Heart of the Jungle - Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Twelve: Jewel Thief

Now all eyes went from her to Vera, who now stood uncomfortably.

"Awkward..." mumbled Fridge, his voice high-pitched.

Vera sighed. "I told you I didn't want to talk about it."

Perhaps it was Bethany's comment which earned them Van Pelt's next order. "Kill them! Bring her!"

Receiving their order, the soldiers strode forward towards them, weapons drawn and ready.

This is it, Spencer thought. Game over.

But then, before anyone could react, smoke filled the area, separating the two groups. Now everyone was a mess of coughing, spluttering, and waving the thick smoke away.

The outline of a figure appeared through the haze. "This way, quick, follow me!" A young man's voice called out over the sound of shots being fired blindly into the smoky abyss. The group didn't need to be told again, and followed him the best they could.

"Quick, down here!" The young man removed a grating in the ground, revealing a ladder leading underground. He urged them on quickly, the smoke fading rapidly. He went last, ducking into the hole and putting the grate back, sealing their hiding place.

Only then did everyone dare to breathe a sigh of relief.

SMACK! Without hesitation, Vera promptly struck the newcomer across the face. "Thief! Where is it?!" she hissed.

"Ow! What the-" He removed the cloth covering his face to reveal a handsome young man - with a now bright red and most likely stinging cheek. "Vera-"

"-Dr. Bailey."

"-I told you before, I'm just trying to help you!" he protested, taking a step back from the obviously upset doctor.

"By stealing?!"

"Look, you can't destroy the jewel, okay, you just can't."

"And why not Seaplane?" she mocked. "How about you have your good friend and work partner become corrupted by it and turn evil, and then tell me that you don't want to destroy it too!"

"And boyfriend - how about that important detail, huh? Look, I'm sorry alright! I didn't want to take it, but I had no choice. And I did just save you from your maniac ex-boyfriend."

"Oh not you too-"

"So you're welcome."

"I had it under control. He won't hurt me, so you're lucky I'm on your side-"

"Shhh!" he hissed suddenly, holding a finger to his lips and then pointing to the ceiling. There was still shouting and footsteps from overhead. "Now follow me and do exactly as I say. And please, be quiet!" He lit a torch and waved the group on. "Oh I am so stoked you guys are here," he whispered excitedly. "So stoked! You have no idea-"

"You are?"

"Yeah! I've been waiting for you guys for so long!"

"You have?"

"Yeah - backs against the wall!" he suddenly shouted.

The others obeyed - right as arrows zipped past their heads and into the far wall behind them.

"This game sucks," whispered Fridge.

"Wait, you knew we were coming?" asked Spencer as the young man waved them on.

"Yeah! When I heard about the strangers I thought 'naw, it couldn't be.' But then, I began to wonder..."

"Wait, you're Seaplane aren't you? The pilot?"

"Yeah, that's me! Oh, watch your step in here," he warned. "And don't step on the white bricks-"

"Shit-" Bethany had just stepped on one right as he said that. Long, thin blades shot out of the wall between them. Martha shrieked. "Sorry," Beth said sheepishly.

"So gnarly," the young man said as the blades slid back into the walls and the group continued on.

"Really?! Seriously?! It had to be the guy who's trying to kill us - it just had to be!" Fridge was now mumbling. "He's your boyfriend!"

"He's not my boyfriend! Not anymore!" Vera snapped back at him from where she was walking ahead. "I told you I don't want to talk about it!"

They soon came to the end of the long cavern. The young man, Seaplane, tossed his torch below them - only to reveal a pit filled with water and vicious-looking crocodiles with snapping jaws.

He must have done this before because he calmly took a plank of wood that had been resting against the wall and lay it across the gap so they could cross over. "Careful. It's a horrible way to die." He spoke knowingly.

Once they were all safely across, Seaplane undid a latch on a door. Instead of leading out into the bazaar as they had been expecting, it led right out into the dense jungle. If you peered through the trees, you could see the bazaar perched on the mountainside. Wow, they'd come a long way.

"Anyways, I'm Alex." He clapped his hands together and turned to give the group a smile.

"So, 'Alex'-" Vera strode forward towards him, hands on her hips. He jumped back, as though he feared another slap. "The jewel. Now." She held out her hand expectantly.

"Okay, okay, alright. It's right through here." He began leading them through the trees.

"Wait - you don't have it?"

"Not on me, no."

"You left it unattended?!"

"That's what you did!"

"I hid it, there's a difference-"

"Guys, could we try and get along please," Spencer said, obviously a bit uncomfortable with the fighting.

"Well I hid it too, in my hide-out."

Alex led them a little further until the trees began to thin to reveal a small, crafty hut.

Alex strode up the steps, dug around through a pile of supplies, and withdrew a cloth-wrapped item. He unraveled the cloth to produce a bright green jewel that fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. There was a moment of silence as everyone stared.

"That's it?" said Fridge. "I thought it would be bigger. You know, it being the 'heart of the jungle' and all."

"This is it," Vera assured him, snatching it from Alex.

"Wow, it's really beautiful." Bethany came to inspect it.

Vera nodded. "Yes, it is. Beautiful, but dangerous."

(Yay, now we've met Alex! :) Hope you guys enjoyed, thanks so much for reading! And in the next chapter we'll learn the whole story behind Vera and Van Pelt's relationship - I'm so excited! ;))