"That bastard..." cursed Sam when the first pieces of rocks started falling around the tunnel of the entrance. It was clearly visible that, sooner or later, but it will definitely give itself in if the explosions won't end. And both Rose and Sam were pretty sure they wouldn't end.

"We have to stop him!" said Rose and wanted to run towards the tunnel right away, but a strong pull on her arm stopped her. Her curly locks flew behind her as she turned to ask: "What's wrong?" She looked up at Sam towering in front of her, her brows furrowing in confusion.

The man's face wore a serious expression, worrying even and seemed to be having an inner battle with himself, his hand still clasped onto her wrist as he took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"You should stay here." He said in the end. Rose immediately wanted to insist, but before any word could come out of her mouth, the man spoke again. "I know Huxley very well, he's dangerous. I have a feeling you pissed him off too much already and he won't let you get away with it. He's crazy... And I've seen you jump on armed man enough already..."

Rose stared at him, her eyes both were as big as a pair of coasters. He was talking as if he hadn't been in the way of Huxley too much anyway. It was on both of them now. And since when Sam had been concerned about her safety that much? Ever since they met back at the library, he had always dragged her through every situation, no matter how dangerous it was.

Why had he started worrying about her all of a sudden now? And why did it feel so warm inside her chest? Rose felt her heart racing up wildly and she very well knew it wasn't the most accurate time nor place for what she was about to do. Still, she stood upon to her toes, freed her wrist from his hand tightly clasping hand and cupped the slightly scruffy face of the man with both of her palms. She then gently, yet firmly pulled him closer until their lips met...

The kiss was short and soft, didn't even last for more than just seconds, still it made her knees weak and face blush - and most importantly, it made her want more. Did she really kiss a man like Samuel Drake? She thought as she let go of him. She saw the surprise twinkling in Sam's hazel eyes when she gathered her courage to look into them but he didn't seem to be upset about it at all...

"We have to stop him." that was all Rose said again before turning away from him. She started towards the direction of the explosions, but another pull on her arms stopped her one more time. Rose span around her heels and before she could insist, Sam's lips were on hers again and his arms closed her into the tightest hug, his warm presence swallowing her completely. Did a man like Samuel Drake really kissed her back?

This time it was so passionate and burning - it totally fogged Rose's mind. She didn't even notice Sam was leading her towards one of the small houses near them as she was drowning in the arsenal of feelings - his lips on hers, the butterflies, the adrenaline, his arms around her and the wild poundings of her heart against her chest she was sure Sam could clearly feel...

"I'm sorry Milady... But it is usually my job to be reckless..." said Sam in a low and deep voice when they finally parted, his face being ever so serious. When Rose realized where she was standing it was already too late. She felt Sam push her back with such a force, she couldn't help but fall on her bottom and by the time she could jump back up to the door, it was shut tight and closed from the other side. She banged it with her fists as she yelled after the man.

"Don't you dare leave me here! Sam!" she desperately hit the wooden door in front of her with all her might but it just didn't want to give itself in. "Sam!" her small fists continued to collide with the solid wood in front of her, though she had the suspicions that both him and Fawcett were already long gone, on their way towards the entrance to Face an army...

"Fine..." she huffed. She felt herself impossibly angry as she looked around in the dark little room, her hands were both trembling - and hurting. She was sure she bruised her fists on the door but she didn't care.

Since when did he look at her like a damned child who needed to be saved now? If anything, it was her who have already saved his very life! Okay it was true backwards as well, but still!

She felt so hurt that his kiss was nothing but just... just a base distraction so that he could get rid of her! She felt wounded... And extremely stupid... Of course, someone like Sam wouldn't want anything from a plain and boring bookworm like her... What was she even thinking?

She couldn't see windows in the dark premise but there was a bed along with a small a table and two little chairs. By the bed there was also a little bedside table on which stood an old oil lamp, but it wasn't lighted.

"I'm not going to stay here; you can be sure about that!" she yelled as if Sam could hear her words. Of course, she knew he was too far already but it helped her calm down a little bit if she let her rage out. Another large explosion shook the whole cave one more time, making Rose almost fall on her bottom again, but she steadied herself leaning against the wall in the last second. She needed to hurry.

Though she wasn't completely sure what made her actions more urgent. The fact that Huxley would find Z and the gold, having his dream to rule the world come true, or that the lives of these people trapped inside Z would be ruined and it could be thanks to her and Sam - after all, Huxley followed them all the way here. Or Sam himself... It's not like she thought Sam wasn't capable. She learned it already that he was a man who could stand his ground more than enough... She was also certain that she is not really much of a help than burden in a situation like this given the fact that she was just a librarian, who got into all this treasure hunting just barely a week ago. Still, imagining Sam facing Huxley on his own made Sully's words echo in her ears - "Nathan's got all the luck in the family, I'm afraid."

Sully! Yes! She could contact him, ask for his help! The only problem was that Sam's got the radio with himself... Samuel 'I am so good on my own' Drake... She looked around in the room again, searching for something with which she could dig herself out but then a better idea popped into her mind.

She stomped towards the nearest wooden chair and grabbed it into her hands right away. She angrily placed its back under the cross-board of the door in a way that two of the legs were steadily on the ground, but the two others were still in the air. The girl then leaned against it with all her weight and pushed it down until the golden hinges in the wall gave themselves in with a sad squeak and the whole door fell out of its frame - along with Rose.

As she fell, she let out a small scream when she felt her legs slip on the ground. She hit her chin on the wood as she hurtled down with such a force, tears immediately started filling her eyes. She even felt the unmistakable taste of metal in her mouth as she also bit her tongue but she tried not to pay too much attention to the pain. She'd have plenty of time for that once they are done with Huxley.

As she got up from the ground, she murmured to herself: "It wasn't a complete waste of time to watch all those criminal minds reality shows, see mom..." she dusted her hands proudly and just when she started running downhill, towards the entrance herself as well, the biggest explosion so far arrived.

It shook the ground heavily under her feet and this time she was sure Huxley had cleared his way inside the cave. She looked towards the entrance immediately but all she could see was a huge and thick cloud of dust. She saw how the locals surrounded it with their spears and bows forming a half circle around the tunnel - they seemed to be fierce warriors, but their weapons compared to what the army of Huxley had seemed nothing but useless...

In the arsenal of green, dark blue and black native dresses and creole skins, Rose could immediately see both Sam in his light blue shirt and Fawcett in the off-white expedition clothes, even from afar. They were both standing in the front rows...

For a few seconds nothing moved but the twirling dust around the entrance - but then the first figures of mercenaries stepped out from behind the cover of cloud and the locals all attacked at once - along with Sam and Fawcet.

"Oh, no..." Rose whispered.