Part 67 (1/2)

The truck came to a sudden stop and Sheila wrenched the gear stick into Park. ”Well, now we've stopped so you two can stop your complaining and hop on out. Make sure you take some nice deep breaths of the pines here. They smell sweet and lovely.”

Tom smirked. ”Don't get all sentimental on me now. We've got work to do before we send these two off to meet their ancestors.”

”Work?” Annja frowned. ”I thought we did all that back at the hotel.”

”Well, there's more here,” Tom said. ”I'm not much into carrying large amounts of narcotics by myself. And with you two here, there's no reason for either Sheila or me to do it. You guys will make fine pack mules for a few trips.”

”Nice,” Annja said.

”Don't be down. If you're good, I'll even let you two snort a few lines before I shoot you.”

”What the h.e.l.l will that do?” Jenny asked.

Tom shrugged. ”I don't know, maybe numb your brains long enough for me to kill you. Least that way you won't feel anything when you die.”

Chapter 34.

The wind whistled as it blew through the thick evergreen boughs. Annja took a deep breath and found that Sheila's suggestion had been a good one. The air smelled sweet with the scent of pine. Overhead, dark storm clouds drifted in, and every now and again Annja could feel a few drops of rain sting down from the heavens.

Tom never strayed far with his shotgun, however, and even as Jenny clambered out of the back of the vehicle, he nudged them along. ”Trail's over this way. Let's not waste any time.”

Annja glared at him. ”Got a schedule to keep, have we?”

”You know we do,” Tom said. ”The path is through those trees.”

”And you won't shoot us in the back?” Annja asked.

Tom grinned. ”Trust me when I say that I will at least give you the respect of telling you when I'm going to do it. But that time isn't now. We need you to carry out the parcels first and put them in the truck.”

Annja could see through the trees that there was a small trail ahead of her. She and Jenny poked through the branches and started walking. Another stiff breeze blew in, carrying with it the scent of pine, but Annja could also smell the nearby river and heard the rus.h.i.+ng roar of the water flowing over the dangerous rapids.

”It's a little different being here at night,” she said quietly to Jenny.

”I'm sure we were here last night but we don't remember it, thanks to David drugging us.”

Annja nodded. ”Good point.”

Sheila led the way and Annja spotted a large outcropping of boulders that sat right near the bank of the river. Sheila turned. ”It's over here.” She s.h.i.+ned a flashlight over the rocks and high up off the trail, Annja could see a cleft in the rock.

”Through there,” Sheila said as she scampered up as if she'd done it numerous times before.

Annja climbed first and then reached back to help Jenny scramble up the rock face. Once there, Sheila pointed the way inside. ”I'll get some lights on.”

Tom stayed down below, his shotgun still trained on the opening. ”Sheila will tell you which packages to get and then you'll bring them out here. Don't try anything stupid. At least, not yet.”

Annja ducked into the opening and found Sheila holding the pistol. ”The packages are over there beyond the bend in the tunnel.”

Annja walked over and saw that the cavern opened up much more once you got around the bend. In fact, looking back, she could see why this was such a great hiding spot. At first glance, the cave looked as if it ended where Sheila stood.