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"Maybe... I hope so."

He hurried forward, the trees seeming to grow thinner as they progressed. He was rather glad Newt was there behind him, he should been more frightened without someone to guard his back. Still, every once in a while he turned his head to glance back, checking on Newt and anything behind them.

Suddenly, the sound of some movement in the area ahead caught the horse's ears. Something faint, far away, but not too far! Picking up his pace, he called back to his amphibious follower, "Come on, Newt! I think she might be ahead!"

"Quiet, Newt!" Gaius hushed over his shoulder. There was the sound again! The sound of feet amongst the bushes. Light ones!

Turning back briefly, the horse-man caught one of Newt's arms in his stubby grasp and hauled the frog-man after him, hurrying now with anticipation. The noise was closer! He could see clearer sunlight up ahead! Just a few steps and they'd see her...

The horse-man and his companion stumbled from the tree line, and Gaius looked around, blinking. Before them, the tree line ended, and the duplexes started just across the grass. Somehow, they'd made a loop in the jungle and come back to the village. Bounding up to him came the sound he'd heard - Vixen, who'd run off while he'd been tending to Emerwyn, with a big stick dragging along the ground from her mouth. She stopped in front of the two and gave a hopeful wag, heedless of their hopes. She just wanted to play!

Gaius frowned, barely listening as Newt stuttered and croaked. How the hell had he managed to get them so turned around?

"It's no good, Newt..." he said, shaking his head. "I don't... think she went back to her duplex. Hell, I don't think we were even following her in the jungle." Heaving a sigh, he let go of the frog's arm. Vixen continued to watch hopefully.

"But, if she gave us a run, maybe... Maybe she can avoid the labs for a while, at least?" Gaius shrugged hopefully, looking back at Newt for assurance.

That was it, then. Gaius sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping in defeat. They'd get the baby in their filthy hands in the end. It didn't matter what little humanity Sabin showed for a brief time, it was only a sliver in his otherwise filthy nature.

"Crap," he cursed. "There's nothing... we can do then. I don't know where she is, and we can't protect her if we tried..." He sat down suddenly, hopeless. Vixen drew nearer, dropping the stick to lick at his hands. "I'm sorry, Newt... I led you on a wild goose chase there."

"I suppose not..." Gaius sighed. The high the mission had given him had all but vanished, leaving him feeling as low as before. He was hot, he was itchy and the scratches stung.

And Newt was still there, so loyal and still believing.

"I'm going to go," Gaius said suddenly, pushing himself back to his feet. "If you see Emerwyn... ask her how she's doing, and tell her... I'm sorry."

Gaius stopped dead in his tracks, as if caught off balance by a sudden shift in the ground, and turned to cast a long look at Newt. One of his ears flicked back, and slowly a grin spread across his scruffy face, followed by a low chuckle and head-shake.

"Thanks Newt, master of the obvious. You take care of yourself, and don't let anyone push you around - besides me!"

Waving over his shoulder, Gaius trotted off across the lawn, Vixen following behind with the stick she'd picked up once again.