The team made their war to a nearby clearing, where Drake would be free to turn into Drax, and he and the other flying team members could all take flight without the interference of dense tree growth.
The Raptor was at the front, hacking furiously at tree branches with Ladnikia. Behind him walked Drake, Tobias, Mick and Crasher.
At the rear were Danny, Chance, and Kristogar.
“I’m not a hundred percent certain about this plan,” Danny said out loud.
“How so?” Kristogar replied.
“Chance is lucky, yeah… but it’s never a certainty. I don’t like relying on it. No offense, Kris…” Danny said.
“None taken,” Chance answered.
“You’re probably right. But it’s the only plan we have right now,” Kristogar said.
“Perhaps. By all means, we can try it. But I don’t like the idea of all our hopes resting on it,” Danny responded. Kristogar nodded, and Danny continued. “All we have to go on is a memory of half a map, a rough satellite image location, and the hope of Kristofer’s luck.”
Kristogar raised his arm and pushed aside an overhanging branch that crossed his path. “I agree it’s a long shot. But sometimes a long shot is all we have. You got anything better in mind?”
Danny paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Maybe,” He said. He then walked forward to where the rest of the group was walking.
“Mick… how’re you doing?” Danny asked.
“I’m okay. Tired,” Mick replied.
“All that stuff with Ktl. Didn’t it ever scare you?” Danny said.
Mick stopped walking for a moment, and looked up. Danny followed his gaze upwards, to the patches of blue sky visible behind the thick forest canopy. He seemed to be thinking about something. Or remembeing something.
“It terrified me,” Mick answered, and kept walking. Danny walked with him. Tobias, walking just ahead of them, suddenly appeared right next to Danny.
“What’s that thing on your hand? You get bitten by something?” Tobias asked.
Danny looked down at his hand. The back of his left palm had a red and swollen patch in the middle, where his ID chip was embedded. He realised he’d been scratching it continuously and not even realised it.
“That… that’s my ID chip,” Danny replied.
“Your what?”
“ID chip. Has all this information about me. It’s like my passport and credit card and everything all in one. Everyone had them where I come from. Has all my bank account information and everything on it,” Danny explained. “I can’t believe you noticed it… it’s just a tiny lump.”
Tobias shrugged. “The world moves a lot slower for me, I guess. I have a lot of time to look around me. I tend to notice stuff,” He said. “You ever think of getting rid of it?” Tobias asked.
“I dunno. I guess it’s useless now. And it does get kind of itchy sometimes. But… well, you know,” Danny said.
“What?” Tobias asked.
“It’s the last thing I have. From home. The last proof that my world even existed outside my head…”
“The last proof, that is, except for you,” Tobias said.
Danny looked at him for a moment. “I guess so,” He said, smiling.
A shout from The Raptor drew the attention of the whole group.
“Here! Here will do,” He yelled. Danny walked ahead further and stood next to him. Ed was peering through some overhanging vines, at a grassy clearing. It was an area about twenty feet across, with a gap in the forest canopy above it. A good place to take off from.
“Well… here goes our long shot,” Danny said. Ed just turned, glared at him for a second, and hacked away the last of the vines.
