Part 21 (2/2)
It sounded fine Angel spoke up ”I'd rather be in the first jeep, in case we ht Your turn will coet the truck back Pilipil, will you be all right here until we get back?”
”I be fine You go”
They loaded into the jeeps while Pilipil and Balaban moved into a clump of brush and prepared to wait
”Don't bother about silence,” Scotty said ”We'll just hit and run If they hear us co it won't matter, because they won't be sure e're after”
”How about those Ifugao natives fro over the road like flies”
”We not go near them,” Chahda replied ”The truck is a different way
Co the lead jeep, Chahda on the seat next to hi Meat were in the rear seat Scotty ith Angel in the other jeep
The road was reasonably good, although narrow and winding Rick roared down into the valley as fast as prudence and Newton's laws of one any faster the jeep would have tipped over on some unexpected corner
”Soon we there!” Chahda shouted
Rick kept a sharp watch ahead The yellow cones of light seemed lost in the vast darkness of Banaue There were no other lights
”Watch for fork in road, go left,” Chahda relayed Dog Meat's instructions
The fork appeared Rick swung left--and alhts out, close to a village
Both jeeps slid to a stop Scotty and Chahda jumped out, rifles ready, and ran to the truck ”The keys!” Rick yelled ”Are they in it?”
”Don't need keys!” Scotty yelled back ”Turn around, quick!”
Angel was already turning his jeep Rick followed suit, and his headlights swung in an arc across the Ifugao village and reflected from spear tips The natives here had been alerted!
The truck roared into life Rick pulled to one side and ered off a half-dozen shots, ai loads of bird shot whistling through the red leaves of the dangla bushes
A screaolat, face distorted with hatred and fury He thrust at Tony, but the archaeologist knocked the spear aside Then, as Nangolat's thrust carried hiao squarely on the jahirled hi in the dust of the road Then Rick let out the clutch and the jeep leaped ahead A spear went through the windshi+eld and showered glass on hi splinters and fed the jeep hts of the truck and the other jeep The plan had worked, all right He didn't knohether or not their supplies were in the truck, but they would soon find out
”I'll say one thing about being a Spindrift scientist,” Tony said froo in for this sort of thing often?”
”Only when necessary,” Rick said ”Of course it has been necessary pretty often So we're in practice, you rateful You knohat Nangolat is working up to, I presume?”
Rick didn't, and said so
”He planned to force olden artifacts with the earth scanner Then, the find was to be celebrated with the sacrifice of a head That was the part I objected to most You see, the head was to be mine!”