Part 30 (1/2)
She walked timidly across the room, surprised when Guy waited by the door with Kitu.
Alfred started to stand, but Sam shushed him and pushed him back down into his seat.
”How are you, Sam? Is he treating you okay? Are you hurt?”
She wrapped Alfred in a slow hug, lingering about his shoulders. ”I'm okay,” she said quietly.
”He hasn't . . . hurt you, has he?”
”It's nothing I can't handle,” she promised.
The chemist trembled under her touch. ”Has he told you what he's doing here? Has he told you about the experiment?”
”No, he hasn't. What's going on?”
”Oh G.o.d, he has to be stopped, Sam. He can't be allowed to pursue this technology. His grandfather started these experiments decades ago, when this was the Belgian Congo. Then it was abandoned and left. He found it here, and he's started the experiments up again.”
”What kind of experiments?”
”Insane experiments, it's what we've witnessed the whole time we were here. I should've known because of the buzzing. It's so obvious. Do you remember where you've heard that sound before? Maybe not, some people are more attuned to it than others.”
Kitu s.h.i.+fted closer and Alfred's voice became higher pitched as he spoke faster.
”He can do this anywhere. Not just in a jungle. He could do it to a city block or a whole city. If he perfects it-if he keeps improving it like he has-do you know what we're dealing with?”
”What?”
”We're dealing with mind control here. It is sick.”
”Mind control?”
”He uses the river as his sounding board. This power plant is what fuels it.”
”Sam,” Guy called. When she looked over, he gestured for her to come over to him.
”Just a minute,” she answered back, her sweetness gone.
Alfred's voice fell to far less than a whisper. ”I have a lighter I managed to keep with me. I can destroy the generator, but I'll need time. He comes in and out of here all day and most of the night. I need to be sure he'll be preoccupied.”
She took a deep breath. ”I have an idea how I can do that.”
”Good. When I do it, it'll be loud. He'll probably come quickly. Be in a position to escape when it happens.”
An idea formulated in her mind. She remembered the notes that Guy said he kept in his bedroom. She'd have to eliminate those, too.
”Enough, Sam,” Guy ordered. When she didn't respond, he nodded to Kitu.
The Mbuti warrior nodded and crossed the room.
”One more thing-Temba's in the forest. I think he's in trouble.”
”Temba?”
As Kitu grabbed Sam by the shoulders, he paused at the mention of the Mbuti name. He glanced back and forth between Sam and Alfred curiously.
”Tonight,” she whispered. Her mind searched for some way they could both tell time without watches or clocks. ”After the rain stops, give me half an hour.”
Alfred nodded.
She stepped away and let Kitu pull her back to Guy. She saw the suspicious look in her captor's eyes, and without thinking she wrapped him in a hug. He stood shocked for several seconds, before his palm came up to touch her back.
”Merci beaucoup, Guy,” she whispered. Still using French, she added: ”I needed that.”
27.
A shaft of light hit Ike's eyes and they fluttered open. The tent flap hung open where Delani's head peeked in.
”Sorry, mate, must have dozed.”
Ike started moving, wondering how long he'd been out, when Nessa's head rolled off his shoulder. She sagged to the tent floor, her neck limp. Ike caught the motion and the meaning of it froze him in place. All the events of the previous night came back, every last detail.
They had fallen asleep together. But only Ike had awakened.
Delani noticed the way Nessa's body slumped as well. Instead of scolding Ike for falling asleep on his watch, he said nothing and ducked out of the tent.
Ike crawled over Nessa, her body already cool to the touch, and gently rolled her head back so she lay in what looked like a comfortable position. She had died asleep and, as a result, looked far more peaceful than many of the corpses he had encountered. He pressed his face against hers, feeling her cold, clammy cheek.
Only then did he remember the ring. In a panic, he dug his hands into the blankets, searching frantically until his fingers closed around it. He looked at Nessa, still and lifeless, then down at the sparkling ring and slipped it into his pocket.
Brandon bit into his stale granola bar and yanked it back and forth until the stubborn thing broke apart. He ground the remaining chunks between his teeth. He had found the bar in Sam's pack and decided it would make a good breakfast.
Raoul stood nearby, jiggling a small flask, a sour expression on his face. When he saw Brandon watching him, he said something in French and shook his head. Brandon could only smile helplessly.
Delani hurried over suddenly. He kicked Gilles awake and turned to address the three of them. ”We need to get moving. Daylight's burning.”
”Is Dr. Singer going to be able to walk okay?” Brandon asked.
Delani hesitated. ”Dr. Singer is dead.”
The words. .h.i.t Brandon hard. He saw a similar look on Gilles' face as the Congolese mercenary rose to his haunches.
”We're leaving this forest right away,” Delani went on. ”With Singer dead and Tabibu gone, we have no business here anymore.”
Gilles let out a relieved sigh and rose to his feet. He and Delani began rolling up their belongings.
Meanwhile, Brandon felt the ground slipping out from under him. They were just going to leave? ”Wait a second,” he said, addressing Delani.