The Adventurers

Untitled Part 28

Seth Forrester watched the raft nudge into the river bank and the two natives scramble out, securing it to the small dock. Sax stepped off and held a hand back for Chessery, followed by Jed, Krena and her daughter and a stranger Seth didn't know.

The group trudged slowly up the bank and stopped in front of the Captain. The two guides bade Sax farewell and hurried off to their friends and families.

"Welcome back, Grant. That's quite a craft you have there." He walked around them, ignoring the native woman and the child, and studied the raft, giving the stranger a hard look. "Don't believe I know you."

Sam adjusted his bulky clothes and gave Seth a mock salute. "Captain Samuel Parkhurst, late of InterSky, a transportation company."

Seth turned around and gave Sax a questioning look. "It's a long story and it can wait."

"Where are the others?"

"We lost Anson and two of the natives to a crew led by Pazzo from the mission. Montcleefe sent him to get the treasure and eliminate us."

"And?"

"Obviously he didn't succeed."

"Did you? I don't see anything that says yes." He glanced again at the small raft.

'As I said, it's a long story."

"There's someone I want you to meet."

"We need to clean up and get some rest first."

Forrester didn't answer and walked back up the hill toward the fort structure, the rest followed automatically.

Inside the fan was turning slowly barely disturbing the air and seated by the wall in front of a table was a large man in snakeskin boots. He had sunglasses hanging on the neck of his plaid shirt and a thin cigar clamped in one corner of his mouth.

Sax stopped short and gaped. "What the hell!"

"Hello Grant, long time no see."

"Not long enough. What the hell is this, Seth?"

"Arthur arrived a week or so after you left. It seems the project we were hired for fell through and we didn't hear because he was working on something to replace it."

"I'll bet. I'm through doing missions for a while; this last one did it for me." Sax said.

"You're under contract, Grant." The man at the table said.

"Listen Trask, we sat down here for months in this hole waiting for your orders, and to break the monotony for Forrester here, he sent us on a stupid treasure hunt that cost us three good men and a pile of new enemies. I've had it. Screw your contract."

Trask stood and ambled toward the group, stopping next to Chessery.

"What do say about this stupid treasure hunt, Chess?"

Sax stared at her. The familiarity surprised him and his mind began whirling suspiciously.

"It's real, Arthur. We all saw it and it's massive. Our new friend here, Captain Parkhurst brought some samples as proof"

Sam backed up, giving her a venomous glare. "Don't even think about it." He pulled out the Glock Sax had surrendered to him and waved it back and forth across the others.

"You're a little outnumbered, Captain." Forrester said as Arkady and Hammond came in behind Sam and relieved him of his weapon with a sharp crack to the arm and the back of the neck.

"Hey, Sax. Welcome back. This yours?" Arkady tossed him the gun and hauled Sam to a chair at the table.

Trask walked over and jammed a hand into one of Sam's pockets and pulled out a small handful of gems. "Oh, wow! You call these samples, Chess!"

"There were chests full."

"You and Trask?" Sax said with contempt.

"It's not so surprising when you think about it, Sax. How do you suppose I found you in the middle of a rainforest? Arthur knew about my father's map years ago. It wasn't until he died and left it to me that the idea of its validity took root. Arthur wanted Seth's team to undertake the hunt but I insisted on you. If Arthur wanted a share then I got Grant Saxon to lead the search."

"You put us all in danger, lost me three good men and all for a scheme you and Trask worked up?" He walked over and spat out the window in disgust. "Couldn't just tell the truth at the start could you?"

"You wouldn't have come. As it was Seth had to make it an order."

"Yeah, well I'm through takin' orders. As a matter of fact I'm through with this whole outfit."

"What about your contract?" Trask was still examining the gem as he spoke.

"Keep your money, Trask. I never believed we'd see any anyway."

"How do propose getting out of here, Grant?" Forrester asked.

"That's my problem; I'll manage." He looked at Jed. "You interested in coming along?"

Jed reddened and licked his lips. "I'm uh- I'm staying with Krena and Lupa."

"What, you're going to take up farming or fishing or something out here?"

"I'm staying, Sax, let's leave it at that."

"Sam?" Sax looked at the seated pilot rubbing a sore neck.

"I'm with you, partner."

"Hold on a minute boys. I'd like to see what else is in those pockets." Trask signaled Forrester to cover the door.

This time Sax raised the Glock and they all froze. "He earned those and they're his to keep so just back off. The rest of you, over by the window and turn around.

Chessery lifted a hand. "What are we going to do, Sax?"

"You're going to get over by the window and turn around with the rest of them. Don't expect your helpless woman skit to wash with me anymore, Chess." Her face fell and she did as ordered without another word. "C'mon Sam, get down to the boats I'll follow shortly."

"You won't get far, Sax." Hammond said over his shoulder.

"Don't count on it, anybody following too close will regret the action, trust me."

"You're a fool, Grant. We could all share in that treasure." Trask said. "The group we have here, armed and prepared could take out that village easily I've got an Apache sitting out behind on the pad; they'd fall on the ground and worship our arrival."

News of the helicopter concerned Sax and he wondered for a second if Parkhurst could fly one.

"Good to know, Trask, give me the keys."

"In your dreams, pal."

"It'll be in your nightmares if you don't. I'll trash it before I go." Sax moved to the line and began relieving them of their weapons and tossing them out the window.

"Sax, we can make some accommodation..."

"Quiet, Chessery, you've said enough this past month." He backed away and then asked for the keys one last time. Trask flipped them to him over his shoulder.

"You can't fly it, what's the point?" Seth said.

"If l can't then nobody will." Don't follow, Forrester, you know me well enough to take that as a serious warning."

Sax slipped out the door and scrambled down the steps and down to the river.

Two of us won't get far in one of these," Sam said kicking the side of a dugout.

"Can you fly a helicopter?"

"What kind?"

"An Apache."

"I know I can get it in the air, I don't know about flying it anywhere."

"It's that, or that." Sax indicated the dugout."

"Point me to it."