seventeen years ago.....

That night La Sombra had Miles, Stella and Pepe trap by the river. The strong current splash against the rocks carrying lots of force that day. Stella was holding Miles hand knowing it could be their last moment together.

"Doctor Miles, I'll give you till the count of three to give me your Journal and the eye of the forest, if you don't comply I'll have to kill your wife and your friend. Entonces what will it be!?"

La sombra man pointed their guns at Stella and Pepe. "I don't have the journal or the eye of the forest with me. Please you have to believe me." said Miles imploring.

Miles knew with the eye of the forest in La Sombrad hands it would be easier for him to find the large lost trapiche and with it, there was no telling what kind of power he could poses.

La sombra walked up to Pepe and asked.
"Cómo te llamas?"

Pepe was still looking down and wouldn't answer back.

"Oh so you don't speak Spanish?" La Sombra pointed a gun at Stella's Head.

"Soy Pepe, my name is Pepe." He finally Replied.

"You see was that hard. Now I can offer you a great deal of cash, plata if you tell me where Doctor Miles hid the eye of the forest and his journal."

"I don't know anything about it." Said Pepe looking down.

"Mírame! Look at me!" Yelled La Sombra
"Or I'll kill her!!!"

Pepe immediately lifted his head and stared at La Sombra with a straight face.
"I'm offering you a great deal of plata Pepe, you just have to tell me what I want."

Pepe turned to look at Stella and gazed at her eyes.

La sombra laughed "You are pathetic! Don't tell me you like Stella ha ha ha ha." Everyone laughed at him. Pepe wouldn't stop staring at Stella when suddenly a gun when off aiming at Pepe's heart.

"NO!!!!" cried Stella kneeling down on the dirt trying to hold Pepe's bloody body.

"YOU BASTARD!!!" Yelled Miles

La sombra wouldn't stop laughing....

"Oh that was good. Search them!" he gave the order.

His man approached them and passed their hands on their bodies. One of the man gave La Sombra a wallet which belonged to Miles. "We found this but their clean jefe."

La sombra opened the wallet and check the pockets. Then he walked up to Miles and threw the wallet directly to his face and said
"You better give me what I want, ahora!"

Miles pick up his wallet and gave it to Stella who was still on her knees holding Pepe's lifeless body.

"La sombra please like I said, I don't have it. Maybe one of your man stole the rock making you think it was us!"

"CALLATE! You're a lier Doctor Miles, your friend Eduardo told me everything....what, you didn't know he was working for me. Next time chose your friends wisely or don't have any, that's what I do. Pero esta bien, If you don't have what I want then you're useless. Now you will know how it feels to lose something you hold dear. Shoot her first then him." ordered La Sombra as he was walking away.

"NOOO!!" yelled Miles.
"Miles!!" Cried Stella as two bullets went right through her chest killing her instantly.

"OH GOD STELLA!!!NOOO!!!!" Miles wouldn't stop sobbing pressing his face on her shoulder.

La sombra was watching them from a distance.

"That's enough, shoot him now and throw them in the river."

La sombra bodyguard fired two shots at Miles and threw their bodies in to the strong currents washing them away.

Present day.......

"Arnold wake up! Arnold...."

Arnold could hear his mother's soft voice calling his name over and over again. He opened his eyes slowly to find Jones staring at him. "Philip wake up, come on!"

Arnold had fallen asleep next to Helga with his arm wrapped around her waist.
"Jones it's you!" said Arnold startled opening his eyes in sock. "What happen to you, I tried to find you and....."

"There's no time to explain Philip! I just saw La Sombra man catching up to us. We need to flee now quietly."

"Are you sure? How can I believe what you're saying is true?" whispered Arnold

Jones sighed. "Use your best judgement...but know the choice you make today. Will change Helga and Jorge's life for ever." Said Jones as he stepped away from Arnold.

Arnold was silence contemplating as he was staring at his sleeping Helga, who was resting next to him. He caress her hair knowing he couldn't bare to lose her, she was his sunshine in his life. The thought of seeing her hurt or worst terrified him.

"Helga wake up!" said Arnold moving her gently. "Helga!"

"Mmm...what happen?" she asked softly.

"Jones said we have to go....La Sombra is on his way here!"

"What!?" Helga Shouted

"Shhhhh... Helga don't yelled, we must move fast quietly, come on!"

Arnold stood up and grabbed Helga's backpack.

"So we're leaving right?" Jones asked.

"Right" said Arnold.

Jones kneel down to wake up Jorge.
"Jorge levántate vámonos!" Said Jones as he was shaking him.

"Que chingado!!" Shouted Jorge freighting to find Jones so near to him.

"Calm down muchacho, we're leaving let's go."
said Jones walking away.

"Arnold what's going on, why is Jones here!?" asked Jorge.

"I'll tell you later we have to go, Jones said La Sombra is near."

Helga stepped in front of Arnold scared by what was happening. "How do you know La Sombra found our location!?"

"Jones just warned me Helga."

"But how can you trust him Football head!? Don't you remember what we talked about!?"

"I know love but, I believe we can rely on him. Besides this morning as he was trying to wake me up, I heard my mother's voice calling me, maybe that's a sigh of trust."

"Or maybe it was just a coincidence of a wonderful dream you were having!" Suggested Helga disturb by what she was hearing.

Jones ran up to Arnold "If we're leaving we have to go now, I know a way follow me."
said Jones as he was walking ahead of them.

Arnold embraced Helga tightly and kissed her forehead. "I won't lose you Helga, please trust me." Said Arnold grabbing her hand pulling her next to him as they began to walked away.

"I have faith in you Football Head, it's him who I don't believe." whispers Helga staring at Arnold.

"Síganme, follow me!" Said Jones as he was rushing through the jungle with Arnold, Helga and Jorge following closely behind him.

Exhausted of running they stopped next to a giant tree.

"This is ridiculous! How do we know La Sombra is even following us!? What if this is just a trap created by Jones!" Yelled Helga furiously.

Suddenly an ambush of man began emerging from the bushes, someone jumped behind Helga trying to hold her down while more men went after Arnold, Jones and Jorge.

Helga slammed her head back breaking the man's nose. She then kicked his groin with the back of her shoe, living the man in agonizing pain. All of the sudden Helga saw a fist coming straight to her face. She swiftly moved back avoiding the impact like Arnold had taught her and did a spinning back quick throwing the man violently on the ground. Surprisingly a large man was able to wrapped his long arms around her holding her down as she struggled to break free.

Arnold was fighting against several man, he quickly strike one of them on the face with his elbow knocking him down, the second man swung his knife at him as he grabbed his arm, twisted his wrist and strike him hard on the throat leaving the man stunned without air.

" HELGA!!" Shouted Arnold as he punched another man who was on his way to help her.

"LET HER GO!!" Shouted Arnold wrapping his arm firmly around the large man's neck cutting his air supply making him drop unconscious on the ground.

"HELGA ARE YOU OKAY!? DID HE HURT YOU!?" asked Arnold concerned helping her stand on her feet again. "I'm fine Arnold but we need to get away!"

The harpy eagle plunged rapidly on some man attacking them on their necks and faces as they screamed in pain from the deep scratches.

Arnold saw Jones and Jorge beating off some man. When suddenly he saw someone behind Jones about to stab him. "JONES WATCH OUT!" Shouted Arnold grabbing his whip and lashing it on the man's hand, injuring his fingers. Jones immediately tuned around and punch the man on his face.

"QUICK THIS WAY!!" yelled Jones.

Arnold, Helga and Jorge rushed behind him trying to get away from more man who where quickly approaching.

"AFTER THEM!!" Yelled La Sombra from afar.

Jones led the way weaving through the thick plants and muddy ground.
Arnold kept pulling Helga who was worn out from the fight. Unexpectedly they reached the edge of a cliff with a deadly drop. Jones looked up and saw thick tree branches by the edge that can be used as a swing to cross to the other side.

"Philip quick the whip!" yelled Jones.

"You don't know how to use it!" Arnold responded.

"Just pass it!" Demanded Jones.

Jones lashed the whip wrapping the end on a strong tree branch. Arnold was amazed seeing of how well Jones had control the whip.

"Quickly swing across!" Said Jones as he passed the whip to Arnold to cross. Arnold pulled on the whip to make sure it was wrapped tightly.

"Helga, hold on to me!" Said Arnold.
"Crimity! I can't look down!" Helga closed her eyes shut wrapping her arms tight around his shoulders, Arnold held her firmly by her waist and used his right arm to grasped the whip as they swing across the cliff reaching to the other side safely.

Arnold threw the whip back to Jones.
"Jorge you're next come on!" Said Jones

"What if the branch breaks!?" Jorge asked terrified by the drop.

Jones rolled his eyes. "What if La Sombra man breaks your neck!? Come on there's not enough time!"

Jorge cling on to the whip and swing to the other side almost slipping of the cliff.
"Jorge!!" Both Arnold and Helga yelled as they snatched him by his shirt and pulled him to safety. Jorge drop to his knees trying to catch his breath.

"Jones your turn!" Yelled Arnold passing the whip.

Without warning some of La Sombra bandits catch up to Jones. He immediately released the whip and began lashing it on the attackers.
Making the man jump back of fear of being slash. Arnold's eyes widened astonished of seeing Jones master the whip.

"GOOO...I'LL HOLD THEM BACK!!!" Yelled Jones from the other side of the cliff.

"NOOOO JONES!!!!!!" Shouted Arnold in shock of what he was seeing.

"Arnold there's nothing we can do for him, we have to keep on going!!" Said Helga pulling him by the arm.

"We can't just leave him to die!!" Said Arnold in panic.

"GOOOO ARNOLD!!!!" yelled Jones again, in between whips and punches.

"He called me Arnold." He said in distress.
"Football head come on!!"

Arnold looked away in anger forcing himself to keep on going in till they reached an old wood hanging bridge with some broken wood planks.

"For crying out-loud! There's no way we can cross thorough this bridge!" as Helga said that more man approached from the sides. Some had knifes others thick wood sticks.

"There too many!!!" Said Arnold in despair.
"Crimity what now!!" cried Helga in fear.
Arnold pulled Helga behind him while Jorge stay closed to them. Arnold and Helga looked at each other knowing that moment could be their last.

Miraculously Jones emerged from the dense vegetation and began swinging the whip around lashing it on some man. He was able push through to where Arnold, Helga and Jorge were standing.

The harpy eagle penetrating high pitch call from the air, made the man look up in terror, frighten of being attack. The eagle began circling above them as a warning to stay at bay.

"Philip you have to cross the bridge go while I hold them!!!" Jones had the whip on one hand and his machete on the other.

"NO ONE IS GOING ANYWHERE!" Yelled La Sombra as he was approaching them with Eduardo by his side and more arm man behind him.

"Arnold, Arnold. You're hard to get I'll give you that. But be smart muchacho and just give me what I want or the girl you love will be mine and your friends will die."

"I'LL NEVER BE YOURS!!" Helga shouted in anger.

"THEN YOU'LL DIE JUST LIKE HIS MOTHER DID!!" Yelled La Sombra.

Arnold's eyes widen in anguish. "YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!!!" he yelled furiously with pain in his eyes.

La sombra smiled. "Calm down Arnold the only reason why I killed her was because your father never gave me what I asked for.....so technically it was his fault she died."

"LA SOMBRA YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!" Yelled Jones has he stepped in front of Arnold and Helga ready to defend them.

"Who the hell are you!?" Asked La Sombra staring at Jones trying to decipher who he was.

Eduardo began walking closer to Jones confounded by the imagine of the man who was defending Arnold. He stared at Jones carefully, he knew the man in front of him, he had seen him before. Eduardo gazed at Jones light faded brown hair, old dirty glasses, his long brown beard. His heart rate began to rise, with his eyes widened stunned by what his memory had uncovered and said.

"Por Dios, Miles is that you!?"

Author Notes:
I'm very pleased with the way this chapter began. The flash back to the past revealed to us what happen to Arnold's parents even if Arnold doesn't know yet.

We also got to see Jones returning to the camp site to warned Arnold about la Sombra. In a way we didn't know if Jones could lead them to a trap or not.

This chapter had some pretty good action as well and the end whoa!!! Talking about mystery. I won't say more till the next chapter and like this one it will be a really good one. 😉

Thank you for reading and for your comments.😁