as he rub his hand on the back of his head.

"We do....come, I know a place we can talk." Miles and Arnold walked towards the top of a hill, it only took them fifteen minutes to get there.
The landscape was beautiful from where they were standing. The sky was blue with floating white clouds decoration the view. The wind breeze fresh with the scent of nature. The birds sang freely soaring through the air.
The jungles view from there was breathtaking.
Miles sat by the hill next to Arnold both of them quiet taking the mesmerizing scene.

Mikes looked up towards the sky and asked.
"Where's the eagle?"

"With Helga and Jorge, watching over them."

"I still can't believe we're here together after all this years. I came to this place many times with your mother. I can still feel her next to me."

Arnold took a deep breath and turned to look at his father. "About that.....what happens Dad? What happens on your last mission with mom?"

Miles looked at Arnold in his eyes and then looked down remembering the past.

"The green-eyes needed us, there was a sleeping sickness that was spreading fast thought out the village. Once your mom and I arrived at the village we realized, it wasn't a sleeping sickness at all. But a deadly plague disease killing almost everyone in the village.
Your mother and I worked day and night to find a cure....and we did. More then half of the green-eye village was lost....even if we had found a cure, your mother and I still felt like failures."

"But you saved the other half of the village! How could you and mom had felt that way!?"

"Well today you said, you felt responsible for all of us....in a way your mother and I felt the same way. After we stayed in the village for a couple of weeks making sure the plague didn't return we decided, it was time for us to come back home.....to you." Miles gazed at Arnold with sadness in his eyes.

"What happened?" Asked Arnold.

"Eduardo said he had heard La Sombra had taken the eagle spirit sacred statue and the eye of the forest rock. I couldn't believe it, since only the green-eyes and myself knew the location of the statue."

"How did you know the location of the statue?" Asked Arnold

"Naku the green-eye wiseman told me the location one night when he confined in me."

"Naku is the man you wrote about....the wiseman that will help me understand what it means to be.....the chosen one."

"Yes that's him......Naku trusted me with the location of the sacred statue and......." Miles closed his fist shut in anger "I was naive and careless.....I thought I could check the statue to make sure La Sombra didn't steal it....unknowingly, I had fallen to a trap and lead La Sombra and his man to the secret location."

"It was Eduardo right!? He was working for La Sombra!?" Asked Arnold upset.

"Yes son, he was.....after I check the statue and realized La Sombra had not take it. Your mother and I headed home but, on the way there we saw La sombra man hauling the statue and Eduardo was with them... that's when I knew, it was a trap. I should have been more careful about allowing strangers like Eduardo see the location of the statue. Naku warn me not to trust anyone and fail him....I failed your mother." Miles bit his lip in anger.

"Dad....you didn't fail Mom."

"I wanted to help the green-eyes somehow for my mistake and...in the middle of the night your mother and I took the eyes of the forest rock from the statue's head."

"So that's why you had the rock in your wallet!"

"Yes son."

"But if you're alive then, who's remains where found along with my mother's....Eduardo said the green-eye amulets and wallet was found next to the bodies."

Miles began to shed tears. "That night after your mother and I took the sacred rock and we're about to flee, Pepe arrived to help us with our quest."

"Pepe that's Jorge's other uncle, his mother's twin brother."

"That's right.....Pepe was your mother's best friend. She had know him ever since she first arrived in San Lorenzo, three years prior to my arrival."

"La sombra refer to someone as, a fool who loved my mother....was he referring to Pepe?"

Miles was quiet for a moment thinking what to say.

"Pepe was always willing to help your mother and aid her in any ways. I never liked him....but now that I look back I can honestly say that...I was jealous of him. Even if Stella was my wife, I never liked another man around her. Stella loved him like a brother and I knew....if I tried to tell her anything about it, she was going to hate me for it."

"I can relate to that...I know how it feel to see someone you don't approve around the woman you love....So, what happed next with Pepe that night?"

"That night I wrote a message on a small piece of paper and folded it along with the sacred rock and hid it in a secret pocket inside my wallet. But soon, after we were about to get away. Some of La Sombra man catch up to us.....we ran a very long distance during the night. Unfortunately your mother trip and twisted her ankle....it was impossible for her to continue running. Pepe was helping her walk while I open a path for us with my machete.
Soon we came across a rapid river and I knew your mother couldn't cross, I tried to find a way to go around, to avoid the man who where pursuing us but it was futile. La sombra and his man found us....it was fifty armed men against us. La sombra wanted me to give him the sacred rock and my journal....but I had left my journal at my father's attic and I was not going to give him the sacred rock....With the rock in his hands,  he was going to become more powerful and he was going to find a way to reach you and the large lost powerful emerald."

"So what happened, Dad!?"

"He....questioned Pepe about it and.....Pepe stayed loyal to your mother till the end....La Sombra shot him in the chest."

"How was mom!?"

"She was....devastated crying next to his body. La sombra checked us and one of his man gave him my wallet. But La Sombra didn't see the hidden pocket and threw my wallet in my face.
I gave my wallet to Stella......and that's when it happened." Miles took a deep breath bitting his lips in fury and pain "La Sombra man shot... her in front of me....." Miles was sobbing uncontrollably. Arnold sat next to him and wrapped his arm across his back and began crying next to him.

After a couple of minutes Miles said "At that moment I knew there was nothing more I could do....I had lost my most precious jewel and my life was over. That's when La Sombras bodyguard shot me in the head and threw us three in to the river."

"But how did you survived!?" Asked Arnold wiping his tears.

"La sombra thought I was shot in the head when in reality I was just scratched on my forehead. The rapids washed our bodies a couple of miles down the stream....still I'm not sure how I survived the rapids.....I remember while in the water I kept seeing your mother's eye, she whispered to me....stay alive and help our son. Maybe I survived because she was watching over me....Later I woke up cover in sand by the river....a couple of feet away I found Pepe's body and....your mother's. I knew it was best for La Sombra to know I was dead and so I took off my medallion and place it on Pepe's neck so that if anyone found his body, they would think it was me. I never found my wallet...but I believe Stella had it on her even after she was washed away......I buried their bodies by the river and......I walked away heartbroken."

Arnold stood up with tears in his eyes.
"I lost my mother! But not you Dad! Why didn't you come home!?" Arnold asked in tears.

Miles wouldn't even look at him, his heart felt heavy from allowing the past to rise again. "I don't know why for so many days, weeks, months after your mother died, I remain hidden in the shadows. I thought about you everyday, thinking that one day my son, you would ask me. What happened to your mother and....how was I going to answer that!? I felt ashamed of myself. I couldn't keep your mother protected, everything that happened was because of me! I should have never trusted Eduardo much less show him the sacred statue location! I didn't deserve my happiness I didn't deserve......you"

Arnold's eyes widened in anger and disappointment.
"What do you mean you didn't deserve me!? I was a baby and then a little boy waiting for his parents to come home and walked through the front door! And that day never came! Why didn't you come home when I was waiting for you!?!?" Arnold raised his voice in rage by what he was hearing.

"Son forgive me. I never meant for so many years to pass by. At first I was lost without your mother, then I wanted revenge and planned to kill La Sombra somehow...I tried so many times to eliminate him. So many times I tried to make him pay for what he did to me. But at the end I just end up failing over and over again. I dyed my hair and beard brown to hide my identity, I can't tell you how many times I walked to the airport to come home.....but I had lost my passport and my dignity to live and so....one day I came here to the jungle and hid away from the world."

Even after seeing his father in tears and trying to apologize for his actions for Arnold it wasn't enough.
"I don't understand how you never tried to come back home. You had a son waiting for you. My grandparents tried their best to give me what I needed. To be there for me, at school. Even when all of my friends took their parents to family events, my grandparents tried their best to be there for me! You had me waiting for you Dad!!!"

"Arnold, how would you have felt if Helga died and you had your son or daughter staying with her parents. How could you have explain to your child her mother died and see your child
suffer for it!?"

"I would have return for my child and found a way to make his or her life happy again, even if I was broken inside!! At the end, it doesn't matter about my feelings as a parent. What matters is my child's happiness next to me!! Now where were you when I needed you!?!?
Hiding in the jungle!! I don't understand the actions you took Dad!!....You were too afraid to face your own fear....which was being a widow father. You couldn't face her death and be a father!! That's why you never came home!! La sombra didn't destroyed your life... You did when you never came home!!!" Yelled Arnold in anger with his fist shut walking away from his father.

Author Notes:
This chapter had been in my mind since I first started to writers this story. I wanted so much of this chapter and I believe I accomplished that.
So what do you think a out Jones now?
Ha ha ha I did clues on the story about it. For example when he refer to precious jewel about the woman he love.

I wanted Arnold to express his happiness of seeing his father alive
But I also wanted him to see Miles mistakes and face that.

I hope everyone liked it and I hope it was worth the wait.

Let me know what you thing about it and till next one...

More surprised and action to come 😉