Finding Those Not Lost

A third interested party.

As we stood trying to come to terms with the symbol and it's implication. We were caught off guard.
The Indians already had managed to sneak up upon Richard as he looked out upon our previous path and valley entrance. We were surrounded completely before we even felt their presence.
Preston made eye contact with me. We had spent so much time together that I knew he wanted me to not put up a fight. We all placed our pistols and rifles to the ground. Richard was led in our direction. As we were grouped together we heard the sound of riders approaching.
Again it was the Indians leading a pair of men on horse back. I saw that they led the men who had attempted to delay us.
The Indians made no attempt to communicate with us. Only to herd us before the wall with the hieroglyphics. They collected are weapons, with a pair guarding them as others stood watch over us. Some stayed mounted. Their horses stamping eager for action. Most were armed with bows and knives. Some had tall spears with elaborate colorful feathers trailing from there points. They had dark hair with dark paint below their eyes. They were handsome in physique with lithe, toned bodies. Yet their features were hard. Sun baked skin and sharp features as if carved from stone with sharp angles. After a few moments a beautiful Indian women rode into the valley with a pair of warriors riding behind her. She rode before us. She dismounted and walked in front of us taking a minute to look at us. She seemed to be appraising, judging us as she walked along our line. I looked into her eyes as she walked next to me.
My father told me that making eye contact could be a challenge in some cultures. Or a look given to an equal. I knew that I wasn't going to end my life weakly if it was to end at that moment. Not all of us held our dignity in such high regard. One of the men that had accompanied Sheldon was visibly shaking from this encounter. Preston and Sheldon stood near each other calm and detached studying their captors rather than cowering. Professor Martz stood tall with pride. Defiant in his posture. While Richard seemed to be following the women walk with an overly strong focus. It would be the quiet Richard that would surprisingly break the silence. What he said to the women I would have not known if not for Professor Martz's immediate translation. I only knew he was speaking their language.
"Night Whisper" whispered the Professor.
What ever the words it had an immediate effect. Two warriors roughly grabbed Richard bringing him before the women. She asked him a question in her people's language. Something in Richards posture changed. As if something had changed.
"You are not her." He said. A look of sadness in his eyes.
"No I am not. She was always Fathers favorite. While I played envoy to the other nations." She spoke perfect English to us. "My name in your meaning would be Sunrise." She said.
"Now tell me how you know my sister." Said Sunrise.
"Sister." Was all that Richard said. It was Professor Martz who answered the inquiry. Sunrise listened as the Professor retold the story of Richards pursuit and rescue of her sister. Though leaving out the details of the brothers deaths within the mine. "Your father gave this to Richard as a reward." The Professor slowly reached into his pocket to present the moth man jewel to her. Sunrise stepped closer to jewel. Looking into the red rubies for a moment. She visibly slouched as the warriors guarding us began to speak among themselves.
"It is yours now. A precious gift for the return of his daughter." Sunrise looked away from the moth man. "A gift he would only part with for my sister." She stood before us the look of indecision upon her face.
I could sense our fate being decided in that moment. It was as if time slowed down. I looked towards Preston and smiled. Why I wasn't sure. To give him a sense of confidence we were going to make it out of the situation. Or was it rather that moment you want that person to remember you for.
Whatever her decision she never got to make it.
Shots rang out as two of her riders were shot dead. We all sprang to the ground.  Several of our horses bolted at the sound of gunfire.  There was little cover in the valley. Sunrise shouted commands as her troops regrouped. They fought bravely but they were caught by surprise. It was a slaughter and we were not going to survive either. One of Sheldon's men had been shot as he tried to run for cover.
"Let us help!" I shouted.
Sunrise did not hesitate. She ordered her men to take cover while I dove for Breaker. Our enemies made them selves known. It was a surprise to me but not to Sunrise. Another group of Indians were killing her men. But if possible they looked more savage. They wore black and red paint on there face and torsos. They were adorned with only black feathers and they were killing all in their path.
"Is there any cover in here?" Preston shouted. Sunrise pointed to the hieroglyphics. Preston turned looking more closely. A shot nearly taking him but only kicked up some near by dirt. I didn't see any more as Preston searched. I had rolled bringing my rifle up in one motion.
I shot two of our attackers before they had even noticed me. Sunrise shouted behind us as she stabbed the first attacker that had reached us. One of her guards fought another attacker. I rolled toward our weapons switching my direction.
I killed the man fighting her guard only to have him shot by an arrow from another. I aimed and shot him through his eye for his trouble. Preston was beside me suddenly. I did not let up.
I moved slightly switching to the next target. Preston distributed the weapons. Richard began to fire as did the pair of Sheldon's henchman.
Preston handed Sunrise a dead man's rifle. He tapped me on the shoulder then. He got my attention. He pointed to a jagged line upon the wall behind us. I didn't see what he saw but I understood he wanted me to move that way. Even with the weapons and our resistance we were far to exposed. And there were so many. Preston began firing his revolver behind me. I turned to see two attackers cut down. Behind our group two more of the attacking Indians somehow came from our backs. One of Sheldon's men was stabbed before he had even knew his danger. While a member of Sunrise' s party turned in time to grab his attacker and was in a life and death struggle. Professor Martz took that moment to enter the fight. He smashed a rock into the enemy fighter. We did start moving to the jagged line that Preston had showed me. He was firing his revolver frequently now to cover as we retreated. Richard was also covering me as more attackers streamed towards me. Having taken notice of the damage I was inflicting. I stumbled to my feet bent over nearly in half. Shots kicked up the valley near by. The sounds of our attackers making the fine hairs on my arms to stand up.
Suddenly I was crashed into. I tried to roll from the attack, but I was stunned and surprised. I could smell my attacker before I saw him. My rifle held him at bay for the briefest moment. But it was enough. Sunrise shot him point blank with her rifle. I could not hear what she said to me at that moment. She grabbed me roughly helping me to my feet. We half stumbled, half ran to the protection behind the jagged crack upon the wall and its hieroglyphics.
"Thank you" I said to my rescuer.
We were in a narrow hollow that led deeper into the walls of the valley.
"Sunrise is there another way out of these caves?" Preston asked.
"Yes, I remember it well. But they will be upon us before we can get away." She answered.
"Not if I can help it." Said Preston. I turned from watching the opening. I thought maybe he had some dynamite or something impromptu. I was half right. Preston was donning his pneumatic steam suit. It was a sleek thing of finished wood and steel. He turned several small valves. He pressed a small button upon his shoulder harness of the pneumatic suit. I knew it lit the gas which boiled the steam. Soon steam escaped a pair of pipes pointed skyward. He walked the ponderous suit and using a pair of steel scissor type hands lifted a large boulder. As he lifted. Steam rose strongly from its pipes. The suit worked perfectly.
We backed up from the entrance.
Preston quickly lifted several large rocks blocking the entrance. While we did our best discourage any brave souls willing to charge into our protective enclave.
It was then we noticed our loss.
"Preston where is the Professor?" I asked.
   "I saw him hit one of the attackers with a rifle." Said Preston.
    " I saw him grabbed by the Brotherless." Said Sunrise.  "They took him alive.  So they want him for some purpose.  When the purpose has ended."  Sunrise stopped talking leaving the implication clear to us.
     "Will you help us find him?" I asked.  I then thought of our situation.  We were trapped within an underground maze of caves.  With our friend in perilous danger.
We were surrounding by our previous captors who had survived the attack.  We needed her help in so many ways.