Sam strode forward with the militants, her objective to get Cherry to her back door by any means necessary. Amy and Stan were being moved down the path away from the fighting.

"Sam," she heard Stan call, turning and locking her gaze with his, "what are you doing?"

"What I'm designed to do," she said, "Amy needs your protection ... get her to the court to testify."

Turning, Sam noticed Andris Tenderhook was on his own. Where were Cherry and Steve? Jeff's small army followed Andris down a more expansive path. Suddenly, they were engaged by heavily armed men between the gunfire and the hand-to-hand combat. No one noticed Andris slipping away. But Sam moved in the direction Andris Tenderhook had disappeared. She would be sure he didn't get away again.

"Whoa, you've got a mission to finish or did you forget your mother's letter to you at the reading of her will?" Jeff said, stepping in front of her, his hands raised to his shoulders. "you're crackling ... are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Sam said, "I want Andris ... he pulled the trigger that night. But you're right. Getting Cherry where she needs to be will be the ultimate victory."

Nodding, Jeff turned away, pointing down a side path, "They went that way. Leave Andris to me."

Watching him disappear, Cherry shook her head, "Duty first ... then revenge."

The narrow path disappeared into the forest; the trail didn't seem to wind or move forward.

"Where did Cherry disappear to?" Sam whispered, "onward we go."

Moving down the path, Sam followed the narrow dirt track through the forest. Parting the leaves of two tree branches, she found it continued into the woods.

"Gloomy and definitely has a horror movie vibe," she muttered, glancing around and taking in the thick undisturbed growth, "Cherry came this way?" Slowly Sam followed the path easing toward the sound of roaring thunder, "I came this way when I was very young, but it was not so overgrown." Stepping out of the branches, Sam gasped, "Whoa, that is a long drop."

Looking down into the still deep water below, encased by a circular rock face, Sam noticed there wasn't much space on either side to move around the area. Opposite where she stood fell sheets of water down a tall mountain. The place was isolated and beautiful. You wouldn't find it if you didn't know it existed.

"Sam," Cherry called, "use the ledge and move this way."

Looking to her left, Sam found her best friend and Steve edging onto a giant rock ledge. Checking the rock face, she found very few areas for her hands to grip; walking was not an option on the foot-wide shelf. Turning to face it, Sam slowly began the journey toward the pair. Finding handholds where she could and other times having to hug the jagged rock face and hope she didn't lose her footing. The short journey took longer than Sam thought it would. Finally, reaching the large ledge jumped onto it and crouched as she gained her balance and evened out her breathing.

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"That was a workout," Sam said, rising to her full height, "why are you coming this way?"

"We need to go around," Cherry said, pointing to the other side of the circular rock structure, "the bridge on that side seems to have been neglected."

"Perhaps," Steve said, "or it could have been intentionally sabotaged."

"Until we can look at it, it could be either," Sam said, "oh, this place is amazing. I wonder how far down this rock circle goes and the water with it?"

"Far," Cherry said, sipping some water and handing some to Sam, who took a sip before passing it to Steve, "the water is almost bottomless, and there is no way out except down."

"Rock circle?" Steve asked, frowning as he looked around, "I guess you're right. Apart from where we came in, everything consists of rock covered in foilage. It really is amazing."

Sam smiled at him, "If I remember correctly, it gets even better," she pointed in the direction they were heading. "I don't remember that sheer climb being there."

"It was there, but we never used it because the bridge was always in place," Cherry said, "don't you remember you learnt how to do rock climbing on that wall."

Sam frowned as she searched her memory. A dim light hit a memory far in the recesses of her mind, "Vaguely remember," she looked at her friend, "are we climbing that?"

"We're going to use a part of it to get to that ledge behind the waterfall," Cherry said, "Steve thinks there is a better way of doing it."

"Is that so?" Sam asked, looking at the young man, "what way is that?"

"If we climb the rock face to the top, we can use those stairs to get to where we need to be," Steve said, "it seems more logical."

"Cherry, why don't you think it will work?" Sam asked, looking between the two noting the speaking look.

"If we come down from the top, all the security measures for that area will activate, and we'll be stuck there," Cherry said, "I've told him this, but he seems to think it will be fine."

"What kind of security measures?" Sam asked, looking at the place behind the thundering water crashing into the pool below.

"Inca darts, thin wire webs that can slice and dice anything in minutes and my favourite," Cherry said sarcastically, shuddering, "the nail log. It can fly out from any direction and pin you in place."

"Don't those kill you?" Steve asked horror in his voice and eyes.

"If you struggle," Cherry nodded, "but they do eventually as they sink into your body."

Steve swallowed as he turned pale, "Brutal for security measures."

"Yeah, but it was put in place centuries ago," Cherry nodded, "we just maintain them."

"Then it's the way Cherry tells us," Sam said, her eyes twinkling at the challenge ahead, "up the rock face and onto the ledge behind the waterfall. Can't be that difficult," Sam grinned, "but in case one of us falls into the water below," Sam smiled, "where do we head to get out?"

Cherry frowned at her, "You're not serious."

"Every eventuality needs to be taken into account," Sam said, her lips twitching as she glanced at a stunned Steve, "one never knows."

"If we fall in, swim to the far side where the white mark can be seen .... the exit is about two meters down," Cherry said, looking at Steve, "you okay? Do you want to stay here rather?"

Steve cleared his throat and shook his head, "I'm coming with ... promised I would, and I will keep that promise."

"Very commendable," Sam grinned, slapping him on the back of his shoulder, "let's start climbing."