I crouched in the dust, waiting for the helicopters to pass by overhead. After a minute, they were gone.
‘That was too close,’ Brandon hissed behind me. I pressed a finger to my lips.
‘We don’t know who’s still out here,’ I mouthed back. He nodded.
‘You’re clear, fellas,’ a voice crackled over the radios secured in our ears. ‘Just a standard sweep, they weren’t looking for you.’
‘Thank god,’ Brandon sighed, collapsing against the side of the tunnel. ‘I’ve never been so stressed.’
‘Come on, we’ve got to keep moving,’ I told him, gesturing for him to join me at the mouth of the tunnel.
‘I need a minute, Jack,’ he shook his head. ‘This has been a hell of a day.’
I was about to protest, but I saw from the look on his face that it wouldn’t get me very far. I sighed and slung my pack off my shoulder, joining him on the ground.
‘Where did you get your tattoo?’ I asked abruptly, pointing at the sliver of his neck that was showing under the armour.
‘My…’ he looked confused for a moment. ‘Uh, that one was just a local tattoo shop in Brisbane. The others I got all over the place.’ He smiled wistfully, lost for a moment. ‘Usually whenever I travelled with my brothers, we’d all get a tattoo somewhere, to remember it.’
‘That’s fun,’ I nodded approvingly. ‘Your brothers, did they…’
He shook his head. The silence echoed through the tunnel.
‘What about you?’ he asked, after a minute or so.
‘Me?’
‘I’ve seen your ink back at base,’ he smiled slightly. ‘Where did you get it from?’
‘I knew a guy who knew a guy,’ I grinned cryptically. ‘Put me in touch with a traditional tattooist near me who I liked.’
‘Good work?’
‘Best in the business,’ I nodded. The silence returned.
‘How are you going?’ I eventually asked, and Brandon nodded.
‘I’m good, captain. Let’s keep moving.’
‘Good man.’
We picked up our gear and ventured back into the Outside.