Operation Honey Trap vs The Emperor of the Apocalypse-Chapter 147: Niko and Indy - The Break-Up

[Suggested song for this Chapter - ’Don’t Speak’ by No Doubt]

The team rode out of Stanley on their stolen horses, then set them free with a pat in the right direction, hopeful they would make their way back to their rightful owners.

Delphi was very focussed on keeping the goodwill of the people, and stealing their horses was not a good move.

They were deep in the bush, keeping off the roads and resting during the day so they could travel, and pamphlet drop at night.

Everyone laid out their swags, getting ready for a much-needed sleep, men in one group and women in another. Bogden would alert them if anyone approached while they slept.

"It’s a relief to only worry about people when you’re out in the open, instead of worrying what tubiàn might come across you," said Arrie to Loveday.

"Totally, although the people here are probably just as dangerous to us as the tubiàn, but somehow facing a soldier with a sword is less terrifying than facing a huge red bellied black snake or a giant octopus."

"Amen to that," agreed Indy, yawning widely.

She looked across at the men’s side to see Niko staring longingly at her again. For the last few days he seemed to stare incessantly at her with that hangdog face.

She almost felt sorry for the man. The usually upbeat larrikin was MIA.

He mouthed over at her ’can we talk’?

"Oh," she sighed, yawning again, but finally she nodded.

She couldn’t put it off forever, not in such close quarters, and she’d had a few days to think on it now.

He brightened, leaping to his feet.

She headed off into the bush after whispering to Loveday, "I’m going to have a chat to Niko".

Loveday nodded, squeezing her hand in sympathy.

Lord knows it was not an easy situation for either of them, thought Loveday. She felt for Niko too, having spoken to him about what happened. She and Indy had no doubt whatsoever that that whole scenario was engineered by Opal, but it didn’t make things any easier for Indy.

When they were far enough away from camp not to be overheard, Indy sat down on a rock and Niko joined her, sitting a careful distance away, trying not to put a foot wrong.

This was painful, she thought; painful for her and painful for him. The best thing she could do for both of them now was to try and create a clean break so they could go through the hurt and try to allow each other to move forward.

She was so thankful she hadn’t slept with him. She knew it would be ten times worse if she had.

She closed her eyes and then lead off.

"How about I tell you how I’m feeling and what I want to do, and then you can tell me how you’re feeling, and we try to salvage some sort of friendship out of this mess?"

"Friendship’s not what I want with you Indy," Niko sounded desperate.

His voice tugged at her heart, but she steeled herself.

"Here goes from my side. I’ve spoken to Loveday, and she’s told me your side of the story, so please don’t tell it to me again. I really don’t want to hear the details, it’s too painful.

I don’t disbelieve you. I know that Opal deliberately asked to swap cabins, which was odd, and she probably intended for you to think that cabin was mine. I also know she’s been after you for a while now, she as much as told me that she liked you, she was trying to work out our relationship status so she could move in on you.

But here’s the problem, Niko," she closed her eyes again and rubbed her forehead. "I just really struggle with the fact you could have sex with Opal and not work out it wasn’t me. She has different coloured skin, hair and eyes, she’s significantly shorter, her boobs are smaller.

She has an entirely different face than I have Niko, and she sounds different. You’re asking me to believe that you never spoke to her, you never felt her body. I don’t want to talk about this anymore," she said suddenly, knowing she would cry.

"It hurts, Niko. I don’t know whether to be angry at you or to cry. But what I do know is that I can’t easily just get over it. Even if what you say is true, and I choose to believe you, you had sex with another woman in the mission team!

What the hell, Niko! Why did you do that? What made you think I would suddenly change my mind about sex before marriage and lie naked waiting for you?" her voice hitched, and he leant forward to try and comfort her.

"No! Don’t touch me," tears started to fall down her cheeks. "I’ve cried enough over this mess. I don’t want you to comfort me. I want to go back, Niko. Say what you want to say," she covered her eyes with her hand.

"Indy," his voice was agonised, "I’m so sorry, my love".

"Don’t call me that anymore," she sobbed.

"If I could go back in time, I would. I feel so stupid. I’m such a fuckwit. I have no idea how I fell for that trap.

It wasn’t even very good. It would have fallen apart if I just turned her over or insisted on her saying something. But I was too drunk, and I didn’t question anything. I had no reason to. Who thinks that someone is posing as their girlfriend when they’re sleeping together? It’s beyond crazy.

To be honest, I was just so happy when I thought you had agreed to have sex with me that I didn’t want to give you the chance to change your mind...

Indy," he pleaded, "I begged God for the whole thing not to be true when Opal told me we’d slept together. I can’t lose you, baby. I want to marry you! I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. I want to grow old with you, Indy," he said desperately.

"Niko, stop please. You’re making this even harder. How can I marry a man who slept with another woman in the team while we were courting, even if he thought it was me.

It’s not exactly a love story, is it? It’s an awful start, and we know marriage is not smooth sailing as it is, without that albatross around the neck.

I just want to try and be friends from now on, please."