At Howard's order, Sarah and I inventoried the shit we'd need for a 200-mile trek into the rainforest. High-quality, specialized, barbed grappling hook with about a fifty-meter rope, three sharper-than-razor machetes, assorted antivenins, water canteens, specialized clothing, a giant sleeping bag, a good map, a complete guide to rainforest food, three perfect compasses, and oops, almost forgot- a copy of The Rules. I re-read them just to confirm my fear.

Oy. Geez. I had the sense I'd die as his servant- but not like this. As if the first test wasn't enough, now they want to send us (Damn them, their stupidity, and their Billy and Sarah-sized loophole in Rule 4!!) in the middle of untamed rainforest with no help, no fire, no food, no guns, and no hope?

Howard showed up, unexpectedly sat on the floor, folded his hands, and stared into space for a full three minutes. I spent that time considering all the ways to die. Starvation, thirst, poisonous snakes, poisonous spiders, poisonous mosquitoes, poisoned water, poisoned food, assorted carnivorous beasts (wait, scratch that, we'll kill and eat them), falling, traps, sniper shots, heatstroke, being used as a human dartboard by natives (scratch that too), crashing into a rock and suffering near-fatal damage then being left behind and suffering a horrible agonizing death of attrition and fatigue, breaking the rules (wait.. that's not a way to die.. that's worse. For him, anyway.), piranhas, alligators, being impaled, being ripped apart by army ants, being dragged underwater by the current and drowning, making a severe misstep and becoming a sacrifice to a volcano god, smashed by falling rocks, crushed by falling trees, let's see, what else...

Howard finally got up. "Got everything?", he asked, in a resigned tone.

"Yeah.", I answered.

"Let's go."

We went. An Enforcer did the piloting, took us in the direction of the "designated point" somewhere in the middle of Brazil, and the jet took off with its usual thooooom. None of us said anything for a good fifteen minutes.

"I do have a chance, you know.", said Howard, his voice strangely echoing hollowly in the plane (although he wasn't using echo), as if his own plane were silently laughing at him. Sarah said nothing. I just looked at him.

"No fire, no food, no help. Howard, are you sure there's not someone else they'd want to be Dominator?" Don't most of those fuckers have children? As Mr. Spock would say, logic does suggest...

"When you asked me that three weeks ago I figured no. Now I'm not even sure if they want one at all. Damnit... damnit, DAMMIT!!!", he exploded in a fearful rage. It took me a full twenty seconds to notice it- fear. He's actually starting to fear. Oh dear god. This is the first time I've seen him do that. The guy who tried to blow his head off? No problem. Starvation? Annoying, but he can get over it. A week in the jungle without the ability to do things usually considered necessary to wilderness survival? And having a deadline to keep, two rivers to cross, and some other restrictions on top of it? We are so fucking doomed.

"It's possible.", muttered Sarah. "All we have to do is just keep going and forget where we are."

"Sarah, how the hell are we going to get across two very large, piranha-filled rivers without being able to ask someone for a boat?"

"Well.. most species of piranhas don't attack unless they see blood or wounds, Howard. Didn't you look that up?"

"No, almost everything else though. But most species. With my luck.." He didn't need to finish it. Fish chow, anyone? They shouldn't be able to get through the suits..

"Yeah, there's that and the fact we'll have no light! I think someone's really out to get you, not in the usual sense. I just want to know how the hell the rest of them could authorize something like that. We'll have about eight hours, every day, with no source of light at all in deep forest, in the flood season at that. And then there's predators, we'll probably kill them but they might call attention to us.", she continued, slightly pissed.

"Maybe I should have brought Fido.."

"Howard, dogs don't have the stealth we need, especially white ones. Also, he can't climb if we meet a rock wall or something."

"Yeah, you're right... oh, damnit all, sum pr\'e6cipito, the Hall is just waiting for me.."

"What does pr\'e6cipito mean?", I asked. Although I have been able to pick up some Latin, I haven't gotten to that one yet.

"Directly translated, it means falling. But it really means, Billy, that I'm doomed. I'm going down. The ten-year lifespan of the Inheritor is going to be cut.. either by simple killing, something out there has my flesh in its jaws.. or I'm just going to fail or crap out and .. live in the worst zoo there is." I could have sworn that there were tears in his eyes. There probably were. Oh dear god.

"Howard.. I've never seen you depressed before. You're worrying me."

"What do you care? I thought you wanted me dead.."

"Yeah.. still sorta do, but if you croak, what happens to us?"

"You get.. given away, or traded off, or sent to Northberg for experimentation.. or something. I don't know how you'll end up or who you'll end up with."

"Howard, four weeks ago, you commanded us to follow the rules of the tests and save your ass in case it needed saving. Well, it does. I can't let you give up."

"I can't let me give up either, Billy. There are, after all, many ways to look at this, and here's two that are correct. Two ten-year-olds and a thirteen-year-old left in the middle of nowhere, to go two hundred miles in one week, not knowing exactly where we are or precisely where to go, unable to seek help, light fire, or even have a flashlight. The other way is three highly-engineered Illuminated creations walking only about 30 miles a day in a nice climate in a food-abundant place."

"In other words, the only way to survive is to look on the bright side."

"I think you're getting the hint."

Two hours into the flight, I came to the conclusion that there is no bright side to this one- the hazards are enormous, the chances of success frighteningly low. But, genetic and mental superiority in hand, I- even as a servant- started to use my ego as a shield against the fear and growing despair, and I had a feeling that Howard and Sarah were doing the same. Sure, it'll be impossible. But then again, the impossible is what we do best..

Yoda decided to say hello inside my head and I was suddenly ready and steeled. If it's physically possible, I'll do it, fuckers. I'll drag both of them along if I have to. But there is no way that I am going to end up in a situation even worse than this one. Not if I can help it.

We all ended up falling asleep again before we landed.